Coronavirus news live: Covishield price for states dropped by 25 per cent to Rs 300 per dose effective immediately, says Adar Poonawalla

Adar Poonawalla on reduced Covishield price:

35,013 new COVID19 cases, 41 deaths and 15,505 recoveries recorded in Kerala today. The total number of recoveries is 12,23,185 so far: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Vaccine registration portal CoWIN crashes, as many users try to register themselves from vaccination

We have taken a philanthropic decision to reduce the price of Covishield for states by 25 percent to Rs 300 per dose effective immediately. Doing so in the interest of saving states funds

– Adar Poonawalla in an interview to CNBC

‘Corona curfew’ to be imposed from 6pm, 29th April (till 5am) every day until further orders. All shops, malls, multiplexes etc. to close by 5pm every day. All non-essential activities prohibited during the night curfew: Chandigarh Administration

Jharkhand: Military Hospital, Namkum has opened a 50 bed COVID care facility for civilian patients

Another BJP MLA in UP Kesar Singh passes away due to Covid.

Covishield reduces prices to states to Rs 300: CNBC

West Bengal: Nandita Sinha, wife of TMC candidate from Khardaha Kajal Sinha who died of COVID-19, lodges police complaint against Deputy Election Commissioner Sudip Jain & other officials for allegedly not ensuring ‘safety of candidates or general public during ongoing pandemic’.

The registration for 3rd phase of vaccination will take place online. The number of beneficiaries at vaccination centres will depend on the supply. There are around 30 lakh beneficiaries. We have demanded 60 lakh doses of vaccine from Centre: Rajiv Saizal, Health Minister, HP

Cowin Portal is working. There was a minor glitch at 4 PM that was fixed. 18 plus can register.

Uttarakhand: ‘Corona curfew’ to remain in place in Doiwala, Herbertpur, Vikas Nagar, and Mussoorie starting tomorrow, orders Dehradun district administration

Some States and hospitals may come on board on May 1 or later, therefore, the visibility into the bookings/vacancy available for vaccination will be available when States, hospitals come on board.

– RS Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority

On many days, we have had around 5 mn people registering in a day. We expect more than double that number today.We think our system will be able to take the load when registrations open today

– RS Sharma, CEO,National Health Authority on vaccination for those above 18yrs from May 1

Government says 500 new PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen plants sanctioned under PM CARES Fund, in addition to 713 plants sanctioned earlier.

PM has sanctioned the procurement of 1 lakh Portable Oxygen Concentrators from PM Cares Fund. He instructed that these Oxygen Concentrators should be procured at the earliest & provided in states with high case burden: PMO

So far, Railways has delivered 202 MT medical oxygen to Uttar Pradesh, 174 MT to Maharashtra, 70 MT to Delhi and 64 MT to Madhya Pradesh: Ministry of Railways

All members of the Maharastra Cabinet are of the opinion that current COVID19 restrictions should be extended for the next 15 days: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope

India has helped the world and us during the COVID times by producing vaccines and medicines, and now we just need to give back to our friends.

– Walter J. Lindner, German Ambassador to India

Maruti Suzuki advances scheduled maintenance shutdown to May to make oxygen available for medical needs

We have all the infrastructure to conduct vaccination but we don’t have vaccines in adequate quantity. The CM is talking to different vaccine manufacturers. There will be separate centres for vaccination of those between 18-44 years of age.

– Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope

It appears you want people to die; they don’t have oxygen and now they won’t get Remdesivir either under new protocol, High Court tells Centre

In view of COVID-19 situation, it has been decided to extend the duration of ‘Swasthya Suraksha Saptah’ till 6 am on May 6. Some changes have been made in the guidelines: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

Single vaccine dose cuts COVID-19 transmission by half: UK study

A single dose of either the Oxford/AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines have been found to cut COVID-19 transmission rates by up to half, according to a new Public Health England (PHE) study.

Merck announces deal with generic drug makers in India

Merck announced a deal with five makers of generic drugs in India to produce molnupiravir, an experimental antiviral similar to the COVID-19 medicine remdesivir but in a more convenient pill form.

EC makes negative RT-PCR tests mandatory

Election Commission makes it mandatory for candidates and their agents to show negative RT-PCR test reports or complete vaccination reports to enter counting centres

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria meets Prime Minister Modi

The Air Force Chief briefed the Prime Minister on the efforts being undertaken by IAF to help in the COVID-19 related situation.

PayTM to give Madhya Pradesh 100 oxygen concentrators

Paytm has decided to provide 100 oxygen concentrators to Madhya Pradesh in next two-three days after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke to CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

Delhi High Court hears petitions regarding COVID-19 situation

Delhi High Court begins hearing petitions relating to various issues arising due to rise of COVID-19 cases in the national capital.

Mexico to produce Sputnik V vaccine domestically

Mexico’s top diplomat travelled to Moscow on Sunday amid talks to hammer out plans for Mexico to bottle Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine domestically after delays in shipments. Bottling the Russian shot in Mexico could start as early as May, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which markets the vaccine abroad, said on Twitter.

