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.
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:
PNB donates ₹64 lakh to Maha CM relief fund
State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Thursday donated Rs 64 lakh towards Maharshtra CM COVID-19 Relief Fund as part of its effort to help fight against COVID-19 crisis.
The cheque was handed over by the bank’s senior official to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The chief minister appreciated the gesture of the bank, PNB said in a statement.
As part of the commitment to widen its social inclusion of COVID-19 prevention activities, the bank has joined hands with Humsafar Trust, India’s first community-based organisation (CBO), and will distribute face masks and sanitisers to the LGBT members across the nation, it said. - PTI
After hotels and monuments, banquet halls to be opened soon at half capacity: Tourism Minister
After hotels and monuments, banquet halls will soon be opened at half capacity, Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said on Thursday, assuring the hospitality industry of his support to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a webinar organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the minister said the tourism sector has faced severe challenges due to the pandemic.
However, this pandemic has also opened new opportunities for development and getting all stakeholders together to fight against this situation, Patel said.
We have been able to give some help to the industry in the best way possible. We have been able to open all the monuments, hotels and soon we will be able to open the banquet halls in half capacity. We have been able to revive air travel to a certain extent and we will continue to increase it, he said. - PTI
29% people in sero survey have developed anti-bodies; doubling rate in Delhi over 100 days
The doubling rate of coronavirus infection in the national capital has gone up to over 100 days, the Delhi government said on Thursday as it revealed that 29.1% people who took part in the latest sero-prevalence survey have anti-bodies against COVID-19.
The national capital recorded 1,215 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 1.57 lakh, while the death toll from the disease mounted to 4,257, a health bulletin issued by the Delhi government said.
Twenty-two fatalities have been recorded in the last 24 hours, the health bulletin said. This is the highest number of deaths since August 7, when the city recorded 23 fatalities, according to the data.
On the sero-survey, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said 15,000 representative samples were taken in the August 1-7 survey from 11 districts, and the next exercise will begin from September 1.
“In the previous survey, it was found that over 22% people had developed antibodies. Now, the August survey shows it is 29.1%, meaning they had got infected and recovered,” Mr. Jain said. - PTI
Gujarat adds record 1,175 new COVID-19 cases; 1,123 recover
With the highest single-day spike of 1,175 coronavirus cases, Gujarat’s tally rose to 83,262 on Thursday, while 16 more patients succumbed to the infection, the state health department said.
With 1,175 new cases emerging in the last 24 hours, the highest so far, the total number of cases in the state rose to 83,262, said a release by the Health Department.
Sixteen persons with the COVID-19 infection died across the state during the same period, taking the toll to 2,855, said the statement. - PTI
Russia looking for partnership with India for producing COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V: RDIF CEO
Russia is looking for a partnership with India for producing COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said on Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced that his country has developed the world’s first vaccine against COVID-19, which works “quite effectively” and forms a “stable immunity” against the disease.
Sputnik V has been developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, along with the RDIF. The vaccine has not been tested in Phase 3 or larger clinical trials.
Addressing an online press briefing, Dmitriev said several nations are interested in the production of the vaccine from countries in Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
“The production of the vaccine is a very important issue. Currently, we are looking for a partnership with India. We believe that they are capable of producing the Gamaleya vaccine and it is very important to say that those partnerships to produce the vaccine will enable us to cover the demand that we have,” he said. - PTI
Karnataka to conduct state-level COVID-19 prevalence survey
Karnataka government on Thursday said it will conduct a survey to estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 across the state and the proportion of people who have developed immunity.
The survey, which will involve adults over the age of 18, will cover 38 units, including all districts of Karnataka and eight zones of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the state health department said in a release here.
The state’s COVID-19 tally stood at 2,56,975 while the death toll is 4,429 as of Thursday.
A training programme for this purpose was inaugurated on Thursday by Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey.
District Surveillance Officers, District Tuberculosis Officers, Epidemiologists, and personnel of Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres under NACO (National Aids Control Organisation) are covered under the training.
The survey data is expected to guide further state interventions for COVID-19 management, the release said. - PTI
Tamil Nadu comes together, prays for SPB’s recovery; singer still critical
From celebrities to general public, Tamil Nadu came together and prayed on Thursday for the early recovery of veteran playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam, who continued to be critical and is on life support battling COVID-19 at a city hospital.
