Coronavirus Omicron Feb 11 Highlights: DDMA to meet next week to decide on easing Covid-19 restrictions further

Coronavirus Omicron Cases and Deaths in India, Covid-19 Booster Shot Vaccine Registration Latest Update, Coronavirus Third Wave in India News, Covid-19 Omicron February 11 Highlights: Sikkim lifts Covid-19 restrictions; More variants expected to emerge, says WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan; Delhi reports below 1,000 new Covid-19 cases; Kerala registers 16,012 fresh infections

Covid-19 in India, coronavirus lockdown, covid curbs,
The daily positivity rate also went down to from 4.44% to 3.89%. (Image Source: PTI)

Omicron Coronavirus India Live News, Coronavirus Vaccination Statistics and Registration Latest Updates, Covid-19 Cases and Deaths in India Recent Updates, Covid Restrictions Feb 11 Highlights: The cumulative number of Covid vaccine doses administered in India is nearing 172 crore. According to the official data updated by the Ministry of Health on Friday, 171.79 cr vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far. Meanwhile, the Ministry informed that India recorded 58,077 new Covid-19 cases and 657 related deaths. The active caseload declined to 6,97,802, from Thursday’s 7.9 lakh, and the daily positivity rate went down from 4.44% to 3.89%.

Addressing a press briefing on Thursday, Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog noted that the overall Covid-19 situation in the country is optimistic. However, he advised the people not to lower their guard against the virus. “Overall COVID-19 situation is very optimistic. However, some states including Kerala, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh are still reporting a large number of cases. We cannot lower our guard,” he said, reported ANI. Paul further added, “We have learned a great deal about his pandemic and the virus, but the world doesn’t know everything about this virus. The world should remain united to fight this virus and should continue to use the tools that are at our disposal.” Union Health Ministry’s Joint Secretary, Luv Aggarwal said that four states– Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, have more than 50,000 active Covid cases as of now. Meanwhile, the Centre also informed that the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered in the country is nearing 172 crore.

Also Read | Covid-19: Centre calls India’s situation ‘optimistic’, but warns against complacency

It is safe to say that going by the official data, India is witnessing a decline in overall number of Covid cases, and with that, more and more states are slowly announcing relaxation of curbs. Gujarat on Thursday decided to relax the night curfew in eight major cities from 12 midnight to 5am till February 18th, reported ANI. Himachal Pradesh too decided to lift the night curfew and allow gatherings with 50% capacity. Meghalaya announced reopening of schools for Classes 1-5 from Feb 14. According to PTI, Meghalaya’s Chief Minister Conrad Sangma chaired a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation late on Wednesday, where he also said that the night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am will be withdrawn from Friday. “No RT-PCR test will be needed for double-vaccinated individuals coming to the state starting Friday. The schools (Classes 1 to 5) will be fully functional from Monday,” Sangma was quoted as saying by PTI.

One of the biggest Covid-related developments came when the Health Ministry on Thursday announced its revised guidelines for international arrivals. As per revised guidelines, all travelers will have to self-monitor their health for 14 days post arrival as against 7 days home quarantine which was earlier mandated. The new guidelines will come into effect from February 14th.

Financial Express brings you the latest and verified Covid updates from India and around the globe. Check out here:

Live Updates

Coronavirus India Live News: Covid-19 Omicron Cases in India Live Count, Coronavirus Lockdown, Night Curfew Guidelines and Restrictions Live Updates

10:25 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Fresh Covid-19 cases fall to 3,086 in TN; 25 fatalities push toll to 37,887

Tamil Nadu on Friday added 3,086 new Covid-19 infections, pushing the caseload to 34,31,154 while 25 more fatalities took the death toll to 37,887, the Health department said. Recoveries outnumbered new cases with 14,051 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 33,37,265 leaving 56,002 active infections, a medical bulletin said. Chennai and Coimbatore accounted for the majority of new infections with 590 and 569 cases respectively while the remaining was spread across other districts. Perambalur and Tenkasi recorded the least with five cases, each. (PTI)

10:15 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Bengal logs 767 new Covid cases, 27 more deaths

West Bengal's Covid-19 tally reached 20,09,717 on Friday as 767 more people, 50 less than the previous day's count, tested positive for the virus, according to a bulletin issued by the health department. It said 27 fresh fatalities due to coronavirus were recorded during the day, pushing the death toll to 20,965. The state had registered 26 such deaths on Thursday. The positivity rate declined to 1.73 per cent from 1.80 per cent the previous day, while the number of samples tested was lower from Thursday's 45,495 to 44,300 on Friday. (PTI)

