India on Saturday registered 18,222 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall count to 1,04,31,639. The new infections are just 0.45% higher than Friday’s cases. India’s toll rose by 228 to 1,50,798. Its active cases stood at 2,24,190, while the number of recoveries reached 1,00,56,651.
The country has so far conducted more than 18 crore coronavirus tests, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s update. More than 9 lakh tests were done on Friday alone.
The health ministry said the number of cases of the mutant strain of the coronavirus, first found in the United Kingdom, stood at 90, reported ANI.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the third countrywide dry run of the vaccination programme to ensure the “readiness of all preparations and simulate a seamless and glitch free vaccine administration”, covered 4,895 sites across 615 districts in 33 states and Union Territories.
The Delhi government made it mandatory for passengers from the United Kingdom who test negative for the coronavirus to undergo seven-day institutional quarantine and then home quarantine for seven days. As of Friday, India’s count of the UK mutant virus cases stood at 82.
The government’s order led to confusion at the Delhi airport as a flight from UK, carrying about 250 passengers, landed there NDTV reported. The passengers expressed anger over the “last-minute change” in isolation rules. India resumed some flights from the UK from Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a meeting with chief ministers of all the states on January 11 to discuss the coronavirus situation and the rollout of the vaccine. In an address on Saturday, he said India was ready to save humanity with two “made in India” coronavirus vaccines.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said that all Indians will be provided the coronavirus vaccine “in the next few days”, after prioritising risk groups.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 8.85 crore people and killed over 19.13 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 4.93 crore people have recovered from the infection in the world.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has asked Modi to expedite a shipment of AstraZeneca’s vaccine against Covid-19 in light of broader delays, reported Reuters.
On Friday, the United States crossed 3,00,000 daily coronavirus cases, the second record this week, according to The Washington Post. The country has reported 2,18,62,733 infections and 3,68,773 fatalities.
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