From the Newsroom: 4 cases of South African strain of Covid-19 virus detected in India

In your evening news brief, 4 cases of South African strain of Covid-19 virus detected; Delhi Police writes to Zoom, seeks details of meeting of Poetic Justice Foundation and India level its series against England.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa today inspected the ongoing airport project work near Shivamogga and while speaking to reporters appealed to undeserving people to return the BPL cards at the earliest. He informed that deputy commissioners had been given the authority to initiate action against affluent people who voluntarily fail to return BPL cards.

When reporters asked him about the reservation demand by certain communities, he replied saying that the government would take suitable steps in this regard within the legal framework and that the matter will be discussed at the cabinet meeting, adding that his government will cautiously take a call on the issue.

If the UK variant of the SARS-CoV-II was not enough, India has detected four cases of the South African strain of the Covid-19 virus.

The virus seems to have another strain, as Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Balram Bhargava also informed about a Brazilian strain

It is mandatory for passengers arriving to Karnataka from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa to produce RT-PCR negative certificate to board the flight & additionally RT - PCR negative test certificate at Bengaluru Airport. They shall also, undergo home quarantine for 14 days and follow up RT - PCR shall be conducted on 7th day.

Meanwhile, In Karnataka, the government has decided to reopen schools for Class 6 to 8 from February 22 but schools in Bengaluru Urban and those at Kerala borders will only be open for Class 8 students. This restriction in Bengaluru Urban and border areas with Kerala seems to have been taken considering the incident where several Nursing students who returned from Kerala testing positive for Covid-19.

As for the vaccines, as many as 2,534 health workers from Bengaluru and 18,038 health workers across the state were scheduled to receive the second dose of Covid vaccines yesterday but the percentage of those who showed up to receive the vaccine was just 49.84% in the state capital and 56% across the state. Officials reasoned saying that it is a purely technical issue caused by the Co-WIN portal.

Amid criticism over the way Disha Ravi was arrested, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Tuesday asked Delhi Police to provide reasons for not producing the activist arrested in the toolkit case before a court in Bengaluru from where she was picked up and why she was not provided a lawyer of her choice.

Delhi Police has written to Zoom seeking details of the January 11 meeting organised on the video conferencing platform by pro-Khalistan outfit Poetic Justice Foundation to prepare a 'toolkit' on farmers' protest.

India levelled its series against England with a 317-run victory in the second Test today.

India has now risen to second in the WTC standings and needs to at least win one more and draw another in the four-match series to make the cut for the final in June.