Coronavirus In India Updates: India's COVID vaccination coverage crosses 153.70 crore

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has tested positive for COVID-19. He took to Twitter to inform on the same and wrote, "I have isolated myself and I am under home quarantine".

"Lakshadweep vaccinates all eligible children in the age group of 15 to 18 years. With this, it has become the first among UTs and States to have achieved this feat", S Asker Ali, District Collector & Secy, UT Lakshadweep, informed.

Maharashtra has reported 34,424 new COVID cases and 22 deaths. The number of Omicron cases in the state is 1,281 including 499 discharges.

Odisha government has decided to prohibit religious congregations on Makar Sankranti and Pongal on January 14 amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in the state; places of worship will remain closed on the occasion. 

"COVID-19 vaccines that have high impact on prevention of infection and transmission, in addition to the prevention of severe disease and death, are needed and should be developed," the World Health Organization's Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition said in a statement.

The Karnataka government announced additional containment measures amid increasing COVID cases in the state. According to the new guidelines, "All rallies, dharnas, protests prohibited. Marriage functions are permitted with not more than 200 people in open spaces and 100 people in closed places. Intensive surveillance to be conducted at the border of Maharashtra, Kerala & Goa".

"Till yesterday, 345 Omicron cases have been reported including 155 people discharged. It shows cases are increasing due to the Delta variant. Both Delta and Omicron variants are present. There is a 100% increase in cases in one week time", Kerala Health Minister Veena George informed.

"Vaccination coverage of 1st dose in the state stands at 99% and of the second dose at 82%. Vaccination of children in the age group of 15 to 18 years stands at 39%. A total of 60,421 persons have taken 'precautionary dose'", she added.

The Government of India informed that the country's COVID vaccination coverage has crossed 153.70 crores with over 76 lakh doses administered till 7 pm today. More than 18 lakh 'Precaution Doses' administered so far. 

Karnataka has reported 14,473 new COVID cases and 5 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Mumbai has reported 11,647 new COVID cases and two deaths in the last 24 hours. It is the lowest reported since last one week. 

Goa has reported 2,476 new COVID cases and 4 deaths in the last 24 hours. 

Kerala has reported 9,066 new COVID cases with 2064 recoveries, and 19 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Delhi has reported 21,259 new COVID cases and 23 deaths in the last 24 hours.

ICMR's National Task Force for COVID-19 has decided against including antiviral drug Molnupiravir in the Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 as of now, official sources said

) The Delhi government will launch online yoga and pranayam classes for COVID-19 patients in home isolation from January 12, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.

He also said that this initiative will be the first of its kind in the world.

There will be eight classes of one hour each from 6 am to 11 am and 4 pm to 7 pm under the the "Dilli ki Yogshala" programme, the chief minister said during an online briefing.

"To help patients who are recovering at home, the Delhi government has brought forward a one of a kind programme. The programme will be unique in itself throughout the globe. In my understanding, we are the first to design something like this," he said during an online briefing. 

Kejriwal said registration links will be sent to patients in home isolation and they can register for the classes according to their convenience. 

"Classes will be held in batches of 15 and we have sufficient instructors to look after 40,000 patients," he said.

Kejriwal said that COVID-19 cases are rapidly rising throughout the country. Delhi too is witnessing a rise but it is being seen that the speed of spread of the virus has slowed down, the chief minister said. 

"I hope that this trend will continue for the near future and the Covid spread comes down. At present, barely 1,500-2,000 hospital beds have been occupied by Covid patients and the rest are in home isolation," he added.

Kejriwal said that instructors have been given specific training for yoga asanas and practices related to COVID-19 recovery.

"Yoga and pranayam greatly add on to one's immunity. I would not claim that they offer complete protection against the virus but they definitely help one cope and recover more efficiently," he said. 

The chief minister said they do not want this to be "some large scale broadcast that the masses follow". 

"We want this to be a proper treatment regimen for every single patient. Even though Omicron (variant of coronavirus) is mild, I hope this programme will aid every patient in their recovery. The patients will not only get treated but also gain a sense of mental and spiritual peace," he said. 

(PTI)

India all-rounder Washington Sundar has tested positive for COVID-19 and is doubtful for the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting January 19.

The 22-year old Tamil Nadu player tested positive for the virus in Bengaluru and has not yet joined the other white-ball cricketers in Mumbai, who are scheduled to leave for South Africa in a day or two.

"Washington has tested positive for COVID-19 and is yet to join the other white ball specialists in Mumbai. He was in Bengaluru (at the National Cricket Academy) when he tested positive," BCCI sources said.

It is learnt that Washington will not be able to travel in the chartered flight along with the other selected players and it is not yet clear if he would be individually flown to South Africa by the BCCI at a later date.

The ODI series against South Africa begins in Paarl on January 19. The second ODI is scheduled at the same venue on January 21, following which the team will travel to Cape Town for the series-finale.

