Delhi Reports Lowest One-Day Covid Cases In 8 Months

The national capital reported the lowest COVID-19 cases in a single day in at least eight months on Monday. A total of 306 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, government data shows. The last time COVID-19 cases were this low was on May 11, with 310 cases.

Delhi reported 13 deaths due to coronavirus infection on Monday. A day ago, the city reported 399 new cases and 12 deaths.

Some 407 people recovered from COVID-19 in Delhi in the last 24 hours. The total cases in the national capital is 6,30,506 and total fatalities is 10,691.

The country is preparing to vaccinate millions of people in the coming days. The centre today placed a purchase order with the Serum Institute of India (SII) for 11 million doses of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, each costing Rs 200.

The dispatch of the vaccine is likely to start tomorrow morning. According to the order placed, each dose of the vaccine has been priced at Rs 200.

The Health Ministry is also likely to soon sign a purchase order for another anti-coronavirus vaccine, Covaxin, which has been developed by Bharat Biotech.

Covishield doses would be initially shipped to 60 consignee points from where those would be distributed to vaccination centres across India, news agency PTI reported.

Some 2,54,500 doses of Covishield are set to be delivered to Delhi's central storage, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality hospital, in Tahirpur, news agency PTI reported.

According to the Health Ministry, two doses of the vaccine need to be taken by an individual 28 days apart to complete the immunisation schedule. Protective levels of antibodies are generally developed two weeks after receiving the second dose, it has said.

The country will launch its COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16.