Coronavirus News Highlights: Over 35.71 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India so far

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday attended a meeting of the G20 High-Level Independent Panel (HLIP) and shared India's preparedness and response to Covid-19 while highlighting the slew of measures undertaken to support the economy during the pandemic.

. In a sign of improvement from the sweeping second wave of the pandemic, the Covid-19 cases and deaths in Maharashtra dropped significantly on Monday.

. The total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country so far has exceeded 35.71 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

According to a provisional report published at 7 pm, more than 41.34 lakh vaccine doses have been administered on Monday. In the age group of 18-44 years, 18,30,741 people got first dose of the vaccine and 1,40,368 received the second dose on Monday.

. The Kerala government on Monday said it would increase Covid-19 tests in the northern districts of the state, where cases are comparitively higher than other areas.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, speaking at a high-level meeting to evaluate the pandemic situation in the state, said the government would look into the reasons behind the increase in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod and Wayanad districts.

Malappuram has the highest number of active cases in the state--13,722, followed by neighbouring Kozhikode with 13,122. Wayanad, which has the lowest number of active cases in the state--3,191, reported 138 new cases today.

. The Delta variant of coronavirus is eight times less sensitive to antibodies generated by vaccines as compared to the original strain that came from China's Wuhan, according to a new study.

. Telangana on Monday recorded 808 new Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 6,27,498, while the toll rose to 3,698 with seven more fatalities.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 82 followed by Nalgonda (62) and Khammam (59) districts, a state government bulletin said, providing details as of 5.30 PM on Monday.

. The head of the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday of a "dangerous divergence" between developed and developing countries as they seek to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kristalina Georgieva said that strong growth in wealthy countries like the United States was "good news" but developing countries were being held back by slow vaccination rates.

. Sri Lanka on Monday received the first batch 26,000 doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, becoming the first South Asian country to get the US-made jab.

The consignment was part of the 800,000 Covid-19 jabs to be delivered to the island nation in the next few weeks.

Health officials said that the 26,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine was the start of the 5 million Pfizer jabs expected by year end.

"Great news this morning as #SriLanka becomes the first country in South Asia to purchase a contingent of #Pfizer vaccines. I am proud of the work that is being done by my government to ensure vaccines for all Sri Lankans. Vaccination continues throughout the country," President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tweeted.

. Bangladesh's single-day COVID-19 deaths and cases surpassed previous records on Monday with 164 more fatalities and 9,964 fresh infections, forcing the government to extend the nationwide lockdown by one more week.

According to officials, the coronavirus has so far claimed 15,229 lives and infected 954,881 people in the country.

"The COVID-19 toll now stands at 15,229 with 164 (overnight) deaths… as many as 9,964 people tested positive, raising the infection rate to 29.30 per cent during the 24-hour time span," Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) spokesman Professor Nazmul Islam said.

. Delhi records 54 fresh Covid-19 cases, two deaths. Positivity rate drops to 0.09%

. India’s envoy to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has said that Indian-American physicians are the real heroes as he praised the community for playing a leading role in the country’s successful fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ambassador Sandhu, in his address to the 39th annual Convention by American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in Atlanta, said that “we are proud of the achievements of the 4-million Indians in the United States”.

. India's technology platform for Covid vaccination - Co-WIN -is being made open source and soon it will be available to all countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, asserting that India has been committed to sharing its expertise and resources with the global community in combating the pandemic.

. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Monday unveil a plan to lift most if not all of England's pandemic restrictions from July 19, as he urged the public to "learn to live with" the coronavirus.

Johnson had initially aimed for a full reopening on June 21, but was forced to push back the date because of a surge in the highly contagious Delta variant.

That variant now accounts for nearly all new Covid-19 cases in Britain, and infection rates have soared -- but mass vaccinations have stopped a resultant surge in hospitalisations or deaths.

The prime minister is set to outline the planned easing for England at an afternoon news conference. The UK's other nations -- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland -- are moving at a slower pace.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Co-WIN Global Conclave on Monday as India will now offer the Co-WIN platform as a digital public good to other countries to run their own Covid-19 inoculation drives.

. Cinema halls, dine-in restaurants, gymnasiums and marriage halls will reopen from July 8, albeit with half capacity, as the Andhra Pradesh government on Monday decided to further relax the Covid curfew following a drastic decline in the infection spread.

. Covid curfew in Uttarakhand has been extended till 6 am, July 13. "Malls to reopen at 50 per centcapacity and markets will remain closed on weekends," Uttarakhand government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal told ANI .

. Two more people died of coronavirus in Ladakh, taking the death toll in the Union Territory to 204 while five new cases pushed the infection tally to 20,120, officials said on Monday.

