According to the commission #39;s data, no death due to the coronavirus infection has been reported among children residing in CCIs from these 11 states and UTs.
Tag: COVID19
-
COVID pandemic not over yet, people should behave responsibly: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray
By PTI
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said that people should not let their guard down as the threat of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic still looms.
Talking to the media after inaugurating a pediatric COVID-19 care centre in suburban Santacruz, he said the pandemic is not over yet, and “people should behave responsibly”. “Don’t forget that COVID-19 restrictions have been eased to keep the economic cycle moving. People should not fall prey to any kind of provocation which may endanger their lives and those of others,” the chief minister said.
ALSO READ| Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray urges opposition parties to win people’s trust
He said that the daily rise in infections and the deaths due to COVID-19 need to be brought down.
Experts had voiced concern that a third wave might affect children the most, therefore his government set up a pediatric COVID-19 task force and also a genome sequencing lab to get proper information about the virus, Thackeray said.
Maharashtra had on Friday reported 4,365 new coronavirus cases and 105 deaths.
-
Entire Guwahati population to be vaccinated against COVID by August 31: Assam Health minister
By PTI
GUWAHATI: The Assam government has set a target to vaccinate the entire population of Kamrup Metropolitan district, under which the state’s largest city Guwahati falls, by end of this month, Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta said on Saturday.
The vaccination drive on a mission mode will be conducted at the polling booth level of the district, with field teams already starting work on collection of data on non-vaccinated people, he said.
Addressing a press conference here, Mahanta said that though the rate of new infection of COVID-19 was decreasing in the state, Kamrup Metropolitan district remained an area of concern. The district continued to report highest incidence of new COVID-19 cases.
“Of 708 new cases detected in the state on Friday, 164 were from Kamrup Metropolitan and the figure for the district could touch 1,000 within two-three days if preventive measures are not taken,” he said.
Sharing details of the intensified vaccination drive for the district, the minister said there are 1,204 polling booths in the district the voters’ list will serve as the basic document in reaching out to the people.
As per the voters’ list, there are over 11 lakh people in the district, though the number of eligible population for COVID vaccination has been estimated by the government at around 15 lakh as Guwahati city has a large number of people staying for various reasons, he said.
“There could be a further two to three lakh more people in the district if we take into account the floating population,” he said, adding that over 14 lakh people in the district have already been vaccinated.
“All 1,204 Booth Level Officers have been trained and they have been dispatched on field duty from Saturday to go door-to-door and collect information on all non-vaccinated persons in their area. They will be conducting this drive till August 23,” he said.
“The BLOs will be accompanied by the gaonburah (village headman) and local ASHA worker in rural areas, and in urban locations, the ASHA worker and a member of the local Nagarik Samiti (citizens’ forum) will be with them,” he added.
These three-member teams will collect information of the non-vaccinated people and the entire data will be complied on August 24 and the eligible people will be contacted on their phones for availing their vaccine doses, Mahanta said.
“From August 25 to 31, we will undertake the vaccination drive on a mission mode, and as far as possible, we will set up vaccination centres at the local polling booths itself. Where it is not feasible, we will set up the centres somewhere convenient nearby,” he said.
“If needed, we will extend the drive beyond August 31,” he added, appealing the people with folded hands to come forward for their jabs. The minister further said a phone number (8929103776) has been opened from Saturday morning through which people can reach out to get their vaccines by giving a missed call on the number.
“In case of shops and malls, it is now mandatory for them to prominently display that the entire staff is vaccinated and the vaccination certificates must also be available for confirmation by any customer if they want,” he said.
“If the spread of infection cannot be controlled in Guwahati, the government will be compelled to impose further restrictions. We can’t let the entire state suffer due to negligence of one district,” Mahanta added.
For further relaxing restrictions, the number of daily new cases in the state has to be below 500 and for Kamrup Metropolitan, less than 100, the minister said.
Currently, a 10-hour curfew from 7 pm is imposed in the state every day and inter-district movement of people, which had been suspended for over two months, was opened from this week though movement from and to Kamrup Metropolitan district remained closed.
-
COVID-19 still hanging over people’s heads like sword: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray
By PTI
PALGHAR: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday warned that coronavirus is still hanging over people’s heads like a sword of Damocles and the threat is far from over. The chief minister was speaking at the virtual function to inaugurate the district headquarters building complex in Palghar, and civic and government-run health facilities in Virar and Vasai.
“Coronavirus is still hanging over our heads like a sword of Damocles and the threat is far from over. It is good that oxygen plants are being installed while setting up COVID-19 hospitals to prevent casualties,” Thackeray said.
Talking about the facilities made available in Palghar, the chief minister said that the region was different from other districts of the state, as it had both forest land and a sea coast, with a rich tribal culture and historic locations.
As it is adjacent to Mumbai, Palghar has been neglected for long and it will not be in the future, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, ministers Eknath Shinde, Dada Buse, MPs, MLAs and senior officials were present for the virtual inauguration of the administrative complex, developed by CIDCO, comprising the collector ‘s office, Zilla Parishad office and DSP office.
-
Maharashtra CM should convey his COVID worries to allies too: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis
By PTI
MUMBAI: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should communicate his concerns about large gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic to his own party and the allies too.
Fadnavis was speaking to reporters after the launch of `Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ of the newly-inducted Union minister Narayan Rane in Mumbai.
