Coronavirus Global Updates 25 August :::Taiwan reports no new domestic Covid-19 cases, first time since May 9 ; Govt urges states to get school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5

Wed Aug 25 10:42:26 CAT 2021

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Coronavirus Global Updates 25 August  :::Taiwan reports no new domestic Covid-19 cases, first time since May 9 ; Govt urges states to get school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5

Zimbabwe COVID19 Update

COVID-19 update: As at 24 August 2021, Zimbabwe had 123 320 confirmed cases, including 108 660 recoveries and 4 320 deaths. To date, a total of 2 382 359 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Taiwan reports no new domestic Covid-19 cases, first time since May 9

Japan to further expand virus emergency areas as cases surge

Japan was set to expand its coronavirus state of emergency for a second week in a row Wednesday, adding several more prefectures as a surge in infections fuelled by the delta variant strains the country's health care system.

India reports 37,593 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

India reported37,593 new Covid-19 cases, while the active cases rose to 3,22,327, comprising 0.99 per cent of the total infections, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The total tally of Covid-19 cases has increased to3,25,12,366.

189 new Covid-19 cases in Thane, 10 more deaths (PTI)

The number of Delta Plus cases of the coronavirus in Maharashtra has risen to 103 after 27 new infections were reported in the state, according to the health department.

Slow Covid vaccination to cost global economy $2.3 tn, says study

The slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines will cost the global economy $2.3 trillion in lost output, a report released Wednesday found.

The Economist Intelligence Unit's study found that emerging and developing economies, whose vaccine rollouts are far behind those of wealthier countries, will bear the brunt of those losses.

The report comes as advanced nations move towards providing booster shots to their populations while the international effort to provide vaccines for poorer nations remains inadequate.

Gujarat relaxes night curfew time during Janmashtami, Ganesh festivals

The Gujarat government on Tuesday announced relaxation in night curfew time in eight metros and other concessions from coronavirus-induced restrictions during the coming Janmashtami and Ganesh festivals.

US data show rising 'breakthrough' infections among fully vaccinated

Some 25 per cent of SARS-CoV-2 infections among Los Angeles County residents occurred in fully vaccinated residents from May through July 25, a period that includes the impact of the highly transmissible Delta variant, US officials reported on Tuesday. 

No new COVID cases in WA (apart from the Ken Hou crew, which we knew about yesterday)

Another interruption to our Q&A to confirm that there are no new locally acquired cases in Western Australia today. 

WA Health has today officially reported the 20 COVID cases detected in crew from the Ken Hou cargo ship — they're all staying on that vessel for now. 

Two crew members who tested negative to COVID-19 have been transferred to hotel quarantine where they will undergo further testing.

Govt urges states to get school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5

 <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Coronavirus India  Updates: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday said the government has requested all states to try and get all school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5.

“Besides the scheme of providing vaccines to every state this month, over 2 crore addl doses of vaccine are being made available. We’ve requested all states to try to get all school teachers vaccinated on priority, by 5th Sept – Teachers’ Day,” Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, India recorded 37,593 new Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

Active cases in the country have declined to 3.22 lakh. Kerala accounts for 1.59 lakh active cases. The state reported 24,296 cases, the highest in three months. Maharashtra reported 4,355 cases. And 648 deaths were reported on Tuesday. Out of which, Maharashtra reported 267, including 169 from earlier weeks that had remained uncounted.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has climbed to 3,25,12,366 and the death toll has reached 4,35,758. As many as 3,17,54,281 people have recovered from the disease. The health ministry said the total number of vaccine doses administered till date has reached 59,55,04,593.

India reports 37,593 new Covid-19 cases; Kerala records 24,296 cases, the highest in 3 months. 

Requested states to get all school teachers vaccinated by Teachers' Day: Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday said the government has requested all states to try and get all school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5.

"Besides the scheme of providing vaccines to every state this month, over 2 crore addl doses of vaccine are being made available. We've requested all states to try to get all school teachers vaccinated on priority, by 5th Sept - Teachers' Day," Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Requested states to get all school teachers vaccinated by Teachers' Day: Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday said the government has requested all states to try and get all school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5.

"Besides the scheme of providing vaccines to every state this month, over 2 crore addl doses of vaccine are being made available. We've requested all states to try to get all school teachers vaccinated on priority, by 5th Sept - Teachers' Day," Mandaviya said in a tweet.

