Covid LIVE: Maharashtra sees 6,910 new cases in a day; 1,904 in Tamil Nadu

Coronavirus LIVE updates: India records 30,093 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Delhi records 36 cases, lowest in 2021. Stay tuned for corona-related news

Coronavirus updates: India records 30,093 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours while the deaths from the virus dipped to a 111-day low at 374. The total caseload stands at 31,174,322 and death toll at 414,482. The Centre will brief opposition parties on the Covid-19 situation in the country and strategies being implemented to deal with it today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also participate and would inform the leaders about the policies of the government.

Kerala reported 9,931 new infections, Maharashtra 6,017, followed by Andhra Pradesh (1,628), Tamil Nadu (1,971), Karnataka (1,291), and Delhi (36).

From the northeastern states, Assam reported 1,797 new cases and Manipur 774.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6,220,207), Kerala (3,170,868), Karnataka (2,885,238), Tamil Nadu (2,537,373), and Andhra Pradesh (1,941,724).

World coronavirus update: Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with 191,686,746 confirmed cases and 4,112,531 deaths across nearly 200 countries recorded since China reported its first cases in December 2019. The US remains the worst-hit country with 35,015,899 cases, followed by India, Brazil, Russia and France.
 

11:59 PM

Delhi Covid vaccine stock to last less than one day: Bulletin

Delhi has less than a day's stock of coronavirus vaccines left, with nearly 30,000 doses administered on July 19, according to a bulletin issued on Tuesday. The national capital, as on Tuesday morning, had a balance stock of 2,63,170 coronavirus vaccines, out of which 1,95,290 doses are of Covishield and 67,880 of Covaxin, data shared by the government showed.

 

However, only 20 per cent of the Covaxin stock is to be used, since its stock is limited and has irregular delivery cycles, it noted.

 

Only 25,986 doses were administered on Monday, of which 16,704 were first doses and 9,282 second doses. As many as 93,83,468 vaccine doses have been administered in the national capital till date, including 22,25,292 are second doses. Delhi's current vaccination capacity stands at 47,605 doses per day.

11:50 PM

Easing of lockdown one of reasons for second Covid surge in India: Govt

Easing of lockdown combined with pandemic fatigue, lack of community adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour and evolution and circulation of more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2 viruses all played a part in the second surge that India witnessed during April to May, the government told Rajya Sabha Tuesday.

 

A number of central teams deployed to states and union territories during February to May pointed out lack of adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour and sub-optimal efforts at containment in certain geographies, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply to a question on the reasons for rise in COVID-19 cases in April-May across the country. READ ON...

11:44 PM

Would be wise to open primary schools first before opening secondary schools: ICMR

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday suggested to reopen primary schools first before secondary schools in India.

 

Addressing a press conference today, ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said, "We know clearly that children can handle viral infections much better than adults. Antibody exposure is also similar in children as adults. Some Scandinavian countries didn't shut their primary schools in any COVID waves."

 

"Once India starts considering, it will be wise to open primary schools first before opening secondary schools. All the support staff whether it be school bus drivers, teachers and other staff in the school need to be vaccinated", said ICMR chief.

11:30 PM

No shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, no delay in placing orders: Govt

There has been no shortage of Covid vaccines and the government has been providing free supply of vaccines to states and union territories for inoculating prioritised beneficiaries, Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

 

Also, there has been no delay in placing orders with domestic vaccine manufacturers, rather advance orders of vaccines are placed with Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply. READ MORE...

11:16 PM

Children can handle viral infection much better than adults: ICMR DG

11:00 PM

Two UP villages achieve 100% first vaccine dose target

Two villages here have witnessed considerable progress in the fight against Covid with all the residents above the age of 18 having received the first jab of the vaccine against the virus, authorities said on Tuesday.

 

At the villages Kharela and Nota in Jhansi all residents, who are eligible for the vaccine, have been administered the first dose, they said.

