WHO names Indian variant as B-1617::::::Modi announces 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with Russia

WHO names Indian variant as B-1617

New Delhi: More than 80 lakh people registered themselves on the portal, www.cowin. gov. in on the first day of registration for Covid vaccination within three hours from 1600 hours to 1900 on Wednesday.

Tragedy and Huge Nos.

The Centre began the process of registration on Thursday as a nationwide massive vaccination drive for all Indians above the age of 18 would be rolled out from May 1.

The government issued a statement and clarified that the media reports that the server has crashed were incorrect and were without any basis.

"The server supporting the Co-Win digital portal continues to work smoothly at its highest efficiency. People are registering on the platform, mostly of age-group 18-44," it said.

R S Sharma, Cowin chief, said in order to ensure that there is no chaos, citizens have been advised to 'register first' and take "appointment" and then only go to the respective designated hospitals for vaccination.

"Please ensure an orderly way and this orderly will also ensure social distancing at the vaccination centres," he said.

Sharma said the new software structure is updated and through which people in Delhi or Mumbai or any one city can get themselves registered for vaccination in other places of their choice if they are traveling or have traveled lately.

WHO has named 'Indian variant' as B-1617 and said it has spread to 17 countries. WHO has already identified variants from other countries such as British, South African and Brazilian.
The original Covid-19 is said to have come in from Wuhan province in China.

On Wednesday, April 28, India saw over 20 lakh vaccine doses administered across the country taking its cumulative total near 15 crore.

The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 14,98,77,121. 

These include 93,66,239 Healthcare Workers, who have taken the first dose and 61,45,854 who have taken the second; and 1,23,09,507 Frontline Workers given the first dose and 65,99,492 the second. 

On Wednesday, India reported the largest single-day increase of 360,960 new cases in the previous 24 hours.

More than 2.61 lakh people recovered from COVID-19 between Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, government sources have said that in view of the devastating impact left by the second wave of Covid19 in the last fortnight, international assistance is pouring in.

India is looking at oxygen for procurement and also critical medicines such as Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Favipiravir from the US and several other countries.

The first Russian aircraft carrying medical supplies will arrive in India on Thursday while the US assistance is  expected to land on Friday. A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said, ".... flights of the Russian Emergencies Ministry will deliver over 22 tonnes of necessary equipment, such as 20 oxygen production units, 75 lung ventilators, 150 medical monitors and 200,000 packs of medicine". 

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President held crucial telephonic talks on Wednesday.

The leaders welcomed the registration of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in India and noted its high efficiency and safety. 

They also expressed their satisfaction with the fact that the Russian Direct Investment Fund had reached an agreement with Indian companies to produce 850 doses of Sputnik V. The production is to begin in May.

The US leaders including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have extended all support and assistance to India at this critical juncture.

In the meantime however, there is also an argument that the US has its compulsions to help India.

According to Vipin Narang from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "It is in the US’s and Biden Admin’s self-interest to assist India through its hellish crisis because all of our (American) vaccination efforts will be for naught when India’s uncontrolled spread generates a variant that escapes those vaccines". 

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Narendra Modi gives 'big picture' message to Joe Biden; announces 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with Russia 

In the height of all sorts of permutation and combination vis-a-vis global assistance pouring in for Covid-hit India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, April 28, held a crucial telephonic discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Prime Minister Modi said, to add further momentum to "our strong strategic partnership, President Putin and I have agreed to establish a 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between our Foreign and Defence Ministers". 

Both the two leaders reviewed the diverse bilateral cooperation, especially in the area of space exploration and renewable energy sector, including in hydrogen economy. 

"Our cooperation on Sputnik-V vaccine will assist humanity in battling the pandemic," he tweeted. Both the leaders discussed the evolving COVID-19 situation.

Modi thanked President Putin for Russia's help and support in India's fight against the pandemic. 

Russian Govt statement:

Vladimir Putin supported Narendra Modi during this difficult period of combating the spread of the coronavirus and informed him of the decision to send emergency humanitarian aid to India.

In particular, already today flights of the Russian Emergencies Ministry will deliver over 22 tonnes of necessary equipment, such as 20 oxygen production units, 75 lung ventilators, 150 medical monitors and 200,000 packs of medicine. 

The Prime Minister of India warmly thanked the President of Russia for the assistance provided, which is largely high-tech and is in great demand in the country.

The leaders welcomed the registration of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in India and noted its high efficiency and safety. They also expressed their satisfaction with the fact that the Russian Direct Investment Fund had reached an agreement with Indian companies to produce 850 doses of Sputnik V. The production is to begin in May.

Further development of bilateral relations of the especially privileged strategic partnership was discussed, including a schedule of contacts at various levels.