Coronavirus LIVE: Night curfew to be imposed in Gujarat's four cities

Coronavirus live updates: Globally, nearly 109.4 million people have been infected by the virus and the death toll stands at 2,410,914

11:20 PM

Covid immunisation: 14,965 beneficiaries receive vaccine shots in Delhi

Nearly 15,000 beneficiaries in Delhi received COVID-19 vaccine shots on Monday and of them 2,191 got their second dose, officials said. The immunisation drive, which started on January 16, picked up pace in the last one week. On Saturday 1,856 healthcare workers got their second dose after receiving the first shot on the inaugural day of the vaccination drive.

 

The turnout for the second dose on Saturday was about 43 per cent. On Monday, 14,965 beneficiaries were vaccinated. Among the healthcare workers, 4,571 got their first dose and 2,191 the second shot. Also, 8,203 frontline workers got their first jabs on Monday, a senior official in the health department said.

10:57 PM

MP sees 203 new Covid-19 cases, 194 recoveries, 4 deaths

Madhya Pradesh on Monday reported 203 fresh coronavirus positive cases, taking the tally of the infections to 2,57,849 while four fatalities pushed the toll to 3,838, the state Health department said. No fresh COVID-19 case was reported in 30 of the total 52 districts in the state on Monday. A total of 194 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the count of recoveries in Madhya Pradesh to 2,52,164, the department said.

With 89 new cases, Indore's caseload went up to 58,087 while that of Bhopal rose to 43,296 with the addition of 40 cases. Indore has so far reported 927 deaths and Bhopal 617. Bhopal is now left with 556 active cases while Indore has 340 such cases.

10:45 PM

Jharkhand reported 38 new Covid-19 cases, 33 recoveries

10:10 PM

Over 8.5 mn vaccinated against coronavirus so far: Health Ministry

The number of healthcare and frontline workers vaccinated against the coronavirus in the country has surpassed 85 lakh, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday, according to PTI. A total of 85,16,771 beneficiaries have been vaccinated through 1,83,664 sessions, according to a provisional report till Monday 6 pm. Those vaccinated include 61,54,894 healthcare workers (HCWs), out of whom 60,57,162 have been administered the first dose and98,118 given the second dose. Besides, 23,61,491frontline workers (FLWs) have been inoculated so far.

The 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccination started from Saturday for those beneficiaries who have completed 28 days after receipt of the 1st dose. The vaccination of the FLWs had started from February 2. "A total 2,31,476 beneficiaries were vaccinated till 6 pm on Monday, the thirty-first day of nationwide COVID-19 vaccination. Out of which, 1,57,919 beneficiaries were vaccinated for 1st dose and 73,557 HCWs received 2nd dose of vaccine as per the provisional report," the ministry said, adding the final report would be completed by late in the night. As many as 9,935 sessions were held till 6 pm on Monday and all states and union territories conducted the vaccination.

9:52 PM

Centre approves Rs 5 lakh each for families of 39 journalists who died due to Covid

The Centre on Monday approved the proposal of the Press Information Bureau's journalist welfare committee to provide as financial relief Rs 5 lakh each to families of 39 journalists who died due to the coronavirus, a panel member said, according to PTI. The Narendra Modi government has earmarked an additional fund for this purpose for the Journalist Welfare Committee (JWC), and journalists from across India will be covered under the scheme, the member said.

As per PTI, in its meeting, the JWC decided to provide Rs 5 lakh to the family members of 39 deceased journalists. The JWC meeting was held under the chairmanship of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare. Additional Secretary Neerja Shekhar, Joint Secretary Shri Vikram Sahay and Press Information Bureau (PIB) Principle DG K S Dhatwalia were also present at the meeting.

Santosh Thakur, who is a member of the JWC, Amit Kumar, Umeshwar Kumar and Ganesh Bisht represented journalists in the meeting. Thakur thanked Prime Minister Modi and Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar for this effort. Thakur said the JWC also discussed other welfare measures for journalists which include health insurance and life insurance schemes. The issue of including journalists in the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme was also discussed at the meeting.

9:29 PM

Manipur reports 8 new Covid-19 cases and 7 recoveries

9:26 PM

Karnataka reports 368 new Covid-19 cases, 430 discharges

7:19 PM

Nearly 8.5 million beneficiaries vaccinated against Covid-19: Union Health Ministry

7:08 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Night curfew to be imposed in four Gujarat's metro cities

Night curfew will be imposed in four metro cities of Gujarat from midnight to 6 am from 16th to 28th February: Pankaj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of State Home Department.

