Coronavirus Cases in India: The recovery rate is 95.99 per cent.
Amid global fears over the new mutant strains of coronavirus, detected in the United Kingdom and South Africa, India recorded 20,549 fresh infections in the last 24 hours taking the COVID-19 caseload to 1,02,44,852. The recoveries crossed 98 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The death count increased to 1,48,439 with 286 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 978,34,141 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.99 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.
Twenty cases of a mutant strain of coronavirus that first surfaced in the UK, have been detected in the country. The new strain is believed to be 70 per cent more infectious, but doctors have said there is no reason yet to believe that it is more lethal or will not be controlled by a vaccine.
Meanwhile, the Indian government on Wednesday extended the suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom till January 7 amid alarm over the new highly contagious strain of the coronavirus.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus Cases:
Priority Groups Identified, Centre Working Aggressively For Covid Vaccination Drive: AIIMS DirectorThe government is aggressively working on the Covid-19 mass vaccination program and there will be no delay in the inoculation process, Dr Randeep Guleria, director All India Institute of Medical Sciences said on Wednesday. He also said that priority groups have been identified and the vaccine will be free for healthcare workers, frontline workers, and the elderly.
In an interview to ANI, Dr Guleria explained the mechanism and the twin aims of the vaccination drive- "to decrease mortality as we do not want more people to die because of COVID-19, second is to break the chain of vaccination in which we will aim having a sufficient number of people vaccinated, therefore the cases come down automatically."
"With these aims, we have to see how many people we have to vaccinate. We want to vaccinate our higher population--those having co-morbidity and the elderly because they have a higher chance of having a severe Covid-19 infection.
"We know that there are people who have got the infection and already have the immunity and if we give the vaccine to them then another significant number of people get immunity, In that way, we may have reached so-called ''herd immunity'' and we may not need to vaccinate larger number of the entire population because we broke the chance of transmission," he added.
India Will Have COVID-19 Vaccine Within Days: AIIMS DirectorTerming the approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the UK as a "big step forward", AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said that India will have the COVID-19 vaccine within days.
"This is very good news that AstraZeneca got approval for its vaccine by UK regulatory authorities. They have robust data and in India and the same vaccine is being developed by the Serum Institute of India. This is a big step forward not only for India but many parts of the world," Dr Guleria told ANI in an interview.
"This vaccine can be stored at two to eight degrees centigrade. Therefore it would be easy to store and transportation. Storage can be done using a simple fridge rather than what is required in the Pfizer vaccine of minus 70 degrees centigrade," All India Institute Of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Director Dr Guleria said.
On the issue of COVID-19 vaccination drive in India, he said, "India to roll out COVID-19 vaccines for a large part of the country and therefore we will see the vaccine available in our country in the very near future."
Ukraine To Buy 2 Million Doses Of China's CoronaVac VaccineUkraine said Wednesday it agreed to purchase nearly two million doses of the Chinese-developed CoronaVac coronavirus jab, the post-Soviet country's first commercial contract to purchase a vaccine.
Kiev is due to receive its first batch of 700,000 doses within one month after the vaccine is registered either in China or elsewhere, according to a presidency statement.
Sinovac Biotech, one of China's leading vaccine producers, developed CoronaVac which underwent trials in Brazil, China, Turkey and Indonesia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement that authorities would soon roll out "a large-scale" vaccination program.
The deal provides for a total of 1,913,316 doses at 504 hryvnia ($18) per dose, which the presidency said would be given free of charge starting with healthcare workers and the most vulnerable.
Canada To Require Negative Covid Test For EntryCanada will require travellers to obtain a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed into the country, the government announced Wednesday.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests will need to be conducted within three days of boarding a flight, officials told a news conference.
Upon arrival travellers will still have to quarantine for 14 days.
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic Leblanc said the new measure -- along with increased monitoring at Canadian airports -- would be in place "quickly," but did not provide a specific date.
It comes after a new strain was identified in Britain, and has already spread to Canada.
At the same time, Ontario's finance minister, Rod Phillips, was publicly chided this week for taking a family vacation in the Caribbean just as Canada's most populous province went into lockdown and the number of new daily Covid-19 cases across Canada hit record highs.
"Although most Canadians have heeded advice for non-essential travel, some Canadians are still travelling for non-essential reasons. This is deeply concerning," said deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo.
Jharkhand reported 223 new COVID-19 cases, 185 recoveries and 2 deaths on Wednesday.
