Coronavirus News Updates: Schools, colleges in Mumbai to remain shut till 15 Jan, says BMC

In text message, Bengal govt assures doctors of free COVID-19 vaccine

The West Bengal government has started sending text messages to doctors in state-run hospitals assuring them that they would get the COVID-19 vaccine free of cost once it is available, reports news agency PTI, quoting officials.  A number of medicos, mostly posted in hospitals in districts, have received the message.

Doctors associations welcomed the initiative saying that it would boost the morale of those treating coronavirus patients. But private doctors should also get it and the government should give importance to provide financial assistance it had promised to family members of healthcare workers who succumbed to COVID-19 while treating patients, they said.

PTI

Five UK returnees test COVID-19 positive in Haryana

Five people from Haryana who returned to India from the United Kingdom recently have tested positive for COVID-19 and their samples have been sent for genome sequencing to check whether it is a new strain detected in the UK, an official said Tuesday.  As many as 1,740 people have returned to Haryana from the UK recently, he said. From the list given to us by the Bureau of Immigration, we followed up on 1,740 people who had returned to the state. Around 800-900 have been tested so far," Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Health Department) Rajeev Arora told PTI. Out of these, five have been found positive for COVID-19. Now, their samples have been sent for genome sequencing to CSIR lab to check if any of them carries the new mutated strain of coronavirus, he said.

Besides official toll, 1,357 COVID-19 patients with other ailments have died in Assam, says health minister

The Assam government on Tuesday informed the assembly that 1,357 COVID-19 patients who were also suffering from other ailments have died in the state till 27 December, besides the official coronavirus toll of 1,037. Thus, the state has witnessed the death of 2,394 people who have been infected by the virus since lockdown was announced in March, Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in reply to a query by Congress MLA Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam. The minister also said that the state government has so far spent more than Rs 1,032 crore for management of COVID-19 pandemic.

PTI

Schools, colleges in Mumbai not to re-open till 15 Jan

Citing the fear of a second wave  of coronavirus, the Mumbai civic body on Tuesday said schools and colleges in the city will not reopen till 15 January ,

2021. Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had decided to keep schools and colleges closed till 31 December. In a fresh circular issued on Tuesday, the BMC  said it decided to keep all –government and private — schools and colleges closed till January 15 due to the second wave of COVID-19 in other countries and the situation in some states in the country.

PTI

475 beneficiaries underwent dummy vaccination in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar and Rajkot districts

As many as 475 “beneficiaries” underwent dummy vaccination at various centres in Gandhinagar and Rajkot districts of Gujarat as the two-day dry runfor COVID-19 vaccine programme concluded successfully on Tuesday, said an official.The dry run, which started on Monday, covered 19 booths set up in Gandhinagar and Rajkot districts as part of the vaccination drive undertaken to assess preparedness of the authorities ahead of the actual roll-out of the shot. . No issue was faced with regards to Co-WIN software, developed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, logistics for supply of vaccine and protocol to be followed at

the booths selected for the dry run, the official said.

PTI

Maharashtra records 3,018 fresh cases, 69 deaths

Maharashtra’s coronavirus  caseload rose to 19,25,066 on Tuesday as it recorded 3,018 new cases, reports PTI quoting a health official With 69 patients dying, the toll in the state reached 49,373, he said. On the other hand, 5,572 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the tally of recovered persons to 18,20,021. There are now 54,537 active cases in the state.

COVID-19 toll in Kerala crosses 3,000

The toll due to COVID-19 crossed the 3,000 mark in Kerala with the addition of 24 more deaths on Tuesday as 5887 new cases were recorded, taking the virus caseload to almost 7.50 lakh. As many as 5,029 people have been cured of the infection, pushing the total recoveries to 6,81,397. Presently 64,861 people are undergoing treatment for the disease. So far, 7,49,449 people have been infected by the virus.

PTI

Russia admits COVID toll third worst in the world

Russia on Monday said its coronavirus toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported, making it the country with the third-largest number of fatalities. For months President Vladimir Putin has boasted about Russia’s low fatality rate from the virus, saying earlier this month that it had done a “better” job at managing the pandemic than western countries.

But since early in the pandemic, some Russian experts have said the government was playing down the country’s outbreak. On Monday Russian officials admitted that was true. The Rosstat statistics agency said that the number of deaths from all causes recorded between January and November had risen by 229,700 compared to the previous year.

