Coronavirus LIVE: PM announces vaccination festival between April 11 and 14

Live updates: Mumbai has recorded 8,938 cases and, Delhi 7,437 cases in the last 24 hours. PM Modi is meeting CMs to discuss rising cases. Stay tuned for all coronavirus updates

Coronavirus live updates:  States should focus on micro-containment zones and increase testing, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday as he discussed coronavirus situation and strategies to contain the fresh wave of infections with all the chief ministers.

He also suggested three-day vaccine festival from April 11-14 to the chief ministers and said that during these three-days, states should aim to vaccinate as many (those who are eligible) as possible.

India is seeing an alarming spike in daily coronavirus infections, and on Thursday, the country saw a record single-day spike of 126,789 new cases, pushing its total tally to 12,928,574, while the number of active cases too went upwards to breach the 900,000-mark again.

World coronavirus update: Coronavirus cases rise unabated across the globe with 133,664,017 infected by the deadly contagion. While 107,789,569 have recovered, 2,897,996 have died so far. The US remains the worst-hit country with 31,634,657, followed by Brazil, India, France and Russia. However, it terms of the total number of active cases, US tops the charts, followed by France, Brazil, India and Belgium.

3:21 AM

Rajasthan govt trying to prevent spread of Covid-19 in villages: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said though villages in the state have so far remained "safe" from the coronavirus pandemic, lessons should be learnt from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh where the infection is spreading rapidly in rural areas.
 

He said his government was trying to prevent Covid-19 from spreading in villages.
 

Gehlot, after attending the chief ministers' virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Covid-19 situation, also appealed to people to visit hospitals as soon as they notice any symptoms of Covid-19 to prevent fatalities.
 

He said during the meeting with PM Modi, his Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh counterparts Uddhav Thackeray and Bhupesh Baghel, respectively, mentioned that Covid-19 is spreading rapidly in the villages situated on the borders of the two states.
 

"Earlier, coronavirus was considered to be limited to cities only, but now it is showing a serious impact in rural areas as well. The villages in Rajasthan are safe but we should learn a lesson from the situation prevailing there (Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh)," he added.
 

Gehlot said his government's endeavour is to prevent Covid-19 from spreading in the state's villages.
 

Taking to Twitter, the chief minister highlighted the importance of timely treatment in preventing deaths due to Covid-19.
 

"Despite showing symptoms, infected people across the country, including Rajasthan, come to hospital late due to which the number of deaths increases. I appeal to the common people to go to the hospital immediately and get treatment as soon they notice the symptoms," Gehlot said.
 

The total number of Covid-19 cases in Rajasthan surged to 3,50,317 on Thursday as 3,526 more people tested positive for the disease, while the death toll climbed to 2,886 with 20 more fatalities, according to an official report.
 

3:21 AM

Minuscule percentage of eligible people got Covid vaccine in Manipur: CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Thursday said that only around 3,200 of 14 lakh people, who are above 45 years of age but not health care or front line workers, got the Covid-19 vaccine till now in the state due to some "hesitation".
 

He asked all people above 45 years of age and those healthcare and frontline workers who are yet to be inoculated to get the jab during a four-day campaign starting from April 11.
 

For some reason, people have hesitated to be inoculated and only around 2,000 of the 6 lakh odd people who are above 60 got the vaccine, the chief minister said in a video message after holding a virtual conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
 

Out of the 8 lakh people in the age group of 45 to 60, only 1100-1200 have been vaccinated so far, Biren said.
 

Arrangements are being made to have Covid-19 vaccines available at all government and private healthcare units during the campaign, the chief minister said.

He said that 31,813 of the 46,729 health care workers and 55,688 of the 80,163 frontline workers of Manipur have been vaccinated.
 

While 86 per cent of health care workers were got the Covid-19 vaccine at the national level, the figure is only 70 per cent in Manipur, Biren said.
 

3:20 AM

J&J vaccine problems hamper US military vaccines overseas

US military leaders have said that recent problems with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have made it more difficult to provide shots for forces overseas, and that vaccines have been offered to service members' families or other tier two beneficiaries in only 40 per cent of the military sites outside the US.
 

Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, they said they are making up for the Johnson & Johnson shortfall by shipping more Moderna vaccines to forces outside the country. The cold temperature and other requirements for the Pfizer vaccine make it more difficult to send overseas.
 

Johnson & Johnson had to discard 15 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine last month because the batch did not met quality standards. The loss in expected vaccines was a greater problem for the military, because it had targeted the Johnson & Johnson shot for distribution overseas since it only requires one dose and doesn't need the strict temperature controls that others do.
 

12:15 AM

12,090 new coronavirus cases in Pune district, 70 deaths

Pune district in Maharashtra reported 12,090 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking its tally to 6,16,127, a health official said.
 

The death toll due to the virus reached 10,472 with 70 patients succumbing to the infection.
 

"Of the 12,090 cases, 7010 were reported from the areas inPuneMunicipal Corporation (PMC) limits, which now has 3,12,382 patients. A total of 4,099 patients were discharged from hospitals," he said.
 

With 2,351 new cases in Pimpri Chinchwad, an industrial township near Pune city, the COVID-19 count there now stands at 1,61,119.

10:01 PM

Senior Cong leader Oommen Chandy tests positive for Covid-19

Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.
 

Chandy, who contested the April 6 assembly polls from Puthupallyin Kottayam, was not keeping well since the past two days, party sources said.
 

He is likely to be shifted to a hospital here.

9:40 PM

Supply of vaccines abroad would continue keeping in mind domestic requirements: MEA

Asserting that India has not imposed any export ban on anti-coronavirus vaccines, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said the supply of made-in-India vaccines abroad would continue while also taking care of the country's domestic requirements.
 

The MEA's assertion comes amid an ongoing debate over export of vaccines with some states having flagged a "shortage" of doses and the Centre maintaining that sufficient quantity of the jabs have been allocated to all the states and that many of them have been unable to inoculate all eligible beneficiaries.
 

Asked about the status of made-in-India vaccine export and whether domestic calls flagging vaccine shortages could impact the supply abroad, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We have always said the supply of made-in-India vaccines abroad would continue taking into account our domestic requirements." "Let me reiterate that there is no ban on export of vaccines. In fact, the website of our ministry is being regularly updated to reflect the supply of vaccines that are happening on a periodic basis," he said.
 

On a question on AstraZeneca sending notice to the Serum Institute of India for not fulfilling its international commitment under 'GAVI' and 'COVAX', Bagchi said, "Regarding the issue specific to Serum institute, I would refer you to the company itself, they would be best placed to answer that question." On the issue of procurement of raw materials from the US for vaccines manufacturing, the MEA spokesperson recalled that Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had informed during a media briefing that the issue had been taken up with the US.
 

India is one of the world's biggest drugmakers, and an increasing number of countries have already approached it for procuring anti-coronavirus vaccines.
 

9:40 PM

Maharashtra records 56,286 new Covid-19 cases, 376 deaths

Maharashtra reported 56,286 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, which took its caseload to 32,29,547, while 376 deaths due to the infection pushed the toll to 57,028, the health department said.
 

On Wednesday, the state had recorded the highest daily count of 59,907 cases and 322 fatalities.
 

A total of 36,130 patients recuperated and got discharge from hospitals on Thursday, due to which the state's recovery count reached 26,49,757, it said.

With 2,36,815 tests conducted during the day, the state's overall test count went up to 2,13,85,551, it said in a statement.
 

Maharashtra's Covid-19 recovery rate now stands at 82.05 per cent, while the fatality rate is 1.77 per cent.
 

There are 27,02,613 people in home quarantine and 22,661 in institutional quarantine.
 

The number of active cases in the state is 5,21,317.
 

Mumbai saw a single-day spike of 8,938 cases and 25 deaths on Thursday. With this, its infection count reached 4,91,980 and death toll 11,881.
 

In Mumbai division, which comprises Mumbai city and its satellite towns, 16,574 cases were reported and 79 people died. The total number of cases reported so far in Mumbai division are 10,27,572 and 20,887 deaths.
 

Pune division reported as many as 13,561 new Covid-19 cases, including 7,054 in Pune city alone.
 

