April 26 coronavirus news

India's capital New Delhi has been reporting acute shortage in oxygen supplies for days as as hospitals and health care infrastructure buckles under a sweeping second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. A Delhi doctor says the situation is "quite bad" due to a "surplus of patients."

Guliani, a pulmonologist, also explained that his hospital is about to run out of oxygen supply this weekend because "the requirement has more than doubled."

"Many hospitals do not have oxygen plants. So they have to get oxygen. So [the government] is rerouting the industrial oxygen and getting it to us but it does take a few days. So it should be there," he told CNN.

However, there are Covid-19-positive patients who are staying at home instead of admitting themselves into a hospital and they may find it hard to get an oxygen cylinder because of the spike in demand at hospitals, Dr. Guliani said. 

These patients do not want to go to the hospitals because they are afraid and because emergency rooms are full right now, he added.

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On Monday, Iran reported the highest single daily Covid-19 death toll since the beginning of the pandemic with 496 new deaths -- bringing the country's death total to 70,070. 

The Ministry of Health also reported 21,026 new daily coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the country's total case load to 2,417,230. 

At least 5,244 patients remain hospitalized in ICU, it also reported. 

Iran is suffering a 4th wave of coronavirus, according to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.  

Around 300 cities and towns across the country have been categorized as " red zones" and are in semi-lockdown, with non-essential businesses closed.

President Biden is expected to announce Tuesday that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance for wearing masks outdoors, CNN has learned. 

Ahead of his first address to Congress Wednesday, the President will give remarks on the state of the pandemic Tuesday.

Three people familiar with the expected announcement said Biden will announce new CDC guidance on whether vaccinated people need to wear masks outdoors, though the final language of the expected announcement is still unclear. 

One of Biden’s top coronavirus advisers, Dr. Anthony Fauci, strongly hinted to CNN that the guidance would be updated this week, telling CNN’s Jim Acosta Sunday he didn’t want to get ahead of the CDC but they “will be coming out with updating their guidelines of what people who are vaccinated can do and even some who are not vaccinated.”

A November review in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that the odds of viral transmission are 18.7 times greater indoors than out, and less than 10% of Covid-19 infections studied occurred outside. Despite that, several states still have outdoor mask mandates in place. 

All medical personnel from the armed forces who have retired in the last two years are being recalled to work in Covid-19 facilities in India, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s office on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the measures being taken by the armed forces to aid the ongoing fight against Covid-19, the statement added.

The news comes as the country reported 352,991 new cases and 2,812 virus-related deaths on Monday, marking the world's highest daily caseload for the fifth straight day.

All medical staff deployed at various army and navy headquarters will also be re-deployed to hospitals, and oxygen cylinders available with armed forces will be released for medical use, the Prime Minister was briefed by the Chief of Defense staff.

The Indian Air Force is also helping transport oxygen tanks as a way to help reduce transport time between states, Modi said Friday.

“The CDS (Chief of the Defence Staff) also said that they are creating medical facilities in large numbers and, where possible, military medical infrastructure will be made available to civilians,” the prime minister's office statement also said on Monday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that fully vaccinated Americans would be able to travel to the European Union this summer in a Sunday interview with the New York Times.

However, the final decision on whether to allow travel to an EU member state will come from each country individually, as decisions about borders are made by the member state, and not the European Commission, according to EU guidelines,. 

For example, Greece -- who earlier this month lifted quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers and those testing negative for Covid-19 from key tourism markets, including Europe, the UK and the United States -- is able to waive its rules because it is within Greece's powers to do so. 

But other European countries, like Belgium for example, have decided to introduce additional criteria at its external borders for all travelers. 

As it stands, if you are outside the EU and want to make a non-essential journey to an EU country that has opened, there are a few more hurdles to cross: 

Some countries may waive all, or some of these rules, or set stricter criteria.

Plus, while a Digital Green Certificate, or vaccine passport, has been recommended by the European Commission, they have not yet been adopted – and countries will be able to opt out. 

The proposed Digital Green Certificate would allow those with the required armfuls of approved anti-Covid pharmaceuticals or antibodies from having had the virus, to travel freely. Negative tests could also be used to qualify.

