Blue Dart, a leading express logistics service provider, on Thursday said it formed Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium with a mission of revolutionising the delivery of vaccines and emergency medical supplies to the remotest parts of India using drones.

According to a press release from the logistics major, Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium is part of the 'Medicine from the Sky' project in collaboration with the Telangana government, World Economic Forum, Niti Aayog and Healthnet Global.

India recorded 343,288 fresh COVID-19 infections on Friday, taking the caseload tally to 24,046,120. Deaths from the virus surged by 3,999 to hit 262,350 in total. Maximum casualties were reported in Maharashtra (850), followed by Karnataka with 344 daily deaths. Deaths remained high in Delhi (308) and UP at 281.

While the seven-day average of daily cases has fallen steadily from a peak of 3.91 lakh on Saturday (May 8) to 3.64 lakh on Thursday, May 12, the average daily fatalities have risen. The seven-day average of daily deaths crossed the 4,000 mark on Tuesday and stood at 4,039 on Thursday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of a possible cyclonic storm that might hit the western parts of Gujarat in the Arabian Sea on or around May 18-19. The cyclone would be named 'Tauktae'.

The weather agency said that around May 14, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the Southeast Arabian sea and is likely to move north and northwestward across the Southeast Arabian sea adjoining the Lakshadweep islands by May 15. It is expected to intensify further thereafter into a cyclonic storm over the east-central Arabian Sea around May 16, it added.

The National Immunization Technical Advisory Group has suggested that the gap between two doses of the Covishield vaccine can be increased to 12-16 weeks. However, the government panel did not recommend any changes in dosage interval for Covaxin, the second of two vaccines in use in India.

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's indigenously developed Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield are currently being used in India's inoculation drive against the COVID-19 virus.

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar extended the COVID-19 lockdown till May 25, on Thursday (May 13). Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Tuesday (May 4) announced to impose total lockdown till May 15 to curb the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 cases in the state.

CM Nitish Kumar took to Twitter to announce the decision.

The Maharashtra government on Thursday extended the ongoing lockdown in the state till June 1 to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The state government also imposed stringent restrictions as it made carrying a negative RT-PCR test report mandatory to enter the state through any mode of transportation.

As per the fresh orders, any person entering the state of Maharashtra through any means of transport will have to carry a negative RT-PCR test report which will have to be issued from up to a maximum of 48 hours before the time of entry into the state.

Himachal Pradesh Government will provide free treatment to COVID patients under Himcare and Ayushman Bharat schemes in registered private hospitals, said officials on Wednesday.

According to the state government, only the beneficiaries of the Himcare and Ayushman Bharat scheme can avail of the facility. Further, the private hospitals must be designated as a dedicated COVID hospital.

COVID-19 vaccines approved by the United States like Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson have effectiveness against the B1617 variant of the virus that is predominant in India, which is experiencing one of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic, a top American health official said.

The observation is based on the latest data about the variant and the three major vaccines approved by the United States, said Dr Francis Collins, Director of National Institute of Science.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) cleared Bharat Biotech's Covaxin trials on children from two to 18 years on Thursday (May 13). Bharat Biotech said its phase II and III trials would be carried out on "525 healthy volunteers.

The trial will involve two vaccine doses injected on Day 1 and Day 28. This is the first time in India that a COVID vaccine will be tested on children.

The Rajasthan state cabinet on Wednesday gave the nod to float a global tender to purchase 1 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The state government has also issued orders to establish 105 oxygen plants in 62 places.

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