Coronavirus LIVE: 38 infected in India with new virus strain, says govt

Coronavirus live updates: At 1,947,011, Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases, followed by Karnataka 921,938, Andhra Pradesh 883,082, Tamil Nadu 820,712, and Kerala 775,000

5:17 PM

Covaxin: Science, not pride will help India build trust in this vaccine

Like many things in India nowadays, the science of vaccine approval has also run into the politics of chest-thumping nationalism.

 

Alongside authorising Covishield, the Covid-19 protection developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India Ltd., the country’s drugs regulator on Sunday gave a go-ahead to an indigenous vaccine for which critical phase three trial data isn’t yet available.

 

The hasty nod for Bharat Biotech International Ltd.’s Covaxin, developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology, has raised eyebrows in the scientific and healthcare communities about a “public rollout of an untested product,” according to a national network of nongovernment organizations. READ ON...

 

4:58 PM

New Ciovid-19 strain: Total 38 people in India test positive

A total of 38 people have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. These include the 29 cases which were announced till Friday.

 

All these people have been kept in single room isolation in designated healthcare facilities by respective state governments and their close contacts have also been put under quarantine, the ministry said.

 

Of the 38, the mutated UK strain was detected in eight samples at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi, 11in theInstitute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi,one in the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani (near Kolkata), five in the National Institute of Virology in Pune, three inCentre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)in Hyderabad and 10 were sequenced at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Hospital (NIMHANS),Bengaluru.

3:54 PM

Total number of people infected with new strain of coronavirus in India stands at 38: Ministry of Health

3:26 PM

With 19,557 new Covid-19 recoveries, India tops global chart

With 19,557 fresh recoveries in the last 24 hours, India clocked the highest number of COVID-19 recoveries in the world, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed here on Monday. A total of 99,46,867 patients have recovered from the coronavirus in the country.

 

As many as 16,504 new COVID-19 cases were reported from the country in the last 24 hours continuing its streak of reporting low daily cases and high recoveries. As per a statement, the active caseload in the country has now fallen to 2,43,953, just 2.36 per cent of the cumulative caseload (1,03,40,470). India's total cumulative tests now stand at 17,56,35,761 including 7,35,978 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.

2:31 PM

Britain begins inoculating citizens with AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine against Covid-19

2:10 PM

Ladakh's coronavirus tally rises to 9,956 with six fresh infections

Ladakh's COVID-19 caseload climbed to 9,956 on Monday as six more people tested positive for the disease. All the six fresh cases were reported from Leh district. So far, Ladakh has recorded a total of 127 COVID-19 deaths with Leh alone accounting for 84, the officials said.

 

With the recovery of 10 more patients, all from Leh, the union territory's active caseload stands at 257 (246 in Leh district and 11 in Kargil district. A total of 9,172 patients have recovered after successful treatment. With the six fresh cases, Leh's tally has risen to 7,459. Kargil's COVID-19 caseload stands at 2,097, the officials said.

 

1:50 PM

Japan preparing to launch Covid-19 vaccination by late February

Japan is planning to launch COVID-19 vaccination by late February, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Monday. The country has agreements with Pfizer/BioNTech for 120 million vaccine doses, UK-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca for another 120 million doses and US company Moderna for 50 million doses.

 

"The government is preparing to start vaccination, if possible, by the end of February, while continuing to study safety and effectiveness of [vaccines]," Suga told a press conference.

 

The Japanese Health Ministry earlier reported that once a coronavirus vaccine gets authorization in the country, which is likely to occur in February, 10,000 medical workers will immediately receive shots. On March, 4 million health care workers are expected to get inoculated.

1:34 PM

Enough stockpile of Covid vaccine for priority groups in first phase: Niti Aayog member V K Paul

India has enough stockpile of the COVID-19 vaccine for inoculation of priority groups, including healthcare workers and frontline workers, in the first phase, Niti Aayog member V K Paul said on Monday.

