Covid LIVE: Kerala govt issues guidelines ahead of lockdown starting May 8

Coronavirus live updates: Among states with a rapid surge in infections, Maharashtra reported 57640 cases, Karnataka 50112 cases, Kerala 41953 cases, UP 31165 cases. Stay tuned for corona-related news

12:26 PM

Sonia Gandhi will hold a meeting via video conference with the party's Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha MPs on Friday

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi will hold a meeting via video conference with the party's Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha MPs tomorrow, to discuss the current Covid-19 situation in the country.

12:25 PM

You must give 700 MT oxygen to Delhi, Justice Chandrachud tells Centre

At present health professionals are in complete fatigue, how you will ensure better health care facilities?, observes Justice Chandrachud

12:12 PM

Over 8.9 million Covid-19 vaccine doses still available with states, UTs: Centre

More than 89 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs and over 28 lakh vaccine doses will be received by them within the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.

 

The Centre has so far provided more than 17.15 crore (17,15,42,410) vaccine doses to states and UTs free of cost. Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 16,26,10,905 doses, as per the official data made available at 8 am.

 

"More than 89 lakh COVID vaccine doses (89,31,505) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. States with negative balance are showing more consumption (including wastage) than vaccine supplied as they have not reconciled the vaccine they have supplied to the armed forces," the ministry said.

12:09 PM

SC lauds high courts for commendable work done during Covid-19

SC lauds high courts for commendable work done during Covid-19, says they are effectively supervising pandemic management

12:08 PM

Covid spreading in rural India; record daily rises in infections, deaths

India reported a record 412,262 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday and a record 3,980 daily death toll, as a second wave of infections swamps the health system and spreads from cities into the vast countryside.

 

Covid-19 infections in the world's second most populous nation have surged past 21 million, with a death toll of 230,168, health ministry data show.

 

With hospitals scrabbling for beds and oxygen in response to the surge in infections, the World Health Organization said in a weekly report that India accounted for nearly half the coronavirus cases reported worldwide last week and a quarter of the deaths.

 

Medical experts say India's actual figures could be five to 10 times the official tallies. Read on...

11:59 AM

Covid-19: Kerala govt announces lockdown from May 8 to May 16

Covid-19: Kerala govt announces lockdown from May 8 to May 16

11:31 AM

SC hearing begins on supply of oxygen to Delhi hospitals

Supreme Court begins hearing the matter regarding the supply of Oxygen by the Centre to various hospitals in Delhi.

The Union of India has to apprise the Supreme Court as to how it will provide Oxygen to the Delhi hospitals

11:11 AM

Active Covid-19 cases in country recorded at 35,66,398: Union Health Ministry

Active Covid-19 cases in country recorded at 35,66,398: Union Health Ministry

11:10 AM

BoB allots Rs 500 cr to Serum after RBI liquidity tap for healthcare firms

Banks have changed gear to cater to healthcare after the Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday opened a Rs 50,000 crore liquidity tap exclusively for companies involved in providing vaccine, oxygen, ventilator etc as the country fights a ferocious second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

 

At least one lender, Bank of Baroda (BoB), has sanctioned Rs 500 crore to Serum Institute of India (SII),– which is producing Covishield, the vaccine against coronavirus infection. Read on...

11:02 AM

Delhi coronavirus: Four people arrested in connection with black marketing of oxygen concentrators

Four people from a restaurant-cum-bar in Lodhi Colony have been arrested in connection with black marketing of oxygen concentrators. Police recovered 419 oxygen concentrators, which were sold for over Rs 70,000. Case has been registered: DCP South

10:57 AM

Over 67,000 people administered Covid-19 vaccine in Delhi in last 24 hours

Over 67,000 people were vaccinated against coronavirus in a day in the national capital, according to data shared by the government on Thursday.

 

As per the data, 47,086 people in the 18-44 age group got vaccinated till 9.30 pm on Wednesday.

 

A total of 5,230 people in the 45-59 age group were vaccinated, while 1,629 people, aged above 60, received the first dose of vaccine.

 

As many as 1,571 frontline workers and 591 healthcare workers were also given the first jab on Wednesday. Read on...

10:38 AM

RBI's Covid relief: Good move, but late, says health care industry

The Indian health care industry welcomed the Reserve Bank of India’s move to open an on-tap liquidity window of Rs 50,000 crore, but some felt it may not make much difference now.

 

While some companies said they were open to borrowing, others felt their working capital cycle was comfortable.

 

The RBI on Wednesday opened up a liquidity window of Rs 50,000 crore with tenors of up to three years to boost the provision of immediate liquidity for ramping up Covid-related health care infrastructure and services. Read on...

10:18 AM

PM Modi condoles demise of RLD chief Ajit Singh due to Covid-19

10:15 AM

Coronavirus updates: Uttarakhand allots Rs 100 Cr for Covid vaccination of people aged 18-44

Rs 100 crore has been allotted from the Uttarakhand's Chief Minister's relief fund for Covid-19 vaccination of citizens between18-44 years of age in the state, Additional Secretary to the state government Arunendra Singh Chauhan has informed.

 

Chauhan wrote a letter to the new Director-General of Medical Health and Family Welfare and informed about the allotted fund for the vaccination.

 

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Panwar and Health Secretary Amit Negi held a press conference on Wednesday and informed about the efforts being made by the government to contain the spread of Covid-19 infection in Uttarakhand. Read on...

9:56 AM

India welcomes US decision to back IP rules waiver for Covid-19 vaccines

India has appreciated the Biden administration's decision to support a proposal moved by it and South Africa to temporarily waive some Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) rules amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 

For the past several weeks, India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, along with the diplomats from South Africa, had been meeting US lawmakers and officials regarding the proposal.

 

"We appreciate the US administration's announcement today of its support for waiver of IPR for Covid-19 vaccines, Sandhu told PTI on Wednesday. Read on...