Covid LIVE: 11,958 cases in Karnataka; Kerala lockdown extended till Jun 16

Coronavirus live updates: Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat have announced the partial lifting of restrictions from today. Stay tuned for corona-related news

Coronavirus live updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced that the central government will provide free coronavirus vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21, and asserted that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the country in coming days.

With a little over 100,000 new infections across India in the past 24 hours, daily cases in the country have dropped to the lowest level seen in over two months, marking a decline in the brutal second wave of Covid-19. India reported 100,636 new infections today and 2,427 new deaths, taking the total number of confirmed infections in India to 28,909,975 and deaths to 349,186, according to MoHFW. While the daily cases were the lowest since April 4, or in 62 days, the number of reported daily deaths in the country touched a low of a month-and-a-half (or since April 22). In view of the waning second wave, several states have decided to ease the lockdown-like curbs that were imposed to curtail the pace of infections.

Among major Indian states, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat have announced the partial lifting of restrictions from today.

With 20,421 cases reported in the past 24 hours, Tamil Nadu is leading the state list. It is followed by Karnataka with 12,209 new infections. Kerala  reported 14,672 cases. Maharashtra 12,557, and Andhra Pradesh 8,976 cases. Delhi reported 381 fresh cases.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (5,831,781), Karnataka (2,695,523), Kerala (2,633,082), Tamil Nadu (2,237,233), and Andhra Pradesh (1,758,339).
 

World coronavirus update: Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with more than 174 million confirmed cases and 3,743,188 deaths across nearly 200 countries recorded since China reported its first cases to the World Health Organization (WHO) in December 2019. The US remains the worst-hit country with 34,210,247, followed by India, Brazil, France and Turkey.

To read updates from our previous day's blog on the coronavirus pandemic, click here
 

2:46 AM

How will Centre maintain continuous vaccine supply, asks Chhattisgarh CM

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday termed as a "delayed decision" the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to states for inoculation of all adults from June 21.
 

Baghel said the biggest challenge is how the Centre will maintain a continuous supply of vaccines.
 

In his address to the nation, the prime minister announced that the Central government will provide free coronavirus vaccines to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21.
 

The PM also said the Centre has decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers, including 25 per cent of the state quota, and give it for free to state governments.
 

"The Chhattisgarh government had already made an announcement in the budget session of the state Assembly (held in February-March) to provide free vaccines against coronavirus to every person of the state," Baghel said in a statement.
 

He stated the Centre facilitated free vaccination of health workers, frontline workers and those above the age of 45 years. "But when it came to the age group of 18 to 44 years, the Centre left it upon states," the CM said.
 

Even after chief ministers of all states requested the PM for free vaccination in the third phase too, he did not pay heed and the states had to arrange vaccines on their own, he added.
 

"The states are being blamed (for slow vaccination) which is wrong and inappropriate. The Supreme Court also reprimanded (the Centre) and people raised voices and then finally Centre has woken up from slumber and now talking of free vaccination (for 18 to 44 years age group)," the CM stated.
 

"This is a delayed decision and the biggest challenge as of now is how the Centre will maintain a continuous supply of vaccines," Baghel asked.
 

He said Chhattisgarh received only 9,38,530 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from May 1 to June 7.
 

"When this is the pace of vaccine supply, then how we can expedite the drive. The allegations being levelled against the states are wrong," he said.
 

2:44 AM

Pune district sees 837 new Covid-19 cases, 1,719 recoveries

Pune district in Maharashtra on Monday reported 837 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 37 fatalities, taking the tally to 10,24,277 and the toll to 17,208, while 1,719 patients were discharged, a health official said.
 

Of the 837 cases, 177 were reported from the limits of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), where the Covid-19 countrose to 4,72,432, he said.
 

A total of 206 new cases were recorded from Pimpri-Chinchwad, taking the infection tally in the industrialtown to 2,52,443, the official said.
 

