News Analysis India

Tag: contracted

  • Russia Admits To World’s Third Highest COVID-19 Fatalities; 186,000 People Have Died

    In a shocking revelation, Russian health authorities, on December 28, said that country’s death toll was three times higher than what was previously reported. While President Vladimir Putin had long boasted about the country’s low COVID-19 death toll, experts have constantly argued that the majority of deaths were caused by the respiratory infection. However, health officials have now admitted that over 186,000 deaths were caused by COVID-19 alone nixing comparatively low numbers, which were reported only when coronavirus was found to be the main cause of death.

    As per the Rosstat statistics agency, the number of deaths from all causes recorded between January and November had risen by 229,700 compared with the previous year. Speaking about the same, Tatiana Golikova, deputy Prime minister reportedly admitted that more than 81 per cent of this spike, that is 186,000, in mortality was due to COVID-19. According to previous records by Russian Heath Ministry, as many as 3,047,335 people have contracted COVID-19 in Russia while only 54,559 people had lost their lives.

  • Cong leader Anand Sharma praises Modi govt’s effort during the Covid lockdown

    Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Anand Sharma praised the Modi government’s work during the Covid-19 lockdown. Anand Sharma was attending the 93rd FICCI Annual Convention where he said that India’s economy contracted due to Covid-19.

    Our economy contracted due to COVID19 but our capacity increment in terms of manufacturing PPE kits, ventilators & other equipment is a credit to the people, society, & govt. We got together as a nation to respond,  Anand Sharma said

    Anand Sharma said that PM Modi’s visit to the units of three vaccine manufacturers in the country to review the progress of Covid-19 vaccine development and manufacturing process, will lift the morale of frontline warriors.

    “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visit to Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadilla was a recognition of Indian scientists and their work to produce the vaccine for COVID-19 That alone will lift the morale of frontline warriors and reassure the nation,” Sharma said in a tweet.

  • Algeria President Makes First TV Appearance Since Contracting COVID

    Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune made his first ever television appearance in two months after he was hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19. “As you know, two months ago, I was quickly taken abroad because I contracted coronavirus”, said Tebboune in the beginning of his televised address. The video was broadcasted on state television and published on Tebboune’s Twitter feed. In the feed, the caption said that the President aims on building a new Algeria and the date is near. 

    In his speech, the President said that even if he is away from the country, he is following all that is happening and keeps on giving instructions to the presidency. Tebboune was first sent to a military hospital in mid-October and then transferred to Germany on a special flight. Initially, the office did not provide any information on his transfer. However, later, it was revealed that the President had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

    According to the reports by AP, on November 30, the President’s office issued a statement saying Tebboune had left a “specialized” medical facility. The statement further said that he should be returning home “in the coming days”. Also, the clinic where the President was being treated was never made public. Such a statement led to further mystery regarding the President and his whereabouts.

  • Canada Plans To Start COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery By January

    The Canadian government is targeting January as the starting point for distribution COVID-19 vaccine throughout the country, vaccine distribution Czar Major General Dany Fortin revealed during a press conference. Fortin, who was appointed at the position last week, stressed that the Canadian military was scheduled to perform a “dry run” of the plan on December 7. If things go as planned, they would then set up provincial distribution points by December 14 and be fully prepared for inoculation by December 25.

    With over 3,90,000 cases and 12,300 deaths, Canada is now prepping to battle a possible second wave of the infection. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Trudeau touted the possibility of a COVID-19 vaccine by early in 2021. In addendum, he had also said that most of the residents would probably be vaccinated by next September.

    Meanwhile, Major General Fortin also said that the federal government would contract private logistics firms to facilitate the distribution. Reaffirming his stance on early distribution, he said that the distribution contracts to the firms would be awarded as early as December 15.

  • GDP contraction at -7.5% in Q2, India technically enters recession

    The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter (Q2) from July to September contracted 7.5%, government data showed on Friday.

    “GDP at constant (2011-12) prices in Q2 of 2020-21 is estimated at Rs 33.14 lakh crores, as against Rs 35.84 lakh crores in Q2 of 2019-20, showing a contraction of 7.5% as compared to 4.4% growth in Q2 of 2019-20,” the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation said.

    Though this is a rebound from earlier quarter but with this contraction Indian economy has hit technical recession for the first time.

    According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, gross value added (GVA) came in at minus 7%. The economy had contracted by 23.9% in the April to June quarter (Q1 FY21), marking the first contraction in more than 40 years as COVID-19 pandemic compressed consumer demand and private investments.

    “GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices in Q2 of 2020-21 is estimated at Rs 33.14 lakh crore, as against Rs 35.84 lakh crore in Q2 of 2019-20, showing a contraction of 7.5 per cent as compared to 4.4 per cent growth in Q2 2019-20,” said the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in a statement.

    ” Quarterly GVA at Basic Prices at Constant (2011-12) Prices for Q2 of 2020-21 is estimated at Rs 30.49 lakh crore, as against Rs 32.78 lakh crore in Q2 of 2019-20, showing a contraction of 7 per cent,” it added.

    The statement said during the quarter trade, hotels, transport & communication saw a dip of -15.6 per cent while public administration, defence and other services by -12.2 per cent. The financial, real estate and professional services sector contracted by 8.1 per cent and construction by 8.6 per cent.

    Some sectors have bounced back with resumption of economic activities. The electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services have shown a growth of 4.4 per cent; agriculture, forestry and fishing sector at 3.4 per cent and manufacturing sector showed a marginal growth of 0.6 per cent.

    The economy was already slowing before the pandemic struck, growing only 4.2 per cent in the last fiscal year, its slowest pace in 11 years.