Covid-19 Cases in India: India reported on Wednesday 42,015 new cases in the last 24 hours
India reported 42,015 new cases and 3,998 deaths in the last 24 hours on Wednesday, according to data updated by the health ministry.
The recovery rate has increased to 97.36 per cent. The daily positivity rate is at 2.27 per cent - less than 3 per cent for 30 straight days in a major sign of relief. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Covid positivity rate below 5 per cent to be within the safe zone.
Active Covid cases have declined to 4.07 lakh in India - the infections are going down each day. Active cases constitute 1.30 per cent of total infections. 36,977 patients recovered in the last 24 hours taking total recoveries so far to over 3.04 crore.
Meanwhile, Australia's two largest states reported sharp increases in new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a blow to hopes that lockdown orders would be lifted with more than half the country's population under stay-at-home orders.
New South Wales state, home to the country's most populous city Sydney, logged 110 new cases, up from 78 the day before, nearly four weeks into a lockdown of the city and surrounding areas to contain an outbreak of the virulent Delta variant.
Victoria state clocked 22 new cases, from nine the day before, its biggest increase since the outbreak began this month, even as it nears its second week of statewide lockdown.
Here are the Live Updates on Coronavirus Cases in India:
Now, Covid Vaccine Points In Chennai's 10 Malls, 38 MarketsChennai residents now have an easy way to get the Covid vaccine shot. The Greater Chennai Corporation has set up vaccination camps at 10 malls across the city and 38 fruit and vegetable markets to take the jab to shoppers, shopkeepers and salespersons visiting these places.
Karthik, a salesperson at a popular store at Palladium wing of Phoenix Market City in Chennai, is happy to have received his first dose. "I could not get my shots as there were long queues everywhere I went. Today in 15 minutes, I got my first shot. It is safe for me and my customers. In fact, many customers asked us if we are vaccinated."
The mall has put up stickers and flexes at all stores that read, "We are vaccinated". The management said this was a precondition for the stores to reopen.
US Life Expectancy Fell Sharply In 2020. Covid "Single Greatest Effect"Average US life expectancy fell by 1.5 years in 2020, a sharp decline driven by the Covid-19 pandemic affecting males and communities of color the most, new data showed Wednesday.
Life expectancy at birth for the total US population was 77.3 years, down from 78.8 in 2019, and the lowest it has been since 2003, said a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
No Health Pass, No Cinema Or Museum: France Tightens COVID-19 RulesPeople wanting to go to cinemas, museums or sports matches in France have to prove they have had a Covid-19 vaccination or a recent negative test from Wednesday as the country rolls out its controversial vaccine passport system in the face of surging new cases.
The so-called "health pass" will be required for all events or places with more than 50 people, before being extended to restaurants, cafes and large shopping centres in August.
The government, which is set to formalise the system with legislation being debated in parliament, is hoping to curb a fourth wave of infections and encourage people to get vaccinated.
"Fill And Finish": Pfizer BioNTech To Produce COVID-19 Vaccines In South AfricaCovid vaccine makers BioNTech and Pfizer said Wednesday they would produce their jab in South Africa from 2022, a first for the continent that could see much-needed immunisation drives pick up speed.
Poor countries have fallen behind richer ones in the race to protect people from the coronavirus, sparking widespread criticism of drug firms and governments of wealthy nations.
17,481 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 105 Deaths Reported In KeralaKerala on Wednesday recorded 17,481 fresh COVID-19 cases and 105 deaths, pushing the numbers to 32,05,197 and 15,617 respectively.
The test positivity rate (TPR) remained close to 12 per cent for the second consecutive day with three districts of the state reporting more than 2,000 cases.
As many as 14,131 people have been cured of the infection, taking the total recoveries to 30,59,441 and active cases to 1,29,640 till date, said an official press release.
Covid Delta Variant To Dominate Within Months: WHOThe highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 is expected to become the dominant strain of the virus over the coming months, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Delta, which was first detected in India, has now been recorded in 124 territories -- 13 more than last week -- and already accounts for more than three-quarters of sequenced specimens in many major countries, the WHO said.
