Covid cases in India: For 47 days India has been reporting below 20,000 new infections daily. (File)
India reported 9,119 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, pushing the cumulative national tally to 3,45,35,763, while the death count increased to 4,66,584 with 396 related fatalities. The active coronavirus cases in India now stand at 1,11,481, the lowest in 538 days, according to the health ministry. For 47 straight days the country has been reporting below 20,000 new infections daily.
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has written to 13 states and union territories, expressing concerns over declining weekly testing rates and spiking positivity rates in some districts.
Here are the LIVE Updates on Coronavirus cases in India:
UK To Ban Travel From 6 African Nations Over New Covid VariantBritain on Thursday said it would ban travel from six southern African countries, after South Africa detected a new COVID-19 variant with a large number of mutations. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said all flights would be suspended from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana from 1200 GMT Friday. Read here.
COVID-19 News: Brazil's Bolsonaro Against Carnival Resumption Over Covid ConcernsBrazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Thursday he was against the resumption of carnival celebrations in February, a rare nod to Covid-19 social distancing measures from the far-right leader.
"As far as I'm concerned, we shouldn't have carnival," Bolsonaro said in an interview, as Brazil debates whether to go ahead with the festivities held from February 25 to March 1.
Carnival was canceled in Brazil this year because of the pandemic.
COVID-19 India News: Over 9 Crore People Vaccinated In Bengal, Says OfficialWith more than five lakh COVID-19 vaccines administered on Thursday, over nine crore people in West Bengal have been inoculated with at least one dose for protection against the viral infection, an official of the state health department said, according to news agency PTI.
According to the official, as many as 6,23,82,416 people have received the first jab, while 2,76,58,876 have been administered both the doses, he said.
Meanwhile, Bengal on Thursday recorded 11 fresh Covid deaths, which took the death count to 19,340, a bulletin issued by the department said. At least 758 new cases were reported in the state, pushing the cases tally to 16,12,741. Bengal currently has 7,867 active cases, the bulletin said.
3 More Army Officers Test Covid Positive IIM Indore, Tally Reaches 14
Three more fully vaccinated Army officers, participating in a course at the Indian Institute of Management in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, tested positive for coronavirus, taking the number of infected personnel to 14 in the last five days, an official said on Thursday.
Five persons, including three Army officers, tested positive for the infection in the district in the last 24 hours, the official said.
The infected personnel were asymptomatic and were taking treatment at the Military Hospital at Mhow, about 25 km from the district headquarters, district chief medical and health officer Dr B S Satiya said.
The 14 infected officers had joined the six-month certificate course in Business Management nearly two-and-a-half-month ago, he said.
Meanwhile, an IIM-I official said that offline (physical) classes for the Army officers has been discontinued after they contracted the disease and the course is now being conducted online.
The 60 participants of the course were not staying in the IIM-I campus, and a separate classroom had been set up for them, he added.
"Serious Implications": Centre Calls For Tighter Screening For New Strain
India called for rigorous screening and testing of fliers coming from South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana where a new variant of COVID-19 has been found with multiple mutations that have led to a surge in infections.
In a letter to states and union territories, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan asked them to ensure that samples of travellers turning positive are sent to designated genome sequencing laboratories promptly. The contacts of these international travellers must also be closely tracked and tested as per Health Ministry guidelines, he said.
"lt has now been reported by NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control) that multiple cases of a COVID-19 variant 8.1.1529 have been reported in Botswana (3 cases), South Africa (6 cases) and Honk Kong (1 case). This variant is reported to have a significantly high number of mutations, and thus, has serious public health implications for the country, in view of recently relaxed visa restrictions and opening up of international travel," the letter read.
Angela Merkel's "Every Day Counts" Reminder And Push For More Covid Curbs
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday renewed her call for tougher curbs to halt record coronavirus infections in Germany, stressing that "every day counts" as the country's Covid-19 death count passed the 100,000 mark.