“More than 81 percent of this increase in mortality over this period is due to COVID-19 ,” said Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, meaning that over 186,000 Russians have died from COVID-19 .

Covaxin can offer protection against coronavirus mutations: Bharat Biotech chairman

Covaxin, a vaccine candidate being developed by Bharat Biotech for COVID-19, can offer protection against mutations of coronavirus, asserted Krishna Ella, the chairman and managing director of the Hyderabad -based vaccine maker. He also said the company has approached regulatory authorities seeking approval for an emergency license to use the vaccine, developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology and now undergoing phase 3 trials.

 “It (coronavirus) is expected to have a lot of mutation and you can be rest assured this vaccine will also protect against that (mutated) virus because of two hypotheses…  “So you have these two components in the inactivated vaccine. It will also take care of those mutations,” Ella said during a virtual programme organised by CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology.

PTI

COVID-19 toll in UP’s Gautam Buddh Nagar mounts to 90

The toll due to COVID-19 mounted to 90 in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar’s with one more fatality on Tuesday, while 24 new cases pushed the district’s inflection tally to 24,869, official data showed. The number of active cases in the district came down to 426 from 462 the previous day as the recovery rate reached almost 98 percent, according to the data released by the Uttar Pradesh health department for a 24-hour period. The number of active cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar is the sixth highest in the state, while 25 districts have a higher death toll than the district. Fifty-nine COVID-19 patients got discharged during the period, pushing the total number of recoveries to 24,353, the fifth highest in the state.

PTI

Sample of 15 COVID positive UK returnees in Delhi sent for genome sequencing

Coronavirus test samples of 15 persons who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for COVID-19 have been sent for genome sequencing to check if they have contracted the new variant of the virus, reports news agency PTI quoting sources. The results are expected in the next three-four days, they said.

No decision yet on stopping flights from India and Sri Lanka, says Sri Lanka official

Sri Lanka has not yet decided to stop flights from India and Singapore where the new strain of COVID-19 has reached from the UK, the head of COVID-19 preventive operations, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said. The country is currently receiving less flights from India and Singapore as compared to those from the Middle East where Sri Lankan expats are employed in a large number.

The Sri Lankan government has stopped all flights from the UK in view of the new coronavirus strain spreading in that country. Sri Lanka’s decision to open its airports for commercial flights on 26 December is currently being held back due to the new strain in Europe, the official said.

PTI

Mumbai airport introduces express COVID-19 testing facility

Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Tuesday said it has introduced a new 24X7 COVID-19 testing facility, which gives test results in flat 13 minutes at a cost of Rs 4,500.  Since its launch on 15 December , CSMIA has witnessed an average of 30-35 such tests per day, it said in a release. A total of400 express tests have been carried out at the airport till 28 December , which include passengers who had connecting flights to destinations outside Maharashtra, it said.

In compliance with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) standards, CSMIA is the first airport to adopt the express test method by Abbott ‘ID Now,

which is aimed at providing arriving passengers with quick and accurate diagnosis, CSMIA said in the release. The round-the-clock testing facility option is available for all international arriving passengers at the airport at a cost of Rs 4,500, CSMIA said.

COVID positive UK returnee found infected with new virus strain in Andhra Pradesh

 A 47-year-old woman, who returned to Rajamahendravaram in Andhra Pradesh on 23 December, was found to have contracted the new mutated strain of

coronavirus but the state health department maintained that there was no spread of the fresh strain in the state. Of the 12 UK-returned passengers who tested positive for COVID-19, only the woman had the new strain, state Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar said, citing a report of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad.  “Her son tested negative while another person who came in contact with her also did not contract any virus,” Bhaskar said in a release.  There was no trace that the new UK strain of coronavirus has spread in the state, he asserted.

PTI

At least 19 variants of SARS-CoV-2 have evolved in India, claims study

At least 19 genetic variants of the SARS-CoV-2 in India have evolved to evade neutralising antibodies that the human immune system and one of these variants having already caused a confirmed case of reinfection in the country, said reports citing a study by the CSIR. A team from CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-HRDC, Uttar Pradesh, and Kurnool Medical College in Andhra Pradesh identified 120 ‘immune escape variants’ in SARS-CoV-2 from across the globe, said a report by The Print.  

