Coronavirus LIVE updates: Will soon close the deal with Pfizer, says govt

Today's coronavirus numbers: Bengaluru (563 cases), Mumbai 608 cases), Chennai (308 cases), Kolkata (191 cases), Delhi (59 cases). Stay tuned for corona-related news

Corona updates: Witnessing a sharp decline, India recorded 37,566 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours with 907 fatalities, according to MoHFW. The country's total coronavirus caseload stands at 30,316,897, while the death toll has jumped to 397,637.

Kerala reported 8,063 new infections, followed by Maharashtra (6,727), Tamil Nadu (4,804), Andhra Pradesh (2,224), Karnataka (2,576), Delhi (59) and West Bengal (1,836).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6,043,548), Kerala (2,896,957), Karnataka (2,837,206), Tamil Nadu (2,470,678), and Andhra Pradesh (1,882,096).

World coronavirus update: Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with 182,177,882 confirmed cases and 3,944,954 deaths across nearly 200 countries recorded since China reported its first cases in December 2019. The US remains the worst-hit country with 34,510,894, followed by India, Brazil, France and Russia. 

To read updates from our yesterday's blog, click here

3:43 AM

Russia sets daily death record, OKs booster shot

Russian health officials have approved booster shots for those vaccinated against Covid-19 six months after their first dose.
 

On Tuesday, 20,616 new infections were registered and 652 deaths - the highest daily death toll in the pandemic.
 

Russia's health minister Mikhail Murashko told a government meeting Tuesday the ministry has updated its vaccination guidelines. It allows those who contracted the coronavirus to get vaccinated six months after they recovered and those who have been immunised to get booster shots six months after their first vaccination.

Russia's state coronavirus task force has been reporting more than 20,000 new infections daily since last Thursday, more than double the average in early June.
 

Russia was among the first globally to announce and deploy a coronavirus vaccine last year but has since inoculated only a fraction of its 146 million people.
Murashko says more than 23 million - just over 15% - have received at least one dose.
 

3:42 AM

7 fresh Covid-19 cases in Noida, 9 in Ghaziabad

Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district recorded seven new Covid-19 cases while Ghaziabad district added nine more to its infection tally, official data showed on Tuesday.
 

With this, the total number of cases has increased to 63,050 in Gautam Buddh Nagar and 55,533 in Ghaziabad, the state health department data showed.
 

There are 73 active Covid-19 cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar and 35 in Ghaziabad, it said.
 

Four more coronavirus patients recovered from the infection in Gautam Buddh Nagar and two in Ghaziabad, taking the total number of recoveries in these districts to 62,511 and 55,037, respectively.
 

The death toll stood at 466 in Gautam Buddh Nagar and 461 in Ghaziabad, according to the data.
 

The number of active cases in UP stood at 2,946, overall recoveries at 16,80,428 and the death toll at 22,577 on Tuesday, the data showed.
 

3:42 AM

Global shares edge lower on new Covid-19 outbreaks in Asia

Global shares edged lower on Tuesday, as new coronavirus outbreaks in Asia vied with strong U.S. and European consumer confidence, and investors speculated about whether the Federal Reserve would accelerate its timetable to end easy monetary policy.
 

The U.S. dollar rose to a one-week peak on safe-haven buying stoked by fears that the highly contagious Delta variant could derail a burgeoning economic recovery.
 

MSCI's all country world index, which tracks shares across 50 countries, shed 0.06%, as declines in Asian equities undercut new highs in U.S and European markets.
 

The Nasdaq closed at a record high, boosted by technology stocks and a government survey showing U.S. consumer confidence in June hit its highest level since the pandemic started.
 

European shares ended higher after data there showed economic sentiment hit a 21-year high in June. The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed 0.3% higher at 456.37 points.
 

Still, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan closed 0.55% lower, Japan's Nikkei lost 0.81%, and Chinese stocks lost 0.92%.

 

Investors are worried about the economic impact of the highly infectious Delta variant. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia are all battling outbreaks and tightening restrictions, and Spain and Portugal announced restrictions for unvaccinated British tourists.
 

9:14 PM

Karnataka restrictions may be eased after July 5; CM says will discuss with Cabinet members

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday said that relaxations related to Covid restrictions in the state will be discussed with experts and Cabinet members and will be announced after July 5.

 

The Chief Minister on Tuesday met association members of malls to discuss reopening of the shopping complexes.

 

"Malls association members met me today. I have told them that I will discuss with cabinet members. We are discussing how many concessions to give with conditions to reopen malls. A final decision has not been taken yet. Covid-19 cases are decreasing which is a good sign. Everyone must be benefitted including the poor class," said Yediyurappa while speaking to the media. (PTI)

9:12 PM

Walmart launches Vriddhi to help MSMEs with Covid support

Global retail major Walmart on Tuesday announced the launch of Vriddhi Cares, to extend Covid-19 support to MSME employees and their family members in the country.

