Coronavirus in India: India administers over 42 lakh vaccine doses by 7pm on February 4

India, on February 4, administered over 42 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses till 7 pm. The total number of vaccine doses administered so far has reached 169 crores, as per the Union Health Ministry.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority, in its latest order, announced that schools for classes 9th onwards, colleges and educational institutions will reopen from February 7 along with gyms, swimming pools and spas. Moreover, the duration of night curfews has also been reduced by one hour and will now be implemented from 11 pm to 5 pm. 

Maharasthra reported 13,840 new COVID-19 cases and 81 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the state's Public Health Department. On the other hand, the state saw 27,891 recoveries and no Omicron cases were reported. 

Assam reported 739 new COVID-19 cases along with 15 deaths in the last 24 hours. The state also saw 2,568 recoveries and the number of active cases stands at 11,942 with a positivity rate of 2.67%. 

West Bengal reported 1,523 new coronavirus cases along with 35 deaths in the last 24 hours. The state also saw 2,421 recoveries and the number of active cases stands at 20,213 with a positivity rate 3.10%.

Tamil Nadu reported 9,916 new COVID-19 cases and 30 deaths in the last 24 hours. 21,435 recoveries were also reported and the tally of active cases stands at 1,55,329.

Gujarat reported 6,097 new COVID-19 cases and 35 deaths in the last 24 hours taking the total death toll to 10,614. The state also saw 12,105 recoveries and the number of active cases stands at 57,521.

Karnataka reported 14,950 new COVID-19 cases with 53 deaths in the last 24 hours. Besides, 40,599 recoveries were also reported and active cases stand at 1,23,098. The positivity rate in Bengaluru has fallen to 9.17% and daily new cases have fallen by 80%, as per ANI.

India has sent 100,000 RAT kits to Sri Lanka as COVID-19 assistance. "The remaining kits to follow in the coming days", the High Commission of India in Colombo, Sri Lanka said as per ANI.

Delhi reported 2,272 new COVID-19 cases, 20 fatalities and 4,166 recoveries in the last 24 hours. The tally of active cases currently stands at 11,716, as per latest data.

The Karnataka government has released an order easing the COVID-19 restrictions in the state. "Gyms, Cinema halls, swimming pools and Yoga centres have been allowed to function with 100% capacity with strictly adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour and guidelines," the order reads as per ANI.

Kerala reported 38,684 new COVID-19 cases along with 28 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the state government's data. At the same time, the state also recorded 41,037 recoveries, as per ANI. The state government revealed that 197 deaths, which were earlier not added due to lack of documents, and 370 deaths were added to the covid death list as per the Central government's new guidelines.

Kerala's Health Minister Veena George revealed that the COVID-19 positivity rate has decreased to 10%. She added that the fatality rate stands at 0.9%, which is less than the national average, ANI reported. 

AIIMS Delhi has resumed routine inpatient admissions including elective surgeries with immediate effect after notification for the same was released. According to the notification, this decision has been taken after a decreased hospitalisation rate in COVID-19 patients.

The wait is over! Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto for the upcoming Assembly Elections will be released at the hands of Hon Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari Ji at a hotel on Sunday noon, February 6.

On the same day, Hon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji will address a virtual rally at 20 locations in the North Goa District at 4:30pm.

The people-centric manifesto has incorporated grass root level suggestions offered by the people to the Party through various mediums of communication. To elicit public opinion for drafting its manifesto for upcoming Assembly polls, BJP Goa had sent Sankalp Peti across all the places to receive valuable suggestions from the people.

The thrust of the manifesto will be to carry forward BJP’s Golden Goa. BJP has been working towards Progressive Goa and has brought human and infrastructural development. In the last 10 years of BJP government in Goa and seven years at the Centre, the visionary policies of the BJP has ensured long term development for Goa.

The soon-to-be released manifesto will not be just a document but BJP’s commitment to the people of Goa. Every suggestion and promises made in the manifesto will be executed soon after BJP forms government, yet again. BJP has completed nearly all the poll promises made during the last election. '

BJP is confident that Goans will once again shower their blessings and love to the country’s largest party on February 14.

A case has been registered against SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav for violating COVID-19 and the EC's guidelines during a campaign in Dadri on February 3. Besides, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, SP's Dadri candidate Rajkumar Bhati and SP's Gautam Buddh Nagar chief Indra Pradhan along with 400 others have also been booked, Gautam Buddh Nagar Police informed as per ANI.

Jharkhand's tally of COVID-19 cases mounted to 4,30,296 as the state reported 523 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as per the Health Department. However, the number of cases was 78 less than the previous day and the number of active cases stands at 3,256, PTI reported. Jharkhand also reported two deaths taking the total death toll to 5,308. 

Odisha recorded 2,697 positive cases along with 23 deaths on Friday, according to the Health Department. However, this was the lowest single-day case count in a month, PTI reported. The daily positivity rate dropped to 4.4 per cent as 60,762 samples were tested in the past 24 hours.

