Coronavirus LIVE: 'First vaccine administered in the US, says Donald Trump

Coronavirus live updates: At 1,883,365, Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases, followed by Karnataka 901,410, Andhra Pradesh 875,531, Tamil Nadu 798,888, and Kerala 669,330

7:55 PM

Doctors' surgeries to begin Covid-19 vaccine drive in UK

General Practitioners (GPs) and doctors' surgeries across the UK on Monday began receiving the first deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 and will be ready to administer the doses from this week, adding to the hospital hubs already vaccinating the high-risk groups of elderly and frontline workers.

 

According to the National Health Service (NHS), practices in more than 100 parts of the country are taking delivery of the vaccine, with some kicking off their vaccination drive on Monday itself and the majority starting on Tuesday. Groups of health providers are also setting up local vaccination centres in villages, towns and cities in order to cover different parts of the country.

 

"GPs, nurses, pharmacists and other primary care staff are eager to play their part in protecting people against coronavirus," said Dr Nikki Kanani, practising GP and NHS Director of Primary Care.

7:37 PM

Maharashtra's Covid-19 tally rises to 18,83,365 with 2,949 fresh cases; 60 new deaths take toll to 48,269

7:35 PM

Delhi reports 1,376 new Covid-19 cases and 60 deaths in the last 24 hours

7:32 PM

Coronavirus latest update: Efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine is 91.4%

7:23 PM

Jammu and Kashmir reports 246 fresh Covid-19 cases, three more deaths

Jammu and Kashmir on Monday reported 246 fresh cases, while three more deaths pushed the death toll to 1,802, officials said. The union territory's infection tally has reached 1,16,254, of which 4,558 patients are undergoing treatment. Of the fresh cases, 120 were from Kashmir and 126 from Jammu division, they said. The officials said Jammu recorded the highest of 87 cases, followed by 58 in Srinagar district.

 

The number of active cases dropped to 4,558 in the union territory as 387 more patients recovered from the infection. so far, 1,09,894 patients have recovered, the officials said. The union territory reported three more COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours two from Jammu and one from Kashmir region.

7:03 PM

Kerala reports 2,707 new Covid-19 cases amid fewer testing

With just 31,893 samples send for testing in the past 24 hours, 2,707 new Covid cases were reported in Kerala on Monday.

 

In a statement issued here by State Health Minister K. K. Shailaja it said the number of active cases stands at 57,640, while the day saw 4,481 recoveries taking the total number to 6,11,600.

 

24 people succumbed to the virus on Monday taking the total death toll to 2,647. 3,10,107 people are under observation across the state including 13,187 in the hospitals.

6:11 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Centre issues guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination drive

Vaccinating 100-200 people in each session per day, monitoring them for 30 minutes after administering the shots for any adverse event and allowing only one beneficiary at a time are among the guidelines issued by the Centre for the COVID-19 inoculation drive.

 

According to the guidelines issued to states recently, the COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) system--a digitalised platform--will be used to track enlisted beneficiaries for the vaccination and anti-coronavirus vaccines on a real-time basis. At the vaccination site, only pre-registered beneficiaries will be vaccinated in accordance with the prioritisation, and there will be no provision for on the-spot registrations.

 

The states have been asked, as far as possible, to allocate the vaccine from one manufacturer to a district to avoid mixing of different COVID-19 vaccines in the field. As per the 'COVID-19 Vaccine Operational Guidelines', all measures should be taken to avoid exposing the vaccine carrier, vaccine vials or ice packs to direct sunlight, the document stated.

5:50 PM

305 new Covid-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh, 541 recoveries

About 45,000 sample tests turned out 305 positives for coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh while 541 patients recovered and two more succumbed in 24 hours ending 9 am on Monday. The cumulative COVID-19 positives after 1.08 crore sample tests touched 8,75,836 at a positivity rate of 8.05 per cent.

 

The recovery rate rose to 98.65 per cent after 8,64,049 Covid-19 patients got cured while the mortality rate remained steady at 0.81 per cent with the gross toll touching 7,059. The state had 4,728 active cases on Monday, which was 0.6 per cent. As per government data, COVID-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh grew at a meager 0.1 per cent in the last week while the recovery rate too improved at the same rate.

