22:13 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
Centre may allow metro to restart from 1 Sept
The Centre is likely to allow resumption of Metro train services in the 'Unlock 4' phase beginning 1 September, but schools and colleges may not reopen anytime soon, officials said on Monday.
Bars, which are so far not allowed to reopen, may be permitted to sell liquor over the counter for takeaway.
Metro rail services may be allowed from September 1 when the 'Unlock 4' phase in the graded reopening from the coronavirus-induced lockdown will begin, an official said.
States will, however, take the final call on reopening the rapid transport networks depending on the coronavirus situation there.
Metro services were suspended in late March to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 31 lakh people in the country so far.
21:06 (IST)
Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh Latest Updates
1,292 new COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh on Monday reported 1,292 new COVID-19 cases, with which the tally rose to 54,421. The number of active cases stands at 11,944. As many as 17 patients died of the illness on the day, taking the State-wide death toll to 1,246.
19:22 (IST)
Coronavirus in Haryana Latest Updates
Manohar Lal Khattar tests COVID-19 positive
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said he had tested positive for coronavirus, days after he had tested negative for the infection after Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was found to be COVID-19 positive.
I was tested for Novel Corona Virus today. My test report has returned positive.
— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) August 24, 2020
I appeal to all colleagues and associates who came in my contact over the last week to get themselves tested. I request my close contacts to move into strict quarantine immediately.
19:10 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates
Dharavi reports 2 new cases
Dharavi slum sprawl in Mumbai on Monday reported just two new COVID-19 cases, which is the second lowest single-day rise so far this month, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ((BMC) said.
The cumulative tally of cases in Mumbai's biggest slum colony, once a COVID-19 hotspot, now stands at 2,713, an official said. Earlier, Dharavi had reported just one COVID-19 case on 5 August.
2,370 of 2,713 cases have recovered, he said, adding that Dharavi now has only 83 active cases.
(PTI)
19:07 (IST)
Coronavirus Pandemic Latest Updates
Researchers find that immunity might last only a few months, report says
The New York Times on Monday reported that researchers have found "the first confirmed case of coronavirus reinfection, suggesting that immunity in some people might last only a few months."
18:26 (IST)
Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates
Portion of Delhi BJP's office sealed after staff member tests COVID-19 positive
A portion of the Delhi BJP's office on Pant Marg here was closed for sanitisation work on Monday after a senior staff member tested positive for COVID-19, a party leader said.
The 60-year-old man took the COVID-19 test on Sunday and his report came positive, Delhi BJP's media cell head Ashok Goel said.
"The office block where he used to sit has been closed for sanitisation work. Other staff members who sat there have also undergone the coronavirus test," Goel said. The office block is separate from the main Delhi BJP office building where the party president and other senior office bearers have their chambers.
(PTI)
16:42 (IST)
Coronavirus Pandemic Latest Updates
COVID-19 vaccine to be given first to healthcare workers, says WHO
On Monday, the WHO said that the coronavirus vaccine, once developed, will be first provided to healthcare workers around the world. Then to people over 65 years, and those with comorbidities.
"The next stage of the vaccine rollout would be expanded based on an assessment of each country’s vulnerability to the virus. A number of vaccines are now in the final stage of clinical trials and we all hope we’ll have multiple successful candidates that are both safe and effective," reports quoted the WHO as saying.
15:54 (IST)
Coronavirus in Rajasthan LATEST Updates
Six more COVID-19 deaths in Rajasthan take toll to 961
Rajasthan recorded six more fatalities due to the novel coronavirus on Monday, taking the COVID-19 death toll in the state to 961, according to a health department official.
The state also reported 585 new cases of the coronavirus. The total number of people infected by COVID-19 now stands at 71,194 in Rajasthan and out of these 14,790 people are under treatment. The official said that 54,805 people have been discharged after treatment till now.
15:52 (IST)
Coronavirus in Meghalaya LATEST Updates
12 new COVID-19 cases reported in Meghalaya, tally now at 1,929
At least 12 more people, including nine security personnel, tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya on Monday, taking the northeastern state''s tally to 1,929, a health department official told PTI.
