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Highlights: Covid variants risk third virus wave, says German chancellor Merkel
Citizens above 60 and 45 years of age with co-morbidities will be vaccinated in government and private hospitals from Monday, the Cabinet has decided. Those opting for government clinics will be vaccinated for free.
India has been witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases starting from February after following a declining trend. On Tuesday, the country recorded 10,584 new coronavirus cases with 13,255 recoveries and 78 deaths, as per the data provided by the Union health ministry. Six states in the country have been contributing to more than 84 per cent of the coronavirus caseload with Maharashtra and Kerala at the top. With the rise in the cases, many states are reinstating curbs to contain the spread of the deadly virus. While the Maharashtra government will decide whether to impose statewide restrictions again in a few days, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has restricted public gatherings from March 1; Madhya Pradesh has also decided to ban protests and public gatherings....Read More
The coronavirus caseload of the country stands at more than 11 million.
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Globally, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has affected more than 112 million people, as per the John Hopkins University Covid-19 tracker. In the wake of the rising spread of the coronavirus mutant, the UK has banned non-essential travel to and from the country till May 17. In the US where the deaths from the disease have crossed over 500,000, the Biden administration has decided to announce a program to send masks to disadvantaged sections of the US community to curb the spread of the virus.
Covid variants risk third virus wave, says German chancellor Merkel
German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that the new variants of coronavirus (Covid-19) risk a third wave of cases in the country and one must proceed with caution so that a fresh nationwide lockdown does not become necessary. "Because of (variants), we are entering a new phase of the pandemic, from which a third wave may emerge," Merkel told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, reports Reuters.
Chhattisgarh records 247 new Covid-19 cases, four more deaths
Chhattisgarh on Wednesday added 247 new coronavirus disease cases and four fresh deaths which pushed the overall tally and death toll to 311,680 and 3,813 respectively. The active cases in the state are nearing 3,000 while 304,956 people have recovered till now.
WB makes RT-PCR tests mandatory for Kerala, Maha, K'taka, Telangana
West Bengal on Wednesday made RT-PCR tests mandatory for arrivals from Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka, owing to the high number of cases in some of the states.
1,167 new Covid-19 cases in Mumbai, 8,807 in Maharashtra in 24 hours
Mumbai recorded 1,167 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, after two days of fall in the number of daily cases. The state of Maharashtra too witnessed a huge spike, after it reported 8,807 new cases in the span of 24 hours.
Odisha govt issues guidelines for vaccinating senior citizens and people with co-morbidities
Ghana is the first country to receive vaccines through COVAX
Ghana has become the first country in the world to receive free vaccinations through the UN backed COVAX alliance. 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India landed at the country on Wednesday.
Cabinet has decided to start second phase of Covid-19 vaccination from Monday
Citizens above 60 and 45 years of age with co-morbidities will be vaccinated in government and private hospitals from Monday, the Cabinet has decided. Those opting for government clinics will be vaccinated for free.
France getting enough Covid-19 vaccines to achieve target: Minister
France is receiving enough doses of Covid-19 vaccine to reach the government's target of vaccinating 15 million people by the end of June, Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told LCI television on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
Poland to announce new regional Covid-19 curbs
Poland will announce new regional coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said, as daily infections rise steeply, reports Reuters.
SEC to discuss Dr. Reddy's application for emergency use approval of Sputnik V Covid vaccine
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's (CDSCO) Subject Expert Committee (SEC) is going to meet on Wednesday afternoon to discuss Dr Reddy's Laboratories application seeking emergency use approval (EUA) for SputnikV, a Russian Vaccine, reports ANI.
Thailand secures first doses of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine
Thailand received on Wednesday its first 200,000 doses of Sinovac Biotech's CoronaVac, the country's first batch of coronavirus vaccines, with inoculations set to begin in a few days, reports Reuters.
Some states in Australia ease curbs after weeks of no Covid-19 cases
Two Australian states will loosen restrictions on dancing at indoor venues and ease other curbs from Friday after several weeks of no Covid-19 cases, reports Reuters.
Andaman reports one new case of Covid-19
The coronavirus tally in Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 5,016 as one more person has tested positive for the disease in the union territory, a health department official said on Wednesday, reports PTI.
India reports 13,742 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours
India reports 13,742 new Covid-19 cases and 104 deaths in last 24 hours. Active coronavirus caseload stands at 1.46 lakh, as per Union health ministry.
Cambodia reports 40 new Covid-19 cases
Cambodia reported 40 new cases as infections continue to climb in the Southeast Asian country, reports Bloomberg.
South Korea reports 440 new Covid-19 cases
South Korea reported 440 more cases of Covid-19 as of midnight Tuesday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 88,120, reports ANI.
China reports 11 new Covid-19 cases
Mainland China reported 11 new Covid-19 cases on Feb 23, up from 10 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
Mexico doing better than US on Covid-19: Mexican President
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday that his country is doing better than the United States in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, even though Mexico’s per capita death rate is probably higher and the country has vaccinated less than 1% of its population, reports AP.
