COVID-19 Live Updates: India toll is 46,59,984 while positive cases globally rise to 25,602,665

Stay tuned to our live updates for all the latest news on the current global COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India has entered Unlock 4. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases in the country has jumped to 47,54,356 and as many as 78,586 people have lost their lives to this condition, according to data on the Union Health Ministry website. Globally, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 28,637,952 including 917,417 deaths, reports the World Health Organization (WHO).

LIVE UPDATES

19:55 IST 14 Sep

Over 30 lawmakers including 3 MPs infected with COVID-19 in Odisha

Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash tweeted on Monday that he and his wife Sangeeta Dash had tested coronavirus positive. They are in home isolation and their condition are stable. Dash is the seventh Minister in the state to have tested corona positive. Over 30 lawmakers, including three MPs, have also tested positive in the state. Dhenkanal MLA Sudhir Kumar Samal too confirmed his corona positive status on Monday. Earlier in the day, BJP’s Odisha unit President Samir Mohanty said that he also tested positive and was hospitalised as per the advice of the doctors. (IANS)

13:23 IST 14 Sep

Saptagir Laboratories to manufacture Remdesivir

Hyderabad-based Saptagir Laboratories on Monday announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with Jubilant Generics to manufacture intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient for intravenous administered drug ‘Remdesivir’ used in Covid-19 treatment. The drug will be produced at its Hyderabad WHO-GMP certified sterile drug product manufacturing plant acquired at an investment of Rs 75 crore. Remdesivir is an experimental antiviral drug developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. as a course of treatment for Covid-19. Gilead entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Jubilant Life Sciences for distribution to 127 countries.(IANS)

09:00 IST 14 Sep

Covaxin reduces replication of virus in rhesus monkeys

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech recently released study results of its indigenous covid-19 accine candidate covaxin .Results show reduction in replication of virus in nasal cavity, throat and lung tissues of monkeys. Bharat Biotech recently tweeted that the results demonstrated the protective efficacy in a live viral challenge model. The findings were posted recently on Research Square, an academic pre print server. (IANS)

18:57 IST 13 Sep

Govt considering emergency authorisation of Covid-19 vaccination to senior citizens: Harsh Vardhan

The coronavirus vaccine might be ready by the first quarter of 2021, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday.

“While no date has been fixed for the vaccine launch, it may be ready by the first quarter of 2021,” he said.

Harsh Vardhan also said that the government is considering emergency authorisation of Covid-19 vaccination to senior citizens and people working in high-risk settings. “This shall be done after a consensus has been reached,” he added.

The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 is drawing up a detailed strategy on how to immunise the majority of the population, he said during the ‘Sunday Samvad’ programme where he interacted with his social media followers and answered their questions. (IANS)

12:54 IST 13 Sep

Serum Institute waiting for DCGI nod to resume AstraZeneca Covid vaccine trials

Serum Institute of India (SII) said on Saturday it will resume trials in India once the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) grants it permission.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO, SII said in a tweet, “As I’d mentioned earlier, we should not jump to conclusions until the trials are fully concluded. The recent chain of events are a clear example why we should not bias the process and should respect the process till the end. Good news, @UniofOxford.”

This comes after AstraZeneca announced that it has resumed trials in UK. On the India trials, SII said, “Once DCGI will give us the permission to restart the trials in India, we will resume the trials.”

Clinical trials for the AstraZeneca Oxford Coronavirus vaccine, AZD1222, have resumed in the UK following confirmation by the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) that it was safe to do so. (IANS)

10:31 IST 13 Sep

Amit Shah re-admitted to AIIMS after complaining breathing issue

 Two weeks after his discharge, Home Minister Amit Shah has been re-admitted to All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after complaining breathing issue on Saturday, multiple sources told IANS. Shah has been suffering from post-COVID ailments for a month now. He was previously admitted to AIIMS on August 18 after he suffered post-COVID ailments days after his recovery from COVID-19 disease which he contracted in early August.

19:53 IST 12 Sep

2,885 more test corona positive in Kerala

Kerala recorded 2,885 more coronavirus cases on Saturday, even as the death toll in the state increased to 425 with 15 more fatalities. Health Minister KK Shailaja said that 1,944 more persons had tested negative for the disease. “At present, 28,802 persons are corona positive, whereas 75,848 patients have been cured so far in Kerala. In the past 24 hours, 43,954 samples were tested. Thiruvananthapuram district registered 566 new cases,” said Shailaja. Across the state, 2,03,300 persons are under observation, including 22,177 in different hospitals. The hotspots in the southern state total 603.

09:50 IST 12 Sep

Covid-19 situation worsens, Tripura HC asks govt for details

In view of the deteriorating Covid-19 situation, the Tripura, High Court on Friday asked the state government to file a detailed affidavit by September 18 about the entire situation and treatment facilities. In a suo moto case, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice Subhashish Talapatra asked the state government to furnish answers to eight points, including the details of fund allocation at different government hospitals treating coronavirus patients.

16:29 IST 11 Sep

Another Indian pharma company gets DCGI's nod for human trial of its Covid-19 drug

Amid the raging coronavirus pandemic, PNB Vesper Life Science Private Limited on Friday received approval from the Drug Controller General of India to conduct the clinical trial of their drug on Covid-19 patients.

Speaking to IANS about the breakthrough innovation, CEO of PNB Vesper Life Science Private Limited P.N. Balaram said that this is a very big step for mankind in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The molecule has shown remarkable results in reducing lung inflammation and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The Indian Pharma Research company claimed that if their propriety drug PNB-001 — Baladol — works successfully in Covid-19 patients, it would be the “first new chemical entity in the world for treatment of the disease”. (IANS)

10:30 IST 11 Sep

ICMR releases results of part 2 sero survey

 The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday published the results of part two of the first national population-based sero survey to check the transmission of Covid-19 in the country. The findings of the survey, conducted between May 11 and June 4 in 21 states, indicated that 0.73 per cent of adults in India were exposed to Covid-19 infection, amounting to 6.4 million infections in total by early May. (IANS)

09:17 IST 10 Sep

Serum Institute gets notice for continuing Oxford vaccine trail

India’s drug controller DGCI on Wednesday issued a notice to Serum Institute of India, which is manufacturing the Oxford University’s Covishield vaccine. The Drugs Regulator General of India questioned the Institute for progressing with the trials of the vaccine even after four nations had stopped the trails after one of the recipients in the UK showed some adverse symptoms. DGCI also questioned the institute why it has not sent a detailed report about the patient in the UK. Serum was supposed to start the phase 3 clinical trials of Covishield vaccine  in India from next week.

22:21 IST 9 Sep

This low-cost chip can detect Covid-19 antibodies within 30 minutes

To fight against Covid-19, Japanese scientists have developed a rapid, reliable and low-cost antibody test, that uses portable lab-on-a-chip technology to accurately measure the concentration of antibodies present in diluted blood plasma.The chip provides results within 30 minutes and is highly sensitive, detecting even the lowest clinically-relevant antibody concentration. (IANS)

16:52 IST 9 Sep

Researchers say plasma therapy safe for children with severe Covid-19

In a major study, researchers have shown that convalescent plasma appears to be a safe and possibly effective treatment for children with life-threatening cases of Covid-19. To date, no therapies have been proven safe and effective for children who develop life-threatening complications from contracting the SARS-COV-2 virus. One possible treatment that has been explored in adults is the use of convalescent plasma, which is derived from patients who have recovered from Covid-19 and can be administered in currently ill patients to generate an antibody response that renders the virus inert. (IANS)

08:53 IST 9 Sep

9 biopharma leaders sign pledge not to seek premature approval for Covid-19 vaccine

With the upcoming US presidential elections heating up the vaccine race, nine biopharma leaders on Tuesday signed a historic pledge to continue to make the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals the top priority in the development of Covid-19 vaccines. The CEOs of AstraZeneca, BioNTech, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Johnson & Johnson, Merck (known as MSD outside the US and Canada), Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer and Sanofi have signed the pledge. The pledge by the nine biopharma leaders on Tuesday suggests that they would not seek premature approval for their Covid-19 vaccine. They said that they will only submit for approval or emergency use authorisation after demonstrating safety and efficacy through a Phase 3 clinical study that is designed and conducted to meet requirements of expert regulatory authorities such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (IANS)

22:32 IST 8 Sep

Covaxin may be launched in early 2021

India’s first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech, may be launched in early 2021. Covaxin has successfully completed Phase 1 trials and the Centre has given its approval for Phase 2 of clinical trials from September 7.

Speaking to IANS, Sanjay Rai, Professor, Community Medicine, and Principal Investigator for Covid-19 vaccine trial at AIIMS, said: “Phase 1 trial has been successfully completed. Phase 2 trial is most likely to get completed sometime in October. After this, the Phase 3 trial will begin. Covaxin may be launched in early 2021 (after completion of all trial stages).”

09:39 IST 8 Sep

India's largest Covid Care Centre to shut down for lack of patients

 India’s largest Covid Care Centre (CCC) – the 10,100-bed facility at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) – will be shut down from September 15 for lack of patients. The Bengaluru civic body has taken this decision after the head of CCC taskforce, Rajendra Kumar Kataria had suggested such a move, following discussions with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. Started with much fanfare, the facility housed migrant labourers for some time in quarantine earlier during the lockdown, under the vigil of police. Furniture and beds bought for the large convention facility’s CCC will be given away to government and university hostels. (IANS)

20:02 IST 7 Sep

Mumbai expecting to get more than 2,000 Covid-19 infections daily, but BMC prepared to tackle the spike

The country’s financial capital is expecting to get more than 2,000 Covid-19 infections daily but is geared to tackle the onslaught by deploying various measures, Municipal Commissioner I.S. Chahal said here on Monday. Attributing the current increase due to revamping of Covid testing facilities in the city, he said that currently the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was conducting an average 4,000 tests daily since May-June, and this reached around 6,500 tests daily in July and around 7,600 in August. (IANS)

16:33 IST 7 Sep

Odisha Tourism Minister tests corona positive

Odisha Tourism Minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi has tested coronavirus positive. He is the fourth Minister to test corona positive in the state. Earlier, Handlooms and Textiles Minister Padmini Dian, Higher Education Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo, and Rural Development Minister Susanta Singh tested positive. Over 20 Odisha lawmakers have tested positive till date. (IANS)

09:07 IST 7 Sep

First air transfer of Covid-19 patient in India

India’s first air transfer of a Covid-19 patient was carried out on Sunday with a critically-ill man flown from Kolkata to Chennai for treatment, ICATT Kyathi Air Ambulance said. “A 58-year-old male Covid-19 patient was air-lifted in a twin engine aircraft from Kolkata to Chennai today (Sunday) in a German isolation pod,” the air ambulance’s Director Rahul Sardar told IANS, adding that this was the first time a Covid-19 patient was transferred from one city to another in India.

18:21 IST 6 Sep

Centre deploys experts to assist Punjab and Chandigarh in coronavirus management

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Sunday said that it has deployed experts to assist Punjab and Chandigarh in coronavirus management. The high-level teams will assist the state and the Union Territory in strengthening public health measures for containment, surveillance, testing, and efficient clinical management of Covid-19 patients so as to reduce mortality rate. They will also guide in addressing the challenges related to timely diagnosis and follow-up processes. (IANS)

16:37 IST 6 Sep

Proper Handling of Covid-19 Samples Can Slow Spread of the Virus: Experts

 Experts have warned that workers and equipment involved in the collection and transportation of Covid-19 samples could act as a source of infection. Therefore, the proper use of PPE by workers involved in sampling and transportation of Covid-19 samples are essential. ‘As sample collection centres are increasing in the country, proper disposal of waste generated at sample collection centre is also critical to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” Harshal R. Salve, Associate Professor at All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, told IANS.

08:36 IST 6 Sep

K'taka Labour Minister, wife test positive for coronavirus

 Karnataka Minister for Labour and Industrial Development Shivaram Hebbar and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus. The 64-year-old Minister from Yellapur said he is in home quarantine as there are not many symptoms.”Today, I and my wife tested positive for coronavirus,” said Hebbar. “I am in home quarantine on the advice of doctors as there are not many symptoms,” he said. (IANS)

10:28 IST 5 Sep

ICMR recommends 'test on-demand' for Covid-19

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued an advisory on the strategy for Covid-19 testing in which it has recommended “testing on demand”. According to the advisory, testing on demand should be done for individuals undertaking travel to countries or Indian states mandating a negative Covid-19 test report at the point of entry and those who wish to get themselves tested.

10:03 IST 4 Sep

Punjab allows free walk-in COVID-19 testing

Punjab on Thursday decided to allow free walk-in COVID testing in government hospitals and mobile vans, and similar testing at a nominal manpower cost not exceeding Rs 250 by private doctors and hospitals, to encourage increased COVID testing to check the surge in the number of cases in the state. People who want their results immediately can opt for rapid antigen testing while RT-PCR testing will also be available. The state will also explore similar arrangements for rapid antigen testing by pharmacists and chemists, on the lines of private hospitals and doctors.

21:23 IST 3 Sep

Sanofi, GSK start clinical trial of their Covid-19 vaccine

Pharmaceutical giants Sanofi and Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) on Thursday started a clinical trial for their jointly developed Covid-19 vaccine candidate. A total of 440 healthy adults are being enrolled in the trial across 11 investigational sites in the US, the two drugmakers said.

The vaccine candidate uses the same recombinant protein-based technology as one of Sanofi’s seasonal influenza vaccines with GSK’s pandemic adjuvant technology. (IANS)

14:53 IST 3 Sep

33 Punjab MLAs infected with coronavirus

Four more legislators in Punjab have tested coronavirus positive, taking their total number to 33 of 117.
“Four of our MLAs, Randeep Nabha, Angad Singh, Aman Arora and Parminder Dhindsa, have tested Covid-19 positive,” Chief Minister Amarinder Singh informed in a tweet on Thursday. At 2.8 per cent, Punjab’s death is the third worst in the country, bypassing the national capital. The national rate is 1.8 per cent. (IANS)

09:07 IST 3 Sep

Chhattisgarh reports over 2K new Covid-19 cases, the worst ever single-day spike

Chhattisgarh on Wednesday recorded the worst ever single-day spike in the number of Covid-19 cases with over 2,000 fresh patients and 12 fatalities, including a senior BJP leader and former Mayor. Now the total number of Covid positive patients in the state has reached 35,330, the Health Department said in its daily bulletin.

The state recorded 12 more Covid-19 fatalities, including former Mayor of Rajnandgaon Shobha Soni, who was a towering BJP leader in the area. The total fatalities in Chhattisgarh have now reached 299. (IANS)

21:47 IST 2 Sep

33 Bhondsi jail inmates test Covid positive

At least 33 inmates of Bhondsi jail have tested positive for Covid-19, officials said on Wednesday. “We have tested 180 inmates. While 15 of them tested positive on Tuesday, another 18 inmates were found positive on Wednesday,” officials said. Apart from the cases in Bhondsi jail, 18 commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) have also tested positive for Covid-19 on the NSG campus in Manesar. (IANS)

16:08 IST 2 Sep

Free Covid-19 vaccines for all of citizens in Japan

The Japanese government may offer free Covid-19 vaccinations to all residents so that the number of future cases and fatalities can be mitigated, informed sources said on Wednesday.
According to the sources, owing to the highly contagious nature of the Covid-19 and its potential to render patients with extremely severe symptoms, the government wants the highest number of people as possible to get vaccinated, reports Xinhua news agency.
At a meeting convened last week, outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that the government aims to secure by the first half of 2021 enough Covid-19 vaccinations for all of the country’s citizens, as part of its new measures and protocols to combat the virus. (IANS)

09:14 IST 2 Sep

21% of people in Chennai infected with Covid-19 till mid-July: Survey

A little more than 1/5th or 21% of the city’s population has been infected with SARS-COV2 or Covid-19, a seroprevalence survey conducted by the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) for Greater Chennai Corporation has found. Around 80% of the population is still susceptible to the virus, warned the survey whose results were released on Tuesday. (IANS)

19:23 IST 1 Sep

32 members of a family test Covid positive in UP district

Thirty-two members of an extended family living in the same locality have tested positive for Covid in Banda district, UP.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) N D Sharma said. “Forty-four new patients of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the district on Monday evening, including 32 members of the same family living in Phuta Kuan locality of Banda city.” Since the family members live in different houses as well as separate portions of the house, they have been quarantined for now. (IANS)

13:30 IST 1 Sep

94% of Covid-19 patients died due to underlying conditions: CDC

Ninety-four per cent of patients who died of the novel coronavirus in the US had underlying conditions, while only 6 per cent succumbed to the disease directly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a new report.The diseases that CDC listed as the top underlying medical conditions linked to coronavirus deaths, included influenza and pneumonia; respiratory failure; hypertensive disease; diabetes; vascular and unspecified dementia; cardiac arrest; heart failure; renal failure; intentional and unintentional injury.

09:19 IST 1 Sep

Coronavirus pandemic: Recoveries exceed new Covid cases in Karnataka

With 7,238 patients discharged from hospitals after treatment, recoveries exceeded new cases at 6,495 in Karnataka, an official said on Monday.”The fresh positive cases pushed the state’s Covid tally to 3,42,423, including 87,235 active so far, while 2,49,467 were discharged till date, with 7,238 during the last 24 hours,” said a state health department official here. The coronavirus pandemic, however, has claimed 5,702 lives across the state since March 8, with 113 during the day. (IANS)

09:33 IST 31 Aug

Blood thinners save life of Covid-19 patients

A blood thinner commonly available in the market has reportedly helped heal coronavirus patients in Pune, Maharashtra. Injections of Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) have turned out to be an effective therapeutic treatment for COVID-19.

19:15 IST 29 Aug

110-year-old Kerala woman recovers from COVID-19

For Kerala health authorities, Saturday brought good news as a 110-year-old woman tested negative for Covid-19 and was discharged from the state-run Medical College near here. Pathu (110) thus became the oldest Covid patient to recover in the state. Previously, the state also saw two elderly Covid patients, aged 105 and 103 years, recovering and returning home. “Pathu had turned Covid positive On August 18 after she contracted the disease from her daughter. She will be under observation at her home now,” the health authorities said. (IANS)

15:23 IST 29 Aug

This low-cost Covid-19 test requires no sophisticated equipment

Chinese researchers have developed a new low-cost diagnostic test for Covid-19 which quickly delivers accurate results without the need for sophisticated equipment.

“In this study, we developed an isothermal, CRISPR-based diagnostic for Covid-19 with near single-copy sensitivity,” the study authors from Xuzhou Medical University in China, wrote in a paper published in the journal PLOS Pathogens.

“We demonstrated a CRISPR-based assay for Covid-19 that offered shorter turn-around time and great diagnostic value, even in under-resourced settings without the need for thermal cyclers,” they added. (IANS)

08:57 IST 29 Aug

First Case Of Coronavirus Re-Infection Identified In US

Researchers have for the first time identified a case of coronavirus re-infection in the United States. According to a study report, published online, a 25-year-old man living in Reno, Nevada, who tested positive for the virus in April after showing mild illness got sick again in late May and developed more severe COVID-19.

23:21 IST 28 Aug

Punjab CM goes into seven-day isolation after Vidhan Sabha session

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Friday evening that he would be going into seven-day isolation after meeting a Covid-19 positive Congress MLA during the one-day session of the Vidhan Sabha. An announcement was made by the Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Raveen Thukral on Twitter. (IANS)

18:01 IST 28 Aug

UK ready to give emergency approval to any effective Covid vaccine

The British government on Friday proposed measures to give emergency approval to a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine and train a large number of people in administering it in order to enable a fast-paced mass rollout. If a vaccine is developed before 2021, the proposals will bolster existing powers that allow the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to consider approving its use, before a full product licence is granted. However, the government stressed that Covid-19 vaccines will only be given to the UK patients if proven to be safe and effective. (IANS)

09:16 IST 28 Aug

Indian-origin Doctor Creates ‘21-Day Immunity Plan' to Fight Coronavirus

A UK-based Indian-origin doctor, who has been championing an anti-obesity drive as a means to combat the severe effects of COVID-19, has created a “simple, evidence-based” plan to help improve health parameters and fight coronavirus. Dr Aseem Malhotra, a National Health Service (NHS) trained cardiologist released the new book titled ‘The 21-Day Immunity Plan: How to Rapidly Improve Your Metabolic Health and Resilience to Fight Infection’ on Thursday. It is pegged as a tried and tested method of how in just 21 days people can prevent, improve and even potentially reverse many of the underlying risk factors that exacerbate how infections, including coronavirus, affect humans and improve their ability to recover.

20:45 IST 27 Aug

Rajasthan to make Covid testing facilities available in all districts

With the number of active Covid-19 cases mounting to 14,646 in Rajasthan as on Thursday, state Health Minister Raghu Sharma said that the testing facility will soon be available in all the districts of the state while two Cobas-8800 machines from the US will reach Rajasthan in August and October-end. According to the health officials, 998 people have succumbed to the dreaded virus so far in Rajasthan, which has reported a total of 75,303 confirmed cases. (IANS)

17:07 IST 27 Aug

23 Punjab legislators infected by coronavirus to miss Monsoon session tomorrow

At least 30 lawmakers, nearly 25 per cent of the total strength of 117, have tested positive for coronavirus, according to a list released by the Punjab Legislative Assembly on Thursday. However, seven of them have recovered. But a majority of the legislators may not attend the one-day Monsoon session of the Assembly on Friday as they are home quarantine. (IANS)

09:09 IST 27 Aug

COVID-19 can affect almost all organs: AIIMS experts

COVID-19 can affect almost all organs and the initial symptoms may be totally unrelated to chest complaints, experts at AIIMS said on Wednesday during their weekly ‘National Clinical Grand Rounds’ organised in collaboration with NITI Aayog.  They stressed that classification of cases into mild, moderate and severe categories based just on respiratory symptoms should be relooked to include other organ involvement. 

20:43 IST 26 Aug

Phase II trial of Oxford vaccine begins in India

The Phase II clinical trial of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine, Covishield, began on Wednesday in Pune’s Bharti Vidyapeeth’s Medical College and Hospital. The first dose was given to two males, aged 28 and 48. Twenty-five volunteers will be given the dosage in the coming days. A total of 100 volunteers will be enrolled throughout India. If the data of all the 100 shows fine, the government will give clearance for phase III on 1,500, Medical Director of the medical college Dr Sanjay Lalwani told IANS.

15:04 IST 26 Aug

Australian Covid-19 vaccine shows promising results in pre-clinical results

An Australian-developed Covid-19 vaccine has shown promising results in pre-clinical testing, raising hopes for its potential effectiveness and manufacturability. The University of Queensland (UQ) released detailed results of animal trials of its vaccine candidate on Tuesday to the International Society for Vaccines. The vaccine works by locking on to the normally unstable, perfusion proteins on the surface of the virus, allowing the body’s immune system to respond more effectively. (IANS)

09:03 IST 26 Aug

Cambridge University to start trials of coronavirus vaccine in autumn, gets 1.9 mn pounds from UK govt

 The University of Cambridge is planning to start clinical trials of its possible DNA-based coronavirus vaccine, called DIOS-CoVax2, in the autumn after it received 1.9 million pounds in funding from the British government, the university said on Wednesday. Scientists at the university are aiming to make a vaccine that will not only protect from SARS-CoV-2, but also other related coronaviruses that may spill over from animals to humans.

22:34 IST 25 Aug

Fastest man alive Usain Bolt tests positive for coronavirus

World-record sprinter and eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt has tested positive for the coronavirus a few days after he celebrated his 34th birthday with a big bash mask-free. He is self-isolating at his home in Jamaica.  Jamaica’s health ministry confirmed late on Monday that Bolt, who holds world records in the 100m and 200m distance, had tested positive. Bolt took the test on Saturday, the day after he celebrated his birthday at a bash. However, he did not have any symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.(Reuters)  

19:45 IST 25 Aug

India, Russia in communication to collaborate on Sputnik V vaccine

The Centre said on Tuesday that India and Russia are in communication regarding the Sputnik V vaccine. While some initial information has been shared, detailed information is being awaited by India. Sputnik V, an adenovirus vector-based vaccine, was developed by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology along with Russian Direct Investment Fund, and was registered on August 11. Talks are underway between India and Russia for collaboration on the vaccine. (IANS)

15:52 IST 25 Aug

Karnataka Congress chief Shivakumar tests Covid positive, hospitalised

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar tested positive for the coronavirus, an official said on Tuesday. Though Shivakumar, 58, is asymptomatic, he has advised all who came in contact with him recently to test for the virus and isolate themselves at home for the safety of their health. (IANS)

09:08 IST 25 Aug

Haryana CM, speaker and two BJP legislators test Covid+ve ahead of session

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta and two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, ahead of an assembly session, which is scheduled for 2pm on August 26. Khattar informed that he has tested positive for Covid-19 through a tweet in the evening, while Gupta’s test report was made public early in the afternoon. Ratia member of legislative assembly (MLA) Lakshman Napa and Indri MLA Ram Kumar Kashyap also tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. 

21:22 IST 24 Aug

86 more deaths, 8,601 new Covid cases in Andhra

The death toll due to COVID-19 in Andhra Pradesh rose to 3,368 on Monday with 86 more people succumbing to the virus during the last 24 hours. The state also reported 8,601 new cases, taking the tally to 3,61,712. Andhra Pradesh is the third worst affected state in the country after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu in terms of the number of COVID cases and has the fifth highest number of deaths after Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Delhi.

17:34 IST 24 Aug

PM-Cares Fund for two 500-bed COVID-19 hospitals in Bihar

The PM-Cares Fund Trust has announced allocation of funds for the fight against Covid-19 by establishing a 500-bed makeshift hospital each in Bihar’s Patna and Muzaffarpur by the DRDO. The PMO tweeted from its official handle saying, “This will go a long way in improving Covid care in Bihar.” The 500-bed hospital at Patna is being inaugurated on Monday while the other at Muzaffarpur will be opened in the near future.

09:44 IST 24 Aug

Global COVID-19 cases top 23.3mn: Johns Hopkins

The overall number of global coronavirus cases has topped 23.3 million, while the deaths have increased to over 807,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University. As of Monday morning, the total number of cases stood at 23,348,081 and the fatalities rose to 807,383, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. The US accounted for the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 5,701,557 and 176,797, respectively, according to the CSSE.

20:25 IST 22 Aug

Rajya Sabha MP Shibu Soren, wife test COVID positive

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha President and Rajya Sabha MP Shibu Soren and his wife Rupi Soren have tested positive for coronavirus, their son and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren tweeted on Saturday. “Both of them are in home isolation and undergoing treatment. With the good wishes of the people of the state, they will be back with us,” he added.

13:50 IST 22 Aug

Covid-19 pandemic could be over within 2 years, says WHO chief

 Addressing a virtual press briefing from Geneva on Friday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic could be over within two years. He said that the Spanish flu of 1918 had also taken two years to overcome, but current advances in technology could enable the world to halt the Covid-19 pandemic “in a shorter time”. (IANS)

08:57 IST 22 Aug

5 Rajasthan districts achieve 90% recovery: State Health Minister

In a positive news amid the Covid-19 gloom, almost half of the total districts of Rajasthan have recorded above 80 per cent recovery rate, state Health Minister Raghu Sharma said on Friday.

Among these districts, five have recorded over 90 per cent recovery — Churu (90.2 per cent), Jalore (96.3 per cent), Jhunjhunu (91.4 per cent), Pali (91.2 per cent) and Sirohi (90.6 per cent).Overall, the recovery in Rajasthan stands at 76.53 per cent. (IANS)

22:14 IST 21 Aug

Tamil Nadu's Covid-19 tally rises to 3,67,430 on Friday

Tamil Nadu’s Covid-19 caseload rose to 367,430 on Friday as 5,995 more people tested positive for the infection, while 110 more fatalities pushed its coronavirus death toll to 6,340, said the State Health department in a statement.