The Rajasthan government has decided to lift night curfews in the state and allow up to 250 people at private and public gatherings. The revised guidelines will be effective starting February 5, as per PTI. 

A  study conducted by experts from the Chinese Centre for Disease and Control and Prevention has recently found that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 may have started in mice. It is to mention that the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the Omicron variant - SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 - as a Variant of Concern (VOC) in November last year, making it the fifth VOC to arise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the dissemination of the Omicron strain has been rapid since it was first identified and has become the most common variant in many regions of the world. 

Scientists across the globe have been working meticulously to uncover the true sources of the Omicron strain, which despite its high transmission rate appears to cause less severe disease than other strains of the virus, such as the Delta variant. A popular theory is that the Omicron infected an animal and that the mutations occur as it spreads among the animal population, eventually being transferred to humans. 

Read more on what Chinese researchers have found

India crossed the grim milestone of 5 lakh COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, becoming the third country in the world to do so after the US and Brazil.

The country took 217 days to reach 5 lakh deaths from 4 lakh recorded on July 1 last year, the longest time is taken to record 1 lakh fatalities.  India was hit by a devastating second wave in April-May last year.

The country's death toll had crossed three lakh-mark on May 23 and two lakh-mark on April 27.  The death toll went past one lakh on October 2, 2020.

The total deaths has climbed to 5,00,055 with 1,072 daily fatalities, Union Health Ministry data updated at 8 am stated.

With over 9.2 lakh deaths, US has the highest number of fatalities due to the infection followed by Brazil with over 6.3 lakh, according to the Worldometers, which has been compiling global COVID-19 data.

The Supreme Court Friday directed all states governments and Union Territories to appoint dedicated nodal officer to coordinate with the member secretary of the state legal service authority (SLSA) to facilitate payment of ex gratia compensation to family members of COVID-19 victims.

A bench comprising Justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna also directed the state governments to give full particulars like name, address and death certificate to the concerned SLSA, as also complete details with respect to orphans, within one week from today (Friday) failing which the matter shall be viewed very seriously.

The top court reiterated that applications seeking compensation should not be rejected on technical grounds and if any technical glitch is found, the states concerned should give them the opportunity to cure defects as the ultimate goal of the welfare state is to provide some solace and compensation to victims.

States should make all endeavours to pay the compensation to the victims within a maximum period of 10 days from the receipt of the claim, it said.

Rajasthan reported 8,073 COVID-19 cases and 22 fatalities on Thursday, pushing the infection tally in the state to 12,29,134 and the death toll to 9,332.

Six deaths were reported from Jaipur, three from Jodhpur, two each from Kota and Udaipur, and one death each was reported from Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bundi, Churu, Dausa, Dungarpur, Ganganagar, Jhunjhunu and Karauli, according to an official statement.

Of the fresh positive cases, the highest number of 1,862 was reported from Jaipur.

The count of recoveries stands at 11,60,289, and the tally of active cases is at 59,513.

 Single-day recoveries outnumbered fresh COVID-19 cases in Arunachal Pradesh, as 404 patients recuperated from the disease, while 226 people tested positive, a health department official said on Friday.

The state’s coronavirus tally rose to 63,119, and 60,632 people have so far been discharged from hospitals, he said. The death toll increased to 291, after a woman succumbed to the virus at a health facility on Thursday, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Lobsang Jampa said.

Of the new cases, 61 infections were registered in the Capital Complex Region, 31 in Lower Subansiri, 23 in East Siang, 20 in Lohit, 16 in West Kameng and 13 in Tawang district.

Arunachal Pradesh now has 2,196 active cases.

Twenty-five more Covid-related deaths were reported in Punjab on Thursday while 1,514 new cases took the infection tally to 7,48,991, according to a medical bulletin.

The fatalities were reported from several districts, including Amritsar, Bathinda, Faridkot, Ludhiana and Fazilka as the death toll reached 17,360.

The number of active cases stands at 16,070.

Of the fresh cases, Mohali reported 245, followed by 176 in Ludhiana and 165 in Jalandhar.

A total of 802 patients are on oxygen support while 73 critical patients are on ventilator support, as per the bulletin.

A total of 3.135 people have recovered from the infection, taking the number of recoveries to 7,15,561, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, the Union Territory of Chandigarh reported 290 COVID-19 cases, taking the total count to 90,298.

With three more deaths reported in the city in the last 24-hours, the toll reached 1,132.

The number of active cases in the city was 2,315 while the number of recoveries was 86,851.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which was first detected in South Africa last November, grappled a number of countries across the world in the last few months. Despite the fact that the variant's impact is beginning to fade in many countries, global case numbers are still on the rise.

About 23 million new cases were confirmed in the last week of January. Previous peaks were around 5 million each week. The rapid spread of Omicron across the globe has also highlighted several startling facts about the human immune system. A study published in the journal Nature analyzed this and outlined how the immune system responds to COVID and its different variants.

Here are 10 things scientists have deciphered about human immunity

Rajasthan govt lifts the night curfew across the state with effect from 5th February. 

A maximum of 250 people allowed at wedding ceremonies (excluding the band). Religious places allowed to open for devotees.

