Coronavirus News highlights: Covid-19 infection spreads to one-third of UP villages

India on Wednesday reported 2.67 lakh new Covid-19 infections. However, with 4,529 deaths, the country saw the highest single-day toll. Arvind Kejriwal's Singapore Covid variant remarks caused a stir after the foreign government issued a strong objection. Stay tuned for updates.

That's all for today readers. Thank you for tuning in to our coverage. Please visit www.deccanherald.com for more latest news.

Covid-19 infection spreads to one-third of UP villages

About one-third of villages in Uttar Pradesh are in the grip of Covid-19, a survey conducted by the state government has revealed. Read more

Prove Pragya Thakur's 'gaumutra' claim: Congress MLA to Harsh Vardhan

A Congress MLA on Wednesday appealed to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and the National Health Mission to scientifically prove Bhopal BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur's claim about the 'gaumutra' (cow urine) protection against coronavirus.

Read more

Phase III trial data of DNA Covid vaccine may be submitted to DCGI within this month: Zydus MD

The first indigenous DNA vaccine against Covid-19, ZyCoV-D being developed by Zydus Cadila with support from the Department of Biotechnology is undergoing the final phase of the clinical trial. In Phase Iand II of the trial, conducted on over 1,000 healthy adult volunteers, the vaccine was found to be safe and elicited a strong immunogenic response.

Read more

Maharashtra reports 34,031 new Covid-19 cases, 51,457 recoveries and 594 deaths in the last 24 hours

Multiple new coronavirus strains spotted in Kerala: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that new strains of the coronavirus were spotted in the state, three of which were spreading rapidly.

Read more

Mumbai reports 1,350 Covid-19 cases, 4,565 recoveries

How celebs getting Covid drugs? HC to Maha govt, Centre

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government and the Centre to file affidavits explaining how celebrities and politicians were procuring anti-Covid-19 drugs, medical oxygen and other relief materials for coronavirus patients.

Read more

TN starts direct sale of Remdesivir to private hosps

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin launched the direct sale of anti-viral Remdesivir to private hospitals on Wednesday and 960 vials of the medicine was given to representatives of 25 health facilities.

Read more

Fifth Oxygen Express to arrive in Bengaluru on Thursday

The fifth oxygen Express carrying160 tonneof liquid medical oxygen is scheduled to arrive at Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Whitefield 3 pm on Thursday.

Read more

Karnataka reports 34,281 new Covid-19 cases, 49,953 discharges and 468 deaths in the last 24 hours - ANI

Total cases 23,06,655

Death toll 23,306

Total discharges 17,24,438

Active cases 5,58,890

Covid-19 infection spreads to one-third of UP villages

About one-third of villages in Uttar Pradesh are in the grip of Covid-19, a survey conducted by the state government has revealed.

Read more

Was unaware: Gadkari clarifies ramp up vaccine remark

Clarifying his position on the Covid-19 vaccine issue, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said he is glad that the Modi government is making all efforts to ramp up its production.

Read more

Covid-19 forces Maoist to become auto driver

Coronavirus may have claimed scores of lives in Bihar, but it has also helped a few Naxalites, owing allegiance to the banned outfit CPI (Maoist), give up arms.

Read more

Impressed with Bihar's HIT Covid App, PM seeks details for countrywide use

An innovative Home Isolation Tracking (HIT) App developed by the Bihar government to keep an eye on the condition of Covid patients recuperating at their residence has drawn special praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi came to know about the HIT App while talking to Patna district magistrate Chandrasekhar Singh during an interaction with officials of several districts of nine states on Tuesday. - PTI

KSRTC launches ICU on wheels, oxygen bus

The KSRTC on Wednesday launched 'Sarige Suraksha ICU on Wheels' and added another 'Oxygen on Wheels' to the fleet of 12 such buses being operated by the four transport corporations to help Covid-19 patients in need.

Read more

Puducherry records 1,759 new cases, 29 deaths today; active cases 17,652 - ANI

Record 20 lakh Covid tests done in India in one day

More than 20 lakh Covid-19 tests were conducted across the country in a span of 24 hours, which is a global record and the highest ever done in a single day in India, while the daily positivity rate has declined to 13.31 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

Read more

As per new recommendations of NEGVAC, Covid-19 vaccination to be deferred by 3 months after recovery from the illness

If infected with Covid after 1st dose, 2nd dose to be deferred by 3 months after clinical recovery from Covid-19 illness.

