LIVE: PM urges need for effective usage of masks amid Covid spike

Live news updates: EC bars physical rallies and roadshows till January 15 in five states; Bharat Biotech says trials shows its Covid-19 vaccine is safe for booster dosage.

Live news updates: Reviewing the Covid situation amid a surge in cases fuelled by the Omicron variant of the virus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for ensuring adequate health infrastructure at district level and accelerating the vaccination drive for adolescents in mission mode.

India’s total Covid-19 infections increased to 35.52 million and the death toll is at 483,790 on Sunday. The country recorded 159,632 news cases of Covid-19 and 327 deaths from the disease overnight, marking a 12 twelve per cent increase in daily infections since Saturday.

It has 3,623 cases of the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus, with Maharashtra topping the count (1,009 patients). Total Covid-19 infections stand at 35.52 million and the death toll has increased to 483,790.

Delhi has no plan to impose a lockdown to contain coronavirus cases and "there is no need to panic", said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as he told a press briefing that he has recovered from his infection.

"There will be no lockdown if you wear masks and maintain social distancing. We will review the situation tomorrow," he said.

Dates for Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand were announced Saturday. Elections will be held over seven phases starting in UP on February 10, with counting of votes scheduled for March 10.

The Election Commission has for the first time barred physical rallies and roadshows till January 15, saying the rule was needed for people's safety in the coronavirus pandemic and will be reviewed after that since the "ground situation is dynamic".

10:21 PM

Over 5,000 people fined in Delhi for not wearing masks

Amid an uptick in coronavirus cases, the Delhi government has taken action against 5,073 people for not wearing masks in public or work places. to p Covid-appropriate behaviour.

 

According to official data, 61 FIRs were registered on Saturday against those not following Covid-appropriate behaviour and a fine of Rs.1.25 crores was collected from the violators.

 

The data stated that 5,073 people were challaned for violation of masks, 74 for not maintaining social distancing and 51 people were fined for spitting in public places in its 11 districts.

10:05 PM

Tamil Nadu Covid-19 tally breaches 28 lakh mark

Tamil Nadu continued to report over 10,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the second consecutive day on Sunday as 12,895 infections were added to its tally, which touched 28,00,286 while 12 more deaths mounted the toll to 36,855.

 

Recoveries remained low with 1,808 people walking out of health care facilities aggregating to 27,12,096 leaving 51,335 active infections, a medical bulletin said. After witnessing a declining trend for several weeks, Tamil Nadu has been reporting a sharp rise in new cases over the last few days. The state recorded 10,978 new cases on Saturday. The state capital accounted for majority of new cases with 6,186 people contracting the contagion followed by Chengalpet 1,512 while 18 districts reported new cases in triple digits.

 

Among those who tested positive today include 52 returnees from domestic and overseas locations. A total of 1,48,308 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to 5.85 crore.

 

On the status of Omicron variant, the bulletin said total cases stood at 185 of which 179 were discharged, leaving nil active cases. Six cases cross-notified to Kerala, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh, it added.

9:56 PM

Tripura govt to impose night curfew from January 10

Tripura govt to impose night curfew from January 10

9:50 PM

Rajasthan orders closure of schools in urban areas, Sunday curfew; logs 5,660 new Covid cases

The Rajasthan government on Sunday announced the closure of schools in urban areas, Sunday curfews, time limits on markets and a cap on occupancy at restaurants and movie theatres in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

 

The restrictions were tightened on a day the state registered 5,660 new Covid cases and one death. Of the fresh infections, 2,377 were reported in Jaipur.

 

Rajasthan currently has 19,467 active cases. At the chief minister's residence, as many as 27 personnel, drivers of VVIP vehicles, have tested Covid positive. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot is already under home isolation after contracting the disease.

9:39 PM

Maharashtra logs 44,388 new Covid cases, 2,954 more than day before; 12 fatalities

Maharashtra on Sunday reported 44,388 new COVID-19 cases and 12 fatalities, taking the tally of infections to 69,20,044 and the death toll to 1,41,639, the state health department said. A day earlier, the state had reported 41,434 coronavirus cases and 13 deaths.

 

With 15,351 patients discharged on Sunday, the number of recoveries rose to 65,72,432 in Maharashtra, which is now left with 2,02,259 active cases, the department said in a statement.

 

The state added 207 fresh cases with the Omicron variant of coronavirus, taking the number of such patients to 1,216. The case recovery rate in Maharashtra now stands at 94.98 per cent and the fatality rate is 2.04 per cent, the department said.

9:13 PM

Mumbai records 19,474 Covid cases, 8,063 recoveries, and seven deaths in a day

9:08 PM

AAP announces five more candidates for Punjab assembly elections

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday announced its ninth list of candidates for the Punjab assembly elections next month.

 

With this, the party has declared its candidates for 109 of the 117 assembly seats, a party statement said.

 

The state will vote on February 14 and the counting will take place on March 10.

 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is eyeing to wrest power from the ruling Congress in the northern state.

9:03 PM

Iran offers to assist India in transportation of aid to Afghanistan

Iran has offered to assist India in the transportation of wheat, medicines and coronavirus vaccines to Afghanistan which has been reeling under a serious humanitarian crisis.

 

The offer was made by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian during a telephonic conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.

 

In the conversation, Amir-Abdollahian also called for the formation of an inclusive government in Kabul, the Iranian foreign ministry said.

 

"Regarding Afghanistan, Amir Abdollahian stressed the need to form an inclusive government in the country. He also referred to India's humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, announcing measures and cooperation by the Islamic Republic of Iran to transfer this aid in the form of wheat, medicine and COVID-19 vaccine to the country," it said in a statement.

8:56 PM

Ensure adequate health infrastructure at the district level, maintain coordination with states, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stressed on the need to ensure adequate health infrastructure at the district level and asked officials to maintain coordination regarding this with the states, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

PM Modi today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country, ongoing preparedness of health infrastructure and logistics, status of the vaccination campaign in the country and the emergence of new COVID-19 variant Omicron and its public health implications for the country.

A detailed presentation highlighting the surge in cases currently being reported globally was given by the Secretary of Health Ministry. This was followed by the status of COVID-19 in India highlighting various States and Districts of concern, based on the surge in cases and high positivity being reported. Further, various efforts made by the Central Government so far in terms of supporting States to manage the upcoming challenge were highlighted. Various predictive scenarios of peak cases were also presented.

8:47 PM

Covid: PM calls for ensuring adequate health infra, accelerating vaccination drive for adolescents

Reviewing the Covid situation amid a surge in cases fuelled by the Omicron variant of the virus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for ensuring adequate health infrastructure at district level and accelerating the vaccination drive for adolescents in mission mode.

 

Noting that the coronavirus has been evolving continuously, Modi underlined the need for continuous scientific research in testing and vaccines besides pharmacological interventions, including genome sequencing, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.

 

Highlighting the need to ensure effective usage of masks and physical distancing measures as a new normal to control the spread of Covid, Modi called for effective implementation of home isolation for mild and asymptomatic cases and to disseminate the factual information to the community at large.

 

He said a meeting with chief ministers be convened to discuss state-specific scenarios, best-practices and public health response, the PMO added.

 

Conveying gratitude for the relentless services provided by healthcare workers in managing the pandemic, he said ensuring precaution dose for them and other frontline workers should be taken up in mission mode, it said.

 

A presentation was made in the meet to highlight India's consistent efforts towards the vaccination campaign, with 31 per cent adolescents aged 15-18 years having been administered with the first dose so far within seven days of the start of the drive.

8:36 PM

India to start administering precaution dose of Covid vaccine in India from Monday

India will start administering the precaution dose of Covid vaccine to healthcare and frontline workers, and comorbid people aged 60 and above from Monday in a bid to stymie the coronavirus spread driven by its Omicron variant.

 

Personnel deployed in election duty in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa have also been designated as frontline workers.

 

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in a tweet on Sunday, said reminder SMSes have been sent to over one crore healthcare and frontline workers and senior citizens for their precaution dose.

 

An estimated 1.05 crore healthcare and 1.9 crore frontline workers, and 2.75 crore comorbid people in the 60 plus age group would be administered the precaution dose according to schedule, Health Ministry sources said.

8:34 PM

PM Modi calls for ensuring continuity of non-Covid health services while managing Covid cases: PMO

PM Modi calls for ensuring continuity of non-Covid health services while managing Covid cases: PMO

8:33 PM

31% adolescents aged 15-18 years administered first dose of Covid vaccine within seven days: PMO

31 pc adolescents aged 15-18 years administered first dose of Covid vaccine within seven days: PMO

8:23 PM

PM says meeting with CMs to be convened to discuss state-specific scenarios, best practices, health response

PM Modi says meeting with CMs to be convened to discuss state-specific scenarios, best practices, public health response: PMO

8:21 PM

West Bengal reports 24,287 new COVID cases, 8,213 recoveries, and 18 deaths