India Coronavirus Dispatch: No clarity on when Sputnik V will be deployed

Migraine, breathing issues could stay briefly after mild Covid, Karnataka mulls capping ambulance charges, and more-news relevant to India's fight against Covid-19

Nearly 390,000 fresh cases reported

India reported 389,974 fresh coronavirus infections on Tuesday, taking the cumulative caseload to nearly 23 million, according to central health ministry data. The country saw 3,876 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 249,992. The active caseload is at 3.7 million, while the total recoveries have surged to 19 million. As many as 172 million shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 2.5 million were given on Monday. Read more

No clarity on when Sputnik V will be deployed

India received the first consignment of the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine 10 days ago, but the Russia-made vaccine is still going through the government's regulatory process while there is no clarity on when it might be deployed, a report in ThePrint said. This comes against the backdrop of a shortage of vaccines in many states that has hampered the expansion of the national Covid vaccination drive. Owing to vaccine delays, several states have only just begun to vaccinate their 18+ population even though the vaccination programme was opened up to all adults 10 days ago. Read more

Migraine, breathing issues could stay briefly after mild Covid: Lancet study

A new study published in the Lancet medical journal has found that the risk of delayed serious complications after Covid infection in patients who did not need to be hospitalised is very low, a report in ThePrint said. However, the researchers found that persistent symptoms — such as breathing issues and migraines — in these patients may lead to more visits to general practitioners or outpatient clinics in the six months following the infection “Until now, most research investigating long-term complications from Covid-19 has been focused on hospitalised patients. But the reality is that the majority of people with Covid-19 are not admitted to the hospital,” one of the authors of the study said.

One in seven Delhi hospital staff infected with Covid after vaccination: study

Through a small-scale study, a Delhi hospital has found that “breakthrough” infections occurred in 13.3 per cent of them (about one in seven), with one requiring hospitalisation, a report in The Indian Express said. The study was conducted on healthcare workers from Fortis Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology. The study has been published in the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews. Infections that happen even after vaccination are known as "breakthrough" infections. Read more

Karnataka mulls capping ambulance charges for Covid patients

The Karnataka government is likely to place a cap on ambulance charges across the state amid complaints of exorbitant rates to transport Covid-19 patients and victims, a report in The Indian Express said. Last month, the Bengaluru police had arrested an ambulance driver and his associate for allegedly trying to extort the family of a Covid victim. Police said the duo demanded Rs 60,000 from a woman to take her father’s body to a crematorium.