To a question about Thackeray expressing concerns about public rallies being held amid the pandemic, Fadnavis said, “His concern is correct, but he should communicate it to the NCP, Congress and his own party, Shiv Sena. He should not preach to us alone.”
The BJP’s rivals should worry “because of the response we are getting at such rallies,” the former chief minister added.
On opposition by some Sena leaders to Rane’s visit to the memorial of Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, Fadnavis said, “It is a narrow-minded stand….Such approach has no place in Maharashtra’s politics. I believe Balasaheb Thackeray himself would not have spared any person for such a narrow-minded approach.”
Rane started his political career with the Sena before joining the Congress and later the BJP.
Explaining the purpose behind holding rallies during the pandemic, Fadnavis said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made his cabinet more inclusive. The newly-inducted ministers like Narayan Rane are thus engaging in a dialogue with people. It is not meant only for the next year’s BMC (Mumbai civic body) polls. We fell short of two seats last time in the BMC, this time we will bridge the gap.”
Asked about cases being filed against BJP workers for organizing rallies, Fadnavis said, “Our DNA has been shaped by working as opposition for many years. We do not get rattled by such complaints….You can not put pressure on BJP by merely using the police force.”
-
Over 3.86 crore people didn’t get second dose of COVID vaccines within stipulated time: Centre
An activist had filed an RTI query seeking to know from the government the number of people who had received the first dose of vaccines but did not take the second within the stipulated time.
-
We may have COVID vaccine for children by September: ICMR-National Institute of Virology director
By ANI
NEW DELHI:: Coronavirus vaccine for children might be available for use in September or October this year, Dr Priya Abraham, the Director of Pune’s (Indian Council of Medical Research) ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV) informed.
In an interview with an OTT channel of the Department of Science and Technology, Abraham said, “Phase 2 and 3 trials of Covaxin are underway for children between 2-18 years. Hopefully, the results will be available soon, which will then be presented to the regulators. So, by September or just after it, we may have COVID-19 vaccines for children.”
Further, she informed that apart from the Covaxin, Zyuds Cadila’s vaccine trial for children is also underway. “Zydus Cadila’s vaccine will be the first DNA vaccine available for use. Besides, there is Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd’s m-RNA, Biological -E vaccine, Serum Institute’s Novovax and another interesting one is an intranasal vaccine by Bharat Biotech, which doesn’t require a jab and can be delivered through nostrils,” Abraham added.
Earlier in an interview with ANI, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS, on the COVID-19 vaccines for children had said, “Vaccines for children in India should come out now because trials are already underway for vaccines available in the country. Bharat Biotech’s trials are in the final phase, and by September, we will have the data.”
Talking about how effective the COVID-19 vaccine is on the Delta Plus variant, Dr Priya Abraham said, “Delta Plus variant is less likely to spread than the Delta variant, which is present in over 130 countries. In NIV, we have studied antibodies produced in vaccinated people and have checked them against this variant. The efficacy of antibodies against Delta reduces two-three folds. Yet, the vaccines are protective against the variants.”
Saying that the WHO has put a momentary stop on the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, she said, “Studies (on booster dose) have been going on overseas. At least seven different vaccines have been tried out for booster doses. The WHO has put a stop to it till more countries catch up with vaccination, but in the future, recommendations for booster dose will definitely come.”
Recently, speaking about booster dose, Dr Gagandeep Kang, professor at Christain Medical College, Vellore, on Tuesday, had said that whether people will have more antibodies or will be better protected with the booster dose is still not known.
-
COVID ebbing as R-value drops to below 1 in country, including Kerala and North-East: Study
The R-value of Kerala, which has the highest number of active cases in the country, is now below 1 after a gap of seven months, signalling a relief to authorities.
-
Tom Hanks’ son Chet faces backlash over his anti-COVID vaccine video
By ANI
WASHINGTON: Celebrity couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s son Chet is being criticised for his rant against the COVID-19 vaccine. On August 9, Chet took to his Instagram account and posted a video, wherein he shared that he’s tired of wearing masks during the pandemic and even told fans to get over “COVID-19”.
-
India records over 38,000 fresh cases of COVID-19, daily positivity rate at 2.39 per cent
By ANI
NEW DELHI: India on Saturday reported 38,628 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday. With this, the daily positivity rate remained less than 3 per cent for the last 12 days.
According to the Union Health Ministry, India recorded 38,628 new #COVID19 cases, 40,017 recoveries & 617 deaths in the last 24 hours.Express Photo | @bpdeepu_TNIE pic.twitter.com/PjjwRAZKt3
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) August 7, 2021
The cumulative caseload in the country reached 3,18,95,385 including 4,12,153 active infections. The active cases constitute only 1.29 per cent of the total infections. Recoveries of 40,017 patients during the last 24 hours pushed the overall recoveries to 3,10,55,861. At present, India’s recovery rate now stands at 97.37 per cent.The weekly positivity rate remained below 5 per cent and is currently at 2.39 per cent. The country recorded 4,27,371 deaths due to COVID-19, of which 617 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours. The testing capacity has substantially ramped up and so far 47.83 crore tests have been conducted.
India crossed a significant milestone of administering 50 crore vaccine doses under a nationwide vaccination drive. With 49,55,138 vaccinations in the last 24 hours, India has so far administered a total of 50,10,09,609 doses.