Coronavirus News Highlights: Rajasthan reports 11,597 new Covid-19 cases, 157 deaths in 24 hours

India saw a glimmer of hope with 2,81,386 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, the lowest since April 12. Uttarakhand reported its first 'black fungus' death, and in Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin formed a 13-member Legislators' Advisory Committee to fight Covid-19 in the state. In Andhra Pradesh, the Covid-19 curfew was extended till May-end.

Rajasthan reports 11,597 new Covid-19 cases, 157 deaths in 24 hours

Japan enforces stricter Covid measures as cases surge ahead of Tokyo Olympics

West Bengal reports 19,003 new Covid-19 cases, 147 deaths in 24 hours

Maharashtra reports 26,616 new Covid-19 cases, 516 deaths in 24 hours

PM Modi will be interacting with field officials from States & Districts to converse about their experience in handling the pandemic, on 18th May: PMO

Karnataka reports 38,603 new Covid-19 cases, 476 deaths in 24 hours

Tamil Nadu records 33,075 new Covid-19 cases, 335 deaths in 24 hours

Kerala reports 21,402 new Covid-19 cases, 87 deaths today

Mumbai reports 1240 new Covid-19 cases, 48 deaths in 24 hours

Residents of Patna's Pothahi & Nema villages say they are not getting proper medical facilities

PM Modi interacts with doctors from across the country, seeks their suggestions

Nagaland launches free Covid-19 vaccination drive for people aged 18-44 years

Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Minister S Pangnyu Phom on Monday launched a free Covid-19 vaccination drive for people in the age group of 18- 44 years.

Over 7 lakh people, comprising 37 per cent of the state's population, are in the 18-44 years age bracket.

The state government is already providing vaccines free of cost to frontline workers and those above 45 years. (PTI)

Delhi reports 4524 new Covid-19 cases, 340 deaths in 24 hours

Andhra Pradesh reports 18,561 new Covid-19 cases, 109 deaths in 24 hours

Delhi Police seeks 5-day custody of businessman Navneet Kalra in oxygen concentrator 'black marketing' case (PTI)

92 inmates test positive for Covid-19 in two Jammu & Kashmir prisons (PTI)

Bleeding & clotting cases following Covid-19 vaccination in India are minuscule

Tamil Nadu forms 13-member Legislators' Advisory Committee headed by M K Stalin to combat Covid-19

Tamil Nadu Government formed a 13-member Legislators' Advisory Committee comprising representatives of parties elected to the legislative assembly to combat Covid-19headed by Chief Minister M K Stalin. (ANI)

Uttarakhand reports first black fungus death

A 36-year-old Covid-19 patientdied of mucormycosis or black fungus at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the Uttarakhand, according to hospital officials, marking the state's first fatality from the fungal infection. (PTI)

Andhra Pradesh Covid-19 curfew extended till May-end

On behalf of Govt of India, ONGC has been given the responsibility to procure 1 lakh oxygen concentrators based on its understanding of global supply chain & logistics: ONGC

Government will bear the cost of procuring these concentrators. ONGC placed orders for 34,673 Oxygen concentrators on overseas vendors for immediate supply. Out of these, 2,900 are expected to be received by 21 May: ONGC

Two Karnataka districts among top 5 with highest Covid test positivity rate in India

At least two Karnataka districts – Ballari and Uttara Kannada – are among India’s top five districts reporting the highest Covid-19 test positivity rate in what may be an indication of how the epidemic is moving from large urban centres to the districts.

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India's virus cases lower but WHO expert says positive tests ominously high

India on Monday reported a further decline in new coronavirus cases though daily deaths remained above 4,000 and experts warned that the count was unreliable due to a lack of testing in rural areas, where the virus is spreading fast.

For months now, nowhere in the world has been hit harder than India by the pandemic, as a new strain of the virus first found there fuelled a surge in infections that has risen to more than 400,000 daily.

Even with a downturn over the past few days, experts said there was no certainty that infections had peaked, with alarm growing both at home and abroad over the new more contagious B.1.617 variant taking hold.

