Covid LIVE: Pfizer very close to agreement with govt, says AIIMS chief

Today's coronavirus numbers: Bengaluru (803 cases), Mumbai (570 cases), Chennai (410 cases), Kolkata (172 cases), Delhi (134 cases). Stay tuned for corona-related news

1:49 AM

Bogus vaccination camp: Woman held for providing fake certificates

A woman was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the bogus vaccination drive held at a residential society in suburban Kandivali last month, police said, adding she used to provide fake ID cards and certificates to co-accused in the case.
 

The woman, identified as Gudiya Yadav who is attached to a vaccination centre in Goregaon, had played a vital role in the case. She was arrested after multiple rounds of questioning, an official said.
 

Police have so far arrested six persons, including Yadav, for allegedly duping members of the posh housing society by fraudulently organising a Covid-19 vaccination camp in the name of a private hospital on May 30.
 

The incident came to light after Hiranandani Heritage Residents Welfare Association (HHRWA) lodged a complaint with the police.
 

As per the complaint, the members of the society found that the Co-WIN portal did not have any record of their participation and the certificates issued to them after 'vaccination' were in the name of different hospitals. The residents were issued vaccination certificates in the name of Nanavati Hospital, Lifeline Hospital and NESCO Covid Camp, among others.
 

Similar cases came to light in Versova and Khar areas of the city. 
 

1:48 AM

Thane first civic body in MMR to complete 5 lakh vaccinations: Mayor

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has become the first civic body in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to complete 5 lakh Covid-19 vaccinations, city Mayor Naresh Mhaske claimed on Wednesday.
 

"Thane city completed vaccination of 5,03,040 persons," the civic body said in a release.
 

Mhaske said vaccination camps were organised in the city for several categories such as disabled people, senior citizens, transgenders, homeless people etc in the last few weeks.
 

"The drive to vaccinate those above 18 years is getting a huge response. The drive is on in 50 to 55 vaccination centers in the city and every effort was being made to vaccinate at least 10,000 citizens," he told reporters.
 

Mhaske claimed even prominent personalities reposed their faith in the inoculation drive conducted by the TMC.
 

8:51 PM

42 cases of Delta Plus variant in India: AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria

8:47 PM

Different Covid vaccines given to six in jab mix-up in Jharkhand

Six people in Jharkhand's Palamu district was administered Covishield vaccine as their second dose against coronavirus on Wednesday, though they had received a shot of Covaxin as the first, an official said.

 

This happened because of a mistake, but the change in the vaccine will not have any significant negative effect on them, Chief Medical Officer of the district, Dr Anil Kumar Singh, said.

 

"Those six people went to a community health centre at Hariharganj to receive their second dose of Covaxin. However, they were given Covishield due to lapse on the part of the employees there," Singh said. They will be under observation for 24 hours. READ MORE...

8:24 PM

Jammu and Kashmir reports 444 new Covid cases, four more deaths

Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday recorded 444 new Covid cases, taking the infection tally to 3,13,028, while four more deaths pushed the toll to 4,273, officials said.

 

Of the fresh cases, 138 were from the Jammu division and 306 from the Kashmir division of the union territory, they said.

 

Srinagar district recorded the highest of 98 cases. The number of active cases has dropped to 6,782 in the union territory, while 3,01,973 patients have recovered so far, they said. Meanwhile, the officials said there were 26 confirmed cases of Mucormycosis (black fungus) in the union territory as one fresh case was reported since last evening.

8:11 PM

Covid LIVE: Pfizer very close to agreement with govt, says AIIMS chief

7:59 PM

4,436 new Covid-19 cases, 123 deaths in Karnataka

Karnataka reported 4,436 new COVID-19 cases and 123 deaths on Wednesday, taking the total number of infections to 28.19 lakh and the toll to 34,287.

 

The day also saw 6,455 discharges, continuing to outnumber the fresh cases, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 26,68,705.

 

Out of 4,436 new cases reported on Wednesday, 1,008 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 1,071 discharges and 24 deaths. The total number of active cases in the state stood at 1,16,450. While the positivity rate stood at 2.59 per cent, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was 2.77 per cent.

7:52 PM

Need to aggressively follow Covid appropriate behaviour to avoid third wave: AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria

7:24 PM

Mask compliance still remains low in India despite most lethal wave: Survey

Mask wearing compliance still remains low in India despite it being one of the worst hit by the second wave of COVID-19, according to findings of a survey.

