Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Karnataka adds 1,440 new COVID-19 cases
Karnataka has reported 1,440 new COVID-19 cases and 16 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 8,87,667 and the death toll to 11,808, the Health Department said on Wednesday. The day also saw 983 patients getting discharged after recovery.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Nagaland's COVID-19 recovery rate rises to 92.03 percent
Nagaland's COVID-19 recovery rate rose to 92.03 percent on Wednesday as 164 patients were cured of the disease, while 45 fresh infections pushed the tally to 11,254, a health department official said. The COVID19 recovery rate has improved to 92.03 percent surpassing the previous highest of 90.94 percent recorded on December 1, Director of Health Department, Dr Denis Hangsing said in the daily COVID-19 bulletin.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Dharavi reports four new COVID-19 cases on second day in row
Slum dominated Dharavi reported four fresh coronavirus positive cases on the second consecutive day on Wednesday, taking the tally to 3,700, Mumbai civic body said. Dharavi is now left with 18 active cases, as 3,371 patients have already recovered from the viral infection, an official said.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Puducherry Health Secretary tests positive for COVID-19
Puducherry Health Secretary T Arun, who is also the district collector, has tested positive for COVID-19, official sources said on Wednesday. Arun was admitted to JIPMER on Tuesday, the sources said, adding his condition was 'stable'.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Tripura reports 38 new COVID-19 cases; tally rises to 32,764
At least 38 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura, pushing the tally in the state to 32,764, a health department official said on Wednesday. The COVID-19 death toll rose to 369 as two more patients succumbed to the infection on Tuesday, he said.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: UP records 1,799 fresh COVID-19 cases, 29 more deaths
Uttar Pradesh's COVID-19 tally surged to 5,47,308 on Wednesday with 1,799 fresh cases, while the death toll climbed to 7,817 with 29 more fatalities, officials said. The number of active cases in the state stands at 22,797, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Kerala records 6,316 new COVID-19 cases, recoveries touch 5,924
Kerala recorded 6,316 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total caseload to 6.14 lakh as the toll mounted to 2,298 with 28 additional fatalities. As many as 5,924 have been cured, taking the total recoveries so far to 5,50,788 and 61,455 people are undergoing treatment for the virus, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: UK PM Johnson says COVID-19 vaccines should be voluntary
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that any COVID19 vaccines should be voluntary and that they would not be made obligatory.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: COVID-19 vaccinations in Germany will take over a year, expert panel
It will take until 2022 to vaccinate the whole population of Germany against COVID-19 due to capacity limits, according to the head of an expert panel that will help decide in which order people should receive the vaccine.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: RT-PCR test price reduced to Rs 400 at private labs in Odisha
The Odisha government on Wednesday slashed the price of RT-PCR tests for detection of COVID-19 at private laboratories to Rs 400 from the existing Rs 1,200, a notification said. In July, the state government had capped the price of RT-PCR tests at private laboratories at Rs 2,200 and it was then reduced to Rs 1,200 in August.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Interpol warns that COVID-19 vaccines could be targeted by criminals
The Interpol global police coordination agency warned on Wednesday that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Italy plans 202 million COVID-19 vaccine doses
Italy's health minister told lawmakers on Wednesday that Italy will distribute 202.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines during 2021 in "an unprecedented effort that will require a huge collective commitment."
COVID-19 Live Updates | Rhizen Pharma gets USFDA approval for phase one clinical trials for Covid-19 drug
Rhizen Pharmaceuticals, an associate company of Alembic Pharmaceuticals, on Wednesday said it has received approval from the US health regulator to commence phase one clinical trials on retroviral oral drug for the treatment of COVID-19.
The Switzerland-based firm, which is a clinical-stage oncology-focussed biopharmaceutical company, has received approval for its investigational new drug (IND) application from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study its oral Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHOHD) inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, Rhizen Pharmaceuticals S A said in a statement.
The initial study would evaluate single ascending doses of the RP7214 in healthy volunteers and that dosing is expected to commence in early December, it added. The company has also received positive feedback from the FDA during its pre-IND discussion on its plans to follow-up this study with a multiple-ascending dose study in COVID-19 patients, it added. Read more here.
COVID-19 Live Updates | Second wave of COVID-19 in Karnataka expected during January-February, says Technical Advisory panel
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for COVID-19 in Karnataka has said that the second wave of the pandemic is expected during January-February in 2021. The panel has asked to keep ready by first week of January, the clinical facilities at an October level (when there was over 10,000 cases per day) in terms of beds, ICUs, ventilators, and so on, both in government and private hospitals or this could be ramped up at a short notice of 2-3 days maximum.
It has also recommended to ban new year public celebrations from December 26 to January 1 and impose night curfew (8 pm to 5 am) during this period. The TAC, based on the deliberations at its 53rd meeting held on November 24, has given advisory on recognition and containment measures for the second wave of COVID-19 in Karnataka.