Of the new cases, 10 were reported from East Khasi Hills district and two from Ri-Bhoi, Health Services Director Aman War said. "Nine armed forces personnel are among the new patients," he said.
Meghalaya currently has 1,141 active cases, while the number of recoveries stands at 780. Eight patients have succumbed to the infection so far.
14:56 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LATEST Updates
Maharashtra Police reports over 13,000 COVID-19 cases
The total number of coronavirus cases in the Maharashtra police rises to 13,716. The police force’s toll stands at 139.
13:05 (IST)
Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates
SC refuses to entertain plea for national policy for compensation to COVID-19 victims
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking formulation of a national policy for uniform compensation for families of those who have died due the coronavirus disease, reports PTI.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R S Reddy dismissed the plea saying that every state has a different policy and gives compensation as per its financial power.
Advocate Deepak Prakash, appearing for petitioner Hashik Thayikandy, said that all he is asking for is a national policy to be formulated that would provide for uniform compensation throughout the country.
13:00 (IST)
Coronavirus in Haryana LATEST Updates
Haryana Assembly Speaker, 2 MLAs test positive for COVID-19: Health Minister
Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Health Minister Anil Vij confirmed. "The Assembly Speaker and two other MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus," Vij, who is also the state''s Home Minister, told PTI.
Notably, the Speaker has tested positive two days before the monsoon session of the Assembly starts on 26 August. As a result, Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa will be presiding over the House proceedings.
12:14 (IST)
Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates
PM-CARE FUNDS establishes two 500-bed hospitals in Bihar, says PMO
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the PM-CARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate funds to fight against COVID-19 by the way of establishment of 500-bed makeshift hospitals at Patna and Muzaffarpur in Bihar by DRDO. The hospitals, with 125 ICU beds with ventilators and 375 normal beds each, will be inaugurated soon.
The PMO has said that each bed will also have oxygen supply. The doctors and paramedical staff will be provided by the Armed Forces Medical Services.
The 500 bed hospital at Bihta, Patna will be inaugurated today and the 500 bed hospital at Muzaffarpur will be inaugurated very soon. pic.twitter.com/BUDD78qkje
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 24, 2020
12:08 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LATEST Updates
17 COVID-19 hospitals in Thane overcharge Rs 1.82 crore
As many as 17 private hospitals in Maharashtra's Thane city overcharged COVID-19 patients to the tune of Rs 1.82 crore and are yet to refund Rs 1.40 crore out of it, civic officials said on Monday.
Following several complaints from patients, Thane Municipal Commissioner Dr Vipin Sharma constituted audit teams to check the billings of 17 hospitals in the city, reports PTI.
The audit teams checked 4,106 bills from 10 July to 21 August and found an excess amount totalling Rs 1.82 crore in 1,362 bills, the civic body said in a statement.
The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) issued show cause notices to these hospitals following which they refunded Rs 26.68 lakh to the patients.
12:06 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LATEST Updates
COVID-19 cases in Thane cross 1.14 lakh
The COVID-19 tally in Thane reached 1,14,765 on Monday after 881 new cases were found in the Maharashtra district, officials told PTI. The district also reported 28 more deaths due to COVID-19, taking the total number of fatalities to 3,268.
So far, Kalyan town in the district has reported the highest number of 26,623 cases, followed by Thane city-24,459 and Navi Mumbai-23,321, an official release said.
11:38 (IST)
Coronavirus in Pakistan LATEST Updates
Pakistan reports 496 new cases of coronavirus: Ministry
Pakistan has resistered 496 new cases of coronavirus, taking the total number of infections in the nation to 2,93,261, the health ministry said on Monday, reports PTI. The Ministry of National Health Services said the new cases were detected as the number of diagnosis tests have been intensified across the nation.
"Health authorities have reported 496 new cases of coronavirus and now the total number of infections stand at 2,93,261," the ministry said in a statement.
