Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Uttar Pradesh reports 115 Covid deaths, over 1,500 cases

Uttar Pradesh reported 115 fresh COVID-19 deaths and 1,514 infections on Wednesday, pushing the state’s overall figures to 20,787 fatalities and 16,93,992 cases, the health department said.

Of the fresh deaths, 11 were reported from Gorakhpur, 10 from Kanpur Nagar, eight from Lucknow, six each from Allahabad, Meerut, Jhansi, Amroha, and five from Ayodhya among others, a health department release said.

The 1,514 fresh cases include 96 from Meerut, 79 from Gautam Buddh Nagar, 70 from Saharanpur, 60 from Gorakhpur, 58 from Varanasi, 55 from Bulandshahr, 54 from Lucknow, 52 each from Muzaffarnagar and Jaunpur, the release said.

In the past 24 hours, 4,939 patients recovered from the disease, taking the total number of patients discharged to 16,44,511, it said, adding the recovery rate has gone up to 97.1 percent.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Gujarat, MP, Uttarakhand cancel class 12 boards

Following the Centre’s decision to cancel class 12 CBSE board exams in view of the Covid pandemic, several states including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand called off their board exams on Wednesday while few others said they will take a call soon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that the decision to cancel the exams has been taken in the interest of students and the anxiety among students, parents and teachers must be put to an end. Soon after, CISCE and the Haryana government also announced cancellation of their respective board exams.

Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa and Uttar Pradesh are among the states which said they are soon going to announce a final decision in this regard.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

BJD leader Bijayshree Routray dies of post-COVID complications at 67

Senior BJD leader Bijayshree Routray died at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, his family said. Routray, also a former minister in the state government, was 67. He is survived by two sons and wife.

Routray was undergoing treatment for post-COVID complications at the hospital. “My father’s blood pressure fell abnormally this morning and it could not be maintained,” said his son Bishnubrata Routray, an MLA.

Routray was elected to the state assembly six times from the Basudevpur seat — twice on the Janata Dal ticket and four times as a BJD candidate. The son of former chief minister Nilamani Routray, he entered the assembly for the first time in 1990.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

WHO, others must find ways to ensure affordable access to key drugs in critical times: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, whose tenure as the WHO Executive Board chairperson ended on Wednesday, called for ensuring affordable access to key drugs during crises like the coronavirus pandemic and advocated a shared and collaborative response to conquer future health challenges.

Vardhan addressed the 149th Session of the WHO Executive Board on the last day of his tenure through video conference, and reminded the members of the sacrifices of “brave, distinguished and honourable” Covid warriors across the world so that humanity may survive.

“These are moments of mixed emotions for me. On the one hand, I feel happy and privileged to have served this prestigious organisation. On the other hand, my heart feels heavy as I exit amidst a lot of work that remains to be done and as the planet continues to reel under the pandemic crisis and economic turbulence,” he said.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Education Ministry to review situation to decide on JEE-Mains, NEET exams soon

The Ministry of Education will soon review the situation to decide on conducting the two remaining editions of engineering entrance exams JEE-Mains and medical entrance exam NEET in August, sources said on Wednesday. “A review meeting is likely to be conducted soon to decide on schedule of the pending editions of JEE-Mains and whether NEET-UG can be conducted on August 1,” a source told PTI.

The cancellation of class 12 board exams on Tuesday in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation will bring more clarity and the schedule for the subsequent entrance examinations is expected to be decided soon. From this session, the JEE-Mains is being conducted four times a year to offer flexibility to students and a chance to improve their scores. The first phase in February was followed by the second in March, while the next phases were scheduled for April and May.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Maharashtra govt plans to put new patients in institutional isolation

The Maharashtra government plans to put most of the new COVID-19 patients in institutional isolation instead of home quarantine, officials said on Wednesday.

The intention was to avoid the patients’ family members catching the infection, said Dr Archana Patil, director of health services, state health department. “The government has therefore asked all district collectors to increase the number of beds (in isolation centres),” she told PTI.

