In run-up to India’s efforts to administer 100 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses, Union Ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and Hardeep Singh Puri on October 16 jointly launched an audio-visual song on the country’s inoculation programme. The song is produced and sung by Kailash Kher.

Interview | Coronavirus less likely to develop resistance to molnupiravir: Gagandeep Kang

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

National

Long Covid may not be as fatal as acute COVID-19 but can worsen existing ailments, say experts

Long-Covid may not be as fatal and hard-hitting as acute COVID-19 and mostly improve over time but it can worsen existing ailments such as diabetes and kidney diseases, healthcare experts said.

The criteria to objectively define long-COVID is still evolving, but WHO recently described it as a post-COVID-19 condition in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS CoV-2 along with symptoms lasting for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. -PTI

National

India logs 14,146 fresh Covid cases, 144 new deaths

India recorded 14,146 fresh COVID-19 infections in a day taking the cumulative cases to 3,40,67,719 while the death toll climbed to 4,52,124 with 144 more fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data on October 17.

Active cases have declined to 1,95,846 and comprise 0.57% of the total infections. The national Covid recovery rate was recorded at 98.10%, the data updated at 8 am showed. -PTI

Australia

Melbourne to ease world’s longest COVID-19 lockdown as vaccinations rise

Melbourne, which has spent more time under COVID-19 lockdown than any other city in the world, is set to lift its stay-at-home orders this week, officials said on October 17.

By Friday, when some curbs will be lifted, the Australian city of 5 million people will have been under six lockdowns totalling 262 days, or nearly nine months, since March 2020. -Reuters

Italy

Protests greet debut of Italy’s workplace COVID-19 pass rule

Protests erupted in Italy as one of the most stringent anti-coronavirus measures in Europe went into effect on October 15, requiring all workers, from magistrates to maids, to show a health pass to get into their place of employment.

Police were out in force, schools planned to end classes early and embassies issued warnings of possible violence amid concerns that the anti-vaccination demonstrations could turn violent, as they did in Rome last weekend. -AP

Gujarat

Jungle safari in Gir forest opens to public after four months

Jungle safari to the Gir forest in Gujarat, the only abode of Asiatic lions, was on October 16 reopened for tourists after remaining closed for nearly four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF), Sasan Gir, Mohan Ram flagged off an open jungle safari jeep at Sasan Gir. -PTI