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

12:18 PM

Close to commit over $1-bn to Moderna for Covid-19 booster vaccine: Cipla to India

Seeking fast-track approvals to bring Moderna's single-dose Covid-19 booster vaccine in India expeditiously, Cipla has requested the government for indemnification and exemptions from price capping, bridging trials and basic customs duty, while stating that it is close to committing over $1-billion as advance to the US major, sources said on Monday. Commending the government for its efforts to increase the vaccine availability in the country for achieving effective protection against Covid-19, the Indian pharma giant has said its discussions with Moderna on the Covid-19 booster vaccine are nearing finalisation and for that, they are seeking the "partnership and support of the government to make this programme successful". Requesting the government to provide confirmation on four critical points --- exemption from price restriction, indemnification, bridging trial waiver and basic customs duty exemption, Cipla has said such an assurance will help make this significant financial commitment of more than $1 billion (over Rs 7,250 crore) advance to Moderna for its booster vaccine in India, sources privy to the development said.

12:11 PM

Goa coronavirus update: Covid-19 positivity drops to 20% in one month

The Covid-19 positivity rate in Goa has now come down to 19 per cent as against 51 per cent a month back, according to the state government.

 

However, the Goa government has not let its guard down and is making all efforts to curb the spread of the virus by emphasising on vaccination, Dr Shivanand Bandekar, head of the state's expert committee on Covid-19, told PTI on Monday. Read on...

12:01 PM

Covid-19: Sri Lanka reopens international airport in the midst of lockdown

Sri Lanka on Tuesday reopened its international airport here for passengers in the midst of the current Covid-19 lockdown with the first flight with 53 passengers landing from Qatar.

 

However, those with a travel record to India and Vietnam over the last 14 days would not be allowed to disembark at the Colombo airport, said a senior Civil Aviation official, P A Jayakantha.

 

The internal travel restrictions, which allow only essential services, have been in effect from mid-May and due to be lifted on June 7.

 

Jayakantha said that the airport was re-opened at midnight for flights which are limited to 75 passengers.

 

11:40 AM

PIL to restrain beggars from begging at traffic lights to prevent Covid-19:HC seeks Delhi govt stand

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of the city government and police on a plea seeking to restrain beggars and vagabonds from begging at traffic junctions and markets to prevent spread of Covid-19 as many of them do not wear masks or maintain social distancing.

 

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to the Delhi government, the urban shelter improvement board (DUSIB) and the police seeking their stand on the petition by a lawyer.

 

The petitioner, Narender Pal Singh, has claimed that he has witnessed beggars touch cars at traffic lights "without sanitising their hands" and therefore, they may themselves stand a chance of getting infected or becoming carriers of the Covid-19 infection.

 

The petition has also sought rehabilitation of beggars and vagabonds and to ensure they have food, shelter and access to medical facilities, including vaccination.

11:21 AM

Global coronavirus update: Worldwide Covid-19 caseload tops 170.5 million

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 170.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.54 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

 

In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 170,580,362 and 3,546,731, respectively.

 

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 33,264,380 and 594,568, respectively, according to the CSSE. Read on...

11:06 AM

Moody's sees India GDP growth at 9.3 % in current financial year ending March 2022

Moody’s Investors Service sees India GDP growth at 9.3 % in current financial year ending March 2022, 7.9% in FY23.

10:50 AM

Maharashtra: Newborn tests positive for coronavirus in Palghar

A 15-hour-old girl in Palghar district of Maharashtra has tested positive for coronavirus, while her mother tested negative for the infection, a medical officer said.

 

The woman, hailing from Darsheth village, gave birth to the child at a private nursing home in Palghar town on Sunday, he said.

 

Following the delivery, both the mother and the child were tested and the baby's report came out positive for the coronavirus infection, he said on Monday.

10:42 AM

Coronavirus impact: IHS Markit India May manufacturing PMI at 50.8 vs 55.5 in April

Coronavirus impact: IHS Markit India May manufacturing PMI at 50.8 vs 55.5 in April

10:18 AM

Covid-19 pandemic: Uttar Pradesh to conduct sero survey from June 4

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will conduct a 'Sero Survey' in the state in order to ascertain the prevalence of coronavirus in the urban and rural areas of the state.

 

The serological survey which will be launched from June 4, will help find the volume of immunity against the virus being developed in people in UP.

 

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the health department to collect the samples from June 4, and make an assessment of the updated status of infections at different scales including gender and age.

 

10:11 AM

Thane coronavirus update: 512 new cases, 34 more deaths reported

Thane has added 512 new cases of coronavirus, raising the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,16,364, an official said on Tuesday.

 

Besides these new cases reported on Monday, 34 more people also succumbed to the viral infection, pushing the death toll in the district to 9,248, he said.

 

The Covid-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 1.79 per cent, he added.

 

Details of recovered and under-treatment patients were not provided by the district administration. Read on...

9:50 AM

Delhi govt permits home delivery of Indian liquor and foreign liquor through app, web portal

Delhi govt permits home delivery of Indian liquor and foreign liquor by ordering through mobile app or online web portal

9:47 AM

Coronavirus update: A total of 34,67,92,257 samples tested up to May 31

9:35 AM

Coronavirus in India: Latest update by MoHFW

Active cases: 1,895,520 (Net reduction: 130,572)

Deaths: 331,895 (Net increase: 2,795)

Cured: 25,947,629 (Net increase: 255,287)

Total cases: 28,175,044 (Net increase: 127,510)

Total vaccination: 216,046,638 (Increase over previous day: 2,780,058)

9:08 AM

India's second Covid-19 wave rattles business confidence: Ficci survey

Emphasising the need for another fiscal package, a Ficci survey on Monday said the business sentiment in the country has been deeply impacted due to the second wave of coronavirus infections.

 

It said that the overall business confidence index has nosedived and stood at 51.5 in the current round after reporting a decadal high value of 74.2 in the previous survey round.

According to Ficci's Business Confidence Survey, there was a "sharp deterioration" in the optimism level of corporate India vis-a-vis the previous survey. Read on...

8:54 AM

Second wave of Covid-19 pandemic pushed GDP into deepest contraction

Latest GDP estimates released by the NSO reaffirmed the economy witnessed its deepest contraction in the aftermath of the pandemic since FY50-51, the year in whi­ch national accounts compi­lation begun. Real GDP registered a contraction of -7.3 per cent YoY in FY20-21, marginally better than the earlier estimate of -8 per cent. With this the size of the econ­omy was 3 per cent smaller in March 2021 compared to Ma­r­ch 2020. Read on...