The number of infections in rural and Pune Cantonment Board areas rose to 2,99,403, he said.
 

A total of 15,990 tests were conducted in the Pune district in the last 24 hours, the official added.
 

2:43 AM

As Centre changes policy, Congress says universal free vaccination still not achieved

Calling for universal free vaccination against Covid-19, the Congress Monday said this goal has not been achieved as people would still have to pay for jabs at private hospitals despite the Centre changing its the immunisation policy on Monday.
 

The opposition party's statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will provide free coronavirus vaccines to states and union territories for inoculation of all above 18 from June 21.
 

In an address to the nation, Modi also announced that the Centre has decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers, including 25 per cent of the state quota, and give it for free to state governments, while private sector hospitals can continue to procure the remaining 25 per cent but cannot charge more than Rs 150 per dose over the pre-fixed price.
 

"One simple question - If vaccines are free for all, why should private hospitals charge for them?" Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked.
 

The Congress also sought to credit the Supreme Court for the change in the Centre's vaccination policy and said the announcement came after the apex court reprimanded it and sought an affidavit on the inoculation drive.
 

2:42 AM

WHO head urges G7 boost UN vaccination program

The head of the World Health Organization is urging leaders of wealthy, developed G7 countries to help the UN-backed Covid-19 vaccination program boost access to doses in the developing world.
 

With G7 leaders set to meet in Cornwall, England later this week, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus again called on rich countries Monday to do more to battle inequality in accessing coronavirus vaccines.
 

Tedros recently announced a target of vaccinating at least 10% of the population in every country by the end of September and 30% by year-end.
 

Tedros says to meet these targets, the UN needs hundreds of millions of vaccine doses in June and July and an additional 250 million doses by September.
 

“These seven nations have the power to meet these targets,” Tedros said, looking ahead to the summit of leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
 

"I'm calling on the G7 not just to commit to sharing those, but to commit to sharing them in June and July.” He also warned countries facing outbreaks of new variants like the so-called delta variant -- which first appeared in India -- about lifting Covid-19 restrictions too quickly, saying it “could be disastrous for those who are not vaccinated.” The emergencies chief of the UN health agency says Covid-19 vaccination coverage of over 80% percent is needed to significantly lower the chance that an imported coronavirus case could generate new cases or spawn a wider outbreak.
 

10:07 PM

Rajasthan govt eases Covid-19 restrictions

9:47 PM

Covid-19: Haryana records 39 more deaths, 640 new cases

Haryana reported 39 coronavirus-related deaths on Monday, bringing the toll to 8,751, while 640 fresh infections pushed the state's infection count to 7,62,931, according to a bulletin.
 

According to the health department's daily bulletin, the fresh fatalities include four each from Gurugram and Hisar and three each from Bhiwani and Rewari districts.

Jind reported 78 new cases of Covid-19 while 59 and 55 fresh infections were from Yamunanagar and Sirsa, respectively.
 

The number of active cases stands at 8,024, while the recovery count reached in the state 7,46,156. Haryana has a Covid-19 recovery rate of 97.80 per cent and a cumulative positivity rate of 8.20 per cent, the bulletin said. 
 

9:47 PM

Institute of Life Sciences develops animal models for research on coronavirus

Scientists at the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) in Bhubaneshwar have developed animal models and a modern laboratory that will help in testing and evaluation of drugs and vaccine candidates for the novel coronavirus, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) said on Monday.
 

A key strategy to protect humans from the coronavirus pandemic is the development of effective vaccines and therapeutics.
 

Animal models that closely resemble the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2-induced disease in humans are essential for research on disease mechanisms and for the evaluation of potential vaccines and antiviral drugs, the DBT said in a statement.
 

Small animals like mice and Syrian hamster are advantageous to study SARS-CoV-2 as they reproduce faster and reproduce Covid-19 pathology in humans.
 

Among different available animal models, so far hamsters have been widely utilised in SARS-CoV-2 infection studies. Hamster model of COVID-19 mimics a mild pattern of human disease with full recovery.
 