 

5:22 PM

Remdesivir may be highly effective against coronavirus

Remdesivir may be a highly effective antiviral against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new single-patient study that contradicts previous research which found the drug had no impact on death rates from the disease. The researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK who gave the drug to a patient with COVID-19 and a rare immune disorder, observed a dramatic improvement in his symptoms and the disappearance of the virus.

 

Scientists had previously pinned hope on remdesivir which was originally developed to treat hepatitis C and subsequently tested against Ebola.

 

However, results from large clinical trials have been inconclusive, and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced in October that the drug did not significantly reduce mortality rates. The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, used a different approach to determine the effects of the drug on COVID-19 in a closely monitored patient.

4:31 PM

100 people will receive Covid vaccine at booth per day, eventually, everyone will: MoS Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey

As India is on the brink of welcoming the coronavirus vaccine, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Sunday claimed that "everyone will get the vaccine". Talking to the reporters in Patna, Choubey said that initially, only 100 people will be given the vaccine but eventually, everyone will receive the vaccine shot.

 

"We are going to start the process of sending necessary equipment for storage and handling of coronavirus vaccine to states. For now, only 100 people will be given the vaccine at a booth per day. Eventually, everyone will get the vaccine," he said.

 

On October 22, BJP released its manifesto for three-phased Bihar elections and promised that after the approval of the coronavirus vaccine from ICMR, every person in the State will get vaccinated free of cost. Briefly speaking about the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal, Choubey said that the people of Bengal will not spare the government as they are watching everything. In Agra, television footage showed police using mild force to disperse protesting Samajwadi Party workers..

4:07 PM

Tamil Nadu CM inaugurates 2,000 Amma mini-clinics for Covid-19 testing

3:48 PM

Free Covid-19 vaccine announcement not in violation of poll code: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday dismissed the opposition allegation of poll code breach, saying the free COVID-19 vaccine announced by him was part of the treatment for the infection already being given without any charges in the state and he has not committed any violation.

 

He was responding to the charge by the UDF and the BJP which petitioned the State Election Commission on Sunday a day ahead of final phase of local body polls in Kerala, contending that the chief minister's remarks that the vaccine would be given free of cost violated the model code of conduct.

 

After casting his votein Kannur district, Vijayan asserted that the Left front was going to achieve an "iconic victory" in the local body polls, seen as a curtain raiser ahead of the state assembly elections due in April-May, 2021.

 

"We have been providing free treatment for COVID-19 and the preventive medicine is part of that treatment. We made it clear that it will be provided free of cost. There is no violation of any model code of conduct," the Chief Minister told reporters.

3:17 PM

Over 100 from IIT-Madras test positive for Covid-19, institute shuts down

The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras here has been hit by the coronavirus outbreak with over 100 people, a majority of them students, testing positive for the contagion, a top health official said on Monday. A total of 104 students and others have contracted the disease and all were doing well in a hospital, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said, allaying fears of further spread

 

Of the 444 samples lifted till date, 104 have tested positive for COVID-19, he said, adding from December 1 to 12, samples from the institute turning positive steadily increased from a few to 33 specimens today.

 

"All of them are being treated at the King's Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research as per the directive of Chief Minister K Palaniswami and they are all doing well," he told reporters.

2:15 PM

Ten States/UTs account for 79.46% of 336 case fatalities reported in past 24 hours

2:01 PM

India's Covid active caseload further contracts to 3.52 lakh; lowest in 149 days

India's COVID-19 active cases as on date stands at3,52,586comprising3.57 per cent of the total caseload, the lowest after 149 days, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. The total active cases were 3,58,692 on July 18. The daily recoveries exceeding new cases have ensured a total net reduction of the active caseload. A net decline of 3,960cases has been recorded in a span of 24 hours. A total of 27,071 new infections were added to the national tally in a span of 24 hours against 30,695 recoveries registered during the same period. The daily recoveries are exceeding the new cases from the last 17 days, the ministry highlighted.

 

The total recovered cases are nearing 94 lakh. "The gap between recoveries and active cases continues to grow and presently stands at9,035,573," the ministry said.

 

It said that75.58 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and union territories. Kerala reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,258 recoveries. Maharashtra follows with 3,083 new recoveries. West Bengal recorded another 2,994 daily recoveries.