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Coronavirus India Updates: Nationwide Vaccine Dry Run Begins Today; Delhi To Get Free Vaccine

Track all developments around the Covid-19 outbreak in India here.

A discarded protective mask on the ground next to confetti in Times Square following New Years Eve celebrations in New York, U.S. (Photographer: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg)
A discarded protective mask on the ground next to confetti in Times Square following New Years Eve celebrations in New York, U.S. (Photographer: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg)
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India’s active coronavirus case tally remained on a downward trajectory as the country readies itself for a nationwide dry run of vaccination today.

Authorities reported little over 19,000 fresh cases in 24 hours taking the total tally to 1,03,05,788 in the world’s second-worst infected country, according to the Health Ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on Jan. 2. This includes nearly 1.5 lakh deaths and over 99 lakh patients who have recovered.,

New cases remained under the 25,000-mark for over a week now, significantly lower than the peaks seen in mid-September. One-day fatalities too remained below 300 for the eighth consecutive day.

The slower pace of India’s daily infections and an improved recovery rate have kept active cases in India below the 3-lakh-mark for over a week now. That’s less than 2.5% of the total caseload. India’s active cases had crossed 10 lakh in mid-September. Recoveries, on the other hand, now account for over 96% of total confirmed cases.

Key Figures

  • Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases: 1,03,05,788
  • Active cases: 2,50,183
  • Cured/discharged/migrated: 99,06,387
  • Deaths: 1,49,218
  • Number of fresh cases in the last 24 hours: 19,079
  • One-day recoveries: 22,926
  • One-day deaths: 224

All Indian states and union territories will conduct a dry run of its vaccine delivery system and identify potential hurdles. The health ministry has reviewed preparedness and asked state governments to ensure the effectiveness of the program.

Meanwhile India has followed the U.K. and granted emergency approval for the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford, the first step in its plan to inoculate citizens in the country that’s home to the world’s second-largest Covid-19 outbreak. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar said the AstraZeneca shot being produced locally by the Serum Institute of India Ltd. -- the world’s largest vaccine maker by volume -- was approved Friday.

Global Update:

The U.S. surpassed 20 million Covid-19 cases, a year after a mysterious pathogen first revealed itself in Wuhan, China.

The pandemic entered 2021 with no signs of slowing down. Global daily deaths reached record highs this week. Countries from Germany to Japan to South Africa ended 2020 with record daily cases. China and Brazil became the latest to report infections of the new, highly transmissible virus strain.

Track all developments around the Covid-19 outbreak in India here.

Covid-19 Vaccine Will Be Available In UP By Makar Sankranti: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said Covid-19 vaccine will be available in the state close to Hindu festival Makar Sankranti' which will be celebrated on Jan. 14.

Speaking at a programme here, he said, "We initiated the campaign against Covid-19 in March 2020 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and at the beginning of this year we could say firmly that the dry run of the vaccine will be held on January 5 across the state and the vaccine will be available near around Makar Sankranti."

The chief minister added that a dry run of the vaccine is being held at some places in the state on Saturday.

Adityanath was speaking while laying the foundation stone of Advocate's Building at the collectorate campus here on Saturday.

Source: PTI

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India-U.K. Flights To Restart From Jan. 6, U.K.-India Services From Jan. 8: Puri

Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday flights from India to U.K. will resume from January 6, while services from that country to here would resume from Jan. 8 onwards.

"Resumption of flights between India & U.K.: India to UK from 6 Jan 2021. U.K. to India from 8 Jan. 2021. 30 flights will operate every week. 15 each by Indian & U.K. carriers," Puri said on Twitter.

Earlier, Puri had announced on Friday that only 30 flights per week will operate between India and the UK when services resume from January 8 and that this arrangement will continue till January 23.

Source: PTI


Covid-19 Vaccine To Be Free In Delhi: Satyendar Jain

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday said Covid-19 vaccine will be provided to people in the national capital for free once it arrives, and asserted that the city government has made preparations for the vaccination drive.

Interacting with reporters during his visit to a facility in Daryaganj as part of a dry run exercise held here to assess the preparations for the vaccine roll-out, Jain said the system "seems flawless" as of now.

"I came to see the preparations as part of the dry run being done. Three sites have been selected for it GTB Hospital Shahdara, Urban Primary Health Centre, Daryaganj, and Venkateshwar Hospital, Dwarka," he said.

All preparations are being done, and 1,000 vaccine centres will be set up across the city, the health minister said.

Source: PTI

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