 

Under this, the company will help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to support employees and their family members with telecare services and health advice, according to a statement.

 

It will also provide access to pandemic-related business advice and resources, the statement added. (PTI)

9:09 PM

Andhra Pradesh:15 million coronavirus vaccine doses administered

Andhra Pradesh has completed administration of 1.50 crore coronavirus vaccine doses, covering 1.21 crore persons in the State at least with the first dose till June 28.

 

While it took five and a half months to achieve this (1,50,92,770 doses), the state may cover half that number in the next 31 days as per the quota of vaccines AP is due to receive from the Centre.

 

Of the total, 1,21,18,655 got the first dose and 29,74,115 of them completed the full quota of two doses. Read here

8:19 PM

Oil firms as demand hopes outweigh rise of Covid-19 variant

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as broad hopes for a demand recovery persisted despite new outbreaks of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus prompting fresh mobility curbs worldwide.

 

Brent crude futures were up 50 cents, or 0.7%, at $75.18 a barrel by 1400 GMT, having slumped by 2% on Monday.

 

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 55 cents, or 0.8%, to $73.46 after a 1.5% retreat on Monday.

 

"From a global perspective, there are seemingly growing concerns over the increase in the Covid-19 Delta variant," said StoneX analyst Kevin Solomon.

 

"The market has grown relatively immune to Covid-19 developments, but if lockdowns occur in larger demand centres in Asia, we may see the market's nonchalance abate." (Reuters)

7:26 PM

Russia records highest daily virus death toll

Russian authorities have reported 652 new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday the highest daily tally in the pandemic. The new record comes as Russia struggles to cope with a surge in infections and deaths and low vaccine uptake.

 

Russia's state coronavirus task force has been registering over 20,000 new coronavirus cases and around 600 deaths every day since last Thursday. On Tuesday, 20,616 new contagions were recorded. (AP)

7:06 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Manipur reports 780 fresh cases

7:04 PM

Jaipur: Removal of curbs on weddings sought

Those linked to the wedding industry held a protest here on Tuesday, demanding that the state government remove the restrictions imposed for marriage functions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Tent dealers, caterers, event organisers and others also handed over to the administration a representation, addressed to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

 

According to the guidelines issued by the state Home Department on June 26, a maximum of 40 people25 relatives and guests, five band party members and 10 others--will be allowed. (PTI)

6:49 PM

Stock markets on edge over Delta variant, Fed policy

Global shares inched back from record highs on Tuesday, with concerns about new coronavirus outbreaks in Asia undercutting an economic recovery, while investors remained on edge over the United States' exit from accommodative policy.

 

European stocks, as measured by the pan-European STOXX 600 index, were up 0.6%, helped by a jump in industrial, financial and mining stocks, sectors set to benefit from economic improvements.

 

Optimism around a steady recovery has put Europe's benchmark on course for its fifth straight month of gains. (Reuters)

6:20 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Kerala sees 13,550 fresh cases in last 24 hours

5:50 PM

Five Indian drugmakers to jointly start trial of Merck & Co's Covid-19 drug

Five Indian generic drugmakers, including Cipla and Dr Reddy's Laboratories, said on Tuesday they would jointly conduct a clinical trial of Merck & Co's anti-viral drug to treat mild Covid-19 in non-hospitalised patients in India.

 

Between March and April, each of these companies, which also include Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Torrent Pharmaceuticals and privately held Emcure Pharmaceuticals, partnered with Merck to expand production of the drug, molnupiravir.

 

The partnership gives the companies license to supply molnupiravir to India and more than 100 low- and middle-income countries following approvals or emergency authorization by local regulatory agencies, Merck said in late April. (PTI)

5:28 PM

Apollo Hospitals to carry out vaccination drive on Wednesday

Apollo Hospitals on Tuesday said it would organise a Covid-19 vaccination drive across the country on June 30.

 

The vaccination drive would be carried out at over 200 Apollo vaccination centres from 7 AM to 7 PM in 50 cities, the healthcare major said in a statement.

 

People looking to get vaccinated can book slots using Apollo 24/7 App and select the nearest Apollo vaccination centre, it added.

 

The healthcare major noted that it has trained over 10,000 staff in safe vaccination protocols to ensure a seamless experience at all the vaccination centres. (PTI)

5:01 PM

J&J in talks with Indian govt to speed up delivery of its Covid-19 vaccine

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) said on Tuesday it was in talks with the Indian government to explore ways to speed up delivery of its single-shot Covid-19 vaccine in the country.

 

The Economic Times newspaper reported earlier on Tuesday that the company would no longer undertake local trials for its vaccine, after India's decision to scrap bridging clinical trials for vaccines approved by regulators in other nations.

 

J&J did not specify in its comment whether it has scrapped the trial. Read here