India’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 98.57 lakh, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93.57 lakh pushing the national recovery rate to 94.93%, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.
The total coronavirus cases mounted to 98,57,029 with 30,254 infections being reported in a day, while the death toll rose to 1,43,019 with 391 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 a.m. showed.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will reach hospitals and other sites by Monday , a top official said.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here . A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
J.P. Nadda tests positive
BJP president J.P. Nadda tweeted that he has tested positive for coronavirus. He said his health is fine and will be isolating himself at home. He also advised those who came in recently contact with him to self-isolate.
Gagandeep Kang claims no compromise in clinical testing of COVID-19 vaccines
Seeking to allay apprehension of people over safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, noted clinical scientist Gagandeep Kang said that though vaccines for the coronavirus are being developed in a short period of time, there has been absolutely no compromise in their clinical testing.
Though vaccines for the coronavirus are being developed in a “very short period of time”, all clinical phases of testing are being done, she said.
“What has changed is the approach to the testing where all steps that used to happen between phases of clinical trials have been cut out, which means regulators are working much longer and harder than they ever have before,” Ms. Kang said. - PTI
Bahrain approves Chinese COVID-19 vaccine for use
Bahrain said on Sunday it approved the use of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine, following its earlier approval of a vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.
Separately, Kuwait has granted emergency use for the Pfizer vaccine.
Bahrain’s state-run news agency said the Sinopharm vaccine would be available in the island kingdom off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf.
It offered few details though on study results of the vaccine, in line with the United Arab Emirates, which last week announced the vaccine was 86% effective. The Emirati statement provided few details but marked the first public release of information on the efficacy of the shot.
India records one of the lowest COVID cases per million population in the world in a week
India has reported one of the lowest COVID cases per million population in the world (158) in the last 7 days — much lower than many other countries of the Western Hemisphere, as per the data released by the Health Ministry on Sunday.
The Ministry said while 30,254 persons were found to be positive in the past 24 hours, 33,136 new recoveries were registered during the same period. This has led to a net decline of 3,273 cases from the active caseload in the last 24 hours.
Wealthier nations and privileged communities worst hit in this pandemic: Expert
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected populations around the world and in many instances the wealthier nations and more privileged communities have been the worst affected, said Professor Norman Sartorius, former president of the World Psychiatric Association and former Chief, Mental Health Division, WHO.
Speaking on “Pandemics and the Mind: the view from 2020” at the Medico Pastoral Association’s (MPA) first Dr Joyce Siromoni Memorial Oration, he said the illness will cause most damage in the most developed and richest parts of the world because in them the numbers of people surviving while having chronic illnesses is high.
Along with the physical toll and mortality, this pandemic has many psychological morbidities, especially anxiety, depression and intrafamilial violence, he said.
Brazil government outlines plan for coronavirus vaccinations
Brazil’s government has presented a Supreme Court justice with a coronavirus immunization plan that provides initially for only enough shots for about a quarter of the population and does not indicate a start date.
The document, which was made public on Saturday, was submitted by President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration the previous night to judge Ricardo Lewandoswki, who had ordered the report after an opposition political party filed a lawsuit seeking information on the government’s immunization plans for the pandemic.
U.S. hits 16 million COVID cases within even as vaccine begins roll-out
The United States hit a record 16 million COVID-19 cases on Saturday afternoon, with deaths closing in on the 300,000 mark, even as millions of doses of a new vaccine were expected to start rolling out across the nation on Sunday.
The first vaccine was approved late on Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is expected to touch off a mass-inoculation campaign of unparalleled dimension to end the pandemic that has upended daily life and devastated the U.S. economy.
(With inputs from agencies)