Covid-19 vaccination recommended for all Lactating Women.

No Screening of vaccine recipients by Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) prior to Covid-19 vaccination.

Are Covid deaths being underreported in Madhya Pradesh?

After desperately battling an acute shortage of oxygen, medicines and beds in hospitals till the first week of this month that resulted in hundreds of avoidable deaths of Covid-19 patients across the state, the Madhya Pradesh government is optimistically looking forward to easing some of the lockdown restrictions.

Read more

Countering Covid-19: Assam to reduce home quarantine

The Assam government on Wednesday decided to reduce home quarantine after "non-adherence" of protocol was found to be a major reason behind more deaths in the second wave of Covid-19 in the state.

Read more

There were around 1,800 oxygen beds in the military hospitals in the middle of April. The number has now increased to around 4,000. We doubled the number of oxygen plants to 42: Army Chief General MM Naravane - ANI

Rajasthan declares Black Fungus an epidemic

Mucormycosis (black fungus), which is primarily affecting people recovering from Covid, has been declared an epidemic in Rajasthan, officials said on Wednesday.

Read more

Issue not Singapore but children: Manish Sisodia slams BJP after controversy over 'new' Covid strain

Senior AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday defended Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's comments about a "new" Covid-19strain in Singapore that is "very dangerous" for children and accused the BJP and its government of doing "cheap politics" over the issue.

Read more

Record 20 lakh coronavirus tests done in India in one day: Health Ministry

More than 20 lakh Covid-19 tests were conducted across the country in a span of 24 hours, which is a global record and the highest ever done in a single day in India, while the daily positivity rate has declined to 13.31 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

India's Covid-19 daily recoveries exceeded the number of daily new cases for the sixth consecutive day.

Cumulative recoveries have surged to 2,19,86,363 with 3,89,851 patients recuperating in a day. The national recovery rate has grown further to touch 86.23 per cent.

"More than 20 lakh tests were conducted in the last 24 hours (the highest ever conducted in a single day in India), while the daily positivity rate has declined to 13.31 per cent," the ministry said. - PTI

It's a matter of time, by August, we will have huge vaccine availability. Probability by end of December, we can expect the entire population to have at least a single dose: Karnataka Dy CM CN Ashwath Narayan - ANI

Coffee and croissants! Cafes in Paris reopen after 6 months

For Parisian Elie Ayache, the world felt a little more normal on Wednesday after the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic: He was back at his favourite cafe, drinking his morning coffee and eating a croissant.

Read more

Yediyurappa said that the government would take a call on the evening of May 23. The current lockdown ends May 24.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced Wednesday financial assistance worth Rs 1,250 crore for those affected by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Read more

Will provide 5.86 crore vaccine doses to states till June 15: Centre

Centre on Wednesday said it would provide 5.86 crore doses of vaccines to states till June 15 and asked them to prepare district-wise plans to administer the jab.
The decision to inform states in advance about vaccine supplies is based on the feedback received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his phone calls with chief ministers.
“According to the advance visibility provided by Government of India to States/UTs, a total of 5,86,29,000 doses will be provided free of cost by Government of India to States from 1st May 2021 to 15th June 2021,” a health ministry statement said here.

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal today reviewed the management of COVID situation in the national capital, along with CM, Dy CM, CS, MCD Commissioners and Senior Officers of the Delhi Police

While expressing satisfaction at the improvement in the over all situation, LG stressed that the guard cannot be lowered and the measures and preparedness to deal with any eventuality should be fully undertaken. LG asked for ensuring that distributors and retailers of drugs and equipment related to COVID are made to mandatorily display their stocks and prices.

He also suggested that immediate steps be undertaken to ensure the availability of drugs related to black fungus and the newly launched D- 2G for people in genuine and medically prescribed need .

(ANI)

Delhi High Court issues notice to Centre, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and others on a PIL challenging DCGI nod to Phase 2-3 clinical trials of Covaxin for children between 2-18 years of age.

The Court while issuing the notice, refused an interim stay on the clinical trial.

Read more

Uttarakhand | As per the State Panchayati Raj Department, there were 15,981 active patients in rural areas of the state on Tuesday, out of which 14,851 are living in home isolation

2,99,327, a record number of tests were conducted by Uttar Pradesh yesterday. 2.45% positivity found in samples tested yesterday. 2,79,581 tests were conducted on 17th May: Director Information & Public Relations, Govt of UP

Delhi CM doesn't speak for India: EAM on Singapore row

Amid a row between Singapore's government and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over Covid variants, India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar tweeted a sharp response to Kejriwal, calling his comments "irresponsible".

