Coronavirus LIVE: Over 10.8 mn Covid vaccine doses given so far, says govt

Coronavirus live updates: Maharashtra recorded over 6,000 cases in a single day. India's active Covid-19 cases are on the rise again

5:38 PM

Since March last year, BMC collected over Rs 31 crore in fine from people not wearing face masks

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has collected a total fine of Rs 31.79 crore between March 2020 to February 19 this year from 15.71 lakh people who were caught without face masks in public spaces, according to ANI . According to BMC data, a total of 13,592 people were penalised on February 19 and a total of Rs 27,18,000 was collected from them.

BMC has collected fines worth Rs 31,79,43,400 from March till February 19 this year from 15,71,679 people, as per ANI. The municipal corporation made wearing masks or covering the face mandatory in public places since April 2020 due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai and violating this protocol attracts a fine of Rs 200.

5:17 PM

Jaishankar hands over 100,000 extra doses of Covid vaccine to Maldives

4:59 PM

Russia registers 12,953 Covid-19 cases in past 24 hours

Russia registered 12,953 new Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, down from 13,433 the day before, taking the overall tally to 4,151,984, the coronavirus response center said on Saturday, according to PTI.

"Over the past day, 12,953 coronavirus cases were confirmed across 85 regions, including 1,325 cases (10.2 percent) that were detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms," the center said, adding that the cumulative case count has now reached 4,151,984, with the rate of increase at 0.3 percent. Moscow confirmed 1,623 new coronavirus cases over the given period, down from 1,972 the day before. The Russian capital was followed by St. Petersburg with 1,092 new cases, up from 1,087 the day before, and the Moscow Region with 690 new cases, up from 687 on Friday, PTI reported.

4:53 PM

AIIMS chief calls for PPP for large-scale rollout of Covid vaccination programme

Terming the recent drop in Covid-19 cases in the country as a "small window of opportunity", AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria on Saturday called for a public-private partnership (PPP) for rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme at a large scale. Speaking at an AIMA event here, Guleria said the vaccine is the only weapon available to gain immunity and help reduce mortality rate due to the infectious disease, according to PTI.

He noted that there was a need to put healthcare at the centrestage and not consider it only as a service sector. "As far as vaccination is concerned there is still a lot to do and I think there has to be more private public partnership," the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director said. There is a need to gradually start opening up in order to cover large number of people, he noted. "Vaccinating health care workers and front line workers is probably the easy part as far as Phase 1 is concerned as you know who needs to be vaccinated. The number is not that large, PTI reported.

"Once you start the process to vaccinate 27 crore individuals, in that scenario we must have a robust programme in place where you have the list of people to be vaccinated," Guleria said. He further said: "We need to develop a mechanism where public and private sector actually start rolling out the vaccine at a large scale."  Guleria noted that there is an urgency to roll out the vaccine to a large number of people as there were dosages available due to some level of hesitancy in the healthcare and frontline workers, as per PTI copy.

4:20 PM

Karnataka govt issues circular in view of rising cases of Covid in Maharashtra

4:18 PM

Manipur Anganwadi worker dies a week after taking Covid-19 vaccine

A 48-year-old Anganwadi worker in Manipur has died a week after receiving her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, officials said on Saturday, according to PTI. W Sundari Devi of Kumbi Terakha area in Bishunpur district had received her first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine on February 12 at Kumbhi primary health centre (PHC), they said. She was taken to the Moirang community health centre (CHC) on February 18 as she had breathing problems and died at the CHC on Friday.

Health Department officials said that a special team will conduct the post-mortem of the deceased to ascertain the true cause of the death. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren Singh met the family members of Sundari and heard their grievances. He expressed deep condolences and assured the family members of suitable compensation duly considering the post-mortem report, PTI reported.

3:41 PM

1305 buildings sealed in Mumbai after 2749 Covid-19 cases reported: BMC

3:34 PM

Philippines logs 2,240 new Covid-19 cases, 239 more deaths

The Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines reported on Saturday 2,240 new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 559,288, according to ANI. The death toll climbed to 12,068 after 239 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said. Saturday's reported daily death is the highest since September 14 last year, which stood at 259.