As many as 5,764 patients were discharged from various healthcare facilities after recovery on Friday, taking the total recoveries to 307,677. The number of active Covid-19 cases in the state stands at 53,413. (IANS)

14:57 IST 21 Aug

Pfizer and BioNTech's 2nd Covid vaccine shows fewer side effects than their first one

US-based Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech announced positive results for the Phase 1 trial of their second Covid-19 vaccine candidate, revealing that the latest vaccine candidate has fewer side effects than their first. According to the report, the reason was that the second vaccine seemed to generate a similar immune response, but fewer side effects.

On Thursday, they posted the results from all 332 people who received either vaccine, referred to as vaccines B1 or B2 – and indeed, B2 recipients experienced markedly fewer adverse events tied to the vaccine. (IANS)

09:09 IST 21 Aug

50 staffers, 21 patients of mental hospitals in Maharashtra infected by Covid

The cornavirus disease has also hit government mental hospitals in Maharashtra hard. According to a media report, 21 patients and 50 staffers at four government mental hospitals in Thane, Nagpur, Pune and Ratnagiri have been infected by the virus till August 19.

All the facilities have suspended group therapy and called off family visits to prevent the virus from spreading further, doctors told a leading national newspaper. However, maintaining physical distance and implementing habits, such as hand hygiene and wearing face masks, among the mentally ill patients has been difficult, they said.

21:31 IST 20 Aug

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat tests positive for Covid-19, hospitalised

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has tested positive for Covid-19. According to sources, he will undergo treatment at Medanta hospital in Gurugram. Shekhawat has appealed to all people who came in contact with him to isolate themselves and get examined for Covid so that if someone comes in contact with them, the source of the virus could be detected. The Union minister’s staff will also undergo a test for coronavirus. (IANS)

14:36 IST 20 Aug

Another study confirms Covid-19 doesn't spread through breast milk

New research adds to the growing body of evidence that Covid-19 was unable to cause infection in the breastfed infant. The study, published in the journal JAMA, examined 64 samples of breast milk collected by the ‘Mommy’s Milk Human Milk Research Biorepository’ from 18 women across the US infected with SARS-CoV-2. Although one sample tested positive for viral RNA, subsequent tests found that the virus was unable to replicate, and thus unable to cause infection in the breastfed infant. (IANS)

08:45 IST 20 Aug

COVID-19 vaccine won't be mandatory in US: Anthony Fauci

Anthony Fauci, the United States’ top infectious diseases official, said that the US government wouldn’t make any future COVID-19 vaccine obligatory for the general public. But he noted that local jurisdictions could make it mandatory for some groups, like children.

Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, made the statement  during a video talk organised by George Washington University.

“You don’t want to mandate and try and force anyone to take a vaccine. We’ve never done that. You can mandate for certain groups of people like health workers, but for the general population you can’t,” he stated.

20:02 IST 19 Aug

Pharma major Dr Reddy's launches Avigan tablets for Covid-19 treatment in India

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd on Wednesday announced the launch of Avigan (Favipiravir) 200 mg tablets for treatment of Covid-19 in India. The launch is part of the global licensing agreement with Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. Ltd that grants Dr Reddy’s the exclusive rights to manufacture, sell and distribute Avigan (Favipiravir) 200 mg tablets in India. Avigan has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 disease. (IANS)

14:41 IST 19 Aug

Flushing public toilets can spread Covid-19: Chinese researchers

Chinese researchers have recently reported that flushing public restroom toilets or urinals can spew clouds of particles carrying viruses, including Covid-19. The study, published in the journal ‘Physics of Fluids’, found that Covid-19 particles from a flushing urinal can rise to two feet in the air in less than six seconds “potentially infecting the unsuspecting urinal user”. (IANS)

08:45 IST 19 Aug

Gauhati Medical College selected for 2nd phase clinical testing of COVAXIN

The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has been chosen for the second phase clinical testing of India’s indigenously developed coronavirus vaccine, COVAXIN, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday. He said the GMCH would provide all-out support for the second phase clinical testing of COVAXIN, which has already shown successful results in phase-one clinical trials. (IANS)

18:32 IST 18 Aug

Karnataka to set up oxygen plants at all hospitals across the state

In wake of two incidents of oxygen-dependent coronavirus patients being shifted at midnight to different hospitals due to supply disruptions, the Karnataka government on Tuesday said that it is working to set up oxygen plants at all hospitals in the state.

“We are taking measures to establish oxygen plants at all hospitals across the state. We are in contact with private firms which supply liquid oxygen… the Principal Secretary, Industry Department is in touch with them,” Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said. (IANS)

13:34 IST 18 Aug

Over 100K people to take part in UK Covid-19 vaccine trials

Over 100,000 people have volunteered to take part in the coronavirus vaccine trials in the UK, the government said, while encouraging more citizens to sign up to the National Health Service (NHS) Covid-19 Vaccine Research Registry. It said a number of trials in the UK are expected to begin this fall, involving the NHS, research institutions and businesses, to help develop and manufacture vaccines. (IANS)

09:05 IST 18 Aug

Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw tests positive for Covid-19

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and managing director of Bengaluru-based Biocon Ltd, tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. “I have added to the Covid count by testing positive. Mild symptoms n I hope it stays that way,” 67-year-old Shaw tweeted  on Monday

Biocon is one of the Indian companies which is working on developing drugs to fight COVID-19. In July, the company received the approval of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to market a repurposed injection, Itolizumab.

21:29 IST 17 Aug

AYUSH Minister given plasma therapy for corona treatment

Union Minister of State for Defence and AYUSH Shripad Naik has been administered plasma therapy and put on high-flow nasal oxygen as part of the treatment for coronavirus, an official statement said on Monday. Naik had tested corona positive on August 12. He is admitted in a private hospital near the state capital and is responding well to the treatment. “He is being treated by doctors from the Goa Medical College and Manipal Hospital. His treatment is being monitored in close coordination with AIIMS, Delhi,” the statement said.

15:14 IST 17 Aug

COVID death toll in Telangana crosses 700-mark

The death toll due to COVID-19 in Telangana crossed the 700-mark on Monday as 10 more people succumbed to the virus. The fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 703 while 894 people tested positive during the last 24 hours, ending Sunday 8 p.m. This is the second time this month that the daily count of cases slumped below 1,000 as the authorities also reduced the daily tests.

09:24 IST 17 Aug

Pune surpasses Mumbai to emerge as India's top corona hotspot

Maharashtra’s academic and cultural capital Pune on Sunday broke ahead of Mumbai to emerge as the country’s new “corona capital” with the maximum Covid-19 cases. Meanwhile, with a total tally of 595,865, Maharashtra has now edged past South Africa which has 583,653 cases (no 5 as per Worldometer), to only rank below Russia, India, Brazil and the US.

11:21 IST 16 Aug

Yogi to double HDU and ICU for COVID patients by August end

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is all set to double the number of high dependency unit (HDU) and intensive care unit (ICU) beds for Covid-19 patients by the end of this month. A detailed plan has been prepared for all Covid-19 hospitals in Lucknow, including private facilities like Medanta and Apollo, with deadlines set for achieving the goals, taking the strength from the current 383 beds, under both categories, to 928 by August 31.

17:29 IST 15 Aug

Oxygen disruption: 17 corona patients shifted in B'luru

Seventeen coronavirus patients needed to be shifted from a city hospital to other medical facilities on the intervening night of August 14 and 15 after a short circuit disrupted oxygen supply, an official said on Saturday. “There was a short circuit in the oxygen control panel, because of which oxygen supply to the patients was disrupted,” CV Raman Hospital Superintendent Radhakrishna told IANS. The control panel is required to maintain oxygen supply pressure and other crucial parameters of a patient put on oxygen support.

09:07 IST 15 Aug

Punjab imposes state-wide night curfew to combat COVID spread

As COVID-19 cases continued to spike amid fears of a peak in the next few weeks, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday announced extension of the night curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. to all cities, along with a slew of other measures to control the spread of the pandemic. The night curfew will now be applicable to all cities, with exemption for industries, he said, while announcing sector-based division of big cities, with a nodal officer to be appointed in each for contract tracing to assist the health teams.

22:39 IST 14 Aug

Health Ministry's Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal tests Covid-19 positive

Health Ministry’s Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, who was the face of the Covid-19 press briefing at the start of the pandemic’s outbreak, has tested positive for the viral disease, an official said on Friday. A top-ranking official from National Centre for Disease Control confirmed that Agarwal, 48, has tested positive. “The current condition of Agarwal is not critical and he is serving his quarantine period in home,” the official said. (IANS)

15:36 IST 14 Aug

Congress ex-MP Surendra Prakash Goel dies of COVID-19

Congress’ former MP from Ghaziabad, Surendra Prakash Goel, passed away due to COVID-19, party sources said on Friday. He was 74. Goel was elected member of Parliament in 2004. He is survived by his wife and two children.According to reports, the former MP was admitted to Gangaram Hospital in Delhi on August 2 after his coroanvirus report came positive. (IANS)

09:22 IST 14 Aug

Over 400 people fined in a week for not wearing mask in Lutyen's Delhi

In a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has imposed penalty on over 400 people in the last one week for not wearing masks or for not following social distancing norms at prominent markets in Lutyen’s Delhi.
The NDMC has also levied a fine of Rs 1,000 on 52 people for spitting in the market areas as a part of its anti-spitting drive launched a month ago. “Last week, another intensive drive on social distancing and the importance of wearing masks was launched. We have issued Rs 500 challan to over 400 people till now,” said NDMC’s Senior Medical Officer Vijay Patel told IANS.

18:59 IST 13 Aug

Plasma therapy for Covid patients safe and effective: Study

In an ongoing study of more than 300 Covid-19 patients treated with convalescent plasma therapy in the US, researchers suggest that the treatment is safe and effective. The study, published in the American Journal of Pathology, tracked 350 severely ill Covid-19 patients admitted to the Houston Methodist’s system of eight hospitals from March 28 through July 6. (IANS)

15:27 IST 13 Aug

Covid-19 recovery rate crosses 70% in India: Health Ministry

The government on Thursday stated that 70.77 per cent people infected of deadly coronavirus have recovered and left hospital and quarantine centres. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that 66,999 new Covid-19 cases have been detected in the last 24 hours taking the total tally of the cases to 23,36,637.

The ministry stated that there are 6,53,622 active cases. It also stated that 16,95,982 people were discharged so far. In the last 24 hours, a total of 56,383 people left hospitals and quarantine centres after recovering from the deadly virus. The government recorded a recovery rate of 70.77 per cent. The authorities also stated that 47,033 people succumbed to deadly virus so far. (IANS)

08:41 IST 13 Aug

US signs $1.5bn deal with Moderna for 100mn doses of its Covid vaccine

he US government has entered into a $1.5 billion deal with biotechnology company Moderna for the manufacturing and delivery of 100 million doses of its potential Covid-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273.

With the previous award of up to $955 million for the development of the vaccine to licensure, the new announcement brings the US government’s commitments for early access to mRNA-1273 to up to $2.48 billion, Moderna said on Tuesday.

Under the terms of the agreement, the US government will also have the option to purchase up to an additional 400 million doses of mRNA-1273 from Moderna. (IANS)

15:16 IST 12 Aug

Covid cases haven't yet peaked or even plateaued in India, says AIIMS Director

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Randeep Guleria, one of India’s leading medical experts, has asserted that the coronavirus cases in the country have not yet hit their peak or even plateaued.

“These are trying times. It has tested the resilience of the nation. We have not reached the peak or started plateauing as far as cases are concerned,” Guleria, who is also the part of a core team monitoring the pandemic, said.

The remarks come at a time when the infections are racing ahead with the country adding at least a lakh new cases every two days. It has logged more than 23 lakh cases and over 46,000 deaths so far since the first case on January 30. (IANS)

08:51 IST 12 Aug

Kerala records 1,417 Covid cases on Tuesday, total active cases reach 12,721

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said 1,417 more people tested Covid positive on Tuesday, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 12,721.

However, 1,426 cases were discharged, taking the number of people cured of the disease in the state to 24,046. The state currently has 523 hotspots.

“Districts like Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Malappuram are seeing a spike in cases and steps will now be taken to ensure that there is more awareness. The police will take the lead. Also, it has been decided to prepare a data bank of those who violate rules by not wearing a mask. Second time violators will be fined Rs 2,000,” said Vijayan. (IANS)

20:56 IST 11 Aug

Indian health experts take Russian Covid vaccine with pinch of salt

Cautiously welcoming the news of Russia registering the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, Indian health experts on Tuesday stressed that it would be too early to say if it is safe or not as the vaccine was tested on very few volunteers. The clinical trials of the vaccine started on June 18 and included 38 volunteers. The volunteers were divided into two main groups – one group consisted of 18 people and the other group had 20. Russia on Tuesday became the first country in the world to register a Covid-19 vaccine jointly developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry.

17:50 IST 11 Aug

New model shows how to reopen business after lockdown

Researchers have developed a model which shows that Covid-19 can stay under control inside a company only if social distancing, PPE and other measures are implemented for employees not working from home. The study published in the journal ‘Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics’ also revealed that these measures will protect the net profit.

09:16 IST 11 Aug

Google launches new global Covid-19 map for journalists

Google in collaboration with Stanford University has launched a global COVID-19 map that makes it possible for journalists to embed up-to-date visualisations of the pandemic on their sites for readers. Unlike other coronavirus case maps, the ‘COVID-19 Global Case Mapper’ allows local reporters to embed a map of their area or even a national case map. The map shows cases in relation to population.

18:22 IST 10 Aug

India's COVID-19 tally crosses 22-lakh mark, but death rate drops to 2%

As the total coronavirus patients across the country crossed the 22-lakh mark, India’s fatality rate dropped to its lowest two per cent in the last 24 hours whereas the recoveries reached a new peak of over 15 lakh so far.

The latest data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) reveals that the current Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is two per cent and is steadily declining. The central government said the fatality rate is at its lowest and India is among the countries with lowest fatalities. (IANS)

15:41 IST 10 Aug

Ex-President Pranab Mukherjee tests positive for COVID-19

Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said that he has tested positive for coronavirus and asked his contacts to self-isolate and get tested for the virus.

“On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for Covid-19 today. I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week to please self-isolate and get tested for Covid-19,” the former President tweeted. (IANS)

08:53 IST 10 Aug

Maharashtra to launch 'boat ambulance' service between Mumbai and Raigad

 The Maharashtra government has given the green signal for launching a “boat ambulance-cum-mobile medical unit” service between Mumbai and Raigad, on an experimental basis, an official said here on Sunday.

The tendering process has been cleared for the service – which was due to be launched before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown – between the Gateway of India (Mumbai) and Mandwa Jetty (Raigad) on the mainland.

Minister of State for Industries and Raigad Guardian Minister, Aditi Tatkare said that the boat ambulance will be a speedboat which can accommodate an ambulance to shift patients from Raigad or Ratnagiri requiring urgent medicare at hospitals in Mumbai. (IANS)

11:23 IST 9 Aug

States asked to focus on reducing COVID mortality: Health Ministry

All states and Union Territories (UTs) have been asked to focus on reducing the Covid-19 mortality rate, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry said on Saturday. Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan gave the direction during the two high-level virtual meetings, conducted on Friday and Saturday as part of the Centre’s continuous process of review and hand-holding for collaborative management of the Covid-19 pandemic which so far has claimed 42,518 lives across the country.

09:37 IST 8 Aug

Serum Institute to price Covid vaccine at less than Rs 250/dose

The Serum Institute of India will introduce candidate vaccines from AstraZeneca and Novavax for COVID-19 at less than Rs 250 per dose in India. The Pune-based institute will offer up to 100 million doses at a price capped at $3 for 92 low and middle-income countries (LMIC), including India, SII announced on Friday. As per SII, the vaccines will be available as early as the first half of 2021 after gaining approvals and qualifications from the World Health Organization (WHO). The SII also said that if successful, Novavax’s candidate will be available to all 92 countries while AstraZeneca’s candidate vaccine will be available to 57 Gavi-eligible countries.

09:08 IST 7 Aug

Global recovery can be faster if COVID vaccine is made available to all: WHO chief

Economic recovery around the world could come faster if any COVID-19 vaccine is made available to all as a public good, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday.

He was speaking in an online panel discussion with members of the Aspen Security Forum in the United States moderated by the NBC network.

“Sharing vaccines or sharing other tools actually helps the world to recover together. The economic recovery can be faster and the damage from COVID-19 could be less,” Tedros said. (Reuters)

09:52 IST 6 Aug

11 sanitiser brands in India found to be of poor quality: Haryana minister

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said cases have been filed against 11 sanitiser brands after samples of them, collected from across the state, failed quality standards. He said 248 samples were collected, out of which test reports of 123 samples have been received. A notice has also been issued to suspend or cancel their licenses. “Out of the total reports received, 14 have failed the tests. Nine brands were found substandard, while five were found to use excessive quantity of methanol,” Vij told the media. He said instructions have been given to seize the entire stock of the brands concerned.

19:01 IST 5 Aug

Covid-19 treatment: Zenara Pharma gets DCGI approval to manufacture, sell Favipiravir

Hyderabad-based Zenara Pharma on Wednesday announced that it has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and sell Favipiravir tablets as a treatment option for patients with mild to moderate symptoms of Covid-19.

The tablet, which will be sold under the brand name ‘Favizen’, is being manufactured at Zenara’s US FDA approved state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad.

Zenara Pharma, a fully-owned subsidiary of Biophore India Pharmaceuticals, is in talks with multiple state institutions and several hospitals in India to ensure that Favizen is readily available for the patients in need. (IANS)

09:27 IST 5 Aug

India's Covid testing rate is low: WHO Chief Scientist

nderlining the importance of adequate testing for Covid-19, World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan on Tuesday said that India’s testing rate is low, compared to other countries which have done well in combating the pandemic.

“India, as a whole, has a low testing rate compared to some of the countries which have done well like Germany, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and even the US,” she said while speaking on ‘The vaccine race, balancing since and urgency’ organised by the Telangana government.

She said the WHO had been repeatedly emphasising that testing is extremely important. “Unless we do testing adequately, we don’t know where the virus is. If you are not testing, you are fighting a fire blindfolded. We have to test, test and test.” (IANS)

09:22 IST 4 Aug

India's Wockhardt signs deal with UK govt for supply of COVID-19 vaccines

Indian drugmaker Wockhardt Ltd will supply millions of doses of multiple COVID-19 vaccines, including that being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, to           UK. The company has signed a deal with the UK government for the same.

AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s vaccine candidate is seen as one of the frontrunners in the global COVID-19 vaccine race.

08:29 IST 3 Aug

Younger kids carry higher amounts of COVID-19 RNA than adults

Children younger than five years with mild to moderate COVID-19 have high amounts of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in their nasopharynx compared with older children and adults, revealed a new study, published in journal JAMA Pediatrics.

Based on the findings, the study suggested that young children can potentially be important drivers of SARS-CoV-2 spread in the general population.

09:07 IST 2 Aug

UK scientists to immunize hundreds of people with experimental COVID vaccine

Scientists from the Imperial College London said they are immunizing hundreds of people with an experimental COVID vaccine in its early trials after seeing no side effects and safety problems in the small number of people vaccinated so far. The vaccine was initially tested at a low dose in initial participants. Now, they will be expanding the trial to 300 people, including some candidates over the age of 75.

10:12 IST 1 Aug

Impact of coronavirus will be felt for decades to come, says WHO

The global coronavirus outbreak is the sort of disaster whose effects will last far into the future, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday. “The pandemic is a once-in-a-century health crisis, the effects of which will be felt for decades to come,” Tedros told a meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee, according to remarks released by the agency. The pandemic has killed more than 670,000 people since emerging in Wuhan, China, with more than 17 million cases diagnosed.

10:21 IST 31 Jul

Record spike of over 55K coronavirus cases in India

India reported the single-day spike of 55,079 coronavirus cases and 779 deaths in the last 24 hours pushing the total tally to 16,38,871 and 35,747 deaths, stated the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. More than one million people have recovered till now, over 1.9 times the number of active cases. As many as 10,57,805 have been discharged, while 5,45,318 still remain affected. As many as 16 states and UTs have a recovery rate more than the national average of 64.44 per cent. Highest number of recovered patients are in Delhi, Ladakh, Haryana, Assam, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

14:59 IST 30 Jul

EU signs 63 million-euro contract with Gilead to secure Remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment

 The European Commission said that it has signed a 63 million-euro contract with American pharmaceutical company Gilead to secure doses of Veklury, the brand name for Remdesivir, for the treatment of COVID-19. The Commission said in a statement on Wednesday that batches of Veklury will be made available to the EU member states and the UK from early August, reports Xinhua news agency. The distribution will be coordinated by the European Commission. Remdesivir was the first medicine authorized at the EU level for treatment of COVID-19 after the European Commission fast-tracked the request for authorization earlier this month. (IANS)

09:07 IST 30 Jul

MHA issues guidelines for Unlock 3.0, yoga institutes and gyms allowed

he Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), here on Wednesday, issued guidelines for the ‘Unlock 3.0’, which will come into effect from August 1.

According to the guidelines, restrictions on movement of individuals during night have been scrapped, and yoga institutes and gymnasiums have been allowed to open from August 5.

International air travel has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission. Further opening-up will take place in a calibrated manner. In areas outside the containment zones, all activities will be permitted except for education institutions, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatre, bars, auditorium and assembly halls.
 Metros and large congregations continue to be prohibited. (IANS)

15:51 IST 29 Jul

Hetero launches generic Favipirav in India to treat mild to moderate Covid symptoms

Hetero, one of India’s leading generic pharmaceutical companies and the world’s largest producer of antiretroviral drugs, on Wednesday announced the launch of generic Favipiravir in India under the brand name Favivir for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

Hetero’s Favivir (Favipiravir 200 mg) is priced at Rs 59 per tablet and is marketed and distributed by Hetero Healthcare Limited. The product is available from Wednesday at all retail medical outlets and hospital pharmacies across the country and will be sold only on prescription. (IANS)

09:15 IST 29 Jul

Mumbai could be inching towards herd immunity: Ser-survey report

In an encouraging development, an experts’ report late on Tuesday pointed to Mumbai heading towards ‘herd immunity’ as the city recorded the lowest number of cases — 700 — in the past three months on Tuesday, officials said.

The ser-survey report prepared by the NITI Aayog, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) indicates that Mumbai, which currently has a little more than 21,000 active cases, could be inching towards herd immunity. (IANS)

09:30 IST 28 Jul

Chinese mainland reports 68 new confirmed COVID-19 cases

Chinese health authority said on Tuesday that it received reports of 68 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Chinese mainland on Monday, including four imported cases and 64 locally-transmitted ones. Fifty-seven of the 64 locally-transmitted cases were reported in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, six in Liaoning Province, and one in Beijing Municipality, the National Health Commission said in its daily report.

18:44 IST 27 Jul

B'luru hospital to test indigenous non-invasive ventilator 'SwasthVayu'

At a time when hospitals are facing a paucity of ventilators amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a city-based hospital will embark on three-month-long clinical trials to test a non-invasive indigenous ventilator developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), an official said on Monday.

“Starting from Tuesday, we will start Phase III clinical trials on SwasthVayu, the non-invasive indigenous ventilator, which may last up to three months,” the official, Satyanarayana told IANS.

SwasthVayu was created in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving a call to innovators and scientists to develop products to ramp up healthcare systems to tackle the Covid pandemic. (IANS)

08:51 IST 27 Jul

PM to launch three throughput Covid testing facilities that can test 10,000 samples in a day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch high throughput COVID-19 testing facilities on Monday via video conferencing, in presence of Union Health Minister and three chief ministers. The three testing centres will be at Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata and will be able to test over 10,000 samples a day.

The three high-throughput testing facilities have been set up strategically at ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, Noida; ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai; and ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, and will be able to test over 10,000 samples in a day.  (IANS)

16:32 IST 26 Jul

India records 675 deaths in just 1 hour, toll crosses 32K

While India is putting in all efforts to prepare a vaccine for the cure of the deadly coronavirus, the world’s third worst-hit country on Sunday recorded close to 49,000 (48,661) cases in the last 24 hours taking the total tally to over 13.8 lakh cases while the death toll crossed 32,000 (32,063) with 675 deaths in just one hour.

According to the latest data available on the website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, total number of cases in India reached 13,85,522 of which 32,063 people have lost their lives while 8,85,577 have recovered.

The total number of active cases are 4,67,882 cases. Maharashtra remained the worst hit state after recording a single-day spike of 9,251 cases taking the state’s tally to 3,66,368 of which 13,389 people have died of the deadly disease.

Maharashtra is followed by Tamil Nadu (2,06,737), Delhi (1,29,531), Karnataka (90,942) and Andhra Pradesh (88,671). (IANS)

09:02 IST 26 Jul

Gujarat reports 1,081 Covid cases on Saturday, the highest daily spike so far

Gujarat reported another 1,081 Covid cases on Saturday, the highest daily spike so far, taking its tally to 54,712, while the toll rose to 2,305 with 22 more deaths.

Gujarat has recorded 22,069 cases in July so far, with an daily average of over 880 cases, though in this week, the number of cases has been in four figures. With 276, Surat, the new corona hotspot, accounted for over one-fourth of the new cases, while Ahmedabad reported 180 cases and Vadodara was at the third spot with 94. (IANS)

09:13 IST 25 Jul

Cinemas should be allowed to reopen in August, I&B Ministry recommends

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has recommended to the Union Home Ministry that cinema halls all over the country be allowed to reopen in August. I&B Secretary Amit Khare indicated this at a close-door industry interaction with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He said his opposite number in the Home Ministry, Ajay Bhalla, will take the final call. Khare said that he has recommended that cinema halls may be allowed to reopen all over India as early as August 1 – or at the latest, around August 31. The formula suggested is that alternate seats in the first row and then the next row be kept vacant and proceeding in this fashion throughout.

14:45 IST 24 Jul

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine: SII plans to manufacture 2-3 mn doses by end of August

Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) has started manufacturing a potential coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and it plans to manufacture two-three million doses of vaccine by end-August.

The Oxford vaccine is being developed in collaboration with British biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which has signed an agreement with SII for 1 billion doses of the vaccine. Under the deal, SII will extensively manufacture the Oxford vaccine for India and Gavi countries.

The company hopes to manufacture two-three million doses of the vaccine by the end of August, reported a leading national daily quoting Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director of SII.

09:01 IST 24 Jul

Kerala to form Covid brigade to tackle the pandemic

Even as the number of Covid-19 cases are consistently rising, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that a ‘Covid brigade’ will be formed to handle the situation. Vijayan said there were 1,078 Covid cases on Thursday in Kerala which stands as the highest in a day. He said with things turning tough, the government is forming a Covid brigade which will consist of medical professionals and ordinary people who are willing to work to fight this pandemic. (IANS)

19:52 IST 23 Jul

84 staffers of Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan test coronavirus positive

As many as 84 persons including security and fire service personnel posted at the Raj Bhavan here have tested positive for coronavirus, said a statement. The statement, issued by the Raj Bhavan, said that 147 persons were tested for coronavirus as some persons working there had shown symptoms of infection. None of the infected persons had come in contact with Governor Banwarilal Purohit or other senior officials, the statement said. (IANS)

17:17 IST 23 Jul

B'luru hospital bans woman Covid patients from wearing dupatt after two ladies committed suicide

A city hospital here has banned woman Covid patients from wearing dupatta (long scarf) or similar garments, after two women committed suicide, said an official on Thursday.

“Two patients committed suicides with their sarees, that’s why we have changed the dress code,” KC General Hospital superintendent Venkateshaiah told IANS.

As part of the new dress code, the hospital has mandated that women patients should wear operation theatre dress, even though some older patients are not in favour of it. Incidentally, both the deceased women went to the bathroom and hanged themselves with their sarees. (IANS)

08:41 IST 23 Jul

Maharashtra's daily Covid-19 cases cross 10,000 mark

Maharashtra’s daily Covid-19 cases on Wednesday crossed the 10,000 mark for the first time while the state recorded the second-highest figure of deaths and the Pune Metropolitan region surpassed 2,000 fatalities, health officials said.

