The data suggested that Delhi with a population of 2 crore is inching towards herd immunity (File)
India's COVID-19 tally of cases rose to 1,07,77,284 with 11,039 new infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries surged to 1,04,62,631, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The death count increased to 1,54,596 with 110 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,04,62,631 pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.08 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.43 per cent. The total COVID-19 active cases remained below 2 lakh.
There are 1,60,057 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 1.49 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
Meanwhile, One in two residents in Delhi has been exposed to the coronavirus and developed antibodies for the infection, the fifth serological survey in the capital has found, the government said on Tuesday. The data suggested that the city of 2 crore is inching towards herd immunity - when the majority of the population becomes immune to a disease, slowing its spread - but people should not let their guard down, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.
"In the fifth sero survey done in the national capital of Delhi, antibodies have been detected in 56.13 per cent of the population. This was the largest survey in any state involving around 28,000 samples conducted from January 15 to 23," Mr Jain said.
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Coronavirus Latest Updates: Haryana Police Personnel To Get COVID-19 Vaccines From TodayPersonnel of the Haryana Police are all set to receive their COVID-19 shots, in the second phase of the vaccination drive that begins from Thursday.
As per a statement, the Director-General of Police Manoj Yadava volunteered to be the first to receive the vaccine and will inaugurate the vaccination drive at Police Headquarter, Sector-6, Panchkula at around 11 am.
A spokesperson of the Haryana Police said that the entire police force had worked continuously on the front line when Covid-19 was at its peak, and their efforts had also been consistently recognized at the national level.
"Besides maintaining law and order, each of our officers and jawans fearlessly ensured food to the poor and needy, safe home return of migrant workers and labourers and take care of the elderly. In the lockdown, the humane face of the police comes to fore and that is why police efforts were also consistently recognized at the national level", the spokesperson said.
There are currently 1,055 active cases in Haryana, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As many as 2,63,989 recoveries and 3,023 deaths have been reported so far.
Centre Says 162 Doctors Died Of COVID-19, Medical Body Puts Number At 734The Indian Medical Association has expressed shock at the central government stating in Rajya Sabha that 162 doctors died due to coronavirus in the country.
It appealed that a high-power committee be constituted by the government to do a thorough study of the entire data of doctors who have died, and that all those who had died due to the disease will be honoured.
Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey had on Tuesday informed the Upper House of Parliament that COVID-19 has so far claimed the lives of 162 doctors, 107 nurses and 44 ASHA workers in the country.
Russian Covid Vaccine Sputnik V Could Be Available In India By AprilRussian-made Coronavirus vaccine Sputnik -- peer-reviewed by the Lancet Medical Journal -- is undergoing trials in India and could be available for use soon. "I believe the vaccine should be available in India from March- April," Deepak Sapra, the chief of API and pharma services at Dr Reddy's Laboratories, which is manufacturing the vaccine, told NDTV. Currently two vaccines -- Serum Institute's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin -- are being administered to three crore health workers and frontline workers like the police and sanitation workers.
Daily Covid Vaccination Figure Dips Again, Doctors Say People HesitatingEighteen days into India's vaccination drive, the daily numbers are witnessing a dip again. Over the last week, the vaccination figures have dropped from 5.7 lakh to 1.8 lakh a day. The number of average beneficiaries per site has also slipped from 57 to 49 over the last few days.
On January 28, the average number of beneficiaries per site was 56, the total number of vaccinations was above 5.7 lakh (5,72,074).
On January 31, the average number of beneficiaries per site was 57 - the total number of vaccinations was 14,509.
On February 2, the average number of beneficiaries per site was 49 - down from 54 on February 1. The total number of vaccinations was above 1.8 lakh (1,88,762) - down from Monday's 1.9 lakh (1,91,313).
Spain Virus Death Count Surges Past 60,000: GovernmentSpain's coronavirus death count surged passed the 60,000 mark on Wednesday as another 565 people died in the previous 24 hours, health ministry figures showed.
The grim milestone came as officials said Spain appeared to be turning the corner of the third wave, although the death toll has remained stubbornly high.
The latest deaths pushed the overall count to 60,370 while confirmed cases rose by 31,596 over 24 hours, taking the total number of infections to 2,883,465.
But the real number of people who have died of Covid-19 is likely to be far higher than the official total.
In December, Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) said more than 45,000 people had died in the first three months of the epidemic, giving a figure that exceeded the official toll by 18,000.
Virat Kohli Latest To Tweet After Rihanna's Post
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has joined the growing list of national celebrities and political leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, to tweet on unity and farmers - a list triggered by pop star Rihanna's six-word tweet indicating support for those protesting the centre's agriculture laws.
