23:13 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
P Chidambaram says Varavara Rao must be 'released immediately'
Shri Varavara Rao should be released immediately and admitted to a super speciality hospital that will treat him properly.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) July 16, 2020
22:28 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Over 6.87 lakh Indians have returned under Vande Bharat mission: MEA
Over 6.87 lakh Indians have returned from abroad after the government launched the "Vande Bharat" evacuation mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The fourth phase of the Vande Bharat mission, which is currently underway, has been augmented with the addition of around 120 flights between July 15-31, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.
"These additional flights will cater to the demand for repatriation from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, Europe, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine," Srivastava said.
With this augmentation, this phase now has 751 international flights catering to 34 airports in India, he said.
(PTI)
21:58 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Harsh Vardhan says less than 2% COVID-19 patients are in ICUs
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said that less than two percent of coronavirus patients in the country are admitted in ICUs and that the number of recovered cases in the country exceeds that of the active ones by 2,81,668 as on Thursday.
Vardhan's remarks came after he inaugurated the new block of the Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD on Thursday at AIIMS, Delhi along with Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, PTI reported.
21:37 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Odisha Latest Updates
Odisha govt to impose 14-day lockdown in 4 districts from tomorrow
Odisha government has announced 14-day complete lockdown in Ganjam, Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur districts and Rourkela Municipal Corporation area from 9 pm of 17 to 31 July mindnight, Odisha chief secretary Asit Tripathy said.
21:07 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Punjab Latest Updates
Punjab minister's wife, son test positive for COVID-19
After Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, his wife and son also test positive for coronavirus, officials said here on Thursday. Samples of Bajwa, who is also the higher education minister, were collected for the second time after the first report had come negative on Saturday. He had tested positive on Tuesday. His wife and son also tested positive for the infection, health officials confirmed on Thursday.
(PTI)
20:57 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Goa Latest Updates
North Goa DM restricts movement for non-essential activities
North Goa District Magistrate issues an order restricting movement of people for all non-essential activities between 8 pm to 6 am with immediate effect till August 10.
20:14 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Kerala Latest Updates
Kerala reports 722 new COVID-19 cases today
Kerala reported 722 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, the first time that the daily figure crossed 700, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. The total number of cases rose to 10,275.
19:54 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates
8,641 new COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra today
Maharashtra reported 8,641 new COVID-19 cases and 266 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking active cases to 1,14,648 and death toll to 11,194. A total of 1,58,140 patients have recovered so far. Mumbai has the highest number of cases at 97,950, the state health department said.
19:46 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Human rights org alerts NHRC over Varavara Rao's condition in Mumbai hospital
The Human Rights Defenders Alert wrote a letter to the NHRC over the health condition of Varavara Rao in Mumbai's JJ Hospital.
The letter said that the poet-activist took time to recognize his family members and added, "The family was told by the nurses that no equipment or treatment was given in the transit ward to the patient. When his nephew tried to change his urine-soaked bed sheets, the family was thrown out by the hospital staff."
19:38 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Reports say Varavara Rao in 'inhuman condition' in JJ Hospital
Jailed poet Varavara Rao, who has tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, was lying in "inhuman conditions" in JJ Hospital, reports said.
"Rao was lying in a pool of urine on the bed in JJ Hospital. He did not recognise his wife or daughters immediately. The family was told by the nurses that there was no equipment or treatment given in the transit ward," a journalist tweeted.
19:23 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates
Varavara Rao tests COVID-1 positive, say reports
Poet-activist Varavara Rao, who is an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, tested positive for coronavirus, reports said on Thursday. On Monday, the 81-year-old had approached the Bombay High Court seeking temporary bail owing to his deteriorating medical condition and the COVID-19 pandemic but was denied.
"Rao, another activist Anand Teltumbde and eight other activists were arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case, which was initially probed by the Pune police and later transferred to the National Investigation Agency in January. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on 31 December, 2017, which, the police claimed, triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial located on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.," News18 reported.
18:55 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Punjab Latest Updates
Punjab caps cost of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals
The Punjab government on Thursday capped the cost of treatment of coronavirus in private hospitals.
"For moderate sickness requiring isolation beds, including supportive care and oxygen, the rates per day of admission are fixed at Rs 10,000 for all private medical colleges, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) private hospitals with teaching programme from National Board of Examinations (NBE), Rs 9000 for NABH accredited hospitals (including private medical colleges without PG or DNB Course) and Rs 8000 for non- NABH accredited hospitals," The Times of India reported.
