Coronavirus Variants and Vaccinations, Coronavirus Active Cases in India Today’s News, November 3 Highlights: India has administered more than 107.29 crore Covid-19 vaccines doses so far. However, the uneven pace of vaccination remains a concern. According to data from the Union Health Ministry, nearly 71% of the eligible population has received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 35% are fully vaccinated. As many as 48 districts have been identified as lagging behind, where first-dose coverage is still below 50%. According to data, 27 of the 48 districts are from the Northeast, including eight districts each in Manipur and Nagaland. Jharkhand has the most districts (9) with below 50% first-dose vaccination coverage.
The Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a detailed review meeting with district Magistrates of over 40 districts in Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, & other States with districts having low vaccination coverage.” CMs of these states will also be present in the meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12 noon, the PMO said. India has set the target to inoculate all its eligible population with the Covid-19 vaccine by year-end.
Meanwhile, India reported 11,903 fresh coronavirus infections in the last 24hours, taking its overall Covid-19 tally to 3,43,08,140, while the number of active cases declined to 1,51,209, the lowest in 252 days, according to the data from Union Health Ministry on Wednesday. With 311 new fatalities, the Covid-19 death toll increased to 4,59,191, Health Ministry’s data updated at 8 am showed. The daily rise in new Covid-19 cases has been below 20,000 for the past 26 days and less than 50,000 for 129 consecutive days now. The number of active Covid-19 cases in the country has declined to 1,51,209, and now accounts for 0.44% of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has improved to 98.22%, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.
The Covid-19 situation is under control in India. However, the fight against Coronavirus is not over yet. Several countries have started witnessing a resurgence of Coronavirus infections in the past few days. Counties like the US, UK, Russia, China, Singapore, Ukraine, and some in Eastern Europe reported a sudden spike in new cases. According to data from the World Health Organization, the UK reported a 14% rise in fresh infections at 283,756 cases, followed by Russia’s 217,322. The UK witnessed over 50,000 cases for the first time since July 17; experts attributed the surge to the Delta variant.
Here are the latest updates on Coronavirus from India and around the globe:
Haryana reported no Covid-related death, even though seven new cases were recorded in the state Wednesday, pushing the tally to 7,71,280.
According to the health department’s daily bulletin, the death toll remained unchanged at 10,049.
Of the new cases, the maximum of five were reported from Gurugram.
There were 96 active cases in the state while the total number of recoveries was 7,61,112.
The recovery rate was 98.68 percent, the bulletin said. (PTI)
Chhattisgarh’s COVID-19 count reached 10,06,121 on Wednesday with the addition of 25 new cases, while the death toll increased to 13,583 after three patients succumbed to the infection in the state, an official said.
The recovery count rose to 9,92,248 after 7 people were discharged from hospitals and 20 others completed home isolation during the day, leaving the state with 290 active cases, he said.
Among districts, Raipur recorded the highest new cases at 8, the official said.
No fresh coronavirus infections were reported in 18 districts.
With 14,939 swab samples examined during the day, the number of tests in the state went up to 13,716,617, the official said.
Chhattisgarh’s coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 10,06,121, new cases 25, death toll 13,583, recovered cases 9,92,248, active cases 290, total tests 13,716,617. (PTI)
Gujarat on Wednesday reported 29 new coronavirus cases, raising its infection tally to 8,26,656, while no fresh death due to the disease was reported in the state, the health department said.
With 19 patients getting discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, the number of recovered cases rose to 8,16,357, it said.
The count of active cases in the state increased to 209, of which five patients are on ventilators, the department said in a release.
With no new death, the COVID-19 fatalities remained unchanged at 10,090, said the release.
District-wise, Vadodara reported seven new cases, Ahmedabad and Surat six each, Junagadh three, Gandhinagar two, Jamnagar, Kutch, Mehsana, Rajkot and Valsad one case each, said the department.
On COVID-19 vaccination front, 1.84 lakh people were inoculated on Wednesday, pushing the number of doses administered so far in the state to 7.15 crore, it added.
