The World Health Organisation chief said Tuesday that 90 million cases of coronavirus have been reported since the omicron variant was first identified 10 weeks ago — amounting to more than in all of 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 updates :
Review coverage of Covid second dose amongst adolescents daily: Centre to States, UTs
Noting that timely completion of the Covid vaccination schedule is important to confer full protection of vaccines to the recipients, the Centre has asked the States and Union Territories to review the coverage of second dose amongst adolescents daily.
In a letter to the States and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said a tailored communication strategy, focused at adolescent population and their caregivers, should also be rolled out to make them aware about the timely completion of vaccination schedule and sustain their vaccine confidence. — PTI
Ajanta, Ellora caves reopen; online tickets, vaccination must for visitors
The world famous Ajanta and Ellora caves and various other monuments reopened here in Maharashtra on Wednesday after being shut for about three weeks in the wake of a surge in COVID-19 cases, an official said.
Online purchase of tickets and full vaccination are mandatory for visitors, the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) Aurangabad circle superintendent Dr Milan Kumar Chauley told PTI.
The monuments were closed on January 8 due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
The district administration has now allowed the monuments to reopen. -PTI
Zydus Cadila starts supply of COVID-19 vaccine to govt
Drug firm Zydus Cadila on Wednesday said it has commenced supplies of its COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D to the central government.
The company has initiated the supply as per the order placed by the government, the drug firm said in a statement.
The group is also planning to make the vaccine available in the private market, it added.
ZyCoV-D is a three-dose vaccine administered intradermally. -PTI
Eruption-hit Tonga closes borders as Covid detected
Volcano-devastated Tonga will close its borders Wednesday after COVID-19 was detected in the previously virus-free Pacific kingdom as it struggles to recover from last month's deadly disaster, officials said.
Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said two men tested positive this week in the capital Nuku'alofa and were in isolation.
He said the men had been working in the city's port, where humanitarian aid has been pouring in from around the globe since the January 15 eruption. -AFP
Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth test positive
Filmmaker Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth on Tuesday night said she has tested positive for COVID-19 and is under treatment at a hospital.
The 40-year-old director, who is the elder daughter of megastar Rajinikanth, took to Instagram and posted a picture which showed a cannula in her hand.
"Tested positive even after all precautions. Got admitted. Please mask up, get vaccinated and be safe. Bring it on 2022! We’ll see what more is that you have in store for me," the Chennai-based helmer wrote.
Last month, Aishwaryaa had announced separation from her actor-husband Dhanush.
Night curfew in A.P. extended till Feb. 14
The night curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. that was in force in the State till January 31 has been extended till February 14, along with the other COVID-19 related directives, after reviewing the pandemic situation.
In a G.O. released to this effect on Tuesday, Principal Secretary Anil Kumar Singhal said that any violation of the instructions would result in prosecution under the Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Section 188 of the IPC and other laws applicable.
Many countries yet to see peak in Omicron wave, should ease curbs slowly WHO
Many countries have not reached their peak in cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus and measures imposed to curb its spread should be eased slowly, the World Health Organization's technical lead on COVID-19 said on Tuesday.
"We are urging caution because many countries have not gone through the peak of Omicron yet. Many countries have low levels of vaccination coverage with very vulnerable individuals within their populations," Maria Van Kerkhove told an online briefing. -Reuters
Omicron sub-variant in 57 countries: WHO
A sub-variant of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus strain, which some studies indicate could be even more infectious than the original version, has been detected in 57 countries, the WHO said Tuesday.
The fast-spreading and heavily mutated Omicron variant has rapidly become the dominant variant worldwide since it was first detected in southern Africa 10 weeks ago.
In its weekly epidemiological update, the World Health Organization said that the variant, which accounts for over 93 percent of all coronavirus specimens collected in the past month, counts several sub-lineages: BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2 and BA.3. -AFP
Pfizer seeks U.S. approval of Covid vaccine for children under 5
Pfizer and BioNTech said Tuesday they began submitting a formal request to U.S. health regulators for emergency use of their Covid vaccine for children aged over six months and under five years.
The request is currently for two doses of a three-microgram shot, which will give parents "the opportunity to begin a COVID-19 vaccination series for their children while awaiting potential authorization of a third dose," Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. -AFP
