Coronavirus news highlights: Maharashtra reports 4,304 new Covid-19 cases and 95 deaths

In its most recent update, the Union Health Ministry placed the total number of cases at 99,40,831 and the death toll at 1,44,260. The ministry said that 94,7,8375 people have so far recovered from the infection. According to Deccan Herald's calculations, the total number of confirmed positive cases in India has reached 99,46,583 and the death toll stands at 1,44,348 as of December 16. Stay tuned on DH for more latest updates.

We're fully prepared on how to vaccinate people when vaccines will be available. We have also planned on how vaccines will be stored and transported. We've prepared sites where vaccines will be stored: Manoj Parida, Advisor, Chandigarh Administration.

Maharashtra reports 4,304 new Covid-19 cases, 95 deaths and 4,678 discharges today.

Behind in vaccine race, CureVac bets on 'easier' jab

CureVac CEO Franz-Werner Haas readily admits his German biotech firm is "a bit behind" in the Covid-19 vaccine race, despite using the same cutting-edge technology as rivals Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech.

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Seronegative-first plan makes better vaccine sense, suggests study

While the government is yet to take a call on such a critical issue, a new study has shown that preferentially vaccinating seronegative individuals — who were not exposed to the virus and who tested negative in antibody tests — yielded large additional reductions in cumulative incidence and mortality.

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Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine well tolerated with no serious adverse events: Ph 1 trial findings

The interim findings of the phase 1 clinical trial of the Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR, showed that it was well tolerated in all dose groups with no serious or adverse events.

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Asians reluctant to take Covid-19 vaccine jab, finds UK study

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups, including people of Indian-origin in the UK, are reluctant to take the vaccine against Covid-19, a new study said on Wednesday, urging the UK government to initiate more targeted campaigns.

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India, UK plan vaccine hub to fight future pandemics; SII, AstraZeneca to produce shots against Covid-19 together

The two governments are keen to step up cooperation to fight future pandemics, building on the cooperation between the Serum Institute of India and AstraZeneca PLC to produce the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Oxford University of the UK.

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Covid-19 has exposed inequalities in short time: UNDP

The Covid-19 pandemic took little time to expose the inequalities as well as weaknesses in social and economic systems, which has threatened human development, which calls for a greater need to work with and not against nature, the UNDP said in a report launched on Wednesday.

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6,185 new Covid-19 cases and 5,728 recoveries reported in Kerala today. Active cases now at 58,184; so far 6,22,394 patients have recovered: State Government.

Tamil Nadu reported 1,181 new Covid-19 cases, 1,240 discharges, and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours: State Health Department, Govt of Tamil Nadu.

Covid-19: UK vaccinates 137,000 in first week since shot rollout

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told lawmakers he was "very pleased" with the "good start with the rollout of the vaccination".

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Interim findings from the phase 1 trial of Covaxin: After the first vaccination, local and systemic adverse events were predominantly mild/moderate in severity and resolved rapidly, without prescribed medication. A most common adverse event was pain at the injection site which resolved spontaneously. (ANI)

Interim findings from the phase 1 trial of Covaxin: The vaccine was well tolerated in all dose groups with no vaccine-related serious adverse events.

When clinical trial began, we wanted 100 volunteers and received over 4500 applications. In phase 2, wanted 50 and received 4000 applications. In phase 3, wanted 1500-2000 but people are thinking why to volunteer when vaccine is coming: Sanjay Rai, Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS.

WHO Covid-19 vaccine scheme risks failure, leaving poor countries no coronavirus shots until 2024

The World Health Organization's COVAX programme is the main global scheme to vaccinate people in poor and middle-income countries around the world against the coronavirus. It aims to deliver at least 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021 to cover 20% of the most vulnerable people in 91 poor and middle-income countries, mostly in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

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Delhi reports 1,547 new Covid-19 cases, 2,734 recoveries and 32 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Indonesia's president to receive country's first Covid-19 vaccine shot

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Wednesday he would be the first person in the country to be vaccinated for Covid-19 as he unveiled a campaign promising free inoculations for everyone in the world's fourth most-populous nation.

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International team seeking Covid-19 origin to go to China in January: WHO

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that a team of international experts would travel to China next month to help investigate the animal origins of Covid-19.

"I can confirm that this will take place in January," WHO spokesman Hedinn Halldorsson told AFP when asked about reports that the expert team, which includes epidemiologists and animal health specialists, would finally go to China next month. (AFP)

Puducherry reported 32 new Covid-19 cases, 28 discharges and 1 death today. Total positive cases in the Union Territory at 37,582 till date, including 299 active cases, 36,661 recoveries and 622 deaths: Government of Puducherry.

