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Bharat Biotech, the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm that has been developing coronavirus vaccine Covaxin, today said that it had applied to the central drug regulator seeking emergency use authorisation.
It is the third firm after Serum Institute of India and American pharma giant Pfizer to apply for emergency use approval.
Covaxin is being indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and is currently in Phase 3 trials. The trials are on at 18 sites across the country with over 22,000 volunteers.
India recorded 32,981 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of active coronavirus cases in the country to 3,96,729, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday. With 39,109 new recoveries, the number of overall recovered COVID-19 patients stand at 91,39,901, pushing the recovery rate to 94.45 per cent today.
The overall COVID-19 cases reached 96,77,203, including 3,96,729 active cases and 91,39,901 recoveries. With 391 new deaths, the casualties mounted to 1,40,573.
Here are the LIVE updates on India Coronavirus Cases:
What Pfizer Said On Key Challenge In Coronavirus Vaccine Storage In India
American pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, which has asked the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) for emergency approval of its coronavirus vaccine, has said it is prepared to address a key challenge in the distribution of its vaccine - ultra-cold storage.
The US firm, which has developed Covid vaccine jointly with German partner BioNTech has sought India's approval as the United Kingdom and Bahrain prepare for the vaccine rollout.
The vaccine, however, needs to be stored and transported at - 70 degrees Celsius. Experts in India have raised concern about the logistics as most vaccines in the country are stored between 2 and 8 degrees. Read
American pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, which has asked the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) for emergency approval of its coronavirus vaccine, has said it is prepared to address a key challenge in the distribution of its vaccine - ultra-cold storage.
The US firm, which has developed Covid vaccine jointly with German partner BioNTech has sought India's approval as the United Kingdom and Bahrain prepare for the vaccine rollout.
The vaccine, however, needs to be stored and transported at - 70 degrees Celsius. Experts in India have raised concern about the logistics as most vaccines in the country are stored between 2 and 8 degrees. Read
Government Supporting Hundreds Of Projects To Fight Covid: Health Minister
Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan today said that the government is supporting hundreds of projects in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic and more than 100 start-ups have developed innovative products to deal with COVID-19.
Speaking at the India-Portugal Tech Summit, organised by the Department of Science and Technology and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr Vardhan said the government has announced a $120 million grant for COVID-19 vaccine research.
"We're Taught Covid, Covid, Covid": Karnataka Resident Doctors Protest
Resident doctors across Karnataka are holding a symbolic protest to remind the government of what they say are deficiencies in the medical education department. The doctors claim that the government is using their services for Covid-related work due to which their has been no proper clinical academic activities in their post-graduate courses for which they are still being charged fees in lakhs. Read
Resident doctors across Karnataka are holding a symbolic protest to remind the government of what they say are deficiencies in the medical education department. The doctors claim that the government is using their services for Covid-related work due to which their has been no proper clinical academic activities in their post-graduate courses for which they are still being charged fees in lakhs. Read
UP Sees 1,515 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 20 Deaths
With 1,515 fresh cases, the total number of those infected by coronavirus went up to 5,56,397 in Uttar Pradesh, while the death count rose to 7,944 following 20 more deaths on Monday.
The total number of active cases stood at 21,732, of which, 10,241 are in home isolation and 2,122 in private hospitals, Additional Chief Secretar (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said.
Till now, 5,26,721 people have recovered and discharged from hospitals, he said, adding that 1,861 people were discharged in the past 24 hours.
The recovery rate of the state stands at 94.67 per cent, the official said.
According to a health department bulletin, 248 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported from Lucknow, 176 from Meerut and 155 in Ghaziabad among others.
Two deaths each have been reported from Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi, Fatehpur and one each from Lucknow , Prayagraj, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarnagar, Hardoi, Etawah, Gonda, Ghazipur, Farrukhabad, Unnao, Mainpuri, Kanpur Dehat and Kasganj, it said.
Over 1.44 lakh tests were done in the state on Sunday taking the total number of tests conducted so far to over 2.04 crore, Mr Prasad added.
Pune District COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Holds First Meeting
A task force set up for planning the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine in Pune district of Maharashtra held its first meeting here on Monday, an official said.
District collector Rajesh Deshmukh said thetask force will ensure that the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) laid down by the government for storage and distribution of vaccine are followed.
"As part of preparedness, the work for collating data of frontline workers, who will be administered vaccine on priority, is going on," he said.