Future Waves Possible, Travel If Fully Vaccinated: Centre After 4th Sero SurveyThe government on Tuesday said a sero survey has found that two-thirds of the population - aged above six years - has SARS-CoV-2 antibodies but stressed that around 40 crore people are still vulnerable to the infection and "there is no room for complacency". State heterogeneity "indicates the possibility of future waves of infection," the government warned, adding that people should travel only if fully vaccinated.
The overall seroprevalence was 67.6 per cent in the ICMR's 4th national COVID sero survey, held in June and July, that involved over 28,975 individuals (adults and children), apart from 7,252 healthcare workers, in 70 districts across 21 states where earlier three rounds were also conducted.
Vietnam Produces Test Batch Of Sputnik V Vaccine: RussiaRussia announced Wednesday that a batch of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was produced for the first time in Vietnam, which is battling a new wave of COVID-19 infections. The test batch was produced in partnership with Vietnam's state-owned pharmaceutical company Vabiotech, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which financially backed Sputnik V, said in a statement.
The first samples from the batch will be shipped to the vaccine's developer -- the Gamaleya Centre in Moscow -- for quality control, the RDIF added. "RDIF and Vabiotech are actively cooperating in the technology transfer process to provide easier access to Sputnik V for the population of Vietnam," the fund's CEO Kirill Dmitriyev said in the statement.
Australia, Under Lockdown, Sees Jump In Covid CasesAustralia's two largest states reported sharp increases in new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a blow to hopes that lockdown orders would be lifted with more than half the country's population under stay-at-home orders.
New South Wales state, home to the country's most populous city Sydney, logged 110 new cases, up from 78 the day before, nearly four weeks into a lockdown of the city and surrounding areas to contain an outbreak of the virulent Delta variant.
Victoria state clocked 22 new cases, from nine the day before, its biggest increase since the outbreak began this month, even as it nears its second week of statewide lockdown.
Big Jump In Daily Covid Deaths (3,998) As Maharashtra Revises DataIndia reported 42,015 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, much higher than Tuesday's 30,000, taking the total infections to over 3.12 crore. 3,998 deaths were reported in the last day, highest since June 12, after Maharashtra revised its data.
Maharashtra added 3,509 Covid deaths after revising its data for the 14th time leading to a massive surge in total fatalities today. 489 new deaths were reported from the rest the country taking the total tally to 3,998. Total deaths have crossed 4.18 lakh since the beginning of the pandemic.
J&J Shot Performs Poorly Against Delta VariantJohnson & Johnson's single-dose Covid vaccine produced relatively low levels of antibodies against the delta variant in a study, raising questions about how well the shot will hold up against the strain that accounts for the vast majority of U.S. cases.
The laboratory study, released on the preprint server bioRxiv, hasn't been published in a peer-reviewed journal and focuses on one key portion of the immune response, called neutralizing antibodies. New York University scientists found that J&J's vaccine produced roughly five-fold lower levels of the protective antibodies against the delta variant compared to the levels raised against an early coronavirus strain.
Delhi reports 62 COVID-19 cases, four fatalities; positivity rate at 0.09 per cent: Health Bulletin
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Mizoram reports 725 new COVID-19 cases, 1 more death
Mizoram's COVID-19 tally surged to 29,020 as 725 more people including 138 children tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours, pushing the state's tally to 29,020, a health department official said on Wednesday. The single-day positivity rate rose to 16 per cent from 10.85 per cent on Tuesday, PTI reported.
COVID-19 News Updates: Iran sets a new record for the number of COVID-19 infected in one day
Iran set another record number of daily cases of the infection on Tuesday, even at the time a lockdown was introduced in Tehran and its environs, a week-long measure to stem another wave of pandemics.
The health ministry reported 27,444 infected and 250 dead over the past day, increasing the total death count to 87,624 among more than 3.5 million total infected in the pandemic, ANI reported.
COVID-19 India News: Arunachal Pradesh reports 476 new COVID-19 cases
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally rose to 43,804 as 476 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said on Wednesday. The COVID-19 death toll in the frontier state remained at 203 as no fresh fatality was reported in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. The highest number of fresh cases were reported from the Capital Complex Region at 131, followed by West Kameng (40), Tawang (38), Lower Subansiri (34), Papumpare (31), East Siang (30), Upper Subansiri and Leparada at 25 each and Longding (21), PTI reported.
