LIVE: Bengal sees record jump in daily Covid cases at 20,377; 135 more deaths
India on Wednesday recorded 348,421 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to Union health ministry dashboard. As many as 4,205 new deaths were also registered. The country has so far reported a total of 23.34 million cases and 254,197 deaths respectively.
India is currently dealing with a devastating second Covid-19 wave that has swept through the nation, crushing the country's health infrastructure and overburdening frontline medical workers....Read More
The global Covid-19 disease caseload has climbed to 160,302,248 of which 3,330,287 people have died and 138,040,807 have recovered, according to worldometers.info. The United States continues to remain the worst-hit country from the pandemic with 33,548,056 cases and 596,925 deaths respectively.
Meanwhile, a top White House state Department official has said that the US is working closely with India on its continued and emerging needs during the unprecedented second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bengal sees record jump in daily Covid cases at 20,377; 135 more deaths
Bengal on Wednesday recorded the highest single day spike in Covid-19 cases at 20,377, taking the tally to 1,053,117, according to the state health department's bulletin. This is the second consecutive day that the new cases remained above the 20,000-mark. The death toll rose to 12,728 as 135 more people succumbed to the disease.
Jharkhand extends lockdown like restrictions till May 27 to curb Covid spread
Lockdown like restrictions in Jharkhand have been extended till May 27 to curb the spread of the Covid-19 disease, the state government announced on Wednesday adding there will be stricter restrictions including a seven day compulsory quarantine for those visiting Jharkhand. Read more
Haryana reports nearly 12,500 new Covid cases, 165 more deaths
Haryana's caseload of the Covid-19 disease climbed to 652,742 after 12,490 new cases and 165 more deaths were reported on Wednesday, according to the state health department's bulletin.
UK registers 2,284 new Covid-19 cases, 11 more deaths
The United Kingdom on Wednesday recorded 2,284 new cases of the Covid-19 disease and 11 more deaths, according to news agency Reuters. The caseload is now over 4.44 million.
Uttarakhand to import 2 million doses of Sputnik Covid vaccine
Uttarakhand will now import 2 million doses of Russia's Sputnik vaccine over the next two months, officials told news agency PTI adding a five member committee has been formed for this purpose and the required funds have been arranged.
Maharashtra records 46,781 new Covid-19 cases; Mumbai’s daily tally goes over 2,000 again
Maharashtra's daily tally of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continued to rise on Wednesday with 46,781 new cases and 816 more deaths recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the caseload and death toll to 5,226,710 and 78,007 respectively, according to the state health department's bulletin. Read more
Maharashtra cabinet wants lockdown to be extended by 2 weeks, CM to take decision soon: Tope
Amid speculations that the ongoing lockdown-like restrictions in Maharashtra will be extended further, state health minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday that the state cabinet wants these restrictions to be extended for another two weeks. However, Tope said a final decision in this regard will be taken by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray soon.
Maharashtra suspends Covid vaccination for 18-44 age group, says health minister Tope
Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope announced on Wednesday that the state government has suspended vaccination against the Covid-19 disease for beneficiaries between 18-44 years due to a shortage of vaccine doses.
Andhra Pradesh registers 21,452 new Covid-19 cases, 89 deaths
Goa reports 2,865 new Covid-19 cases, 70 deaths
Kerala logs 43,529 new Covid-19 cases, 95 deaths
Kerala reported 43,529 new Covid-19 cases and 95 deaths in the last 24 hours. With the new fatalities, the death toll in the state reached 6,053, ANI quoted chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan as saying.
Moderna to supply 25 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Australia
Moderna Inc on Wednesday announced a supply past with Australia for 25 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. Of the 25 million, 10 million doses against the original strain of coronavirus will be delivered this year, reported Reuters.
Delhi reports 13,287 new Covid-19 cases, takes active caseload to 82,725
Delhi on Wednesday reported 13,287 new Covid-19 cases, 14,071 recoveries and 30 fatalities in the last 24 hours. The active cases in the national capital now stand at 82,725, according to the health bulletin.
Norway to not use AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine: Report
Norway will not resume the use of the Covid-19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca as part of its vaccination drive due to a risk of rare but harmful side-effects, Reuters reported citing newspaper VG's report on Wednesday.
