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

5:05 PM

Mamata writes to PM, seeks help in procurement of Covid vaccine to immunise free of cost

4:47 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 94 new Covid-19 cases, 66 recoveries

4:40 PM

Hong Kong to spend $15.4 billion to stabilise virus-ravaged economy

Hong Kong will introduce 120 billion Hong Kong dollars (USD 15.4 billion) in fiscal measures to help businesses and residents impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, as it looks towards economic growth later this year following a recession in 2020.

 

The measures which include tax relief, loans for the unemployed and consumption vouchers are aimed at stabilizing the economy, Hong Kong Finance Minister Paul Chan said in a budget speech Wednesday. He forecast the economy is set to grow 3.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent this year, compared to the economic contraction of 6.1 per in 2020.

4:25 PM

We shouldn't miss out on strains which are more infectious: AIIMS director

It doesn't seem that the strain is more infectious or causing mortality or vaccine will not work but we need to study it more aggressively and look at it more closely. We shouldn't miss out on strains which are more infectious, says AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria on new coronavirus strains

3:34 PM

LIVE: India is proud to have vaccines made locally, says Javadekar

LIVE: India is proud to have vaccines made locally, says Javadekar

3:28 PM

LIVE: Those who want to get vaccinated from private hospitals will have to pay, says Javadekar

Those who want to get vaccinated from private hospitals will have to pay. The amount they would need to pay will be decided by the health ministry within 3-4 days as they are in discussion with manufacturers & hospitals, says Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

3:17 PM

People above 60 years and those above 45 years with comorbidities will be vaccinated from March 1

From March 1, people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities will be vaccinated at 10,000 govt & over 20,000 private vaccination centres. The vaccine will be given free of cost at govt centres: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

 

2:26 PM

Centre rushes teams to states, UT seeing surge in Covid cases

The Centre has deputed high level multi-disciplinary teams to Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for supporting them in public health measures for targeted Covid-19 response and management, and effectively tackling the pandemic.

 

The three-member multidisciplinary teams are headed by Joint Secretary level officers in the Union Health Ministry. These teams will work closely with the states and UT administration and ascertain reasons for recent surge in the number of Covid-19 cases.

2:02 PM

Ghana to receive world's first doses of free Covax vaccines

Ghana is set to receive today the first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines from Covax, a World Health Organization-backed effort to distribute inoculations for free to poor countries. Covax said it would deliver two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines globally by the end of 2021.

1:30 PM

First batch of Sputnik V vaccine delivered to Mexico

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russias sovereign wealth fund) announced the delivery of the first batch of Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus to Mexico.

 

On February 3, 2021 the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk of Mexico (COFEPRIS) approved Sputnik V under the emergency use authorization procedure without additional clinical trials in the country. Mexico has become the first country of North America to approve Sputnik V.