 

The mask compliance at vaccination centres also remains low, as per the survey conducted by online social media platform LocalCircles.

 

"Despite the most lethal COVID-19 wave that any country in the world has experienced so far, India's mask compliance is still low as indicated by the survey finding where 67 per cent of citizens say there is limited or no mask compliance in their area, district, or city," it said. READ ON...

7:14 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 4,684 new Covid cases

Andhra Pradesh reported 4,684 fresh cases of coronavirus, 7,324 recoveries and 36 deaths in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Wednesday. Consequently, the total positive cases increased to 18,62,036, recoveries to 17,98,380 and deaths to 12,452, the latest bulletin said.

 

The number of active cases declined further to 51,204, it said.

 

East Godavari district once again reported new cases in excess of 1,000, logging 1,171 in 24 hours while its neighbour West Godavari added 660. Chittoor registered 493 fresh cases.

7:08 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Karnataka reports 4,436 new cases in a day

6:50 PM

Jharkhand extends lockdown-like restrictions till July 1: Notification

Jharkhand extends lockdown-like restrictions till July 1: Notification

6:49 PM

Over 12,000 new Covid cases, 150 deaths reported in Kerala

Kerala reported 12,787 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the caseload to 28,42,247, while 150 deaths took the toll to 12,445. As many as 13,683 persons have been cured of the disease, taking the total recoveries so far to 27,29,967 and the active cases to 99,390, the state government said in a press release here.

 

While Ernakulam accounted for the highest number of 1,706 cases, Thiruvananthapuram recorded 1,501, Malappuram 1,321 and Palakkad 1,315. Of the positive cases today, 65 are health workers, 55 had come from outside the state and 11,992 had been infected through contact, the release said.

6:48 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 4,684 new Covid cases, 7,324 recoveries, and 36 deaths in last 24 hours

Andhra Pradesh reports 4,684 new Covid cases,  7,324 recoveries, and 36 deaths in the last 24 hours.

6:16 PM

Signs of brain inflammation found in people who died of Covid-19: Study

Scientists have found signs of inflammation and neurodegeneration in the brains of individuals who died of COVID-19, similar to what is observed in people who die of conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, PTI reported.

 

The findings by researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine, US, and Saarland University in Germany may help explain why many COVID-19 patients report neurological problems.

 

These complaints increase with more severe cases of COVID-19, and can persist as an aspect of "long COVID," a long-lasting disorder that sometimes arises following infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

6:03 PM

Kerala reports 12,787 new Covid positive cases, 150 deaths and 13,683 recoveries

Kerala reports 12,787 new Covid positive cases, 150 deaths and 13,683 recoveries in the past 24 hours.

5:47 PM

Delta variant 'greatest threat' to US' Covid efforts: Dr Fauci

The highly-contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus is the "greatest threat" to America's attempt to eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic, the country's leading infectious disease expert and White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr Anthony Fauci has warned.

 

The variant, which was first detected in India, is more contagious and causes more severe disease than other circulating variants, he said on Tuesday during a White House Covid-19 response team briefing.

 

Fauci said the Delta variant now makes up more than 20 per cent of all new cases in the US, nearly doubling from nearly 10 per cent two weeks ago.

5:28 PM

Delhi reports 111 new Covid cases, 702 recoveries and seven deaths in last 24 hours

5:14 PM

61,000 more vials of Amphotericin B allocated to states/UTs: Centre

Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister D.V Sadananda Gowda announced that an additional 61,120 vials of Liposomal Amphotericin-B, used in the treatment for mucormycosis or 'black fungus', have been allocated to all states/UTs and Central Institutions on Wednesday.

 

So far, approximately 7.9 lakh vials have been allocated across the country, maintaining an adequate availability for patients of mucormycosis, he said.

 

Maharashtra has reported 7,998 cases of black fungus and 729 people have succumbed to the disease, while Andhra Pradesh and some other states have also reported cases.

5:06 PM

Hawaii detects community spread of Covid-19 delta variant

Hawaii health officials say there is community spread of the COVID-19 delta variant, which was first detected in India.

 

Two cases on Oahu and one on the Big Island involve travel from the US mainland. One case involves an Oahu resident with no travel history. The state Department of Health said it is investigating to determine the extent of household and community transmission.

