Tag: AstraZeneca

Maha, Punjab Tighten Covid-19 Curbs; India Records Biggest Surge in Cases in 4 Months

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Maharashtra and Punjab, which are recording a surge in new COVID-19 cases, tightened curbs on Friday and the chief minister of the western state said lockdown is an option, as India added close to 40,000 cases in the biggest daily increase in nearly four months. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, meanwhile, told Parliament that the COVID-19 vaccination drive will be extended in the coming days, and asserted there should not be any misconceptions about the two Indian vaccines being administered inthe country. He also said it is not necessary, scientifically, to administer the vaccine to each and every person in the country.

The Maharashtra government issued a notification asking drama halls/auditoriums to operate only at 50 per cent of their capacity till March 31, and warned they will have to remain closed for a period until the pandemic stays notified as a disaster by the Centre if there is any violation. Private offices, except those related to health and other essential services, have been asked to function only at 50 per cent of their capacity, it said.

A day after Maharashtra witnessed the highest one-day spike of 25,833 COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said lockdown is an option but he trusts people to follow the norms on their own. On Friday, the state recorded 25,681 cases, a health official said, adding Mumbai reported the highest spike of 3,062 new infections. Talking to reporters in Nandurbar, Thackeray also appealed to people to get vaccinated against the virus without fear.

The chief minister acknowledged that the COVID-19 situation has become grimmer as the number of new cases on Thursday crossed the earlier highest rise which was recorded in September. “I see lockdown as an option going ahead. But I trust people of the state to cooperate (and follow the COVID-19 norms voluntarily) like the last time.” After a review meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered a slew of restrictions beginning Saturday which included closing of all educational institutions till the month-end and curbs on cinema and mall capacities.

States likeMaharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Chhattisgarhare reporting a surge in the daily COVID-19 cases, accounting for over 80 per cent of the new infections, the Union Health Ministry said. Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 25,833 which is 65 per cent of daily cases. It is followed by Punjab with 2,369 while Kerala reported 1,899 new cases, the ministry said in its morning update. The new cases in Punjab rose by 2,490 on Friday, according to a state medical bulletin.

According to the ministry data updated on Friday. India reported 39,726 new coronavirus infections in a day, the highest single-day rise recorded so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,15,14,331. The daily rise was the highest recorded in 110 days, while the death toll increased to 1,59,370 with 154 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. As many as 41,810 new infections were registered during a 24-hour period on November 29 last.

Registering an increase for the ninth day in a row, the total active caseload has reached 2,71,282, which now comprises 2.36 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 96.26 per cent, the data stated. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,10,83,679, while the case fatality rate has further to 1.38 per cent, it said.

Eight states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryanaare showing an upward trajectory in daily new cases. The notification issued by the Maharashtra government said that in case of government and semi-government offices, the head of the office will take a decision regarding the staff attendance and ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

As per the notification, drama halls and auditoriums will not be used for religious, political, cultural and social gatherings. On March 15, the state government had notified that cinema halls, hotels, restaurants and offices, except those related to health and essential services, will function at 50 per cent of their capacity.

But the Friday’s order has included drama halls and auditoriums as well. The order, however, allowed the manufacturing sector to function at full capacity, but advised that the workforce be reduced to ensure adequate social distancing on the production floor.

For the purpose of maintaining social distancing, manufacturing units may be allowed to increase working shifts as approved by local authorities. to check COVID surge. In the 11 worst-hit districts in Punjab, a complete ban has been ordered on all social gatherings, except for funerals and weddings, which will be allowed with only 20 persons in attendance. This will be enforced from Sunday.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh appealed to people to keep social activity at their homes to the bare minimum for the next two weeks to break the transmission chain, according to an official statement released in Chandigarh. Not more than 10 visitors should be entertained in homes, he urged chairing a meeting of the COVID task force.

“All educational institutions, other than medical and nursing colleges, will remain closed till March 31,” the official statement said. The chief minister also ordered compulsory wearing of face mask, directing police and the health authorities to take all those found in public areas without it to the nearest testing facility to ensure they are not asymptomatic cases.

