Covid Third Wave: Covaxin and Covishield approved for full use. 6 updates
India’s daily Covid tally has gone up to a worrisome level. The country has reported 3,17,532 fresh Covid cases in the past 24 hours. A total of 491 people succumbed to the deadly virus yesterday, January 19, 2022, as per Health Ministry data.
Here are 6 latest updates on Covid-19 in India:
1. HIGHEST SINGLE DAY SPIKE IN 8 MONTHS
3,17,532 new Covid-19 cases were reported in India in the last 24 hours. The country’s Covid positivity rate is now 16.41%, which is higher than yesterday. The Omicron variant has infected 9,287 people so far. Maharastra alone has reported 1,738 Omicron cases followed by West Bengal with 1,672 cases of the new strain.
#Unite2FightCorona#LargestVaccineDrive#OmicronVariant ????? ?????https://t.co/sVDcUTFxHi pic.twitter.com/xv3emrUA87
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) January 20, 2022
2. CURFEW IN ANDHRA PRADESH
A sharp rise in Covid cases in Andhra Pradesh has alarmed the state government. Andhra CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has urged hospitals to increase the number of beds for Covid-19 patients. The government has also implemented a night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am along with other strict Covid restrictions.
Andhra Pradesh reported 10,057 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.
3. MORE THAN 19 LAKH COVID TESTS CONDUCTED
As per the data available, the number of Covid tests being conducted across the country is rising. 19,35,180 samples were tested yesterday.
COVID-19 Testing Update. For more details visit: https://t.co/dI1pqwfbRz @MoHFW_INDIA @DeptHealthRes @PIB_India @mygovindia @COVIDNewsByMIB #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/LtlZUgRbjC
— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) January 20, 2022
4. MAN CLIMBS TREE TO ESCAPE VACCINATION IN UP
Some people are still hesitant to take the Covid vaccine. In two recent incidents from Uttar Pradesh, a man climbed a tree and another wrestled the officials to escape vaccination.
A few health officials in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh were out on a Covid vaccination awareness drive. People in the village were so scared of the jab that one man climbed a tree whereas the other wrestled the healthcare workers. Health officials captured the bizarre incident in a video.
5. COVAXIN AND COVISHIELD APPROVED FOR FULL USE
A year ago, Covaxin and Covishield were given emergency approvals. Now, an expert panel at the Central Drug Authority has cleared Covaxin and Covishield for full use. This will improve the availability of the two vaccines at hospitals and clinics approved under CoWIN.
SEC of CDSCO has recommended for upgrade of covishield and covaxin status from restricted use in emergency situations to grant of new drug permission with conditions In adult population ,DCGI will evaluate the recommendations and give its decision.
— CDSCO_INDIA_INFO (@CDSCO_INDIA_INF) January 19, 2022
6. MISLEADING MARKETING OF NASAL SPRAY AGAINST COVID
A nasal spray, Viraleze Antiviral Nasal Spray which costs Rs 5,445 has been wrongly promoted. The product claims to provide a protective barrier in the nose against Covid-19 infection. But the product lacks scientific evidence.
“I would like to say that people shouldn’t waste money on such advertisements promoted drugs. Up until now, they haven’t shown any role to control or eradicate Covid-19 infection,” Dr Nishant Singh, Consultant, General Medicine, Meddo Health told India Today.