Coronavirus LIVE: 34,867 new Covid cases in Tamil Nadu, 25,311 in Karnataka

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 223,601 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 26,752,447. Death toll past 300,000. Stay tuned for corona-related news

Coronavirus live updates: India records steady decline in the number of fresh coronavirus cases after infections in the country peaked around May 8. However, the daily toll has not decreased by much. On Monday, India witnessed 223,601 new cases, taking its tally to 26,752,447, according to MoHFW. More than 300,000 people have now succumbed to Covid-19 in India's official records. 4,455 lives were lost to the virus on Sunday alone, taking the death toll to 303,720. Vaccinations showed a downward graph amid fears of a third wave in the next 6-8 months.

With 35,483 cases reported in the past 24 hours, Tamil Nadu is leading the state list. It is followed by Maharashtra with 26,672 new infections. Karnataka reported 25,979 cases, Kerala 25,820 and Andhra Pradesh 18,767 cases. The case count was 18,422 for West Bengal

The six most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (5,579,897), Karnataka (2,424,904), Kerala (2,317,911), Tamil Nadu (1,806,861), Uttar Pradesh (1,670,020), and Andhra Pradesh (1,580,827).

World coronavirus update: Coronavirus cases rise unabated across the globe with 167,506,335 infected by the deadly contagion. While 148,581,009 have recovered, 3,477,774 have died so far. The US remains the worst-hit country with 33,896,035, followed by India, Brazil, France and Turkey. However, in the past seven days, India has added the highest number of fresh cases at 1,845,781, followed by the Brazil (456,826) and Argentina (223,748).

To refer to our previous day's Coronavirus LIVE blog, click here

1:58 AM

Meghalaya reports 25 more Covid deaths, 811 fresh cases

Twenty-five more people succumbed to Covid-19 in Meghalaya on Monday, taking the death toll to 483, while 811 new cases pushed the tally to 30,492, a senior health department official said here.
 

The state currently has 7,788 active coronavirus cases, Health Services director Aman War said.
 

During the same period 679 persons also recovered from the infection, the highest single day recovery recorded so far, increasing the total number of cured people to 22,221, the senior health official said.
 

Altogether 5.98 lakh samples have been tested for Covid-19 in the state to date, he said.
 

Over 4.35 lakh people have been inoculated in the state so far and 83,000 have received both doses of the vaccine, War said.
 

1:58 AM

Nagaland logs 191 new Covid-19 cases, 12 more fatalities

Nagalands Covid-19 tally rose to 20,259on Monday as 191 more people tested positive for the infection, Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom said.
 

"191 +ve cases of Covid-19 reported today. Kohima-67, Dimapur-53, Tuensang-28, Mokokchung-25,Wokha-6, Zunheboto- Mon-4 each, Peren-2,Kiphire-Phek-1 each, 137+ve patients have recovered. Dimapur-53, Kohima-38, Tuensang-13, Mon-10, Kiphire-9, Zunheboto-8, Mokokchung-4, Peren- 2," the minister said in a tweet.
 

A total of 14,637 persons have recovered from the disease, and currently, there are 4,714 active patients.
 

The recovery rate in the state is 72.25 per cent.
 

10:09 PM

Maharashtra may ease Covid-19 curbs in districts showing case drop: Minister

Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Monday said the government was contemplating easing Covid-19-induced lockdown-like curbs in districts outside the "red zone" after June 1.
 

Talking to reporters here, he said 15 districts (out of total 36) are in the "red zone" (high caseload) and the curbs their could be made more stricter.
 

Buldhana, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Yavatmal, Amravati, Sindhdurg, Solapur, Akola, Satara, Washim, Beed, Gadchiroli, Ahmednagar and Osmanabad are the districts where coronavirus cases are still on the rise, the minister said.
 

"There is a demand for easing restrictions where Covid-19 cases have reduced. The government may ease restrictions in districts where cases are coming down. It will take a decision after observing the situation for four to five more days " he said.
 

Wadettiwar said suburban trains in Mumbai will not be opened to all for another 15 days at least.
 

"Social distancing is not possible in local trains. They will continue to ply for essential services staffers only," he said.
 

Home quarantine system for Covid-19 patients has now been replaced with institutional quarantine in districts where the coronavirus cases are increasing, the minister said.
 

10:08 PM

Odisha cancels Covid-19 activities in cyclone prone three districts

Keeping in view the impending very severe cyclonic storm "Yaas", the Odisha government on Monday decided to suspend the Covid-19 testing, vaccination and door-to-door survey work in the three cyclone prone districts.
 

The three districts are-Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj. They fall in the red zones having more than 1000 active coronavirus cases.
 

"The ongoing activities of Covid-19 testing, vaccination and door-to-door Covid-19 survey shall remain suspended in Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts between May 25 and 27," a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department said.
 

