Highlights: India has so far administered 98.67 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. (File)
India logged 14,623 new coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,41,08,996, while the active cases declined to 1,78,098, the lowest in 229 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The toll climbed to 4,52,651 with 197 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 30,000 for 26 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 115 consecutive days now. The active cases comprise 0.52 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.15 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.
A decrease of 5,020 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20, and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crores on May 4 and three crores on June 23.
Here are the LIVE updates on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
COVID-19 News: Subvariant Of Delta Coronavirus Strain Reported In IsraelIsrael has confirmed a case of a sub-variant of the Delta strain of the coronavirus previously reported in some European countries, the health ministry said.
"The variant AY 4.2. that has been discovered in a number of countries in Europe has been identified in Israel," a ministry statement said late Tuesday.
An 11-year-old boy arriving from Europe was the carrier, the ministry said, adding that the case was identified at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. The boy was quarantined and no further contacts have been discovered, the ministry said.
The AY 4.2. variant has turned up several times in the United Kingdom.
COVID-19 India News: West Bengal Reports 867 New Cases, 9 DeathsWest Bengal's COVID-19 tally surged to 15,82,813 as 867 more people tested positive for the infection on Wednesday, 141 more than the previous day, a health department bulletin said, according to news agency PTI. The new cases were reported from Kolkata (244) and North 24 Parganas district (129) , said the bulletin. Nine more persons died of COVID-19 pushing the death count to 19,007 on Wednesday, it said.
At least 795 more people recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 recoveries to 15,56,315 and the recovery rate to 98.33 per cent, the bulletin said. West Bengal currently has 7,491 active COVID-19 cases.
Since Tuesday, 35,673 samples have been tested in the state taking the total number of such clinical examinations to 1,87,69,087, the bulletin said.
US Details Plan To Vaccinate Children Aged 5-11 Against CovidThe United States is ready to start vaccinating kids aged 5-11 against Covid-19 starting next month, once health experts give the green light, the White House said Wednesday, reported AFP.
"Our planning efforts mean that we will be ready to begin getting shots in arms in the days following a final CDC recommendation," the White House said, referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centre Appeals To People To Get Vaccinated Against Covid As India Nears 100-Crore Jabs LandmarkAs India nears the milestone of administering 100 crore Covid vaccine doses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday appealed to all those who are eligible to get inoculated without delay and contribute in the historic vaccination journey of India, reported PTI.
A series of events have been lined up to celebrate the milestone of administering 100 crore Covid vaccine doses.
Pune Records Zero COVID-19 Deaths For First Time In 8 MonthsMaharashtra's Pune city reported zero COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, for the first time in the last eight months, an official said, reported news agency PTI.
As many as 112 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in the Pune Municipal Corporation limits during the day, taking the overall tally to 5,03,469, while no casualties were reported during the day, the official said.
462 New COVID-19 Cases, 9 Deaths In KarnatakaKarnataka on Wednesday added 462 fresh COVID-19 cases and nine deaths, taking the caseload and death toll to 29,84,484 and 37,976, respectively, the health department said.
The day also saw 479 people being discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,37,405. Active cases stood at 9,074, a department bulletin said.
Bengaluru Urban accounted for the maximum number of 253 cases and six deaths, it said.
Telangana Records 191 New COVID-19 CasesTelangana on Wednesday recorded 191 new COVID-19 cases and one death, pushing the total number of positive cases to 6,69,556 and death toll to 3,942, respectively, reported news agency PTI.
A total of 162 COVID-19 recoveries were registered today, taking the total number of recoveries to 6,61,646, leaving 3,968 active cases, a state government bulletin said.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation reported the highest number of 49 cases followed by Karimnagar (19) and Rangareddy (13) districts.
78 New COVID-19 Cases In J&K, One DeathJammu and Kashmir recorded 78 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the infection count to 3,31,299, while another death pushed the toll to 4,429, officials said, reported news agency PTI.
Out of the fresh coronavirus cases, 12 were from the Jammu division and 66 from the Kashmir division, they said.
Delhi Sees 25 New COVID-19 Cases, Zero FatalityDelhi reported 25 fresh COVID-19 cases and zero fatality on Wednesday, while the positivity rate dipped to 0.04 per cent, as per the health department.
Only five death due to the coronavirus infection were reported in the city last month -- one each on September 7, September 16 and September 17, and two on September 28.
Three fatalities have been recorded so far this month in Delhi -- October 18, October 2 and October 10, according to the health department's data.
Corona Night Curfew Lifted In Uttar PradeshIn view of the improved COVID-19 situation in Uttar Pradesh, the state government on Wednesday lifted night restrictions between 11 PM to 6 AM, a senior official said, reported news agency PTI.
"On directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Corona curfew between 11 PM to 6 AM is being lifted in the state," Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said.
