India logs 84,000 new cases with 4,002 Covid-19 deaths in 24 hours

A man prays for respite from Covid-19 at a Corona Mata temple in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Pic/PTI

India recorded 84,332 new Covid-19 cases and 4,002 deaths due to the virus in the last 24 hours, according to data released by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Saturday. This is the fifth consecutive day when India has reported less than one lakh cases. After battling a brutal second wave for weeks, fresh cases came down below the three lakh mark for the first time on May 17.

Highest doc deaths in Bihar

As many as 719 doctors have died during the second wave of the pandemic, according to the latest report by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) with Bihar reporting the highest number of doctor deaths at 111.

According to the IMA, a total of 1,467 doctors have died so far since the start of the pandemic. As many as 748 doctors had lost their lives during the first wave. According to official figures, 109 doctors have died in Delhi, 79 in Uttar Pradesh, 43 in Rajasthan, 39 in Jharkhand and 35 in Andhra Pradesh. According to the information provided by the IMA, most of the doctors who lost their lives were between the ages of 30 and 55. This includes resident doctors, those working as interns and some pregnant women doctors.

Positivity rate dips in K'taka

For the first time in two months, the Covid-19 positivity rate declined below five per cent in a day across Karnataka, said the state health bulletin on Friday. "Positivity rate declined to 4.86 per cent on Thursday from 6.58 per cent on Wednesday across the state," it said. With 159 patients, including 48 in Bengaluru succumbing to the infection across the state, the case fatality rate rose marginally to 1.92 per cent on Thursday from 1.75 per cent on Wednesday.

No change to dose gap

Amid calls to reduce the gap between the two doses of Serum Institute of India's Covishield vaccine based on the new findings by Public Health England, the central government will not take the decision to change the dosage interval immediately, said sources. "There is going to be no change in the interval between Covishield doses immediately. However, scientific evidence has been collected to review the decision in the coming meeting of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC)," government sources said. The Union Health Ministry said there is no need to panic as such decisions will be taken after careful examination. "This is a dynamic process. There is no hardcore ideology in science. Our experts will go through the latest developments and take a call," said Dr VK Paul, Niti Aayog member (Health) during a press briefing on Friday.

In India, the gap between the two doses of Covishield was widened to 12-16 weeks. The decision was based on international studies that claimed the protection offered by the first dose lasts longer. Recently, Dr Anthony Fauci, top medical advisor to the US President, said that extending intervals between vaccine doses could leave people vulnerable to the variants in circulation.

Delhi's first drive-through vax centre shuts

New Delhi: Days after the Central government announced a price cap for the administration of vaccines in private hospitals, Delhi's first drive-through vaccination centre decided to shut down its facility from Saturday, stating that the operation has become financially "unviable". The centre at Vegas Mall, Sector 14, Dwarka was inaugurated on May 26.

CoWIN hack baseless: Govt

New Delhi: The central government on Saturday once again made it clear that there were baseless claims about the alleged hacking of India's vaccine registration portal CoWIN, and data leak. "We continue to take appropriate steps as are necessary, from time to time, to ensure that the data of the people is safe with CoWIN," Chairman of the Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration (EGVAC) RS Sharma said, stating that the matter has been investigated by the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

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2,93,59,155
Total number of cases in the country as of Saturday

3,67,081
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India

2,79,11,384
Patients recovered and discharged in India as of Saturday

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