Speaking during a press conference organised by the Health Ministry, on Tuesday, NITI Aayog Member V.K. Paul said that “while our vaccine candidates are progressing well there is no 100% guarantee that they will succeed”. India, then needs to remain strict about its containment and surveillance efforts, he said.
“We cannot afford to relax and lower our guard against COVID-19 as this can prove to be dangerous for India,” he warned.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here . A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
M.P. reports 976 new cases
Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday recorded 976 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 48,351. The number of active cases stands at 10,717.
Eighteen patients died of the illness on the day, taking the State-wide death toll to 1,159.As for recoveries, 762 patients were discharged from hospitals on the day. So far, 36, 475 persons have been cured of the illness, says the State Directorate of Health Services.
- Sidharth Yadav
Gujarat reports 1145 new cases
Gujarat recorded 1145 new infections and 17 deaths today, increasing its fatality numbers to 2839 while COVID-19 cases have jumped to 82087. Total active cases are 14418 while discharges stand at 64830.
- Mahesh Langa
Maharashtra reports highest single-day surge of 13,165 cases
Maharashtra reported its highest single-day case jump on Wednesday, with a huge surge of 13,165 new Covid-19 cases taking the total case tally to 6,28,642.
346 fatalities were reported today as the total death toll rose to 21,033. With 9,011 patients discharged today, the total recoveries thus far has reached 4,46,881.
Pune reported a huge spike of more than 2,700 fresh cases to take its total case tally to 1,37,601 while 86 deaths pushed its total death toll to 3,422. Mumbai reported just 931 new cases to take its total case tally to 1,31,542 of whom only 17,914 are active. 46 new fatalities saw the city's death toll climb to 7,268. Sangli reported 18 deaths while Solapur reported 15 fatalities.
- Shoumojit Banerjee
Dr. Reddy’s launches Favipiravir in India for COVID-19 treatment
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. On Wednesday announced the launch of Avigan (Favipiravir) 200 mg tablets in India.The launch is part of the global licensing agreement with Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. Ltd. that grants the Indian drug maker the exclusive rights to manufacture, sell and distribute the tablets in India, Chief Executive Officer of Branded Markets (India and Emerging Markets), Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, M.V. Ramana said.
- PTI
T.N. reports 5795 new cases
5795 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, taking the total to 3,55,449.
6384 were discharged today, taking the total recoveries to 2,96,171. There were 116 deaths, taking the death toll to 6123.
COVID-19 recoveries cross two million; case fatality rate declines to 1.91%
With a record 60,091 people recuperating from coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) infection in a day, the total recoveries on Wednesday crossed two million pushing the recovery rate to 73.64%, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate hit a new low of 1.91%, the Union Health Ministry said.
The recoveries have surged to 20,37,870 in the country, while there are 6,76,514 active cases of COVID-19, according to the data updated at 8 a.m.
- PTI
DDMA gives nod to opening of hotels, weekly markets in Delhi
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday gave approval for opening of hotels and weekly markets in the city, the Delhi government sources said.
The decision was taken in a meeting of DDMA which was also attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal through video conference.
— PTI
Sikkim reports third fatality due to Covid-19
Sikkim on Wednesday reported the third fatality due to Covid-19 when a 57 year-old man succumbed to the disease at STNM hospital here, an official said.
Director General (DG)-cum-secretary in the department of health, Pempa T Bhutia said that the victim, a native of Pelling was admitted to STNM hospital on August 14 for cellulitis in his right leg with multi-organ dysfunction syndrome.
— PTI
COVID effect: World Bank says may project steeper growth contraction for India
The World Bank on Wednesday indicated that it may further lower its growth projections for India and said critical reforms in key areas such as health, labour, land, skills and finance are needed to come out stronger from the COVID-19 crisis.
The World Bank had in May projected that the Indian economy will contract by 3.2% in FY 2020-21 (April 2020 to March 2021) and rebound slowly in the next financial year.
