COVID-19 news from across the nation

So far, India has recorded 97,67,371 confirmed COVID- 19 cases, including 1,41,772 deaths. A total of 92,53,306 patients have recovered, as per the latest data from the Union Health Ministry. Meanwhile, allaying the fear of the public, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday emphasised that no compromise has been made on scientific and regulatory norms related to the Covid-19 vaccine.

Hyderabad:India's tally of cumulative COVID-19 testing has crossed 15 crores, out of which past one crore tests were added in just 10 days, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

According to an official statement by the Union Health Ministry, 9,22,959 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, which has increased India's total cumulative tests to 15,07,59,726.

"The past one crore tests were added in just 10 days. Comprehensive and widespread testing on a sustained basis has resulted in bringing down the positivity rate," the Health Ministry said.

Meanwhile, the expert committee scrutinising applications by three firms for emergency use authorisation of their Covid-19 vaccines in India asked the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech for additional late-stage safety and efficacy data from their ongoing clinical trials.

The third applicant, US pharma giant Pfizer, sought more time to present its data.

COVID-19 news from across the nation

Delhi

New Delhi:The third wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the national capital is not over yet but it is “definitely on the wane”, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday.

Delhi recorded 2,463 new COVID-19 cases and 50 fatalities on Wednesday, the lowest number of deaths in a single day since November 1. As the positivity rate slipped to 3.42 per cent, Jain had on Wednesday tweeted that it was heartening to see that the national capital is “emerging victorious” in the battle against the coronavirus.

"Cases are falling, and death count in a day is lowest in the last 40 days. The situation has improved, and we can definitely say the third wave of the pandemic here is on the wane. It is not over, but on the wane," he told reporters on Thursday.

On plans of COVID-19 vaccination, he said, healthcare workers and frontline staff will be administered the vaccine first, followed by the elderly and then others. "If we have vaccine availability, we can vaccinate the entire population in a week's time, we have the preparations ready," he added.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday thanked Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan for donating 500 Remdesivir injections, used in treatment of COVID-19 patients, saying it came at a time "when it was needed the most".

The Union Health Ministry in its Clinical Management Protocols for COVID-19 has allowed the use of Remdesivir for restricted emergency purposes in patients in the moderate stages of the COVID-19 disease under "investigational therapies".

Maharashtra

Mumbai: A decision about permitting the general public to travel by suburban local trains in Mumbai will be taken after New year celebrations are over, Mumbai municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said on Thursday.

He said the number of new coronavirus patients in the city is decreasing day by day while the number of asymptomatic new patients is high now. In view of this, a decision about allowing common people to travel on suburban locals will be taken after Christmas and New Year celebrations, he added.

Currently, only certain categories of persons including those working for essential services are allowed to travel by local trains

Karnataka

Bengaluru: The Ministry of Defence has issued COVID-19 guidelines for the upcoming Aero India 2021, which should be followed for the biennial air show and exhibition. The event will be held for five days from February 3-7, 2021 at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka, North Bengaluru. The testing and quarantine guidelines for international delegates will be as per the Karnataka government's guidelines for international returnees.

The people without masks will not be allowed according to the guidelines and sensors will be used in toilets, washbasins and foot-pulls for doors. The ministry has mandated Covid test for people staying in Karnataka for over 48 hours.

Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: Indore, the worst-hit district by COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh, has recorded a gradual increase in resistance to the infection among common people over the past three months, a study has revealed.

The study was conducted by the blood bank of the Government Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH).