COVID-19: India is second only to the United States in terms of total infections (File)
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday warned the nation against any laxity in the vigilance against coronavirus ahead of the festive season, saying all safety measures must be observed till a vaccine for the contagion is found.
In a special address to the nation as the festival season begins, PM Modi said, “Till the time we get a vaccine shot, we absolutely cannot be complacent about the pandemic”.
India, he said, is working on two or three possible vaccines and “we are trying our best to get a vaccine, as is the rest of the world”.
“I want to let you know that once we get a vaccine, everyone will get it in a planned, phased and fast manner,” he added.
“Till the time we do not get the vaccine, if behave even a little irresponsibly, we can harm ourselves and all those around us. Wear masks, maintain ‘Do gaz ki doori (six-feet distance), wash hands regularly, use sanitisers and do not venture out unless absolutely necessary,” he added.
On Sunday, Union Health Minister Dr Harshvardhan said two firms – the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech — are expected to begin late stage clinical trials of their vaccines after they receive approval.
Here are the Updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases:
The United States has seen around 300,000 more deaths than usual since late January, with two-thirds attributable to Covid-19 and the rest due to other causes, a government study said Tuesday.
The report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that overall, an estimated 299,028 excess deaths occurred from late January through October 3, 2020, with 198,081 of them (66 percent) caused by Covid-19.
Excess deaths are defined as the number of people who have died from all causes, in excess of the expected number of deaths for a given place and time, AFP reported.
