Coronavirus LIVE: Night curfew in Bhopal, Indore from Wednesday

Coronavirus live updates: Gujarat govt has decided to implement night curfew in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot from March 17 till March 31. Stay tuned for corona-related news

11:00 PM

Made micro comtainment zones, lockdown isn't necessary now: Pune Mayor

9:09 PM

Pune reports 3,574 fresh Covid-19 cases, 1,577 recoveries

8:52 PM

Tamil Nadu reports 867 new coronavirus positive infections, five deaths

Continuing with its upward trend, Tamil Nadu logged 867 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, pushing the caseload to 8,61,429, while five more fatalities took the toll to 12,556. Chief Minister K Palaniswami during his poll campaign urged people to take the vaccine shots following the rise in new infections, as officials were asked to implement the COVID-19 standard operating procedure strictly.

 

The total recoveries went up to 8,43,423 with 561 patients being discharged today, a health department bulletin said. Active cases stood at 5,450. Chennai accounted for most of the new infections with 352 cases being reported, aggregating 2,39,483 till date. The metropolis also leads in the number of fatalities with 4,182.

8:41 PM

Night curfew in Indore, Bhopal city areas from tomorrow

In view of rising coronavirus cases in the state, the Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to impose night curfew in Bhopal and Indore municipal areas and also ordered closure of shops at 10 PM in eight other cities.

 

The restrictions would come into force from Wednesday, an official said.

 

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan after reviewing the COVID-19 situation at a meeting with senior officials, he said. The night curfew will be in place in Indore and Bhopal cities from 10 PM to 6 AM, an order issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr Rajesh Rajora said.

8:33 PM

Covid-19 vaccine not exported at expense of Indians: Dr Harsh Vardhan

A total of 5.94 crore doses of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccine has been exported to 72 countries till March 15 but it is in no way being sent at the expense of the people of India, Health Minister Harvardhan informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

 

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said so far around 3 crore people have been administered the COVID vaccine and on Monday alone a total of 30.39 lakh people in the country took the jabs.

 

"So far the government has provided 5.94 crore vaccine doses to 72 countries till yesterday. This has been done as the government considers that the whole world is our family," he told the house. READ MORE...

 

8:24 PM

Punjab reports 1,475 new Covid-19 cases, 751 discharges, and 38 deaths in a day

8:07 PM

China to permit Indians and people from 19 countries to return only if they take Chinese vaccines

China has made it mandatory for people coming from India and 19 other nations to get Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines if they want to travel to this country.

 

"For the purpose of resuming people-to-people exchanges in an orderly manner, starting from 15 March, 2021, the Chinese Embassies and Consulates in India will provide the persons having taken Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine and holding the Certificates of Vaccination," a notice posted on the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi said.

 

The announcement makes little difference for thousands of Indian students besides professionals working in China and their family members who are stuck in India awaiting Beijing to permit their return as there are no Chinese vaccines available in India.

8:03 PM

Govt places new purchase order with SII for 10 crore doses of Covishield vaccine

The Centre has placed a new purchase order with the Serum Institute of India (SII) for the supply of 10 crore doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, each costing Rs 157.50, including GST, according to a PTI report.

 

The HLL Lifecare Limited, a public sector undertaking, has issued the supply order on behalf of the Union health ministry on March 12 in the name of Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Pune-based SII.

 

The cost of the 10 crore doses would be borne by the health ministry under the budgetary allocation for the purpose. The expenditure for the earlier orders of the vaccines was funded through the PM Cares Fund. India has approved two vaccines against COVID-19 -- Covishield, manufactured by the SII, and the indigenously-developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech -- for restricted emergency use in the country.

8:02 PM

Night curfew to be imposed in Rupnagar District of Punjab from 11 pm to 5 am

7:58 PM

Karnataka sees 1,135 new Covid-19 cases, 561 recoveries, and six deaths in the last 24 hours

Karnataka reports 1,135 new coronavirus (Covid-19) cases, 561 recoveries, and 6 deaths in the last 24 hours.

7:40 PM

UK's Covid-19 vaccine is safe and works extremely well, says Boris Johnson

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and bio-pharmaceutical major AstraZeneca is safe and works extremely well, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday, amid reports that the doses were causing blood clot-related complications.

