Coronavirus News Highlights: New Covid-19 cases went up by over 7,000 on Wednesday with 38,792 more people testing positive in the last 24 hours, said the Union health ministry. The number stood at 31,443 the day before. The cumulative caseload has reached 3,09,46,074. The daily fatalities, that had shot up due to backlog of Madhya Pradesh, saw a steep decline in the last 24 hours with 624 people succumbing to the disease. The death toll due to coronavirus in India now stands at 4,11,408. Further, 41,000 more people were discharged across the country between Tuesday and Wednesday, taking the total number of recoveries to 3,01,04,720. As a result, the active cases have come down to 4,29,946, dipping by 2,832. Health officials have said that a further surge in cases was being noted in some states, like, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh. Similarly, there are some states, where cases have come down but are still being witnessed in the form of plateau.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Active infections in Tamil Nadu fall to 30,600
Tamil Nadu has reported 2,458 new COVID-19 cases, including those of three returnees from Jharkhand and Bihar, the Department of Health said on Wednesday. With this, the total cases to date are 25,26,401, said the department. The number of deaths is 33,557 with 55 people succumbing to the virus in the last 24 hours, a bulletin said here. Recoveries outnumbered new infections with 3,021 people recovering today, aggregating to 24,62,244 and leaving 30,600 active cases, according to the bulletin. As many as 31 districts reported new infections in double-digits while there were no fresh deaths in 11 districts. Chennai, the capital of the State, added 160 new infections aggregating 5,35,439 till date and the number of COVID-19 related fatalities is 8,272. Among the districts, Coimbatore reported the maximum of 270 cases while Ramanathapuram saw the least with 11. A total of 1,46,394 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to 3,49,73,281 till date. Of the 55 deaths, 20 did not have any co-morbidities, the bulletin said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Meghalaya reports 422 new COVID-19 cases, 3 more deaths
Meghalaya on Wednesday reported 422 new COVID-19 cases, which took the tally in the state to 55,640, a health department official said. The state now has 3,925 active cases, Health Services Director Aman War said. The death toll rose to 921, as three more people- two from East Khasi Hills district and one from West Jaintia Hills - succumbed to the infection, he said. At least 458 people were cured of the disease during the day, taking the total number of recoveries in the northeastern state to 50,794, he said. The state has so far conducted over 7.53 lakh sample tests for COVID-19. Altogether, 8.38 lakh people were inoculated till Tuesday with 1.03 lakh of them having received both doses of the vaccine, War said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Recoveries remained ahead of new COVID19 cases in Jammu and Kashmiron Wednesday as 358 patients recovered while 161 new cases and 2 deaths were reported during the last 24 hours.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | AkzoNobel India steps up COVID-19 relief initiatives, donates 55 oxygen concentrators
Leading paints maker AkzoNobel India, which owns brands such as Dulux, On Wednesday said it has donated 55 oxygen concentrators across five states as part of its COVID-19 relief initiatives. AkzoNobel India on Wednesday announced its latest 'People. Planet. Paint.' sustainability initiative, said a company statement.The project follows a two-pronged approach that addresses the health and well-being needs of community members across five states while also meeting the educational needs of more than 300 children impacted by school closures, it added. In addition to providing lifesaving hardware, AkzoNobel India's unique tele-medicine initiative known as 'Arogya Sakha' has benefitted 1.5 million painter community members and their families across India.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 90 new COVID-19 cases in UP, 2 more deaths
Ninety more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, raising the infection count to 17,07,585, while the death toll climbed to 22,704 with two fresh fatalities. The latest two deaths were reported from Sultanpur and Meerut, a health bulletin said.Ninety fresh cases were reported in the state in the past 24 hours, while 134 persons were discharged after recovery, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said. The number of recoveries in the state has reached 16,83,453, he said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | MP records 11 new COVID-19 infections; active cases at 271
Madhya Pradesh's COVID-19 caseload reached 7,91,594, after 11 persons tested positive for the infection on Wednesday.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mumbai's daily COVID-19 case count goes above 500-mark after two days; 10 die
Mumbai, which had witnessed less than 500 coronavirus cases for last two consecutive days, on Wednesday reported 635 infections, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. The city also reported 10 fresh fatalities during the day, it said.With this, the COVID-19 caseload in the country's financial capital rose to 7,29, 250 and death toll to 15,654, the BMC said. On Tuesday, Mumbai had reported 441 new coronavirus positive cases, the lowest after February 9 this year (375 cases), and eight fatalities, while on Monday, it had recorded 478 new cases and nine deaths.As 582 patients were discharged from hospitals on Wednesday, the city's recovery count climbed to 7,04,259. At present, there are 6,989 active COVID-19 cases in the metropolis. The civic body said that in the last 24 hours, a total 35,968 tests were conducted, taking the overall test count to 76,28,469.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Over 39 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India so far: Health Ministry
The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India so far has surpassed 39 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. According to a provisional report at 7pm, more than 32.10 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Wednesday.The ministry said 13,82,467 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years were given the first dose and 1,57,660 the second dose on Wednesday. Cumulatively, 11,78,70,724 people in the age group 18-44 years have received the first dose and 41,92,141 their second dose since the start of phase three of the vaccination drive.Eight states -- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra -- have administered more than 50 lakh first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the age group of 18-44 years, the ministry said. Also, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have vaccinated more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years for the first dose of Covid vaccine.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra reports a total of 9,268 confirmed cases, 5,091 recoveries and 1,112 deaths of Black fungus
2,900 people are undergoing treatment. Maximum cases are in Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, Solapur and Mumbai, says State Health Department
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Goa records 227 fresh COVID-19 cases; 171 recoveries
