Coronavirus Cases in India: The recovery rate is 96.19 per cent.
India added 16,504 coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, placing its overall number at 1.03 crore cases, the Health Ministry's data showed. The number of fresh infections is 9 per cent lower than on Sunday. In this period, India reported 214 deaths linked to the virus, taking the total number of fatalities to 1,49,649.
Meanwhile, India's drugs regulator on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.
The approval by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) was given on the basis of recommendations submitted by a COVID-19 subject expert committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
"After adequate examination, CDSCO has decided to accept the recommendations of the Expert Committee and accordingly, vaccines of M/s Serum and M/s Bharat Biotech are being approved for restricted use in emergency situation," DCGI Dr VG Somani said.
Here are the LIVE updates on Coronavirus Cases:
"Don't Accuse Us Of Inexperience, We Are Global Company": Bharat BiotechThe chairman of Bharat Biotech - whose coronavirus vaccine Covaxin has been given "restricted use in emergency situation in public interest" - hit out Monday at critics flagging the lack of Phase III trial data and questioning the drug's efficacy. "We don't deserve this backlash," Dr Krishna Ella said.
Addressing a virtual presser this evening Dr Ella said his company had carried out "200 per cent honest clinical trials", had an established track record in producing 16 safe and efficacious vaccines, and was transparent with all data.
"Don't accuse us of inexperience. We are a global company... have manufactured 16 vaccines. It is not correct to say we are not transparent with data. We conduct clinical trials in many countries, including the UK. The point is we are not an Indian company... but a global one," he stressed.
Read 6 Cases Of UK Mutant Virus In Kerala For 1st Time, More In Other States
Kerala today reported six cases of the mutant coronavirus strain that was first confirmed in the UK. All six who have tested positive had returned from the UK after December 14, Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja told reporters.
Among those who tested positive are two people from a family in Kozhikode, another two from a family in Alappuzha, and one each from Kottayam and Kannur.
"A total of 29 samples were sent to a lab in Pune. The first 11 tested negative for the mutated strain. Today, six have tested positive for that strain. They are in isolation and in hospital, under treatment. They were advised quarantine on arrival and their contact lists have been prepared and even they are under observation," Ms Shailaja said.
"Never Raised Questions On Scientists": Akhilesh Yadav On Vaccine Remark
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today said that he had never insulted the scientists who developed the coronavirus vaccine.
Mr Yadav's comment on Saturday that he could not trust a vaccine which would be used by a BJP government had triggered sharp reactions from the ruling party as well as leaders like Omar Abdullah of the National Conference.
The SP chief had tried to make amends on Twitter the same day, saying he was not referring to the scientists.
UK announces national lockdown
UK PM Boris Johnson has announced a national lockodwn with stricter measures in wake of new coronavirus strain. Here are key points from Mr Johnson's presser:
- On 29th Dec more than 80,000 people tested positive. Deaths gone up by 20 percent in the last week.
- Stepping out is NOT allowed unless absolutely essential
- If clinically vulnerable, shielding is advised.
- All schools and colleges shut
- Children of key workers can go to school
- Exams won't go as normal this summer 2021
- Free school meal vouchers to be sent to children below low income families
Coronavirus Latest Updates: Punjab Reports 229 New Cases, 490 Recoveries And 24 Deaths
COVID-19 Latest News: 503 More International Travellers Quarantined In Mumbai
Of nearly 1,100 more travelers who arrived at the Mumbai international airport from Europe, West Asia and South Africa, 503 were quarantined in the city in view of fresh protocols devised amid the new COVID-19 variant found in the UK, a civic official said on Monday.
The senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said a total of 1,099 travellers arrived at the international airport on Sunday in 15 flights from Europe, West Asia and South Africa.
Of these, 503 travellers were quarantined at multiple facilities in the city, while 538 were sent to other states, he said.
6 Students, 2 Teachers Of Government School Test Covid Positive In Haryana's Ambala
Six students and two teachers of a government senior secondary school at Ambala Cantonment tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Monday.
They said the Health Department had collected samples of some teachers and 206 students of Classes 10 and 12 a few days ago.
Six of the students and two teachers were found infected with the virus, they added.
The principal of the school said they had adopted all precautionary measures to check the coronavirus spread.
The temperature of the students is being checked through thermal screening and wearing a mask has been made compulsory for every student and teacher attending the school, he said.
