Coronavirus News highlights: Free Covid-19 vaccination to all the citizens aged between 18-44 years in Maharashtra

India on Wednesday reported over 3 lakh Covid-19 cases for the seventh day in a row, with a record 3.6 lakh new cases. Meanwhile, Covaxin, India’s home-grown Covid-19 vaccine, has been found to neutralise the 617 variant of the deadly virus, White House chief medical adviser and America's top pandemic expert Dr Anthony Fauci said. Stay tuned on DH for latest updates.

80 lakh register for Covid-19 vaccination in first three hours on Wednesday

After initial hiccups, nearly 80 lakh people managed to register online for the mass vaccination drive beginning May 1 even as the Covid-19 death toll in the country crossed the two-lakh mark on Wednesday.

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People need to stand up against black marketing, hoarding: HC

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said people should not resort to black marketing or hoarding of oxygen cylinders or essential medicines, including Remdesivir, as the nation was facing unprecedented crisis in view huge jump in Covid-19 cases.

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Karnataka logs record 39,047 new Covid-19 cases, 229 deaths

In the biggest single-day spike, Karnataka recorded 39,047 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the tally to 14.39 lakh, while fatalities crossed the 15,000-mark with 229 deaths.

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DM in Tripura draws flak after he 'disrupted' marriage functions for violating Covid-19 night curfew order

A district magistrate in Tripura was slammed by some MLAs from both ruling BJP and the opposition CPM after a video in which he was seen "forcefully" disrupting two marriage functions in Agartala on Monday night for allegedly violating Covid-19 curfew order, went viral.

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Fighting against Covid, poverty, residents of Bengal village share one mask among family

As the country grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, masks have become a daily necessity. While a large number of people are coming up with a variety of excuses for not wearing masks, even though they can afford it, a remote village in West Bengal’s South Dinajpur district presents a different picture.

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Centre to procure 1 lakh portable oxygen concentrators, 500 more PSA oxygen plants from PM Cares Fund

The government will procure one lakh portable oxygen concentrators and install 500 more pressure swing adsorption oxygen plants from the PM Cares Fund, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, asserting this will help improve access to oxygen, especially in district headquarters and tier-2 cities.

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India blames virus variant as Covid-19 crisis worsens

At Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, a huge facility in the middle of Delhi, 37 fully vaccinated doctors came down with Covid-19 earlier this month.

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Russia to deliver 'emergency' Covid-19 aid to India

Russia will deliver emergency aid to coronavirus-hit India, President Vladimir Putin told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a phone call Wednesday, the Kremlin said.

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Covid-19 Wrap-up: India reports biggest single-day spike with 3.6L fresh cases

Crematoria are so full of bodies, it’s as if a war just happened. Fires burn around the clock. Many places are holding mass cremations, dozens at a time, and at night, in certain areas of New Delhi, the sky glows.Sickness and death are everywhere.

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Negative Covid-19 report or full vaccination mandatory for entering counting halls: EC

No candidates or their agents will be allowed inside counting halls without a negative coronavirus report, according to the latest result-day guidelines issued by the Election Commission.

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Covid-19 patients hit by oxygen, Remdesivir crunch in UP, government threatens action against private hospitals

Uttar Pradesh continues to witness a shortage of oxygen and Remdesivir despite the contrary claims of the state government. 265 people died from coronavirus infection in the state in the past 24 hours while the number of fresh cases stood at29,884 during the same period.

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DRDO to build two 500-bedded Covid hospitals in J&K

With continuous surge in Covid-19 cases, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is establishing two 500-bedded Covid hospitals at Srinagar and Jammu.

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35,013 new Covid-19 cases, 41 deaths and 15,505 recoveries recorded in Kerala today. The total number of recoveries is 12,23,185 so far: CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

Allahabad HC says 'ghost of Corona marching on roads of major cities in UP', raps govt and EC

Coming down hard on the Uttar Pradesh government over its 'failure' to take measures to tackle Covid 19 cases, the Allahabad high court has said that the people in the state have been left to fend for themselves and that the situation in major cities has turned 'chaotic'.

