Coronavirus news highlights: Bharat Biotech nasal Covid-19 vaccine gets for phase 2, 3 clinical tirals

India reported 41,195 new Covid cases and 490 deaths in the past 24 hours. The cumulative Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country have exceeded 52.89 crore, the Union health ministry said on Thursday. Stay tuned for updates

Cyrus Poonawalla clarifies earlier statement, says he is not against mixing of vaccines

To clarify my earlier statement: For those who have been administered the first dose of a particular vaccine and in case of the unavailability of the second dose of the same - as an alternative, another vaccine can be administered. That said, the efficacy and the immunogenicity of the combination are dependent on the ongoing studies conducted by regulators.

Maharashtra logs 6,686 new Covid-19 cases, 158 deaths

The first nasal vaccine againstCovid-19, developed by Bharat Biotech, has received regulator's nod for conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, the Department of Biotechnology said on Friday.

Phase 1 clinical trial has been completed in age groups ranging from 18 to 60 years, it said.

"Bharat Biotech's intranasal vaccine is the first nasal vaccine that has received the regulatory approval for phase 2/3 trials," the DBT said. (PTI)

Karnataka logs 1,669 new Covid-19 cases, 22 deaths

Kerala logs 20,452 new cases, 114 deaths

Kerala reports 20,452 fresh COVID cases, 16,856 recoveries, and 114 deaths in the last 24 hours Active cases: 1,80,000 Total recoveries: 34,53,174 Death toll: 18,394 (ANI)

50 new Covid-19 cases, no deaths in Delhi

No lockdown plan for Bengaluru: K'taka govt

Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Friday specified that the government had no plans to impose a lockdown in Bengaluru, ending speculation that stay-at-home orders might be issued fearing a fresh spike in Covid-19 cases.

“There is no proposal with the government to abruptly impose a lockdown in Bengaluru,” Ashoka said, adding that lockdown and such measures affect people. “Instead, we will administer a slow medicine with which the situation can be kept under control.”

The minister expressed confidence that Bengaluru was better off now. “The number of cases are decreasing in Bengaluru. So, there’s no big problem that the city will face. But, in districts where cases are going up, deputy commissioners are taking measures such as weekend curfew,” he pointed out. (DHNS)

Delta variant of Covid-19 spreading fast in Sri Lanka

The highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly across Sri Lanka and comprise around 75 per cent of the new cases reported in the Western province, experts said, warning that the island nation was facing its most decisive fortnight in its fight against the pandemic.

There has been a rise in the number of deaths and newCovid-19 infections driven in large part by the highly infectious Delta variant.

Dr Chandima Jeewandara of the University of Sri Jayewardenapura said by early this month, 75 per cent of the new infections detected in the Western province were carrying the Delta variant and the island is bracing to face its most decisive fortnight. (PTI)

Indian pharma firm Wockhardt ltd to produce Sputnik V, Sputnik Light Covid-19 vaccines

Russian Direct Investment Fund & Wockhardt Limited, a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in India, have partnered to produce and supply Sputnik V & Sputnik Light vaccines against COVID-19: Wockhardt Limited (ANI)

Lakshadweep imposes travel restriction to mainland due to Kerala Covid spike

The Lakshadweep administration has imposed curbs on the movement of people travelling to the mainland from the islands in view of the Covid-19 situation prevailing in neighbouring states, especially Kerala.

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Russia reports record-high Covid-19 deaths

Russia reported a record high 815 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours on Friday, but Moscow's mayor said hospitalisations from the disease in the capital had halved over the past six weeks.

Russia's daily reported Covid-19 infections have gradually dipped from a peak in July that authorities blamed on the infectious Delta variant and a slow vaccination rate. They stood at 22,277 on Friday, including 2,529 in Moscow.

Biden eyes tougher vaccine rules without provoking backlash

When the pace of vaccinations in the US first began to slow, President Joe Biden backed incentives like million-dollar cash lotteries if that's what it took to get shots in arms. But as new coronavirus infections soar, he's testing a tougher approach.

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NCW writes to states/UTs to take measures to counter gender gap in vaccination

Taking cognisance of a media report which highlights low uptake of anti-Covid jabs among women, National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to chief secretaries of all states/UTs to take measures to close the gender gap in vaccination: NCW

(ANI)

An elderly couple receiving vaccine

An elderly Nepalese couple hold their arms after receiving AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday. Credit: AP Photo

Two major Covid-19 clusters emerge in Chennai

A gated community in Sholinganallur here has emerged as the second major Covid-19 cluster, seen as different from the first one at Kilpauk which was a religious gathering.

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India set for huge boost in Covid vaccine supplies: Nadda

India expects to get about 266 million Covid-19 vaccine doses in August as a simpler licensing process has helped the government secure far more than earlier expected, the president of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party said on Friday.

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Fully-vaccinated woman aged 63 is Mumbai's first Delta Plus victim

Mumbai has recorded its first death due to the Delta Plus variant of coronavirus with a 63-year-old fully-vaccinated woman succumbing to it in July, a civic official has said.

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Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai calls emergency meeting with experts regarding Covid-19

As per experts' suggestions state govt had decided to open schools. Now CM has called an emergency meeting with them soon after his return from his official tour to Dakshina Kannada

(ANI)

From August 1-11, 543 children between 0 to 19 years of age group got infected due to Covid-19. No deaths were reported. Most children were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)

(ANI)

India logs 40,120 new Covid-19 infections, 585 deaths

India logged 40,120 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 3,21,17,826, while the active cases declined to 3,85,227, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. Read more

48,94,70,779 samples tested for Covid-19, up to 12th August 2021. Of these, 19,70,495 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

(ANI)

BBMP plays down slight spike in Covid infection among children

Though 10-15 per cent of fresh Covid cases reported in the last 20 days are children aged between one and 19, BBMP officials played down the impact of the third wave primarily targeting children.

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WHO urges China to share raw data on early Covid cases

The WHO on Thursday urged China to share raw data from the earliest Covid-19 cases to revive the pandemic origins probe -- and release information to address the controversial lab leak theory.

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Beneficiaries wait in a queue to receive Covid-19 vaccine dose, at Eranamkulam General Hospital in Kochi, Thursday.

Credit: PTI Photo

300-bed ICU facility, telemedicine centre opened at Delhi govt Covid care centre

In a major upgrade of a field hospital in Delhi, a 300-bed ICU facility and a telemedicine centre were on Thursday inaugurated by Health Minister Satyendar Jain at a Covid care centre at Burari, officials said.

The Sant Nirankari Ground Covid care centre that has seen one of the highest recovery rates will be provided knowledge support by 750 physicians of the British Association for Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), his office said in a statement. (PTI)

Clotting linked with Covid vaccine very rare, new study confirms

The very rare blood clots that can be caused by the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine can be aggressive and deadly but is very rare, leading scientists have concluded in the findings of the first study of its kind on Thursday.

A research team led by Dr Sue Pavord of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust examined vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT).

Their paper, published in the ‘New England Journal of Medicine’, looked at symptoms, signs and outcomes of the first 220 UK cases of VITT and found that the overall mortality rate of those presenting to hospitals with definite or probable VITT was just over 22 per cent. (PTI)