Coronavirus Highlights: Delhi reports 970 new Covid cases, 1 death

China's foreign ministry called on World Health Organisation (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to avoid making 'irresponsible' remarks, after he said China's zero-Covid policy was not sustainable. China's censors scrambled to wipe out online debate over its zero-Covid strategy on Wednesday.

Delhi reports 970 new Covid cases, 1 death

Delhi reported 970 fresh Covid cases and one more death on Wednesday, while the positivity rate declined to 3.34 percent, according to data shared by the health department here.

A total of 29,037 tests to detect coronavirus were conducted in Delhi a day before, it stated. (PTI)

With the new cases, Delhi's overall COVID-19 infection tally rose to 18,97,141, while the death toll rose to 26,184, according to the latest health bulletin

EU lifts mask mandate for flights, airports from May 16

A healthcare worker administers a dose of the Covid-19 preventive vaccine to a student in the age group of 12-14 years, at a tribal hostel, in Agartala. (PTI Photo)

PM Modi to participate in 2nd virtual Global Covid-19 Summit on May 12

Some patients reporting Covid rebounds after taking Pfizer pills

More than 2.8 million courses of Pfizer Inc’s Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment Paxlovid have been made available at pharmacies around the United States, with the Biden administration working to improve access to the drug.

EU lifts mask requirement for air travel as pandemic ebbs

The European Union will no longer require masks to be worn at airports and on planes starting next week amid the easing of coronavirus restrictions across the bloc, authorities said Wednesday.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it hoped the joint decision, made with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, would mark “a big step forward in the normalisation of air travel" for passengers and crews.

India focusing on confidence-building strategies post-pandemic to intensify tourism

India has been focusing on confidence-building strategies post-pandemic to intensify its tourism sector in the Middle East region that has been one of its major targeted markets, a senior Indian official has said.

Speaking to the media during the ongoing Arabian Travel Mart, which commenced here on May 9, Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday said that India is focusing to ease the difficulties that were created for the tourists due to the spread of the coronavirus which impacted the world economy severely.(PTI)

WHO chief's remarks on China's Covid policy blocked on country's social media

A United Nations Weibo post on the World Health Organization chief's comments that China's zero-tolerance Covid-19 policy is not sustainable was removed from the Chinese social media platform on Wednesday morning shortly after being published.

WeChat, another Chinese social media platform, disabled the sharing function of a similar post by the United Nations.

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41% parents unwilling to vaccinate kids aged 6-12 against Covid-19: Survey

As much as 41 per centof parents in India are currently unwilling to vaccinate their children aged 6-12 years, according to a survey byLocalCircles, a community-based social media platform.

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Mizoram logs 33 fresh coronavirus cases

Mizoram on Wednesday reported 33 fresh Covid-19 cases, eight more than the previous day, taking the state's tally to 2,27,794, a health department official said.

The Covid-19 death toll remained at 697 as no fresh fatality was reported in the last 24 hours, the official said.

The single-day positivity rate increased to 7.73 per cent from 5.48 per cent the previous day as the fresh cases were detected from 427 samples tested on Tuesday.(PTI)

WHO chief's remarks on China's Covid policy blocked on country's social media

A United Nations Weibo post on the World Health Organization chief's comments that China's zero-tolerance Covid-19 policy is not sustainable was removed from the Chinese social media platform on Wednesday morning shortly after being published.

WeChat, another Chinese social media platform, disabled the sharing function of a similar post by the United Nations.

Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "We don't think that it is sustainable considering the behaviour of the virus and what we now anticipate in the future."(Reuters)

New Zealand fully reopens to the world in August: Ardern

New Zealand will fully reopen to the world in August, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday, ending one of the toughest anti-Covid-19 border restrictions.

Border safeguards will be lifted fully and all pre-departure testing dropped from 11:59 pm on July 31, with Ardern saying "New Zealand is in demand and now fully open for business".(AFP)

India's daily Covid-19 tally jumps slightly with 2,897 new cases

India's daily Covid-19 tally on Wednesday jumped slightly with 2,897 new cases, according to Union health Ministry data.

The nation reported 54 more deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to5,24,157.

The active cases stand at19,494.

Thane logs 26 new Covid-19 cases, no death

Maharashtra's Thane district has reported 26 new cases of coronavirus, taking its infection tally to 7,09,250, an official said on Wednesday. These new cases were recorded on Tuesday, he said. The death toll remained unchanged at 11,894, he said, adding the Covid-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 1.67 per cent. In neighbouring Palghar district, the Covid-19 case count stood at 1,63,612 and the death toll at 3,407, another official said.(PTI)

Global Covid caseload tops 518.7 million

The global coronavirus caseload has topped 518.7 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 6.25 million and vaccinations to over 11.37 billion, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Wednesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 518,751,424 and 6,255,671, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered increased to 11,371,667,576.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 82,107,519 and 998,346, respectively, according to the CSSE.(IANS)

Mamata Banerjee to hold meeting with senior officers on Covid situation

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will hold a meeting with senior state government officials on Wednesday to take stock of the Covid-19 situation, a top bureaucrat said.

129 new Covid cases in Karnataka, 121 in Bengaluru alone

According to the Department of Health and Family Welfare's Tuesday bulletin, the Bengaluru Urban district reported 121 of the 129 new Covid cases.

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NATO chief Stoltenberg diagnosed with Covid-19

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has been diagnosed with Covid-19, a spokesperson for the alliance said on Wednesday.