India sets another tragic record: 4,205 die in 24hrs
Calling B.1.617 Covid strain ‘Indian Variant’ has no basis: Health ministry
With 4,205 fatalities, India on Wednesday set a new world record in the number of deaths in a single day from Covid-19. Ten states account for 73.17 per cent of these deaths out of which Maharashtra recorded the maximum fatalities (816), followed by Karnataka (517) and Delhi (300) in the last 24 hours. The Maharashtra government is now contemplating extending the lockdown for another 15 days. Assam too has decided to go for stricter restrictions as 5,657 people tested positive in the state on Wednesday.
While India on Wednesday recorded 3.48 lakh new cases, it also had a high number of recoveries as 3.55 lakh people got cured of Covid in the last 24 hours. India’s recovery rate — 83.04 per cent — and cumulative number of recoveries — 1,93,82,642 — are now the highest in the world.
However, in the last one week about 30 lakh new infections have been recorded and the present
national positivity rate stands at 17.56 per cent. Amid rising cases, experts have been constantly advocating quick vaccination for the entire population but several states in India have been complaining of vaccine shortage and are being forced to float tenders for global procurement.
As per the Union health ministry, 4.79 lakh beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group received their first dose of Covid vaccine in the last 24 hours and cumulatively 30.44 lakh have been vaccinated
across 30 states/UTs since the start of phase-3 drive. Maharashtra (5.96 lakh) and Delhi (4.21 lakhs) have seen the highest number of vaccinations in the 18-44 age group since May 1.
India will soon begin the Phase 2 and 3 trials of Covaxin on children from 2 to 15 years of age. “Recently, the expert committee of DCGI gave permission for vaccine trials on children from 2 to 15 years of age to Bharat Biotech. We are waiting for DCGI approval.
Hopefully, we will soon start phase 2 and phase 3 trials,” Dr Sanjeev Sinha, Department of Medicine, AIIMS, said.
The Centre has said current production capacity of Covaxin vaccine will be doubled in May-June 2021 and it will then be increased six-seven fold by July-Aug 2021. The production is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by September 2021, officials said.
The World Health Organisation has said the mutant variant of the Covid virus -- B.1.617 – that is believed to have led to massive spikes in the second wave in India, has been detected in 44 countries. This variant was first detected in India in October and since then the WHO has termed it as a “variant of global concern”.
The Indian health ministry has strongly objected to calling B.1.617 the “Indian variant”, saying the WHO has never mentioned the new mutant variant as “Indian”.
“Several media reports have covered the news of the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifying B.1.617 as a variant of global concern. Some of these reports have termed the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus as an “Indian Variant”. These media reports are without any basis, and unfounded. This is to clarify that WHO has not associated the term “Indian Variant” with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in its 32 page document. In fact, the word “Indian” has not been used in its report on the matter,” Union health ministry said in a statement.
PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a review meeting on the availability and supply of oxygen and medicines.