7:01 PM

Andhra Pradesh records 30 fresh coronavirus cases, one death

Andhra Pradesh reported 30 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest in the past 11 months, taking the tally to 8,88,899, the government said on Monday. One death was recorded pushing the toll to 7,163.

 

The state also reported 69 more recoveries in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Monday, a health department bulletin said. Recoveries mounted to 8,81,041, while the active cases stood at 695, it said. With 18,834 clinical examinations, the total number of tests conducted in the state stood at over 1.35 crore, the bulletin added.

6:36 PM

India to ship Covid-19 vaccines to Canada as diplomatic tension eases

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday said it will provide Rs 100 crore loan to hospital chain Medanta for healthcare services and medical equipment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The project will support the purchase of personal protective equipment, basic hygiene products, and patient care equipment such as ventilators and beds. It will also support staff training programmes on infection prevention and control.

 

"Private sector healthcare services play a life-saving role during health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic," said Aniruddha Patil, Head of Health and Education Investments at ADB's Private Sector Operations Department.

5:50 PM

About 18-19 vaccine candidates against Covid-19 in pipeline: Harsh Vardhan

About 18-19 vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are in the pipeline and in different clinical trial stages, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday. Addressing the media, Vardhan said that in the next 2-3 weeks, vaccinations against COVID-19 will be started for people above 50 years of age.

 

"About 18-20 vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are in the pipeline and are in preclinical, clinical and advanced stages," Vardhan said.

 

He further said that India will be supplying vaccines to 20-25 other countries. Dispelling rumours surrounding the vaccines, Vardhan said the vaccines in the public domain are safe and effective.

5:38 PM

80-85% frontline workers vaccinated against Covid-19: Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan

5:33 PM

Hyderabad nurse robs old couple after fake Covid-19 vaccine shot

A nurse, who sedated an old couple in Hyderabad with a fake Covid vaccine shot and stole 80 grams of gold jewellery from them, has been arrested, police said on Monday.

 

The incident occurred at Lalitha Nagar under Meerpet police station limits of Rachakonda police commissionerate on Saturday.

 

Accused Anusha was arrested on Sunday, within hours of the couple lodging a police complaint. K. Laxman (80), a retired government employee and his wife Kasturi (70) complained to police on Saturday night that the nurse duped them in the name of Covid vaccine.

5:21 PM

Covid-19 strengthened country's health potential: Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan

5:02 PM

Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka account for 77% of 1.39 lakh active cases: Health Ministry

India's total COVID-19 active cases currently stand at1.39 lakh with 33 states and union territories having reported less than 5,000 active cases in a span of 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Monday. Three states -- Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka -- cumulatively account for77 per cent (76.5 per cent) of India's total active cases. Kerala, Maharashtra together account for 74.72 per cent of the total active cases.

 

Tripura and Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli currently have only two active cases each.

 

The ministry said that 18 states and UTs have not reported any deaths in a span of 24 hours. These are Assam, Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Ladakh, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

4:43 PM

No new cases of Covid-19 in 188 districts of India in last seven days: Health Minister

4:26 PM

Mandatory hotel quarantine for those returning to UK from high risk nations

The UK's tougher new travel rules to contain the spread of COVID-19 variants came into effect from Monday, involving compulsory hotel quarantines for anyone returning to England from one of the 33 high-risk "red list" countries.

 

Those arriving will have to pre-book and pay 1,750 pounds to spend 10 days quarantining in government-sanctioned hotels, covering the cost of the hotel, transport and two separate tests post-arrival. Extremely serious breaches of the new norms could result in a 10-year jail term and fines of up to 10,000 pounds. READ ON...

4:06 PM

New Zealand receives first batch of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine

The first 60,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine arrived in New Zealand on Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

 

The news comes as New Zealand put its most populous city of Auckland on three-day Level 3 lockdown after detecting three COVID-19 community cases, which were the more transmissible UK virus variant. The rest of the country moved to Level 2 lockdown for the same period. The restrictions will be reviewed on a 24-hour basis.

 

"I can now add and confirm that the first batch of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived in New Zealand this morning. Approximately 60,000 doses or 30,000 courses landed in Auckland," Ardern told a press conference.

3:25 PM

Will send Covishield to Canada in less than a month: Adar Poonawalla

Vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday said it will send COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University to Canada in less than a month. SII CEO Adar Poonawalla in a tweet said, "Dear Hon'ble PM @JustinTrudeau, I thank you for your warm words towards India and its vaccine industry. As we await regulatory approvals from Canada, I assure you,@SerumInstIndia will fly out #COVISHIELD to Canada in less than a month; I'm on it!".