Dr Patil clarified that this did not mean that active COVID-19 patients who are in home isolation at present would be shifted to government facilities. “The plan is to admit most of the new COVID-19 cases in institutional quarantine,” she said.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Mumbai reports 925 new cases, 31 deaths

Mumbai on Wednesday reported less than 1,000 fresh coronavirus positive cases on the third consecutive day with the addition of 925 infections while 1,632 patients were discharged.

With the death of 31 more patients, the overall COVID-19 toll in the financial capital reached 14,938 while the cumulative case count now stands at 7,08,007, as per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data. On Monday and Tuesday, Mumbai had logged 676 and 831 cases, respectively. On Wednesday, the city reported 94 more cases compared with Tuesday while it added eight more fatalities than the previous day’s 23.

“The city reported 925 new cases after 24,732 COVID-19 tests conducted in the last 24 hours,” the BMC said, adding the overall count of the samples tested so far in Mumbai has gone up to 63,19,978.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

India crosses landmark milestone of administering 22 crore vaccine doses

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday announced that India crossed the landmark milestone of administering 22 crore cumulative vaccine doses. Over 2.25 crore beneficiaries of age group 18-44 vaccinated so far. While more than 22 lakh vaccine doses were administered today till 7 pm, said the ministry.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Gujarat records 1,333 COVID-19 cases, 18 deaths

Gujarat reported 1,333 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the tally to 8,12,063, while 18 patients died and nearly 4,100 recovered from the infection, the state health department said.

As many as 4,098 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, pushing the number of recovered cases in the state to 7,75,958, it said. A total of 18 patients died, increasing the COVID-19 fatality count to 9,873, said the department in a release. The state’s recovery rate has further improved to 95.55 per cent.

The number of active cases in the state now stands at 26,232 with 452 patients being on ventilators, the release said.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Mumbai’s govt vaccine centre to be shut tomorrow, says BMC

Due to lack of adequate vaccine stock, vaccination will be stopped tomorrow (June 3) at Government and Municipal Centers in Mumbai, said Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Department of Public Relations.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Rajasthan sees 65 more COVID-19 deaths, 1,276 new cases

Rajasthan recorded 1,276 fresh coronavirus cases and 65 deaths due to the disease on Wednesday, taking the infection tally to 9,42,236 and the toll to 8,515, according to an official report. Jaipur recorded a maximum of seven such deaths, followed by Jodhpur (6) besides fatalities registered in other cities, the report said.

The state capital also accounted for a maximum of 241 fresh COVID-19 cases, while 121; 101 and 100 more people were tested positive for the infection in Alwar, Ganganagar and Jodhpur, respectively. A total of 9,01,071 people in Rajasthan have recovered from the infection and the number of active cases at present is 32,650, according to the report.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Maharashtra reports 15,169 COVID-19 cases, 285 deaths

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded15,169 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 57,76,184, and 285 fresh deaths and also added 268 previously unreported fatalities, the state health department said. The statewide toll rose to 96,751, it said. The new cases were higher than 14,123 infections registered on Tuesday.

Recoveries far exceeded new infections. As many as 29,270 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, pushing the number of recovered cases to 54,60,589, a statement from the health department said. The state now has 2,16,016 active cases, it said.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Rahul Gandhi alleges govt hiding Covid deaths; urges people to demand universal free vaccination

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused the Central government of “hiding” the actual coronavirus death figures, even as he urged people to raise their voice for universal free vaccination.

“GOI is hiding actual Covid deaths,” he said in a tweet, tagging a media report that conducted a survey on who people thought were responsible for coronavirus deaths.Gandhi also launched a campaign to pressure the government for universal free vaccination in the country.

“Vaccine is the strongest protection against the corona pandemic. You should also raise your voice for providing free vaccination to the people of the country – wake up the central government,” he said on Twitter, using the hashtag #SpeakUpForFreeUniversalVaccination.He also shared a video highlighting the shortage of vaccines.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

COVID-19 orphans to get Rs 5 lakh in FD, monthly aid in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced that fixed deposits of Rs five lakh will be made in the name of orphaned children who have lost at least one parent to COVID-19. They will also get a monthly allowance of Rs 1,125. At present, there are 162 children in the state who have lost both parents, at least one of them to the pandemic.