According to TAC, an early recognition of the second wave of COVID-19 in the state can be done by closely monitoring the 7-day average growth rate and reproduction number (R0) at district and state levels.
COVID-19 Live Updates | Phase-3 clinical trial of Covaxin commences in Kolkata
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday inaugurated the launch of Phase-3 regulatory trial of Covaxin at ICMR-NICED here, lauding the country’s leadership for ”effectively tackling” the COVID-19 pandemic. Dhankhar said NICED has been chosen as one among two dozen centres in the country for the third phase trial of the indigenously developed coronavirus vaccine and expressed confidence that the procedure would be conducted smoothly.
”India has done commendably well (when it comes to handling the pandemic). It is all on account of the country’s visionary leadership,” he said. The governor further said that the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides free healthcare services, has provided succour to many amid the crisis.
Notably, the scheme has not been implemented in West Bengal so far. The TMC government had said in September that it would implement the scheme if funds for the programme are routed through the state administration, contrary to the provisions laid down by the Centre.
COVID-19 Live Updates | Active caseload in India drops to 4.28 Lakh after 132 days
India's COVID-19 active caseload has significantly dropped to 4.28 lakh, the lowest after 132 days and comprises just 4.51 percent of the total coronavirus infections, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. The total active cases were 4,26,167 on July 23. There has been a sustained decrease in the number of active cases, the ministry said. The daily new cases added to the country's COVID numbers have been around 30,000 since the past three days. The number of daily new cases in a span of 24 hours is 36,604. A total of 43,062 recoveries were registered in a span of 24 hours. The number of daily recovered cases has surpassed the daily new cases since the past five days, the ministry highlighted. The difference in new recoveries outnumbering new cases has also improved the recovery rate to 94.03 percent as on date, it stated. The total recovered cases stand at 89,32,647
COVID-19 Live Updates | Odisha caps the price of RT-PCR test by private labs at Rs 400
Odisha government on Wednesday further reduced the maximum price for the RT-PCR COVID-19 tests by private laboratories to Rs 400 from Rs 1,200. Odisha government's decision comes a day after the Delhi government ordered to reduce the rate of RT-PCR tests in Delhi to Rs 800 from the existing Rs 2,400. While the cost of collecting samples from home was reduced to Rs 1,200.
COVID-19 Live Updates | Aurangabad records 95 new COVID-19 cases
The addition of 95 fresh cases of COVID-19 has raised the count of infections in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district to 43,473, an official said on Wednesday. Apart from the latest cases detected on Tuesday, the district also reported one death that took the toll to 1,149, the official said. As many as 66 patients were discharged from various treatment facilities, taking the number of recoveries in the region to 41,306, he said. The district is now left with 1,018 active cases, he added. Of the latest cases reported on Tuesday, 83 were from Aurangabad city limits, while 12 are from rural parts of district, the official said.
COVID-19 Live Updates | SpiceJet gearing up to provide logistics support for COVID vaccination
Budget carrier SpiceJet on Wednesday said it is gearing up to provide logistics support for COVID-19 vaccination with its dedicated freighter division SpiceXpress having the capability to transport extremely sensitive drugs and vaccines in controlled temperatures ranging from -40c to +25c.
After playing a critical role in transporting essentials and medical supplies during the lockdown, SpiceXpress has come forth to take up the responsibility of seamlessly transporting the vaccine through a specialised service called Spice Pharma Pro, SpiceJet said in a release.
The temperature sensitivity to maintain the efficacy of the vaccine calls for reliable, fast and secure logistics partners who understand the importance of cold chain, and to this end the company has partnered with global leaders in the segment, it said. Read more here,
COVID-19 Live Updates | BioNTech said that the USFDA and EU EMA decisions on authorizations are expected in December. First authorisation for a COVID vaccine represents a breakthrough scientific achievement.
COVID-19 Live Updates | Gujarat High Court orders compulsory community service at COVID19 care centres for those who do not wear masks, directs State Government to issue a notification.
COVID-19 Live Updates | 22 new cases take Mizoram's COVID-19 tally to 3,869
Twenty-two more people, including three security personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the state's tally to 3,869, an official said on Wednesday. One more fatality due to the infection pushed the death toll to six, he said.
Of the fresh cases, 13 were reported from Aizawl district, three each from Lawngtlai and Saitual, two from Lunglei and one from Serchhip. Eleven new patients have travel history, the official said, adding that barring three, 19 are asymptomatic.
Mizoram now has 291 active cases, while 3,572 people have recovered from the disease. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state currently stands at 92.33 per cent.
The state has so far conducted 59,766 rapid antigen tests, while 81,161 samples were tested through RT-PCR and 11,152 through TrueNat method, the official said. A total of 58 samples were tested outside the state, he added.