The situation will be reviewed after two weeks, he said. Dr K K Talwar, who heads the state government’s expert team on coronavirus, told the chief minister that the surge in cases appeared to be the result of the opening of schools and colleges, with young asymptomatic people appearing to be spreading the virus.

During the Question Hour in Lok Sabha, Vardhan said India has vaccinated 3.5 to 4 crore people so far and side effects of the vaccines have been recorded at 0.000432 per cent. “Every vaccine doesn’t require universal immunisation and all these priority groups whom we are vaccinating today like healthcare staff first and then senior citizens and people aged between 45 and 59 years, it will be extended in the coming days all these are based on experts’ opinion.

“Not only Indian experts, but we have also consulted WHO guidelines regarding priority groups.” Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin have been currently approved for restricted emergency use in India. Replying to a question by NCP MP Supriya Sule on whether the government is aiming at universal immunisation of COVID-19 vaccine, Vardhan said it is not scientifically necessary to administer the vaccine to each and every person in the country.

“Not each and every person in the world will be vaccinated. The prioritisation process is a dynamic process. “The behaviour of the virus is also dynamic. All things are based on scientific facts, scrutiny and vision of the overall scientific and health community,” he said.

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Coronavirus live upates | Centre’s move to stop vaccine exports might affect U.K.: Adar Poonawalla

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Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab together account for 76.4% of active COVID-19 cases currently, with Maharashtra alone contributing nearly 60%, said data released by the Health Ministry on Wednesday.

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

Karnataka

Three new COVID-19 clusters emerge in Yelahanka zone in Bengaluru

Three new clusters have been detected in Yelahanka zone, taking the total number of active clusters to five. However, contact tracing is proving to be a nightmare as one family visited a temple despite being asked to remain in home isolation.

Among the new clusters, seven residents of an apartment in Vidyaranyapura ward have tested positive for COVID-19. The first positive case was detected on March 8 after a person returned from Kerala and developed symptoms. As a precautionary measure, BBMP health officials had advised other residents to stay indoors, even though they all initially tested negative.

However, one family went to ISKCON temple on March 9. The four family members developed symptoms on March 14 and tested positive the next day. On March 17, two more residents tested positive.

“We have intimated our counterparts in West zone. They will have to inform ISKCON authorities. It is very difficult to trace the secondary contacts, who may have visited the temple the same day as the family,” a health officer said.

Maharashtra

‘Rising cases may lead RBI to delay liquidity normalisation’

India’s central bank may have to delay the start of monetary policy normalisation by three months amid rising COVID-19 cases, but barring the return of stringent lockdowns there is no significant threat to the economy’s recovery, analysts say.

Having seen a peak of daily cases of almost 1,00,000 in late September, infections had been on a steady decline but have now started rising again over the last month.

“Even as the increase in the current caseload points to the risk of a second wave, more localised and less stringent restrictions will help contain the economic impact versus the initial wave,” said Radhika Rao, an economist with DBS Bank.

DBS has retained its assumptions for a stronger pick-up in March quarter growth versus the December 2020 quarter.

Karnataka

Karnataka govt. hospitals to ready 1,000 beds soon

With a second wave of COVID-19 outbreak imminent and three more clusters detected in Bengaluru on Thursday, the Karnataka government is gearing up to keep hospitals equipped.

As many as 1,000 COVID-19 beds will be readied in government hospitals and government medical colleges in the next 15 days, Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said.

Addressing presspersons on Thursday after a meeting with senior health officials and heads of government hospitals and medical colleges, the Minister said he had asked all hospitals to keep beds ready on a mission mode. This apart, nearly 1,000 beds would also become functional from Monday in three COVID-19 care centres being set up in Bengaluru.

Gujarat

Amid rise in cases, Gujarat imposes additional curbs

The Gujarat government on Thursday imposed additional restrictions, including shutting down of schools and colleges, cancelling exams scheduled for college students and also shutting down malls/ shopping plazas and multiplexes on the weekends amidst rising COVID-19 cases in the second wave.

