Covid LIVE: Kerala reports 19,653 fresh infections, 152 fatalities

Covid-19 live updates: Adar Poonawalla says India may resume exporting vaccines by the year-end; civil aviation ministry allows airlines to increase capacity.

12:19 AM

Haryana sees 22 fresh COVID-19 cases

Haryana on Sunday reported 22 new COVID-19 cases that pushed its tally to 7,70,733, according to the health department's daily bulletin.

 

No fresh death was reported. The death toll stands at 9,808, the bulletin said.

 

Of the fresh cases, nine were reported from Gurugram district and five from Panchkula, it said.

 

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Haryana stands at 104, the bulletin stated.

 

So far, 7,60,591 people have recovered from the disease. The state has a recovery rate of 98.68 per cent, it said.

11:57 PM

UP relaxes COVID-19 restrictions on wedding cermonies, guests upto 100 allowed

Citing the falling number of COVID-19 infections, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday increased the maximum number of people allowed at weddings and other celebrations to 100.

 

Earlier, this limit was capped at 50, for events taking place in both closed and open locations.

 

According to an order issued by the additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Awasthi, a maximum of 100 people would now be allowed in weddings and other ceremonies that are taking place in open spaces and closed spaces, following strict adherence to COVID-19 protocol.

 

Also, a COVID-19 help desk should also be set up at the entrance of the location, the order said.

10:37 PM

Sikkim registers 62 new Covid cases

Sikkim reported 62 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday, taking the state's tally to 30,955, according to a health department bulletin.

 

The death toll remained unchanged at 379 as no fatality due to the disease was reported in the past 24 hours.

 

The state currently has 713 active cases, while 29,556 patients have recovered from coronavirus, the bulletin said.

 

It said 307 other patients have migrated out.

 

Of the new cases, 43 were registered in East Sikkim district, followed by 15 in West Sikkim, three in South Sikkim and one in North Sikkim.

 

The Himalayan state tested 686 samples for Covid-19 during the past 24 hours taking the total number of such tests done so far to 2,42,571.

 

Sikkim's Covid-19 positivity rate and the recovery rate are 9.2 per cent and 96.4 per cent respectively, the bulletin said.

9:39 PM

No Covid death in Delhi after two days, 28 new cases

Delhi reported 28 new Covid positive cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total coronavirus infection tally so far to 14,38,497 since early 2020.

 

There was no death registered due to Covid in the same time span. There was one death each registered on Saturday and Friday.

 

According to Delhi government's health bulletin, with the 28 new cases, the tally of active cases stands at 387; out of which 137 are in home quarantine.

 

On some more positive note regarding Covid situation in the national capital, 45 persons infected with Covid recovered during the last 24 hours, pushing the total recovery so far to 14,13,025.

9:24 PM

Over 2 lakh Covid vaccine doses administered in Delhi on Saturday: govt data

Over 2.03 lakh people were vaccinated against coronavirus in Delhi on Saturday and over 1 lakh of them got the first dose, according to official data.

 

According to government data, over 1.60 crore doses have been administered in the city since the inoculation exercise started on January 16.

 

As many as 48.01 lakh people have received both the doses, it said.

 

According to the Delhi government's data, the city had around 11 lakh vaccine doses 1.65 lakh Covaxin and 9.40 lakh Covishield -- left on Sunday morning.

 

The bulletin said the stock can last up to seven days.

 

There are 1,125 vaccination centres operational in the city which can administer around 2.70 lakh doses daily.

9:01 PM

Covid-19 cases in Gujarat fall to single-digit for first time this year

For the first time in the last nine months, the number of COVID-19 cases in Gujarat dropped to a single digit in a day on Sunday, the state health department said, according to PTI.

 

Gujarat had recorded the highest number of infections in a day at 14,605 on April 30.

 

With eight new cases- Surat (4), Vadodara (3), and Valsad (1)- the tally of infections in Gujarat reached 8,25,723 on Sunday. The death toll remained unchanged at 10,082 with no new COVID-19 fatality been reported in the state after September 4, the department said.