— PTI
Interactive Voice Response System planned for COVID-19 patients isolated at home in Puducherry
With more COVID-19 patients in home isolation than in health care centres, the Puducherry Health Department has decided to put in place more mechanisms, including an Interactive Voice Response System, to link paramedical staff and virus-affected people staying at home.
The number of patients isolated at home has exceeded the cases admitted at hospitals by around 80, a day ago. As on Wednesday, there are 1,621 COVID-19 in-patients and 1,700 at home under isolation.
— Rajesh B. Nair
’Surface structure of coronavirus decoded, findings may aid vaccine development’
Sugar-like molecules on the surface of the novel coronavirus create a “kind of protective coat” that hides it from the host’s neutralising antibodies, according to a study which may help develop new vaccines and therapeutics against COVID-19.
Using ultra-high resolution microscopy techniques, researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Germany, assessed the surface structure of the novel coronavirus and found that its entire spike protein (S), which enables it to enter host cells, is covered with chains of sugar-like molecules called glycans.
— PTI
Andhra Pradesh’s COVID-19 tally touches 3.16 lakh with 9,742 fresh cases
Maintaining the steep ascent, Andhra Pradesh’s COVID-19 tally touched 3.16 lakh on Wednesday as 9,742 more cases were added in the last 24 hours.
The coronavirus toll mounted to 2,906 as 86 fresh casualties were reported.
— PTI
6 lakh from Hyderabad may have been infected with COVID-19: study
About 6 lakh of Hyderabad’s population could have been infected with the COVID-19 virus including symptomatic, asymptomatic, and also recently recovered individuals in a time window of about 35 days.
This is according to a joint study taken up by CSIR institutions of Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) after harvesting the sewage samples to estimate the number of potentially infected individuals in the city.
— V. Geetanath
India tests over 8 lakh samples for COVID-19 on second consecutive day
Focusing on the “test, track and treat“ strategy, India has tested more than 8 lakh samples for COVID-19 for the second consecutive day in a row, taking the cumulative tests to 3,17,42,782 so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
With a strong resolve to rapidly increase the number of tests done per day to touch 10 lakh per day testing capacity, 8,01,518 samples were tested in a span of 24 hours on Tuesday.
— PTI
COVID-19 patient tries to escape from hospital in U.P.’s Moradabad, falls to death from third floor
A 28-year-old COVID-19 patient fell to her death from the third floor of a hospital here on Wednesday when she was allegedly trying to escape, police said.
The woman, a resident of Gaura village under Bilar police station area here, was undergoing treatment at Teerthankar University Hospital, they said.
— PTI
Uttar Pradesh: Total COVID deaths reach 2,638; active cases reducing since Aug 16
The number of deaths due to COVID-19 reached 2,638 in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday with the state’s case fatality rate (CFR) coming down to 1.57 per cent, a senior official said.
A total of 2,638 people have died in the state due to coronavirus infection, Additional Chief Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad said.
— PTI
New Zealand reports 5 new virus cases amid record testing
New Zealand appears to be gaining control over a coronavirus outbreak in Auckland after just five new community infections were reported Wednesday amid record levels of testing and contact tracing.
A sixth infection was found in a quarantined traveler who had returned from Qatar.
— PTI
Iran surpasses 20,000 confirmed deaths from coronavirus
Iran surpassed 20,000 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus on Wednesday, the health ministry said — the highest death toll for any Middle East country so far in the pandemic.
The announcement came as the Islamic Republic, which has been struggling with both the region’s largest outbreak and the highest number of fatalities, went ahead with university entrance exams for over 1 million students. Iran is also preparing for mass Shiite commemorations later this month.
— AP
U.K.’s Heathrow Airport unveils new COVID-19 test plan to cut quarantine times
The UK’s Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest hub airports, on Wednesday unveiled a new coronavirus testing facility which it hopes will help cut down the compulsory 14-day quarantine period currently required for travellers into the UK from most countries.
