Covid LIVE: Both Karnataka, Maharashtra see daily cases below 30,000-mark

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 276,110 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 25,772,440. Stay tuned for corona-related news

BS Web Team New Delhi

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Coronavirus cases rise unabated across the globe with 165,537,819 infected by the deadly contagion

1:10 PM

Coronavirus is invisible, keeps changing variants; our approach should be dynamic, upgraded: PM Modi

1:06 PM

It is important to stop vaccine wastage: PM Modi

There is an issue of vaccine wastage. Wasting even a single dose means not being able to give shield to a life. It is important to stop vaccine wastage: PM Modi

12:50 PM

Coronavirus has made your work more demanding and challenging: Modi interacts with Dist officials of 10 states

Coronavirus has made your work more demanding and challenging. In the midst of new challenges, we need new strategies & solutions. It becomes important to use local experiences & we need to work together as a country: PM Modi interacts with District officials of 10 states

12:44 PM

B.1.617 Covid variant has sub-lineages; nothing as Singapore variant: Expert

The double mutant B.1.617 variant of SARS-CoV2 is further mutating and one of its sub-lineages, the B.1.617.2, reported in India, is more infectious than its parent and fast increasing its footprint, according to Rakesh Mishra, former Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

He also said there is nothing called the Singapore variant, a term that has led to a war of words between the Centre and the AAP government after Singapore objected to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's tweet that a "new" coronavirus strain in the city-state is very dangerous for children. Read on...

12:33 PM

Interaction with District Officials on the Covid-19 situation

12:29 PM

Even one infected person showing no symptoms can release enough droplets to create a “viral load”

Even one infected person showing no symptoms can release enough droplets to create a “viral load” that can infect many others: Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI

12:20 PM

President Ram Nath Kovind 'saddened' at the demise of Former Rajasthan CM Jagannath Pahadia

11:57 AM

Telangana declares black fungus as notifiable disease under epidemic act

Telangana government has declared black fungus or Mucormycosis as a notifiable disease under the epidemic act.

"Fungal infection Mucormycosis is hereby declared as a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. All Government and private health facilities shall follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of Mucormycosis issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and Indian Council of Medical Research," read a notification issued by Office Of The Director Of Public Health And Family Welfare dated May 19. Read on...

11:52 AM

Odisha govt prohibits drive-in and doorstep Covid-19 vaccination

The Odisha government has asked district authorities to desist from Covid-19 drive-in vaccination and inoculation at doorstep.

A top Health department official said that it has come to the notice of the state government that Covid-19 drive-in vaccination and doorstep vaccination has been started in some districts.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, P K Mohapatra in a letter to authorities on Wednesday said: "You are requested to refrain from such strategies and only to conduct sessions in suitable CVCs (covid vaccination centres) with adequate space following the Covid-19 operational guidelines." Read on...

11:50 AM

Cipla, Ubio Biotech launches RT-PCR test kit 'ViraGen' for Covid in India

Drug major Cipla on Thursday announced the commercialisation of its RT-PCR test kit 'ViraGen' for Covid-19 in India, in partnership with Ubio Biotechnology Systems.

"This launch will help address the current testing services and capacity issues while reaffirming the company's ongoing expansion in the diagnostic space," Cipla said in a regulatory filing.

Cipla will launch ViraGen test kit in the country in partnership with Ubio Biotechnology Systems, the company stated.

The company will commence supply of the COVID-19 virus detection kit from May 25, 2021. Read on...

11:45 AM

Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over coronavirus handling

11:31 AM

Covid third wave possible if India doesn't scale up vaccinations: Scientist

If the vaccination drive against coronavirus is not ramped up and Covid-19 appropriate-behaviour is not maintained, there is a possibility of a third wave of the pandemic in 6-8 months, said M Vidyasagar, a scientist involved in the Sutra Model which uses mathematics to project the trajectory of Covid-19.

He, however, stressed the Sutra model has not predicted any third wave and it is working on it.

The IIT-Hyderabad professor cited a paper by Italian researchers on infected people with decreasing antibodies, which give some sort of immunity, in six months. Read on...

11:11 AM

Droplets fall within 2 meters from an infected person: Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI

10:42 AM

Company gets approval for India's first self-use test kit for Covid-19

Mylab Discovery Solutions, the Pune-based company first to develop an indigenous RTPCR test, has got approval for India's first self-use rapid test for Covid19.

The company’s CoviSelf test can be used by symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts. It costs Rs 250 per kit and gives results in 15 minutes. The point of care testing can potentially change the way diagnosis and early treatment happens now in India.

"Users of this test will not need sample collection by a healthcare professional. This will ease pressure on already overburdened testing labs and reduce delays in testing, which is more than 72 hours in some parts of the country," Mylab said. Read on...

9:55 AM