 

In an editorial to coincide with the launch of a new 'Integrated Review' of the UK's foreign policy vision, the prime minister reflected on how just six months since its discovery, the vaccine is being produced in multiple countries including India.

 

I could tell from the excitement of the scientists that this was promising and that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine looked as though it would work. After exhaustive tests, so it has proved, Johnson wrote in The Times'.

7:16 PM

Biotech firm Moderna begins testing Covid-19 vaccine on children

US-based Biotechnology company Moderna on Tuesday announced that it is now testing a Covid-19 vaccine designed to be used on children aged between 6 months to less than 12 years old.

 

To begin with, the company intends to enrol approximately 6,750 paediatric participants in the US and Canada.

 

The trials are being conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). READ MORE...

7:01 PM

1,970 new coronavirus cases, 15 deaths in Kerala

Kerala on Tuesday logged 1,970 COVID-19 cases, including a returnee from South Africa, and 2,884 recoveries as the active cases came down to 26,127, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

 

While the total covid caseload has touched 10,94,643, as many as 10,63,444 people have been cured of the infection, he told reporters at Kannur. Fifteen more fatalities took the toll to 4,422. In the last 24 hours, 60,974 samples have been tested and the test positivity rate is 3.23 per cent. So far, 1,23,90,578 samples have been sent for testing.

6:52 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Night curfew in Bhopal, Indore from Wednesday

6:17 PM

1,970 new coronavirus positive cases, 2,884 recoveries and 15 deaths reported in Kerala in the past 24 hours

1,970 new coronavirus positive cases, 2,884 recoveries and 15 deaths reported in Kerala in the past 24 hours. Active cases now at 26,127; so far 10, 63,444 persons have recovered from the disease.

5:51 PM

China says it will start issuing visas; taking Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine required for visa

The Chinese embassy has said it will start issuing visas to travellers who have taken a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine and possess the certificates of vaccination. In a statement, the embassy said it will facilitate measures for people wanting to travel to China to carry on their employment contracts, resume work and do other relevant activities.

 

"For the purpose of resuming people-to-people exchanges in an orderly manner, starting from March 15, the Chinese embassy and consulates in India will provide the persons having taken Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine and holding the certificates of vaccination with the following facilitating measures," it said listing certain points.

 

The embassy said foreigners with valid APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) business travel cards (ABTC) can apply for a business visa with the valid ABTC and invitation letter from their counterpart in China.

5:50 PM

Mumbai's Dharavi sees 21 Covid cases, highest since Oct 6 last year

Dharavi in Mumbai, one of the world's densest urban sprawls, on Tuesday reported 21 COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day addition to the infection tally since October, a civic official said. The locality had seen 22 cases on October 6 last year, he pointed out.

 

The caseload in Dharavi, which reported its first case in April 1 last year, now stands at 4,279, the official added. Spread over an area of 2.5 square kilometres, Dharavi has over 6.5 lakh people and innumerable micro and small industrial and commercial units.

5:37 PM

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal tests positive for coronavirus infection

5:11 PM

Maharashtra in beginning of second Covid-19 wave, says central team report

Maharashtra is in the beginning of second COVID-19 wave, a central team report has said, highlighting that there is very limited active effort to track, test, isolate cases and quarantine contacts, and there is no adherence to COVID appropriate behaviour among people in rural and urban areas.

 

Based on the central team report, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written a letter tothe Maharashtra government, stating "measures such as night curfews, weekend lockdowns etc. have very limited impact on containing/suppressing the transmission" and urged the state to focus on strict containment strategies, strengthening surveillance and augmenting testing.

 

In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, Bhushan said even though the health infrastructure is adequate as of now, the "state should plan for a worse-case scenario with sufficient lead time".

4:42 PM

Delhi reports 425 new Covid-19 cases and one death in the last 24 hours

4:29 PM

Seven States account for 82.44% of new coronavirus deaths

3:36 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra seeks 22 million vaccine doses from Centre

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has demanded 2.20 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Centre for the ongoing inoculation drive in the state. He requested the Centre to supply 20 lakh doses per week to the state, as per a letter dated March 15 written to Union health minister by Tope, who went to Delhi on Tuesday.

 

"The state is planning to immunise 60-plus age group and 45-plus population with co-morbidities. It needs supply of 2.20 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine (Covishield and Covaxin) during the next three-and-a-half months. You are requested to supply 20 lakh doses per week to Maharashtra," Tope said in the letter.

