New Delhi Mar 18 PTI With 2528 new COVID-19 cases being reported in a day Indias infection tally now stands at 43004005 while the count of active cases fell below 30000 after around 685 days according to the Union Health Ministry on FridayThe death toll due to the disease has climbed to 516281 with 149 daily fatalities being recorded data updated by the ministry at 8 am showedThe count of active cases has declined to 29181 which comprises 007 per cent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further improved to 9873 per cent the health ministry saidA reduction of 1618cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload of the country in a span of 24 hours the data showedThere has been a sustained fall in the weekly and daily positivity rates too the ministry saidBoth were recorded at 040per cent it addedThe last 24 hours saw a total of633867 COVID-19 tests being conducted India has so far conducted over7818 crore tests for the diseaseThenumber of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 42458543 while the case fatality rate was recorded at120 per cent the data showedThe cumulative number of doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded18097croreIndias COVID-19 infection tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 2020 30 lakh on August 23 40 lakh on September 5 50 lakh on September 16 60 lakh on September 28 70 lakh on October 11 80 lakh on October 29 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19 2020The country crossed the grim milestones of two crore cases on May 4 2021 and three crore on June 23 PTI PLB IJT

New Delhi Dec 26 PTI The gap between the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and the third which is being called a precaution dose is likely to be nine to 12 months official sources said on SundayThe nitty-gritty of the gaps for the vaccines currently being used in Indias inoculation programme Covishield and Covaxin is being worked out and a final decision over this will be taken soon they saidPrime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised address to the nation on Saturday night announced that vaccination against COVID-19 for children between 15-18 years will start from January 3 while precaution dose for healthcare and frontline workers would be administered from January 10The decisions came amid rising Covid cases linked to the Omicron variant of the virusModi said the precaution dose will also be available for citizens above 60 years of age and with comorbidities on the advice of their doctor from January 10 next year as wellThe precaution dose denotes a third dose of the vaccine for the fully vaccinated but Modi refrained from using the term booster dose as it is generally referredThe gap between the second and the precautionary dose of Covid vaccine is likely to be nine to 12 months with the immunisation division and the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation NTAGI discussing on these lines a source saidMore than 61 per cent of Indias adult population has received both doses of the vaccine Similarly about 90 per cent of the adult population has received the first doseWith the administration of 3290766 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 14137 crore as per provisional reports till 7 am PTI PLB IJT

New Delhi Nov 22 PTI The ICMR has called for research proposals from scientists and professionals who have regular employment in medical colleges research institutes universities and NGOs under an ad hoc project programme for 2021 officials saidTo promote research in the country in the field of biomedical investigations the ICMR provides financial support in the form of ad hoc projects Indian Council of Medical Research ICMR scientist L K Sharma saidThese are offered to scientists or professionals with employment in medical colleges research institutes university recognised research and development laboratories government and semi-government organisations and NGOs he addedThe maximum funding amount per project is Rs 15 crore Sharma saidAll projects involving research on human beings or animals must be cleared by the registered human ethics committee or the animal ethics committee of the respective institute he saidThe ICMR has also called for proposals from young researchers under its fellowship research associates or senior research fellowships programme for the year 2021The proposals in both categories can be submitted online till 5 pm on December 17 PTI PLB IJT