Covid LIVE: Maharashtra sees over 34,000 cases in a day; 1,350 in Mumbai

Coronavirus live updates: India reported a record of 4,529 new deaths and 267,334 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 25,496,330. Stay tuned for corona-related news

2:47 AM

India highlights efforts in preventing spread of Covid-19 at UN roundtable

India highlighted its efforts in preventing the spread of coronavirus and development of new drugs, vaccines, and other innovative measures for curing infected patients at a high-level roundtable at the United Nations-Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UN-CSDT).
 

Reading the message on behalf of the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ashutosh Sharma, at the high-level roundtable held as part of the 24th Session of the UN-CSDT, S K Varshney, Head, International Division of the DST, highlighted the COVID-19 vaccination drive launched by the government for taking care of overall health and well-being of all sections of the society, the DST said.

2:46 AM

DCW urges women to report harassment on pretext of Covid-related help

The Delhi Commission for Women Wednesday urged women to report to it instances of sexual harassment on the pretext of providing medicines or oxygen cylinders during the coronavirus pandemic.
 

"The whole nation and Delhi have fought a tough battle with coronavirus. However, some unscrupulous people are taking advantage of this situation and sending obscene messages to women who ask for help in getting medicines or oxygen cylinders on Twitter," the panel said.
 

The panel asked women who faced such harassment to send their complaints to its email address livingpositive@gmail.com.
 

"If you or anyone known to you has faced this situation, you can email us on livingpositive@gmail.com. Such men will not be spared," it added.
 

10:02 PM

Assam reports 6,143 new Covid-19 cases

9:51 PM

Tamil Nadu reports 34,875 new infections, 365 deaths: Health Dept

Tamil Nadu has reported 34,875 new Covid-19 cases and 365 deaths, the Health Department said on Wednesday.
 

The new cases, including eight returnees from various destinations, pushed the caseload to 16,99,225 and the deaths took the number to 18,734 till date, the department said.
 

According to a medical bulletin, 23,863 people were discharged today, taking the tally to 14,26,915, leaving 2,53,576 active infections.

9:33 PM

Nagaland extends lockdown till May 31 as Covid-19 cases continue to rise

Considering the consistent rise in Covid-19 cases in the state, the Nagaland government on Wednesday decided to extend the ongoing total lockdown till May 31, officials said.
 

At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the state's High Powered Committee (HPC) on COVID-19 made the decision two days before the current week-long lockdown comes to an end.

9:22 PM

Maharashtra logs 34,031 new Covid-19 cases; 594 die, 51,457 recover

Maharashtra reported 34,031 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, which took the infection tally to 54,67,537, while the death of 594 patients pushed the toll to 84,371, the state health department said.
 

On Tuesday, the state had recorded 28,438 cases and 679 deaths.
 

As compared to the previous day, the single-day death toll of the state dropped by 85, but the case count rose by 5,593 on Wednesday.

9:15 PM

Delhi CM does not speak for India, Jaishankar after Singapore objects to Kejriwal's remark on variant

The government on Wednesday chided Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his comments that a new variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Singapore after the Southeast Asian nation called in the Indian envoy and strongly objected to the "unfounded assertions".
 

In the midst of the diplomatic row, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Delhi chief minister does not speak for India and that the two countries have been solid partners in combating the pandemic.

9:01 PM

Vaccines to all adults by end of year; need to focus on peri-urban, rural areas: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Wednesday said India will have procured 267 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of this year, and will be in a position to inoculate at least all of its adult population, according to an official statement.

 

The minister said that 51 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses will be made available by July and 216 crore more between August and December. He urged states to ensure that the healthcare and frontline workers are fully vaccinated, as they form the vulnerable categories.

 

Interacting with the health ministers and principal secretaries/ additional chief secretaries of West Bengal and eight northeast states, Vardhan said, "Between August to December 2021, India will have procured 216 crore vaccine doses while, by July this year, 51 crore doses will be procured."

