COVID-19
Japanese government to provide COVID-19 vaccines for free to its 126 million residents
The Japanese government, on Wednesday, passed a bill, under which all residents of Japan would get free COVID-19 vaccines. The bill, which stated that the government would cover all the vaccines cost for its 126 million residents, was passed by the upper house of parliament. Amidst the global pandemic, this move could prove helpful in saving lives.
Japan, known as the Land of Rising Sun, had been fighting the third wave of COVID-19; new cases were emerging daily. The situation was worsening minute by minute.
?Japan is on maximum alert; health care experts have warned us that the situation might get worse. Hospitals are flooded with COVID-19 patients and the spread of the virus just won’t stop; we must look out for each other and stay safe, said Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
He continued to say that his administration was doing everything they could to stop the spread of the virus and control the situation. We have secured 60 million vaccines from Pfizer and more 25 million from Moderna; will receive 120 million doses of Astrazenecas vaccine soon, he added.
I urge all the citizens to avoid going out; practice social distancing and follow all COVID-19 related guidelines, said Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo.
At 2,100 deaths and 1,50,000 cases, Japan wasn’t the most affected countries due to COVID-19. Compared to India, Italy, China and others, they did not impose strict lockdowns or curfews but the government had decided to ask liquor shops and other businesses from the hospitality industry to close early. In the wake of a global crisis, Japan had put a hold on its tourism activities too.
COVID-19
Thane Municipal Corporation adds 25 beds as COVID cases rise
Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) added 25 additional beds in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital Kalwa apart from arranging a special ward dedicated to COVID-19 patients. The total number of active patients in the city stood at 252 while five succumbed to the virus. Meanwhile, TMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said a ‘death audit’ of patients who died of COVID would be conducted. The TMC has ensured it has additional stock of oxygen concentrators, testing kits, medicines, to name a few. Bangar told HT, “Due to the increasing number of Covid patients, it is necessary for everyone to be alert.”
He added, The number of Covid tests should be increased to stay one step ahead of the disease. As a result, the number of patients is likely to increase due to increased testing. However, as per the ‘test, isolate, treat’ protocol for Covid, it becomes necessary to isolate and treat more and more patients. The testing centres will not remain closed even for a single day. At the same time, more arrangements for testing will be made immediately in public places, markets, railway stations, malls.”
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
Also read: Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
Politics
After Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, his namesake who contested from Wayanad disqualified

Rahul Gandhi
An independent candidate for Lok Sabha elections named Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from contesting polls for failing to lodge account of election expenses. Gandhi, who’s name figures as ‘Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma’ in an Election Commission list of persons, had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an Independent and had received 2196 votes from the Wayanad seat in Kerala – a constituency from where ex-Congress MP Rahul Rajiv Gandhi had won with over seven lakh votes.
However, since it is mandatory for all contestants to submit their account of election expenses among other mandatory requirements under EC rules and the Representation of the People Act.
Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma stood disqualified to contest polls from September 13, 2021 till September 13, 2024. According to Section 10A, the Election Commission can disqualify a contestant for a period of three years from the date of the order if he/she has failed to lodge an account of election expenses within the time and in the manner required by law and has no good reason or justification for the failure.
Also read: ‘CBI under UPA govt. pressurised me to frame Modi,’ recalls Amit Shah
Nagpur News
Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
A total of 22 patients tested positive for COVID-19 in Nagpur in past 24 hours on Thursday. Almost 242 people were tested in the city, out of which 15 belonged to urban area while and 6 were from the rural areas, and one from outside Nagpur district.
At present, there are 72 active patients in the city. Three new cases of the new XBB.1.16 variant of COVID-19 were detected that took the total tally to five in the district.
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
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