The collector said training employees in various aspects of the vaccination programme like logistical support, transport, cold chain maintenance etc. will be planned stage-wise.
Block-leveltask force will also be established for better coordination, he added.
Earlier in the day, Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) said it has applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use authorisation for AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine in the country.
Bharat Biotech Seeks Emergency Use Approval For Covaxin
Bharat Biotech, the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm that has been developing coronavirus vaccine Covaxin, today said that it had applied to the central drug regulator seeking emergency use authorisation.
It is the third firm after Serum Institute of India and American pharma giant Pfizer to apply for emergency use approval.
Covaxin is being indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and is currently in Phase 3 trials. The trials are on at 18 sites across the country with over 22,000 volunteers.
Canada Set To Receive First Doses Of Pfizer's Covid Vaccine Before End Of Year
Canada will get up to 249,000 doses of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine before the end of December, assuming it is approved by the health ministry, the government said on Monday.
Canadian regulators are due make an approval decision on the vaccine - which Pfizer is producing with German partner BionNTech SE - as early as this week, officials told reporters on Dec 3.
"Following successful negotiations, Canada will receive up to 249,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020, contingent on Health Canada authorization of the vaccine," the government said in a statement.
The Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it expects to receive a total of six million doses of vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna Inc during the first quarter of next year.
The doses will be enough to inoculate three million people as both vaccines require two shots about a month apart.
Tamil Nadu 1,312 New COVID-19 Cases, 16 More Fatalities
Tamil Nadu on Monday reported 1,312 new COVID-19 cases taking the tally to 7,91,552 while the count mounted to 11,809 with 16 more succumbing to the infection.
The active cases stood at 10,695 with 1,389 patients getting discharged from various hospitals and in total, 7,69,048 people have got cured.
The state capital reported 307 cases, nearby Chengelpet and Kancheepuram 87 and 40 respectively and the rest was from several other regions of Tamil Nadu, a health department bulletin said.
Out of the total 7.91 lakh plus cases, 2,17,850 was reported from here and the remainder was scattered across the state. All the 16 dead had co-morbidities, and the count of 11,809 covered 3,882 from Chennai.
As many as 64,010 samples were tested (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction method) and cumulatively, 1,25,40,103 specimens have been examined under the RT-PCR in 228 labs of the state.
UK To Brexit-Proof Pfizer Covid Vaccine Supplies From Belgium
Britain said on Monday that plans are being put in place to ensure the transportation of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 is not affected in the event of no agreement being clinched with the European Union by the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31.
The first vaccine doses have been arriving from Pfizer's manufacturing site in Belgium after the UK's independent regulator gave the official go-ahead for its rollout from this week. However, the bulk of the supply is expected in the New Year and the UK's Road Haulage Association has warned that a failure to agree an EU-UK post-Brexit trade deal by the end of this month could see "significant disruption" to the flow of goods for many months.
"We're Taught Covid, Covid, Covid": Karnataka Resident Doctors Protest
Resident doctors across Karnataka are holding a symbolic protest to remind the government of what they say are deficiencies in the medical education department. The doctors claim that the government is using their services for Covid-related work due to which their has been no proper clinical academic activities in their post-graduate courses for which they are still being charged fees in lakhs.
"We, the post-graduates, have been working exclusively in this Covid services for the past nine months. We have been repeatedly exploited in this Covid services. They did not appoint other doctors. We have come here to learn, to make our skills better, but we are being pressed into Covid services," Dr Namrata, a post-graduate doctor participating in the protest in Bengaluru told NDTV.
Punjab reports 620 new COVID-19 cases, 886 discharges, and 19 deaths today, says Government of Punjab.
Total cases in the state rise to 1,56,839 including 1,44,301 recoveries and 4,934 deaths.
Active cases stand at 7,604
Coronavirus Latest News: Tripura's COVID-19 tally rises to 32,897 with 6 fresh cases
The death toll rose to 370 after a patient died due to the infection, he said.
On Sunday, 69 people were discharged from GB Pant Hospital, the main referral facility for COVID-19 patients in the state.
Tripura currently has 417 active coronavirus cases, while 32,087 people have recovered from the disease.
Six more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Monday, pushing the tally in the state to 32,897, PTI reported quoting a health department official.
The death toll rose to 370 after a patient died due to the infection, he said.
On Sunday, 69 people were discharged from GB Pant Hospital, the main referral facility for COVID-19 patients in the state.