With the addition of 227 fresh cases of COVID-19, the tally of infections in Goa rose to 1,69,215 on Wednesday, an official from the state health department said. At least 171 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the count of recoveries to 1,64,326, while the toll stood at 3,101, as no new casualties were reported during the day, the official said. The coastal state currently has 1,788 patients undergoing treatment, he said. With 5,651 swab samples tested during the day, the total number of tests conducted in the state has gone up to 9,84,237, he added. Goa's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 1,69,215, new cases 227, death toll 3,101, discharged 1,64,326, active cases 1,788, samples tested till date 9,84,237.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Indonesia new 'epicentre of Asia' as virus cases skyrocket
Virus-wracked Indonesia posted record daily infections topping 54,000 on Wednesday as the highly infectious Delta variant rips across the archipelago, catapulting it ahead of India as Asia's Covid-19 epicentre.The Southeast Asian nation has been battered by a virus explosion that overwhelmed hospitals, leaving scores to die at home, while desperate relatives hunt for oxygen tanks to treat the sick.On Wednesday, Indonesia's health ministry posted its highest-ever 54,517 new cases and 991 deaths in 24 hours -- recent daily mortality rates are as high as 10 times the numbers in early June.But the official data is widely believed to be a severe undercount due to low testing rates and poor contact tracing."Indonesia could become the epicentre of the pandemic, but it's already the epicentre of Asia," said Dicky Budiman, an Indonesian epidemiologist at Australia's Griffith University.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Karnataka reports 1,990 fresh COVID-19 cases, 2,537 patient discharges, and 45 deaths in the past 24 hours
Active cases: 33,642
Total discharges: 28,06,933
Death toll: 35,989
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Weekly coronavirus cases at nearly 3 million globally: WHO
The World Health Organisation reported there were nearly 3 million coronavirus cases globally last week, a 10percent increase that was accompanied by a 3percent rise in deaths, reversing a nine-week trend of declining COVID-19 incidence.In its weekly report issued on Wednesday, the UN health agency says the highest numbers of new cases were from Brazil, India, Indonesia and the United Kingdom.WHO says the easier-to-spread delta variant has now been identified in 111 countries since first being detected in India and it expects the variant to become globally dominant in coming months.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Kerala reports 15,637 new COVID-19 cases, 12,974 recoveries and 128 deaths
The positivity rate in the State is at 10.03%.
Active cases: 1,17,708
Death toll: 14,938
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Congress alleges shortage of vaccines in states, says third COVID wave may hit India 'very badly'
The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Centre over the 'shortage' of COVID-19 vaccines and said the third wave of the pandemic may hit the country very badly due to the 'slow' pace of vaccination and the government's 'failure'.Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the weekly pace of vaccinations has declined to nearly 60 percent of what was seen in the week after June 21.Rahul Gandhi, who has been persistently targeting the Centre over its handling of the pandemic, said there are 'jumlas (rhetoric)' but no vaccines.'Jumle hain, vaccine nahin (There is rhetoric, no vaccines),' Gandhi tweeted using the hashtag 'WhereAreVaccines'.Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pointed to complaints of shortage of vaccines in several states and urged the Modi government to double the vaccine procurement and allocate the same to states fairly.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | West Bengal extends COVID-19 curbs till July 30; metro can run 5 days a week with 50% seating capacity
Metro rail to operate 5 days a week with 50% seating capacity, suspended on Saturday-Sunday. Not more than 50 people at weddings & 20 at funerals allowed. All shops & markets may remain open as per usual operational hrs
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mumbai to start inoculating pregnant women with COVID-19 vaccines from July 15
Mumbai: BMC to start inoculating pregnant women with COVID-19vaccines from tomorrow. The step has been taken after a recommendation from the Experts' task force. BMC will start with 35 centers across Mumbai, which will vaccinate pregnant women.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Nearly 3,000 Confined To Cabins On Cruise Ship After COVID-19 Case
A Genting Cruise Lines ship on a "cruise to nowhere" has returned to Singapore after a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a passenger, and the nearly 3,000 passengers and crew on board were confined to their cabins through most of Wednesday.The 40-year-old passenger tested positive onboard and the result was confirmed after the person was taken to hospital once the ship docked early on Wednesday, the Singapore Tourism Board said, following the detection of the suspected case."The passenger was identified as a close contact of a confirmed case on land, and was immediately isolated as part of onboard health protocols," the board said in a statement.Passengers said they found out about the suspected case in an announcement at around 1 a.m. and had been asked to stay in their rooms since.The global cruise industry has taken a major hit from the coronavirus pandemic, with some of the earliest big outbreaks occurring on cruise ships in Asian waters.Singapore, which has seen relatively few domestic COVID-19 cases, launched "round trips" on luxury liners in November, with no port of call during a few days of sailing.The World Dream cruise liner had 1,646 passengers and 1,249 crew members on board and all of them were required to remain in their staterooms with contactless meals sent to them, according to Dream Cruises, a part of Genting Cruise Lines. (Reuters)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Blood Thinner May Reduce Death Risk in Moderately Ill COVID-19 Patients: Study
Administering a full dose of a standard blood thinner early to moderately ill hospitalised patients with COVID-19 could halt the formation of blood clots and reduce the risk of severe disease and death, according to a study. COVID-19 is marked by heightened inflammation and abnormal clotting in the blood vessels, particularly in the lungs, and is believed to contribute to progression to severe disease and death.The researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine in Canada noted that heparin — a blood thinner given regularly at low dose to hospitalised patients — stops clots from forming and reduces inflammation. The yet-to-be-published study, post on the preprint server MedRxiv, examined the benefits of administering a therapeutic full dose of heparin versus a prophylactic low dose to moderately ill patients admitted to hospital wards with COVID-19.“This study was designed to detect a difference in the primary outcome that included ICU transfer, mechanical ventilation or death," says Mary Cushman, study co-principal investigator and a professor at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. The primary outcome was a composite of ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, or death up to 28 days, the researchers said, adding that safety outcomes included major bleeding.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Bombay HC seeks to know about vaccination of pilots, details of those deployed for Vande Bharat mission