The State on Thursday recorded 1,276 cases and three deaths as the second wave of pandemic has struck, with alarming numbers of new infections in cities like Ahmedabad and Surat.

In Ahmedabad and Surat, the civic bodies have also increased the timing of night curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. while public transport bus services have been halted and all public parks, gardens and gyms have been shut in order to prevent people from gathering as the infection is surging.

New Delhi

Over 3.89 cr. vaccine doses administered so far: Centre

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 3.89 crore on Thursday, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.

A total of 3,89,20,259 vaccine doses have been given, as per the provisional report till 7 p.m. on Thursday.

They include 76,19,786 to Health Care Workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 46,92,962 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 78,11,126 Frontline Workers (FLWs) (first dose), 21,50,198 FLWs (second dose), 1,39,18,245 beneficiaries more than 60 years old and 27,27,942 beneficiaries aged 45 and above with specific co-morbidities.

A total of 17,83,303 vaccine doses have been given till 7 p.m. on Thursday, the 62nd day of nation-wide vaccination.

Tamil Nadu

Govt. hospitals get ready for surge in cases

With the number of fresh COVID-19 infections steadily rising in the city, the government hospitals are in a state of preparedness.

The infrastructure created was in place and the hospitals are gearing up to add more facilities and manpower in case of a surge.

The major government medical college hospitals set up exclusive COVID-19 facilities last year. As the number of fresh cases started to decline, the hospitals resumed their regular activities such as elective surgeries and outpatient services since October 2020.

In the last 10 days, the number of cases had been rising in Chennai. However, hospital authorities said the treatment facilities were intact.

The Netherlands

EU drug regulator backs AstraZeneca vaccine after safety investigation

The EU’s drug watchdog said on March 18 it is still convinced the benefits of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the risks following an investigation into reports of blood disorders that prompted more than a dozen nations to suspend its use.

The news came as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) director Emer Cooke said the agency could not definitively rule out a link to blood clot incidents and the vaccine in its investigation into 30 cases of a rare blood clotting condition. It will however update its guidance to include an explanation about the potential risks for doctors and the public, she said.

The agency has been under growing pressure to clear up safety concerns after a small number of reports in recent weeks of bleeding, blood clots and low platelet counts in people who have received the shot.

Telangana

File status report on COVID-19 measures by April 6, HC tells Telangana

Telangana High Court on Thursday sought to know what steps had the State government taken to keep a tab on incidence of COVID-19 in the recently opened schools and colleges.

Observing that these places witness huge gatherings in classes and students would be appearing for exams in coming days, a bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy said that it was imperative that the State focused on this aspect. “We keep hearing that second wave of coronavirus had hit many countries and we don’t want our State to go that way,” the bench noted.

The Bench wanted to know what measures the State government had initiated to screen passengers entering Telangana from neighbouring States of Maharashtra and Karnataka which witnessed a spike in COVID-19 cases. Those entering the State through bus stations, railway stations and airport were having the potential to spread the virus.

Karnataka

Centre says no to vaccination points in old age homes, care facilities

The Centre has ruled out the possibility of COVID-19 vaccination centres (CVCs) in old age homes and long-term care facilities, as CVCs have to meet certain requirements to provide safe vaccination. This has irked authorities of old age homes and other long-term care facilities.

The Centre’s “No” follows a request from Karnataka seeking permission to set up CVCs beyond health facilities (such as old age homes, long-term care facilities, apartment complexes and identified polling booths) to ramp up vaccination coverage among the elderly.

In a letter dated March 17 addressed to Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Vandana Gurnani, Union Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), has said that CVCs should have adequate space for vaccination, adequate cold chain arrangements for vaccine storage, arrangements for management of Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI).

“These facilities would then also need to be registered on CoWIN to enable session planning, reporting of AEFI and allocation of vaccines. Based on the analysis done from Co-WIN, it is observed that out of 460 private health facilities empanelled under Ayushman Bharat – Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) in the State, only 55 are registered on Co-WIN,” the letter stated.

France

France announces soft new virus restrictions in Paris region

The French government backed off from ordering a tough lockdown for Paris and several other regions despite an increasingly alarming situation at hospitals with a rise in the numbers of COVID-19 patients.

