Covid-19 LIVE: Over 68,500 new cases in Maharashtra, another record spike

Coronavirus live updates: Modi asks civil servants to press entire national capacity for vaccine production as daily cases and deaths rise. Stay tuned for news on Covid-19

9:15 AM

Kumbh Mela should now only be symbolic: PM Modi to Swami Avdheshanand Giri over Covid surge

8:41 AM

Covid-19 Tests mandatory in Kathua for people entering Jammu & Kashmir

Amid the surge in the COVID-19 cases across the nation, the Kathua administration is conducting COVID-19 tests for the people entering Jammu and Kashmir at the Lakhanpur area in Kathua district.

 

8:09 AM

India has a double mutant Coronavirus variant. Should we be worried?

As India’s daily tally of Covid-19 infections surged by a record 200,000-plus cases on two consecutive days, public health experts worry that a new -- possibly more virulent -- coronavirus variant could be racing through the crowded nation of more than 1.3 billion people.

 

The new variant, which has a so-called double mutation, is thought to be fueling India’s deadlier new wave of infections that has made it the world’s second worst-hit country, surpassing Brazil, and has already begun to overwhelm its hospitals and crematoriums. The Asian nation has reported more than 14 million Covid cases so far and more than 174,300 fatalities. Read on...

8:08 AM

Canada's Covid-19 cases surpass 1.1 million, death toll reaches 22,532

Canada's cumulative Covid-19 cases surpassed 1,100,000 as of Friday, with the total hitting 1,103,067, including 22,532 deaths, according to CTV.

 

Ontario, Canada's most populous province, reported 4,812 new Covid-19 cases Friday morning, breaking a record for the most daily cases, Xinhua news agency reported.

 

Ontario with a population of 14 million, has been under a province-wide lockdown for two weeks and stay-at-home order for one week. Read on...

7:25 AM

India's brutal Covid-19 wave hammers fuel sales as lockdowns spread

Indian fuel sales declined in the first half of April as a deadly second wave of Covid-19 led to renewed lockdowns and crippled demand. Read on...

 

 

7:16 AM

Covid-19: Uttarakhand govt restricts entry of people in state secretariat

Amid the rise in COVID-19 cases in the state, the Uttarakhand government has restricted the entry of people in the state secretariat.

 

The order was issued by the Chief Secretary of the state Om Prakash on Friday said that only ministers and staff will be allowed to enter the secretariat.

 

"The journalists are also not allowed to enter the secretariat," the order said. Read on...

7:07 AM

Govt push to step up Covid-19 vaccine output 10 times by September

After fast-tracking the entry of foreign vaccines, the government is now taking steps to increase the production of indigenously developed Covaxin by almost ten-fold by September. The move comes at a time when Covid-19 cases have surged across the country and several states have raised concern over vaccine shortage.

 

According to the plan, the production of Covaxin will increase from the current 10 million doses per month to 60-70 million by July-August. By September, the production capacity is estimated to touch 100 million doses as Bharat Biotech along with three public sector enterprises would together manufacture Covaxin, the Centre said on Thursday. The Centre would provide at least Rs 130 crore as grant to two facilities under the Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 Mission Covid Suraksha for capacity augmentation. While financial support will be provided to two other companies for producing Covaxin, the quantum of funding is not known for them. Read on...