News Analysis India

Tag: Coronavirus in India

  • Madhya Pradesh bans movement of buses to and from Maharashtra to check Covid-19 spread

    By Express News Service
    BHOPAL: In the wake of the explosive Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra, casting its shadow in adjoining Madhya Pradesh, the MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered to stop movement of passengers buses to and from Maharashtra from March 20.

    The CM also directed to ensure five lakh COVID-19 vaccinations every day with the fresh Covid-19 wave becoming stronger in ten districts, including state capital Bhopal and Indore. 

    At a meeting to take stock of the situation in the state on Thursday, it was informed that during last one week, 1778 positive cases were reported in Indore, 1170 in Bhopal, 358 in Jabalpur, 185 in Gwalior, 187 in Ujjain, 162 in Ratlam, 147 in Chhindwara, 130 in Burhanpur, 110 in Betul and 92 in Khargone.

    At the meeting it was decided that the Crisis Management Group should take a decision regarding the duration of the ongoing Gwalior fair in the wake of rising cases in Gwalior.

    The CM also said that the support of public representatives, social workers, religious leaders should be sought in the campaign for the necessary precautions to prevent Corona and motivate people to use masks, observe social distancing and get vaccinated. 

    While maintaining that a large number of labourers will return to their ancestral villages and towns in Madhya Pradesh due to Holi, the CM instructed to arrange adequate employment under MNREGA and other schemes for them. He added that adequate employment opportunities should be created in the villages so that the labourers are not forced to go to the infected cities.

    Meanwhile, the state reported 917 cases, 85 more than the previous day, and one death during the last 24 hours. Indore continued to be the state’s prime COVID-19 hotspot with 294 cases, followed by Bhopal with 184 cases, Jabalpur with 65 cases and Ujjain with 35 cases. The daily positivity rate also rose to 5 per cent from 4.8 per cent.

  • Centre assures there’s ‘no signal of concern’ regarding use of Covishield vaccine in India

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Amid reports of possible side-effects of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and its suspension in some European countries, the government on Wednesday said there is “no signal of concern” regarding its use in the country as of now.

    Asked about the suspension of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in some European countries, Dr VK Paul, NITI Aayog member (Health) told a weekly press conference here that it has only been done as a precautionary measure.

    Concerns about AstraZeneca’s vaccine relationship with thrombotic events in people who received the vaccine have come to light and as a result, about 10 European countries have paused their AstraZeneca vaccination programme, he said.

    “The European medical agency says it is a precautionary measure and there is no data to believe, as of now, the causal relationship between the vaccine and the adverse events. The assessment is still being done,” Paul added.

    ALSO WATCH:He said the World Health Organization (WHO) has said as a precaution, investigation should go on and has categorically said not to suspend the vaccination.

    “India’s own committee that looks at adverse effects is seized of this issue. For the last few days, it is tracking the information that is available to us in a very systematic manner and again I assure you that we have no signal of concern in this regard.”

    Therefore, clearly our vaccination programme with Covishield will go on with full vigour.

    “We are mindful of the fact to address this concern, based on the emerging situation. As of today, there is no concern at all with regard to Covishield,” Paul said.

  • 70 districts registered over 150 per cent increase in Covid cases from March 1-15: Health Ministry

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A total of 70 districts in 16 states have registered more than 150 per cent increase in active COVID-19 cases from March 1-15, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

    Addressing a press briefing, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said most of these districts are in west and northern India.

    “From March 1-15, about 70 districts in 16 states have registered over 150 per cent increase in active cases while 55 districts in 17 states have registered 100-150 per cent rise in cases,” he said.

    The 70 districts, which registered over 150 per cent increase, include Punjab’s Rupnagar, which recorded a 256 per cent rise in cases, Haryana’s Yamunanagar (300 per cent rise), Karnal (245 per cent rise), Faridabad (225 per cent rise).