The total number of cases now stands at 1,14,873 including 1,12,206 recoveries, 1,027 deaths and 1,640 active cases: State Health Department
Coronavirus News: Eight Samples Taken In Delhi Positive With UK Virus Strain, 7 In Quarantine In City
Samples of eight of 14 UK returnees, who arrived in Delhi between December 21 and 22, have tested positive for the new strain of the coronavirus detected in that country, official sources said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. The samples were tested at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi, they said. Among these eight UK returnees was a woman who left the Delhi airport and travelled to Andhra Pradesh by train last week, they said.
Coronavirus News: Nagpur Records 368 COVID Cases, 6 UK Returnees In Hospital
Nagpur district on Wednesday registered 368 new coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 1,23,374, while six people who returned from the UK recently are undergoing treatment after testing positive, said officials, reported news agency PTI.
Coronavirus News: Ladakh Records One More COVID-Related Death, 25 New Cases
Ladakh recorded one more coronavirus-related death and 25 new cases of the disease, taking the infection count to 9,436 in the Union Territory, officials said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. Twelve patients have also recovered from the disease after successful treatment, bringing down the number of active cases in Ladakh to 210, they said.
Coronavirus News: UK Returnee Detected With New Strain In Noida
Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar recorded 47 new cases of coronavirus that pushed the district's inflection tally to 24,917 on Wednesday, official data showed, reported news agency PTI. Also, a person who returned to Gautam Buddh Nagar from the United Kingdom was detected to be infected with the new strain of the coronavirus which is stated to have a high transmissibility, government officials in Lucknow said.
Coronavirus News: Maharashtra Logs 3,537 New Cases, 4,913 Recoveries, 70 Deaths
Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally rose to 19,28,603 today with the addition of 3,537 fresh cases, the state health department said, reported news agency PTI. With 70 more fatalities, the overall death count in the state went up to 49,463, it said. 4,913 people were discharged after treatment during the day, taking the cumulative count of recoveries in Maharashtra to 18,24,934, the department said in a release. Maharashtra now has 53,066 active cases, it siad.
Coronavirus News: Prior Permission Mandatory For Organising Events On New Year's Eve In Kangra
Kangra Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati today said social gatherings on New Year's Eve in the district have been limited to a maximum of 50 people to control the spread of coronavirus, reported news agency PTI. In addition, according to the Disaster Management Act, only environmental-friendly firecrackers will be sold in the district and the duration to burst them will be from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am on New Year's Day. He said that prior permission of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate concerned will be mandatory for New Year's Eve events.
Coronavirus News: 29 UK Returnees Test Positive In Kerala; Over 6,000 New Cases In State
As many as 29 people who recently returned to Kerala from the UK have tested positive, Health Minister KK Shailaja said on Wednesday, as the State recorded over 6,268 new cases and 5,707 recoveries, reported news agency Press Trust of India. The samples of the UK returnees have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune to ascertain if it is the new variant, the minister said in a press release.
Coronavirus News: Madhya Pradesh Adds 866 New Cases, 13 Deaths
Madhya Pradesh today reported 866 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the count of infections to 2,40,947, health officials said, reported news agency PTI. With 13 more fatalities, the overall death count in the state rose to 3,595, they said. 1,061 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative count of recoveries in Madhya Pradesh to 2,27,965.
Coronavirus News: Need To Develop Covid Medicine In Homeopathy, Says Karnataka Health Minister
Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar today said there is a need to develop medicine for COVID-19 in Homeopathy also, reported news agency PTI. Arsenicum album is said to be effective in controlling COVID-19, but there is a need to develop proper medicine for the virus in Homeopathy, Mr Sudhakar was quoted as saying by his office in a release. "We should encourage homeopathy practice. It was widely used when typhoid was detected," he said, adding that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has given more importance to Ayush.
Coronavirus News: Strict Measures In Place In Bengaluru, Rest Of Karnataka Ahead Of New Year
Strict measures will be in place in Bengaluru and across Karnataka to restrict the large gatherings for New Year celebrations in view of the prevailing pandemic situation, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said today, reported news agency PTI. The minister said he has spoken to the Director General of Police and the police commissioner on the restrictions and guidelines that have issued for the state and the capital city and its strict implementation.
Coronavirus News: Sabarimala Temple Opens For Makaravilakku Festival Even As Chief Priest Is In Quarantine
Marking the beginning of the second phase of the annual pilgrimage season, the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala opened this evening for the Makaravilakku festival, even as the chief priest quarantined himself after coming in contact with three Covid positive people, reported news agency PTI. Though the portals of the hill shrine were opened at 5 pm, devotees will be allowed to enter from Thursday morning, officials of the Tranvancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, said.