There were no new coronavirus cases or recoveries in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu in the last 24 hours, officials said.
The UT has so far reported 10,654 COVID-19 cases and 10,647 recoveries.
Gujarat’s COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 8,26,656, new cases 29, death toll 10,090, discharged 8,16,357, active cases 209, people tested so far – figures not released. (PTI)
Mizoram on Wednesday said it has vaccinated 60 per cent of its adult population with both doses of COVID vaccines.
As per an official statement, the state inoculated 82 per cent of its adult population with the first dose.
The adult population of Mizoram is estimated to be about 7.75 lakh, the statement said.
Total 6.98 lakh people received the first dose. Of this, 5.18 lakh people have received the second dose.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Wednesday attended a meeting hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with districts having low vaccination coverage.
State Health Minister R Lalthangliana and other senior officials accompanied the chief minister to the virtual meeting. (PTI)
Today is a joyous day for Indians. I want to thank PM who constantly took care of the vaccine process right from production to inoculating 1 billion doses. With Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,Sabka Vishwas, we’ve achieved this feat: Union MoS Health, Bharti Pawar on WHO’s EUL to Covaxin (ANI)
Delhi reports 41 fresh COVID cases and 30 recoveries in the past 24 hours
Active cases: 320
Total recoveries: 14,14,552 (ANI)
Sikkim’s COVID-19 tally rose to 32,010 as 16 more people tested positive for the infection while one new fatality pushed the coronavirus death toll to 398, a health department bulletin said on Wednesday.
The Himalayan state had reported 10 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, 5 on Monday and 22 on Sunday.
East Sikkim district and South Sikkim registered seven new cases each while West Sikkim reported two cases.
Sikkim now has 179 active COVID-19 cases, while 31,107 people have recovered from the disease, it said.
At least 326 COVID-19 patients have migrated to other states.
The COVID-19 recovery rate is 98.2 per cent while the positivity rate is 4.3 per cent, the bulletin said.
A total of 2,62,273 samples have so far been tested for COVID-19. (PTI)
Madhya Pradesh reported six new coronavirus infections on Wednesday but no deaths.
The caseload in the state rose to 7,92,878, said a health department official.
The death toll remained unchanged at 10,524.
The recovery count stood at 7,82,234, leaving the state with 120 active cases. Seven patients recovered during the day.
With 52,161 samples being examined during the day, the number of coronavirus tests conducted in MP went up to 2,04,47,842.
As many as 1,30, 907 doses of coronavirus vaccines were administered during the day, taking the total to 7,13,14,137.
Coronavirus figures of MP are as follows: Total cases 7,92,878, New cases six, Death toll 10,524 (no change), Recovered 7,82,234, Active cases 120, Number of tests conducted so far 2,04,47,842. (PTI)
Glad to see one more vaccine, Covaxin, being granted WHO emergency use listing. The more products we have to fight COVID-19, the better: WHO DG Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (ANI)
With this, the whole world opens up for us, for sending this vaccine. Now that we have administered a large number of vaccine doses, we will be able to send this absolutely indigenous vaccine to the rest of the world: ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava on WHO’s EUL to Covaxin (ANI)
With validation from WHO, countries can now expedite their regulatory approval processes to import & administer Covaxin. UNICEF, Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), GAVI COVAX facility, will be able to procure Covaxin for distribution to countries worldwide: Bharat Biotech (ANI)
Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech on Wednesday said the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved the extension of shelf life of its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin up to 12 months from the date of manufacture.
Bharat Biotech was initially given permission for the sale and distribution of Covaxin with a shelf life of six months, which was later extended to nine months, a company spokesperson told PTI. | Read More
Kerala’s Covid tally rises to 49,87,710 with 7,312 fresh cases, 362 more fatalities push death toll to 32,598; number of active cases stands at 73,083: State govt (PTI)
In a major development, the WHO on Wednesday said it has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin. This comes after the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), an independent advisory committee of WHO recommended EUL status for Covaxin.
