Bharat Biotech may begin paediatric trials of its Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin from June, said the company's Business Development and International Advocacy Head Dr Raches Ella on Sunday.

Holding a virtual conversation with members of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) Hyderabad on All About Vaccines, he said that the company expected approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Covaxin by the end of the third or fourth quarter.

India’s Covid-19 death toll crossed the 300,000-mark on Sunday, with nearly 100,000 deaths having been added just between May 1 and 23, according to the website covid19india.org.

India is the third country after the US and Brazil to cross the grim milestone. The US has so far reported over 589,000 deaths and Brazil 448,000 deaths.

Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the 'Wall Street Journal' reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report.

The newspaper said the report - which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits - may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory.

Shares of Natco Pharma surged 20 per cent to Rs 1,188.95, also its new high, on the BSE in intra-day trade on Monday after the company said it has received approval from the US health regulator for the generic version of Celgene's multiple myeloma drug, Revlimid (Lenalidomide) capsules in US. Lenalidomide capsule is indicated for treatment of adults with multiple myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Shares of State Bank of India (SBI) were up 4.4 per cent at Rs 418.90 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Monday, having rallied 9 per cent in the past two trading days, after the bank on Friday reported a strong performance on the asset quality front wherein slippages and restructuring were within guidance while sufficient provisioning buffer also provided comfort.

The Eastern Railway on Sunday said it has cancelled 25 trains between May 24 and May 29 due to Cyclone Yaas. The Railways issued a press release, informing about the decision and also shared lists of the trains it has canceled.

The low-pressure area which formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal on Saturday morning has intensified into a depression on Sunday and by Monday morning, it will form a cyclone namely Yaas, informed the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General of Meteorology Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday provided financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to the family of Nitin Tanwar, a teacher in the government school who succumbed to COVID-19.

The Delhi Chief Minister handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore to the family members of Nitin Tawar and also promised every possible help from the Union Territory government.

In view of the cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra on Friday informed that all coastal and adjoining districts in Odisha have been put on high alert.

Chief Secretary Mahapatra held a meeting with all line departments, NDRF, Coast Guard, INS Chilika, DG Police, and DG fire services on Friday.

Canada has extended the ban on direct flights from India and Pakistan by one more month until June 21 in a bid to arrest the spread of new variants of the COVID-19, according to an official announcement.

The ban on flights from India and Pakistan was extended as the previous 30-day ban, first imposed on April 22, was set to expire on Saturday, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News reported.

The daily rise in coronavirus cases in India remained below the 3 lakh-mark for the sixth consecutive day, with 2.57 lakh new cases recorded in a single day, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.

With the fresh cases, India's tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 2,62,89,290.

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