India records 18,987 new Covid-19 cases; active cases decline to 2.06 lakh

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Oct 14, 2021: India recorded 18,987 new coronavirus cases and 246 new fatalities in the last 24 hours ending at 8 am on Thursday. With this, the country’s caseload rose to 3.4 crore (3,40,20,730), while the death toll rose to 4.51 lakh ( 4,51,435).

 

Active cases declined to 2.06 lakh (2,06,586), comprising 0.61 per cent of the total infections. Meanwhile, the national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.07 per cent, as per the Union Health Ministry’s data.

A decrease of 1,067 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

India is set to touch a significant landmark — 100 crore vaccine doses — this month, a top government source said. As the focus is on vaccinating the entire eligible population as early as possible, the government will consider exporting the vaccines only in the fourth quarter.

“Export of vaccines is not the priority now. We will see what the excess production is in the fourth quarter and will decide on exporting,” said the source. However, the source added that India has not decided on providing booster doses for the vulnerable yet.

Maharashtra on Wednesday crossed the landmark of 9 crore Covid vaccination doses, of which nearly 3 crore beneficiaries are fully vaccinated. “We have fully vaccinated a population of 2.76 crore, which is the highest for any state in the country,” Dr Pradeep Vyas, additional chief secretary (health), Maharashtra, told The Indian Express.

Overall, 6.23 crore beneficiaries in the state have been vaccinated with one dose. Mumbai and Pune have administered 1.38 crore and 1.13 crore vaccine doses, respectively, till date. Of this, 49.8 lakh residents are fully vaccinated in Mumbai while 38.4 lakh have got both doses in Pune district.

Days after the UK government lifted restrictions on Indian travellers who are fully vaccinated with Covishield or another UK-approved vaccine, India has withdrawn a travel advisory that added Covid-19 related additional checks and restrictions on those arriving from Britain, including a mandatory 10-day quarantine.

“Based on the evolving scenario, it has been decided that the revised guidelines… stand withdrawn and the earlier guidelines on international arrival dated February 17, 2021, shall be applicable to all travellers arriving in India from the United Kingdom,” Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said in a communication sent to all the states.

Courtesy:Indian Express