    Panchkula (215 per cent rise), Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur (367 per cent rise), Solan (267 per cent rise), Una (220 per cent rise), Maharashtra’s Nanded (385 per cent rise), Nandurbar (224 per cent rise), Beed (219 per cent rise) and Maharashtra’s Ratlam (500 per cent rise), Gwalior (360 per cent rise), Khargone (250.0 per cent rise) and Ujjain (214 per cent rise).

    “In these states, we have asked to step up vaccinations and ensure all eligible beneficiaries get vaccinated,” Bhushan said.

    ALSO WATCH:

    Elaborating on the rise in cases in states, he said, “If we look at Maharashtra, 60 per cent of all active cases are concentrated in Maharashtra and 45 per cent of new deaths are concentrated in Maharashtra.”

    “On March 1, an average of 7,741 new cases were being reported. By March 15, the number increased to average 13,527. The positivity rate on March 1 used to be 11 per cent, which rose to 16 per cent by March 15,” he said.

    Noting that the high positivity rate is a matter of concern, Bhushan said the tests numbers are not increasing at the same rate as the positivity rate is increasing.

    “So, our advice to the states, especially Maharashtra, is that there is a need to increase the testing rate, especially the RT-PCR rate,” he said.

    In Punjab on March 1, an average of 531 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 1,338.

    The positivity rate has doubled and RT-PCR share is 89 per cent, Bhushan said.

    In Chandigarh on March 1, an average of 49 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 111.

    The positivity rate has increased from 3.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent and RT-PCR share is 40 per cent.

    “We would want a distinct increasing trend of tests in which RT-PCR share is substantially higher than the current 40 per cent share,” he said.

    In Chattisgarh on March 1, an average of 239 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 430.

    The positivity rate increased from 1.4 per cent to 2.4 per cent and RT-PCR share is 34 per cent.

    So, again, we would want the RT-PCR tests to increase to up to 70 per cent and also an overall increase in testing.

    In Gujarat on March 1, an average of 398 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 689.

    The positivity rate increased from 2.4 per cent to 4 per cent and RT-PCR share is 50 per cent.

    In Karnataka on March 1, an average of 443 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 751.

    The positivity rate increased from 0.8 per cent to 1.3 per cent and RT-PCR share is 93 per cent.

    In Madhya Pradesh on March 1, an average of 334 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 564.

    The positivity rate has increased from 3.1 per cent to 7.4 per cent and RT-PCR share is 65 per cent.

    In Rajasthan on March 1, an average of 113 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 205.

    The positivity rate has increased from 2.1 per cent to 2.8 per cent and RT-PCR share is 97 per cent.

    In Haryana on March 1, an average of 151 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 374.

    The positivity rate has increased from 1.2 per cent to 3.3 per cent and RT-PCR share is 93 per cent.

    In Delhi on March 1, an average of 198 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 371.

    The positivity rate has increased from 0.4 per cent to 0.6 per cent and RT-PCR share is 64 per cent.

    The overall tests can be increased in Delhi.

    In Himachal Pradesh on March 1, an average of 37 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 80.

    The positivity rate has increased from 0.9 per cent to 2.3 per cent and RT-PCR share is 50 per cent.

    In Andhra Pradesh on March 1, an average of 88 new cases were being reported.

    By March 15, the number increased to average 167.

    The positivity rate has increased from 0.5 per cent to 0.6 per cent and RT-PCR share is 86 per cent.

    The ministry official also added that the lowest point of new COVID-19 cases was 9 February.

    “Today, there is a nearly 43 per cent week-on-week increase in new COVID-19 cases and a nearly 37 per cent week on week increase in new deaths,” Bhushan said.

  • PM Modi to interact with chief ministers on Covid-19 situation, vaccination drive on March 16

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers on the COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive on Wednesday as the Centre looks to ramp up the inoculation exercise amid a rise in infection in some states.

    Official sources said Modi will hold a video conference to discuss the issues with chief ministers, an exercise which he has been holding regularly since the outbreak of the pandemic.ALSO READ | AstraZeneca reassures safety of COVID-19 vaccine; says no evidence of increased risks

    Modi’s last interaction with chief ministers was in January before the vaccination roll-out.