“WHO has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to #COVAXIN (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of COVID-19,” the global health body said in a tweet. | Read More
WHO today granted for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) of Made-in-India Covaxin. On this occasion, I congratulate scientists of ICMR and Bharat Biotech (the manufacturer of Covaxin): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya (ANI)
The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday asked Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to undertake a review of rising COVID-19 cases and weekly positivity rates, and enhance testing. In letters to the Himachal Pradesh health secretary, Andhra Pradesh principal secretary of health and the Jammu and Kashmir additional chief secretary of health, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry, Arti Ahuja highlighted the increase in weekly new Covid cases since last week (October 26-November 1) and early signs of rise in positivity rates since the past four weeks till October 31. Ahuja also stressed on strict enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially during festivities. Previously on October 30, Ahuja had written to West Bengal and Assam, expressing concerns over the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the states. – PTI
In a major development, the WHO on Wednesday said it has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin. This comes after the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), an independent advisory committee of WHO recommended EUL status for Covaxin. “WHO has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to #COVAXIN (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of COVID-19,” the global health body said in a tweet. Dr Poonam Khetarpal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South East Asia, in a tweet, said, “Congratulations India for Emergency Use Listing of its indigenously produced COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.” “The Technical Advisory Group of WHO has recommended Emergency Use Listing status for Covaxin,” a source told PTI before the WHO announcement. The TAG on October 26 had sought “additional clarifications” from the company for Covaxin to conduct a final “risk-benefit assessment” for Emergency Use Listing of the vaccine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the G20 summit recently. The TAG-EUL is an independent advisory group that provides recommendations to WHO on whether a COVID-19 vaccine can be listed for emergency use under the EUL procedure. – PTI
International travel to Spain is recovering fast and could allow the tourism-dependent nation to reach pre-pandemic foreign visitor levels by 2022, the government said on Wednesday after data showed a sharp rise in September arrivals.The number of foreign tourists visiting Spain more than quadrupled in September from a year ago to nearly 4.7 million, data from the National Statistics Office showed, as widespread vaccination and looser travel restrictions enticed back more visitors.”These data confirm a reactivation of international tourism is underway and that in 2022 we could recover pre-pandemic levels,” Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said in a statement.Maroto cited Spain’s natural tourist attractions and its high level of vaccination – around 80% of the population – as driving forces behind the recovery.She had said in the past foreign tourism would be half pre-pandemic level in 2021 up from less than 20% in 2020.Unlike Italy and France, Spain does not require proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter restaurants or bars, meaning unvaccinated visitors can enjoy their holiday without taking tests every few days. – Reuters
Ukraine is battling record COVID-19 deaths and low vaccine uptake but the spa town of Morshyn is an exception.In Morshyn, 74% of 3,439 adult residents are double vaccinated, more than triple the national average, and currently only three people have been hospitalised with COVID-19.The town, which gives its name to a popular mineral water brand, has come to national attention at a time when hospitals in Ukrainian cities are filling up with COVID-19 patients and the country had to import medical oxygen from Poland.Located in the Carpathian foothills, Morshyn’s economy is dependent on tourists visiting its hotels and sanatoriums and was hit badly by the first wave of lockdowns last year, Mayor Ruslan Ilnytsky told Reuters.In a bid to avoid more economic losses, he lobbied the national government to provide the town with enough vaccines to inoculate all residents and the local authorities launched a campaign urging people to get vaccinated.”Since Morshyn is a small town, we could watch each other and see if there would be any side effects of the vaccine,” Ilnytsky said.”There were no negative consequences,” he said. – Reuters
