Coronavirus updates | Cases of ‘Kappa’ variant of coronavirus found in Gujarat

Low-income countries have received only 0.27% of the COVID-19 doses administered worldwide while high-income countries (30%) and upper-middle-income countries (52%) have acquired more than 80%.

Of the 27 nations termed as low-income, 23 are in Africa. Due to this wide disparity in vaccine supply, of the 52 countries in Africa, 38 have given at least one dose to <5% of population. Worryingly, many African countries have recorded a recent uptick in cases, most of which were due to the highly transmissible Delta variant.

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:

Karnataka

With ‘negative wastage’, Karnataka extracts 1.76 lakh more doses of COVID-19 vaccine

After reporting a high vaccine wastage of nearly 7% in the initial four months after COVID-19 vaccination was rolled out in January, Karnataka has managed to not only curtail wastage, but also extract and administer more doses from each vial since May.

Vaccine usage is calculated as the proportion of vaccine administered out of the total vaccine allotted. According to official data, the State has recorded a negative wastage (-2.23%), thereby administering vaccine to 1,75,165 more people than intended in the assigned stock to vaccination centres from May 1 till July 23. State health officials attributed this to meticulous micro-planning of vaccine sessions and efficient vaccine administration.

Delhi

Green light for Delhi metro, buses to run at full capacity

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has decided to allow metro trains and public buses to run at full capacity for the following fortnight.

Cinemas, auditoriums and spas will also be allowed to open, subject to enforcement of COVID-appropriate behaviour.

According to the DDMA order, for two weeks starting Monday (July 26 to August 9), metro trains and public buses will be allo-wed to carry passengers up to 100% of their capacity. The number of attendees at funerals and marriage ceremonies has also been increased to 100. Cinemas and auditoriums, according to the order, are allowed to open at 50% of their total capacity.

Gujarat

Cases of `Kappa’ variant of coronavirus found in Gujarat

For the first time, five cases of `Kappa’ variant of coronavirus have been detected in Gujarat, the state health department said on Saturday.

Three cases were found in Jamnagar, two in Godhra in Pahchmahal district and one in Mehsana, it said in a release.

Kappa is a “variant of interest” but not a “variant of concern” as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the release said. – PTI

India delivers medical supplies to Indonesia

India on Saturday delivered 300 oxygen concentrators and 100 metric tons of liquid medical oxygen to Indonesia to help the country fight rising cases of coronavirus infection, officials said.

The supplies were transported to the Indonesian capital Jakarta by an Indian Navy ship.

According to reports, Indonesia has been reeling under increasing cases of Delta variant of COVID-19 in the last few weeks. – PTI