Coronavirus HIGHLIGHTS: Process Of Covaxin's Emergency Use Approval By WHO Begins, Reveals Bharat Biotech

Coronavirus HIGHLIGHTS, Monday, July 12: The R-factor, which indicates the speed at which the infection is spreading in the country, has risen in Kerala and northeast states.

Background

Coronavirus HIGHLIGHTS, Monday, July 12:  For the first time in many weeks, new Covid cases dipped below 2,000 in a day, while deaths declined to 56 across Karnataka, said the state health bulletin on Sunday."Only 1,978 positive cases were registered on Saturday, taking the state's Covid tally to 28,71,298, including 36,737 active cases, while recoveries rose to 27,98,703, with 2,326 patients discharged during the day," said the bulletin.As epi-centre of the pandemic in the state, Bengaluru, however, reported only 433 fresh cases on Saturday, taking its Covid tally to 12,19,378, including 13,459 active cases, while recoveries increased to 11,90,182, with 203 patients discharged in the last24 hours.With 56 patients, including 8 in Bengaluru succumbed to the infection, taking the state's death toll to 35,835 and the city's toll to 15,736 since the pandemic broke out in mid-March a year ago.Out of 1,58,898 tests conducted across the state during the day, 28,135 were through rapid antigen detection and 1,30,763 were through RT-PCR method.Former Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya on Sunday said that India’s current vaccination rate was simply not good enough. He said the country needs to achieve daily rate of at least 5 to 6 million jabs."India's current vaccination rate of 3 to 4 million per day is simply not good enough. We need to up our game to achieve daily rate of at least 5 to 6 million jabs. Not clear whether the cause is hesitation or insufficient production," Arvind Panagariya said.

12/07/2021 23:48:57

We will strengthen the commercial roll-out of Sputnik V in the coming weeks: Dr. Reddy's Laboratories

We will strengthen the commercial roll-out of Sputnik V in the coming weeks. Neither the ongoing soft commercial launch nor work towards its ramp-up in India has been put on hold: Dr. Reddy's Laboratories.

12/07/2021 21:33:26

Covaxin's WHO approval

All documents required for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) of Covaxin have been submitted to WHO as of 9th July. The review process has now commenced with the expectation that we will receive EUL from the WHO at the earliest: Bharat Biotech

12/07/2021 20:40:18

Tamil Nadu Reports 2,652 New COVID Cases, 36 Deaths & 3,104 Recoveries

Tamil Nadu reports 2652 new COVID-19 cases, 3104 recoveries, and 36 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases 25,21,438
Total recoveries 24,56,165
Death toll 33,454
Active cases 31,819

12/07/2021 19:48:52

Maharashtra Reports 7,603 New COVID-19 Cases Along With 53 Deaths

Maharashtra reports 7,603 new COVID-19 cases, 15,277 recoveries and 53 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases 61,65,402
Total recoveries 59,27,756
Death toll 1,26,024
Active cases 1,08,343

12/07/2021 19:27:06

Karnataka Reports 1,386 New COVID-19 Cases Along With 61 Deaths

Karnataka reports 1386 new COVID-19 cases, 3204 discharges and 61 deaths in the last 24 hours. 

Total cases 28,72,684
Total recoveries 28,01,907
Death toll 35,896
Active cases 34,858

12/07/2021 18:07:09

Kerala reports 7,798 new COVID cases

Kerala reports 7798 new COVID-19 cases, 11,447 recoveries and 100 deaths today.

Active cases: 1,11,093
Death toll: 14,686

12/07/2021 17:36:38

US 'Gifts' 500,000 Doses Of Moderna Vaccine To Bhutan Amid Global Efforts To End COVID Pandemic

On July 12th, 500,000 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine gifted from the US arrived at Paro International Airport, Bhutan. The doses were donated by the US govt and the American people, as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s global efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic: US Embassy and Consulates in India.

12/07/2021 13:42:40

Odisha reports 1,993 new COVID-19 cases, active tally at 24,567

Odisha reported 1,993 new COVID-19 cases, 2,824 recoveries, and 63 deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the state health department on Monday.

With this, the cumulative count in Odisha stands at 9,41,745 including 9,12,463 recoveries and 4,662 deaths. There are 24,567 active cases in the state.

Of the fresh COVID cases reported, 1,154 people got infected in quarantine, while 839 caught the infection from local contacts, ANI reported.

12/07/2021 13:42:24

Thane logs 423 new COVID-19 cases, 7 more deaths

Thane has added 423 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,37,781, an official said on Monday.

These new cases were reported on Sunday, PTI reported.

The virus also claimed the lives of seven more people, raising the death toll in the district to 10,843, he said, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.01 per cent.