Hearing a petition, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked a pilots' union to furnish information such as the number of pilots deployed for the `Vande Bharat' mission and their duty hours. It also sought to know how many pilots have been vaccinated for COVID-19 so far. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni was hearing a petition filed by the Federation of Indian Pilots seeking compensation for the pilots who died of COVID-19 or contracted the viral infection while doing their duty, The petition demanded priority in vaccination and insurance cover for pilots, saying they are providing an essential service. The Union government should provide compensation of Rs 10 crore each for the families of the pilots who died due to COVID-19, it said. Senior advocate Prasad Dhakephalkar, appearing for the petitioners, stated that since February 2021, at least 13 Indian pilots have died due to coronavirus infection. Pilots are front-line workers who have been working through the pandemic and they should get priority in vaccination besides compensation, he said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi has gained control over second wave of COVID-19: Satyendra Jain
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said the national capital has gained control over the second wave of the coronavirus and stressed that the government is ramping up its infrastructure to fight the pandemic.Delhi faced a brutal second wave of the pandemic that claimed a large number of lives daily. The rapid rise in the number of cases led to a shortage of medical oxygen at various city hospitals.On April 20, the city had reported a record 28,395 cases. On April 22, the case positivity rate was 36.2 per cent, the highest so far. At 448, the highest number of deaths was reported on May 3.The cases started declining around mid-May and now the positivity rate is below one per cent.In its latest health bulletin issued on Wednesday, the government said Delhi recorded 77 fresh COVID-19 cases at a positivity rate of 0.10 per cent, and one more fatality linked to the disease.Sharing a video of two minutes and five seconds about the initiatives of the government, Jain credited "active decision making" of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for Delhi gaining control over the cases."Delhi has gained control over the 2nd wave of Covid-19. This has been possible due to timely action & active decision making by Hon'ble CM @ArvindKejriwal Ji. Delhi Government is actively strengthening its infrastructure in the fight against Corona.#DelhiFightsCorona," the Health minister said in a tweet. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Centre asks states to facilitate private vaccination centres in getting COVID vaccines; expresses ''serious worry'' on PCVs' ''slow pace''
The slow pace of procurement and administration of COVID-19 vaccine by private centres in some states is a cause of"serious worry", the Centre said on Wednesday and advised states and UTs to review the status daily and ensure indents for doses are quickly placed with the vaccine manufacturers.Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries and senior immunisation officials of 15 states and UTs on Wednesday during which the areas of concern were highlighted, including delay in ordering and lifting of doses and payment.The roles of the states and UTs for demand aggregation and roles of the vaccine manufacturers in quick dispatch were further outlined in the meeting.Bhushan said many private COVID vaccination centres (PCVCs) have not placed any indent for the earmarked quantum of COVID-19 vaccines.Many state governments need to facilitate vaccine procurement by the PCVCs, a health ministry statement said."States were advised to review the status on a daily basis and ensure that indents for the earmarked quantum are quickly placed with the private vaccine manufacturers," it stated.Inmany cases while the indent for the COVID-19 vaccine has been placed with the state government, payment has not been made for the entire amount of indented vaccines, the statement said." In some cases, no payment has been made for the entire indented quantity. State governments and the PCVCs were advised to ensure that the gap between the indented quantity and payment towards their procurement reduced to zero," it said.The states and UTs which participated in the meeting were Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana through video conference.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Olympics chief vows to minimise virus risk to Japan
Olympics chief Thomas Bach pledged Wednesday "not to bring any risk" to Japan with the Games, seeking to reassure a sceptical public as virus cases surge just over a week before Tokyo 2020 begins.Fans have been banned from Olympic events in the capital, which is under emergency virus restrictions to curb rising infection numbers that on Wednesday hit highs not seen since January.As more athletes arrive in the country and move into the Olympic Village, International Olympic Committee chief Bach promised a safe summer Games."We are making all our efforts and the Japanese people have all our commitment to contribute in the best way to fight this virus and not to bring any risk to the Japanese people," Bach told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi reports 77 new COVID-19 cases, 71 recoveries, and 1 death; positivity rate - 0.10%
Active cases: 688
Total recoveries: 14,09,572
Death toll: 25,021
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Vietnam says Pfizer to provide additional 20 million COVID-19 vaccine doses
Vietnam’s health ministry said on Wednesday that U.S. vaccine maker Pfizer would provide an additional 20 million doses of its vaccine, co-developed with BioNTech, to administer to 12-18 year olds.The additional supply would bring the number of doses to 47 million set to be delivered to Vietnam by the fourth quarter.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Thailand considering limits on AstraZeneca vaccine exports
Thailand is considering imposing limits on exports of locally manufactured AstraZenecaCOVID-19 vaccines to fight its own crisis, an official said on Wednesday, a move likely to impact neighbours and stir concerns of vaccine protectionism.Any attempt to regulate exports could further slow vaccine rollout to Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, which are also battling spikes in infections and supply disruptions caused by earlier export curbs imposed by India.Nakorn Premsri, a key member of the National Vaccine Committee, told reporters when asked about a plan to place a quota on vaccine exports that the committee had “agreed in principle” on such a draft order.“Right now, the order has not been issued yet,” Nakorn said, adding that various agencies will need to review it and consider its impacts.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Useless statements being made to create panic: Mansukh Mandaviya on vaccine shortage charge
Amid complains by some states about shortage of COVID-19 vaccines,Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said "useless" statements are being made only to create panic among the people, and asserted that states know very well when and in what quantity they will get the doses.The Centre has informed states about the allocation of doses in advance, he said.In a series of tweets, Mandaviya said theavailability of vaccines can be better understood by an "actual analysis of the facts".
