Coronavirus LIVE: Hope to launch Covovax by June, says Adar Poonawalla

Coronavirus live updates: Globally, nearly 102.6 million people have been infected by the virus and the death toll stands at 2,214,227

Coronavirus update: India witnessed 12,516 fresh fresh cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The total number of active cases in the country has fallen to 171,968, while the caseload tally stands at 10,733,487. Globally, nearly 102.6 million people have been infected by the virus. The country continues to be second-most-affected globally, and ranks 15th among worst-hit nations by active cases.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (2,015,524), Karnataka (937,383), Kerala (905,591) , Andhra Pradesh (887,349), and Tamil Nadu (836,315).

In a move that could accelerate India’s vaccination drive against Covid-19, the government has asked states to start vaccinating frontline workers alongside health workers from the first week of February. So far more than 3.3 million health care workers have been vaccinated across the country. Inclusion of frontline would mean that police personnel, home guards, municipal workers would soon be able to get the jab.

World coronavirus update: Coronavirus cases rise unabated across the globe, with nearly 102.6 million infected by the deadly contagion. While 74,299,138 have recovered, 2,214,227 have died so far. The US remains the worst-hit country with 26,500,252, followed by India, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom. However, it terms of the total number of active cases, US tops the charts, followed by France, UK, Brazil and Belgium.

Stay tuned for the latest coronavirus-related news.

8:38 PM

Tamil Nadu reported 505 new Covid-19 cases, 526 discharges

8:21 PM

6,282 cases in Kerala in last 24 hours; 71,469 undergoing treatment

Kerala on Saturday logged 6,282 Covid-19 cases, including a UK returnee,and 7,032 recoveries, while 71,469 people are under treatment for the infection. While the total caseload has mounted to 9,23,912, recoveries have touched 8,48,476, Health minister K K Shailaja said. "Its a year since the first case in the country was reported from the state this day last year.

Looking back we feel proud as the state had put up a strong fight against the virus, which had caused far reaching consequences globally," the minister said at a function. She also warned that none should forget wearing masks, hand washing and social distancing.

8:17 PM

Maharashtra reports 2,630 new Covid-19 cases

8:14 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 129 new Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

7:57 PM

63 healthcare workers vaccinated in Delhi's RML

63 healthcare workers got vaccinated at RML hospital in Delhi today, according to ANI.

7:55 PM

Karnataka reports 464 new Covid-19 cases, 547 discharges

7:11 PM

Rajasthan reports 104 new Covid-19 cases, 238 recoveries

6:13 PM

Kerala is in a safe position, moratality rate is 0.4: K K Shailaja

It's been a year since we're struggling with Covid. But we can say we're in a safe position. There's a bit of increase in cases in Kerala but the mortality rate is 0.4. We're still following the strict 'test quarantine isolate & treat' strategy, said Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja to ANI.

5:40 PM

Consignment of SII's Covishield vaccine dispatched to Oman

4:56 PM

Gujarat extends curfew in 4 cities till Feb 15 due to Covid-19

Gujarat government extends till February 15 night curfew in 4 major cities of state - Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot- to prevent spread of coronavirus: Senior official

4:56 PM

Vietnam approves AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19

The Vietnamese authorities have approved the use of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine against COVID-19, the government news portal reported on Saturday. According to the statement, AstraZeneca will deliver 30 million doses of the vaccine to Vietnam in 2021. The first batch of the drug is expected to be delivered to the Asian nation in the first quarter of the year.

The Vietnamese government also continues negotiations with other vaccine producers. Besides foreign vaccines, Vietnam is engaged in the development of domestic vaccines against coronavirus. Vietnam-made vaccines Nanocovax and Covivax currently undergo phase one trials on volunteers, while phase two trials will start in February and March respectively.

4:01 PM

Russia records 19,032 Covid-19 cases in past 24 hours

Russia registered 19,032 Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, down from 19,238 the day before, taking the tally to 3,832,080, the coronavirus response center said on Saturday, according to PTI. "Over the past day, 19,032 coronavirus cases were confirmed across 85 regions, including 2,201cases (10.5 percent) that were detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms," the center said, adding that the cumulative case count has now reached 3,832,080, with the rate of increase at 0.5 percent.

St. Petersburg confirmed 2,512 new coronavirus cases over the given period, up from 2,284 the day before. Moscow confirmed 2,430 cases, up from 2,284 the day before, and the Moscow Region confirmed 1,069 new cases, up from 1,044 on Friday. The response center reported 512 coronavirus fatalities, down from 534 the day before, raising the country's death toll to 72,697. Total recoveries count 3,279,964 after 24,502 people were discharged from hospitals over the past day, down from 26,204 the day before.

3:51 PM

Serum Institute of India applies for trials of another Covid-19 vaccine

Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Saturday said his company has applied to start the trials of another Covid-19 vaccine and that it hopes to launch it by June 2021. The city-based firm has already produced Covishield vaccine, co-developed by the University of Oxford and British-Swedish company AstraZeneca. The Centre has purchased 11 million doses of Covishield vaccine for the ongoing inoculation drive.

In a tweet, Poonawalla said, "Our partnership for a Covid-19 vaccine with @Novavax has also published excellent efficacy results. We have also applied to start trials in India. Hope to launch #COVOVAX by June 2021!" The country launched its COVID-19 vaccination drive from January 16 in what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the world's largest inoculation programme with priority to be given to nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers.

3:50 PM

Sasikala, who tested Covid-19 positive, is now asymptomatic: Bengaluru hospital

Former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader VK Sasikala, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, is now asymptomatic and is maintaining saturation without oxygen, said the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMRCI) on Saturday. "Sasikala Natarajan is asymptomatic. She's conscious and alert. Her vital parameters are stable and her blood sugars under control. She is maintaining saturation without oxygen and is walking with support. She is being continuously monitored," the hospital's health bulletin said.

The close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalitha was admitted to Lady Curzon Hospital following complaints of fever and later she was admitted to BMCRI and tested positive for COVID-19 in an RT-PCR test on January 21. Sasikala was officially released from judicial custody on January 27 after she completed her four-year prison sentence in the disproportionate assets case.

3:29 PM

Philippines logs 2,109 new Covid-19 cases, total nears 524,000

The Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines reported on Saturday 2,109 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 523,516. The death toll climbed to 10,669 after 71 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

It added 146 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 475,904. DOH data showed that 82 health care workers had succumbed to the disease as of Jan. 29. It said at least 14,360 medical workers, mostly nurses and physicians, contracted the virus. The Philippines, which has about 110 million population, has tested over 7.3 million people since the disease emerged in January last year.