Instead, the Prime Minister on March 18 announced a patchwork of new restrictions while reducing the national curfew by one hour.

Getting large doses of fresh air is being encouraged, meaning that people living in the Paris region and in the north of the country can walk as long as they like in a day, but within a 10-kilometre (6-mile) radius of their homes and with a paper authorising the stroll.

Stores, however, will feel the pinch with all non-essential outlets — but not bookshops — closing down. And travel between regions is forbidden without a compelling reason.

Maharashtra

Centre’s move to stop vaccine exports might affect United Kingdom

With India, and particularly Maharashtra, witnessing a renewed surge in COVID-19 cases, the United Kingdom’s vaccination programme could hit a roadblock as the Indian government is temporarily staying exports to address the increased domestic vaccination demands.

Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Serum Institute of India (SII) which is manufacturing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, told the UK’s Telegraph newspaper that the situation was solely dependent on the Indian government and had nothing to do with the SII.

“It is solely dependent on India and it has nothing to do with the SII. It is to do with the Indian government allowing more doses to the U.K.,” Mr. Poonawalla told The Telegraph.

According to the paper, Mr. Poonawalla confirmed that five million doses of the Oxford vaccine had already been delivered to the U.K. early this month.

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Amid AstraZeneca Concerns, WHO Official Calls Blood Clots ‘Very Rare’

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A nurse prepares to administer a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a health care centre. (Image: AP)

A nurse prepares to administer a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a health care centre. (Image: AP)

The current benefit-risk assessment from the European Medicines Agency and WHO is for countries to continue giving people AstraZeneca shots, WHO said.

  • PTI
  • Last Updated:March 17, 2021, 22:32 IST
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A top World Health Organisation expert on vaccines says people should feel reassured that even if health authorities turn up a link between blood clots and the AstraZeneca vaccine, such cases are very rare. Dr Kate O’Brien, who heads WHO’s department of immunisations and vaccines, said the UN health agency and the European Medicines Agency are trying to investigate the possibility of a link between blood clots and the AstraZeneca shots. The potential side effect has prompted some countries — mostly in Europe — to temporarily suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. A WHO committee on vaccines is looking into the issue. I think the reassurance to the public is that regardless of whether or not the committee ultimately assesses that there may be an association between these events and the vaccine, that in any event, these are very rare events, O’Brien said during a Wednesday news conference.

The current benefit-risk assessment from the European Medicines Agency and WHO is for countries to continue giving people AstraZeneca shots, she said. Both WHO and EMA are expected to present updated recommendations on Wednesday or Thursday. O’Brien said in general vaccine recommendations are dynamic, and are reviewed over days, months, and years. She noted that blood clots occur regularly in the population.

What we don’t know is whether or not that experience would be related to having been vaccinated, she said. The important point is that if anybody is having symptoms, any serious medical symptoms, regardless of whether you’ve been vaccinated or not vaccinated, it’s important to seek medical care for the presence of those symptoms. The comments came at a news conference detailing how a WHO expert panel on vaccines recommended use of Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose COVID-19 vaccine, which has already been granted an emergency use authorisation from the UN agency. Dr Annelies Wilder-Smith, a technical adviser to the expert panel, noted that studies on the J&J vaccine involving some 42,000 people turned up 10 cases of blood clotting in the placebo group — slightly more than half of all participants — and 14 cases among those who were administered the vaccine. She called that difference not statistically significant.

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Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Not Exporting Vaccines at Expense of Indians, Says Health Min on Cong Charge

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The suspensions were not limited to Europe, with Indonesia also announcing a delay to its rollout of the jab, which is cheaper than its competitors and was billed as the vaccination of choice for poorer nations. But the WHO insisted countries should keep using the vaccine, adding that it had scheduled a meeting of its experts on Tuesday to discuss the vaccine’s safety. “We do not want people to panic and we would, for the time being, recommend that countries continue vaccinating with AstraZeneca,” WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said. “So far, we do not find an association between these events and the vaccine,” she said, referring to reports of blood clots from several countries.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which is holding a special meeting on Thursday, echoed the WHO’s calls for calm and said it was better to get the vaccine than not. “The benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects,” the agency said in a statement Monday. The UK has doled out more than 11 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab — more than the entire EU — apparently without major problems.