8:55 PM

West Bengal sees record 157 Covid-19 deaths in one day; toll rises to 13,733: Health Department

West Bengal registers record 157 Covid-19 deaths in one day; toll rises to 13,733: Health Department

8:45 PM

Covid-19 update: Taskforce set up for children in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra

The Osmanabad district administration in Maharashtra has formed a task force to protect children in the possible "third wave" of the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Wednesday.

 

District collector Kaustubh Divegaokar held a meeting with child specialist doctors regarding the measures to be taken to protect children in future.

 

The administration also decided to set up separate COVID-19 wards for children. The collector said almost 8 per cent of all the COVID-19 patients are children.

8:27 PM

Covid LIVE: Maharashtra sees over 34,000 cases in a day; 1,350 in Mumbai

8:07 PM

Goa govt sanctions financial assistance of Rs 400,000 for every family of deceased: CM

7:41 PM

Mumbai records 1,350 new Covid cases, 4,565 recoveries and 57 deaths in the last 24 hours

Mumbai records 1,350 new Covid cases, 4,565 recoveries and 57 deaths in the last 24 hours

7:32 PM

Karnataka reports 34,281 new Covid cases, 49,953 discharges and 468 deaths in the last 24 hours

Karnataka reports 34,281 new Covid cases, 49,953 discharges and 468 deaths in the last 24 hours

7:21 PM

Vaccination should be taken 3 months after recovery from Covid, lactating women can take jabs: Health Ministry

Vaccination should be taken three months after recovery from Covid-19, lactating women can take jabs: Union Health Ministry

7:11 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 23,160 new Covid cases, 106 deaths and 24,819 recoveries in the last 24 hours

Andhra Pradesh reports 23,160 new Covid cases, 106 deaths and 24,819 recoveries in the last 24 hours

7:02 PM

80 million doses makes us largest vaccine sharer so far: Gayle Smith, US State Dept

6:56 PM

Haryana employee tasked to cremate Covid-19 victims, succumbs to virus

An employee of the Municipal Corporation in Haryana's Hisar town, who performed the last rites of Covid-19 patients, succumbed to the virus this week. Praveen Kumar, 43, was President of the Safai Karamchari Union. Despite being vaccinated against the virus, he tested positive for Covid on Saturday and admitted to a hospital with low oxygen saturation.

 

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

 

"There was a delay in getting him admitted owing to lack of availability of bed in a government hospital," his colleague Rajesh Bagri told the media.

6:46 PM

Kerala reports 32,762 new Covid-19 cases, 112 deaths

: Kerala registered

 

32,762 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, pushing the infection count to 22,03,413, while the toll mounted to 6,724 with 112 more deaths, the state government said.

 

As many as 48,413 persons have been cured, taking the total recoveries to 18,94,518, while 3,31,860 are undergoing treatment for the infection, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters. In the last 24 hours,1,40,545 samples were tested and the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was 23.3 per cent.

6:19 PM

Kerala reports 32,762 new coronavirus cases, 112 deaths and 48,413 recoveries in a day

Kerala reports 32,762 new coronavirus positive cases, 112 deaths and 48,413 recoveries today

6:19 PM

How Mumbai 'chased the virus', did better than Delhi in preparing for Covid-19

At midnight on April 17, as a deadly new wave of the coronavirus overwhelmed India, Mumbai’s Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal learned that six hospitals in his city would run out of oxygen within hours -- putting the lives of 168 patients at risk.

 

Amid the ensuing scramble, the patients were rushed to the temporary hospitals Chahal’s team had set up during the city’s first wave in 2020. He hadn’t dismantled the facilities even when cases dipped. Unlike most Indian hospitals that relied on cylinders, they had been equipped with pipes that supplied oxygen directly to patients’ beds. All 168 survived. READ MORE...

