Covid LIVE: PM Modi thanks French President for aid, invites him to India

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 208,921 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 27,157,795. Death toll stands at 311,388. Stay tuned for corona-related news

3:28 PM

Covid LIVE: Delhi sees 1,491 new cases; positivity rate dips below 2%

3:17 PM

Odisha reports 11,623 new Covid-19 cases, record 35 fresh fatalities

Odisha's COVID-19 tally surged to 7,26,003 on Wednesday as 11,623 more people tested positive for the infection, while record 35 fresh fatalities pushed the coastal state's coronavirus death toll to 2,584, a health official said.

 

As many as 6,509 new cases were reported in quarantine centres, while 5,114 fresh infections were detected during contact tracing.

 

Khurda district, under which Bhubaneswar falls, reported the highest number of new cases at 2,021, followed by Cuttack (998) and Angul (823). Angul and Khurda reported five fresh fatalities each, while four deaths each were recorded in Nabarangpur and Sundergarh and three in Kendrapara. Fifty-three coronavirus patients have died due to comorbidities so far.

3:14 PM

No evidence yet on Covid third wave's impact on children: Haryana Health Minister

3:02 PM

Night curfew relaxed in 36 cities of Gujarat; day time curbs to continue

Considering a significant drop in the new coronavirus cases in Gujarat, the state government on Wednesday decided to relax the night curfew timings by an hour in 36 cities, while the day time restrictions will remain in place.

 

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani made the announcement regarding the revised curfew timings after a cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar.

 

From Friday, the night restrictions on people's movement will be effective from 9 pm to 6 am in 36 cities, the chief minister said. Currently, the night curfew is being enforced from 8 pm to 6 am. READ MORE...

2:33 PM

Fall in daily Covid-19 cases, positivity rate seem direct result of lockdown: Satyendar Jain

The fall in count of daily COVID-19 cases and the shrinking positivity rate in Delhi can said to be the results of the lockdown imposed in the national capital to combat the pandemic, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday. Interacting with reporters, he also said, about 600 cases of black fungus or mucormycosis have been reported here till date, with over 200 being recorded alone on May 23.

 

"Yesterday, 1,568 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 2.14 per cent. Today's bulletin will come soon and the two numbers have further fallen. This seems like a straight result of the lockdown," he said.

 

The minister said, the number of beds available, are also in large number now, and about one-third of the ICU beds are also vacant. The lockdown in Delhi amid the ongoing second wave of the coronavirus pandemic was imposed on April 19, which the government has successively extended, and recently it was done till May 31.

2:29 PM

Talks with Sputnik V-makers going on, quantity of anti-Covid vaccine yet to be decided: Delhi CM

2:26 PM

Covid LIVE: Delhi CM inaugurates drive through vaccination centre in Dwarka

2:14 PM

GST panel rejects demand for tax waiver on Covid-19 vax, ventilator

The goods and services tax (GST) fitment panel, comprising officers from the Centre and some states, has recommended a short-term rate cut on four Covid-19 related items, according to the detailed agenda note for the upcoming Council meeting. The lowest GST slab of 5 per cent has been proposed for oxygen concentrators, medical grade oxygen, pulse oximeters and testing kits, down from 12 per cent currently.

 

However, the committee, which recommends rate changes to the GST Council, has rejected the popular demand for exemption or rate reduction on Covid-19 medicines, vaccines, ventilators, temperature equipment, RT PCR machines, ambulances, etc. on feasibility grounds. READ MORE...

2:01 PM

Vaccines give protection from severe illness against Covid variants: Study

Vaccines have been found to be effective in combating mutated variants and protect the vaccinated individual from severe illnesses, hospitalization, or death, reveals a study conducted by a Delhi-based Hospital. The study was conducted amid several reported cases of infections after partial or complete vaccination, occurring in a small percentage of people. Concerns have been raised on the efficacy of vaccination against the mutated variants of Covid-19.

 

The study, conducted by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, that include 69 symptomatic healthcare workers working at the hospital, who were tested positive for Covid-19 after their vaccination with the Covishield vaccine during the first 100 days of the vaccination drive earlier this year.

 

The study analyzed nasopharyngeal samples for genome sequencing, in collaboration with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The study was conducted between January 16 and April 24.

1:53 PM

CM Arvind Kejriwal says around 620 black fungus cases in Delhi, flags shortage of injections

1:49 PM

Covid LIVE: 29,000 more vials of Amphotericin-B allocated to states, says govt

1:26 PM

PIL in HC for more crematoriums in Delhi to deal with Covid fatalities

A PIL has urged the Delhi High Court to direct the Centre, Delhi government and municipal corporations to ensure that electric or CNG crematoriums are installed in different parts of the national capital in view of the large number of people succumbing to Covid-19 daily.

 

The plea by a social activist, Sunil Kumar Aledia, has also sought directions to the authorities to fix uniform charges for cremation of bodies at electric crematoriums in the city as according to the petitioner, the rates range between Rs 500 -- at Sarai Kale Khan -- to Rs 8,800 -- at Lodhi Road.

1:06 PM

Sputnik V-makers have agreed to supply vaccine to Delhi: Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the manufacturers of Sputnik V have agreed to supply the Russian anti-Covid vaccine to Delhi but its quantity is yet to be decided.

 

He also said that there were around 620 cases of black fungus or mucormycosis in the city, but there is a shortage of Amphotericin-B injections used in its treatment.

 

"Talks with the makers of Sputnik V are on. They will give us vaccine, but the quantity is yet to be decided. Our officials and the representatives of the vaccine manufacturers met on Tuesday, too," the CM told reporters.

12:05 PM

WATCH | Decoding the mysterious 'white, black, yellow' fungus

11:56 AM

US CDC looking into 'mild' heart problem in vaccinated teens

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccine safety group in the US said it was looking into "relatively few reports" of possible link between heart problem and Covid vaccines in young people, doctors suggest people should pay close attention to possible symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath.

 

However, it still remains unclear whether the vaccine is the cause of the heart problem called myocarditis, reports NBC News, quoting health experts.

 

The report said it identified at least 55 suspected cases in the US.

 

"In recent weeks, there have been rare reports of myocarditis and pericarditis occurring after Covid-19 vaccination in the United States and Europe," the CDC had said in a statement. "Reported cases appear to be mild and often go away without requiring treatment."

 

Myocarditis and pericarditis are conditions that involve inflammation in and around the heart.