Under the new plans, passengers arriving into Heathrow in south-west London will be able to book coronavirus swab tests and have results sent to them within seven hours. Travellers can do a second test at home a few days later and then leave quarantine early if they pass both checks.
— PTI
Australia enters deal with AstraZenec for COVID-19 vaccine
Australia has announced a deal to manufacture a potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZenec.
Under the deal, every single Australian will be able to receive the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for free, should trials prove successful, safe and effective, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement Wednesday.
— PTI
Asian Games medallist Sucha recovers from COVID-19 after nightmarish experience during treatment
Asian Games medallist runner Sucha Singh has recovered from COVID-19 but not before a nightmarish experience while undergoing treatment.
Giving an account of his ordeal, Singh said it was “disrespectful” that an athlete, who has won laurels for the country, had to endure so much at this stage of life since he had to run from pillar-to-post to even get the test done.
— PTI
Maharashtra: Shops on either sides of road open in Kalyan, Dombivli
Shops on either sides of the road in Kalyan and Dombivali towns here in Maharashtra opened on Wednesday after the local civic body allowed commercial establishments, barring malls, gymnasiums and swimming pools, to operate on all days outside COVID-19 hotspots.
The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) also extended the timings for shops to remain open.
— PTI
MSRTC allowed to resume inter-district bus service
The Maharashtra government has allowed resumption of inter-district bus services of the state transport corporation, a senior official said on Wednesday.
After the lockdown was enforced in the state following the outbreak of COVID-19 in March, inter-district bus operations of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) were suspended.
— PTI
Rajasthan Governor voices concern over rising COVID-19 cases in State
Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday voiced concern over the growing COVID-19 cases in the State, and asked Health Minister Raghu Sharma to chalk out a new strategy to contain the spead of the disease.
Mishra discussed the steps being taken to prevent the pandemic spread in the state with Sharma, a statement from Raj Bhawan said.
— PTI
U.S. hands over second shipment of 100 ventilators to India in COVID-19 assistance
The U.S. on Wednesday handed over to India 100 ventilators, as part of President Donald Trump’s offer of assistance to New Delhi in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ventilators are manufactured in the U.S. and are compact, easy to deploy and provide India with flexibility in treating patients affected by the virus, the U.S. embassy said in a statement.
— PTI
Kerala's Champakkara market to be opened with restrictions
The Champakkara market in Ernakulam which was shut down 40 days back in the wake of a rise in COVID-19 infections in the city is set to be opened subjected to restrictions shortly. Initially, the market will be accessible to wholesale dealers alone and retail trade for the public would be allowed only in due course after evaluating the situation.
— Staff Reporter
Coronavirus: Rich can’t get priority for vaccine; poor need help, says Pope
Pope Francis on Wednesday warned against any prospect that rich people would get priority for a coronavirus vaccine.
“The pandemic is a crisis. You don’t come out of it the same — either better or worse,” Francis said, adding improvised remarks to his planned speech for his weekly public audience.
— PTI
Former MLA of Karnataka's Chamarajanagar dies after undergoing treatment for COVID-19
Former MLA of Chamarajanagar Assembly constituency C Guruswamy, undergoing treatment for coronavirus, died of a heart attack at a hospital in Mysuru on Wednesday, Health Department said.
Guruswamy (68) was admitted to the private hospital on August 5 after testing positive for COVID-19, the officials of the department said.
— PTI
3-day Monsoon Session of U.P. Assembly begins Thursday
The three-day Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly will commence on Thursday, with authorities making special seating arrangements following COVID-19 protocols and setting up testing centres near residences of MLAs for easy collection of swab samples.
Assembly Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit has said all members will undergo COVID-19 test in a day and there will also be thermal screening facility outside the House.
