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India’s Cumulative Vaccination Coverage exceeds 11.44Crore

• The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 11.44 Cr today.
• Over 33 lakh vaccination doses were administered in the last 24 hours.
• As on Day-89 of the vaccination drive (14^th April, 2021), 33,13,848vaccine doses were given. Within this, 28,77,473 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 44,864 sessions for 1^st dose and 4,36,375 beneficiaries received 2^nd dose of vaccine.
• India’s daily new cases continue to rise. 2,00,739new cases were registered in the last 24 hours.
• India’s total Active Caseload has reached 14,71,877. It now comprises 10.46% of the country's total Positive Cases. A net incline of 1,06,173 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours.
• India’s cumulative recoveries stand at 1,24,29,564 today. The National Recovery Rate is 88.31%.
• NineStates/UTs have not reported any COVID19 deaths in the last 24 hours. These are D&D & D&N, Tripura, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram,Manipur, Lakshadweep, and Arunachal Pradesh.

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Empowered Group 2 initiates action to avoid panic regarding availability of Medical Oxygen

The EG2 has initiated several measures to ensure supply of medical oxygen to various affected states. Some of the major measures are as follows.

• Increase oxygen production as per production capacity of each oxygen manufacturing plant; this has resulted in 100 percent production in the oxygen manufacturing units, ramping up availability of oxygen in the country (as stated above).
• Utilise the surplus stocks available with Steel Plants. The stock availability from Steel plants has increased in last few days, with 14,000 MTs coming from stocks of the CPSUs Steel Plants alone, and this has helped ramp up total LMO stocks in the country.
• Map the requirements of top states with oxygen sources, including with sources across the state borders and those available at steel plants, for greater clarity and assurance for the states on the oxygen sourcing. Thus, Maharashtra has been able to lift surplus medical oxygen on daily basis from Steel plants like JSW in Dolvi (Maharashtra), SAIL in Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) and from JSW in Bellary (Karnataka). Similarly, Madhya Pradesh is able to supplement its oxygen supply from the Steel plant in Bhilai (Chhattisgarh).
• The challenge presently is to move oxygen from States with less necessity to States with increased necessity. Mapping of the surplus sources with States that have greater need for oxygen, such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, etc is being finalised, in consultation with the manufacturers, States and other stakeholders. This has been undertaken through coordinated planning between the Government of India and State Governments to map their requirements up to 30th April 2021 with the available sources and stocks of oxygen in the country.
• A sub- group has been formed under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) with Ministry of Railways and transport departments of States to facilitate the movement of transport tankers for Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO). Moving of oxygen tankers by rail is also being actively worked out.
• Some of the key decisions taken in the context of seamless movement of oxygen tankers is as follows:
  • Orders have been given by PESO (Petroleum and Safety Organisation) for conversion of argon and nitrogen tankers for use as oxygen tankers; thereby the fleet available for transportation of tankers has been enhanced;
  • Free movement of oxygen tankers inter-state has been facilitated through MoRTH without registration in the other states;
• Further, mapping of cylinders state wise has been done and industrial cylinders have been permitted to be used for medical oxygen after due purging;
• Placing of orders for purchase of another one lakh oxygen cylinders by MoHFW is also being undertaken;
• PSA plants sanctioned under PM-Cares are being closely reviewed for early completion of 100 percent of the plants to enhance self-generation of oxygen in hospitals especially in remote areas.
• Daily reviews with the high burden states are being jointly done by DPIIT with MoHFW and Steel Ministry. Oxygen manufacturers are also present in these meetings, as are the Steel units. This results in handholding of the States for facilitating oxygen supply, resolving any inter-State issues on supply or tanker movement, etc

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Union Health Ministry Issues Regulatory Pathways for foreign produced COVID-19 Vaccines

In a radical reform measure, the Union Government on 13th April 2021 approved a significant streamlining and fast tracking of regulatory system for COVID-19 vaccines approved for restricted use by US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA, PMDA Japan or which are listed in WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL). This decision will facilitate quicker access to such foreign vaccines by India and would encourage imports including import of bulk drug material, optimal utilization of domestic fill and finish capacity etc., which will in turn provide a fillip to vaccine manufacturing capacity and total vaccine availability within the country.