 

Maharashtra has been the worst hit by the coronavirus infection in the country.

2:57 PM

Odisha reports 65 new coronavirus cases; tally at 338,323

Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,38,323 on Tuesday as 65 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said. Of the new cases, 37 were reported from quarantine centres and 28 detected during contact tracing.

 

Sundargarh district recorded the highest number of fresh cases at 15, followed by Mayurbhanj at nine, Balasore and Khurda at five each. Boudh, Kendrapara, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts have turned 'coronavirus free' as no active cases exist there, he said. The death toll remained at 1,918 as no new fatality due to the infection has been reported since March 14.

2:24 PM

Non-invasive skin swab tests can quickly detect Covid-19: Lancet study

Non-invasive skin swab samples may be enough to detect the novel coronavirus quickly, according to a study published in the Lancet E Clinical Medicine journal.

 

Researchers at the University of Surrey in the UK noted that COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented demand for testing -- for diagnosis and prognosis -- as well as for investigation into the impact of the disease on the host metabolism.

 

Sampling sebum -- an oily, waxy substance produced by the body's sebaceous glands -- has the potential to support both needs by looking at what the virus does to us, rather than looking for the virus itself, they said. The most widely used approach to testing for COVID-19 requires a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which involves taking a swab of the back of the throat and far inside the nose.

2:05 PM

Ludhiana in Punjab allows vaccination of bankers, judicial officers, journalists

The Ludhiana district administration in Punjab has allowed COVID-19 vaccination of bankers, judicial officers, employees of schools and food grain agencies, members of NGOs and journalists to ensure "safety of wider population in public interest."

 

Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said the decision on expanding the ambit of the vaccination drive was taken to ensure the safety of the wider population from the pandemic.

 

Vaccination has now been allowed for journalists, employees of all government/private banks, government/private schools, staff of food grain agencies, judicial officers/court staff/advocates, members of the Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) who have worked to check the spread of the pandemic by registering them as frontline workers, he said.

1:41 PM

Covid-19 curfew in four Gujarat cities from 10 pm to 6 am till March 31

To contain the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Gujarat government on Tuesday decided to increase the night curfew timings in four major cities of the state by two hours. The curfew will now remain in force in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot from 10 pm to 6 am, an official statement said. The curfew timings earlier were from 12 am to 6 am.

 

The decision was taken on Tuesday in the core committee meeting of the coronavirus task-force headed by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. "The state government has decided to impose curfew from 10 pm to 6 am in view of the increasing cases of coronavirus," the government said in the statement. The restrictions will be in place till March 31, it added.

1:21 PM

Canada lags in Covid-19 vaccinations but expects to catch up quickly

Canada once was hailed as a success story in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, faring much better than the United States in deaths and infections because of how it approached lockdowns.

 

But the trade-dependent nation has lagged on vaccinating its population because it lacks the ability to manufacture the vaccine and has had to rely on the global supply chain for the lifesaving shots, like many other countries.

 

With no domestic supply, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government bet on seven different vaccines manufactured elsewhere and secured advance purchase agreements enough to get 10 doses for each of Canada's 38 million people. Regulators have approved the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. While acquiring them has proven difficult, that gamble appears to be about to pay off. Read on...

1:08 PM

Gujarat govt has decided to implement night curfew in four metros

Gujarat govt has decided to implement night curfew in four metros-Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat & Rajkot from 10 pm to 6 am between March 17 and March 31. Pre-night curfew system will be maintained in these four metros till March 16 from 12 am to 6 am: State Government

12:56 PM

Israel okays flights from all destinations ahead of March 23 elections

Starting Tuesday, flights to Israel will be allowed from all destinations, following a decision by the cabinet to enable nationals to arrive ahead of the March 23 general elections.

 

However, the cabinet decided to keep a quota of no more than 3,000 arrivals per day, reports Xinhua news agency.

 

Passengers will be required to carry out coronavirus tests at the airport.

 

Israel had imposed a ban on incoming and outgoing flights on January 24. Read on...

12:25 PM

Night curfews, lockdown have little impact on containing Covid transmission: Centre tells Maharashtra

The Centre has written to Maharashtra over the newly imposed lockdown and night curfews in parts of the state amid a spike in the coronavirus cases, saying such measures have little impact on containing the spread of the virus, according to media reports.