18:23 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Meghalaya Latest Updates
Meghalaya govt to shut all entry points for 7 days
The Meghalaya government is likely to decided to close all entry points to the state from 24 to 31 July, as the number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to 354 on Thursday.
"It is hereby notified that all current operation entry point of the state located at Byrnihat, Ratacherra, Bajengdoba, Tikkrikkilla, Mirjumla and Hallidayganj shall remain closed from midnight of July 23rd to midnight of July 31st, 2020," an official order issued by the government said.
"Only movements related to emergency, medical and essential services, goods and inter-State transit vehicles will be allowed during this period," it added.
18:04 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates
Delhi court grants bail to 92 Indonesians in Tamblighi Jamaat case
A Delhi court grants bail to 92 foreign nationals from Indonesia, who participated in the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz, ANI reported.
17:20 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Rajasthan Latest Updates
Rajasthan govt to set up plasma bank for COVID-19 patients
Rajasthan health minister Raghu Sharma was quoted by News18 as saying that the government had decided to create a data bank of plasma for coronavirus patients.
"We have decided to create a data bank of Covid-19 recovered patients in the state and convince them to donate plasma for treatment of virus infected patients," he said.
16:43 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
2,061 new COVID-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh health department said that 2,061 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state on Thursday, taking the total to 43,444 in the state. Meanwhile, 34 new casualties took the toll to 1,046. A total of 26,675 patients discharged/cured and active cases stand at 15,723.
16:16 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Bihar Latest Updates
Total lockdown begins in Bihar today
The 16-day total lockdown in Bihar began on Thursday. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said, "There will be a total lockdown in Bihar from July 16-31 to contain the spread of COVID-19."
16:00 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Talking about international flights to France, US, Germany, says Centre
The Union civil aviation ministry on Thursday said, "Our negotiations are at an advanced stage with three countries. Air France will operate 28 flights from 18 July to 1 Aug between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris. US will be flying 18 flights between 17-31 July but this is an interim one. We have request from Germany too."
15:11 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Air India operates 1,103 flights till 13 July
As on 13 July, Air India amd Air India Express operated 1103 flights, bringing back 2,08,000 Indians under the Vande Bharat Mission, said Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal on Thursday. "On many of these flights, we ferried back 85,289 passengers to various countries across the world," he adds.
As on July 13, Air India & Air India Express operated 1103 flights, bringing back 2,08,000 Indians under #VandeBharatMission. On many of these flights, we ferried back 85289 passengers to various countries across the world: Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal pic.twitter.com/tnBUEOjkUZ
— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2020
15:05 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Tripura reports 98 new cases today, takes total to 2,282
Tripura’s total on Thursday goes up to 2,282 with 98 fresh cases. The state also registers its third fatality after a 38-year-old man died at a hospital, reports PTI.
14:57 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Shahjahanpur district collectorate closed for two days after employee tests positive
A woman employee at the district collectorate here has tested positive for coronavirus following which all offices in the collectorate have been closed for two days, reports PTI.
District Magistrate Indra Vikram Singh said on Thursday that all necessary precautions are being taken and government orders in this regard are being strictly followed.
14:44 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
15 priests of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams test positive, says ex TTD chief priest
Ramana Dikshitulu, former TTD Chief Priest and currently the Agama advisor for TTD, took to Twitter saying that 15 priests had tested positive at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and questioned how the TTD EO could continue to allow darshans.
@ysjagan 15 out of 50 archakas carona +ve quarantined. Still 25 results awaited. TTD EO and AEO refuse to stop darshans. Obediently following anti hereditary archaka and anti brahmin policy of TDP and CBN. Disaster if this continues. Please take action.
— Ramana Dikshitulu (@DrDikshitulu) July 16, 2020
14:38 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Madhya Pradesh Latest Updates
Only 20 persons allowed at weddings, funerals in Indore
In an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19, the district administration in Indore has prohibited gathering of more than 20 people at weddings and funerals, an official said.
As per an order issued by district collector Manish Singh, which is effective immediately, not more than 20 people can take part in weddings and funeral processions.
14:33 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Odisha Latest Updates
Odisha starts plasma therapy to treat patients
The Odisha government on Thursday commenced plasma therapy for the treatment of COVID- 19 patients at a hospital in Cuttack, an official said. The procedure was conducted on a 48-year-old patient at the Ashwini Hospital for the first time in the state, technical advisor to the health department Dr Jayant Panda said.