— PTI
Maharashtra: Shops on either sides of road open in Kalyan, Dombivli
Shops on either sides of the road in Kalyan and Dombivali towns here in Maharashtra opened on Wednesday after the local civic body allowed commercial establishments, barring malls, gymnasiums and swimming pools, to operate on all days outside COVID-19 hotspots.
The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) also extended the timings for shops to remain open.
— PTI
17 BSF personnel among 49 fresh COVID-19 cases in Meghalaya
Forty-nine more people, including 17 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya, taking the northeastern state’s tally to 1,506 on Wednesday, a health official said.
Forty-seven fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in East Khasi Hills district and two in North Garo Hills district, Health Services Director Aman War said.
— PTI
236 new cases push Tripura’s COVID-19 tally to 7,663; toll mounts to 65
Tripura’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 7,663 on Wednesday as 236 people tested positive for the infection, while three more fatalities pushed its coronavirus death toll to 65, a health official said.
Three COVID-19 patients, all hailing from West Tripura district, died due to cardiac arrest at the Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) on Tuesday, he said.
— PTI
Pakistan reports 613 new COVID-19 cases
Pakistan reported 613 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the country’s COVID-19 tally to 2,90,445.
Apart from the new cases, 11 people died due to coronavirus-related complications in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of National Health Services said. Now, the virus death toll stands at 6,201.
— PTI
Singapore reports 93 new cases of coronavirus: Ministry
Singapore has reported 93 new cases of the coronavirus, majority of them foreign workers, taking the total number of infections in the country to 56,031, the health ministry said on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Health said of the total number of infections six of them were imported cases and they have been placed under stay home notices upon their arrival in Singapore.
— PTI
Dr. Reddy’s launches Avigan (Favipiravir) in India for COVID-19
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd On Wednesday announced the launch of Avigan (Favipiravir) 200 mg tablets in India.
The launch is part of the global licensing agreement with Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. Ltd. that grants the Indian drug maker the exclusive rights to manufacture, sell and distribute the tablets in India, Chief Executive Officer of Branded Markets (India and Emerging Markets), Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, M.V. Ramana said.
— PTI
COVID-19: Telangana reports 1,763 new cases, 8 more deaths
Telangana continued to witness an upward trend of coronavirus cases with 1,763 fresh additions, pushing the state’s tally of positive cases to 95,700.
With eight more fatalities the toll rose to 719, a state government bulletin said on Wednesday, providing data as of 8 PM on August 18.
— PTI
Senate Republicans preparing $500 billion virus relief proposal
Senate Republican leaders are preparing a slimmed-down virus relief package of roughly $500 billion that will include extended payments for unemployed people and smaller businesses, a GOP senator has said.
The package will also include $10 billion for the embattled Postal Service, said one top GOP aide on Tuesday. The agency has become the focus of a campaign-season battle over whether it will have enough resources to handle an expected flood of mail-in ballots for this November’s presidential and congressional elections.
— AP
Scientists decode immune system changes in children with rare COVID-19 related syndrome
Scientists have uncovered how the immune system is altered in a rare COVID-19 related illness in children which can cause severe inflammation and heart damage, findings that may lead to better treatment for some of the youngest patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
According to the researchers, including those from King’s College London in the UK, the rare disease, referred to as paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS-TS), has emerged in a small number of children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
— PTI
Odisha’s COVID-19 tally rises to 67,122; toll mounts to 372
As many as 2,589 new cases pushed Odisha’s COVID-19 tally to 67,122 on Wednesday, while its death toll mounted to 372 as 10 more patients succumbed to the infection, a health official said.
A total of 1,574 new infections were detected in quarantine centres, while 1,015 people tested positive for the coronavirus during contact tracing, he said.
— PTI
COVID-19: 10 fresh fatalities reported in Rajasthan
Rajasthan recorded 10 more fatalities due to COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the state’s death toll to 908, while 699 fresh cases pushed its tally to 64,676, a health department official said.
