Coronavirus news highlights: Flight operations from the United Kingdom to India resume today

The vast majority of mutations did not materially alter either the virus's virulence or transmissibility.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet chief ministers of all states on Monday to discuss plans on the Covid-19 vaccine roll out and the pandemic situation across the country.

. German company BioNTech said Friday a preliminary study shows that its vaccine works against the key mutation in coronavirus variants uncovered in Britain and South Africa which experts have said is more contagious than the original Covid-19 strain.

. At least 22 students, two teachers and a peon were found to be Covid-19 positive when 75 persons were randomly tested for coronavirus in Bihar’s Munger district.

The Health Department has sounded an alert and ordered closure of the school, while asking the authorities to conduct more such tests among the children as well as teachers. The district administration has issued orders for contact tracing too.

. Over 1.1 million people had Covid-19 last week, equivalent to 1 in 50 people in the nation, the UK's Office for National Statistics said on Friday, rising to 1 in 30 people in the capital London as a contagious variant spreads.

. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on January 7 interacted with health ministers of all states and UTs in view of tomorrow’s dry run for Covid vaccine across the country. In the meeting, Vardhan said, “Covid-19 vaccines 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin' are on the verge of being available in the country. Our efforts are to ensure seamless last-mile delivery of the vaccine.”

. “As you all are aware of the Covid-19 vaccine being made available in the immediate future, it becomes our natural responsibility to assist the vaccination drive in a professional way,” the doctors' body said in a statement.

. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan on Friday recorded its first coronavirus death after 10 months of seeking to isolate itself from the global pandemic.

A 34-year-old man, who had chronic liver disease, died in a hospital in the capital Thimpu after testing positive for the coronavirus on December 23. The health ministry announced his death "with immense grief".

The tiny country wedged between India and China has banned virtually all scheduled flights since March and the government said there have been no foreign tourists in the kingdom for several months.

Authorities imposed a tough lockdown in December after a woman who had been abroad developed Covid-19 symptoms. The woman and her contacts had travelled across the country of 750,000 people.

(AFP)

. Prior to departure, passengers will need to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test result to carriers, as well as fill out a passenger locator form, which was already in force.

. All those arriving from the UK, who test positive will be isolated in an isolation facility. Negative ones will be taken to a quarantine facility for 7 days followed by 7 days home quarantine: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

(ANI)

. "Bharat Biotech sent an application to DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) for conducting the phase 1 trials of nasal vaccine against Covid-19, matter yet to be taken up," says a Government official.

(ANI)

. China has sealed off two cities south of Beijing, cutting transport links and banning millions of residents from leaving, as authorities move to stem the country's largest Covid-19 outbreak in six months.

. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would hold a meeting with Ministers, District Collectors and other officials on January 11 on crucial issues, including finalisation of an action plan on the distribution of Covid-19 vaccine and resuming classes in educational institutions in the state.

. Marks & Spencer (M&S) reported on Friday another big fall in sales of clothing and homewares in the three months leading up to Christmas, as restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus hit demand and closed stores.

. The steady fall in the number of fresh Covid-19 cases in the country has ensured the contraction of its active caseload, which stands at 2,25,449 as on date and accounts for only 2.16 per cent of the total infections, the health ministry said on Friday.

. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday said soon it would be a reality to vaccinate the entire population in the country against Covid-19 after prioritising risk groups.

. A vaccine or medication that could shorten the infectious period of Covid-19 in patients, even by one day, may potentially prevent millions of cases and save billions of dollars, according to a new modelling study.

. With 11 more persons testing positive for UK coronavirus strain, a total of 82 persons have now been found to have the new mutant variant of SARS- CoV-2 virus in India, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

. Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Friday said the state is expected to receive 13.9 lakh vials of Covid-19 vaccine in a day or two.

. Pfizer Inc and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine appeared to work against a key mutation in the highly transmissible new variants of the coronavirus discovered in the UK and South Africa, according to a laboratory study conducted by the USdrugmaker.

. The history of vaccine controversies in Japan may cast a long shadow over the coronavirus jab roll-out, experts warn, even as the country battles a severe third wave of infections.

. Britain's government will require people entering England to present a negative Covid-19 test result on arrival starting next week to protect against new strains of the coronavirus from other countries, the government said on Friday.

. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has asked the MVA government in Maharashtra to seek the assistance of the Centre to provide free Covid-19 vaccine in the state to the poor and the middle-class.

. Request the NGOs working in thefield of health to help in the smooth conduct of the Covid-19 vaccination program and mobilisation of beneficiaries in the best possible manner: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan

. On January 2nd, we did a dry run in almost 125 districts in the country, and today, we are doing it across the country expect the three states who did it earlier: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan

. We've ensured that every detail is conveyed to the people from the national level to the grassroots level. Lakhs of healthcare workers trained & the process continues: Union Health Minister, on vaccine dry-run, in Chennai Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar also present

. India reports 18,139 new Covid-19 cases, 20,539 discharges, and 234 deaths in last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry. Total cases: 1,04,13,417 Active cases: 2,25,449 Total discharges: 1,00,37,398 Death toll: 1,50,570

. Ahead of the much-awaited launch of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign, a nationwide dry run on 700-plus districts will be conducted on January 8, to ensure efficient planning and management for vaccine delivery.

. Asian countries stepped up their fight against the coronavirus on Thursday to suppress a contagion they had previously tamed, as warnings grew in Europe over a new fast-spreading variant.

. As large parts of India went into a lockdown in the now distant month of March, 2020, a diverse group of volunteers, frontline workers and medical staff stepped in to fill the gap caused by a reduced workforce.

. The Union health secretary on Thursday asked four Opposition-ruled states to improve their Covid-19 management strategies claiming a recent upsurge, though the government data shows a clear decline in two out of four states and a nominal rise in the other two.

. Domestic passenger traffic growth in India was 49.6 per cent lower in November last year as compared to the corresponding month in 2019, said global airlines body IATA on Thursday.

. Brazilian officials said Thursday that a coronavirus vaccine made by a Chinese company was effective, bolstering the chances of approval for a second Chinese inoculation that could be rolled out in much of the developing world.

. The Union Finance Ministry has sanctioned Rs 480 crore to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to the first three crore individuals comprising healthcare workers and front line staff.

Coronavirus news highlights: Flight operations from the United Kingdom to India resume today

What we do and don't know about new coronavirus mutation

PM Modi to meet CMs on January 11 on Covid-19 vaccine rollout

BioNTech says Covid-19 vaccine 'neutralises' key mutation in UK, South Africa strains

22 students, two teachers test Covid-19 positive after Bihar schools reopen

1.1 million people in England had Covid-19 last week

Follow us on :

Follow Us