5:54 PM

15,801 Oxygen cylinders, 12,874 concentrators delivered to states in 22 days: Health Ministry

12,874 Oxygen concentrators, 15,801 Oxygen cylinders, 19 Oxygen generation plants, 9,925 ventilators/ BiPAP, 6.1 L Remdesivir vials delivered through road and air, from April 27 to May 18: Health Ministry

5:38 PM

Telangana floats global tender for 10 million Covid-19 vaccine doses

Telangana has invited global tenders for procuring 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from manufacturers or their agents in case of imported jabs.

 

The goods to be supplied must be as per the guidelines issued by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Telangana State Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation said in the tender document issued on Tuesday.

 

"TSMSIDC requires at least 15 lakh (1.5 Million) to 20 Lakh (2 Million) doses of the vaccine to be supplied every month. READ ON...

5:21 PM

Covid-19: Delhi govt says third wave from Singapore or other nation, HC says India has own variants

The Delhi High Court Wednesday cautioned the Delhi Government from stretching any further the issue that a third wave of COVID-19 could be coming from Singapore or some other country, saying India already has its own variants of the virus and does not need any other nation for it.

 

Let's be clear, there is no wave from Singapore and we don't need any other country, we have our own variants, said a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh which interjected when Delhi government's counsel was making submissions that the next wave could be coming from Singapore or some other country.

 

After the remarks by the bench, senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, replied from wherever the second variant is from India only. Stressing on the need for vaccination, he also said Until and unless everyone is safe, none is safe.

5:11 PM

Delhi CM has no competence to pronounce on Covid variant: Singapore High Commissioner to India

4:44 PM

Covid vaccination to be deferred by 3 months after recovery: Centre

After accepting new recommendations of a government panel, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday said Covid-19 vaccination is to be deferred by 3 months after recovery from the illness.

 

"The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19's (NEGVAC) recommendations have been based on the evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging global scientific evidence & experience," the ministry said. READ MORE...

4:33 PM

Covid LIVE: Vaccination recommended for all lactating women, says Centre

The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) has shared fresh recommendations regarding Covid-19 vaccination with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.  These recommendations have been based on the evolving situation of the Covid-19 pandemic and emerging global scientific evidence and experience.

 

4:18 PM

Covid-19 complications: Black fungus declared an epidemic in Rajasthan

Mucormycosis (black fungus), which is primarily affecting people recovering from COVID, has been declared an epidemic in Rajasthan, officials said on Wednesday. Currently, the state has around 100 black fungus patients and a separate ward has been made at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur for their treatment.

 

Mucormycosis has been notified as an epidemic and a notifiable disease in the state under the Rajasthan Epidemic Act 2020, according to a notification issued by state's Principal Health Secretary Akhil Arora.

 

He said the step was taken to ensure integrated and coordinated treatment of black fungus and the coronavirus. According to experts, people with diabetes are more prone to getting the black fungus infection.

4:15 PM

BSF enhances Covid-19 medical care facilities for serving, retired personnel

The BSF has bolstered its COVID-19 medical set up for its serving and retired personnel with the creation of oxygenated beds in its hospitals even as it is "in the process" of setting up two small plants for producing the life-giving gas, officials said on Wednesday.

 

Ten oxygen beds each at two BSF COVID care centres located in Chhawla (southwest Delhi) and Tigri (south Delhi) areas of the national capital have been created recently, an official spokesperson said.

 

Out of these 20 beds, he said, a total of two have bipap (a non-invasive medical therapy) facility while four have ventilators.

4:14 PM

Covid LIVE: Delhi sees 3,846 new cases in a day; positivity rate at 5.78%

The national capital reported 3,846 new COVID-19 cases, its lowest daily spike since April 5, and 235 deaths on Wednesday, as the city's positivity rate dipped to 5.78 per cent, according to the latest health bulletin. While the number of fresh infections is low, it came from a relatively smaller number of tests -- 66,573 -- conducted on Tuesday.

 

This is the third day on the trot that the number of new cases has remained below 5,000. The COVID-19 situation has been improving in Delhi with the number of cases and the positivity rate going down steadily in the past few days. Medical experts have held the lockdown as the main factor behind the dip amid the second wave of the pandemic.