Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi sees cases below 100 for first time since April 30

Coronavirus live updates: Over 2 million healthcare workers across India have received Covid-19 vaccine jabs

3:41 AM

Spain running short of vaccines due to delivery delays

Amid another COVID-19 surge, Spanish health authorities are running out of vaccines and have been forced to postpone giving shots to health workers and nursing home residents due to delays in deliveries by pharmaceutical companies.
 

Catalonia's public health chief Josep Argimon said Wednesday that the northeast region that includes Barcelona will have used up all its available vaccines by Friday, when its “refrigerators will be empty.” Argimon said this will mean that 10,000 people who had received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine won't be able to get their required second dose as planned 21 days later.
 

Argimon said “in theory this should not be a problem” because the guidelines approved by the European Union indicate the second dose can be administered 21 to 45 days after the first shot.
 

But he said: “All these elements add more uncertainty to the vaccination scheme.” Catalonia has also experienced a delay in receiving the Moderna coronavirus vaccine, the only other vaccine currently approved by the EU, which was supposed to arrive this week but has been pushed back until Monday, Argimon said.
 

Spain, along with the rest of the EU, has suffered inoculation delays since Pfizer announced two weeks ago that it would have a temporary reduction in deliveries so it could upgrade its plant in Puurs, Belgium.
 

3:41 AM

Protesters in Lebanon clash with police over virus lockdown

Lebanese security forces opened fire in violent clashes Wednesday with dozens of protesters who took to the street in the country's north for a third consecutive day to denounce deteriorating living conditions amid a strict lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
 

At least one protester was hit by live ammunition and fell to the ground, blood pouring from his thigh. Police said they were responding to hand grenades thrown by the protesters that injured nine policemen, including three officers.
 

The violence marked a sharp escalation in confrontations in the northern city of Tripoli that began on Monday and continued for three straight days into Wednesday night. The city is the second largest in Lebanon, and the most impoverished.
 

Earlier, police fired tear gas and water cannons at dozens of young men who tried to storm a government building in the city. The Red Cross, in a statement, said its volunteers transported 11 people to hospital, while 63 others were lightly injured and treated on the spot.
 

Amid a dramatic surge in coronavirus infections, the government has imposed a nearly month-long nationwide lockdown and round-the-clock curfew, the strictest since the virus hit Lebanon.
 

The measures have exacerbated a crippling economic and financial crisis that preceded the pandemic in this small Mediterranean country of nearly 5 million people and over 1 million refugees.
 

11:01 PM

India to gift 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccine to Sri Lanka tomorrow

A consignment containing 5,00,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines gifted by India will reach Sri Lanka on Tuesday. This gift of Covid-19 vaccines to Sri Lanka is a part of India's "Vaccine Maitri" initiative under which India has gifted vaccines to seven other countries in the region. The consignment, which will be containing 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccines manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), will reach Colombo.

This comes days after Sri Lanka's drugs regulatory body -- National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) gave a go-ahead to Oxford Astrazeneca's vaccine. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka from January 5-7 upon the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena. During the visit, Sri Lankan side requested India for urgent delivery of Covid vaccines. The supply of 5 lakh doses is a fulfilment of that request.

The delivery of the COVID-19 vaccines to Sri Lanka is a fulfilment of PM Narendra Modi's commitment made to Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa during the Virtual Bilateral Summit held in September 2020 for all possible support to Sri Lanka for minimizing the health and economic impact of the pandemic.

10:35 PM

Over 6,500 people get Covid-19 vaccine shots on Tue in Delhi; turnout 80 pc

Over 6,500 healthcare workers received COVID-19 vaccine shots in Delhi on Wednesday in the second week of the vaccination drive, as the city recorded a turnout of 80 per cent. After a sluggish start, since the exercise was kicked off January 16, the inoculation drive has picked up pace in the last several days. The targeted number for vaccination on January 27 was 8,100, officials said. 7408 "Today, 6,545 people were administered coronavirus vaccine, and AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) was reported in 12 persons," a senior official of the Delhi Health Department said.

On Monday, 7,408 healthcare workers had got the jabs, with a turnout of over 91 per cent, the highest till date. Under the nationwide mega vaccination drive launched on January 16, a total of 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers against a target of 8,117, were administered the shots at 81 centres across the city on day one. On the second scheduled day, the figures had stood at 3,598 (44 per cent of the target).

The sharp fall had come after one severe and 50 minor adverse effect cases were reported, on the opening day of the vaccination drive. The count on third schedule day was much higher, at 4,936 (48 per cent).

10:34 PM

353 test Covid-19 positive in Gujarat; active cases below 4,000

Gujarat reported 353 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking its tally to 2,60,220, while 462 patients recovered from the infection, the state health department said. With one more death - reported from Ahmedabad - the state's COVID-19 fatalities rose to 4,382, it said. As many as 462 patients were discharged during the day, pushing the number of recovered cases to 2,51,862, said the department in a release.