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Second COVID-19 wave not over yet: MHA cautions states against ‘blatant violation’ of coronavirus norms
Amid fears over the onset of a likely third COVID-19 wave, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has informed the states that the second wave of pandemic is "not over yet".The MHA, in an advisory issued to the state chief secretaries on July 14, said coronavirus-appropriate behaviour must be strictly followed, and stringent restrictions must be reimposed in areas where the safety norms are flouted.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Philippines Bars Entry of Travellers From Indonesia Over Delta Variant
The Philippines will ban travellers coming from Indonesia to prevent the spread of the highly contagious Delta COVID-19 variant, the presidential spokesperson said on Wednesday.The ban will apply to everyone coming from Indonesia or those with recent travel history to the country and will be imposed from July 16 to 31, Harry Roque said in a statement. (Reuters)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Official in IOC refugee team for Olympics tests positive for COVID-19
An official of the International Olympic Committee''s refugee team has tested positive for COVID-19 here, leading to a delay in their travel plans for the Tokyo Games even though all others have returned negative results for now. "...the IOC Refugee Olympic Team came together for a ''Welcome Experience'' in Doha, Qatar. Twenty-six of the 29 athletes and 11 officials participated," the IOC statement read.
"On taking COVID-19 PCR tests before leaving for Tokyo, the test of an official returned positive. A follow-up test confirmed the result, while the tests of all other members of the team (athletes and officials) returned negative," it added. Three athletes could not take part in the ''Welcome Experience'' in Doha and two of them -- Ahmad Alikaj (judo) and Abdullah Sediqi (taekwondo) -- are due to arrive in Tokyo on Wednesday.
"They are accompanied by coach Alireza Nassrazadany. All three are coming directly from their respective training camps," the IOC stated. The official, who has been isolated by the Qatari Public Authorities, is considered asymptomatic and doing well."The official was single-vaccinated and followed all COVID-19 countermeasures prior to departure and during the Welcome Experience," the IOC stated.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19 forces FIH to postpone inaugural FIH World Hockey5s to 2022
The international federation on Wednesday postponed this year's inaugural FIH World Hockey 5s event to 2022 because of the 'uncertainties' surrounding the global evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 'FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2021' event was initially planned to be held in September this year but now has been deferred to next year.
'Whilst it is of course disappointing to have to delay this event by one year, especially considering the role it is meant to play for the exposure of Hockey5s globally, we came to the conclusion that it was the best decision in order, precisely, to preserve the full promotion potential of this event,' FIH CEO Thierry Weil said in a statement.
'I'd like to extend sincere thanks to all stakeholders who have considerably helped us so far, and in particular the City of Lausanne, the canton of Vaud, the Fond du Sport Vaudois, the Swiss Hockey Association, our partners and all teams who had confirmed their participation. I look forward to pursuing our preparations together and invite all hockey fans to join us next year!' Next year's event, which will be staged on the Place de la Navigation -- an iconic location near the Lac Léman bordering the Olympic Capital -- will provide an exciting mix of intense competition, music entertainment and additional activities, such as an initiation to hockey for the public. Access will be free of charge and the tournaments -- men's and women's -- will be broadcasted live across the world on the Watch.Hockey platform.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Odisha logs 2,074 new COVID-19 cases, 65 fresh fatalities
Odisha''s COVID-19 tally rose to 9,45,749 on Wednesday as 2,074 more people tested positive for the infection, while 65 fresh fatalities pushed the state''s coronavirus death toll to 4,795, a health official said. Though there has been a significant decline in daily cases and test positivity rate, fresh single-day fatalities continue to remain around 60 since July 8. Odisha''s active caseload has also significantly come down to 22,860 on July 14 from 55,923 on June 14. The total number of recoveries has also soared to 9,18,041, including 2,641 on Tuesday, he said.
