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India records lowest daily cases in over six months

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India records lowest daily cases in over six months

New Delhi: India recorded 16,375 new cases of coronavirus, the lowest in over six months, taking the country’s COVID-19 caseload to 1,03,56,844, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

The death toll increased to 1,49,850 with 201 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,75,958 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.32 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the 15th consecutive day. There are 2,31,036 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.23 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 17,65,31,997 samples have been tested up to January 4 with 8,96,236 samples being tested on Monday.

COVID-19 Update india 16,504 new cases; less than 20,000 for third consecutive day

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NEW DELHI: Daily new COVID-19 cases in the country remained below 20,000 for the third consecutive day taking the virus caseload to 1,03,40,469, while the recoveries surged to 99.46 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

A total of 16,504 tested positive for coronavirus infection in a day.

The death toll increased to 1,49,649 with 214 new fatalities, the data updated at 8.00 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,46,867 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.19 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the 14th consecutive day.

There are 2,43,953 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprise 2.36 per cent of the total caseload,the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 17,56,35,761 samples have been tested up to January 3 with 7,35,978 samples being tested on Sunday.

Tally for new COVID strain cases in India rises to 29, confirms Health Ministry

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The government of India took cognizance of the reports of virus reported from the UK and put in place a proactive and preventive strategy to detect and contain the mutant variant, the ministry said.

coronavirus, thermal screeners, COVID 19, fever

NEW DELHI: A total of 29 people have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

These include the 25 cases which were announced till Thursday.

“All the 29 persons are in physical isolation in health facilities,” an official said.

Of the 29, the mutated UK strain was detected in the samples of eight persons at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in New Delhi, two in the  Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi, one in the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani (near Kolkata), five in the National Institute of Virology in Pune, three in Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad and 10 were sequenced at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Hospital (NIMHANS) Bengaluru.

Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others, the ministry said.

The presence of the new UK variant has already been reported by Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore, so far.

The government of India took cognizance of the reports of virus reported from the UK and put in place a proactive and preventive strategy to detect and contain the mutant variant, the ministry said.

This strategy includes temporary suspension of all flights coming from the UK with effect from the midnight of December 23 till January 7 and mandatory testing of all UK-returned air passengers through RT-PCR test.

The samples of all UK returnees found positive in RT-PCR test will be genome sequenced by a consortium of 10 government labs – INSACOG.

Further, all the international passengers who have arrived in India between December 9 to 22, if symptomatic and tested positive for COVID-19, will be subjected to genome sequencing as part of the Centre’s strategy to detect the mutated UK variant in them.

Others will be followed up by the respective state and district surveillance officers and will be tested as per ICMR guidelines (even if asymptomatic) between the fifth and the tenth day, according to the Union Health Ministry’s guidance document on genomic sequencing.

Further, epidemiological surveillance of the passengers, who have arrived in India since November 23 will be conducted in the community through active follow up.

The standard operating protocol for states and UTs to tackle the mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2 was issued on December 22, it added.

covid-19 India update 99 lakh as India adds less than 20,000 new corona cases

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There are 2,50,183 active coronavirus cases in the country, which accounts for 2.43 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated

NEW DELHI: The number of fresh COVID-19 cases was recorded below 20,000 in India on Saturday, taking the country’s caseload to 1,03,05,788, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 99 lakh, according to the health ministry.

A total of 19,079 people tested positive for the coronavirus infection in a day, while the death toll due to the disease climbed to 1,49,218 in the country with 224 new fatalities, the ministry’s data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,06,387, pushing the national recovery rate to 96.

12 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stood at 1.45 per cent.

The number of active COVID-19 cases remained below three lakh for the 12th consecutive day.

There are 2,50,183 active coronavirus cases in the country, which accounts for 2.43 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 17,39,41,658 samples were tested for COVID-19 in the country till January 1, including 8,29,964 on Friday.

The 224 new fatalities include 59 from Maharashtra, 26 from West Bengal, 23 from Kerala and 21 from Delhi.

Of the 1,49,218 COVID-19 deaths reported in the country so far, Maharashtra has accounted for the highest of 49,580, followed by Tamil Nadu (12,135), Karnataka (12,096), Delhi (10,557), West Bengal (9,738), Uttar Pradesh (8,379), Andhra Pradesh (7,108) and Punjab (5,349).

First jab of COVID-19 vaccine barely a few days away in India

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Oxford vaccine gets emergency use approval; Bharat Biotech’s candidate yet to pass muster

NEW DELHI: Healthcare workers across India may be just a few days away from getting shots against Covid-19, as an expert panel of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Friday granted emergency use authorisation to the vaccine candidate developed by Oxford University-AstraZeneca. The Pune-based Serum Institute of India is its local partner and had already manufactured the vaccine, under the brand name, Covishield.