10:14 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Chhattisgarh sees 946 COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths; active tally now 8,464

Chhattisgarh on Friday reported 946 COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 11,44,940, while 10 deaths in the past 24 hours increased the toll to 13,988, an official said. The state's positivity rate, or cases detected per 100 tests, was 2.51 per cent as on Friday, he said. The number of recoveries reached 11,22,488 after 83 people were discharged from hospitals and 2,086 completed home isolation during the day, leaving the state with an active tally of 8,464, he said. (PTI)

10:14 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: DDMA likely to meet next week to decide on further relaxing Covid restrictions

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) is expected to meet next week to take a call on further relaxing COVID-19-related restrictions amid declining cases in the city, official sources said on Friday. Demands have been raised by several quarters, including traders and political parties, for further relaxations such as lifting night curfew, permitting weekly markets in all municipal zones, and allowing visitors in religious places. The DDMA meeting is expected to be held next week but a date for it is yet to be finalised, sources said. Chairman of Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) Brijesh Goyal has questioned the continuance of night curfew, saying it was hurting traders. He said that now the marriage season has started and people are going to face problems due to night curfew. The DDMA in its meeting on February 4 had extended the imposition of night curfew, but slashed the timing by an hour from 11 PM to 5 AM. Non-essential shops are allowed to open till 8 PM due to the night curfew. (PTI)

10:13 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Over 172 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 172 crore on Friday, according to the Union health ministry. More than 42 lakh (42,67,532) vaccine doses were administered till 7 pm on Friday, the ministry said, adding that the daily vaccination tally is expected to go up with the compilation of the final reports by late night. More than 1.68 crore (1,68,47,437) precaution doses of the vaccines have so far been administered to healthcare workers (HCWs), frontline workers (FLWs) and those aged 60 years and above with comorbidities. (PTI)

9:48 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Over 1.2 crore people aged 60 years and above yet to receive first dose of Covid vaccine – Govt

Over 1.2 crore people aged 60 years and above in the country had not received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as on February 8, the government informed Parliament on Friday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said a total of 1,20,82,792 people in the said age group are yet to receive the first dose of a Covid vaccine. Besides, 1,68,03,864 beneficiaries in the age group have not received the second dose of the vaccines, she added. As on February 8, a total of 95.09 crore (93.9 per cent) people aged 15 years and above had received the first dose of a Covid vaccine and 73.59 crore (72.6 per cent) beneficiaries in the age group had received both doses. (PTI)

9:15 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Himachal reports 9 Covid deaths, 499 cases

Nine people succumbed to Covid in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, pushing the death toll to 4,058, while 499 new cases took the infection tally to 2,79,697, a health official said. The deaths included six women and three men in the age group of 40 to 83 years, he said. Five deaths were reported from Shimla, two from Mandi and one each from Kangra and Hamirpur, he added. The number of active COVID-19 cases in the state decreased to 4,132 on Friday from 4,344 on Thursday, the official said. (PTI)

9:11 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Kerala govt eases Covid restrictions, decides to allow 1,500 people for religious festivals

The Kerala government on Friday decided to allow 1,500 people in major religious festivals and events in the state including Aluva Sivarathri, Maramon Convention and Attukal Pongala. A government order directed people to attend the festivals and religious events strictly adhering to COVID-19 protocol including wearing masks and keeping adequate distance. Only those over 18 years of age who have a RT-PCR negative certificate taken within 72 hours or a document to prove that they were infected with virus in the last three months will be allowed entry in the places where festivals are held. People below 18 years can attend the festivals with their family members. The government also decided not to allow devotees to offer 'pongala' (offering to the deity) in public places or on roads during the famous Attukal Pongala. However, people can make the offering from their homes, the government order said. (PTI)

9:09 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Nashik sees 347 COVID-19 cases; active tally now 1,980

The COVID-19 tally in Nashik reached 4,74,097 on Friday with the addition of 347 cases, while five deaths took the toll to 8,865, an official said. So far, 4,63,252 people have been discharged post recovery, including 830 during the day, leaving the district with 1,980 active cases, he said. (PTI)

8:52 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Maharashtra records 5,455 COVID-19 cases, 63 deaths; 14,635 patients recover