According to officials, the two deaths were reported from Leh on Sunday. Of the total fatalities so far, 146 were reported from Leh and 58 from Kargil, they added.

Ladakh last reported a Covid-related fatality on June 19. ( PTI )

. Police have registered a case for Covid-19 protocols violation in connection with a musical programme held over the weekend at Aurangabad in Maharashtra where local AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel was also present. When contacted, the Lok Sabha member refused to comment in the matter. The district administration had enforced a 'weekend lockdown' to check the spread of coronavirus infection. ( PTI )

. What is causing the decline in Bengaluru’s Covid cases?

. Scientists have identified a post-infection treatment for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, and successfully demonstrated its efficacy in stopping viral reproduction in mice.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that animal models infected with SARS-CoV-2 and treated with an inhibitor of protease enzymes had significantly increased survival and decreased lung viral quantity. ( PTI )

. Puducherry reported 128 new coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours taking the overall tally to 1,18,087, a senior official of the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services said.

Active cases in the union territory fell below the 2,000 mark as 262 recoveries were recorded.

. Delhi's Lajpat Nagar market was closed for flouting Covid norms. The market will remain closed until further orders. Lajpat Nagar Market Traders Association asked to show cause why action should not be taken against them for violating norms, as per a DDMA statement. ( ANI )

. Indonesia will provide free telemedicine services to coronavirus patients with mild symptoms, its health minister said on Monday, in an effort to reduce pressure on a healthcare sector inundated by record numbers of Covid-19 cases.

With records most days last week and deaths surpassing 500 on several of those, Indonesia is battling one of Asia's worst Covid-19 epidemics, fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant first identified in India. ( Reuters )

. Shares of India's Panacea Biotec Ltd climbed as much as 9% in early trade on Monday, a day after the biotech company said it had received a manufacturing licence for the Sputnik V vaccine.

India has shifted its focus to mass immunisations as experts warn of a looming third wave of the coronavirus pandemic as the country slowly reopens and a new variant, locally called the Delta Plus, emerges.

. Arunachal Pradesh's Covid-19 tally rose to 37,105 as 168 more people tested positive for the infection while one new fatality pushed the death toll to 177, a senior health official said here on Monday.

A 78-year-old woman died due to acute respiratory distress syndrome with Covid pneumonia at the Dedicated Covid Hospital at Chimphu on Sunday, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. ( PTI )

. The active cases have further declined to 4,82,071 and comprise 1.58 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate has improved to 97.11 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed

It said that there has been a decline of 3,279 active cases in a span of 24 hours.

The ministry said that 15,22,504 tests were conducted on Sunday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted for detection of Covd in the country to 41,97,77,457.

. 41,97,77,457 samples tested for Covid-19 up to July 4, 2021. Of these, 15,22,504 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research

. Four new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the last 24 hours, pushing the tally in the union territory to 7,482, a health official said on Monday.

All the new cases were detected during contact tracing, he said. (PTI)

. India reports 39,796 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours.

. With the addition of 442 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 5,34,453, an official said on Monday. These new cases were reported on Sunday, he said.

. After nearly six months in office, grappling with a pandemic every step of that way, President Joe Biden was determined to party.

"Today, all across this nation, we can say with confidence: America is coming back together," Biden declared Sunday as he hosted more than 1,000 guests for a July Fourth celebration on the South Lawn of the White House.

Biden wanted all Americans to celebrate, too, after enduring 16 months of disruption in the pandemic and more than 605,000 deaths. ( AP )

. The mortuary at Fiji's largest hospital is now full, the country's health ministry said on Monday, as the Pacific island nation logs record daily coronavirus cases.

There were no immediate details on the capacity of the morgue. Twenty-eight people have died from Covid-19 in a second wave of infections starting in April, the ministry said on Sunday. ( Reuters )

. The third phase of Unlock in Karnataka, starting Monday, includes the opening of temples, malls and bars. Pubgoers, however, have to wait.

. The curve of the second wave of novel coronavirus infections in Karnataka dipped further on Sunday after the state posted the lowest new numbers of cases in three and a half months.

. India’s daily Covid-19 count has remained below 50,000 for the past seven days, but Kerala and some northeastern states continue to be a cause of concern due to the high test positivity rate.

Coronavirus News Highlights: Over 35.71 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India so far

FM Nirmala Sitharaman shares India's response to Covid-19 with G20 panel

Maharashtra sees significant drop in fresh Covid-19 cases, deaths

Over 35.71 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India so far

Kerala to increase Covid-19 tests in northern districts

Covid-19 Delta variant 8 times less sensitive to vaccine antibodies: Study

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