The daily new cases of COVID-19 in India were recorded above 17,000 after a little over a month taking the total tally of cases to 1,11,56,923, while the recoveries surged to 1,08,26,075, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
A total of 17,407 infections were reported in a day. The death count increased to 1,57,435 with 89 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Covaxin is 81 per cent effective in preventing Covid and can work against the UK variant of the virus, Bharat Biotech said Wednesday as it revealed a "first interim analysis" of Phase III trial results for a vaccine cleared in January amid concerns over safety and efficacy.
The company said its initial analysis was based on 43 trial participants getting coronavirus, of whom 36 had not received the vaccine. Interim analysis also showed that severe, serious, and medically attended adverse events occurred at low levels and were balanced between vaccine and placebo groups, Bharat Biotech said.
The company also said it planned further interim analysis for 87 cases and a final analysis for 130. This data has yet to be peer-reviewed.
Meanwhile, VK Sasikala, the ousted former chief of Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK - who was released from a Bengaluru jail in January and was widely expected to challenge for control of the party, and the Chief Minister's post, in next month's election - will "stay away from politics and public life".
In a letter released Wednesday night Sasikala - a confidante of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa - wrote: "I have never been after power or position even when Jaya was alive. Won't do that after she is dead. I am staying away from politics to ensure continuation of AIADMK's 'golden rule' in Tamil Nadu."
