Coronavirus Highlights: Lockdown In Gujarat Extended By 3 Days, Announces CM Vijay Rupani

Coronavirus Highlights, Monday, May 17, 2021: DRDO will release the first batch of anti-COVID drug 2-DG as around 10,000 will be distributed by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, 'Chardham Yatra' is temporarily suspended. Only rituals are being performed with no pilgrims allowed. Bharat Biotech has said its vaccine Covaxin is effective against the aggressively virulent B.1.167 strain of Covid detected in India and the UK variant of the virus B.1.1.7.

Background

Coronavirus Highlights, Monday, May 17, 2021:The Telangana government on Sunday announced the suspension of its statewide Covid-19 vaccine drive for those above 45 years of age wanting to get the second shot.In a circular issued by the K Chandrashekhar Rao government late on Sunday, beneficiaries were told that the state was facing an acute scarcity of doses and the stock allotted by the Centre was inadequate.“In view of inadequate stock of Covaxin and non-receipt of fresh stocks from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare the second dose drive for persons above 45 years of age is postponed," the order stated.An anti-coronavirus drug developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will be launched today, with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh distributing around 10,000 doses to some hospitals in the national capital.Triple lockdown will come into effect in four Kerala districts reporting the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the state, from Sunday midnight and remain in force till May 23.The boundaries of the Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram districts will be sealed as part ofthe administration’s bid to arrest the massive spread of coronavirus, while the current lockdown will continue in the other 10 districts of the state.

17/05/2021 23:26:15

Still discussing regarding extension of lockdown: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa

We are still discussing regarding extension of lockdown. Anyway, the imposed lockdown will remain imposed till 24th May. After two three days we will discuss and decide the extension of lockdown: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa

17/05/2021 23:09:08

Lockdown In Gujarat Extended By 3 Days, Announces CM Vijay Rupani

The partial lockdown, which was ending tomorrow, will remain in place for three more days: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani 

17/05/2021 22:28:20

Union Health Ministry Issues Revised Clinical Guidance For Management Of Adult Covid Patients

17/05/2021 22:16:54

Uttarakhand: Second phase of Covid-19 curfew to be implemented from May 18

Uttarakhand: Second phase of Covid-19 curfew to be implemented from May 18, 6 am to May 25, 6 am. 20 people allowed in weddings and RT-PCR negative report not older than 72 hrs mandatory.

Patients going to a doctor exempted; pass to be given on e-pass application in case of a health emergency.

17/05/2021 20:34:59

Certain Groups Of Uttarakhand Police Officers Exempted From Covid Duty

Uttarakhand: In view of the second wave of COVID-19, State Police Headquarters has issued instructions to keep policemen above 55 years of age, pregnant police personnel or women Police personnel with children below 1 year of age, free of Covid front line duty.

17/05/2021 19:21:21

Kerala Government will float a global tender to purchase 3 crore doses of vaccines

Kerala Government will float a global tender to purchase 3 crore doses of vaccines from the market. The process will start today. The vaccination for priority groups in the age group of 18-44 years has started in the state: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan .

17/05/2021 19:22:31

Accused of hoarding oxygen concentrators, Businessman Navneet Kalra sent to 3-day police remand by Delhi Court

Accused of hoarding oxygen concentrators, Businessman Navneet Kalra sent to 3-day police remand by Delhi Court. His advocate Vineet Malhotra opposed the Delhi Police plea seeking five-day police custody of Kalra. 

Advocate Malhotra said Kalra's arrest was totally malafide as his anticipatory bail plea is coming up before Delhi High Court tomorrow.

Delhi's Saket Court was hearing remand proceedings of businessman Navneet Kalra in the case pertaining to alleged hoarding of oxygen concentrators. Delhi Police sought five-day police custody of businessman Navneet Kalra.

17/05/2021 17:30:30

Regular production of 2DG Drug to starting from first week of June

The second batch of Drug 2DG will be coming around May 27 in a limited quantity. Regular production will be starting from the first week of June and that will be available to everyone everywhere. Based on demand we're even telling people how to make 1 lakh sachets also: DRDO Chairman told news agency ANI.

17/05/2021 16:15:05

Navneet Kalra's advocate opposes 5-day custody sought by Delhi Police

Businessman Navneet Kalra's advocate Vineet Malhotra opposes the Delhi Police plea seeking five-day police custody of Kalra. 

Advocate Malhotra says Kalra's arrest was totally malafide as his anticipatory bail plea is coming up before Delhi High Court tomorrow.