No Covid deaths in Delhi for fifth successive day

Experiencing its lowest case count since the earliest days of the pandemic, Delhi has now gone  <https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/no-covid-deaths-delhi-fifth-successive-day-7469720/> five days in a row without a single Covid death.

Starting from August 20, Delhi has recorded zero deaths every day. In fact, in the last 14 days, 10 have been zero death days. This comes as a huge relief for a city that had seen as many as 448 Covid deaths in a single day on May 3 during its fatal second wave.

Karnataka: RT-PCR not mandatory for air passengers from Europe, Middle East

The Karnataka government has  <https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/karnataka-rt-pcr-mandatory-for-air-passengers-from-europe-middle-east-covid-guidelines-karnataka-international-airport-7469685/> exempted passengers from the United Kingdom, other European countries and the Middle East from mandatory Covid-19 RT-PCR tests at state airports. The passengers from these countries can provide the samples and leave airports for further compliance according to the standard operating procedures.

However, passengers coming from South Africa and Brazil will continue to be tested at airports and they will have to wait for results. On testing negative, they can leave airports.

India reports 37,593 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

India recorded 37,593 new  <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

Active cases in the country have declined to 3.22 lakh. Kerala accounts for 1.59 lakh active cases. The state reported 24,296 cases, the highest in three months. Maharashtra reported 4,355 cases. And 648 deaths were reported on Tuesday. Out of which, Maharashtra reported 267, including 169 from earlier weeks that had remained uncounted.

India reports 37,593 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

India recorded 37,593 new  <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

Active cases in the country have declined to 3.22 lakh. Kerala accounts for 1.59 lakh active cases. The state reported 24,296 cases, the highest in three months. Maharashtra reported 4,355 cases. And 648 deaths were reported on Tuesday. Out of which, Maharashtra reported 267, including 169 from earlier weeks that had remained uncounted.

Cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in India cross 59.47 cr: Govt

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 59.47 crore so far, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday. More than 54 lakh vaccine doses have been administered on Tuesday, according to the 7 pm provisional report. Final reports would be completed for the day by late Tuesday night, the ministry said.

Cumulatively, 22,33,59,860 individuals in the age group of 18-44 years across states and union territories have received their first dose and 2,11,37,082 have received their second dose since the start of the third phase of the vaccination drive, according to health ministry data. (PTI)

Kerala to increase COVID-19 tests in districts with poor rate of vaccination

Amid concerns over rising Covid-19 cases in Kerala after the Onam season, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday directed the authorities to conduct more tests in the districts which have a poor rate of vaccination. Kerala on Tuesday reported 24,296 Covid-19 cases and 173 deaths, pushing the total infection count to 38,51,984 and fatalities to 19,757 till date. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) jumped to 18.04 per cent from 15.63 per cent on Monday.

At a Covid-19 evaluation meet, Vijayan directed those district administrations which have administered the first dose vaccination to 70 per cent population to complete the vaccination process within next two weeks. (PTI)

Centre has stood by states throughout COVID-19 pandemic: Mandaviya

The Centre has stood by states throughout the coronavirus pandemic and emergency packages have played a huge role in mounting a sturdy public response to COVID-19, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. He also said that the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana is addressing regional imbalance in tertiary medical care and is providing quality medical education in under-served states, according to a health ministry statement. 

Covid in India maybe entering some kind of stage of endemicity: WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

COVID-19 in India may be entering some kind of stage of endemicity where there is low or moderate level of transmission going on, Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation Dr Soumya Swaminathan said.

The endemic stage is when a population learns to live with a virus. It's very different from the epidemic stage when the virus overwhelms a population. On clearance to Covaxin, she said she is fairly confident that the WHO's technical group will be satisfied to give Covaxin clearance to be one of its authorised vaccines and that could happen by mid-September. (PTI)

24,296 Covid-19 cases, 173 deaths in Kerala; TPR crosses 18 per cent

Kerala on Tuesday reported 24,296 Covid-19 cases and 173 deaths, pushing the total infection count to 38,51,984 and fatalities to 19,757 till date. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) jumped to 18.04 per cent from 15.63 per cent on Monday. As many as 19,349 people have been cured of the infection since Monday, taking the total recoveries to 36,72,357 and the number of active cases to 1,59,335, an official press release here said.

In the last 24 hours, 1,34,706 samples were tested and the TPR was found to be 18.04 per cent. So far, 3,04,53,773 samples have been tested, it said. (PTI)

Delhi records 39 new COVID-19 cases, zero death

Delhi on Tuesday saw 39 fresh coronavirus cases and zero fatality, while the positivity rate was recorded at 0.06 per cent, according to the city government's health bulletin. It said 112 cases pertaining to previous weeks were added on the ICMR portal by Mandoli prisons.