In an emotional show of solidarity, stars of the Tamil film industry such as veteran director Bharathirajaa, music composers Ilayaraja, A R Rahman, lyricist Vairamuthu and actors, including, Rajinikanth, joined the mass prayer at 6 pm while many sung his popular hits.
MGM Healthcare, where 74-year old Balasubrahmanyam is being treated, said he “continues to be critical on ventilator and ECMO support in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.
“Our multi-disciplinary team of clinicians have been actively collaborating with national and international experts and continue to closely monitor his vital parameters,” Assistant Director (Medical Services) of the hospital Dr Anuradha Baskaran said. - PTI
Gargled water samples may be viable alternative to swabs for detection of COVID-19: Study
Gargled water samples may be viable alternative to swabs for detection of COVID-19, enabling easy self-collection and removing the need for trained healthcare workers for sample collection, according to a study published in the ICMR’s Indian Journal of Medical Research.
Adoption of gargle lavage for sample collection will have a significant impact as it also leads to substantial cost savings by reducing the need for swabs and personal protective equipment, the study highlighted.
The authors of the study “Gargle lavage as a viable alternative to swab for detection of SARS-CoV-2” include Dr Naveet Wig, Dr Manish Soneja, Dr Neeraj Nischal and Dr Ankit Mittal from the department of Medicine at AIIMS, Dr Anjan Trikha and Dr Kapil Dev Soni from the department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine at AIIMS among others.
“Swab collection has several drawbacks also as it requires training, exposes the healthcare workers to the virus containing aerosols, has poor patient acceptability and is resource intensive.
“An alternative sample collection method that could overcome most of these limitations without compromising the yield of the test is the need of the hour,” the study underlined. - PTI
West Bengal’s COVID-19 tally jumps to 1,29,119 with 3,197 fresh cases
West Bengal’s COVID-19 caseload mounted to 1,29,119 on Thursday with the highest single-day spike of 3,197 infections, the state’s health department said.
The death toll in the state rose to 2,634 after 53 people succumbed to the virus since Wednesday, it said.
A total of 3,126 patients recovered from the disease during the period, bettering the discharge rate to 76.51 per cent, the department said in a bulletin. - PTI
After meeting with Shekhawat, Khattar tests negative for COVID-19; goes into home quarantine
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday, days after he attended a meeting with Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who has been found infected with the contagious disease.
However, Khattar decided to go into home quarantine for the next three days as a precautionary measure.
The chief minister underwent the coronavirus test on Wednesday, a senior official told PTI.
Khattar had attended a meeting on the Sutlej Yamuna Link with Shekhawat on Tuesday. In a tweet earlier on Thursday, the Union minister said he has tested positive for COVID-19.
“Dear friends, during the past few days, I have come in contact with many people who were found to have symptoms of corona.
“Though I underwent a COVID-19 test that came negative, I have decided to go into home quarantine for three days as a precautionary measure,” Khattar said in a tweet in Hindi. - PTI
Punjab to raise daily COVID testing capacity to 30,000
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday issued directions for increasing coronavirus testing capacity in the state to 30,000 per day, a statement said.
Presently, the state’s COVID-19 testing capacity is 20,000 tests per day, it said.
The CM gave the directions while reviewing the coronavirus situation in the state with the top health and medical experts and officials through a video conference meeting, the government’s statement said.
During the meeting, Singh also directed the health department to supply ventilators free of cost to medical colleges and private hospitals.
The Chief Minister asked the department to provide more manpower, specially anesthetists, to those hospitals which had witnessed an increase in coronavirus patients. - PTI
Maharashtra records highest one-day count of 14,492 cases
Maharashtra reported its highest single-day spike of 14,492 coronavirus cases on Thursday, which pushed its overall count to 6,43,289, the state health department said.
The death of 326 patients increased the toll to 21,359, it said.
A total of 12,243 patients were discharged on Thursday following their recovery, the department said in a statement.
With this, 4,59,124 COVID-19 patients have been discharged so far, it added. - PTI
WHO lauds Gujarat’s efforts to contain coronavirus
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has lauded various steps taken by authorities in Gujarat to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state, said a top government official on Thursday.
