Coronavirus News highlights: Bharat Biotech seeks DCGI's permission to conduct Covaxin booster trials in 2-18 age group

India reported 3,205 new coronavirus infections in a day, pushing the number of active cases to 19,509 and the overall tally to 4,30,88,118. Stay tuned for latest updates.

Delhi records 1,354 fresh Covid-19 cases, one fatality; positivity rate 7.64 per cent

Cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India has crossed 189.60 crore: Union Health Ministry

Maharashtra reports 188 new Covid-19 cases, zero daily deaths. Infection tally rises to 78,78,363, death toll stands at 1,47,845. There are 1,049 active cases of the disease in the state.

Moderna sees higher Covid vaccine sales in second half of 2022

Moderna Inc on Wednesday posted nearly $6 billion in sales of its Covid-19 vaccine in the first quarter, and said it expects sales to be higher in the second half of the year than in the first six months.

Bharat Biotech seeks DCGI's permission to conduct Covaxin booster trials in 2-18 age group

Rising Covid positivity rate worries Karnataka govt

Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number ofCoviddeaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent).

Five people died from theCovidinfections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department.

In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April theCovidpositivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

46 Covid-19 cases in Punjab's law university

46 cases ofCovid-19 were reported at the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law in Patiala in Punjab on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 60.

Authorities have declared the university campus a containment zone, the only one in Patiala district.

Number of hospital admissions very less, Covid situation not so serious at present: Jain

Amid a rise in coronavirus cases in the national capital, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said the number of hospital admissions is still very less and the Covid-19 situation in the city is not so serious at present.

Asked if restrictions are needed given the spike in cases, he told reporters at a press conference at the party office that the government is keeping an eye on the situation, and the current scenario doesn't warrant major restrictions.

Delhi conducts a large number of tests. As the eligible population of Delhi has got vaccinated, the number of hospital admissions is very less despite the daily cases count in the 1,200-1,500 range in the last few days and the positivity rate standing in the bracket of five-six per cent.

Beijing closes dozens of subway stations as Covid controls tighten

Beijing closed dozens of subway stations on Wednesday as Covid restrictions constrict movement around the Chinese capital despite it recording only dozens of cases daily.

China has been battling its worst coronavirus flare-up since the early days of the pandemic, with most cases found in the business hub of Shanghai.

Delta or different variant may cause another Covid outbreak: Study

The Omicron subvariants may burn themselves out in the next couple of months and there could be another outbreak of Delta or a different coronavirus strain this summer, according to a modelling study conducted in Israel.

The finding, published last week in the journal Science of The Total Environment, suggests that while Delta wiped out the variants that preceded it, Omicron has not eliminated the deadly variant which could re-emerge.

Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel developed sensitive arrays that can differentiate variants from each other in wastewater which continues to give indications of where the coronavirus is active, even when PCR and rapid testing of people declines.

Combo picture shows Jama Masjid (above) wearing a deserted look on Eid, Friday, May 14, 2021 owing toCovid-19 pandemic; and packed with Muslim devotees offering Eid prayers, in Delhi, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Beijing closes dozens of subway stations as Covid controls tighten

Beijing closed dozens of subway stations on Wednesday, as Covid restrictions slowly constrict movement across the Chinese capital of over 21 million people.

The world's second-biggest economy has been battling its worst coronavirus flare-up since the early days of the pandemic, with most cases found in the business hub of Shanghai, where residents have been largely stuck at home for more than a month. (AFP)

Main negotiators reach 'outcome' on Covid vaccine IP waiver: WTO

The four main parties to negotiations on an intellectual property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines have prepared an "outcome document" for approval by the broader membership, the WTO said on Tuesday, with its chief hoping for a final deal by June. Read more

Mizoram reports 44 new Covid-19 cases

Mizoram on Wednesday reported 44 new Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 2,27,600, a health official said.

The toll remained at 697 as no new death was reported in the last 24 hours, he said.

The positivity rate dipped to 7.57 per cent from 10.96 per cent on Tuesday as the fresh cases were detected after testing 581 samples, he said.

There are 433 active cases in the state at present. So far, 2,26,470 people have recovered from the infection, including 86 on Tuesday, he said. (PTI)

India reports 3,205 new Covid-19 cases, 31 fatalities

India on Wednesday reported 3,205 Covid-19 cases bringing the total tally of Covid cases in the country to4,30,88,118, according to health ministry data.

Health officials announced on Monday that New York City will raise its Covid alert level to medium as cases have surpassed a rate of 200 per 100,000 people in the five boroughs. (AFP Photo)

Pfizer sees high demand for Covid-19 pill as profits jump

Pfizer executives said Tuesday they are confident of strong demand for the company'sCovid-19 antiviral treatment amid easing pandemic rules as the big drugmaker reported another round of strong earnings.

The US pharmaceutical giant, reporting surging first-quarter profits based on a big jump in revenues from itsCovid-19 vaccine, said its Paxlovid treatment for the virus would be a valuable means for governments to limit the severity of outbreaks as they ease social distancing and masking rules.

Main negotiators reach 'outcome' on CovidThe four main parties to negotiations on an intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines have prepared an "outcome document" for approval by the broader membership, the WTO said on Tuesday, vaccine IP waiver

The four main parties to negotiations on an intellectual property waiver forCOVID-19 vaccines have prepared an "outcome document" for approval by the broader membership, the WTO said on Tuesday, with its chief hoping for a final deal by June.

WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who has made vaccine equity her top priority since taking office in 2021, has been working for months to broker a compromise between the United States, the European Union, India and South Africa to break an 18-month-long impasse.