11:33 (IST)
Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates
India's COVID-19 recovery rate at 75%
A single-day spike of 61,408 COVID-19 cases took India''s virus caseload past the 31-lakh mark on Monday, a day after it crossed 30 lakh, while recoveries surged to 23,38,035 pushing the recovery rate to over 75 percent, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
India''s COVID-19 caseload mounted to 31,06,348, while the death toll climbed to 57,542 with 836 fatalities being reported in a span of 24-hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The COVID-19 case fatality rate has declined to 1.85 per cent, while the recovery rate has risen to 75.27 per cent.
11:09 (IST)
Coronavirus in Arunachal Pradesh LATEST Updates
Arunachal Pradesh''s COVID-19 tally rises to 3,263
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally rose to 3,263, with 40 more people including 17 security personnel testing positive for Coronavirus, a senior Health department official said on Monday.
Sixty-nine people were discharged from different hospitals on Sunday as they have recovered from COVID-19, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,297, he said. Of the total 3,263 COVID-19 cases in the state, 961 are active cases as 2,297 people have recovered from the disease and five have died.
A total of 1,792 people, including 699 security personnel, have tested positive for the infection in the state since August 1, the official said.
10:50 (IST)
Coronavirus in Jharkhand LATEST Updates
COVID-19 positive prisoner drinks alcohol inside hospital ward; probe ordered
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has ordered an investigation after a viral photo purportedly shows a Covid prisoner drinking alcohol inside a hospital ward in Dhanbad, reports PTI.
Katras police station officer in charge Ras Bihari Lal has identified the man as 30-year-old Shantu Gupta, who was arrested on extortion charges. After he tested positive, the police admitted him to the central hospital of Bharat Coking Coal Limited.
10:10 (IST)
Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates
Why India is so affected by the virus?
India, the world's second-most-populous nation is currently leading in new infection cases as the virus marches through impoverished rural areas in the north and the wealthier but older populations of the south.
Previously the main hotspots have been the teeming megacities of New Delhi and Mumbai, home to some of the world's biggest slums.
"At the moment we are seeing a fairly sharp rise in cases overall for India," said K Srinath Reddy, of the non-governmental Public Health Foundation of India.
But the epidemic has left Asia's third-largest economy reeling, and tens of millions of people have lost their jobs and livelihoods.
10:01 (IST)
Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates
India’s 5 worst-affected states:
The numbers given below includes recoveries, deaths and active cases
- Maharashtra: 6,82,383
- Tamil Nadu: 3,79,385
- Andhra Pradesh: 3,53,111
- Karnataka: 2,77,814
- Uttar Pradesh: 1,87,781
09:58 (IST)
Coronavirus in India LATEST Updates
With over 61,000 new cases, India's total climbs up to 31 lakh
India’s coronavirus tally rises to 31,06,348 cases after the country reports 61,408 new infections in 24 hours. The country’s toll climbs up by 836 to 57,542.
09:31 (IST)
Coronavirus in Singapore LATEST Updates
COVID-19 cases reappear at Singapore's largest dormitory
Around 4,800 workers have been issued a stay-home notice at Singapore's largest foreign workers' dormitory after fresh coronavirus emerged there, reports PTI.
The Sungei Tengah Lodge dormitory was among the largest COVID-19 clusters in Singapore with over 2,200 confirmed cases before it was declared cleared of the disease by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) last month.
On Sunday, 58 fresh coronavirus cases were confirmed in the dormitory, a day after a new COVID-19 cluster emerged there.
08:28 (IST)
Coronavirus in Odisha LATEST Updates
Odisha reports record 2,993 new COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths
Odisha on Sunday registered its highest single-day spike of 2,993 COVID-19 cases and 10 more deaths due to the infection, reports PTI. With this, the state's COVID-19 death toll has mounted to 409 and the infection tally reached 78,530, a health official said.
08:26 (IST)
Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh LATEST Updates
COVID-19 patient tries to commit suicide in Jabalpur
Staff members of a hospital in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday foiled the bid of a 40-year-old COVID-19 patient to commit suicide by jumping off the third floor of the facility, police said.