14:22 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister tests positive for COVID-19
Former Maharashtra chief minister Shivajirao Patil-Nilangekar has tested positive for COVID-19 in Latur district, news agency PTI has reported. The 88-year-old leader has been reportedly shifted to a hospital in Pune, located around 320 kilometres from Latur.
13:55 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Puducherry Latest Updates
Puducherry 147 new cases today, takes total to 1,743
147 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Puducherry today, taking the total confirmed cases to 1,743, including 774 active cases, 947 recoveries and 22 deaths.
13:36 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates
BAC meet likely next week on COVID-19, monsoon session
The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature is likely to meet next week to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the state and on holding the monsoon session of the Legislature, Assembly Speaker Nana Patole said on Thursday.
The monsoon session, which was earlier scheduled to start from 22 June, was deferred to 3 August in view of the pandemic.
13:11 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Sourav Ganguly in home quarantine after elder brother tests COVID-19 positive
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday went into home quarantine after his elder brother and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Snehasish Ganguly tested positive for COVID-19.
13:05 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Maharashtra Latest Updates
Maharashtra’s first woman election commissioner succumbs to COVID-19
According to media reports, Neela Satyanarayan, Maharashtra’s first woman chief election commissioner has succumbed to COVID-19 in Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday. She was aged 72. She is the first IAS officer in the state to succumb to COVID-19, reports Indian Express.
12:59 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Indian pharma industry capable of producing COVID-19 vaccines for entire world: Bill Gates
India's pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world, according to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.
Speaking in a documentary –COVID-19: India's War Against The Virus – to be premiered on Discovery Plus this (Thursday) evening, Gates said India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its gigantic size and urban centres with a lot of population density.
12:36 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Odisha's total COVID-19 total crosses 15,000-mark
Odisha’s caseload crosses the 15,000-mark with 494 people testing positive, reports PTI. The state’s toll rises to 79 with two more fatalities. Of the 494 new cases, 322 are from quarantine centres, while 172 are contacts of Covid-19 patients.
12:31 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Harsh Vardhan claims India performed better than others
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said India’s fatality rate is 2.57% and recovery rate is 63.25%. “Despite being such a largely populated nation, we can perhaps claim to have performed better than any other country,” he said.
11:38 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
India's recovery rate now at 63.24%
The Centre on Thursday said the recovery rate of coronavirus patients has improved to 63.24%.
11:37 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Rajasthan Latest Updates
Rajasthan reports 143 new cases today
Rajasthan reports 143 new coronavirus cases, taking the state’s tally to 26,580. With four more deaths, the toll stands at 534.
11:36 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Telangana Latest Updates
Telangana transfers top Health department officials; brings in juniors
Amid rising COVID-19 cases in the state, the Telangana government has transferred two key officials of the health department and brought in relatively junior officers to replace them, reports PTI.
Shanti Kumari, Special Chief Secretary (Health) and Yogita Rana, Commissioner of Public Health and Family Welfare, were transferred from their posts, according to an order issued by the Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Wednesday night.
11:34 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
Former UP minister dies of COVID-19
Former minister and Samajwadi party leader Ghoora Ram died of coronavirus early Thursday morning at the King George's Medical University in Lucknow, his family said. According to the SP leader's son Santosh Kumar, he was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday after he complained of a cough and difficulty in breathing.
09:31 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
India reports 32,695 new cases, 606 deaths in past 24 hours
India reports 32,695 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the total to 9,68,876. The toll rises by 606 to 24,915. This is the highest daily rise in the number of infections and deaths. More than 6.12 lakh people have recovered so far.
09:24 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Brazil Latest Update
Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for second time
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he has tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time, reports AP. “I did the test yesterday [Tuesday], and at night the result came back that I am still positive for coronavirus,” Bolsonaro added.
“I hope that in the coming days I will do another test and, God willing, everything will be all right to return soon to activity.”
09:19 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
Over 3.2 lakh samples tested yesterday, says ICMR
India tested 3,26,826 samples on Wednesday, says the Indian Council of Medical Research. 1,27,39,490 samples tested for #COVID19 till 15 July, it added.
08:33 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates
IMA says 99 docs succumbed to COVID-19, issues ''red alert'' for medicos
As many as 99 doctors in the country, a majority of them general practitioners, have succumbed to COVID-19, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said on Wednesday, and declared a red alert for medicos and medical administrators asking them to raise their guard.