The state notched a staggering 10,576 new cases, the highest after 9,518 on July 19. The number of deaths continued to remain in the 200-plus range, at 280 – the second-highest after 295 deaths on July 4. With the fresh fatalities, the death toll went up to 12,556, while the total cases rose to 337,607 – both highest in the country. (IANS)

15:46 IST 22 Jul

Delhi to conduct serological survey every month

 Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said that the serological survey will now be conducted in the national capital every month.

On Tuesday, a serological survey conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control in collaboration with the Delhi Government revealed that 22.86 per cent people have the antibodies for the viral disease, while 77 per cent of the population are still susceptible.

Addressing a press conference, Jain said, “Delhi government has decided to conduct sero-survey every month. It will be done from the first day of the month till 5th of every month.” (IANS)

09:02 IST 22 Jul

SII to conduct trials of Covishield vaccine developed by Oxford University

 The Serum Institute of India (SII) will launch the first Covid-19 vaccine called ‘Covishield’ and commence its trials soon in India. SII released a representative image of the vial of Covishield which is the vaccine developed by the Oxford University and pharma giant, AstraZeneca. It will be applying soon for the licensure trials of AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine to the Indian regulator.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO, SII, in a tweet, said: “Congratulations to the teams at @UniofOxford and @AstraZeneca for getting this product data out. It all seems to be going well. Hope to get positive results in the phase three trials in a few months. We have also hope to start phase three trials in India soon”. (IANS) 

16:14 IST 21 Jul

Covid-19 kills five of a family in Jharkhand

A family has lost five members in just 15 days to the coronavirus pandemic in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district. A 88-year-old woman was admitted in a Bokaro hospital after she complained of some medical problem. The woman died on July 4 due to coronavirus but it was detected only after her death. She had six sons and five of them have now died. Four of them died due to coronavirus while one fell to cancer. (IANS)

08:19 IST 21 Jul

Hyderabad's NIMS begins human trials of Covaxin

As part of human trials of Covaxin, India’s first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, two volunteers were given its first dose at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Monday, doctors said.

The healthy volunteers, who were administered the first dose of the vaccine in the morning, were stable. “Both are stable and we have not found any reaction or side-effects,” said Dr G. Srinivas, a member of the research team conducting the clinical trials. (IANS)

19:24 IST 20 Jul

COVID-19 treatment: Mylan launches generic version of remdesivir in India under brand name 'DESREM'

Global pharmaceutical company Mylan on Monday announced the commercial launch of the generic version of Gilead Sciences’s antiviral drug remdesivir under the brand name ‘DESREM’ in India to address urgent needs amid Covid-19.

Available at a price of Rs 4,800 per 100mg vial, the drug costs more than 80 per cent less than the price at which the branded version of this product will be available to governments in the developed world, Mylan said. (IANS)

15:26 IST 20 Jul

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain recovers from COVID-19, resumes work from today

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who had contracted the coronavirus disease last month, has recovered and will resume work from Monday. The 55-year-old leader had tested positive on June 17. He was first admitted in the Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital but then was shifted to the Max Hospital after his condition worsened and was kept on oxygen support in the ICU. He was administered plasma therapy after which his condition improved and was discharged nine days later on June 26.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal twitted, “Our Health Minister Satinder Jain has recovered. He will join work from today.” (IANS)

09:01 IST 20 Jul

COVID-19 cannot be transmitted from mosquitoes to humans: Study

 Scientists have confirmed that the novel coronavirus behind the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be transmitted to people by mosquitoes.  A study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, provided the first experimental evidence on the capacity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, to infect and be transmitted by mosquitoes. 

15:13 IST 19 Jul

Soon, mobile container ICUs for treatment of COVID-19 patients in Bengaluru

The Karnataka government would soon use intensive care units (ICUs) built in mobile modular containers to facilitate treatment of COVID-19 patients in this tech city, a Minister said on Sunday.

“On a pilot basis, 10 modular container ICUs will soon be stationed at the state-run KC General Hospital in the city’s northwest suburb for treating Covid patients,” state Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said here. (IANS)

08:41 IST 19 Jul

Fake Tocilizumab injections' racket unearthed in Gujarat

he Gujarat Foods and Drugs Control Authority (FDCA) has unearthed a racket in the manufacture and sale of fake Tocilizumab injections, seizing machinery and raw material valued at Rs 8 lakh from a Surat premises.

Ahmedabad’s Dr Devang Shah stumbled upon the racket while using 400mg Tocilizumab injection of dubious quality during treatment of patient Lataben Baldua. The injection was procured by her relative. Shah and the relative complained to the FDCA regarding the fake injection allegedly procured from M/s Maa Pharmacy in Sabarmati in Ahmedabad for Rs 1,35,000. (IANS)

09:53 IST 18 Jul

COVID-19 threatens to exacerbate conflict, humanitarian crises: WHO

COVID -19 threatens to exacerbate many issues the world is facing, such as years of conflict and other humanitarian crises, the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, while calling for continuity of essential health services. Although COVID -19 has rightly captured the world’s attention, many countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East, are still reeling from years of conflict and other humanitarian crises, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday at a routine briefing.

09:16 IST 17 Jul

Karnataka to raise daily COVID tests to 50K

From an average of 20,000 COVID tests a day, Karnataka health department will scale up its testing capacity to 50,000 samples daily in 10 days’ time, said a Minister on Thursday. “Within the next 7-10 days, testing capacity will be enhanced to conduct 40,000 – 50,000 tests per day,” said Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar. He said the state conducted 23,451 COVID tests on Thursday and 9.25 lakh tests overall since the start of the pandemic. Sudhakar said that currently the southern state’s recovery rate is 38.7 per cent and mortality rate at 2.01 per cent.

16:15 IST 16 Jul

Humanoid robots to help India in Covid-19 fight

Indian consumer robot maker Milagrow on Thursday launched its 4 new humanoid robots – RoboDiCaprio, RoboJulia, RoboNano and RoboElf – which are specially designed to cater to hotels, hospitals, restaurants and corporate offices. The company said that, as the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across India, the demand for automated solutions across sectors is high. (IANS)

08:59 IST 16 Jul

Sourav Ganguly in home quarantine after brother Snehashish tests positive for Covid-19

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday was forced to go into home quarantine after his elder brother and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Joint Secretary Snehasish Ganguly tested positive for Covid-19. Snehasish has been admitted to the Belle Vue Clinic here after his Covid report returned positive, a CAB source said. (IANS)

07:32 IST 15 Jul

COVID-19 in NE: Hundreds of paramilitary troopers test positive

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, in a tweet on Tuesday night, said that of the total of 318 Covid-19 patients in the state, 186 are Border Security Force (BSF) troopers.Health officials in Mizoram said that 26 National Disaster Response Force, 21 Assam Rifles and 19 BSF troopers had tested positive in the state. In Tripura, around 200 BSF personnel, and their family members had been infected by coronavirus but all of them have recovered. (IANS)

22:19 IST 14 Jul

Nearly 2000 COVID-19 patients recovered in the last 24 hours in Delhi

According to Delhi government’s daily health bulletin, as many as 93,236 people have recovered, almost five times the number of active cases which stands at 18,664. A total of 1,924 patients recovered in the last 24 hours. On June 23, the city had witnessed the highest single-day peak of 3,947 cases, but the figures have come down steadily since then despite the number of tests increasing. (IANS)

15:06 IST 14 Jul

White House urges FDA to reconsider hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment

The White House has urged the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reinstate its emergency use authorization (EUA) for the anti-malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), for COVID-19 treatment.

Weeks ago, the FDA revoked the EUA that allowed for HCQ used to treat certain hospitalized patients with COVID-19, after the agency determined that the drug was “unlikely to be effective in treating COVID-19 for the authorized uses in the EUA”, while highlighting potential serious side effects, reports Xinhua news agency.

“White House trade adviser Peter Navarro is leading a Trump administration effort to demand the FDA reverse course,” the Washington Post said in a report on Monday. (IANS)

09:18 IST 14 Jul

New software tool to track Covid patients in quarantine in Telangana

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a software tool for enforcement of quarantine, which will be implemented in partnership with the Telangana Information Technology Association (TITA), an industry body of software professionals.

The software tool will be a handy tool for law enforcement and health officials, as it would enable intelligent automated tracking of those in quarantine or isolation. It will also generate alerts if there are violations or wilful suppression of movement details. This is expected to reduce the tracking workload of law enforcement or health officials. (IANS)

19:24 IST 13 Jul

India's first COVID-19 vaccine: Patna AIIMS to start human trial of COVAXIN from today

The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Patna will start the human trail of India’s first COVID-19 vaccine from Monday (July 13, 2020). The vaccine called COVAXIN is developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR – NIV. The trail will be conducted on 18 volunteers selected by the hospital authority. AIIMS Patna is one among the 12 institutes selected by ICMR of conduct the coronavirus vaccine trial.

14:49 IST 13 Jul

Glenmark cuts Fabiflu price by 27%, the drug now costs Rs 75 per tab

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has announced that it has commenced a Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) study on FabiFlu to closely monitor the efficacy and safety of the drug in 1000 Covid patients that are prescribed with the oral antiviral.

Further, Glenmark has announced a price reduction of 27 per cent for FabiFlu. The new MRP is Rs 75 per tab from the earlier Rs 103 per tab.

The price reduction has been made possible through benefits gained from higher yields and better scale, as both the API and formulations are made at Glenmark’s facilities in India, the benefits of which are being passed on to patients in the country. (IANS)

08:47 IST 13 Jul

Hindu Samhati leader Tapan Ghosh died of Covid-19 in Kolkata

Right-wing organisation Hindu Samhati leader Tapan Ghosh, 67, who had tested Covid-19 positive, died at a hospital in Kolkata on Sunday. “Tapan Ghosh died this evening. He was one of the most dedicated soldiers fighting for Hindu unity and sangathan in West Bengal,” senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Swapan Dasgupta tweeted. (IANS)

18:55 IST 12 Jul

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Aaradhya also test positive for Covid-19

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her daughter Aaradhya have also been tested positive for coronavirus, a day after her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, and her husband, Abhishek, were admitted to hospital for Covid-19. However, Jaya Bachchan has tested negative. BMC santisation workers were seen at Bachchan’s bungalow Jalsa to sanitise the premises.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope took to Twitter to confirm the report. He wrote, “Smt.Aishwarya Rai Bacchan & Daughter Aaradhya Abhishek Bacchan have also been detected positive for Covid19. Smt. Jaya Bachhan ji is tested negative for covid19. We wish the Bacchan Family to get well soon with a speedy recovery.”

15:18 IST 12 Jul

Children don't transmit Covid-19, schools may consider reopening in fall

A new study says that children infrequently transmit Covid-19 to each other or to adults and schools can and should reopen in the fall while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

The authors of the commentary published in the journal Pediatrics based their conclusions on a new study published in the current issue of Pediatrics and four other recent studies on kids and Covid-19 transmission. (IANS)

09:40 IST 12 Jul

COVID-19 in NE region: 55 inmates of Guwahati jail test positive for coronavirus

As many as 55 inmates lodged in Guwahati Central jail have tested positive for coronavirus, causing concern among the authorities, health officials said on Saturday.

A senior officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department said that the authorities of both health and prison departments are inquiring how the jailbirds were infected by the contagious virus during the past few days. In pursuance to the Supreme Court’s order, different state governments of the northeastern region including Assam have taken several steps to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in jails.

In all the eight northeastern states, several thousand prisoners had already been released on interim bail or PR Bond to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic inside the jails.(IANS)

10:01 IST 11 Jul

Telengana conducts over 10,000 COVID-19 tests in single day

For the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19, Telangana conducted over 10,000 tests in a single day, while the number of new cases showed a declining trend for a second consecutive day on Friday. Authorities tested 10,354 samples and of them 1,278 tested positive. With this the state has doubled the number of daily tests.

09:09 IST 10 Jul

Tocilizumab drug black market racket in Gujarat unearthed

The Foods and Drugs Control Authority (FDCA) of Gujarat has unearthed a blackmarket racket of the drug – Tocilizumab, considered to be quite effective in the treatment of Covid-19 patients. The FDCA got the information about Tocilizumab being sold in the black market in Surat and following the tip-off, it had set up a trap to nab the culprits involved. A decoy customer in the guise of a pharma trader was sent by the FDCA to a chemist store – Sarthak Pharmacy in Surat on Wednesday.

16:39 IST 9 Jul

70 people fall sick after consuming beef, 6 in critical condition

At least 70 people in an Andhra Pradesh village have reported sick of whom six at least are battling for their lives after allegedly consuming cooked beef from a cow that went missing and was later discovered dead. Many people who consumed the beef, began to experience food poisoning symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. (IANS)

08:55 IST 9 Jul

500-bed Covid care centre inaugurated in Delhi

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Wednesday, opened through video link a 500-bed Covid care centre, set up in record six days, at the Commonwealth Games stadium. To enhance the city’s medical infrastructure, the centre has been attached to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital. A team of 80 doctors and 150 nurses has been stationed at the centre by the ‘Doctors For You’, an NGO, for the treatment of patients. (IANS)

18:19 IST 8 Jul

Goa to treat Covid-19 patients with blood plasma therapy from next week

Goa will start treating Covid-19 patients in a critical condition with blood plasma therapy from next week, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

Sawant said that the Health Department was in the process of creating a plasma storage facility at the existing blood bank. “We are procuring a plasmapheresis machine for treatment of patients with plasma voluntarily extracted from persons cured of Covid-19. The treatment will begin from next week,” Sawant told reporters here. The Chief Minister said that a special pathologist as well as a doctor specialising in transfusion would also be appointed on a contract basis to facilitate the treatment. (IANS)

09:09 IST 8 Jul

Health Ministry steps in to curb black marketing of COVID drug

The Union Health Ministry has asked all the states to strengthen their vigil so that black marketing of COVID -19 drug Remdesivir is prevented. The Directorate General of Health Services under the Health Ministry has written to the Drug Controllers of the states to prevent sale of Remdesivir above MRP. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has given approval for the manufacturing and marketing of Remdesivir to Cipla, Hetro and Mylan.

08:21 IST 7 Jul

Mylan to manufacture remdesivir for Indian market after DCGI nod

Mylan NV said on Monday that it had received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market remdesivir for treatment of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), making it the third company after Cipla Ltd and Hetero Drugs Ltd to get the regulatory nod to make and sell US-based Gilead Sciences Inc.’s patented anti-viral drug in India. The drug will be launched under the brand name DESREM in India and will be available to patients at a price of ₹4,800 per 100mg vial. The cost of treatment for five days is around ₹20,000 and ₹30,000.

16:45 IST 6 Jul

PETA India seeks closure of illegal wet-markets to prevent onset of another pandemic

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has demanded immediate closure of illegal wet-markets to prevent onset of another pandemic.A wet market is a marketplace selling fresh meat, fish, and other perishable goods. The Animal rights organisation on Monday released a video footage recorded at wet markets across the country revealing dog slaughter, wildlife-meat trade, and shockingly filthy conditions. (IANS)

09:28 IST 6 Jul

No timeline for Covid-19 vaccine: FDA commissioner

Commissioner of US Food and Drug Administration Stephen Hahn has said that he can’t come up with a deadline  COVID-19 vaccine. President Donald Trump, however, suggested that it could be available “long before the end of the year”.

19:48 IST 5 Jul

26 inmates of Ludhiana Central Jail test positive for COVID-19

Twenty-six inmates of Punjab’s Ludhiana Central Jail tested Covid-19 positive on Sunday, officials said. They were asymptomatic.They had been kept in a separate barrack of the jail, Chief Medical Officer Rajesh Kumar Bagga told the media. Meanwhile, 32 inmates had been shifted from Borstal Jail — a special jail for coronavirus patients — after testing negative to the Central Jail. (IANS)

13:07 IST 5 Jul

LG inaugurates 10K-bed COVID care centre in Delhi

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Sunday inaugurated the 10,000-bed Sardar Patel COVID-19 care centre at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas complex in south Delhi’s Chhattarpur area.The centre will treat mild and asymptomatic coronavirus patients, including those who are asymptomatic but cannot afford home isolation. (IANS)

09:07 IST 5 Jul

WHO discontinues Its Solidarity Trial of hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir for Covid-19 treatment

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Saturday that it was discontinuing hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir arms for its Solidarity Trial, citing little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised Covid-19 patients.

The WHO said the decision was in light of the evidence from the Solidarity Trial interim results.”These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalized Covid-19 patients when compared to standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect,” the WHO said in a press release. (IANS)

09:42 IST 4 Jul

All districts except one in Kashmir categorised as red zones

All districts in Kashmir division except one were on Saturday categorised as red zones to control the spread of COVID-19 infection. An order issued by B. V. R.Subrahmanyan, chairperson of the state executive committee for disaster management said that all districts of Kashmir division except Bandipora have been categorised as red zones. Districts categorised as red zones in Kashmir include Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag, Kupwara and Baramulla.

20:09 IST 3 Jul

Odisha fixes COVID-19 test at Rs 2,200 in private labs

The Odisha government on Friday fixed the maximum price for RT-PCR Covid-19 test at Rs 2,200 in private laboratories. “After careful consideration, the government is pleased to fix the maximum price for RT-PCR Covid-19 test by ICMR approved private laboratories at Rs 2,200 (inclusive of GST and all other incidental charges) for private individuals desirous of testing,” read a notification issued by the health department. The private individuals can avail the facility in four identified private health institutions — Apollo Hospitals, IMS & SUM Hospital, InDNA Life Sciences Pvt Ltd and GenX Diagnostics — in Bhubaneswar.

09:52 IST 3 Jul

No charges for receiving plasma, Delhi Plasma Bank clarifies

The Delhi Plasma Bank clarified on Thursday that it does not charge any amount for providing plasma to the patients, after a document started doing the rounds on social media where it was mentioned that the bank would charge Rs 25,000 from private and corporate hospitals against the plasma provided to them. The Delhi Plasma Bank is the first in the country to store and provide plasma on demand to COVID-19 patients. The bank, inaugurated on Thursday, has been set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS).

17:26 IST 2 Jul

Spitting in Delhi's markets will cost you Rs 1K

Spitting at public places will now attract an on-the-spot fine of Rs 1,000 or punishment under provisions of law, for violators visiting the national capital’s posh markets like Connaught Place, Khan Market, Gole market and Sarojini Nagar Market. It will be a part of a phase wise anti spitting drive launched by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Thursday.

To contain the spread of COVID-19 and maintain public hygiene, the NDMC launched the intensive anti-spitting drive in Connaught Place, the heart of the national capital. (IANS)

06:41 IST 2 Jul

Even private doctors should be allowed to recommend Covid test: Centre tells states

In what can be good news for citizens, Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava have told the states to ensure full utilisation of all Covid-19 testing laboratories. They also said that even qualified private doctors should be allowed to recommend a Covid test, given the criteria are met. This joint letter comes in the wake of finding out that many labs are “grossly sub-optimal”. (IANS)

15:15 IST 1 Jul

Tripura govt to distribute free Vitamin-C enriched fruits to people to boost immunity

n an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Tripura government will soon start free distribution of Vitamin-C enriched juice and fruits among people in urban areas to increase their immunity, a minister said here on Wednesday.

Tripura’s Law and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said the state government will spend Rs one crore to implement the “Programme for boosting public immunity in the urban areas in COVID-19”. (IANS)

09:39 IST 1 Jul

Top disease researcher warns of 100,000 COVID cases per day in US

Top disease researcher Dr Anthony Fauci told the US Senate that he “would not be surprised” if new virus cases in the country reach 100,000 per day. “Clearly we are not in control right now,” he testified, warning that not enough Americans are wearing masks or social distancing, the BBC reported. During the hearing, he said about half of all new cases come from four states. (IANS)

09:30 IST 30 Jun

Living with COVID-19 will be new normal in the coming months: WHO Chief

The chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that all countries living with COVID-19 will be the new normal in the coming months, as the pandemic had already infected more than 10 million people worldwide, including more than 500,000 deaths.

“The critical question that all countries will face in the coming months is how to live with this virus. That is the new normal,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a daily press briefing on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that although many countries have made some progress against the COVID-19, the pandemic is speeding up globally. (IANS)

20:52 IST 29 Jun

Maharashtra CM launches world's largest Plasma Therapy trial centre in Nagpur

In a major initiative to counter the Covid-19 pandemic, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday inaugurated ‘Project PLATINA’ – India’s first and the world’s largest – Plasma Therapy Trial Centre in Nagpur.

“This trial centre will help formulate definite treatment guidelines for the entire country in managing critical Covid-19 patients… and will be a milestone during the pandemic,” said Thackeray at the video-conferencing launch.

He has sanctioned Rs 16.65 crore for Project Platina and clinical trials from the CM’s Relief Fund, and the project has been completed in barely three weeks. (IANS)

09:42 IST 29 Jun

It will be mandatory to wear face masks in public areas in Iran from July 5

Amid increasing infections and fatalities over COVID-19 pandemic, after partial removal of lockdown, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said that wearing face masks in public areas will become mandatory from next week.

“From July 5, wearing masks in all public areas will be compulsory for two weeks,” Rouhani said on Sunday at a meeting of the National Headquarters for Managing and Fighting the Coronavirus, Xinhua news agency reported.

If necessary, the new decision will remain in force for the next month, he was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

10:45 IST 28 Jun

8 states account for 87% of COVID-19 deaths, 85% active caseload: Health Ministry

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that eight states, which include Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu, contributed 85.5 per cent of active Covid-19 cases and also accounted for 87 per cent deaths due to the viral infection. “It was mentioned that presently eight states – Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal – contribute 85.5 percent active case load and 87 percent total deaths in India,” said a Health Ministry statement on the briefing it gave to the Group of Ministers (GoM) on the COVID -19 situation in the country.

09:37 IST 27 Jun

In 24 hrs, Gautam Buddha Nagar sees 136 fresh COVID cases

While Delhi recorded 3,460 fresh COVID cases in the last 24 hours, neighbouring Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, which comprises Noida and Greater Noida, recorded only 136 fresh cases. The district that has sternly insisted in regulating traffic to and from Delhi, hasn’t seen a single death in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, Delhi witnessed 63 fresh COVID related deaths in just one day alone.

20:53 IST 26 Jun

Assam to clamp lockdown in Guwahati, night curfew in entire state

Alarmed by the sudden spike in the number Covid-19 cases, the Assam government has decided to promulgate 14-day ‘total lockdown’ from Monday midnight in Guwahati, night curfew in the entire state and ‘complete lockdown’ on Saturdays and Sundays in major cities and towns of the state, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.

09:40 IST 26 Jun

ICMR invites applications to validate rapid antigen test for Covid-19

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Thursday invited applications for validation of rapid antigen detection tests for Covid-19. So far, it has validated and approved only one rapid antigen detection assay from SD Biosensor. The test allows faster diagnosis of samples and results are available within 30 minutes. The ICMR said that there is an urgent requirement for reliable and convenient rapid point of care antigen detection assays with high sensitivity and specificity.

09:02 IST 25 Jun

Covid-19 drug 'Covifor' priced at Rs 5,400 per vial in India

Covifor, the generic version of Covid-19 drug Remdesivir, will be available in India for Rs 5,400 per 100 mg vial, Hyderabad-based Hetero Labs announced on Wednesday. Following the approval to Covifor by the Drug Controller General of India , Hetero Healthcare Ltd, a group company of Hetero, announced that it is set to deliver the first set of 20,000 vials. (IANS)

14:54 IST 24 Jun

Karnataka govt identifies 66 private hospitals to function as fever clinics in B'luru

The Karnataka government has identified 66 private hospitals to function as fever clinics and swab collection centres to cope with the rising COVID-19 cases, an official said on Wednesday. According to the state health department, fever clinics are the first point of contact in detecting Covid patients, whose symptoms include fever, cold, cough, sore throat, breathlessness and others.(IANS)

09:06 IST 24 Jun

UN recognizes Kerala for effectively tackling Covid-19

Kerala on Tuesday was among those honoured for tackling the Covid-19 pandemic when the United Nations celebrated the Public Service Day. The function, held on a virtual platform, saw the participation of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other top UN dignitaries who applauded all the leaders which included state Health Minister K.K. Shailaja for effectively tackling Covid-19. (IANS)

21:03 IST 23 Jun

Centre asks Patanjali to stop Corona 'medicine' ads

Hours after yoga guru Ramdev came out with a “medicine” for Covid-19, the Centre has asked his Patanjali Ayurved Ltd to stop advertising or publicising its claims till the issue is “duly examined”.Taking cognizance of media reports, the Ayush Ministry said that “facts of the claim and details of the stated scientific study are not known to the Ministry”. (IANS)

16:10 IST 23 Jun

Karnataka govt caps private hospital Covid treatment tariffs

 Karnataka government has fixed private hospitals’ Covid treatment price under multiple packages and ordered them to reserve 50 per cent of the beds for cases referred by public health authorities, an official said on Tuesday. According to the tariffs fixed by the government, package rate per day for patients referred by public authorities in the general ward will cost Rs 5,200, HDU (Rs 7,000), Isolation ICU without ventilator (Rs 8,500) and Isolation ICU with ventilator (Rs 10,000). (IANS)

09:20 IST 23 Jun

Turkey imposes fines of up to 900 liras (US $131) for not wearing face masks

Turkey started to impose fines of up to 900 liras (US $131) on those who don’t wear face masks in public places as part of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The measure came after a slight increase in new cases, covering outdoor spaces as well as shops and restaurants in 81 provinces of Turkey, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday. Turkey confirmed 1,212 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number in the country to 188,897, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced Monday. (IANS)

20:30 IST 22 Jun

BMC unveils Mission Zero to identify and treat Covid-19 patients

The ‘Mission Zero’ involves a rapid action plan with 50 mobile dispensaries with doctors and all facilities. They will move around in the suburbs of Bhandup-Mulund (north-eastern) and Dahisar-Borivali-Kandivali-Malad (north-western) to identify and treat Covid-19 patients for two-three weeks. (IANS)

16:30 IST 22 Jun

COVID-19 test to cost just Rs 2,000 in Chandigarh

The Chandigarh administration on Monday fixed Rs 2,000 for a COVID-19 test. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting between Chandigarh Advisor Manoj Parida and private SRL Diagnostics Laboratory, which is authorized to test corona cases in the city. The upper limit of Rs 2,000 was fixed for every test, as compared to the existing rate of Rs 4,500, government statement said. At present, many states are charging Rs 2,400 for such test. (IANS)

09:23 IST 22 Jun

Delhi to conduct random serological test of 20,000 samples from June 27

Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed Delhi’s Covid-19 situation on Sunday, third time in a week, with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and discussed recommendations made by Dr Vinod Paul committee on strategy to curb the spread of coronavirus in the national capital. It was decided that Delhi will conduct serological test of 20,000 samples from June 27 after 3,000 more cases were detected in the national capital and 63 more patients have died in the last 24 hours. “To adopt a comprehensive policy for Delhi, the government will conduct random serological test of 20 thousand people starting from June 27 to July 10,” said a statement from Ministry of Home Affairs. (IANS)

19:12 IST 21 Jun

Wedding procession stopped after groom, father test positive for Coronavirus in UP

A wedding procession was stopped and the wedding called off after the groom and his father tested positive for Coronavirus in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh. 

The groom’s family had come from Delhi to Amethi on June 15 and their samples were sent for tests. On June 19, when the groom and his family were on their way for the wedding, the test reports came in and the groom and his father tested positive for Covid-19. (IANS)

14:55 IST 21 Jun

Telangana witnesses nearly 2,000 COVID cases in 5 days

Telangana crossed 200 fatalities on Saturday, making it the ninth state in the country to pass that figure. It is at 13th position among states in total number of COVID-19 caes. The state added 1,045 cases in the last two days — 499 on Friday and 546 on Saturday. As many as 1,859 people tested positive since Tuesday. (IANS)

09:37 IST 21 Jun

US National Institutes of Health halts clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it has halted a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the anti-malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for the treatment of adults hospitalized with COVID-19. According to the announcement on Saturday, a data and safety monitoring board met late Friday and determined that while there was no harm, the drug was very unlikely to be beneficial to hospitalized patients with COVID-19, reports Xinhua news agency. (IANS)

10:31 IST 20 Jun

Record 14,516 corona cases take India's tally close to 4L

India on Saturday witnessed its worst-ever spike of COVID-19 cases as it registered 14,516 positive cases, the highest ever, in the last 24 hours. With this the total corona tally in India reached 3,95,048, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data revealed. There is a steady rise in cases for the last nine days, when India crossed over 10,000 cases each day. With 375 deaths in the last 24 hours, a total of 12,948 people have succumbed to the deadly disease since the first case was reported on January 30, the Health Ministry data said.

