The number of new coronavirus infections in India has jumped 18% recorded with 45,576 recorded in the past 24 hours, according to government data. That takes the overall figure to 89,58,483 since the outbreak in January. Up to 585 people died of the disease since yesterday, the overall number till now being 1,31,578. Up to 4.43 lakh active cases remain in the country.
Delhi recorded 7,546 fresh COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking the infection tally in the national capital to over 5.1 lakh, even as 98 more fatalities pushed the count to 8,041, authorities said.
Meanwhile, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said he was confident that the COVID-19 vaccine would be ready in the next three-four months and added that the priority to provide the same to 135 crore Indians would be based on scientific evaluation.
The Minister was addressing the FICCI FLO webinar on "The Shifting Healthcare Paradigm During and Post-Covid" today.
"I am confident that the COVID-19 vaccine will be ready in the next three-four months. Priority for the vaccine will be designed on the basis of scientific data. Health care workers and corona warriors will naturally be prioritised followed by elderly and disease-prone people. Very detailed planning is underway for vaccine dissemination. An e-vaccine intelligence platform has been created to discuss the blueprint for the same. Tracking and tracing of the vaccine would be neck-deep once it's available for the public. Hopefully, 2021 should be a better year for all of us," the Health Minister said.
