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

3:55 AM

Bengal's Covid-19 toll mounts to 9,817, tally at 5,55,572

West Bengal reported 25 more Covid-19 deaths on Monday, pushing the toll to 9,817, while the coronavirus tally rose to 5,55,572 with 597 fresh cases, the health department said in a bulletin.
 

The discharge rate improved to 96.49 per cent after 1,347 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours, it said. Altogether, 5,36,084 people have been cured of the disease in the state.
 

West Bengal now has 9,671 active cases.
 

The maximum of eight fatalities was reported from the metropolis, while neighbouring North 24 Parganas accounted for seven deaths, South 24 Parganas (3) and Hooghly (2), the bulletin said.
 

North 24 Parganas recorded 174 fresh cases, Kolkata (152), South 24 Parganas (37) and Hooghly (27), it said.
 

Since Sunday, 25,256 samples for Covid-19 have been tested in West Bengal, pushing the total number of such clinical examinations to 72,35,326.

3:53 AM

British actress shooting in Kolkata tests Covid positive

British actress Banita Sandhu, who is in the city to shoot for a movie, tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and was admitted to a private hospital after she refused to be treated in a government facility, health department sources said.
 

Sandhu, who was shooting for 'Kavita & Teresa', reached the city on December 20 and she travelled in the same flight with the youth who tested positive for the mutant coronavirus strain on his return from the United Kingdom.
 

She was detected with the Covid-19 on Monday afternoon and steps were initiated to ascertain whether she has been infected with the new strain, an official said.
 

After Sandhu was taken to the Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital where a separate unit has been set up to keep those returned from the UK, the 23-year-old actress refused to come out of the ambulance alleging that the hospital lacked proper infrastructure.
 

"We had to inform the state secretariat and the health department as she was unwilling to come out of the ambulance and at one point of time, she wanted to leave.
 

"The British High Commission was informed as we cannot let her go like this which is against the protocol. We had to inform the police also. They (police personnel) came and surrounded the ambulance so that she cannot leave," the official said.
 

Sandhu, who co-starred with Varun Dhawan in 'October', was counselled several times by senior doctors of the hospital but their efforts went in vain.
 

"Eventually, with the permission of the health department, she was admitted to a private hospital," the official said adding that Sandhu has been kept in an isolated cabin there.
 

3:50 AM

England goes into new lockdown as Covid-19 variant rampages

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered England into a new national lockdown to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases that threatens to overwhelm parts of the health system before a vaccine programme reaches a critical mass.
 

The announcement came just hours after the government hailed Britain's success in becoming the first country to begin rolling out the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca against Covid-19.
 

Johnson said a new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus first identified in the United Kingdom and now present in many other countries was spreading at great speed and immediate action was needed to slow it down.
 

"As I speak to you tonight, our hospitals are under more pressure from Covid than any time since the start of the pandemic," Johnson said in a televised address to the country.
 

"With most of the country already under extreme measures, it's clear that we need to do more together to bring this new variant under control," he said.
 

"We must therefore go into a national lockdown, which is tough enough to contain this variant. That means the government is once again instructing you to stay at home." Non-essential shops and hospitality would have to remain closed, while primary and secondary schools would close from Tuesday for all pupils except vulnerable children and those whose parents are key workers.
 

Johnson said the disruption meant it would not be possible for all exams to go ahead this summer -- the second academic year in a row in which the pandemic has played havoc with pupils' education and future plans.
 

Johnson said that if the vaccine rollout went as planned and the number of deaths responded to the lockdown measures as expected, it should be possible to start moving out of lockdown by the middle of February.
 

8:46 PM

Maharashtra sees 2,765 new Covid-19 cases, over 10,000 recover

Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally on Monday rose to 19,47,011 with the addition of 2,765 fresh cases while 10,362 people recovered in a day. With 29 more patients succumbing to the viral disease, the cumulative death toll in the state mounted to 49,695, an official said.

 

A total of 10,362 patients were discharged after treatment during the day, taking the tally of recoveries in Maharashtra to 18,47,361, he said, adding that the state is now left with 48,801 active cases.

 

Mumbai city reported 516 new COVID-19 cases, taking the caseload to 2,94,986 while three people died during the day, which pushed the fatality count to 11,138. With 46,374 new tests, the number of tests conducted in Maharashtra until now has gone up to 1,30,04,876.

