Thank you for following the live coverage of the coronavirus on DH. We will see you again tomorrow!
No wrongdoing whatsoever, Bharat Biotech says on Brazil-Covaxin row
With its contract to supply 20 million Covaxin doses to Brazil suspended over charges of irregularities, vaccine maker Bharat Biotech implored that it has committed nothing wrong and was only following the "widely accepted vaccine procurement process."
The Hyderabad-based firm stated that it did not receive any advance payments nor has supplied any vaccines to Brazil yet.
Over 33.54 cr Covid vaccine doses administered in India
The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has gone past 33.54 crore, including more than 25.14 lakh jabs given on Wednesday, the health ministry said.
Madras HC casts doubts on 'right to refuse Covid vaccine' given present circumstances
Can a citizen refuse to take vaccine as a matter of right?
PM Modi asks ministers to spread awareness among people about vaccination, Covid protocols
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked his Council of Ministers to spread awareness among people about following Covid-19 protocols and vaccination to keep the third wave of the pandemic at bay.
Chairing a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers, he also asked the ministers to ensure that the projects for which they have laid the foundations are completed and inaugurated by them.
UK records 26,068 new Covid-19 cases, highest since January 29
The United Kingdom recorded a further 26,068 cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, the highest daily figure since January 29 and sending the seven day-tally up 70% on the week before, official data showed.
Despite the surge in new infections, Britain's daily fatality figures have remained in low double digits. Fourteen deaths were reported on Wednesday, down from 23 the day before.
That compares with the more than 1,000 fatalities that were repeatedly reported per day at the height of Britain's worst wave in the pandemic, in January this year.
Telangana records 917 new Covid-19 cases, 10 deaths
Telangana on Wednesday recorded 917 new Covid-19 cases and 10 fatalities, taking the tally till date to 6,23,510 and 3,661 respectively. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 108.
Finland to give Covid-19 vaccines to children at risk of severe infection
Finland's capital Helsinki will begin giving Covid-19 vaccines to children aged 12 to 15 who are at risk of contracting a severe coronavirus infection, the city said on Wednesday.
Organ transplants, cancers, immunological disorders and Down's syndrome are considered as among the risk factors, according to the Finnish Health Institute.
According to data collected by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 71.6% of the 5.5 million Finns have now received one vaccination dose and 22% two doses.
The Nordic nation has recorded 95,742 infections and 973 deaths due to Covid-19.
Karnataka reports 3,382 new Covid-19 cases,111 deaths
Covid-19 Wrap-Up: Second wave leaves behind harrowing tales, puts spotlight on underreporting of deaths
At 9:45 pm, alarms blared across the Intensive Care Unit of Jaipur Golden Hospital. Over two dozen patients on ventilators couldn’t breathe. Some flailed their arms and legs. Others cried for help, choking sounds coming from their throats as if they were being strangled. Mechanics sprinted to the maintenance room to see what was wrong. Nurses grabbed small plastic pumps to fill the lungs of critically-ill patients by hand. It wasn’t enough.
Kerala reports 13,658 new Covid-19 cases, 142 deaths
Swiss give 4 mn AstraZeneca shots to COVAX, keep mRNA shots for domestic use
Switzerland will give 4 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine that it has reserved to the vaccine-sharing programme COVAX, the government said on Wednesday, to help address a massive discrepancy in shots for the developing world.
Switzerland originally reserved 5.4 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine, but the country's medical regulator Swissmedic has yet to approve the shot, on grounds it has not received all necessary data from clinical trials.
SFI and DYFI activists with a replica of syringe participate in a demonstration over fake Covid-19 vaccine issue, in front of the New Market Police Station in Kolkata, Wednesday.
Credit: PTI Photo
Jharkhand facing shortage of Covid vaccines, Ranchi runs out of shots
J&K launches social security scheme for families affected by Covid-19
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday rolled out its Special Assistance Scheme for Covid Mortalities (SASCM) to help out families affected by the coronavirus in the union territory.
J-K Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha took to Twitter to announce the launch of the social security scheme.
"Today Rolled out SASCM social protection scheme to families affected by Covid-19. It is our duty and utmost responsibility to support families, restore livelihoods and ensure stability in their lives," he said.
Workers sanitise a multi-gymnasium ahead of its reopening after further ease in COVID-induced lockdown restrictions, in Nadia, Wednesday.
Credit: PTI Photo
Bangladesh to deploy army in lockdown to curb Covid-19 surge
Bangladesh is deploying army troops from Thursday to enforce a strict lockdown amid a record spike in coronavirus cases driven by the Delta variant first detected in India, the government said on Wednesday.
Most restrictions imposed as part of a strict lockdown introduced in April have since been lifted, but a record spike in cases this week of the highly contagious Delta variant has prompted the government to order a week of tight controls.
