New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today urged the central government to cancel CBSE board exams as the national capital recorded the biggest-ever single-day surge so far with 13,500 fresh coronavirus cases. He also appealed to the people in the city "to not leave homes unless absolutely necessary".
"Conducting board exams can lead to largescale spread of coronavirus, alternative methods of assessment can be explored. Students can be promoted on basis of either online exams or internal assessment," Mr Kejriwal said during the video address.
Meanwhile, Russian-made Covid vaccine Sputnik V, the third vaccine to be approved by India, will be manufactured by five pharma firms in the country and 850 million doses are going to be produced annually. However, limited doses are going to be available by the end of April.
India's drug regulator, the Drugs Controller General of India or DCGI, approved the Russian vaccine after it got a green signal by a special committee - the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization - on Monday as a lethal second wave sweeps the country. The approval comes as several states flagged a shortage in vaccine.
Manufactured in India by Dr Reddy's, Sputnik V has the highest effectiveness - 91.6 per cent -- after the Moderna and Pfizer shots. The vaccine is already in Phase 3 of clinical trials in India and Dr Reddy's had applied for emergency use approval of the vaccine in February.
Here are the Live Updates on Coronavirus India Cases:
Apr 14, 2021 05:50 (IST)
Only Essential Activities For 15 Days In Maharashtra From Today
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday stopped short of enforcing a lockdown but announced tough restrictions for the next 15 days that include a ban on gatherings and only essential activities to break the chain of Covid infections that he said were "exploding dangerously" in the state. "The war has begun again," he said, addressing the state on the massive surge in cases.
From today, Section 144 -- a rule that prohibits groups of more than four people -- will be in place across Maharashtra and only essential travel and services will be allowed, said Mr Thackeray, urging people to move to Work From Home and observe a "Janata Curfew" voluntarily. From 7 am to 8 pm only essential services will function, related to health care, banks, media, e-Commerce and fuel.
Apr 14, 2021 04:54 (IST)
Ex-Bar Chief VC Mishra Dies After Testing Covid+
Former Bar Council of India Chairman Vinay Chandra Mishra passed away here Tuesday, hours after testing positive for coronavirus, his son said.
Vivek Mishra told PTI-Bhasha that his father, who was 92, had served as the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh and also as the President of Allahabad High Court Bar Association several times.
"He was thrice elected chairman of Bar Council of India (BCI), the apex body of the lawyers of the country. He had also been elected the President of Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA) seven times," Vivek Mishra said.
"Earlier, in 60s, he was the President of Lucknow University Students'' Union, but later on joined the profession of law."
Apr 13, 2021 19:05 (IST)
Kerala Logs Over 7,000 Cases, 20 Deaths
Kerala recorded 7,515 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total caseload to 11.80 lakh as active cases mounted to 52,132, the state government said, reported news agency PTI.
As many as 2,959 people were cured of the infection, taking the total recoveries to 11,23,133.
A health department bulletin said 73,441 samples have been sent for testing, taking the overall number to 1,38,87,669.
The test positivity rate stood at 10.23 per cent.
The death count has gone up to 4,814 with 20 more fatalities being added to the tally.
Apr 13, 2021 18:06 (IST)
Indore Set To Have One More COVID Care Centre Amid Spike
Amid the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Indore, the district administration and health department have started setting up one more COVID care centre in the city, reported news agency ANI.
The centre is being built on Radha Swami Satsang Vyas's ground on Khandwa Road. Efforts are being made to complete the setting up of the centre in two days.
"We are making arrangements for 500 beds in the first phase. There will be 10 blocks, each comprising 50 beds. Every block will have a doctor, nurse and other medical staff members. In the second phase, we will increase the number of beds to 1,000 and if the need arises, we can even think of exceeding the number of beds to 2,000," said Doctor Amit Malakar, COVID Nodal Officer.
Apr 13, 2021 17:16 (IST)
Health Ministry Press Briefing
Centre had sent over 13.10 crore Covid vaccine doses to states and Union Territories of which the total consumption, including wastage, was 11.43 crore, the Health Ministry said today.
Apr 13, 2021 17:10 (IST)
Problem With Planning, Not With Vaccine Shortage: Health Ministry
Over 1.67 crore vaccine doses are available with states and Union Territories, the Health Ministry said today at the press briefing, adding, the problem is not of vaccine shortage but that of better planning.
