Coronavirus cases in India hit a record daily high with over 4 lakh new infections being reported in the last 24 hours, while the active cases crossed the 32-lakh mark, as per health ministry data on Saturday. The infection tally rose to 1,91,64,969 with 4,01,993 new cases, while the death toll increased to 2,11,853 with 3,523 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
A forum of scientific advisers set up by the government warned Indian officials in early March of a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus taking hold in the country, five scientists who are part of the forum told Reuters.
The Serum Institute of India, which manufactures the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, is planning to start vaccine production in other countries as it struggles to meet supply commitments, its chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla said.
"Ambassador Daniel Smith, the director of the Foreign Service Institute who recently served as acting secretary of state and acting deputy secretary of state, will be departing for New Delhi to serve as Charge d'Affaires, ad interim," the US state department announced on Friday.
Google Doodle on Saturday urged people to get vaccinated and wear masks as Covid-19 cases continue to report a record surge in India and other countries. The alphabets 'G', 'O, 'O', 'G' doodlelized as citizens looked excited showing off their bandaids with 'E' caricatured as a health professional seen vaccinating 'L' who then raises up its arms to show the bandaid.
Paying tributes to ninth Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur on his 400th birth anniversary, PM Modi said on Saturday that he refused to bow to tyranny and injustice and his supreme sacrifice gives strength and motivation to many, as he visited Sis Ganj Gurudwara in Delhi to offer prayers. The gurudwara was built by Sikhs at the site where the ninth guru was beheaded by the Mughals in 1675.
At least 18 coronavirus patients died after a fire broke out at a hospital in Gujarat's Bharuch in the early hours on Saturday. Gut-wrenching visuals of the tragedy showed remains of some patients roasted alive on stretchers and beds. There were around 50 other patients at the four- storeyed Welfare Hospital when the fire broke out in the Covid-19 ward at 1 am. They were rescued by locals and firefighters, an official said.
As many as 80 Oxygen concentrators, 75 Oxygen cylinders and 20 high-flow Oxygen therapy equipment from Romania arrived in India early on Friday morning.
Rohit Sardana, senior journalist and one of the top anchors of Hindi news channel Aaj Tak passed away on Friday, according to people close to him. Rajdeep Sardesai took to twitter and wrote, "More terrible news friends. Well known Tv news anchor Rohit Sardana has passed away. Had a heart attack this morning. Deep condolences to his family. RIP."
"There should be free flow of information, we should hear voices of citizen," said a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, and asked the Centre, states and all DGPs not to take any action against anyone posting a shortage of oxygen, beds or doctors as spreading rumour.
The government has started importing the vital drug Remdesivir from other countries to ease its shortage in the country, the chemicals and fertilisers ministry said. The first consignment of 75,000 vials will reach India on Friday, it added.
The first US Air Force carrier with Covid-19 relief supplies, reached India on Friday. The shipment included 440 oxygen cylinders and regulators, generously donated by the state of California, USAID said.
India on Friday posted a record daily rise of over 3.86 lakh new Covid-19 cases and continued to post over 3,000 deaths for the third consecutive day, as per Union health ministry data updated at 8 am. The death jumped by 3,498 over the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 2,08,330. With 386,452 new cases, India's tally of total Covid-19 cases now stands at 1,87,62,976.
Former attorney general and legal luminary Soli J Sorabjee passed away on Friday. He was 91-years-old and is survived by wife, a daughter and two sons. Sorabjee and his wife had tested positive for Covid-19 some days back, sources said.
Given India’s growing strategic importance, its wave of infections risks not only the fledgling recovery in Asia’s third-largest economy, but attempts to tamp down Covid-19 and recuperate globally. The nation is now the main hotspot of the pandemic, despite being home to the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer.
With 3,79,257 new cases, India's total tally of Covid-19 cases stood at 1,83,76,524, as per the health ministry update at 9 am today. The country also recorded the highest number of Covid deaths in a day at 3,645 taking the total death toll to 2,04,832. India has30,84,814 active cases. With 2,69,507 discharges in last 24 hours, total recoveries stand at 1,50,86,878.
Facebook said it barred the hashtag by mistake and not at the behest of the government, without elaborating. Facebook periodically blocks hashtags for a variety of reasons, some manually but many also based on automated internal guidelines.
Two Russian flights with oxygen concentrators, lung ventilation equipment, bedside monitors, medicines, including Coronavir and other essential pharmaceutical items landed in India last night. "The Russian Federation decided to send humanitarian assistance to India in the spirit of the special and privileged strategic partnership between our two countries as well as in the context of our anti Covid-19 cooperation," said the Russian ambassador to India.
The exit polls will begin shortly after voting for the eighth phase in West Bengal will conclude tomorrow.
Polling began at 7am on Thursday for 35 seats in the eighth phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal amid the surging second wave of Covid-19. " In line with the Covid-19 protocols, I call upon people to cast their vote and enrich the festival of democracy," PM Modi said in a tweet.
The United States will be delivering Covid-19 relief materials worth over $100 million to India in the coming days, the White House said as the first flight carrying urgent health supplies left for the country. The flight took off from the Travis Air Force Base on the world's largest military aircraft on Wednesday night, the US Agency for International Development said.
Countries around the world have been rushing to help India alleviate the crisis. India's death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, worsened by shortages of hospital beds and medical oxygen.
Polling began at 7 am on Thursday for 35 seats in the eighth phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal amid the rampaging second wave of Covid-19. As many as 283 candidates are in the fray for 35 seats in four districts. Ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP are contesting on all 35 seats. Congress, the Left parties and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) have made a coalition.
An affidavit filed by the Centre in the Supreme Court on Tuesday shows how an initial estimation of Karnataka’s demand for liquid medical oxygen by April 30 was only at 111 tonnes/day — at least 10 times lower than the state’s current projection. This has raised concerns over a demand-supply mismatch in the coming days.
An earthquake of magnitude 2.7 on the Richter scale struck Assam's Sonitpur in the early hours of Thursday morning, said the National Center for Seismology. This is the sixth earthquake that occurred in Sonitpur on Thursday after 12.00 am. According to the NCS, the quake occurred at 2:38 am. The epicentre of the quake was 38 kilometres West-Northwest of Tezpur at a depth of 11 kilometres. Earlier today, earthquakes of magnitude 2.6, 2.9, 4.6, 2.7, and 2.3 on the Richter Scale had hit Sonitpur at 12.24 am, 1.10 am, 1.20 am, 1.41 am and 1.52 am respectively.
The Supreme Court batted strongly for more systemic protection to disabled and caste oppressed women and said they lived under a constant threat of violence, both physical and sexual, that curtailed their constitutionally guaranteed right to lead a full and active life.
People should not delay taking Covid-19 vaccine as this will give virus an opportunity to develop new variants and some of them may reduce the efficacy of current vaccines, say healthcare experts.
“We always anticipated a second wave in April and May, but we never knew it would hit us so hard and so fast,” said Raza, the director of emergency and trauma at Moolchand Hospital. “They arrive gasping and they all need oxygen.”“We always anticipated a second wave in April and May, but we never knew it would hit us so hard and so fast,” said Raza, the director of emergency and trauma at Moolchand Hospital. “They arrive gasping and they all need oxygen.”
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