The WHO organised a webinar on Thursday to know more about Gujarat’s COVID-19 response and best practices put in place to contain the virus, said Principal Secretary, Health, Jayanti Ravi.
Around 20 WHO experts from India and Geneva office of the world body took part in the online session where Gujarat government officials gave a detailed presentation about various measure taken to fight the pandemic, Mr. Ravi told reporters in Gandhinagar.
“The WHO appreciated the efforts we all put in to contain the spread of the virus in the state. WHO experts lauded the role played by people, political leadership, officials and private as well as public health practitioners,” said Mr. Ravi.
Portable and deployable hospitals for COVID-19 management in Thiruvananthapuram
Amid the surge in the coronavirus cases, the Thiruvananthapuram-based Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology and Modulus Housing, a startup incubated at IIT Madras, have jointly developed a technology for setting up portable and deployable hospitals for COVID-19 management.
This is claimed to be a first such initiative in the country.
As a pilot project, a 16-bedded hospital has been set up at Varadoor in the remote Wayanad district of Kerala and a30-bed unit at Chennai’s Sugah hospital.
A 100-bedfacilitywill soon come up in Karnataka, N N Subhash, Scientist Engineer of the BiomedicalEngineering wing of the SCTIMST, told PTI.
“The model is a collapsible cabin which when folded can be transported easily.A hospital of 1600 square feet can be folded and transported in just one trailer,” he said.
SCTIMST, an institution of National importance under the Department of Science and Technology, and Modulus, signed an MOU for developing the four zone deployable field hospital structures which can be assembled in a few hours by four people.
The engineers of the biomedical technology wing of Sree Chitra came up with the deployable four zone strategy and design requirements of emergency hospital field units for COVID-19 management. - PTI
Allow Ramlila performances with social distancing: Delhi BJP to L-G
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta wrote a letter to Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday seeking permission for Ramlila performances in the city ahead of the Dussehra festival in October.
In his letter to the L-G, Mr. Gupta said permission should be granted for staging of Ramlila while ensuring social distancing.
He said Ramlila performances, being held for many years on land belonging to government agencies like DDA and MCD, should be allowed and booking for the shows should be started.
“I request you to issue orders to the concerned departments to start bookings for the event of Ramlila and Dussehra,” Mr. Gupta said in his letter.
He also requested the Lt Governor to issue guidelines regarding social distancing according to the availability of land for Ramlila shows, and instruction to the Delhi Police to allow the religious events.
The Delhi BJP president said the organisers of the Ramlilas in Delhi have suggested that the performances could be held with proper social distancing in view of the coronavirus pandemic. - PTI
Brinton Pharmaceuticals gets DCGI nod to launch Favipiravir 400 mg tablets
Brinton Pharmaceuticals on Thursday said it has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India to launch Favipiravir 400 mg tablets under the brand name Faviton for Rs 79 per tablet.
The tablets are indicated for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms, Brinton Pharmaceuticals said in a statement.
Under the current treatment regimen with Favipiravir 200 mg tablets, patients have to take 18 tablets on day one, and followed by 8 tablets for next 10-14 days, it added.
With the launch of Faviton 400 mg, the number of tablets to be consumed have reduced to half, the statement said. - PTI
With surge in COVID cases, Punjab imposes daily night curfew from tomorrow
Amid rising coronavirus cases, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday ordered a series of emergency measures, including extension of weekend lockdown, with daily night curfew from 7 pm to 5 am in all 167 cities and towns in the state from August 21.
Besides, the CM also ordered a total ban on all gatherings except weddings and funerals across the state till August 31. - PTI
Antibodies found in 27.7% of people in Punjab’s containment zones
Antibodies against the COVID-19 infection have been found in 27.7 per cent of people in Punjab’s containment zones, according to the findings of a sero-survey.
This was Punjab’s first exclusive survey and was conducted in five containment zones from August 1 to 17 among a systematically selected random sample population of 1,250 people.
There were earlier surveys, but they were more generalised and conducted by the state government in coordination with the Indian Council of Medical Research, according to a government statement issued here.
The latest survey’s findings were submitted to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at a COVID review meeting on Thursday.