We had ordered 7500 remdesivir injections & had sent our aircraft to Hyderabad, it returned last evening. 2500 more injections will come. Regarding vaccination of everyone above 18 yrs of age, we’ve announced free vaccines for all and approved Rs 400 crores for it

– Uttarakhand CM

Allu Arjun tests positive for COVID-19, under home quarantine

South star Allu Arjun on Wednesday said he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is under home quarantine.

Four-day lockdown in Goa from April 29 as cases spike: CM

The Goa government on Wednesday decided to impose a strict lockdown in the state beginning April 29 till May 3, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

Have ordered to provide 20 vehicles of Dial 112 to every district, they can work as an ambulance. I have also asked district commissioners to increase capacity of beds (COVID-19 care centres) and for medical staff

– Anil Vij, Haryana Health Minister

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for UP government, asks the Supreme Court that it has to direct a particular hospital, where all beds are full with Covid patients, to vacate a bed by asking a patient to go out to admit Kappan for treatment. Court disposes of the plea.

Supreme Court directs Uttar Pradesh government to shift the arrested journalist Siddique Kappan, to RML or AIIMS or wherever treatment can be done. Court says that after Kappan’s treatment, he be transferred back to Mathura jail after doctor certifies him to have recovered.

Lockdown announced in the state from 29th April 7 pm to the morning of 3rd May. Essential services & industrial activities allowed, public transport to remain shut. Casinos, hotels, pubs remain closed. Borders to remain open for essential service transportation

– Goa CM Pramod Sawant

Private offices, including the service industry to ‘work from home’ only. Bare minimum staff involved in critical operations such as maintenance shall be allowed with curfew passes

– DC Mohali Girish Dayalan

Curfew in the entire district from 6 PM to 5 AM on all days (night curfew) & from 6 PM every Friday to 5 AM of every Monday (weekend curfew). All restaurants to remain closed for dine-in with, home delivery allowed up to 9 PM. All shops to close by 5 PM daily

– DC Mohali

IAF C-17s have airlifted 6 cryogenic oxygen containers from Dubai to Panagarh Air Base. Another C-17s brought 3 oxygen containers from Singapore to Panagarh Air Base

– Indian Air Force

Fertilizer companies to supply 50 MT medical oxygen per day for COVID-19 patients. IFFCO is putting up an oxygen plant with capacity of 200 cubic meters/hour in its KALOL unit in Gujarat & their total capacity would be 33,000 cubic meters/day: Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers

Puducherry records 1,258 new COVID-19 cases, 632 recoveries, and 10 deaths in the last 24 hours

25,56,182 vaccine doses were given on Day 102 of the vaccination drive yesterday. 15,69,000 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 22,989 sessions for 1st dose & 9,87,182 beneficiaries received 2nd dose of vaccine

– Union Health Ministry

Cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India has crossed 14.78 crores today. It includes 93,47,775 HCWs who have taken the 1st dose & 61,06,237 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 1,22,21,975 FLWs (1st dose) & 65,26,378 FLWs (2nd dose)

– Union Health Ministry

All categories of liquor shops shall remain closed up to 3rd May 2021: T Sudhakar, Deputy Commissioner (Excise)

COVID-19 restrictions in Puducherry extended till 3rd May

New COVID facility set-up at indoor stadium in Srinagar

Covaxin found to neutralise 617 variant of COVID-19

– America’s top pandemic expert Dr Fauci

Karina Gould, Canada’s Minister of International Development, announces that Canada is providing $10 million in funding for humanitarian assistance to Canadian Red Cross to support Indian Red Cross Society’s response to COVID-19 situation in India: Govt of Canada

Former Congress MP Eknath Gaikwad who was known as a giant killer for defeating then Shiv Sena heavy weight Manohar Joshi from Dharavi has passed away at Breach Candy Hospital due to COVID-19

Delhi: Two people arrested by Punjabi Bagh Police for black marketing of Oxygen cylinders. Four Oxygen cylinders and one large commercial Oxygen cylinder recovered from their possession

India reports 3,60,960 new COVID-19 cases, 3293 deaths and 2,61,162 discharges in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry

Minister Maliki Osman flagged off 2 of the Singapore Air Force’s C-130s, arriving in India today with 256 Oxygen cylinders: Singapore’s diplomatic missions in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai

Registration for 18 plus to begin on http://cowin.gov.in, Aarogya Setu App & UMANG App at 4 PM on 28th April. Appointments at State Govt centers & pvt centers depending on how many vaccination centers ready on 1st May: Aarogya Setu

‘Oxygen Express’ carrying oxygen arrives at Mandideep station in Bhopal

Our hearts are with people of India. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Israel Embassy in India is organizing support for India which will include contributions from private sector, defense companies & general public, all joining hands to help India

– Ron Malka, Israel’s Envoy to India

We are sending actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine. I have also discussed with him (PM Modi) when we will be able to send actual vaccines to India which will be my intention to do

– US President Joe Biden

28,27,03,789 samples were tested up to 27th April 2021, for COVID-19. Of these 17,23,912 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research

Malabar Hill Sevak Jattha & Mulund Sikh Youth have started a call center to help with oxygen cylinder in Mumbai

BKC jumbo COVID-19 vaccination centre in Mumbai has run out of stock thus it is not active today. It will open for vaccination as soon as the stock is replenished: BMC