Latest News LIVE Updates: India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 1,20,95,855 on Wednesday.
India saw the biggest daily surge in Covid cases since early October with 72,330 fresh infections reported since yesterday, taking the tally to 1,22,21,665 cases. Today's surge is the highest since October 11 when 74,383 infections were recorded.
The huge spike in cases comes on the day when the country enters the third phase of world's biggest inoculation drive with the vaccine net extended to those who are 45 and older.
On March 1, the public rollout of vaccine had started for people above 60 years of age and those above 45 with serious illnesses. In the first phase, which began on January 16, health workers and frontline workers were given priority.
In India, more than 6 crore doses of vaccines have been administered so far. The country aims to vaccinate 30 crore people by July.
Here are the Latest News Live Updates:
Nine deaths, 2,600 fresh virus cases in UP
Uttar Pradesh reported 2,600 new COVID-19 cases and nine fatalities on Thursday, pushing the state's infection tally to 6,19,783 and the death count to 8,820, according to a Health Department bulletin.
France to ban outdoor drinking under new virus restrictions
Alcoholic drinks will be prohibited in French parks and other outdoor public spaces as part of the new limited nationwide lockdown to stem the Covid-19 crisis, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday.
Addressing the National Assembly, Castex also said authorities would be quick to disperse groups of more than six people on riverbanks or squares after the new restrictions unveiled by President Emmanuel Macron late Wednesday, AFP reported.
India For Comprehensive, Expert-Led Mechanism To Investigate COVID OriginIndia on Thursday said it shares the need for a comprehensive and expert-led mechanism to expeditiously investigate the origin of the coronavirus, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) came out with a report on it.
WHO officials said data was withheld from its investigators, who travelled to China to study the origin of the coronavirus which causes COVID-19.
"We share the need for a comprehensive and expert-led mechanism that would expeditiously investigate the origin of COVID-19 in cooperation with all stakeholders," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He was replying to media queries on the issue.v
Maharashtra reports 43,183 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, highest one-day rise since pandemic began, alongwith 249 deaths, news agency PTI reported quoting health official
Amid rising COVID cases, Delhi Chief Minister to hold "urgent" meeting with health minister, officials on Friday.
2,790 New Covid Cases In Delhi In 24 Hours, 53% Higher Than YesterdayDelhi reported 2,790 new coronavirus cases on Thursday - its highest daily figure this year - along with nine deaths amid a spurt in COVID-19 infections in the country. The city had logged 1,819 cases on a day ago, making Thursday's jump a huge 53 per cent.
Cases have been on the rise in India since early February -- when new daily infections dropped below 9,000 -- to more than 72,000 on Thursday, the highest level since October.
Experts have warned that infections are increasing at a faster pace compared to last year, when single-day cases peaked at almost 1 lakh in September.
The state worst hit by the virus has been Maharashtra, home to the country's financial capital Mumbai.
Bulgaria Eases Virus Curbs Despite Third Wave SurgeBulgarian health authorities eased coronavirus restrictions on Thursday, three days before April 4 a general election and despite a raging third wave that has seen hospital admissions spike.
"In recent days we have been at the peak of the third wave but infection rates are starting to go down," Health Minister Kostadin Angelov said.
He confirmed the ministry will go ahead with the easing and allow restaurant and cafe terraces to re-open after a ten-day closure along with cinemas, theatres, swimming pools and other recreation venues that will be allowed to operate at 30-percent capacity.
Creches and kindergartens will also re-open next Monday and schools will resume in-person lessons with alternate shifts after spring break on April 12.
"We have to find a balance between people's physical and mental health", Angelov said in justifying the decision.
However, the easing has already been slammed by medical staff, overwhelmed by a new influx of hospital admissions.
Pfizer, BioNTech Say Covid Vaccine Effective Against South African VariantPfizer and BioNTech said Thursday their Covid-19 vaccine was highly effective against the South African variant in the latest phase of ongoing clinical trials.
No cases of the disease were observed in South Africa during the phase-three trial study among participants who had received their second dose, the companies said in a statement.