As policymakers struggled to manage vaccine rollouts, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas announced she had tested positive — underlining the continuing threat of the contagion. She tweeted that she would continue to work virtually and the government added that she had “a low fever but no other symptoms and is generally feeling well”.

Italy provided another reminder that the pandemic was far from over — most of the country re-entered lockdown on Monday with schools, restaurants, shops and museums closed. The streets of central Rome were quiet on Monday morning and businesses already battered by a year of anti-virus measures braced for another hit. “I’m staying open because I’m selling cigarettes, otherwise it would not be worth it,” said Rome coffee shop owner Carlo Lucia. “It’s just a waste of money.”

Meanwhile, intensive care doctors in Germany issued an urgent appeal for new restrictions to avoid a third wave as the British variant takes hold there.

More than 350 million vaccines have now been administered globally, but poorer countries are still lagging far behind. Brazil, which has suffered one of the world’s worst outbreaks, is attempting to redress the balance, announcing the order of more than 138 million jabs on Monday.

The European Union has approved four jabs so far, and is monitoring others — including Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. The Russian developers said on Monday they had reached production agreements in key European countries.

The news came as the WHO said it had raised nearly $250 million in the past year from individual donors and companies towards battling the pandemic. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the fund’s success proved “what we can accomplish together in times of need”.

More than a year after his organisation declared the coronavirus threat a pandemic, a much-anticipated report on the origins of Covid-19 is expected to be released this week.

The report follows a fact-finding mission of international experts assembled by the WHO, which travelled in January to the Chinese city of Wuhan where the virus first emerged in December 2019.

“Within the next few years, we’re going to have real significant data on where this came from and how it emerged,” said British zoologist Peter Daszak, one of the team members.

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Germany, France, Italy Suspend Use of AstraZeneca Vaccine Amid Blood Clot Reports

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Germany, France and Italy on Monday became the latest countries to suspend use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine over reports of dangerous blood clots in some recipients, though the company and European regulators have said there is no evidence the shot is to blame.

ALSO READ: No Evidence Of Increased Blood Clot Risk From Vaccine, Says AstraZeneca

Germany’s health minister said the decision was taken on the advice of the country’s vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation into seven reported cases of clots in the brains of people who had been vaccinated.

“Today’s decision is a purely precautionary measure,” Jens Spahn said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would likewise suspend shots at least until Tuesday afternoon, when the European Union’s drug regulatory agency will weigh in on the vaccine. He said France hopes to resume using the formula soon.

Italy’s medicines regulator also announced a precautionary, temporary ban.

AstraZeneca said on its website that there have been 37 reports of blood clots out of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the 27-country European Union and Britain. The drugmaker said there is no evidence the vaccine carries an increased risk of clots.

In fact, it said the incidence of clots is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar to that of other licensed COVID-19 vaccines.

The European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization have also said that the data does not suggest the vaccine caused the clots and that people should continue to be immunized.

The AstraZeneca shot has become a key tool in European countries’ efforts to vaccinate their citizens against COVID-19. But Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines are also used on the continent, and Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine has been authorized but not yet delivered.

In the US, which relies on the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, AstraZeneca is expected to apply any day now for authorization.

Blood clots can travel through the body and cause heart attacks, strokes and deadly blockages in the lungs. AstraZeneca reported 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis, or a type of clot that often develops in the legs, and 22 instances of pulmonary embolisms, or clots in the lungs.

Denmark last week became the first country to temporarily halt use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in recent days to investigate. It said one person developed clots and died 10 days after receiving at least one dose. The other countries include Ireland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Congo and Bulgaria.

Last week, Germany and France were among the nations that stuck by the shot, while Italy suspended only a specific batch of the vaccine. Britain is standing by AstraZeneca’s vaccine for now.

