News Analysis India

Tag: Coronavirus Outbreak

  • Over 54 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses administered so far: Union Health Ministry

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 54 crore, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.

    Nearly 52 lakh doses were administered on Saturday, according to a provisional report till 7 pm.

    The ministry said 27,37,130 first doses and 6,07,591 second doses were administered to beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group on Saturday.

    Cumulatively, 19,45,18,646 people in the 18-44 age group across all states and union territories have received their first dose and 1,51,14,678 have received their second dose since the start of phase-3 of the vaccination drive, it said.

    Five states — Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh — have administered more than 1 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine to people in the 18-44 age group, according to the ministry.

    Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have administered the first dose to more than 10 lakh beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group.

    As many as 51,83,396 vaccine doses were administered on Saturday, the 211th day of the vaccination drive, the ministry said.

    According to the provisional report, 37,11,068 beneficiaries were administered the first dose of Covid vaccine, 14,72,328 were given the second dose, it said, adding that final reports for the day would be completed by late night.

    The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said.

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  • Bengal allows business establishments to remain open till maximum 10.30 PM

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Friday allowed all shops and business establishments including bars and restaurants to remain open till usual working hours but not beyond 10.30 PM.

    The relaxation will come into effect from Monday onwards.

    The state administration had on Thursday extended the existing COVID restrictions till August 30 but reduced night curfew timings by two hours, imposing it from 11 PM to 5 AM.

    It allowed outdoor government programmes with strict adherence to COVID protocols.

    The state administration also permitted theatres, auditoria and open air theatres to operate with not more than 50 per cent of their respective seating capacities.

    “Stadiums and swimming pools may remain open with 50 per cent of their respective at a time,” the order stated.

    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced the extension of COVID restrictions along with night curfew relaxations on Thursday.

    A decision in this regard was taken following a review of the prevailing situation by the executive committee of the state disaster management authority.

    Meanwhile, the state’s COVID-19 tally rose to 15,37,185 as 739 more people tested positive for the infection, while eight fresh fatalities pushed its coronavirus death toll to 18,276, a health bulletin said.

    North 24 Parganas district recorded the highest number of new cases at 89, followed by 88 in Kolkata.

    North 24 Parganas also registered the highest number of fresh fatalities at four, followed by three in Kolkata.

    The state now has 10,109 active cases, while 749 more people were cured of the disease, taking the total number of recoveries to 15,08,800, the bulletin said, adding that the recovery rate has improved to 98.15 per cent.

    West Bengal has tested over 1.63 lakh samples for COVID-19 thus far, including 45,442 in the last 24 hours.

  • COVID jabs may not provide absolute protection but reduces risk of death, complications: Soumya Swaminathan

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Emphasising the importance of mass Covid vaccination through easy availability and accessibility, WHO’s chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan on Thursday said even though vaccines may not be able to provide absolute protection against different variants of SARS-CoV2, it can certainly reduce the risk of death and complications.

    The World Health Organisation’s chief scientist said there will be a need to be on guard in the months to come as well.

    She called on Science and Technology minister Jitendra Singh and discussed various aspects of the current COVID-19 pandemic as well as a wide range of other issues.

    “Even though the vaccine may not be able to provide absolute protection against different variants of virus, it can certainly reduce the risk of death and complications,” a statement quoting Swaminathan said.

    In a country as diverse and heterogeneous as India, with multiple beliefs and faiths, it could not have been easy to embark on such a massive vaccination drive, Singh said.

    “What is important to note is that India under Prime minister Narendra Modi showed a remarkable capacity to rise to the occasion and despite the constraints of resources, within one year, we are in a position to dispense more than one vaccine and other countries of the world are also looking up to us,” the statement quoting Singh said.

  • Schools for classes 9-12, other educational institutes to reopen in Rajasthan from September 1

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Schools for classes 9 to 12, universities, colleges and coaching institutes will reopen in Rajasthan from September 1, according to a state government notification issued on Thursday.

    However, only 50 per cent of students will be allowed to attend classes in each session to maintain the COVID-19 protocol.

    Classes will be conducted in online mode only for students of classes 1 to 8.

    According to the notification, all government and private schools for classes 9 to 12, universities, colleges and coaching institutes will reopen from September 1 in Rajasthan.

    The educational institutes were closed due to lockdown in view of the second wave of the coronavirus in April this year.

    According to the guidelines issued by the Home department, all the teaching and non-teaching staff of coaching institutes should be fully vaccinated (completed both doses of COVID-19 vaccine) whereas the drivers and others providing transport facility to teaching and non teaching staff of school/colleges/ universities should get at least first dose of vaccine.

    The students who attend regular class will have to submit written consent from parents/guardians and no student will be forced to attend offline class.

    The facility of online classes will continue for those who do not attend the regular classes, the notification read.

    No morning assembly will be allowed in schools whereas all other guidelines related to COVID-19 for maintaining social distancing and hygiene will have to be followed, it said.

    The students will be allowed to enter the premises after screening for COVID-19.

    The state government had formed a ministerial committee for holding discussions about the reopening of schools.

    The committee recently submitted its report with recommendations to the chief minister following which the decision was taken.

  • Oxygen requirement will be criterion for imposing lockdown: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The daily oxygen requirement for COVID-19 patients will be the deciding factor for imposing lockdown in future, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday.

    If the oxygen requirement reaches 700 metric tons, lockdown will be imposed again, he said in a statement.

    The daily oxygen production capacity in the state is 1,300 metric tons, he said.