DDMA meeting decides to reopen schools, colleges, coaching institutes, and gyms in Delhi. Duration of night curfew reduced by one hour (between 11 pm & 5 am): ANI

 The timing of the night curfew has been changed from 10 pm - 5 am to 11 pm -5 am.

In a meeting with health officials and other authorities, CM Yogi Aditynath announced that the ongoing third wave is under control and in view of the same, schools and colleges will resume operations starting on February 7. 

5 deaths were reported due to the virus, while 862 more patients tested positive on Thursday. 

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated, "With the administration of more than 55 lakh Doses (55,58,760) vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 168.47 Cr (1,68,47,16,068) as per provisional reports till 7 am on Friday. This has been achieved through 1,86,23,511 sessions."

Monitoring the decline in COVID-19 cases, the Odisha government has decided to reopen schools and colleges. All the schools and colleges will be reopened from February 7, 2022. An announcement about Odisha school reopening was made by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra at a press conference on Thursday, February 3, 2022.

It is to be noted that physical classes will only begin for students from Class 8 to 12, colleges, universities and other technical educational institutions. Talking about reopening schools for students from KG to 7, Chief Secretary announced that it will be reopened from February 14, 2022. 

A few days before this official announcement, the Odisha Higher Education department had to issue an official clarification. It was being circulated over social media and claimed that schools will be opened from February 10, 2022. “A fake letter is circulating in social media purportedly conveying the decision of Higher Education Department to reopen colleges and universities from 10th Feb’2022. It is hereby clarified that no such decision has been taken by the state government,” the department clarified on Twitter.

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Thane district in Maharashtra has reported 620 new coronavirus positive cases, which took its infection count to 7,04,629, while the death of two patients pushed the toll to 11,807, an official said on Friday.

These cases and fatalities were reported on Thursday, he said.

Thane's COVID-19 mortality rate is 1.67 per cent.

In neighbouring Palghar district, the caseload has gone up to 1,62,532 and the death toll to 3,382, another official said.

DDMA will hold a meeting on Friday, 4 February 2022, in view of the dropping COVID-19 cases in the national capital.

Anil Baijal, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, will chair the virtual meeting, where Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will also be present.

According to a report by news agency PTI, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, on Wednesday, accused the AAP government of discriminating against gyms and spas, and demanded that they be reopened.

"Restrictions like weekend curfew and odd-even have been removed from the markets. Along with this, restaurants, bars, and cinemas have also been allowed with 50 percent capacity. Why is discrimination being done only with gyms and spas?" Bidhuri asked, as quoted by PTI.

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday asserted that with effective vaccination in place, India has been able to tackle the third COVID wave without facing severe infections and a high fatality rate. After reflecting upon the higher rate of vaccination drives across the country, the health minister noted that during the recent wave, it was proved that the vaccines are effective in saving lives and ‘clear evidence has emerged that the COVID-19 vaccines have been protecting people.’

Asserting upon their statement, the health ministry informed that around 167.88 crore doses have been administered in the country so far and around 96% of people above 18 years of age have been given the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and around 76% of the eligible adult population has been jabbed with the second dose. As per the data shared by Health Ministry, 1.35 crore people were given the precaution dose.

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In view of the declining cases of COVID-19 observed across the country, the Centre and state governments have lifted various pandemic-induced restrictions and allowed schools, colleges, and educational institutions to reopen. The Union Education Ministry has issued a slew of guidelines for the reopening of educational institutions in various parts of the country.

The guidelines aim to ensure a smooth transition from virtual classes to physical classroom learning by preparing bridge courses, focusing on students who need extra interventions, ensuring that every student reads books beyond those in the syllabus, and implementing remedial programs. The states and union territories have been directed to follow the latest guidelines and add these modified rules to the existing standard operating procedures (SoPs) for the reopening of schools. "State and UT governments may decide at their level whether their schools are required to get the consent of the parents of the students attending the physical classes," they said.

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Mumbai's daily coronavirus count again dropped below the 1,000-mark as it reported 827 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, while seven more patients died due to the infection, the city civic body said.

With these additions, the tally of coronavirus infections rose to 10,49,348, while the death toll increased to 16,647, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) bulletin said.

Mumbai reported a dip of 301 cases from a day ago and the daily tally again went below 1,000. On Wednesday, the financial capital had reported 1,128 cases and 10 fatalities after recording 803 infections and seven fatalities on Tuesday.

The daily positivity rate (cases detected per 100 tests), however, increased to 2.29 per cent from 2.44 per cent from a day ago.

In the last 24 hours, 36,082 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the city, nearly 10,000 fewer than the previous day, taking their cumulative count to 1,54,23,088, the bulletin said.

With 1,366 more patients discharged during the day, the number of recovered cases jumped to 10,22,292, it said.

The city's coronavirus recovery rate is 97 per cent.

The case doubling rate of Mumbai jumped to 623 days, while the growth rate of COVID-19 cases between January 27 and February 2 was 0.11 per cent, the civic body said.