Spahn, the German health minister, said of the decision to suspend the AstraZeneca shot: “The most important thing for confidence is transparency.” He said both first and second doses of the vaccine would be affected by the suspension.

German authorities have encouraged anyone who feels increasingly ill more than four days after receiving the shot — for example, with persistent headaches or dot-shaped bruises — to seek medical attention.

Germany has received slightly over 3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Spahn said about 1.6 million doses of the shot have so far been administered in the country.



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Coronavirus updates | March 14, 2021

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India reported its biggest daily rise this year of 25,320 Covid-19 cases on Sunday. This is the fourth day that cases have consistently risen over 20,000 infections. Until March, only twice had cases crossed 20,000 in January.

So far India has reported 11.36 million cases of which 2,07,703 cases are active infections.

The rise in infections were led by the Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh who accounted for 87.73% of new cases. Maharashtra accounted for the highest number of cases at 15,602.

India’s Covid deaths increased by 161 to 158,607 over the last 24 hours, a notable spike considering an average of about a 100 daily deaths since February.

Close to 30 million vaccine doses have been administered since the beginning of the drive on January 16 with around 1.5 million of those given between Saturday and Sunday morning, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health. About 1.4 million of those doses were administered in the last 24 hours.

The maximum deaths were also recorded in the States with the rising caseload with Maharashtra registering 88 fatalities followed by Punjab with 22 deaths and Kerala with 12 deaths.

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

Chhattisgarh

C’garh govt plans to allow use of Covaxin in state: Minister

The Chhattisgarh government is considering allowing the use of Covaxin, a vaccine against COVID-19, in the state after the Centre dropped its ‘clinical trial mode’ tag, state Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo said on Sunday.

In January, Mr. Singh Deo had requested Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to halt the supply of Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech, to the state until its phase-3 trials are completed and results are made available.

The Serum Institute of India (SII)-made vaccine Covishield is being used in the state as part of the vaccination drive.

Talking to PTI, Singh Deo said, “We are considering allowing Covaxin for those who wish to opt for it after the Government of India dropped the vaccine from clinical trial mode, even though the complete data of its third phase of trials is yet to be published.” The data (of phase-2 trials) of Covaxin published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal has indicated that its safety is not in question so now the only question pending is about its efficacy, he said.

Telangana

Telangana staying alert as cases surge in neighbouring States

Telangana Health teams in districts bordering neighbouring States are taking COVID-19 sample collection kits to people’s doorstep. Other measures such as fever survey and home isolation are being enforced to contain the resurgence of the virus.

District Medical and Health Officers (DMHO) in Kamareddy, Adilabad, and other districts said they have set up check posts, and are sending medical teams to villages as well as testing contacts of coronavirus-positive patients.

Health Minister Eatala Rajender directed officials on Friday to stay alert as COVID cases are seeing a spurt in neighbouring States.

Health officials use ICU admission of COVID-19 patients as a yardstick to measure the resurgence. ICU admissions in government and private hospitals has been hovering between 340 and 360 a day from March 1 to 12.

New Delhi

JNU to reopen reading rooms, eating joints

As part of phased reopening, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Saturday said that reading rooms at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Central Library and in various centres and schools, and two of the eating joints on the campus will be permitted to reopen.

A notification dated March 12 issued by the university administration read, “The reopening of ground floor reading rooms inside the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Central Library is allowed in a phased manner. Librarian may devise standard operating preventive (SOP) measures such as mandatory wearing of the face mask and maintaining social distancing norms on library premises.”

“NSS student volunteers may be engaged to create awareness in the campus, including library premises for maintaining social distancing and wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the university campus,” the notice added.

Odisha

Odisha may promote students to next class

With the number of COVID-19 cases showing an upward trend in some parts of the country, the Odisha government is contemplating promoting all students from Classes 1 to 8 to the next higher classes this year.

If promoted, it will be the second consecutive class promotions for students without physically appearing for their examinations.

Last year, the State government had shut down schools due to the pandemic while the students were in the middle of the examinations.

School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das expressed apprehension that there is remote chance of conducting physical classes for Classes 1 to 8 this year in view of the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country.

