Covid LIVE: Zydus plans to make 100 mn-120 mn doses of ZyCov-D annually

Coronavirus LIVE updates: Kerala reported 21,116 new infections, Maharashtra 5,225, Andhra Pradesh (1,501), Tamil Nadu (1,702), Karnataka (1,432), Delhi (25). Stay tuned for corona-related news

7:45 PM

England's Covid R number estimate rises to 0.9 to 1.2

7:39 PM

India approves Zydus' DNA-based vaccine for emergency use

7:06 PM

Scientists argue against US decision to roll out Covid booster shots

Scientists have criticised the US decision to roll out Covid booster shots for all Americans stating that the data isn't compelling, the media reports said, according to IANS.

Top US health officials including CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky, acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr Janet Woodcock, and White House chief medical advisor Dr Anthony Fauci, had this week, announced plans for a third dose of Covid vaccine eight months after a second shot of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Experts argue this move is a misuse of resources and not based on data, Daily Mail reported.

7:05 PM

Recovered Covid patients can donate kidneys: Study

People who have recovered from coronavirus can safely donate their kidneys, according to the findings of a multi-centre study based on 31 transplant cases, PTI reported.

The transplant surgeries were conducted after the first wave of the pandemic between July and September last year. All donors were those who had mild infection.

The study was prompted by the unavailability of literature on kidney transplants in case the donor is a person who has recovered from COVID-19, said Dr Sanjiv Gulati, director, Nephrology, Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj.

7:02 PM

England's Covid prevalence drops to 1 in 80

6:34 PM

Covid-19 cases cross 2 million mark in AP

Coronavirus cases crossed the two million mark in Andhra Pradesh, touching 20,00,038 on Friday, PTI reported.

The first Covid-19 case in the state was registered on March 12, 2020 when a person who returned from Italy tested positive for the dreaded virus in SPS Nellore district.

It took over 13 months, from March 12, 2020 to April 23, 2021, for AP to record one million COVID-19 cases, but the second million came in a span of only four months.

6:32 PM

Sri Lanka announces lockdown

6:28 PM

Kerala reports 20,224 new Covid-19 cases

5:55 PM

Quarantine, Covid-19 testing remain key concerns for international travellers: Report

Quarantine and COVID-19 testing remain key concerns for international travel even as domestic travel in India begins its recovery following the second wave of the pandemic, according to a research report, PTI said.

 

The research report from Collinson also showed that while physical wellbeing has been at the forefront of discussions around the recovery of the travel sector, travellers are now just as worried about their mental wellbeing as they are about their physical wellbeing.

 

The report is based on analysis and data comparison of 18,500 travellers in late-2019 (pre-pandemic) and 12,607 travellers in late-2020 (during the pandemic).

5:51 PM

New Zealand PM Ardern extends nationwide lockdown

5:49 PM

Haryana: Rs 2 lakh to be given to poor families who lost members to Covid

5:21 PM

Two arrested for running illegal clinic for Covid vaccination

Two persons were arrested for allegedly opening a clinic illegally for COVID-19 vaccination in the Jaidpur area here, police said on Friday, PTI reported.

A complaint was filed by Dr Sunil Kumar at CHC in Satrikh that some persons have opened a fake clinic and were administering Covid vaccines, they said.

Police swung into action and arrested Brijendra Kumar and Sandeep Kumar from the clinic and recovered a Covishield vial and fake vaccination cards, they said.

5:21 PM

Sikkim reports 82 fresh Covid cases

Sikkim reported 82 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours taking the state's tally to 29,157, according to a health department bulletin issued on Friday, PTI reported.

The Covid-19 death toll remained unchanged at 364 as no fresh fatality due to the disease was registered.

The Himalayan state now has 1,706 active cases, while 26,807 people have recovered from the infection, the bulletin said.

5:16 PM

Asia extends lockdowns, adds curbs to fight surge in Delta infections

4:30 PM

Centre wants state govts to say there were no deaths due to oxygen shortage: Sisodia