Covid LIVE: At 453, Mumbai reports lowest daily cases since Feb 9

Today's coronavirus numbers: Bengaluru (520 cases), Mumbai 489 cases), Chennai (214 cases), Kolkata (64 cases), Delhi (54 cases). Stay tuned for corona-related news

1:50 PM

Delhi launches financial assistance scheme for families of Covid victims

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched a social security scheme and a portal to provide financial assistance to families who lost their loved ones to Covid-19.

 

Under the 'Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana', Rs 50,000 ex gratia will be given to every family that lost a member to Covid-19 and an additional Rs 2,500 per month will be given if the deceased was the sole breadwinner.

 

Addressing a virtual press conference, Kejriwal said Delhi has faced four waves of coronavirus. The fourth one affected almost every family and many people died. Read here

1:32 PM

Drug regulator urges Pfizer to apply for Covid-19 vaccine launch in India

The Indian drug regulator has urged Pfizer twice in writing to apply for emergency use authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine so that the application is processed well in time but Pfizer has not applied for the license yet, said sources on Tuesday.

 

According to the sources, the government is continuously in touch with Pfizer, but no decision has been taken particularly over granting protection against legal liability.

 

Notably, in June, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla had said that the company is in the final stages to get approval for the Covid-19 vaccine in India.

1:30 PM

Recipe for even more powerful Covid-19 vaccines found

Scientists have found a recipe for even more effective and powerful vaccines against the coronavirus and its rapidly emerging variants, based on the way human cells activate the immune system in response to Covid-19 infection.

 

Researchers from Boston University and the Broad Institute of Harvard University in the US noted that it is the first real look at exactly what types of red flags the human body uses to enlist the help of T cells sent out by the immune system to destroy infected cells.

 

Until now, Covid-19 vaccines have been focused on activating a different type of immune cell, B cells, which are responsible for creating antibodies.

 

The researchers noted that developing vaccines to activate the other arm of the immune system -- the T cells -- could dramatically increase immunity against coronavirus, and importantly, its variants.

12:55 PM

Lab-developed protein spikes consistent with Covid virus

The key properties of the spikes of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, are consistent with those of several laboratory-developed protein spikes, designed to mimic the infectious virus, a new international study has found.

 

The manufacture of protein "spikes" is a central component in designing serological tests and vaccines to protect against Covid-19. These recombinant spikes closely mimic those sticking out of the surface of the infectious virus and trigger the body's immune system into action.

 

Laboratory manufactured spikes are also used for serological testing (also referred to as antibody testing) and as research reagents.

 

The new study, led by researchers at the University of Southampton in the UK, showed that viral spikes manufactured through different methods in laboratories across the globe are highly similar and provide reassurance that the spike can be robustly manufactured with minimal variations between laboratories.

12:32 PM

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojna:

Delhi Govt will reach out to families and get the forms filled

It will ensure the cheque reaches the kin of those who died due to coronavirus pandemic

12:23 PM

Israel to ship 700K Pfizer doses to South Korea in swap deal

Israel is sending 700,000 coronavirus vaccine doses to South Korea in exchange for a future shipment of vaccines from South Korea to Israel. Under the deal, Israel will transfer the Pfizer vaccines to South Korea in an effort to inoculate more of the Asian nation's citizens this month. South Korea will send the same number of doses to Israel as early as September, the officials added.

12:14 PM

Arvind Kejriwal launched the Social Security Scheme for Covid-19 affected families through video conferencing

Arvind Kejriwal launched the Social Security Scheme for Covid-19 affected families through video conferencing

11:55 AM

SC dismisses pleas seeking permission to conduct 'Rath Yatra' at various places other than Jagannath Puri

SC dismisses pleas seeking permission to conduct 'Rath Yatra' at various places other than Jagannath Puri in Odisha

11:54 AM

Kejriwal will launch the Social Security Scheme for Covid-19 affected families

Under the scheme, a financial aid of Rs 50,000 would be given to the family of people who lost their lives due to Covid-19. If the deceased was the sole earning member of the family, his kin would receive Rs 2,500 each month under the scheme.

11:51 AM

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to launch 'Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Family Economic Scheme' today

11:48 AM

Delhi govt unveils new excise policy; allows bars to operate till 3 am

The Delhi government on Monday announced the new excise policy for 2021-22, which allows bars in hotels, clubs and restaurants in the national capital to operate till 3 am except those licensees who have been given license to operate round the clock service of liquor.

 

The government also allowed hotels, clubs and restaurants in Delhi to serve Indian or foreign liquor in any area within the licensed premises, including the terrace, balcony or lower area, so long as the liquor serving is screened off from public view.

 

According to the 2021-22 excise policy, every liquor outlet in the city will provide a walk-in experience to its customers who will have multiple choices of brands, and the entire selection and sale process will be completed within the vend premise.

11:45 AM

Covid-19 vaccination drive to be affected in Tamil Nadu due to shortage

The vaccination drive in many districts of Tamil Nadu is likely to be affected due to the shortage of vaccines. Health department officials informed that on Monday night there were only 50,000 doses of vaccine left in the central pool.

 

The public health department has already communicated to the union ministry for health and family welfare to send fresh doses to the state as the next quota of vaccine will be available only by July 11.

 

The officials are planning to provide vaccines only for those who are taking the second dose as several districts have an extreme shortage. A senior official with the state public health department told IANS that the Greater Chennai Corporation is also facing a shortage of vaccines. Read on...

11:40 AM

1,031 Indonesian medical workers die from Covid since onset of pandemic

At least 1,031 medical workers in Indonesia have died from Covid-19 since the onset of the pandemic in the country in March 2020 until June 2021, according to authorities.

 

Secretary-General of the Indonesian Hospital Association (PERSI), Lia Gardenia Partakusuma said on Monday that amongst the victims, 405 were general practitioners, 43 dentists, 328 nurses, 160 midwives, and 95 others, reports Xinhua news agency.

 

Indonesia is facing an ongoing resurgence after a long Eid al-Fitr holiday in May and the entry of the more contagious Delta variant, leaving medical workers overwhelmed by many patients. Read on...

11:16 AM

Delhi reports 54 new Covid cases, lowest since April last year

The national capital on Monday reported 54 new cases of coronavirus, the lowest since April 15 last year.

 

The daily positivity rate was reported at 0.9 per cent in the last 24 hours, according to Delhi government's health bulletin.

 

With two fresh deaths reported on Monday, Delhi's total Covid toll has reached very close to 25,000 (24,997) since the Covid pandemic broke out early last year.

 

A total of 132 people recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the national capital's total recoveries to 14,08,698 till date.

10:52 AM

Over 8.3 million vaccine doses administered in Delhi: Govt bulletin

Delhi has administered a total of 83,82,845 Covid vaccine doses till Monday, according to the city government's daily bulletin.

 

As many as 19,10,694 people have been fully vaccinated while 64,72,151 have received the first dose of the vaccine, the bulletin said.

 

A total of 9,509 jabs were administered in the national capital on Sunday as the government vaccination centres were closed.

 

A total of 5,651 people received the first dose and 3,858 got the second dose of the vaccine.

 

According to official data, 12,65,395 people in the 45-plus age group and 1,80,424 in the 18-44 age group have been fully vaccinated. Read on...