The paper has been uploaded in a preprint server and yet to be peer-reviewed, said a Deccan Herald report. As per the report, A variant with a mutation named N440K has been found in nearly 34 percent of the 272 SARS-CoV-2 genomes analysed from Andhra Pradesh. The variant has also been seen in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana nad has caused at least one case of re-infection, reported in a Noida hospital. As per The Print, the S:N440K was found to be in 2.1 percent of the gene sequences in India.

Genome sequencing for all COVID-19 positive flyers who arrived in India from 9 to 22 Dec

 All international passengers who arrived in India from 9 to 22 December and tested positive for COVID-19 will be subjected to genome sequencing as part of the Centre’s strategy to detect the mutated coronavirus strain that has emerged in the United Kingdom recently.   Others will be followed up by the state and district surveillance officers, and will be tested as per ICMR guidelines, even if asymptomatic, between fifth and 10th day of arrival, according to the Union Health Ministry’s guidance document on genomic sequencing. “All the international passengers who have arrived in India during the last 14 days (from December 9 to 22), if symptomatic and tested positive, will be subjected to genome sequencing,” the document stated.

Former Himachal Pradesh CM’s wife Santosh Shailza dies of COVID-19

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar’s wife Santosh Shailza succumbed to coronavirus in the early hours of Tuesday, Health Minister Rajiv Saizal said. She was 83.  She was cremated as per coronavirus protocol at a crematorium in Kangra’s Palampur. Shailza was undergoing treatment at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Kangra’s Tanda. She was admitted to the facility after testing positive for COVID-19 a few days ago.  

PTI

States may impose night curfew, says Centre

Restrictions, such as night curfews, may be imposed by states and UTs based on local situation says DR VK Paul. “The major population is still susceptible to COVID19 infection in this cold weather. UK variant has travelled to several other countries and also to India, this variant may have its own run and we’ve to very careful. One can’t be careless:, he cautioned.

Six cases of UK variant found in India, says Centre

Six cases of UK variant found in India, saysCentre. The virus has travelled to other countries and also to India. It is important to remember that it is easy to tackle a virus or a new strain at the beginning, before there are multiple chains of transmission.

No evidence that vaccines will fail to protect against new virus strains

No evidence that vaccines will fail to protect against new coronavirus variants in UK and South Africa, says Principle Scientific Advisor to govt Prof K. Vijay Raghavan.  “Most vaccines do target the Spike protein, in which there are changes in the variants, but vaccines stimulate our immune system to produce a wide range of protective antibodies. The changes in the variants are not sufficient to make the vaccines ineffective, The Hindu quotes him as saying.

As per the news paper, he further says: Eight of seventeen changes in spike protein cause changes in virus. . One change (N501Y) increases affinity for the ACE2 receptor, used for viral entry into human cells. It has been linked earlier to increased infectivity and transmission in animal models. Another change (P681H) promotes entry into susceptible cells and increases transmission in animal models of infection. The South Africa also shares the N501Y mutation with the UK variants, in addition to other distinct changes.”

The virus strain in UK is more transmissible and this also reflected in the increase in positivity rate in the UK, he said adding that there is no evidence that it increases severity of disease. “We must take extraordinary precautions  to prevent these kinds of variants from dominating populations,” Raghavan adds.

Five states and UTs account for 60% of active cases

Five states and UTs account for 60% of active cases, with Kerala accounting for over 23% of the active cases, says health ministry.

52% cases found in 18-44 age group, says health ministry

63 percent of total coronavirus cases in the country were amongst men while 37 percent were among women. Giving the age wise distribution, he said 39 percent of the total cases were in the 26-44 age group, 52% cases between 18-44 age group but only 11% deaths were reported from this age group.

Daily deaths are also less than 300 after 6 months,says Bhushan, adding that 55% deaths are found to have occured in 60 years and above age group and 70 percent of the deaths have occurred among males.

INSACOG consortium established for genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2

Active cases in country fall below 2.70 lakh after six months .Cumulative positivity rate is 6.02% and last week’s positivity rate is only 2.25%. INSACOG consortium has been established consisting of 10 govt labs for genome sequencing. These labs belong to ICMR, DBT, CSIR and health ministry, informed Health SEcretary Rajesh Bhushan They have been doing genomic sequencing of SarsCoV-2 since last 11 months, roughly 5,000 genome sequences done across these labs before UK strain came in

Health ministry press briefing at 4 pm

The Union health ministry will be holding a briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country at 4 pm on Tuesday.