"There are still many parts of the country which have not yet experienced the peak, they are still going up," World Health Organization Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan was quoted as saying in The Hindu.

Swaminathan pointed to the worryingly high national positivity rate, at about 20% of tests conducted, as a sign that there could be worse to come.

(Reuters)

The Congress on Monday targeted the Narendra Modi government over the resignation of top virologist Shahid Jameel as the chair of a group of scientific advisers to detect coronavirus variants in the country.

“The resignation of Dr Shahid Jameel, one of India’s best virologists, is really sad. Modi Sarkar has no place for professionals who can speak their mind freely without fear or favour,” senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said.

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State-wise Covid-19 tracker

Covid-19 | When is your oxygen level critical? Experts answer

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to meet with all Vice Chancellor's of Central University virtually tomorrow to review the online education in COVID19 Pandemic and Planning and Implementation of NEP-2020

Till now, 15 patients have been found infected with black fungus in Uttarakhand, one patient has died. 10 patients treated with surgery: PRO of AIIMS Rishikesh, Dr Harish Thapliyal

Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan release first batch of Anti-Covid drug 2DG developed by DRDO

With 2.81 lakh single-day Covid cases, daily infections lowest in over a month; 4,106 deaths

India on Monday reported 2,81,386 new Covid-19 cases, lowest since April 15, and 4,106 deaths in the last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry data showed.

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31,64,23,658 samples tested for Covid-19 up to 16th May 2021. Of these, 15,73,515 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

Virologist Shahid Jameel resigns from INSACOG Science Advisory Chair

Eminent virologist Shahid Jameel on Sunday resigned from the chair of the scientific advisory group of the INSACOG – a ten laboratory consortium tasked to carry out genetic sequences of different variants of the SARS-CoV-2 circulating in India.

The resignation came within days of publication of an article by Jameel in The New York Times, in which the virologist wrote that his fellow scientists “are facing stubborn resistance to evidence-based policymaking” in India.

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India's Covid recoveries above new cases

Over the past week, recoveries have mostly been higher than daily new cases.

DH Deciphers: What is the evidence that B1.617 is behind India’s second wave?

Indian scientists analysing the genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 in the country had flagged B1.617's role behind the surge at least in parts of Maharashtra since March. But the health ministry recognised it as a “variant of concern” only in the first week of May. The WHO report says a recent risk assessment of the situation has found that resurgence and acceleration of Covid-19 transmission in India had several potential contributing factors, including an increase in the proportion of cases of SARS-CoV-2 variants with potentially increased transmissibility, besides several religious and political mass gathering events which increased social-mixing. The exact contributions of each of these factors on increased transmission in India are not well understood.

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DH Deciphers | Is the Indian-origin B.1.617 Covid variant behind the second wave?

What makes B1.617 different?

B1.617 underwent genetic changes or mutations through the natural process of evolution. Thislineage is defined by 15 genetic mutations, including six such changes in the spike protein of the virus. One of these mutations, E484Q, is involved in immune escape, while the other, L452R, is involved in increased infectivity. The resurgence in Covid-19 cases and deaths in India has raised questions on the potential role of B.1.617 and other variants (e.g. B1.1.7 or the UK variant) in circulation. The WHO says B1.617 appears to have higher rates of transmission, including observed rapid increases in prevalence in multiple countries.

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Mizoram reports 150 new Covid-19 cases and 1 death on Sunday. Active cases at 2,117 and death toll at 25.

Uttarakhand: Case will be registered on hospital superintendent if death figures of Covid-19 infected people who were treated at the COVID hospital are not provided to State Control Room on the same day or if the data of the same is concealed, says State

'Happy Hypoxia' driving many Covid deaths, doctors worried

Amid the ongoing ICU bed shortage, a percentage of Covid-19 sufferers are finding themselves out on the lurch after their oxygen saturation levels dropped without warning.

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Businessman Navneet Kalra arrested by Delhi Police for alleged black marketing, hoarding oxygen concentrators

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Delhi: Covid-19 patients at Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre, Radha Soami Beas, Chhatarpur participate in morning yoga and meditation sessions.