Karnataka on Tuesday recorded 14,304 new cases, 464 deaths, and 29,271 recoveries. Among the fresh infections, 3,418 were from Bengaluru. The positivity rate has dropped to 12.30%. Meanwhile, the number of fresh infections in the last 24 hours are 623 in Delhi, 831 in Mumbai, 1,032 in Kolkata and 2,467 in Chennai. The Union Health Ministry said the mixing of Covid vaccines is not the protocol till further updates.
“The same vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) will be administered for both doses. There’s international research underway on the mixing of vaccines as the possibility of a positive effect is also plausible but a harmful reaction cannot be ruled out either. It is an unresolved scientific question, science will settle it,” it said. Earlier, it was reported that India might soon begin testing the feasibility of a regimen that mixes two different Covid-19 vaccines to see if it helps boost immune response to the virus.
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry, said, “Active cases are down by 50%, there is a 130,000 decrease in active cases in a day. In 30 states/UTs, cases have been consistently declining for one week. This is a positive trend.” He added, “A total of 1,27,000 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. Since May 28, the country is reporting less than 200,000 cases. There is a decline of infection in the country.”
Earlier on Tuesday, a consignment, comprising as many as three million doses of Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V, the biggest tranche so far, landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories is in a pact with Russian Direct Investment Fund to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of Sputnik V in India. It has received approval from the Indian drug regulator for restricted emergency use of Sputnik V.
Deaths begin to dip
Meanwhile, the high death count in the second wave of the pandemic is finally coming down. In the week ended Sunday, nationwide fatalities dipped by 17%, the first decline in 12 weeks, even as the daily death toll dropped below 3,000 after 34 days. The second wave is now receding across all states/Union territories except a few in the northeast and in Ladakh. While fresh cases of the virus fell for the third week running, this week's numbers showed the most comprehensive decline yet as infections had started to fall in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam - states that had shown arising trend till last week. With 12,950,000 new infections recorded in May 24-30, the weekly case count registered a drop of 27% over the previous week, the steepest yet in the second wave.
Just as significant was fall in deaths. India recorded 24,372 fatalities in May 24-30, a drop of almost 5,000 from the previous week's toll of 29,331. These included previous deaths added to the toll in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand during this period.
With vaccine supplies likely to increase in next few months, the Centre has asked states to draw up plans in advance to ensure smooth vaccination across all districts, mainly covering the priority population groups of 45 years and above along with enhanced coverage of health and frontline workers.
“Going forward, vaccination will have to be the focus, and as economic activities open up people will have to maintain Covid-appropriate behavior because vaccines can only protect from severe disease,” an official said.