Several coronavirus variants with the potential to be more transmissible have caused global concern over whether existing vaccines will still protect the world from a virus that is constantly mutating.
"In South Africa, where the B.1.351 lineage is prevalent and 800 participants were enrolled, nine cases of Covid-19 were observed, all in the placebo group," the companies said.
Maharashtra Covid Patient Dies Hours After 'Dharna' With Oxygen MaskA 38-year-old coronavirus patient who had to sit on a protest outside the municipal corporation in Maharashtra's Nashik after allegedly being turned back by a number of hospitals died just after midnight on Thursday.
Babasaheb Kole was seen on a 'dharna', wearing an oxygen mask connected to a cylinder, last evening outside the civic body's headquarters.
After about an hour, an ambulance from the corporation took him to the municipal hospital.
According to his family, at around midnight, his oxygen level went close to 40 per cent. A normal level of oxygen is usually 95 per cent or higher.
WHO's Hans Kluge Says European COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign Is "Unacceptably Slow"Europe's rollout of vaccinations against COVID-19 is "unacceptably slow," the World Health Organization's European head said on Thursday, raising concern that delays in giving shots could prolong the pandemic as cases of variants spread.
Only 10% of the region's population have received one vaccine dose, and 4% have completed a full course, Hans Kluge said.
"The rollout of these vaccines is unacceptably slow," he said in a statement. "... We must speed up the process by ramping up manufacturing, reducing barriers to administering vaccines, and using every single vial we have in stock, now."
Europe was slower than Britain and the United States, not only to order vaccines last year from companies but also in approving them. Even once they were approved by the bloc, rates of vaccinations there have largely trailed behind British and U.S. efforts.
Kluge said new infections in Europe were rising in every age group except those aged over 80, a sign that the vaccinations that have gone to older groups are working but that the stuttering rollout was leaving younger people vulnerable.
"As variants of concern continue to spread and strain on hospitals grows, religious holidays are leading to increased mobility," the WHO said in its statement.
"Speeding up vaccination rollout is crucial."
In addition to tight supplies, squabbles over exports and delays by some vaccine manufacturers, and concerns over the safety of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine after rare clotting events emerged have also curbed vaccination momentum.
German President Receives AstraZeneca Covid VaccineGerman President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday received the first dose of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, his office announced, just two days after authorities recommended use of the controversial jab only for people aged 60 and over.
"I trust the vaccines authorised in Germany," Steinmeier, 65, said in the statement. "Vaccinating is the decisive step on the path out of the pandemic. Use the opportunities available. Join in!"
J&J Vaccine Manufacturing Error Affects 15 Million Doses: ReportA manufacturing error at a plant involved in Covid-19 vaccine production affected 15 million doses worth of an ingredient for Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, according to two people familiar with the matter, though the company downplayed the situation and said it met its most recent vaccine delivery target.
The issue, which occurred recently at an Emergent BioSolutions Inc. facility in Baltimore, isn't expected to change President Joe Biden's expectation that the U.S. will have enough vaccine for all adults in May, the people said.
None of the doses produced and shipped so far in the U.S. have come from that plant, which isn't authorized yet, two administration officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Vaccination Throughout April, Including Holidays: Government Amid Surge
Covid-19 vaccinations will be done throughout the month of April, including on gazetted holidays, the government informed today. It has decided to operationalise both public and private sector vaccination centres for this purpose. All states and Union Territories have been asked to make arrangements for this, taking a significant step to exponentially expand the countrywide vaccination drive.
The government has initiated these measures following deliberations with the states and Union Territories on March 31, a Press Information Bureau release said today. The idea is to optimally utilise all vaccination centres to rapidly increase the pace and coverage of the drive. It is in line with the graded and pro-active approach employed by the Centre, the release said.
Politicians, Celebs Get Shots In '45-And-Above' Covid Vaccination
The third phase of COVID-19 vaccination for all above 45 years begins from today.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy launches the Covid-19 vaccination centre in ward secretariat in Guntur city. Mr Reddy and his wife YS Bharati also their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had on Tuesday announced that from April 1 all people above 45 years will be eligible for vaccination.
