Yahoo Finance COVID-19 Live Updates: In U-turn, Maha govt says no relaxation of lockdown-like curbs yet
With 1,34,154 fresh cases, India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 2,84,41,986, while the daily positivity rate has further dropped to 6.21 per cent. The death toll due to the viral disease has climbed to 3,37,989 with 2,887 more people succumbing to it, while the number of active COVID-19 cases was recorded below 20 lakh for the third consecutive day. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi successfully fought the battle against COVID-19 and managed to bring disease curve down with the help of 135 crore citizens.
Also, 21,59,873 tests were conducted on Wednesday to detect COVID-19, taking the total number of such tests conducted so far in the country to 35,37,82,648, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.21 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for 10 consecutive days now, , the health ministry said on Thursday.
The 2,887 fresh fatalities include 553 from Maharashtra, 483 from Tamil Nadu, 463 from Karnataka, 213 from Kerala, 135 from West Bengal, 115 from Uttar Pradesh and 103 from Delhi.
The total number of 3,37,989 deaths reported so far in the country includes 96,751 from Maharashtra, 30,017 from Karnataka, 25,205 from Tamil Nadu, 24,402 from Delhi, 20,787 from Uttar Pradesh, 15,813 from West Bengal, 14,748 from Punjab and 13,117 from Chhattisgarh.
India's government said it has inked a deal with domestic vaccine maker Biological-E for 300 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for 15 billion rupees ($205.62 million), the first such order for unapproved shots.
The vaccine, which is currently undergoing phase-3 clinical trials, is likely to be available in the next few months, the health ministry said in a statement.
Biological E., which also has a separate deal to produce about 600 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 shot annually, said on Tuesday it entered into a licensing agreement with Providence Therapeutics Holdings to manufacture the Canadian company's mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in India.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused the Central government of 'hiding' the actual coronavirus death figures, even as he urged people to raise their voice for a universal free vaccination.
Gandhi also launched a campaign to pressure the government for universal free vaccination in the country.
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