Maharashtra on Friday reported 5,455 new coronavirus infections, about 700 less than the day before, the state health department said. The virus also claimed 63 lives since Thursday evening. On the other hand, 14,635 patients recovered in the state during this period. The caseload increased to 78,35,088, while the death toll rose to 1,43,355. The overall recovery count increased to 76,26,868. There are now 60,902 active COVID-19 patients in the state. The state also reported 76 fresh cases of Omicron variant on Friday. (PTI)

8:37 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Gujarat reports 1,883 fresh Covid-19 cases, 14 deaths

Gujarat reports 1,883 fresh COVID cases, 5,005 recoveries, and 14 deaths in the last 24 hours

Total recoveries: 11,83,294

Active cases: 18,301

Death toll: 10,775 (ANI)

8:29 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: 167 deaths reported as Adverse Events Following Immunization after 2nd Covid vaccine dose – Govt

Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar on Friday informed the Lok Sabha that 167 deaths have been reported as Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country. The highest number of 43 fatalities has been reported as AEFI from Kerala, followed by 15 from Maharashtra, 14 from West Bengal and 12 each from Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, according to data provided by the minister in response to a written question. (PTI)

8:28 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Telangana logs 733 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death

Telangana on Friday reported 733 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the overall tally to 7,82,336 lakh. The state had recorded 767 new cases on Thursday. The trend of recoveries outnumbering daily infections also continued with 2,850 people recuperating from the infectious disease. The cumulative number of recoveries till date was 7,62,594, a medical bulletin said. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) reported the highest number of cases with 185, followed by Nalgonda and Medchal Malkajgiri 47 and 44 respectively. (PTI)

8:21 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Madhya Pradesh records 2,612 COVID-19 cases; 3 more fatalities

As many as 2,612 persons tested positive for coronavirus, while three died of the infection in Madhya Pradesh in the last 24 hours, raising the tally to 10,21,361 and toll to 10,682, an official from the state health department said on Friday. The positivity rate in the state has dropped to 3.4 per cent from 3.67 per cent recorded on Thursday, he said. At least 5,995 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the count of recoveries to 9,84,500, leaving the central state with 26,179 active cases, the official said. Bhopal and Indore, the worst-hit cities of Madhya Pradesh, registered 549 and 228 cases respectively in the last 24 hours, he said. (PTI)

8:20 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Delhi HC, district courts to resume complete physical functioning from March 2

The Delhi High Court Friday said it will resume complete physical functioning from March 2 onwards while allowing hybrid or virtual hearing in exceptional circumstances on a case-to-case basis. The high, in an administrative order, advised all stakeholders to get themselves vaccinated at the earliest and stated that in the meantime, only a suitable number of benches will hold physical courts. In a separate administrative order, the high court informed that the district courts in the city will also witness a similar graded physical opening from next week with complete resumption from March 2 onwards. (PTI)

8:18 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Mumbai sees 367 COVID-19 cases; 5th consecutive day when tally addition less than 500

Mumbai on Friday reported 367 COVID-19 cases, the fifth consecutive day when the addition to the overall count was less than 500, and one death, which took the tally to 10,53,413 and the toll to 16,679, a civic official said. In signs that the pandemic may be ebbing here, civic data also showed that the caseload doubling time had increased from 949 days on Thursday to 1,055 days on Friday, while the city, where the positivity rate was 1.06 per cent, was clear of containment zones and sealed building for the second consecutive day. (PTI)

8:11 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: 3,976 new cases in Karnataka, 41 deaths

Karnataka on Friday reported 3,976 new cases of COVID-19 and 41 fatalities, taking the tally to 39,21,095 and toll to 39,575. There were 11,377 discharges today, pushing the total number of recoveries to 38,36,915, a Health bulletin said. Of the new cases, 1,725 were from Bengaluru Urban that saw 4,455 people being discharged and 11 virus-related deaths. The total number of active cases across the state is now 44,571. (PTI)

7:40 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: J&K reports 540 new cases, 2 more deaths

Jammu and Kashmir on Friday recorded 540 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection tally to 4,49,873 while two more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, officials said. Of the fresh cases, 312 were from the Jammu division and 228 from the Kashmir division, they said. Jammu district recorded the highest of 131 cases followed by 89 cases in Srinagar district, they said. There are 7,424 active cases in the Union Territory, while the number of recovered patients was 4,37,708, officials said. The death toll stands at 4,741. (PTI)

7:33 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Andhra reports continuing dip in COVID-19 cases

The declining trend of daily COVID-19 cases continued as Andhra Pradesh registered 1,166 fresh infections on Friday. In the last 24 hours ending 9 am on Friday, the state also reported 9,632 recoveries and five deaths, according to the latest health bulletin. The number of active cases has come down to 32,413, the bulletin said. The total number of COVID-19 cases across the state has now touched 23,11,133, while the recoveries stood at 22,64,032. With five more fatalities, the death toll reached 14,688, it said. Chittoor, Guntur, Krishna, SPS Nellore and West Godavari districts reported one death each. (PTI)

7:08 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Kerala reports 16,012 new Covid-19 cases, 27 deaths

Kerala reports 16,012 new COVID19 cases, 43,087 recoveries & 27 deaths in last 24 hours.