UK Health Chiefs Urge Government To Enforce Tougher Rules As Covid Cases SpikeHealth chiefs in the UK have urged the government to legally enforce some of the COVID-19 prevention measures, such as mandatory face coverings in enclosed spaces, as coronavirus infections in Britain continue to spike over the 40,000 mark daily, reported news agency PTI.
The NHS Confederation, a membership body of the country's National Health Service (NHS), said a back-up strategy, or "Plan B plus", is required as preemptive action over winter when the health service is already stretched due to seasonal flu and other diseases.
Singapore Extends COVID-19 Curbs To Nov 21: Health MinistrySingapore will extend its social curbs to contain the spread of COVID-19 for around a month in order to ease the pressure on the healthcare system, its health ministry said on Wednesday, reported news agency Reuters.
The city-state in late September reimposed curbs, restricting social interactions and dining out to two people, in order to slow virus transmission.
However, daily cases have continued to rise and hit a record 3,994 on Tuesday.
Russia Reports Record 1,028 Covid Deaths In 24 HoursRussia said Wednesday 1,028 people died of Covid over the past 24 hours, a new record, as President Vladimir Putin mulls introducing nationwide restrictions to curb the spread of the disease.
The country recorded 34,074 new coronavirus cases, according to a government tally.
Russian officials have been accused of downplaying the severity of the pandemic, but even the official figures bring the country's official Covid-19 death count to 226,353 -- the highest in Europe.
Puducherry adds 42 new Covid-19 cases, overall tally rises to 1,27,521The union territory of Puducherry logged 42 fresh coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours taking the overall tally to 1,27,521, a senior official of the Department of Health said on Wednesday.
The new cases were identified at the end of the examination of 4,065 samples and were spread over Puducherry (34), Karaikal (three), and Mahe (five), the Health Department Director G Sriramulu said in a release.
Yanam, an enclave in Andhra Pradesh, did not report any fresh case, he added.
The number of active cases in the union territory stood at 461 with 94 patients in hospitals and the remaining 367 in-home isolation, Sriramulu said.
4 new cases take COVID-19 tally of Andamans to 7,646Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported four new COVID-19 cases, which took the tally in the Union Territory to 7,646, a health department official said on Wednesday.
Two fresh cases were detected during contact tracing, while two new patients have travel history, he said.
The death toll remained at 129 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported in the last 24 hours, the official said.
Three more patients were cured of the disease during the period, taking the total number of recoveries in the archipelago to 7,509. The Union Territory now has eight active cases.
The local administration has been strict to contain the spread of the disease and has adopted an approach of tracking, testing and treating, he said, adding that people arriving here from the mainland are mandatorily required to undergo COVID tests.
India reports 18% decrease in numbers of new COVID19 cases, 13% decrease in number of deaths during Oct 11-17: WHOIndia reported an 18 per cent decrease in the new COVID-19 cases along with a 13 per cent decline in the number of deaths during the week of October 11 to 17, the WHO has said, highlighting that all the regions globally, except the European Region, reported a fall in new weekly cases of the deadly virus.
The COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update, released by the World Health Organisation on Tuesday, said that with just over 2.7 million new cases and over 46,000 new deaths reported during the week of October 11 to 17, the global number of new cases and deaths remained similar to that of the previous week.
Apart from the European Region, which reported a 7 per cent increase in the number of new weekly cases when compared to the previous week, all the other regions reported declines in new weekly cases.
WHO chief discusses Covaxin, resumption of AstraZeneca vaccine supplies to COVAX facility with Health Minister Mansukh MandaviyaWHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus discussed the issue of the emergency use listing of Bharat Biotech''s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin and resumption of supplies of the Serum Institute of India-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccine to the COVAX facility among other topics during a telephonic conversation with Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
"Had a call with @mansukhmandviya, India's Health Minister, to discuss #India''s ongoing #COVID19 vaccination program; the need for a global pandemic agreement; digital health; & traditional medicine. We welcome India''s support to strengthen WHO, incl. via flexible, sustainable financing," Ghebreyesus tweeted on Tuesday.
The WHO Director-General said that he also discussed with Mandaviya vaccine equity issues: "the resumption of SII/AstraZeneca vaccine supplies to #COVAX; the Covaxin Emergency Use Listing process; and technology and license sharing through C-TAP."
India Reports 14,623 New Cases, 197 Deaths In Last 24 HoursSingle-day rise of 14,623 COVID-19 infections, 197 fatalities push India's tally of cases to 3,41,08,996, death toll to 4,52,651
Maharashtra's Thane sees 193 new COVID-19 cases, 1 deathThane has added 193 new cases of coronavirus, raising the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,63,749, an official said on Wednesday.
