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Highlights: India extends restrictions on flights to UK till February 14
The US, India and Brazil have the three highest Covid-19 caseloads in the world, as per the Johns Hopkins University tracker. Russia and the United Kingdom follow at fourth and fifth respectively.
India’s count of cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is at over 10.68 million as the country recorded 12,689 new infections in the last 24 hours, the Union health ministry’s dashboard showed on Wednesday. On Tuesday, India had logged 9,102 new infections in the preceding 24 hours, the country’s lowest single-day count in nearly eight months. 8,909 Covid-19 cases were reported on May 16 last year. India’s Covid-19 tally is the second-highest in the world, behind that of the United States and ahead of Brazil’s. The Johns Hopkins University tracker shows that the US and Brazil have reported more than 25 million and 8.9 million cases thus far....Read More
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India started the world’s largest vaccination drive against the Covid-19 pandemic on January 16. Two vaccines, Oxford University-AstraZeneca’s Covishield and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited’s Covaxin have been approved by the drug regulator. While Covishield is being manufactured here by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), Covaxin is the country’s first indigenous vaccine against the disease. In the first phase, 30 million healthcare workers are being vaccinated, while in the second phase 270 million people, mostly senior citizens, will be administered shots. Prime minister Narendra Modi and several politicians are likely to be inoculated in the second phase.
Cannes film festival to be postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic
The organisers of Cannes international film festival said on Wednesday that the world renowned film festival will be postponed to July due to the ongoing pandemic, reported Reuters.
UK's Coronavirus lockdown to last till March, says Boris Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday told reporters that UK's lockdown may last till March, reported Reuters. Johnson's announcement comes as a new variant of coronavirus, first reported in southeast England, continues to sweep through Britain, pushing Britain's death toll to 100,000.
Pakistan to start Covid-19 vaccination drive from next week
Pakistan is scheduled to launch the country's first Covid-19 vaccination drive next week, reported Reuters on Wednesday. Pakistan's health minister said healthcare workers will be the first to get vaccinated. China has promised Pakistan a donation of some 500,000 doses of the vaccine produced by Chinese pharma company SinoPharm. Russia's Sputnik V and AstraZeneca vaccine are also lined up for similar approvals, according to Reuters.
India extends restrictions on flights to UK till February 14 due to new variant of Covid-19
The Ministry of Civil aviation has further extended the ban on all flights between Indian and UK till February 14, the ministry declared so in an official statement. This was done to prevent the spread of the new strain of coronavirus going around in the UK.
Goa reports 53 new cases of Covid-19, zero fatalities in the last 24 hours
53 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Goa on Wednesday, taking the state's toll to 53,100. 90 people recovered in the same time period, pushing the total recovery count up to 51,600. No fatalities were reported from the state, reported news agency PTI.
MHA issues new SOPs for cinema halls, swimming pools
Ministry of Home Affairs released a new set of guidelines for surveillance, containment, and caution, which will be effective from February 1 to 28, and will guide Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, reported news agency ANI.
South Africa gives nod to AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use
South Africa became the latest country to grant approval to AstraZeneca for emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, reported Reuters. The country is also considering similar proposals of approval for both Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson, added Reuters.
Sanofi to manufacture Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine
To meet European Union's (EU) vaccine supply quota Sanofi has been tasked with producing doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, reported Reuters. The French pharmaceutical giant is slated to produce millions of doses of the Pfizer vaccine as the EU is locked into a battle of words with vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca over delay in supply.
Malaysia records 3,680 new cases of coronavirus, 7 fatalities in the last 24 hours
Malaysia recorded 3680 cases of coronavirus infections on Wednesday, taking the countrywide total to 194,114. 7 people succumbed to the infection in the same time period. The death toll in the country currently stands at 707, reported Reuters.
Hong Kong can administer 36,000 Covid shots per day in February
Hong Kong will set up 18 community vaccination centers -- one in every district -- to each handle at least 2,000 residents a day as the city prepares to administer the Covid-19 shot developed by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. as early as the end of February, reports Reuters.
India's Covaxin may be effective against new coronavirus strain in UK: Study
A vaccine developed by India's Bharat Biotech and a government research institute is likely to be effective against the UK strain of the coronavirus, according to a study on 26 participants shared by the company on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
Russia registers 17,741 new Covid-19 cases
Russia on Wednesday reported 17,741 new Covid-19 cases, taking its official tally to 3,774,672, reports Reuters.
Nepal PM thanks India for Covid-19 vaccine doses
We got an early chance to administer Covid-19 vaccine. For this, I extend my thanks and gratitude to our neighbour India’s Govt, its people and especially PM Modi. They sent us vaccine within about a week of its rollout in India, that too one million dosages and in grant, said Nepal PM Oli.
Myanmar begins Covid-19 vaccine drive
Myanmar launched a Covid-19 vaccination programme on Wednesday, with healthcare staff and volunteer medical workers the first to receive shots of the AstraZenca and Oxford University vaccine donated by neighbouring India, reports Reuters.
First phase of Covid vaccine drive begins in Nepal
First phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive begins in Nepal today; visuals from Kathmandu. Vaccines to be administered to front line workers in the first phase, reports ANI.
Telangana reports 147 fresh Covid cases
Telangana reported 147 new Covid-19 cases, 399 recoveries and 1 death on January 26. Total cases reported as per the latest update 2,93,737, total, recoveries 2,89,325, death toll at 1593 and active cases in the state 2,819.
Moscow to ease Covid restrictions
The city of Moscow eased some Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday, including the overnight closure of bars, restaurants and night clubs, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, reports Reuters.
Biden to reopen 'Obamacare' for Covid-19 relief
Fulfilling a campaign promise, President Joe Biden plans to reopen the HealthCare.gov insurance markets for a special sign-up opportunity geared to people needing coverage in the coronavirus pandemic, reports PTI.
Total Covid tally in Arunachal reaches 16, 821 after registering one fresh case
The Covid-19 caseload in Arunachal Pradesh rose to 16,821 as one more person has tested positive for the disease, a health department official said on Wednesday, reports PTI.
China inoculated more than 22 million doses of Covid vaccine
China has administered about 22.8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, a health official said on Wednesday, as the country steps up its campaign ahead of next month's Lunar New Year holidays and the accompanying flurry of travel, reports Reuters.
India reports 12,689 new Covid-19 cases
India logs 12,689 new Covid-19 cases as tally rises to 10,689,527. Death toll at 153,724 with 137 fresh fatalities.
Over 2 million vaccinated thus far, says health ministry
Total 2,023,809 healthcare workers vaccinated thus far: Union health ministry
South Korea's Covid-19 tally tops 76,400
South Korea records 559 new Covid-19 cases as tally reaches 76,429. Death toll at 1,378.
Global Covid-19 tally crosses 100 million
Global tally of Covid-19 cases has reached 100,213,452 as per the Johns Hopkins University tracker. Death toll tops 2.1 million, the tracker shows.
