Coronavirus News Highlights: Haryana extends Covid-19 lockdown by a week till May 17

India on Sunday logged more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths over 24 hours for the second day in a row. 4,03,738 more infections took the overall tally above 2.22 crore. India's total active caseload has reached 37,36,648 and now comprises 16.76 per cent of the country's total infections. Stay tuned for latest updates.

Tamil Nadu logs 28,897 new Covid-19 cases; Sterlite plant to produce oxygen from May 11

Tamil Nadu's coronavirus spike continued unabated with 28,897 fresh cases being recorded in a single day, pushing the total caseload to 13.80 lakh while 236 deaths in the last 24 hours took the toll to 15,648. The state government said the Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin district would commence production of oxygen from May 11 onwards.

Indian Covid-19 variant is highly pathogenic, finds ICMR study

The Indian variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B1.617) causes worse lung disease in hamsters than earlier versions of the coronavirus, the Indian Council of Medical Research has said in a new study days after the Union Health Ministry described it as a “variant of concern.”

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Haryana extends Covid-19 lockdown by a week till May 17

The Haryana government on Sunday announced extending the coronavirus-induced lockdown in the state by a week till May 17.

Making the announcement on Twitter, Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said that stringent measures will be taken to contain the spread of coronavirus infections in the state.

Covid-19 tentacles reach UP's hinterlands, deaths going unreported

With very little testing and treatment facilities in smaller towns and districts, Covid-19 may be silently claiming lives of people in large numbers in the villages across Uttar Pradesh.

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West Bengal registers highest single-day spike of 19,441 Covid-19 cases, 124 more fatalities: Health Department

U’Khand: BJP MLA’s son gets vaccine jab ahead of official schedule for his age group

A controversy has erupted in Uttarakhand over a BJP MLA's 25-year-old son getting the anti-coronavirus vaccine jab despite the fact that inoculation of people in his age group is yet to begin in the state.

The vaccination process for people aged 18-44 years begins officially in Uttarakhand on Monday. However, BJP MLA from Khanpur Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion's son Divya Pratap Singh Champion got the jab on May 5.

Gujarat reports 11,084 new Covid-19 cases, 14,770 discharges and 121 deaths in the last 24 hours

Total cases: 6,81,012
Total recoveries: 5,33,004
Death toll: 8,394

Active cases: 1,39,614

Karnataka reports 47,930 new Covid-19 cases, 490 fatalities and 31,796 discharges in the last 24 hours

Total recoveries: 13,51,097
Death toll: 18,776
Case tally: 19,34,378

Active cases: 5,64,485

Mumbai reports 2,403 new Covid-19 cases and 68 deaths.

Goa reports 67 Covid-19 deaths, its highest; 2,633 new cases

Coronavirus claimed the lives of 67 patients in Goa on Sunday, the highest single-day death count in the state since the pandemic began, a health official said.

With this, its fatality count increased to 1,679, while the overall caseload went up to 1,18,846 with the addition of 2,633 infection cases, he said.

Kerala records 35,801 Covid-19 cases

Fresh positive cases : 35,801

Test positivity rate: 28.88%

Recovered during the day :29,318

Deaths reported during the day : 68

Samples tested in last 24 hrs : 1,23,980

Under treatment : 4,23,514

Recovered so far : 14,72,951

Total deaths : 5814 (+ 346 non-covid)

Total reported so far: 19,02,628

Watch DH's playlist of videos on Covid-19 here

Over 1.28 lakh people vaccinated in Delhi on May 8: Atishi

Delhi vaccinated over 1.28 lakh people against coronavirus on Saturday, AAP MLA Atishi said on Sunday.

She said Delhi currently has 4.65 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines available for those above 45, and healthcare and frontline workers, while 2.74 lakh doses are available for the 18-44 age category.

Rickshaw pullers wait for passengers alongside a road during partial lockdown imposed by the state government amidst rising Covid-19 cases in Siliguri. Credit: AFP Photo

South Africa detects 4 cases of Covid-19 variant found in India

South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has said that four cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus have been detected in the country, but there was no cause for panic as all such cases were quarantined.

"The four cases of B.1.617.2 (Indian variant of coronavirus) have been detected in Gauteng (2) and KwaZulu-Natal (2) and all have a history of recent arrival from India. All cases have been isolated and managed according to the national Covid-19 case management guidelines and contact tracing has been performed in order to limit the spread of this variant," Mkhize said in a statement on Saturday.

Explained | What patent waivers on Covid-19 drugs mean for low-income countries

India, South Africa and other developing countries are likely to push for a wider waiver of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 drugs and medical tools after US President Joe Biden and Trade Representative Katherine Tai backed their call to waive off intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines.

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Emirates to fly medical aid to India for free

Emirates airline said on Sunday it will fly medical supplies from Dubai to nine cities in India free of charge from this week to help battle a devastating upsurge in the coronavirus. International aid has poured in for India, where record infection rates have overwhelmed hospitals, depleting medicines, oxygen tanks and other supplies.

Earlier this month, Qatar Airways also airlifted 300 tonnes of aid free of charge from Doha to India.

India Inc steps up to shoulder Covid-induced challenges

Corporate India is stepping up to shoulder coronavirus-induced challenges by lending a helping hand through various initiatives like testing, vaccination camps, financial aid, medical help and resource access for Covid-19 care.