"We need more contact restrictions," the outgoing German leader said, adding that she had "today clearly told" her successor at the chancellery, Olaf Scholz, that "we can still manage this transition period together and look at all necessary measures".
Calling Thursday a "sad day" over the grim death count, Merkel said she had sought dialogue with Scholz and the leaders of his coalition partners Greens and FDP because of the gravity of the situation.
France Makes Covid Booster Jabs Compulsory For Vaccine Pass, Expands Coverage
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said Thursday that Covid-19 booster shots would be made available to all adults from this weekend to counter a new wave of infections.
Until now they have only been available to people over 65, health workers or people with health conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to Covid.
Veran added that from January 15, people aged over 18 would need to show proof of a top-up vaccine dose to maintain a valid Covid pass, which is required to enter restaurants, bars, gyms and other public venues.
He ruled out imposing another lockdown or a curfew at this stage in the fight against a fifth wave of infections, which he described as "stronger and longer" than the previous wave this summer.
"We can get through this wave without using the most restrictive tools" used by some European countries to fight the spread of the virus, Veran said.
New Covid Variant With 'Unusual' Mutations Focus Of WHO MeetWorld Health Organization officials met on Thursday to discuss a new coronavirus variant circulating in South Africa and Botswana.
The new variant, called B.1.1529, carries an unusually large number of mutations, Francois Balloux, director of the UCL Genetics Institute, said in a statement published by the Science Media Centre. It's likely to have evolved during a chronic infection of an immuno-compromised person, possibly in an untreated HIV/AIDS patient, he said.
"It is difficult to predict how transmissible it may be at this stage," Mr Balloux said. "For the time being, it should be closely monitored and analysed, but there is no reason to get overly concerned, unless it starts going up in frequency in the near future."
South Africa has detected 22 cases of the variant, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said in a statement.
Coronavirus News: 54 Students Covid Positive At Odisha Medical CollegeFifty four students are now positive for coronavirus at Vimsar, a medical college and hospital in Odisha's Sambalpur - up from 34 on Wednesday, an official said, reported news agency PTI.
The infected students have been admitted to the Covid unit of the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Vimsar), according to the official.
Authorities suspect that the infection might have spread during the institute's recently-held annual function. On Tuesday, 22 cases were reported from Vimsar and later it rose to 34. The number of infections has surged to 54 now, Vimsar dean Jayshree Dora said.
Over 18.5 lakh inoculated in Madhya Pradesh during mega vaccination drive
Over 18.5 lakh people were vaccinated against COVID-19 during the Madhya Pradesh government''s Mega-Campaign-6 on Wednesday, a health official said on Thursday.
Over 22.72 crore vaccine doses available with States, says CentreThe Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday said that more than 22.72 crore balance and unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with States and Union Territories as of November 25.
The Ministry also informed that around 132 crore vaccine doses have been provided to the states and UTs so far.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.79 per cent. It has been less than two per cent for last 52 days. The weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 0.90 per cent. It has been below two per cent for the last 62 days, according to the ministry.
India Records 9,119 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, Marginally Lower Than YesterdayIndia logged 9,119 new coronavirus infections taking the country's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,45,44,882, while the active cases declined to 1,09,940, the lowest in 539 days.
COVID-19 India News: Delhi reports 35 Covid cases, positivity rate at 0.06%Delhi reported 35 COVID-19 cases at a positivity rate of 0.06 per cent and zero fatality due to the infection, according to data shared by the health department here Thursday.
With the fresh cases, the infection tally rose to 1,440,754 while the number of deaths remains at 25,095.
Centre Writes To 13 States Over Fall In COVID-19 Testing RatesCiting multiple surges in coronavirus cases in several countries, the Union Health Ministry has written to 13 states and union territories, expressing concerns over declining weekly testing rates and spiking positivity rates in some districts. Read here.
"Uncertain Winter" In Europe As Covid Cases Break RecordCoronavirus infections broke records in parts of Europe on Wednesday, with the continent once again the epicentre of a pandemic that has prompted new curbs on movement and seen health experts push to widen the use of booster vaccination shots. Read here.