"Let us all stay united in this hour of disagreements. Farmers are an integral part of our country and I'm sure an amicable solution will be found between all parties to bring about peace and move forward together," Mr Kohli tweeted late Wednesday.
"Goes Anywhere For ₹ 2,000": BJP MLA's Barb At Rakesh TikaitBJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar, accused by the farmers protesting at the Ghazipur border of trying to disrupt their agitation with his supporters, has made controversial remarks against influential farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, who has been leading the protest against the centre's three agriculture laws at the UP-Delhi border.
The lawmaker, who has denied the farmers' accusation, said he is a "bigger farmer" than the Bharatiya Kisan Union chief because he owns more land than him. He also made a personal attack at Mr Tikait, alleging that he "has heard that Mr Tikait goes anywhere for just ₹ 2,000".
Read "Indians Should Decide For India": Sachin Tendulkar On Rihanna's TweetSachin Tendulkar, joining in the "India Against Propaganda" pushback after pop star Rihanna's tweet in support of the farmers' protests, said today only "Indians should decide for India" and the country's sovereignty could not be compromised.
"India's sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants. Indians know India and should decide for India. Let's remain united as a nation," Sachin Tendulkar tweeted, with the hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.
India's sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants.
Read "India Stands United": Amit Shah Amid Pushback After Rihanna Farmer Post
Home Minister Amit Shah this evening became the senior-most member of the government to warn of the "temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments" - a response to the wave of support for farmers protesting the new agriculture laws, a wave generated by a six-word tweet from pop star Rihanna.
Mr Shah joined the growing list of BJP politicians and leaders, and Bollywood celebrities tweeting against "propaganda" that threatens national unity.
"No propaganda can deter India's unity! No propaganda can stop India to attain new heights! Propaganda can not decide India's fate only 'Progress' can. India stands united and together to achieve progress," Mr Shah tweeted.
"Anti-National Rahul, Rihanna, Mia Khalifa": BJP Leader's ResponseInternational pop star Rihanna, who holds Barbadian (from the Caribbean island of Barbados) citizenship, is "anti-national", the BJP's Sambit Patra declared Tuesday, after the singer's six-word tweet on the farmers' protest triggered a wave of support for them, a flood of angry comments targeting her and a warning by the government against "sensationalist" comments.
Sambit Patra, who is with BJP chief JP Nadda on a two-day visit of Kerala, also hit out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi - who this morning cautioned the government against prolonging the standoff with the farmers - for trying to score political brownie points on a subject he knew nothing about.
"Rihanna and Rahul both know nothing about farmers... about crops, but both are tweeting on this issue. Where were these people when Gandhi's statue was attacked? Why didn't these international celebs tweet then?" Sambit Patra asked.
"Did they tweet when Kashmiri Pandits are taken out? Did they tweet when Delhi Police got injured with swords on January 26? None of these international activists tweeted then. Rahul Gandhi goes abroad meets anti-India elements... whether it is Rihanna or Mia Khalifa. It is all propaganda to defame India. These are anti-national elements," he raged.
Late Tuesday night Rihanna tweeted to her 100 million followers: "Why aren't we talking about this?" and shared an article on the farmers' protest by American news outlet CNN.
Rakesh Tikait Warns CentreA huge crowd gathered today at Jind in Haryana for a farmers' "mahapanchayat" or meeting to push for the repeal of three new laws at the heart of farmer protests outside Delhi since November. While several such gatherings have been seen in the past few days in Uttar Pradesh, today's meeting took it to Haryana's Jat heartland.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait addressed the gathering at Jind, considered the epicenter of Jat politics in Haryana. Mr Tikait and several others were on the stage when it suddenly collapsed under their weight, briefly interrupting the meeting.
Mr Tikait, a Jat leader from Uttar Pradesh, appealed to people not to panic after the accident. He warned the government that it would find it difficult to stay in power if the new laws are not repealed.
"We have so far talked about 'bill wapsi' (repealing the farm laws). The government should listen carefully. What will you do if the youth call for 'gaddi wapsi' (removal from power)?" he questioned.
Delhi Government Will Help Trace Farmers Missing Since Tractor Rally: Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said his government will help trace the farmers missing since the violence on January 26 and if the needed, he will approach the Lieutenant Governor and the Centre.
Arvind Kejriwal said that the Delhi government has also released a list of 115 persons lodged in different jails of Delhi in connection with the January 26 violence during the farmers' tractor rally.
"We are releasing a list of 115 protesters who were arrested by police in relation to the Republic Day incident and are in different jails in the city. Our government will make every effort to trace the protesters who are missing and I will even speak to the Lt Governor and the central government if the need arises," he said at a press conference.