However, the high number of fatalities remains a cause of concern for the state. As many as 68 people had succumbed to the infection on Tuesday. A total of 1,192 new cases were registered in quarantine centres, while 882 infections were detected during contact tracing. Khurda district, under which Bhubaneswar falls, recorded the highest number of new cases at 443, followed by Cuttack (283) and Puri (133).
Khurda also registered the highest number of fresh fatalities at 20, followed by Bargarh (10) and Sundargarh (seven). Fifty-three other coronavirus patients have died due to comorbidities to date.Odisha has thus far tested over 1.47 crore samples for COVID-19, including 69,287 on Tuesday. The positivity rate stands at 6.40 per cent. Even though the rate of infection has come down in around two dozen districts, six coastal districts continue to report more than 100 fresh cases every day.
"There is a need to monitor and regulate the inter- state movement of people to keep the COVID-19 infection rate under control in Odisha," Professor CBK Mohanty, chief of the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET) said. He said that Odisha may push itself into danger and invite the third wave of the pandemic if measures to regulate inter-state movement are not taken immediately. Professor Mohanty cited instances of how the infection spread rapidly in the border districts of Odisha after a high number of cases were reported in neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand during the second wave. The infections which spread to the border districts later came to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, he added.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Schools for classes 11 and 12 to reopen in MP from July 26 with 50% capacity: CM
Schools for classes 11 and 12 in Madhya Pradesh will reopen with 50 per cent capacity beginning July 26 given a significant fall in the daily COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday. He said schools for junior classes will be allowed to reopen gradually depending upon the situation. Chouhan made this announcement while dedicating a building of Vidya Bharati, a wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to the people in Bhopal.
“Students have been sitting at home for so many days now. Markets are open now and even the movement of people has started. Children are also visiting markets. Therefore, the state government also feels that the schools should reopen from the week starting July 26. The classes for 11 and 12 will be started with half capacity,” Chouhan said. He said the classes will be held on alternate days for each batch of students. One batch of students will attend classes on the first day and another one the next day, he said.
“Initially, schools should run for four days a week and later for six days. If all goes well (considering the projected third wave of the pandemic) till August 15, then we will gradually resume other classes in schools,” the CM said. He said colleges will also reopen with a 50 per cent capacity in a phased manner. Chouhan said the state government has been preparing the strategy about reopening the schools while closely monitoring the coronavirus pandemic. Stating that the COVID-19 situation in Madhya Pradesh is under control and the state government is preparing to brace for a possible third wave, Chouhan said if people continue to adhere to the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, the government will start the process of reopening classes 9 and 10, then classes 6 to 8, and finally primary classes.
Later talking to reporters, Chouhan said the number of COVID-19 cases has come down to around 20 per day and active cases in the state settled at around 250. “Students are getting frustrated due to the closure of educational institutions and they now need to attend physical classes rather than virtual ones. School operators are also facing problems. Considering this situation, the decision to start the process to reopen schools has been taken,” he said. Madhya Pradesh reported 23 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday and two deaths, taking the tally of infections to 7,91,583 and the toll to 10,508, as per the state health department.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | China to start giving COVID-19 shots to teenagers this month
Several areas in China will start vaccinating teenagers this month against COVID-19, state media and local authorities said, as the country steps up its inoculation campaign. China, which has managed to rein in domestic infections, has administered 1.4 billion vaccine doses, or two-fifths of the global total of 3.47 billion doses.
This month, the southwestern region of Guangxi and the city of Jingmen in the central province of Hubei will start vaccinating those aged between 15 and 17, and children between 12 and 14 in August, state media and local disease control officials said in reports on Tuesday. By the end of October, authorities there aim to have fully vaccinated all eligible in the age group of 12 to 17.
China has approved two domestically developed vaccines, one produced by Sinovac Biotech and the other produced by a Beijing firm affiliated with Sinopharm, for those aged between three and 17. The world's most populous country, with a population of 1.4 billion, does not regularly disclose how many people have been fully vaccinated, but late last month a state broadcaster said the nationwide rate had exceeded 40%.
Several local authorities said this month that public places, from supermarkets to train stations, will check vaccination credentials and record personal details of unvaccinated visitors, to nudge more people to get doses. China is expected to vaccinate at least 70% of target groups by the end of this year, Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission, told the official Xinhua news agency last month, without giving details of the groups.
oronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19 second wave poses challenge for FMCG industry, rural demand may be blunted: ITC
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The severity of the second wave of COVID-19 infections in India poses a key challenge for the FMCG industry and the spread of the virus to rural areas on a relatively higher scale as compared to the first wave is also expected to weigh on industry growth outlook, according to ITC Ltd. There is heightened uncertainty around the timing and shape of the recovery trajectory of overall economic growth in India due to the virus, the company said in its Annual Report for 2020-21.
In terms of consumption, urban-led recovery may be relatively muted compared to the first wave as consumers switch to precautionary savings mode and rising healthcare costs eat into household spending, while rural demand may also be blunted by the large-scale spread of the virus to the hinterland in the second wave. "The severity of the second wave of COVID-19 infections in the country poses a key challenge and remains a key monitorable for the FMCG industry in the near-term,” the directors of the company said in the report.
