Coronavirus LIVE: Tamil Nadu sees 26,513 new cases in a day; 831 in Mumbai

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 127,510 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 28,175,044. Death toll stands at 331,895. Stay tuned for corona-related news

2:41 PM

Consignment of 30 lakh doses of Russia's vaccine Sputnik V lands at Hyderabad's airport

2:28 PM

Mizoram logs 312 fresh Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 12,399

Mizoram reported 312 fresh COVID-19 cases, raising the coronavirus tally to 12,399, while the death toll climbed to 41 with one more fatality, officials said on Tuesday. The northeastern state now has 3,144 active cases, and 9,214 people have recovered from the disease so far, they said.

 

Aizawl district registered the highest number of 197 new infections, followed by Lawngtlai (56) and Lunglei (28).

 

A 40-year-old police officer, who had returned from West Bengal after poll duty earlier this month, succumbed to the virus at Zoram Medical College (ZMC), the officials said. Mizoram has thus far tested 3,93,684 samples for COVID-19. According to State Immunisation Officer Lalzawmi, a total of 2,58,482 people have been administered the first dose of vaccine.

2:24 PM

Plea against ICMR advisory barring repeat of RTPCR on Covid patients

The Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) advisory barring repeat of RTPCR on those who tested positive for COVID-19 has been challenged in the Delhi High Court which on Tuesday sought response of the Centre and Delhi government on the issue.

 

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh also issued notice to ICMR and sought their stand on the plea by a lawyer.

 

The petitioner has challenged ICMR's May 4 advisory as due to it, neither he nor his family members could get tested again after spending more than 17 days in quarantine from April 28 when they first tested positive. READ ON....

2:14 PM

Over 19.25 lakh Covid samples tested in the last 24 hours: Govt

1:57 PM

End stigma, aid science: WHO hopes Greek names for Covid strains will do so

A new naming system for variants of Covid-19 using Greek alphabets has been announced, WHO said in a statement on Monday.

 

The agency has named four variants of concern, known to the public as the UK/Kent (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), Brazil (P.1) and India (B.1.617.2) variants as letters Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta respectively. The earlier variant detected in India will be known as Kappa.

 

Maria Van Kerkhove, Covid-19 technical lead at WHO, said in Twitter posts the new labels for SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concerns (VoCs) and Interests (VoIs) will not replace existing scientific names and will continue to be used in research. READ MORE...

1:53 PM

Indian economy to grow 9.3% in FY22, second Covid wave raises risks to credit profile: Moody's

Indian economy would rebound in the current fiscal ending March 2022 and clock a growth of 9.3 per cent, but a severe second COVID wave has increased risks to India's credit profile and rated entities, Moody's Investors Service said on Tuesday.

 

Moody's, which has a 'Baa3' rating on India with a negative outlook, said it expects a decline in economic activity in the June quarter due to reimposition of lockdown measures along with behavioural changes on fear of contagion.

 

"India's economy rebounded quickly from a steep contraction in 2020, but a severe second wave of the coronavirus has increased risks to the outlook with potential longer-term credit implications. Risks to India's credit profile, including a persistent slowdown in growth, weak government finances and rising financial sector risks, have been exacerbated by the shock," Moody's said.

1:49 PM

A total of 1,370 Mucormycosis (Black fungus) cases in Karnataka. 1,292 patients undergoing treatment

1:38 PM

Over 9,900 minors contracted Covid-19 in Ahmednagar in May

Over 9,900 minors tested positive for coronavirus at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra last month, but the district administration claimed that around 95 per cent of them were asymptomatic and the situation was not alarming. In May this year, atotal of 86,182 COVID-19 cases were reported in Ahmednagar, district Collector Rajendra Bhosale told PTI.

 

"Out of them, 9,928 were minors (aged below 18), which comes to about 11.5 per cent of the total cases reported last month," Bhosale said.

 

He said out of the 9,928 minors who contracted the viral infection, 6,700 were in the age group of 11 to 18, 3,100 were in 1 to 10 years age bracket, while some were also below the age of 1 year.

1:30 PM

Education Minister Nishank admitted to AIIMS with post-Covid complications, PTI reports

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank" was admitted to the AIIMS here on Tuesday morning due to post-Covid complications.

 

According to PTI, the minister is admitted under Dr Neeraj Nischal, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

 

"He (Pokhriyal) was admitted.

1:22 PM

SC stays levy of IGST on imported oxygen concentrators for personal use

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the operation of a Delhi High Court order holding as "unconstitutional the imposition of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) by the Centre on import of oxygen concentrators by individuals for personal use.

 

A special bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and M R Shah issued notice on the plea and sought response from the petitioner, who filed a PIL before the high court. Read on...

1:20 PM

Only 3.4% vaccinated, Priyanka Gandhi points out flaws in vaccine policy

1:12 PM

Medical association Vs Baba Ramdev: 5 things to know about the controversy

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (Forda) is marking June 1 as a 'Black Day' to protest Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's remarks against allopathic medicines and its practitioners. Ramdev upset the medical association with his remarks in May about allopathy medicine and its treatment for coronavirus cases.

Click here to know about the controversy

12:56 PM

Ramdev remarks: FORDA members begin 'black day' protest at Delhi hospitals

Upset over yoga guru Ramdev's remarks on allopathy, members of the Federation of Resident Doctors Associations (FORDA) launched a protest in Delhi on Tuesday as part of a nationwide stir, seeking an open apology from him or action against him, FORDA officials said.

 

Issuing a call for protest on May 29, FORDA had emphasised that healthcare services will not be hampered due to the stir. Read on...

12:46 PM

Puducherry coronavirus update: Daily Covid count below 1,000 for fourth day

Puducherry continued to record less than 1,000 daily cases for the fourth consecutive day with 979 fresh additions on Tuesday, taking the overall tally to 105,000.

 

The new cases were identified at the end of examination of 8,540 samples projecting test positivity rate at 11.45 per cent.

 

The fresh infections were spread over Puducherry 746, Karaikal 170, Yanam 29 and Mahe 34.

12:28 PM

Rule change on liquor policy wrongly interpreted, clarifies Delhi govt

Soon after it was reported that the Delhi Government has allowed the home delivery of liquor through mobile apps or websites under the amended excise rules, the Chief Minister's office said it is wrong interpretation of the rule change.

 

"It is a slightly wrong interpretation of a rule change, the government will issue statement in this regard," the office of Delhi Chief Minister said on Tuesday morning.

 

The Delhi government has permitted home delivery of Indian and foreign liquor as Covid-19 restrictions continue to be in place in the city. Liquor can be ordered for home delivery in Delhi through online portals as part of the new excise policy. Read on...