 

Acting State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said of the four cases, only one person was vaccinated. Health experts say vaccines remain effective against the variant. Hawaii's vaccination rate is 57%. Kemble says Hawaii's pace of vaccinations has slowed in recent weeks.

4:48 PM

Autopsy study shows Covid harms brain like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's

People who died of Covid-19 showed signs that were similar to the brains of individuals who died of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, according to a study.

 

Both groups presented similar inflammation and impairment in brain circuits, said researchers from the Stanford School of Medicine and the Saarland University in Germany.

 

The findings, published in the journal Nature, may help explain why about one-third of individuals hospitalised for Covid report symptoms of neurological problems like fuzzy thinking, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and depression.

4:47 PM

Health Ministry issues advisory on Delta Plus - a Variant of Concern

4:04 PM

Media reports on homeless people barred from registering for Covid vaccination baseless: Govt

3:50 PM

Media reports on homeless people barred from registering for Covid vaccination baseless: Govt

The health ministry on Wednesday dismissed media reports alleging that homeless people have been "barred" from registering for COVID-19 vaccination due to unavailability of technical requirements as "baseless".

 

There have been some media reports alleging that homeless people have been "barred and conspicuously left out" from registering for COVID-19 vaccination due to unavailability of technical requirements, the ministry said in a statement.

 

The reports have further stated that the "requirement to register digitally", "knowledge of English and access to a computer or a smartphone connected to the internet" are some of the factors depriving people of vaccination, it added.

3:36 PM

Additional 5,240 vials of Amphotericin B allocated to Karnataka

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday said additional 5,240 vials of Liposomal Amphotericin B, which is used in the treatment of black fungus, has been allocated to Karnataka.

 

"In Karnataka, additional 5,240 vials of Liposomal Amphotericin B have been allocated today," Gowda said in a tweet.

 

The Minister, who is an MP from Bengaluru North said, a total of 60,350 vials have been allocated to the state till now ensuring its smooth supply to patients. READ MORE...

3:25 PM

Telangana caps cost of Covid tests, treatment at private labs and hospitals

3:25 PM

Delta plus variant: Goa increases screening along Maharashtra border

Goa has increased screening of the border it shares with the Sindhudurg district in South Maharashtra, where the Delta plus Covid variant has been found, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

 

"In the nearby districts in Sindhudurg, the Delta plus variant has been found, so screening at the borders is going on. We have also given permissions to set up a private laboratory at the border," the Chief Minister said, adding that quick results of samples at the borders itself would help the screening process better.

 

The chief minister further said that as of Wednesday, 26 samples tested in Goa were found positive for the Delta variant, but added that not a single Delta plus variant had been detected in Goa yet.

3:12 PM

World Coronavirus Dispatch: Brazil's Gamma variant causing deaths

Young children dying in Brazil as Gamma variant surges

 

In Brazil, where the Gamma variant of Covid-19 is dominant, the spread of the infection is leading to an unusually high number of deaths among pregnant women and children. The Brazilian health ministry has said 1,122 children under the age of 10 have died since the start of the pandemic, but one research group claims the number is closer to 3,000. This week, Brazil’s Covid death toll breached the 500,000 mark, making it only the second country after the US to log half a million Covid deaths. Read More...

2:50 PM

Federal Bank donates 10,000 Covid vaccine carriers to Kerala

Continuing its support to the state's fight against COVID-19, the Federal Bank has donated 10,000 vaccine carriers to the tune of Rs.92.04 lakh to the Kerala government.

 

This was part of various infrastructure, logistic and awareness programmes that the Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, the CSR arm of the bank major, recently undertook to help combat the second wave of the pandemic in the country.

 

The Federal Bank team, led by Reji P G, Deputy Vice President-II, formally handed over the contributed equipment to the state Health Minister Veena George here recently, an official statement said.

2:38 PM

US researchers flag more deadly mutation in Gamma Covid variant

A mutation in the Gamma variant (P1) of coronavirus disease is linked to increased mortality, a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and MIT researchers said on Wednesday.

 

The mutation also carries greater transmissibility, higher infection rates, and increased pathogenicity, showed the study detailed in the journal Genetic Epidemiology.

 

The findings were based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) methodology which analysed whole-genome sequencing data of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and Covid-19 mortality data. In September 2020, the team looked for links between each mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus's single-stranded RNA and mortality in 7,548 Covid-19 patients in Brazil.