Coronavirus news highlights: G20 warns of economic risk from Covid variants

India on Saturday reported 42,766 new Covid-19 cases as the daily infections in the country continued to remain above 40,000. Except for three instances when single-day infections dropped below the 40,000-mark, daily cases have mostly remained between the 40,000 and 50,000 level since the third week of June. Stay tuned for updates.

DCGI decision on Covid vaccine for kids likely after October: NK Arora

India may consider the issue of vaccinating 12-18-year-old children after another three months, by when the drug regulator would be able to examine the clinical trial data on nearly 1,000 adolescents who participated in the evaluation exercise of a new Covid-19 vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical major Zydus Cadila.

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Tripura govt extends Covid curfew till July 17

After detection of 'Delta Plus' variant of coronavirus in Tripura, the state government has extended the 15-hour daily curfew in several urban areas for another week till July 17, an official said on Saturday.

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G20 warns of economic risk from Covid variants

The group of 20 rich countries said on Saturday that the economic outlook had improved since they last met in April but warned that new Covid-19 variants could threaten the recovery.

"We reaffirm our resolve to use all available policy tools for as long as required to address the adverse consequences of Covid-19," said the final statement by G20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting in Venice. - Reuters.

Maharashtra reports 8,296 Covid-19 cases, 6,026 recoveries, and 179 deaths in the last 24 hours - ANI

Watch: Uttarakhand's Mussoorie sees tourists in large numbers on the weekend - ANI

Karnataka reports 2,162 Covid-19 cases, 48 deaths and 2,879 recoveries, active caseload at 37,141

Kerala's Sabarimala temple to be opened for devotees from July 17 to 21 for monthly puja - ANI

Kerala's Sabarimala temple to be opened for devotees from July 17 to 21 for monthly puja. Devotees with complete Covid vaccination certificates or RT-PCR negative report issued within 48 hrs will be allowed. Maximum of 5,000 devotees will be allowed through online booking system.

Uttarakhand govt instructs district magistrates regarding health infrastructure over possible third wave - ANI

Covid-19 positivity rate in some districts of Rajasthan, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Himachal is over 10 per cent: Home Secy - PTI

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla emphasised that the second wave of Covid was not yet over; and States should ensure strict adherence to the protocols prescribed in respect of wearing of masks, social distancing and other safe behaviour: GoI - ANI

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla today chaired a meeting to review the steps taken by state governments for checking the spread of Covid-19 in hill stations and tourist locations - ANI

52 new cases push Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally to 3,46,223

Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally rose to 3,46,223 on Saturday as 52 more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.

The state's coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 5,119 as no fresh fatality was registered, it said.

Ranchi district recorded the highest number of new cases at 95, followed by 10 in East Singhbhum. - PTI.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman offers Co-WIN platform to other nations for free

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday offered to share the Co-WIN platform with other nations for free, saying that humanitarian needs outweigh commercial benefits.

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Delta variant cases mark 32% weekly increase in UK, vaccine protection high

UK health officials said the Delta variant of Covid-19 continues as the dominant strain of coronavirus and marked a sharp increase in the UK with 54,268 more cases logged on Friday, which marks a 32 per cent increase over the previous week.

Public Health England (PHE) said its weekly analysis shows the continued rise in infections is not followed by a similar increase in hospitalisations and deaths, which reflects a high protection offered by both doses of a coronavirus vaccine. - PTI.

As of now, there is no Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 in Assam. We are doing genomic sequencing in the state. Prime Minister will hold a meeting to take stock of vaccination status in northeastern states on Tuesday at 11 am: Himanta Biswa Sarma - ANI

Tokyo records most virus cases in 2 months

Tokyo has reported 950 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily number in two months, as infections steadily spread less than two weeks before the city hosts the Summer Olympics.

Saturday's tally compared to 822 confirmed cases reported Friday. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Tokyo starting Monday to keep the infections from becoming explosive during the Olympics, which open on July 23.

His government initially planned to take less-stringent measures, but came under pressure to issue the emergency order as the more contagious Delta strain spread in the Tokyo region. -AP.

Large number of tourists reach Kasauli as the Himachal Pradesh government relaxes Covid-19 restrictions - ANI

G20 signs off on tax crackdown, warns on Covid variants

Finance chiefs of the G20 large economies endorsed a landmark move to stop multinationals shifting profits to low-tax havens at talks on Saturday where they will also warn that coronavirus variants threaten the global economic recovery.

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WHO to likely decide on emergency use listing of Covaxin in 4-6 weeks

The World Health Organization (WHO) is likely to take a decision on including Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin in the emergency use list (EUL) within four to six weeks, Soumya Swaminathan, the global health body's chief scientist has said.

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MSMEs are being killed by the Covid-19 pandemic

Small businesses may be the bedrock of the Indian economy, helping expand its industrial base and creating jobs by the millions, but the pandemic has shown it’s better to be bigger, according to research by Societe Generale.

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Sri Lanka to delay home series vs India after Covid-19 cases in home team

India's limited-overs series in Sri Lanka has been delayed by four days after two Covid-19 infections were detected in the home team contingent, according to media reports on Saturday.

Lockdown in Tamil Nadu extended till July 19

Player tests positive in alternate SL squad as Covid-19 continues to rock hosts

A Sri Lankan player in one of the two bio-bubbles has tested positive for Covid-19 as the virus outbreak continued to rock the home team ahead of its limited-overs series against India.

As the states across the country started to ease Covid-19 curbswith a dip in new cases, it suggested anend ofthe second wave. However, Niti Aayog member Dr V K Paul said on Friday that the current decline in the number of Covid-19 cases does not indicate the end of the second wave. Read more

Arunachal Pradesh'sCovid-19 tally rose to 39,085 with 403 more people testing positive for the infection, a senior health official said here on Saturday.

India records 42,766 new cases

Indiahas logged 42,766 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally to 3,07,95,716, while the active cases have declined to 4,55,033, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

India's Co-WIN redemption

The offer by India this week to the world to utilise its open-source technology platform in keeping track of vaccination drive is a move through which New Delhi should be able to wrest back, through the digital route, the initiative in the global fight against Covid-19.

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Australia's New South Wales reports 2021 record daily rise in Covid-19 cases

Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, reported on Saturday its biggest daily rise in locally acquired cases of Covid-19 so far this year, as total infections in the latest outbreak approached 500.

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Covid-19: Masking no longer required for vaccinated US students

Students and teachers vaccinated against Covid-19 will not need to wear masks in US classrooms when school resumes in the fall, health authorities said Friday.

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Benefits of mRNA Covid vaccines outweigh rare heart risks, says WHO

The benefits of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines outweigh the very small risk they might cause heart inflammation, as the jabs reduce hospitalisations and deaths, an advisory panel of the World Health Organization said on Friday.

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Covid-19 crisis | Second wave is not over, crowded tourist spots pose a new risk, says Health Ministry

Even after a ten-fold drop in daily new infections, India is not out of its Covid-19 worries as the daily count of new cases has not fallen since the past two weeks with half of them coming from only two states – Maharashtra and Kerala.

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India will administer 67 crore Covid vaccines before September: Ministry of Finance report

A Finance Ministry report on Friday estimated that over 67 crore Covid vaccine doses will be administered before the festive season beginning September and said the emergence of a third wave could be significantly buffered by expanding vaccination and a quick bridging of healthcare infrastructure gaps in rural and urban areas.

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Jairam Ramesh accuses PM Modi of dividing India into BJP, non-BJP states in Covid vaccine distribution

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday alleged partisanship in the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine among states and accused the prime minister of dividing them into those governed by the BJP and those by others.

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