Nine such kids are in government institutions as they have no relatives to take care of them, officials said. The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. The beneficiaries will get the FD amount with interest after attaining the age of 21 years, a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

One in six lost someone to COVID-19 as per survey by The Print

Seventeen percent of people surveyed reported that they had lost someone to COVID-19, as per The Print  These six states have roughly 100 million families. The survey showed that at least one person in every six of these families had lost someone to Covid-19. But this does not mean 17 million (17 per cent of 100 million families) people have died. Statistically, when these results are extrapolated to the entire population, there will be overlaps and double counting. Hence, one cannot induce from these results that 17 million have died in these six states.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Kerala logs 19,661 new cases, 29,708 recoveries and 213 deaths

Kerala recorded 19,661 fresh C0VID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the caseload to 25,35,975, while the toll has mounted to9,222 with 213 more deaths. As many as 29,708 people were cured of the infection today, taking the total recoveries to 23,64,210, the state government said in a press release here.

The active cases in the state have come down to 1,92,165, according to the release. In the last 24 hours, 1,28,525 samples were tested and the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was 15.3 percent. So far, over two crore samples have been tested. Four districts recorded over 2,000 cases today, with Thiruvananthapuram reporting the maximum of 2,380.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

MoS Finance hits back at Chidambaram; says economy will rebound on reforms

Hitting back at former Finance Minister P Chidambaram for his comments on the economy, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur on Wednesday said India’s growth will rebound on the back of consistent reforms and strong fundamentals. Thakur also regretted that “leaderless Congress (was) behaving like an ostrich reading economic data”.

“Indian economy is resilient and will rebound in the times ahead based on consistent reforms that have ensured strong fundamentals through these difficult times.

“I am not surprised that the former finance minister chose to ignore hard data and instead went ahead with ‘whataboutery’ – the Congress leadership has embodied this clueless approach over the years,” the Union minister said in a press release.

Consistent reforms and strong fundamentals have ensured that India had a swift rebound from a contraction of 24.4 percent in the first quarter to a growth of 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter of FY 2020-21, he pointed out.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

594 doctors have died due to COVID-19 in second wave: IMA

As many as 594 doctors have died due to COVID-19 in the ongoing second wave with Delhi recording the maximum 107 fatalities, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said. According to the IMA, 748 doctors died of the infection across the country in the first wave of the pandemic.

Delhi recorded 107 deaths in the second wave, followed by Bihar 96, Uttar Pradesh 67, Rajasthan 43, Jhakhand 39 and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana 32 each, according to data compiled at the IMA’s COVID-19 registry. “Last year 748 doctors across India succumbed to COVID-19, while in the current wave we have lost 594 doctors in a short period,” IMA president JA Jayalal said.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Maharashtra govt sends proposal to DMA over Class 12 exams, says state education minister

Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad on Wednesday said the state government has sent a proposal to Disaster Management Authority regarding the Class 12 board examinations, reports ANI. She said the authority will take a decision in a day or two. “The health abd safety of the students is our priority,” Gaikwad added.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Goa sees 706 new COVID-19 cases and 22 deaths

Goa on Wednesday reported 706 new coronavirus positive cases and 22 fatalities, taking the tally to 1,57,275 and the toll to 2,693, a health official said. A total of 1,711 patients were discharged during the day, taking the count of recoveries in Goa so far to 1,43,742, he said.

Goa is now left with 10,840 active cases, the official said. With 3,715 new tests, the total number of samples tested so far in Goa has risen to 8,31,372, he added.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

New study reveals global “hot spots” where new coronaviruses may emerge

Global land-use changes including forest fragmentation, agricultural expansion and concentrated livestock production are creating “hot spots” favourable for bats that carry coronaviruses and where conditions are ripe for the diseases to jump from bats to humans, finds a new study, reports ANI.

