As first batch of thousands of doses of coronavirus vaccines reach different parts of the country, India saw a jump of 15,968 fresh infections in the last 24 hours, nearly 26 per cent higher than yesterday's 12,584. More than 1.01 crore Covid patients have already recovered since the beginning of the pandemic; 2.14 lakh cases are active. Yesterday, the government urged people to continue to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour ahead of the start of countrywide vaccine rollout, set to begin on Saturday. So far, 1.51 lakh coronavirus patients have died; 369 deaths from different parts of the country were reported in the last 24 hours.
Here are 10 developments in this big story:
India's vaccine rollout, biggest in the world starts Saturday. On Tuesday, Rajesh Bhushan, the Union Health Secretary, said:"After one dose, or even after two doses, Covid-appropriate behaviour has to be followed. I am requesting you with folded hands. Please don't think I have got one dose or two doses... now nothing can happen to me."
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the five states that have logged the most number of cases in the country followed by Delhi since the beginning of the pandemic.
There are only two states with more than 50,000 active cases - Maharashtra (53,463) and Kerala (63,547) and only three with more than 10,000; the third is Uttar Pradesh (10,864).
The centre has received 54,72,000 doses of vaccines against the coronavirus so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. "100 percent doses to be received by January 14 in all states/UTs," it added.
In Mumbai, first batch of 1.39 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines early this morning amid huge security. Mumbai will have 72 inoculation centres, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said in a release on Tuesday.
First 10 crore doses of the Covishield vaccine have been purchased by the government for a special price of ₹ 200 per dose, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla told NDTV on Tuesday.
As India reads for Covid vaccination drive, the national polio immunisation programme, that covers all children in India under the age of 5, has been deferred "till further notice" by the Ministry of Health And Family Welfare.
The US deaths from Covid-19 hit a new daily record of nearly 4,500, Johns Hopkins University said Tuesday evening. All air passengers bound for the United States will require a negative Covid-19 test within three days of their departure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said
Yesterday, India saw the lowest single-day jump in Covid cases with 12,584 infections.
A WHO team visits China tomorrow to probe the coronavirus origin.