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These 10 states account for majority of new Covid-19 cases

Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi are among 10 states that account for 71.75 per cent of the 4,03,738 new Covid-19 cases registered in a day, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

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Mucormycosis: Gujarat sets up special wards in hospitals, procures anti-fungal drug vials

Amid the rise in cases of mucormycosis or 'black fungus' infection among Covid-19 survivors, the Gujarat government has started setting up separate wards in hospitals for such patients and has procured 5,000 vials of a medicine used in its treatment.

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Health workers move a Covid-19 patient to the Coronavirus OPD at Government Covid-19 hospital, in Ahmedabad. Credit: PTI File Photo

10,635 new coronavirus cases, 19 more deaths in Odisha: Health Dept

(PTI)

Delhi reports 13,336 new Covid-19 cases, 273 deaths and 14,738 recoveries in the last 24 hours

Total cases: 13,23,567
Death toll: 19,344
Total recoveries: 12,17,991

Active cases: 86,232

(ANI)

These 10 states account for majority of new Covid-19 cases

Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi are among 10 states that account for 71.75 per cent of the 4,03,738 new Covid-19 cases registered in a day, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

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Strictly follow Covid guidelines, Bengaluru top cop urges people

Ahead of the fortnight-long lockdown like restrictions starting from May 10 in Karnataka, Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant on Sunday urged people to strictly abide by the guidelines and warned of stringent action against violators.

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Rajasthan Royals pacer Chetan Sakariya's father passes away due to Covid-19

(ANI)

'Corona Curfew' imposed in Jammu & Kashmir extended till 7am on May 17

Essential services allowed, gathering permissible for marriages is reduced to 25 only.

(ANI)

Mamata urges PM Modi to waive taxes, duties on medical equipment, Covid-19 drugs

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to waive all forms of taxes and customs duty on equipment and drugs being used to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Two-week Covid-19 lockdown in Goa begins

Bengaluru to begin Covid-19 vaccination for 18-44 years age group from May 10

After launching the Covid-19 vaccination drive for the 18 to 44-years group ‘symbolically’ a few days ago, the state government on Sunday announced that the vaccination of the 18 to 44 age group will begin from Monday in Bengaluru.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the chief ministers of Punjab, Karnataka, Bihar and Uttarakhand on the Covid-19 related situation in their states.

(ANI)

In the last 2-3 days, the positivity rate has come down to 23% from 35%: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

(ANI)

All you need to know about anti-Covid drug developed by DRDO

As India grapples with the devastating second wave of the pandemic, an anti-Covid oral drug, developed by DRDO in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use.

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Partial 'corona curfew' imposed in Uttar Pradesh extended till May 17

(ANI)

How government's false narratives fuelled the second Covid-19 wave

For three consecutive days earlier this week, Paromita, a young woman living at Noida Extension, drove from one hospital to another, looking for an oxygen bed for her 46-year-old husband, whose blood oxygen level had dipped to a dangerously low level. Her husband died without receiving any treatment.

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BBMP adopts 'Mumbai model' to rein in Covid-19

With Covid-19 patients in Bengaluru struggling to find beds and oxygen, the state government is taking a cue from Mumbai and decided to constitute ward-level committees for efficient Covid care management.

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IMA questions unavailability of medicines, oxygen amid Covid-19 crisis

At a time when India is reeling under severe shortage of medicines and medical oxygen to treat patients of Covid-19, the Maharashtra chapter of the IMA has asked the administration to make available everything needed for treatment.

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Variant accelerating India's Covid explosion: WHO top scientist

A Covid-19 variant spreading in India is more contagious and may be dodging vaccine protections, contributing to the country's explosive outbreak, the World Health Organization's chief scientist said Saturday.

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India on Sunday logged more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths over 24 hours for the second day in a row. Meanwhile, 4,03,738 more infections were recorded.

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Mizoram reports 169 new cases taking the number of active cases in the state to 1,951.

(ANI)

A family member stands near the funeral pyre of his loved one who died due to the Covid-19 coronavirus at a cremation ground in Allahabad on May 8, 2021, as India recorded more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths in a day for the first time. Credit: AFP Photo

What led to the 24 deaths in Chamarajanagar? Recounting a night of horror and heartbreak

On May 2, 19-year-old Keerthana, an employee of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadi Kendra in Kollegal town in Chamarajanagar district, fell seriously ill, complaining of weakness and breathlessness. She was rushed to Kollegal taluk hospital, where she gave a Covid test but was referred to the Chamarajanagar district hospital, citing a lack of oxygen.

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Fungal infection cases rising in second phase of pandemic, warn Maharashtra, Gujarat doctors

Cases of mucormycosis, a fungal infection, are rising among Covid-19 survivors, causing blindness or serious illness and even death in some cases, health officials in Maharashtra and Gujarat said on Saturday.

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A family member of a Covid-19 patient carries oxygen cylinder from an oxygen filling centre in New Delhi, Saturday, May 8, 2021. Credit: PTI Photo

South Africa picks up first cases of coronavirus variant from India

South Africa's health ministry said on Saturday it had detected the first four cases of a new coronavirus variant that emerged in India and was responsible for a surge of infections and deaths.

(PTI)

53,605 new coronavirus cases, 864 deaths in Maharashtra: Health Dept

(PTI)

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