1. India on Wednesday registered a record 3,60,960 new coronavirus cases in a day, taking the total number of infections since the pandemic broke out in January 2020 to 1,79,97,267. This was the seventh consecutive day when the country recorded more than three lakh daily cases. The toll rose to 2,01,187, as the number of deaths also went up by an unprecedented count of 3,292. 
  2. Karnataka and Kerala reported biggest single-day rise in coronavirus cases so far. Karnataka recorded 39,047 new infections, taking its total caseload to 14.39 lakh. The state capital Bengaluru alone accounted for 22,596 cases. Kerala recorded 35,013 cases, pushing its infection tally to 14,95,377.
  3. Serum Institute of India chief Adar Poonawalla said that the price of Covishield for state governments was reduced from Rs 400 to Rs 300 per dose with immediate effect. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that Poonawalla will be given Y category security cover across the country.
  4. Amid the massive jump in coronavirus cases, the Bihar government ordered that shops and commercial establishments should be closed at 4 pm daily. The night curfew will be now imposed from 6 pm to 6 am from April 29. Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister R Ashoka said the administration was not able to trace nearly 3,000 Covid-19 patients after they switched off their phones and left their homes, the Hindustan Times reported. “We don’t know where they have gone,” he said.
  5. The Delhi High Court said it appeared that the Centre wanted people to die as according to the new protocol on use of anti-viral drug remdesivir for Covid-19 treatment. As per the Centre’s new guidelines, the drug will be given only to those on oxygen support. The court said it appeared that the Centre was changing the protocol to reduce the shortage of the drug.
  6. Maharashtra is likely to extend the curbs in the state for a further 15 days, PTI reported quoting state minister Rajesh Tope. The state has been under a slew of restrictions since April 14, when Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the measures.
  7. The Centre sanctioned procurement of one lakh portable oxygen concentrators from the PM-Cares Fund, the prime minister’s office said in a statement. Five hundred new Pressure Swing Adsorption oxygen plants have also been sanctioned.
  8. The registrations for coronavirus vaccines for all Indian citizens above the age of 18 opened at 4 pm on Wednesday. However, several users faced glitches as the CoWIN portal and Arogya Setu apps’ servers crashed soon after. Meanwhile, Maharashtra joined the list of states announcing free vaccine for beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44.
  9. The Election Commission made it mandatory for candidates to show either a coronavirus negative test report or that they have been fully vaccinated against the infection to be allowed inside vote counting halls on May 2 when results will be declared for Assembly elections in four states and a Union Territory.
  10. Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 14.88 crore people and killed over 31.38 lakh since the pandemic broke out in December 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University. Over 8.63 crore people have recovered from the infection.