Coronavirus News Highlights: Maharashtra reports 59,907 new cases, 322 deaths

The subdued mortality seen in the second wave of the Covid-19 epidemic so far notwithstanding, India may be staring at more than 1,000 daily deaths in the coming weeks as an astounding number of new cases piles up every day.

. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday made a strong pitch for the universalisation of the Covid-19 vaccination drive.

. Actor-politician Nagma on Wednesday said she has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently under home quarantine.

The 50-year-old actor took to Twitter and wrote that she contracted the virus despite receiving the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on April 2.

. The Covid-19 fresh cases and deaths continued to compound in Maharashtra with the worst pandemic-affected state recording 59,907 new positive cases and 322 deaths.

. The EU's drug regulator said Wednesday that blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine but that the jab's benefits continue to outweigh the risks.

. With several Covid-19 cases reported in the country's top training facilities, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Wednesday ordered implementation of stricter protocols, including weekly testing of all athletes and support staff at its campuses across the nation.

. Veteran politician and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah was on Wednesday discharged from a Srinagar hospital, where he was admitted last week as a precautionary measure after testing positive for Covid-19, officials said.

.Manohar Agnani, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry writes to Principal Secretaries of Health & Family Welfare of Punjab, Delhi & Maharashtra, asking them to undertake necessary corrective actions immediately for improving the Covid-19 vaccination drives in their state/UT. - ANI.. The Centre has allowed Covid-19 vaccination at the workplaces in private and public sectors if there are more than 100 employees willing to take the shots.

. Congress on Wednesday lashed out at the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of mishandling the second wave of Covid-19 infections across the country and warned that the situation could turn into a tsunami if not dealt with properly.

. The Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer, has asked the government for a grant of Rs 3,000 crore ($402.97 million) to increase its capacity to make AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine.

. The Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration here has urged residents of Noida and Greater Noida to inform it about the arrival of outsiders in their area for Covid-19 surveillance amid a spike in coronavirus infections.

. Delhi reports 5,506 new Covid-19 cases, 3363 recoveries and 20 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases: 6,90,568

Total recoveries: 6,59,980

Death toll: 11,133

Active cases: 19,455

. Covid-19 vaccination beneficiaries choosing to go for a walk-in vaccination facility will have to acquire an e-pass to travel during the night curfew hours in Delhi, officials said on Wednesday.

The Delhi government on Tuesday imposed a night curfew in the national capital from 10 pm to 5 am till April 30 in view of rising Covid-19 cases.

. In view of the recent surge in Covid-19 cases, the Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday announced a lockdown in Raipur district with effect from April 9 to 19, an official said.

. Karnataka on Wednesday reported 6,976 fresh Covid-19 cases and 35 deaths. A large chunk of fresh cases was reported from Bengaluru, where prohibitory orders were issuedearlier today to curb the Covid-19 spread.

. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday slammed the Maharashtra government over statements on the "shortage" of Covid-19 vaccines in the state. He dubbed such remarks as "an attempt to divert attention from the Maharashtra government’s repeated failures to control the spread of the pandemic."

. Tamil Nadu reports 3,986 new Covid-19 cases, 1,824 discharges and 17 deaths.

Total cases: 9,11,110

Total discharges: 8,70,546

Active cases: 27,743

Total deaths: 12,821

.Chhattisgarh Govt refused to use Covaxin despite it being given Emergency Use Authorization by DCGI. Not only this, by its actions, leaders of the state govt have dubious distinction of being perhaps only govt in the world to have incited vaccine hesitancy: Harsh Vardhan. - ANI..Similarly, we've seen comments by leaders from Chhattisgarh that are intended to spread misinformation & panic on vaccination. It would be better if the state govt focusses its energies on ramping up their health infrastructure rather than on petty politicking: Harsh Vardhan. - ANI..Performance of Maharashtra govt in terms of vaccinating healthcare & frontline workers isn't great. Shocking to see how state Govt is putting Maharashtrians in danger by letting people escape institutional quarantine mandate for the sake of their personal Vasuli: Harsh Vardhan. - ANI.Allegations of vaccine shortage utterly baseless. Throughout last yr as Union Health Min I've been witness to misgovernance & casual approach of Maharashtra Govt in battling virus. Their lackadaisical attitude singularly bogged down country’s efforts to fight the virus: Harsh Vardhan. - ANI.Inability of Maharashtra govt to act responsibly is beyond comprehension. To spread panic among the people is to compound the folly further. Vaccine supplies are being monitored on a real-time basis, and State governments are being apprised regularly about it: Harsh Vardhan. - ANI. I have seen statements made by public representatives in Maharashtra about shortage of vaccines. This is nothing but an attempt to divert attention from Maharashtra government’s repeated failures to control the spread of pandemic: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan - ANI

. India on Wednesday reported over 1.15 lakh Covid-19 cases. This is the second-highest spike in daily coronavirus cases reported across the world, surpassing Brazil and only behind the United States

. Amid an increase in localised lockdowns across the country, Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said there is no need for a loan repayments moratorium at present, stating that businesses are better prepared to face the situation.

. People are advised not to delay treatment for Covid-19. Separate centers will be made for patients coming for check-up, requiring a ventilator, oxygen: Chhattisgarh Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu. - ANI

. The Covid-19 second wave-triggered mini-lockdown,gram panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh and wheat harvest season is resulting into migrants in the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) heading for the north Indian state.