10:18 IST 19 Jun

Amid surge in cases, Assam's recovery rate exceeds national average

Amid unabated surge in the number of Covid-19 cases, Assam with 59 per cent recovery rate exceeded the national recovery rate of 52.96 per cent, even as 167 people tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours, officials said on Thursday night. According to the health officials, one more person infected by Covid-19 died the Diphu Medical College and Hospital on Thursday, raising the death toll in the state to nine. This is the second death from the Karbi Anglong district caused by the dreaded virus. In all, 167 people tested positive in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 4,861, with 2,001 active cases.

19:44 IST 18 Jun

Centre launches India's first mobile I-Lab for coronavirus testing in remote areas

s COVID-19 recovery rate improves to 52.96 per cent across India with 1.94 lakh people cured so far, the Centre on Thursday introduced the country’s first mobile I-Lab to conduct testing of the infectious disease in remote, interior and inaccessible areas.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan launched the “India’s first mobile I-Lab” to diagnose novel coronaviurs or COVID-19 disease. The Infectious Disease Diagnostic Lab (I-LAB) has capability to perform 25 COVID-19 RT-PCR tests in a day. It can also test 300 ELISA tests per day and also additional tests for TB and HIV as per CGHS rates. (IANS)

14:39 IST 18 Jun

Manish Sisodia takes over health ministry after Satyendar Jain tests Covid positive

Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia will now also look after the affairs of Health Ministry as Health Minister Satyendar Jain is hospitalised with coronavirus infection. Sisodia will now be responsible for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus in the national capital. Jain however will continue to be a minister without portfolio. (IANS)

09:01 IST 18 Jun

Covid test facility at all dispensaries in the south-west Delhi

The Delhi government has decided to provide Covid test facility at all dispensaries in the south-west district of the national capital. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of south-west Delhi with all the departments. It was decided that all dispensaries in the south-west district shall function as single point of contact for all Covid related issues. (IANS)

19:48 IST 17 Jun

Railways deploys 960 isolation ward coaches in five states, 503 in Delhi

The Indian Railways, which prepared 5,231 isolation ward coaches for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) patients, has deployed 960 isolation coaches in five states –  Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. Out of 960 isolation ward coaches, 503 have been deployed in Delhi, 20 in Andhra Pradesh, 60 in Telangana, 372 in Uttar Pradesh and five in Madhya Pradesh. (IANS)

09:19 IST 17 Jun

No COVID-19 death for 9th consecutive day in Spain

The death toll from COVID-19 has remained unchanged in Spain for nine consecutive days, the data published by the Spanish Ministry of Health showed on Tuesday.

So far, 27,136 people have lost their lives to COVID-19, according to the data, Xinhua reported. Tuesday also saw 76 new cases of COVID-19 detected by PCR tests, compared to 40 registered in the previous 24-hour period, taking the total number to 244,328. (IANS)

21:56 IST 16 Jun

9 more pateints succumb to COVID-19 in Gurugram

Health officials on Tuesday detected 205 more coronavirus patients in Gurugram district on Tuesday even as nine more patients lost their lives to the deadly virus. With 9 deaths on Monday, a district official said, 27 patients have died in the last four days. A total of 46 persons have lost their lives in Gurugram city, including 42 in the last 13 days. (IANS)

17:02 IST 16 Jun

Assam to conduct random testing of 50,000 samples in 11 days

With coronavirus infections on the rise, ahead of the formulation of new strategies, the Assam government has decided to launch the Assam Targeted Surveillance Programme (ATSP) on Wednesday to randomly test 50,000 samples in 11 days, according to officials here on Tuesday.

Assam Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Samir Kumar Sinha said the random testing under the ATSP would be conducted in four categories of people. (IANS)

09:30 IST 16 Jun

Karnataka to rope in pvt hospitals to treat Covid-19 pateints

Private hospitals will also be utilised to treat Covid patients at government fixed costs in Karnataka, said Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar on Monday. “Strict action will be taken against hospitals which try exploit people by charging exorbitant prices. Private sector has to join hands with the government in this battle against the pandemic,” he said.  (IANS)

20:12 IST 15 Jun

One more Telangana MLA tests Covid-19 positive, total three legislators infected by the virus

nother Telangana MLA tested Covid-19 positive on Monday, taking the number of affected legislators in the state to three. All three MLAs belong to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
Ganesh Gupta, who represents the Nizamabad Urban constituency, is the latest to be found infected by coronavirus. He had attended a few programmes last week along with Nizamabad Rural MLA Bajireddy Goverdhan, who tested positive on Sunday. Earlier, TRS MLA from Jangaon Muttireddy Yadgiri Reddy had tested positive. The MLA, wife, driver, gunman and cook were found infected by coronavirus on Friday. (IANS)

16:20 IST 15 Jun

Delhi to conduct 18,000 COVID-19 tests per day from June 20

he Delhi government will conduct about 18,000 tests per day from June 20 to detect coronavirus infection in the city, said Aam aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Monday after the all party meeting with Union Home MInister Amit Shah. The Rajya Sabha MP also said that the government has decided to appoint IAS officers to monitor the central, state and private hospitals in the national capital for the Covid-19 treatment. (IANS)

09:28 IST 15 Jun

23 journalists test positive for Covid-19 in Telangana

Twenty-three journalists were among 237 people testing positive for Covid-19 in Telangana on Sunday, pushing the state’s tally to 4,974. Three deaths were also reported during the last 24 hours, ending 5 p.m. on Sunday. With this, the death toll has mounted to 185. For a second day in a row, the state registered over 200 cases. Sunday’s figure is the second highest single-day jump. The highest jump (253) was recorded on Saturday. (IANS)

20:51 IST 14 Jun

Another Telangana MLA tests positive for Covid-19

Another legislator of Telangana’s ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has tested positive for Covid-19.
Nizamabad Rural MLA Bajireddy Goverdhan has been found infected by the virus. The MLA has been shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad for treatment. His family members and aides have also been sent to quarantine. Goverdhan is the second Telangana MLA to test positive for Covid-19. Earlier, TRS MLA from Jangaon, Muttireddy Yadgiri Reddy had tested positive. (IANS)

18:32 IST 14 Jun

Centre gives 6 IAS officers to Delhi govt for Covid-19 management

The Centre on Sunday attached six Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to the Delhi government to assist in Covid-19 management amid a worrying spike of infections, which have crossed 38,000 so far in the city. These attachments come on the order of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Centre will give five more senior officers to the Delhi government to fight the corona infection vigorously. (IANS)

09:11 IST 14 Jun

No community transmission in Himachal's Kullu district:Govt

Himachal Pradesh government said on Saturday that there was no community transmission of coronavirus in Kullu district. In a statement, it said a random survey was conducted to rule out community transmission.

This sero-surveillance survey was based on IgG antibodies to coronavirus. Blood samples of 405 people were taken around three weeks across 10 locations in Kullu district and tested at NITRD, Chennai. The results were received and all 405 samples were negative. (IANS)

20:08 IST 13 Jun

Modi holds meeting on COVID response, concerned over Delhi situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a detailed meeting with senior ministers and officials to review India’s response to COVID -19 pandemic and expressed concern over the situation in Delhi. He emphasised coordination among the Centre, the Delhi government and Municipal Corporations of Delhi and said that coronavirus can be defeated by working together. The meeting reviewed the coronavirus situation across the country and the preparation made in the context of the pandemic.

10:08 IST 13 Jun

Akshaya Patra feeds 6.3-crore meals amid COVID-hit lockdown

With the profound message of Iskcon Founder Acharya Shrila Prabhupada that “no one should go hungry” as its motto, the country’s leading non-government organisation Akshaya Patra Foundation has served a whopping 6.3-crore meals to the needy since the lockdown was enforced across the country on March 25 to contain the corona virus spread.

16:11 IST 12 Jun

Delhi COVID situation horrendous, horrific, pathetic: SC slams AAP govt

The Supreme Court on Friday slammed the Delhi government calling its patient care during Covid-19 pandemic horrendous, horrific and pathetic. The top court also cited news reports showing deplorable condition of medical wards in Delhi, where dead bodies were not only in wards, but were also found in lobby and waiting areas.

11:22 IST 12 Jun

There will be no extension of COVID-19 lockdown in Delhi

According to the reports of ANI, the health minister of Delhi Satyendra Jain has announced that lockdown will not be extended in Delhi to contain the spread of COVID-19.  

09:14 IST 11 Jun

Death toll continues its upward trend in Gujarat,1,347 fatalies recorded

Gujarat’s financial capital Ahmedabad crossed the 15,000 coronavirus case mark on Wednesday as 343 more positive cases took its total to 15,305, while the state recorded 510 cases to take its tally to 21,554. The death toll also continued its upward trend to reach 1,347, with 34 new fatalities on Wednesday. Till now, total 14,743 patients have been discharged in the state.

21:02 IST 10 Jun

Central teams to review Covid-19 situation in 6 cities; current recovery rate stands at 48.88%

Central teams are being deputed to provide technical support and handhold the state health departments and the municipal health officials in reviewing steps being taken to tackle Covid-19 in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and Bengaluru. They will submit their daily reports to the state health department and the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. 

Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, 5,991 patients have been cured. This takes the number of recovered patients to 1,35,205. The number of active cases is 1,33,632. For the first time, the number of recovered patients has exceeded the active cases. The recovery rate now stands at 48.88 per cent. (IANS)

09:30 IST 10 Jun

No COVID-19 deaths for 2nd straight day in Spain

he Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare reported no new deaths from COVID-19 for a second straight day Tuesday. 

According to the ministry, a total of 27,136 people have died from COVID-19 in Spain.  As of Tuesday, Spain has registered a total of 241,966 infections. The ministry also informed that only 12 patients have been admitted to intensive care wards in Spain in the past seven days. (IANS)

16:40 IST 9 Jun

Jyotiraditya Scindia, mother admitted to hospital after showing Covid-like symptoms

BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and his mother Madhavi Raje Scindia have been admitted to Max Super Speciality hospital here in Saket, Delhi after they complained of throat irritation and also had fever — both Covid-like symptoms. They were admitted on Monday and their Covid test results are still awaited, sources said. (IANS)

09:10 IST 9 Jun

49 NDRF personnel engaged in post-Amphan work test positive for Covid-19

At least 49 NDRF personnel, who had gone from Odisha to West Bengal for relief work post-Cyclone Amphan, have tested positive for Covid-19, NDRF sources said on Monday.

The personnel are from the National Disaster Response Force’s (NDRF) Mundali Battalion at Cuttack. As many as 173 NDRF personnel of 3rd Battalion had recently come back from Kolkata and were tested for Covid-19 on their return to Cuttack. (IANS)

08:53 IST 8 Jun

JNU reports first COVID-19 case, pharmacist tests positive

The first case of coronavirus has come to light at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). A pharmacist in the varsity has been found to be Covid-19 positive after he was tested for the infection.

The JNU administration has asked all those who came in contact with the pharmacist to be vigilant and get themselves tested immediately if any symptoms appear.

Delhi government officials informed the pharmacist about the test result which came positive. The pharmacist is in home isolation at his residence in the JNU campus. (IANS)

17:04 IST 7 Jun

Andhra reports 130 new corona cases, state's total tally reaches 3,718

A total of 130 new coronavirus cases were detected in Andhra Pradesh in the last 24 hours till Sunday morning, taking the state’s total tally to 3,718. Active cases in the state climbed to 1,290, the state Nodal Officer said.

The state had reported a record 161 new cases on Saturday, the first time the daily tally had reached 3-digit figure. Two deaths were reported from Krishna and Kurnool districts, taking the death toll to 75. (IANS)

12:36 IST 7 Jun

With over 2.46L corona cases, India now 5th worst affected

India’s single day spike in COVID-19 cases inched towards 10,000 on Sunday, a Health Ministry data revealed. At least 287 people died in the last 24 hours due to the disease. A total of 9,971 new COVID-19 cases in a single day have been reported, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 2,46,628. And with this India surpassed Spain to become the fifth worst pandemic hit country globally. Of the total cases, at least 1,20,406 are active 1,19,293 persons have been cured and discharged while 6,929 fatalities have been recorded so far.

09:26 IST 7 Jun

With 107 positive cases, Nagaland becomes 4th worst corona affected NE state

Nagaland, which was coronavirus-free two weeks ago, on Saturday become the fourth northeastern state after Assam, Tripura and Manipur with total positive cases in three digits. According to the Nagaland health officials, total positive cases in the state increased to 107 since May 25 when its first case was reported. (IANS)

10:15 IST 6 Jun

WHO recommends wider use of face masks to curb COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday updated its guidance on the use of masks for control of COVID-19, advising all people aged 60 years or over, or those with underlying conditions, to wear a medical mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible. The new guidance advises medical masks for all people working in clinical areas of a health facility in areas with widespread transmission, not only workers dealing with COVID-19 patients.

09:42 IST 5 Jun

'Historic commitments' at Global Vaccine Summit

The virtual Global Vaccine Summit hosted by the UK drew pledges of $8.8 billion, far more than its target of $7.4 billion, showing “historic commitments” made by world leaders to provide equal access to vaccines for all. On Thursday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson opened the Global Vaccine Summit virtually, urging countries and organizations to pledge funding for vaccinations to save millions of lives in the poorest countries and protect the world from future outbreaks of infectious diseases.

09:44 IST 4 Jun

Most of NE India's 2,518 corona cases are asymptomatic

Over 98 per cent of the 2,518 Covid-19 positive cases of eight northeastern states are asymptomatic, health officials said on Wednesday. Health officials and medical experts of northeastern states said that these people are just carriers of the virus. “Though minor children and aged people are infected, a majority of the Covid-19 positive cases belong to 35-55 years age group,” a senior health official of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) said.

09:49 IST 3 Jun

Gujarat COVID mutation study to help develop vaccine

Analysis of mutations across SARS-CoV2 genome from Gujarat would have a major contribution in the development of a single COVID-19 vaccine for the entire country, said Prof. Chaitanya G. Joshi, Director at Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC). Gujarat has a total 17,200 confirmed cases and 1,063 deaths have been reported so far, second highest in the country after Maharashtra, which has reported 2,362 deaths so far. The state is grappling with high mortality. Initially, it was suspected that the virulent L-strain of the coronavirus is responsible for high COVID-19 mortality rate, but it is yet to be established scientifically.

09:48 IST 2 Jun

Lockdown 5.0: Delhi bars metro, malls, gyms, religious places

Starting Monday, the Delhi government gave some more relaxations in the lockdown 5.0, however, the educational institutes, malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, metro and places of worship will continue to be barred in the city. In an order, signed by Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority extended the lockdown period in the Containment Zones in the national capital up to June 30, while allowing some more relaxations across the city outside Containment Zones.

09:34 IST 1 Jun

Uttarakhand Tourism Minister, his family members test positive for coronavirus

Hours after Uttarakhand Minister Satpal Maharaj tested positive for coronavirus, the state’s opposition Congress on Sunday sought that the state cabinet should go into quarantine as he had attended a cabinet meeting earlier this week.

“Very disturbing news, the whole Uttrakhand Cabinet including the Chief Minister may be quarentined (sic) as a Cabinet Minister who attended the Cabinet Meeting found Corona positive,” Congress state Vice President Suryakant Dhasmana said in a tweet.

Satpal Maharaj and at least two dozen of his family members and staff also tested positive, state officials said. This came a day after the minister’s wife Amrita Rawat, who had fever for the past few days, tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday.

What is worrying is that Satpal Maharaj, the state Tourism Minister, had attended a cabinet meeting on Friday where Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and other ministers of the BJP government were present. (IANS)

17:51 IST 31 May

With 129 COVID new cases, Odisha reports highest single day spike on Sunday

Odisha on Sunday registered its highest single day spike as 129 more persons tested positive for the coronavirus, said the Health Department.
The total COVID-19 positive cases reached to 1,948 in the state. Out of the total 129 cases, 119 have been reported from various quarantine centres and 10 are local cases, the Department said.

The state has 889 active cases while 1,050 patients have recovered from the disease. Seven have died of the deadly virus. (IANS)

14:21 IST 31 May

Wearing masks at home may reduce Covid-19 spread by 79%: Chinese researchers

Chinese researchers have suggested that wearing face masks at home is 79 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 spread among family members in the same household. This practice was effective at curbing transmission before symptoms emerged in the first person infected, but it wasn’t protective once symptoms had developed, the study, published in the BMJ Global Health shows. 

09:20 IST 31 May

Belgian Prince contracts COVID-19 after attending party in Spain

Belgian prince has contracted coronavirus after attending a party during lockdown in Spain, the country’s royal palace says.

Prince Joachim, 28, travelled from Belgium to Spain for an internship on 26 May, the palace said, the BBC reported on Saturday. Two days later, he went to a party in the southern city of Cordoba, before testing positive for COVID-19.

Spanish reports suggest the prince, a nephew of Belgium’s King Philippe, was among 27 people at the party. (IANS)

10:05 IST 30 May

10 Delhi hotels to offer paid stay to home quarantine-eligible

The Delhi government on Friday allowed 10 hotels, including two premium hotels, in the city to offer paid stay to those eligible for home quarantine. Among the high-end hotels are Hotel Le Meridien (200 rooms) and J.W. Marriot (100 rooms). At least five, including J.W. Marriot, of the 10 hotels were in Aerocity — Holiday Inn (100 rooms), Hotel Pride Plaza (300 rooms), Aloft Hotel (150 rooms), and IBIS Hotel (200 rooms). The other hotels are Sheraton Hotel in Saket (220 rooms), ITC Welcome in Dwarka (250 rooms), Taj Vivanta also in Dwarka (150 rooms), and Suryaa Hotel in New Friends Colony (200 rooms).

11:06 IST 29 May

India records highest single-day spike, surpasses China toll

India on Friday not only recorded its largest jump in new cases as it added 7,466 new COVID-19 patients in 24 hours, emerging as the ninth worst-hit country in the world by pandemic, but it also surpassed China’s toll of 4,638 so far as it recorded 4,706 deaths. While China was the first country to report disease last December and recorded over 84,000 total cases so far, India that reported its first case in January end, now has 1,65,799 cases that is more than Turkey’s (1,60,979).

18:16 IST 28 May

Prevalence of symptomless COVID-19 infections much higher than thought: Study

The prevalence of ‘silent’ symptomless COVID-19 infections may be much higher than thought and as countries progress out of lockdown, a high proportion of asymptomatic individuals may mean a much higher percentage has been infected with the coronavirus, according to a study of people isolated on a cruise ship during the pandemic.

Published in the journal Thorax, the study from Australian researchers revealed that more than eight out of 10 of passengers and crew who tested positive for the infection had no symptoms.

14:50 IST 28 May

India witnesses 194 deaths in single day, total toll reaches 4,531

With 6,566 new cases and 194 new deaths India’s total tally of COVID-19 reached 1,58,333 on Thursday, the Health Ministry data revealed. This is the second highest number of deaths reported in 24 hours, it was on May 5 when India had reported 195 deaths in a day.

Of the total cases at least 86,110 are active cases and 4,531 people lost their lives while a total of 67,691 people have recovered taking the recovery rate to 42.75 per cent. The deaths rate hovers at 2.86 per cent which was 2.85 per cent on Wednesday. India continues to maintain the plateau of over 6,000 cases per day. (IANS)

09:29 IST 28 May

Senior IPS officer from Delhi Police tests positive for COVID-19

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northern Range) Monika Bhardwaj tested positive for COVID-19, officials of Delhi Police said.
Soon after the top cop tested positive for coronavirus, contact tracing of the official is underway.
Recently, an IPS officer of 2015 batch and an additional DCP rank officer also tested positive for the deadly virus. (IANS)

So far, more than 400 officials of the national capital’s police force have tested positive.

09:28 IST 27 May

With 87% recovery rate, corona spread slows down in Taj city

With six new cases, Agra’s COVID-19 tally till late Tuesday evening was 870. The city is witnessing a recovery rate of 87.47 per cent, which has brought a sense of relief to the administration. The daily new cases of Covid-19 patients has remained under ten for over eleven days in a row. On Monday, there were seven new cases. The highest number of cases, 54, was on May 3. And since then, the recovery rate in the city has shown a consistent improvement.

19:17 IST 26 May

Covid recovery rate is 41.61% now: Health Ministry

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday said the recovery rate in Covid-19 cases in the country has been constantly improving on a daily basis.

Speaking at a press conference, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said the recovery rate in the country was 7.10 per cent on March 25 when the lockdown was imposed while it is 41.61 now in the fourth phase of lockdown. (IANS)

14:35 IST 26 May

12 more die of COVID-19 in Delhi, death toll reaches 288

As many as 412 new coronavirus cases took the Delhi’s total tally to 14,465 as well as the death toll to 288 with 12 more casualties in the last 24 hours, the Health Department said on Tuesday.
“As many as 6,954 patients have recovered so far in Delhi while 7,223 cases are active,” the Health Department said.

The total containment zones in the city is 91, the report said. (IANS)

09:21 IST 26 May

Delhi will have 5,500 Covid beds in govt hospitals soon: Kejriwal

With about 1,500 new beds at the GTB hospital soon, Delhi will have a total of 5,500 beds at government hospitals available for coronavirus treatment, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday.

Speaking to the media, Kejriwal said currently, there are 2,500 vacant beds in government hospitals, out of about 4,000 beds. 

He said that around 2,000 new beds have been added in 117 private hospitals from Monday. (IANS)

18:34 IST 25 May

Covid-19 kills another staffer at AIIMS Delhi

fter a mess worker at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) here, another staff member died from coronavirus on Monday.
The deceased, Hiralal was working as senior sanitation supervisor and was posted at Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD in the AIIMS.

On May 22, a mess worker had also died from Covid-19 leading the Resident Doctors Association of the hospital charging the AIIMS administration of not following safety norms and demanding testing of all mess workers and residents after diligent contact tracing and compensation for the family of the deceased worker. (IANS)

14:27 IST 25 May

India among top 10 countries worst-hit by Covid-19

With around 7,000 new cases in a day, India’s tally of novel Coronavirus cases surpassed that of Iran’s as it recorded 1,38,845 till Monday. With this, India entered the Top 10 worst-hit countries by the Coronavirus pandemic. The other nine countries ahead of India are — US, Brazil, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and Turkey. Iran today has 1,35,701 total confirmed cases. (IANS)

08:53 IST 25 May

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan tests Covid-19 positive

Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan is reported to have tested Covid-19 positive, party sources said here late on Sunday. The former Chief Minister’s condition has been described as asymptomatic and he is under treatment in Nanded, his home town. He is the second Cabinet Minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi govermnent to test positive after Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad was diagnosed last month. After nearly a month’s treatment, Awhad was fully cured and discharged. (IANS)

18:38 IST 24 May

4 of 14 corona vaccines being developed in India may soon enter clinical trial: Min

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that at least four of the 14 candidate vaccines for novel coronavirus in the country may enter the clinical trial stage very soon.

In a social media interaction with BJP leader G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, the Minister said within five months, four of the vaccine candidates in the country may enter the clinical trial stage. (IANS)

15:56 IST 24 May

Delhi witnesses 30 more casualties in the last 24 hours, total death toll reaches 261

A record 30 more casualties in the last 24 hours took the death toll to 261, the Delhi Health Department said on Sunday. The coronavirus cases in Delhi also climbed to 13,418 as 508 new cases were reported. Of the total cases, 6,617 were active, it said.

09:26 IST 24 May

South America is the new epicentre of Covid-19:WHO

South America has become the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

With a total of 330,098 COVID-19 cases, Brazil has since surpassed Russia as the country with the second-highest number of infections after the US.

The rest of the continent has not fared much better. Peru has 108,769 cases, Chile 61,857, Ecuador 35,828 and Colombia 18,330 positive cases. (IANS)

19:18 IST 23 May

ICMR revises guidelines for use of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued revised guidelines for use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the malaria drug, as a preventive medication for asymptomatic healthcare workers in non-Covid-19 hospitals, frontline staff on surveillance duty in containment zones and paramilitary/police personnel involved in coronavirus infection related activities. 

The ICMR revised the guidelines to expand use of this anti-malarial drug as a preventive treatment against coronavirus. (IANS)

14:30 IST 23 May

Delhi witnesses 23 COVID deaths, 591 new cases in a day

he coronavirus cases count in the national capital jumped to 12,910 with 591 new cases reported in the last 24 hours and the death toll has reached 231 with 23 new deaths recorded in a day, the Delhi Health Department said on Saturday.

Out of the total cases, 6,412 are active, it said. As per the Delhi Health reports, 23 new deaths were added in the tally taking the total COVID toll in the national capital to 231. (IANS)

09:05 IST 23 May

COVID-19 vaccines must be recognized as 'global public health goods', says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reiterated that COVID-19 vaccines must be recognised as public goods for the whole world, and that all countries must contribute.

“We can’t prevent pathogens, germs from crossing our borders. And that’s why these vaccines have to be recognised as protecting the whole of the world and the contributions from every country to do that,” Katherine O’Brien, director of WHO’s Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, said in a press conference in Geneva on Friday, reiterating COVID-19 vaccines be recognized as “global public health goods”, Xinhua reported.

20:09 IST 22 May

Lockdown highly beneficial in fight against Covid-19: Govt

The Centre said on Friday that the number of Covid-19 cases and fatalities would have shot up exponentially had the government not put in place strict measures, including the nationwide lockdown, citing various statistical analysis carried out by various organisations.

Speaking at a press conference, Pravin Srivastava, Secretary at the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, said that at least 14-29 lakh cases and 37,000-76,000 deaths have been averted due to the lockdown in the country.

Elaborating on the gains of the lockdown and the graded efforts in containing the spread of coronavirus, Srivastava said, “Lockdown has been highly beneficial in our fight against Covid-19. We are confident that we are on the right track.” (IANS)

16:19 IST 22 May

COVID-19 cases in Ghaziabad crosses 200-mark, urban areas of the district classified as red zone

The total COVID-19 cases in the Ghaziabad district have crossed 200-mark and the urban areas of the district have been classified as ‘red zone’, the district administration said on Friday.

In a tweet on Friday, DM Ghaziabad said the total cases stood at 202, with 163 people cured. At least 37 cases were active.

As per the health report of the district, there are 18 hotspots and the “entire urban area” of the district was marked as a red zone.  (Agency report)

09:19 IST 22 May

BMC to book private hospitals, clinics remaining shut during lockdown

Cracking the whip, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will soon register cases against those private hospitals, nursing homes and clinics which are remaining shut during the lockdown period, officials said here on Thursday.

Many private healthcare institutions have not opened despite the BMC’s clearance to clear the rush of patients and reduce the load on the public hospitals in the city during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. (IANS)

19:25 IST 21 May

COVID deaths in India: 64% males and 36% females

There are at least 64 per cent deaths in males and 36 per cent in females, revealed an analysis of COVID deaths in India, a Health Ministry document said on Thursday.

The analysis further indicated that, in terms of age distribution, 0.5 per cent deaths are reported in less than 15 years of age group, 2.5 per cent in 15-30 years age group, 11.4 per cent in 30-45 years age group, 35.1 per cent in 45-60 years age group and 50.5 per cent in people above 60 years of age.

Further, 73 per cent of the death cases had underlying co-morbidities. (IANS)

15:32 IST 21 May

Covid-19 pandemic to cause profound health issues globally, warn researchers

he coronavirus pandemic’s life-altering effects are likely to result in lasting physical and mental health consequences for several people, warn researchers.

