Covid LIVE: Lockdown in TN extended till July 12 with further relaxations

Today's coronavirus numbers: Bengaluru (676 cases), Mumbai 661 cases), Chennai (249 cases), Kolkata (127 cases), Delhi (91 cases). Stay tuned for corona-related news

1:45 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Netherlands accepts Covishield as valid vaccination proof for travellers

1:34 PM

Experts question if WHO should lead Covid-19 pandemic origins probe

As the World Health Organization draws up plans for the next phase of its probe of how the coronavirus pandemic started, an increasing number of scientists say the U.N. agency it isn't up to the task and shouldn't be the one to investigate.

 

Numerous experts, some with strong ties to WHO, say that political tensions between the U.S. and China make it impossible for an investigation by the agency to find credible answers.

 

They say what's needed is a broad, independent analysis closer to what happened in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Read on...

1:27 PM

All US-authorised Covid vaccines effective against Delta variant: Fauci

US top coronavirus adviser Dr Anthony Fauci on Thursday (local time) said that most Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective against the rapidly spreading Delta variant and reiterated his request for people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

 

Speaking at a press briefing along with the White House Covid-19 response team and public health officials, Fauci said: "...From Public Health England, from June 14, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 96 per cent effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant after two doses, and the AZ (AstraZeneca) was 92 per cent effective against hospitalization after two doses."

 

"Since these vaccines -- the AZ and the J & J (Johnson & Johnson) are based on very similar platforms, one could anticipate and make a reasonable assumption that the results against the Delta variant would be at least similar, perhaps even better. We are now looking at neutralization data, and soon we will have more firm data which we will make available to you as soon as it occurs," he mentioned while speaking on the J & J single-dose vaccine. Read on...

1:15 PM

India's economic hit from second Covid wave to be limited to Q1: Moody's

India's economic damage due to the second wave of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdowns will remain restricted to the April to June quarter, Moody's Investors Service said in a new macroeconomic outlook.

 

"We currently expect India's real GDP to grow at 9.6 per cent in 2021 and 7 per cent in 2022," it said. "With states now easing restrictions, economic activity in May is likely to signify the trough."

 

It assessed the overall economic effect of the second wave to be softer than that during the first wave of pandemic last year, although delivery of and access to vaccines will determine the durability of recovery. Read on...

1:04 PM

Mizoram reports 278 new Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 20,770

At least 278 more people, including 13 inmates of Aizawl central jail, have tested positive for Covid-19 in Mizoram, pushing the state's tally to 20,770, a health official said on Friday.

 

The Covid-19 death toll rose to 94 as a 73-year-old man from Kolasib district succumbed to the infection on Thursday night, he said.

 

Aizawl district reported 167 new Covid-19 cases followed by Kolasib (34) and Hnahthial (26), the official said.

 

Sixty-five new cases were confirmed through RT-PCR test in Zoram Medical College (ZMC) near Aizawl, 13 cases were detected through TrueNat test and 200 were detected through Rapid Antigen Test, he said.

 

Seven patients have travel history, while the rest 271 were found to have locally contracted the infection.

12:44 PM

Mizoram reports 278 new Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 20,770

At least 278 more people, including 13 inmates of Aizawl central jail, have tested positive for Covid-19 in Mizoram, pushing the state's tally to 20,770, a health official said on Friday.

 

The Covid-19 death toll rose to 94 as a 73-year-old man from Kolasib district succumbed to the infection on Thursday night, he said.

 

Aizawl district reported 167 new Covid-19 cases followed by Kolasib (34) and Hnahthial (26), the official said.

 

Sixty-five new cases were confirmed through RT-PCR test in Zoram Medical College (ZMC) near Aizawl, 13 cases were detected through TrueNat test and 200 were detected through Rapid Antigen Test, he said.

12:42 PM

Puducherry adds 175 fresh Covid-19 cases; 8 deaths push toll

The union territory of Puducherry recorded 175 new coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours pushing the overall tally to 1,17,640, a senior official of the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services said on Friday.

 

While the number of fresh cases declined, the fatalities rose to eight, Director of Health S Mohan Kumar said.

 

The Puducherry region recorded six of the deaths in the last 24 hours ending 10 AM while Karaikal and Yanam regions reported one fatality each as the toll went up to 1,759.

