Coronavirus India Live: After five days Covid-19 case count below 3 lakh, over 600 deaths

Mumbai reported 1,815 new Covid-19 cases on January 25, a slight decrease from 1,857 infections seen a day earlier. The daily death toll stood at 10 versus 11 a day earlier.

Delhi recorded 6,028 new Covid-19 cases on Jan 25, higher than 5,760 infections seen a day earlier. However, the positivity rate declined from 11.79% to 10.55% on Jan 25. The daily death toll stood at 31 on Jan 25, compared to 30 a day earlier.

Pfizer and BioNTech have reportedly begun enrolment for a clinical trial for their Covid-19 vaccine aimed specifically at the Omicron variant, which is driving the current wave of infections in many parts of the world, including India.

Ladakh has reported 163 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 24,818 while the active cases in the union territory has come down to 1244, officials said. The union territory has recorded 222 Covid-related deaths -- 164 in Leh and 58 in Kargil -- since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, they said. There was no death reported from union territory on Monday, they said.

The West Bengal government has spent Rs 74 crore from its State Disaster Response Fund to settle around 15,000 claims of Covid-19 deaths out of the over 18,500 applications it has received so far, a minister said here on Tuesday. At least 80 per cent of the claims have been cleared, and more will be done soon, he stated. "In accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines, we are releasing the compensation amount as soon as we get clearance certificates from doctors," state disaster management minister Javed Ahmed Khan

We don't want livelihood of people to be affected, Covid restrictions to be eased as soon as possible: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Lok Sabha member from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and has mild symptoms.  "After experiencing mild symptoms, I tested positive for Covid today. Requesting everyone who came into my contact to get themselves tested," the cricketer-turned-politician tweeted.

In November last year, Gambhir had isolated himself at home after a family member tested positive for the virus. 

News agency ANI reported: Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya will interact with the health ministers of nine states and Union territories (UTs) on Tuesday over the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation. The virtual interaction will take place at 10.30am

India reports less than 3 lakh Covid cases, 50,190 less than infections on Monday. According to health ministry data in the last 24 hours ending at 8am, 2,55,874 new cases, 614 deaths and 2,67,753 recoveries were reported in the country. Active case: 22,36,842 Daily positivity rate: 15.52%

South Korea recorded more than 8,000 new coronavirus infections for the first time on Tuesday as health authorities reshape the country's pandemic response to address a surge driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

The 8,571 new cases reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency followed three straight days exceeding 7,000. With Omicron spreading more than twice as fast as the Delta strain that caused the last surge, experts say new cases may exceed 10,000 this week and possibly 20,000 after the Lunar New Year's holiday break that begins this weekend and continues to next Wednesday.

Mumbai reports 1, 857 new Covid-19 cases, 503 recoveries and 11 deaths in the last 24 hours. Number of active cases stand at 21,142. 

After registering over 45,000 daily Covid cases for the past few days, Kerala on Monday logged 26,514 new infections

Telangana reports 3980 new Covid-19 cases, 2398 recoveries and 3 deaths in the last 24 hours. Active cases at 33,673. 

Pune has reported 7,984 new cases and 14 deaths today.

Rajasthan reported 23 deaths and 9,480 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, pushing the fatality count to 9,118 and infection tally to 11,39,382, according to govt data

The World Health Organisation has attributed the increase in Covid-19 numbers in South-East Asia to India. 

According to the WHO, India reported 15,94,160 new cases in the week that ended on January 23 as compared to 6,38,872 cases it recorded the previous week, leading to a jump in Covid numbers by 150%. 

Children have shown their modern, scientific thinking in Covid vaccination programme, over 40 million children got vaccine since Jan 3: PM Modi

Arunachal Pradesh’s Covid-19 tally rose to 59,404 with 242 single-day cases, 117 less than the number of infections the previous day, a senior health department official said. The death toll remained at 282 as no new fatality was reported in the past 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Lobsang Jampa said.

People attending the Republic Day parade must be fully vaccinated against Covid and children below 15 will not be allowed to attend the function, a set of guidelines issued by the Delhi Police stated, reported PTI.

India on Monday reported 3,06,064 new Covid-19 cases which is 27,469 less than yesterday. There were 439 deaths, and 2,43,495 recoveries, the union health ministry noted according to update at 8am on Sunday. Currently there are 22,49,335  active cases in the country and the daily positivity rate is at  20.75%

The World Health Organisation has indicated that the coronavirus pandemic could come to an ‘end’ in Europe after the current Omicron-driven wave of Covid-19 passes over after infecting around 60% of the population of the continent.