According to the bulletin, 114 people were discharged in the city in the last 24 hours. The cumulative number of cases stand at 14,37,485, of which 14,11,995 people have either recovered, been discharged or have migrated out. The COVID-19 death toll stands at 25,079 and the case fatality rate at 1.74 per cent, it added. (PTI)

Gennova's mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine gets approval for Phase 2/3 clinical trials

India's first mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate HGCO19 by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd has been granted approval for Phase 2/3 clinical trails, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) said on Tuesday. The Pune-based biotechnology company had submitted the interim clinical data of the vaccine's Phase 1 study to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), it said.

The Vaccine Subject Expert Committee (SEC) reviewed the interim Phase 1 data and found that the HGCO19 vaccine was safe, tolerable, and immunogenic in the participants of the study. (PTI)

Aiming to provide first dose of Covid vaccine to all above 18 yrs by Sept: Kerala Minister

The Kerala government is aiming to inoculate everyone above 18 years of age with the first dose of Covid vaccine by September end and directions have been given to all districts to formulate vaccination plans. The directions were issued by state health minister Veena George in an emergency meeting of her department that was held to review the increasing number of Covid-19 patients in the state and to ensure vaccination of as many people as possible, according to a post on her Facebook page.

In the meeting, the minister directed that special care should be taken to avoid delay in administration of vaccines and said the issue of shortage of syringes was being addressed. The Centre has promised 1.11 crore vaccines to the state and more doses will be available as soon as possible. She also said post Onam the number of coronavirus cases was expected to increase and therefore, hospitals need to be equipped to deal with any such situation. Besides, in anticipation of a third wave of Covid-19, arrangements are being made to deal with that by setting up oxygen beds, ICUs and ventilators in hospitals at the district level, she noted. (PTI)

India does not have sufficient data to decide on Covid-19 booster dose: Experts

Not enough data has been generated locally to decide on the need for a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine for those fully inoculated, say experts amid the possibility of a third wave of the viral disease hitting the country between September and October.

An expert panel set up by an institute under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has predicted that the third wave of Covid-19 can hit the country anytime between September and October and suggested significantly ramping up the vaccination pace. The World Health Organisation has, however, sought a two-month halt on administering booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines in view of severely constrained vaccine availability around the globe. (PTI)

84-day gap between two Covishield doses based on vaccine availability or efficacy: Kerala HC asks Centre

The court said if availability was the reason for the gap, then those who are able to afford to buy it, like Kitex has, they should be allowed to take the second dose without waiting for 84 days as per the prevailing protocol. The court further said if efficacy was the reason then the scientific data in support of it be also provided. 

Explained: Why the Delta variant spreads more rapidly than other Covid-19 strains

As scientists find themselves racing against time to find the biological basis for the transmission of the  <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/covid-delta-variant-coronavirus-cases-7344758/> Delta variant of  <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Covid-19, several new studies have found that key mutations  <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/does-effectiveness-of-pfizer-and-astrazeneca-jabs-against-delta-variant-reduce-over-time-7466284/> reduced effectiveness of vaccines, and high infectiousness during the pre-symptomatic phase in patients are among the main reasons fuelling the rapid spread.

Recent epidemiological research suggests the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) is at least 40 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant first identified in the UK in late 2020. Moreover, with  <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/covid-vaccine-efficacy-new-studies-booster-shots-explained-7461650/> multiple studies showing reduced vaccine efficiency against the Delta variant, fully vaccinated individuals also remain vulnerable to  <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-a-covid-19-vaccine-breakthrough-case-7423370/> breakthrough infections. 

Covid-19 vaccine slots can now be booked via WhatsApp

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said that Covid-19 vaccine slots can now be booked via WhatsApp. Elaborating on the process, he said one needs to send 'Book Slot' to MyGovIndia Corona Helpdesk on WhatsApp, verify and then follow the requisite steps. 

HC asks Centre to decide representation for ex-gratia assistance to kin of Indians who died abroad due to COVID-19

The Delhi High Court Tuesday directed the Centre to consider as representation a PIL seeking to extend the ex-gratia assistance to the family members of Indian citizens who died abroad due to COVID-19. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to decide the representation as expeditiously as possible in accordance with the law, rules, regulations and government policy applicable to the case and disposed of the petition. Advocate M P Srivignesh, representing petitioner trust Pravasi legal Cell, urged the court to direct the authorities to decide his pending representation of July 5 on the issue.