Tripura currently has 417 active coronavirus cases, while 32,087 people have recovered from the disease.
Coronavirus Latest News: Andhra Pradesh reports 316 new cases, 5 deaths in the last 24 hours
In the last 24 hours, 43,006 samples were tested in Andhra Pradesh, out of which 316 were detected COVID-19 positive. At present, there are 5,626 are active cases in the state, Andhra Pradesh state Covid nodal officer said.
With 595 new recoveries, the total number of recovered cases has climbed to 8,59,624.
In the past 24 hours, five deaths have been reported.
Andhra Pradesh reported 316 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the state to 8,72,288, PTI reported.
In the last 24 hours, 43,006 samples were tested in Andhra Pradesh, out of which 316 were detected COVID-19 positive. At present, there are 5,626 are active cases in the state, Andhra Pradesh state Covid nodal officer said.
With 595 new recoveries, the total number of recovered cases has climbed to 8,59,624.
In the past 24 hours, five deaths have been reported.
Government supporting hundreds of projects in fight against coronavirus: Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan
Speaking at the India-Portugal Tech Summit, organised by the Department of Science and Technology and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr Vardhan said the government has announced a $120 million grant for COVID-19 vaccine research.
This is being provided for COVID Suraksha Mission and is to be used purely for research and development in this field, he said.
The government is supporting hundreds of projects in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic and more than 100 start-ups have developed innovative products to deal with COVID-19, PTI reported quoting Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday.
Speaking at the India-Portugal Tech Summit, organised by the Department of Science and Technology and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr Vardhan said the government has announced a $120 million grant for COVID-19 vaccine research.
This is being provided for COVID Suraksha Mission and is to be used purely for research and development in this field, he said.
COVID Latest Updates: Delhi reports 1,674 new cases, 3,818 recoveries and 63 deaths today
Delhi reports 1,674 new #COVID19 cases, 3,818 recoveries and 63 deaths today.
- ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2020
Total cases 5,93,924
Total recoveries 5,61,732
Death toll 9,706
Active cases 22,486 pic.twitter.com/7NVZo15riL
Coronavirus LIVE News: Night Curfew Extended In Ahmedabad Till Further Notice
Night curfew in Ahmedabad was extended on Monday till further notice to check the spread of COVID-19 in the Gujarat city, police said.
The move comes a day after Ahmedabad reported 306 new COVID-19 cases, the highest in Gujarat, taking the tally in the district to 52,030, as per official figures.
Earlier, the night curfew came into effect in the city on November 23 and was extended till December 7.
In a new notification issued on Monday morning, city Police Commissioner Sanjay Srivastava announced extension of the night curfew till further orders.
"There will be a curfew between 9 pm and 6 am beginning December 7 until further order in this regard," the order said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Southern California goes into virus lockdown
Southern California went into a strict lockdown Monday, with more than 20 million people under stay-at-home orders triggered after hospitals faced being overwhelmed by record Covid-19 cases.
Governor Gavin Newsom last week announced new statewide bans on gatherings and "non-essential" activities would come into effect once 85 percent of intensive care unit beds have been filled.
Under the lockdown, most offices will close and gatherings of people from different households are banned. Bars and personal services such as hair salons will be temporarily closed, and restaurants will only be allowed to offer take-out and delivery.
"We are at a tipping point in our fight against the virus and we need to take decisive action now to prevent California's hospital system from being overwhelmed in the coming weeks," Newsom said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Odisha Reports 368 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 7 Deaths
Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,21,564 on Monday, after 368 fresh cases were reported, while seven more fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,778, a health department official said.
The new infections were reported from 26 of the state's 30 districts.
Khurda district, comprising state capital Bhubaneswar, registered the highest of 49 fresh cases followed by Sundergarh (45) and Angul (30).
Four districts - Boudh, Gajapati, Nabarangpur and Subarnapur - did not report any new COVID-19 case during the last 24 hours, he said.
Taking to Twitter, the Health and Family Welfare Department said, "Regret to inform the demise of seven Covid positive patients while under treatment in hospitals."
Cuttack, Balasore, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and Sundergarh accounted for the deaths since Sunday, the official said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: New Smartphone-Based COVID-19 Test Gives Results In Less Than 30 Minutes
Scientists have developed a novel technology for a CRISPR-based COVID-19 diagnostic test that uses a smartphone camera to provide accurate results in under 30 minutes.