    “During the second wave, when the number of COVID-19 cases showed a steep spike, the demand for oxygen was also very high. Some 500 metric tons of oxygen had to be procured from other states. If the demand goes up to 700 metric tons daily, which is the quantity needed for nearly 30,000 patients, the state will be once again brought under lockdown,” Thackeray said.

    The chief minister’s statement came in the wake of the government’s decision to ease restrictions by allowing local train travel in Mumbai for fully vaccinated people, and allowing shops, malls, restaurants, gyms and salons to remain open till 10 pm from August 15.

    The Delta variant of the COVID-19 is spreading fast in other countries like UK and USA, Thackeray said, adding that easing of restrictions is being done very cautiously.

    “We have to be vigilant against the third wave and various variants of the virus,” Thackeray said.

  • COVID-19: Maharashtra allows restaurants, malls to operate till 10 pm with 50 per cent capacity from August 15

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Further relaxing the COVID-19 curbs, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to allow malls and restaurants to remain open till 10 pm with a 50 per cent capacity from August 15 onwards, provided the entire staff is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

    Shops are also allowed to operate till 10 pm.

    Talking to reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said spas and gymnasiums will also be allowed to function till 10 pm at a 50 per cent capacity on the condition that the entire staff at these establishments has taken both doses of the vaccine.

    Indoor games will be allowed but cinema halls and places of worship will continue to remain shut until further orders, the minister said.

    Weddings in open spaces will be allowed with 200 people, while events can take place in closed halls with 100 people or at a 50 per cent capacity of the venue or whichever is less, he said.

    “Shopping malls, hotels, gyms, spas and shops will be permitted to operate till 10 pm, on the condition that the entire staff at these establishments has taken both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine,” Tope said, adding these places will function at 50 per cent capacity.

    The state task force on COVID-19 is not in favour of opening schools and colleges from August 17.

    Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to meet members of the task force tonight to take a final decision.

  • After Centre sought data, only one state has so far reported suspected death due to oxygen shortage: Official

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Only one state has till now reported “suspected” death due to oxygen shortage during the second wave of COVID-19 after the Centre sought data from them on such fatalities following the raising of the issue in Parliament, a top official said on Tuesday.

    “When the question was raised in Parliament, states were specifically asked this question and as per reports received only one state mentioned suspected death and no state has so far said that there were deaths because of oxygen shortage,” Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said while replying to a query at a press conference.

    According to sources, 13 states and UTs including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab have responded.

    They said only Punjab has reported four “suspected” deaths due to oxygen shortage.

    Last month, opposition parties had hit out at the government for informing Parliament that no deaths due to oxygen shortage have been specifically reported by states and Union Territories during the second COVID-19 wave.

    The Centre recently had sought from states and Union Territories data on deaths in connection with oxygen shortage during the second of COVID-19 earlier this year and the information was to be collated and presented in Parliament before the Monsoon session ends on August 13, official sources had said.

    Agarwal said the whole country faced a one of its kind challenge related to oxygen, and while the availability was 2,000-3,000 metric tonnes, it rose to 9,000 metric tonnes.

    It was seen how the people, states and the Centre connected at all levels to increase the medical oxygen supply, he said.

    “We used industrial oxygen for medical oxygen usage, we provided oxygen concentrator, progressed PSA plants and also used Railways and Navy for oxygen transportation. We faced a very big challenge,” he said.

    Responding to a question on whether a large number of COVID-19 patients died on roads and hospitals due to acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave, Minister of State for Health Bharati Praveen Pawar on July 20 in a written reply in Rajya Sabha had said that health is a state subject.

    “Detailed guidelines for reporting of deaths have been issued by the Union Health Ministry to all states and UTs. Accordingly, all states and UTs report cases and deaths to the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis. However, no deaths due to lack of oxygen has been specifically reported by states and UTs,” Pawar had said.

  • COVID situation in Himachal Pradesh under control but pandemic not yet over: CM Jai Ram Thakur

    Jai Ram Thakur said that though the COVID-19 situation in Himachal is under control, the pandemic is not yet over.

  • Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray addresses function without face mask

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday addressed a public function for the first time without wearing a face mask, which has become an integral part of COVID-19 prevention measures after the pandemic’s outbreak in March 2020.

    Speaking at the function in Nashik, he said, “This is my first public programme which I am addressing without wearing a mask. I am speaking for the first time (since coronavirus outbreak) without covering my face.”

    He attended inauguration of several projects in Nashik district, around 200km from Mumbai.

  • Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur expresses concern over rising COVID cases

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday expressed concern over rising coronavirus cases in the state.

    The number of active cases in the state rose to 2,086 on Monday, while the positivity rate was recorded at 1.9 per cent last week, a health official said.

    Thakur said the rise in numbers is a matter of concern and no one knows what type of situation will arise in the coming days.

    During a discussion in the state assembly on the Covid situation, Congress MLA from Kinnaur Jagat Singh Negi claimed that both the state and central government failed to properly handle the Covid pandemic.

    Negi said the prime minister should have got himself vaccinated first as the heads of several other foreign countries had done.

    At this, the chief minister intervened and took a strong exception to Negi’s statement.

    Thakur urged the opposition not to do politics on the pandemic.

    Several other legislators, including CPM MLA Rakesh Singha and Congress legislator Sukhvinder Sukhu, also participated in the discussion initiated by Congress MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal and BJP MLAs Bikram Singh Jaryal, Narinder Thkaur, Vinod Kumar and Kishori Lal.

    Meanwhile, samples of 88,887 people were tested last week, of whom 1,726 tested positive for Covid, the health official said, urging the public to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.