All UK passengers, who arrived in last 14 days, to undergo genome sequencing if found COVID-19

All the international passengers who have arrived in India during the last 14 days between 9 and 22 December, if symptomatic and tested positive will be subjected to genome sequencing, in the view of new COVID-19 strain in the United Kingdom, said the health ministry.

COVID-19 vaccine dry run completed in four states: Health ministry 

The dry run for COVID-19 vaccination successfully conducted in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat on 28 and 29 December 2020, said the Union health ministry on Tuesday.

China kicks off emergency COVID-19 vaccination in Wuhan

The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus emerged a year ago before it became a pandemic and upended life across the globe, has started the emergency COVID-19 vaccination on some key groups, a senior health official said on Tuesday, even as China is yet to officially certify its multiple vaccines.

The vaccination, available at 48 designated clinics in 15 districts, began on 24 December, targeting certain groups of people aged between 18 and 59 years, He Zhenyu, deputy director of the centre for disease control and prevention in Wuhan, told the media in Wuhan.

Ladakh reports five new COVID-19 cases

Five new cases of COVID-19 was reported in the Union territory of Ladakh, taking the count of the confirmed case to 9,411 on Tuesday.

As per the official data issued by the UT Administrations, the total number of active cases has come down to 198, out of which 177 are in Leh district and 21 in Kargil.

Suspension of UK flights may see ‘slight extension’: Hardeep Singh Puri

Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that the temporary suspension of United Kingdom flights may see a “short extension” beyond 31 December.

“I foresee a short extension on this temporary suspension. I don’t see the extension to be long or indefinite,” said the union minister.

India has suspended passenger flights to and from the UK between 23 December and 31 December (both days included), after a growing list of countries like Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Italy did the same due to a more infectious Coronavirus variant there.

I foresee a short extension on this temporary suspension. I don't see the extension to be long or indefinite: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on the temporary suspension of flights from the United Kingdom due to new variant of coronavirus pic.twitter.com/j4Xsl1G40m

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2020

Dry run of COVID-19 vaccination underway in Gujarat

Identified ‘beneficiaries’ are undergoing dummy vaccination at various centres in Gandhinagar and Rajkot districts of Gujarat on the second day of the COVID-19 vaccination dry run on Tuesday, officials said.

The two-day end-to-end dry run was being carried out to test the laid out mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccination and to provide insights into any gaps to be addressed before the commencement of the actual vaccination drive.

Gujarat is one of the four states chosen by the Central government to conduct the mock COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Three UK returnees test positive for new COVID-19 strain in Karnataka

Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar on Tuesday said three people in the city have tested positive for the new UK variant genome of SARS-CoV2 and necessary measures have been taken for their treatment, and to control its spread.

“Out of 1,614 people (who have come from the UK) and underwent RT-PCR test 26 have been confirmed positive, after genetic sequencing of their samples at NIMHANS, three have tested positive (for UK variant) according to ICMR,” Sudhakar said.

Telugu actor Ram Charan tests positive for COVID-19

Telugu film star Ram Charan on Tuesday said he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is under home quarantine. The 35-year-old actor took to Twitter to share his diagnosis.

“I have tested positive for Covid-19. No symptoms and quarantined at home. Hope to heal soon and come out stronger,” Charan said in a statement. He urged all the people, who have been around him in the the past couple of days, to get tested. “More updates on my recovery soon,” he added.

On work front, Charan will be seen in writer-director S S Rajamouli’s next film “Rise Roar Revolt” (“RRR”). The “Baahubali” fame director resumed shooting on his most talked about Telugu movie in Hyderabad in October with necessary safety precautions amid the coronavirus pandemic, nearly seven months after the filming was halted.

Request all that have been around me in the past couple of days to get tested.
More updates on my recovery soon. pic.twitter.com/lkZ86Z8lTF

— Ram Charan (@AlwaysRamCharan) December 29, 2020

Gujarat COVID-19 dry run:‘Beneficiaries’ undergo dummy vaccination

Identified ‘beneficiaries’ are undergoing dummy vaccination at various centres in Gandhinagar and Rajkot districts of Gujarat on the second day of the COVID-19 vaccination dry run on Tuesday, officials said.

The two-day end-to-end dry run was being carried out to test the laid out mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccination and to provide insights into any gaps to be addressed before the commencement of the actual vaccination drive.