According to IMA National COVID registry data, of the total 1,302 doctors infected with COVID-19, 99 have succumbed to the disease. Of those dead, 73 were above the age of 50 years, 19 in the age-group of 35-50 and seven below 35 years, the data showed.
08:24 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Karnataka Latest Updates
Only god can save us, says Karnataka health minister
Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday said only divine help could save the state from the coronavirus pandemic, reports Hindustan Times.
Responding to questions raised over the state government's tackling of the crisis, Sriramulu said, “Only God can save us, and we have to bring in caution on our own.", according to LiveMint.
08:07 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Delhi Latest Updates
Delhi University to hold final year exams in August
The Delhi University will conduct the online open book examinations for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students from 10 to 31 August, it said on Wednesday. However, DU said, students unable to appear in the exams in August will get another chance.
08:03 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates
Global COVID-19 cases at 1.3 crores; toll at 5.8 lakh
Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world stand at 1.3 crore, according to the Reuters tracker. This figure includes COVID-19 patients who have recovered and the overall global death toll which stands at 5.8 lakh.
With over 34.5 lakh reported cases till date, the United States is the worst-affected country in the world. The US is followed by Brazil, India, Russia and Peru.
08:02 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
WFH for Air India employees to end after 20 July
Air India employees will no longer be able to work from home after 20 July. The national carrier also began the process of sending some underperforming employees on compulsory leave without pay for up to a period of five years, due to the economic crisis it is facing.
07:58 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in US Latest Updates
US records 67,632 new cases; Fauci optimistic on vaccine arrival by 2020-end
The United States has reported the highest record of 67,632 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, reports AFP. US Disease Expert Dr Anthony Fauci, meanwhile, predicted on Wednesday the country will meet its goal of a Covid-19 vaccine by year's end and was unmoved by the prospect that China would get there first.
07:51 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
NIMHANS releases guidelines for health workers' mental health needs
The NIMHANS has come out with guidelines that define a framework to address the mental health needs of healthcare personnel in COVID-19 treatment settings. The guidelines also aim to provide technical inputs to guide healthcare personnel to help themselves and their colleagues in distress.
The guidelines identify the source of anxiety and the indicators that healthcare professionals are facing mental health difficulties at the workplace.
07:43 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in West Bengal Latest Updates
Toll in Bengal reaches 1000; record 1,589 new cases reported
The COVID-19 death toll in West Bengal rose to 1,000 on Wednesday with 20 more people succumbing to the disease, while the tally reached 34,427 with record 1,589 fresh cases, the health department said.
The bulletin said 749 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours and the total number of people getting cured of coronavirus reached 20,680. The state now has 12,747 active COVID-19 cases.
07:38 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in Jammu and Kashmir Latest Updates
493 cases, 11 new deaths reported in J&K yesterday
Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday recorded 493 fresh COVID-19 cases with 11 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, taking the coronavirus death toll past 200 in the union territory, reports PTI. These details were issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration late on Wednesday night.
07:36 (IST)
Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates
IIS says India to have 10 lakh active cases by 1 Sep
The Indian Institute of Science projection says active cases in the country, and in the state, are likely to be 10 lakh and 71,300, respectively, by 1 September, reports Times of India.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates: Odisha government has announced 14-day complete lockdown in Ganjam, Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur districts and Rourkela Municipal Corporation area from 9 pm of 17 to 31 July mindnight, Odisha chief secretary Asit Tripathy said.
The letter written by the Human Rights Defenders Alert to the NHRC over Varavara Rao's situation in JJ Hospital, the human rights organisation quoted his family members as saying that he was "lying like an orphan" in the transit ward.
The Human Rights Defenders Alert wrote a letter to the NHRC over the health condition of Varavara Rao in Mumbai's JJ Hospital.
The letter said that the poet-activist took time to recognize his family members and added, "The family was told by the nurses that no equipment or treatment was given in the transit ward to the patient. When his nephew tried to change his urine-soaked bed sheets, the family was thrown out by the hospital staff."
Poet-activist Varavara Rao, who is an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, tested positive for coronavirus, reports said on Thursday. On Monday, the 81-year-old had approached the Bombay High Court seeking temporary bail owing to his deteriorating medical condition and the COVID-19 pandemic but was denied.
"Rao, another activist Anand Teltumbde and eight other activists were arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case, which was initially probed by the Pune police and later transferred to the National Investigation Agency in January. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on 31 December, 2017, which, the police claimed, triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial located on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.," News18 reported.
