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

2:58 AM

Foreign-bound students complain of vaccine shortage, BMC to provide 900 doses tomorrow

Several students who are heading to foreign countries for education had to return without getting a coronavirus vaccine jab for the second day in a row at civic-run Rajawadi Hospital here.
 

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), however, said later that 1,875 jabs were delivered at three centres in two days, and another 900 would be made available on Wednesday.
 

It also said it had requested the Union government to shorten the gap between two doses as many students are to leave for foreign countries in July-August.
 

The civic body last week announced walk-in vaccination -- without registration -- for students from the city who are going abroad at Kasturba Hospital, Rajawadi Hospital and Cooper Hospital from Monday to Wednesday.
 

It had allocated 500 vaccine doses for this category on Tuesday -- 200 each at Kasturba and Cooper hospitals and 100 at Rajawadi Hospital, sources said.
 

2:57 AM

Proportion of children catching coronavirus infection is still small: Maha govt

The Maharashtra health department on Tuesday said there has not been any significant rise in the coronavirus positivity among children, but the number of infections went up as the second wave was more intense.
 

"Only seven percent children are infected due to Covid-19 compared to the cumulative caseload. However, due to the second wave, the infection spread was huge, hence the absolute numbers of children contracting Covid-19 appear huge," it said in a statement.
 

Health minister Rajesh Tope said a paediatric task force has already been set up in view of fear that the next wave might affect children more.
 

"Preparations are going on. However, the study of cases in the last few months indicate there is no exponential rise in the number of children catching the infection," he said.
 

2:55 AM

DU will adjust admission process without compromising on merit: Acting VC

Delhi University will adjust its admission process to the extraordinary situation without compromising on merit, acting vice-chancellor P C Joshi said after the Class 12 board examinations were cancelled on Tuesday and added that the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) can be a good method.
 

After the CBSE and the CISCE announced cancelling Class 12 board examinations in view of the coronavirus pandemic, Joshi said discussions will be held with the admission committee and the academic council of the university to finalise the process of admission to undergraduate courses.
 

Nearly 98 per cent of the applicants to Delhi University are CBSE students.
 

"There will be some way to judge merit. These are extraordinary circumstances. The Central Universities Common Entrance Test can be a good method as it will be based on pan-India merit. DU will not compromise on the merit. We will adjust to the new situation and see what method is to be developed. We will wait and see what are the criterion that the boards come out for evaluation of students," he told PTI.
 

2:54 AM

NHRC issues more advisories on bonded labourers, migrant workers amid Covid-19 second wave

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Human Rights Commission has issued more advisories to various ministries and states on the adverse impact faced by labourers and migrant informal sector workers, officials said on Tuesday.
 

The country has been reeling under a devastating second wave of the pandemic since April, triggering lockdowns in states and Union Territories to combat Covid-19.
 

"The NHRC, keeping in view the adverse effects of the pandemic on different sections of society, has issued three more advisories to the Centre, states and union territories as part of its 2.0 series of Covid-19 pandemic advisories," the NHRC said in a statement.
 

These advisories are -- right to mental health; identifying, releasing and rehabilitating bonded labourers; and safeguarding the rights of informal workers during the pandemic.
 

The Commission, in a letter through its Secretary General, Bimbadhar Pradhan to the Secretaries of Union ministries of health and family welfare; labour & unemployment; women & child welfare; chief secretaries of states and administrators of UTs has asked for the implementation of its recommendations in the advisories and the action taken report within four weeks, the statement said.
 

The national body has observed that the issues that arose during the pandemic have led to "adverse mental health outcomes, particularly among the vulnerable groups," it said.
 

Accordingly, the advisory on right to mental health has focused on 10 key areas of required action. These are: access to mental healthcare, dissemination of information, awareness, grievance redressal and review board, extending outreach of mental health support, support for special groups, suicide prevention, health insurance, media sensitivity in reporting and promoting research, it said.

 

10:29 PM

Covid-19 kills 59 more in Bihar; recovery rate crosses 97 per cent

Covid-19 surge continued with its downward trend on Tuesday in Bihar where the recovery rate crossed 97 per cent even as 59 fresh fatalities were reported and 1,174 more people tested positive.
 

According to the state health department, the coronavirus death toll has now reached 5,222, and the number of people infected so far is 7.07 lakh.
 

However, 6.88 lakh people have recovered and the active caseload has also fallen to 14,250.
 

The recovery rate stood at 97.25 per cent, an improvement of close to 20 per cent in less than a month.
 

Although the state had remained relatively less affected when the pandemic first struck last year, it was rattled by the powerful second wave.
 