India's Covid-19 active caseload declines to 3.32 lakh; below 40K daily cases reported for past 17 days

A total of 26,382 peoplewere found to be infected with Covid-19 in India in a single day, as per the Health ministry's latest data update on Wednesday. During the same period, the country also registered 33,813 new recoveries ensuring a net decline of 7,818cases in the active caseload.

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Covid-19 patients at five times higher risk of death than those with flu: Study

Covid-19 is associated with a higher need for ventilators, more admissions into intensive care units (ICUs), and nearly five times the risk of death among hospitalised patients than those suffering from the flu, according to a study.

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A health worker (R) takes a nasal swab of a passenger for a coronavirus RT PCR and Rapid Antigen test at a railway platform in Mumbai. Credit: AFP

Trump 'absolutely open' to taking Covid-19 vaccine: White House (PTI)

Biden's challenge: Creating a Covid-19-free White House

Three blocks from the White House, office space for more than 500 Biden transition staffers sits mostly idle. The government is shipping out laptops so staffers can work from home. President-elect Joe Biden, surrounded by just a handful of aides in Delaware, is using Zoom to oversee his plans to assume power.

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Fast walking in narrow corridors can increase Covid-19 transmission risk: Study

Fast walking in narrow spaces behind a group of people can significantly increase Covid-19 transmission risk, especially in children, according to a study which says virus-laden respiratory droplets can trail behind infected individuals moving through such corridors.

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Flattening coronavirus curve wasn't enough for New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern

New Zealand this year pulled off a moonshot that remains the envy of most other nations: It eliminated the coronavirus.

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Pfizer may price Covid-19 vaccine lower in India than in UK, US: Report

India may get access to cheaper Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccines as compared to the UK and US, as the nation races to get its hands on effective vaccines after several foreign countries grant approval.

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Odisha recorded 407 new Covid-19 cases, 392 recoveries and 5 deaths on December 15, as per State Health Department

Total cases: 3,24,796

Total recoveries: 3,19,850

Active cases: 3,073

Death toll: 1,820

Family Welfare Department of Uttar Pradesh cancels all leaves of officers and employees of the Directorate General, in view of "proposed Covid-19 vaccination in the months of December 2020 and January 2021, during which their cooperation is needed."

(ANI)

Russia scales back Covid-19 screening amid surging cases

Russia has conducted around 10% fewer Covid-19 tests so far this month than the same period a month ago, despite a surge in recorded infections, official data shows, raising questions over authorities' ability to control the spread.

Beyond affluent Moscow, people with Covid-19 symptoms can wait days to be tested and doctors sometimes refuse to test them altogether, according to Reuters interviews with patients, doctors and officials in 11 regions.

(Reuters)

Puducherry reports 32 new Covid-19 cases, one fatality. Infection tally rises to 37,582, death toll 622. The number of active cases of the disease stands at 299.

Average insurance claim per Covid-19 patient in Karnataka stands at Rs 1.56 lakh

The state has so far reported more than nine lakh Covid-19 cases and the pandemic has stretched the health expenditure of households, especially since the majority of it is out of pocket. Out of the few who have insurance, the claims of many patients are yet to be settled.

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United States, Pfizer negotiating a deal for more vaccine doses in 2021

The Trump administration is negotiating a deal to use its power to free up supplies of raw materials to help Pfizer produce tens of millions of additional doses of its Covid-19 vaccine for Americans in the first half of next year, people familiar with the situation said.

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Covid-19 sours enthusiasm around Olympics in Japan

The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics will be the centrepiece of a crammed sporting year in 2021 as sports administrators who had their calendars wiped away by the coronavirus pandemic try to fill the gaps even as a second wave hits.

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Jharkhand reports 209 new Covid-19 cases, one more fatality. Infection tally mounts to 1,11,931, death toll 1,001. The state now has 1,578 active cases of the disease.

17 new cases take Arunachal Pradesh's Covid-19 tally to 16,553.

21 people were cured of the disease on Tuesday, taking the total number of recoveries to 16,264. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stands at 98.25 per cent.

Arunachal Pradesh now has 234 active cases, and the death toll remained at 55 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported. The Covid-19 fatality ratio in the state is currently at 0.33 per cent.

(PTI)

State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths on December 16

Total number of confirmed positive cases in India reaches 99,33,513; death toll stands at 1,44,100 as of December 16.