“A total of 27.7 per cent of the people in Punjab’s containment zones are found to be positive for COVID antibodies, indicating that they have already been infected and have recovered from the coronavirus, as per the sero-survey’s findings. - PTI
Nepal registers 707 new coronavirus cases
Nepal on Thursday recorded 707 new coronavirus cases, taking the country’s COVID-19 tally close to 30,000, a senior health ministry official said.
During tests conducted through Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) in the last 24 hours, 707 people were found COVID-19 positive, Dr. Jageshwar Gautam, spokesperson of the ministry, said in the daily press briefing. Nepal has so far recorded 29,645 COVID-019 cases.
— PTI
234 COVID-19 patients cured with Siddha medicine: Minister
A total of 234 COVID-19 patients in the district have been cured with the use of Siddha medicine, Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani said on Thursday.
The government has opened a special ward here for Siddha system at the Codissia Centre, where 317 patients were admitted in the last one month, Velumani said after a review meeting on the coronavirus situation.
— PTI
Scientists develop prototype coronavirus breathalyser test
Scientists have developed a prototype device that non-invasively detects the novel coronavirus in the exhaled breath of COVID-19 patients, an invention if validated with further studies, may lead to a reduction in the number of unneeded confirmatory tests, and lower the burden on the hospitals.
According to the researchers, including those from the University of Science and Technology of China, current COVID-19 testing is a time-consuming laboratory procedure in addition to being uncomfortable.
— PTI
Bihar imposes rate caps on private hospitals treating coronavirus patients
Bihar imposes rate caps on private hospitals treating coronavirus patients. Different rates have been stipulated and notified as per area — category A applicable to Patna, category B to Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Purnia and Darbhanga and category C applies to other parts.
Kerala’s shrimp production hit by COVID-19, farmers incur loss of ₹308 crore: CIBA
Hit by COVID-19 pandemic, Kerala’s shrimp farmers have suffered losses to the tune of Rs 308 cr, the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) said.
A survey by CIBA to study the impact of COVID-19 induced lockdown on shrimp aquaculture, found that the unprecedented circumstances following the pandemic led to significant reduction of shrimp production in the state up to 500 tonnes, leaving thousands jobless.
— PTI
No proof of COVID-19 relapse in recovered patients: Experts
Doctors and clinical investigators involved in treating coronavirus infection have claimed that there was no evidence of the disease recurring in people who have recovered from it.
However, Dr Giridhar Babu, who is part of ICMR’s research task force on Epidemiology and Surveillance, said it is difficult to say confidently where or not there is relapse in recovered patients as some signs post-recovery can be confused with COVID-19 symptoms.
— PTI
U.N.: Discussions with Russia on COVID-19 vaccine under way
The World Health Organization’s Europe office said it has begun discussions with Russia to try to obtain more information about the experimental COVID-19 vaccine the country recently approved.
Last week, Russia became the first country in the world to license a coronavirus vaccine when President Vladimir Putin announced its approval.
— PTI
AIADMK MLA B. Arumugam tests positive for COVID-19
B. Arumugam, AIADMK MLA representing Gandharvakottai constituency in Pudukottai district, has tested positive for COVID-19.
The MLA came to the Pudukottai Government Medical College Hospital complaining of fever on Wednesday, following which a test was done. Hospital authorities said the report came on Thursday morning, confirming that Mr. Arumugam has been infected by the novel coronavirus. His son has also tested positive for the viral infection.
— Special Correspondent
Australia govt faces public backlash over virus restrictions
Australia’s coronavirus hot spot of Victoria state has backed down in the face of a public backlash against a decree that barred residents of Melbourne from taking a short drive to get to an exercise place.
The Victoria government said late Wednesday that residents of Australia’s second-largest city can now drive up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) from their homes to exercise.
— PTI
Mizoram govt violating MHA directions by denying entry to security personnel: Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles has accused the Mizoram government of violating the directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) by allegedly restricting the .“operational movement” of the paramilitary force in the state, a statement said.