    He had announced that the Centre will bear the expenses of vaccinating nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first round and suggested that public representatives, a reference to politicians, should not be part of this initial exercise.

    The drive has now moved on to next round to cover people over 60 years of age, and those aged above 45 years and having comorbidities.

    India recorded 26,291 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, its highest single-day spike in 85 days, taking the country’s infection tally to 1,13,85,339, according to Union health ministry data.

  • Punjab reports 20 more deaths, 1,501 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The COVID-19 death toll in Punjab rose to 6,072 on Sunday with 20 more fatalities, while 1,501 new cases took the infection tally to 1,97,755, a health bulletin issued here said.

    The number of active cases increased from to 11,550 on Sunday from 10,916 the previous day, it said.

    Of the new cases, Mohali reported the maximum 211 cases, followed by 197 from Ludhiana, 196 from Patiala, 176 from Jalandhar and 158 from Hoshiarpur, the bulletin said.

    A total of 839 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection, taking the overall recoveries to 1,80,133, as per bulletin.

    There are 29 critical patients who are on ventilator support while 229 are on oxygen support, it said.

    A total of 53,78,531 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, it said.

    Meanwhile, Chandigarh reported 120 new cases, taking the infection count to 23,096, according to a medical bulletin.

    No COVID-19-related death was reported in the past 24-hours, it said, adding that the toll stands at 358.

    The number of active cases rose from 1,032 on Saturday to 1,088 on Sunday, it said.

    A total of 64 patients were discharged after they recovered from the infection, taking the number of cured persons to 21,650, the bulletin said.

    A total of 2,78,390 samples have been taken for testing so far and of them, 2,54,318 have tested negative while reports of 103 samples were awaited, the bulletin added.

  • COVID-19: Maharashtra records single-day spike of over 16,000 cases

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra recorded this year’s highest one-day spike of 16,620 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, which pushed its overall caseload to 23,14,413, while 50 deaths pushed the toll to 52,861, the health department said.

    In the last two days, the daily case count of the state was above 15,000, which crossed the 16,000-mark on Sunday.

    As 8,861 patients were discharged during the day, the recovery count of the state rose to 21,34,072, it said.

    The COVID-19 recovery rate of the state is 92.21 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.28 per cent.

    There are 1,26,231 active cases in the state at present, the department said in a statement.

    Currently, 5,83,713 people are in home quarantine and 5,493others in institutional quarantine, it said.

    As many as 1,08,381 people were tested on Sunday, which took the total test count to 1,75,16,885, it said.

    Mumbai city reported 1,963 new cases, Pune city 1,780, Aurangabad city 752, Nanded city 351, Pimpri Chinchwad 806, Amravati city 209 and Nagpur city 1,976.

    Besides them, Ahmednagar city reported 151 new cases, Jalgaon city 246 and Nashik city 946.

    Mumbai division reported 3,676 cases, Nashik division 2,776, Pune division 3,609, Nagpur division 1,860, Latur division 914, Aurangabad division 1,289, Kolhapur division 106.

    In Mumbai division, Thane city, Kalyan Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi, Mira Bhayandar, Palghar, Vasai-Virar, Raigad, Panvel did not report a single death due to the infection in the last 24 hours, it said.

    Of the 50 deaths reported during the day, 11 were in Mumbai division, includingseven in Mumbai city, two each in Thane district and Navi Mumbai.

    The coronavirus figures in Maharashtra are as follows: Positive cases 23,14,413, death toll 52,861, recoveries 21,34,072, active cases 1,26,231, total tests done 1,75,16,885 and tests conducted on Sunday 1,08,381.

  • 6 states including Kerala, TN show surge in Covid cases; active caseload in India reaches 1,68,627

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have shown a surge in new COVID-19 cases contributing to 87.25 per cent of 15,510 fresh infections reported in a day, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

    India’s total number of active COVID-19 cases was recorded at 1,68,627, comprising 1.52 per cent of the total infections, the ministry said highlighting five states that account for 84 per cent of the total active cases in the country.

