Coronavirus LIVE: Quick response helped India avoid 3.7 mn cases, says CEA

Coronavirus live updates: Globally, more than 102 million people have been infected by the virus and the death toll stands at 2,199,065

2:39 AM

Over 171,000 health workers in UP vaccinated on Friday

Over 171,000 health workers were administered Covid-19 vaccine in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, meeting 66.4 per cent of the target.
 

According to an official report updated at 8.30pm, as many as 171,198 health workers were inoculated in 2,305 sessions at vaccination centres across the state, meeting 66.4 per cent of the target of 2,57,781.
 

The vaccination rate was about 64.8 per cent in the last round, when 100,676 health workers were vaccinated against a target of 155,311.
 

With this, the total number of health workers to get the vaccine against the coronavirus in UP crossed 271,000.
 

The state has 906,000 health workers, including 234,000 in the private sector.
 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure that all health workers are vaccinated by February 5.

8:44 PM

Delhi reports 249 new coronavirus cases and 267 recoveries: ANI

8:27 PM

J&J says vaccine offers 100% protection against coronavirus deaths

Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine generated strong protection against Covid-19 in a large, late-stage trial, raising hopes that it can rapidly reshape a stumbling immunisation campaign.

 

In the more than 44,000-person study, the vaccine prevented 66 per cent of moderate to severe cases of Covid-19, according to a company statement on Friday. And it was particularly effective at stopping severe disease, preventing 85 per cent of severe infections and 100 per cent of hospitalisations and deaths.

 

Based on the result, J&J plans to file for an emergency-use authorization in the U.S. in early February. The drug giant’s top scientist said this month that he expects a clearance in March, and that it would have product ready to ship then. The company didn’t specify how much of the vaccine would be available immediately, though it reaffirmed that the U.S. would receive 100 million doses in the first half of the year. READ ON...

7:59 PM

India's cumulative positivity rate fell to 5.50%: Health Ministry

7:20 PM

Initiate Covid-19 vaccination of frontline workers from first week of February: Centre to states

The Union Health Ministry on Friday asked all states and union territories to initiate vaccination of frontline workers against COVID-19 from the first week of February. Vaccination of healthcare providers that began on January 16 to continue simultaneously, the ministry said in a letter to states and union territories (UTs).

 

In the letter, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Manohar Agnani said the database of frontline workers is being updated by states and UTs in collaboration with the respective line ministries. As on date, the database of more than 61 lakh frontline workers has been uploaded on Co-WIN portal.

 

"In this regard, after due consultation with states and UTs, it is advised that the states and UTs shall initiate simultaneous vaccination of frontline workers and healthcare workers from the first week of February," Agnani said.

7:13 PM

Vaccination for frontline workers will start from 1st week of February 2021: Government Official

Vaccination for frontline workers will start from 1st week of February 2021: Government Official

6:46 PM

India's Covid-19 response saved over 100,000 lives: Economic Survey

India's pandemic response, focused on saving lives and livelihoods, restricted the COVID-19 spread by 37 lakh cases and saved more than 1 lakh lives, as per the Economic Survey 2020-21.

 

The pre-Budget document tabled in Parliament on Friday noted that in the absence of a potent cure, preventive vaccine; interplay of network structures in densely populated areas, and a high case fatality rate (CFR), India weighed the costs and opportunities strategically.

 

The limits of scientific understanding of the disease, lack of good data on the mode of spread and potency of the virus made it difficult to model the likely impact of different policy options in a reliable and timely way. To aggravate the uncertainty, it was estimated that India would have 30 crore cases and several thousand deaths by the end of May, 2020, it noted. India imposed a strict lockdown from March 25 to May 31, 2020 to check the spread of the virus.

6:06 PM

18,855 fresh Covid-19 cases in India, most from Chhattisgarh due to 'data reconciliation'

India has added 18,855 fresh COVID-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, a jump from the previous day's count of 11,666, with Chhattisgarh alone adding 6,451 cases because of a data reconciliation process, the Union Health ministry said on Friday. The country's COVID-19 tally is now 107,20,048, PTI reported. Chhattisgarh has reported 6,451 cases, 6,479 discharges and 35 deaths.

 

"The jump in figures, according to the State Health Department, is due to the reconciliation of district level and state level case, discharge and death figures," ministry said.

5:47 PM

Dr Reddy's eyes to launch Sputnik V vaccine for Covid-19 under EUA in March

Dr Reddys Laboratories, which is conducting Phase 3 trials of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, believes the jab is expected to be launched in India through Emergency Use Authorisation, a senior official of the city-based drug maker said on Friday.

 

"The phase 3 (trial) is currently ongoing. We are dosing patients and we expect to complete the dosing as part of the phase 3 by February. "After that we expect to compile the data and submit for Emergency Use Authorisation, make the request to the DCGI with our dossier," company's CEO of APIs and Pharmaceutical Services Deepak Sapra said.

 

In September last, Dr. Reddys partnered with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and for its distribution rights in India.

3:44 PM

India avoided about 3.7 million cases and 100,000 deaths through its prompt response: CEA