8:15 PM

Nashik sees 107 new Covid-19 cases, 85 recoveries

The count of COVID-19 cases in Nashik district of Maharashtra rose to 4,07,411 on Sunday with the addition of 107 patients, officials said, according to PTI.

 

The COVID-19 death toll reached 8,611 in the district with one more person succumbing to the viral infection, they said.

 

A total of 85 patients were discharged on Sunday, taking the number of recoveries in the Nashik district to 3,97,778 so far.

8:15 PM

J&K sees 168 new cases as Covid surge continues

New Covid cases continued to surge in J&K on Sunday with 168 new cases and 154 recoveries reported during the last 24 hours, IANS reported.

 

Officials said the new cases included 15 from the Jammu division and 153 from the Kashmir division while 154 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery.

 

The state has 46 cases of black fungus.

7:21 PM

Booster shots necessary to beat Covid-19 virus: Dr Fauci

Booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines will soon become necessary for people to gain maximum protection against Covid-19, US top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said on Sunday, after a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel rejected the broader use of the third dose among people aged 16 and above, IANS reported.

 

Pfizer made the proposal in a 52-page presentation to the US FDA, which included data from the recent Israeli study which showed that a booster dose of its Covid-19 vaccine can prevent both infections and severe illness in adults older than 60 shortly after the injection.

 

It was also backed by President Joe Biden's administration. However, the panel has approved a booster shot of Pfizer's Covid vaccine to people aged 65 and above.

7:20 PM

Telangana records 173 new COVID-19 cases

The number of fresh COVID-19 cases fell below the 200 mark in Telangana with 173 new infections being recorded on Sunday taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 6,63,454, PTI reported.

 

One more COVID-19 patient died taking the total deaths to 3,904, a state government bulletin said.

 

The number of active cases stood at 5,005.

 

6:21 PM

Kerala reports 19,653 fresh infections, 152 fatalities

5:23 PM

Delhi reports 0 deaths, 28 new cases

5:23 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 1,337 new cases

4:54 PM

Russia records 20,174 coronavirus cases in 24 hours

Russia registered 20,174 coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, which brings the cumulative total to 7,274,928, the federal response center said on Sunday, ANI reported.

 

Moscow had the highest number of new cases at 2,376, St. Petersburg the second highest with 1,834, the Moscow region the third highest with 1,004.

 

In the same 24 hours, 793 deaths of patients with COVID-19 and 13,418 recoveries were recorded across the country.

3:34 PM

China reports 43 new locally transmitted Covid cases

China reported 43 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases, all in Fujian province amid a resurgence of the virus, the National Health Commission said on Sunday, IANS reported.

 

Also reported were 23 new imported cases -- nine in Yunnan, three each in Hubei, Guangxi and Sichuan, two each in Shanghai and Guangdong, and one in Tianjin, reports Xinhua news agency.

 

No new suspected cases or new deaths related to Covid-19 were reported, the Commission said.

3:33 PM

Covid vaccination drive intensifies for underprivileged people in Delhi

A massive Covid-19 vaccination drive for the underprivileged people have now been stepped in slum and rural areas of the national capital, ANI reported.

 

Besides the government initiatives, organisations like AZB and Partners has launched a free Covid-19 vaccination drive in collaboration with Akshaya Patra Foundation and Hope oncology clinic.

 

Since its launch on June 26 till August 26, a total number of 6,200 people gets vaccinated and the drive continues in areas like Harkesh Nagar, Okhla phase 2, Madangir, Indira camp near Andrews Ganj and Jharera village in Delhi Cantt area.

2:39 PM

US sees surge in demand for monoclonal antibodies to treat Covid

Monoclonal antibodies are high in demand for Covid treatment in the US, especially in those who reject the vaccine against the infectious disease, prompting the Joe Biden administration to impose new limits on orders for the drugs, the media reports say, according to IANS.

 

Overall, the demand for monoclonal antibody treatment, lab-made antibodies given to a person that help their immune system stop the infection from spreading, have climbed 20-fold since mid-July, CBS News reported.