The allegation came days after a section of media reported that 15 personnel of the Assam Rifles forced their way through a check gate at Vairengte on the Mizoram-Assam border by allegedly refusing to comply with the entry and screening protocol in place to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
— PTI
Kiran Bedi wants experts from Centre to oversee COVID-19 management in Puducherry
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi on Thursday requested the Centre to depute an expert team to oversee the management of COVID-19 in the Union Territory.
“The management of the pandemic situation in Union Territory requires expertise of the Centre. I appeal to the Central government to urgently depute an inspection team to review the management, includingcomprehensive and optimum use of existing resources, as people are suffering,” she said.
— PTI
0.28% of India's active coronavirus cases on ventilator support: Health Ministry
Recoveries among COVID-19 patients in the country surged to 20,96,664 on Thursday, pushing India’s recovery rate to 73.91%, while only 0.28% people of 6,86,395 active cases are on ventilator support, the Union health ministry said.
Of the active cases of coronavirus infection, 1.92% are in ICU and 2.62% on oxygen support. The country’s case fatality rate has further declined to 1.90%, it said.
— PTI
190 fresh COVID-19 cases push Tripura’s tally to 7,853
As many as 190 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura, taking the northeastern state’s tally to 7,853 on Thursday, a health official said.
The fresh infections have pushed the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state to 2,205, while 5,565 people have recovered from the disease so far, and 18 patients have migrated to other states, the official said.
— PTI
Pranab Mukherjee’s respiratory parameters show slight improvement: Hospital
Respiratory parameters of former president Pranab Mukherjee have shown a slight improvement, though he continues to be on ventilator support, the hospital said on Thursday.
Mr. Mukherjee, who was admitted to the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital on August 10, developed a lung infection on Wednesday.
— PTI
Revised guidelines for containment and buffer zones in Karnataka
The Karnataka government has revised the guidelines for containment and buffer zones in view of there being "too many containment zones" with a large number of cases being reported from houses and apartments located close to each other.
The revised circular has said that the large number of containment zones has made it difficult for authorities to conduct surveillance activities and ensure perimeter control, prompting the need for denotification of containment and buffer zones.
— Special Correspondent
Observe Muharram in simple manner: Maharashtra govt
The Maharashtra government has issued a circular saying Muharram should be observed in a simple manner and that processions will not be allowed in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
Muharram is observed by Muslims with abstinence and prayers to mourn the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain in the battle of Karbala in the seventh century. It marks the first and one of the sacred months of the Islamic calendar.
— PTI
Coronavirus | West Bengal has over 2300 containment zones
West Bengal has over 2300 containment zones even as recovery percentage of COVID-19 patients in the state is better than the national rate, acoording to government said.
The highest number of containment zones are in Nadia district followed by East Burdwan and North Dinajpur districts, as per the state government’s website ‘Egiye Bangla’
— PTI
COVID-19: Rajasthan reports 690 fresh infections, 5 deaths
Rajasthan reported 690 fresh COVID-19 infections and five deaths due to the disease on Thursday, taking the caseload to 65,979 and the number of fatalities to 915, according to an official report.
Three deaths were reported from Jaipur and one each from Ajmer and Bikaner.
— PTI
Man caught by Gujarat ATS tests COVID-19 positive
The 23-year-old man, who was caught by the Gujarat ATS following a tip-off that he was sent by gangster Chhota Shakeel to kill BJP leaders, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, an official said.
He has been shifted to a city-based hospital for treatment and will be formally arrested only after he recovers and is given discharge, a senior official of the Anti- Terrorist Squad (ATS) said.
— PTI
Another BJD MLA tests positive for COVID-19 in Odisha
Another ruling Biju Janata Dal MLA has tested positive for COVID-19, taking the number of lawmakers infected by the virus to eight in Odisha.
Bhubaneswar (Central) MLA Ananta Narayan Jena on Thursday announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is on home quarantine.
— PTI
Boris Thangjam, international footballer, tests COVID-19 positive
International footballer, Boris Thangjam, was found on Thursday to be COVID-19 positive. The test report was delivered at his home on Thursday morning. He hails from Polem Leikai in Imphal's west district.
Boris had participated in some international football tournaments. He was in the under 17 Indian team for the international event hosted by India in 2017.
— Iboyaima Laithangbam
Egypt to soon allow worshipers at Friday prayers
The Egyptian government has announced that worshipers will soon be able to attend mosque for Friday prayers now that the daily tally of confirmed new virus cases is plateauing at below 200.
