08:47 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in South Korea Latest Update
South Korea reports 48 new cases, some outside Seoul
South Korea has reported 48 new cases of COVID-19 as health authorities struggle to contain a resurgence that's erasing some of the country's hard-won gains against the virus. Figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today brought the national caseload to 12,421 confirmed infections including 280 deaths, reports AP.
08:33 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Assam Latest Update
249 COVID-19 cases reported in Assam; total climbs to 5,255
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Assam rose to 5,255 on Saturday with 249 new instances of the viral infection, while the death toll in the state stayed at nine, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
With 136 more coronavirus patients discharged from hospitals on Saturday, the number of recoveries climbed to 3,202, he said.
Assam now has 2,041 active cases, while three persons have migrated out of the state. Nine people have so far died of the viral disease, the minister said.
08:22 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Update
Kanwar yatra suspended in view of COVID-19
Kanwar yatra during the auspicious month of 'Shravan' will remain suspended this year in view of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an official release issued on Saturday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a video conference with his counterparts of Haryana and Uttarakhand, M L Khattar and Trivendra Singh Rawat , respectively, and discussed the issue of annual Kanwar yatra in Shravan, an official release issued here said.
08:11 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in US Latest Update
6 staffers setting up for Trump rally test positive for COVID-19
President Donald Trump's campaign says six staff members helping set up for his Saturday night rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, have tested positive for coronavirus.
The campaign's communications director, Tim Murtaugh, said in a statement that quarantine procedures were immediately initiated and no staff member who tested positive would attend the event. He said no one who had immediate contact with those staffers would attend, either. Murtaugh said campaign staff members are tested for COVID-19 as part of the campaign's safety protocols.
08:05 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in US Latest Update
Trump urges slowdown in COVID-19 testing, calling it a 'double-edged sword'
US President Donald Trump yesterday told thousands of cheering supporters he had asked US officials to slow down testing for the novel coronavirus, calling it a "double-edged sword" that led to more cases being discovered, reports Reuters.
Trump said the United States had now tested 25 million people, far more than other countries. "When you do testing to that extent, you're gonna find more people you're gonna find more cases. So I said to my people slow the testing down, please," Trump told a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where many supporters were not wearing face masks.
07:59 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Update
Delhi govt procuring oxygen cylinders, hospitals need not do it themselves: govt order
Delhi government on Saturday said it is in the process of procuring oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders and directed hospitals under it to not procure them for COVID-19 patients, according to an official order issued on Saturday.
In an order issued on June 9, the government had directed medical directors of all the designated COVID hospitals under Delhi government to arrange oxygen supply for all the hospital beds. However, the government, in supercession of its earlier order, said hospitals may now not procure oxygen concentrators or oxygen cylinders.
07:54 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Update
World needs yoga more than ever, helps in immunity, says PM
In his message on the sixth International Day of Yoga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said due to the coronavirus pandemic, the world is feeling the need for Yoga more than ever.
If our immunity is strong, it is of great help in defeating this disease. For boosting immunity, there are several techniques in Yoga, various asanas' are there, he said. COVID-19 specifically attacks our respiratory system which gets strengthened on doing 'Pranayama' or breathing exercise, Modi said.
Yoga enhances our quest for a healthier planet. It has emerged as a force for unity and deepens the bonds of humanity. It does not discriminate. It goes beyond race, colour, gender, faith and nations. Anybody can embrace Yoga, the prime minister said.
07:44 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Update
Delhi govt issues order fixing cost of COVID-19 isolation beds at pvt hospitals
The Delhi government on Saturday issued an order fixing the cost of a COVID-19 isolation bed in any private hospital in Delhi in the range of Rs 8,000-Rs 10,000 and an ICU bed with ventilator at Rs 15,000-Rs 18,000 per day.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted that however, it has been decided that "100% COVID beds shall be subsidised upto an upper limit of 60% of total hospital capacity".
This means that of the total number of beds in any private hospital here a maximum of 60 per cent will be dedicated for COVID-19 patients and all of these coronavirus beds will be provided to patients at subsidised rates.
07:36 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Update
Hetero, Cipla get nod to manufacture, market antiviral drug remdesivir
India's Drug Regulator on Saturday gave permission to Hetero and Cipla to manufacture and market antiviral drug remdesivir for "restricted emergency use" on hospitalised COVID-19 patients, official sources said.