 

The eight victims were in the age group ranging between 44 and 88 years. Two of the deceased had no comorbidities, he said.

 

The union territory had reported two deaths on Thursday and one fatality on Wednesday.

12:37 PM

Draft guidelines prepared to prevent fake vaccination drives: BMC tells HC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has told the Bombay High Court that it has formulated draft guidelines to prevent fake vaccination camps at private housing societies, offices, educational institutions and other premises.

 

BMC's counsel, senior advocate Anil Sakhre, told the high court on Thursday that the civic body had decided to appoint nodal officers, who will be responsible for monitoring anti-coronavirus vaccination camps at such places.

 

These nodal officers will inform the local police and health authorities in case of any malpractices, he said. Read on...

12:29 PM

6 fully vaccinated people die of Covid in world's most vaccinated country

The coronavirus has killed six fully vaccinated people in the Seychelles, which is suffering heightened Covid-19 infections despite inoculating a greater proportion of its people than any other nation.

 

Of those, five had taken Covishield, a version of the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine made in India, and one had been given Sinopharm, Jude Gedeon, the island nation’s public health commissioner said at a press conference on Thursday. Covishield has mainly been reserved for people over 60 in the Seychelles.

 

The rise in infections, which surged at the beginning of May and has remained at elevated levels ever since, is likely due to the arrival of the highly-transmissible delta variant, which was first identified in India, Gedeon said. Read on...

12:24 PM

120 million vaccine doses will be available in July - separate from supply to private hospitals: Piyush Goyal

12:14 PM

Central government rushes teams to 6 States for Covid-19 control and containment measures

Teams sent to Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Manipur - that are reporting a high number of Covid-19 cases.

11:52 AM

Covid Delta variant worries bubble to the surface in some asset prices

Worries over the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant are emerging in various corners of global financial markets, even as U.S. stocks hover near record highs.

 

The Delta variant is now present in over 90 countries and has become the most prevalent variant among new Covid-19 cases in the United States, according to California-based genomics company Helix.

 

So far, however, it is hard to tell how much the new strain will disrupt the global growth rebound that has helped power risk assets higher in recent months.

 

Here are some assets where concerns over the Delta variant may be moving the needle. Read on...

11:30 AM

RT-PCR report or vax certificate mandatory for Kerala travellers in Karnataka

The Karnataka government on Thursday said that passengers from Kerala with at least one dose of Covid-9 vaccine certificates will be exempted from producing negative RT-PCR reports, as the state has taken special surveillance measures for people coming from Kerala.

 

According to the order regarding special surveillance measures for persons arriving from Kerala, vaccination certificate of having received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine will be exempted form producing RT-PCR certificate.

 

Earlier in its order on Thursday, the Karnataka government made it mandatory for travellers entering the state from Kerala via rail, road or air to produce the RT-PCR negative not be older than 72 hours or a vaccination certificate of at least one dose, as the State has taken up special surveillance measures in the wake of Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 being reported from several districts of Kerala.

10:27 AM

Jamui becomes first panchayat in MP to achieve 100% Covid vaccination

Jamui in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh has become the first panchayat in the state to achieve the target of 100 per cent vaccination against Covid-19.

 

"Jamui gram panchayat achieved the 100 per cent vaccination against Covid-19. Here 1,855 beneficiaries have been administered the vaccines. Six other gram panchayats, Burhar Nagar panchayat and Dhanpuri Nagar Palika in the Shahdol district have also achieved 100 per cent vaccination," Satyendra Singh, District Collector Shahdol told ANI.

 

A 75-year-old villager said majorly of the people in the village have received their first dose of the Covid vaccine.

10:11 AM

Delta variant predicted to become predominant mutation across US: CDC

The Delta variant is the second most prevalent coronavirus mutation in the US and is predicted to become the predominant one in the coming weeks, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Thursday (local time).

 

"An estimated 25 percent of all reported SARS-COV-2 sequences nationwide are the Delta variants, and in some regions of the country, nearly one in two sequences is a Delta variant," Walensky added, as quoted by Sputnik.

 

Speaking at a press briefing, Walensky also underscored the correlation that exists between the low vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant. According to reports, the Delta strain is believed to be the fastest spreading and most contagious coronavirus variant. Read on...