Over 30 Crore Indians May Have COVID-19: Report
About one in four of India's 135 crore people may have been infected with the coronavirus, said a source with direct knowledge of a government serological survey, suggesting the country's real caseload was many times higher than reported.
India has confirmed 1.08 crore COVID-19 infections, the most anywhere outside the United States.
But the survey, whose findings are much more conservative than a private one from last week, indicates India's actual cases may have crossed 30 crore. The state-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which conducted the survey, said it would only share the findings at a news conference on Thursday.
Hashtag Pushback From Ministers, Akshay Kumar After Rihanna Leads TweetsIn a massive pushback after pop star Rihanna and other global celebrities tweeted in support of the farmer protests, top ministers and actor Akshay Kumar posted tweets today with the hashtags #IndiaAgainstPropaganda and #IndiaTogether, both used in an official government statement. People must focus on the government's efforts to resolve the farmer crisis instead of "half truths", they said.
"Farmers constitute an extremely important part of our country. And the efforts being undertaken to resolve their issues are evident. Let's support an amicable resolution, rather than paying attention to anyone creating differences," posted Akshay Kumar.
Read "Farmers Won't Back Down, Government Will Have To": Rahul GandhiFarmers protesting the agriculture laws will not back down and it is in the government's interest to relent, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said Tuesday, amid renewed support for those fighting to repeal the laws, particularly after emotional appeals from Bharatiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik) chief Rakesh Tikait and a six-word tweet from international pop star Rihanna.
Mr Gandhi also criticised the government over disturbing images of farmer protest sites along the Delhi border being turned into "fortresses", complete with barbed wire, concrete walls, row upon row of metal barricades and large groups of police and paramilitary forces standing guard.
"As far as I know the farmers... they will not back down. They will continue with their protests. In the end it is the government that will have to back down, and better they do that today. This situation is not good at all for the country," Mr Gandhi told reporters this afternoon.
Read Stage Collapse At Farmers' "Mahapanchayat", Leader Rakesh Tikait FallsThe stage at a massive gathering for a farmers' "Mahapanchayat" or meeting in Haryana's Jind collapsed this afternoon. Rakesh Tikait, leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik) and other farmer leaders, who were standing on the stage, were taken down when the stage went crashing down. There are no reports of any inuries.
A video of the stage collapse showed Mr Tikait and others being taken down as the stage crashed just as he was about to address the gathering. People who were sitting on the ground, listening to the people on the stage, jumped up in shock.
Read Russia Records 16,474 COVID-19 Cases In Past 24 Hours
Russia registered 16,474 COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, down from 16,643 the day before, taking the tally to 3,901,204, the coronavirus response center said on Wednesday. "Over the past day, 16,474 coronavirus cases were confirmed across 85 regions, including 1,748 cases (10.6 percent) that were detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms," the center said, adding that the cumulative case count has now reached 3,901,204 with the rate of increase at 0.42 percent.
West Bengal Allows 100 Per Cent Capacity For Outdoor Sports Events
The West Bengal government on Wednesday allowed stadiums and sports complexes outside containment zones with full seating capacity for outdoor sports events following social distancing, use of masks, and sanitisers.
We are issuing a list of 115 people who have been arrested after January 26 violence and are kept in various Delhi jails. I hope it helps people looking for their family members who went missing after participating in Kisan Andolan on January 26: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 Tally Rises To 16,829
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally rose to 16,829 on Wednesday as one more person tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister To Felicitate Doctors, Healthcare Workers
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Tuesday announced an appreciation amount of Rs 11,000 to doctors and healthcare workers deployed on COVID-19 duty for their exemplary services. According to a statement by the Chief Minister's Office, the doctors will also be given a certificate of appreciation for their efforts during the pandemic.
WHO Covid Probe Team At Wuhan Virus Lab Seeks Clues To Origin Of Pandemic
A team of investigators working on behalf of the World Health Organization visited on Wednesday a major virus research laboratory in China's central city of Wuhan, seeking clues to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus: Jharkhand Reports 59 New COVID-19 Cases
Jharkhand's COVID-19 tally rose to 1,18,793 on Wednesday as 59 more people tested positive for the infection, while two fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 1,075, a health official said.
The Government of India has enhanced FDI in Defence Sector up to 74% through the Automatic Route and 100% through the Government route, which would act as a catalyst for foreign players to invest in India.
I express my deep sense of gratitude to the Defence Ministers from Maldives, Ukraine, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Comoros and Madagascar who have joined this show in person, and many others who are joining virtually.
We've taken steps to strengthen our security apparatus. Domestic manufacturing of bigger &complex defence platforms has now become the focus of our policy under 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan'.We plan to spend 130 Billion Dollar on military modernization in the next 7-8 years.