WHO head calls for two-month vaccine booster moratorium

The head of the World Health Organisation has called for a two-month moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines as a means of reducing global vaccine inequality and preventing the emergence of new coronavirus variants. 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Hungary's capital, Budapest, that he was  really disappointed  with the scope of vaccine donations worldwide as many countries struggle to provide first and second doses to more than small fractions of their populations while wealthier nations maintain growing vaccine stockpiles.

The Kerala government Tuesday decided to  <https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-tpr-rises-to-18-govt-to-ramp-up-tests-7469311/> ramp up testing in districts where vaccination is relatively low, amid a constant rise in test positivity rate in the state.

While the test positivity rate (TPR) at the national level is below 3 per cent for the last two months, it has been climbing up in Kerala – it touched 18.04 per cent on Tuesday against 10 per cent a month ago. The state on Tuesday reported 24,296 new cases taking the active caseload to 1.59 lakh.

At a review meeting, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed that as Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam have better vaccination coverage, only symptomatic people would be tested in these four districts. In these districts, more than 70 per cent of the targeted people, aged above 18 year, have received one dose of vaccine.

Govt urges states to get school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5

 <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Coronavirus India Live Updates: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday said the government has requested all states to try and get all school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5.

“Besides the scheme of providing vaccines to every state this month, over 2 crore addl doses of vaccine are being made available. We’ve requested all states to try to get all school teachers vaccinated on priority, by 5th Sept – Teachers’ Day,” Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, India recorded 37,593 new  <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

Active cases in the country have declined to 3.22 lakh. Kerala accounts for 1.59 lakh active cases. The state reported 24,296 cases, the highest in three months. Maharashtra reported 4,355 cases. And 648 deaths were reported on Tuesday. Out of which, Maharashtra reported 267, including 169 from earlier weeks that had remained uncounted.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has climbed to 3,25,12,366 and the death toll has reached 4,35,758. As many as 3,17,54,281 people have recovered from the disease. The health ministry said the total number of vaccine doses administered till date has reached 59,55,04,593.

India reports 37,593 new Covid-19 cases; Kerala records 24,296 cases, the highest in 3 months. 

Requested states to get all school teachers vaccinated by Teachers' Day: Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday said the government has requested all states to try and get all school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5.

"Besides the scheme of providing vaccines to every state this month, over 2 crore addl doses of vaccine are being made available. We've requested all states to try to get all school teachers vaccinated on priority, by 5th Sept - Teachers' Day," Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Requested states to get all school teachers vaccinated by Teachers' Day: Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday said the government has requested all states to try and get all school teachers vaccinated by Sept 5.

"Besides the scheme of providing vaccines to every state this month, over 2 crore addl doses of vaccine are being made available. We've requested all states to try to get all school teachers vaccinated on priority, by 5th Sept - Teachers' Day," Mandaviya said in a tweet.

No Covid deaths in Delhi for fifth successive day

Experiencing its lowest case count since the earliest days of the pandemic, Delhi has now gone  <https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/no-covid-deaths-delhi-fifth-successive-day-7469720/> five days in a row without a single Covid death. Starting from August 20, Delhi has recorded zero deaths every day. In fact, in the last 14 days, 10 have been zero death days. This comes as a huge relief for a city that had seen as many as 448 Covid deaths in a single day on May 3 during its fatal second wave.

Karnataka: RT-PCR not mandatory for air passengers from Europe, Middle East

The Karnataka government has  <https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/karnataka-rt-pcr-mandatory-for-air-passengers-from-europe-middle-east-covid-guidelines-karnataka-international-airport-7469685/> exempted passengers from the United Kingdom, other European countries and the Middle East from mandatory Covid-19 RT-PCR tests at state airports. The passengers from these countries can provide the samples and leave airports for further compliance according to the standard operating procedures.

However, passengers coming from South Africa and Brazil will continue to be tested at airports and they will have to wait for results. On testing negative, they can leave airports.

India reports 37,593 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

India recorded 37,593 new  <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

Active cases in the country have declined to 3.22 lakh. Kerala accounts for 1.59 lakh active cases. The state reported 24,296 cases, the highest in three months. Maharashtra reported 4,355 cases. And 648 deaths were reported on Tuesday. Out of which, Maharashtra reported 267, including 169 from earlier weeks that had remained uncounted.