The patient got down from the third floor window onto the open slab and was about to jump when some staff members rushed to him and held him back, said Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College and Hospital Dean Dr P K Kasar.
The patient is suffering from some mental issues according to his family members, he said. Kasar demanded that state government install iron grills on the windows of the hospital.
08:23 (IST)
Coronavirus in US LATEST Updates
US approves plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 infection
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved using blood plasma from recovered coronavirus patients as a treatment against the infection, reports AFP. “This product may be effective in treating COVID-19 and... the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks of the product,” reads the FDA’s statement.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said he had tested positive for coronavirus, days after he had tested negative for the infection after Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was found to be COVID-19 positive.
India’s coronavirus tally rises to 31,06,348 cases after the country reports 61,408 new infections in 24 hours. The country’s toll climbs up by 836 to 57,542.
'This product may be effective in treating COVID-19 and... the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks of the product,' reads the FDA’s statement
The number of coronavirus positive cases reported so far in the country crossed 30 lakh on Sunday, just 16 days after it crossed 20 lakh. The toll rose to 56,706 with 912 fatalities reported in 24 hours, said the health ministry in its morning update.
COVID-19 cases in the country jumped from 10 lakh to 20 lakh in 21 days, while it had taken 59 days for the cases to cross 10 lakh.
It took 110 days for COVID-19 cases in the country to reach one lakh.
However, the number of recoveries also surged to 22,80,566 with 57,989 patients recuperating from COVID-19 in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed. The country now has 7,07,668 active cases, which comprise 23.24 percent of India's total caseload, the ministry said.
The recovery rate among coronavirus patients neared 75 percent, while the case fatality rate dipped to 1.86 percent, which is among the lowest in the world, the ministry claimed.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar announced standard operating procedures (SOPs) for resuming shooting of films and TV programmes. The new guidelines include measures such as social distancing and mandatory use of face cover or masks for cast and crew, except for actors in front of camera.
In Madhya Pradesh, health minister Prabhuram Choudhary said he has tested coronavirus positive. Choudhary is the seventh minister in the state, besides Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to have tested positive for the viral infection. Meanwhile, Delhi reported its highest single-day spike in August with 1,450 new cases.
Recovery rate touches 74.90%, says health ministry
The Union health ministry on Sunday said the average daily number of recoveries is on a "constant upward move", even as the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 30,44,940 after a spike of 69,239 fresh infections.
The average daily recoveries have steadily increased from 15,018 between1 and 7 July to 60,557 between 13 and 19 August, the health ministry said. The total recoveries exceed the active cases by nearly 16 lakh (1,572,898) and the national recovery rate has gone up to 74.90 percent, it said in a statement.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR), a cumulative total of 3,52,92,220 samples have been tested up to 22 August, with 8,01,147 samples being tested on Saturday.
With over eight lakh tests being conducted for the eighth consecutive day, the average daily positivity rate has come down from 9.67 percent during 3-9 August to 7.67 percent over the last week. the ministry said.
Centre announces SOPs for film shoots
The Centre on Sunday announced SOPs for resuming shooting of films and TV programmes to contain the spread of COVID-19. Union minister Prakash Javadekar asserted that the guidelines will facilitate resumption of shooting and provide employment to scores of people in the film industry who were affected in the wake of the pandemic.
Sharing details of the SOPs, Javadekar said barring those who are in front of cameras, all others will have to wear masks.
The I&B ministry's SOPs state that physical distancing of at least six feet to be followed as far as feasible at all locations at all times, while sitting, standing in queues, among others. These include places such as shoot locations, sound recording studios and editing rooms.
Aspects such as scenes, sequences, set-ups, camera locations, positions of various crew members, seating arrangements, food and catering arrangements, staggered meal timings should be planned while giving due consideration to physical distancing norms, according to the document.
Measures should be taken by the production team to involve a minimum number of cast and crew members during the shoot, the SOPs said.
Visitors and audiences should not be allowed on sets and for outdoor shooting, necessary coordination with local authorities should be ensured to minimise and manage the spectators, they said.
Resting or stay-over facilities should be planned while adhering to physical distancing guidelines, according to the document.