Coronavirus Latest Updates: 15 New COVID-19 Cases In Noida, Recovery Rate At 98.29%
Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Monday recorded 15 new coronavirus cases that pushed its infection tally to 25,032, while its recovery rate surged to 98.29 per cent, official data showed.
The active cases in the district also came down further to 337 from 364 the previous day, according to the data released by the Uttar Pradesh Health Department for a 24-hour period.
On the brighter side, 42 more patients got discharged during the period, with the overall recoveries reaching 24,605, the fifth highest in a district in the state.
Coronavirus Live Updates: Maharashtra Reports 2,765 New Cases, 10,362 Discharges And 29 Deaths
COVID-19 Live Updates: Karnataka Reports 600 New Cases, 1283 Discharges And 3 Deaths
Coronavirus Latest News: Covaxin Is 200% Safe, Says Bharat Biotech Chairman
Covaxin, the indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech against COVID-19 in collaboration with ICMR, is 200 per cent safe, company's Chairman and Managing Director Dr Krishna Ella has said and noted that it has shown less than 10 per cent adverse reaction in trials so far.
"Covaxin has shown less than 10 per cent adverse reactions, while others have 60 per cent to 70 per cent adverse reactions. I can assure our vaccine is 200 per cent safe," Dr Ella said on Monday in a press conference via video conferencing.
Covid-19 Latest Updates: Schools Reopen In Pune After A Gap Of More Than Nine Months
6 People Test Positive For New COVID-19 Strain In Kerala: Health Minister KK Shailaja
8 UK Returness Test Positive For New Strain Of COVID-19 In Maharashtra: Health Minister
Movement Of People Between India-Nepal Via Bridges Over Kali River Restricted Due To COVID-19
The movement of people between India and Nepal through five suspension bridges on the Kali river in the district will now be permitted strictly on the basis of passes to be issued only to those testing negative for coronavirus.
No Nepalese citizen is being permitted into the Indian territory through these bridges without written passes. The new rule also applies to those from the Indian side wanting to go to Nepal through these bridges, officials said on Monday.
"The new rule has been brought into force from January 1 this year to contain the spread of coronavirus, especially its new strain which was first found in Britain and has now also entered India," senior official Dharchula AK Shukla said.
Bharat Biotech Setting Up 4 Vaccine Manufacturing Facilities: Chairman Krishna Ella
Bharat Biotech, which has been accorded Emergency Use Authorisation from the drug regulator for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, on Monday said they are setting up four vaccine manufacturing facilities with a combined capacity of 700 million doses per annum.
Denying allegations that the city-based vaccine maker lacks data of Covaxin, Krishna Ella, chairman of Bharat Biotech, said sufficient data has already been revealed and is available on the net.
"We have four facilities coming up. We are planning around 200 million doses (per annum) in Hyderabad, 500 million doses in other cities," he said.
COVID-19 Live News: Delhi Records 384 New Cases, Lowest In Over 7 Months
Delhi recorded 384 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in over seven months, and 12 more fatalities on Monday, while the positivity rate stood at 0.76 per cent, authorities said.
The infection tally rose to over 6.27 lakh and death count mounted to 10,597, they said. Delhi had recorded 424 cases on Sunday while the positivity rate had stood at 0.62 per cent.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday had tweeted that the positivity rate had been below one per cent for the past 11 days, and new cases were the lowest since May 17.
As The Scale Of Production Increases, Price Will Be Controlled By Market: Bharat Biotech Chairman
Indigenous COVID-19 Vaccine A Manifestation Of The Spirit Of Atmanirbhar Bharat: Vice President
A day after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) gave its nod for the emergency use approval for two indigenous vaccines against COVID-19 on Sunday, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday termed it as India's leap of science and manifestation of the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Mr Naidu, as quoted in a release from Vice President's Secretariat, stressed that this development can benefit not only Indians but the larger humanity. He also appealed the people to express same spirit in taking the vaccine as they did while persevering through the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
None Of My Family Members Are Associated With Any Political Party: Bharat Biotech Chairman Krishna Ella
Approval Of COVAXIN For Emergency Use A Giant Leap For Innovation: Bharat Biotech's Krishna Ella
COVID-19 Vaccine To Cost $3-4 To Government, $6-8 In Private Market: Serum Institute Of India
Coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford will cost $3-4 per shot (Rs 219-292) to the government and will be priced at double that rate in private market ones such sales open up, said the Chief Executive Officer of its Indian manufacturer on Monday.
Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has a licence to produce the shot and has already manufactured close to 50 million doses.
Its CEO Adar Poonawalla told news agency Press Trust of India that the company will start selling the Covishield to the Indian government and GAVI countries in the first stage, followed by the private market.
World's Biggest COVID-19 Vaccination Programme Set To Begin In India: PM Modi
The world's biggest inoculation drive against coronavirus is set to begin in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, a day after India's drugs regulator approved two vaccines for restricted emergency use.
Lauding the scientists and technicians for the 'Made in India' vaccines, he said the country is proud of them.
"World's biggest COVID-19 vaccination programme set to begin in India. For this, the country is proud of the contributions of its scientists and technicians," PM Modi said, addressing scientists at the National Metrology Conclave.
Gujarat Fully Equipped For COVID-19 Vaccination Drive: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Monday said the state is fully equipped for the COVID-19 vaccination drive and will begin the process as soon as the central government announces the plan.
Preparations related to cold chain infrastructure, survey and training of vaccinators have been completed, Mr Rupani said addressing an event at Ahwa in Dang district.
38 Persons Infected With The New Strain Of Coronavirus In India: Health Ministry
Odisha logs 183 new COVID-19 cases, 2 more fatalities
Odisha's COVID-19 tally on Monday mounted to 3,30,492 after 183 more people tested positive for the infection, while two more fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,885, a health department official said.
Of the new cases, 106 were reported from different quarantine centres, while the remaining 77 are local contact cases.
Sundargarh district recorded the highest of 32 new cases followed by Angul (24) and Khurda (14) districts.
Taking to twitter, the Health and Family Welfare department said: "regret to inform the demise of two numbers of Covid positive patients while under treatment in hospitals."
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: UK Rolls Out Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine
Britain on Monday began the mass rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, a cheap and easy to distribute shot that experts hope will help crush the pandemic.
Brian Pinker, an 82-year-old retired maintenance manager, received the jab at Oxford's Churchill Hospital, NHS England said.
Puducherry schools reopen for students of classes 1 to 12 after remaining shut for months due to the Coronavirus spread. Half-day classes from 10 am to 1 pm will be held till January 18th after which full-day classes will resume.
Puducherry clocks 29 new COVID-19 cases, 2 fatalities push number to 635
Puducherry reported 29 fresh coronavirus cases while two people including a 72-year old woman succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours taking the toll in the union territory to 635, a top Health
department said on Monday.
The 29 new infections were identified at the end of the screening of 1,788 samples and took the overall tally to 38,253, Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release.
As many as 28 patients were discharged after recovery during the last 24 hours, he added.
Colleges in Kerala have re-opened today after over nine months.
"We've arranged a handwashing area here. All students have to wear a face mask and carry hand sanitiser. A maximum of 20 students are allowed in a class," says Dr Lizzy Mathew, Principal, St Teresa's College.
JustIn| World's biggest COVID-19 vaccination programme set to begin in India, country proud of its scientists: PM Modi
Oxford Vaccine At Rs. 1,000 If Centre Allows Us To Sell: Adar PoonawallaThe Serum Institute of India's Covishield vaccine, which has got approval from the country's drug regulator, will be commercially available at Rs. 1,000 per dose if the government allows sale in retail, company chief Adar Poonawalla has said. For the government, "We are giving it in a very special price of Rs. 200 for the first hundred million doses. Then there will be tendering and then different prices will be available," Mr Poonawalla told NDTV.
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Team India, support staff negative in latest COVID-19 tests: BCCI
The Indian cricket team and its support staff have returned negative in the latest COVID-19 tests conducted here ahead of the third Test against Australia in Sydney, the BCCI said on Monday.
The game is due to start on January 7 and The Indian team landed in Sydney on Monday as scheduled.
"Playing members of the Indian Cricket Team and support staff underwent an RT-PCR Test for COVID-19 on January 3, 2021. All tests have returned negative results," the BCCI said in a short statement.
The statement came a couple of days after five Indian players -- vice-captain Rohit Sharma, opener Shubman Gill, stumper Rishabh Pant, pacer Navdeep Saini and batsman Prithvi Shaw -- were placed in isolation when a video of them at an indoor restaurant was posted by a fan on Twitter.
Colleges in Kerala re-open today after over nine months following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic
"We are looking forward to the normal functioning of the college," says a student.
