India saw a single-day rise of 35,662 new COVID-19 infections, while the active cases increased to 3,40,639, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on September 18.
The active cases in India now comprise 1.02% of the total infections and the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 97.65%, the Health Ministry said. Also, 14,48,833 tests were conducted on September 17, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far to 55,07,80,273, it added. The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 2.46%. It has been less than 3% for the last 19 days, according to the data.
The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 2.46%. It has been less than three per cent for the last 19 days, according to the data. The weekly positivity rate has been recorded at 2.02%. It has been below 3% for the last 85 days, the ministry said.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease is 3,26,32,222, while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.33%, it said.
The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the vaccination drive has exceeded 79.42 crore, according to the Ministry.
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Here are the latest developments:
Covax misses its 2021 delivery target — what’s gone wrong in the fight against vaccine nationalism?
The latest supply forecast for Covax — the programme for sharing COVID-19 vaccines around the world — suggests that accelerating vaccination in low-income countries looks unlikely. Covax estimates it will have distributed 1.425 billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021, significantly less than the 2 billion doses it was aiming for earlier this year.
Only 280.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given out through Covax as of September 15, 2021. With some high-income countries rolling out boosters and vaccinating children before many low-income countries have even given their adults a first dose, vaccine inequality is showing no sign of disappearing. PTI
COVID-hit Chinese city tells residents to stay home as holiday starts
A city in southeast China hit by COVID-19 told residents on September 18 to stay home and closed various venues, as infections spread in the country's latest hotspot during a key holiday travel season.
The government of Xiamen, in a series of notices, told residents not to leave home unnecessarily, closed parks, scenic spots and sports venues, and halted mass activities including tours, fairs and performances.
The measures, short of a full lockdown, came on the first of the four-day Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, a peak travel season across China. - Reuters
Over 79 crore doses of vaccine administered in India
The active cases in India now comprise 1.02% of the total infections and the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 97.65%, the Health Ministry said. Also, 14,48,833 tests were conducted on September 17, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far to 55,07,80,273, it added. The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 2.46%. It has been less than 3% for the last 19 days, according to the data.
The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 2.46%. It has been less than three per cent for the last 19 days, according to the data. The weekly positivity rate has been recorded at 2.02%. It has been below 3% for the last 85 days, the ministry said.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease is 3,26,32,222, while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.33%, it said.
The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the vaccination drive has exceeded 79.42 crore, according to the Ministry. - PTI
Vietnam approves Cuba's Abdala vaccine for use against COVID-19
Vietnam has approved Cuba's Abdala vaccine for use against the new coronavirus, the government said on September 18.
Abdala becomes the eighth COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Vietnam, which is battling its worst outbreak in months. - Reuters
Covid vaccines donated by India earlier this year for U.N. peacekeepers exhausted: U.N. spokesperson
The stock of COVID-19 vaccines donated by India earlier this year for U.N. peacekeepers has been exhausted, a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing on September 17 that the U.N. received a donation of 3,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the Government of China.
"The donation comes at a very important time, following exhaustion of the vaccine stocks donated by the Government of India in March this year," Mr. Dujarric said. - PTI
If there is no new variant, 3rd Covid wave will not be as devastating as 2nd, says Kang
There will not be a third wave of COVID-19 of the size and consequence the country witnessed during the second wave unless there is a new variant of coronavirus, top vaccinologist Gagandeep Kang said on September 17.
She stressed the need to develop better vaccines that can deal with new variants, and strengthening of the regulatory mechanisms. "Unless there is a new variant there will not be a third wave of the size and consequences that we saw in the second wave. What we will see is local flare-ups where there are unprotected populations and where the virus has not been before," Ms. Kang said. - PTI
U.S. panel backs COVID-19 boosters only for seniors, high-risk
Dealing the White House a stinging setback, a government advisory panel overwhelmingly rejected a plan on September 17 to give Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots across the board, and instead endorsed the extra vaccine dose only for those who are 65 or older or run a high risk of severe disease.
The nonbinding recommendation — from an influential committee of outside experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration — is not the last word. The FDA will consider the group’s advice and make its own decision, probably within days. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to weigh in next week. - AP