Washington, who has been out of action since the tour of England last year due to an injury, returned to domestic cricket and did well for his state team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where Tamil Nadu reached the final.

(PTI)

"Yesterday (Jan 10), 22 police personnel were found infected with COVID. Today 6-7 personnel tested positive. Till now, none of the infected personnel have been admitted to a hospital, their condition is stable. One suspected case with comorbidities admitted to hospital", Nagpur Police Commissioner informed. 

Full vaccination or negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test report not older than 48 hours a must:

"Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who had tested COVID positive yesterday is recovering well," said A. Bharat Bhushan Babu, Principal Spokesperson, Ministry of Defence

In Karnataka, 41 Congress netas have been booked after thousands attend padayatra sans COVID compliance:

2 Karnataka Congress leaders test positive for COVID-19 after attending Padyatra; one leader hospitalised, another in isolation:

"About 22,000 COVID cases with a positivity rate of 24-25% in the last few days...Don't worry, we will not impose lockdown," says Delhi CM Kejriwal.

"Lockdown may be imposed in the city so I've decided to go back to my native state. I am not getting any work due to Covid restrictions, it is tough to survive without any income," says Amrinder Kumar Yadav, a driver. 

Delhi Healthcare workers, frontline workers, & senior citizens queue up outside a vaccination centre in GTB Nagar to take 'precaution dose' on the second day of its roll out:

Karnataka: Precautionary dose of COVID vaccine being administered at Malleswaram Government School

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and was hospitalised in Mumbai:

The nationwide drive for healthcare workers, frontline workers, and people aged 60 and above with comorbidities kicked off yesterday, January 10. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin took the 'precautionary dose' of the COVID vaccine on Tuesday. 

"I took my precaution dose on payment today. We need hope and not horror to fight with Covid-19. All eligible people should get administered with precaution dose," says the Minister

Amid a surge in COVID cases in Delhi with a total of 70 deaths reported since the last week of Dec 2021, all hospitals have been directed with fresh orders: 

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will be doing a virtual meeting with all Indian Medical Association leaders and senior doctors across the country on Covid management at 11:30 am today:

'Work from home shall be followed. All restaurants & bars shall be closed, takeaways allowed,' adds DDMA order:

"There is no need for full lockdown as of now. CM has asserted that the economy should not be affected, restricted lockdown enough for now," added Tamil Nadu Health Minister MA Subramanian. 

"3 new oxygen plants have been installed in the hospital. Special ICU wards and ventilators also brought in," says Dr Mehmood Bajar, Medical Superintendent, Govt Medical College, Rajouri. 

"Haridwar district administration has put a complete ban on devotees taking holy dips on 'Makar Sankranti', 14 January," added Vinay Shankar Pandey, DM, Haridwar. 

Active case tally reaches 8,21,446. Daily positivity rate (10.64%). Omicron tally at 4,461:

"42 prisoners and 34 jail staff in Tihar Jail, 24 prisoners and 8 jail staff in Mandoli jail and 6 jail staff of Rohini Jail have tested positive for COVID-19": Prison Officials

"The peak numbers are likely to be higher than the second wave. However, we expect that the third wave will be over by mid-March": IIT Kanpur professor Dr Manindra Agrawal

Haryana Government has banned rallies, protests, and other gatherings and the restrictions have been extended to to 8 more districts:

On Monday, Maharashtra’s capital recorded 13,648 fresh COVID cases, which is significantly lesser than the day before by 5,826. As per the state health department, Mumbai’s total number of cases stands at 9,28,220 and the death toll reached 16,411.

In the last 24 hours, five people succumbed to the deadly virus. Around 59,242 individuals were tested in the city in the last 24 hours. With the increasing COVID figures, the city’s positivity rate has climbed to 23%. On Sunday, Mumbai reported 19,474 cases, a little decrease from the 20,318 cases reported on Saturday. Dharavi, a slum area in Mumbai, reported 97 new COVID cases today, January 10, bringing the total number of active cases in the region to 943.

To know who should get tested and who should not as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, tap here.

With a surge in coronavirus cases migrant workers and daily wagers fear another round of lockdown that could push the manufacturing industry into a financial crisis, says DS Chawla, president, United Cycle And Parts Manufacturers Association. 

With number of active Covid cases crossing 1000 mark in Agra on Monday, the district admin imposed fresh restrictions in the city. Gyms & swimming pools have been closed down. Wearing of mask would be mandatory, said Agra District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh:

Keeping world-renowned sites like Ellora & Ajanta Caves shut will adversely affect the tourism sector in the region. We urged govt to allow such sites to open with 50% capacity, said Jaswant Singh Rajput, president, Aurangabad Tourism Development Foundation. 

"India began administering Precaution Doses. Kudos to those who have got vaccinated today. I would request all those who are eligible to get vaccinated. As we all know, vaccination remains among the most effective means to fight COVID-19," said PM Modi in a tweet on Monday night.