Coronavirus News highlights: Delhi reports 31 new Covid-19 cases, 32 recoveries

India reported 45,083 new cases, 460 deaths and 35,840 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Australia continues to face the brunt of Covid-19, with its most populous state, New South Wales, reporting a record 1,218 locally acquired infections. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the state no longer faces vaccine shortage. Stay tuned for live updates.

Why is it taking so long to get a Covid vaccine for kids?

As kids around the US head back to school, there has been disappointing news for parents of children younger than 12. While many health experts had hoped for an early fall approval of a vaccine for young children, two of the nation’s top public health officials said it’s not going to happen.

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Telangana records 257 Covid-19 cases, one fatality. Infection tally rises to 6,57,376, death toll 3,870. The number of active cases stands at 5,912.

(PTI)

Tamil Nadu reports 1,538 new Covid-19 cases, 1,753 recoveries and 22 deaths.

Active cases: 17,322
Total recoveries: 25,59,637
Death toll: 34,878

(ANI)

Delhi reports 31 new Covid-19 cases and 32 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

Active cases: 392
Total recoveries: 14,12,244
Death toll: 25,080

(ANI)

A health worker takes nasal sample of a man for Covid-19 testing at Sunday market in Jammu, Sunday, August 29, 2021. Credit: PTI Photo

Mumbai reports 345 new Covid-19 infections, 280 recoveries and two deaths in the last 24 hours.

Active cases: 3,036
Total cases: 743,498
Death toll: 15,974

(ANI)

Karnataka reports 1,262 new Covid-19 cases, 17 deaths

Karnataka reported 1,262 fresh Covid-19 cases and 17 deaths on Sunday, taking the total number of infections to 29,47,255 and the toll to 37,278.

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Kerala to ramp up Covid testing amid rising cases

With Kerala recording over 30,000 Covid-19 cases in the last four days, Health Minister of the State Veena George on Sunday said the government has renewed its plan to test more number of people than before.

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J&K allows higher educational institutions to resume physical classes if staff, students vaccinated

(PTI)

The cumulative coronavirus cases in Andhra Pradesh climbed to 20,12,123 with the addition of 1,557 fresh positives on Sunday. The gross recoveries went up to 19,83,119 as 1,213 infected persons got cured in 24 hours ending at 9 am on Sunday.

(PTI)

Sikkim reports 80 new Covid-19 cases. Infection tally rises to 29,809, death toll stands at 369. The state now has 1,222 active cases of the disease.

(PTI)

Bharat Biotech scouts international Covid-19 vaccine partners

Bharat Biotech is seeking international manufacturing partners as it targets a billion doses of its Covid-19 vaccine each year, the company said on Sunday.

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Uttar Pradesh reports 14 Covid-19 cases, two fatalities. Infection tally rises to 17,09,248, death toll 22,818. Count of active cases of the disease in the state stands at 265.

(PTI)

Odisha reports 849 Covid-19 cases, 69 fatalities. Infection tally rises to 10,06,503, death toll 7,834. The state now has 7,820 active cases of the disease.

(PTI)

A worker sprays disinfectant in a classroom at a school ahead of its reopening following Covid-19 rules, in Thoothukudi, Sunday, August 29, 2021. Credit: PTI Photo

Japan eyes mixed use of Covid-19 shots to speed vaccine rollout

Japan is looking into the possibility of mixing shots of AstraZeneca Plc'sCOVID-19 vaccine with those developed by other drug makers in a bid to speed up its vaccine rollout, the minister in charge of vaccinations said on Sunday.

Japan, which has previously relied on the Pfizer Inc /BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc vaccines, approved AstraZeneca's vaccine in July and has secured two million doses.

"I have asked the health ministry to come up with an opinion about the use of AstraZeneca vaccines for the first dose and Pfizer's with the second, or the AstraZeneca's as the first shot and Moderna as second," vaccine programme chief Taro Kono said on the Fuji Television network.

(Reuters)

Thailand allows local flights to resume in Covid-risk areas

Thailand will allow some domestic flights to and from Bangkok and other high risk areas forCovid-19 to resume from Sept. 1, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said Sunday.

