Coronavirus LIVE: Bengal makes negative Covid report mandatory for 4 states

Coronavirus live updates: Travellers from Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab will need a negative coronavirus test report to enter Delhi. Stay tuned for corona-related news

9:21 PM

Pune reported 1,479 new Covid-19 cases, 945 recoveries

9:05 PM

Bengal makes Covid negative certificate mandatory for travellers from 4 states

Bengal govt makes it mandatory for passengers travelling in flights from Maharashtra, Kerala and 2 other states to produce negative Covid-19 report:, says officials according to PTI.

8:54 PM

4,106 new coronavirus cases in Kerala, tally 1.45 mn: Health minister Shailaja

4,106 new coronavirus cases in Kerala, tally 10.45 lakh, active cases 52,869; toll 4,136 with 17 more deaths: Health Minister K K Shailaja

7:49 PM

Maharashtra reported 8,807 new Covid-19 cases, 2,772 discharges

7:41 PM

Over 1.4 mn healthcare workers have taken second dose: Govt

The total vaccination includes 65,24,726 healthcare workers who have taken the 1st dose & 14,81,754 healthcare workers who have taken the 2nd dose, along with 43,60,153 frontline workers (1st dose): Union Ministry of Health

7:40 PM

12,366,633 vaccine doses have been given to healthcare & frontline workers: Govt

7:17 PM

Johnson & Johnson's one-shot Covid-19 vaccine effective, safe: FDA

Johnson & Johnson's one-shot Covid-19 vaccine appeared safe and effective in trials, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) staff said in documents published on Wednesday, paving the way for its approval for emergency use, according to Reuters. The FDA's panel of independent experts meets on Friday to decide whether to approve the shot. While it is not bound to follow the advice of its experts, the FDA did so when authorizing the Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc vaccines, Reuters reported.

J&J's vaccine was 66% effective in preventing Covid-19 against multiple variants in a global trial involving nearly 44,000 people, the company said last month. Its effectiveness varied from 72% in the United States to 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa, where a new variant has spread, though the vaccine was 85% effective overall in stopping severe cases of the disease, as per Reuters report.

6:53 PM

Goa records 52 fresh Covid-19 cases; 35 recoveries

As many as 52 persons tested positive for coronavirus, while 35 were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the infection in Goa on Wednesday, an official from the health department said, according to PTI. With the addition of the latest cases, the state's COVID-19 tally has reached 54,700, of which 53,416 patients have recovered so far, the official said.

Following the death of one patient during the day, the toll stood at 789, he said. The coastal state is now left with 495 active cases, the official said, as per PTI.

5:40 PM

Odisha issues SOPs ahead of vaccination of elderly, people with co-morbidities

5:11 PM

Vaccines will prevent new Covid strains, decease mortality: AIIMS chief