West Bengal government has informed the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the State govt’s decision to allow domestic flights from Mumbai & Delhi only thrice a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5th January, in view of the current COVID19 situation. Meanwhile, in order to fight better, the Delhi government has directed all private hospitals and nursing homes in Delhi with 50 beds or more to reserve at least 40% of their total bed capacity for COVID19 patients. India’s financial capital has reported 10,860 fresh infections of COVID-19 and 2 deaths today. The active cases stand at 47,476.
Other top headlines of the day:
- India logs 37,379 new cases, most since September 9
- 33 hospital staff test positive for Covid-19 in Lucknow
- Cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla, TMC’s Babul Supriyo test COVID-positive
- Delhi imposes weekend curfew; Delhi Metro trains and buses to run with full capacity
- Punjab imposes night curfew from 10pm to 5am
- Odisha reports highest COVID-19 cases in over 3 months
- Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tests positive for Covid
- Omicron tally in India rises to 1,892
- BJP MP Manoj Tiwari tests positive for COVID-19
- Australia’s Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations hit new records
- USFDA backs Pfizer booster shot for kids aged 12 to 15
- Over 41 lakh teens get Covid shots on Day 1, 53.6 lakh sign up
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COVID19 | Maharashtra reports 18,466 new cases & 20 deaths today
Active cases 66,308.
Omicron case tally reaches 653, of these 259 have been discharged
COVID-19 | West Bengal reports 9,073 new cases, 3,768 recoveries and 16 deaths today
Active cases 25,475
Haryana imposes new COVID curbs: Govt offices to operate at 50% capacity
Himachal Pradesh reports 260 new COVID positive cases, 22 recoveries and 0 deaths today; 859 active cases
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tests Covid poistive
Gujarat reports 2,265 new COVID cases, 240 recoveries and 2 deaths today
Active cases 7800: State Health Department
Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai holds a meeting with members of the COVID19 Task Force and experts in Bengaluru
All private hospitals and nursing homes in Delhi with 50 beds or more to reserve at least 40% of their total bed capacity for COVID19 patients: Delhi government
Mumbai reports 10,860 fresh infections of COVID19 & 2 deaths
Active cases 47,476
1,104 COVID19 cases have been reported in Pune today, taking the positivity rate to 18%: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar
Physical classes for 1 to 8 standard will be closed till 30th January in Pune district including limits of municipal corporation Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad. The school classes will continue in online mode: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar
West Bengal government writes to the Ministry of Civil Aviation informing it of the State govt’s decision to allow domestic flights from Mumbai & Delhi only thrice a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5th January, in view of the current COVID19 situation.
Media report claiming that Centre has only released 26.14% of funds under ECRP-II is Misinformed and Misleading: Govt
West Bengal | 19 cases including 14 students found positive for COVID19 at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital
Thane Central Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Commissionerate busted a fake GST Input Tax Credit racket worth Rs 22 crores and arrested two persons.