 

"All 310 eligible beneficiaries of Kharela village have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. On the directions of the state government, the district administration has managed to successfully help its villagers in overcoming their vaccine hesitancy," Jhansi District Magistrate (DM) Andre Wamsi told PTI.

11:00 PM

Two UP villages achieve 100% first vaccine dose target

Two villages here have witnessed considerable progress in the fight against Covid with all the residents above the age of 18 having received the first jab of the vaccine against the virus, authorities said on Tuesday.

 

At the villages Kharela and Nota in Jhansi all residents, who are eligible for the vaccine, have been administered the first dose, they said.

 

"All 310 eligible beneficiaries of Kharela village have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. On the directions of the state government, the district administration has managed to successfully help its villagers in overcoming their vaccine hesitancy," Jhansi District Magistrate (DM) Andre Wamsi told PTI.

10:53 PM

Tamil Nadu reports 1,904 new Covid cases, 30 deaths in last 24 hours

10:47 PM

Process to receive WHO pre-qualification for Covaxin on: Govt

Of the two vaccines presently being procured for the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination, Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) has received the WHO pre-qualification, while the process of pre-qualification for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is going on, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.

 

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said the application for pre-qualification is submitted by the manufacturer directly to the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

In response to a question on when the WHO approval for Covaxin is expected, the minister said the data required for approval was submitted by Bharat Biotech International Limited to WHO on July 9.

10:32 PM

Health Minister spoke in Rajya Sabha on Covid-19 situation in India

10:27 PM

India's pandemic death toll could be close to 5 mn, shows US study

India's excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic could be as high as 4.9 million, a new study shows, providing further evidence that millions more may have died from coronavirus than the official tally.

 

The report by the Washington-based Center for Global Development, co-authored by India's former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, included deaths from all causes since the start of the pandemic through June this year.

 

India's official tally of more than 414,000 deaths is the world's third highest after the United States and Brazil, but the study adds to growing calls from experts for a rigorous nationwide audit of fatalities. READ ON...

10:12 PM

'Sorry state of affairs': SC raps Kerala govt for easing curbs for Bakrid

The Supreme Court on Tuesday termed wholly uncalled for the Kerala government's relaxations for Bakrid in areas with high COVID-19 positivity rate and said giving in to pressure from traders discloses a sorry state of affairs.

 

Pressure groups of all kinds, religious or otherwise, cannot in any manner interfere with the most precious Fundamental Right to Life of all the citizens of the country, the apex court said.

 

It directed the Kerala government to give heed to Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution and follow the law laid down in its orders passed in Uttar Pradesh Kanwar Yatra matter. READ MORE...

9:58 PM

Centre, states should work as team to combat Covid, rise above politics: PM Modi

With some opposition parties including the Congress skipping an all-party meeting on the COVID-19 management, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for the Centre and states to work together as a team and rise above politics to combat the pandemic.

 

Speaking at the meeting called by the central government, Modi said India is in a better position than many other countries in terms of the ratio of the population hit by the disease but underlined the need to remain vigilant as he cited the resurgence of the infection in some countries like the UK, sources said.

 

He said vaccines from more companies are likely to be available in some time and spoke about the push being given by the government to vaccination. READ ON...

9:45 PM

NEGVAC in talks with offshore manufacturers for import of Covid jabs: Govt

The National Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration against Covid-19 is in regular talks with offshore manufacturers, including Moderna, for importing Covid vaccines, but the exact number of doses to be imported and their manner of allocation have not been finalised yet, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.
 

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said as on July 16, a total of 2.61 lakh doses of the Sputnik V vaccine have been administered in the country. READ ON...

9:38 PM

48 million vaccine jabs given in tribal districts till July 15: Govt

A total of 4.81 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in 176 identified tribal districts across 25 states till July 15, the government has informed Lok Sabha.

 

The Centre, however, said it does not maintain "centralised data on COVID-19 mortality with urban, rural, tribal breakup".

 

Replying to a question, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh Saruta said, "The COVID-19 vaccination drive does not make any discrimination on the basis of gender, socio-economic class or residence, etc." READ MORE...