The United States is set to begin giving COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 5 to 11 as soon as Wednesday, with roughly 28 million school-age kids now eligible for the shots that provide protection against the illness.On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE shot for broad use in that age group after a panel of outside advisers voted in favor of it.While about 58% of Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, children under 12 have not yet been eligible for shots. The Delta variant of the virus has led to thousands of children being hospitalized and they make up 25% of U.S. cases.The vaccine, shown to be more than 90% effective at preventing symptomatic infection in children, offers an avenue for fewer quarantines or school closures and more freedoms. – Reuters
The Technical Advisory Group (TAG), an independent advisory committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has recommended Emergency Use Listing (EUL) status for Bharat Biotech COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, sources in the know of the development said. The WHO is in the process of evaluating Covaxin’s clinical trial data for use of EUL. The TAG on October 26 had sought “additional clarifications” from the company for Covaxin to conduct a final “risk-benefit assessment” for Emergency Use Listing of the vaccine. – PTI
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday launched a Rs 196.91 crore incentive scheme here for over a lakh healthcare personnel for their services during the COVID-19 second wave. Marking the rollout of the scheme, Stalin gave away cheques to 13 personnel at the Secretariat in the Fort St George premises here. The 1,05,168 beneficiaries comprise 24,908 medical officers, 26,615 nurses, 6,791 sanitary inspectors, 8,658 village nurses, 6,083 laboratory technicians and 32,113 other healthcare workers, an official release here said. The incentive varies from one category to another and it includes incentives of Rs 15,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000, an official said. A government order was issued on October 26, 2021 for the incentive initiative. In May, Stalin had announced the scheme for healthcare workers who had served from April to June 2021, during the second wave of the pandemic. Stalin assumed office as Chief Minister on May 7 this year. PTI
No COVID vaccination will take place at centres of State Govt and BMC in Mumbai between Nov 4 and Nov 7 owing to #Diwali festivities. The vaccination will begin again on Nov 8: BMC (ANI)
Eight more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Ladakh, taking the tally to 20,979, while the number of active cases in the Union Territory reached 81, officials said on Wednesday. Ladakh has registered 208 coronavirus-related deaths — 150 in Leh and 58 in Kargil — since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. No new Covid-linked fatality has been reported in Ladakh, the officials said. Three coronavirus patients in Leh were discharged from hospital, bringing the recovery count to 20,690, they said. All of the fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Leh, while 475 samples in Ladakh tested negative for the disease, the officials said. (PTI)
CDSCO( Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) has approved extension of self life of Covaxin up to 12 months, from date of manufacture. This approval is based on the availability of additional stability data, which was submitted to CDSCO: Bharat Biotech (ANI)
Russia’s daily COVID-19 death toll rose to a record high of 1,189 on Wednesday amid a surge in cases that has forced officials to impose a nationwide workplace shutdown. The government coronavirus task force also reported 40,443 new infections in the last 24 hours, including 6,827 in Moscow. (Reuters)
Several hundred people blocked traffic in the centre of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Wednesday in a protest against coronavirus restrictions and mandatory vaccinations, which the government introduced to curb new infections. Ukraine has registered record high rates of new cases and deaths from the coronavirus in recent weeks, and its total number of infections almost reaching 3 million with 69,447 deaths. Vaccines have become mandatory for some state workers, and in “red” zone areas including Kyiv, only vaccinated people or those with negative COVID test results are allowed into restaurants, gyms and on public transport. Protesters, many of them young people, held up posters with messages such as “Say no to COVID passports”, “Protect our children” and “Say no to COVID genocide”. Ukraine lagged behind other European countries in obtaining coronavirus vaccines this year and is now struggling to persuade a sceptical public to take them. “Such rallies of people that we see today, with calls not to get vaccinated, in my opinion, make a mockery of our doctors and families, who, unfortunately, have lost their relatives due to the coronavirus,” Ukrainian health minister Viktor Lyashko told a televised news conference. (Reuters)