New Delhi

Delhi CM gives ₹1-crore compensation to family of deceased ‘corona warrior’

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday provided financial assistance of ₹1 crore to the family of COVID warrior Rakesh Jain, a lab technician at Hindu Rao Hospital.

Jain, who would have retired in 2022, contracted COVID-19 on June 17 last year and succumbed to it the next day. Mr. Kejriwal commended Jain for continuing to serve the people till his last breath.

“Mr. Jain got infected while on duty. He was shifted to Metro Hospital, but died later. He was a martyr who served the people of Delhi till his last breath,” Mr. Kejriwal said.

Mr. Jain was a resident of Delhi and had joined service in 1988. He is survived by his mother Madan Shri Jain, wife Sangeeta Jain and two children.

U.K.

India’s role as world’s pharmacy phenomenal, says U.K. Minister

The role that India has played during the course of the coronavirus pandemic as the pharmacy of the world has been phenomenal, U.K. Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad said as he prepared for a five-day, five-city tour of India starting on Monday.

Lord Ahmad, the Minister for South Asia in the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), highlighted the close collaboration between the two countries on ensuring supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, which benefits countries across the globe through the United Nations-led COVAX facility.

“Our relationship with India is not just one of bilateral importance, it’s also about how these two countries are working together and there’s no better illustration than the current COVID-19 pandemic which grips us. The strong collaboration we have seen between the U.K. and India in responding across the world, including through the COVAX facility which is helping the more vulnerable countries in the world,” he said.

Karnataka

‘Duo with new strain of virus doing well’

Two persons from Ballari who tested positive for the South African strain of COVID-19 on Thursday are doing well.

Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Ballari Pavan Kumar Malapati said that both the patients were healthy and doing well.

“This is just another strain of COVID-19. All the protocols meant for handling the pandemic are strictly followed. Both the patients are healthy and doing well. As soon as they got the confirmation of being infected with the new strain, they got isolated. We are going to send their throat swab samples for repeated test to get the negativity of the disease confirmed,” he said.

Karnataka

Surge in new cases not uniform

Even though the number of new COVID-19 infections in Karnataka last week showed an increase of 1,000 cases compared to the previous week, the surge does not appear to be uniform across the State.

While Bengaluru Urban accounted for 639 cases out of the increase of 1,000 cases in the State during the week ending March 11, according to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, 10 districts reported a decline in number of cases during the week compared to the previous week while the numbers remained constant in five others.

However, 15 out of the 30 districts in the State have shown an increase in the week-on-week COVID-19 tally amid signs of an unmistakable surge in infections across the State.

The cases have shown an upward trend in Tumakuru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Udupi, Kolar, Ballari, Dharwad, Bidar, Uttara Kannada, Bengaluru Rural, Bagalkot, Dakshina Kannada, Gadag, and Chikkmagaluru, apart from Bengaluru Urban.

Punjab

Punjab shuts all anganwadi centres due to rising cases

Punjab Minister Aruna Chaudhary on Saturday instructed that all anganwadi centres be closed till further orders in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the State.

The social security, women and child development minister said ration and other material will be distributed door to door through anganwadi workers and helpers, so that nutritional support to beneficiaries is not affected.

Thirty-four more fatalities due to COVID-19 were reported in Punjab on Friday, taking the death toll to 6,030, while the infection count climbed to 1,94,753 with 1,414 new coronavirus cases in the state.

New Delhi

Ambient air pollutants contribute to spread, virulence of SARS-CoV-2 infections, says Harsh Vardhan

There is emerging evidence to suggest that exposure to ambient air pollutants, especially PM2.5 and NO2, contribute to the spread and virulence SARS-CoV-2 infections, said Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday, while inaugurated the new green campus of Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), at Bhopal.

“Furthermore, ambient air pollution is a known risk factor for multiple adverse health outcomes, including chronic cardio-respiratory morbidities, and the presence of said morbidities renders the affected population more vulnerable to COVID-19,” said the Health Minister.