They suggest that, in addition to promoting actions to reduce COVID-19 transmission and addressing longstanding health disparities contributing to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, public health measures should also prevent and mitigate exposures that will have indirect effects on mental and physical health. (IANS)

13:35 IST 21 May

Over 2 billion people at high COVID-19 risk due to lack of access to soap and clean water: Study

Without access to soap and clean water, more than two billion people in low- and middle-income nations have a greater likelihood of acquiring and transmitting the coronavirus than those in wealthy countries, warn researchers.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, revealed that, in 46 countries, more than half of the people lacked access to soap and clean water.In India, China, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Indonesia, more than 50 million persons in each were estimated to be without handwashing access.More than 50 per cent of the people in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania lacked access to effective handwashing, according to the findings. (IANS)

09:15 IST 21 May

China, WHO launch charity fundraising programme to fight COVID-19 pandemic

The China Population Welfare Foundation (CPWF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday jointly launched a charity fundraising programme in Beijing to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme, which is called COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO-Action of China, will receive donations via some 20 Internet-based Chinese fundraising platforms, including Tencent Foundation, Alibaba Foundation, Alipay Foundation and others, Xinhua reported.

18:23 IST 20 May

Only 6.39% Covid-19 cases need hospitalisation: Health Ministry

Only 6.39 per cent Covid-19 cases need hospitalisation, which includes oxygen, ventilator or ICU support, said the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday. In a press release, Joint Secretary (Health) Lav Agarwal said of the 61,149 active cases, around 2.94 per cent needed oxygen support, 3 per cent ICU and 0.45 per cent ventilator support.

Comparing global statistics on Covid-19 with India, Agarwal said, “The mortality rate in India is 0.2 cases per lakh population against the global 4.2 cases. India has recorded 7.9 cases per lakh population against 62 for the world.”

14:08 IST 20 May

Rajasthan reopens offices in schools, colleges and malls

The Rajasthan government has allowed reopening of offices in schools, colleges and malls during the fourth phase of nationwide lockdown, subject to adherence to guidelines of social distancing and other health protocols. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot late Tuesday night to review the arrangements during the lockdown 4.0.

09:22 IST 20 May

Maha records over 2,000 new cases, 76 Covid-19 deaths

Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 76 Covid-19 deaths – the highest single-day surge – and 2,127 new cases, officials said here.

This amounts to a staggering three deaths every hour and around 89 new cases every hour. The state has been notching above 2K new patients consecutively since the past three days.

With 76 fatalities – up by 13 from the previous high of 63 notched on May 17 — the state death toll now stands at 1,325 and the total number of coronavirus patients increased from 35,058 on Monday to 37,136.

16:39 IST 19 May

Unregistered migrants throng Mumbai terminus to catch train

The Western Railway and security agencies had a harrowing time as hundreds of anxious migrants crowded outside the Bandra Terminus here on Tuesday morning hoping to catch a train to Bihar, officials said. A Shramik Special train was scheduled to depart for Punia in Bihar at 12 p.m., but a large number of unregistered and unauthorized migrants with their families and luggage were seen on the road and bridge outside the terminus building.

09:22 IST 19 May

Yogi allows relaxations in lockdown 4.0 in UP

After hours of brainstorming sessions, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to allow opening of markets, shops, offices and industrial activity with pre-conditions in lockdown 4.0. The decision that came past midnight said that the movement of all persons and vehicles will remain prohibited under section 144 of the IPC between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

20:22 IST 18 May

Migrants called for medical screening accuses officials of mismanagement

The Delhi government on Monday called several people for medical screening at a school in East Delhi before they were to board trains to go to their native places, with migrant workers and students accusing the authorities of mismanagement. The students said that people have been standing in the queue since late night, but were later told that their trains have already left.

14:35 IST 18 May

IIT-Madras startup developing wearable tracker to fast detect COVID-19

An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated startup Muse Wearables is developing a wrist-based tracker with skin temperature, heart rate and SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) sensing which can continuously track these body vitals remotely that will help in early diagnosis of COVID-19 symptoms. The tracker is Bluetooth-enabled and can be connected to the mobile phone via an app called the ‘Muse Health App’. The user vitals and activity data are stored on the phone as well as a remote server.

18:13 IST 17 May

At-home COVID-19 nasal swab test kit gets approval from FDA

Health and wellness company Everlywell’s at-home COVID-19 testing kit that allows people to self-collect a nasal sample at home and send it to specified laboratories for diagnostic testing has received an emergency use authorisation from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The kit and associated tests are available by prescription only, the FDA said on Saturday. (IANS)

13:50 IST 17 May

Delhi reports 422 new cases in a day; total tally jumps to 9,755

With 422 new cases reported in a day, Delhi’s tally of coronavirus patients has jumped to 9,755, with 5,405 active cases, health officials said on Sunday.

As per the Delhi Health reports, 19 new fatalities were added in the tally taking the total COVID death toll in the national capital to 148, however, none of these were reported in the last 24 hours. The Health Department said a total of 276 patients have recovered in the city in the last 24 hours. (IANS)

09:07 IST 17 May

US reopening 'vaccine or no vaccine' - says Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump says the US will reopen, “vaccine or no vaccine”, as he announced an objective to deliver a coronavirus vaccine by year end.

He likened the vaccine project, dubbed “Operation Warp Speed”, to the World War Two effort to produce the world’s first nuclear weapons. But Trump made clear that even without a vaccine, Americans must begin to return to their lives as normal, the BBC reported on Saturday.

16:58 IST 16 May

42 people arrive from Dubai, quarantined in Gautam Budh Nagar

All the 42 people who came from Dubai in an Air India flight on May 14 have been quarantined in Gautam Budh Nagar. Air India flight number AI-1996 reached New Delhi with 42 diaspora from Dubai. All 42 NRIs were tested for Covid under the protocol. After the test, all the passengers have been quarantined at Hotel Golf View in Sector-37, Noida. District Magistrate Suhas L.Y. said that out of these 42 people, 13 belong to Gautam Budh Nagar, 1 to Aligarh, 9 to Rampur, 4 to Saharanpur, 3 to Moradabad, 4 to Meerut, 1 to Bijnor, 1 to Hapur, 1 to Gorakhpur and 2 to Delhi.

09:44 IST 16 May

Agra authorities on toes as COVID-19 reaches district jail

The Agra administration and health officials are on the edge as COVID-19 has now reached the district jail. A 90-year-old prisoner, who was tested positive for the novel coronavirus, died during treatment at a medical college here. His report came on Friday. The administration has now isolated 28 inmates, after the prisoner was diagnosed with COVID-19.

09:53 IST 15 May

10 vaccine candidates under development: Govt body

A total of ten vaccine candidates for novel coronavirus are under development, said the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) on Thursday. The BIRAC, a Section 8 Company set up by the Union Government’s Department of Bio Technology (DBT) to nurture and promote the biotechnology industry in India, tweeted on Thursday, “10 Vaccine candidates are under development with support from DBT under the A@DBTIndia @BIRAC_2012 #COVID-19 Research Consortium.”

19:40 IST 14 May

Health Minister inaugurates new machine that can test 1,200 samples in 24 hours

nion Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday inaugurated COBAS 6800 testing machine at the National Centre for Disease Control. This is the first such machine procured by the government for testing for Covid-19 cases.

In his address on the occasion, the Minister said: “NCDC has been now equipped with the COBAS 6800, a fully automated, high end machine for performing real time PCR testing Covid-19 in the service of the nation. COBAS 6800 will provide quality, high-volume testing with a high throughput of test around 1,200 samples in 24 hours. It will largely increase the testing capacity with reduction in pendency. (IANS)

17:32 IST 14 May

10 COVID-19 vaccine candidates under development: BIRAC

A total of ten vaccine candidates for novel coronavirus are under development, said the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) on Thursday.

The BIRAC, a Section 8 Company set up by the Union Government’s Department of Bio Technology (DBT) to nurture and promote the biotechnology industry in India, tweeted on Thursday, “10 Vaccine candidates are under development with support from DBT under the A@DBTIndia @BIRAC_2012 #COVID-19 Research Consortium.” It also said that the ten proposals have been recommended for funding under the COVID-19 Research Consortium Call.

15:20 IST 14 May

Five Congress lawmakers among 400 people asked to go under two-week isolation in Kerala

With a person who entered Kerala through the Walayar check post , near here , turning COVID-19 positive, the Palakkad district health authorities have asked five Congress lawmakers and about 400 people including police, state government officials media and others to go into two-week isolation. The person came through the check post on May 9 and 12 turned COVID-19 positive.

Following this the local health authorities have asked Congress MP’s V.K.Sreekantan, T.N.Prathapan and Remya Haridas besides legislators- Anil Akkara and Shafi Parambil to go into isolation. (IANS)

13:41 IST 14 May

Restaurants, electronic, sweet shops to open in Rajasthan

Although the fourth phase of the lockdown is yet to begin from May 18, the state government in Rajasthan has extended the scope of exemption to bring the business back on track. From Thursday, restaurants, sweet shops, hardware and construction shops, AC-coolers, TVs, electronics, electronic repairs and automobiles can be opened in the state. Roadside shops or Dhabas can also be opened on the highway roads in the rural areas. Following instructions from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the Home Department issued the orders late on Wednesday night.

09:53 IST 14 May

Haryana to start intrastate roadways bus service

The Haryana government has decided to start special bus services on selected routes from Friday to facilitate the people stranded within the state due to lockdown, an official said on Thursday. For this, the passengers need to get an online ticket. The buses will ply only within the state and will not operate in areas severely affected with Covid-19. A government spokesperson said ticket bookings could only be purchased through portal hartrans.gov.in.

17:39 IST 13 May

COVID-19 claims one more policeman in Maharashtra, 8th in the state

A 57-year-old policeman attached to Sewri Police Station succumbed to COVID-19 early on Wednesday morning, officials said. This takes the death toll of policemen claimed by coronavirus to five in Mumbai and eight in the state. 

Another 1,000-plus police personnel, including 106 officers, have tested positive around the state and are under treatment in various hospitals, among them being 400 from Mumbai. Several thousands of policemen in the state are in quarantine as a precautionary measure. (IANS)

14:06 IST 13 May

Odisha reports highest single-day spike, tally rises to 538

Odisha reported 101 COVID-19 positive cases, highest single-day spike so far, taking the coronavirus count in the state to 538 on Wednesday. While Ganjam district reported 52 positive cases, Balasore registered 33, Jajpur and Sundargarh reported each 7 and Keonjhar 2, informed the Information and Public Relations Department. Most of the cases are reported from quarantine centres and containment zones. While 90 cases are from quarantine centres, eight from containment zones, and three from others, said the department.

09:57 IST 13 May

Yogi govt bans all transfers amid corona crisis

The Yogi Adityanath government has imposed a ban on the transfer of all officers and employees in Uttar Pradesh in view of the corona pandemic. A circular issued by Chief Secretary R. K. Tiwari, late on Tuesday night, said all transfers would remain banned till further orders. The circular said that only transfers due to unavoidable circumstances can be done with Chief Minister’s prior approval. In his circular communicated to all additional chief secretaries/principal secretaries/secretaries, the chief secretary said that the transfer policy made in March 2018 was valid till 2021-22.

20:18 IST 12 May

US offers $3.6 million to help India fight Covid-19 battle

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has committed $3.6 million to assist India’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

A US government statement said the initial tranche of funding will seek to further strengthen and support the Central government’s efforts to increase laboratory capacity for SARS-COV-2 testing, including molecular diagnostics and serology. (IANS)

16:41 IST 12 May

Ozone therapy to kill COVID-19 can have harmful health consequences: SAFAR

he Central government’s System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) on Monday debunked the use of ozone therapy to kill COVID-19 and cautioned people about its harmful health consequences.

Ozone therapy is an alternative medical treatment that introduces ozone or ozonide to the body. Medical Ozone is used to disinfect and treat diseases. It is now being said that ozone can destroy coronavirus by breaking through its outer shell, entering the core and damaging the RNA. (IANS)

15:59 IST 12 May

Air India HQ shut as employee tests corona positive

National carrier Air India on Tuesday shut its national capital-based headquarters, Airlines House, after an employee was tested Covid-19 positive. Accordingly, the building will be shut for two days for sanitisation work. Under the safety protocols, work places of those employees who have tested positive required to be shut and sanitised to prevent the spread of the virus. The test report of the employee had come out last night.

11:02 IST 12 May

Aarogya Setu mandatory for passengers of special AC trains

Even as the 15 pairs of special trains would be operated on select routes from Tuesday nearly two months after all regular passenger services were suspended by the Indian Railways amid the Covid-19 outbreak, the national transporter has made it “mandatory” for passengers to download the Aarogya Setu app. The railways has asked the passengers to arrive at the railway station 90 minutes prior to the departure of the train. Thermal screening of passengers will be done before they will be allowed to enter the station premises.

19:13 IST 11 May

Recovery rate of the Covid-19 patients improving, no community transmission so far: Health Ministry

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Monday said that the recovery rate of the Covid-19 patients in the country improved upto 31.15 per cent with a total 1,559 individuals cured from the disease in the last 24 hours.

Addressing the daily press conference here, Joint Secretary, Health, Lav Agarwal said: “While at least 4,213 new cases were reported since yesterday, there are 1559 people who have recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the recovery rate to 31.15 per cent.

Asked by the media whether or not the country has entered the community transmission stage, Agarwal said: “We have found few clusters and have noticed relatively large outbreak in a few places. Even Director, AIIMS said that if we do not contain the zones properly, the rate of transmission will become higher. Therefore it is important for us to maintain at this stage only and scale up containment efforts and ensure that we don’t go at the community transmission stage.” (IANS)

15:53 IST 11 May

3 more CISF personnel tested positive for Covid-19, total 66 infected

Three more CISF personnel tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, raising concern as the number of infected personnel in the paramilitary force rose to 66 till Monday.

With these three cases the coronavirus tally among the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel rose over 550 so far.

The three cases were reported from Ahmedabad in Gujarat where only two cases were found till Sunday. All the five Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel infected in the city were deployed at Ahmedabad airport. (IANS)

13:31 IST 11 May

Power Ministry official tests positive for COVID-19, Shram Shakti Bhawan sealed

Soon after an employee of the Ministry of Power tested positive for COVID-19, the Shram Shakti Bhawan that houses the ministry’s office was sealed.

The ministry tweeted: “An official of Ministry of Power has been detected positive for Covid-19. All the due protocols as per extant guidelines are being followed.”

The Power Ministry will now resume its normal functioning from Tuesday. “Ministry is functional through work from home. Normal functioning, as per extant guidelines, will resume from Tuesday,” the tweet read further. (IANS)

09:11 IST 11 May

12 inmates of Agra Central Jail test positive for COVID-19

he corona crisis in Taj city has taken a turn for the worse after 12 inmates of the Agra Central jail tested positive for the deadly virus on Sunday night.

Deputy Inspector-General (Prisons) Luv Kumar said, “We had sent 24 samples of prisoners for lab testing and out of these, 12 reported corona positive by the S.N. Medical College (SNMC). Now, fresh samples have been collected for lab testing at the National Jalma Institute for Leprosy.”

On Saturday, a 60-year-old convict of the Agra Central Jail, who was tested positive for corona, had died during treatment at the S.N. Medical College. (IANS)

20:01 IST 10 May

Kerala records seven new cases of coronavirus, 489 cases cured

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said the state had recorded seven new cases of coronavirus – mostly those who had returned from other states or other countries.

The seven included those had come from Abu Dhabi on May 7 and another two had come from Chennai.

In the state, 489 cases have been cured at present and there are 20 positive cases under treatment, Vijayan said in a Facebook post. (IANS)

17:22 IST 10 May

2 more districts in Andhra Pradesh cross 100 mark, total tally stands at 1980

Andhra Pradesh’s see-saw battle with COVID-19 saw the weekend close with 50 new cases on Sunday. The death toll further increased with one more death reported from the Kurnool district. Andhra Pradesh’s nodal officer reported that the cumulative tally of COVID-19 cases in the state touched 1,980 by Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the death toll increased to 45, following the death of one person in the Kurnool district. (IANS)

15:42 IST 10 May

64 CISF men infected with COVID-19 till Sunday

With fresh 18 coronavirus positive cases in the CISF, a total of 64 troopers in the paramilitary force have been reported infected with the dreaded disease that have caught over 550 personnel in all Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

Of the 64 CISF personnel infected with the virus, 33 are in Mumbai, 22 in Delhi, five in Kolkata and two each in Greater Noida and Ahmedabad. (IANS)

13:06 IST 10 May

Delhi reports 81 new cases in a day, total count reaches 6,923

With 381 new cases reported in a day, the total count of Covid cases in Delhi reached to 6,923, the Health Department said on Sunday. Five new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 73, it said.

According to the health department, a total of 2,069 patients have recovered from coronavirus so far in Delhi while 4781 cases are active.

11:26 IST 10 May

One more COVID-19 death in Odisha, total confirmed cases rise to 352

Odisha has reported its third COVID-19 death as a person from the Ganjam district succumbed to the disease, said the health department on Sunday.

Odisha also registered a major surge in the number of cases as 58 more persons tested positive for the virus taking the positive cases to 352. The returnees are increasing the positive numbers in the state. Among the 58 positive cases, 41 persons had returned from Surat. (IANS)

08:28 IST 10 May

Bhopal reports first death of a transgender due to COVID-19

Bhopal reported first death of a transgender on Saturday. The patient a 40-year-old from Kolipura locality in the old city area died after two days’ hospitalisation due to breathing problem.

The rising number of coronavirus patients in Madhya Pradesh has alarmed the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. The Health Department said 116 new cases were added overnight to take the total number 3,457 by Saturday evening. On Saturday, 29 corona deaths were reported. (IANS)

20:26 IST 9 May

COVID-19: 4 more deaths, 526 new cases in TN

Tamil Nadu on Saturday reported four more deaths of coronavirus patients and 526 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking the southern state’s total cases to 6,535, the Health Department said. State capital Chennai continued to see the highest number of infections at 279, followed by Villupuram (67) and Chengalpattu (40). A total of 1,867 corona patients are linked to Koyambedu wholesale market till date.

14:19 IST 9 May

Kerala startup develops tracking app for effective quarantine

Necessity is the mother of invention, goes the old saying. In line with the adage, four young enterprising IT geeks, have tweaked their existing IT solution to come up with a new tracking app that can be used by authorities to track those in quarantine. The start-up, Pinmicro, which has an office at Infopark here, is based out of Japan, by now have received enquiries from various government authorities about their app- Assistplus and meTrack.

09:49 IST 9 May

COVID-19 cases surpass 700 mark in Agra

The number of COVID-19 cases in Agra surpassed the 700 mark on Saturday, with 26 more people testing positive for the coronavirus in the past 24 hours a health official said. The total tally now stands at 706 and the overall death toll at 23, the official added. District Magistrate P.N. Singh said that so far a total of 303 patients were discharged from various hospitals after recovery.

13:59 IST 8 May

Delhi hotel ready to welcome int'l evacuees with pasta, Thai curry

As the first batch of international evacuees landed in India amid tight medical supervision, Le Meridien is one of the many hotels where some of them will be kept quarantined from Friday onwards. The hotel, which has been shut ever since the nationwide lockdown began, partially opened for this purpose with rooms being readied by people wearing PPE units. The reception had a display saying, ” Namaste! There’s nothing like staying at home for real comfort. Welcome Home.” Rajiv Anand, the food and beverages manager of the five star hotel where some of the evacuees will be kept quarantined against payment, said that a special menu is being curated for them.

12:47 IST 8 May

AIIB extends $500 mn loan for India's COVID-19 fight

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB) Board of Directors has approved a loan of $500 million to support India’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic by strengthening the country’s health system. Titled ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project’, it is funded by AIIB’s COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility created to adapt to urgent financing needs of the Bank’s members impacted by the pandemic, an AIIB statement. It will be co-financed by the World Bank and would support India in addressing significant challenges posed to the public health system, said the Beijing-headquartered bank.

11:07 IST 8 May

France reports 178 new deaths from COVID-19

France registered 178 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, taking the tally to 25,987, while new hospital admissions continued to slow as the government plans to ease anti-coronavirus lockdown on May 11, according to its Health Ministry. The coronavirus-related deaths went up by 0.7 per cent in the last 24 hours on Thursday, a slower pace than 1.1 per cent recorded on Wednesday and 1.3 per cent on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported. The number of people hospitalized with coronavirus also decreased by 775 to 23,208, maintaining an uninterrupted three-week downward trend, the ministry added.

09:43 IST 8 May

Bengaluru NGO serves million meals to needy amid lockdown

City-based non-government organisation (NGO) Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI) has served a million (10 lakh) meals to the needy during the prolonged lockdown, an official said on Thursday. “We have distributed 1 million meals to the needy, including daily wage workers, construction and contract labourers and street vendors, across the country during the lockdown, which was enforced on March 25 and extended twice up to May 17 to contain the coronavirus spread,” RAHI executive director Dola Mohapatra said in a statement here.

08:17 IST 8 May

Bhopal records highest one-day corona positive cases

Madhya Pradesh saw a sudden rise in corona positive cases with 117 more testing positive by Thursday night. The state tally jumped from 3,138 to 3,255. There are 1,699 patients in Indore and 656 in Bhopal. With 46 new cases capital Bhopal notched the highest one-day tally on Thursday. The victims include a senior IPS office. However, two of his reports were found negative. Bhopal reported four corona deaths on second consecutive day. Seven deaths were reported in the state on Thursday including a three-month old girl child in Jabalpur. So far 190 have succumbed to virus in the state.

21:31 IST 7 May

No new case in Kerala, 25 under treatment

For the second successive day, Kerala recorded no new cases of coronavirus, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Thursday. The state currently has 474 positive cases and at present, there are 25 under treatment. “A total of 16,383 people are under observation at their homes while 310 others have been kept under observation at different hospitals across the state,” Vijayan said in a Facebook post. Also, 56 places were excluded from the list of hotspots, leaving 33 in the state. Eight districts of the state’s 14 are Covid-19 free.

20:23 IST 7 May

Indian Navy designed PPE gets nod for mass production

The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits developed by the Indian Navy has obtained clearance certification for mass production, a top naval officer said on Thursday. The PPE kits designed and produced by the Indian Navy were tested by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences based in Delhi, a DRDO organisation tasked with testing and certification of PPE. They have now been certified to be mass produced and used in clinical Covid-19 situations.

19:37 IST 7 May

MP migrants in Delhi arrive at railway station for heading home

As Delhi gets set to send its first special train to Madhya Pradesh, migrants staying in different shelter homes in the city started coming to the New Delhi Railway Station, officials said. A government official said before coming to the New Delhi Railway Station in DTC buses, the migrants were screened by doctors. Followed by the screening, they were sent to the New Delhi station for boarding the train. The District Administration is providing them food and water bottles for consumption during their journey back to their home state.

17:59 IST 7 May

HC asks Odisha to do RT-PCR test of migrants before entry

The Orissa High Court, here on Thursday, directed the state government to conduct RT-PCR tests of migrant workers before allowing them to enter the state. All migrants, waiting to return to Odisha, should test Covid-19 negative before departing for the state, it said while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by Narayan Chandra Jena. The court asked the state government to do the RT-PCR (Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests of Odia migrants in the states they were stranded, Jena said.

15:33 IST 7 May

Mylab increases production capacity to 2 lakh tests per day for COVID-19

Mylab Discovery Solutions has completed expansion of its production capacity to manufacture COVID-19 RT-PCR tests. As per the production plan, Mylab will scale-up manufacturing to 2 lakh tests per day from the second week of May. Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India said, ” It overwhelms me to see our efforts with Mylab in making India self-reliant in combating COVID-19 fructified. As our production capacity increases from 20,000 tests per day to 2 lakh COVID-19 tests per day, we will now be able to meet India’s growing demand for testing completely.”

14:33 IST 7 May

Ex-DGP of Punjab denied entry into Himachal

Former Punjab Director General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini and two others were denied entry into Himachal Pradesh on Thursday as they were travelling without permission amid state-wide curfew to contain coronavirus, state police said. The former DGP called Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Divakar Sharma on the phone when police deployed at the Swarghat border, the state entry point in Bilaspur district, denied him entry. He wanted to visit his orchard in Karsog in Mandi district.

13:26 IST 7 May

Special train with 1,136 passengers from TN leaves for Ranchi

A special train carrying 1,136 passengers has left Katpadi in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district to Ranchi in Jharkhand, officials said on Thursday. It was the first train that left Tamil Nadu after the lockdown was imposed over 40 days back. The passengers — patients who had come for treatment at the Christian Medical College in Vellore and their attendants — were brought to Katpadi railway junction in 16 buses by the Vellore district administration. The train chugged off on Wednesday night. According to officials, the train operation was kept under wraps in order to avoid crowding at the stations by other people like the migrant workers.

12:28 IST 7 May

Highest single day spike in Odisha COVID-19 cases

Odisha on Thursday reported its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 positive cases as 20 persons tested positive for the virus, taking the total tally to 205, said an official. Out of the 20 fresh cases, 17 are from Ganjam district, and 3 from Mayurbhanj district. All of the 20 cases have been identified as Surat returnee and they are in quarantine, said the Information and Public Relations department. While Mayurbhanj joined the list of COVID-19 affected districts, Ganjam’s positive tally increased to 21. Jagatsinghpur had joined the list of affected districts on Wednesday after it reported four positive cases.

11:28 IST 7 May

WHO chief warns of risk of returning from lockdown

As more and more countries consider how to ease the so-called lockdown restrictions, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the exit measures should be done extremely carefully. He reiterated six criteria which WHO recommends countries to consider, including strong surveillance, to isolate, test and treat every case and trace every contact, sufficient preventive measures in workplaces and schools and full cooperation of the public in the post-lockdown “new norm.”

10:29 IST 7 May

Hundreds of Delhi rooms, including 5-stars booked to quarantine int'l passengers

As the D-Day of one of the biggest evacuations starts on Thursday, the national capital has ramped up its efforts to mass quarantine evacuees and has started to book rooms across Delhi that can go up to several thousands, to keep them stationed for 14 days. Sources said administration is in process of booking rooms in lodges, guest houses and hotels across the national capital. Few hundred rooms in a 5-star hotel in New Delhi district have also been booked for this purpose, said sources.

21:31 IST 6 May

Telangana reports 11 new cases, all from Hyderabad

Telangana on Wednesday reported 11 new cases of Covid-19, taking the state’s tally to 1,107, officials said. All 11 cases were reported from Greater Hyderabad, the worst affected among 33 districts of the state. According to the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, no deaths occurred on Wednesday. The death toll remains at 29.

19:16 IST 6 May

Odisha govt readies 500,000 beds for returnees

As migrants had started to return to Odisha, the state government had arranged around 500,000 beds to provide Covid-19 health services in rural areas, Panchayati Raj Secretary D.K. Singh said here on Wednesday. About 12,000 temporary medical camps have been readied in 6,798 panchayats with all basic facilities. Sanitation and cleanliness have been the priority at these camps. The migrants were being provided quality food and the healthcare workers along with other service providers used personal protective equipments (PPEs) while working in these camps, said Singh.

16:57 IST 6 May

85 more BSF personnel test Covid-19 positive; tally at 152

Eighty-five more Border Security Force personnel tested Covid-19 positive on Wednesday, raising the number of infected BSF personnel to 152, highest among all central armed police forces (CAPF). In all, around 400 CAPF personnel have been infected by coronavirus. All the 85 BSF personnel were engaged in essential duties, said an official. Till Tuesday, 69 BSF personnel, posted at different locations, were found Covid-19 positive. While two have recovered, 67 are undergoing treatment.

16:00 IST 6 May

Corona cases spike in Badami, Karnataka tally at 692

Nineteen new COVID-19 positive cases have emerged, including 13 from Badami in Bagalkote alone in the past 19 hours, raising Karnataka’s tally to 692, an official said on Wednesday. All the 13 Badami cases were contacts of positive case 607, a 23-year-old woman from the same place who was admitted in a Dharwad hospital and was also being investigated for Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).

15:07 IST 6 May

Returnees among 60 new cases; COVID-19 tally at 1,777 in AP

Even as the cumulative tally of COVID-19 cases touched 1,777 on Wednesday morning, Andhra Pradesh reported slightly less numbers of new cases over the preceding 24 hours. Significantly, for the second day in a row, a substantial number of new cases pertain to people returning to AP from other states. Meanwhile, with 2 deaths reported, the death toll rose to 36 by Wednesday.

