Top 10 coronavirus updates: Centre specifies prices of vaccines at private hospitals
A look at the biggest Covid-19 developments of the day.
Here’s are the updates from Tuesday:
- The Union health ministry on Tuesday issued an order specifying the maximum price private hospitals can charge for each dose of the three Covid-19 vaccines approved in India so far. Private hospitals can charge a maximum of Rs 780 per dose for Covishield shots, Rs 1,410 for Covaxin and Rs 1,145 for Sputnik V jabs.
- India registered 86,498 new coronavirus cases. This is the lowest daily tally of infections in 66 days. This is the first time since April 6 that India’s daily Covid-19 tally dropped to less than 1 lakh.
- The Centre said it had placed new orders to procure 25 crore doses of the Covishield vaccine and 19 crore doses of Covaxin. During a briefing on India’s Covid-19 situation, NITI Aayog (Health) member VK Paul said these 44 crore doses will be available between August and December this year.
- The Centre released its revised guidelines for the coronavirus vaccination drive, saying allocation of doses to states and Union Territories will depend on their population, infection burden and the pace of inoculation.
- The Supreme Court has instructed all state governments and Union Territories to act against any entity indulging in illegal adoption of children orphaned due to Covid-19.
- The Centre informed the Bombay High Court that “near-to-door” coronavirus vaccination would be a more feasible option than door-to-door inoculation for the elderly and those bed-ridden.
- Bihar and Uttar Pradesh governments lifted restrictions imposed in the states to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Bihar has imposed a night curfew between 7 pm and 5 am will remain in place and in Uttar Pradesh, the curfew between 7 pm and 7 am and weekend curfew throughout the day will continue. Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government on Monday extended the curfew imposed in the state till June 15.
- The Federation of Indian Pilots filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court, seeking compensation of Rs 10 crore for families of pilots who have died due to Covid-19.
- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking four months to listen to states and revise India’s Covid-19 vaccination policy.
- Globally, the coronavirus disease has infected over 17.35 crore people and killed more than 37.34 lakh since the pandemic broke out in December 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University.