The Meghalaya government is likely to decided to close all entry points to the state from 24 to 31 July, as the number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to 354 on Thursday.
"It is hereby notified that all current operation entry point of the state located at Byrnihat, Ratacherra, Bajengdoba, Tikkrikkilla, Mirjumla and Hallidayganj shall remain closed from midnight of July 23rd to midnight of July 31st, 2020," an official order issued by the government said.
"Only movements related to emergency, medical and essential services, goods and inter-State transit vehicles will be allowed during this period," it added.
The Union civil aviation ministry on Thursday said, "Our negotiations are at an advanced stage with three countries. Air France will operate 28 flights from 18 July to 1 Aug between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris. US will be flying 18 flights between 17-31 July but this is an interim one. We have request from Germany too."
Former Maharashtra chief minister Shivajirao Patil-Nilangekar has tested positive for COVID-19 in Latur district, news agency PTI has reported. The 88-year-old leader has been reportedly shifted to a hospital in Pune
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said India’s fatality rate is 2.57% and recovery rate is 63.25%. “Despite being such a largely populated nation, we can perhaps claim to have performed better than any other country,” he said.
India reports 32,695 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the total to 9,68,876. The toll rises by 606 to 24,915. This is the highest daily rise in the number of infections and deaths.
India on Wednesday reported a record single-day spike of 29,429 COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of cases to 9,36,181 while toll from the novel coronavirus climbed to 24,309 with 582 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry's morning update.
Lockdown restrictions of varying degrees were re-imposed in a few places including in Karnataka's Shivamogga district and in Siliguri in West Bengal. Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant announced a three-day lockdown in the state from Friday to curb the spread of the disease while stating that 'janata curfew' will be in place every night from 15 July to 10 August.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government said it has decided to close all entry points to the state between 24 to 31 July.
Karnataka overtake Gujarat as fourth worst-affected state
According to PTI, this is the fourth consecutive day that COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 28,000.
At present, there are 3,19,840 active COVID-19 cases in the country while the number of recoveries stands at 5,92,031, the health ministry said. Thus the recovery rate in the country is 63.42 percent, said the ministry.
Of the 582 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, 213 are from Maharashtra, 85 from Karnataka, 67 from Tamil Nadu, 43 from Andhra Pradesh, 35 from Delhi, 28 from Uttar Pradesh, 24 from West Bengal, 14 each from Bihar and Gujarat, 10 each from Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
Of the total 24,309 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra accounted for the highest with 10,695 fatalities reported till date, followed by Delhi with 3,446 deaths, Gujarat with 2,069, Tamil Nadu with 2,099, Uttar Pradesh with 983, and West Bengal with 980.
Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 2,67,665 followed by Tamil Nadu at 1,47,324 and Delhi at 1,15,346. The updated data showed that Karnataka (44,077 cases) has now overtaken Gujarat (43,637, cases) as the fourth worst-affected state. Uttar Pradesh has reported 39,724 cases till date while Telangana has recorded 37,745.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said, adding that 1,524 cases are being reassigned to states.
Goa to impose three-day lockdown from Friday
As many states continued to report new cases, lockdown restrictions were imposed or extended in various places.
A three-day lockdown with stricter provisions will be enforced in Goa from Friday in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday. Besides, there will also be a 'janata curfew' in the state from 8 pm to 6 am every day with effect from Wednesday till 10 August, he told reporters.
Only people associated with essential services and those having medical emergencies will be allowed to move out during the curfew and lockdown, he said. Local authorities will try to arrange for home delivery of essentials, he added.
Sawant noted that people are not wearing masks and not following the social distancing guidelines. He also said that the COVID-19 cases in the state are expected to peak in next few days due to continued rains. "We are expecting a spike between 15 July and 20 July," he said.
In Karnataka's Shivamogga, the district administration decided to impose partial lockdown from 16 July until further orders.
Shivamogga Member of Parliament BY Raghavendra tweeted that the lockdown will be in place daily from 2 pm to 5 am from Thursday. Other than government offices, agriculture, medical and other necessary services, all other activities will be shut until further orders.
"Police have been instructed to take strict action against those gathering without maintaining social distancing, not wearing masks and violating guidelines," he said.
Streets remained deserted in Bengaluru as the government imposed a total lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural districts till 5 am on 22 July. Following Bengaluru urban and rural districts, administrations in several other districts like Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi (only in urban areas), Bidar, Raichur (in Raichur city and Sindhanur) and Yadgir too have announced lockdown.