More than five lakh people were infected and nearly 4,000 lost their lives since the beginning of April.
 

10:28 PM

Bolsonaro wants to host Copa America in Brazil despite virus

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro wants this month's Copa America soccer tournament to be held in his country despite the raging coronavirus pandemic.
 

The far-right leader and his administration are under fire from lawmakers and health experts for saying Tuesday they want to host the event even though Brazil has the second most deaths from Covid-19.
 

South American soccer body CONMEBOL chose Brazil as a replacement host on Monday after Argentina was dropped because of the spread of the virus in that country. The other co-host, Colombia, was removed on May 20 amid street protests against the country's president, Iván Duque.
 

Bolsonaro's chief of staff, Luiz Eduardo Ramos, cast doubts on the event on Monday, but Bolsonaro said he and his ministers agree Brazil can host the tournament despite the low rate of vaccinations in the country.
 

"If it depends on the federal government, Copa America will take place in Brazil," Bolsonaro said in Brasilia.
 

"I was asked by the Brazilian soccer confederation yesterday. From our part it is all positive. In whatever depends on me, the cabinet ministers, including our health minister, it is settled. It will happen." More than 463,000 people have died with Covid-19 in Brazil, second only to the United States. Analysts expect another wave of the disease to hit the country by late June. Many hospitals have more than 80% of their intensive-care units occupied by infected people.
 

9:06 PM

India to have enough vaccine doses to inoculate up to 1 crore people per day by early Aug: Govt

India will have enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to inoculate up to one crore people per day by mid-July or early August, the government asserted on Tuesday as it underlined that there is no shortage of jabs and called for patience citing the country's large population, PTI reported.

 

Noting that the ferocious second wave is on the verge of abating, the government said that ramping up of testing as well as containment at the district level "has worked" in bringing down the cases. At the same time, it cautioned that while the easing of lockdown is imperative, it has to be done very slowly.

 

Whatever we know from possible scenarios presented by eminent people, it (COVID) will decline and June will be much much more better but the concerns are when we open up how do we behave because the virus has not gone anywhere, NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said.

9:03 PM

75 died due to black fungus in Haryana so far, 734 more receiving treatment: State Govt

9:02 PM

Madhya Pradesh sees 1,078 new Covid cases, 45 deaths, and 4,120 recoveries in the last 24 hours

Madhya Pradesh registers 1,078 new Covid cases, 45 deaths, and 4,120 recoveries in the last 24 hours; active cases at 20,303

9:00 PM

Delhi hospitals ramping up infra for third Covid wave; focus on child care

Hospitals across Delhi have started ramping up infrastructure to ensure availability of essential equipment, drugs and ICU beds for children as part of their plan to tackle a possible third wave of the coronavirus.

 

The Delhi government has set up a task force to suggest measures to protect children from the third wave. Most of the hospitals are focussing on ramping up their ICU beds and facilities for children, amid fears that the third wave might be fatal for them.

 

Dr P K Bhardwaj, Chief Executive Director of Saroj Super Specialty Hospital in Rohini, said the plan is to improve the infrastructure in the paediatric ICU and neonatal ICU.

8:59 PM

831 new Covid positive cases in Mumbai in past 24 hours: BMC

8:56 PM

26,513 new Covid positive cases, 490 fatalities, and 31,673 discharges in Tamil Nadu

26,513 new Covid positive cases, 490 fatalities, and 31,673 discharges reported in Tamil Nadu today; active cases at 2,96,131

8:53 PM

WHO validates China's Sinovac Covid vax for emergency use

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday validated the Sinovac-CoronaVac Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, giving countries, procuring agencies and communities the assurance that it meets international standards for safety, efficacy and manufacturing.

 

The vaccine is produced by Beijing-based pharmaceutical company Sinovac.

 

"The world desperately needs multiple Covid-19 vaccines to address the huge access inequity across the globe," WHO Assistant Director General for Access to Health Products, Mariangela Simao, said in a statement.

8:43 PM

Covid-19 treatment rates to be reduced in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced rationalisation of the rates of COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals which is expected to give relief to patients outside big cities.

 

The earlier rates, prescribed by the government during the first wave of the pandemic, were based on the rates prevalent in Mumbai, said health minister Rajesh Tope.

 

"We have now decided to rationalise them further, so the charges will be reduced in tehsil- and district-level hospitals," he said.

8:33 PM

Uttar Pradesh records 1,317 new Covid positive cases, 5,625 discharges, and 179 deaths in the last 24 hours

Uttar Pradesh records 1,317 new Covid positive cases, 5,625 discharges, and 179 deaths in the last 24 hours