    Maharashtra alone accounts for 46.39 per cent of India’s total active cases, followed by Kerala with 29.49 per cent.

    “A total of 15 states and union territories have registered more than 1,000 active cases. Kerala and Maharashtra are the two states with over 10,000 active cases, while the rest of the 13 states and UTs have between 1,000-10,000 active cases,” the ministry said.

    The total number of cases with the UK, South Africa and Brazil  variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the country as on date has reached 213, the ministry said.

    A total 15,510 new cases were registered in a span of 24 hours.

    Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 8,293, followed by Kerala with 3,254 cases while Punjab has reported 579 new cases.

    The Centre is continuously engaging with the states and union territories manifesting higher number of active cases and those reporting a rise in the daily new COVID-19 cases.

    States and UTs have been advised to maintain a continued rigorous vigil for containing the spread of COVID-19.

    Need for effective testing, comprehensive tracking, prompt isolation of positive cases and quick quarantine of close contacts are strongly emphasised, the ministry said.

    “Eight states are displaying an upward trajectory in the daily new cases,” it underlined.

    So far, a total of 1,43,01,266 vaccine doses have been administered to beneficiaries through 2,92,312 sessions.

    These include the first dose to 66,69,985 healthcare workers, second dose to 24,56,191 healthcare workers and 51,75,090 frontline workers who have taken the first dose.

    “The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination has commenced from today for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

    “A simplified process of registration has been set up, whereby potential beneficiaries can have the option of advance self-registration, on-site registration or facilitated cohort registration,” the ministry said.

    More than 1.07 crore (1,07,86,457) people have recovered so far with 11,288 patients having recuperated in a span of 24 hours.

    The ministry said 85.07 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in six states.

    Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 4,333 newly-recovered cases.

    A total of 3,753 people recovered in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours, followed by 490 in Tamil Nadu.

    Besides, 106 deaths were reported in a span of 24 hours.

    Five states account for 86.79 per cent of the new deaths.

    Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties of 62 deaths.

    Kerala followed with 15 daily deaths and Punjab has reported seven fatalities in a span of  24 hours.

    A total of 20 states and UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours.

    These are Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Assam, Manipur, Sikkim, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Ladakh (UT), Andman and Nicobar Islands, Uttarakhand and Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

  • 229 school hostel students test coronavirus positive in Maharashtra

    By PTI
    WASHIM: A total of 229 students of a public school hostel in Maharashtra’s Washim district have tested coronavirus positive, an official said on Thursday.

    Four school staffers have also tested positive, the official said, adding the area has been declared a containment zone.

    Altogether 327 students from various districts in Vidarbha region reside at the hostel of the Bhavna Public School.

    Earlier this week, 39 students and five employees of a hostel in Latur district of Marathwada had tested positive.

    ALSO READ | 60+ or 45+ with co-morbidities? Your Covid-19 vaccine jab window opens on March 1

    Risod tehsildar Ajit Shelar said that the students had joined the Washim hostel on February 14.

    Twenty one students tested positivein the first few days after which RT-PCR tests of all the 327 students were conducted, he said.

    Maharashtra on Wednesday witnessed a significant rise in coronavirus cases, with more than 8,000 new infections coming to light in a single day after a gap of over four months, health officials said.

    The state reported 8,807 cases on Wednesday, taking its total infection count to 21,21,119.

    It had reported 8,142 cases on October 21 last year, after which the numbers had declined.

    With 80 deaths reported on Wednesday, the state’s fatality count rose to 51,937, the official said.

    ALSO WATCH:

  • 19,600 received first dose of COVID vaccine in Mizoram so far

    By PTI
    AIZAWL: Over 19,600 people have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Mizoram since its rollout on January 16, a health official said on Thursday.

    A total of 38 per cent of the registered beneficiaries have received the first dose of the vaccine so far, she said.

    Around 15,750 health workers and 27,557 frontline personnel have been registered for receiving the first dose of the vaccine, the official said.

    ​ALSO READ | India records 16,738 fresh Covid-19 cases, 138 deaths in last 24 hours

    At least 4,031 health workers have received the second dose of the vaccine.