To worsen matters, he added, closed indoor spaces provide ideal environments for viral transmission due to the lack of ventilation preventing the dilution of viral particles, and the absence of ultraviolet rays which can potentially inactivate the virus.

 

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News18 Evening Digest: India to Review AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine and Other Top Stories

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After Blood Clot Concerns in Europe, India to Review AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine

The Centre will carry out a deeper review of post-vaccination side effects from the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine shot next week. This comes in the wake of Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Thailand temporarily halting vaccination with the drug, after isolated reports of recipients developing blood clots. LIVE UPDATES

Fire Breaks Out in Delhi-Dehradun Shatabdi Express, No Injuries Reported

Afire broke out in one of the bogies of the Delhi-Dehradun Shatabdi Express on Saturday, March 13, due to a short circuit, officials said. The mishap occurred in the C4 compartment of the train. All passengers were evacuated safely and injuries have been reported so far, said Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar. READ MORE

Slumdog Millionaire Actor Madhur Mittal Granted Interim Protection from Arrest in Sexual Assault Case

Slumgdog Millionaire actor Madhur Mittal, who was charged with sexually assaulting and battering his former girlfriend, has been granted interim protection from arrest by the Mumbai court. An FIR was filed against Mittal on February 23 at the Khar Police station, accusing him of sexually assaulting and battering his former girlfriend on February 13 at her Mumbai residence. READ MORE

WATCH: Washington Sundar & Jonny Bairstow Involved in Verbal Spat, Umpire Intervenes

Team India suffered a crushing defeat against England in the first T20I at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. On the day, nothing went India’s way — in batting, bowling, or even fielding. In fact, there was an on-field clash between Washington Sundar and Jonny Bairstow, that caught everyone’s attention. READ MORE

US Capitol Riot Prosecutors May Charge 400-plus People and Plea Deals May Come ‘Within Few Weeks’

The Justice Department is preparing some of the first guilty plea offers for people charged in the Capitol insurrection, as prosecutors grind through massive amounts of evidence, videos and tips against more than 400 possible defendants in an investigation called one of the “largest in American history.” READ MORE

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Infosys, Accenture to cover Covid-19 vaccination costs for Indian workers – Times of India

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BENGALURU: Information Technology major Infosys Ltd and consulting and outsourcing services provider Accenture Plc said on Wednesday they would cover Covid-19 vaccination costs for their employees in India, as the country expands its massive vaccination drive.
India’s vaccination campaign ramped up on Monday, with people above the age of 60, and individuals 45 or older suffering from certain medical conditions, now eligible for shots.
Coronavirus: Live updates
Vaccines administered at government health facilities will still be free, while private facilities cannot charge more than Rs 250 ($3.43) per dose, the government has said.
“Infosys is looking at partnering with health care providers to vaccinate employees and their immediate families as eligible,” chief operating officer Pravin Rao said in an emailed statement.
For Accenture, costs for employees and dependents who are eligible and choose to receive the vaccination will be covered, the company said.
So far, the government has procured the two Covid-19 vaccines approved in India – AstraZeneca‘s shot being developed by the Serum Institute, and local player Bharat Biotech‘s Covaxin – at fixed prices and distributed them free of cost.
Several Indian companies, including autos-to-technology conglomerate Mahindra Group and consumer goods giant ITC Ltd, had already started considering buying Covid-19 vaccines for their employees as early as in January.

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AstraZeneca Has Sold Its Stake in Moderna for More Than $1 Billion: Report

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AstraZeneca Plc has sold its 7.7% stake in Moderna Inc for more than $1 billion after the US biotechnology company’s shares soared on the back of its coronavirus vaccine breakthrough, The Times reported.

The report added that it was not clear over what period British-based AstraZeneca sold its holding in Moderna.

AstraZeneca and Moderna did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

AstraZeneca is retaining partnership with Moderna on other disease treatments and could sell its AstraZeneca/Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine on a commercial basis in future if the virus becomes endemic, the report added.

Moderna, whose vaccine is cleared for emergency use against COVID-19 in the United States, said last week it was expecting sales of $18.4 billion from its coronavirus vaccine this year.



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