COVID-19 News Updates: Push to get wary Russians vaccinated leaves some COVID-19 clinics short
Alexander tried three times over 10 days to get his first dose of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in his home town of Vladimir. Twice, supplies ran out as he was standing in the queue.
"People line up from 4 a.m. although the centre opens at 10 a.m.," the 33-year-old said, as he finally entered the walk-in vaccination room in the town, where gold-domed medieval churches attract crowds of tourists in normal years, Reuters reported.
COVID-19 News Updates: Indonesia may relax COVID-19 restrictions next week
Even though COVID-19 infections continue to rage in the country, Indonesian President Joko Widodon has suggested easing coronavirus restrictions next week.
The president has been criticized by experts, who say he is putting the economy ahead of people''s health, reported NHK World.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Gujarat High Court orders collection of critical COVID-19-patient's sample as wife wants child
The Gujarat High Court has directed a hospital in Vadodara to conduct an IVF/Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedure for the collection of sample of a critical COVID-19 patient having slim chances of survival, after his wife expressed the desire to bear his child, PTI reported.
The HC issued the order issued on Tuesday, considering it as an "extraordinary urgent situation".
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India's Excess Deaths During Pandemic Likely Up To 4.9 Million, Says Report The country's excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic could be as high as 4.9 million, a new study shows, providing further evidence that millions more may have died from coronavirus than the official tally.
The report by the Washington-based Center for Global Development, co-authored by former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, included deaths from all causes since the start of the pandemic through June this year.
Read Here.
Active COVID-19 cases in country increase to 4,07,170: Union Health Ministry
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: 295 new COVID-19 cases in Thane, 4 more deaths
With the addition of 295 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 5,41,259, an official said on Wednesday. These new cases were reported on Tuesday, PTI reported.
No Data On Deaths Due To Oxygen Shortage, Centre Blames States
The Union health ministry has said the states have not provided any information on deaths of Covid patients in hospitals due to lack of oxygen. With a number of deaths due to oxygen shortage making headlines during the second wave, especially in Delhi, the matter drew sharp criticism from the opposition.
Read Here We need to follow COVID-19 guidelines for the safety of ourselves and for our families in view of 3rd wave of COVID-19. We had decided to allow limited people to offer namaz at Jama Masjid in Delhi. 15-20 people offered prayers: Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari, Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid.
Delta variant now accounts for 83% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, Says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
Assam: We have detected double infection of COVID-19 by two different variants of concern-- Alpha and Delta. A lady doctor was found to be infected simultaneously with both the variants: Dr. BJ Borkakoti, Senior Scientist, Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh
Madhya Pradesh: Three children found positive for COVID-19. Out of them, two were asymptomatic, says Dr. Manish Sharma, Chief Medical and Health Officer, Gwalior.
Vaccinated White House official tests positive for Covid: SpokeswomanA vaccinated White House official in the US has tested positive for Covid-19, a spokeswoman said Tuesday, adding that the person had not had contact with President Joe Biden or other top-level staff. "I want to confirm that yesterday a fully vaccinated White House official tested positive for Covid-19 off campus," Biden's press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing, adding that the official, who has not been identified, had mild symptoms.
She said that in accordance with "rigorous" protocols, the official is staying away from the White House pending more testing, and that contact tracing had been carried out.
Half of Australia hit by COVID-19 lockdowns as cases riseMore than half of Australia's 25 million population came under hard COVID-19 lockdowns on Wednesday as the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus spread across three of the country's major cities. With South Australia state joining all of Victoria and Sydney in lockdown on Tuesday, strict stay-home orders have been enforced for large swathes of the country as officials rush to stem the worst coronavirus outbreak of the year.
Sydney, Australia's largest city, is in the fourth week of a five-week lockdown while Victoria and its capital Melbourne extended stay-home restrictions for seven days until early next week. South Australia announced week-long tough curbs on Tuesday as cases spread across its capital Adelaide.