Coronavirus LATEST Updates: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a special reference to India’s role in the manufacture and access to one of the most promising coronavirus vaccine candidates currently undergoing trials during his address to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

In reference to the vaccine being worked on by the University of Oxford, Johnson stressed the importance of equitable access of any successful vaccine because the health of every country depends on the whole world having access to a safe and effective vaccine, wherever a breakthrough might occur.

Karnataka Congress leader and MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao on Sunday said he has tested positive for COVID-19. The former state Congress President said he was asymptomatic and will recover soon because of the good wishes from every one.

Rao had taken part in the proceedings of the monsoon session of the Karnataka assembly till late last night. He was recently appointed as AICC in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Goa and Puducherry.

BJP women’s wing president in West Bengal Agnimitra Paul said on Sunday she has been diagnosed with COVID-19, and requested people who came in touch with her recently to get themselves tested.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that new recoveries in the country have exceeded the new COVID-19 cases ‘for several successive days during the period of the past nine days’

The total recoveries have surged to 49,41,627, and there are 9,56,402 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 15.96 percent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India on Sunday reported a single-day spike of 88,600 new COVID19 cases and 1,124 deaths reported in India, in the last 24 hours.

The caseload of coronavirus cases in India crossed 59 lakh on Saturday with 85,362 new cases, however, the number of recoveries was higher with 93,420 people recuperating in the last 24 hours, the Union health ministry said. The total number of recoveries stands at 48.49 lakh.

The data updated at 8 am on Saturday showed that the coronavirus caseload has risen to 59,03,932, while the toll rose to 93,379 after 1,089 people succumbed to the disease in 24 hours.

With a total of 48,49,584 recoveries, the country’s recovery rate rose to 82.14 percent. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 case fatality rate was recorded at 1.58 percent.

There are 9,60,969 active cases in the country which comprise 16.28 percent of the total caseload, the ministry’s data showed.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed 20 lakh on 7 August, 30 lakh on 23 August, 40 lakh on 5 September, and it went past 50 lakh on 16 September.

On Saturday, the ministry said that of the 85,362 new coronavirus cases reported in the last 24 hours, 75 percent are found concentrated in 10 states and Union Territories.

It also said that the country’s testing capacity has crossed 14 lakh tests daily. According to the ICMR, a total of 7,02,69,975 samples have been tested up to 25 September, with 13,41,535 being tested on Friday.

The 10 states and Union Territories from where 75 percent of the new cases have been reported are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.

Maharashtra continues to top this list by accounting for more than 17,000 cases. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh reported more than 8,000 and 7,000 cases respectively, the ministry said.

Also, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Chhattisgarh account for 83 percent of the 1,089 deaths due to COVID-19 registered in a day.

On the other hand, the ministry added that seventeen states and UTs “have cases per million lower than the national average (4,278) while 23 are reporting deaths per million lower than the national average (68)”.

Meanwhile, the Union health ministry said that 24 states and UTs are reporting a higher number of new recoveries than new cases.

“As India records more recoveries than new cases, the gap between recovered and active cases is continuously widening. The recoveries are more than five times the active cases of coronavirus infection,” it said.

The recovered cases exceed active cases (9,60,969) by nearly 39 lakh.

The ministry added that 10 states and UTs account for nearly 73 percent of the new recovered cases. Maharashtra has maintained this lead with 19,592 new recoveries.

“These sustained encouraging results have been made possible with the Centre-led proactive and calibrated strategy of ‘test, track and treat’ with a sharp focus on ‘Chase the Virus’ approach,” the ministry said.

Will Centre have Rs 80,000 cr for distribution of vaccine, asks Serum Institute CEO

Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer of Serum Institute of India (SII) which is producing the potential coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University, asked on Saturday if the government will have Rs 80,000 crore available to buy and distribute the vaccine.

“Quick question; will the government of India have 80,000 crores available, over the next one year? Because that’s what @MoHFW_INDIAneeds, to buy and distribute the vaccine to everyone in India,” he tweeted.

This is the next “challenge” we need to tackle, he said, also tagging the prime minister’s office.

“I ask this question because we need to plan and guide, vaccine manufacturers both in India and overseas to service the needs of our country in terms of procurement and distribution,” Poonawalla added.

SII has signed an agreement to manufacture the potential vaccine developed by Jenner Institute of Oxford University in collaboration with British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca.

Earlier, SII had announced that it will make the Oxford vaccine available at $3 for low- and middle-income countries including India.

Meanwhile, PTI reported that clinical trials of the Oxford University vaccine — named ‘Covishield’ — were set to begin at the State-run KEM hospital in Mumbai from Saturday.

The report quoted KEM dean Dr Hemant Deshmukh as saying that three people will receive a shot of the vaccine on the first day.

“We have screened 13 persons so far including 10 today, of which three will get the first shot of Oxford University-AstraZeneca developed Covishield vaccine on Saturday,” he said.

Another person will get placebo as part of the standard testing procedure, he added. KEM is the first hospital in Mumbai where human trials of the vaccine, being manufactured in the country by Serum Institute of India, will begin on Saturday.

Where is UN’s effective response against COVID-19, asks Modi at UNGA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the UNGA on Saturday and raised questions on the response of the United Nations in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and assured the global community that India will use its production and delivery capacity to help all humanity in fighting the deadly disease.

“Over the last 8 to 9 months, the whole world has been battling the pandemic of the coronavirus. Where is the United Nations in this joint fight against the pandemic? Where is its effective response?” Modi said as he asserted that reform in the responses, in the processes, and in the very character of the United Nations is the need of the hour.

In his pre-recorded video statement to the landmark General Debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Modi said that even during these very difficult times of the raging pandemic, India’s pharmaceutical industry has sent essential medicines to over 150 countries.

“As the largest vaccine producing country in the world, I want to give one more assurance to the global community today. India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis,” Modi said in a strong assurance to the international community that is battling the devastating coronavirus pandemic.

Uddhav Thackeray warns against ‘second coronavirus wave’ as people move out of homes

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday expressed apprehensions of a “second wave” of coronavirus transmission in the state as more people are moving out for work and called for stricter compliance with norms.

Speaking at a virtual meeting with ministers and officials of Marathwada and Nashik divisions on the COVID-19 situation, the chief minister expressed concerns over asymptomatic patients, allowed to remain at home, stepping out without proper precautions and infecting others, PTI reported.

He said the focus should be on reducing the mortality rate. Thackeray directed officials to ensure that people follow health norms like wearing masks and that violators be fined.

“In Britain, asymptomatic positive patients are treated at home, but they are checked every day. They are shifted to hospitals if needed. We are allowing asymptomatic patients to remain under home quarantine, but they are moving out and infecting others,” the chief minister said.

“There is the fear of a second wave (of coronavirus transmission) since more people are now moving out for work. There is a danger of senior citizens getting infected in their homes,” he said.

During his interaction with officials, Thackeray stressed the need to increase mass awareness and tracing and testing. He added that proper protocol should be followed in treating COVID-19 patients, “and only medical prescription should be followed”.

He asked district-level task force comprising medical experts to remain in regular touch with the state-level task force.

Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, Chief Secretary K Shanmugam directed the state’s District Collectors to ascertain the reasons for the increase in COVID-19 cases in the state recently. Tamil Nadu has seen a spike of cases in at least 15 districts, PTI reported.

State-wise deaths

The new fatalities include 416 from Maharashtra, 86 from Karnataka, 84 from Uttar Pradesh, 72 from Tamil Nadu, 68 from Punjab, 59 from West Bengal, 48 from Andhra Pradesh, 30 from Madhya Pradesh, 25 from Chhattisgarh and 24 from Delhi.

Total 93,379 deaths reported so far in the country includes 34,761 from Maharashtra followed by 9,148 from Tamil Nadu, 8,417 from Karnataka, 5,606 from Andhra Pradesh, 5,450 from Uttar Pradesh, 5,147 from Delhi, 4,665 from West Bengal, 3,393 from Gujarat, 3,134 from Punjab and 2,152 from Madhya Pradesh.

With inputs from agencies