214 deaths which were not added due to lack of documents and 251 deaths as per new guidelines of central government: State Government (ANI)

7:06 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: NYC workers face firing for not following vaccine mandate

Several thousand New York City public workers could lose their jobs Friday if they don't show they've complied with the city's mandate requiring they receive at least two shots of the COVID-19 vaccine. Though they represent about 1% of the 370,000-person city workforce, including teachers, firefighters and police officers, the mass firings will mark a new line in the sand for the nation's largest city, which has imposed some of the most sweeping vaccine mandates in the country. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, speaking about the looming firings at a news conference last week, noted that city workers largely complied with the mandate. (AP)

6:55 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Denmark officials see no reason to give more COVID vaccines

Health authorities in Denmark said Friday that they are considering “winding down” the country's coronavirus vaccination programme in the spring and see no reason now to administer a booster dose to children or a fourth shot to any more residents at risk of severe COVID-19. The Danish Health Authority said in a statement outlining its reasoning that the third infection wave in the European nation was waning “due to the large population immunity.” “The very high vaccine coverage in Denmark, especially with the third shot, means that we can cope with increasing infection without getting serious illness,” the government agency said in a statement. Last month, the Danish government said it was offering a fourth vaccine dose to older adults and other vulnerable citizens because the pandemic situation had worsened due to the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. (AP)

6:52 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: 1st batch of Quad-supported Covid vaccines to be delivered in first half of 2022

The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines under the Quad initiative will be delivered in the first half of 2022, the foreign ministers of the grouping said, expressing satisfaction over rapid progress in expansion of the production at a facility in India. After attending the fourth Quad foreign ministers meeting in Melbourne, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it was agreed to expedite the delivery of safe and affordable vaccines, support capacity building and augment infrastructure for last-mile delivery. “Together, we have pledged to donate more than 1.3 billion vaccine doses globally. We are pleased with the Quad Vaccine Partnership's rapid progress in expanding vaccine production at the Biological E Ltd facility in India, which aims to deliver at least 1 billion vaccines by the end of 2022,” a joint statement said. Besides Jaishankar, the meeting was attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Australia's Marise Payne. (PTI)

6:17 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: No discussion held on Maha going mask-free, says Dy CM Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the state cabinet had not held any discussion about going mask-free, and people must continue to wear the protective gear till coronavirus is eradicated. “There was no discussion in the cabinet meeting on stopping the use of masks. We must continue to use masks till the COVID-19 disease is eradicated,” Pawar said while speaking to the media here. People will be informed if any decision about going mask-free is taken, he said. (PTI)

5:57 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Pakistan administers record 2.24 million COVID-19 vaccines in a single day

Pakistan has administered a record 2.24 million vaccines in a single day, a hopeful milestone for the country where the Omicron variant has fuelled the fifth wave of the pandemic, the Minister for Planning and Development said on Friday. Omicron, the most transmissible variant of COVID-19, was first reported in Pakistan in December last year. Minister for Planning and Development, Asad Umar, who is also the head of the National Command and Operation Centre, the country's COVID-19 task force, took to Twitter on Friday to praise the health authorities for achieving this vaccination milestone. (PTI)

5:47 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Macron refused Russian COVID test in Putin trip over DNA theft fears – sources

French President Emmanuel Macron refused a Kremlin request that he take a Russian COVID-19 test when he arrived to see President Vladimir Putin this week, to prevent Russia getting hold of Macron's DNA, two sources in Macron's entourage told Reuters. As a result, the visiting French head of state was kept at a distance from the Russian leader during lengthy talks on the Ukraine crisis in Moscow. They were photographed at opposite ends of a table so long that it provoked satirical comment on social media and speculation, including by diplomats, that Putin might be using it to send a message. But two sources who have knowledge of the French president's health protocol told Reuters Macron had been given a choice: either accept a PCR test done by the Russian authorities and be allowed to get close to Putin, or refuse and have to abide by more stringent social distancing. (Reuters)

