09:58 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

'Priority to vaccinate Americans first,' US defends export ban on vaccine raw materials to India

Defending United States' ban on the export of key raw materials for the manufacture of COVID-19 vaccine that threatens to slow India's vaccination drive, a senior State Department official has said the Biden administration's first obligation is to take care of the requirements of the American people.

When asked when the Biden administration would decide on India's request to lift a ban on the export of vaccine raw materials, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said: "...the United States first and foremost is engaged in an ambitious and effective and, so far, successful effort to vaccinate the American people."

"That campaign is well underway, and we're doing that for a couple of reasons. Number one, we have a special responsibility to the American people. Number two, the American people, this country has been hit harder than any other country around the world more than 550,000 deaths, tens of millions of infections in this country alone," he said on Thursday.

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09:53 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Oxygen Express train carrying three tankers reaches Uttar Pradesh

An Oxygen Express train carrying three tankers of liquid medical oxygen arrived in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday morning as the state battles a surge in coronavirus cases.

In view of the high demand for oxygen in the country following a record spike in coronavirus cases, the railways has decided to run 'Oxygen Express' trains to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country.

Roll-on-roll-off trucks are being transported on flat wagons by the trains for quick supply of medical oxygen.

"Two trucks of medical oxygen arrived in Lucknow around 6.30 am while one truck was offloaded in Varanasi. Each truck has a capacity of containing 15,000 litres of medical oxygen," Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi told PTI.

09:27 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Delhi's Moolchand hospital chain sends SOS for oxygen, says '30 minutes of supply left'

Moolchand hospital chain in Delhi sent out an SOS on Saturday over oxygen shortage and stressed that more than 130 COVID-19 patients are on life support. The hospital appealed for urgent help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal.

"Urgent sos help. We have less than 2 hours of oxygen supply @Moolchand_Hos. We are desperate have tried all the nodal officer numbers but unable to connect. Have over 135 COVID pts with many on life support #. @ArvindKejriwal @CMODelh i@LtGovDelhi @satinderjain26 @PMOIndia (sic)," read the statement by Moolchand Healthcare.

Speaking to NDTV, Madhu Handa, Medical Director of Moolchand Hospital said, "We are down to around 30 minutes (of oxygen supply) at the moment but yes, cognisance has been taken and nodal officers have responded. But I think there are other hospitals facing similar challenge. So they now have to prioritise." 

09:13 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

At 12,876, Bengal registers record-high daily COVID-19 surge

West Bengal on Friday registered the highest single-day spike of 12,876 COVID-19 cases taking the tally to 7,13,780, the state health department said in a bulletin.

The toll also went up to 10,825 with 59 fresh fatalities, it added.

Since Thursday, 6,878 patients recovered from the novel coronavirus in the state taking the total number of cured people to 6,28,218. The number of active cases currently is 74,737.

09:11 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Weekend lockdown in Odisha's urban areas begins

Weekend lockdown is imposed in all urban areas of Odisha till 5 am on Monday. Exemption of one hour (5am - 6am) for morning walk and other physical activities has been provided, ANI reported.

09:08 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Centre to ramp up Remdesivir production to 74 lakh vials per month by May

The production of life-saving Remdesivir injection used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients and is currently in scarcity in the country, will be augmented to 74 lakh units by next month from 38.80 lakh units now, the Union home ministry said.

The ministry also asked the states and Union territories (UTs) to ensure seamless supply and transport of Remdesivir.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, in a letter to chief secretaries of all states and Union territories (UTs) on Thursday, also conveyed that there will be interim allocation and supply of the life-saving injection to the states/UTs from 21 to 30 April.

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Coronavirus LATEST Updates: Appealing for urgent help from Narendra Modi, Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal, the hospital stressed that more than 130 COVID-19 patients were on life support.

Delhi logged 24,331 fresh COVID-19 cases and a record single-day jump of 348 deaths on Friday, according to the latest health bulletin.

The city has reported around 2,100 deaths due to the deadly virus in the last 11 days. It had recorded 306 COVID deaths and 26,169 cases with a positivity rate of 36.24 percent, the highest since the pandemic began a year ago, on Thursday.

On Wednesday, 24,638 cases and 249 deaths were registered with a positivity rate of 31.28 percent.

The National Capital had witnessed 28,395 cases, the highest single-day jump so far, with a positivity rate of 32.82 percent on Tuesday. Authorities logged 306 deaths on Thursday, 249 on Wednesday, 277 on Tuesday, 240 on Monday, 161 on Sunday, and 167 on Saturday.

With the fresh cases, Delhi's COVID-19 tally climbed to 9,80,679 on Friday. The toll stands at 13,541, the bulletin stated.

A total of 75,037 tests, including 43,711 RT-PCR tests, were conducted the previous day, it said.

The number of tests is significantly less than the average of around 90,000 tests a day being conducted in the capital. So far, over 8.75 lakh patients have recovered in Delhi, it added.

The number of active cases in the city increased to 92,029 from 91,618 on Thursday, the bulletin stated.

The number of people under home isolation increased to 48,502 from 46,585 on Thursday, while that of containment zones mounted to 23,561 from 22,000 the day before, it said.

Senior medical experts on Monday said the second wave of coronavirus in Delhi is likely to peak within a week after possibly hitting a positivity rate of 50 percent before the numbers start to go down.



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