14:07 IST 6 May

Shortcuts to create COVID-19 vaccine will put humanity in danger

In the rush to win the COVID-19 vaccine race, researchers must not break defined guidelines and processes involved in developing a vaccine, as finding shortcuts may do more harm than good in the long run, Indian health experts warned on Wednesday. Nearly four decades and 32 million deaths later, the world is still waiting for an HIV vaccine. An effective vaccine for dengue fever, which infects as many as 400,000 people a year according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), has eluded scientists for decades.

13:08 IST 6 May

Odisha reports second Covid-19 death

Odisha reported the second Covid-19 death in the state after an elderly man infected with the virus died while undergoing treatment here, the health department said on Wednesday. A 77-year-old male Covid-19 patient from Madhusudan Nagar in Bhubaneswar, who had underlying comorbidities of hypertension, diabetes and kidney ailment, died on Tuesday at the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), said the health department.

11:44 IST 6 May

UP launches tele-medicine facility in all districts

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has started tele-consultancy facility in all districts to enable non-Covid-19 patients to get medical consultation from their homes. The Chief Minister said that the telephone numbers of doctors who are offering their services should be publicised through newspapers and asked officials to take steps on a war footing to improve emergency health services.

11:00 IST 6 May

Pool sampling in big way, no community spread: Agra officials

While the number of COVID-19 patients soared to 640 early Wednesday, with 15 deaths reported so far, the district administration in Agra claimed that there was no community spread of the virus so far and pool sampling was being done. District Magistrate P.N. Singh said pool sampling was being conducted in a big way to identify the infected and reach the end of the chain in the 42 hot spots of the city. Health workers, police personnel and vegetable vendors were the new vulnerable groups.

09:36 IST 6 May

Multiple Indian COVID-19 vaccines set to enter trial stages

With the focus shifting from containment to treatment of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a detailed review of the current status of India’s efforts in vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing. The government expressed confidence in the competence of Indian vaccine companies, their manufacturing capacity and global presence while stating in statement that “over 30 Indian vaccines are in different stages of development, with a few entering the trial stages.”

08:43 IST 6 May

US COVID-19 deaths top 70,000, cases top 1.2 mln

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States reached 1,201,337 as of 6 p.m. (2200 GMT) Tuesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, the death toll from the disease in the country hit 70,646. New York remains the hardest-hit state, with 321,192 cases and 25,073 deaths, followed by New Jersey with 130,593 cases and 8,244 deaths. Other states with over 50,000 cases include Massachusetts, Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania, according to the CSSE.

21:54 IST 5 May

Covid cases crosses 5000-mark in Delhi

With 206 new cases reported in a day, the total count of Covid cases in Delhi reached 5, 104 on Tuesday, the Health Department said.

With no coronavirus death reported in the last 72 hours, the toll remained at 64, it said. So far, 67,852 tests have been conducted in Delhi.

At least 37 patients recovered on Tuesday, according to the Delhi Health Bulletin. (IANS)

19:52 IST 5 May

Gurugram declares 24 containment and 16 buffer zones

After the Covid-19 monitoring committee’s report, the Gurugram administration has declared 24 containment and 16 buffer zones in the district.

Six new containment zones are: Aardee City’s A, B, C blocks, Palam Vihar, Sirhaul village’s lane 1, lane 7 and lane 6B, Dundehera, New Palam Vihar and sector 12.

Meanwhile, the district administration has shut Khandsa wholesale fruits and vegetable market on Monday night after emergence of nine Covid-10 cases. (IANS)

17:51 IST 5 May

45 ITBP personnel test positive for COVID-19, 167 quarantined

Forty-five Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel have tested coronavirus positive and 167 have been quarantined, according to officials, here on Tuesday.

These personnel belong to two companies that are deputed for internal security and law and order duty with the Delhi Police. While 43 belong to the 22 Battalion, based at Tigri on Delhi’s outskirt, two men to the 50 Battalion. (IANS)

16:30 IST 5 May

Andhra Pradesh reports 67 new COVID-19 cases today, tally rises to 1,717

Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday reported 67 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the state’s total virus count to 1,717, a health official said.

According to the state nodal officer, of the 8,263 samples tested during the 24-hours ending Tuesday morning, 67 positive cases were detected. However, 14 of the cases have been identified as samples of persons who returned from Gujarat. (IANS)

15:24 IST 5 May

K'taka reports one more COVID-19 death, toll reaches 28

A 62-year-old woman from Vijayapura succumbed to coronavirus infection on Tuesday, taking the COVID-19 death toll in Karnataka to 28, a health official said.

The state has registered eight more COVID-19 cases in the past 19 hours, increasing the count of such cases to 659, the official added. (IANS)

14:10 IST 5 May

Cement city Nimbhahera emerges as new hotspot in Rajasthan

Nimbhahera, a cement city in Rajasthan, which recorded its first COVID-19 case on April 26, almost over a month of a nationwide lockdown, has now 99 positive cases of COVID-19 in just nine days, making it another hotspot in Rajasthan. This was in green zone till April 25 which was the second phase of the lockdown. However, with the sudden spurt in cases, it turned into a red zone. Around 1,000 people have been home quarantined in the town while around 350 people have been quarantined and their samples are awaited.

13:01 IST 5 May

Special train leaves Hyderabad with 1,250 workers to Bihar

A Shramik special train carrying 1,250 migrant workers to Bihar left from Hyderabad in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said. The train chugged out at 3.05 a.m. from the Ghatkesar railway station near Hyderabad for Khagaria in Bihar. The workers boarded the train after thermal screening by the personnel from the health department of Telangana. Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat, who flagged off the train along with other officials, said the passengers were provided breakfast and water bottles.

11:20 IST 5 May

Yogi govt launches portal for stranded migrants

The Yogi Adityanath government has launched a public hearing portal — jansunwai.up.nic.in. — where people form Uttar Pradesh who are stranded in other states can register themselves if they wish to return. The government will then prepare a plan for their return. Those stuck outside UP or in the state can register on this link Tuesday afternoon onwards. However, registration on the website should not be considered as permission to travel, said an official spokesman. The applicants will have to agree to be quarantined on their return.

10:44 IST 5 May

KGMU, CDRI collaborate for corona vaccine

The King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow is now collaborating with the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) here for three major research projects, including development of a vaccine for the coronavirus. The university, which is conducting highest number of corona tests in the state, has also been approached for the use of natural herbal products in the treatment of the disease by the Central AYUSH ministry.

09:14 IST 5 May

NAM unites to foster global COVID-19 response

A summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the format of a contact group was held through videoconference in a bid to boost coordination among member states in fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit, themed “United against COVID-19,” was initiated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the current chairman of the NAM, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday. In his opening speech, President Aliyev gave an insight into what the Azerbaijani government had done to curb the spread of the pandemic.

08:30 IST 5 May

Ensure Covid-19 samples tested in less than 48 hours: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the state government to ensure that the Covid-19 samples sent to the labs for testing are “processed and reports forwarded within a period of 48 hours or less”. The court further directed the Delhi government to continue updating its website on a regular basis to reflect the correct number of tests that are being conducted for Covid-19 in Delhi. “Mention the number of cases that are positive or negative and state the number of results that are pending after the tests are conducted,” the court said.

20:39 IST 4 May

527 persons test positive for coronavirus from Chennai's Koyambedu market

The city’s Koyambedu wholesale market has turned into ‘Corona wholesale market’ with bulk of the 527 persons who tested positive for coronavirus over the past 24 hours were linked to it, the state Health Department said on Monday.

It also said that one Covid-19 patient died, taking the total death toll to 31. (IANS)

19:22 IST 4 May

No fresh Covid-19 case in Kerala: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said there are no new fresh cases of coronavirus reported in the state, for the second day running. As many as 61 were cured of the virus, and there are 34 presently under treatment.

“A total of 21,352 people are under observation at their homes while 372 others have been kept under observation at different hospitals across the state,” said Vijayan. Agency report

17:10 IST 4 May

Andhra Pradesh conducts 10,292 samples test in a single day; total tally touches 1650

Andhra Pradesh continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic as the number of cases detected keep fluctuating with each passing day. The state nodal officer reported that 67 cases were detected from the samples tested during the 24 hours ending 10 a.m. Monday. With 10,292 samples tested during this period, the state reported the largest number of tests conducted in a single day. 

Of the cumulative tally of 1650 cases, 524 persons have been cured and discharged so far. The death toll has remained unchanged at 33 since Friday. The number of active cases in the state is currently 1,093. (IANS)

15:38 IST 4 May

Strict action needed to control coronavirus in Delhi : Harsh Vardhan

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan on Monday said that the national capital is one such state in the country where strict action is needed to check novel coronavirus. So far, more than 4,500 coronavirus cases have been reported in the city.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said, “Entire Delhi is a red zone. The Central government has given some relaxations to the red zones and we will be allowing all that.”Kejriwal, who was so far holding all the meetings through video-conferencing, held the meeting on Monday at the Delhi Secretariat, officials said. (IANS)

13:22 IST 4 May

J&K govt prohibits movement from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m

The Jammu and Kashmir government has issued guidelines prohibiting movement in all areas across the union territory between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. While there will be prohibition on all types of movements without the passes, medical emergencies have been exempted

The J&K government spokesperson Rohit Kansal tweeted: “Prohibitions (Curfew) on movement in all areas between 7 pm and 7 am. No movement without passes. Medical emergencies exempted.” (IANS)

12:13 IST 4 May

Rajasthan crosses 3,000-mark, 75 deaths reported so far

The COVID-19 cases in Jaipur crossed the 1,000-mark on Monday as it registered 12 new cases taking its tally to 1,005 while the state overall crossed the 3,000-mark registering a total number of 3,009 cases, said Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh.

A total of 123 COVID-19 cases was reported in Rajasthan in the last 12 hours out of which 73 were from Jodhpur, 19 from Chittaurgarh, 12 from Jaipur, 11 from Pali, three from Kota, two from Rajsamand, and one each from Bikaner, Alwar and Udaipur, Singh said.

Overall, 75 deaths have been reported in the state so far. (IANS)

10:25 IST 4 May

COVID-19 cases reach 597 in Agra, 15 deaths so far

The district authorities clarified early Monday there was no relief for the Taj city and lockdown restrictions will continue to be effectively enforced till May 17.

District magistrate P.N. Singh tweeted there was fear that the number of infected would rise further, therefore lockdown restrictions will remain in force, more strictly to be complied with. He said 7,234 samples had been taken so far for testing.

The number of COVID-19 cases reached 597 in Agra. So far 15 deaths have been reported, while 147 had recovered and returned home. Four quarantine centres have been shut down. The city now has 44 hot spots. (IANS)

08:40 IST 4 May

12 more BSF men test COVID-19 positive in Tripura, total toll in the state stands at 16

Twelve more Border Security Force (BSF) troopers on Sunday tested positive for Covid-19 in Tripura taking the total active cases among the paramilitary personnel in the state to 14, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said late Sunday night.

Deb, who also holds the health and home portfolios, said in a tweet: “12 persons from 138 battalion BSF unit in Ambassa (in northern Tripura’s Dhalai district) found COVID-19 positive. Total COVID-19 positive cases in Tripura stand at 16 (two already discharged, so active cases: 14). Don’t panic, follow the Govt guidelines. We are working vigilantly for your safety.” (IANS)

20:50 IST 3 May

Punjab sees 331 new corona cases on Sunday - highest in the state in 24 hours

In the steepest spike recorded in the state in 24 hours, Punjab on Sunday recorded 331 new coronavirus cases, with the total climbing to 1,102, a health bulletin said.

Of the 331 cases, 326 were returnees from the famous Sikh shrine in Maharashtra’s Nanded, who came back last week after remaining stuck for nearly a month. In the past five days, Punjab recorded 728 cases — a majority of them Nanded returnees. A news agency reported

19:37 IST 3 May

Punjab gets green light from ICMR for clinical trial of plasma therapy

Punjab has received the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) nod for the clinical trial of convalascent plasma therapy on Covid-19 patients, according to officials here on Sunday.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had allowed use of this therapy when Assistant Commissioner of Police Anil Kohli got coronavirus infection and was admitted to SPS Hospital in Ludhiana. (IANS)

17:21 IST 3 May

58 people test positive for COVID-19 from Delhi's Kapashera building

At least 17 more people tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday from a double-storey building in southwest Delhi’s Kapashera, taking the total count of COVID cases to 58 from the building.

According to an official from the office of South-West District Magistrate, the samples were taken last month after the building was sealed on April 19. About 200 people were living in the building. (IANS)

15:46 IST 3 May

40% Covid patients in Telengana under 21-40 age group

More than two months after reporting the first case, Telangana has come out with data relating to age- and gender-wise infection cases. Official data on novel coronavirus cases in Telengana has indicated that as many as 40 per cent of patients are in the age group of 21-40. Gender-wise, more men have been affected than women. Officials said 66.5 per cent patients (705) are male and 33.5 per cent (356) female. (IANS)

14:28 IST 3 May

Andhra Pradesh reports marginal dip in COVID-19 cases

In a positive development of sorts, only five of the 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh reported new COVID-19 cases by Sunday morning. Giving more cheer to the authorities, are the dipping numbers of cases over the past three days. The state nodal officer reported 58 cases from the tests conducted during the 24 hours ending 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Even as the state has ramped up testing, the number of positive cases has been declining over the past few days. On Saturday, 62 cases were reported from the state, while 61 cases were reported on Friday. The state had reported the highest number of new cases in a single day on April 26. (IANS)

12:56 IST 3 May

Over a million RT-PCR tests for novel coronavirus done: ICMR

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Sunday said that it has conducted over a million RT-PCR tests for novel coronavirus so far.

In a press statement the apex medical research body said, “A total of 10,46,450 samples have been tested as on May 3 till 9 a.m.”

There are at least 310 government laboratories and 111 private laboratories in the country, conducting the tests for the diagnosis of novel coronavirus disease, said the ICMR. Agency report 

10:43 IST 3 May

BHU lab closed for COVID-19 testing after a scientist tested positive

With the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) laboratory closed after a scientist had tested positive on Friday, all samples collected there are now being sent to Lucknow for coronaviris testing.

District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said, “Altogether 64 reports were awaited from BHU, which could not be received as the lab was closed on Friday.”

He said that after contact tracing of infected persons, 46 samples including of nine family members and relatives of BHU’s infected woman scientist, had been collected on Saturday and are being sent to the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow. Agency report

09:46 IST 3 May

With 42 new cases, Agra's Covid-19 tally stands at 543

Agra’s generally poor performance has been highlighted yet again, as Covid-19 infected patients continued to show up in the 39 hotspots, at an alarming rate. With 42 new cases, the tally stood at 543 on Sunday morning.

So far there have been 15 deaths, but 134 patients have recovered and returned, according to the district magistrate P.N. Singh. (Agency report)

07:56 IST 3 May

17 COVID-19 cases reported in Azadpur Mandi till date

With one new coronavirus positive case, the total number of infected persons linked with Asia’s largest wholesale market of fruits and vegetable, Azadpur Mandi, reached 17 on Saturday, an official said. All these 17 cases surfaced after April 20, of which one trader has died.

Meanwhile, two medical teams have been deployed in the mandi for screening of traders, labourers, drivers, and farmers.  (IANS)

20:58 IST 2 May

Strict curbs on travel leaves many stuck on Gurugram-Delhi border

With Haryana deciding to impose strict curbs on vehicular movement from Gurugram through its borders with national capital Delhi, many have been left stranded on both sides of the inter-state borders. Some affected persons complained that even those involved in essential services like police and healthcare professionals were at the receiving end of this arrangement. In fact, nurses and other medical support staff have been facing an uphill task in entering Delhi for the last 36 hours.

20:18 IST 2 May

Railways carries out maintenance amid lockdown

Following the suspension of passenger, mail and express train services amid the nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Indian Railways has utilised the time for long pending maintenance work and yard remodelling that earlier acted as bottlenecks. Railway ministry officials said that during the last 41 days of the nationwide lockdown the national transporter has taken up the maintenance of bridges, remodelling of yards, renewal of scissors crossover, which have been pending for several years.

18:53 IST 2 May

Telangana focuses on red zone Hyderabad to flatten the curve

With Hyderabad remaining a red zone, the Telangana health authorities are focusing their efforts on the state capital to check the spread of coronavirus. Realising that containing the virus in Hyderabad is key to revival of economic activity in the state, top officials are busy working out a special strategy to flatten the curve. Hyderabad and its surroundings, together referred to as Greater Hyderabad, remain a worry for state authorities as it continues to report positive cases even as the numbers have ebbed in the rest of the state.

18:07 IST 2 May

No inter or intra district buses in 'orange zones': MHA

A day after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines to regulate different activities in the extended lockdown period, based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into red (hotspot), orange, and green zones, the ministry has now issued a clarification on the movement of persons and vehicles in these zones. In the areas that fall under ‘Orange zone’, the ministry has prohibited the inter-district and intra-district plying of buses. However, the taxis and cab aggregators are permitted, with one driver and two passengers only.

17:06 IST 2 May

COVID-19: 41 persons in one building in south-west Delhi test positive

In a shocking development that sparked fears of local transmission, 41 persons residing in a single building in Kapashera in south-west Delhi have tested coronavirus positive. “One lady had tested coronavirus positive on April 18. She was immediately shifted to hospital. But considering the density of people housed in the building’s small rooms and common toilets, we contained the area for public good,” south-west Delhi’s District Magistrate Rahul Singh said on Saturday. The incident was reported in Theke Wali Gali near the DC office in Kapashera. As per the guidelines, a containment zone is created if at least three positive cases are reported in a particular area.

15:27 IST 2 May

Odisha warns action against pvt hospitals for denying treatment

The Odisha government has warned action against the private hospitals for not providing critical services to non-COVID patients, said the state Health Department. “It has come to the notice that some hospitals in the private sector are hesitating in providing critical services such as dialysis, blood transfusion, chemotherapy and institutional deliveries to their regular patients, either on account of fear of contracting COVID-19 or they are keeping their hospitals/ clinics closed,” said an order of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) on Friday.

14:27 IST 2 May

Rajasthan sends 2400 stranded migrants back home

Two special trains started from Jaipur to send around 2400 stranded students and labourers back to their homes in Bihar and Jharkhand. While one train departed for Ranchi (Jharkhand) from Kota at 1200 hrs on Friday night, another train left from Jaipur to Patna (Bihar) with about 1200 labourers at 12.20 a.m. on Saturday. It was an emotional affair at the railway station where these migrants were given a warm send off by railway officials and other senior personnel who continued clapping as the train chugged off on its wheels.

13:24 IST 2 May

At 1525 cases, AP COVID effect most pronounced in 5 districts

While Andhra Pradesh continues to report COVID-19 cases, the good news is that the numbers are showing a slight dip over the past few days. On Saturday, the state nodal officer reported 62 new cases which were detected from the samples tested in the last 24 hours ending at 10 a.m. on Saturday. On Friday too, the state reported 61 cases, which is in marked contrast to the high of 82 cases witnessed last Sunday.

12:54 IST 2 May

Gurugram reports six fresh COVID-19 cases, tally rises to 63

Gurugram has reported six more positive cases of COVID-19, taking the total count of such cases in the city to 63, a health official said on Saturday. According to the health authorities, all six of them have contracted the infection, after they came in contact with relatives, friends and colleagues. Three cases were reported in Dundehera village near Kapashera on Friday. Two persons associated with finance company came in contact with the virus-infected Delhi residents and another person, who was tested positive for the disease is an employee of Delhi health department. So far, 38 people have been discharged in the city.

11:01 IST 2 May

Tally crosses 500 mark in Agra, 38 hotspots in the city

With 22 new Covid-19 cases, the number of positive cases has touched 501 in the Taj city, health officials said on Saturday. District authorities have declared nine new hotspots. So far 7000 samples have been taken. While 15 succumbed to Covid-19, 126 people have fully recovered and sent home.  Agra, which is in the red zone, is now totally sealed. Patrolling on the highways has been intensified.

10:22 IST 2 May

2 cops probing Tablighi Jamaat case test corona positive

Two policemen of Delhi Police crime branch associated with the probe into the allegations of negligence by the members of Tablighi Jamaat and its chief Maulana Saad have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). A member of the crime branch provided this information to IANS on Friday on the condition of anonymity. According to police sources, the two policemen tested positive for the virus two-three days ago. Following this, at least 10-12 other policemen have also been kept in home-quarantine.

09:19 IST 2 May

COVID-19: Entire Kashmir Valley to be treated as Red Zone

Even as the Union Health Ministry has classified only four districts as red zones in Kashmir division, authorities said on Saturday the entire Valley will be treated as red zone and no relaxation except those permissible in such cases will be allowed. The decision comes in the wake of the two-week long extension in the national lockdown beginning on Monday.

08:28 IST 2 May

Guidelines list activities in Red Zones in lockdown 3.0

Cycle rickshaws, autos, taxi, cabs, barber shops and intra-district plying of vehicles and buses are restricted in Red Zones mentioned in the fresh lockdown 3.0 guidelines to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission. However, the guidelines allowed the movement of individuals and vehicles, only for permitted activities with restrictions. Four-wheeler vehicles will have maximum two passengers besides the vehicle driver; for two wheelers, pillion rider is not allowed, according to the guidelines issued with the announcement of extension of nationwide lockdown for another 14 days beginning on May 4.

21:45 IST 1 May

Lockdown 3.0: No relief for religious places, cinemas, shopping malls

All religious places, educational institutions, cinema halls, shopping malls, entertainment parks, bars and auditoriums will continue to be shut under the third phase of the nationwide lockdown “irrespective of the zones” they are situated in. The latest Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guideline stressed on closure of all these places to public during the 14 days the lockdown was extended from May 4.

19:58 IST 1 May

COVID-19: 105 new cases in Punjab for 2nd consecutive day

Punjab on Friday reported 105 more coronavirus cases, a day after the state saw an equal number of cases — the highest single-day spike — including 97 returnees from the famous Sikh shrine in Maharashtra’s Nanded. The new cases include 48 from Amritsar, 16 from Jalandhar, 13 from Ludhiana and six from Mohali. The northern state’s total is 585 corona cases, of which 457 are active.

17:54 IST 1 May

Delhi will continue with plasma therapy: Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that the city’s healthcare professionls will continue to use plasma therapy on coronavirus patients in Delhi as it has approval from the Centre and also it had showed positive results in several critical patients. Kejriwal said a few statements on behalf of the Union government had led the people to believe that the plasma therapy will be halted in Delhi.

15:38 IST 1 May

First bus carrying 30 students from Kota arrives in Bengal

The first bus carrying 30 students, who were stranded due to the nationwide lockdown in Rajasthans Kota, arrived in West Bengal on Friday morning, the police said. The bus carrying 30 students along with two parents came to Asansol in Burdwan district, crossing over the West Bengal-Jharkhand border. Earlier on April 27, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had taken personal initiative to bring back over 2,500 students from Kota and assured them in a social media post that that they would be returning to their homes soon. Sources said the students will come to their home state in 95 different buses.

15:00 IST 1 May

Researchers develop fast antibody blood test for Covid-19

A team of researchers here has developed a quick, sensitive test of antibodies against coronavirus in human blood, which could help doctors track a person’s exposure to the disease, as well as confirm suspected Covid-19 cases which have been tested negative by other methods. Published in the journal Analytical Chemistry, the study revealed that researchers from China wanted to develop a fast, sensitive antibody test to help identify people with current or past exposure to novel coronavirus. The researchers based their test on a technique called lateral flow immunoassay (LFA); a home pregnancy test is an example of this kind of assay.

13:57 IST 1 May

Goa formally declared green zone, says CM

The war against COVID-19 is far from over, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday, soon after the central government formally declared both districts of Goa as COVID-free green zones. “With the efforts of our #CoronaWarriors and support of the people of Goa, our state has now been classified as a green zone by the Govt of India. The war against COVID-19 is far from over,” Sawant tweeted. Sawant also called for a modification in lifestyle and prioritising safe distancing as a way of life to stay safe amid the menacing pandemic.

12:22 IST 1 May

Lockdown 3.0? Govt identifies zones post May 3

The Centre has finalised the criteria for delimitation of various zones after May 3. It has identified at least 130 districts as red zones, 284 orange zones and 319 green zones. According to a letter written by Health Secretary Preeti Sudan to the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs, all the states have to delineate the containment areas and buffer zones in the identified red and orange zone districts and notify the same.

11:08 IST 1 May

UK past the peak of coronavirus: Boris Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will set out a “comprehensive plan” next week on how to restart the economy, reopen schools and help people travel to work following the coronavirus lockdown. He said the UK was “past the peak” of the virus outbreak, but stressed the country must not “risk a second spike”, the BBC reported on Thursday. Johnson said face masks will be “useful” as part of the strategy for coming out of lockdown. Some 26,771 people have now died with the virus in the UK, a rise of 674.

10:38 IST 1 May

Chinese mainland reports 12 new confirmed COVID-19 cases

The Chinese health authority said on Friday that it received reports of 12 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Chinese mainland on Thursday, of which six were imported. The other six new cases were domestically transmitted, including five in Heilongjiang Province and one in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the National Health Commission said in a daily report. Three suspected cases imported from abroad, all in Shanghai, were reported. No deaths were reported on Thursday in the mainland, according to the commission.

09:33 IST 1 May

COVID-19: Surge in Assam, respite in remaining NE states 

After a few days of respite, Assam recorded five new coronavirus cases on Thursday and seven cases in 48 hours taking the state’s total count to 42, though only 12 of them are active. Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the media that four more Covid-19 positive cases (including two women) were reported from Bongaingaon district (in western Assam) and one was found in Karimganj (southern Assam) on Thursday.

08:58 IST 1 May

Private practice closed in Bengal, patients having harrowing time

Two days after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to all doctors across the state to resume private practices in their respective neighbourhoods, majority of private healthcare clinics remained closed owing to unavailability of community physicians on Friday. The situation turned out to be really confusing for the private medical practitioners as they have raised the issue of health concerns in the time COVID-19 crisis, while attending patients.

20:43 IST 30 Apr

Two more nurses test Covid-19 positive in Gurugram, total toll at 57

The Covid-19 infection among healthcare personnel is on the rise in the Millennium City. Two more nurses, associated with Medanta Hospital, tested positive on Thursday. With this, the number of coronavirus patients reached 57. Of this, 38 have been discharged. (IANS)

20:08 IST 30 Apr

Punjab sees 105 more Covid-19 cases on Thursday - the highest single-day spike

unjab on Thursday saw 105 new cases of coronavirus, the highest single-day spike, with 87 of them those who returned to the state either after a 1,750-km odyssey from the Sikh shrine in Maharashtra’s Nanded or Rajasthan’s Kota this week.

With the surfacing of the new cases, the total number of those infected with the virus rose to 480. The state, currently, has 356 active patients. (IANS)

17:56 IST 30 Apr

Health Ministry examining remdesivir for treatment for Covid-19

The Health Ministry is examining remdesivir as one protocol in the treatment for COVID-19. At the daily media briefing on Thursday, Joint Secretary, Health, Lav Agarwal said: “As of now, there is no confirmed treatment protocol for Covid-19. Remdesivir is one protocol which is being examined. Even the study on remdesivir by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has not conclusively proved its effectiveness. Waiting for larger evidence, to take meaningful action.”

The response of the Health Ministry on remdesivir came a day after US-based Gilead Sciences said a closely-watched study of the investigational antiviral remdesivir for the treatment of Covid-19 has “met its primary endpoint”. The company said it is aware of positive data emerging from the NIAID study of the investigational antiviral remdesivir for the treatment of Covid-19. (IANS)

16:13 IST 30 Apr

Covid tally rises to 455 in Agra, health services facing increasing pressure

Health services network in Agra, both private and public, has failed to cope with the increasing pressure and demands from an alarmingly rising number of Covid-19 cases, whose tally climbed to 455 on Thursday morning. So far 74 have recovered and returned home and 13 people have died. 