Gujarat is one of the four states chosen by the Central government to conduct the mock COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Health workers are among the first ‘beneficiaries’ identified for the mock vaccination drive being conducted at four health centres in Gandhinagar city.

Ex-Himachal Pradesh CM Shanta Kumar’s wife dies of COVID-19

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar’s wife, Santosh Shailza, succumbed to COVID-19 in the early hours of Tuesday, Health Minister Rajiv Saizal said.

Shailza was undergoing treatment at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra district of the state.

India’s COVID-19 toll over 1.48 lakh; Maharashtra reports maximum deaths

Of the 252 new fatalities, 50 were reported in Maharashtra, 27 in West Bengal, 26 in Chhattisgarh and 21 from Delhi.

A total of 1,48,153 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 49,305 from Maharashtra followed by 12,080 from Tamil Nadu, 12,070 from Karnataka, 10,474 from Delhi, 9,625 from West Bengal, 8,322 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,098 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,312 from Punjab.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 percent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

10 more UK returnees test COVID-19 positive in Delhi; total 31

Ten more contacts of people who recently returned to Delhi from the United Kingdom, where a super-spreader strain of coronavirus has been reported, were found to be COVID positive, officials said on Monday. With this, the total number of infected persons, including those who returned from the United Kingdom and their contacts, has gone up to 31.

“Eight people who came in contact with the UK-returned infected persons, tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday. Two more contacts tested positive on Monday,” a senior Delhi government official said.

All the 31 people have been admitted to a special ward set up at LNJP hospital for the UK-returned and their contacts found positive for the virus. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing to ascertain whether they have been infected with the mutated strain in the UK or the one prevalent locally.

42 new cases in Puducherry, tally touches 38,070

Puducherry registered 42 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday taking the total number of those infected by the virus to 38,070, while two related deaths pushed the toll to 633.

Two persons who succumbed to infection were from Puducherry region and were in the age group of 40 and 54 years.

Thirty four patients were discharged during the last 24 hours ending 10 am on Tuesday, Director of Health and Family
Welfare S Mohan Kumar said.

Seventeen UK returnees test COVID-19 positive in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, almost 2,018 people had come from the United Kingdom, we have tested 1,500 for coronavirus and roughly 17 people tested positive and 16 from their contacts, said state health secretary J Radhakrishnan on Tuesday.

India detects six cases of new COVID-19 variant

India has detected six cases of the mutant coronavirus that was first discovered in the UK. The Health Ministry Tuesday said the six patients — three in Bengaluru, two in Hyderabad and one in Pune — had recently returned from the UK. The variant has so far been detected in Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore.

“All these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated Health Care facilities by respective State Governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Mizoram reports six more COVID-19 cases

At least six more people, including three children, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, pushing the caseload to 4,190, an official said on Tuesday. The state has so far reported eight deaths due to the contagion. The fresh cases were reported from Aizawl and Lawngtlai districts, he said.

Six cases of mutant virus strain in India as UK returnees test positive

Six persons who returned to India from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the new UK variant genome of SARS-CoV2, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

It said the mutated UK strain was detected in samples in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, in CCMB, Hyderabad and one in NIV, Pune.  

All these persons have been kept in single room isolation at designated health care facilities by respective state governments and their close contacts have also been put under quarantine, the ministry said.

Over 16.98 cr COVID-19 samples tested so far: ICMR

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 16,98,01,749 COVID-19 samples have been tested up to 28 December. Of the total, 9,83,695 samples were tested on Monday alone.

India’s active COVID-19 caseload stands at 2.63%

The COVID-19 active caseload in India remained below 3 lakh for the eighth consecutive day. There are 2,68,581 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprise 2.63 percent of the total caseload.

India reports 252 new COVID-19 deaths, toll now over 1.48 lakh

With 252 new fatalities due to the novel coronavirus, the COVID-19 toll in the country now stands at over 1.48 lakh, according to the health ministry data updated at 8 am.

India’s active cases drop to 2.68 lakh

Of the total COVID-19 cases, active infections further dropped to 2.68 lakh while recoveries surpassed 98 lakh after more than 24,900 patients were cured of the novel coronavirus, said the health ministry on Tuesday.

India records over 16,000 new cases

India recorded 16,432 fresh COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the country’s overall count to 1,02,24,303 on Tuesday. This is the lowest spike in daily cases since 23 June.