According to the research published in the journal Cell, the new diagnostic test can not only generate a positive or negative result, it also measures the viral load -- the concentration of virus -- in a given sample.
All CRISPR diagnostics to date have required that the viral RNA be converted to DNA and amplified before it can be detected, adding time and complexity, the researchers said.
In contrast, the new approach skips all the conversion and amplification steps, using CRISPR to directly detect the viral RNA, they said.
"One reason we are excited about CRISPR-based diagnostics is the potential for quick, accurate results at the point of need," said Jennifer Doudna, a senior investigator at Gladstone Institutes in the US.
Coronavirus Fact vs Myths | Can small children pass on #COVID19 even if they are not showing symptoms?
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 7, 2020
Dr Uma Kumar, Professor and HoD, Department of Rheumatology, AIIMS answers pic.twitter.com/lhKqgBveSM
Covid-19 LIVE Updates: Puducherry Adds 26 New Coronavirus Cases, One Death Takes Number To 615
Puducherry added 26 new COVID-19 cases while one related fatality pushed the toll in the union territory to 615, a top Health department official said on Monday.
The 26 new cases were identified at the end of the examination of 1,651 samples during the last 24 hours ending 10 AM Monday, raising the overall tally to 37,270, Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release.
A 70-year old man succumbed to the infection at the government hospital here pushing the toll to 615, he added.
He said of the 26 new cases, Mahe logged 14, followed by Puducherry with nine and Yanam(3).
Karaikal did not report any fresh case of infection.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Actor Varun Dhawan Tests Positive For COVID-19
Actor Varun Dhawan, who had been shooting for Raj Mehta's ''Jug Jug Jeeyo'' in Chandigarh, has tested positive for coronavirus.
The ''Coolie No.1,'' actor took to Instagram on Monday to share his health update along with a picture of him interacting with his friends over a group video call.
"So as I returned to work in the pandemic era I have contracted COVID-19," he captioned the post.
Mr Dhawan assured that while shooting all health protocols were followed and asked everyone to be "extra careful."
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Actor Varun Dhawan Tests Positive For COVID-19
Actor Varun Dhawan, who had been shooting for Raj Mehta's ''Jug Jug Jeeyo'' in Chandigarh, has tested positive for coronavirus.
The ''Coolie No.1,'' actor took to Instagram on Monday to share his health update along with a picture of him interacting with his friends over a group video call.
"So as I returned to work in the pandemic era I have contracted COVID-19," he captioned the post.
Mr Dhawan assured that while shooting all health protocols were followed and asked everyone to be "extra careful."
After Pfizer, Serum Institute Seeks Approval For Covid-19 Vaccine: Sources
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 7, 2020
NDTV's Sukirti Dwivedi reports pic.twitter.com/ucYm2GQ2oa
Coronavirus Latest News LIVE: Arunachal Pradesh Reports 11 New COVID-19 Cases
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally mounted to 16,395 as 11 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said here on Monday.
Of the 11 fresh cases, 10 were reported from the Capital Complex region and one from Tawang, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.
Eight infections were detected through rapid antigen tests while three were diagnosed through True NAT tests, the SSO said.
Barring five, all the new patients are asymptomatic and shifted to Covid Care Centres, he said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: 521 New COVID-19 Cases In Thane; 11 More Deaths
The COVID-19 caseload in Maharashtra's Thane district has reached 2,32,922 with the addition of 521 new cases of the viral infection, an official said on Monday.
The district has also reported 11 more deaths due to COVID-19, taking the toll to 5,744, he said.
Currently, there are 7,144 active COVID-19 cases in the district, while 2,20,034 patients have recovered, he said.
The COVID-19 recovery rate in the district is 94.47 per cent, while the mortality rate stands at 2.47 per cent.
The active cases comprise 3.06 per cent of the total coronavirus cases detected so far in the district, he said.
Kalyan town in the district has so far reported the maximum number of COVID-19 cases at 54,872, followed by Thane city-52,650, Navi Mumbai-49,011 and Mira Bhayander-24501.
Covid-19 LIVE Updates: Telangana Logs 517 New Cases, 2 Deaths Push Number To 1,474
Telangana reported 517 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to nearly 2.74 lakh while two fatalities pushed the toll to 1,474, the state government said on Monday.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 102, followed by Rangareddy (57) and Medchal Malkajgiri (36), it said in a bulletin, providing details as of 8 PM on December 6.