 

Paul, who is also the Chairman of National Expert Group On Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) further said the government will soon announce its plans for purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine.

 

"Our first phase (of vaccination) comprises priority groups with high risk of mortality and our healthcare and frontline workers. For them, we believe, we have enough (COVID-19 vaccine) stockpile," he told PTI in an interview. Read on...

11:46 AM

UP coronavirus update: Agra records Covid recovery rate of 96.72%

The Agra district has reported a fall in the daily number of Covid-19 cases. Fourteen fresh cases were reported in the past 24 hours taking the tally to 10,286, and the overall recovery rate improved to 96.72 per cent.

 

In the past one week, the numbers have been falling, bringing some respite to the health administration in the district.

 

The daily numbers have now come down to below 25 from an alarming 100 plus in November and December.

 

The number of active cases now is 167. Since March 2020, there have been 170 deaths.

 

Meanwhile, the state health department has completed the training for the vaccination.

11:44 AM

Gold prices scale eight-week high as tighter lockdown measures loom

Gold prices started the new year on a high by notching an eight-week peak after surpassing the key $1,900 level on Monday, as a surge in COVID-19 cases and prospects of tougher coronavirus control measures lured investors to the safe-haven metal.

 

Spot gold rose 1.1% to $1,919.07 per ounce by 0246 GMT, having hit its highest since Nov. 9 at $1,920.09, while U.S. gold futures climbed 1.5% to $1,923.50.

 

A business survey on Monday showed that activity growth in China's vast industrial sector had slowed, raising doubts about swift global economic rebound. Investors also looked forward to data from the United States and Europe that is due later in the day. Read on...

11:25 AM

Covid-19 found on auto part packaging samples in China

Multiple auto part packaging samples have tested positive for the novel coronavirus across China, after a company engaged in auto part sales reported a confirmed Covid-19 case.

 

In the city of Jincheng, Shanxi province, the local centre for disease control and prevention detected the virus on auto tire packaging, Xinhua news agency reported.

 

The centre then activated an emergency response.

 

Personnel who came in close contact with the goods have been quarantined and all have tested negative.

11:23 AM

Chile reports 2,289 new Covid-19 cases

Chile registered 2,289 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, for a total of 618,191 cases, which increased the nationwide infection tally to 618,191, the Ministry of Health reported.

 

Besides the new cases, the Ministry on Sunday also registered 43 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 16,767, Xinhua news agency reported.

 

It said that a total of 584,457 patients had recovered from the disease, while 16,620 were in the active stage.

 

In the last seven days, infections surged by 24 per cent, while in the last two weeks it increased by 30 per cent, according to the Ministry.

10:12 AM

Zimbabwe Cricket suspends all cricket activities due to rising Covid cases

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has temporarily suspended all cricket activities in the country in the wake of new lockdown restrictions announced by the government due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

 

According to ESPNcricinfo report, in fact, all sporting activity in Zimbabwe has been temporarily suspended, according to a statement from the sports and recreation commission.

 

"This is a very challenging situation, but ZC's aim is to reschedule all the affected events and fixtures - including the elite men's domestic T20 competition which was scheduled to begin this Monday - for them to be played as soon as it is deemed safe to do so," ESPNcricinfo quoted ZC as saying in a statement. Read on...

9:58 AM

Coronavirus India update: Summary of MoHFW data (January 4)

Active cases: 243,953 (Net reduction: 3,267)

Deaths: 149,649 (Net addition: 214)

Cured: 9,946,867 (Net addition: 19,557)

Total cases: 10,340,469 (Net addition: 16,504)

9:50 AM

Asian factories shake off Covid-19 hit, tighter controls cloud outlook

Asian factory activity expanded moderately in December thanks to robust demand in regional giant China, business surveys showed on Monday, the latest sign that manufacturers are emerging from the initial damage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

But Chinese factory growth slowed and tougher coronavirus control measures put in place or being considered across the world clouded the outlook, keeping Asian policymakers under pressure to maintain or ramp up massive stimulus programmes. Read on...