The announcement follows the easing of tough restrictions in high risk areas from next month, including allowing more provincial travel and the reopening of shopping malls, as the government tries to help a struggling economy hit by the outbreak.

(Reuters)

UAE says to resume visas for tourists vaccinated against Covid

The United Arab Emirates announced it will resume issuing visas to all tourists fully vaccinated againstCovidfrom Monday, a month before Dubai hosts the delayed Expo 2020 trade fair.

The move comes amid a drop in coronavirus infections in the oil-rich Gulf country, after it reported less than 1,000 cases per day last week for the first time in months.

The UAE's decision to reopen its doors to tourists from all countries was taken in order "to achieve sustainable recovery and economic growth", the official WAM news agency reported on Saturday.

(AFP)

Puducherry adds 96 new Covid-19 cases, overall tally rises to 1,23,394 (PTI)

166 children among 880 new Covid patients in Mizoram (PTI)

Mansukh Mandaviya releases first commercial batch of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin from new plant in Gujarat's Ankleshwar

Ladakh records 14 new Covid-19 cases (PTI)

Odisha reported 849 new cases, 69 deaths and 956 recoveries yesterday; active cases 7,820

71 new Covid-19 cases push Arunachal Pradesh's tally to 52,831

Thane sees 240 Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths (PTI)

No new Covid-19 case in Andamans in 4 days (PTI)

Japan aims for full vaccinations by this fall

Taro Kono, the Japanese minister in charge of the vaccine rollout, promised Sunday a timely administering of booster shots for the coronavirus, as the nation aims to fully vaccinate its population by October or November.

He said Pfizer and Moderna booster shots will arrive early next year, in time for medical workers and the elderly, who were prioritised and mostly got their second shots by July.

“Japan is aiming for 80% vaccination levels,” Kono said on a nationally broadcast Fuji TV show.

(AP)

Thailand to have 140 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this year (Reuters)

New Zealand reports 83 local Covid-19 cases as Delta outbreak grows (Reuters)

Over 31K Covid-19 cases from Kerala drive India's single-day infections to 45,083

India reported 45,083 new coronavirus cases on Sunday with 460 more people succumbing to the virus, according to data from Union Health Ministry.

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Australia's Melbourne extends sixth virus lockdown

A lockdown of Australia's second-biggest city Melbourne will be extended, authorities announced Sunday as they struggle to quash a stubborn coronavirus Delta variant outbreak.

Almost seven million people in Melbourne and surrounding Victoria state were scheduled to exit a four-week lockdown on Thursday, but state premier Dan Andrews said it would no longer be possible with case numbers rising by 92 overnight.

(AFP)

Singapore fully vaccinates 80% of population against Covid-19

Singapore has fully inoculated 80% of its 5.7 million people againstCovid-19, the health minister said on Sunday, becoming the world's most vaccinated country and setting the stage for further easing of curbs.

(Reuters)

Okinawa finds contaminants in Moderna Covid-19 vaccines

Contaminants were found in Moderna Inc'sCovid-19 vaccines at a large-scale vaccination centre in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, suspending inoculations, public broadcaster NHK reported on Sunday.

The Okinawa vaccines are from different Moderna lots already suspended by the Japanese government due to reports of contamination, NHK said.

Black substances were spotted in syringes and a vial, while pink substances were found in a different syringe filled with vaccine at the Okinawa centre, NHK said.

(Reuters)

Classes 6-8 can be reopened: TAC to Karnataka government

The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has told the state government that physical classes for grades 6 to 8 “may be considered from September 13”, a move that comes amid mixed response to offline classes for grades 9 to 12 in rural and urban areas.

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Andy Murray urges fellow players to get vaccinated

Andy Murray said receiving the Covid-19 vaccine is about looking out for the health of the "wider public" and he hopes tennis players who are reluctant to get the jab will come around to seeing its many upsides.

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Assam no longer faces Covid vaccine shortage, says CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the state no longer faces vaccine shortage, and as many as 61 lakh people have been inoculated so far this month, with the figure likely to go up to 70 lakh over the next three days.

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New South Wales reports record 1,218 Covid-19 cases

Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, reported a record 1,218 locally acquired Covid-19 infections on Sunday, exceeding the previous day's record of 1,035.

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