Hong Kong will roll out booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines from next week, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said on Wednesday, as authorities ramp up efforts to convince Beijing to allow crossborder travel to mainland China. The vaccination campaign in the global financial hub has lagged many other developed economies, with about 65% of the eligible population fully vaccinated with shots from either China’s Sinovac, or Germany’s BioNTech. About 85% of those older than 80 in the Chinese-ruled city of 7.5 million have not been vaccinated. The elderly will get priority for the booster shots, along with health workers, cross-border truck drivers and others in categories deemed to be at higher risk of getting the disease. About 1.86 million people are eligible for the booster, which they can start booking from Nov. 5, to receive it as soon as Nov. 11. “The elderly are the most fragile group and we have a responsibility to protect their health,” Chan said. (Reuters)
Slovakia reported 5,361 new COVID-19 cases through standard PCR testing, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, its second-highest daily tally since the pandemic started. The ministry said 69% of the new cases were among the unvaccinated. The country has one of the European Union’s lowest vaccination rates, with just 52.9% of the adult population fully vaccinated. (Reuters)
Ensure 1st dose for unvaccinated people, but give equal attention to 2nd dose: PM tells officials of districts with low vaccination coverage. (PTI)
So far you’ve been working to take people to vaccination centres, now it’s time to reach every house for door-to-door vaccine: PM. (PTI)
Progress made so far is due to your hard work. Every member of admn, ASHA workers worked a lot, walked for miles & took vaccination to remote locations. But if we become lax after 1 Billion, a new crisis can come: PM at review meet with districts where COVID vaccination could pick pace (ANI)
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday that local government officials will be punished for falling behind their targets for COVID-19 vaccinations as the country seeks to open up the economy. The Philippines, which has one of Asia’s worst coronavirus epidemics, has so far fully immunised a little over a third of 77 million people eligible for shots. Duterte said there was no reason why daily vaccinations could not be ramped up to at least a million from an average of 500,000 since the country has sufficient stock of vaccines. “We saw fault lines in the overall picture of our vaccination programme. I am not contented,” Duterte said in a recorded address aired on Wednesday. Duterte said local officials “who are not performing nor using the doses given to them in a most expeditious manner” would be sanctioned and made accountable. He did not spell out the penalties. (Reuters)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday is holding a review meeting with district magistrates of over 40 districts having low COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The meeting, being held via video conferencing, includes districts with less than 50 per cent coverage of the first dose and low coverage of the second dose of vaccine. The 40 districts are spread across Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Meghalaya, among other states, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. Prime Minister Modi is holding the meeting immediately upon his return from abroad after attending the G20 and COP26 meetings. Highlighting the need to accelerate the pace and coverage of vaccination, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had recently said that there are more than 10.34 crore people in the country who have not taken the second dose of vaccine after the expiry of the prescribed interval. (PTI)
COVID has reduced, people are visiting markets during Diwali festival, but, we’re seeing images of people not wearing masks. I appeal to all to wear face masks. Dengue cases are also rising. By removing all sources of stagnant water, we can prevent dengue: Delhi CM (ANI)
Scientists have identified and tested an antibody that limits the severity of infections from a variety of coronaviruses, including those that cause COVID-19 as well as the SARS illness. The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on Tuesday, isolated the antibody by analysing blood from a patient who had been infected with the SARS-CoV-1 virus, which caused the SARS outbreak, and from a current COVID-19 patient. “This antibody has the potential to be a therapeutic for the current epidemic,” said study co-senior author Barton Haynes, director of Duke University Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI), US. “It could also be available for future outbreaks, if or when other coronaviruses jump from their natural animal hosts to humans,” Haynes said. The researchers identified over 1,700 antibodies, which the immune system produces to bind at specific sites on specific viruses to block the pathogen from infecting cells. When viruses mutate, many binding cites are altered or eliminated, leaving antibodies ineffectual, they said. However, the researchers noted that there are often sites on the virus that remain unchanged despite mutations. They focused on antibodies that target these sites because of their potential to be highly effective across different lineages of a virus. Of the 1,700 antibodies from the two individuals, the researchers found 50 antibodies that had the ability to bind to both the SARS-CoV-1 virus as well as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. (PTI)