Coronavirus LIVE updates: WHO approves China's Sinopharm vaccine

Coronavirus live updates: Among states with a rapid surge in infections, Maharashtra reported 62194 cases, Karnataka 49058 cases, Kerala 42464 cases, UP 26780 cases. Stay tuned for corona-related news

10:31 AM

Delhi: People form queues outside vaccination center at a government school in Badarpur

10:30 AM

Decoded: What is the 'Mumbai Model' of Covid management that court lauded?

With over 56,000 active Covid-19 cases, Mumbai counts as amongst the worst affected cities in the country. But on Wednesday the municipal administration of Mumbai came in for praise from the Supreme Court while it was hearing a matter on oxygen shortage in Delhi.

 

“Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has done a remarkable job. Without any disrespect to the Delhi government, can it take a leaf out of Mumbai’s experience in maintaining oxygen supply and its optimum utilisation?” a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah remarked. Read on...

10:15 AM

Covid-19 pandemic: Odisha seeks GST exemption on purchase of vaccines

Seeking the Centres active cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, Odisha Thursday demanded exemption of GST on purchase of vaccines and financial assistance to states from the cess and surcharge collected by the Union government from various products.

 

Noting that states have been asked to purchase vaccines from their resources for inoculating people between the ages of 18 and 45, Patnaik said, these purchases attract the Goods and Service Taxes (GST), making the vaccines costly for the states. Read on...

10:10 AM

Negative RT-PCR report must for arriving in Bengal by train: Railways

Those arriving in West Bengal by train must carry negative RT-PCR report, the Railways said on Thursday citing an order from the chief secretary of the state.

 

West Bengal is the latest among a number of states which have made it mandatory for passengers to carry negative RT-PCR tests in order to gain entry into the state.

 

"The Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal have issued an order... Incoming passengers by long distance trains and inter-state buses will also mandatorily carry RT- PCR negative test reports. Read on...

10:05 AM

Bengal stops local trains for 14 days to curb Covid spread

Bengal stops local trains for 14 days to curb Covid spread

 

9:37 AM

Coronavirus in India: Summary of MoHFW data (May 7)

Active cases: 3,645,164 (Net addition: 78,766)

Deaths: 234,083 (Net increase: 3,915)

Cured: 17,612,351 (Net increase: 331,507)

Total cases: 21,491,598 (Net increase: 414,188)

Total vaccination: 164,973,058 (Increase over previous day: 2,370,298)

9:17 AM

Doctors who don't practise but teach can be roped in: S Vaitheeswaran

One of the first private pioneers in medical education in India, the Manipal group currently has roughly 3000 beds in its teaching hospitals and more recently with its acquisition of Columbia Asia, it has more than 3500 treating beds across 27 hospitals, taking the total bed capacity to just below 7000. In total, it has around 4000 doctors in its ecosystem.

 

Manipal Education and Medical Group CEO and board member of Manipal Global Education Services, S Vaitheeswaran spoke to Anjuli Bhargava on how the group is attempting to do its bit, possible ways for bridging the gap in skilled manpower in the sector both during Covid and post it and on what he’d like to see in medical education in India over a period of time. Click here to read the excerpts of the interview.

9:02 AM

Second Covid-19 wave: Global ports slam the door on Indian seafarers

As the second wave of Covid-19 continues to grip India, the country’s trade may see severe challenges, with several international ports barring vessels from changing crew who have recently travelled from India.

 

A large number of countries, including Singapore, Canada, UK and United Arab Emirates have denied entry of Indian seafarers over Covid-19 fears. “Indian seafarers are at a disadvantageous position due to the ongoing second wave. Due to the restrictions, shipping companies are now preferring to deploy Indonesian or Filipino crew over Indians,” Abdulgani Serang, general secretary at National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), told Business Standard. Read on...

8:58 AM

Covid surge could peak in coming days, predicts model by PM Modi's advisors

A mathematical model prepared by advisers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggests India’s coronavirus outbreak could peak in the coming days, but the group’s projections have been changing and were wrong last month.

