India reported 44,111 new Coronavirus cases and 738 deaths in the last 24 hours, ending 8 am Saturday. With this, the country’s overall caseload rose to 3,05,02,362, while the death toll increased to 4,01,050. Active cases have dropped to 4,95,533.

Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine was found to be 77.8 per cent effective against symptomatic Covid-19, the company announced as it concluded phase 3 clinical trials of the jab. The vaccine is also 65.2 per cent effective against the Delta variant and 93.4 per cent effective against severe symptomatic Covid-19, the company claimed.

The Health Ministry has announced that pregnant women are now eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, at any time of the pregnancy. To help pregnant women make an informed decision, the Ministry has released guidelines detailing the risks from Covid-19 infection in pregnancy, the benefits of vaccination, and the likely side effects of vaccination.

The Karnataka government on Saturday further relaxed the Covid-19-related curbs allowing certain activities, including re-opening of religious places and conducting of weddings.

The relaxations would be in place for the next 15 days starting July 6, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said after a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues and senior officials. Weddings and other family functions will be permitted with the not more than 100 people. Places of worship will be allowed to open only for ‘darshan’, not for ‘sevas’, he said.