Read more

West Bengal's former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya tests positive for Covid-19. He is under home isolation.

Read more

Record 4,529 single-day Covid-19 deaths, daily infections below 3 lakh for third straight day

India on Wednesday reported 2,67,334 new Covid-19 cases, 3,89,851 discharges and 4,529 deaths, the highest so far, in the last 24 hours, Union Health ministry data showed.

India's cumulative tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 2,54,96,330 while the active caseload is 32,26,719.

Read more

32,03,01,177 samples tested for Covid-19 up to 18th May 2021. Of these, 20,08,296 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

US Congressman praises PM Modi's efforts during Covid crisis

A US Congressman on Tuesday praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and exuded confidence that Indians will overcome the challenge.

Reiterating that the United States and India share a special partnership, Congressman Joe Wilson also said he is grateful to support efforts in Congress to supply India with the necessary equipment to combat the pandemic.

"Our sympathy to the people of India as victims of the coronavirus pandemic. I appreciate the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during this heartbreaking crisis," Wilson said.

"As a member of the House Caucus on India and Indian-Americans and a friend of India, my thoughts and sympathies are with the great people of India during this time, and I am confident that they will overcome this challenge," he said.

Racial gap in vaccinations shrinks in United States, but it’s still there

Black and Hispanic people across the United States have received a disproportionately smaller share of vaccinations to date, according to a New York Times analysis of state-reported race and ethnicity information. And vaccine disparities have grown in some of the most socially vulnerable parts of the nation, leaving many low-income communities of color with vaccination rates well below the national average.

However, state and federal data reveal that the country has made some progress toward vaccine parity.

(NYT)

Japan looking into allowing pharmacists to administer coronavirus vaccines

Japan's health ministry is looking into allowing pharmacists to administer novel coronavirus vaccines, a government spokesman said on Wednesday, at a time when voter polls have shown public dissatisfaction with progress in the inoculation campaign.

(Reuters)

Meanwhile, the Gaza War deepens a long-running humanitarian crisis

The nine-day battle between Hamas militants and the Israeli military has damaged 17 hospitals and clinics in the Gaza Strip, wrecked its only coronavirus test laboratory, sent fetid wastewater into its streets and broken water pipes serving at least 800,000 people, setting off a humanitarian crisis that is touching nearly every civilian in the crowded enclave of about 2 million people.

(NYT)

Track updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict here

Remdesivir may be dropped soon as there is no proof of its effectiveness in treating Covid-19 patients: Dr Rana

Art to combat Covid-19 in Agartala

Cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India crosses 18.57 crore: Union Health Ministry

A daily wage worker with her children walks barefoot on a road, during the second wave of coronavirus in Lucknow. Credit: PTI Photo

US civil rights leader to urge Biden to release 60 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to India

Eminent American civil rights leader Rev. Jesse L. Jackson is urging President Joe Biden to release 60 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to India, which is experiencing one of the worst outbreaks of thee pandemic in the world.

Rev. Jackson will be joined by a number of prominent Indian leaders in the national capital on Wednesday, to make a public appeal to Biden for more humanitarian aid, according to a community statement.

China cuts Covid-19 vaccine ingredient shipment to Brazil

China will reduce its shipment of pharmaceutical ingredients for producing Covid-19 vaccines to Brazil's Butantan biomedical institute next week to 3,000 liters from 4,000, Butantan said on Tuesday.

This means the shipment scheduled for May 26 will now make 5 million doses of the Coronavac shot, Butantan said, instead of the 7 million Sao Paulo state Governor Joao Doria had tweeted on Monday.

US Congressman praises PM Modi's efforts during Covid-19 crisis

A US Congressman on Tuesday praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and exuded confidence that Indians will overcome the challenge.

Reiterating that the United States and India share a special partnership, Congressman Joe Wilson also said he is grateful to support efforts in Congress to supply India with the necessary equipment to combat the pandemic.

"Our sympathy to the people of India as victims of the coronavirus pandemic. I appreciate the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during this heartbreaking crisis," Wilson said.

Mexico's health ministry on Tuesday reported an additional 253 coronavirus fatalities, bringing the total death toll in the country to 220,746.