Of the latest fatalities, three each were reported from Jaipur, two from Nagaur and one each from Ajmer, Bikaner, Ganganagar, Kota and Udaipur, the official said.
— PTI
COVID-19 recoveries cross 2 million; case fatality rate declines to 1.91%
With a record 60,091 people recuperating from coronavirus infection in a day, the total recoveries on Wednesday crossed 2 million pushing the recovery rate to 73.64%, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate hit a new low of 1.91 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said.
The recoveries have surged to 20,37,870 in the country, while there are 6,76,514 active cases of COVID-19, according to the data updated at 8 a.m.
— PTI
Hong Kong bars Air India flights till August-end after passengers test positive for COVID-19
Hong Kong has banned Air India flights till the end of August after some passengers on one of its flights tested positive for COVID-19 post arrival, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
Healthcare infrastructure in smaller towns, villages inadequate to handle COVID-19: Survey
A man wearing face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus walks at an ancient temple of Hindu goddess Kali in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020.
Most Indians don’t believe that India’s tier three, tier four cities, small towns and villages have the health infrastructure to fight COVID-19.
A survey said, 58% of the citizens believe the smaller towns and rural areas are underprepared to handle the fast-spreading virus cases. Only 5% believed they were prepared while 25% said they were somewhat prepared. Some 31% said they were quite unprepared while 27% said they were extremely unprepared.
Union minister Balyan goes into self-quarantine after meeting coronavirus-infected UP minister
Union minister Sanjeev Balyan has gone into self-quarantine after he came in contact with Uttar Pradesh minister Atul Garg who tested positive for COVID-19, his aide said on Wednesday.
According to the aide of Mr. Balyan, the Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries went into self-quarantine in Delhi after he came to know about Garg’s infection on Tuesday.
- PTI
Strict regulations to be in place for Onam season
Strict regulations will be enforced in Kochi to check the spread of COVID-19 during this Onam season.
A district-level COVID review meeting chaired by Collector S. Suhas on Tuesday took a decision in this regard. The meeting also decided to close down the Kothamangalam market on account of increase in the spread of the disease. More tests will be conducted in the area.
‘COVID-19 spreading due to forcible discharge of patients’
A flower vendor waits for customers the pavement as a wall painting suggesting protective measures against Covid-19 in Vijayawada on August 18, 2020
Patients being forcibly discharged from COVID-19 Hospitals and COVID Care Centres after 10 days in order to make way for new admissions, regardless of their health condition, is being cited as one of the major reasons behind the spike in coronavirus cases in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts.
‘Hefty fine if hospitals found overcharging’
Officials seen interacting with public at Chandni Chowk area in New Delhi on August 18, 2020 .
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday directed all district collectors to take strict action against those hospitals that were covered under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY), yet continued to overcharge COVID-19 patients.
In a letter to all district collectors, Dr Sudhakar Shinde, CEO of MJPJAY, asked the officials to impose a fine five times the amount of bills that was charged to patients.
COVID-19 hits war room operations
The novel coronavirus has struck at the nerve-centre of COVID-19 operations in Puducherry with positive cases being reported at the war rooms of both the health and police departments.
Return of migrants led to spike in Prakasam, says Collector
Taking all precautions, a citizen wears a mask as he passes by a wall painting suggesting protective measures against Covid-19 in Vijayawada on July 29, 2020
Attributing the spike in positive cases to migrants returning to their native places, Prakasam District Collector P.Bhaskar on Tuesday said the district had zero cases for three days when all those who returned from New Delhi after attending a religious congregation recovered. Stating that there was no scarcity of funds, he said oxygen facility would be provided to all the beds in the Government General Hospital.
Lockdown may return to Guwahati if situation worsens
Guwahati and some other parts of Assam may see a reimposition of the lockdown if the COVID-19 situation spirals out of control, said State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
His warning came hours after a four-day lockdown was imposed in Mizoram capital Aizawl from Monday night after a spike in cases.
