Coronavirus live updates: Maharashtra reports 8,602 new Covid cases in last 24 hours

Top officials at the World Health Organization say there's not enough evidence to show that third doses of coronavirus vaccines are needed and appealed Monday for the scarce shots to be shared with poor countries who have yet to immunize their people instead of being used by rich countries as boosters. At a press briefing, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world's grotesque vaccine disparity was driven by "greed,'' as he called on drugmakers to prioritize supplying their Covid-19 vaccines to poor countries instead of lobbying rich countries to use even more doses. His plea comes just as pharmaceutical companies are seeking authorization for third doses to be used as boosters in some Western countries, including the US.

India’s full rollout of the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine will have to be put on hold until the Russian producer provides equal quantities of its two differing doses, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories said on Monday. Dr Reddy’s had received about 3 million first doses by June 1 and about 3,60,000 doses of the second by early this month, the company and the Indian government have said. “As a matter of responsibility, we would not like to announce a full-fledged commercial launch until we have an equivalent quantity (of the second dose),” Dr Reddy’s said in a statement.

The third wave of the pandemic is “inevitable and imminent”, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said, urging the Centre and state governments to not lower the guard and ramp up vaccination while tourism, pilgrimage can wait a few more months. Raising concern over governments and people being complacent and engaging in mass gatherings without following Covid-19 protocols, IMA said these events are potential super spreaders for a third wave. “Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour, all are needed, but can wait for a few more months,” the association said on Monday.

In the wake of concern over high Covid-19 positivity rate in the northeastern states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers of the eight states of the region on Tuesday to discuss the situation and the measures to control the infection.