Besides these new cases reported on Tuesday, one person also succumbed to the viral infection, which took the death toll in the district to 11,465, he said.
The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.03 per cent, he added.
In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,37,595, while the death toll stands at 3,281, another official said.
India delays COVID-19 vaccine supplies to WHO-backed COVAX, sources sayIndia has delayed committing supplies of vaccines to the COVAX global sharing platform, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday, a day after one of its key backers, the WHO, said the agency could not "cut corners" to approve a domestically developed vaccine. The world's biggest vaccine maker resumed exports of COVID-19 doses this month for the first time since April.
It has sent about 4 million to countries such as neighbouring Bangladesh and Iran, but none to COVAX. On Monday, in the run-up to an October 26 meeting on Covaxin, India's first domestically developed COIVD-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it could not "cut corners" in the approval decision. One of the sources said it was "frustrating" that India had yet to confirm any supply to COVAX, despite a promise last month by the health minister to meet the commitment to COVAX and others during the quarter to December.
Odisha registers 556 new COVID-19 cases, 4 fresh fatalitiesOdisha's COVID-19 tally rose to 10,35,973 as 556 more people, 216 less than the previous day, tested positive for the infection; while four fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 8,294, a health official said.
Eighty-seven children were among the new cases recorded in 20 of the 30 districts. The infection rate among the 0-18 age group stood at 15.64 per cent.
Khurda district, under which Bhubaneswar falls, registered the highest number of new cases at 305, followed by Cuttack (41) and Sundargarh (18). Khurda alone accounted for 54.85 percent of the new cases, he said.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation conducts mobile C0VID-19 vaccination in MumbaiBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday conducted a door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination drive.
DR Sanjay Dhond, BMC Health department of Mumbai''s K East, said "The aim behind this mobile vaccination drive is to focus on the areas in which the population of vaccinated people is less. We are moving on the bus to do the vaccination."
One of the beneficiaries said, "I am a homemaker I don't know how to operate mobile and book an appointment. So today, I got to know about vaccination in my locality I got the vaccine here and feeling relaxed as the fear of COVID-19 will be less now."
65 new COVID-19 cases, 1 more death in MeghalayaMeghalaya recorded one COVID-19-related death, which pushed the toll to 1439, while 65 new cases raised the tally to 83,079, a senior official said.
The person who died had not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, Health Services director Dr. Aman War said.
Of the 65 new cases, 43 were detected in East Khasi Hills, nine in West Jaintia Hills, and six in West Khasi Hills.
As many as 80,900 people have recovered from the disease.
Meghalaya currently has 740 active cases.
Chhattisgarh sees 20 COVID-19 cases; active tally now 188Chhattisgarh's COVID-19 tally touched 10,05,701 on Tuesday with the addition of 20 cases, while the death toll stood unchanged at 13,570, an official said.
The recovery count reached 9,91,943 after two people were discharged from hospitals and 21 completed home isolation, leaving the state with an active tally of 188, he said.
"Raipur district recorded five cases, followed by four in Durg and three in Janjgir-Champa. No fresh case was reported in 21 districts. With 14,205 samples being examined during the day, the number of tests conducted so far went up to 13,436,160," he added.
Haryana reports no Covid death, 9 new casesHaryana reported no new coronavirus-related death, even as it added nine fresh cases, pushing the infection count to 7,71,101, according to the health department's daily bulletin.
The death toll from the pandemic remained unchanged at 10,049, it said.
Meanwhile, among the districts, seven fresh cases were reported from Gurugram.
The number of active cases in the state stands at 103, while the overall recoveries reached 7,60,926. Haryana has a COVID-19 recovery rate of 98.68 per cent, the bulletin said.
Delhi reports 36 new COVID-19 cases, one deathDelhi reported 36 new COVID-19 cases and one fatality in the last 24 hours.
According to Delhi Health Department Bulletin, the total count of coronavirus cases in the city has gone up to 14,39,441. The city has 322 active cases.
The total death toll continues to be 25090 and the case fatality rate is 1.74 per cent. The positivity rate is 0.06 per cent
With 11 more persons were discharged in the last 24 hours, the total discharged patients have gone up to 14,14,029.
Owners express happiness over Maharashtra's decision to open restaurants till midnightAs restaurants and eateries in Maharashtra are allowed to reopen till midnight after an order on Tuesday by the state government, their owners call it a wise decision and are confident about the fact that the food industry will revive.
"Our industry has been going through tough times for some time now, we are facing losses. Now that the permission to open eateries till 12 am has been given, people who were unemployed will also get some work. The industry will revive once again and I hope government supports us in that," said Dr. Satish B Shetty, an owner.
"It is a wise decision. We'll take all precautions and follow all the SOPs," said Niranjan Shetty, another hotel owner and a member of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association.