The official confirmation of the approval, however, is yet to follow. Also, it is not clear under what conditions has the approval been granted or the quantum of vaccines the government will immediately procure from for one of the world’s largest vaccination drives ever.

Sources said data from the vaccine’s late stage clinical trials in the UK and Brazil, safety and immunogenicity data from its bridging trial in India and the approval granted by the UK regulator to the vaccine, were taken into account for making the recommendation. 

“The first vaccine against Covid-19 has been approved in India but the first beneficiaries may be about a week away from getting the actual shots as transportation of the vaccines has to be done under specified conditions,” a top official in the Union ministry of health and family welfare told this newspaper.

The subject expert committee of the CDSCO, which also considered Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s candadate, felt the company needs to present at least an interim analysis of its phase 3 clinical trial. “The panel was of the view that the data from phase 1 and 2 are not sufficient to approve it for wider use in the country,” said a source. 

COVID-19 Update india recovery rate in India crosses 96%, decline in active cases

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Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,707 newly recovered cases, 4,913 people recovered in Maharashtra followed by 1,588 in Chhattisgarh.

NEW DELHI: India has crossed a significant milestone in its fight against coronavirus, with the national COVID-19 recovery rate crossing 96 per cent, one of the highest globally, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.

“The total recovered cases have crossed 98.6 lakhs (98,60,280), the highest globally. The gap between active cases and recoveries is continuously increasing and stands at 96,02,624,” the ministry highlighted.

Further, the active cases have drastically declined to 2.57 lakh.

The total positive cases of the country are 2,57,656 and now comprise merely 2.51 per cent of the total cases.

“With a high number of COVID patients recovering every day and the sustained fall in the mortality rate, India’s steady trend of registering dipping active cases continues,” the ministry said.

A total of 21,822 new confirmed cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours in the country whereas 26,139 new recoveries were registered in the same period.

It has led to a net decline of 4,616 cases from the total active caseload, the ministry underlined.

Of the new recovered cases, 77.99 per cent are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and UTs.

Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,707 newly recovered cases, 4,913 people recovered in Maharashtra followed by 1,588 in Chhattisgarh.

The ministry said that 79.87 per cent of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs.

Kerala has reported the highest daily new cases at 6,268. It is followed by Maharashtra with 3,537 new cases.

Also, 299 case fatalities have been reported in a span of 24 hours with ten states and UTs accounting for 80.60 per cent of these.

Maharashtra reported maximum casualties with 90 new fatalities.

Kerala and West Bengal both follow with 28 daily deaths.

‘That was easy!’: US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris receives coronavirus vaccine

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According to a media report, Vice-President-elect received a dose of the Moderna vaccine from clinical nurse Patricia Cummings at United Medical Center, which is located in Southeast Washington DC.

'That was easy!' Harris said after receiving her first dose of the Moderna vaccine at the United Medical Center (UMC) in Washington DC. (Photo | AFP)

WASHINGTON: US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Tuesday received on live television the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, making her the latest high-level official to do so as the incoming Trump administration seeks to instil confidence in the vaccination process.

“That was easy!” Harris said after receiving her first dose of the Moderna vaccine at the United Medical Center (UMC) in Washington DC.

“I want to thank the United Medical Center for the work that you do in southeast DC, serving our community that is often overlooked,” Harris said. “So, it is good to be here and I’ve now been vaccinated,” she said.

“There is a big difference between the vaccine and vaccination. I want to encourage everyone to get the vaccine. It is relatively painless. It happens really quickly. It is safe,” Harris, wearing a black face mask, said in brief remarks after receiving the vaccine, encouraging Americans to get it, as reported by The Hill.

“I want to encourage everyone to get the vaccine. Literally, this is about saving lives,” she continued. “I trust the scientists, and it is the scientists who created and approved this vaccine. I look forward to getting the second dose,” she added

The Hill further reported that the Vice-President-elect received a dose of the Moderna vaccine from clinical nurse Patricia Cummings at United Medical Center, which is located in Southeast Washington, D.C.

Her husband, Doug Emhoff, also received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday, she said.

Vice President Mike Pence received the vaccine publicly a week after it received approval and President-elect Joe Biden did so the following week, as did top health officials like Anthony Fauci and Health and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.

Last Monday, US President-elect Joe Biden received his first dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, also on live television, to assure Americans of its safety. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are both administered in two shots with a required interval of several weeks between them, Sputnik reported.