With this, the state's COVID-19 recovery rate improved further to 96.79 per cent, it said. There are now 3,976 active cases in Gujarat, with 43 patients being on ventilators, the release said. Ahmedabad and Vadodara reported 75 new cases each followed by Rajkot 64 and Surat 47.

Ahmedabad district's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 61,770, while the death toll went up to 2,291 with one more fatality, the release said. Surat's COVID-19 tally rose to 52,002 with 47 new cases, said the department. These four districts together accounted for 74 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday.

10:06 PM

47,470 health workers get vaccines today, total 178,371 in Maharashtra

As many as 47,470 health workers or 77 per cent of the targeted workers for the day were administered COVID-19 vaccine doses across 528 centres in Maharashtra on Wednesday, a senior official said. With this, a total of 1,78,371 health workers have been vaccinated so far, Dr Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary of the state public health department said.

While most of the health workers were administered doses of Covishield vaccine, some others from six districts Amravati, Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Solapur and Aurangabad- were given Covaxin, he said. "As many as 47,470 health workers received their first jab of the vaccine at 528 centres," he said.

10:05 PM

Punjab reports 10 more Covid-19 deaths, 193 new cases

Punjab reported 10 coronavirus deaths and 193 cases on Wednesday, taking the overall figures to 5,581 fatalities and 1,72,406 infections, officials said. There are 2,080 active COVID-19 cases in the state as on Wednesday, according to a medical bulletin. Among the fresh cases witnessed in the state, Ludhiana reported 38 new cases, Mohali 28 and Jalandhar 26.

A total of 204 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection, taking the number of recoveries to 1,64,745, as per the bulletin. Eight critical patients are on ventilator support while 71 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said. A total of 44,04,889 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, it said.

10:04 PM

Bangladesh launches COVID-19 vaccination drive

Bangladesh on Wednesday launched its nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive with AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine Covishield, a week after the first vaccines were delivered by India.Calling it a "historic day" for Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the vaccination campaign virtually from her residence and a nurse of state-run Kurmitola General Hospital (KGH), Runu Veronica Costa, became the first to receive the shot.

"You are not frightened, are you?" Hasina said as a medical official prepared to vaccinate her at the state-run health facility, which was one of the first designated COVID hospitals in the country. Costa in response showed a negative gesture, earning the premier's appreciation who commented "a brave girl". "Many greetings to you, stay healthy and serve many more patients," Hasina said.

We want protection of all from the coronavirus. I want to say to you all to work with sincerity to make the COVID-19 vaccination a success. We want cooperation from all as everything will go well to this end, Hasina said in her inaugural comments. She said the vaccination programme was initiated strictly following World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and protocols while Bangladesh appeared as one of forerunner countries to launch the inoculation campaign.

8:12 PM

Kerala reports 5,659 new Covid-19 positive cases in last 24 hours

Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shailaja said that 5,659 people tested Covid positive on Wednesday. She also said that 5,006 people recovered from the illness and were discharged from hospital. 51,130 samples were tested in the past 24 hours, a government release said as the test positivity rate is 11.07 per cent.

 

With these positive cases on Wednesday, the total number of Covid patients in the state is now 72,234.

 

The industrial and commercial capital of the state Ernakulam continues to have the maximum number of Covid positive cases at 879 while Kasargod has the least number of cases at 84.

8:08 PM

No case of serious/severe AEFI/deaths attributable to vaccination till date: Health Ministry

7:25 PM

No new Covid-19 case found in Dharavi for second time in January

Dharavi, the biggest slum in Mumbai, did not report any coronavirus positive case in the last 24 hours, a civic official said on Wednesday. It is for the second time in January, this slum pocket has not recorded even a single case in a day. This has happened for the third time since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the city, officials said. On January 22, not a single infection case was reported in Dharavi and it had also happened on December 25.

 

Dharavi's caseload currently stands at 3,911, and so far 3,585 patients have already recovered and got discharge from hospitals, the official said. At present, the area has 14 active cases only, he said. The first coronavirus case in Dharavi was reported on April 1 last year, nearly 20 days after the first was patient found in Mumbai. Spread over 2.5 sq km, Dharavi is considered as Asia's largest slum with a population of over 6.5 lakh.

7:17 PM

Nine deaths reported so far post-vaccination

7:11 PM

India's vaccine diplomacy: 500,000 Covishield doses to Lanka

As a beneficiary of India's vaccine diplomacy, Sri Lanka will on Thursday receive a consignment of 500,000 doses of 'Covishield' vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII). This gift of Covid-19 vaccine doses to Sri Lanka is a part of India's 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative under which India has gifted vaccines to seven other countries in the region, IANS report said.

 

This humanitarian gesture amid the pandemic is in accordance with India's commitment to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy and SAGAR doctrine in which Sri Lanka has a prominent position.

 

The delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine doses to Sri Lanka is a fulfilment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa during the Virtual Bilateral Summit held in September 2020.

7:08 PM

23,28,779 beneficiaries vaccinated against Covid-19 so far across India: Health Ministry

7:02 PM

LIVE: Health Ministry briefing on Covid-19 vaccination