As India recorded the highest single-day jump of nearly 16,000 COVID-19 cases, Delhi surpassed Mumbai on Wednesday while the lockdown in containment zones in West Bengal was extended till July 31 and a fresh ‘test, track and treat’ strategy put in place by the Centre to curb the spread of the infection.
Use of combination of various tests and making testing widely available to all symptomatic individuals across the country were at the heart of the government’s revised strategy to fight the pandemic that has claimed over 14,000 lives.
Here is a list of State Helpline numbers . You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here .
Here are the latest updates:
Five deaths, 891 new COVID-19 cases in Telangana
The tally of COVID-19 cases in Telangana crossed the 10,000 mark on Wednesday with 891 people testing positive and five deaths being reported, the government said.
In a significant ramping up of infrastructure, it announced a over 1200-bed hospital for treating coronavirus patients will become operational here in a few days.
So far 15.34% COVID-19 patients required ICU care, 4.16% ventilators
Of the over 4.4 lakh COVID-19 cases reported in the country till Tuesday, only 15.34% required ICU care, 15.89 per cent needed oxygen support and 4.16 per cent were put on ventilators, according to health ministry sources.
Also, the doubling time of coronavirus infection cases has improved from 17.4 days on June 12 to 19.7 days in the last three days, a source said.
M.P. reports 187 new cases
Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday recorded 187 new COVID-19 cases, taking the count to 12,448. The number of active cases stands at 2,441. Nine patients died of the illness on the day, taking the State-wide death toll to 534.
As regards recoveries, 138 patients were discharged from hospitals on the day. So far, 9,473 persons have been cured of the illness, says the State Directorate of Health Services.
- Sidharth Yadav
Maharashtra reports 3,890 new cases, 208 deaths and 4161 recoveries
Maharashtra recorded a new single-day case surge on Wednesday, with 3,890 Covid-19 cases taking the total tally to 1,42,900. 208 new deaths pushed the total death toll to 6,739.
Of these, 72 deaths were reported in the last 48 hours, while the remaining 136 were from an earlier period, said State Health Department officials. Of the total cases, 62,354 are active ones.
The rise in cases, however, was offset by the number of recoveries, with as many as 4,161 patients discharged today, taking the total number of discharged till date to 73,792.
With 1,118 new cases, Mumbai's total case tally has reached 69,528. The city's death toll has risen to 3,964. As many as 38 of the new deaths reported today were from Mumbai city and 12 from Pune district among other parts of the State.
- Shoumojit Banerjee
West Bengal lockdown extended till July 31, with relaxations
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced the extension of the lockdown in the State till July 31 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The ongoing lockdown in West Bengal was to end on June 30.
Ms. Banerjee, after attending an all-party meeting held at an auditorium adjacent to the State secretariat, said though there were differences of opinion among the leaders, it was finally decided to extend the curbs till the end of July with relaxations.
- PTI
Gujarat's positive tally passes 29,000
Gujarat recorded 25 new deaths and 572 new infection cases on Wednesday, taking the overall numbers to 1736 deaths and 29001 infections. So far, 21096 patients have been discharged including 575 on Wednesday.
- Mahesh Langa
Karnataka reports 397 new cases, 14 deaths
Karnataka on Wednesday reported 397 new positive cases and 14 deaths.
While the total number of cases crossed 10,000 and touched 10,118, the death toll touched 164. This is apart from four non-Covid deaths. With total discharges of 6151, the State has 3799 active cases.
- Afshan Yasmeen
T.N reports 2865 new cases, 2424 recoveries in a single day
Tamil Nadu on Wdnesday reported 2865 new cases, taking the total positive to 67468. However, there were a significant number of recoveries - 2424 - taking the total recoveries to 37,763. 33 deaths were reported, taking the toll to 866, said the State health department.
Patanjali didn't have permission for coronavirus drug; issuing notice: Uttarakhand official
The Uttarakhand government is issuing a notice to yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali for launching a drug claiming to be a cure for coronavirus when it had only applied for an immunity booster against cough and fever, an official said on Wednesday.
State Ayurved Department's licence officer YS Rawat said the notice is being issued to the firm to explain from where it got the permission to launch a "corona kit" as a cure from the virus.
"Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd had the licence only for manufacturing an immunity booster against cough and fever. There was nothing in their application related to the treatment of coronavirus," the officer said.
"We did receive an application from Patanjali on June 10. The application was approved after examination by a panel on June 12 but the firm had the permission to manufacture only two-three drugs as immunity booster against cough and fever, and not a drug for coronavirus," he added.