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SII reduces price of its Covid-19 vaccine from Rs 400 to Rs 300 for states

Serum Institute of India's CEO, Adar Poonawalla on Wednesday announced that his company has decided to reduce the prices of its Covid-19 vaccine to the estates from Rs 400 to Rs 300 per dose.

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'Life is precious', say migrants fleeing Covid-hit cities in India

Amid India's Covid-19 crisis, migrant workers are abandoning cities and heading for their villages in droves in a repeat of last year's exodus when the lockdown shut industries and left them jobless - but this time they are worried about safety.

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3,000 Covid-19 infected people gone 'missing' in Bengaluru, says minister

Amid surging Covid-19 cases in the State, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka claimed on Wednesday most infected people have switched off their phones and about 3,000 of them who have gone 'missing' from Bengaluru are spreading the disease. Police have been asked to trace them, the minister told reporters.

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Ten states account for over 78% of new Covid-19 deaths in India

Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are among the 10 states that account for 78.53 per cent of the new Covid-19 deaths reported in a day, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

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Today, the cabinet under the leadership of CM Uddhav Thackeray has decided to provide free Covid-19 vaccination to all the citizens of Maharashtra aged between 18-44 years: CMO Maharashtra. (ANI)

Delhi High Court has begun hearing petitions relating to various issues arising due to rise of Covid-19 cases in the national capital.

Goa announces lockdown till May 3 to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Allu Arjun tests positive for Covid-19, under home quarantine

South star Allu Arjun on Wednesday said he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is under home quarantine.

The 38-year-old actor shared a note on Twitter to inform about his diagnosis.

"Hello everyone! I have tested positive for Covid. I have isolated myself at home and have been following all the protocols. I request all my well wishers and fans not to worry as I am doing fine," he wrote.

Vaccine doses administered in India crosses 14.78 crore

Union Health Ministry has said that cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India has crossed 14.78 crores today. It includes 93,47,775 HCWs who have taken the first dose and61,06,237 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 1,22,21,975 FLWs (1st dose) and65,26,378 FLWs (2nd dose).

Covid-19 restrictions in Puducherry extended till May 3. Gathering and congregation in any form are strictly prohibited. (ANI)

Former Mumbai Congress chief Eknath Gaikwad has dies of Covid-19 infection.

His daughter Varsha Gaikwad is school education minister in Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government.

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma said, "There are 3.25 crore people in the state aged between 18 and 45 yrs of age. So, we'll need 7 crore doses of vaccine. Our officers spoke to SII, they hadbooked 3.75 crore doses." (ANI)

Two people were arrested by Punjabi Bagh Police for black marketing of Oxygen cylinders. Four Oxygen cylinders and one large commercial Oxygen cylinder were recovered from their possession. (ANI)

More than a quarter of all adults in the UK are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, government figures show

Registration for those aged 18 and above will begin on cowin.gov.in, Aarogya Setu andUMANG App at 4 PM today. Appointments at the state governmentcenters andprivate centers depending on how many vaccination centers ready on May 1. (ANI)

28,27,03,789 samples were tested up to 27th April 2021, for Covid-19. Of these 17,23,912 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

JUST IN |The BKC Jumbo Covid Centre,Mumbai's biggest vaccination centre,has run out of stock and is not active today. It will open for vaccination as soon as the stock is replenished, BMC officials have said.

"We have over 5 crore people in the state who are 18 years of age and above. For this, we need 12 crore vaccines. We have written to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech about our demands for vaccines,"Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has said.

US Secretary of State has said that the FDA is reviewing vaccines so it can be made sure they are safe, when asked if US will be sharing 60 million doses of the vaccine with India soon. (ANI)

Night curfew between 10 pm to 5 am to continue till April 30 in Puducherry

Nagaland to impose partial lockdown for a fortnight from April 30

Nagaland cabinet Tuesday decided to impose partial lockdown with stricter rules in the state from April 30 to May 14 in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases across the country, a government official said.

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'Catastrophe or murder?' In India, Covid is everywhere

Crematories are so full of bodies, it’s as if a war just happened. Fires burn around the clock. Many places are holding mass cremations, dozens at a time, and at night, in certain areas of New Delhi, the sky glows.

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