Covid LIVE: Karnataka sees nearly 23,000 new cases; 20,740 in Maharashtra

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 186,364 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 27,555,457. Death toll stands at 318,895. Stay tuned for corona-related news

4:04 AM

Noida targets to become India's first fully-vaccinated district against Covid: Officials

Top officers of Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Friday resolved to make it India's first fully-vaccinated district against coronavirus, according to officials.
 

A clarion call towards the resolution was given by District Magistrate Suhas L Y during a virtual meeting with top health and administration officials of the district with Police Commissioner Alok Singh also in attendance, they said.
 

"DM Suhas L Y called on all officials to get totally committed toward ensuring the objective of getting Gautam Buddh Nagar fully vaccinated against Covid-19," District Information Officer Rakesh Chauhan said in a statement to the press.
 

Currently, Gautam Buddh Nagar is second after state capital Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh in terms of vaccination but is first in terms of population ratio inoculated, according to the statement. Gautam Buddh Nagar has an estimated population of 21 lakh of which around 15 lakh to 16 lakh people are to be vaccinated. As on Friday, 5.71 lakh people in the district have been vaccinated, which is around 30 per cent of the total targeted population for vaccination, it added.
 

The press statement did not share any timeline for the objective and PTI's phone call to the district magistrate remained unanswered till the time this story was filed.
 

The district, adjoining Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh, has so far recorded 439 deaths and has 1,930 active cases of Covid-19, according to official figures updated till Friday.
 

4:03 AM

Bengal's Covid death count crosses 15,000-mark

West Bengal's Covid-19 death toll on Friday crossed the 15,000-mark after 145 more people succumbed to the disease, the health department said.

The tally mounted to 13,43,442 after 12,193 fresh cases of infection were reported in the state.
 

The total number of fatalities is 15,120 now, the department said in a bulletin.
 

The state registered 19,396 recoveries improving the discharge rate to 90.70 per cent. The number of people who have been cured of the disease has thus gone up to 12,18,516.
 

Accordingly, the number of active cases also slipped to 1,09,806.
 

North 24 Parganas accounted for 42 deaths while Kolkata registered 36 Covid fatalities. The rest of the deaths were reported from several other districts of West Bengal.
 

Out of the 145 fatalities, 76 were due to comorbidities where Covid-19 was incidental.
 

The new positive cases included 2,525 from North 24 Parganas district and 1,857 from Kolkata, the bulletin said.
 

Since Thursday, 59,188 samples were tested for coronavirus in the state taking the total number of such examinations to 1,22,38,301.
 

Meanwhile, 2,51,642 people were inoculated in West Bengal, a health department official said.
 

9:30 PM

European regulators OK Pfizer vaccine for children

The European Medicines Agency on Friday recommended that the use of the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech be expanded to children ages 12 to 15, a decision that offers younger and less at-risk populations across the continent access to a Covid-19 shot for the first time.
 

The vaccine was the first one granted authorisation across the European Union when it was licensed for use in anyone 16 and over in December. So far, about 173 million doses of the shot have been administered in the 27-nation bloc, about three quarters of the total given.
 

“Extending the protection of a safe and effective vaccine in this younger population is an important step forward in the fight against this pandemic," said Marco Cavaleri, who heads the EMA body that reviewed the vaccine.
 

The EU regulator had received the necessary data to authorize the vaccine for younger teens and found it to be highly effective against infection, he said.
 

In a study involving 2,000 adolescents in the United States, none of those who received the vaccine got Covid-19, compared with 16 in a control group who received a placebo, said Cavaleri.
 

9:29 PM

Covid-19: Curbs extended by another week in Himachal, some relaxations announced Shimla

The Himachal Pradesh government on Friday extended the coronavirus curbs till June 7 but announced relaxations, including increase in the opening hours of shops, an official spokesperson said.
 

The decision was taken in a high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur here, he added.
 

Earlier, the curbs had been imposed in the hill state till May 31.
 

However, the state government has decided to provide a few relaxations like opening of all shops and other establishments from Monday to Friday for five hours from 9 am to 2 pm, the spokesperson added.
 

This decision will be effective from 6 am on May 31 till 6 am on June 7.
 

It was decided that government offices would also function with 30 per cent attendance, except stand alone offices with a strength of up to four employees will remain open with full strength.
 

The spokesperson said it was decided that milk, bread, medicine shops will remain open as usual during Saturdays and Sundays as well.
 

However, all the educational institutions in the state will remain closed.
 

Similarly, public transport will also remain suspended till further orders.
 

All other restrictions and exemptions will continue as per guidelines already issued under the "corona curfew".
 

9:03 PM

MP sees 1,854 new Covid cases, 63 deaths, 5,796 recoveries in a day

The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh on Friday reached 7,75,709 after 1,854 cases were reported, while 63 deaths pushed the fatality count in the state to 7,891, an official said. He said 5,796 people were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the count of recoveries in MP to 7,33,496.