Egypt’s Minister of Religious Endowment Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said that weekly congregational prayers may be held starting August 28.
— PTI
Two South Africa players test positive for COVID-19
Two players of the South African men’s cricket team have tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss a specially-arranged culture camp, the country’s cricket board said on Thursday.
Cricket South Africa (CSA), though, did not disclose the names of the two players, according to ESPNCricinfo
— PTI
Pakistan reports 513 new cases of coronavirus: Ministry
Pakistan has reported 513 new cases of coronavirus, taking the toll tally of infections in the country to 290,958, the health ministry said on Thursday.
The Ministry of National Health Services also said the death toll in the country due to coronavirus reached 6,209 after eight patients died due to the infections in the last 24 hours.
— PTI
Encourage teleconsultations, eye care facilities in containment zones to remain closed
To minimise the spread of COVID-19 in eye care facilities, the Health Ministry has issued guidelines that encourage teleconsultations and following an appointment system for those needing investigations and procedures.
The Ministry also said that eye care facilities in containment zones shall remain closed.
— PTI
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat tests positive for COVID-19
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. File
Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendar Singh Shekhawat on Thursday joined a growing list of ministers who have tested positive for COVID19 amid the ongoing pandemic. Mr Shekhawat gave news of his contracting the Coronavirus himself over twitter, stating: “On getting some symptoms, I got the corona test done and my report came back positive. I am hospitalised on the advise of doctors. I request that those who came in contact with me in the last few days isolate themselves and get themselves examined. May all of you be health and take care of yourself.” - Nistula Hebbar
One held for selling used medical gloves in Navi Mumbai
The Navi Mumbai police have arrested a man for allegedly cleaning and selling used medical gloves collected from hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, the police on Monday evening conducted a raid in Pawne MIDC, where they found that used gloves collected from hospitals were being washed, dried and packaged to be sold in the market, the official said.
— PTI
49 security personnel among 63 fresh COVID-19 cases in Meghalaya
Sixty-three more people, including 49 security personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya, taking the northeastern state’s tally to 1,598, a health official said on Thursday.
Fifty fresh infections were reported in East Khasi Hills district, seven in West Garo Hills, five in Ri-Bhoi and one in East Garo Hills, Health Services Director Aman War said.
— PTI
Ambassador Sandhu urges students not to panic as COVID-19 pandemic is temporary
India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has given a pep talk to Indian students here and urged them not to panic over the “uncertainties” surrounding their academic sessions, saying the COVID-19 pandemic is temporary.
Speaking to over 50 Indian students in a virtual interaction, Sandhu said such unprecedented situations should instead inspire them to work harder and contribute towards a self-reliant modern, prosperous and happy India.
— PTI
75 fresh COVID-19 cases in Andamans push its tally to 2,604
Seventy-five more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, taking its tally to 2,604, a health official said on Thursday.
All the new cases were detected during contact tracing, he said.
The fresh infections have pushed the total number of active cases in the Union territory to 1,045, the official said.
— PTI
India conducts more than 9 lakh tests in single day; recovery rate improves to 73.91%
According to ICMR, Delhi — India achieved a record number of 9,18,470 COVID-19 tests in a single day on August 19. The positivity rate has also declined below 8%. "National Recovery Rate is now 73.91% as the number of patients cured so far is 20,96,664 The total number of active cases in the country is 6,86,395," tweeted Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan .
MSRTC resumes inter-district bus services after five months
Inter-district bus services of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) resumed on Thursday morning after a gap of almost five months, officials said.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday permitted the state-owned undertaking to re-start inter-district bus operations, which were stopped in March after the enforcement of lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.
— PTI
Odisha’s COVID-19 tally rises to 70,020; toll mounts to 380
Odisha’s COVID-19 caseload crossed the 70,000-mark on Thursday as 2,898 more people tested positive for the infection, while eight fresh fatalities pushed its coronavirus death toll to 380, a health official said.
The fresh infections reported from all the 30 districts have taken the state’s COVID-19 tally to 70,020, he said.
