India Coronavirus Dispatch: Daily cases under 10,000 for fourth time in Feb

Longer wait for vaccines in private market, how India compares in total vaccinations, using an ATM without contact-news relevant to India's fight against Covid-19

IN NUMBERS: Daily cases dip below 10,000 for the fourth time this month

India reported 9,121 fresh coronavirus infections on Tuesday, taking the cumulative caseload to 10,925,710, according to a report in the Scroll. This is the fourth time this month daily cases were less than 10,000. Eighty one deaths were reported, taking the total death toll to 155,813, according to central health ministry data. The total recoveries have surged to 10,633,025. The national recovery rate has climbed to 97.32 per cent. The active caseload is at 136,872, which makes up 1.25 per cent of the total caseload. About 8.7 million healthcare workers have been inoculated since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Read more here
 

No final decision yet on bringing vaccines to the private market

India's health minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday said no final decision had been taken on bringing Covid-19 vaccines to the private market, a report in ThePrint said. The minister added that the entry of vaccines to the private market may take some time since the vaccines currently have only Emergency Use Authorisation. “One must appreciate that the vaccines are approved under Emergency Use Authorisations (EUA). During the course of EUA, it is the responsibility of the government to keep things totally under control. This is the reason vaccines are still not available in the open market,” the minister said. Read more here

India stands tenth in vaccinations per million people

Most countries around the world have started to vaccinate their populations against Covid-19, with the US carrying out the highest cumulative vaccinations, a report in ThePrint said. Israel is conducting the highest vaccinations for every million people. India seems to be lagging behind overall. It stands fourth in terms of cumulative vaccinations and tenth when it comes to vaccinations for every million people, even though the country has the second biggest cumulative caseload. Read more here

How to use an ATM without making physical contact

Payment processing solutions provider AGS Transact Technologies Limited (AGSTTL) has partnered with MasterCard to launch a way to use an ATM without making physical contact, a report in The Quint said.

Using a mobile application, cardholders will be able to withdraw cash from an ATM simply by scanning a QR code on the machine's screen.

“The seamless, cardless and touchless withdrawal method is designed to provide easy transaction flow, without the need to touch the ATM screen or enter the pin. It will help in minimising apprehension and reinstate customer confidence in using ATMs in the current scenario,” Ravi Goyal, Chairman and MD of AGS Transact Technologies Limited told The Quint. Read more here

Bengaluru apartment complex party leads to cluster of Covid-19 cases

A cluser of Covid-19 infections have been identified in an apartment complex located in Bengaluru's Bommanahalli neighborhood, a report in The New Indian Express said. Over 50 people have already tested positive. Authorities said there was a party held February 4 in the apartment complex which has 1500 people living in it. Read more here