There is a perceptible shift with consumers adopting a more precautionary savings approach with resources being set aside for medical needs. "The spread of the virus to rural areas on a relatively higher scale as compared to the first wave, is also expected to weigh on industry growth outlook,” the report added. Stating that ITC continues to monitor the "evolving situation”, the company said it "will respond with agility to enhance its market standing while managing risks associated with the heightened uncertainties in the business environment.”
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Gujarat govt suspends COVID-19 vaccination for Mamata Diwas
The Gujarat government suspended the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Wednesday in view of Mamata Diwas, which is observed as part of the ongoing universal immunisation programme for pregnant women, children and infants, an official said. This is the second week in a row that the inoculation drive against coronavirus has been suspended on a Wednesday due to Mamata Diwas. During Mamata Diwas, healthcare workers across the state check on pregnant women, provide them guidance and give them iron and vitamin tablets. Health workers also administer vaccines, such as BCG, polio and rubella, to women, children and infants.
"Vaccination drive against coronavirus will remain suspended today in view of the tasks health workers need to carry out on Mamata Diwas under the universal immunisation programme," state immunisation officer Dr Nayan Jani said. The state government, however, has not made it clear if the drive will be halted on all Wednesdays. Last week, apart from Wednesday, the state government had halted the COVID-19 inoculation drive on Thursday and Friday as well without giving specific reason.
The state government recently made it clear that there is no shortage of vaccine doses. In the initial phase, the vaccination drive against COVID-19 had remained suspended in the state on Wednesdays to accommodate other immunisation programmes. However, as the drive gained momentum, it was running on all days without any break. Gujarat has so far administered a total of 2.83 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses, of which 2.53 lakh were given on Tuesday.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Single dose of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine triggers strong antibody response: Study
A single dose of the Sputnik V vaccine may be enough to elicit strong antibody response against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in already infected people, according to a study. Previous studies have found that two doses of Sputnik V, a vector vaccine produced using a combination of two adenoviruses, results in 92 percent efficacy against COVID-19 infection.
Adenoviruses are common viruses that cause a range of illness with cold-like symptoms such as fever and sore throat. The new study, published on Tuesday in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, examined whether a single dose would achieve greater public health benefit than two doses by allowing protection of a larger population more quickly. "Due to limited vaccine supply and uneven vaccine distribution in many regions of the world, health authorities urgently need data on the immune response to vaccines to optimize vaccination strategies," said study senior author Andrea Gamarnik of the Fundacion Instituto Leloir-CONICET in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | US COVID-19 cases rising again, doubling over three weeks
The COVID-19 curve in the US is rising again after months of decline, with the number of new cases per day doubling over the past three weeks, driven by the fast-spreading delta variant, lagging vaccination rates and Fourth of July gatherings. Confirmed infections climbed to an average of about 23,600 a day on Monday, up from 11,300 on June 23, according to Johns Hopkins University data. And all but two states — Maine and South Dakota — reported that case numbers have gone up over the past two weeks.
“It is certainly no coincidence that we are looking at exactly the time that we would expect cases to be occurring after the July Fourth weekend,” said Dr. Bill Powderly, co-director of the infectious-disease division at Washington University’s School of Medicine in St. Louis. At the same time, parts of the country are running up against deep vaccine resistance, while the highly contagious mutant version of the coronavirus that was first detected in India is accounting for an ever-larger share of infections.
Nationally, 55.6 percent of all Americans have received at least one COVID-19 shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The five states with the biggest two-week jump in cases per capita all had lower vaccination rates: Missouri, 45.9 percent; Arkansas, 43 percent; Nevada, 50.9 percent; Louisiana, 39.2 percent; and Utah, 49.5 percent.
Even with the latest surge, cases in the US are nowhere near their peak of a quarter-million per day in January. And deaths are running at under 260 per day on average after topping out at more than 3,400 over the winter — a testament to how effectively the vaccine can prevent serious illness and death in those who happen to become infected.
Still, amid the rise, health authorities in places such as Los Angeles County and St. Louis are begging even immunized people to resume wearing masks in public. And Chicago officials announced Tuesday that unvaccinated travelers from Missouri and Arkansas must either quarantine for 10 days or have a negative COVID-19 test. Meanwhile, the Health Department in Mississippi, which ranks dead last nationally for vaccinations, began blocking posts about COVID-19 on its Facebook page because of a “rise of misinformation” about the virus and the vaccine.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Spread of COVID-19's Delta variant will substantially up cases, put pressure on healthcare: WHO
The increased transmissibility associated with the COVID-19’s Delta variant is likely to substantially increase cases and put a greater pressure on healthcare systems, particularly in the contexts of low vaccine coverage, the WHO has warned. In its COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update released on Tuesday, the World Health Organisation said that an overall rise in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant is reported across all WHO regions.
As of July 13, at least 111 countries, territories and areas have reported detection of the Delta variant, and this is expected to continue to increase, becoming the dominant variant globally in the coming months. “The increased transmissibility associated with the Delta variant is likely to result in substantial increases in case incidence and greater pressure on healthcare systems, particularly in contexts of low vaccine coverage,” it said.