The company had recently launched an ayurvedic medicine, named Coronil, claiming that it cures coronavirus.
- PTI
Delhi's positive case tally passes 70,000
New Delhi reported 3,788 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 70,390, according to a health bulletin released by the Delhi government on Wednesday.
Also, 64 more deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths to 2,365. Of the total cases, 41,437 people have recovered and there are 26,588 active cases.
- Nikhil Babu
10,000 COVID cases: Record figures in Andhra Pradesh in testing and detecting new cases
The State has set a new record in testing by increasing its testing capacity to a whopping 36, 047 samples per day by testing the same number of samples tested in the past day.
To ramp up testing the State launched mobile testing centres recently and 10 such vehicles were deployed in Krishna district alone.
So far 7.5 lakh samples were tested and in the past four days nearly one lakh samples were tested. The tests per million population went up to 14,049.
Hetero Healthcare set to supply COVID-19 drug Covifor at ₹5,400 per vial
Hetero Healthcare on Wednesday said is set to deliver 20,000 vials of its antiviral drug Covifor (remdesivir) across the country for the treatment of COVID-19, at a maximum retail price of ₹5,400 per vial.
The company is set to deliver the first set of 20,000 vials in two equal lots of 10,000 each, one of which will be immediately supplied to Hyderabad, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, Hetero Healthcare said in a statement.
The other lot will be supplied to Kolkata, Indore, Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Cochin, Trivandrum and Goa within a week, it added.
- PTI
Complaint filed in Bihar court against Ramdev over COVID-19 medicine claim
A criminal complaint has been filed in a Bihar court against yoga guru Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved MD Acharya Balkrishna, alleging that they have misled and put at risk the lives of lakhs of people by claiming to have developed a medicine to treat coronavirus ( COVID-19 ).
The complaint seeking registration of an FIR on cheating, criminal conspiracy and other charges was filed in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Mukesh Kumar in Muzaffarpur on Tuesday by Tamanna Hashmi, who identifies himself as a social worker and is often in news for his numerous court complaints against politicians over various issues. The court posted the matter for hearing on June 30.
On first day of intensified lockdown in Madurai, police stop violators on the roads
The first day of the intensified lockdown in parts of Madurai district saw some public movement despite the barricading of arterial roads on Wednesday.
Movement of transport was visible in the morning, but traffic reduced by noon in areas including the Goripalayam junction and Teppakulam. Police personnel stopped violators without face masks and those driving two-wheelers without helmets, but did not limit movement extensively.
Roads near Sellur, bridges across Vaigai river and the Periyar bus stand flyover connecting to Ellis Nagar were all blocked.
Mysuru’s key markets, business hubs shut from tomorrow
Mysuru’s major markets and key commercial hubs in the central business district will be out of bounds for the public as they would be temporarily shut down for four days from Thursday for carrying out a sanitisation drive in the wake of a spike in COVID-19 cases in the last few days.
The century-old Devaraja Market, which has over 500 shops; Santhepet and Shivarampet; Mannar’s Market and Boti Bazaar will remain entirely closed, and all business transactions will come to a halt in the interest of public health safety, according to the Mysuru City Corporation.
Tighter restrictions in five more municipalities in Theni from Wednesday evening
More restrictions, including on the movement of people, will be in place in the limits of five more municipalities in Theni from 6 p.m. on Wednesday, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The municipalities are Theni, Bodi, Cumbum, Chinnamanur and Gudalur.
In the last week, there has been a steady rise in the number of persons testing positive for COVID-19. Following this, the district administration, after holding a meeting with multiple department officials, has proposed to tighten restrictions till June 30.
Chairing the meeting, District Collector M. Pallavi Baldev said tea shops, bakeries, jewellery shops, textile showrooms, roadside shops, furniture and home consumer item shops, mobile accessories/showrooms, footwear shops and fancy shops would be closed down.
Airavatha AC bus services from tomorrow
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is all set to resume its premium Airavatha AC bus services from Thursday with the government giving its nod for the operations which had been suspended after the COVID-19 induced lockdown.
After a gap of nearly three months, the air-conditioned buses will hit the road on select routes and the KSRTC officials said the buses are ready for resumption of operations.
The KSRTC division in Mysuru has received a communication in this regard from the Bengaluru central office and made arrangements accordingly.