    No adverse effect of vaccination has been reported to date, she said.

    Mizoram did not report any new COVID-19 case on Thursday.

    The state’s caseload stands at 4,413, of which 23 are active cases, while 4,380 people have recovered from the disease and 10 patients have succumbed to the infection so far.

    Mizoram has tested over 2.29 lakh samples for COVID-19 to date.

    ALSO WATCH:

  • ‘Concentrated spurt of coronavirus in Vidarbha’: Maharashtra health official

    By PTI
    PUNE: The coronavirus is showing a concentrated spurt in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region and the infection is slowly getting transmitted to other places like Pune and Mumbai, a senior state health official has said.

    If not controlled, it can spread to otherstates in the country, Dr Subhash Salunke, technical adviser to the Maharashtra government on COVID-19 outbreak, told reporters here on Wednesday night.

    The official, who received a COVID-19 vaccine shot on Tuesday, also said the state could have done much better as far as vaccination is concerned.

    Maharashtra on Wednesday witnessed a significant rise in coronavirus cases, with more than 8,000 new infections coming to light in a single day after a gap of over four months, health officials said.

    ALSO READ | 60+ or 45+ with co-morbidities? Your Covid-19 vaccine jab window opens on March 1

    The state has so far reported a total of 21,21,119 COVID-19 cases, as per official figures.

    “It is very difficult to say whether this is a second wave, but the virus is showing a concentrated spurt in some areas like Vidarbha, starting from Nagpur, Amravati till Aurangabad (located in Marathwada region),” the official said.

    Now, the virus is slowly getting transmitted to other districts like Pune and Mumbai, he said.

    “If we do not control it, it will spread to other states in the country. Whether it will spread 100 per cent, nobody is sure, but yes, it has the potential,” he said.

    On reasonsbehind thespike in COVID-19 cases in some districts of Vidarbha, he said there are three factors — the first one is the virus, its structure, mutations and capacity of transmission, the second factor is the person who harbours the virus and transmits it to others, and third is the environment, weather, housing structure and pollution.

    “So, an interplay of the three factors is responsible for the transmission and its ups and downs,” he said.

    He said every viral disease which is outbreak-prone, has shown ups and downs, so in the last two months, COVID-19 cases showed a downward trend and now there is an upward trend.

    Dr Salunke also said that as indicated by the director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the coronavirus mutation in Amravati and Yavatmal districts is not responsible for the present surge in Maharashtra.

    “However, the ICMR has not been able to come out exactly on whether there is any new mutant or not,” he said.

    A study on this is currently being done by the Pune- based National Institute of Virology and the National Centre for Disease Control in New Delhi and other labs, and samples from eight districts have been sent there, he said.

    ALSO WATCH:

    The results of these studies will be available by this month-end, he informed.

    On precautions and measures that need to be taken to contain the virus, the official said there is no need for any new strategy to tackle the situation as the existing strategies are quite adequate and effective.

    “Lockdown is the last resort. Setting up of micro- containment zones, restrictions on movement in containment areas, increased surveillance, contact-tracing and increase in testing and isolation of active cases are some of the key steps which can check spread of the virus,” he said.

    Asked about the COVID-19 vaccination in Maharashtra, Dr Salunke said the state could have done better.

    So far, 10,80,675 have been inoculated in the state.

    “As a matter of fact, I have been vehemently arguing that the Government of India should have designed communication strategies before January 16. We knew that some doctors, nurses and others were hesitant about taking the jab. Vaccine hesitancy is known phenomena,” the official said.

    Dr Salunke said he had asked his colleagues in the health ministry as to why they did not make preparations earlier to address the apprehensions of those who were going to be given the vaccine shots.

    This is the reason that the vaccination number in the state is on the lower side, he said.

    “There is a failure on our side also, that we as doctors should have been more pro-active and should have convinced our colleagues and nurses to come forward to take the vaccine,” he said.

    The Centre on Wednesday announced that people over 60 years and those above 45 with co-morbidities can get COVID-19 vaccine from March 1.