Covid-19 UK strain found in Rajasthan: State health minister
The UK variant of Covid-19 has been found in the samples sent from Rajasthan for genome sequencing, state health minister Raghu Sharma said on Wednesday, reported PTI.
Taiwan reports 16 Covid-19 cases, Taiwan president asks public to not panic
After 16 cases of Covid-19 were reported in Taiwan on Wednesday, president Tsai Yin-wen sought to reassure the public that the government is capable of controlling the further outbreak and that they should not panic. The exact origins of the cases have not yet been discovered, reported AP.
Journalists must be treated as frontline staff for Covid-19 vaccination: Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday demanded that journalists, photographers and camerapersons be included in the frontline workers category to get them inoculated against coronavirus.
PM CARES Fund approves procurement of 1,50,000 units of Oxycare System
PM CARES Fund has approved procurement of 1,50,000 units of Oxycare System developed by DRDO at a cost of ₹322.5 Cr. It's a SpO2 based Oxygen Supply System, that regulates oxygen being administered to patients based on sensed SpO2 levels: DRDO
Taiwan's leader seeks to reassure over new virus cases
Taiwan's president on Wednesday sought to reassure the public that the government is capable of withstanding a further outbreak of Covid-19 after six local cases were detected.
Russia reports 8,217 new Covid-19 cases, 355 deaths
Russia reported 8,217 new Covid19 cases on Wednesday, including 2,718 in Moscow, taking the national infection tally to 4,905,059.
500-bed ICU Centre for Covid-19 patients in Delhi to become operational from today
500-bed ICU Centre for Covid-19 patients at Delhi's Ramlila Ground to become operational from today.
Odisha: 10,982 new Covid-19 cases, vaccination soon for vulnerable people without ID proof
Odisha on Wednesday reported 10,982 new Covid-19 cases and 17 more deaths, a Health Department official said.
Govt engaging with manufacturers to ramp up production of Amphotericin B : Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
GoI is engaging with manufacturers to ramp up production of Amphotericin B - to fight Mucormycosis. States requested to put in place a mechanism for equitable distribution of supplies amongst govt and private hospitals and health care agencies: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
Pondy adds 2,007 new cases to Covid-19 tally
Puducherry posted 2,007 fresh cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, pushing the total positives to 77,031. Twenty-seven more people succumbed to the disease during last twenty-four hours raising the toll to 1025.
Over 3 million beneficiaries in age group 18-44 years vaccinated against Covid-19: Health ministry
Indonesia study finds China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine highly effective in health workers
An analysis of Indonesian healthcare workers inoculated with a Covid-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech showed it was 98% effective at preventing death and 96% effective at preventing hospitalisation, a health ministry official said.
Arunachal Pradesh reports 205 new Covid-19 cases, 4 deaths
A total of 205 new Covid-19 cases and four deaths were reported on Tuesday, informed the state health ministry on Wednesday.
China gives Bangladesh 500K vaccine doses
China delivered 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine as a gift to Bangladesh on Wednesday to help it cope with a shortage.
Allu Arjun tests negative for Covid-19
Telugu star Allu Arjun on Wednesday said he has tested negative for novel coronavirus.
Request Centre to stop export of vaccine and share vaccine formula with other manufacturers: Sisodia
Request Centre to understand severity of situation, stop export of vaccine and share vaccine formula with other manufacturers: Manish Sisodia.
We had demanded 1.34 cr doses, 67 lakhs each of Covaxin and Covishield: Manish Sisodia
We had demanded 1.34 cr doses, 67 lakhs each of Covaxin and Covishield. Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) wrote to us yesterday that they can't provide. They wrote 'we're making dispatches as per directives of concerned govt officials'. Obvious that these are central govt officials. The letter by Covaxin manufacturers clarifies that central govt decides which state will get how many doses: Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia.
Exporting 6.6 crore doses was biggest mistake, says Manish Sisodia
Once again I would say exporting 6.6 crore doses was biggest mistake. We are forced to shutdown 100 covaxin-vaccination sites in 17 schools due to no supply: Manish Sisodia.