Delhi's Saket Court is hearing remand proceedings of businessman Navneet Kalra in the case pertaining to alleged hoarding of oxygen concentrators. Delhi Police seeks five-day police custody of businessman Navneet Kalra.

17/05/2021 14:01:30

Rajinikanth Donates Rs 50 Lakh To Tamil Nadu's Covid Relief Fund

Actor Rajinikanth handed over Rs 50 lakhs for COVID relief fund to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin at the secretariat "I appealed to the people to strictly follow COVID restriction favoured by the govt to control the pandemic," said Rajinikanth

17/05/2021 13:48:04

Andhra Pradesh Extends Covid Curfew Till May 31

COVID19 | Curfew imposed in Andhra Pradesh extended till the end of May, says Chief Minister's Office

17/05/2021 12:41:15

ONGC to procure 1 lakh oxygen cylinders

"On behalf of Govt of India, ONGC has been given the responsibility to procure 1 lakh oxygen concentrators based on its understanding of global supply chain & logistics. Government will bear the cost of procuring these concentrators. ONGC placed orders for 34,673 Oxygen concentrators on overseas vendors for immediate supply. Out of these, 2,900 are expected to be received by 21 May": ONGC

17/05/2021 10:50:13

Rajnath Singh And Dr Harsh Vardhan Launch DRDO's Anti-Covid Drug

The first batch of anti-COVID drug 2-DG, developed by the DRDO, has been released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. Around 10,000 doses will be distributed to some hospitals in the national capital.

The drug has been developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) which is a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad.

17/05/2021 10:43:15

India Records Less Than 3 Lakh New Cases

India's COVID-19 tally mounted to 2,49,65,463 on Monday with 2,81,386 fresh cases, the lowest in 27 days, while the death toll climbed to 2,74,390 as 4,106 more people succumbed to the disease, according to Union health ministry data.

The number of active cases stands at 35,16,997, accounting for 14.09 per cent of the total infections. The national recovery rate has improved to 84.81 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,11,74,076, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.10 per cent, it stated.

17/05/2021 08:37:15

Television journalist and anchor Anjan Bandyopadhyay dies a month after testing positive for Covid

 Eminent journalist and popular TV anchor Anjan Bandyopadhyay, who tested positive for Covid-19 around a month ago, died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Sunday night, a health department official said.

He was 56.

Bandyopadhyay, the editor of Bengali news channel Zee 24 Ghanta, breathed his last at around 9.25 pm, the official said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the death of the journalist, who is the brother of the state Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

According to family sources, the TV anchor had tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-April following which he was hospitalised.

"He had returned home after recovering a bit, but was again taken to the hospital after his condition deteriorated.

He was put on a ventilator and then on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support, but his condition continued to deteriorate," an official of the hospital said.

Bandyopadhyay was with ETV Bangla, 24 Ghanta and then with Anandabazar Patrika's digital unit before moving to TV9 Bangla as the channel's first Editor. He returned to Zee 24 Ghanta as its editor just before this year's assembly elections in West Bengal.

"Saddened at the passing away of Anjan Bandyopadhyay, one of the best-known television anchors in Bengal. He was a bright, young and dynamic journalist," the chief minister said in a statement.

17/05/2021 07:34:45

No Covid-19 vaccination drive in Mumbai on Monday due to Cyclone Tauktae

In view of the warning on Cyclone Tauktae, the Covid-19 vaccination drive in Mumbai will remain suspended for the third day on Monday, according to BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The civic body's chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said the vaccination programme will now be implemented on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

17/05/2021 07:30:54

Amid Covid-19, Kedarnath Temple Reopens

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, portals of Kedarnath temple opened around 5 am today. This comes after thousands were affected by Covid-19 post their participation in Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand's Haridwar.

17/05/2021 07:30:37

Anti-Covid Drug by DRDO to be Released Today

The first batch of anti-COVID drug 2-DG, developed by the DRDO, will be released today by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has approved the oral drug for emergency use as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe coronavirus patients, the defence ministry said earlier this month.

17/05/2021 07:30:00

Covaxin Works Against UK Strain, Variant Found in India: Bharat Biotech

Bharat Biotech has said its vaccine Covaxin is effective against the aggressively virulent B.1.167 strain of Covid detected in India and the UK variant of the virus B.1.1.7.  Bharat Biotech said according to the research, Covaxin "produced neutralising titres (meaning the concentration of antibodies) against all key emerging variants".