I have been informed that about 540 exhibitors including 80 foreign companies, Defence Ministers, Delegates, Service chiefs and officials from more than 55 nations are participating in this event. It reflects growing optimism of the global community.
The Aero India 21 will display the vast potential of India, and the multifarious opportunities that our country offers in the field of defence and aerospace sector. It also promises to be the World's First-Ever Hybrid Aero and Defence exhibition.
In order to maximize the reach and participation, the event is being conducted in a hybrid format with a concurrent Virtual Exhibition which will integrate Seminars, B2B interactions etc. It'll be not incorrect to say, that Aero India 21 has truly gone digital and global: Defence Minister
Despite the constraints caused by the global pandemic, I am pleased to see such a large number of participants in this year's event. It is coming from the world's leading nations in the field of military and aviation: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Aero India show in Bengaluru.
COVID-19: India Records 11,039 New Cases
India's COVID-19 tally of cases rose to 1,07,77,284 with 11,039 new infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries surged to 1,04,62,631, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
3 New Cases Push Mizoram's COVID-19 Tally To 4,376
Mizoram's COVID-19 tally rose to 4,376 on Wednesday as three more people tested positive for
the infection, a health official said.
A total of 19,84,73,178 samples tested for COVID-19 up to February 2. Of these, 7,21,121 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
BioNTech-Pfizer Pledges 75 Million More Vaccine Doses To European Union
BioNTech and Pfizer said Monday they will ramp up their coronavirus vaccine deliveries to the European Union, pledging to send up to 75 million extra doses to the bloc in the spring. "Pfizer and BioNTech continue to work toward increased deliveries beginning the week of February 15, ensuring we will supply the full quantity of vaccine doses in the first quarter we contractually committed to and up to an additional 75 million doses to the European Union in the second quarter," they said in a statement.
PM-CARES Fund To Cover Over 80% Cost Of 1st Phase Of Covid Vaccination: Top Official
The PM-CARES fund, which has been set up to provide relief during the coronavirus pandemic, has contributed over ₹ 2,200 crore for the first phase of vaccination drive, which is looking to inoculate frontline healthcare workers, the Expenditure Secretary said on Tuesday.
Amid Rise In Non-Covid Patient Load, Mumbai Doctors Want Vacancies Filled
There has been a rapid decline in the number of daily COVID-19 cases in Mumbai - once the country's largest hotspot. Data shows that over the last few weeks, Maharashtra's capital city has been reporting less than 500 cases and no more than 10 deaths in a day.
Read Here Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine 91.6% Effective In Late-Stage Trial: Lancet
Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is 91.6 percent effective against symptomatic Covid-19, according to results published in The Lancet on Tuesday that independent experts said allayed transparency concerns over the jab, which Moscow is already rolling out.
Some US Pharmacies Will Offer COVID-19 Vaccines From February 11The United States will begin to offer Covid-19 vaccines at pharmacies from February 11, part of efforts to rapidly increase the rate at which shots reach arms.
The White House's Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters on Tuesday that because of supply constraints, the program would initially be limited to 6,500 participating pharmacies nationwide, before eventually expanding to 40,000.
"This will provide more sites for people to get vaccinated in their communities. And it's an important component to delivering vaccines equitably," he said.
Major chains like Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Walmart and Rite Aid are among those participating and the program is planned to work on an appointment basis, as people become eligible on the basis of their priority group.
Second Phase Of Covid Vaccination To Be Rolled Out In Haryana TodayThe second phase of COVID-19 vaccine will be rolled out in Haryana on Wednesday and frontline workers will get the jab during the drive.
To ensure its smooth implementation of the drive, the registration of all such workers will be completed on the CoWIN portal by Sunday, it said.
"Haryana is all set to start the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccine roll out from February 3, after the successful implementation of its first phase," an official statement said.
Pfizer Sees About $15 Billion In 2021 Sales From COVID-19 VaccinesPfizer Inc said on Tuesday it expects to generate about $15 billion in sales this year from the COVID-19 vaccine that it developed with German partner BioNTech.
The drugmaker is trying to deliver two billion doses of the vaccine in 2021 at a breakneck pace as countries rush to sign supply deals in an effort to control a pandemic that has killed over 2 million people globally.
Pfizer has supplied 65 million doses of the vaccine globally and 29 million doses to the United States as of Jan. 31. It expects to supply 200 million doses to the U.S. government by the end of May.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had distributed just under 50 million doses total of Pfizer and Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccines as of Feb. 1.
About 32 million of them have been administered and 17 million of those doses were Pfizer's vaccine, according to the CDC data.