The district administration has circulated helpline numbers for medical consultations and a list of 25 odd private hospitals where non Covid-19 patients could seek help. (IANS)

14:35 IST 30 Apr

Anubhav Sinha gifts face shields to UP corona warriors

Film director Anubhav Sinha has gifted face shields for Corona warriors in Lucknow, Agra and Varanasi. Sinha, who belongs to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, had earlier gifted 2,000 face shields to the Lucknow Police. Nitin Mishra, a city-based businessman and also a film producer, handed over the face shields on Wednesday, on behalf of Anubhav Sinha, to UP minister Brajesh Pathak and Dr Narendra Agarwal, Chief Medical Officer, Lucknow, for the medical professionals involved in the task of treating patients suffering from Coronavirus.

14:06 IST 30 Apr

Jails in UP to make PPE kits, developed by IIT-K

Jails in Uttar Pradesh will soon start production of polythene-based improvised Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kit, developed by IIT- Kanpur researchers, for Corona warriors. A beginning in this direction is being made in Mathura jail. Senior Superintendent of the Mathura jail Shailendra Maitri said that watching the technique on YouTube, an NGO engaged in rehabilitation and reforms programme in the jail complex has developed 20 pieces.

12:55 IST 30 Apr

No respite for 15 Red Zone districts in UP even after May 3

The “green” and “orange” zones in Uttar Pradesh are likely to see a gradual easing of the lockdown from May 4 but no respite is expected for the 15 districts in the Red Zone. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials to prepare a plan for allowing economic activity in “green” and “orange” zones after May 3. However, he has reiterated that no social gathering will be permitted in the state till June 30.

11:54 IST 30 Apr

37 new COVID-19 cases in Bihar, 403 under treatment

Thirty-seven more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Bihar, taking the total number of patients undergoing treatment in the state to 403, officials said. Bihar Health Department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday said of those found positive for the dreaded virus include 3 from Patna, 3 from Rohtas, 14 from Buxar, 2 each from Begusarai and Bhojpur, 4 from Darbhanga, 5 from West Champaran and one each from Aurangabad, Vaishali, Madhepura and Sitamarhi.

11:16 IST 30 Apr

 Corona warrior Haryana constable stitches masks too

This baton wielding constable of Haryana Police is also stitching masks for her colleagues and slum-dwellers in her off-duty to prevent them from the invisible enemy — the coronavirus. She’s constable Krishna, a COVID-19 warrior, who is posted in Haryana’s Fatehabad town to implement the lockdown. After doing her duty, she along with her husband stitches masks for the frontline staff. Till date she has stitched over 2,000 masks and distributed them among her colleagues and those who can’t buy them — the slum-dwellers.

10:03 IST 30 Apr

BJP teams to monitor govt programmes for COVID-19 victims

The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is activating the party apparatus to monitor the schemes to ensure facilities reach the intended beneficiaries during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The government will constitute “Deendayal committees” (named after Bharatiya Jana Sangh co-founder Deen Dayal Upadhyay) at the ward and panchayat level.

09:04 IST 30 Apr

COVID-19 cases reported to WHO exceed 3 million worldwide

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) has exceeded 3 million worldwide, according to the latest statistics from the WHO on Wednesday. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard updated at 11 p.m. CET showed that globally a total of 3,024,059 confirmed cases, including 208,112 deaths, have been reported to the organization.

21:06 IST 29 Apr

13 children recover from Covid-19 in Telangana

A 23-day-old was among 13 children who have recovered from Covid-19 in Telangana on Wednesday. The infant from Mahabubnagar district was discharged from state-run Gandhi Hospital, the state’s nodal centre for Covid-19 patients.

Health Minister Eatala Rajender expressed happiness over recovery of the 23-day-old, said to be the youngest Covid-19 patient in the country.The 13 children were among 32 patients discharged in Telangana on Wednesday. (IANS)

19:46 IST 29 Apr

16 more test positive in J&K, toll at 581

 Sixteen more tested positive on Wednesday in J&K, pushing up the total of Covid-19 patients in the Union Territory to 581. Out of 581 patients, eight have so far died while 192 have recovered completely, and thus, the number of active cases in J&K is 381 out of whom 10 are in Jammu division and 371 are in the Kashmir division. (IANS)

18:00 IST 29 Apr

Over 200 health workers tested COVID positive in Delhi: Health Minister

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said that more than 200 health workers in Delhi have tested positive for coronavirus. “Over 200 health workers have tested (COVID) positive. This is confirmed that the cases are very few from the COVID dedicated hospitals,” Jain told the media here.

16:24 IST 29 Apr

2 more staff members of South-West DM's office test positive for coronavirus

Two more staffers from the office of the South-West District Magistrate in the national capital on Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus, taking the tally to three from the team.

According to an official source, reports of 17 people from the office came on Wednesday. While the remaining reports have returned negative, the staff members will be under isolation for the next few days before returning back to work.

“The reports from the DM’s office have come. Two out of 17 have tested positive, both are contacts of the previous case. Contact tracing is being done and samples will be collected of their primary contacts,” an official said. (IANS)

15:06 IST 29 Apr

Mobile kiosk to collect COVID-19 sample in Tripura - First in NE India

In a major step to tame the coronavirus, a mobile COVID-19 sample collection kiosk has been designed under the Agartala Smart City project and if successful, more such kiosks would be developed, top officials said on Wednesday. The newly designed mobile kiosk, first in the eastern and north east India, was handed over to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of West Tripura district on Tuesday and it already started collection of samples of the people. (IANS)

14:16 IST 29 Apr

Navy, IAF get ready to evacuate stranded citizens from Gulf nations

The government has directed the Indian Navy to get their big sailing engines ready to bring back citizens stuck in the Gulf countries due to the coronavirus induced lockdown. India has imposed a travel ban both within the country and oversees till May 3 to fight the Covid-19 outbreak. The directions were issued last week during a meeting of three service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Cabinet members.

11:20 IST 29 Apr

Agra first in UP, 11th in India with 413 Covid cases

Taj city now enjoys the dubious distinction of topping the UP chart and standing at eleventh place in India. The number of Covid-19 cases here went up to 413 on Wednesday, according to the health ministry data. The alarm bells are continuously ringing and there is little likelihood of any relaxation in lockdown conditions from May 3. Police officials said 3125 cases had been registered and 469 people have been arrested for violating the lockdown.

10:40 IST 29 Apr

Total shutdown in Varanasi on Wednesday

With 12 new cases of coronavirus being reported on Tuesday, the district authorities in Varanasi have announced a complete lockdown in the city on Wednesday. As per the order applicable in areas falling under the Varanasi municipal limits, all shops, mandis and home delivery services will remain closed and curfew passes also stand cancelled for Wednesday. Only officials working in the government offices, those involved in essential services, and health workers of private and government hospitals on COVID-19 duty will be allowed to travel.

10:12 IST 29 Apr

Yogi govt denies fault in purchase of PPE kits

The Uttar Pradesh government has clarified that no irregularities had been committed in procurement of PPE kits that were supplied to doctors and para-medical staff of government medical colleges across the state, after start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Additional chief secretary Avanish Kumar Awasthi said 3,500 PPE kits worth Rs 3.5 lakh were purchased in October 2019 by the Uttar Pradesh Medical Supply Corporation for doctors and para-medical staff treating the H1N1/SARS patients in medical colleges. The standard of the kits was for protection from H1N1/SARS. He said that at the time of start of Covid pandemic there was a shortage of PPE kits so the government sent those (H1N1/SARS) kits to the medical colleges.

09:23 IST 29 Apr

Stranded in Mumbai, sixty seafarers return to Goa

Sixty stranded seafarers who were onboard cruise ship Marella Discovery reached Goa from Mumbai late on Tuesday and have been quarantined to a city hotel in Panaji for 14 days. They had disembarked off the cruise ship in Mumbai last week and had subsequently tested negative for Covid-19. “There were sixty six seafarers in all. Sixty arrived in Goa by two separate buses late on Tuesday night. The six others, who have also tested negative will be joining the rest soon,” a government spokesperson said.

08:25 IST 29 Apr

As US COVID-19 cases hit 1M, many Americans opt to stay on in India

Many Americans in India who had signed up for airlifts back to the US are now deciding to stay back and “ride it out” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the State Department’s top consular official. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ian Brownlee said on Tuesday that many who had enlisted for repatriation from India were not responding to offers of seats on the planes arranged by the department to take them home.

21:20 IST 28 Apr

5 babies among 121 new COVID cases in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu on Tuesday reported 121 persons – including babies aged five days, seven months, one year (two) and two years – testing positive for coronavirus, taking the state’s total tally beyond 2,000 to 2,058 and the death of one more person, taking the toll to 25.

In a statement issued here, the Health Department also said that 27 Covid-19 patients were discharged from various hospitals in the state.

With this, the total number patients discharged goes up to 1,128. (IANS)

20:21 IST 28 Apr

36 security personnel deployed in the Supreme Court quarantined

As many as 36 security personnel from Delhi police deployed in the Supreme Court, which was spooked a day ago when one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19, have been quarantined.

According to sources, familiar with development in the top court, an infected employee was in the section IV of Registry, and his last working day was on April 16. The employee had visited the apex court additional building across the road, and he had also worked in the main complex. (IANS)

19:02 IST 28 Apr

One more COVID-19 death reported in J&K, taking the toll to 8

Another Covid-19 patient died in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, taking the coronavirus toll to eight in the state 

Doctors at the Chest Diseases Hospital said a 70-year-old woman died from Covid-19 in the hospital. “She had diabetes, hypertension and other co-morbidities,” doctors said. Of the eight Covid-19 deaths, one belonged to the Jammu division and seven to the Valley.

Meanwhile, 20 more tested coronavirus positive in the Union Territory of J&K, taking the number of patients to 561. (IANS)

18:08 IST 28 Apr

4.11% health workers infected in Delhi: Union Health Minister

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Tuesday that at least 33 doctors at present are infected by Covid-19 in the national capital.

The minister held a video conference with Delhi LG Anil Baijal, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain and surveillance officers to discuss the Covid-19 containment strategies and assess the ground reports.

Harsh Vardhan said that at least 4.11 per cent of the healthcare workers in Delhi have been affected by coronavirus, which is a worrisome trend. (IANS)

17:20 IST 28 Apr

Two members of DCW quarantined after a rescued girl tests COVID-19 positive

Two members of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) were put under quarantine after a girl rescued by the team of the women’s body was found to be positive for Coronavirus.

“A DCW mobile helpline counsellor and driver along with several police officers of KN Katju Marg police station are being put under quarantine after they came in contact with a Corona positive woman during a rescue operation,” a statement from the women body said. (IANS)

15:53 IST 28 Apr

ADB approves $1.5 bn loan to India for response to the novel coronavirus

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday approved a $1.5 billion loan to the Government of India to help fund its response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The support would also be available for immediate priorities such as disease containment and prevention, as well as social protection for the poor and economically vulnerable sections of the society, especially women and disadvantaged groups. (IANS)

14:10 IST 28 Apr

Delhi DM in self-isolation, tests COVID-19 negative

South-West District Magistrate tested negative for coronavirus while the reports of other officials are awaited, an official said on Tuesday. According to the official, total 17 samples were tested on Monday from the office of DM South-West’s office. The Personal Secretary (PS) to the South-West DM was tested positive on Sunday night. The DM and other officials went for self-isolation from Monday. The source of the infection and its spread was unknown so far.

13:34 IST 28 Apr

Pandemic, blessing in disguise for India: Health Minister

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said that the coronavirus pandemic has come in India as a blessing in disguise as it has given impetus to various activities under the Make in India project. The Health Minister while addressing a video conferencing with autonomous institutes and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the Department of Biotechnology, said, “this pandemic has come as a blessing in disguise for India as lots of activities have also started in make in India. We are now manufacturing PPEs and have over hundred manufacturers in the country. We are making 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh PPEs everyday in the country”.

12:31 IST 28 Apr

Policeman gets rewarded for checking DM's car in UP

A police constable stopped a car, pulled up two occupants for violating lockdown norms and then let them off with a stern warning. The incident took place in Bulandshahr on Monday and the constable Arun Kumar had no inkling that the man on the backseat was District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar, who was on a surprise check. The constable came to know about the identity of the officer when, hours later, he received an appreciation letter from the District Magistrate and Rs 2,000 from the SSP.

11:36 IST 28 Apr

Singer Kanika Kapoor to donate her plasma

Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor has approached the King George’s Medical University (KGMU), offering to donate her plasma for treatment of other Covid-19 patients. The singer called up head of transfusion medicine department, Prof Tulika Chandra, and volunteered to help. As per experts, Kanika’s sample will be tested for a number of things before she can donate her plasma. Kanika’s sample will probably be taken on Tuesday and if found to be eligible, she will be donating her plasma on Wednesday.

11:02 IST 28 Apr

South Africa sees continued surge in COVID-19 cases

South Africa reported 247 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths in the past 24 hours, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said. With the newly-added cases and deaths, the country now has a total of 4,793 cases and 90 deaths, Mkhize said in his latest update on the pandemic on Monday.  As massive community testing continued, a total of 178,470 tests have been conducted, of which 9,827 were done in the last 24 hours, he said.

10:21 IST 28 Apr

As restrictions ease COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Middle East

The number of COVID-19 cases has kept growing in the Middle East, as the confirmed cases in Turkey and Iran exceeded 112,000 and 91,000 respectively on Monday. Some countries in the region are gradually relaxing their restrictive measures with caution. Turkish health ministry on Monday recorded 2,131 more confirmed cases and 95 more deaths, taking the total number of infections to 112,261 and the death toll to 2,900 in the country.

09:55 IST 28 Apr

WHO chief defends agency's handling of pandemic

The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has defended its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries should have listened to the agency after it declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” on 30 January, when there were 82 cases outside China and no deaths. “We advised the whole world to implement a comprehensive public health approach, and we said: ‘Find, test, isolate, and do contact tracing’. You can check for yourselves: countries who followed that are in a better position than others.”

08:47 IST 28 Apr

South Africa sees continued surge in COVID-19 cases

South Africa reported 247 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths in the past 24 hours, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said. With the newly-added cases and deaths, the country now has a total of 4,793 cases and 90 deaths, Mkhize said in his latest update on the pandemic on Monday, reported Xinhua news agency. As massive community testing continued, a total of 178,470 tests have been conducted, of which 9,827 were done in the last 24 hours.

21:40 IST 27 Apr

K'taka reports one more death, 64 staffers of Delhi's Jagjivan Ram Hospital test Covid positive

A 51-year-old Covid-19 patient from Kalaburagi has succumbed to the virus, registering Karnataka’s 20th such death, Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said on Monday.

At least 64 staffers, including doctors and nurses, of Delhi’s Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital have tested positive for coronavirus so far.

According to the hospital – a non-Covid establishment, some family members of the staffers have also reported positive, although the total list of relatives was not available with the hospital administration. (IANS)

20:06 IST 27 Apr

COVID-19 kills another policeman in Mumbai, third in three day

The Covid-19 pandemic claimed a third policeman in three days in the city on Monday, officials said.

A 56-year old head constable, Shivaji N. Sonawane, succumbed to Covid-19 on Monday, Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh said.

Earlier on Saturday and Sunday, two head constables had passed away in different parts of the city. Both were battling Covid-19 for the past few days. (IANS)

18:49 IST 27 Apr

ICMR cancels order of Chinese testing kits

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday that no payment has been made by the ICMR for the faulty Chinese testing kits for Covid-19.

Addressing a press conference here, Joint Secretary at the Health Ministry Luv Agarwal said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) cancelled the order as soon as it found out that the kits were faulty. (IANS)

17:58 IST 27 Apr

India reports 1,396 new cases in last 24 hrs: Union Health Ministry

India reported 1,396 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, while the recovery rate stood at 22.17 per cent, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.

The total number of cases has reached 27,892 till date, of which 6,184 people have been cured while 872 persons have succumbed to the dreaded virus.

The government has also made  79 per cent of the mandis are operational in the country, up from 61 per cent on March 30. (IANS)

16:42 IST 27 Apr

DoPT officer passes away in Delhi, COVID-19 suspected

In a suspected coronavirus death, a Section Officer in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) G. Srinivas passed away during treatment here at a city hospital, officials said on Monday.

In his 50s, Srinivas, a Telugu officer, was feeling uneasy from Saturday. He called an ambulance on Sunday and was admitted in Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital where he succumbed around 5 p.m., said an official in the DoPT requesting anonymity.

As Srinivas’ postmortem report is still awaited and it is likely to come on Tuesday evening, it is difficult to confirm that he was infected with novel coronavirus or COVID-19, the official said. (IANS)

15:33 IST 27 Apr

Over 73,000 cases of lockdown norm violating registered by the Maharashtra Police

The Maharashtra Police have registered 73,735 cases so far against people for flouting the Centre’s lockdown guidelines. Maharashtra is among the worst COVID-19-hit states in India. The number of COVID-19 confirmed is above 8000 while the death toll stands at 342.

14:17 IST 27 Apr

With 8 new cases, Karnataka is now home to 511 COVID-19 patients

Karnataka has reported eight more COVID-19 people cases today. This takes the total number of figure of infected persons in the state to 511. It includes 19 deaths as well. The recovery rate of patients was at 38 per cent after 188 COVID-19 cases were cured. 

13:34 IST 27 Apr

11 employees of AIIMS tested positive for COVID-19 so far

At least 11 employees of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have tested positive so far for novel coronavirus, a source told a news agency. 

A security guard has also contracted the virus. He was posted outside AIIMS president and Union Health Minister Doctor Harsh Vardhan’s office in the AIIMS premises.

11:48 IST 27 Apr

After Agra, Kanpur becomes a major COVID-19 hotspot in UP

With 33 more corona positive cases emerging in the past 24 hours, Kanpur is now a major COVID-19 hotspot in Uttar Pradesh after Agra. The tally of corona positive cases in Kanpur is now 185 and the city has 25 hotspots. The new cases include 13 women and two policemen. IANS reports 

10:51 IST 27 Apr

KGMU nurse tests COVID-19 positive in Lucknow, entire CCU sealed

The entire critical care unit (CCU) of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) trauma centre in Lucknow, where 14 patients are admitted, has been sealed and the 25 staff members, including doctors, have been quarantined after a 51-year-old nurse tested positive for Coronavirus on Sunday night.

A resident of Nakkhas locality, the nurse is the fourth medical professional in the city and second from KGMU, to test Covid-19 positive. (IANS)

09:53 IST 27 Apr

3-month-old baby cured of COVID-19 in UP

A three-month-old baby who had tested positive for Coronavirus around two weeks ago, was cured and discharged, along with her along with her mother who had been looking after him, on Sunday from BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.

The baby happens to be a relative of Basti’s first Corona death case. (IANS)

07:52 IST 27 Apr

Ahmedabad Congress corporator succumbs to COVID-19

Ahmedabad corporator and a senior Congress leader Badruddin Shaikh died on Sunday night, succumbing to the dreaded coronavirus. The 68-year-old Congressman was considered to be a senior and stalwart politician in the Gujarat Congress unit. He was hospitalized a week ago after his condition deteriorated during home quarantine.

Shaikh’s coronavirus infection results tested positive, a day after the positive test results of a Congress MLA Imran Khedawala. He was a senior corporator, representing the Behrampura ward in Amdavad Municipal Corporation and had also been the spokesperson of Gujarat Congress. (IANS)

21:17 IST 26 Apr

Himachal Pradesh allows all shops, except shopping malls, to reopen

Going by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs order, the state government in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday said all shops in rural areas will reopen.

In urban areas, all standalone shops, neighbourhood shops and shops in residential complexes, except shops in multi-brand and single brand malls, will also reopen during the curfew relaxation time.

These shops will be allowed to open only with 50 per cent strength of workers with strict adherence to wearing masks and maintaining proper social distancing norms. These relaxations pertain only to shops selling items not services. (IANS)

20:15 IST 26 Apr

Eight nurses test positive for Covid-19 at Kalawati Saran Hospital in central Delhi

Another nurse at the Kalawati Saran Hospital in central Delhi has tested positive for Covid-19, taking to eight the total number of nurses there affected by the highly infectious disease. 

The largest number of infected hospital workers has been reported from Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital where as many as 58 staffers, including doctors and nurses, of the hospital have tested positive for coronavirus, Of them, 70 per cent were asymptomatic. (IANS)

18:52 IST 26 Apr

11 new Covid-19 cases in Kerala, CM orders stepping up of testing

Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shailaja on Sunday said 11 more individuals have tested positive for coronavirus in the state, taking the total number of people presently under treatment to 123. Of the new cases, three includes medical professionals, including a doctor, she said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked 14 district authorities to increase the number of daily Covid-19 tests from 500 to 3,000.

17:55 IST 26 Apr

58 staffers of a hospital test Covid-19 positive in Delhi

As many as 58 employees, including doctors and nurses, of the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, New Delhi, have tested coronavirus positive. Of them, 70 per cent were asymptomatic.

Some of their relatives have also tested positive. The final tally is yet to be announced. 

The 100-bed hospital has about 500 employees, including doctors, para-medics, nurses, sanitation workers, security and non-medical personnel. Till Saturday, 40 employees had tested positive. On Sunday, reports of 114 employees and their relatives came in. Of them, 20 were found Covid-19 positive. Reports of about 70 staffers are yet to come. (IANS)

16:51 IST 26 Apr

COVID-19 patient recovers after plasma therapy, discharged from hospital in Delhi

A 49-year-old man who was administered convalescent plasma therapy at a private hospital in the national capital has fully recovered and was discharged on Sunday. The man had tested positive on April 4 and was admitted at a hospital in Delhi’s Saket area with moderate symptoms and a history of fever and respiratory issues, the same day – a news agency reported. 

15:22 IST 26 Apr

Haryana closes Sonepat border with Delhi till May 3

Haryana has sealed its border in Sonepat district with Delhi in view of the coronavirus scare, officials said on Sunday.

The entry points in Sonepat district from Delhi have been closed till May 3. A decision in this regard was taken on the direction of state Health Minister Anil Vij. Accordingly, the Sonepat administration enforced Section 144 of the CrPC in the district and sealed its border.

Sonepat saw six new cases on Saturday, taking the total cases in the district to 19. (IANS)

13:40 IST 26 Apr

Delhi reports fewer corona cases and deaths in 8th week of lockdown

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that the situation in Delhi in the eighth week of the coronavirus lockdown was better than the previous one with fewer cases and deaths reported.

“Th 8th week was slightly better than the week before, for the people of Delhi. There were fewer cases, fewer deaths, and many more people went home after complete recovery,” the Chief Minister said.

Sharing data, he said the eighth week (starting April 20) had only 622 new cases, compared with 850 cases in the seventh week.

“Last week, nine people died of coronavirus, while in the week before that 21 people died,” he said. (IANS)

12:34 IST 26 Apr

Shun spitting in public places, PM appeals to people

As the world struggles to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to the people to shun the habit of spitting in public places.

Pointing out that it was a case of “better late than never”, the Prime Minister said society has understood the negative impact of the spitting habit, which affects health and cleanliness of surroundings.

“We in India always knew that spitting in public places is wrong. Yet, it continued in places. Now is the best time to ensure we do not spit,” Modi said in the 64th edition of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.  (IANS)

11:27 IST 26 Apr

PM Modi announces COVID Warriors website

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the digital platform — covidwarriors.gov.in – and urged everyone to join the portal and become a COVID warrior.

Around 1.25 crore people, including doctors, nurses, NCC cadets and civil society organisations, have joined the website.

Modi also hailed the contribution of state governments in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

10:42 IST 26 Apr

UP to continue with lockdown, 157 new cases reported in the state on Saturday

Uttar Pradesh will continue with the lockdown and relaxations suggested by the Centre will not be implemented now in the state in view of the prevailing situation. As many as 157 new cases of Covid-19 infection were reported in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, taking the total in the state to 1,778.

Principal secretary, medical and health, Amit Mohan Prasad said that 57 of the state’s 75 districts have so far reported coronavirus cases. (IANS)

09:57 IST 26 Apr

Punjab turns residential school into a 1,000-bed isolation centre

The administration in the holy city of Amritsar in Punjab has converted a residential school into a 1,000-bedded care isolation centre for COVID-19 asymptomatic patients with technological innovation, the first in the state, officials said on Sunday.

The centre, set up in the Meritorious School, is essentially for asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms — isolation is the key, Special Chief Secretary K.B.S. Sidhu, who is in-charge to monitor statewide coronavirus cases, informed in a tweet.

Similar centres would also come up at Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali cities. (IANS)

08:05 IST 26 Apr

US COVID-19 death toll crosses 52,000

More than 900,000 people were infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as of Saturday in the United States, with the death toll exceeding 52,000.

Meanwhile, A new study indicated that the virus was likely to be spreading in multiple US cities “far earlier” than Americans knew.

New York remains the hardest-hit state, with 271,590 cases and 21,411 deaths. New Jersey follows, with 102,196 cases and 5,683 deaths. Other states with over 40,000 cases include Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania. (IANS)

21:40 IST 25 Apr

Rajasthan sees two more COVID-19 deaths today

Today, Rajasthan has reported 49 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 2 deaths. The total number of positive cases in the state is currently 2083. The total death toll is is 34 so far. 

19:56 IST 25 Apr

Shops to open only in in non-containment zones across Delhi

The recent order of The Ministry of Home Affairs regarding opening of shops is going to be implemented only in non-containment zones across Delhi. The announcement was made after a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. Other relaxation reassures like opening industries and allowing self-employed persons to work are not permitted yet.

18:20 IST 25 Apr

Europe’s COVID-19 death tops 120,000: AFP tally

More than 120,000 people have lost their lives to the novel coronavirus. More than three quarters of these deaths have their origins in Italy, France, Spain and Britain, according to an AFP tally on Saturday morning.

17:30 IST 25 Apr

Himachal relaxes curfew for morning walkers

The Himachal Pradesh government, here on Saturday, decided to relax curfew in morning hours (5.30 a.m. to 7 a.m.) from Sunday to help people take morning walk. The decision was taken at a meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, held to review the coronavirus epidemic situation in the state. It also decided to ease curfew for four hours instead of the existing three hours from Monday. In the state capital, the relaxation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

17:13 IST 25 Apr

Over 1L PPE kits, N95 masks manufactured daily: Health Ministry

The Union Health Ministry said on Saturday that more than 1 lakh PPE kits and N95 masks are being manufactured every day in the country, while production of ventilators vide domestic manufacturers has also started and orders have been placed for more than 59,000 units through nine manufacturers. The Health Ministry in a high-level meeting of Group of Ministers (GoM) on Covid-19 said that domestic manufactures, which were identified earlier, have already started the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, face masks etc., and adequate quantity of the same is available now.

16:14 IST 25 Apr

Combination of cotton, silk may be best home made masks

To prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have revealed that a combination of cotton with natural silk or chiffon can effectively filter out aerosol particles. According to the study, published in the journal ACS Nano, SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is thought to spread mainly through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks or breathes.

15:54 IST 25 Apr

Virtual stress-free therapy for Bengaluru policemen

Bengaluru City Police (BCP) personnel participated in a virtual stress management programme to beat COVID-19 duty stress, an official said on Saturday. Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has arranged the virtual stress therapy in association with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).

15:03 IST 25 Apr

No public gatherings in UP till June 30: Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday made it clear that no public gatherings will be allowed in the state till June 30. “CM Adityanath has given strict instructions to the officers that no crowd of any kind can gather by June 30. This decision has been taken with the intention of keeping the coronavirus under control,” Mrityunjay Kumar, Media Advisor to Aditynath said in a tweet on Saturday.

14:31 IST 25 Apr

Another COVID-19 hotspot added in Noida as cases mount to 109

Stepping up its fight against coronavirus, the Noida administration has added another containment zone, taking the number of hotspots to 34. With six fresh corona positive cases reported in one day, the number of corona-infected patients in Noida reached 109, a health official said on Saturday. So far, 56 patients have recovered from the deadly virus while 53 are undergoing treatment in Noida.

13:50 IST 25 Apr

Shops to be open till 3 p.m. on Saturday in 5 TN cities

With total lockdown set to kick-in in five cities on Sunday in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister K.Palaniswami ordered essential shops to be open till 3 p.m. on Saturday. During lockdown essential shops were allowed to function between 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. With the risk of coronavirus spreading further in densely populated cities, Palaniswami on Friday ordered total lockdown in Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Salem and Madurai.

