Coronavirus LIVE: Tamil Nadu reports 4,013 fresh cases; 2,082 in Karnataka

Today's coronavirus numbers: Bengaluru (593 cases), Mumbai 676 cases), Chennai (238 cases), Kolkata (137 cases), Delhi (93 cases). Stay tuned for corona-related news

1:53 PM

Pfizer, J&J vaccines more effective against Delta variant: Experts

The anti-Covid-19 vaccines by US pharma majors Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) that are being used in South Africa are more effective against the Delta variant of the coronavirus than the Beta strain, experts have said.
 

The Beta variant, which was first detected in South Africa, caused a second wave at the beginning of this year whereas the Delta variant, first detected in India, is driving the current third wave in South Africa, resulting in increased lockdown restrictions as the number of infections and deaths have already surpassed those of the previous two waves. Read here

1:34 PM

DATA STORY: India's active coronavirus cases drop below 500,000-mark

India has so far administered 344,611,291 vaccine doses. That is 1129.78 per cent of its total caseload, and 24.72 per cent of its population. Read on...

1:21 PM

Maharashtra coronavirus update: Restrictions relaxed in Aurangabad

1:07 PM

Telangana administers 1,83,627 Covid-19 vaccine doses on Friday

Telangana administered 1,83,627 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Friday.

 

As per the report issued by the state health department today, as of July 2 till 9 pm, 1,48,146 people received their first vaccine dose and 35,481 inoculated with the second dose.

 

On July 2, those who received the first dose include 138 healthcare workers and 1,15,810 people from the 18-44 age group and 32,035 who are 45 and above.

1:02 PM

Argentina sets record for daily Covid-19 vaccinations

Argentina set a daily record on Thursday for vaccinations against Covid-19, with 402,305 doses administered as part of its national plan, the Ministry of Health reported on Friday.

 

"The number of people vaccinated increased every day this week," the ministry said in a statement. "Since Monday, 1,358,446 doses were applied throughout the country."

 

According to the health ministry, 25,040,593 doses had been distributed as of Friday, of which 21,310,026 have already been applied, with 17,106,617 people receiving their first dose and 4,203,409 their second.

 

On Thursday, the health ministry convened researchers to begin a study on the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of a combination of doses of different vaccines.

 

12:56 PM

Commonwealth archery, shooting championships cancelled due to Covid

The inaugural edition of the Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships, which was set to be held in Chandigarh next year has been cancelled, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has announced.

 

The decision was taken by Commonwealth Games India (CGI) Executive Board with the support of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

 

"We are disappointed that the 2022 Commonwealth Archery and Shooting Championships will no longer take place. However, this is the right decision to take in the current climate," CGF President Dame Louise Martin said in a media release.

12:47 PM

US donates 2.5 million Moderna Covid-19 vaccine doses to Pakistan

Pakistan has received 2.5 million doses of the Moderna mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 from the United States.

 

Charge d' Affaires at the US embassy here Angela P. Aggeler said the vaccines, which arrived at Islamabad International Airport, would save lives and help Pakistan emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, which had devastated so many families and communities in both countries.

 

The latest donation is part of 80 million doses the US is sharing with the world, delivering on its pledge to facilitate equitable global access to safe and effective vaccines.

 

Pakistan has been so far reliant on three vaccines -- Sinopharm, CanSinoBio, and Sinovac -- all provided by China, to fuel its immunisation programme.

12:27 PM

Delhi Covid-19 unlock: Markets, malls permitted to operate from today

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has allowed the opening of all markets, market complexes and malls from 10 am to 8 pm from Saturday.

 

Market Trade Associations (MTAs) and shopkeepers of the market have been assigned the responsibility of keeping a check on strict adherence of COVID-Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) in their respective market places, violation of which would result in shutting down of the particular market immediately, Delhi government's order stated.

 

After assurance from traders that Covid-Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) will be followed thoroughly, the DDMA has allowed the Main Bazar, Laxmi Nagar from Vikas Marg to Lovely Public School, Kishan Kunj, and its surrounding markets to open from today (July 3). Read on...

12:19 PM

World coronavirus update: US Oakland Zoo vaccinates animals against Covid-19

US Oakland Zoo has inoculated some of its animals against Covid-19 this week using an experimental vaccine formulated for animals, according to a media report.