8:20 PM

Gujarat reports 698 Covid-19 cases, 898 recoveries; three deaths

Gujarat's COVID-19 tally rose to 2,47,926 on Monday with the addition of 698 new cases. With three more deaths, the state-wide COVID-19 fatalities went up to 4,321. Also, 898 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the number of recovered cases to 2,34,558, said the department in a release.

 

With this, the recovery rate improved further to 94. 61 per cent, it said.

 

As many as 47,995 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Monday, pushing the tally of samples tested so far to 98,58,659, the release said. Gujarat COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 2,47,926, new cases 698, deaths 4,321, active cases 9,047, people tested so far 98,58,659.

7:57 PM

Schools reopen in Pune after a gap of more than nine months

7:39 PM

Centre taking up Covid-19 vaccination in a big way: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday said the Centre has initiated a series of actions to prevent the spread of coronavirus and that it is now taking up the vaccination drive in a big way.

 

Vardhan's remarks came a day after India's drug regulator approved the restricted use of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech in the country.

 

In his address at the 32nd Convocation of city-based Sri amachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) held virtually, he said the pandemic showcased the contribution of the government sector towards adequate healthcare - both Intensive Care and otherwise. READ MORE...

7:19 PM

Kerala logs 3,021 new coronavirus cases; two UK returnees test positive

Kerala on Monday reported 3,021 new positive cases and 19 COVID-19-related deaths, pushing the infection count in the state to 7,78,873 and the death toll to 3,160. State health minister K K Shailaja said COVID-19 was detected in two persons who recently came from the United Kingdom, taking the number of infected persons from that country to 39.

 

"Of the samples sent earlier to NIV, Pune for confirmation of the mutant Covid strain, 12 results have so far come with no presence of the genetically modified virus," the minister said in a release.

 

Out of the total infected onMonday, 52 reached the state from outside, while 2,643 were cases of local transmission and the contact source for infection was not traceable in 284 cases. According to the release, 42 healthcare workers are among the infected.

6:56 PM

Bharat Biotech setting up four vaccine manufacturing facilities

Bharat Biotech, which has been accorded Emergency Use Authorisation from the drug regulator for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, on Monday said they are setting up four vaccine manufacturing facilities with a combined capacity of 700 million doses per annum. Denying allegations that the city-based vaccine maker lacks data of Covaxin, Krishna Ella, chairman of Bharat Biotech, said sufficient data has already been revealed and is available on the net.

 

"We have four facilities coming up. We are planning around 200 million doses (per annum) in Hyderabad, 500 million doses in other cities.

 

By 2021 we will have 7,600 million doses capacity... as we speak we have 20 million doses, he told reporters. He said Covaxin is currently undergoing phase 3 clinical trials with 24,000 volunteers. READ ON...

6:36 PM

Emergency authorisation 2 Covid-19 vaccines India's leap of science: Vice President

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday hailed the approval given to two anti-coronavirus vaccines for restricted emergency use in India as the country's "leap of science" that benefits the humanity at large. In a Facebook post, Naidu said this is an indication of how "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (a self-reliant India) can benefit not only Indians but humanity as a whole.

 

Hailing the resolve shown by the country last year in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, the vice president called for the same spirit in taking the vaccine to the people during this year.

 

"India is at the forefront of shielding humanity from the deadly disease by demonstrating its ability to mass produce the much-needed vaccine and offer its own version as well. India's indigenous vaccine (Covaxin) has certain unique features based on the whole virus approach. This is a commendable achievement and all concerned deserve kudos for foresight perseverance and fruition of spirited efforts," he wrote.

5:56 PM

Covid-19 vaccination in Delhi: Over 500 centres in ph-1, facility being set up for 2-8 deg C storage

Work is underway in full swing to set up centres for COVID-19 vaccination in the national capital with 500 such units to come up in the first phase, even as the storage facility is getting equipped with freezers to hold vaccines in a temperature range of 2-8 degrees Celsius.

 

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday had welcomed the approval given for emergency use of two COVID-19 vaccines, and asserted that the city government was all set for the vaccination drive as soon as any vaccine arrives.

 

A total of 1,000 vaccination centres will be set up. And,500-600 centres will be set up in the first phase, for which work is underway in full swing. India's drugs regulator has approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country.

5:48 PM

We have tremendous experience in vaccines: Bharat Biotech MD Krishna Ella

5:43 PM

Many people gossiping to just backlash Indian companies: Bharat Biotech MD Krishna Ella

5:28 PM

None of my family members associated with any political party: Bharat Biotech MD

None of my family members associated with any political party: Bharat Biotech MD

5:27 PM

Done clinical trials in more than 12 countries including UK: Bharat Biotech MD