As many as7,778 patients are under treatment and 33,098 samples were tested on Sunday.
Cumulatively, over 58.12 lakh samples have been tested.
Coronavirus Latest News LIVE: Active caseload falls below 4 lakh in country
India's coronavirus infections rose to 96.77 lakh, while the active caseload fell below 4 lakh and the recoveries surged to 91.39 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
The total coronavirus cases mounted to 96,77,203 with 32,981 new infections being reported in a day, while the death toll rose to 1,40,573 with 391 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
There are 3,96,729 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 4.10 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 91,39,901 pushing the national recovery rate to 94.45 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.
JustIn| 32,981 fresh COVID-19 cases in India, 8% lower than yesterday; 96.77 lakh total cases, 1,40,573 deaths
"We need to wait, because these vaccines are only going to compliment our efforts today, but not replace hand sanitisation and other COVID-19 protocols.. so we need to be patient and continue taking precautions," says Dr Rajeev Seth, senior pediatrician on #COVID19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/356ECguuh0
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 7, 2020
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Jharkhand Reports 92 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, Seven More Deaths
Jharkhand's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,10,278 as 92 more people tested positive for the infection, while seven more fatalities pushed the death toll to 986, a health department official said on Monday.
Ranchi district registered the maximum number of new infections at 37, followed by East Singhbhum (10), Seraikela Kharsawan (8) and Deoghar (7).
Jharkhand now has 1,796 active cases, while 1,07,496 people have been cured of the disease so far, the official said.
The state has tested 16,121 samples for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, he added.
Watch: Couple, Priest Perform Rituals In PPE Kit After Bride Tests COVID+ In Rajasthan
A couple in Rajasthan's Shahbad district decided to go ahead for their wedding even after the bride tested positive for coronavirus on the wedding day, news agency ANI reported on Sunday.
As seen in the video tweeted by news agency ANI, the couple tied the nuptial knot wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) kits. Read more
China's Sinovac Secures $515 Million To Boost Covid Vaccine Production
China's Sinovac Biotech has secured $515 million in funding from a local firm to double production capacity of its coronavirus vaccine, the companies said on Monday, as it expects efficacy data of its experimental shot this month. Read more
China's Sinovac Biotech has secured $515 million in funding from a local firm to double production capacity of its coronavirus vaccine, the companies said on Monday, as it expects efficacy data of its experimental shot this month. Read more
Coronavirus Latest News: Assam Reports 97 New COVID-19 Cases, Four More Deaths
Assam's COVID-19 caseload rose to 2,13,759 on Sunday as 97 more people tested positive for the disease, while four fresh fatalities pushed the toll to 993, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
"Sad to share the demise of four #COVID patients today... Condolences & Prayers!," he said on Twitter.
The new fatalities were reported from Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sonitpur and Kamrup Metropolitan districts, he added.
The minister said, "97 cases detected out of 11,514 tests conducted with a positivity rate of 0.84 per cent."
The overall positivity rate stood at 3.91 per cent against the total testing of 54,62,004 samples so far.
After Pfizer, Serum Institute Seeks Approval For Covid Vaccine: Sources
Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine maker by number of doses produced, has sought government approval for emergency use authorisation of the coronavirus vaccine that it is developing with the University of Oxford and British drugmaker AstraZeneca, sources have said. The Pune-based pharma firm is the second to do so, say sources, after American firm Pfizer sought approval from the drug regulator - the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India)- for its COVID-19 vaccine, cleared by the United Kingdom and Bahrain. Read more
Donald Trump Says His Lawyer Rudy Giuliani Has Covid-19
Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for Covid-19, the president said Sunday, the latest member of his inner circle to contract the disease.
It was unclear whether Giuliani was experiencing symptoms, but at age 76 the former New York mayor is considered part of a high-risk group.
He has been seen frequently without a mask -- CNN showed film of him Thursday in Atlanta walking maskless down a hall chatting with several other people whose faces were uncovered -- and other members of his legal team presumably have been exposed. Read
Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for Covid-19, the president said Sunday, the latest member of his inner circle to contract the disease.
It was unclear whether Giuliani was experiencing symptoms, but at age 76 the former New York mayor is considered part of a high-risk group.
He has been seen frequently without a mask -- CNN showed film of him Thursday in Atlanta walking maskless down a hall chatting with several other people whose faces were uncovered -- and other members of his legal team presumably have been exposed. Read
