India added 10,229 new coronavirus infections, taking the country’s total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,44,47,536, while the active cases declined to  1,34,096, the lowest in 523 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

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:

Bahrain

Bahrain authorizes AstraZeneca’s anti-COVID drug for emergency use

Bahrain has approved the emergency use of AstraZeneca’s anti-COVID drug Evusheld, the state news agency reported on Sunday.

Bahrain has become the first country to authorize the drug, which will be limited to adults who suffer from immunodeficiency or who are taking immunosuppressants, as well as individuals with occupations that put them at risk of transmission, the news agency said.

Israel

Israel says children aged 5-11 can receive COVID-19 vaccine

Israel said on Sunday that children aged five to 11 would be eligible for vaccination against COVID-19, and that a starting date for the campaign would be made public within days.

The decision, announced by the Health Ministry, followed approval by its expert panel on vaccinations last week, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use of Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s vaccine for the age group at a 10-microgram dose.

The original shot given to those aged 12 and older is 30 micrograms. Pfizer and BioNTech have said their vaccine showed 90.7% efficacy against the coronavirus in a clinical trial of children aged five to 11.

In a statement, the ministry said a starting date for five-to-11 year-olds to begin receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine would be set within days.

Austria

Austria enters hard-to-enforce COVID-19 lockdown for the unvaccinated

Austria entered a lockdown for people not vaccinated against the coronavirus on Monday, with reinforced police checks to ensure compliance, though city streets appeared as busy as usual.

The conservative-led government says that around two million people in the country of roughly nine million are now only allowed to leave their homes for a limited number of reasons like travelling to work or shopping for essentials.

The aim is to counter a surge in infections to record levels fuelled by a full vaccination rate of only around 65% of the population, one of the lowest in western Europe.

Austria is among the hardest-hit by Europe’s fourth wave of infections that has led governments to consider reintroducing lockdowns. – Reuters

New Book

How monkeys were tracked for Covaxin trial: Balram Bhargava’s new book explains

Twenty Rhesus macaque monkeys, used during trials of Covaxin, were found near Nagpur after they had moved deep inside the forests of Maharashtra losing their usual urban food sources because of the Covid lockdown in 2020, says a new book.

In “Going Viral: Making of Covaxin – The Inside Story”, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Balram Bhargava talks about the journey of India’s homegrown vaccine.

The book also touches upon the intricacies of science and challenges faced by Indian scientists during the fight against COVID-19, from the development of a robust laboratory network, diagnosis, treatment and serosurveys to new technologies and vaccines.

Study

Covid antibodies found in breast milk of vaccinated, infected moms: Study

Mothers who contract COVID-19 infection and those who get vaccinated against the disease produce breast milk with active SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, according to a study.

However, the study published recently in the journal JAMA Pediatrics does not imply that breast milk antibodies can provide protection against COVID-19 for nursing children.

The researchers collected samples from 77 mothers — 47 in the infected group, 30 in the vaccine group — to determine the level of antibodies in breast milk over time.

Mothers who had disease-acquired immunity produced high levels of Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies against the virus in breast milk, while vaccine-acquired immunity produced robust Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, they said.

Punjab

SpiceHealth sets up mobile lab for COVID testing at Amritsar International Airport

Gurugram-based SpiceJet group’s healthcare arm SpiceHealth on Monday announced its entry in Punjab with the setting up of its maiden mobile laboratory for COVID testing at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport.

The mobile testing laboratory will offer RT-PCR, Rapid RT-PCR and Antigen tests for all incoming and outgoing passengers from the city, the company said in a release.

It will help to ramp-up COVID testing at the airport, in Amritsar city, which is one of the most populous cities of the state as well as adjoining districts, the company said in a release. – PTI

National

Active COVID-19 cases in the country lowest in 523 days

India’s Covid tally rose to 3,44,47,536 with 10,229 more people testing positive for coronavirus, while the active cases have declined to 1,34,096, the lowest in 523 days, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data updated on Monday.

The death toll reached 4,63,655 after 125 new fatalities were reported, the data updated at 8 a.m. showed.

A decrease of 1,822 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.12%. It has been less than 2% for the last 42 days.- PTI

Ahmedabad

Genome sequencing: Ahmedabad COVID-19 samples detected with Delta, Kappa variants

Samples of COVID-19 patients from Ahmedabad in Gujarat sent for genome sequencing to a laboratory in Pune in Maharashtra in August and September were found to be infected with both ‘Delta’ and ‘Kappa’ variants, an official said here on Sunday.

Out of two samples sent to the Pune laboratory in August, one each was detected with Delta and Kappa variants of coronavirus, while one sample sent in September had the Delta variant, said Dr Kanu Patel of the microbiology department of the government-run BJ Medical College here.

“Results are awaited for samples of COVID-19 patients sent for genome sequencing in October to the National Institute of Virology in Pune. No sample has been sent in November so far,” he added.- PTI

National

IMA pushes for Covid-19 vaccine for all diabetes patients

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday demanded COVID-19 vaccination for all diabetes patients, including a booster dose, if needed. The association launched a campaign for early detection and mitigation of diabetes complications.

The campaign, launched on the occasion of World Diabetes Day, will run for 10 days and aims to reach one billion people, the IMA said in a release. As part of the campaign, the IMA has joined hands with the Association of Physicians of India and other organisations.

West Bengal

Bengal wants to start on-campus classes in phases

The West Bengal government intends to commence physical classes in schools in a phased manner but would not rush things considering the prevailing Covid-19 situation, Education minister Bratya Basu said on Sunday.

Schools, colleges and universities will open their campuses from November 16 in a graded manner with higher classes resuming as of now.

Mr. Basu told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, “we have plans to start all classes but in step by step manner.” “As of now the schools will hold classes from 9th to 12th standards. The colleges and universities will also start offline classes in a graded manner. Later on considering the prevailing Covid situation we will take decisions in the best interests of everyone,” he added.- PTI

Egypt

Egypt announces clinical trials of homemade COVID-19 vaccine

Egypt’s national research body said Sunday that it will start clinical trials for a domestically made coronavirus vaccine.

The country’s acting health minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, told reporters at a press conference that it is launching clinical trials of the new vaccine. He said the trial for the vaccine, named ‘COVI VAX’ will start with tens, then hundreds, and will eventually include thousands of people.

Sunday’s announcement in Cairo was the first indication that researchers there had moved from producing the vaccine and early testing to injecting people who are the subjects of the trial. The World Health Organization has previously recognized the Egyptian vaccine as one of hundreds of formulas around the world that are in development.

The government has been trying to encourage more of its population to get vaccinated as case numbers have risen in recent weeks. Starting Nov. 15, all government employees are expected to show proof of vaccination to enter their workplaces.- AP