India reports 37,593 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

India recorded 37,593 new  <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

Active cases in the country have declined to 3.22 lakh. Kerala accounts for 1.59 lakh active cases. The state reported 24,296 cases, the highest in three months. Maharashtra reported 4,355 cases. And 648 deaths were reported on Tuesday. Out of which, Maharashtra reported 267, including 169 from earlier weeks that had remained uncounted.

Cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in India cross 59.47 cr: Govt

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 59.47 crore so far, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday. More than 54 lakh vaccine doses have been administered on Tuesday, according to the 7 pm provisional report. Final reports would be completed for the day by late Tuesday night, the ministry said.

Cumulatively, 22,33,59,860 individuals in the age group of 18-44 years across states and union territories have received their first dose and 2,11,37,082 have received their second dose since the start of the third phase of the vaccination drive, according to health ministry data. (PTI)

Kerala to increase COVID-19 tests in districts with poor rate of vaccination

Amid concerns over rising Covid-19 cases in Kerala after the Onam season, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday directed the authorities to conduct more tests in the districts which have a poor rate of vaccination. Kerala on Tuesday reported 24,296 Covid-19 cases and 173 deaths, pushing the total infection count to 38,51,984 and fatalities to 19,757 till date. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) jumped to 18.04 per cent from 15.63 per cent on Monday.

At a Covid-19 evaluation meet, Vijayan directed those district administrations which have administered the first dose vaccination to 70 per cent population to complete the vaccination process within next two weeks. (PTI)

Centre has stood by states throughout COVID-19 pandemic: Mandaviya

The Centre has stood by states throughout the coronavirus pandemic and emergency packages have played a huge role in mounting a sturdy public response to COVID-19, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. He also said that the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana is addressing regional imbalance in tertiary medical care and is providing quality medical education in under-served states, according to a health ministry statement. 

Covid in India maybe entering some kind of stage of endemicity: WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

COVID-19 in India may be entering some kind of stage of endemicity where there is low or moderate level of transmission going on, Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation Dr Soumya Swaminathan said.

The endemic stage is when a population learns to live with a virus. It's very different from the epidemic stage when the virus overwhelms a population. On clearance to Covaxin, she said she is fairly confident that the WHO's technical group will be satisfied to give Covaxin clearance to be one of its authorised vaccines and that could happen by mid-September. (PTI)

24,296 Covid-19 cases, 173 deaths in Kerala; TPR crosses 18 per cent

Kerala on Tuesday reported 24,296 Covid-19 cases and 173 deaths, pushing the total infection count to 38,51,984 and fatalities to 19,757 till date. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) jumped to 18.04 per cent from 15.63 per cent on Monday. As many as 19,349 people have been cured of the infection since Monday, taking the total recoveries to 36,72,357 and the number of active cases to 1,59,335, an official press release here said.

In the last 24 hours, 1,34,706 samples were tested and the TPR was found to be 18.04 per cent. So far, 3,04,53,773 samples have been tested, it said. (PTI)

Delhi records 39 new COVID-19 cases, zero death

Delhi on Tuesday saw 39 fresh coronavirus cases and zero fatality, while the positivity rate was recorded at 0.06 per cent, according to the city government's health bulletin. It said 112 cases pertaining to previous weeks were added on the ICMR portal by Mandoli prisons.

According to the bulletin, 114 people were discharged in the city in the last 24 hours. The cumulative number of cases stand at 14,37,485, of which 14,11,995 people have either recovered, been discharged or have migrated out. The COVID-19 death toll stands at 25,079 and the case fatality rate at 1.74 per cent, it added. (PTI)

Gennova's mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine gets approval for Phase 2/3 clinical trials

India's first mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate HGCO19 by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd has been granted approval for Phase 2/3 clinical trails, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) said on Tuesday. The Pune-based biotechnology company had submitted the interim clinical data of the vaccine's Phase 1 study to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), it said.

The Vaccine Subject Expert Committee (SEC) reviewed the interim Phase 1 data and found that the HGCO19 vaccine was safe, tolerable, and immunogenic in the participants of the study. (PTI)

Aiming to provide first dose of Covid vaccine to all above 18 yrs by Sept: Kerala Minister

The Kerala government is aiming to inoculate everyone above 18 years of age with the first dose of Covid vaccine by September end and directions have been given to all districts to formulate vaccination plans. The directions were issued by state health minister Veena George in an emergency meeting of her department that was held to review the increasing number of Covid-19 patients in the state and to ensure vaccination of as many people as possible, according to a post on her Facebook page.

