Delhi Reports 756 New COVID-19 Cases; Andhra Pradesh Lifts Night Curfew
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India on Tuesday, 15 February, reported 27,409 fresh COVID-19 cases, 82,817 recoveries, and 347 deaths in the last 24 hours.
India's active COVID-19 cases have declined to 4,23,127, while the daily positivity rate stands at 2.23 percent.
The country's death toll stands at 5,09,358
The global COVID-19 caseload has topped 413.3 million, while the deaths have surged to over 5.82 million with vaccinations at over 10.22 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University
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India Reports Over 27K Fresh COVID Cases
India on Tuesday, 15 February, reported 27,409 fresh COVID-19 cases, 82,817 recoveries, and 347 deaths in the last 24 hours.
India's active COVID-19 cases have declined to 4,23,127, while the daily positivity rate stands at 2.23% .
DCGI Panel Gives Emergency Use Nod to Corbevax Vaccine
The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) on Monday, 14 February granted restricted emergency use authorisation to Biological E's COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax for children aged aged 12 to 18, news agency PTI quoted official sources as saying.
“The SEC on COVID-19 of the CDSCO which deliberated on the application recommended granting restricted emergency use authorisation to Biological E’s Corbevax for the 12 to less than 18 years age group subject to certain conditions," the source reportedly indicated.
The application has now been sent to the DGCI for approval.
Andhra Lifts Night Curfew as COVID-19 Cases Drop
The night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am has been completely lifted in Andhra Pradesh as the state showed a marked decline in the COVID-19 infection positivity rate, an official release said in Amaravati on Monday.
Andhra Pradesh on Monday registered 434 new COVID-19 cases from a total of 15,193 tests conducted in 24 hours.
Data from the state Health Department showed that the week-on-week infection positivity rate fell from 25.64 percent to 5.45 percent. The daily positivity rate dropped from 17.07 percent to 3.29 percent.
The percentage of active cases too slid from 4.40 percent to 0.82 percent.
‘Made Vaccine At the Price of a Cup of Tea': Poonawalla
Cyrus Poonawalla, MD, Serum Institute of India (SII) said on Monday, 14 February at the Pune International Business Summit 2022, "Nearly two-third of the world’s infant population has been protected by 1 or more of our vaccines. Most of our vaccines have been used by poorer nations... I made it affordable at the price of a cup of tea."
Vaccination Certificate Not Required For Puri Jagannath Temple
Keeping in view the declining trend of COVID-19 infections across the country, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided that, from 21 February, devotees will not be required to carry double-dose vaccination certificate to enter the 12th shrine, said top official of the SJTA, as per a PTI report.
After consulting with the the Chhattisa Nijog (apex body of servitors), it has been decided to withdraw mandatory production of complete vaccination certificate or negative RT-PCRT test report by devotees from 21 February for entry into the Shree Jagannath Temple at Puri, said SJTA chief Administrator Krishan Kumar, on Monday.
95% Samples have Omicron Variant: Mumbai Civic Body
Nearly 95 percent of swab samples examined in the latest round of genome sequencing in Mumbai were found infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the city civic body has said, as per a PTI report.
The Omicron variant had triggered the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic in late December 2021 and it now ebbed in the Maharashtra state capital.
Citing results of the ninth round of genome sequencing in the city, the BMC said out of the total 190 samples which were tested, 180 (94.74 percent) were found infected with Omicron, and the remaining samples with the Delta variant and other strains of coronavirus.
Arunachal Records 62 New COVID-19 Cases
Arunachal Pradesh’s COVID-19 tally rose to 64,066 on Tuesday, 15 February as 62 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said.
Arunachal Pradesh now has 539 active cases, while 63,233 people have recuperated from the disease so far, including 152 in the last 24 hours, said Dr Lobsang Jampa, State Surveillance Officer (SSO), as reported by PTI.
The death toll remained unchanged at 294.
The recovery rate among COVID patients marginally improved to 98.70 percent from 98.56 percent on the previous day, he said.
Madhya Pradesh CM Tests Positive for COVID-19
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted in Hindi on Tuesday, 15 February, "I have got my RTPCR COVID test done in which I have come COVID positive. I have a normal symptom. I have isolated myself following the COVID-19 guidelines. I will do all the upcoming tasks virtually. Tomorrow, at the Sant Shiromani Ravidas Jayanti programme, I will be attending virtually."
He added, "I request all the colleagues who come in contact with me to get themselves tested. At the same time, it is urged that all the partners who have come in contact with me should also isolate themselves with immediate effect."
Odisha Records 859 Fresh COVID Cases, 22 Deaths
Twenty-two more coronavirus patients have died in Odisha and 925 people tested positive for the pathogen, the Health Department said on Tuesday, 15 February. A total of 203 children were among the newly infected.
The daily positivity rate in Odisha was recorded at 1.7 percent. The infections are the lowest since 680 cases on January 4.
Six patients in Balasore and five in Khurda district were among the new fatalities. There are 10,271 active cases, including 1,951 in Khurda, which is in the yellow zone.
As many as 55,580 samples were tested in the past 24 hours, a bulletin stated.
'Corbevax is a Safe, Useful Vaccine': Chairperson of COVID-19 Working Group of NTAGI
Dr NK Arora, the chairperson of COVID-19 Working Group of NTAGI, said on Monday that Corbevax was a safe vaccine, having a high level of antibodies.
"Corbevax is a safe vaccine and local reactions are also less. The antibody level of this vaccine is also very high. Overall Corbevax is a very useful vaccine. It will have 2 primary doses just like other vaccines in India," Dr NK Arora, chairperson of COVID-19 Working Group of NTAGI, was quoted as saying by ANI.
Andhra Pradesh Govt Lifts Night Curfew, Masks in Public Places Mandatory
The Andhra Pradesh government has announced the lifting of the night curfew that had hitherto been imposed in the state, in light of the decline in COVID-19 caseload.
Further, the wearing of masks in public places has been deemed as mandatory and a fine of Rs 100 will be imposed on violators. Establishments, firms, and shops have been directed to ensure the wearing of masks in their premises, with a fine of Rs 10,000-Rs 25,000 to be imposed in case of a violation.
Kerala Records 11k New Cases, 20 Deaths
Kerala on Tuesday registered 11,776 new COVID-19 cases and 20 deaths. The tally of active cases in the state stands at 1,23,825.
Delhi Logs 756 New COVID-19 Cases, 5 Deaths
Delhi on Tuesday reported 756 fresh COVID-19 cases and 5 deaths due to the viral disease.
Gujarat Records 998 Coronavirus Cases, 16 Deaths
Gujarat reported 998 fresh COVID-19 cases and 16 deaths on Tuesday.
Assam Sees 66 New COVID-19 Cases
Assam on Tuesday reported 66 fresh COVID-19 cases, 453 recoveries, and 5 deaths.