5:44 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: EU regulator reviewing menstrual disorder cases after mRNA COVID shots

The European Medicines Agency's safety committee said on Friday it was reviewing reports of heavy menstrual bleeding and absence of menstruation with COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. The assessment is in view of reports of menstrual disorders with both vaccines, and it is not yet clear whether there is a causal link between the COVID-19 vaccines and the reports, the agency said. (Reuters)

5:24 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: UK lifts all testing requirements for vaccinated travellers

Vaccinated travellers can enter Britain without taking any coronavirus tests starting Friday, after the government scrapped one of the final restrictions imposed over the past two years in response to COVID-19. British residents and visitors who have had at least two doses of an approved coronavirus vaccine now only need to fill out a passenger locator form before travelling to the UK. Unvaccinated people still have to take tests both before and after arriving but no longer need to self-isolate until they get a negative result. (AP)

4:27 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: HC asks Maha govt to submit records pertaining to COVID-19 SOPs banning local train travel for unvaccinated people

The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to submit all files and records pertaining to three COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued in July and August 2021, which included the restriction on the use of local trains by unvaccinated people. A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M S Karnik asked for the files after the state government informed that the restriction on local train travel had been invoked by the then state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte considering the COVID-19-related “emergency” at the time. (PTI)

3:52 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Hong Kong extends ban on flights from eight countries, adds Nepal

Hong Kong on Friday extended a ban on incoming flights from eight countries, including the United States and Britain, and imposed one on Nepal until March 4, with the government citing concerns over a growing COVID-19 outbreak. The other countries are Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan and Philippines. (Reuters)

3:39 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Vaccinated patients less likely to need critical care due to Omicron infection, says study

Vaccinated adults have a lower risk of severe illness due to Omicron variant of coronavirus, and are less likely to land in intensive care compared with unvaccinated patients, a US study suggests. The study, published in a weekly report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also found that during the Omicron period fewer patients died while hospitalised, compared with those admitted when the Delta variant was dominant. “Overall, the Omicron-period group had a lower likelihood of being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and were also less likely to require invasive mechanical ventilation compared with the Delta-period group,” said Matthew Modes, a pulmonologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in the US, and co-first author of the study. (PTI)

3:18 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Top German court rejects injunction against vaccine mandate

Germany's Constitutional Court has refused to temporarily block the implementation of a coronavirus vaccine mandate for care and health workers that is due to come into force in mid-March. The country's top court said Friday that it had rejected a bid to impose an injunction against the measure until a legal challenge against its constitutionality is formally reviewed. (AP)

3:05 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Russia’s daily COVID-19 case tally tops 200,000 for first time

Russia's daily COVID-19 cases exceeded 200,000 for the first time since the pandemic began as the Omicron coronavirus variant continued to spread, authorities said on Friday. New cases jumped to 203,949, from 197,076 a day earlier. The government coronavirus task force also reported 722 deaths in the last 24 hours. (Reuters)

2:53 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Sikkim lifts COVID-19 induced restrictions
Sikkim lifts COVID-19 induced restrictions

“Markets, shops & commercial establishments shall function as normal. All educational institutions shall function as per guidelines. No restrictions on social, political, religious & sports related gatherings, “reads the order pic.twitter.com/qNANNuDa7Y
— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2022
2:38 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Pandemic has not ended as more variants expected, says WHO chief scientist

The World Health Organization's chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, said on Friday that the world was not yet at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as there would be more coronavirus variants. “We have seen the virus evolve, mutate … so we know there will be more variants, more variants of concern, so we are not at the end of the pandemic,” Swaminathan told reporters in South Africa, where she was visiting vaccine manufacturing facilities with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. (Reuters)

2:17 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: MIMA asks Mizoram govt to allow all shops to open daily

An apex body of merchant associations in Mizoram on Friday asked the state government to revise the existing COVID-19 guidelines and to allow all shops to open on a daily basis under strict adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) in all parts of the state irrespective of those areas declared as 'red-zone.' Mizoram Merchants' Association (MIMA), the umbrella body of 23 trader associations in the state, through a statement, demanded a relief package to compensate their loss if the government fails to allow them to open their shops daily. (PTI)

1:58 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Puducherry registers 149 new COVID-19 cases