"No one will be allowed go out except in case of an emergency during this period," the government said in a statement, adding army troops alongside law-enforcement agencies would be deployed to enforce the lockdown.
France scraps Covid capacity limits despite 'fourth wave' risk
France on Wednesday ended most capacity limits imposed in April on restaurants, cinemas, stores and other public venues, although the measures were extended in parts of the southwest over the spread of the coronavirus Delta variant.
The move came as the doctor who heads President Emmanuel Macron's coronavirus advisory panel said a "fourth wave" of cases was likely this autumn.
"I think we'll have a fourth wave but it will be much more subdued than the three previous ones, because vaccination levels aren't the same," Jean-Francois Delfraissy told France Inter radio.
He said the steep drops seen recently in daily new cases were "false assurances" given the spread of the Delta variant in a country where just one-third of the population has been fully vaccinated with two doses.
Covid-19 rising among children as Indonesia crisis grows
The number of Indonesian children contracting the coronavirus has almost tripled since May, with infant deaths from Covid-19 rising sharply as the country suffers its most severe wave of infections so far, a senior paediatrician said on Wednesday.
Indonesia has been hit by a surge in cases this month, with new records on six days since June 21 including a daily high of over 21,807 on Wednesday, putting pressure on the government to impose tighter measures.
Delhi reports 94 new Covid-19 cases
On Wednesday, Russia reported 669 coronavirus deaths
Russia on Wednesday reported 669 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, a record number of fatalities for the second day in a row, according to a government tally
Indonesia to finalise emergency Covid-19 measures on Wednesday
In letters to Rajasthan, Kerala, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal, Puducherry, Odisha, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh,Health Ministry reiterates to follow 5 fold strategy -Test,Track,Treat,Covid-behaviour andvaccination
Health Canada recommends people with rare blood condition not get AstraZeneca vaccine
Health Ministry Secy urges to look into unauthorised Covid vaccination camps
Vaccination Centre in Ahmedabad wears a deserted look due to the shortage of vaccines.
Jharkhand Health Minister says shortage of vaccines in states, says have asked Govt for more vaccines
Vaccination Centres in Ranchi were deserted due to vaccine shortage
Vaccination Centre in Nagpur closed due to vaccine shortage
Puducherry reports 264 new Covid-19 cases, tally touches 1,17,249
Karnataka changes rues for those travelling via train from Maharashtra
Negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours or vaccination certificate of at least one dose of Covid-199 vaccine compulsory for train passengers coming to Karnataka from Maharashtra
Frame guidelines to pay ex-gratia to kin of Covid-19 victims, SC tells Centre
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directedthe central government to frame guidelines within six weeks to pay ex-gratia to the families of those who died due to Covid-19.
The apex court said the National Disaster Management Authority is statutorily mandated to provide minimum standards of relief, including ex-gratia to families of Covid-19 victims.
India records 45,951 Covid-19 cases, 817 deaths
India reported 45,951 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, with 817 more people succumbing to the virus across the country, Union Health Ministry data showed.
Amid a receding second wave of Covid-19, active cases declined to 5,37,064, pegging the recovery rate to 96.92 per cent. India's total death toll since the beginning of the pandemic is at 3,98,454.
Ladakh records 16 new Covid-19 cases
Odisha reports 3,371 new cases, 48 deaths and 3,520 recoveries in the last 24 hours
Some markets in Delhi shut till July 5 for not following Covid protocols
In Delhi,Laxmi Nagar main market and surrounding markets like Mangal Bazaar, Vijay Chowk, Subhash Chowk, Jagatram Park, Guru Ramdas Nagar shut till 10pm of 5th July for not following Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.
Could your face mask detect Covid?
Tiny sensors incorporated into wearable fabrics like masks and jackets could provide instant information on exposure to disease-causing pathogens such as the coronavirus, according to research published on Monday in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
In Indore, keeping in mind apossible third wave, PC Sethi Hospital & Hukumchand Polyclinic tobe designated as Covidhospitalwhere pregnant women & newborns infected with Covidwill be admitted
Indonesia on the edge of Covid-19 catastrophe: Red Cross
The Red Cross says Indonesia needs to urgently increase medical care, testing and vaccinations as the number of infections has left it “on the edge of a Covid-19 catastrophe”.
Oxygen crisis: The night a Delhi hospital gasped for breath
At 9:45 pm, alarms blared across the Intensive Care Unit of Jaipur Golden Hospital. Over two dozen patients on ventilators couldn’t breathe. Some flailed their arms and legs. Others cried for help, choking sounds coming from their throats as if they were being strangled.
Covid-19 relief package: Again, too little, too late, misdirected
The government’s fresh package of stimulus and relief measures intended to revive the economy and to alleviate distress is, once again, too little, too late, misdirected, and unlikely to make an impact. Even the little that has been promised may not reach the people who really need support. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Monday a package of eight relief measures that offered job benefits and loan guarantees for Covid-affected sectors.