Man with no travel history becomes US’ first reported case of new COVID-19 variant

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The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the virus variant, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was notified.

DENVER: The first reported U.S. case of the COVID-19 variant that’s been seen in the United Kingdom has been discovered in Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis announced Tuesday, adding urgency to efforts to vaccinate Americans.

The variant was found in a man in his 20s who is in isolation southeast of Denver in Elbert County and has no travel history, state health officials said.

Elbert County is a mainly rural area of rolling plains at the far edge of the Denver metro area that includes a portion of Interstate 70, the state’s main east-west highway.

Colorado Politics reported there is a second suspected case of the variant in the state according to Dwayne Smith, director of public health for Elbert County. Both of the people were working in the Elbert County community of Simla. Neither of them are residents of that county — expanding the possibility of the variant’s spread throughout the state.

The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the virus variant, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was notified.

Scientists in the U.K. believe the variant is more contagious than previously identified strains. The vaccines being given now are thought to be effective against the variant, Colorado health officials said in a news release.

For the moment, the variant is likely still rare in the U.S., but the lack of travel history in the first case means it is spreading, probably seeded by travelers from Britain in November or December, said scientist Trevor Bedford, who studies the spread of COVID-19 at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

“Now I’m worried there will be another spring wave due to the variant,” Bedford said. “It’s a race with the vaccine, but now the virus has just gotten a little bit faster.”

Public health officials are investigating other potential cases and performing contact tracing to determine the spread of the variant throughout the state.

“There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious. The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority, and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely,” Polis said.

Polis and state health officials are expected hold a news conference Wednesday.

The discovery of the new variant led the CDC to issue new rules on Christmas Day for travelers arriving to the U.S. from the U.K., requiring they show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

Worry has been growing about the variant since the weekend before Christmas, when Britain’s prime minister said a new strain of the coronavirus seemed to spread more easily than earlier ones and was moving rapidly through England. The nation’s first variant case was identified in southeast England.

Dozens of countries barred flights from the U.K., and southern England was placed under strict lockdown measures. Scientists say there is reason for concern but the new strains should not cause alarm.

Japan announced Monday it would bar entry of all nonresident foreign nationals as a precaution against the new strain.

New variants of the coronavirus have been seen almost since the virus was first detected in China nearly a year ago. It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. The slight modifications are how scientists track the spread of a virus from one place to another.

But if the virus has significant mutations, one concern is that current vaccines might no longer offer the same protections. Although that’s a possibility to watch for over time with the coronavirus, experts say they don’t believe it will be the case with the latest variant.

The U.K. variant, known as B.1.1.7, has also been found in Canada, Italy, India and the United Arab Emirates.

South Africa has also discovered a highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is driving the country’s latest spike of confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The variant, known as 501.V2, is dominant among the newly confirmed infections in South Africa, according to health officials and scientists leading the country’s virus strategy.

COVID-19 Update India records 20,549 fresh cases, 286 deaths

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The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the ninth consecutive day.

covid test sample

NEW DELHI: India’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,02,44,852 with 20,549 new infections being reported in a day, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98.34 lakh pushing the national recovery rate to 95.99 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The death toll increased to 1,48,439 with 286 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed   The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98,34,141 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.99 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the ninth consecutive day.

There are 2,62,272 active cases of coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.56 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past  60 lakh on September 28,  70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 17,09,22,030  samples have been tested up to December 29 with 11,20,281 samples being tested on Tuesday.

The 286 new fatalities include 68 from Maharashtra, 30 from West Bengal, 28 from Delhi and  24 from Kerala.

A total of 1,48,43 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 49,373 from Maharashtra followed by 12,092 from Tamil Nadu, 12,074  from Karnataka, 10,502  from Delhi, 9,655 from West Bengal, 8,340 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,100 from Andhra Pradesh and  5,322 from Punjab.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

UK returnee tests positive for coronavirus with new strain in Kolkata

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The official said those who returned with the UK returnee will be sent for isolation and they will undergo COVID-19 tests

Passengers wait at NSCBI Airport in Kolkata.

KOLKATA: A young UK returnee tested positive for new coronavirus strain in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The youth has been admitted to Kolkata Medical College and Hospital. With the trace of new UK strain, State health department convened an emergency meeting.

Health officials said the airline operator has been asked to prepare a list of passengers and flight crews of the aircraft in which the youth the travelled. “We sought the list with the contact number and addresses of the persons present in the flight. We will trace them out and find how many of them are staying in the state,” said a health department official.

The official said those who returned with the UK returnee will be sent for isolation and they will undergo COVID-19 tests.

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