Hans Kluge, who is the WHO Europe director, told the AFP news agency that the pandemic has entered a new phase with the Omicron variant, which could infect 60 percent of people in Europe by March, and that could eventually bring the pandemic to an end.

Urging necessary caution due to the virus's ability to mutate, Kluge said It is plausible that Europe is moving towards a kind of pandemic endgame. 

World Health Organisation reportedly hinted that the Covid-19 pandemic might be approaching its 'end' in Europe once the Omicron-fuelled wave subsides.

Maharashtra saw 40,805 new cases on Jan 23, compared to 46,393 a day earlier, as per reports. State capital Mumbai saw 2,550 new cases on Jan 23, versus 3,568 on Jan 22.

Delhi recorded 9,197 new Covid-19 cases on Jan 23 compared to 11,486 a day earlier. The positivity rate declined to 13.32% from 16.36% on Jan 22. 34 deaths were recorded on Jan 23 versus 45 a day earlier.

Karnataka reported 50,210 new Covid-19 cases on Jan 23. State capital Bengaluru saw 26,299 new infections. A day earlier the state saw 42,470 new cases, and Bengaluru had 17,266 new cases.

The third Covid-19 wave currently spreading in many parts of India is likely to peak by February 6, 2022, as per reports quoting an IIT Madras study.

Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, tested positive on Jan 23, as per a statement from his office. The Vice President is currently in Hyderabad. Naidu will be in self-isolation for a week.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is in the community transmission stage in India and has become dominant in multiple metros where new cases have been rising exponentially, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium or INSACOG has said in its latest bulletin.

It also said BA.2 lineage, an infectious sub-variant of Omicron, has been found in a substantial fraction in the country.

The West Bengal education department is all set to start neighborhood schools under which primary and pre-primary students of state-run schools will be given lessons in open spaces. 

"Children have long been deprived of tutorial lessons owing to the Covid-19 pandemic-induced restrictions. We have now decided hold classes on open ground," an official said.

India records 3,33,533 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. The daily positivity rate is at 17.78% while the weekly positivity rate is at 16.87%. 

The active cases comprise 5.5% of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has decreased to 93.18%

The one-day lockdown to mitigate the rapid spread of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala began on Sunday with only emergency services being operated in the state.

A high-level COVID review meeting had on Thursday decided that only essential services should be allowed on the two Sundays --January 23 and 30.

Shops selling essential items such as milk, newspaper, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables and provisions are allowed to function from 7 AM to 9 PM.

Most of the private vehicles kept away from the road except for those who were traveling for emergency purposes and that too after providing necessary documents proving the nature of emergency to the police.

Delhi reported 11,486 new Covid-19 cases on January 22, higher than a day earlier when 10,756 infections were reported. However, the positivity rate declined to 16.36% from 18.04%. The number of tests conducted increased from 59,629 on Jan 21 to 70,226 on Jan 22. 45 deaths were recorded on Jan 22, compared to 38 a day earlier.

Schools in Maharashtra's Pune reportedly won't reopen from January 24, as announced earlier by the state school education minister. On Jan 21, Pune reported 16,618 new Covid cases. Minister Varsha Gaikwad had said that reopening of schools would depend on local Covid situation.

The UK on Friday designated a sub-lineage of Omicron as a variant under investigation, saying it could have a growth advantage.

Britain has sequenced 426 cases of the BA.2 sub-lineage and the UK Health Security Agency has said early analysis suggested an increased growth rate compared to the original Omicron lineage, BA.1.

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 161.05 crore on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said.

More than 58 lakh (58,37,209) vaccine doses were administered till 7 pm on Friday. At least 74 lakh (74,27,700) precaution doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries have been administered so far, it said.

34 people including 16 members of the senior Men's hockey team have tested positive for Covid-19 at the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence, Bangalore.

The senior men's Hockey team's coach has also tested positive, SAI confirmed. 

15 members of the junior women's hockey team preparing for the World Cup set to take place in April have also tested positive.

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president HD Devegowda tested positive for Covid-19. He has no symptoms and his health is stable: Office of HD Devegowda. 

India reported 3,37,704 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday morning, according to Health Ministry data. The daily case count is 9,550 cases less than that on Friday. 

The country also registered 488 deaths, and 2,42,676 recoveries in the last 24 hours bringing the active cases to 21,13,365, the highest in 237 days.