Coronavirus Live Updates | Active COVID-19 cases in the country lowest in 522 days

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

National

Active COVID-19 cases in the country lowest in 522 days

With 11,271 people testing positive for new Covid-19 on Saturday, India’s total tally of its cases rose to 3,44,37,307, while the active cases came down to 1,35,918, the lowest in 522 days (17 months), according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

The death toll increased to 4,63,530 with 285 fatalities in last 24 hours, according to the data updated at 8 am.

The average recovery rate for the country stands currently at 98.26%, the highest since March 2020, the health ministry said.

A decrease of 390 cases has been recorded in the active COVID cases in last 24 hours.

The number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country so far has exceeded 112.01 crore.- PTI

National

17.26 crore jabs administered to elderly, differently abled through NHCVCs till Sept. 27: Centre to SC

The Centre on Saturday told the Supreme Court that it has administered 17.26 crore vaccine doses till September 27 to the elderly and differently abled persons through its Near to Home COVID Vaccination Centres (NHCVC).

The Centre’s response came on a plea filed by NGO Evara Foundation seeking door-to-door Covid vaccinations for persons suffering with disability among other reliefs.

In an affidavit, the Centre further said that the expert committee recommended the strategy of the NHCVC to cater to special needs of the elderly and differently abled persons and the strategy was endorsed by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC).

It said that these NHCVCs are organised specially for individuals above 60 years of age and individuals below 60 years with disability due to physical and medical conditions and they can either register themselves in advance via Co-WIN portal/app or by following facilitated Cohort Registration Process on Co-WIN or on-site registration.- PTI

Mumbai

COVID-19 vaccine: Mumbai administers first dose to 100% beneficiaries

Mumbai has achieved 100 per cent COVID-19 vaccine first dose target with all eligible beneficiaries above the age of 18 getting covered, possibly making it the first city in the country to do so, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday.

He said 92,36,500 people in the metropolis have received the first dose, while 59,83,452 have got the second dose as well.

He congratulated Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal and Mayor Kishori Pednekar for the feat.- PTI

National

Government urged to rethink travel bubble policy

With airfares for returning students and family members from Europe and North America doubling and even quadrupling this winter, and permitted flights from a limited 28 countries running packed, the government is facing pressure from many quarters. including foreign embassies and the tourism industry, to restore regular international travel that had been cancelled due to the COVID pandemic in March 2020.

Diplomatic sources told The Puucho that a number of embassies have written to the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Civil Aviation demanding an end to what they see as an “unfair” system, where only those countries that the government has chosen to sign “air travel bubble” agreements with are able to run flights, and even those are limited according to the government’s reciprocal agreements.

National

Food service on short flights can resume: Health Ministry

Serving food on flights with a duration of less than two hours can be resumed, the Union Health Ministry is learnt to have informed the Civil Aviation Ministry after the latter sought inputs from it for amending the existing regulations.

The Health Ministry has also said the crew members on a flight need not wear coveralls but should continue to wear gloves, masks and face shields, according to sources.

Under the existing guidelines, airlines are not allowed to serve meals in flights that have a duration of less than two hours. The ban came into effect from April 15.

National

Post-COVID carelessness can harm the heart: cardiologists

While data on heart attacks following COVID is absent in India, cardiologists who have taken care of post-COVID cardiac issues in patients this past year suggest that people should avoid very severe exercise or unaccustomed extreme physical exertion for a period of three-four months after recovery from COVID. Moderation and continuing prescribed medication and contacting your doctor in case of an emergency are important, according to the doctors, who add that lifestyle changes protect persons against heart attacks in the long run.

Colombia

Venezuelans crossing into Colombia for coronavirus vaccines

Hundreds of Venezuelans have been traveling to Colombia recently for coronavirus shots, as Venezuela struggles to get enough doses for its people.

Colombian border states, which provided thousands of Venezuelan children with vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis for free before the pandemic, only started to provide coronavirus shots to Venezuelan travelers in October.

In the Colombian state of North Santander, where the main border crossing is, more than 34,000 people registering at vaccination centers with Venezuelan ID cards have gotten coronavirus shots since Oct. 25, when vaccination for non-residents began, according to the state’s health department.- AP

Austria

Vienna to start vaccinating young kids in pilot project

Young children in Vienna can start getting coronavirus vaccinations next week as part of a pilot project, Austria media reported on Saturday.

Austrian broadcaster ORF reported that about 200 children between the ages of 5 and 11 can get jabs of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine each day in the Austrian capital starting Monday. The pilot project is limited to Vienna only and doesn’t apply to the rest of the country.

Austria has faced a worrying trend in infections in recent weeks. The country reported 13,152 new cases on Saturday, up from 11,798 a day before. The seven-day infection rate stands at 775.5 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants.- AP