— PTI
Record single day high 554 fresh COVID-19 cases pushes tally in Pondy past the 9,000 mark
Puducherry on Thursday reported a record single day spike of 554 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the overall tally in the union territory past the 9,000 mark, a top Health department official said.
The 554 new infections took the cumulative number to 9,292, Director of Health and Family Welfare S. Mohan Kumar said in a release.
— PTI
Telangana reports 1,724 new COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths
Telangana reported 1,724 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the state’s overall tally of positive cases to 97,424.
The death toll rose to 729 with 10 more fatalities, a state government bulletin said on Thursday, providing data as of 8 pm on August 19.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) recorded 395 fresh infections, followed by Rangareddy (169), Medchal-Malkajgiri (105) and Karimnagar (101) districts.
— PTI
COVID-19: Antibodies found in 29% people in August sero-survey
Antibodies against COVID-19 infection have been found in 29.1% of people in the latest sero-prevalence survey in the national capital, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday.
Interacting with reporters, he said, 15,000 representative samples were taken in the August 1-7 survey from 11 districts here, and the next exercise will begin from September 1.
— PTI
Cop dies of COVID-19, toll in Mumbai Police force reaches 60
A 35-year-old sub-inspector of Mumbai Police died of COVID-19 on Thursday, an official said. With this, the COVID-19 death toll in the Mumbai Police force has gone up to 60, he said.
The sub-inspector, who was posted at Deonar police station, underwent a test on August 9 and it came out positive for coronavirus.
— PTI
Kerala reaches a dismal milestone of over 50,000 cases
Kerala’s engagement with COVID-19 crossed a major milestone when the cumulative case burden of the disease reached 50,231 in the State on Wednesday.
The exponential case graph of the State post lockdown has been no different from that of the rest of the world, indicating that none of the public health interventions could stop or even slow down the epidemic tide.
Pune’s doubling rate improves to 41 days
Even as Pune continues to report an average daily surge of over 1,100 COVID-19 cases, a silver lining is that the city’s doubling rate has improved to 41 days — the highest since the outbreak of the pandemic in March.
Rubal Agarwal, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd. (PSCDCL), said the number of days it took for positive cases to double had improved to 41.83 days.
Hotels, weekly markets to reopen in Delhi
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday gave approval for reopening of hotels and weekly markets in the city. The weekly markets will be opened on a trial basis to assess the situation on the ground.
Stricter quarantine for people visiting Chennai
Tehnicians segregating samples collected for COVID-19 testing in Puducherry on August 19, 2020.
The Greater Chennai Corporation is set to intensify measures to quarantine people who reach the city from other districts and States.
Municipal Administration and Water Supply Secretary Harmander Singh on Wednesday ordered civic officials to intensify efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in zones with a rise in number of visitors from other parts of the country.
MSRTC to resume inter-district services today
A worker sprays disinfectant at an MSRTC bus stand in Karad.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced the resumption of inter-district bus services of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) from Thursday. Transport Minister Anil Parab said passengers would not require an e-pass for travel and ticket rates will remain unchanged.
Half of inmates in Kadpa central jail test positive
Almost half of the total inmates of the Kadapa Central Prison have been tested positive for coronavirus.
As the authorities have made testing mandatory for every inmate after sample tests done a fortnight ago found symptoms in many. Now, 337 of the total 700 inmates have been confirmed positive for the infection during the second round of testing.
Maharashtra records highest single day spike in COVID-19 cases
Maharashtra reported its highest single-day case jump on Wednesday. With 13,165 new COVID-19 cases, the State’s the total case tally has risen to 6,28,642 of whom 1,60,413 are active cases.
This is the first time the State has recorded over 13,000 cases in a single day. The earlier highest spike was 12,822 cases reported on August 8.
New portal promises to reduce waiting time to know COVID-19 test results
AAP volunteers spray disinfectant and check temperature of Auto rickshaw drivers at Seshadri road, in Bengaluru on August 19, 2020.
The State government has developed the portal where people can check their test results by feeding the 13-digit specimen referral form (SRF) ID. The portal, https://www.covidwar.karnataka. gov.in/service1 , has been developed by senior IAS officer Munish Moudgil and his team at the State COVID-19 War Room. This procedure allows public to access their results without comprising their privacy.