This comes a day after the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), considering the emergency and unmet need for medicines in light of the coronavirus outbreak, granted domestic firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals the permission to manufacture and market favipiravir for "restricted emergency use" in mild to moderate cases. "The approval to Hetero and Cipla was given on Saturday," a source said.
Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: US President Donald Trump yesterday told thousands of cheering supporters he had asked US officials to slow down testing for the novel coronavirus, calling it a "double-edged sword" that led to more cases being discovered
India on Saturday reported a record single-day spike of 14,516 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 3,95,048. The toll from the COVID-19 outbreak rose to 12,948 with 375 new fatalities, according to Union health ministry data.
The number of recoveries also continued to rise with 2,13,830 patients cured so far, while there were 1,68,269 active cases, according to the official figures updated at 8 am. With this, around 54.13 percent of patients have recovered while one patient has migrated, said the health ministry.
According to news agency PTI, India registered over 10,000 cases for the ninth day in a row. The country has witnessed a surge of over two lakh infections from 1 June, with Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh among the top five states that have seen a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, a 1,000-bed temporary hospital is being set up at Byculla in light of the growing number of infections.
The hospital will be equipped with 300 ICU beds with oxygen supply and other facilities and will be ready by the end of this month, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in a statement.
India is the fourth worst-hit nation by the pandemic after the US, Brazil and Russia. According to the Johns Hopkins University, which has been compiling COVID-19 data from all over the world, India is at the eighth position in terms of the toll.
According to the World Health Organisation's COVID-19 dashboard, the virus has infected 85,25,042 persons and has claimed 4,56,973 lives across the globe.
Maharashtra accounts for most deaths, infections
Of the 375 new deaths reported since Friday morning, 142 were from Maharashtra, 66 from Delhi, 41 from Tamil Nadu, 27 from Gujarat, 23 from Uttar Pradesh, 11 from West Bengal, 10 each from Rajasthan, Karnataka and Haryana, nine each from Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, six from Bihar, four each from Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, and three from Telangana.
Of the total 12,948 deaths, Maharashtra accounted for the highest with 5,893 fatalities, followed by Delhi with 2,035 deaths, Gujarat with 1,618, Tamil Nadu with 666, West Bengal with 529, Madhya Pradesh with 495, Uttar Pradesh with 488, Rajasthan with 333 and Telangana with 198 deaths.
Maharashtra has also reported the maximum number of cases so far at 1,24,331 followed by Tamil Nadu at 54,449, Delhi at 53,116, Gujarat at 26,141, Uttar Pradesh at 15,785, Rajasthan at 14,156 and West Bengal at 13,090, according to the health ministry's morning update. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 11,582 in Madhya Pradesh, 9,743 in Haryana, 8,281 in Karnataka, 7,961 in Andhra Pradesh and 7,181 in Bihar.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said, adding 9,265 cases are being reassigned to states.
Centre asks states to ensure implementation of home quarantine guidelines
The health ministry also said that the number of testing labs has gone up to 974, including 715 government labs and 259 private labs. In the last 24 hours, 1,89,869 samples were tested. The total number of samples tested thus far is 66,16,496.
The Centre asked states to ensure implementation of its guidelines on home isolation issued on 10 May "in letter and spirit" to effectively contain the spread of the coronavirus, after taking note of instances of laxity.
"We have collectively been following the policy of test, trace, track and isolate and the same may not be feasible if the guidelines issued are not implemented in letter and spirit," Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said in his letter to states.
"It is again reiterated that the urban congested settlements exercising the option of home isolation may result in patient spreading the infection to family members and in the neighbourhood. In this context, it is requested to ensure strict implementation of the guidelines on home isolation at the field level," he said.
Institutional quarantine only for those who don't have facilities at home, clarifies Delhi L-G
In Delhi, facing stiff opposition from the state government, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said that only those COVID-19 positive patients who don't require hospitalisation on clinical assessment and don't have adequate facilities for home isolation will need to undergo institutional isolation
Regarding institutional isolation, only those COVID positive cases which do not require hospitalisation on clinical assessment & do not have adequate facilities for home isolation would be required to undergo institutional isolation.
— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) June 20, 2020
Baijal had on Friday issued orders making five-day institutional quarantine mandatory for COVID-19 patients in the National Capital, sparking off criticism from the AAP government.
Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh called the decision "very unfair", saying that ICMR guidelines allow patients with mild symptoms to be home quarantined but a different order has been issued for Delhi.
AAP MLA Raghav Chadha said many people will not get tested in fear of being whisked away to quarantine centres. Chadha also said Delhi would need 15,000 beds by 30 June, but after this order 90,000 beds will be required. "From where will we get these beds?" he asked.
Saturday's orders came after Baijal met with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and officials of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority. During the meeting, the DDMA also approved the recommendations of High-Level Expert Committee for fixing subsidised rates for treatment in private hospitals Delhi.
The committee had recommended Rs 8,000-10,000 for isolation beds, Rs 13,000-15,000 for ICUs without ventilator and Rs 15,000-18,000 including PPE costs for ICUs with ventilator.
Additionally, the meeting also decided that a maximum of 60 percent beds of private hospitals will be used for COVID-19 patients and of those, 100 percent coronavirus beds will be subsidised, said Sisodia.
केंद्र की समिति ने प्राइवेट अस्पतालों में 60% कोविड बेड्ज़ कम रेट पर सलाह दी थी. उससे बहुत कम बेड्ज़ कम दाम पर उपलब्ध हो रहे थे. अब 100% बेड्ज़ कम दाम पर उपलब्ध रहेंगे.
Decision -
100% COVID beds shall be subsidized upto an upper limit of 60% of total hospital capacity.
3/N— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) June 20, 2020
As the number of cases continued to rise, the Delhi government also issued an order cancelling leaves of all the staff working in its hospitals and medical institutions with immediate effect. The order issued on 19 June also said that leaves of any kind will be granted to anyone under "most compelling circumstances".
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals launches Favipiravir, to cost Rs 103 a tablet
In an important development, drug firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals said it has launched antiviral drug Favipiravir, under the brand name FabiFlu, for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 at a price of about Rs 103 per tablet.
The drug will be available as a 200 mg tablet at a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 3,500 for a strip of 34 tablets through hospitals as well as retail channels, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals said.
Tamil Nadu, Kerala report highest daily spikes
Meanwhile, many states and Union territories continued reporting an increase in both cases and deaths. Tamil Nadu reported a record single-day spike of 2,396 fresh COVID-19 cases, registering over 2,000 infections for a fourth straight day as the overall case count rose to 56,845 in the state, the Health department said. Also, 38 people succumbed to the virus in the state, taking the toll to 704.
Kerala also reported its highest single-day jump in cases with 127 new infections taking the count to 3,039.
Coronavirus cases went past 8,000 in Andhra Pradesh as 491 were added anew, taking the total to 8,452, even as the toll rose to 101 with five fresh casualties. The state government also announced its decision to cancel the AP SSC (Class 10) public examinations and promote the students in order to safeguard their health.
The Gujarat High Court ordered stay on holding the annual Rath Yatra procession in the name of Lord Jagannath due to concerns over the mounting number of infections. Gujarat reported 539 new coronavirus patients on Saturday which took the aggregate number of cases in the state to 26,737, the health department said.
With 20 COVID-19 patients dying during the day, the toll due to the pandemic rose to 1,639 in Gujarat, it said. Ahmedabad reported 306 new coronavirus cases during the day. The district has reported 18,564 cases so far.
Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday recorded 154 fresh COVID-19 cases, including a policeman and 14 CRPF personnel, taking the total number of infected people in the Union Territory to 5,834. The UT has witnessed the death of 81 people due to COVID-19.
Five coronavirus deaths were reported from Haryana on Saturday, all from the worst-affected Gurgaon and Faridabad districts, while the virus count rose to 10,223 with 480 fresh cases, according to a state government bulletin.
Among others, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan and West Bengal too added new infections to their case count.
Narendra Modi launches 'Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an employment scheme with an outlay of Rs 50,000 crore for migrant workers who returned to their home states during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
The 'Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan' will be implemented on a mission mode in 125 days in 116 districts of six states — Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha — that received the maximum numbers of migrant workers back.
Under the scheme, a wide variety of works will ensure that each migrant worker is able to get an opportunity of employment according to his skill in the coming 125 days, said the Ministry for Rural Development in a statement, adding that the programme will also prepare for expansion and development of livelihoods over a longer term.
Underlining that migrant workers were always in the Centre's thoughts during the lockdown, the prime minister said it is an endeavour of his government that workers get jobs near their home and help in the development of villages.
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3hMrwhE
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