Covid LIVE: Maharashtra sees over 15,000 new cases; 25,317 in Tamil Nadu

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 133,228 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 28,307,832. Death toll stands at 335,102. Stay tuned for corona-related news

8:00 PM

Call on Maharashtra board Class 12 exams this week: State education minister

Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad on Wednesday said a proposal has been sent to the disaster management authority regarding the state board exams for Class 12 students and a decision on the issue will be taken in a couple of days.

 

She said the issue was discussed at a meeting of the state cabinet here, a day after the Centre cancelled the CBSE Class 12 board exams citing the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Amid the pandemic which has hit Maharashtra hard, Gaikwad said, students' health remains the top priority for the state government. READ HERE...

7:58 PM

Japan announces another $800 million to UN-backed COVAX programme

Japan's prime minister announced another USD 800 million to the UN-backed programme to deploy COVID-19 vaccines for poor countries, a four-fold increase of Japanese funding to the COVAX programme.

 

Yoshihide Suga spoke as Japan co-sponsored a fundraising event for COVAX with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which helps run the programme. READ ON...

7:50 PM

891 new Covid cases, 29 deaths and 1,292 recoveries reported in Himachal Pradesh

891 new Covid cases, 29 deaths and 1,292 recoveries reported in Himachal Pradesh in the last 24 hours; active cases at 11,975

7:50 PM

UAE extends ban on travellers from Pakistan till June 30

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has extended the ban on travelers from Pakistan till June 30 as part of measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Dawn.

 

The restrictions were initially imposed on travellers from four countries, including Pakistan, on May 12. According to the Pakistani daily, the extension in the ban was also confirmed by a representative of the immigration department in Dubai.

 

Pakistan on Wednesday reported 1,843 coronavirus cases, pushing the country's COVID-19 count to 924,667 cases. Last week, UAE had extended travel restrictions from India till June 30 in view of the coronavirus situation in the country.

7:44 PM

Mumbai reports 925 Covid positive cases, 31 deaths, and 1,632 recoveries in a day

7:26 PM

Covid-19 pandemic: Uttarakhand cancels Class 12 state board exams

Uttarakhand government on Wednesday decided to cancel Class 12 state board examinations in view of the prevailing COVID situation in the state.

 

This comes a day after the Central government announced the cancellation of the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) and Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Class 12 board examinations.

 

Announcing this, state Education Minister Arvind Pandey said that Uttarakhand Intermediate board examinations have been cancelled on the lines of the CBSE and ICSE boards.

 

"The students would also be promoted accordingly.The government has taken this decision considering the interest of the students and teachers," he said.

7:17 PM

Jammu and Kashmir reports 1,718 new positive cases and 24 deaths in the last 24 hours

Jammu and Kashmir reports 1,718 new positive cases, 3,391 recoveries, and 24 deaths in the last 24 hours.

7:13 PM

Time to plan about next academic session, how students will be assessed in 2022: Manish Sisodia

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Wednesday said it is time the government starts planning about how class 10 and 12 students will be assessed in March 2022 considering another academic session could be affected by the Covid pandemic.

 

His remarks came a day after the Centre announced cancellation of class 12 board exams by CBSE in view of the pandemic situation. The ICSE also cancelled it class 12 board examinations.

 

"It is time to move on to next year. We cannot deny that another academic session could be COVID affected and we need to plan before it's too late once again," Sisodia told PTI in an interview.

7:12 PM

Delhi Police to deploy four quick reaction teams for helping Covid patients

The Delhi Police will deploy at least four well-equipped Quick Reaction Teams in southwest district for facilitating medical assistance and oxygen support to Covid patients, officials said on Wednesday.

 

The community policing initiative has been started under the Yuva scheme of the Delhi Police, they said.

 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said, "We have selected 30 Yuva trainees and started their training for first aid, CPR, disaster management, operation of oxygen concentrators through our NGO partners and hospitals."

7:09 PM

Manipur reports 729 new Covid infections, 14 deaths and 622 recoveries today

Manipur reports 729 new Covid infections, 14 deaths and 622 recoveries today; recovery rate at 81.11%

7:02 PM

Goa sees 706 new Covid-19 cases, 1,711 recoveries, 22 deaths

Goa on Wednesday reported 706 new coronavirus positive cases and 22 fatalities, taking the tally to 1,57,275 and the toll to 2,693, a health official said. A total of 1,711 patients were discharged during the day, taking the count of recoveries in Goa so far to 1,43,742, he said.

 

Goa is now left with 10,840 active cases, the official said.

 

With 3,715 new tests, the total number of samples tested so far in Goa has risen to 8,31,372, he added. Goa's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 1,57,275, new cases 706, death toll 2,693, discharged 1,43,742, active cases 10,840, samples tested till date 8,31,372.

6:37 PM

US to soon detail plans to distribute 80 mn Covid vaccine doses globally

In the next two weeks, the US will detail plans to equitably distribute about 80 million (8 crore) COVID-19 vaccine doses globally without "political requirements" of those receiving them, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

 

The Biden administration had been under pressure to send the excess COVID-19 vaccines with the US to nations like India, which are facing severe vaccine shortages.

 

Speaking at a joint news conference with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado in San Jose on Tuesday, Blinken said the US will focus on equity, on the equitable distribution of vaccines. READ MORE...

6:34 PM

594 doctors have died due to Covid-19 in second wave: IMA

As many as 594 doctors have died due to COVID-19 in the ongoing second wave with Delhi recording the maximum 107 fatalities, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said. According to the IMA, 748 doctors died of the infection across the country in the first wave of the pandemic.

 

Delhi recorded 107 deaths in the second wave, followed by Bihar 96, Uttar Pradesh 67, Rajasthan 43, Jhakhand 39 and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana 32 each, according to data compiled at the IMA's COVID-19 registry.

 

"Last year 748 doctors across India succumbed to COVID-19, while in the current wave we have lost 594 doctors in a short period," IMA president J A Jayalal said.

6:23 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 12,768 new cases, 15,612 recoveries, 98 deaths

Andhra Pradesh recorded 12,768 fresh cases of coronavirus, 15,612 recoveries and 98 deaths in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Wednesday. The number of active COVID-19 cases dropped to 1,43,795, the latest bulletin said.

 

The cumulative positive cases now increased to 17,17,156, recoveries to 15,62,229 and deaths 11,132, it said.

 

East Godavari reported 2,703, Chittoor 1,551, Anantapuramu 1,506 and West Godavari 1,052 fresh cases in 24 hours. The remaining nine districts added less than 900 cases each.

6:18 PM

SC directs Centre to place on record documents, file notings on COVID vaccination policy

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to place on record all relevant documents and file notings reflecting its thinking culminating in the COVID-19 vaccination policy, and the purchase history till date of all jabs including Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik V.

 

The top court also asked the Centre to specify the steps being taken by it to ensure drug availability for mucormycosis or black fungus.

 

Besides, it directed all states and Union Territories within 2 weeks their stand on providing free vaccination.