Top Covid-19 Updates: Free doses, mask mandates – States pull up socks as India records spurt in number of infections

Coronavirus April 22 Latest News: In the wake of surge in number of Covid cases, state governmets have pulled up their socks and aregradually announcing new measures before the Covid-19 situation gets out of hand. The national capital has started providing free Covid-19 precautionary dose to beneficiaries in the age group of 18-59 at government vaccination centres. Precautionary doses were being provided to the 18-plus population at private vaccination centres across the country from April 10th. The Delhi government also made wearing of masks mandatory in public places and announced a fine of Rs 500 on violators, just eight days after it had relaxed this norm due to a decline in cases.

The situation in NCR hasn’t improved either. Gautam Buddh Nagar on Thursday recorded 103 new Covid infections as the district accounted for over 50 per cent of the active infections in Uttar Pradesh, as per the official data. The number of active cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar stood at 467 while the total number of active infections in Uttar Pradesh was 856. In the wake of a rise in the cases, the health department has urged residents to contact helpline number 1800492211 for any immediate Covid-related assistance.

To keep you updated with Covid-19 situation across India and around the globe, here are the latest key pointers:

Genome sequencing laboratories in Delhi have detected a variant of the Omicron sub-variant BA.2, reported IE. The samples that tested positive for the new sub-variant (BA.2.12.1) have been sent to the country’s apex Covid-19 genome sequencing consortium, INSACOG, for confirmation, according to officials from Delhi’s health department.

The World Health Organization has announced that it “strongly recommends” Pfizer’s Covid-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid for patients with milder forms of the disease who were still at a high risk of hospitalisation.

The infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra has increased to 7,08,942 with the addition of 20 coronavirus positive cases, an official told PTI on Friday. These cases were reported on Thursday. The death toll in the district remained unchanged at 11,889.

Philadelphia health officials have said that they are ending the indoor mask mandate. A department spokesperson in a statement said that due to decreasing hospitalizations and a leveling of case counts, the city will move to strongly recommend masks in indoor public spaces as opposed to a mask mandate.