08:48 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates
Yediyurappa likely to urge PM on easing of lockdown in Karnataka
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is likely to request easing of restrictions in the state during his video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi while discussing the pandemic on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Yediyurappa made it clear that COVID-19 lockdown measures were not required in the state anymore. "The lockdown is not required for Karnataka, we will request for more relaxations," he said in response to a question about video conferencing with the prime minister.
08:37 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates
Dexamethasone hailed 'breakthrough' in COVID-19 fight as trial shows steroid drug reduces mortality rate
In a major breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19, low-cost, anti-inflammatory steroid, Dexamethasone, has emerged as the possible life-saving drug to help cure the coronavirus patients.
The results of the UK-based 'recovery' trial published on Tuesday described the drug as highly-effective on reducing mortality rate, especially on patients requiring the ventilator support to treat severe respiratory complications.
08:23 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates
Pune reports more than 12,000 coronavirus cases, 527 deaths
With 442 more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Pune, the total number of confirmed cases in the Maharashtra district climbed to 12,685 on Wednesday
Sixteen new deaths were reported, taking COVID-19 toll in Pune to 527, according to health officials.
08:02 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in United States Latest Updates
US toll in pandemic exceeds one from WWI
The COVID-19 toll in the United States exceeded the number of American service members who died in World War I on Tuesday.
The current pandemic mortality tally for the United States from Johns Hopkins University reached 116,526 on Tuesday. While, the number of Americans who died in World War I is 116,516.
07:57 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates
437 deaths in Delhi takes COVID-19 fatalities to 1,837
The COVID-19 toll in the National Capital was revised from 1,400 to 1,837 on Tuesday, according to a heath bulletin released by the Delhi government.
The city reported 1,859 new cases, taking the total to 44,688; Whereas, 520 patients recovered, taking the total to 16,500. There are now 242 containment zones in the city, the bulletin added.
07:50 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in China Latest Updates
Beijing reports 31 new COVID-19 infections
Beijing has ordered all schools to close and imposed restrictions on visits to all residential compounds in an escalation of measures to halt a fresh outbreak. The Chinese capital city reported 31 local cases for Tuesday.
07:48 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Second Air India flight carrying 217 Indians takes off from New Zealand for India
The second flight of Air India took off from Auckland airport this morning carrying 217 stranded Indians from New Zealand, back home under #vandebharatmisson: Indian High Commission in New Zealand pic.twitter.com/lnAXMGF4Xo
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2020
07:42 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Telangana Latest Updates
Four new COVID-19 fatalities and 213 infections in Telangana
Telangana reported 213 new COVID-19 infections and four fatalities, taking the total number of cases in the state to 5,406 and toll to 191 respectively, according to the health bulletin on Tuesday.
The Health authorities also discharged 261 patients in the past 24 hours, taking the total number recoveries in Telangana to 3,027.
07:37 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Bihar Latest Updates
Another death in Bihar takes COVID-19 toll to 39; confirmed cases close to 7,000
The COVID-19 toll in Bihar reached 39 after a 55-year-old man succumbed to the viral infection, as the state's total number of confirmed cases climbed to 6,810 after 148 more people tested positive, an official said on Tuesday.
At a press conference, state Health Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh said the latest casualty has been reported from Katihar district and the man had recently returned from Delhi.
Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: The COVID-19 toll in the National Capital was revised from 1,400 to 1,837 on Tuesday, according to a heath bulletin released by the Delhi government.
The city reported 1,859 new cases, taking the total to 44,688; Whereas, 520 patients recovered, taking the total to 16,500. There are now 242 containment zones in the city, the bulletin added.
India registered 10,667 new COVID-19 infections, pushing the nationwide tally to 3,43,091 on Tuesday, while the toll rose to 9,900 with 380 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting with the chief ministers and Lt Governors of 21 states and Union Territories (UTs). Laying stress on both lives and livelihoods, the prime minister said that the economy has begun to show green shoots as the country emerges from the coronavirus lockdown but urged people not to lower their guard against the lethal virus.
The meeting came as the country completed two weeks on the Unlock plan under which restrictions have been eased in most areas, except in containment zones.
Maharashtra accounts for highest deaths, infections
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose 3,43,091 as the country registered over 10,000 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday while the toll rose to 9,900 with 380 new fatalities, according to the Union Health ministry data updated at 8 am.
However, a PTI tally at 9.40 pm based on reports from states and UTs said that the toll from the novel coronavirus reached 10,057 on Tuesday.
India is currently in the eighth position in the global COVID-19 toll while it's the fourth-worst hit globally in terms of confirmed cases.
The number of active cases stands at 1,53,178, while 1,80,012 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, as of Tuesday morning. "Thus, around 52.46 percent patients have recovered so far," an official said.
Of the 380 new deaths reported by the ministry on Tuesday, Maharashtra accounted for the highest 178 fatalities followed by Delhi at 73, Tamil Nadu at 44, Gujarat 28, Haryana 12, West Bengal 10, Rajasthan 9 and Madhya Pradesh 6.
