Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra reports 8,998 new Covid-19 in past 24 hours

Coronavirus live updates: Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report a surge in daily new cases. Stay tuned for corona-related news

3:30 PM

India’s total active Covid-19 caseload stands at 1.55% of India’s total positive cases

2:51 PM

Aurangabad records 371 new coronavirus cases; seven more deaths

With the addition of 371 new cases of coronavirus, the count of infections in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district reached 51,287, an official said on Thursday. Apart from the latest cases reported on Wednesday, the district also recorded seven more casualties that took the toll to 1,278, the official said.

 

At least 47,564 patients have recovered from the infection so far, leaving the region with 2,445 active cases, he said. Of the 371 fresh cases, 307 were reported from Aurangabad city and 64 were from rural areas, the official said.

2:14 PM

Russia registers 11,385 Covid-19 cases in past 24 hours

Russia registered 11,385 COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, up from 10,535 the day before, taking the overall tally to 4,290,135, the coronavirus response center said on Thursday.

 

"Over the past day, 11,385 coronavirus cases were confirmed across 85 regions, including 1,409 cases (12.4 per cent) that were detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms," the center said, adding that the cumulative case count has now reached 4,290,135, with the rate of increase at 0.27 per cent.

 

Moscow confirmed 2,150 new coronavirus cases over the given period, up from 1,284 the day before. The Russian capital was followed by St. Petersburg with 986 new cases, up from 962 the day before, and the Moscow Region with 693 new cases, up from 691 on Wednesday.

1:50 PM

FM Nirmala Sitharaman takes first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

1:40 PM

Six states continue to report surge in number of daily new Covid-19 cases

1:25 PM

9 million vaccine doses shipped to Bangladesh: EAM Dr S Jaishankar in Dhaka

1:24 PM

Odisha logs 81 new coronavirus cases, tally 337,529

Odisha's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 3,37,529 on Thursday after 81 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said.

 

The coastal state's death toll remained unchanged at 1,917 as no fresh fatality was reported since Wednesday.

 

Of the 81 new cases, 49 were cases of quarantine -- at home or designated centres -- and the rest were detected during contact tracing, the official said. The positivity rate stands at 4.02 per cent.

12:52 PM

Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur take first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in AIIMS

Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur took the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in AIIMS, today.

12:37 PM

FM Nirmala Sitharaman receives her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, at Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj

12:33 PM

Joe Biden calls Texas' decision to relax Covid norms 'Neanderthal thinking'

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) called Texas and Mississippi's decision to lift the mask mandate as "Neanderthal thinking".

 

Replying to questions on Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Tate Reeves of Mississippi's decision to relax COVID-19 restrictions, Biden said, "Texas -- I think it's a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody has realized by now: These masks make a difference."

 

He further said, "We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we're able to get vaccines in people's arms. We've been able to move that all the way up to the end of May to have enough for every American to get -- every adult American to get a shot. And the last thing -- the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that, in the meantime, everything is fine, take off your mask."

12:28 PM

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal takes the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at Tirath Ram Shah Hospital

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal takes the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at Tirath Ram Shah Hospital

12:12 PM

SOPs for Maha Covid-19 care centres by March 31: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said a doctor who allegedly tried to molest a woman patient at a Covid-19 care centre in Aurangabad has been removed from service, and SOPs for such facilities will be issued by this month-end.

 

The incident took place earlier this week and the issue was raised by BJP MLA Manisha Chaudhary in the state Legislative Assembly.

 

She said incidents of rape ofwomen in Covid-19 care centres are not new.

12:08 PM

Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat & Karnataka continue to report a surge in daily new cases

Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report a surge in daily new cases. They account for 85.51% of new cases reported in the last 24 hrs: Govt

12:04 PM

The total number of cases with UK, South Africa and Brazil variants of coronavirus in the country now at 242

The total number of cases with UK, South Africa and Brazil variants of coronavirus in the country now at 242: Govt

11:18 AM

No new coronavirus infection in Arunachal, active cases at 2

Arunachal Pradesh did not report any fresh Covid-19 case in the last 24 hours, a senior health department official said on Thursday.

 

The total caseload in the Northeastern state remained at 16,838, while 16,780 persons have recovered from the disease, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

 

Arunachal Pradesh currently has two active cases, both in the Tirap district, he said.