In the meeting, the minister directed that special care should be taken to avoid delay in administration of vaccines and said the issue of shortage of syringes was being addressed. The Centre has promised 1.11 crore vaccines to the state and more doses will be available as soon as possible. She also said post Onam the number of coronavirus cases was expected to increase and therefore, hospitals need to be equipped to deal with any such situation. Besides, in anticipation of a third wave of Covid-19, arrangements are being made to deal with that by setting up oxygen beds, ICUs and ventilators in hospitals at the district level, she noted. (PTI)

India does not have sufficient data to decide on Covid-19 booster dose: Experts

Not enough data has been generated locally to decide on the need for a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine for those fully inoculated, say experts amid the possibility of a third wave of the viral disease hitting the country between September and October.

An expert panel set up by an institute under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has predicted that the third wave of Covid-19 can hit the country anytime between September and October and suggested significantly ramping up the vaccination pace. The World Health Organisation has, however, sought a two-month halt on administering booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines in view of severely constrained vaccine availability around the globe. (PTI)

84-day gap between two Covishield doses based on vaccine availability or efficacy: Kerala HC asks Centre

The court said if availability was the reason for the gap, then those who are able to afford to buy it, like Kitex has, they should be allowed to take the second dose without waiting for 84 days as per the prevailing protocol. The court further said if efficacy was the reason then the scientific data in support of it be also provided. 

Explained: Why the Delta variant spreads more rapidly than other Covid-19 strains

As scientists find themselves racing against time to find the biological basis for the transmission of the  <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/covid-delta-variant-coronavirus-cases-7344758/> Delta variant of  <https://indianexpress.com/about/coronavirus/> Covid-19, several new studies have found that key mutations  <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/does-effectiveness-of-pfizer-and-astrazeneca-jabs-against-delta-variant-reduce-over-time-7466284/> reduced effectiveness of vaccines, and high infectiousness during the pre-symptomatic phase in patients are among the main reasons fuelling the rapid spread.

Recent epidemiological research suggests the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) is at least 40 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant first identified in the UK in late 2020. Moreover, with  <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/covid-vaccine-efficacy-new-studies-booster-shots-explained-7461650/> multiple studies showing reduced vaccine efficiency against the Delta variant, fully vaccinated individuals also remain vulnerable to breakthrough infections. 

Covid-19 vaccine slots can now be booked via WhatsApp

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said that Covid-19 vaccine slots can now be booked via WhatsApp. Elaborating on the process, he said one needs to send 'Book Slot' to MyGovIndia Corona Helpdesk on WhatsApp, verify and then follow the requisite steps.

HC asks Centre to decide representation for ex-gratia assistance to kin of Indians who died abroad due to COVID-19

The Delhi High Court Tuesday directed the Centre to consider as representation a PIL seeking to extend the ex-gratia assistance to the family members of Indian citizens who died abroad due to COVID-19. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to decide the representation as expeditiously as possible in accordance with the law, rules, regulations and government policy applicable to the case and disposed of the petition. Advocate M P Srivignesh, representing petitioner trust Pravasi legal Cell, urged the court to direct the authorities to decide his pending representation of July 5 on the issue.

WHO head calls for two-month vaccine booster moratorium

The head of the World Health Organisation has called for a two-month moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines as a means of reducing global vaccine inequality and preventing the emergence of new coronavirus variants. 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Hungary's capital, Budapest, that he was  really disappointed  with the scope of vaccine donations worldwide as many countries struggle to provide first and second doses to more than small fractions of their populations while wealthier nations maintain growing vaccine stockpiles.

The Kerala government Tuesday decided to ramp up testing in districts where vaccination is relatively low, amid a constant rise in test positivity rate in the state.

While the test positivity rate (TPR) at the national level is below 3 per cent for the last two months, it has been climbing up in Kerala – it touched 18.04 per cent on Tuesday against 10 per cent a month ago. The state on Tuesday reported 24,296 new cases taking the active caseload to 1.59 lakh.

At a review meeting, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed that as Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam have better vaccination coverage, only symptomatic people would be tested in these four districts. In these districts, more than 70 per cent of the targeted people, aged above 18 year, have received one dose of vaccine.

INVESTORS DIARY 2021

Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

Companies under Cautionary

ART

PPC

Dairibord

Starafrica

Fidelity

Turnall

Medtech

Zimre

Nampak Zimbabwe

DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are for guideline purposes only and sourced from third parties.

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