The findings were published by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan) and the Massey University of New Zealand.

While the exact origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain unclear, scientists believe that the disease likely emerged when a virus that infects horseshoe bats was able to jump to humans, either directly through wildlife-to-human contact, or indirectly by first infecting an intermediate animal host, such as the pangolin, sometimes known as the scaly anteater.

Horseshoe bats are known to carry a variety of coronaviruses, including strains that are genetically similar to ones that cause COVID-19 and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Andhra Pradesh reports 12,768 new cases and 98 deaths in last 24 hrs

Andhra Pradesh recorded 12,768 fresh cases of coronavirus, 15,612 recoveries and 98 deaths in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Wednesday. The number of active COVID-19 cases dropped to 1,43,795, the latest bulletin said.

The cumulative positive cases now increased to 17,17,156, recoveries to 15,62,229 and deaths 11,132, it said. East Godavari reported 2,703, Chittoor 1,551, Anantapuramu 1,506 and West Godavari 1,052 fresh cases in 24 hours. The remaining nine districts added less than 900 cases each.

The daily COVID-19 toll was 15 in Chittoor, 10 in SPS Nellore, nine in West Godavari, eight each in Anantapuramu, East Godavari and Vizianagaram, seven each in Guntur, Prakasam and Srikakulam.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

SC questions Centre over different prices of Covishield, Covaxin

The Supreme Court on Wednesday raised questions on the Centre’s “liberalised vaccine policy” for the third phase of inoculation.  In its affidavit to the court, the Centre had said that this policy was adopted to encourage competition among private manufacturers that could bring the prices down. The court, however, held that the Centre had “pre-fixed” the price and supply of doses with two available manufacturers, Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India, and so there was no room for negotiation.

The bench also directed the Centre to clarify how the Rs 35,000 crore allocated in Union Budget for procuring vaccines was being used, and why it cannot be utilised for shots for those in the 18-45 age group.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Maharashtra-based firm to begin producing Covaxin in 8 months

Maharashtra-based Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited said it will begin producing Covaxin in eight months, reports ANI. “We’ve received approval for Covaxin production and are in talks with Bharat Biotech for further process,” the company’s Managing Director Sandeep Rathod says.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Goa govt to decide on Class 12 board exams by evening: CM

The Goa government will go through decisions taken by other states and also consult the Union Education Ministry before taking a call on Class 12 Goa board exams by Wednesday evening, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said. Notably, the Centre on Tuesday cancelled the CBSE Class 12 board exams in view of the COVID-19 situation.

After the government’s decision, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) also decided to cancel its Class 12 board examinations this year.

On Wednesday, Sawant held a meeting with officials of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) and the state education department to decide on the pending Class 12 state board exams.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Centre’s statement on vaccinating all citizens before Dec ‘a hoax’: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday called the Centre’s statement that it will vaccinate all citizens before December a hoax, reports ANI.

“They just say baseless things,” the chief minister was quoted as saying. “The Centre is not sending vaccines to state government.” She asked the Centre to procure vaccines for states and give them free of cost.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

First COVID-19 lockdown improved air quality in India, finds study

The first lockdown imposed in India last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to an improvement in air quality and a reduction in land surface temperature in major urban areas of the country, according to a study.

The findings, published in the journal Environmental Research, provide a strong evidence for potential environmental benefits through larger scale policy implementation.

The study found that travel and work restrictions imposed early in the pandemic resulted in a significant environmental improvement, due to an abrupt reduction in industrial activities and a major decrease in the use of land and air transport.

The researchers used data from a range of Earth observation sensors, including those from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5p and NASA’s MODIS sensors, to measure changes in surface temperature and atmospheric pollutants and aerosols.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Plea in SC seeks direction for removal of bodies found floating in Ganga

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre and four states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to take immediate steps to remove the bodies found floating in river Ganga amid the ongoing wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition, which referred to reports of bodies found floating in river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, urged the apex court to issue guidelines or formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) for proper and dignified cremation or burial of bodies of victims of coronavirus as per the rituals.

