India Coronavirus Dispatch: 315,000 fresh cases-most by any nation in a day

Upcoming changes in vaccine procurement, Karnataka allows last rites of victims on family-owned private land, and more-news relevant to India's fight against Covid-19

Over 315,000 fresh cases reported

India reported 315,660 fresh coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking the cumulative caseload to 15.9 million infections, according to central health ministry data. This is also the biggest ever one-day rise in cases reported by any country so far. The country saw 2104 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 184,657. The active caseload is at 2.2 million, while the total recoveries have surged to 13.4 million. As many as 132 million shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 2.2 million were given on Wednesday. Read more here

Karnataka allows last rites of Covid victims on family-owned private land

Individuals who die of Covid-19 in Karnataka can be buried or cremated in the land owned by the family members or relatives of the deceased, but strictly following Covid protocol, a report in The News Minute said. Guidelines have been issued by the Karnataka government on how the body of the deceased should be transported and on how the cremation or burial should take place, the report said. Read more here

Rajasthan is now left with stock for ‘just 3 days’

Rajasthan, which was administering as many as 500,000 Covid vaccine shots a day about two weeks ago, is now grappling with a shortage of doses, a report in ThePrint said. The state claims it had vaccinated over 10 million people between March 1 and April 12. Among the larger states, it also had a leading position in terms of inoculation percentage. But Rajasthan’s daily vaccination numbers have since dipped — to as low as 110,000 once last week — from its target of 500,000 a day. The state is now administering around 200,000 to 250,000 vaccines daily, and at this rate, officials told ThePrint, Rajasthan is now left with only three more days’ vaccine stocks. Read more here

EXPLAINED: Can I get the vaccine at a pharmacy from May 1?

The vaccine is technically not allowed to be sold in the private market through chemists or pharmacies as it is still under emergency use authorisation, an explainer in The Indian Express said. However, Serum Institute of India's CEO Adar Poonawalla said in a television interview he expects to be able to sell Covishield in the private market “in six months or so”. He added that there currently wasn’t enough stock of the vaccine to offer it in the private market either — it currently produces around 60-70 million doses a month. Read more here

EXPLAINED: What are the upcoming changes in vaccine procurement?

From May 1, the supply of vaccines will be divided into two baskets: 50 per cent for the central government, and 50 per cent for the open market, an explainer in The Indian Express said. Through the latter, state governments, private hospitals, and industries that have facilities to administer the vaccine will be able to procure doses directly from manufacturers. Read more here