Of the total 9,900 deaths, Maharashtra has reported the highest with 4,128 fatalities followed by Gujarat with 1,505 deaths, Delhi with 1,400, West Bengal with 485, Tamil Nadu with 479, Madhya Pradesh with 465, Uttar Pradesh with 399, Rajasthan with 301 and Telangana with 187 deaths.
Maharashtra has also reported maximum number of cases at 1,10,744 followed by Tamil Nadu at 46,504, Delhi at 42,829, Gujarat at 24,055, Uttar Pradesh at 13,615, Rajasthan at 12,981 and West Bengal at 11,494, according to the health ministry's data updated in the morning.
The figures, however are being reconciled with the ICMR's, the ministry said, adding that 7,684 cases are being reassigned to states.
Representational Image.AP
Economy showing green shoots, says prime minister
In his video interaction with chief ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that while on the one hand health infrastructure should be boosted with emphasis on testing and tracing, on the other hand, economic activity also needed to be increased.
Noting that it is important to review the experiences of "Unlock 1" as the graded exit from the lockdown completes two weeks, he said "timing" is very important to deal with any crisis and decisions taken at the right time have helped a lot in controlling the coronavirus infection in the country.
'Unlock 1' was set in motion on 1 June.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with Chief Ministers of states & Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories, via video conference. pic.twitter.com/erWrV7k4VS
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2020
"Today, the recovery rate in India is above 50 percent... Death of anyone from coronavirus is tragic. For us, the death of even one Indian is discomforting. But it is also true that today India is among the countries in the world with the lowest deaths due to coronavirus," Modi said.
"We have worked day and night to save the lives of every Indian," he told the chief ministers and Lt Governors during his sixth interaction with them since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Modi also said that the economy is showing "green shoots" as the country emerges from the coronavirus lockdown and asserted that the fight against the pandemic is a fine example of cooperative federalism where the Centre and the states are working together.
"Rail-road, air-sea, all routes have been opened. But despite this, despite our country being so populous, coronavirus infection in India has not shown the same devastating effect that it has shown in other countries."
However, the prime minister struck a note of caution saying the slightest carelessness, laxity, lack of discipline will weaken all the fight against coronavirus. He asked the participants to continuously keep driving home the fact that danger of the virus is not over yet, and the need to remain vigilant while opening up the economy.
"We always have to keep in mind that the more we can stop coronavirus, the more it will stop growing, the more our economy will open, our offices will open, markets will open, transport will open, and so will new employment opportunities," he said.
On Wednesday, the prime minister is scheduled to interact with chief ministers of 15 states, including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and the LG of Jammu and Kashmir, which are among the worst-hit states.
Testing capacity being continuously ramped up, claims health ministry
In the meantime, the Union health ministry said the capacity for testing COVID-19 is being continuously ramped up and now three lakh samples can be tested each day, as scientists and medical experts pushed for ramping up tests to also cover all asymptomatic cases in the identified red zones and hotspots across the country.
A network of 907 labs — including 659 labs in the government sector and 248 in the private sector — have been established as on date, the ministry said, reiterating that RT-PCR is the gold standard frontline test for diagnosis of COVID-19. RT-PCR is a throat/nasal swab test.
A total of 59,21,069 samples have been tested for COVID-19 so far with 1,54,935 samples analysed in the last 24 hours, it said.
Besides, in order to enhance the testing capacity in Delhi, each of the 11 districts shall now have assigned labs for exclusively testing the samples from the respective districts, the ministry said in a statement. The samples from each district are being sent to these labs to ensure timely testing and getting the results without any delay.
Currently, there are 42 labs in Delhi with daily testing capacity of about 17,000 samples.
The ministry also said that as part of efforts to provide reasonable healthcare to COVID-19 patients, some states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh have reached an agreement with the private sector.
Amid possibilities of a likely shortage of healthcare infrastructure, the ministry had asked states and UTs to proactively engage with private healthcare providers to facilitate enhanced bed availability and critical care health facilities and to ensure fair and transparent charges for services provided.
"Some states like Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have already taken the initiative. They have negotiated and reached an agreement with the private sector on reasonable rates and arrangements to provide critical care for in-patient COVID-19 admissions," the ministry said in a separate statement.
As part of US President Donald Trump's offer of assistance to New Delhi, the US handed over to India 100 ventilators, valued at about $1.2 million. US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster handed over the first shipment of 100 ventilators to Indian Red Cross Society Secretary General RK Jain at an event at the IRCS national headquarters in Delhi.
Beijing on alert as new cluster emerges
Meanwhile, World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that more than 1,00,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide each day over the past two weeks - mostly in the Americas and South Asia — adding that countries that have controlled the contagion must stay alert to the possibility of resurgence, according to news agency The Associated Press.
He also took note of a new cluster of cases in Beijing, which went more than 50 days without a new case of COVID-19, and said the origin of that new series of cases is under investigation.
Meanwhile in China, Beijing’s city government raised its COVID-19 emergency response level to II from III in light of the fresh outbreak, where 100 cases have been detected in the past few days, Reuters reported quoting state media.
With inputs from agencies
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