The plea, filed by Youth Bar Association of India, sought directions to the chief secretaries and district magistrates to ensure that no dead body is allowed to be thrown in any river on any ground and to take stern action against the culprits.

It is the duty of the state to protect the rights of the deceased, which also includes the right to decent burial/cremation, said the plea, filed through advocate Manju Jetley.

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Centre’s policy of paid vaccination for 18-44 yrs prima facie arbitrary and irrational : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday made a prima facie observation that the Centre’s vaccination policy, which does not provide free vaccination for those in the age group of 18 to 44 years, as ‘arbitrary and irrational’, reports LiveLaw .

The observation was made by a bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud, L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat in the suo moto case on COVID-related issues.

The Court noted in the order that the experience of the second wave of the pandemic has provided experiential learning that the COVID-19 virus is capable of mutation and now poses a threat to persons in this age group as well. Reports indicate that persons between 18-44 years of age have not only been infected by COVID-19, but have also suffered from severe effects of the infection.

“We find that the Liberalized Vaccination Policy may not be able to yield the desired results of spurring competitive prices and higher quantities of vaccines”, the Court observed.

The top court directed the Centre to undertake a “fresh review” of the vaccination policy in the light of the concerns raised by the court

Coronavirus LATEST  Updates

Event & Entertainment Management Association writes to PM; seeks support amid pandemic

The Event & Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to revive the events management industry that has been crippled by coronavirus-induced disruptions, reports PTI.

In a letter to the prime minister, the industry body has sought his help as nearly 97 per cent of its members are broke and badly need to raise capital or debt to survive.

Other demands include GST refunds for three years, two-year moratorium on loans and overdrafts, give corporates 200 per cent weighted exemption on expenses for all domestic events, make availability of working capital loans easier and interest waiver for one year.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Gujarat government cancels state board exams for Class 12

Taking a cue from the Centre’s decision to cancel the CBSE class 12 board exams amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the Gujarat government on Wednesday decided to cancel the upcoming state board exams for class 12 students.

The state government had recently announced that the class 12 board exams for students of general and science streams will be conducted from July 1 by adhering to the COVID-19 protocol.

“The state government decided to scrap the exams for class 12 of the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Board (GSHSB) after taking into consideration the Centre’s decision to scrap the exams for class 12 students of the CBSE given the coronavirus pandemic,” state Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama told reporters after attending a Cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

AMU pro-chancellor dies due to COVID complications

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Pro-chancellor Ibne Saeed Khan died at his home in Aligarh due to COVID-19 complications, his family said on Wednesday. Khan, 98, passed away on Tuesday night, according to a release issued by the university. 

He was the longest living alumnus of the AMU and had held several posts in different governing bodies of the university, including that of honorary treasurer for the past thirty years. He had recently recovered from coronavirus but suffered a setback due to Covid complications, according his family members. 

AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor paid rich tributes to him and said the university was indebted to the pro-chancellor for yeoman services rendered over the years.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

SC seeks complete data on Centre’s purchase history of all COVID-19 vaccines

The Supreme Court has asked the Central government to furnish complete data on the government’s purchase history of all the COVID-19 vaccines till date including Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik V, reports  Bar&Bench.

The Court ordered that the data should clarify: (a) the dates of all procurement orders placed by the Central government for all 3 vaccines; (b) the quantity of vaccines ordered as on each date; and (c) the projected date of supply.

The Court also asked the Centre to provide an outline for how and when the Central government seeks to vaccinate the remaining population in phases 1, 2 and 3.

The top court also  asked states/UTs to file an affidavit  submitting their stand on providing vaccination free of cost to its population within two weeks.

“We also note that the Union of India’s (UoI) stated position in its affidavit of May 09 is that every State/UT shall provide vaccination free of cost to its population. It is important that individual State/UT govt confirm/deny this position before this Court,” said the bench.