Puducherry reports 2,007 new Covid-19 positive cases
Puducherry reports 2,007 new Covid-19 positive cases, 1,247 recoveries and 27 deaths in the last 24 hours. Active cases at 15,562 and total cases at 77,031.
Complete lockdown to be imposed in Chhattisgarh's Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district
Complete lockdown to be imposed in Chhattisgarh's Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district from midnight today till midnight of May 15, in view of rise in Covid-19 cases.
Japan's coronavirus vaccine booking system crashes
Technical problems derailed Japan's coronavirus vaccination booking system on Wednesday, compounding frustration over the government's handling of new outbreaks of infections and an inoculation drive that critics say has been woefully slow.
Hospitals in Nepal run short of oxygen, turn away Covid-19 patients
Several hospitals in and around Nepal's capital city of Kathmandu have started turning down patients following the government's decision to cap the supply of life-saving medical oxygen, thereby affecting operation of hospitals treating the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
Second Covid wave seems to have flattened but won’t end before July: virologist Shahid Jameel
India’s second Covid-19 wave seems to have flattened but the climb down will be a more prolonged, long drawn-out process than the first and will possibly run till July, says eminent virologist Shahid Jameel.
Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., Wil Myers test positive for Covid-19
The San Diego Padres placed shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and right fielder Wil Myers on the injured list Tuesday after they tested positive for Covid-19.
South Korea's Covid-19 vaccine shortages overshadow Moon-Biden summit
South Korea's struggle to boost coronavirus vaccine supplies is threatening to overshadow President Moon Jae-in's first summit with US President Joe Biden, with pressure mounting on Moon to secure more and faster deliveries of U.S.-made shots.
Harsh Vardhan to hold meeting with Health Ministers of some states that are lagging behind in Covid-19 vaccination
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will have a meeting today, with the Health Ministers of some states that are lagging behind in Covid-19 vaccination. He will hold the meeting with the Health Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Telangana.
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd has entered into a licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company for manufacture, commercialization of Baricitinib in India
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd has entered into a royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company for the manufacture and commercialization of the drug, baricitinib, in India.
It received restricted emergency use approval from Central Drugs Std Control Org, Health Ministry, for use in combination with Remdesivir to treat suspected/laboratory-confirmed Covid in hospitalized adults requiring supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation: Dr Reddy's.
Scientists race to study variants in India as coronavirus cases explode
A potentially worrisome variant of the coronavirus detected in India may spread more easily. But the country is behind in doing the kind of testing needed to track it and understand it better.
Mizoram reports highest single-day spike of 240 Covid-19 cases
Mizoram on Wednesday reported the highest single-day spike of 240 Covid-19 cases, pushing the tally to 8,035, an official said.
With 4,205 new Covid-19 deaths and 348,421 fresh cases, India's tally crosses 23.34 million, toll at 254,197
India records fresh 348,421 Covid-19 cases, 42,05 deaths in last 24 hours.
Maharashtra: 2 die of mucormycosis in Thane, 6 hospitalised
Two Covid-19 patients have died due to mucormycosis, a serious but rare fungal infection, in Maharashtra's Thane district, a health official said on Wednesday.
19,83,804 samples were tested yesterday: ICMR
30,75,83,991 samples tested up to May 11 for Covid-19. Of these, 19,83,804 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Taiwan may raise Covid-19 alert, shut non-essential shops
Taiwan may raise its Covid-19 alert level in "coming days", Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday, according to the official Central News Agency, which would lead to closure of shops dealing in non-essential items as infections rise.
56 prisoners in Haryana's Karnal Jail test positive for Covid-19
As many as 56 prisoners in Haryana's Karnal Jail had tested positive for Covid-19 in the last few days.
Bharat Biotech's Covaxin given nod for phase 2 and 3 human trials on 2-18 year olds
Subject Expert Committee (SEC) gives nod to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials on 2 to 18-year-olds: Sources, reports news agency ANI.
'Perform yagna, Covid third wave won't touch India': MP Minister Usha Thakur
Madhya Pradesh Culture Minister Usha Thakur, who has been giving controversial comments especially related to the Covid-19 pandemic, on Tuesday came up with another suggestion by asking people to perform 'yagna chikitsa' (ceremonial fire ritual) for four days to ward off the third wave of Covid-19.