Nagpur division reported 8,723 cases, including 3,439 in Nagpur city, while Nashik division recorded 8,132 cases, including 1799 in Nashik city.
 

9:39 PM

Russia calls on Slovakia to return Sputnik V doses after dispute

Russia called on Slovakia on Thursday to return hundreds of thousands of doses of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, citing contract violations, in an escalating row between the two countries after a Slovak watchdog raised doubts about the shot.
 

Earlier on Thursday, Slovakia's SUKL drug agency said the batches of Sputnik V vaccines it had received differed from those reviewed by international scientists and by the European Union regulator.
 

Slovakia imported 200,000 doses of Sputnik V last month, the second European Union nation to do so after Hungary, despite a lack of EU regulatory approval.
 

Though approving the shot for therapeutic usage of the vaccine as an unregistered drug and receiving an initial shipment, it had not begun administering the shot, and the Slovak health ministry also requested its drug agency conduct a review.
 

The agency said it found that the dosage form of the vaccine - the way the medicine is presented, such as in a solution - differed from the product currently being scrutinised by the European Medicines Agency as part of a rolling review of the shot, required for EU approval.
 

SUKL said the batches sent to Slovakia also showed different characteristics from those used in studies published in The Lancet peer-reviewed medical journal.
 

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, Russia's sovereign wealth fund responsible for marketing the vaccine abroad, vigorously denied these claims, describing them as "fake news".
 

It said the Slovak side had not tested the shot in a specially-certified laboratory, adding that this was in violation of contract obligations and "an act of sabotage".
 

9:38 PM

Call night curfew 'corona curfew' to spread awareness: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said night curfew has been an accepted experiment globally to contain the Covid-19 spread and called for popularising such restrictions, which have already been imposed in various parts of the country, as 'corona curfew' to spread awareness among people.
 

He also dismissed the "intellectual debate" about coronavirus only having an effect in the night and said such a curfew helps in spreading awareness about the deadly virus with minimal impact on daily lives of people.
 

Night curfew has been imposed by local administration in several places including Mumbai, Delhi, Noida, Lucknow and other parts of the country amid a spike in Covid-19 cases.
 

"Where ever night curfew is in place, there the phrase 'corona curfew' should be used so that awareness regarding coronavirus is maintained," Modi said during his interaction with chief ministers to discuss the Covid-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive.
 

"Some people have this intellectual debate that 'does corona only come in the night'. In reality, the world over night curfew has been an accepted experiment because every person during the curfew time is reminded that I am living in Corona-era and lifestyle is not affected to a large extent," he said.
 

The prime minister said, however, it would be better that the 'corona curfew' starts at 9 PM or 10 PM in the night and goes on till 5 AM or 6 AM in the morning so that other activities are not affected.
 

"It should be popularised as 'corona curfew'. Corona curfew is helping make people aware (about the virus)," he said. 
 

8:52 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra reports 56,286 new cases

Maharashtra reports 56,286 new coronavirus cases, 36,130 recoveries, and 376 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the health department.

8:46 PM

"Dawai bhi aur kadai bhi," says Modi and concludes his speech

"Dawai bhi aur kadai bhi, there is no compromise in this. We need to be vigilant even after vaccination", says Modi and concludes his speech

8:45 PM

Our target should be contact-tracing 30 persons in 72 hours of someone testing positive: Modi

Our target should be contact-tracing 30 persons in 72 hours of someone testing positive for coronavirus, says PM Modi at meeting with CMs

8:41 PM

India's criteria for vaccination is no different from those applied by most prosperous countries: Modi

India's criteria for vaccination is no different from those applied by most prosperous countries, we will have to prioritise, says PM Modi in meeting with CMs

8:39 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Need to raise awareness about wearing a mask once again, says Modi

Once again we need to raise awareness about the importance of wearing a mask and following Covid-19 safety protocols, says Modi in meeting with CMs

8:37 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Modi suggests 'Tika Utsav' from April 11-14 to CMs

April 11 is Jyotiba Phule ji's birth anniversary and April 14 is Baba Saheb's birth anniversary, in the meantime let us all celebrate 'Tika Utsav', PM Modi tells CMs