 

The team’s most recent forecast puts them more in line with at least some other scientists, who have suggested a mid-May peak for India. Read on...

8:47 AM

Amazon postpones Prime Day sale in Canada, India due to Covid-19

Amazon.com Inc. is pausing plans for its annual sale Prime Day in Canada and India due to concerns about Covid-19, the company confirmed on Thursday. The pause won’t affect Prime Day in the U.S., which is scheduled for an undisclosed day in June, according to an email reviewed by Bloomberg.

 

“Based on the increasing impact of Covid-19 in Canada, and the importance we place on protecting the health and safety of our employees and customers, we will pause plans for Prime Day 2021 in Canada,” said the email, sent to Amazon sellers Thursday. The Seattle-based company, in an email, confirmed Prime Day would also be postponed in India, which was reported earlier by CNBC. Read on...

8:31 AM

KCR rules out lockdown in Telangana, says it cripples public life, economy

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) on Thursday clarified that lockdown would not be imposed in the state as it would bring life to a standstill and lead to the total collapse of the financial system.

 

Rao took this decision after examining states where lockdowns were in place and positive cases did not come down, along with past experiences.

 

"There is no use of imposing lockdown. 25 to 30 Lakh workers from other states are working here. We have seen how their lives were adversely impacted by the lockdown during the first wave," he said. Read on...

8:28 AM

Govt says Covid-19 drug Remdesivir will sell at set price, ups production

The Centre has decided to increase production of anti-viral drug Remdesivir and it will be provided to people at government's price, said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday.

 

This comes after several cases of blackmarketing of Remdesivir came to light amid the Covid-19.

 

"There was a shortage of Remdesivir injection. Because of this, incidents of black marketing took place, several people lost their lives as they have not received Remdesivir, so we decided to increase its production," Gadkari said.

 

"But we tried (and to got manufacturing rights), Remdesivir will be provided to people at government's price. Now, I think there will be no black marketing or no person will die due to lack of it, there is no reservation, can be provided to other states when there will be surplus," he added. Read on...

8:26 AM

India's Covid-19 problem is now the world's problem

It will be a while before it’s fully understood why India has been so swiftly and so disastrously engulfed by the coronavirus. But there is one thing for sure: India’s problem is now the world’s problem.

 

India shut down too abruptly when the virus arrived, and then was too quick to reopen. In March 2020, the country was locked down at four hours’ notice though it did not yet have many cases. Millions of people, many of them migrant workers, were left stranded without food and shelter. Facing economic disaster, the government reopened the country before the pandemic really took hold. READ ON...

8:14 AM

Pakistan coronavirus update: Islamabad under full lockdown from today

In order to curb the rising number of coronavirus infections, Islamabad authorities have announced a full lockdown on May 7 from 6 pm onwards.

 

The City's Deputy Commissioner on Thursday said that public transport will be suspended after 6 pm on May 7 and all parks, recreational places, and commercial areas will also be closed after 6 pm, reported The News International.

 

The authorities will ensure that people follow the government's mandated "Stay Home, Stay Safe" policy, the Deputy Commissioner added.

 

This comes as at least 108 more succumbed to the coronavirus during the past 24 hours in Pakistan, taking the cumulative toll to 18,537. READ ON...

7:46 AM

The world turns to China for vaccines as Covid-19 crisis deepens in India

The world is fast becoming ever more reliant on China for vaccines, with India’s raging virus outbreak stifling its ability to deliver on supply deals, even as the U.S. tries to position itself as a champion of wider access.

 

Over the past few weeks, leaders of some of the globe’s most populous nations have sought more shots from China despite concerns about their effectiveness. Demand is expected to rise even further if the World Health Organization, as expected, authorizes vaccines from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and Sinopharm Group Co. Ltd., allowing developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to access them through Covax, the global vaccination effort. Read on...