Coronavirus India Cases: Fresh Cases Drop Below 3 Lakh, But Over 4,000 Dead
Track the second wave of Covid-19 in India and the containment and immunisation efforts here.
India reported less than 3 lakh new Covid-19 infections for the first time in almost a month, in a small relief to a healthcare system struggling with a shortage of critical infrastructure and vaccines.
More than 2.81 lakh people tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the lowest since April 20, according to the Health Ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on May 16.
Recoveries during the same period was significantly higher at nearly 3.79 lakh, taking active cases below 36 lakh for the first time in ten days. They still account for more than 14% of the country’s total caseload.
Despite fewer cases of infection, more than 4,000 patients succumbed to the illness in a single day. India’s total death toll from the pandemic now stands at 2.74 lakh.
Key figures:
- Total confirmed cases: 2,49,65,463
- Total number of active cases: 35,16,997
- Total patients cured/discharged/migrated: 2,11,74,076
- Total deaths: 2,74,390
- Number of fresh cases in last 24 hours: 2,81,386
- One-day recoveries: 3,78,741
- One-day deaths: 4,106
- Total vaccine shots administered: 18,29,26,460
To be sure, data on Covid-19 cases and related deaths may be severely deficient as several states have inadequate testing, chronic underreporting and have been attributing the casualties to other causes.
Mumbai Vaccinations Paused Amid Cyclone Alert
The Mumbai civic body on Sunday decided to keep its Covid-19 vaccination drive suspended for the third day on May 17 in view of the warning about cyclone Tauktae, municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said.
The vaccination programme will now be implemented on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Chahal said.
Risk Of Thromboembolic Events After Covishield Shot
There is a minuscule but definite risk of thromboembolic events after the administration of Covishield vaccine, according to a report submitted by the National AEFI Committee to the Health Ministry.
Adverse events like bleeding and clotting after a shot of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine -- manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India -- remains minuscule in India, the Health Ministry said in a statement. “The reporting rate of such cases is around .61/million doses in India, lower than then 4 cases/million reported by U.K.’s regulator.”
However, the committee found no potential risk of thromboembolic events from Bhahrat Biotech’s Covaxin.
These are the symptoms to watch out for within 20 days of receiving any Covid-19 vaccine, particularly Covishield:
- Breathlessness
- Pain in chest, pain in limbs/pain on pressing limbs/swelling in limbs (arm or calf)
- Multiple, pinhead size red spots or bruising of skin in an area beyond the injection site
- Persistent abdominal pain with or without vomiting
- Seizures in the absence of previous history of seizures with or without vomiting
- Severe and persistent headache with or without vomiting (in the absence of previous history of migraine or chronic headache)
- Weakness/paralysis of limbs or any particular side or part of the body (including face)
- Persistent vomiting without any obvious reason
- Blurred vision, pain in the eyes or double vision
- Change in mental status, confusion or depressed level of consciousness
- Any other symptom or health condition which is of concern to the recipient or the family
The government has advised people with suspected thromboembolic symptoms to report to the health facility where the vaccine was administered.
DRDO's Anti-Covid Drug Launched
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan released the first batch of Anti-Covid drug 2DG developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation.
“This may be our first indigenous research-based outcome to fight against Covid-19. It will reduce recovery time and oxygen dependency,” Vardhan said.
“Not just for India, but I hope it serves in the fight against Covid globally in the coming days,” he added.