12/07/2021 13:41:58

Maharashtra needs 3 crore anti-COVID-19 vaccine doses per month, says Rajesh Tope

Maharashtra needs a minimum of three crore vaccine doses per month to inoculate the entire eligible population against coronavirus at the earliest, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Monday.

Talking to PTI, Tope said the state's capacity is to vaccinate 15 lakh people daily, but as of now only two to three lakh people are being inoculated in a day because of the "shortage of vaccine doses".

12/07/2021 11:18:29

303 People Who Had Fully Recovered People From Covid Die Of Black Fungus In Karnataka

Three hundred and three people, who had fully recovered from Covid-19 infection, have succumbed to mucormycosis in Karnataka. More than a hundred out of the total deaths have been reported from the state’s capital, Bengaluru.

The black fungus or mucormycosis was declared as an epidemic in India under the Epidemic Diseases Act. Mucormycosis can impact a patient’s face, nose, eye orbit and even brain, which can lead to vision loss.

While a total of 303 lives have been lost to the black fungal infection, 104 are from Bengaluru. As on July 9, as many as 3,491 patients were found to be suffering from mucormycosis in Karnataka with a fatality rate is 8.6%., The Times of India reported.

12/07/2021 09:55:16

India has reported 37K Coronavirus Cases

India reports 37,154 new Covid cases, 39,649 recoveries, and 724 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Health Ministry.

Total cases: 3,08,74,376

Total recoveries: 3,00,14,713

Active cases: 4,50,899

Death toll: 4,08,764

Total vaccinated:37,73,52,501 (12,35,287 in last 24 hrs)

12/07/2021 07:40:52

S Africa extends COVID-19 restrictions with certain relaxations

 South Africa on Sunday extended COVID-19 restrictions for a fortnight with certain relaxations amid rising infections.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday evening that restrictions under Level 4 of the country's five-level lockdown strategy would continue for another fortnight.

The country, however, allowed restaurants, eateries, gyms and fitness centres to reopen with 50 per cent capacity and adherence to Covid protocols.

Earlier, restaurants and eateries could only offer takeaway services.

Agricultural livestock and game auctions will also be allowed now, subject to certain conditions.

All social, political, religious and other gatherings remain prohibited, while the 9 pm to 4 am curfew and a ban on alcohol sales will remain in place.

Schools will remain closed until 26 July.

"These measures were urgent and they were absolutely necessary to contain the third wave, which is being fuelled by the new Delta variant. It remains our priority to break the chain of transmission by limiting social contact," Ramaphosa said.

"As things stand now, infections remain extremely high. With the fast-spreading Delta variant, we are experiencing a third wave that is more severe than the first and second waves."

Ramaphosa said that for the last two weeks, the country has consistently recorded an average of nearly 20,000 daily new cases. At present, the country has over 2,00,000 active COVID-19 cases.

In the last two weeks, over 4,200 South Africans have lost their lives to COVID-19.

12/07/2021 07:40:17

New Covid cases dip below 2,000 in Karnataka

 For the first time in many weeks, new Covid cases dipped below 2,000 in a day, while deaths declined to 56 across Karnataka, said the state health bulletin on Sunday.

"Only 1,978 positive cases were registered on Saturday, taking the state's Covid tally to 28,71,298, including 36,737 active cases, while recoveries rose to 27,98,703, with 2,326 patients discharged during the day," said the bulletin.

As epi-centre of the pandemic in the state, Bengaluru, however, reported only 433 fresh cases on Saturday, taking its Covid tally to 12,19,378, including 13,459 active cases, while recoveries increased to 11,90,182, with 203 patients discharged in the last24 hours.

With 56 patients, including 8 in Bengaluru succumbed to the infection, taking the state's death toll to 35,835 and the city's toll to 15,736 since the pandemic broke out in mid-March a year ago.

12/07/2021 07:39:36

India's Current Vaccination Rate Is Slow: Former Niti Aayog V-C

Former Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya on Sunday said that India’s current vaccination rate was simply not good enough. He said the country needs to achieve daily rate of at least 5 to 6 million jabs.

"India's current vaccination rate of 3 to 4 million per day is simply not good enough. We need to up our game to achieve daily rate of at least 5 to 6 million jabs. Not clear whether the cause is hesitation or insufficient production," Arvind Panagariya said.

12/07/2021 07:38:53

Increasing R-Factor has raised concerns in Kerala and Northeast

Giving rise to fresh worries about the COVID-19 pandemic rearing its head again, the R-factor, which indicates the speed at which the infection is spreading in the country, has risen recently leading to a sluggish pace in the decline of active cases while Kerala and northeast states have emerged as regions of concern.

The R-factor has increased slightly to 0.88 in June-end after being at its lowest-ever value of 0.78 from mid-May till late last month, it showed. This comes amid the unlocking process by many states trying to restore a semblance of normalcy as the deadly second wave, which infected lakhs and killed thousands during its peak in April-May, shows signs of ebbing.