"Realising the importance of these requirements for developing antiviral and vaccine candidates for SARC-COV-2, scientists at the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar have established these animal models and an ABSL3 (animal biosafety level 3) laboratory,” the DBT said.
 

ILS is an institute under DBT. This platform at ILS has been established with the support from Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under Mission COVID Suraksha.
 

9:44 PM

Covid-19: Madhya Pradesh extends ban on bus operations from 4 states

The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday extended a ban on operation of bus services to and from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan till June 15 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, an official said.
 

The order to extend the ban, which was to end on Monday, was issued by additional transport commissioner Arvind Saxena, he added.
 

The ban includes vehicles with all-India tourist permits, the official said quoting the order. 
 

9:02 PM

Rajasthan reports 629 new coronavirus cases, 31 deaths in a day

Rajasthan reported 629 COVID-19 cases and 31 fatalities on Monday, pushing the state's infection tally to 9,46,975 and its death toll to 8,687. Udaipur reported the highest number of 10 deaths, followed by Bikaner with five, besides those in other cities, according to an official report.

 

Of the fresh cases, 75 were reported from Jaipur, 61 from Hanumangarh, 49 from Alwar, 44 from Jodhpur and 38 from Jhunjhunu, it said. A total of 9,22,544 patients have recovered from the infection in the state, and the number of active cases stands at 15,744.

8:59 PM

Vaccines are central to the fight against Covid-19: PM Narendra Modi

8:57 PM

Lifting restrictions too quickly could be disastrous for those not vaccinated: WHO Director

8:56 PM

Tamil Nadu's daily Covid cases below 20,000; deaths at 351

Tamil Nadu has registered 19,448 new COVID-19 infections and 351 deaths, pushing the total till date to 22,56,681 and 27,356 respectively, the Health Department said on Monday. Recoveries eclipsed new cases with 31,360 people walking out of health care facilities. So far, the recoveries total 19,97,299, leaving 2,32,026 active infections, a medical bulletin said.

 

The State had reported its highest daily infection at 36,184 cases on May 21 and it has been reporting a declining trend since. On May 30, the State saw its daily cases dropping below the 30,000-mark.

8:51 PM

Govt issues advisory for rational use of Remdesivir in Covid-19 treatment

The government on Monday issued an advisory for rational use of Remdesivir in COVID-19 treatment, underlining that the anti-viral drug must be advised by senior faculty members directly involved in the patient's care.

 

The drug should be provided by the hospitals, and patient's relatives should not be asked to procure it from the retail market, it said.

 

To stop the misuse of Remdesivir, the government further recommended that if the drug is to be advised or ordered during odd hours, it should be done by the duty doctor after a telephonic consultation with a senior faculty member, specialist or a unit in-charge, and that advise or order must be written and it should bear the name, signature and stamp of the doctor concerned.

8:40 PM

Jammu and Kashmir records less than 1,000 fresh Covid cases, first time since April

Jammu and Kashmir on Monday recorded less than 1,000 fresh COVID-19 cases for the first time in two months, as the strict lockdown imposed in April started yielding results. The Union territory registered 997 fresh cases, taking the total number of infected people to 3,01,487, while 16 deaths took the death toll to 4,090, officials said.

 

This was for the first time since April 12 that Jammu and Kashmir recorded less than 1,000 fresh daily cases.

 

Out of the fresh cases, 288 were reported from the Jammu division and 689 from the Kashmir division of the Union territory, officials said. They said Srinagar district recorded the highest of 161 cases, followed by 107 in Kupwara district. The number of active cases has dropped to 23,524 in the Union territory, while 2,73,853 patients have recovered so far, they said. Meanwhile, 16 confirmed cases of Mucormycosis (black fungus) have been reported in J-K and one case was reported Sunday evening.

8:34 PM

India’s vaccination programme, which started in January was guided by global best practices: PM Modi