The certificates were initially recommended by the commission only for EU citizens travelling within the EU, with a plan to launch them in June. However, EU spokesperson Adalbert Jahnz told CNN that discussions with the US are underway to open the certificates up to US citizens with proof of vaccination to automatically be eligible for one.

The on-going talks are focused around how US citizens would be able to apply for the certificate.  

The question is if people will apply for an individual application with the country they intend to visit, or if they receive a EU wide pass after the EU country recognizes a non-EU country's vaccine documentation.

“In both cases, the rules for acceptance of proof of vaccination would be the same as for EU nationals: vaccines that have received EU-wide marketing authorization have to be accepted, but Member States can decide to accept other vaccines in addition,” according to the EC's proposal.

As India faces a devastating second wave of Covid-19 cases, the United States released a statement pledging aid and much-needed medical supplies. However, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi says it's a good first step but "not enough," adding that the Biden administration needs to send its unused stockpile of AstraZeneca to India.

"We have tens of millions of doses of unused AstraZeneca vaccines sitting in warehouses. We're not going to be using them. And we need to get those out the door to countries like India and other places," he told CNN.

"It makes no sense whatsoever for these things to be sitting on shelves unused here in the United States. Get them out the door right now so that they can save lives."

Krishnamoorthi added that it's not just the right thing to do -- but it would also in US "self-interests."

Some background: India's second wave of Covid-19 is killing thousands each day, with more than a million new cases recorded in just three days. On Monday, the country reported 352,991 new cases and 2,812 virus-related deaths, marking the world's highest daily caseload for the fifth straight day.

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Coronavirus restrictions have been further eased in Scotland and Wales on Monday as the vaccine rollout continues across the UK.

Friends and families will now be able to gather in larger groups across both countries. 

In Scotland:

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon thanked the public for their patience over the last few months, writing on Twitter: “Best wishes to businesses opening up today. Recent months have been tough, but your sacrifices have helped save lives - thank you."

In Wales:

The move follows England’s much anticipated reopening of outdoor hospitality, non essential retail and personal care and indoor leisure facilities on April 12. 

Northern Ireland -- part of the UK -- reopened hairdressers and barbers last week, and will reopen non essential retail and outdoor hospitality on April 30.

More than 60% of adults in Scotland have now received their first vaccine dose as of last week, and more than 50% of adults in Wales as of Sunday.

The Indian government has asked Twitter to remove several tweets that have criticized its handling of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement released on Sunday.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said it had taken the action, “in view of the misuse of social media platforms by certain users to spread fake or misleading information and create panic about the Covid-19 situation in India by using unrelated, old and out of the context images or visuals, communally sensitive posts and misinformation about Covid-19 protocols.”

The government statement said it asked Twitter to remove around 100 posts or URLs, following recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, saying: 

“It is pertinent to mention that at a time, when the entire country is putting up a brave and honest effort to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, certain people are misusing social media to create panic in society.”

“The Government welcomes criticisms, genuine requests for help, as well as suggestions in the collective fight against Covid-19, but it is necessary to take action against those users who are misusing social media during this grave humanitarian crisis for unethical purposes,” the statement said.

The move comes as India's prime minister faces mounting anger as Covid-19 cases and deaths continue to rise, creating a massive public health crisis across the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi only addressed the nation on the situation for the first time last week, having held political rallies and largely downplayed the second wave's urgency in the weeks before.

India reported 352,991 new cases and 2,812 virus-related deaths Monday, marking the world's highest daily caseload for the fifth straight day. 

A Twitter spokesperson told CNN on Monday in a statement that it has withheld some of those tweets, following a legal request by the Indian government.

"When we receive a valid legal request, we review it under both Twitter rules and local law," the spokesperson said, adding:

“In all cases, we notify the account holder directly so they’re aware that we’ve received a legal order pertaining to the account," the Twitter statement added.

The requests to withhold content are published on the Lumen database, a Harvard University project.

Malaysia will roll out AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to people aged 60 and above, according to state media Bernama News Agency.

Health Minister Adham Baba announced the plan on Monday after saying that the vaccine is "safe."

His comments came after Malaysia received 268,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Friday.

A number of European countries including Spain, Germany and Ireland have limited the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 60 following reports of potentially fatal blood clots predominantly among younger people.

Last week, the European Medicines Agency said the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighed the risks, and added they will continue to review the "very rare cases" of blood clots.