India reports 6,915 new Covid-19 cases, daily infections below 10,000 second day in a row
India reported 6,915 new Covid-19 cases, less than 10,000 second day in a row, and 180 deaths in the last 24 hours ending 8 am Tuesday, according to data released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. On Monday, the country recorded 8,013 infections. With today’s deaths, India’s death toll rose to 5,14,023.
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The active cases presently stand at 92,472, comprising 0.22 per cent of the country’s total caseload. The total number of recoveries rose to more than 4.23 crore or 4,23,24,550 after 16,864 Covid-19 patients recovered on Tuesday.
Pune: Over 1 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine set to expire soon
Across several private hospitals in Pune, a large stock of Covishield vaccine is lying unused and is likely to go waste with the expiry date – some on February 28 and others by March. “We have data of vaccines across 51 private vaccination centres where at least more than one lakh doses of Covishield vaccine are set to expire,” said Dr Sanjay Patil, chairman of Indian Medical Association’s Hospital Board of India, Pune chapter.
Under the national Covid vaccination programme, almost 51 out of 110 hospitals and 192 members of the Indian Medical Association’s Hospital Board of India Pune chapter had started private Covid vaccination centres. They had purchased vaccines and were helping citizens complete the vaccination schedule. “We have urged the district collector to replace these vaccines with fresh stock,” Dr Patil said.
Study protocol on Covishield plus Ashwagandha published in top research journal
The publication of a study protocol that aims to understand the potential of Ashwagandha – a traditional ayurvedic herbal drug for boosting immunity to improve Covid-19 vaccine response – in a top clinical research journal is being viewed as a landmark global recognition for ayurved and modern medicine integrative research.
Scientists are enthused over the publication of the protocol in a high-ranking clinical research journal: Frontiers in Medicine. The study is funded by Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.
Fewer Covid cases across Maharashtra, no deaths in Mumbai
The downward spiral of Covid-19 cases continued on Monday in the state with 407 new cases. Four districts — Nandurbar, Hingoli, Jalgoan and Amravati — recorded zero cases of Covid-19.
Mumbai reported only 73 cases and no deaths for the ninth time February. The number of tests conducted dropped from 18,367 on Sunday to 12,014 on Monday.
“We are hopeful that the pandemic is over. Now, we have to learn how to live with adequate precautions and masking,” said Dr Avinash Supe, in-charge of the Covid-19 death committee.
Govt relaxes Covid norms for arriving students
Meanwhile, with the Centre evacuating citizens stuck in Ukraine through neighbouring countries such as Hungary and Romania, the Union Health Ministry on Monday said they have relaxed Covid-19 norms for these travellers.
“This is with reference to the request received on 25th February 2022 regarding relaxation on the travel advisory for the diaspora of Indian Nationals (mainly students) who have found themselves embroiled in political turmoil being faced by Ukraine,” Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal stated in a letter to Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, G Balasubhramanian.