 

"With 526 new cases, Indore's caseload went up to 1,48,448, and Bhopal's rose by 389 to reach 1,20,039. The toll in Indore and Bhopal stands at 1,331 and 928 respectively," he said.

 

The state has an active caseload of 34,332, with Indore and Bhopal accounting for 5,974 and 7,859 of them respectively. With 72,210 samples being examined in the last 24 hours, the number of tests in MP crossed 96.66 lakh.

9:00 PM

Punjab sees 3,724 new Covid-19 positive cases, 6,797 recoveries, and 148 deaths in a day

Punjab has reported 3,724 new Covid-19 positive cases, 6,797 recoveries, and 148 deaths today.

8:59 PM

Covid LIVE: Karnataka sees nearly 23,000 new cases

8:53 PM

Production of Covaxin is a complex, time-consuming process: Bharat Biotech

Amid rising demand for COVID vaccines, Bharat Biotech on Friday said production and supply of Covaxin is a time-consuming process as various procedures and approvals need to be in place before it is made available for vaccination.

 

The Hyderabad-based vaccine major noted the timeline for manufacturing, testing and release for a batch of Covaxin is around 120 days, depending on the technology framework and regulatory guidelines to be met. READ MORE...

8:48 PM

Lockdown in TN extended till June 7, CM Stalin announces 13 grocery items for ration card holders

The state-wide lockdown without relaxations to help break the chain of COVID-19 transmission has been extended till June 7 by one more week, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced here on Friday.

 

He said the move was done considering public good to rein in the pandemic spread and appealed to the people to cooperate with the government and stay indoors. Stalin said a pack of 13 grocery items would be distributed to rice category ration card holders through Public Distribution System shops from next month.

 

With the permission of local bodies, provision stores would be allowed to sell commodities in their respective areas through vehicles like mini cargo vans or pushcarts and online ordering firms too shall be permitted to deliver groceries, he said in a statement.

8:47 PM

Curfew extended in the districts of Manipur

8:37 PM

GST Council exempts import of medicine used for treating black fungus from levy of I-GST: FM Sitharaman

GST Council exempts import of medicine used for treating black fungus from levy of I-GST: FM Sitharaman after panel meeting

8:36 PM

GST Council decides to waive I-GST on free Covid related supplies: FM Sitharaman

FM Sitharaman says GST Council decides to waive I-GST on free COVID-19 related supplies imported from abroad.

8:31 PM

Amphotericin B for black fungus included in exemptions list: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

8:24 PM

Covid restrictions in Maharashtra extended by 15 days, new guidelines on June 1

The lockdown-like-restrictions in Maharashtra on account of the coronavirus pandemic have been extended by 15 days but a fresh set of guidelines will be issued on June 1, health minister Rajesh Tope said on Friday.

 

The state cabinet had taken the decision to extend the curbs on people's movement and businesses -- in force since mid-April -- in a meeting on Thursday.

 

"As far as lockdown is concerned, 15 days' extension has been given, but the guidelines related to it will be issued on June 1," Tope told reporters. No relaxation will be given in the areas where the number of patients and positivity rate are still high and hospital bed availability is an issue. READ...

8:08 PM

Gujarat reports 2,521 new Covid cases, 7,965 recoveries and 27 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Gujarat reports 2,521 new Covid cases, 7,965 recoveries and 27 deaths in the last 24 hours.

7:57 PM

Kerala reports 22,318 new Covid-19 cases, 194 deaths

COVID-19 cases in Kerala continued its downward trend, with the state on Friday logging 22,318 infections, taking the caseload to 24.40 lakh, while 194 deaths pushed the toll to 8,257.

 

Recoveries outnumbered new infections with 26,270 patients testing negative, taking the total to 22,24,405.

 

A total of 1,36,068 samples were tested in the past 24 hours, taking the caseload to 24,40,847 and the test positivity rate to 16.4 per cent, a health department bulletin said. Active cases stood at 2,37,819.

7:51 PM

Covid LIVE: 'Lockdown-like curbs in Maharashtra extended by fortnight'

7:44 PM

Telangana logs 3,527 Covid-19 cases, 3,982 recoveries, 19 deaths

Telangana on Friday logged 3,527 COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to over 5.71 lakh while the toll stood at 3,226 with 19 deaths, a government bulletin said.

 

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 519, followed by Nalgonda (218) and Khammam (215), the bulletin said.

 

The state has37,793 active cases and over 97,000 samples were tested.

7:35 PM

Covid LIVE: Mumbai sees 929 new coronavirus positive cases

7:28 PM

We have sole selling rights, beware of fake agents of Sputnik-V: Dr Reddy's

Hyderabad-based pharma major Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) said on Friday that it is not supplying the Russian Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik-Vm to any residential societies.

 

There have been several messages in circulation on social media claiming to organise vaccinations at site (housing colonies etc) with Sputnik V.

 

DRL cleared the air saying, "In the past few days, there have been several unsubstantiated reports and claims from various quarters in India on alleged tie-ups for the Sputnik V vaccine. We wish to clarify that Dr Reddy's has not entered any partnership or collaboration with any party to supply the Sputnik V vaccine to residential associations, nor has the Company authorised any third party or intermediary to supply the vaccine on its behalf in India." READ MORE...

7:23 PM

Goa records 1,055 new Covid-19 cases; 32 fatalities

As many as 1,055 persons tested positive for COVID-19, while 32 died of the infection in Goa on Friday, an official from the state health department said. With this, the coastal state's COVID-19 caseload has risen to 1,53,456 and the toll mounted to 2,570, the official said.

 

The count of recoveries in the state reached 1,35,560, after 1,396 were discharged from hospitals during the day, he said, adding that the state is now left with 15,326 active cases.

 

With 4,865 swabs tested during the day, the total number of tests conducted in the state has gone up to 8,12,415, the official said. Goa's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 1,53,456, new cases 1,055, death toll 2,570, discharged 1,35,560, active cases 15,326, samples tested till date 8,12,415.

7:19 PM

Goa govt defends before Bombay HC its decision to distribute Ivermectin as preventive medicine against Covid

7:18 PM

India's daily new Covid cases lowest in 44 days; TPR drops to 9%

With a daily increase of 186,364 in total cases, the lowest daily increase in 44 days, India’s tally of coronavirus cases has risen from 27,369,093 on Thursday to 27,555,457 – an increase of 0.7%. Death toll has reached 318,895, with 3,660 fatalities. Now the second-most-affected country by active cases, total cases and recovery, and third by death, India has added 1,523,466 cases in the past 7 days. READ MORE...

6:57 PM

Blood cancer patients can fight Covid with T cells: Study

Antibodies aren't the only immune cells needed to fight off Covid-19, T cells are equally important and can step up to do the job when antibodies are depleted, suggests a new study of blood cancer patients with coronavirus, IANS reported.

 

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, US, found that blood cancer patients with Covid-19 who had higher CD8 T cells, many of whom had depleted antibodies from cancer treatments, were more than three times more likely to survive than patients with lower levels of CD8 T cells.

6:46 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Tamil Nadu govt extends lockdown till 6 am on June 7

6:38 PM

SC to hear on May 31 plea to cancel class 12 board exams due to Covid

The Supreme Court Friday said it would hear on May 31 a plea seeking directions to cancel the class 12 exams of the CBSE and Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) amidst the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.

 

The plea, which also sought directions to devise an "objective methodology" to declare the result of class 12 within a specific time frame, came up for hearing before a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari.

 

At the outset, the bench asked petitioner Mamta Sharma whether she has served the copy of the plea to the advocate representing the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

6:35 PM

Universities and Colleges requested to make optimum use of SWAYAM online platform for benefit of students: UGC

6:21 PM

Covaxin manufacturing to vaccination takes 4 months, says Bharat Biotech

Manufacturing to supply of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin involves four months of lag time depending on technology and regulatory approvals, Bharat Biotech said on Friday.

 

"The timeline for manufacturing, testing and release for a batch of Covaxinis approximately 120 days, depending on the technology framework and regulatory guidelines to be met. Thus, production batches of Covaxin that were initiated during March this year will be ready for supply only during the month of June," the vaccine maker said in a press release.

6:19 PM

65-year-old man in Delhi becomes first patient to get antibody cocktail at Apollo

A 65-year-old man from Delhi, having multiple co-morbidities, has become the first COVID-19 patient to receive monoclonal antibody therapy at the Apollo hospital here, the healthcare group said on Friday.

 

The patient responded well to the infusion of the antibody cocktail and went home after an hour of observation on Thursday, hospital authorities said.

 

As part of this single dose infusion-based treatment, patients with mild to moderate symptoms, are offered a cocktail of Casirivimab and Imdevimab, that is said to reduce their chance of hospitalisation by 70 per cent. READ ON...

6:13 PM

Covid-19 claims 159 more lives in UP, tally of cases rises by 2,402

The COVID-19 death toll in Uttar Pradesh crossed 20,000 on Friday with 159 more people succumbing to the disease in a day, while the infection tally reached 16,86,138 with 2,402 new cases, officials said on Friday.

 

The recovery rate in the state is now stood at 95.7 per cent, while there are 52,244 active cases, which include 38,055 patients who are in home isolation, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said.

 

The number of active cases has come down by 83 per cent since April 30 when a peak of 3,10,783 such cases was reported. READ MORE...