India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 94.99 lakh, while the total number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 89 lakh pushing the national recovery rate to over 94 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The total coronavirus cases mounted to 94,99,413, with 36,604 new infections being reported in a day, while the death toll climbed to 1,38,122 with 501 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
There are 4,28,644 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 4.51 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. The active COVID-19 caseload remained below 5 lakh for the 22nd consecutive day.
Major highlights of the day:
Russian President Vladimir Putin told health officials Wednesday to start widespread vaccinations next week, adding that the country had produced close to 2 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine. (READ MORE)
Total cases: 8,87,667
Total recoveries: 8,51,690
Total deaths: 11,808
Active cases: 24,150
Recoveries today: 983
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will take the first shot of the anti-Covid vaccine in the state after it is cleared by the ICMR following which 1.25 lakh health workers would receive it.
The state government has also prioritised nearly 23 per cent of its three crore population, totalling 70 lakh, comprising healthcare workers, frontline workers, the elderly population above the age of 50 years and people with comorbidities for the first phase of vaccination, an official statement said on Wednesday. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
The state has made it mandatory for senior citizens at old age homes and other similar institutions to undergo RTPCR tests for COVID-19 once in three months. RTPCR testing has also been stipulated for those belonging to the vulnerable population in containment zones. The new instructions were part of the revised testing protocol for COVID-19. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
Total Positives: 614,674
Total Recovered: 550,788
Active cases: 61,455
Total deaths 2,298
Recoveries today: 5,924
56,993 Samples tested in the last 24 hours
Total cases: 7,84,787
Total deaths: 11,733
Total discharged: 7,62,015
Active cases: 10,999
Discharged today: 1398
The Telangana Health Department has issued a public health advisory asking all those who took part in political rallies, gatherings and meetings in the run-up to the GHMC municipal elections to isolate themselves for a week. The announcement was made at a press meet by the Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivas Rao and Director of Medical Education Dr K Ramesh Reddy on Wednesday. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
The small German biotech firm BioNTech, started by a husband and wife team with Turkish roots, had never brought a vaccine to market before.
But its experimental technology has now become the first authorised for use in the Western world to help end the coronavirus pandemic.
Along with its US partner Pfizer, BioNTech on Wednesday said its Covid-19 vaccine has been granted approval by Britain, with a rollout planned for as early as next week. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
Following the lockdown, informal workers in the national capital suffered a dip of at least 20 per cent in their earnings in April as compared to February, according to the initial findings of a study by Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), an international NGO. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for COVID-19 in Karnataka has said that the second wave of the pandemic is expected during January-February in 2021.
The panel has asked to keep ready by first week of January, the clinical facilities at an October level (when there was over 10,000 cases per day) in terms of beds, ICUs, ventilators, and so on, both in government and private hospitals or this could be ramped up at a short notice of 2-3 days maximum.
It has also recommended to ban new year public celebrations from December 26 to January 1 and impose night curfew (8 pm to 5 am) during this period.
National Green Tribunal has extended ban on the sale and use of all kinds of firecrackers during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the National Capital Region and all cities/towns in the country where the ambient air quality falls under the ‘poor’ and above category.
Pfizer and BioNTech say they've won permission Wednesday for emergency use of their COVID-19 vaccine in Britain, the world’s first coronavirus shot that’s backed by rigorous science -- and a major step toward eventually ending the pandemic. The move makes Britain one of the first countries to begin vaccinating its population as it tries to curb Europe’s deadliest COVID-19 outbreak.
Gujarat High Court orders compulsory community service at COVID19 care centres for those who do not wear masks, directs State Government to issue a notification
Supreme Court's three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan begins hearing a batch of petitions filed by various industry bodies and others seeking a direction for relaxation on loans due to COVID19 pandemic
Total number of samples tested up tp 1st December is 14,24,45,949 including 10,96,651 samples tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research
With 36,604 new COVID19 infections, India's total cases rise to 94,99,414. With 501 new deaths, toll mounts to 1,38,122. Total active cases at 4,28,644. Total discharged cases at 89,32,647 with 43,062 new discharges in last 24 hrs
BJP MP and actor Sunny Deol on Wednesday said he has tested positive for coronavirus and appealed to those who have come in close contact with him to test themselves for the infection. He also said that he has isolated himself after his COVID-19 test results came out positive. "I have tested positive for coronavirus. I appeal to the people who came in contact with me recently to isolate themselves and go for the COVID test," Deol tweeted in Hindi.