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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet chief ministers of all states on Monday to discuss plans on the Covid-19 vaccine rollout and the pandemic situation across the country. Daily new Covid-19 cases in the country went below 20,000, on Friday. The nation reported 18,139 new Covid-19 cases, 20,539 recoveries, and 234 more deaths. India's death toll has now crossed 1,50,000. Stay tuned to DH for the latest updates.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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1.1 million people in England had Covid-19 last week

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.

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Covishield, Covaxin Covid-19 vaccines to be very soon available in India: Harsh Vardhan

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.”

IMA asks its members to participate in Covid-19 vaccination drive

“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.

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Bhutan records first coronavirus death

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)

A health official adjusts a mask on a Covid-19 awareness exhibit during a dry run or a mock drill for the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine delivery at a government hospital, in Chennai on January 8, 2021. Credit: AFP Photo

UK imposes mandatory Covid-19 tests for international travellers

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.

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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)

Two Chinese cities sealed off to squash Covid-19

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.

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Telangana CM to hold meeting on Covid-19 vaccine distribution

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.

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Marks & Spencer clothing sales hammered by lockdowns in three months to Christmas

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.

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India's active Covid-19 cases account for 2.16% of total caseload

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.

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Covid-19: India will be able to vaccinate entire population soon, says Harsh Vardhan

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.

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Cutting Covid-19 infectious period even by one day could prevent millions of cases, study reveals

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.

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11 more test positive for UK coronavirus strain in India, tally at 82

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.

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Karnataka to receive 13.90 lakh Covid-19 vaccine vials in a couple of days: Health Minister

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.

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Second dry run for Covid-19 vaccine underway

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears effective against mutation in new coronavirus variant: Study

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.

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Fraught history haunts Japan Covid-19 vaccine roll-out

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.

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Covid-19 negative test a must for England-bound travellers

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.

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Seek Centre help for free Covid-19 vaccine in Maharashtra: Fadnavis

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.

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Flight operations from the United Kingdom to India resume today, while the flights from India to the UK resumed from January 6

Harsh Vardhan requests NGOs to help smooth conduct of Covid-19 vaccination

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

Will be conduction a dry run across the country: 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, 234 deaths

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

BKC Jumbo dedicated Covid-19 hospital to take part in the second nationwide vaccine dry run today

Preparation underway in Chennai for second dry run of Covid-19 vaccine

Centre to conduct another Covid vaccine dry run today

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.

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Asian nations toughen coronavirus curbs as Europe fights new strain

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.

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ASHA workers: Forgotten Covid invisibles

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.

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Centre writes to 4 states claiming Covid-19 upsurge but data shows rise in only two

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.

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Indian domestic passenger traffic was 49.6% lower in November: IATA

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.

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A second Chinese coronavirus vaccine CoronaVac is said to be effective

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.

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Covid-19: Finance Ministry sanctions Rs 480 crore for vaccinating first three crore individuals

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.

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