Noting that the decision on third dose of COVID-19 vaccine for all adults will be taken based on scientific need, the government on Thursday said emerging knowledge on the subject is under its active consideration.

Fully vaccinated international passengers from 82 countries will be permitted quarantine-free entry from February 14, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Thursday.

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 updates:

National

WHO chief scientist: pandemic has not ended as more variants expected

The World Health Organization’s chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, said on Friday that the world was not yet at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as there would be more coronavirus variants.

“We have seen the virus evolve, mutate … so we know there will be more variants, more variants of concern, so we are not at the end of the pandemic,” Ms. Swaminathan told reporters in South Africa, where she was visiting vaccine manufacturing facilities with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. -Reuters

National

India records 58,077 new cases, 657 deaths

India saw a single day rise of 58,077 coronavirus infections, which took the tally of cases to 4,25,36,137, while the active cases have declined to 6,97,802, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday.

The daily COVID-19 cases are being recorded at less than one lakh for the last five consecutive days.

The death toll has climbed to 5,07,177 with 657 daily fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 1.64% of the total infections, while the national recovery rate has further improved to 97.17%, the health ministry said.

A reduction of 92,987 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 3.89% while weekly positivity rate has been recorded at 5.76%, according to the health ministry. -PTI

International

Novavax says protein vaccine works for kids as young as 12

Novavax announced Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine proved safe and effective in a study of 12- to 17-year-olds.

Novavax makes a protein-based vaccine — a different type than the most widely used shots — that’s a late arrival to the COVID-19 arsenal.

Its shots have been cleared for use in adults by regulators in Britain, Europe and elsewhere and by the World Health Organization, and are under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. -AP

Sport

Indian Open canceled, China Open postponed on European tour

The Indian Open was canceled and the China Open was postponed as restrictions associated with the pandemic continued to cause problems on the European tour.

The Indian Open had been postponed from its original scheduled date of Feb. 17 -20 but now will not take place at all in 2022. Tour officials said Thursday the event is expected to return next year.

The China Open was scheduled for April 28-May 1 but will now take place either later in 2022 or early in the 2023 season, the tour said, “due to ongoing restrictions” related to COVID-19. -AP

Maharashtra

As COVID-19 cases fall, primary schools to reopen in Aurangabad city

With the number of daily coronavirus cases falling to 125, the civic body in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad city has decided to reopen primary schools from February 14.

On Thursday, the city recorded 125 new coronavirus infections, a considerable drop from 298 on February 4. -PTI

Gujarat

Night curfew shortened in eight cities, lifted in other towns

Following a steady decline in daily COVID-19 cases, the Gujarat government on Thursday lifted night curfew in 19 towns and curtailed the time of curfew in eight major cities.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel after reviewing the situation at the meeting of the state’s core committee in Gandhinagar, said an official release. -PTI

Japan

Japan OKs Pfizer COVID-19 oral pills amid surging infections

Japan has granted fast-track approval to U.S. drug maker Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 pill, the heath minister said Thursday, as the country struggles to slow fast-spreading omicron infections.

The approval came less than a month after Pfizer applied in mid-January, an exceptional speed in a country where foreign drug approvals usually take much longer.

Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto said the availability of Pfizer’s Paxlovid pill gives high-risk patients, including elderly people and those with underlying health issues, greater treatment options. -AP