The Union Territory of Puducherry reported 149 new COVID-19 cases on Friday raising the overall tally to 1,65,071, a senior official said. The number of cases showed a further dip in the daily cases as against 162 cases reported on Thursday. In a press release, Director of Health G Sriramulu said the 149 new cases identified at the end of examination of 2,379 samples during the last 24 hours ending at 10 am on Friday were spread over Puducherry (91), Karaikal (42), Yanam (9) and Mahe (7). (PTI)

1:47 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: India agrees to expedite delivery of safe & affordable vaccines, says EAM S Jaishankar

We reviewed Quad's ongoing efforts to combat COVID pandemic & agreed to expedite delivery of safe & affordable vaccines, support capacity building & augment infrastructure for last-mile delivery: EAM S Jaishankar at joint press conference after 4th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (ANI)

1:38 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: More people gather outside New Zealand’s parliament to call for an end to vaccine mandate

More people arrived outside New Zealand's parliament on Friday, as protesters calling for an end to a vaccine mandate and tough COVID-19 restrictions refused to end their demonstrations despite arrests by the police. (Reuters)

1:19 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: GSK-Vir therapy has neutralising activity against Omicron sub-variant, data shows

An antibody-based COVID-19 therapy developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology retains neutralising activity against the emerging BA.2 form of the Omicron coronavirus variant, according to data from a laboratory study cited by Vir on Thursday. Based on data using a pseudovirus engineered to resemble the variant and extensive pharmacokinetic data, the company said it believed the 500-milligram dose of sotrovimab is sufficient to retain activity against BA.2, which is in line with findings on all other variants of concern and interest.

1:09 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: New low-cost coating for fabrics can kill Covid virus, says Study

Scientists in the US have developed an inexpensive, non-toxic coating for almost any fabric that decreases the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, by up to 90 per cent. The coating, described in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, may be used in future to develop an antiviral spray for fabrics. (PTI)

12:43 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Amazon to allow work without face masks

Amazon.com Inc on Thursday informed staff at its U.S. warehouses and logistics sites that they must report being fully vaccinated by March 18 if they wish to receive paid leave due to COVID-19. The company also said fully vaccinated operations staff could work without a face covering starting on Friday as local regulations allow, according to a message to workers that Amazon shared with Reuters.

11:57 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Arunachal Pradesh logs 76 new COVID-19 cases

Arunachal Pradesh reported 76 new COVID-19 cases, 14 less than the previous day, pushing the tally to 63,890 on Friday, a senior Health department official said here. The COVID-19 death toll in the state remained at 293, as no fresh fatality was reported in the last 24 hours. (PTI)

11:36 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Australians told to get COVID boosters to be considered fully vaccinated

Australian residents will need to receive booster shots to be considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19, although authorities said foreign travellers will continue to need only two shots to enter the country. Australia's national cabinet late on Thursday endorsed the revised guidance from the country's vaccination advisory group to classify “up-to-date” inoculations as including boosters. (Reuters)

11:10 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: New York City set to fire 3,000 unvaccinated workers: Report

New York City plans to fire roughly 3,000 municipal workers by the end of this week for failing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the New York Times reported on Thursday. The move comes even as the state of New York prepares to join other U.S. states and cities in lifting many COVID-19 restrictions amid a sharp decline in infections linked to the Omicron variant. (Reuters)

10:52 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Biden sees mask requirements for children easing, but cautious on dropping all mandates

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said mask requirements for children would likely to start to fall away given federal plans to begin vaccinating children under the age of 5, but said it was probably premature to drop COVID mask requirements entirely. Biden told NBC News in an interview that Omicron and other COVID-19 variants had had a “profound impact on the psyche of the American people” and conceded that changing guidelines for the wearing of masks were “confusing.” (Reuters)

10:17 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: India records 58,077 new cases, 657 deaths

India reported a single day rise of 58,077 Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 4,25,36,137, as per the official data on Friday. The number of active cases have declined to 6,97,802, and daily infections are being recorded at less than one lakh for the last five consecutive days. The death toll has climbed to 5,07,177 with 657 daily fatalities, the updated data provided by the health ministry stated.

9:54 (IST) 11 Feb 2022
Coronavirus Live Tracker: Thane’s COVID-19 case count up by 261, death toll by one

Thane district of Maharashtra reported 261 new coronavirus positive cases, which took its overall tally to 7,06,722, an official said on Friday. These new cases were reported on Thursday, he said. With the virus claiming the life of one person during the day, the death toll in the district rose to 11,839. Thane's mortality rate is 1.67 per cent, he added. In neighbouring Palghar district, the caseload stood at 1,63,015 and death toll at 3,389, another official said. (PTI)

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