The top court also told the Centre to submit copies of all the relevant documents and file notings on the COVID-19 vaccination policy within two weeks.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Odisha logs record 40 COVID deaths, 8,399 new cases

Odisha on Wednesday registered 40 more deaths due to COVID-19, the highest so far in a single day, pushing the toll to 2,831, a health department official said. At least 8,399 new coronavirus-positive cases raised the caseload in the coastal state to 7,82,131, he said.

Taking to Twitter, the Health and Family Welfare Department said, “Regret to inform the demise of forty COVID positive patients, while under treatment in hospitals.” Five fresh fatalities each were reported from Angul, Cuttack, Kalahandi and Khurda, four from Jharsuguda, three each from Boudh and Rayagada and two each from Deogarh, Nabarangpur and Sambalpur.

One patient each succumbed to the infection in Balasore, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Malkangiri, the official said.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Delhi records 576 new COVID-19 cases, 103 more deaths

Delhi recorded 576 fresh COVID-19 cases at a positivity rate of 0.78 per cent and 103 more fatalities due to the disease on Wednesday. This is the third consecutive day that the positivity rate was recorded at below one per cent in the national capital.

Delhi reported 623 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest in two-and-a-half months, and 62 more deaths, while the positivity rate was below one percent. The city reported 648 fresh COVID-19 cases and 86 more fatalities on Monday, while the positivity rate was 0.99 percent. On Sunday, 946 new cases and 78 more deaths were reported in the national capital.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Odisha CM writes to CMs over ‘centralised vaccine procurement’

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday wrote to all chief ministers on centralised procurement of vaccines by the Government of India and asked them to join hands in the fight against COVID-19. Patnaik said that he also spoke to some chief ministers who shared his views and asserted that no state is safe unless all states adopt vaccination as a top priority.

Sharing his letter on Twitter, Patnaik said that states should not be competing with each other in getting vaccines and united efforts are required for vaccine procurement.

He also called for the decentralisation of the vaccination programme. “At the same time, the execution of the vaccination program has to be decentralised and States allowed the flexibility to determine their own mechanism to ensure universal vaccination,” he said.

This comes two days after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to his non-BJP counterparts in 11 states and called for a united effort in demanding that the Centre procure Covid-19 vaccines required by the states and distribute them free of cost.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Centre’s vaccination policy ’encouraging’ black marketing: Kerala govt tells HC

The Kerala government on Wednesday claimed in the high court here that the Centre’s vaccination policy was ’encouraging’ black marketing. In its submission before the bench of Justices A Muhamed Mustaque and Kauser Edappagath, hearing a case relating to COVID vaccine shortage in the state, the government attorney questioned the decision to fix different rates for procuring vaccines for both the central and state governments.

He said the rates must be fixed based on the cost of production. Accusing the private vaccine makers of charging exorbitant prices for vaccines, the state government said the companies cannot be allowed to play in between the pandemic. It sought to know how private parties can be allowed to indulge in black marketing.

“The central government is encouraging blackmarketing. Why are different rates being fixed?” the government asked. The state also informed the court that it cannot purchase vaccines from companies at the same price shots are being purchased by the private hospitals.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

If vaccine drives can be held in housing societies, why not at homes for senior citizens?: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said when COVID-19 vaccination drives are now being held in several housing societies, why authorities cannot take a step further and go to the homes of senior citizens, specially-abled and bed-ridden people to inoculate them.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by lawyers Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari, seeking a direction to the Union and state governments to start door-to-door vaccination for senior citizens above the age of 75, specially-abled, bed-ridden and wheelchair-bound people.

The petition said such people would not be in a position to step out of their homes and travel to vaccination centres.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni on Wednesday noted that several housing societies are now tying-up with private hospitals and holding vaccination drives in the society premises itself.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Over 1.64 crore COVID-19 vaccines available with states: Centre

More than 1.64 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, the Union Health Ministry said.

The Centre has so far provided, both through the free of cost and through direct state procurement categories, more than 23 crore vaccine doses to states and UTs.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastages, is 21,71,44,022 doses, the ministry said.