Covid-19 cases below 3 lakh, lowest in 27 days

A man collects ashes of family member who died of Covid-19, at a cremation ground in New Delhi, on Monday. PIC/AFP

India's Covid-19 tally mounted to 2,49,65,463 with 2,81,386 fresh cases, the lowest in 27 days, while the death toll climbed to 2,74,390 as 4,106 more people succumbed to the disease, according to Union health ministry data updated on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, the Union health ministry on Monday said that over 23,000 adverse events have been reported since the vaccination drive involving Covishield and Covaxin vaccines started in the country and of these 700 cases were reported to be serious.

India has reported 26 potential cases of bleeding and clotting in people who have taken Covishield, a government panel investigating adverse events following Covid-19 immunisation has found. The National Adverse Event Following Immunisation committee (AEFI) came to the conclusion after a case review of 498 serious and severe events.

"The AEFI data showed that there is a very miniscule but definitive risk of thromboembolic events. The reporting rate of these events in India is around 0.61/million doses, which is much lower than the 4 cases/million reported by UK's regulator Medical and Health Regulatory Authority. Germany has reported 10 events per million doses," the ministry's statement stated. "There were no potential thromboembolic events reported following administration of Covaxin."

Apollo Hospitals and Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Monday said they are collaborating to initiate a Covid-19 vaccination programme in the country with Sputnik V. The first phase of the programme will kick off with vaccinations in Hyderabad on Monday and in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday (May 18) at Apollo facilities.

Drug firm Shilpa Medicare on Monday said its arm has entered into a definitive agreement with Dr Reddy's Laboratories for manufacturing of Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V. Agencies

Politicians have no business hoarding Covid-19 drugs: HC

Political leaders have no business to hoard stocks of Covid-19 medicines that are already in shortage and they are expected to surrender these drugs, said the Delhi High Court on Monday. It also expressed dissatisfaction over a "vague and whitewashed enquiry" report filed by the Delhi police over the allegations against politicians hoarding and distributing medicines, including remdesivir, in the city. "We expect them [political leaders] to surrender to the Director General of Health Services which will then distribute it to the poor and needy people at government hospitals. This is the best way to do public service," the HC said.

2,49,65,463
Total no. of coronavirus cases in India so far

2,74,390
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far

35,16,997
Total no. of active cases in India

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