Globally, cases of the Alpha variant have been reported in 178 countries, territories or areas, while 123 countries reported cases of the Beta variant, 75 countries reported cases of the Gamma variant. The update said that the Delta variant has shown higher transmissibility than other Variants of Concerns (VOCs) identified to date. “The increased transmissibility means that it is likely to become the dominant variant globally over the coming months,” the update said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra's Thane district sees 336 new COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths
With the addition of 336 more coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 5,38,471, an official said on Wednesday. These new cases were reported on Tuesday, he said. With ten more persons succumbing to the viral infection, the overall death toll in the Thane district rose to 10,864. The mortality rate is 2.01 per cent now, he added. The details of the recovered and under-treatment patients were not provided by district administration. The COVID-19 case count went up to 1,18,455 in neighboring Palghar district and the death toll is 2,640, the official added.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Over 1.51 crore unutilised vaccine doses available with states, private hospitals: Centre
More than 1.51 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states, UTs and private hospitals to be administered, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. Over 39.59 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far through all sources and a further 30,250 doses are in the pipeline. Of this, the total consumption including wastage is 38,07,68,770 doses, the ministry said. The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from June 21.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | US coronavirus cases double over three weeks
The COVID-19 curve in the U.S. is rising again after months of decline, with the number of new cases per day doubling over the past three weeks, driven by the fast-spreading delta variant, lagging vaccination rates and Fourth of July gatherings. Confirmed infections climbed to an average of about 23,600 a day on Monday, up from 11,300 on June 23, according to Johns Hopkins University data. And all but two states — Maine and South Dakota — reported that case numbers have gone up over the past two weeks.
“It is certainly no coincidence that we are looking at exactly the time that we would expect cases to be occurring after the July Fourth weekend," said Dr. Bill Powderly, co-director of the infectious-disease division at Washington University’s School of Medicine in St. Louis. At the same time, parts of the country are running up against deep vaccine resistance, while the highly contagious mutant version of the coronavirus that was first detected in India is accounting for an ever-larger share of infections.
Nationally, 55.6% of all Americans have received at least one COVID-19 shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The five states with the biggest two-week jump in cases per capita all had lower vaccination rates: Missouri, 45.9%; Arkansas, 43%; Nevada, 50.9%; Louisiana, 39.2%; and Utah, 49.5%.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Arunachal Pradesh reports 431 new COVID-19 cases, 2 more deaths
Arunachal Pradesh''s COVID-19 tally rose to 40,814 as 431 more people tested positive for the infection while two new fatalities pushed the death toll to 193, a senior health official said here on Wednesday. A 62-year-old woman from the Capital Complex region died at the Dedicated Covid Hospital (DCH) at Chimpu near here on Monday, while an 82-year-old woman from West Kameng district died on way to a health facility on Tuesday, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. Both the women died due to acute respiratory distress syndrome with Covid Pneumonia, he added.
The Capital Complex Region recorded the highest number of fresh cases at 101, followed by East Siang (63), Changlang (36), Lohit (27), Upper Subansiri and Papumpare with 24 each, West Kameng (23), Tawang (22) and Lower Subansiri (14). Thirteen cases each were also reported from Lower Dibang Valley and West Siang districts, eleven each from Anjaw and Namsai, ten from Tirap, eight from East Kameng, seven from Kamle, six from Leparada, five from Longding, four from Upper Siang, three from Kurung Kumey, two each from Lower Siang and Pakke Kessang and one each from Shi-Yomi and Kra Daadi district respectively, the official said.
Of the fresh cases, 384 were detected through rapid antigen test, 38 through RT-PCR and 9 by TrueNat method, the official said, adding that at least 221 people have symptoms of COVID-19. Arunachal Pradesh currently has 4,004 active COVID-19 cases, he said. The total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the state rose to 36,617 as 343 patients were cured of the disease on Tuesday, Jampa said. The COVID-19 recovery rate in the state now is 89.72 per cent while the active percentage stands at 9.81 and the positivity rate at 8.16 per cent, the official said.
The Capital Complex Region - comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas - has the highest number of active COVID-19 cases at 925, followed by West Kameng (410), East Siang (336), Lohit (290) and Papumpare (251). Altogether, 8,33,600 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state so far, including 5,277 on Tuesday, Jampa said. Meanwhile, State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung said that a total of 7,23,383 people have been administered COVID-19 vaccine doses so far in the state. He said that 6,03,563 people have received the first dose of the vaccine till Monday and 1,19,820 have received the second shot of the jab, the official said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | All on Singapore cruise ship confined to cabins after suspected COVID-19 case
A Genting Cruise Lines’ ship on a “cruise to nowhere” has returned to Singapore after a passenger was suspected of having contracted COVID-19 and the nearly 3,000 passengers and crew on board have been confined to their cabins. A 40-year-old passenger tested positive to a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test onboard and had been conveyed to hospital for further testing after the ship docked early on Wednesday, the Singapore Tourism Board said.
“The passenger was identified as a close contact of a confirmed case on land, and was immediately isolated as part of onboard health protocols,” the board said in a statement. The global cruise industry has taken a major hit from the coronavirus pandemic, with some of the earliest big outbreaks on cruise ships in Asian waters. Singapore, which has seen relatively few domestic COVID-19 cases, launched “round trips” on luxury liners in November, with no port of call during a few days of sailing.