Railways isolation coach in Delhi gets its first patient
The railways modified isolation coaches parked at the Shakur Basti Station here received the first suspected COVID-19 patient on Wednesday, officials said, adding around 15 more are expected to arrive.
This was confirmed by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal through a tweet.
The railways has provided a total of 503 such coaches to the Delhi government. This is the second lot of patients to be admitted in the railway isolation coaches, with around 59 being admitted at the Mau Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh, many of whom have already been discharged.
- PTI
Over 73.5 lakh samples tested for COVID-19 in India till June 23: ICMR
Over 73.5 lakh samples have been tested for COVID-19 till June 23, of which 2.15 lakh were examined on Tuesday, the highest in a day since the beginning of the pandemic, ICMR officials said on Wednesday.
Also read:Coronavirus | ICMR to test for community transmission in 75 districts
The apex health research body on Tuesday validated the 1,000th testing laboratory, ramping up the capacity for detection of COVID-19 in the country. Currently, three lakh samples can be tested per day, an official said.
“A cumulative total of 73,52,911 samples have been tested up to June 23, with 2,15,195 samples being tested on Tuesday,” the ICMR said.
Pune district reports nearly 200 new cases in massive overnight surge
Pune district reported more than 192 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest surge till now over a 12-hour span, taking the district’s case tally to 17,043, said authorities.
The total number of active cases has touched 6,138 and as many as 10,288 persons have been discharged thus far.
COVID-19 death toll in Maharashtra Police force reaches 51
At least 51 Maharashtra Police personnel , including two officers, have died of COVID-19 so far, a senior police official said on Wednesday.
More than 4,000 personnel of the state police force have till now tested positive for coronavirus , he said.
“So far, 51 police personnel, including two officers, have died due to the coronavirus infection in the state, a senior police official said. These include 34 personnel of the Mumbai Police force, he said.
Senior citizen goes missing from Government Kilpauk Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19
A 74-old-year resident of Alandur, who is believed to have tested positive for COVID-19, has been missing for more than a fortnight, even as his son is desperately searching in the city.
A senior police officer said a case has been registered at Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. “There is no record of him getting admitted at KMC. We suspect he went missing in transit. We have registered a case and are investigating. The CCTV footage will also be checked,” said a senior police officer.
21 rail passengers quarantined on arrival in Thanjavur and Kumbakonam
All 21 passengers who travelled to Kumbakonam and Thanjavur by the Chengalpattu-Tiruchi special train were sent for quarantining at a private college in Vallam near Thanjavur on Tuesday night.
Reason? They came from Chennai.
The move comes in the wake of several persons who had returned from Chennai and its neighbouring districts testing positive for the novel coronavirus in recent days.
Cannot permit ICSE exams to be conducted, Maharashtra govt. tells HC
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that it could not permit ICSE exams to be conducted because of the current COVID-19 situation in the State.
The exams were scheduled to beheld from July 2.
Community spread may be happening: Pinarayi Vijayan
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for the first time, has conceded that the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the State with untraceable sources points to the possibility of community transmission.
Briefing media here on Tuesday, Mr. Vijayan said the situation was turning grave and that the number of asymptomatic cases as well as cases where the source of infection was unknown was on the rise.
Bengal schools and colleges to remain closed till July 31
Schools, colleges and universities in West Bengal will remain closed till July 31, the State government announced on Tuesday.
However, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said teachers and non-teaching staff members should report for duty.
Amit Shah model or Kejriwal model for Delhi?
"Today there are two models in Delhi: One, Amit Shah ji's model, in which each person who is positive has to be taken to a quarantine centre.
"Second, Kejrwial ji's model, in which a person is COVID positive, then a medical team is sent to his house and if needed taken to a hospital, else home quarantined. And if his house doesn't have facilities, then he will be sent to a quarantine centre."
These were Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's words, pitching for home quarantine. The Delhi government is facing practical difficulties in implementing L-G's order that every COVID-19 patient has to go to a quarantine center. - Nikhil M. Babu
Don’t visit Puri, ‘darshan’ of trinity not allowed: Odisha DGP
A day after the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his celestial siblings were pulled in Puri in adherence to the Supreme Court guidelines, Odisha Police on Wednesday appealed to people not to visit the pilgrim town as “darshan” of the deities is not allowed.
“In view of curfew in some parts of Puri, all are requested to avoid going to Puri today. It is again reiterated that Darshan of Trinity for devotees is NOT allowed,” Odisha DGP Abhay said in a tweet.