Mumbai court remanded them to 14 day’s judicial custody today: Thane Central CGST Commissionerate
Punjab | Around 41 students of DMC’s nursing college in Ludhiana found COVID19 positive
Out of positive patients, 23 have been admitted to an adequate facility: Ludhiana CMO Dr SP Singh
Uttarakhand Health Secretary Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey tests positive for COVID19
Chhattisgarh: Night curfew from 10 pm to 6 am in districts with a positivity rate of 4% or more
In districts with a positivity rate of 4% or more all schools, Anganwadi centers, libraries, swimming pools, malls, cinemas, marriage palaces, hotels, restaurants, auditoriums should be closed. Night curfew from 10 pm to 6 am should be implemented: CMO Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh: Ban imposed on processions, rallies, public gatherings, social, cultural & sports events in every district
Ban imposed on processions, rallies, public gatherings, social, cultural & sports events in every district. Random testing for COVID-19 at railway stations & borders of the state. Daily reporting of hospital beds, stock of medicines, and availability of oxygen: CMO Chhattisgarh
Cases doubling every 2-3 days, tweets Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K
66 passengers onboard Cordelia cruise tested positive. Of these, 6 people disembarked in Goa, rest 60 people have returned to Mumbai today. All passengers onboard the ship will undergo RT-PCR test, their results will be out by 7am tomorrow
– Prajakta Ambrekar, Medical officer, BMC
Assembly polls: Cong to hold first meeting of Punjab screening committee today
Johannesburg Test: South Africa 191/7 at tea on day 2 trailing India by 11 runs, Shardul Thakur takes his maiden five-wicket haul
2,479 new cases and 4 deaths reported in Karnataka today; positivity rate goes up to 2.59%
The positivity rate shoots up to 2.59% in Karnataka. 2,479 new cases reported in the state today, 4 deaths registered. No new Omicron cases, 77 total Omicron cases. 95,391 tests were done today: State Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K
All passengers coming to the Jharkhand need to undergo a free Covid19 test on arrival at the airport
If a traveller is carrying a negative RTPCR report (within 72 hrs.)/full vaccination certificate (at least 15 days earlier), they’ll be exempted from RT-PCR test: Ranchi Airport
COVID19 | Kerala reports 3,640 new cases, 30 deaths, 2363 recoveries today
- Active cases at 20, 180
- Death tally at 48,637
Uttarakhand reports 310 new COVID19 cases, one death today
Active cases at 654
Lockdown will be imposed in Mumbai if daily COVID-19 cases go past 20,000: Mayor
Bharti Airtel’s board of directors has withdrawn the scheme of arrangement for the new corporate structure announced in April last year. It believes that the existing corporate structure of the Company is, therefore, optimal for leveraging these emerging opportunities and unlocking value while continuing to scale up Airtel’s digital businesses.
The 66 COVID19 positive passengers of the Cordelia cruise will be put under isolation at designated facilities. All other passengers will undergo RT-PCR test & will be allowed to disembark from the ship only after their COVID19 test results come: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp
‘Amma Mini Clinics’ were temporary, and the doctors who were recruited for it will be deployed by state health department in works related to battling the third COVID wave: Tamil Nadu Health Minister MA Subramanian on closure of Amma Mini Clinic
- Chief Minister MK Stalin himself went out to distribute free masks where he urged people to wear them or else, fine will be imposed: Tamil Nadu Health Minister MA Subramanian
SBI, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs): RBI
Airtel Payments Bank Limited” has been included in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
HC asks Delhi govt to consider early re-testing of Covid-19 positive international travellers
- The Delhi high court on Tuesday said that in case there were no guidelines issued by the Centre, it expected the city government to expeditiously consider the issue of early re-testing of international travellers who test positive for Covid-19 on arrival.
‘Bulli Bai’ app case accused Vishal Kumar produced before Mumbai’s Bandra Court
#WATCH 'Bulli Bai' app case accused Vishal Kumar produced before Mumbai's Bandra Court https://t.co/YhyAZjkLng
— ANI (@ANI) 1641294142000
Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education minister Uday Samant today chaired a meeting with all Divisional Commissioners, Collectors and Vice Chancellors to assess the Covid19 situation in educational institutions and ways to adhere to the Covid protocol.
Reports ANI
Delhi government issues an action plan for smooth running and real-time monitoring of oxygen supply in Delhi. Telemetry devices are being installed on oxygen tanks of 53 government and private hospitals in the city. Live monitoring will be done through govt COVID War Room.
Reports ANI
Dr Reddy’s to launch generic COVID-19 Merck drug at Rs 35/pill
- Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd will launch its generic version of Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill, molnupiravir, and price it at 35 rupees ($0.4693) per capsule, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday.
- The overall cost for a patient treated with a 5-day course of 40 capsules of the generic drug, to be sold under brand name ‘Molflu’, will come up to 1,400 rupees ($18.77). In comparison, the treatment with Merck’s pill in the United States costs $700.
