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Coronavirus updates | October 26, 2021

October 26, 2021 07:54 am | Updated 09:01 pm IST

India saw a single-day rise of 12,428 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 238 days, while the active cases declined to 1,63,816, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday

A health worker inoculates a dose of COVID-19 vaccine to MMK college students, during vaccination drive at Bandra, in Mumbai, Monday, October 25, 2021.

India is committed to supplying COVID-19 vaccines to other nations and such supplies are likely to begin by the end of this year, as the abundant production will not just meet domestic needs but also generate surplus for exports, a top government official said on Monday.

The official, however, added that the supply of vaccines to other nations will have to be balanced against the country's vaccination program.

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India saw a single-day rise of 12,428 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 238 days, while the active cases declined to 1,63,816, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

Here are the latest developments:

WHO

Review of India's Covaxin shot underway, WHO says

A World Health Organization technical advisory group was reviewing data on India's Covaxin shot against COVID-19 on Tuesday with a decision on its emergency use listing likely soon, a spokesperson said.

"If all is in place and all goes well and if the committee is satisfied, we would expect a recommendation within the next 24 hours or so," Margaret Harris told journalists at a U.N. press briefing.

Millions of Indians have taken the shot produced by Bharat Biotech but many have been unable to travel pending the WHO approval. - Reuters

 

Delhi

Chhath Puja: Campaign launched to vaccinate devotees against Covid

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday launched a special campaign for administration of Covid vaccines to devotees going to observe fast on Chhath festival post Diwali at Ibrahimpur village in North East Delhi's Burari area.

He was accompanied by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari.

Later, Puri shared pictures of the launch and sought blessings for all from “Chhathi Maiya” in a tweet in Bhojpuri. - PTI

Hong Kong

Hong Kong to tighten COVID-19 rules, seeks to open to China

Hong Kong will tighten COVID-19 restrictions despite a lack of local outbreaks to better align with China's policies and increase chances of quarantine-free travel between the territory and mainland, leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday.

It will step up contact tracing, such as requiring the use of its LeaveHomeSafe app in government premises to record the coming and going of visitors. It will also tighten quarantine rules to exempt only emergency workers or those in essential industries such as logistics. Currently, those exempt from quarantine include airline crew, banking and insurance executives, directors of public companies, as well as crew members on cargo and passenger ships, among others. - AP

 

Daily rise in COVID-19 cases lowest in 238 days

India saw a single-day rise of 12,428 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 238 days, while the active cases declined to 1,63,816, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

With the fresh cases, the total tally climbed to 3,42,02,202, while the death toll climbed to 4,55,068 with 356 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 a.m.

The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 30,000 for 31 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 120 consecutive days now.

The active cases comprise 0.49% of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.18%, the highest since March 2020. - PTI

European Union

EU drug regulator okays booster doses of Moderna’s COVID shot

The European Medicines Agency said on Monday that a booster dose of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine “can be considered” in people aged 18 and above.

In a statement, the EU drug regulator said its analysis had shown that a third dose given of Moderna’s vaccine — which is usually given in a two-dose schedule — at least six months after the second dose, led to an increase in antibody levels in adults whose levels were waning. The booster dose consists of half the dose normally given to adults.

The EMA said that currently available data suggest the incidence of side effects is similar to what is observed following the second dose of Moderna’s vaccine, which is known to cause temporary heart and chest inflammation in a small number of people. - AP

 

Andhra Pradesh

Survey to identify people yet to get one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Andhra Pradesh

Principal Secretary (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) Anil Kumar Singhal has said that a door-to-door survey will be conducted across the State to determine the number of eligible people who are yet receive at least one dose of vaccine against COVID-19 infection.

Mr. Singhal told the media here on Monday said that as per an estimate done by the government last year, there were 3.47 crore persons eligible (18+) for vaccination and 91.4% of them got at least one dose, while 53.2% got fully vaccinated.

The Central government later revised the eligible population as per the office of Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to 3.95 crore.

 

USA

U.S. issues vaccines-based entry rules for air travel

Most adults who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and want to fly to the country on or after November 8 will have to be fully vaccinated, as per a new Presidential Proclamation signed by U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday. The rules, which also include pre-travel testing specifications, have been expected for weeks and will harmonise disparate, country-specific rules. For some jurisdictions and countries, including India, Brazil, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa and the U.K. , where entry into the U.S. has been the exception to the rule , it will mean a significant easing of restrictions.

 

Delhi

COVID SOPs must be followed scrupulously during festivals: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Monday told the Centre, the city government, the police and various authorities here that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines and protocols set for COVID-appropriate behaviour and managing crowds in marketplaces must be followed scrupulously in this festive season.

A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh made the observation while hearing a public interest litigation initiated by the High Court on violation of COVID-19 protocols in various markets in the Capital.

 

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