Coronavirus live updates | Maharashtra allows restaurants, malls to operate with 50% capacity

The cumulative coronavirus vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed the 52 crore-mark, the Union health ministry said on August 11.

More than 40 lakh (40,02,634) doses were administered on August 11, according to the 7 pm provisional report.

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

NATIONAL

Active COVID-19 cases increase to 3,87,987

India logged 41,195 new coronavirus infections in a day taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,20,77,706, while the active cases increased to 3,87,987, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 4,29,669 with 490 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The active cases comprise 1.21% of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.45%, the ministry said.  An increase of 1,636 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. – PTI

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand plans to start reopening borders early next year

New Zealand, which has completely stamped out the coronavirus, plans to cautiously reopen its borders to international travellers early next year, the government said Thursday.

Officials also said they would delay second shots of the Pfizer vaccine in order to speed up first shots to protect more people as the threat of the delta variant grows.

New Zealand’s success in erasing the coronavirus has allowed life to return almost to normal. The South Pacific nation of 5 million people has reported just 26 deaths since the pandemic began. – PTI

MAHARASHTRA

Maharashtra allows restaurants, malls to operate till 10 pm with 50% capacity

Further relaxing the COVID-19 curbs, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to allow shopping malls and restaurants to remain open till 10 pm with a 50% capacity from August 15 onwards, provided the entire staff is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Shops are also allowed to operate till 10 pm.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said spas and gymnasiums will also be allowed to function till 10 pm at a 50%capacity on the condition that the entire staff at these establishments has taken both doses of the vaccine.

Yoga centres and salons will also be allowed to remain open till 10 pm. – PTI

NEW DELHI

Delhi’s COVID-19 vaccine stock to last for three days: Govt bulletin

With 1,40,843 vaccines administered on the previous day, Delhi’s present stock of coronavirus vaccines will last for three days only, according to the city government’s vaccination bulletin issued on Wednesday.

The national capital, as on Wednesday morning, had a balance stock of 6,34,660 anti-coronavirus vaccines, out of which 3,26,720 doses are of Covishield and 3,07,940 of Covaxin, data shared by the government showed. – PTI

INTERNATIONAL

WHO to decide on authorising Indian-made vaccine

A top vaccines official at the World Health Organisation says the agency expects to make a decision next month on an emergency authorisation for the Indian-made COVID-19 vaccine made by Bharat Biotech, a shot that has yet to be authorized by any Western regulatory authorities.

Dr. Mariangela Simao, a WHO assistant director-general for vaccines, says the UN health agency’s assessment of the Bharat Biotech vaccine was “quite advanced” and officials hoped for a decision by mid-September.

Few studies have been published on the shot. Indian researchers have yet to share any advanced research about the vaccine, which has been authorised and used in India. Scientists in India say the vaccine is about 78% effective, but there are some questions about how the vaccine performs in the real world, including against COVID-19 variants. – PTI

KERALA

TPR going up in state due to non-enforcement of isolation protocols: Kerala HC

The test positivity rate (TPR) in the State is going up due to non-enforcement of isolation protocols properly, the Kerala High Court said on Wednesday and added that preventing crowding or full lockdown were the only options to prevent spread of COVID-19.

The observation by the court came while expressing concern over the non-implementation of the new COVID-19 guidelines at liquor shops run by state-owned Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) where people could be seen waiting in long queues for hours on end to buy alcohol. – PTI