Staggered call and pack-up timings for different production units should be ensured by studios having multiple sets, the SOPs added. "There shall be designated entry and exit points for all shoot locations and other workplaces," the document said.
Common locations such as sets, cafeteria, make-up rooms, edit rooms, vanity vans, washrooms should be sanitised regularly, it said.
Sanitisation, to the extent possible, before and after the shoot should be done, the SOPs said.
Shooting of films and TV serials can be resumed using these SOPs, Javadekar said.
India may get vaccine by year-end if everything goes well, says Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that if everything goes well, India would get a vaccine against COVID-19 by the end of this year.
कब तक आएगी #कोरोना की #vaccine ?
पत्रकारों के इस सवाल पर मैंने उम्मीद जताई कि अगर सब कुछ ठीक रहा तो भारत इस साल के आखिर तक #coronavaccine हासिल कर लेगा। @MoHFW_INDIA @CSIR_IND @NDRFHQ pic.twitter.com/zqAxftKUdt
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) August 22, 2020
Three COVID-19 vaccine candidates, including two indigenous ones, are in different phases of development in India. The phase-one human clinical trials of the two indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidates, one developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR and the other by Zydus Cadila Ltd, have been completed and the trials have moved to phase-two, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava had said recently.
The Serum Institute of India, which has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford, is likely to begin phase two and three human clinical trials next week.
West Bengal, Odisha register record spike in cases
Meanwhile, several states added new cases and fatalities to their tallies. Delhi registered 1,450 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the city's highest single-day spike in August, taking the total cases to over 1.61 lakh while the toll mounted to 4,300. The positivity rate stands at 7.74 percent, while the recovery rate is 90.04 percent.
The COVID-19 caseload of West Bengal went up to 1,38,870 after with 3,274 new infections, the highest in a day, the health department said. The toll due to the disease also rose to 2,794 with 57 more people succumbing to the viral infection, the department said in a bulletin. Since Saturday, 3,048 patients have recovered from the disease and the number of active cases is now 28,069, it said.
Odisha too registered its highest single-day surge of 2,993 COVID-19 cases and 10 more deaths due to the infection. With this, the state's toll has mounted to 409 and the infection count reached 78,530, a health official told PTI. Fifty-three other coronavirus patients have also died, but the cause of their deaths was attributed to some other reasons, the official said.
Maharashtra reported 10,441 new coronavirus positive cases, which pushed the cumulative total in the state to 6,82,383. With the death of 258 patients during the day, the toll climbed to 22,253.
Madhya Pradesh health minister tests positive
In Madhya Pradesh, Health Minister Prabhuram Choudhary tweeted that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
"My COVID-19 test report came out positive. I request those who had come in my contact to undergo a coronavirus test. Those in close contact should quarantine themselves," he tweeted. "With your prayers and blessings, I will return amidst you soon to serve the people," he said.
मेरी कोविड की रिपोर्ट टेस्ट के बाद पॉजि़टिव आई है।मेरा सभी से निवेदन है जो भी मेरे संपर्क में आए हैं, वह कोरोना टेस्ट करवा लें। मेरे निकट संपर्क वाले लोग क्वारनटीन में चले जाएं।आप सभी की प्रार्थना एवं आशीर्वाद से जल्द आप सभी के बीच उपस्थित होकर फिर जन सेवा के कार्यों में लगेंगे।
— Dr. Prabhuram Choudhary (@DrPRChoudhary) August 23, 2020
In the last week of July, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had tested positive and recovered after treatment. Besides, Public Works Department Minister Gopal Bhargava, Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang, state Cooperatives Minister Arvind Bhadoriya, Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silawat, Higher Education Minister Mohan Yadav and Minister of State (Independent charge) for Backward Class and Minority Welfare Ramkhelawan Patel had also tested coronavirus for the infection.
With inputs from PTI
source https://www.firstpost.com/health/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker-news-india-updates-covid19-pandemic-bus-service-flight-train-shop-lockdown-latest-updates-maharashtra-8744821.html