 

Alabama, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana made up 70 per cent of orders for monoclonal antibodies in recent weeks, according to the spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

2:39 PM

AIIMS study observes long term effect of Covid-19 on lifestyle

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi in a study observed obesity and allied comorbidities pose an enormous healthcare burden that requires a lifestyle modification by counselling and support from the provider, ANI reported.

 

The study titled 'Practice-based recommendations Lifestyle-related advice in the management of obesity: A step-wise approach' stated that, "physicians' regular encounter with obese patients and involvement in all aspects of medical management such as assessment, counselling and management of multidisciplinary teams makes them important stakeholders. For better prevention and management of obesity practise based recommendation is required"

2:18 PM

Bangladesh receives another 5 mn doses developed by China's Sinopharm

1:54 PM

Puducherry logs 79 Covid-19 cases, two more deaths

Puducherry logged 79 fresh COVID-19 cases and two more deaths on Sunday, taking the caseload to 1,25,463 and the fatalities to 1,831, PTI reported.

 

Seventy eight patients were cured and discharged in the last 24 hours, taking the overall number of recoveries to 1,22,709.

 

Puducherry accounted for most number of cases (50), followed by Karaikal (17), Mahe (10) and Yanam (2), Director of Health and Family Welfare Services G Sriramulu said.

12:09 PM

Arunachal Pradesh logs 32 new cases

Arunachal Pradesh recorded 32 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours and no deaths, PTI reported quoting an unnamed civil servant. As many 76 more people recovered from the disease and active cases decreased to less than one per cent.

11:51 AM

785 million Covid-19 vaccine doses given to states, UT: Centre

The central government has distributed more than 785 million Covid-19 vaccine doses among to states and union territories, said the health ministry said on Sunday. At least 11.6 million doses will be distributed next.

11:02 AM

US administers 384,911,290 vaccine doses Saturday

The United States administered 384,911,290 doses of Covid-19 vaccines as of Saturday morning and distributed 466,569,635 doses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Over 2.11 million people have received an additional dose of either Pfizer or Moderna's vaccine since August 13, when the US

authorised a third dose for those with compromised immune systems who are likely to have weaker protection from the two-dose regimens, Reuters reported.

10:21 AM

WHO experts group to meet in Oct on Covaxin

A group of experts advising the World health Organization will meet in October to make its recommendations on Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin on Emergency Use Listing. Bharat Biotech is expected to give a presentation on the vaccine's safety and efficacy data of clinical trials, PTI reported.

9:53 AM

Andaman and Nicobar Islands report 2 new cases

Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported two new cases of Covid-19 and no deaths in 24 hours, said PTI quoting an unnamed civil servant. The archipelago as 7,598 cases in total, of which 7,455 people have recovered from the disease.

9:33 AM

India records 30,773 new cases

India recorded 30,773 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours, said the health ministry on Sunday. Active cases form less than 1 per cent of total and the national recovery rate is 97.68 per cent.

9:27 AM

Singapore adds 1,009 cases Saturday,

Singapore added 1,009 cases Saturday, the most since April 2020, when the city-state imposed a lockdown. The bulk of the cases were infections within the local community, with five detected in those arriving from overseas. Bloomberg reported this.

 

9:14 AM

China reports 66 new coronavirus cases

China reported on Sunday 66 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland for Sept. 18, up from 46 a day earlier, according to National Health Commission data.

Of the new infections, 43 were locally transmitted, all of them in the southeastern province of Fujian, the health authority said. That compares with 31 local cases a day earlier, said Reuters.

8:17 AM

Assam reports 2 new deaths

Assam reported on Saturday two deaths due to Covid-19 to increase fatalities to 5,790. Total cases mounted to 5,97,709 with 365 fresh cases, PTI reported quoting a state bulletin.

8:14 AM

Russia cases surge

Russia reported on Satur more than 20,000 new cases in the past day for the first time since Aug. 22 as the country holds tightly controlled parliamentary elections. The daily death toll rose to 799, Bloomberg reported.