Covid LIVE: Over 3.1 mn vaccine doses administered today, says govt

Today's coronavirus numbers: Bengaluru (715 cases), Mumbai 453 cases), Chennai (209 cases), Kolkata (59 cases), Delhi (79 cases). Stay tuned for corona-related news

10:40 AM

5 new Covid-19 cases push Andamans tally at 7,487

The union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported five new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the tally to 7,487, a health department official said on Wednesday.

 

The death toll remained at 128 as no fresh fatality due to the contagion was reported in the last 24 hours, the official said.

 

The archipelago now has only 16 active COVID-19 cases, of which 15 are in the South Andaman district and one in North and Middle Andaman district, he said, adding that the Nicobar district is now COVID-19 free as it has no active cases.

 

10:07 AM

US advises Americans to avoid travelling to Bhutan and Sri Lanka

The US has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Bhutan due to the Covid situation there and urged them to reconsider their travel to Sri Lanka because of terrorism.

 

"Do not travel to Bhutan due to Covid-19," the State Department said in a latest travel advisory.

 

In a statement, the State Department said the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not issued a travel health notice for Bhutan, indicating an unknown level of Covid-19 in the country.

 

"Your risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorised vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC's specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers, it said. Read on...

9:54 AM

Romania closes 117 Covid vaccination centres

Declining demand for coronavirus vaccinations in Romania has prompted authorities to close 117 vaccination centres and to reduce the schedule at 371 others, health officials have said.

 

In the previous week we re-evaluated the efficiency of fixed vaccination centers. About 80% of fixed vaccination centres vaccinate less than 25% of the vaccination capacity allocated to each stream, national vaccination committee chief Valeriu Gheorghita said at a press conference on Tuesday.

 

The number of daily vaccinations in Romania has consistently dropped from a mid-May peak of around 120,000 a day to less than 20,000 a day over the last week. Just 24% of people in Romania - a country of more than 19 million - have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

9:30 AM

Coronavirus in India: Latest update by MoHFW

Active cases: 459,920 (Net reduction: 4,437)

Deaths: 404,211 (Net increase: 930)

Cured: 29,799,534 (Net increase: 47,240)

Total cases: 30,663,665 (Net increase: 43,733)

Total vaccination: 361,323,548 (Increase over previous day: 3,605,998)

9:06 AM

Global Covid-19 caseload tops 184.5 mn; deaths surge to more than 3.99 mn

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 184.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.99 million and vaccinations soared to over 3.25 billion, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

 

In its latest update on Wednesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload, death toll and the total number of vaccine doses administered stood at 184,536,711, 3,991,598 and 3,253,108,271, respectively.

 

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 33,746,275 and 605,903, respectively, according to the CSSE. Read on...

9:05 AM

14 of 32 competitors at Miss Mexico pageant had coronavirus

Contestants from 14 of Mexico's 32 states at a Miss Mexico contest tested positive for the coronavirus, a health official in the northern Mexico border state of Chihuahua has said.

 

State Health Secretary Eduardo Fernandez Herrera told local media on Tuesday that all the contestants had submitted negative tests before the pageant in the state capital.

 

But authorities received an anonymous tip that one person was in fact infected with the virus.

 

After tests were performed, almost half of the contestants were found to be positive along with one non-contestant. The contest was shortened and brought to an end Saturday after the results came in.

8:02 AM

As tourist influx rise, Himachal CM urges them to follow Covid norms

After Union Health Ministry on Tuesday warned that it can re-impose restrictions as Covid protocols are not followed by people who are travelling to hill stations, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said "we are anxious too" as the tourist influx has increased in the State.

 

Speaking to ANI, Thakur said, "We are also a bit anxious as the tourist influx increased in the State. We welcome tourists but I urge them to follow COVID norms. They should follow social distancing & wear a mask. We have also directed hotels to follow SOP strictly."

 

Earlier, Chief Secretary to Government of Himachal Pradesh, Anil Kumar Khachi said that the administration has already unilaterally advised all District Collectors to enforce the COVID appropriate behaviour and guidelines strictly. Read on...

7:56 AM

Delhi reports 79 new Covid-19 cases, 154 recoveries and 4 deaths in the last 24 hours

7:52 AM

Kerala to extend TPR-based restrictions, relaxation in low positivity areas

Kerala has decided to impose more regulations based on Test Positivity Rate (TPR) and at the same time allow relaxation where TPR is low from Wednesday.

 

A Covid-19 review meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Tuesday decided to impose restrictions based on local bodies on the basis of TPR.

 

"Areas below TPR 5 are included in category A, areas 5 to 10 are included in category B and areas 10 to 15 are included in category C. Areas with a TPR above 15 will be in category D," said a release issued by Kerala CMO. Read on...