 

Covishield is the brand name for theAstraZeneca-Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 10 hadassured his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau that India would do its best to facilitate supplies of COVID vaccines sought by Canada.

2:57 PM

Covid-19 vaccination drive: Booster shot round begins in Gujarat

The drive to administer the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to those who have been covered in the first phase began across Gujarat on Monday. As per medical protocols, beneficiaries are supposed to take the second jab, also known as the booster shot, within four to six weeks of the first dose being administered.

 

The vaccination drive began in the state along with the rest of the country on January 16 and, so far, 7.91 lakh persons have been administered the first dose, said MA Pandya, state director, National Health Mission. READ MORE...

 

2:40 PM

Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka cumulatively account for 76.5% of India’s total active cases: Govt

Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka cumulatively account for 76.5% of India’s total active cases. Kerala, Maharashtra together compose 74.72% of the total active cases: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

2:13 PM

No new community cases of Covid found in New Zealand since lockdown

As people in Auckland adjusted to a new lockdown on Monday, health officials said they'd found no evidence the coronavirus had spread further in the community, raising hopes the restrictions might be short-lived.

 

New Zealand's largest city was hurriedly placed into a three-day lockdown Sunday after three unexplained virus cases were found. It's the country's first lockdown in six months and represents a setback in its largely successful efforts to control the virus.

 

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said the negative test results since the first three were found was an encouraging start, but cautioned a fuller picture of the outbreak wouldn't emerge until Tuesday, when the results from an expanded testing regimen would be known. READ ON...

1:50 PM

Puducherry records 20 fresh Covid-19 cases, one death

The COVID-19 tally in the union territory of Puducherry rose to 39,468 on Monday with the addition of 20 fresh cases, the Health department said. An 82-year old person, who had co-morbidities, succumbed to the coronavirus, taking the toll to 658, it said.

 

A total of 1,400 samples were tested during the last 24 hours ending 10 a.m and the cumulative number of specimens examined stood at 6.08 lakh, Health and Family Welfare Services Director S Mohan Kumar said in a release.

 

There were 236 active cases after the recovery of 41 patients during the period. In all, 38,574 people have been cured of the disease so far in the union territory. Puducherry region accounted for 16 of the fresh cases while Karaikal and Mahe regions reported two cases each. Yanam recorded nil cases. Kumar also said 5,644 health care personnel and 309 front-line workers have been vaccinated in the UT since the launch of the drive last month.

1:32 PM

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani tests positive for coronavirus

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has tested positive for coronavirus, said a hospital where the CM is admitted after he fainted in a rally.

11:21 AM

Delhi University reopens four more libraries for research scholars, faculty members

Delhi University reopens four more libraries for research scholars, faculty members

11:05 AM

Govt issues fresh SOPs for offices to contain the spread of coronavirus

The Union health ministry has issued new 'SOPs to contain spread of Covid-19 in offices' and according to these, if one or two cases are reported, the disinfection procedure will be limited to the areas occupied and visited by the patient in the last 48 hours.

 

Work can resume after disinfection has been completed as per laid down protocols, the standard operating procedures (SOPs), which were issued on Saturday, stated. Read on...

10:30 AM

Coronavirus: Israel to allow 2,000 air travelers to enter every day

Israel's coronavirus cabinet has allowed up to 2,000 foreign air travellers to enter the country every day, the prime minister's office and the health ministry said Sunday.

 

"The ministerial cabinet has endorsed the transport minister's plan for inbound and outgoing flights ... Up to 2,000 people will be able to fly into Israel every day," a statement read.

 

The defense ministry has been tasked with contracting hotels where arrivals will be quarantined. Read on...

10:29 AM

UK records another 10,972 coronavirus cases as 15 million vaccinated

Another 10,972 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,038,078, according to official figures released.

 

The country also reported another 258 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 117,166. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. Read on...

10:15 AM

Russia reports 14,185 new Covid-19 infections, 430 deaths in 24 hours

Russia registered 14,185 more Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, down from 14,861 the day before, the country's Covid-19 response center said.

 

The national tally has thus increased to 4,071,883 with 80,126 deaths and 3,593,101 recoveries, the center said, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.

 

Moscow, Russia's worst-hit region, reported 1,559 new cases, bringing the city's total to 956,178.