According to the Health Ministry, advance appointments for vaccination can be booked through http://cowin.gov.in, or one can visit their nearest vaccination centre after 3 pm and get on-site registration done.
Educational Institutes In 7 Madhya Pradesh Districts Closed Till April 15Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday ordered all schools and colleges in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Betul, Chhindwara, Khargone, Ratlamcities to remain closed till April 15, in view of rising Covid-19 cases in the state.
In view of the rising COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra, bus services to and from there will also remain suspended till April 15, said the Madhya Pradesh government.
The home ministry of Madhya Pradesh issued an official statement on March 31 that said that the above said measures are necessary for the prevention and of the spread of coronavirus infection in view of the sudden spike in the state.
Relatives To Handle Bodies Of Covid Victims Dying At Home: Pune Civic BodyThe Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has said that bodies of Covid-19 victims dying at home must be handled by relatives themselves while the civic body will help them in the process. The ward officer for each locality will provide the body bag and four PPE kits to the relatives, authorities have said. They should wear the kit while packing the body in the bag and loading it onto the hearse van.
They should also upload the medical certificate specifying the cause of death, along with their insurance form for Covid-related duties, on the PMC's website. The Aadhar cards of the dead person and of those relatives handling the body are also to be submitted in the process.
Read COVID-19 Relapse An Emerging Concern, Say ScientistsTwo positive tests at an interval of at least 102 days with one interim negative test have been defined as SARS-CoV-2 re-infection or relapse of COVID-19 by Indian scientists for establishing surveillance systems, according to a study by top medical body ICMR.
But a confirmation of the re-infection will require a whole genome sequencing, it stated.
While SARS-CoV-2 re-infection is still a rare phenomenon, Indian scientists have developed an easy-to-use epidemiological definition of re-infection for establishing surveillance systems.
According to the study 'SARS-CoV-2 re-infection: development of an epidemiological definition from India' which has been published by Cambridge in the Epidemiology and Infection journal, an investigation was conducted with the objective to develop an epidemiological case definition of possible SARS CoV-2 re-infection and assess its magnitude in India.
Read Breaking: Vaccination throughout April, including on gazetted holidays, at all public and private sector centres, says government
Vaccination throughout April, including on gazetted holidays, at all public and private sector centres, says government.
No Interest Rate Cut On Small Savings, "Orders Issued By Oversight"Steep cuts on interest rates on small savings schemes, announced last evening, were rolled back by the government today with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declaring that "orders issued by oversight" would be withdrawn. The cuts in schemes ranging from the National Savings Certificates or NSC and Public Provident Fund or PPF, would have hurt millions of middle class depositors.
"Interest rates of small savings schemes of the government of India shall continue to be at the rates which existed in the last quarter of 2020-2021, ie, rates that prevailed as of March 2021. Orders issued by oversight shall be withdrawn," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted this morning.
Read 72,330 New Covid Cases In India, Biggest 1-Day Spike Since Early October: 10 PointsIndia saw the biggest daily surge in Covid cases since early October with 72,330 fresh infections reported since yesterday, taking the tally to 1,22,21,665 cases. Today's surge is the highest since October 11 when 74,383 infections were reported.
Read 72,330 Coronavirus cases registered todayIndia's COVID-19 tally climbed to 1,22,21,665 with 72,330 more people testing positive for the infection in a span of 24 hours, according to the updated data released by Union Health Ministry today.
Maharashtra Reports 39,544 Cases, 227 Deaths In 24 Hours
Maharashtra on Wednesday reported as many as 39,544 new coronavirus cases, its second-highest single-day rise in infection tally since the pandemic began, a health official said.
With this, the state's cumulative caseload mounted to 28,12,980.
Just three days back - on March 28 - the state had recorded 40,414 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest surge in cases in a day so far.
On March 22, the state had crossed the 25 lakh cases mark, while it went past the 27 lakh-mark on March 28.
On Wednesday, Maharashtra reported the deaths of 227 patients. This one-day fatality count is the highest for the state since October last year, which pushed the death toll to 54,649.