 

So far, the zoo has vaccinated tigers, grizzly and black bears, mountain lions and ferrets, the report said.

 

The list of animals to receive a shot was selected because of their unique vulnerability for contracting Covid-19, according to Alex Herman, Vice President of veterinary services at Oakland Zoo, the Xinhua news agency reported.

 

"Those are real cases where animals have become mildly sick, gravely ill or even died, and that's why we're being so proactive," she was quoted as saying. None of the animals at Oakland Zoo have gotten the virus, she added.

12:07 PM

Coronavirus in Pakistan: Daily cases, death surging again in Pakistan

Pakistan is reporting a slow and steady increase in its daily death and coronavirus case counts, with 1,400 people testing positive for the virus in the last 24 hours.

 

As many as 34 more people lost their lives to Covid-19, according to the National Command and Operation Center's daily report issued on Saturday morning. The national death tally since the pandemic started is 22,379, the Geo TV reported.

 

Currently, the positivity rate stands at 2.91.

 

This is the third day of more than a 1,000 daily new cases and the fourth consecutive day with a positivity rate over 2 per cent.

 

The daily coronavirus case load went back over the 1,000 cases in a day mark earlier this week on Thursday after the country had been reporting under a 1,000 cases daily for more than a week before it.

11:55 AM

Coronavirus update: India administers 4.4 mn vaccine doses in last 24 hrs

After 4,399,298 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours, India's cumulative vaccination coverage increased to 34.46 crores, according to the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.

 

A total of 34,46,11,291 vaccine doses have been administered through 4,560,088 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am today.

 

Meanwhile, as many 44,111 new Covid-19 cases and 738 deaths were reported in India in the last 24 hours, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.

 

With 57,477 recoveries in the last 24 hours, daily recoveries continued to outnumber the daily new cases for the 51st consecutive day.

 

With this, the cumulative tally of positive Covid-19 cases in the country stands at 3,05,02,362, including 2,96,05,779 recoveries, 4,01,050 deaths and 4,95,533 active cases.

11:06 AM

1 more arrested in connection with Kolkata Covid vaccination fraud case

Kolkata Police has arrested one more person in connection with the Covid vaccination fraud case where Debanjan Deb allegedly impersonated as an IAS officer.

 

The arrested accused, Indrajit Shaw, was Deb's employee and was instrumental in organizing a vaccination camp in City College, Kolkata.

 

Yesterday, the Kolkata Police had arrested Arbinda Baidya, the security personnel of Deb. He had knowledge of Deb's illegal activities and had also participated in some of them, the police said.

 

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the West Bengal government to file an affidavit by Friday in the case.

10:56 AM

Delhi Covid-19 unlock: Markets, malls permitted to operate from today

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) permits the opening of all markets, market complexes and malls from 10 am to 8 pm from Saturday.

 

Market Trade Associations (MTAs) and shopkeepers of the market have been assigned the responsibility of keeping a check on strict adherence of COVID-Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) in their respective market places, violation of which would result in shutting down of the particular market immediately, Delhi government's order stated.

 

After assurance from traders that Covid-Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) will be followed thoroughly, the DDMA has allowed the Main Bazar, Laxmi Nagar from Vikas Marg to Lovely Public School, Kishan Kunj, and its surrounding markets to open from today (July 3).

10:29 AM

Delta variant dangerous, continuing to evolve and mutate: WHO chief

The world is in a very "dangerous period" of the Covid-19 pandemic compounded by more transmissible variants like Delta, which is continuing to evolve and mutate, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned.

 

He said in countries with low vaccination coverage, terrible scenes of hospitals overflowing are again becoming the norm.

 

“Compounded by more transmissible variants, like Delta, which is quickly becoming the dominant strain in many countries, we are in a very dangerous period of this pandemic,” Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing on Friday. Read on...

10:20 AM

Saudi Arabia suspends entry from UAE, Ethiopia, Vietnam over Covid-19

Saudi Arabia has suspended entry for citizens of the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Vietnam over the spread of the coronavirus and its strains in these countries, media reported.

 

Saudi citizens are allowed to visit these countries only after getting a permit from the kingdom's authorities, the state-run SPA news agency reported.

 

 

The new restrictions will enter into force on late Sunday.

 

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. To date, more than 183.01 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 3.96 million fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.