COVID-19 News Updates

Also in the same period, a total of 11,99,252 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the total tally to 67.64 crore.

The other countries with over 5 million cases are the UK (12,628,071), Russia (10,279,009), France (9,639,037), Turkey (9,367,369), Germany (7,101,226), Iran (6,190,762), Spain (6,133,057), Italy (5,854,428), Argentina (5,556,239) and Colombia (5,138,603), the CSSE figures showed.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated his concern over a recent narrative that Omicron has been causing milder or less severe diseases, Xinhua news agency reported.

The recombinant protein sub-unit vaccine developed from the RB) of the spike protein on the viral surface is adjuvanted with Dynavax's CpG 1018 and alum. Comprehensive Phase 3 clinical trials involving more than 3,000 subjects between the ages of 18 and 80 at 33 study sites across India, demonstrated the vaccine to be safe, well tolerated and highly immunogenic.

Mumbai presented a shocker with nearly doubling of new Covid-19 infections - from 1,333 on Tuesday to 2,510 within 24 hours, besides one death and a recovery rate of 97 per cent.

As vaccination gradually picked up pace and its scope was expanded, the government battled controversies surrounding its supply and availability to states and union territories and modifying the vaccine purchase and distribution policies.

Children, who were born before January 1, 2007, are eligible to take the COVID-19 vaccine doses in 15-18 year age group

The warning comes as the new Omicron variant in the US has driven daily Covid-19 new cases to a record high of over 510,000.

The parents and family members of the returnee were tested for Covid-19 twice after he was tested positive. However, they were found negative both times. 

With 9,195 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 3,48,08,886.

The second worst hit country in terms of cases is India (34,799,691 infections and 480,290 deaths), followed by Brazil (22,259,270 infections and 618,978 deaths).

"This announcement is an important first step in vaccinating the world and halting the pandemic. Our vaccine technology offers a path to address an unfolding humanitarian crisis, namely the vulnerability the low- and middle-income countries face against the delta variant, Hotez said.

Omicron, first detected from southern Africa in late November, has become dominant in several countries including the US and the UK, outpacing the previously dominant Delta variant, which was considered to be the dominant strain in many countries until recently.

Amid the ongoing resurgence of new Covid-19 cases in India, an expert panel of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on Tuesday approved Merck's anti-viral drug molnupiravir for restricted use in emergency situations.

Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan categorically underlined that the government has not issued any directions on the requirement of the doctor's certificate to establish comorbidity at the vaccination centre.