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McKenzie Scott donates $4.2 billion to groups helping the 'vulnerable'

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, said Tuesday she has given $4.2 billion to groups helping the vulnerable as the pandemic hits lives like "a wrecking ball."

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Low-income US households are spending savings quicker than high earners: Study

US households across the board built up savings during the pandemic, but low-income households are burning through their cash more quickly than higher-income families and could be out of savings soon if more aid is not delivered, according to a study released on Wednesday.

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Can't say that the 3rd wave of Covid-19 is over: Satyender Jain, Delhi Health Minister

Yesterday for the first time the positivity rate has been below 2%, since the month of May. I would still appeal to the people to wear masks. I can't say that the 3rd wave of Covid-19 is over but the outbreak magnitude seems to be less now: Satyender Jain, Delhi Health Minister

South Korea has reported another high in daily coronavirus increases as health officials face growing pressure to enforce stricter social distancing to slow the spread in the capital area.

The 1,078 cases confirmed by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday brought the national caseload to 45,442. The death toll was 612 after 25 Covid-19 patients died in the past 48 hours, the two deadliest days since the outbreak began.

(PTI)

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 27,728

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 27,728 to 1,379,238, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Wednesday. The reported death toll rose by 952 to 23,427, the tally showed.

(Reuters)

Uttarakhand Health Secretary Amit Negi tests positive for Covid-19.

US expands Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine rollout; reassure its safety

The United States expanded its rollout of the newly approved Covid-19 vaccine to hundreds of additional distribution centers on Tuesday, inoculating thousands more healthcare workers in a mass immunization expected to reach the general public in the coming months.

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One in four people around the world may not get Covid-19 vaccine until 2022: Researchers

Nearly one in four people may not get Covid-19 vaccines until at least 2022 because rich countries with less than 15% of the global population have reserved 51% of the doses of the most promising vaccines, researchers said on Tuesday.

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US sees record 2.48 lakh Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

The US set a new daily record of Covid-19 cases Tuesday, with more than 248,000 infections registered in the past 24 hours, the Johns Hopkins University virus monitor reported.

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Doll hospital in Brazil makes kids smile amid coronavirus

Wearing a traditional white coat and a surgical mask, "Doctor" Suelen da Silva uses a stethoscope to listen to her patient -- a black doll that she is healing at her home on a hillside near Rio de Janeiro.

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With 33,813 recoveries, India's recoveries surged past 94.5 lakh.

India's active Covid-19 cases dropped to 3,32,002.

India's death toll crossed 1.44 lakh with 387 fatalities in the last 24 hours.

India reports 26,382 new Covid-19 cases; tally crosses 99.32 lakh

Telangana reported 536 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths and 622 recoveries on December 15.

Total cases: 2,79,135

Active cases: 7,183

Total recoveries: 2,70,450

Death toll: 1,502

Virus trains: How lockdown chaos spread Covid-19 across India

The crowds surged through the gates, fought their way up the stairs of the 160-year-old station, poured across the platforms and engulfed the trains.

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Paris streets empty as Covid-19 curfew takes effect

Boutiques in the centre of the French capital shut early and shoppers hurried home to meet a new 8:00 pm. curfew that took effect on Tuesday to try to prevent a new spike in Covid-19 infections.

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Canada inks deal to accelerate deliveries of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine amid second-wave surge

Canada on Tuesday announced an agreement to receive early deliveries of the Moderna Inc Covid-19 vaccine amid a surge of new cases that are forcing new health restrictions across the country.

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The Lead: Online games during the Covid-19 pandemic

Lockdown may leave kids unable to socialise

Lack of social interaction is making it difficult for some children to learn to socialise.

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Karnataka govt plans to trim summer holidays for schools

The Primary and Secondary Education Department is considering reducing summer holidays so as to make up for the academic days lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Possibility of adverse event after Covid-19 vaccination can't be ruled out; states, UTs should be prepared: Centre

As India plans for a massive vaccination drive against Covid-19, every state has been advised to create dedicated centres in each block to manage possible post-vaccination adverse events ranging from allergic reactions, high fever to more serious issues that can develop a day after being administered the shot.

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US authorises first at-home Covid-19 test; results in 20 minutes

The Food and Drug Administration Tuesday issued an emergency authorization for the country’s first coronavirus test that can run from start to finish at home without the need for a prescription.

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Mizoram reported 31 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as per the state govt.

Total cases: 4,080

Active cases: 179

Discharges: 3,894

Deaths: 7

Five states -- Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Kerala and Maharashtra -- account for 56% of total active cases of Covid-19 in the country: Union Health Ministry​​​​​​​