It added that 504 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 513,120. The Philippines, which has about 110 million population, has tested nearly eight million people since the disease emerged in January last year. The DOH called on local government units to step up and intensify surveillance efforts to prevent transmission, should the government ease further the quarantine measures next month. "The local government must come up with a response such as better surveillance so that they can appropriately manage if ever and control the number of cases. That is our safeguard," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a televised press conference on Saturday, according to ANI.

3:00 PM

India Coronavirus Dispatch: Mumbai announces strict measures to curb virus

The pandemic aggravated the severity of most eye conditions in people, with an increased number of patients suffering from advanced cataracts, infections, severe dry eyes, and even corneal graft rejection, according to doctors at Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Business Standard reported. Read more

2:31 PM

29 fresh Covid-19 cases in Puducherry, no deaths

Twenty nine fresh Covid-19 cases in the Union Territory of Puducherry on Saturday took the tally to 39,569, while the fatalities remained at 662 with no deaths being reported, the health department said, according to PTI. A total of 1,590 samples were tested during the last 24 hours ending 10 AM and the cumulative number of specimens examined so far stood at 6.17 lakh, Health and Family Welfare Services Director S Mohan Kumar said in a release.

There were 188 active cases after the recovery of 18 patients. In total, 38,719 people have been cured of the virus in the UT. Mahe accounted for 14 cases, Puducherry region 12 and Karaikal three. Yanam recorded nil cases. Kumar said 8,051 health care personnel and 407 front line workers have so far been vaccinated. He said the fatality and recovery rates were 1.67 per cent and 97.85 per cent respectively, as per PTI.

1:55 PM

Rise in daily Covid cases in Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and MP: Govt

Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh have recorded an "upsurge" in daily new cases of COVID-19, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday, according to PTI. In a statement, the ministry said in the last seven days, Chhattisgarh has also seen a rise in daily active new cases. In the last 24 hours, 259 daily new cases have been reported, it said.

Kerala continues to report a high number of daily new cases and in the past week, Maharashtra has exhibited a spike in the number of daily new cases, accounting for the highest number of daily new cases in the country on Saturday, the ministry said in the statement. "In the last 24 hours, 6,112 daily new cases have been reported in the state," it said. Similar to Maharashtra, the ministry said Punjab has also shown a sudden spike in the number of daily new cases reported in the last seven days with 383 fresh cases recorded in the last 24 hours, as per PTI.

1:35 PM

LIVE: Covid-19 test must for Karnataka-bound travellers from Kerala, Maharashtra

On an avg, 4000-5000 cases being reported in Kerala & 5000-6000 in Maharashtra daily. We share borders with them. So, we issued circulars. Unless we see RT-PCR negative certificates from those coming from these states they won't be permitted to enter Karnataka: State's Health Minister

12:46 PM

Coronavirus in India: Five most affected states by cases

Maharashtra (2,087,632)

Kerala (1,025,937)

Karnataka (947,246)

Andhra Pradesh (889,156)

Tamil Nadu (847,385)

12:21 PM

Maharashtra coronavirus: Thane district's Covid-19 count rises by 471, death toll by 8

With 471 new coronavirus cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra climbed to 2,59,668, an official said on Saturday.

 

These new cases were reported on Friday, he said.

 

As the virus claimed the life of eight persons, the death toll in the district rose to 6,227.

11:53 AM

AstraZeneca to produce coronavirus vaccine doses in Japan for 40 million people

The AstraZeneca company is going to produce in Japan doses of the coronavirus vaccine enough for 40 million people, the executive director of the Japanese department of the firm said.

 

The company's representative told the NHK broadcaster that AstraZeneca had signed a contract with Japan on providing the country with doses for 60 million people. Doses for 40 million people will be produced at the facilities of the JCR Pharmaceuticals company in the prefecture of Hyogo.

 

The vaccination campaign in Japan started on February 17. Pfizer remains the only authorized vaccine against the coronavirus in Japan. AstraZeneca submitted documents for the registration in Japan on February 17.