LIVE: WHO body says Covid vaccines 'may need to be updated' for Omicron

'Composition of current Covid vaccines may need to be updated, to ensure that vaccines continue to provide WHO-recommended levels of protection against infection,' says the body of independent experts

11:41 PM

Covid cases in Kerala go up by 100% in a week's time

Kerala on Tuesday reported 9,066 fresh Covid cases after 63,898 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, increasing the daily test positivity rate to 14.18 per cent.

 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was handling the Covid situation personally during the second wave, is not seen briefing the media on the pandemic situation this time around with his place being taken by state Health Minister Veena George.

 

On Tuesday, George said in a statement that the number of cases has gone up by 100 per cent when compared to the previous week.

 

"More and more health professionals are getting infected by Covid. Unnecessary travel has to be avoided and utmost caution has to be followed by all," George said.

10:36 PM

India's fuel demand hit 9-month high in December, but virus threat looms

India's fuel consumption in December scaled a nine-month peak, government data showed on Tuesday, although a fresh coronavirus wave may slow the gradual recovery of demand in the world's third biggest oil consumer.

 

Fuel consumption, a proxy for oil demand, totalled 18.43 million tonnes, up 7.6% from November and 0.4% from a year before, data from the oil ministry's Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell showed.

 

But consumption was still about 3% lower than December 2019, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic broke out.

 

10:08 PM

Over 22,000 people take 'precautionary dose' in Delhi

A total of 22,265 people, including 7,010 healthcare workers, got their "precautionary dose" of COVID-19 vaccine in the national capital on Tuesday, according to government data.

 

As many as 6,083 people aged above 60 and 9,172 frontline workers also got their third dose.

 

On Monday, 18,795 people aged above 60, frontline workers and healthcare workers had taken their third dose. People aged 60 or more, healthcare and frontline workers who took their second dose of vaccine nine months ago have become eligible for the third dose from Monday.

9:33 PM

India appeals against WTO dispute panel ruling on sugar subsidies

India has appealed against a ruling of the World Trade Organisation's trade dispute settlement panel on domestic sugar subsidies, stating that the panel has committed "certain errors of law" in its report, the WTO said on Tuesday.

 

The appeal was filed by India in the WTO's Appellate Body, which is the final authority on such trade disputes.

 

"India has notified the Dispute Settlement Body of its decision to appeal the panel reports in the cases brought by Brazil, Australia and Guatemala in 'India - Measures Concerning Sugar and Sugarcane," the WTO said in a statement.

 

It said that given the ongoing lack of agreement among WTO members regarding the filling of Appellate Body vacancies, there is no Appellate Body division available at the current time to deal with the appeal.

 

The panel in its ruling on December 14, 2021, recommended India to withdraw its alleged prohibited subsidies under the Production Assistance, Buffer Stock, and Marketing and Transportation Schemes within 120 days from the adoption of this report.

9:15 PM

Nashik sees 1,450 Covid cases, no death; 469 recover

The COVID-19 count in Nashik touched 4,21,294 on Tuesday with the addition of 1,450 cases, while the death toll remained unchanged at 8,765, an official said.

 

So far, 4,06,204 people have been discharged post recovery, including 469 during the day, he said.

 

With 8,398 samples being examined on Tuesday, the number of tests in Nashik went up to 30,79,528, he added.

9:14 PM

DRDO flight tests man-portable anti-tank guided missile

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday successfully flight tested the Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).

 

The defence ministry said the anti-tank missile was flight-tested in its final "deliverable configuration".

 

The indigenously developed MPATGM is a low weight, "fire and forget" missile.

 

"The Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully flight tested the final deliverable configuration of Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11," the ministry said.

8:57 PM

Punjab records 4,593 new Covid cases

8:43 PM

Karnataka announces additional containment measures

8:30 PM

WHO body says Covid vaccines 'may need to be updated' for Omicron

A technical advisory group established by the World Health Organization said on Tuesday that current COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated to ensure they are effective against new variants like Omicron.

 

"...the composition of current COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated, to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide WHO-recommended levels of protection against infection and disease by VOCs, including Omicron and future variants," the body of independent experts said in a statement sent to journalists by the WHO.

8:05 PM

West Bengal registers 21,098 fresh cases

7:43 PM

Mumbai's Covid cases fall fourth day in a row to 11,647

6:38 PM

14,473 new Covid cases in Karnataka

6:36 PM

Kerala reports 9,066 new COVID cases

5:33 PM

Delhi logs 21,259 new Covid cases

5:23 PM

Haryana Govt invokes Essential Services Maintenance Act

4:32 PM

Over 50% of Europeans on track to contract Omicron in next two months: WHO

More than half of the European population are expected to be infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant within the next six to eight weeks, the World Health Organization's top Europe official said on Tuesday. Europe saw more than 7 million newly reported Covid-19 cases in the first week of 2022, more than doubling over a two-week period, the WHO's Europe director Hans Kluge told a news briefing.

"At this rate, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation forecasts that more than 50% of the population in the region will be infected with Omicron in the next 6-8 weeks," Kluge said.

4:28 PM

Communal polarisation is being done in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of Assembly elections: Pawar

4:19 PM

Sharad Pawar says in talks with Congress and TMC for Goa alliance

3:22 PM

Goa Deputy CM Manohar Ajgaonkar tests positive for COVID-19

3:14 PM

Tamil Nadu govt issues SOP for Jallikattu events

2:19 PM

IIT modelling shows Covid cases will rise rapidly, says govt expert

2:01 PM

Covid pill shouldn't be given to people of reproductive age, says NTAGI chief

2:00 PM

Don't worry, we will not impose lockdown, says Delhi CM

1:10 PM

India to grow 9.5% this fiscal: Arvind Virmani

The Indian economy is likely to register a growth of 9.5 per cent in this financial year, former chief economic adviser Arvind Virmani said on Tuesday. Virmani said that government expenditure and exports have peaked, but so far private consumption has not recovered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to PTI.

12:51 PM

Lata Mangeshkar admitted to hospital after testing Covid positive: ANI

Singer Lata Mangeshkar is hospitalised in Mumba after testing positive for Covid-19, her niece told news agency ANI. Mangeshkar has mild symptoms and is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit.

12:02 PM

US report 1.35 million new coronavirus

The United States reported 1.35 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, the highest daily total for any country in the world as the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant showed no signs of slowing. The previous record was 1.03 million cases on Jan. 3.

11:30 AM

Modi likely to meets CMs on Covid Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on Thursday likely to meet with chief ministers on rising Covid-19 cases, PTI reported. In a meeting with government officers and advisors Sunday, Modi had called for ensuring adequate health infrastructure at the district level and accelerating the vaccination drive for adolescents.

11:13 AM

Delhi private offices to work from home

11:04 AM

Mandaviya to meet IMA on Covid-19

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will at 11:30 am hold a virtual meeting the Indian Medical Association (IMA), a group representing doctors, on Covid-19.

10:08 AM

Odisha logs biggest spike in Covid cases in 7 months

Odisha reports 7,071 new cases of Covid-19: the biggest single-day spike in over seven months, PTI reports quoting the state health department. The state has more than a million cases.