Mourning the loss of lives lost due to the global coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 25 reiterated India's commitment to start giving vaccines to needy persons in other countries, even as he gave a clarion call to manufacturers to "Come, Make Vaccine in India".
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India had stopped the export of COVID-19 vaccines after the second wave of the pandemic hit the country hard in April this year. On September 20, India said it will resume export of surplus COVID-19 vaccines in the fourth quarter of 2021 under the ''Vaccine Maitri'' programme and to meet its commitment to the COVAX global pool.
Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 85 crores with over 62 lakh vaccine doses being administered on September 25, the Union Health Ministry 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:
Authorities baffled as man demands PM Modi's presence for his vaccination
Authorities here in Madhya Pradesh were left baffled when a man, hesitant to take vaccine against COVID-19, said he will take the first jab in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A video of the incident, which took place on September 25, surfaced on social media platforms, and district officials later said they will again reach out to the man and convince him to get vaccinated. -PTI
India expresses disappointment over China’s reluctance to permit stranded Indians return
India has expressed “disappointment” over China's reluctance to permit the return of thousands of stranded Indian students, employees and their families due to the COVID-19 pandemic, describing it as an "unscientific approach" to a purely humanitarian issue.
Over 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine, and hundreds of Indian businessmen and workers along with their families have been stranded in India for over one year as China, where the pandemic was first reported in late 2019, has suspended the visa process as well as flights from India citing the COVID-19 situation. -PTI
Ensure that no one is left out of vaccination's circle of safety: PM
Ahead of the festival season, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 26 urged people to keep following Covid protocol and ensure that no one is left out of vaccination's "circle of safety".
In his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address, Mr. Modi said the festival season is approaching and when the whole country will celebrate 'Maryada Purshottam' Shri Ram's victory over evil, people should remember the fight against Covid also. -PTI
3 oxygen plants inaugurated in UP's Muzaffarnagar
Three oxygen plants were inaugurated by Union minister Sanjiv Balyan and Uttar Pradesh minister Kapil Aggarwal here.
The plants were inaugurated on September 25 in a district women's hospital, a district hospital and a Community Health Centre (CHC) in Budhana town here. At the event, Mr. Balyan said the government is preparing itself to deal with the next possible wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the plants were set up under the PM Cares Fund and added that a fourth oxygen plant will be installed at the CHC in Khatoli town very soon. -PTI
28,326 new Covid infections recorded in India, taking total tally of cases to 3,36,52,745: Govt
India saw a single-day rise of 28,326 new coronavirus infections, taking the country's total tally of cases to 3,36,52,745, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on September 26.
The death toll climbed to 4,46,918 with 260 daily fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The active cases have increased to 3,03,476, comprising 0.90% of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.77%, the ministry said. -PTI
Macron says France will double the COVID-19 shots it sends to poor nations
President Emmanuel Macron on September 25 said France would give 120 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to poor nations, doubling an earlier pledge, French news agency AFP reported.
"The injustice is that on other continents, clearly, vaccination is way behind. In Africa, barely 3% of the population has been vaccinated - we need to go faster," AFP cited Mr. Macron saying in a video broadcast to a concert organised by the advocacy group Global Citizen. -Reuters
Random check finds guidelines not being followed in 100 PHCs
The guidelines laid down for Primary Health Centres (PHCs) by the Indian Public Health Standards are not being followed in any of the 100 PHCs that were randomly inspected by the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) across the State, said a report submitted to the High Court of Karnataka.
“As per the IPHS guidelines, medical care must essentially include out-patient services, 24x7 emergency services, referral services, and inpatient services with six beds. Such medical care facilities are not uniformly available in all 100 PHC’s visited. Only 50 PHCs visited by DLSAs were functioning 24x7,” stated the report submitted by the Member-Secretary of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA).
Tiruvannamalai to be under tight lockdown till October 3
The Tiruvannamalai district administration has extended the strict lockdown in force in the temple town till October 3. Parks, swimming pools and dams in Tiruvannamalai and neighbouring Kattam Poondi in the district will be closed during this period, District Collector B. Murugesh said on Saturday.
Hotels, bakeries and tea shops can function between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. on all days; takeaways from eateries can be served only up to 10 p.m. every day. All shops, including roadside eateries, hawkers and petty traders, can operate between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. in the town.