Coronavirus News: Danger Of Coronavirus Has Not Subsided, Says BS Yediyurappa
The danger of coronavirus has still not subsided and there should be no lowering of the guard against the pandemic, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said today, as he ruled out any change in the safety guidelines for now, reported news agency PTI. Urging citizens to follow all guidelines and take the required precautions, he also called on the UK returnees who are untraceable so far to get the necessary health check or tests done to control the spread of the new variant of coronavirus that is prevalent in the United Kingdom.
Coronavirus News: Jammu And Kashmir Extends Lockdown Till January 31
Jammu and Kashmir has extended the coronavirus lockdown restrictions till January 31, reported news agency ANI.
Don't Vanish, Get Tested: BS Yediyurappa On 7 UK Covid Cases In KarnatakaAs the number of COVID-19 patients with the UK coronavirus strain shot to 20 in India - seven in Karnataka - Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa called on all people who flew back from foreign countries to "get tested for their own sake". The appeal came amid growing worries about the B.1.1.7 strain - considered 70 per cent more transmissible - pushing up infections in the state - second worst hit in terms of absolute numbers.
Read more
Suspension of scheduled international passenger flights extended till January 31
The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till January 31, aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday.
"However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation added.
Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with selected countries since July.
India has formed air bubble pacts with 24 countries including the US, the UK, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France. Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories.
Manipur Police collects Rs 1.45 crore fine from people for violating COVID-19 guidelines
Manipur Police has collected a sum of Rs 1.45 crore as fine from people for violating COVID-19 guidelines in the state, an officer said.
The Manipur State Disaster Management Authority issued COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions like compulsory wearing of masks in public places, no spitting in public and maintaining social distancing norms after the first coronavirus case was detected in the state in March.
A press release issued by the Inspector General of Police (Operations) E Priyokumar Singh said on Tuesday that the cumulative number of violators detained ever since restrictions were imposed in the state in March is 1,07,362 while the number of vehicles detained is 51,850.
Odisha records 305 new COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths
Odisha has recorded 305 new COVID-19 cases, 383 recoveries and 3 deaths on Tuesday, informed the State Health Department on Wednesday.
The new 305 cases were reported from 28 of the 30 districts of the state, with 174 persons were in quarantine.
JustIn| Serum Institute's application for emergency use approval of Covid vaccine to be considered by expert panel today
Lockdown restrictions in Maharashtra extended till January 31
The Maharashtra government has extended till January 31, 2021 the lockdown restrictions in the state on account of coronavirus.
A circular to this effect was issued on December 29
"The state is threatened with the spread of COVID-19 virus. Therefore, to take certain emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of the virus, the lockdown in the state has been extended till January 31," the circular said.
The activities already allowed and permitted from time to time shall be continue, it added.
13 new COVID-19 cases push Arunachal's tally to 16,709
Thirteen more people, including three security personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh in the last 24-hours, pushing the coronavirus caseload to 16,709, a senior health department official said on Wednesday.
Of the fresh cases, seven were reported from Tawang, two each from the Capital Complex Region and West Kameng and one each from East Siang and Lohit district, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.
All the new cases were detected through rapid antigen test, the official said.
Two army personnel and an ITBP jawan are among the fresh cases, he said.
JustIn| AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid vaccine approved for use in UK
COVID-19: Administration orders curtailed new year celebrations in Lucknow
No gathering of more than 100 people are allowed in Lucknow, and following the COVID-19 protocols is mandatory, said Abhishek Prakash, District Magistrate of the city on Tuesday ahead of New Year celebrations.
"No event will be allowed in Lucknow without prior permission and the gathering of more than 100 people will not be allowed in the city," the DM said while issuing the guideline for the celebrations.
"It is necessary to follow all COVID-19 protocols like social distancing, masking, and proper sanitisation even in the open ground of the venue during the celebrations of New Year," Mr Prakash said.
"We receive the list of United Kingdom (UK) travelers from November 25 to December 8 and those people who come after December 8 are under surveillance. Though no person has been tested positive by UK strain still we are following a complete protocol of COVID-19," DM told ANI.
Covid-19 LIVE Updates: 474 new cases, 3 deaths in Telangana
Telangana clocked 474 fresh cases of coronavirus, taking the total positives to nearly 2.86 lakh while three related fatalities pushed the toll to 1,538.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 102, followed by Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri with 49 and 45 respectively, a government bulletin said on Wednesday providing details as of 8 pm on December 29.
The total number of cases stood at 2,85,939 while the recoveries were at 2,78,523.
As many as 5,878 patients are under treatment and 45,590 samples were tested on Tuesday.
