India

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) With the government opening the COVID-19 vaccination drive to everyone above 18 years of age, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting with vaccine manufacturers on Tuesday, sources said.

During the meeting, scheduled to be held through video conference at 6 pm on Tuesday, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will make a presentation and also coordinate with all the participants, sources added.

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) The Congress on Monday asked the government not to internationalise India-Pakistan affairs and adhere to the tested policy of no mediation, after claims by a UAE diplomat about brokering talks between Delhi and Islamabad.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said it has been the success of Indian diplomacy to deal with Pakistan bilaterally without any mediation under the Simla Agreement.

Raipur, Apr 20 (PTI) Chhattisgarh police on Tuesday killed a Naxal carrying Rs five lakh reward in an encounter in Dantewada district, an official said.

The encounter comes a fortnight after 22 security personnel were killed in an ambush by Maoists in the Bijapur district of the state.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) To ensure social distancing, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Tuesday temporarily closed entry points of several metro stations.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced a six-day lockdown in Delhi to deal with the rising number of COVID-19 cases as the city's health system was stretched to its limits.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the government over its vaccine policy, alleging it is discriminatory and that there is no vaccine guarantee for the weaker sections.

He also said that there will be no free vaccines for those between the age of 18 and 45 years.

"No free vaccines for 18-45 yr olds. Middlemen brought in without price controls. No vaccine guarantee for weaker sections. GOI's Vaccine Discrimination- Not Distribution- Strategy," he said in a tweet.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) India's total tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 15,321,089 with 259,170 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, while active cases surpassed the 20-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday

The death toll increased to 180,530 with a record 1,761 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed

NEW DELHI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- All persons aged 18 years and above will be eligible to get COVID-19 vaccination with effect from May 1, India's federal government said on Monday.

This would be the phase 3 of India's COVID-19 vaccination drive. Phase-I was launched on Jan. 16 prioritizing Health Care Workers (HCWs) and Front-Line Workers (FLWs), while Phase-II was initiated from March 1 focusing on all people above 45 years of age.

NEW DELHI (AP) — New Delhi imposed a weeklong lockdown Monday night to prevent the collapse of the Indian capital’s health system, which authorities said had been pushed to its limit amid an explosive surge in coronavirus cases.

In scenes familiar from surges elsewhere, ambulances catapulted from one hospital to another, trying to find an empty bed over the weekend, while patients lined up outside of medical facilities waiting to be let in. Ambulances also idled outside of crematoriums, carrying half a dozen dead bodies each.

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) A 47-year-old district court judge succumbed to COVID-19 at a government hospital here on Monday.

Kovai Venugopal, who was a judge at the Saket Family Court, died at 11 am at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Naryan Hospital.

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) India's total tally of COVID-19 cases crossed the 15,000,000 mark with around 2,500,000 cases being added in just 15 days, while active cases surpassed the 1,900,000 mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday

The nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases mounted to 15,061,919 with a record single-day rise of 273,810 coronavirus infections

The death toll increased to 178,769 with a record 1,619 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.