In West Bengal, the Darjeeling district task force on Wednesday declared a complete lockdown in 47 wards of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation for seven days, starting 9 am on Thursday, reported ANI quoting state tourism minister Goutam Deb. Containment zones in West Bengal are already under a lockdown, which was extended till 19 July on Tuesday.
"All the norms that have been in force since 5 pm on 9 July will continue. Residents of the containment zones are prohibited from attending government and private offices," a senior official told news agency PTI.
From Thursday, Bihar will go under a complete lockdown till 31 July. The decision was confirmed on Tuesday by deputy chief minister Sushil Modi, who said that the infection had spread rapidly as precautions were not being followed strictly in public places.
इसके बावजूद सार्वजनिक स्थलों पर एहतियात बरतने में शिथिलता बरती गई, जिससे संक्रमण तेजी से बढ़ा और पूरे प्रदेश में 31 जुलाई तक सम्पूर्ण लाकडाउन लागू करना पड़ा।
यदि हमने अपनी सामूहिक संकल्प शक्ति से काम लिया और नियमों का सख्ती से पालन किया तो संक्रमण की कड़ी अवश्य टूटेगी।— Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) July 14, 2020
Lockdown restrictions are also in place in other places like Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in Maharashtra and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
Meghalaya to close entry points to state
Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday announced that all entry points to the state would be sealed from 24 to 31 July to "unburden health, frontline workers". During this period, only emergency, medical services, essential commodities and transit movement of vehicles from Assam will be allowed, said Sangma.
The chief minister also announced that no wedding receptions would be allowed in East Khasi Hills district and Ri Bhoi district "for the time being" but said that solemnisation of marriages in places of worship will be permitted with strict adherence to protocols.
Situation improved in Delhi, but war not yet won, says Kejriwal
Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the current COVID-19 situation in the National Capital is better than what it was in June, but the war against the disease has not been won yet.
Addressing an online media briefing, the chief minister said that according to the Centre's formula, Delhi was expected to have 2.25 lakh cases by 15 July, but at present, there are only 1.15 lakh cases.
He said had the Delhi government fought the virus alone, it would have "failed" and therefore his dispensation sought cooperation from the BJP-led Centre, NGOs, and other organisations.
"Our first principle was that this fight cannot be won alone," Kejriwal said.
The chief minister also said the AAP government will continue its preparations to deal with any spike in COVID-19 cases and warned against complacency.
Delhi reported 1,647 new cases and 41 deaths on Wednesday, taking the overall case count to 116,993 and toll to 3,487.
Andhra Pradesh reports record jump in new cases
A new record high of 2,432 fresh cases pushed Andhra Pradesh's aggregate past the 35,000 mark while 44 deaths took the overall toll in the state to 452. The latest bulletin said 805 coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours. The aggregate number of discharges now stood at 18,378, leaving 16,621 active cases in the state, the bulletin said.
Maharashtra reported 7,975 coronavirus cases and 233 deaths on Wednesday, taking the state’s tally rises to 2,75,640 and the toll to 10,928.
Karnataka reported 3,176 new cases, of which 1,975 cases are from Bengaluru, taking the total number of cases to 47,253. The toll rose to 928 as the state reported 87 deaths, said a bulletin issued by the state health department.
Parliamentary panel tells govt to promote cheaper medicines
Meanwhile, a Parliamentary panel told senior government officials to promote cheaper and easily available domestic-made medicines for COVID-19, sources told PTI. During a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, members also demanded that the maximum price of COVID-19 medicines be capped, they said.
Cutting across party lines, the committee members questioned why expensive medicines were often being recommended for COVID-19 treatment. Members named three cheaper and easily available medicines and questioned why they were not being promoted despite being equally effective.
The committee members also expressed concern over black marketing of medicines.
Zydus Cadila begins human trials of COVID-19 vaccine
In another development, drug manufacturer Zydus Cadila on Wednesday said it has started human clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D. In this phase of trials, the company will be enrolling over 1,000 subjects across multiple clinical study sites in India, it said in a regulatory filing.
Earlier this month, Zydus had received approval to start human trials for its COVID-19 vaccine contender, becoming the second Indian pharmaceutical firm to get such nod amid a global spurt in coronavirus infections.
It got approval a few days after India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidate COVAXIN, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), got the nod for human clinical trials from the Drug Controller General of India.
With inputs from agencies
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