However, the district collectors of Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur and Keonjhar, will take a call on suspension of the Covid related activities in their jurisdiction, it said.
 

Meanwhile, the H&FW department deployed additional doctors in Balasore and Bhadrak districts to handle health problems likely to be caused by cyclone Yaas.
 

The interns have been deployed under Chief District Medical Officers and Public Health Officers for smooth management of Covid-19 during the calamity.

 

The state government has also cancelled holidays and leaves of all government employees with immediate effect in the view of the cyclone.
 

The general administration and public grievance department in a notification said that all government holidays are cancelled till May 31.
 

The officials are required to stay in respective headquarters and in no case, shall be permitted to leave headquarters without permission of the authority.
 

9:04 PM

Bharat Biotech submitted 90% of documentation to WHO for emergency use listing for Covaxin

Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) has conveyed to the government that it has submitted 90 per cent of the documentation to the World Health Organisation for obtaining an emergency use listing for the Covaxin vaccine and the remaining details will be supplied next month, PTI reported on Monday.

 

In a separate development, the BBIL is in the final stages of negotiations with the Food and Drug Administration of the US for conducting small-scale phase-III clinical trials of Covaxin in the United States.

 

The issue of the WHO's authorisation for emergency use listing (EUL) for Covaxin was discussed at a meeting between the top brass of the BBIL and senior officials of the Ministry of Health, Department of Biotechnology and the Ministry of External Affairs.

8:52 PM

Identify Mucormycosis by its name, rather than by the colour of the fungus: Govt

8:49 PM

Pfizer says it will supply Covid vaccine only to central govt, not states

After Moderna, another Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer, Pfizer, has refused to send direct vaccination to Punjab, citing its policy to only deal with the Central government, state Nodal Officer (Vaccination) Vikas Garg said on Monday.

 

He said the company, in a communication to the state, said: "Pfizer is working with federal governments across the world to supply its Covid-19 vaccine for use in national immunisation programmes."

 

"Our supply agreements at this time are with national governments and supra-national organisations with allocation of doses and implementation within the country being a decision for local governments based on relevant health authority guidance. This approach Pfizer has followed across the world," the pharma major said. READ ON...

8:40 PM

Karnataka records 25,311 fresh Covid-19 cases and 529 deaths in the last 24 hours

Karnataka records 25,311 fresh Covid-19 cases (positivity rate - 23.28%), 57,333 patient discharges, and 529 deaths in the last 24 hours.

8:40 PM

Covid positive former athlete Milkha Singh admitted to Fortis Hospital as a precautionary measure: Son

Covid positive former athlete Milkha Singh admitted to Fortis Hospital Mohali as a precautionary measure, confirms his son

8:38 PM

Colour coding of fungal infections could be misleading: AIIMS chief

AIIMS director Randeep Guleria on Monday said it is better to identify mucormycosis by its name rather than by the colour as labelling the same fungus with names of different colors can create confusion.

 

Addressing a press conference by the Union health ministry, he clarified that no definite link of mucormycosis has been seen with oxygen therapy.

 

Many patients taking treatment at home, who were not on oxygen therapy, have also been found to get infected with mucormycosis. So there is no definite link between oxygen therapy and catching the infection, he said. READ MORE...

8:28 PM

Covid LIVE: 34,867 new cases in TN; curfew extended in Himachal till May 31

8:13 PM

Covid vaccines: Kerala CM urges Centre to float global tender to reduce price

Anticipating a hike in COVID vaccine prices, Kerala on Monday urged the Centre to take steps to reduce it by floating a global tender after taking into account the cumulative need of the states going in for global procurement of shots.

 

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said if the states go for separate global tenders and compete in the market, the natural consequence will be the pushing up of vaccine prices. He urged the Centre to take the lead in assessing the vaccine demand of each state and float a global tender taking into account the cumulative need.

 

"This will help in reducing the prices," Vijayan said in the letter.

8:12 PM

Distributed 19,420 vials of Liposomal Amphotericin B injections to states for treatment of Black Fungus: Govt

8:11 PM

Gujarat reports 3,187 fresh Covid-19 positive cases, 9,305 discharges, and 45 deaths in the last 24 hours

Gujarat reports 3,187 fresh Covid-19 positive cases, 9,305 discharges, and 45 deaths in the last 24 hours 

8:05 PM

SC seeks Centre's reply on Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia to kin of Covid deceased

The Supreme Court Monday sought the Centre's reply on pleas seeking ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those who have died of COVID-19 and said that there should be a uniform policy for issuing death certificates to those succumbing to the deadly virus.

 

A vacation bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah also asked the Centre to place before it the ICMR guidelines on death certificates for COVID-19 victims, saying there should be uniform policy for issuing such documents.

 

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, sought time to obtain instructions and bring all relevant materials regarding the scheme under Section 12(iii) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as the letter dated April 8, 2015 issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with regard to compensation. READ MORE...