. In order to increase access of vaccines to these populations (45 yrs & above) Covid vaccination sessions may be organised at workplaces (public & pvt) having about 100 eligible & willing beneficiaries by tagging these workplaces with an existing Covid vaccination centre. Such work place vaccination centres may be launched across states/UTs from 11th April 2021: Sources. - ANI

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. Maharashtra: Nagpur district reported 5,338 new Covid-19 cases, 3,868 recoveries and 66 deaths, in the last 24 hours, as per Civil Surgeon, Nagpur. - ANI.

Total cases: 2,54,221

Total recoveries: 2,05,784

Active cases: 42,933

Death toll: 5,504

. Keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation, Raipur district is being declared a containment zone from 6 pm on 9th April till 6 am on 19th April. All the borders of the district will remain sealed during this period: Raipur district collector S Bharathi Dasan. - ANI.

. Indian drugmaker Shilpa Medicare Ltd has the capacity to manufacture 100-200 million doses of a protein-based vaccine for Covid-19, a company executive told Reuters on Wednesday.

. The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to procure Remdesivir injections so that they could be provided free of cost for the treatment of critical Covid-19 patients from the economically weaker sections, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday.

. Kumbh Mela officials have made all arrangements for the three key bathing dates on the banks of Ganga but said they do not expect any huge turnout of devotees due to Covid restrictions imposed amid the rising cases of infection.

"We always make arrangements for the Kumbh in accordance with the largest estimated turnouts. So, we are well prepared to tackle any situation,” Mela IG Sanjay Gunjyal said.

“But with the second wave of coronavirus infection getting stronger and the SOPs in force, we don't expect huge crowds on the ghats on the Shahi Snan days," he added. - PTI.

. Many inoculation centres in Maharashtra are being shut due to the shortage of coronavirus vaccine, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday, adding the state now has 14 lakh doses which would last just three days.

. India has surpassed the US to become the fastest Covid-19 vaccinating country in the world with an average daily rate of 30,93,861 vaccine doses, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

. Night curfew to be enforced from 9 pm to 5 am.

All political gatherings are banned with violators to be booked.

Only 50 allowed at indoor funerals and weddings, 100 outdoors.

Masks compulsory for all govt employees in offices.

. Punjab on Wednesday became the latest state to issue curbs as Covid-19 cases across the country hit a record high.

. India has surpassed the US to become the fastest Covid-19 vaccinating country in the world with an average daily rate of 30,93,861 vaccine doses, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 8.70 crore.

Cumulatively, 8,70,77,474 vaccine doses have been administered through 13,32,130 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am.

. Amid rising coronavirus cases, a new scare came up for the worst-hit state in the country. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that a new strain could be afflicting Maharashtra and affecting people in a shorter duration of time.

. We suspect that there is a new strain that is affecting people in a shorter duration of time, saysMaharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope. He added that samples of the suspected new strain have been sent to National Centre for Disease Control to determine the new strain.

. Total positive cases: 3,44,647

Total recovered cases: 3,38,416

Active cases: 42,55

Death toll: 1,923

. South Korea's food and drug safety ministry has granted final approval for the use of Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine as the country pushes ahead with its vaccination campaign, the News1 agency reported on Wednesday.

The decision was made after a panel of South Korean advisers last week recommended that the single-dose shot was safe and effective, the report said.

. Isolated North Korea has continued to claim a perfect record in keeping out the coronavirus in its latest report to the World Health Organization (WHO).

At the beginning of the pandemic more than a year ago, North Korea described its efforts to keep out the virus as a “matter of national existence.”

. The daily rise in new coronavirus infections in India remained above one lakh twice in the last three daystaking the nationwide Covid-19 tally of cases to 1,28,01,785, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 9,677 to 2,910,445, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Wednesday.

The reported death toll rose by 298 to 77,401, the tally showed.

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. President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that all adults across America will be eligible for Covid-19 shots within two weeks, while economic powerhouse California set a June 15 target to fully reopen businesses.

The positive news from the United States -- which has reported the most coronavirus deaths of any country but is now a leader in the vaccine rollout -- contrasted with a record daily toll in Brazil and Europe's troubled rollout of the AstraZeneca shot.

. Mexico's health regulator Cofepris has authorised the emergency use of India's Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Tuesday.

"Very timely decision by COFEPRIS to authorize the emergency use of the Covaxin vaccine manufactured in India. The options for vaccination against Covid-19 in Mexico are expanding!!!," Ebrard said on Twitter.

. With the detection of 9,921 fresh Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, Chhattisgarh saw its highest single-day spike since the outbreak of the infection in March last year, taking the state's caseload to 3,68,269, a health department official said.

. Brazil reported a 24-hour tally of Covid-19 deaths exceeding 4,000 for the first time, becoming the third nation to go above that daily threshold.

. One in three people who overcome Covid-19 suffers from a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis six months on, according to the largest study so far published on the mental toll that long-Covid takes on survivors.

Coronavirus News Highlights: Maharashtra reports 59,907 new cases, 322 deaths

Covid-19 second wave: India stares at over 1,000 daily deaths in coming weeks

Priyanka Gandhi bats for Covid-19 vaccination for all

Nagma tests positive for Covid-19 days after receiving vaccine

With 59,907 cases, Maharashtra sees record daily spike

EMA confirms blood clots as 'very rare' AstraZeneca side effect

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