Dream Cruises’ World Dream had 1,646 passengers and 1,249 crew members on board and all of them were required to remain in their staterooms with contactless meals sent to them, Dream Cruises, a part of Genting Cruise Lines, said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Kerala govt 'failed' to bring down COVID-19 cases despite restrictions: KPCC Prez
Blaming the Kerala government for its ''failure'' to bring down COVID-19 cases despite the restrictions, the Congress on Wednesday said a third wave of the virus is expected and the administration should take steps to reduce the infections before that happens. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran pointed out that Delhi and Tamil Nadu, where cases were very high, have managed to bring down the infection numbers without as many restrictions as there were in Kerala.
He said a third wave of COVID-19 is expected and the government should take steps to reduce the cases. The KPCC Chief alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and obtained permissions for various projects, but he did not discuss the issue of augmenting supply of vaccines to Kerala. He claimed that projects were not only important for development, but were also a source of revenue and hence, the CM was interested in discussing them. However, he (CM) was not interested in getting more vaccines for the people here, the Lok Sabha MP alleged.
On the issue of Kitex pulling its investment from the state, he said it was ''unfortunate'' and ''embarrassing'' for Kerala that this was happening and the state government should try to prevent it. Sudhakaran also claimed that the alleged failure of the state government to ensure safety and security of people was one of the reasons why Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was sitting on a fast to create social awareness against the practice of dowry and end atrocities against women.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India reports 38,792 new COVID-19 cases, 624 deaths
New Covid-19 cases went up by over 7,000 on Wednesday with 38,792 more people testing positive in the last 24 hours, said the Union health ministry. The number stood at 31,443 the day before. The cumulative caseload has reached 3,09,46,074. The daily fatalities, that had shot up due to backlog of Madhya Pradesh, saw a steep decline in the last 24 hours with 624 people succumbing to the disease. The death toll due to coronavirus in India now stands at 4,11,408.
Further, 41,000 more people were discharged across the country between Tuesday and Wednesday, taking the total number of recoveries to 3,01,04,720. As a result, the active cases have come down to 4,29,946, dipping by 2,832. Health officials have said that a further surge in cases was being noted in some states, like, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh. Similarly, there are some states, where cases have come down but are still being witnessed in the form of plateau.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Kolkata gears up for Durga Puja, all involved to be vaccinated in 3 months
The community Durga Puja committees in Kolkata will ensure that all those who are involved in the rituals and other related works are vaccinated in the next three months, an official said on Wednesday. The puja committees will also make certain that people visiting the pandals wear masks covering the nose and maintain social distancing, Forum for Durgotsab official Partha Ghosh told PTI.
"From our members and locals frequenting the pandals to artisans, priests, dhakis and electricians -- everyone will have to get COVID vaccines in the next three months," he said. "We expect everyone to get both doses but for dhakis (traditional drummers) coming from villages two-three days before the puja, we will ensure they get at least one dose," Ghosh added. Forum for Durgotsab, an umbrella organisation of 550 community Durga Pujas in Kolkata and neighbouring areas, also published guidelines to ensure that the festivities are held following COVID-safety protocols.
The pandals have to be built in such a way that devotees can see the idols from a distance and need not come near, as per the guidelines. "For ''pushpanjali'', offering of cut fruits won''t be allowed and physical distancing has to be maintained during the ritual," it said. The guidelines, which will be submitted to the government, were similar to the ones set by the Calcutta High Court last year as it banned the entry of people to the pandals.
The puja committees are hoping that like last year no big turnout is witnessed amid the threat of the third wave of the pandemic, said Ghosh, who is also a member of the Shibmandir Durga Puja committee in south Kolkata. "The challenge for every crowd-puller puja committee like ours will be how to strike a balance so that the pandals are built maintaining aesthetics while the idols can be seen from a distance," he said.
The Durga Puja committees in the city are also focussing on digital presence to ensure that people can view the artworks from home. "We will project the idol and the decorations in such a way on social media that people may not feel the urge to come to the pandal," said Soumen Dutta, the secretary of the award-winning Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja committee in north Kolkata.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Spread of COVID-19's Delta variant will substantially up cases, put pressure on healthcare: WHO
The increased transmissibility associated with the COVID-19’s Delta variant is likely to substantially increase cases and put a greater pressure on healthcare systems, particularly in the contexts of low vaccine coverage, the WHO has warned. In its COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update released on Tuesday, the World Health Organisation said that an overall rise in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant is reported across all WHO regions.
As of July 13, at least 111 countries, territories and areas have reported detection of the Delta variant, and this is expected to continue to increase, becoming the dominant variant globally in the coming months. “The increased transmissibility associated with the Delta variant is likely to result in substantial increases in case incidence and greater pressure on healthcare systems, particularly in contexts of low vaccine coverage,” it said.
Globally, cases of the Alpha variant have been reported in 178 countries, territories or areas, while 123 countries reported cases of the Beta variant, 75 countries reported cases of the Gamma variant. The update said that the Delta variant has shown higher transmissibility than other Variants of Concerns (VOCs) identified to date. “The increased transmissibility means that it is likely to become the dominant variant globally over the coming months,” the update said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra's Thane district sees 336 new COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths
With the addition of 336 more coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 5,38,471, an official said on Wednesday. These new cases were reported on Tuesday, he said. With ten more persons succumbing to the viral infection, the overall death toll in the Thane district rose to 10,864. The mortality rate is 2.01 per cent now, he added. The details of the recovered and under-treatment patients were not provided by district administration. The COVID-19 case count went up to 1,18,455 in neighboring Palghar district and the death toll is 2,640, the official added.
