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

6:11 PM

Covid LIVE: 'Decision in 1-2 days,' says Maharashtra on Class 12 board exam

5:55 PM

Ola launches free door delivery of oxygen to Covid patients in Chennai

Ola Foundation, the CSR arm of the ride hailing platform Ola, would provide free oxygen concentrators to COVID-19 patients under home quarantine here through its mobile application, the company said on Wednesday. The company with initial supply of 500 oxygen concentrators has rolled out the "O2forIndia" programme to serve patients free of charge by offering door delivery of oxygen concentrators and pick-up, a release said.

 

The concentrators would be scaled up as per need, with about 10,000 such available across the country. Ola Foundation has partnered with GiveIndia for the launch of the 'O2forIndia' initiative, it said.

5:54 PM

Uttarakhand Board Class 12 exams cancelled: State's Education Minister Arvind Pandey

Uttarakhand Board Class 12 exams have been cancelled: State's Education Minister Arvind Pandey

5:48 PM

No recovery in global jobs market from pandemic until at least 2023: International Labour Organization

At least 220 million people are expected to remain unemployed globally this year, well above pre-pandemic levels, with a weak labour market recovery exacerbating existing inequalities, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday.

The United Nations agency forecast the outlook improving to 205 million unemployed next year - still well above the 187 million recorded in 2019 before the coronavirus crisis wreaked havoc. 
 

According to ILO models, that equates to a global unemployment rate of 6.3% this year, falling to 5.7% next year but still up on the pre-pandemic rate of 5.4% in 2019. READ HERE...

5:40 PM

Covid LIVE: 80 mn Europeans are now fully vaccinated, says EU official

5:39 PM

First Covid-19 lockdown improved air quality in India: Study

The first lockdown imposed in India last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to an improvement in air quality and a reduction in land surface temperature in major urban areas of the country, according to a study.

 

The findings, published in the journal Environmental Research, provide a strong evidence for potential environmental benefits through larger scale policy implementation.

 

The study found that travel and work restrictions imposed early in the pandemic resulted in a significant environmental improvement, due to an abrupt reduction in industrial activities and a major decrease in the use of land and air transport.

5:26 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 12,768 new Covid cases, 98 deaths, and 15,612 recoveries in the last 24 hours

Andhra Pradesh reports 12,768 new Covid cases, 98 deaths, and 15,612 recoveries in the last 24 hours

 

5:18 PM

Engaged with Indian government for Covid-19 vaccine supply, says Pfizer

Pfizer on Wednesday said it continues to remain engaged with the Indian government towards making its coronavirus vaccine available for use in the government immunisation programme.

 

The company's statement came after Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) exempted specific trials of COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved by some other international regulatory bodies.

 

"Pfizer continues to remain engaged with the Government of India towards making its COVID-19 vaccine available for use in the Government immunisation programme in the country. As these discussions are ongoing, we are unable to share any additional details at this time," a Pfizer spokesperson said.

5:13 PM

Centre filed outline on vaccinating remaining population and drug availability for mucormycosis: SC

5:05 PM

Will India be able to vaccinate 1 billion people this year? Key Covid updates

Experts from the ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research and the Indian Council of Medical Research, on Wednesday, slammed the government for poor planning of the home-grown vaccine production and deployment, as a result of which "India doesn't have enough vaccines to go around". The target to vaccinate around one billion people may still not be reached this year, the experts said in a commentary published in the online journal BMJ Global Health.

 

Only around 3 per cent of the population has been inoculated till now.The experts urged the government to expedite the approval of foreign vaccines already deployed elsewhere around the globe. READ MORE...

4:42 PM

23 crore vaccine doses provided to states till date: Health Ministry

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday that more than 23 crore vaccine doses have been provided to the states and Union Territories (UTs) till date, while 1.64 crore doses are still available them for administration.

 

The government of India has so far provided 23,35,86,960 vaccine doses to the states/UTs, both through the free of cost category and the direct state procurement category.

 

Of these, the total consumption, including wastages, is 21,71,44,022 doses (as per the data available till 8 am on Wednesday), the ministry said. More than 1.64 crore vaccine doses (1,64,42,938) are still available with the states/UTs for administration to the beneficiaries.

4:27 PM

Odisha CM Patnaik pitches for Covid vaccine procurement by Centre in letter to all CMs

4:13 PM

Pfizer continues to remain engaged with the govt of India for availability of vaccine: Official

3:58 PM

Delhi records 576 fresh Covid-19 cases, 103 more deaths

Delhi recorded 576 fresh COVID-19 cases at a positivity rate of 0.78 per cent and 103 more fatalities due to the disease on Wednesday. This is the third consecutive day that the positivity rate was recorded at below one per cent in the national capital.

 

Delhi reported 623 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest in two-and-a-half months, and 62 more deaths, while the positivity rate was below one per cent.

 

The city reported 648 fresh COVID-19 cases and 86 more fatalities on Monday, while the positivity rate was 0.99 per cent. On Sunday, 946 new cases and 78 more deaths were reported in the national capital.

3:41 PM

India may grant indemnity to Pfizer, Moderna to buy Covid vaccines: Report

The Indian government is expected to grant foreign vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna indemnity against legal proceedings, as part of its bid to ramp up Covid-19 vaccine supply in the country.
 

Countries like the US have granted these vaccine makers immunity where they cannot be sued for any adverse effects. "It is expected that they will be granted indemnity against legal proceedings along the lines of what has been allowed in other countries for Pfizer and Moderna," ANI on Wednesday quoted government sources as saying. READ MORE...