Parents, teachers demand reopening of Delhi schools for students of primary section, classes 6-8
A group of parents and school teachers on September 25 staged a protest outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here, and demanded reopening of schools for students of primary section and classes 6-8.
Carrying banners of 'Poor man's child-- No mobile no internet', 'Child's mental faculties develop only in schools', they said that children are becoming victims of mental and physical problems since they are forced to stay indoors. -PTI
Many parents unwilling to send children back to full classrooms
While the State government has decided to lift physical attendance restrictions in classrooms and allow upper primary and high schools to operate in full capacity in districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate is below 1%, school managements say it will be a challenge as parents are apprehensive. This is especially the case in cities such as Bengaluru where most students have easy access to the internet and devices such as smartphones and laptops to attend online classes.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh has said that restrictions on physical attendance would be lifted from October 1.
Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines
The prime minister of Sudan’s transitional government urged world leaders on September 25 to work together to get developing countries more COVID-19 vaccines.
In a speech to the United Nation’s General Assembly, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok echoed similar statements from other speakers when he said that making sure countries like Sudan get enough shots is the only way to ensure the safety of the rest of the world.
Sudan has only received a fraction of the vaccines it needs, according to official figures. Since March, the Sudanese government has vaccinated approximately 830,000 people out of 45 million. So far, Sudan has recorded more than 37,500 cases and 2800 deaths from the coronavirus. The true numbers are believed to be far higher given the scarcity of testing. -AP
Officials to make home visits to help kin of Covid victims get relief under Delhi govt scheme
Delhi government officials will visit the homes of dependents of Covid victims to help them claim financial assistance under a scheme of the city government.
In June, the Delhi government had notified the 'Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana' to provide financial relief to families who have lost their dear ones to COVID-19.
Under the scheme, the Delhi government has promised one-time financial assistance of Rs. 50,000 for each victim's family, and Rs. 2,500 monthly assistance for the households that lost their sole breadwinner and for orphaned children. -PTI
With 28k samples, latest Covid serosurvey in Delhi to be largest exercise: Satyendar Jain
In total 28,000 samples will be collected for the latest Covid serosurvey, making it the largest exercise in the national capital that seeks to determine the prevalence of antibodies among the populace, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on September 25.
The survey got underway on September 24 amid fewer COVID-19 cases being reported in the city for many weeks now. -PTI
50% customers to be allowed into restaurants, bars in Kerala
With COVID-19 cases coming down in Kerala and over 90% of the targeted population having been administered the first dose of the vaccine, the State government on September 25 eased restrictions and decided to open up restaurants and bars for the public with riders.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who spoke to reporters after a high-level COVID-19 evaluation meeting, said indoor stadia and swimming pools can function with fully vaccinated staff.
He said the government has decided to ease restrictions as over 90% of the targeted population have been administered with the first dose of the vaccine. -PTI
Cuba kicks off COVID-19 vaccine exports with shipment to Vietnam
Cuba said on September 25 it had exported its three-shot Abdala coronavirus vaccine for the first time, sending an initial shipment to Vietnam as part of a contract to supply five million doses to the Southeast Asian country.
Scientists in the Communist-run island have developed three home-grown vaccines against COVID-19, all of which are waiting to receive official recognition from the World Health Organization. -Reuters
16% of fully vaccinated healthcare workers at Kozhikode hospital got infected
Over 16% of fully vaccinated healthcare workers at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, were found to have symptomatic breakthrough infections even after receiving two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
None of them, however, required intensive care unit support, says a first-of-its-kind study in Kerala titled ‘Breakthrough infection following COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers in South India’.
Number vaccinated in T.N. expected to cross five crore, says Health Minister
The Health Department in Tamil Nadu hopes to have over five crore people vaccinated against COVID-19 across the State, said Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian on September 25.
He said the department has advised health officials to administer the vaccines to more people against the targeted 15 lakh through 20,000 camps. -PTI
BMC to hold vaccination sessions for women, students, teachers
Special COVID-19 vaccination sessions will be held by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for women on September 27 and for students and teachers on September 28 at civic and government-run centres, an official said on September 25.
The session for women will be held between 10 am and 6pm and the one for students above the age of 18 and teachers will be from 9am to 2pm, he said. -PTI