JustIn| India extends suspension of UK flights till January 7 over mutant Covid strain
Coronavirus News: 7 new cases push COVID-19 tally of Andamans to 4,936
The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 4,936 on Wednesday as seven more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
All the fresh infections were detected during contact tracing, he said.
Eight more people have recovered from the disease, the official said.
The archipelago now has 63 active cases, while 4,811 people have recovered and 62 patients have succumbed to the infection so far, he said.
Thane district reports 348 fresh COVID-19 cases, 11 deathsWith the addition of 348 coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 2,42,445 an official said
on Wednesday.
These new cases were reported on Tuesday, he said.
As the virus claimed the lives of eleven persons, the death toll in the district rose to 5,940.
The mortality rate is 2.45 per cent, he added.
So far, 2,32,460 patients have recuperated from the infection, which took the recovery rate to 95.88 per cent.
There are 4,045 active cases in the district at present, the official said.
Mizoram reports 9 new COVID-19 cases
Mizoram reported nine new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the state to 4,199 according to the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of Mizoram.
As per the state government, the total discharged cases in the state are 4,088.
The active cases of coronavirus in the state are 103, while the death toll due to the infection is at eight.
JustIn| 20,549 fresh COVID-19 cases in India, 25% higher than yesterday; 1.02 crore total cases, 1.48 lakh deaths
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: 6 security personnel among 9 new COVID-19 patients in MizoramMizoram's COVID-19 tally rose to 4,199 on Wednesday as nine more people, including six security personnel, tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
Four fresh infections were detected in Lunglei district, two each in Aizawl and Serchhip and one in Hnahthial, he said.
Five Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and on Assam Rifles jawan are among the new patients, the official said.
Eight patients have travel history and one infection was detected during contact tracing, he said.
Mizoram now has 103 active coronavirus cases, while 4,088 people have recovered and eight patients have succumbed to the disease so far, the official said.
JustIn| 14 new cases of UK coronavirus strain in India, total 20 cases so far
"No Evidence Vaccines Will Fail": Health Ministry On Battling New Strains
Existing coronavirus vaccines will work against mutated strains of the virus that have emerged from the United Kingdom and South Africa in recent months, the Health Ministry said at its Tuesday briefing. The ministry was responding to fears the first lot of vaccines will be ineffective against aggressive variants of a virus that has already infected over a crore and killed 1.5 lakh people in India alone.
Read Here US Detects First Case Of UK Coronavirus Variant In Colorado
The US state of Colorado has recorded what is reportedly America's first case of the particularly infectious coronavirus variant that emerged recently in Britain, the governor said Tuesday."Today we discovered Colorado's first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK," state governor Jared Polis tweeted.
Kamala Harris Receives Coronavirus Vaccine Live On Television
US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received her Covid vaccine live on television Tuesday and urged public trust in the process, while her choice of hospital highlighted the plight of the hard-hit African-American community. A mask-wearing Harris received the first of her two shots at United Medical Center, located in an area of Washington, DC with a large African-American population.
361 Passengers From International Flights Quarantined In MumbaiAs many as 664 passengers arrived at the Mumbai international airport on Tuesday and 361 of them were quarantined in the city, a civic official said.
A total of nine international flights landed in the city during the day, he said.
While 254 passengers were allowed to travel to other states, some passengers were exempted from the compulsory quarantine rule for various reasons such as pregnancy and advanced age.
Number Of New Covid Cases Reducing Constantly In Telangana: State Health MinisterTelangana has not witnessed the second wave of COVID-19 till now, and the mortality rate and the number of positive cases are reducing constantly, said the state Health Minister Etela Rajender on Tuesday.
Addressing the media, Mr Rajender said the people of Telangana are alert and they taking all the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the viral infection.
The Minister said the Telangana has not reported any cases related to the new strain of Coronavirus that has recently been found in the United Kingdom.
"The people who travelled from the UK to Telangana are being tested at the airport and if tested positive then they are put in quarantine. Till now, out of the tests that have been conducted, no cases of the new strain of virus have been identified and if at all someone is tested positive with the new strain of the virus, then we would provide the same treatment that is being given in the UK," he stated.
US Detects First Case Of UK Coronavirus Variant In ColoradoThe US state of Colorado has recorded what is reportedly America's first case of the particularly infectious coronavirus variant that emerged recently in Britain, the governor said Tuesday.
"Today we discovered Colorado's first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK," state governor Jared Polis tweeted.
He attached an official statement from his office and state health officials that said the individual is a "male in his 20s who is currently in isolation in Elbert County and has no travel history."
The individual had no close contacts, the statement said, but the situation will continue to be monitored "very closely" and authorities are working to identify other potential cases through contact tracing.