Coronavirus News Updates: Precautionary Dose in Delhi to be Available for Free to all in 18-59 Years Age Group At Govt Vaccine Centres

Delhi on Thursday reported 965 fresh Coronavirus cases and one death, while the positivity rate was recorded at 4.71 per cent respectively according to data released by the state health department.

Maharashtra reported 179 fresh Covid-19 cases, 17 more than the day before, and one death, taking the state tally to to 78,76,382, while the toll increased to 1,47,831.

The Delhi government on Thursday announced precautionary dose of Covid-19 vaccine will be available for free to all eligible beneficiaries of 18 to 59 years age group in all government Covid-19 vaccination centres.

Omicron sub-lineage BA.2.12 was detected in a majority of samples sequenced from Delhi in April, sources told CNN-News18. Eight new variants have been found of which one of them is dominant, they said, adding that it could be the likely cause behind rising cases in the national capital.

The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) has called Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin Covid-19 vaccine for evaluation for children aged above two years, sources told CNN-News18.

As India battles a fresh surge in coronavirus cases, the Subject Expect Committee (SEC) of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Thursday recommended emergency use of Biological E.’s Corbevax in children in the age group of 5-12 years. The recommendations have been sent to the drug controller general of India by the SEC. A nod by the drug controller would be awaited before the Health Ministry goes ahead with guidelines for younger children. The vaccine is, at present, being used for children in the age group of 12-14 years. READ MORE

Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said there is no need to panic amid rising Covid-19 cases and the risk for those who have taken the vaccines is very low. According to health experts, it is possible that in the coming days, there may be an increase in new cases of the disease, but the current variant of the virus is a “normal” one, the official told PTI.

Even though COVID-19 cases are on the rise, there is no need to panic and the risk for those who have taken the vaccines is very low, an Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said here on Thursday. According to health experts, it is possible that in the coming days, there may be an increase in new cases of the disease, but the current variant of the virus is a “normal” one, the official said.

India has started stockpiling its first mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 manufactured by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, News18.com has learnt. Though the company had in March submitted the interim data for the approval of India’s first indigenously developed mRNA Covid vaccine to the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the review process is still going on and the regulatory agency has sought some more information. READ MORE

The World Health Organization says that the number of reported new COVID-19 cases worldwide decreased by nearly a quarter last week, continuing a decline since the end of March.

The Geneva-based U.N. health agency said in a weekly report that nearly 5.59 million cases were reported between April 11 and 17, 24% fewer than in the previous week. The number of newly reported deaths dropped 21% to 18,215. WHO said new cases declined in every region, though only by 2% in the Americas. The report was dated late Wednesday and sent to journalists on Thursday.

Thailand on Thursday received 200,000 doses of India-made Covovax vaccines as part of a flagship initiative of the Quad grouping to help countries combat the coronavirus pandemic. The vaccine doses were handed over to Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok by India’s Ambassador to Thailand Suchitra Durai, Australian envoy Allan McKinnon, Japan’s Nashida Kazuya and US Charge d’Affaires James Wayman, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Females with long Covid-19 syndrome tend to be more symptomatic than males, finds a study. Long Covid syndrome is defined as persistent symptoms extending beyond 12 weeks after the initial symptoms of acute infection. During the acute phase of Covid, women were found to have a lower mortality rate than men. But this study indicates that women have a greater likelihood of experiencing long Covid syndrome.

The global coronavirus caseload has topped 507 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 6.20 million and vaccinations to over 11.20 billion, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 507,015,168 and 6,207,545, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered increased to 11,202,915,650.

Hong Kong reopened gyms, beauty parlours, theme parks, and cinemas for the first time in more than four months on Thursday, as authorities relax some of the world’s most stringent COVID restrictions that have weighed on residents and businesses. Also, restaurant dining has been extended until 10 p.m. (1400 GMT) from 6 p.m. and group gatherings have been expanded to four people, from two previously. Many schools have also resumed in-person learning after months of online classes. The easing comes as the number of daily COVID-19 infections in the global financial hub dropped below 1,000 for the past six days from a peak of more than 70,000 on March 3.

Tamil Nadu on Wednesday recorded 27 new COVID-19 infections, including those of four returnees from Canada, and pushed the tally to 34,53,351 so far, the Health Department said. The overall death toll remained unchanged at 38,025 with zero fatalities getting recorded in the last 24 hours, a bulletin said.

Chhattisgarh on Wednesday reported five new coronavirus cases but no pandemic-related death, a health department official said. The state’s caseload rose to 11,52,225 while the death toll remained unchanged at 14,034. The positivity rate, or cases detected per 100 tests, stood at 0.12 per cent.

Telangana on Wednesday recorded 20 new COVID-19 cases taking the state’s tally to 7,91,692. Of the fresh infections, Hyderabad reported the highest number of cases with 14.