Punjab | Non-essential movement will be banned from 10pm to 5am. If night curfew is violated, then legal action will be taken. The principle of ‘No mask, no service’ will be followed. All health workers have to report to their respective duties: Amritsar Dy Commissioner
Punjab | Bars, cinemas halls, malls, restaurants, spas, AC buses will operate at 50% capacity subject to staff being fully vaccinated. Swimming pools & gyms to remain closed. Only fully vaccinated staff to attend Govt, pvt offices: Amritsar Dy Commissioner on COVID19 restrictions
Covid antiviral drug Molnupiravir launched in India
- Covid antiviral drug Molnupiravir was on Monday launched in India at Rs 1,399 for a five-day course for mild to moderate infection.
- Amid rising cases of new Covid variant Omicron in the country, an expert panel of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation had recently approved antiviral drug Molnupiravir for restricted use in emergency situation.
- Along with Molnupiravir, the CDSCO has also granted emergency use authorisation to the Serum Institute of India’s Covid vaccine COVOVAX, Hyderabad based Biological E RBD Protein CORBEVAX.
Delhi reports 5,481 new cases and 3 deaths
COVID19 | Delhi reports 5,481 new cases & 3 deaths; Active cases 14,889. Positivity rate rises to 8.37% https://t.co/G1Jq0Fx9zK
— ANI (@ANI) 1641292379000
Cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla, TMC’s Babul Supriyo test COVID-positive
Reports PTI
New coronavirus variant ‘IHU’ identified in France
- As the world grapples with the highly mutated Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, scientists have identified a new strain of the COVID-19 causing virus in Southern France.
- Known as ‘IHU’, the B.1.640.2 variant has been reported by researchers at institute IHU Mediterranee Infection in at least 12 cases, and has been linked to travel to African country Cameroon.
- However, the researchers noted that it is too early to speculate on how this variant behaves as far as infection and protection from vaccines is concerned.
Australian states break grim records for Covid cases
- The Australian states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria on Tuesday reported record high number of daily Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations, as the country’s overall infection tally surpassed the 500,000 mark.
We’re of the view that if any govt employee dies due to COVID or any other mishap, his/her family member should be provided with a job. But this right has been snatched from us. Tell Amit Shah, LG Anil Baijal to give us our right: Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia in Assembly
Every passenger of Cordelia cruise ship to undergo COVID-19 test once the ship reaches Mumbai, says BMC official
- Every passenger of the Cordelia cruise ship, which will reach Mumbai on Tuesday evening, will undergo COVID-19 test as it has been sent back to Mumbai from Goa with all the passengers after more than 66 out of 2,000 onboard tested COVID-19 positive.
- “The ship is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai today evening and everyone onboard will undergo COVID-19 test,” said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official.
- “BMC has constituted a special team to conduct the test of passengers on board. Those who test positive will be sent to COVID centres or hospitals. Those who test negative will be sent to compulsory quarantine,” the official added.
- Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said that out of the 2,000 samples tested onboard the Cordelia cruise ship that sailed from Mumbai to Goa, 66 passengers tested positive for COVID-19.
Weekend curfew being imposed in view of rising Covid cases; should not be considered as lockdown: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain
Omicron variant infections in Japan reach over 1,000 cases on Tuesday
Weekend curfew being imposed in view of rising Covid cases; should not be considered as lockdown: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain.
Today, Delhi is expected to report 5500 COVID cases, with the positivity rate rising to 8.5%
– Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain
We seem to be at beginning of the third wave. Although cases are rising, the mortality rate is still very low. The third wave won’t be as severe as the second wave: Dr. DS Chandra, Consultant Physician, Internal & Travel Medicine, Helvetia Medical Center, Delhi
Cases of Omicron variant have been rapidly rising. Delhi has reported around 11,000 positive cases in the past 8-10 days, of which around 350 patients are in hospital, only 124 patients need oxygen & 7 are on a ventilator: Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia
Buses and metro trains will again run at full seating capacity to avoid crowding outside metro stations and at bus stops: Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia
DDMA has decided to impose a curfew in Delhi on Saturdays and Sundays to curb COVID surge. All govt officials except for those engaged in essential services will work from home. 50% workforce of private offices will work from home
– Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia
