India

NEW DELHI (AP) — A potentially worrisome variant of the coronavirus detected in India may spread more easily. But the country is behind in doing the kind of testing needed to track it and understand it better.

On Monday, the World Health Organization designated the new version of the virus a “variant of concern” based on preliminary research, alongside those that were first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil but have spread to other countries.

Anantnag, 11 May  2021: 3 Kashmiris have been killed on Tuseday by Indian security forces in Anantnag district of the Indian Administered Kashmir, Indian officials said.

Kota (Rajasthan) May (PTI) One of the three 18-tonne oxygen generation plants, sent by the UK to help India, has reached the district medical college in Rajasthan's Jhalawar.

The plant reached Jhalawar Medical College on Monday with assistance from a six-personnel squad of the eighth battalion of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that holds the responsibility of transportation and installation of the oxygen generator plants.

Chinsurah (WB), May 11 (PTI) A TMC leader was shot at by indentified miscreants in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Tuesday when he was buying vegetables at a local market, a police officer said.

Aditya Niyogi, former vice chairman of Bansberia Municipalty, was taken to a nearby hospital in a critical condition, but the doctors there referred him to a clinical establishment in Kolkata, he said.

BJP sources claimed the incident was a fallout of factional feud within the ruling party.

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Centre and Delhi government to treat as a representation a PIL seeking setting up of drive-in vaccination centres in open areas, including stadiums, as has been done in Mumbai.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh asked the central and Delhi governments to decide the representation in accordance with the law, rules, regulations and policy applicable to facts of the case.

(Reuters) --- India’s coronavirus crisis showed scant sign of easing on Tuesday, with a seven-day average of new cases at a record high and international health authorities warning the country’s variant of the virus poses a global concern.

India’s daily coronavirus cases rose by 329,942, while deaths from the disease rose by 3,876, according to the health ministry. India’s total coronavirus infections are now at 22.99 million, while total fatalities rose to 249,992.

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Over 1.39 lakh people were vaccinated in Delhi on Monday, of which nearly 46 per cent belonged to the 18-44 age group, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Tuesday.

"Total 139,261 people were vaccinated yesterday in Delhi out of which 64,151 are from 18-45 age group," Sisodia tweeted.

On Monday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Atishi had said the Delhi government will have to close vaccination centres where Covaxin is being administered to beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group after Tuesday evening if its stocks are not replenished.

Chennai, May 10 (PTI) Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy is maintaining normal oxygen saturation and he continued to be stable, a hospital treating him here for COVID-19 said on Monday.

Rangasamy is being monitored by an expert team of clinicians and he is "maintaining normal oxygen saturation and continues to be stable," a MGM Healthcare bulletin said.

The union territory chief minister thanked all his well-wishers for their best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery, the hospital said.

Kolkata, May 10 (PTI) The West Bengal government on Monday told a Calcutta High Court bench that there has been no post poll political violence in the state since May 9 and assured that all steps will be taken to ensure peace in future.

The five-judge bench directed that all steps be taken in this regard by May 17 and posted the PIL for hearing on May 18.

The PIL filed by lawyer petitioner Anindya Sundar Das raised the issue of violence taking place in various parts of the state after the state assembly elections in which the Trinamool Congress trounced BJP.

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI) All the newly elected 77 BJP MLAs in West Bengal are being provided security cover by central paramilitary forces in view of potential threats to them, official sources said on Monday.

They said the Members of the Legislative Assembly will be secured by armed commandos of the CISF and the CRPF.