All measures taken for safe conduct of SSLC exam in Karnataka, says Minister
Staff of Seshadripuram high school preparing for SSLC exam, starting on June 25, 2020 in Bengaluru
Amid arguments for and against conducting the SSLC exam, which is due to start on June 25, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S. Suresh Kumar has maintained that adequate precautionary measures have been taken by the department and that students and parents need not worry.
Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) too, in a press release issued on Tuesday, said it has put in place various measures as per the Standard Operating Procedure. The department claimed that it had already distributed 18 lakh masks, at two per student.
Ahobilam temple closed as archaka tests positive
The Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam temple at Ahobilam in Allagadda mandal has been closed for devotees till June 30 after one of the archakas tested positive for COVID-19, Executive Officer Ganji Mallikarjuna said.
The ekantha seva, aradhana and other daily rituals will be continued inside the main temple complex, but devotees will not be allowed to have darshan, he said.
Stricter norms for Thiruvananthapuram from today
With the partial withdrawal of the lockdown during ‘Unlock 1.0’ showing signs of pushing the city into an alarming situation, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has finalised a protocol for commercial establishments in the city to reduce crowding in public areas.
The arrangement, which will take effect on Wednesday, allocates specific working days for shops on the basis of the nature of business.
TMC MLA Tamonash Ghosh, who had tested positive for COVID-19, dead
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Tamonash Ghosh, who had tested positive for COVID-19 in May, died at a hospital here on June 24, party sources said. He was 60.
The three-time MLA from the Falta assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district was admitted to a hospital after he tested positive for the disease, they said. He had several complications related to the heart and kidney.
He is the second legislator in the country to succumb to COVID-19, after Tamil Nadu's J. Anbazhagan.
India saw record single-day spike of 15,968 COVID-19 cases and 465 fatalities, pushing the infection tally to 4,56,183 and the death toll to 14,476 on Wednesday, the Union health ministry data said.
- PTI
12 trainee sailors of INS Shivaji test coronavirus positive
At least 12 trainee sailors of the Lonavala-based INS Shivaji, one of the premier training establishments of the Indian Navy, have so far tested positive for coronavirus, officials said.
The first case was found on June 18 and the infected cadet was part of a batch of 157 trainee sailors who had reported back after leave following the easing of lockdown earlier this month, a release issued by the naval station on Tuesday said.
“With the easing of lockdown as per Unlock 1.0 in the first week of June, a batch of 157 trainee sailors who were undergoing training at this establishment and were on extended leave in view of the lockdown, reported back and all were quarantined for 14 days in one of the institutional quarantine facilities prepared in the unit,” it said.
One of the trainee sailors from the batch was found to be symptomatic during the quarantine period and tested positive for coronavirus on June 18, it said.
“Further, all the other high-risk contacts who are staying in that particular quarantine facility are being tested as per the extant procedure and necessary medical support is being provided. A total of 12 out of157 trainee sailors have been found coronavirus positive as on date,” the release said.
- PTI
Sisodia asks L-G to scrap new guidelines
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said he has written to Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal urging him to end the new system under which people who test positive for COVID-19 will have to visit a ‘COVID Care Centre’ (CCC) to get examined.
Community transmission threat looms over Tirupati
With 36 of the 50 wards in Tirupati getting the ‘COVID-19 containment zone’ tag, fear gripped the denizens about the possibility of the temple city inching towards community transmission. Even medical administrators suggest that it is bound to happen slowly.
Quarantine period cut to seven days for healthcare providers on COVID-19 duty
The quarantine period for healthcare providers (HCPs) posted on COVID-19 duty has been reduced from 14 to seven days in some government medical college hospitals in Chennai.
Doctors at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) and Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate, were informed that the quarantine period after seven-day-long COVID-19 duty will be seven days, and not 14 days as was the case earlier.
Navy ship repatriates 198 Indians stranded in Maldives
Indian Naval Ship Airavat repatriated 198 Indians stranded in Maldives following COVID-19-induced lockdown to VOC Port in Thoothukudi on Tuesday under the Union Government’s ‘Samudhra Setu’ operation.
This is the third mission to be undertaken by the Indian Navy as INS Jalashwa had repatriated the Indians from Colombo and Male recently.
Two crore construction workers given cash assistance during lockdown, says Labour Ministry
The Union Labour and Employment Ministry said on Tuesday that States had disbursed ₹4,957 crore as cash assistance to two crore construction workers during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Ministry said the States had disbursed “a substantial amount” in response to its March 24 advisory to use the funds collected by the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Boards to help the workers registered with them.
