Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra, Delhi, UP, Karnataka see record daily cases

Coronavirus live updates: India has added 2,142,934 fresh Covid-19 cases since April 1. Mumbai registered 9,925 new cases, Delhi 17,282 in the last 24 hours. Stay tuned for corona-related news

12:17 PM

Japan expands virus alert in Tokyo area as Covid-19 cases surge spreads

Japan is set to raise the coronavirus alert level in Tokyo's three neighbouring prefectures and a forth area in central Japan to allow tougher measures as a more contagious coronavirus variant spreads, along with doubts whether the Olympics can go ahead.

 

The move comes only four days after Tokyo was placed on alert while the vaccination campaign has covered less than 1% of the population.

 

The government is expected to official approve the alert status for Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba and Aichi prefectures in central Japan at a meeting later Friday. It will allow heads of the prefectures to mandate shorter hours for bars and restaurants, along with punishments for violators and compensation for those who comply. READ ON...

12:14 PM

Covid-19: Lucknow's iconic Bada Imambara, other monuments closed for public

Iconic Nawabi-era structure the Bada Imambara and other monuments in the Uttar Pradesh capital have been closed for public till further orders due to the Covid-19 situation.

 

"Bada Imambara (Bhool Bhulaiya), Chhota Imambara, picture gallery and Shahjanaf Imambara have been closed till further orders," an order issued by District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash said.

 

Violators of the order will be liable for punishable action under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code," it said. Read on...

11:40 AM

Study sheds light on ten reasons why the coronavirus is airborne

According to a new assessment published today in the medical journal Lancet there is consistent, strong evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, is predominantly transmitted through the air.

 

Therefore, public health measures that fail to treat the virus as predominantly airborne leave people unprotected and allow the virus to spread, according to six experts from the UK, USA and Canada, including Jose-Luis Jimenez, a chemist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and the University of Colorado Boulder.

 

"The evidence supporting airborne transmission is overwhelming, and evidence supporting large droplet transmission is almost non-existent," Jimenez said. "It is urgent that the World Health Organization and other public health agencies adapt their description of transmission to the scientific evidence so that the focus of mitigation is put on reducing airborne transmission."

11:39 AM

Don't write off China's Covid-19 vaccines: World needs them as cases surge

It’s been an awkward time for the head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Gao Fu was cited over the weekend as telling a health conference that the agency was considering options to improve the efficacy of China’s shots against Covid-19, which was currently “not high.” His remarks, perhaps the first significant hint of official concern over the protection rate offered by homegrown vaccines, were censored. Gao hurriedly gave an interview dismissing the episode as a misunderstanding. But the harm was done — because he was right.

 

China’s vaccines do appear to shield less effectively than those developed elsewhere. This is bad news for everyone, in a week when Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine became the latest paused over blood-clot concerns. We all need the most populous country in the world to inoculate its citizens, and to succeed in supporting vaccination drives in countries like Indonesia, the worst-infected nation in Southeast Asia. Low efficacy fuels hesitancy and, crucially, makes it harder to achieve herd immunity — the point at which normal life can resume. Read on...

11:32 AM

Centre's strategy to fight pandemic consists of imposing 'Tughlaqi lockdown and ringing bells, says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi takes dig at central government, says its strategy to fight COVID-19 pandemic consists of imposing 'Tughlaqi lockdown, ringing bells and singing praises to Lord’

10:56 AM

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa holds an emergency meeting at his residence over the Covid-19 situation

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa holds an emergency meeting at his residence over the Covid-19 situation. State health minister Dr K Sudhakar and other senior officials present

 

10:53 AM

Only vaccinated Muslims can go for Haj pilgrimage, says Haj Committee of India

Haj Committee of India (HCI) has said that no Indian Muslims shall be allowed to go for the annual Haj pilgrimage unless they have taken the two vaccine doses, reports IANS.

10:46 AM

India reports highest-ever single-day spike with 2,17,353 Covid-19 cases

A record single-day rise of 2,17,353new coronavirus infections took India's total tally of Covid-19 cases to1,42,91,917,while active cases surpassed the 15-lakh mark,according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

 

The death toll increased to1,74,308 with 1,185 new fatalities,the highest since September 19, 2020,the data updated at 8 am showed.

 

Registering a steady increase for the 37th day in a row, the active cases have increased to15,69,743,comprising 10.98per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate dropped to 87.80 per cent. READ ON...

10:38 AM

Ranjit Sinha, ex-CBI director and DG ITBP, passes away

Ranjit Sinha's Covid-19 report had come yesterday, he had tested positive for the disease.

10:37 AM

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal test positive for coronavirus

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal test positive for coronavirus

10:36 AM

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala tests positive

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala tests positive

10:33 AM

Japan expands virus alert in Tokyo area as surge spreads

Japan is set to raise the coronavirus alert level in Tokyo's three neighbouring prefectures and a forth area in central Japan to allow tougher measures as a more contagious coronavirus variant spreads, along with doubts whether the Olympics can go ahead.

 

The move comes only four days after Tokyo was placed on alert while the vaccination campaign has covered less than 1% of the population.

 

The government is expected to official approve the alert status for Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba and Aichi prefectures in central Japan at a meeting later Friday. It will allow heads of the prefectures to mandate shorter hours for bars and restaurants, along with punishments for violators and compensation for those who comply.

10:32 AM

Don't write off China's Covid-19 vaccines: World needs them as cases surge

It’s been an awkward time for the head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Gao Fu was cited over the weekend as telling a health conference that the agency was considering options to improve the efficacy of China’s shots against Covid-19, which was currently “not high.” His remarks, perhaps the first significant hint of official concern over the protection rate offered by homegrown vaccines, were censored. Gao hurriedly gave an interview dismissing the episode as a misunderstanding. But the harm was done — because he was right.

 

China’s vaccines do appear to shield less effectively than those developed elsewhere. This is bad news for everyone, in a week when Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine became the latest paused over blood-clot concerns. We all need the most populous country in the world to inoculate its citizens, and to succeed in supporting vaccination drives in countries like Indonesia, the worst-infected nation in Southeast Asia. Low efficacy fuels hesitancy and, crucially, makes it harder to achieve herd immunity — the point at which normal life can resume. READ ON...

10:09 AM

Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tests Covid-positive

10:08 AM

Coronavirus in India: Summary of MoHFW data (April 16)

Active cases: 1,569,743(Net addition: 97,866)

Deaths: 174,308 (Net increase: 1,185)

Cured: 12,547866 (Net increase: 118,302)

Total cases: 14,291,917 (Net increase: 217,353)

Total vaccination: 117,223,509 (Increase over previous day: 2,730,359)