Telangana clocks 238 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths take number to 1,551
Telangana recorded 238 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the total positives to over 2.87 lakh while two fatalities pushed the toll to 1,551, the state government said on Monday.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 60, followed by Rangareddy and Warangal Urban with 26 and 20 respectively, it said in a bulletin, providing details as of 8 PM on January 3.
The total number of cases stood at 2,87,740 while recoveries were at 2,81,083. As many as 5,106 patients are under treatment and 27,077 samples were tested on Sunday.
Cumulatively, over 70 lakh samples have been tested.
The samples tested per million population was over 1.88 lakh, the bulletin said.
The case fatality rate in the state was 0.53 per cent, while it was 1.4 per cent at the national level.
379 new COVID-19 cases in Thane, 5 more deaths
Thane has recorded 379 new cases of coronavirus, raising the infection tally in the Maharashtra district to 2,44,250, an official said on Monday.
Apart from these new cases reported on Sunday, five people also succumbed to COVID-19, taking the toll in the district to 5,979, he said.
The COVID-19 mortality rate in the district stands at 2.45 per cent, the official said.
Till now, 2,34,398 patients have recovered from the viral infection, taking the recovery rate in the district to 95.97 per cent, he said.
As of now, there are 3,873 active COVID-19 cases in the district, he added.
Assam reports 15 new COVID-19 cases, one fresh death
Assam's COVID-19 tally rose to 2,16,304 as 15 more people tested positive for the virus, while one more fatality pushed the death toll to 1,052, the National Health Mission said in a bulletin.
The overall positivity rate stood at 3.58 per cent against total testing of 60,47,033 samples so far.
The state reported 60 single-day recoveries, taking the total count to 2,12,129, NHM said late on Sunday.
Assam currently has a total of 3,120 active COVID-19 cases and they are being treated at different hospitals and Covid Care Centres (CCCs) across the state along with some being at home isolation.
Three COVID-19 patients have migrated to other states.
The bulletin said 1,347 more COVID-19 patients have died, but the state government's Death Audit Board has not included them in the tally of fatalities caused by the virus, as they had other ailments, too.
JustIn| 16,504 fresh COVID-19 cases in India, 9% lower than yesterday; 1.03 crore total cases, 1.49 lakh deaths
Brazil private clinics seek deal for Indian Covid vaccineA Brazilian association of private health clinics said Sunday it was negotiating with Indian pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech to buy five million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, which India has just authorized for emergency use.
The Brazilian Association of Vaccine Clinics (ABCVAC) confirmed on its website it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian firm to purchase its Covaxin vaccine, which is currently in the final stage of clinical trials.
Any final deal would be subject to approval by Brazil's health regulator, Anvisa, which has yet to approve any vaccines against the new coronavirus.
Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's government faces mounting criticism of dragging its feet on a vaccination campaign in Brazil, which has the second-highest death toll in the pandemic, after the United States.
Zydus Cadila gets DCGI nod for Phase-3 clinical trials for Covid-19 vaccine
The drug regulatory body Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved Ahmedabad based drug firm Zydus Cadila to initiate Phase III clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D.
"The Nation's first indigenously developed DNA vaccine candidate against COVID-19, ZyCoV-D, by M/s Zydus Cadila has been approved by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), for the conduct of the Phase III clinical trials," Ministry of Science and Technology said in a release on Sunday.
The Ministry said that Zydus Cadila completed Phase-I/II clinical trials of this DNA Vaccine candidate, in India, in more than 1,000 participants and interim data indicated that the vaccine is safe and immunogenic when three doses were administered intradermally.
"Based on the recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee, which reviewed the interim data, the DCGI has accorded permission for conducting Phase-III clinical trial in 26,000 Indian participants," the Ministry said.
No Covid Safety, 65 Arrested For Partying At Hookah Bars In DelhiSixty-five people have been arrested from two illegal hookah bars in Delhi's Rohini after police raids. Coronavirus norms were also being violated at the bars, police said, saying social distancing was not followed at either establishment.
26 people, including four staff members, were arrested from Uptown Cafe in Rohini's Sector 9 on January 1. Ten hookahs have also been seized by the police in the raids.
35 people, including 10 women and three minors were arrested from Sector 8's Mud House restaurant in January 2. Six staff members were also arrested in the raid and 12 hookahs were confiscated as well. Three owners of the hookah bar have also been arrested in the raid.