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COVID ‘TikaUtsav’ witnesses growth in number of COVID Vaccination Centres and Daily Vaccinations

More than 1.28 Cr doses administered during TikaUtsav.The four days of TikaUtsav saw intense vaccination activity. 29,33,418 vaccination doses were given on 11^th April, another 40,04,521 were administered the next day. The corresponding figure for 13^th and 14^th April stands at 26,46,528 and 33,13,848.The total vaccination figures during the TikaUtsav saw a jump of 1,28,98,314 vaccine doses being administered to people of the eligible groups across the country.

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Union Home Secretary Chairs High Level meet to review the status of COVID-19 Status and Public Health Measures taken by Madhya Pradesh

Following 5-fold strategy for tackling the recent surge was highlighted and discussed:

1. On the front of Testing, the State was advised to-

• Significantly increase testing in all districts with a minimum of 70% RT-PCR tests and use of Rapid Antigen Tests as screening tests in densely populated areas as well as areas where fresh clusters are emerging.
• Mandatorily subject those who have tested negative in Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) to RT-PCR test.

2. Tracing, Containment, surveillance to suppress spread

• Tracing of close contacts- at least 25 to 30 such close contacts for each infected person and their isolation to be done in 72 hours.
• Do subsequent testing and follow up of all close contacts.
• Delineate Containment Zones as per proper mapping of clusters of cases & their contacts.

3. The State was advised to follow the protocol of Clinical care, treatment & support, for Home / facility care:

• Increase the number of isolation beds, oxygen beds, ventilators/ICU beds, ambulance fleet as per requirement.
• Plan for adequate oxygen supply.
• Focus on mortality reduction by early identification & complying to treatment protocols

4. On front of COVID safe behaviour, the State was advised to

• Use local political, cultural, sports, religious influencers to disseminate proper wearing of masks and maintaining physical distance.
• Use of Police Act, DM Act and other legal/administrative provisions for effective and strict enforcement.

5. Regarding the Vaccination, the State was advised to ensure-

• Time-bound plan of 100% vaccination of eligible HCWs, FLWs and eligible age groups.

For details:

INPUTS FROM PIB FIELD OFFICES

• Maharashtra: The state reported 58,952 new cases on Wednesday, pushing the tally of total active cases to 6.12 lakhs. With 1.11 crore doses administered the state is also leading in the vaccination roll out in the country. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has  requested Prime Minister NarendraModi to treat the Covid 19 pandemic  as a natural calamity so that  the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) may be used to provide individual benefits to the affected.Meanwhile, Mumbai's ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj International Airport, CSMIA has decided to re-consolidate all domestic passenger flights currently operating via Terminal 1.  Beginning  April 21, all international as well as domestic flights will be operated from Terminal 2. This decision has been taken in view of the Covid pandemic escalation.
• Gujarat: Gujarat has reported 7,410 new Covid-19 cases which is the highest-ever that has been reported in the state in a day. The deaths caused by the coronavirus has also reached a new peak with 73 recorded in 24 hrs.  The active cases in the state have reached 39,250 and the death toll is inching close to 5000 with the current total at 4,995.In view of rising Covid cases the State Government has decided to postpone the Class X and Class XII Board examinations.  The situation will be reviewed again on May 15.
• Rajasthan:Amid a surge in coronavirus infection cases, the Rajasthan government has decided to impose a night-long curfew from 6 pm to 5 am in the entire state from 16 April. The night curfew was declared earlier in 10 urban areas of the state. Rajasthan on Wednesday recorded the sharpest single-day spike of 6,200 fresh COVID-19 cases
• Chhattisgarh: An all party meeting being held in Chhattisgarh to chalk out plan to contain the surge of Covid 19 pandemic.  The virtual meeting comes a day after Prime Minister held a meeting with State Governors on Wednesday.  Chhattisgarh reported 14,250 new cases, taking the number of active cases to 1.18 lakhs
• Punjab: The total number of patients tested Positive is 282505. Number of active cases is 28250. Total Deaths reported is 7672. Total COVID-19 Vaccinated with 1st dose(Healthcare + Frontline Workers) is 463657.Total COVID-19 Vaccinated with 2nd dose(Healthcare + Frontline Workers) is 137945. Total above 45 Vaccinated with 1st dose is 1444419. Total above 45 Vaccinated with 2nd dose is 37566.
• Haryana: Total Number of Samples found positive till date is 329942. Total active COVID-19 patients is 27421. Number of deaths is 3316. Cumulative number of people vaccinated till date is 2991855.
• Chandigarh: Total Lab confirmed COVID-19 cases is 31985. Total number of Active Cases is 3371. Total number of COVID-19 deaths till date is 404.
• Kerala: The state government has issued new stricter restrictions in the wake of increasing Covid cases. The decision was taken today in the high-level emergency meeting convened by CM PinarayiVijayan. Also, it was decided to increase the number of daily Covid tests. Tighter restrictions are to be ensured in containment zones. Prior approval will be required for wedding, housewarming and other public gatherings. Covid negative certificate made mandatory for entry into malls and markets. High alert to be exercised in tuition centres. Meanwhile, Health Minister KK Shailaja has warned the possibility of regional lockdown in places where there is large spread of Covid. She added that more vaccines have been sought from the Centre. The state confirmed 8778 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, with test positivity rate shooting up to 13.45%.
• Puducherry registered 413 fresh coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours taking the overall tally in the union territory to 45,862.
• Tamil Nadu recorded 7,819 cases on Wednesday, the highest daily total seen in the State thus far. Chennai also broke the record for the highest daily cases with the tally standing at 2,564 on Wednesday.
• Karnataka: Karnataka saw the highest-ever single-day case count, even higher than the peak in the first wave last year, as it reported 11,265 cases on Wednesday. Karnataka CM Yediyurappa is to hold an all-party meet to discuss Covid crisis, and has said there won’t be lockdown in state. As per Covid bulletin released by the state government on14-04-2021, New Cases Reported: 11265; Total Active Cases: 85480; New Covid Deaths: 38; Total Covid Deaths: 13046.
• Andhra Pradesh: The State reported a new high of 4157 Covid infections after testing 35,732 samples taking the overall infections to 9,37,049.  The death toll has increased to 7339 with 18 more people succumbing to the virus on a single day, which was the highest single-day death toll since October. The state now has 28,383 active Covid-19 cases.  The state has received 4.40 lakh Covishield and 2 lakh Covaxin doses on Tuesday and the process of vaccination picked up momentum. With severe spike in coronavirus cases, Guntur district administration has increased bed capacity in the Covid-19 hospitals to two thousand in the district.
• Telangana: State Health Department has issued orders to allow the Private hospitals having more than 10 beds to treat the Covid patients. Thus, a total of 41,783 more beds in 1691 private hospitals in the state are available now for treatment of Covid patients. Out of these, 25,188 are normal beds, 10,536 Oxygen beds, 4,608  ICU beds and 1451 ICU beds with ventilators. Meanwhile, the number of Covid in-patients in all Govt and Private hospitals has been increasing sharply. Out of 25,459 active cases in the state, a total of 8,567 patients, almost one-third of them, are being treated in Govt and private hospitals. Six weeks back the number of Covid in-patients in all Govt and private hospitals was only 1000 and now there has been eight times increase in number.
• Manipur:COVID-19 active case tally climbs to 133 as 21 more test positive. The total number of COVID-19 vaccine beneficiaries in the state reached 98,781 as 1,815 more people were vaccinated across the state on Tuesday. In all, 32,092 healthcare workers were reported vaccinated with COVID vaccine as of Tuesday.
• Meghalaya:  Meghalaya is witnessing a stiff surge in COVID-19 cases, especially in East Khasi Hills, with as many as 100 fresh cases reported across the state on Wednesday.Out of the 100 new cases, 59 cases were from East Khasi Hills, 29 from West Jaintia Hills, two from East Jaintia Hills, six from RiBhoi, one from West Garo Hills and three from West KhasiHills.The number of active cases in the state has jumped to 363 with East Khasi Hills alone having 270 active cases followed by West Jaintia Hills with 56 and RiBhoi with 21.The total casualty in the state stands at 151 while a total of 13,971 people have recovered from the virus so far.
• Sikkim: 193 active COVID cases in Sikkim with 21 new cases.On the other hand, 9,486 persons [8950 first dose & 536 second dose] have received vaccination for COVID-19 in different parts of Sikkim.
• Nagaland: Nagaland records 13 new Covid cases and 103 recoveries on Wednesday. Active cases stand at 83.

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