12:41 IST 25 Apr

K'taka CM pleads for online donations sans physical appearance

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Saturday pleaded with COVID-19 donors to transfer donations online, rather than meeting him personally with cheques to uphold physical distancing amid lockdown. Though the intention of meeting him personally and handing over the cheques is appreciated, Yediyurappa said such physical appearances will defeat the goal of physical or social distancing in COVID-19 times.

12:19 IST 25 Apr

Gujarat to decide on lockdown relaxation, reopening small outlets

Following the Home Ministry’s decision about opening of shops as part of the easing of lockdown restrictions announced on April 15 with neighbourhood shops and others being allowed within the city and all shops except those in malls allowed outside the municipal limits with 50 per cent strength of workers, the Gujarat government is yet to decide on the easing of restrictions, depending on the ground situation. State Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said on Saturday that after mulling over the notification, a decision will be taken by the Gujarat government shortly to grant permission for this relaxation to be effective in the state.

11:38 IST 25 Apr

Karnataka to arrange stranded labour movement for work

With the easing of lockdown norms to revive economic activity in non-hotspots or containment zones, the Karnataka government directed district authorities to arrange transport for movement of stranded labourers in the state for construction or other works, an official said on Saturday. Since the lockdown was enforced on March 25 and extended on April 15 up to May 3, thousands of local and migrant labourers have been staying at make-shift relief camps in cities, towns and border areas due to the suspension of bus and train services and ban on movement of people.

11:04 IST 25 Apr

Drones to watch over Ramzan gatherings in Mumbai

For the first time, Mumbai Police will deploy drones to keep an eye over Muslim localities as the holy month of Ramzan is set to start from Saturday, a top official said here on Friday. Simultaneously, Mumbai Police Spokesperson Pranay Ashok said that contrary to speculation, there is no special relaxation in any areas for Muslims to make ‘sehri’ or ‘iftaar’ purchases.

10:34 IST 25 Apr

Probe ordered into virus spread from drug factory in Karnataka

The Karnataka government has ordered an inquiry into the mysterious coronavirus spread from a drug-making plant in Mysuru district, an official said on Friday. Though Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd claimed that no traces of the virus was found in the raw material it imported from China for making drugs at its Nanjangud plant, many of its employees and their primary contacts tested positive since a month.

09:53 IST 25 Apr

COVID-19 crisis worsens in Indore

Indore, the business capital of Madhya Pradesh, has plunged into a major crisis on the corona front. The city that has held the top spot among cleanest cities in the country for four years has accounted for 84 of the 159 corona positive cases recorded in a day till Friday. With 1,029 positive cases in a day the city leads the surge of virus in western Madhya Pradesh through the current week. Khargone has recorded 10 positive cases and the temple town of Ujjain has recorded 26 cases overnight.

09:22 IST 25 Apr

Home Ministry allows standalone shops to open

The government on Friday allowed opening of shops as part of the easing of lockdown restrictions announced on April 15 with neighbourhood shops and others being allowed within the city and all shops except those in malls allowed outside the municipal limits with 50 per cent strength of workers. No shops have been allowed to open in multi-brand or single brand malls.

08:29 IST 25 Apr

WHO, global partners join forces to develop COVID-19 technologies

The World Health Organization (WHO), together with a group of global partners, launched a groundbreaking collaboration to accelerate both the development and equitable access to new essential technologies for COVID-19. At a virtual conference on Friday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other global leaders made an unprecedented commitment to work together to accelerate the development, production and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for COVID-19.

19:40 IST 24 Apr

Covid-19 is under control, don't fear hidden spike in cases: Govt

The Central government on Friday asserted that the spread of coronavirus is limited and under control, while also quoting a study which stated that there is no spike in utilisation of fever and cold medicines in the country. “Our routine surveillance of pneumonia and fever shows that there is no spike. There is no crowding of ICUs or lines outside the hospitals. A study was done on whether the utilisation of medicine used for fever and cold has increased. It has not,” said Niti Aayog member V.K Paul.

18:43 IST 24 Apr

Nine Delhi returnee RPF personnel test corona positive in Bengal

Nine Railway Protection Force personnel, who had gone to Delhi before the March 22 janata curfew, have tested positive for coronavirus infection, a South Eastern Railway spokesman said on Friday. Those who tested positive were admitted to a hospital by the West Bengal government. The other members of the contingent are in home quarantine, the spokesman told IANS. They were part of the 28-member team from the SER Kharagpur division sent to bring some security equipment from Delhi.

16:32 IST 24 Apr

1,684 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours

In a media briefing today of the Union Health Ministry, Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary of the ministry stated that India has witnessed 1684 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. This takes the total number of cases to 23,077. Aggarwal has been quoted saying, “Our recovery rate is 20.57 percent.”

14:56 IST 24 Apr

New study to test if nicotine patch could keep COVID-19 at bay

Researchers in France aim to test if nicotine patch could help prevent COVID-19 after initial observations showed that an ingredient in tobacco, probably nicotine, could put smokers at a lower risk of getting the disease. The researchers are awaiting approval from French authorities to start clinical trial of nicotine patch on hospitalised patients and the general population at the Pitie Salpetriere hospital. The initial study conducted at Pitie Salpetriere, part of the Hôpitaux de Paris, found that daily smokers have much lower probability of developing symptomatic or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection as compared to the general population.

13:23 IST 24 Apr

24 corona containment zones in Gurugram

In a bid to minimise the threat of the COVID-19 spread, the district administration of Gurugram has formed 24 containment zones in three blocks of the city. A maximum of 11 zones falls under the Sohna block while Gurugram has 10 zones and Pataudi has three zones. Eight containment zones have formed in the last four days, an official said on Thursday. J.S. Punia the civil Surgeon of Gurugram said that all containment zones have been sealed as per the Haryana Epidemic act and adequate police force has been deployed at each of the zones.

12:44 IST 24 Apr

1st covid test to cost Rs 2,500 in UP pvt labs

The first test for coronavirus detection in any Uttar Pradesh private lab will come for a maximum of Rs 2,500. Earlier the labs were charging over Rs 4,000. Principal Secretary Health Amit Mohan Prasad, in an order, said: “The infection can be confirmed in a single step test. In such a situation, those who are not coronavirus positive will have to give only Rs 2,500.” He said that the ICMR did not set the fee for the single step test from the kit, so all the private labs were charging Rs 4,500.

11:10 IST 24 Apr

Two riot accused test COVID-19 positive in Karnataka jail

Two of the 121 accused, arrested for allegedly attacking healthcare warriors and rioting in a Bengaluru suburb on April 19, tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Ramanagara district jail, an official said on Friday. They have been shifted to state-run Victoria hospital in Bengaluru, while the remaining 119 have been isolated from other prisoners and kept separately in the district jail though they tested negative.

10:26 IST 24 Apr

4-month-old Covid-19 positive baby dies in Kerala

A four-month-old coronavirus positive baby girl passed away at the state-run Medical College hospital here on account of heart failure. This is after a six-month old died in Chandigarh a day ago. The baby was under treatment at a private hospital from April 17 to 21, at Manjeri in Malappuram district. Later she developed breathing problems and other issues when she was moved to the state-run hospital here early on Tuesday.

09:20 IST 24 Apr

Maha Minister Jitendra Awhad tests COVID-19 positive

In a shocking development, Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad has tested COVID-19 positive, official sources said here early on Friday. Awhad, along with a dozen of his family members had been in home quarantine since past 10 days. The decision was taken as a precaution after one of his security personnel had tested positive.

08:40 IST 24 Apr

First patients injected in UK vaccine trial

The first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine has begun in Oxford. Two volunteers were injected, the first of more than 800 people recruited for the study, the BBC reported. Half will receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and half a control vaccine which protects against meningitis but not coronavirus. The design of the trial means volunteers will not know which vaccine they are getting, though doctors will.

21:28 IST 23 Apr

India importing 6 SUV-sized high-speed testing machines for Covid-19 from the US

India is importing six SUV-sized high-speed testing machines for Covid-19, which are in high demand, from Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics in the US.

The import is being facilitated by the Ministry of External Affairs, which is also coordinating India’s collaboration with foreign agencies in research and development efforts related to Covid-19, official sources said.

Roche’s Cobas SARS-CoV-2 test provides “reliable and high-quality results for clinical decision-making for the improved management of Covid-19 patients and to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) infection.”

20:05 IST 23 Apr

Another health worker tests corona positive in Mehrauli, area sealed

A day after a part of South Delhi was sealed with two health workers testing Covid-19 positive, a section of Mehrauli, also in the south district, was sealed on Thursday after another health worker was found with coronavirus.

SDM (Mehrauli) Sonalika Jiwani ordered sealing of the area around A-3, Lake View Apartments, Mehrauli, after the health worker and her father-in-law tested coronavirus positive. (IANS)

19:03 IST 23 Apr

9 people contract COVID from a man in Bengaluru

Covid infection spread to nine more people from a 55-year-old man in Bengaluru, an official said on Thursday.

Designated as 419th positive case, the 55-year-old man was living in a small hutment in Hongasandra near Bommanahalli with at least four other men. On Thursday, details of nine men contracting the virus from the 419th case emerged, prompting the authorities to seal off a radius of more than 100 metres in Hongasandra. (IANS)

18:01 IST 23 Apr

4 more people test positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, toll rises to 87

Four more people have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total toll of positive cases in Odisha to 87 on Thursday.

The Information and Public Relations Department said that all the four detected are from Jajpur district. It said all the four cases are relatives of previously detected West Bengal returnees. The four are a 48-year-old female, 70-year-old female, 80-year-old female and a 21-year-old male, said the department. (IANS)

16:58 IST 23 Apr

Beijing denies permission to US to visit China to probe Covid-19 origin

Beijing has denied permission to American scientists to visit Wuhan Institute of Virology or any other part of China to investigate the origin of the novel coronavirus. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo revealed this on Wednesday while speaking to Fox News about why greater transparency from the Xi Jinping government was required.

15:43 IST 23 Apr

Over 5 lakh samples tested, 21797 confirmed corona positive: ICMR

A total of 5,00,542 samples have been tested by 9 a.m. on Thursday, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India’s leading medical research lab.

The tests have been done from 4,85,172 individuals. Meanwhile, out of them, just 21,797 samples have been confirmed positive as Thursday morning, said the ICMR.

Meanwhile, rapid testing was paused after the ICMR asked states to do so following concerns that the Chinese kits may be faulty. (IANS)

14:58 IST 23 Apr

11 members of a family test positive for COVID-19 in Delhi

Eleven members of a family have tested positive for coronavirus in the densely populated Chudiwalan area of Jama Masjid, health officials said on Thursday.

Soon after the confirmation, the entire area including all nearby lanes have been sealed by the authorities.
Among the infected are a two-month-old child and a six-year-old boy. 

The family of 18 members with three brothers was tested in a private lab in Daryaganj. One of the family members had returned from abroad and was found to be coronavirus positive and is currently in a quarantine centre in Max Hospital.

13:49 IST 23 Apr

New guidelines on disinfection of quarantine facilities

The National Centre for Disease Control has issued a series of guidelines to carry out disinfection in the quarantine facilities where people who have contracted the deadly coronavirus are housed. “Due to the potential survival of the virus in the environment for several days, areas potentially contaminated should be cleaned before their re-use, using products containing anti-microbial agents. Tests carried out using SARS-CoV showed that sodium hypochlorite is effective,” stated the organisation, which comes under the health ministry.

13:08 IST 23 Apr

NBRI develops alcohol-based sanitizer

The National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) in Lucknow has developed an alcohol-based herbal sanitizer. The product has been developed under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR – Aroma Mission as per the World Health Organization’s guidelines. The herbal sanitizer contains Tulsi essential oil as herbal constituent which is strong and natural anti-microbial agent and 60 per cent of isopropyl alcohol for killing germs.

11:30 IST 23 Apr

Vaccine could be available this year, says UK scientist

Two scientists who are leading the charge for a vaccine in the UK have been speaking about their projects. Professor Sarah Gilbert is head of a team at the University of Oxford. Trials, which have had 5,000 volunteers, are set to begin on Thursday, the BBC reported. Professor Robin Shattock, who leads Imperial College London’s effort, said if either project provides the “right signal in terms of safety and efficacy”, a vaccine could be available for the UK’s front-line workers and the most vulnerable before the end of the year. But he said it would be next year before it could be rolled out around the world.

10:39 IST 23 Apr

Bareilly is corona-free but continues with pool testing

Even though Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh has been declared Corona-free, the district administration is taking no chances regarding the deadly virus. The Bareilly health department has deployed a mobile medical unit in crowded localities of the city to collect “pool” samples for random Covid-19 testing of vegetable and fruit vendors, hawkers, chemists, etc.

09:53 IST 23 Apr

Manipur is 2nd state after Goa to be corona-free

Manipur became second state in India after Goa to be coronavirus free as the second and last patient was discharged from the hospital, health officials said on Wednesday night. Manipur Health and Family Welfare Department’s Additional Director Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang told IANS : “The second COVID-19 patient of the state after being tested negative a second time and improving in his diabetic status was discharged from the RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences) hospital in Imphal late on Tuesday. However, the patient will remain under surveillance, said Mangang.

09:16 IST 23 Apr

The virus will be with us for a long time: WHO chief

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the coronavirus continues to be extremely dangerous and will remain for a long time. Globally, almost 2.5 million Covid-19 cases have been reported to the WHO, while more than 160,000 people have succumbed to the dreaded virus so far.

08:50 IST 23 Apr

World Bank predicts "sharpest decline" of remittances due to COVID-19

Global remittances are projected to decline by about 20 per cent this year due to the COVID-19-induced economic crisis, the World Bank Group (WBG) said. The projected fall is largely due to a fall in the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be more vulnerable to loss of employment and wages during an economic crisis in a host country.

21:21 IST 22 Apr

Maharashtra records 18 Covid-19 deaths today, Housing Minister admitted to hospital

Maharashtra recorded 18 deaths and 431 new cases on Wednesday, while a prominent state cabinet minister was admitted to a hospital as “a precautionary measure”.

Nationalist Congress Party leader and Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad had retreated into self-quarantine after some aides and security personnel were found Covid-19 positive. Though the minister had tested negative, he has got himself admitted to a hospital “as a precautionary measure”, and his condition is stable, according to political sources. (IANS)

20:24 IST 22 Apr

District that reported first COVID-19 death in Punjab becomes virus-free

Punjab’s SBS Nagar district, which saw the state’s first death owing to coronavirus, on Wednesday became the first district in Punjab to be virus-free, said the state government.

Jaskaran Singh, the 18th patient, was discharged after being cured.

Wishing the recovered patient a healthy life, state Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said all the people are now a source of inspiration for the corona-affected patients.

He said the health department and the district administration worked day and night for bringing the district out of the red zone. (IANS)

19:32 IST 22 Apr

PM Modi will interact with CMs on April 27

Just six days before the extended lockdown ends, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Chief Ministers of all states and Union territories on April 27.

The Monday meeting, scheduled in the morning, will take place through video link. The exact time of the meeting is yet to be confirmed.

The meeting is likely to discuss the country’s overall and state-specific progress in the war on Covid-19 in the second leg of the lockdown and the way forward. It will be fourth such meeting since the imposition of lockdown in March. (IANS)

18:27 IST 22 Apr

Karnataka to relax lockdown partially from Tomorrow

Karnataka will relax extended lockdown partially from Thursday excluding hotspots and confinement areas across the southern state, a top official said on Wednesday.

“In accordance with the Central government’s April 14 guideline and to mitigate hardship to the public, select activities will be allowed from April 23,” said state Chief Secretary T.M. Vijaya Bhaskar in a notification.

Among the activities allowed are hotels for only parcel service, agriculture producers marketing committee (APMC) yards, online delivery of essential goods, essential services, production of cement, steel, tiles & bricks and roadside eateries (dhabas). (IANS)

17:28 IST 22 Apr

Asymptomatic cases are rising: Rajasthan Health Minister

The Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on Wednesday expressed concern over growing number of Covid-19 asymptomatic cases.
“The number of asymptomatic patient are rising. It can only be detected through testing, but their’s shortage of testing kits,” said Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma while addressing the media in Jaipur.
Chhattisgarh Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo also echoed Sharma. (IANS)

16:18 IST 22 Apr

Need a law to protect doctors: Chhattisgarh Health Minister

To check growing attack on doctors and other health workers, Chhattisgarh Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo on Wednesday demanded a law to protect doctors.

“Apart from the Indian penal code, doctors should be protected by a law. A doctor protection law with stringent punishment should be formulated. The responsibility of doctors should also be fixed,” he said.

It was unfortunate that doctors and other health workers, fighting the coronavirus pandemic, were being attacked, he said.

15:19 IST 22 Apr

No tourism activity in Goa until India is coronavirus-free: Ports Minister

Ports Minister Michael Lobo said on Wednesday said that tourism activity will be allowed in Goa after only when there are no novel coronavirus cases in India, even as Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said the coastal state would seek a central package for its tourism sector.

“Tourism industry will re-open in India, including Goa, if the corona cases come down in three months. But if they don’t go down to zero in other states, like it has been in Goa, then nothing will restart,” Lobo said at the briefing earlier.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the state Cabinet along with Lobo, Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said that the Goa’s tourism had suffered a massive setback on account of the pandemic. Ajgaonkar said that in view of the hit that the tourism industry has taken, Goa would seek a financial package from the central government to keep the state tourism sector afloat. (IANS)

14:15 IST 22 Apr

Karnataka reports 7 new Covid cases, including a 4-month-old baby

A four-month-old baby is among seven new Covid positive cases in Karnataka, raising the state’s tally to 425, said an official on Wednesday.

“Till date, 425 coronavirus positive cases have been confirmed. This includes 17 deaths and 129 discharges,” said a health official.

The seven new cases emerged from Kalaburagi (5) and Bengaluru Urban (2). The new cases surfaced from the city after a gap of three days.

Of the new cases, five are contacts of earlier cases and two suffer from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) medical condition as well. The 4-month-old infant boy and his 26-year-old mother from Kalaburagi were among the new cases. (IANS)

13:31 IST 22 Apr

Hydroxychloroquine shows no benefit in COVID-19 patients: Study

Hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug termed potential “game changer” for COVID-19 by US President Donald Trump, showed no benefit in treating patients with the disease in Veterans Health Administration medical centres in the US, says a study. In fact, the risk of death was found to be higher in those treated with hydroxychloroquine than in the group that included patients not treated with the drug, according to the findings published in the preprint repository medRxiv.

12:48 IST 22 Apr

5 of Moradabad cop attackers test positive for corona

Of the 17 persons arrested for allegedly attacking a team of health staff and policemen in Nawabpura locality in Moradabad on April 15, five have tested positive for the coronavirus. As soon as the test reports came in on Tuesday evening, the entire Nagphani police station was quarantined. Sources said that 73 policemen have been quarantined.

11:58 IST 22 Apr

Yogi govt taking steps to restart construction work

The Yogi government has started taking steps towards restarting the construction work, which were disrupted due to the nationwide lockdown to check the coronavirus spread. The government is preparing to begin the stalled construction of the expressways amid all the COVID-19 precautions. Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Avnish Kumar Awasthi said that except for the city of Lucknow, offices of the contractor, project implementation unit (PIU) have been opened.

11:14 IST 22 Apr

Missouri first US state to sue China over Covid-19 outbreak

Missouri became the first US state to sue the Chinese government over the novel coronavirus outbreak, citing it as “an appalling campaign of deceit”. The civil lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in a federal court by GOP state Attorney General Eric Schmitt, claiming Chinese officials are “responsible for the enormous death, suffering, and economic losses they inflicted on the world, including Missourians”, reported usatoday.com

09:52 IST 22 Apr

BHU begins pool testing to cope with rush of samples

The microbiology department of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has started pool testing of Covid-19 samples in view of the increasing number of pending samples reaching here from 13 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Prof Gopal Nath, in-charge of the BHU laboratory, said, “We are conducting over 350 tests every day against our capacity of 300 samples per day, for more than a week now. But, the number of samples collected from all 13 districts connected with this lab is accumulating. Pool testing will quicken the pace of testing now.”

08:56 IST 22 Apr

DRDO lab developes 10,000 face shields for PGI, Chandigarh

The Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) is developing 10,000 full face protective shields for examining infected COVID-19 patients for the PGI Hospital, an official said on Wednesday. “TBRL is producing 10,000 full face protective shields for the PGI. A total 2,000 face protective shields have been handed over to the PGI and 5,000 will be provided in next 5-6 days,” TBRL Director Manjit Singh said in a statement.

20:05 IST 21 Apr

Significant rise in Covid-19 cases unlikely, no new cases in 61 districts

Citing the increased period of the case doubling rate, the Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday said that the current situation indicates that significant increase in the number of coronavirus cases is unlikely. Responding to a query at the daily briefing, Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, head of infectious disease and epidemiology at ICMR, said: “The doubling time of cases is increasing, the current situation indicates that significant increase in number of Covid-19 cases is unlikely.”

18:53 IST 21 Apr

Engineer, ex-MP develops COVID-19 specific ventilator

Engineer and former Member of Parliament, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy on Tuesday claimed to have developed a ventilator for COVID-19 patients. The rapidly manufacturable Indian COVID Ventilator or ICo-Vent is a COVID-19 specific ventilator that is expected to address the shortage of ventilators in the world.

17:50 IST 21 Apr

ICMR asks states to halt using Rapid Test Kits

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday asked states to halt the use of rapid testing kits for Covid-19 for at least two days as the kits are giving inaccurate results. At the daily media briefing, ICMR’s Chief Scientist, Dr Raman Gangakhedkar said: “We have received complaints from a state yesterday therefore today we asked two more states if they also experienced the same problem. Therefore we have advised states to halt the use of rapid testing kits for two days.”

16:52 IST 21 Apr

Is Jaipur losing the plot in the fight against Covid-19?

With the number of Covid-19 cases going up despite the lockdown that is in place to fight the pandemic, the burning question here in the state capital is whether Jaipur is losing the plot due to certain policies of the Congress government? Till Tuesday afternoon, Jaipur had registered 619 Covid-19 cases and 13 deaths — the highest in Rajasthan where as many as 1,628 people have tested positive so far, confirmed Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh.

15:55 IST 21 Apr

Rajasthan stops use of rapid test kits over low accuracy

The Rajasthan government has decided to stop the use of rapid test kits from China as they were showing only 5.4 per cent accuracy in testing Covid-19 cases, according to Health Minister Raghu Sharma, here on Tuesday. The kits, used on Covid-19 positive patients, showed them negative too, Sharma added. The state government has written to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). “We are awaiting the ICMR’s feedback. If it asks us to stop testing, we will send these kits back,” he said.

15:20 IST 21 Apr

Telangana not to collect samples from dead bodies

Health authorities in Telangana have decided not to take samples from the bodies of those suspected to have died with symptoms of COVID-19. However, family members and contacts of all such deceased persons will be quarantined and tested for COVID-19. If any of them tests positive, the death will be recorded as death due to COVID-19. The Health Department is also in the process of arranging a special vehicle to collect samples from the suspected cases at their homes. If the samples are positive, the patients will be shifted to hospitals.

14:24 IST 21 Apr

Returnee migrants will get employment in Bihar: Minister

Bihar’s Agriculture and Animal and Fishery Resources Minister Prem Kumar on Tuesday said that the state government had chalked out a plan to provide employment to a large number of labourers who have returned to the state since the lockdown began. Kumar said that the department would help the migrant workers earn a livelihood through fox nut production, bee farming, banana cultivation, goat rearing and mushroom cultivation under the Biotech-KISAN scheme.

13:28 IST 21 Apr

Two Rohingyas from Telangana test positive

Two Rohingya refugees from Telangana who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi last month have tested positive for COVID-19, police said. Both are under treatment at a hospital in Hyderabad and their condition is stable. A total of seven Rohnigyas from Telangana went to Delhi to attend the meet. Five of them were from Hyderabad but none of them was found positive.

11:59 IST 21 Apr

IIT-K, SGPGIMS develop alternative to N-95 masks

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) and Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), in a joint project, have developed a working prototype of a Positive Pressure Respirator System (PPRS) to address the problem of acute global scarcity of N-95 respirator masks which are a critical component of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits. The team behind the project include Professor Nachiketa Tiwari of IIT-Kanpur and Professor Devendra Gupta, in-charge, Covid-19 ICU at SGPGIMS.

10:30 IST 21 Apr

25 families of staffers asked to self-isolate in Rashtrapati Bhavan

The family members of at least 25 houses in the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises have been asked to isolate themselves after a staffer’s relative tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that has claimed over 550 lives in India so far. Official sources confirmed the news to IANS on late Monday night.

10:00 IST 21 Apr

Bhopal sees steep rise in Covid-19 cases

Bhopal registered 40 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the number of positive cases in the state capital to 254. Just as Indore looked set to flatten the curve through the week-end, the numbers went up by seven again. Indore continues to be way ahead with the tally of coronavirus positive cases standing at 897 on Monday. The single-digit rise came as a consolation though.

09:09 IST 21 Apr

Italy reports first drop in coronavirus cases

Coronavirus-scourged Italy has, for the first time, reported a drop, though small, in the number of people officially identified as infected with coronavirus since the outbreak began. As of Monday, there were 108,237 people either being treated in hospital or recovering at home after testing positive, 20 fewer than the previous day – a small but symbolic drop.

08:48 IST 21 Apr

EU launches data sharing platform for researchers

The European Commission together with several partners on Monday launched a European COVID-19 Data Platform to enable the rapid collection and sharing of available research data in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. The new platform will provide an open, trusted, and scalable European and global environment where researchers can store, share and analyze a wide variety of findings on coronavirus, Xinhua reported. The datasets will include DNA sequences, protein structures, data from pre-clinical research and clinical trials, epidemiological data, among others.

21:22 IST 20 Apr

Telangana reports two more Covid-19 deaths, toll mounts to 23

Two more people died of Covid-19 in Telangana on Monday, taking the death toll in the state to 23.

The state has reported five deaths in two days. However, the number of positive cases showed a declining trend.

Fourteen people tested positive on Monday, taking the overall number of positive cases to 872. Of the new cases, 12 were reported from Greater Hyderabad and one each from Medchal and Nizamabad.

19:32 IST 20 Apr

No new cases in 59 districts in past 14 days: Health Ministry

No new cases have been reported from 59 districts spread across 23 states/Union Territories in the past 14 days, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

However, the coronavirus situation is serious in Mumbai, Pune, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkatta, Howrah and Medinipur East, 24 Parganas North, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri.

Maharashtra has reported 4,203 coronavirus cases and 223 deaths due to Covid-19. In Madhya Pradesh, the number of cases is 1,485 with 74 deaths. Rajasthan has reported 1,478 cases and 14 deaths due to the coronavirus infection. In West Bengal, there have been 339 cases and 12 deaths.

18:20 IST 20 Apr

6 new COVID-19 cases in Kerala, 114 under treatment

Kerala on Monday reported six new coronavirus positive cases, taking the total number presently under treatment to 114, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

 In all, current and cured cases stand at 408.

“Today there are 45,925 people under observation at home and 398 at various hospitals in the state,” said Vijayan.

17:29 IST 20 Apr

80% Covid-19 patients are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms: Health Ministry

The Health Ministry on Monday warned that 80 per cent of all coronavirus patients are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms.

“On the basis of worldwide analysis, out of 100 coronavirus patients, 80 per cent are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms. Around 15 per cent patients turn into severe cases and five percent cases turn into critical cases,” said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, at the daily press briefing.

Raman Gangakhedkar, head of infectious disease and epidemiology at the ICMR, also said that 80 out of 100 people do not show symptoms and therefore chances are that they test positive. (IANS)

16:37 IST 20 Apr

Greater Noida society sealed after a resident tested positive for Covid-19

The Greater Noida administration has sealed an apartment in Techzone IV after a resident tested coronavirus positive on Monday. District Magistrate Rajeev Kumar Rao gave the order to seal the society.

In the order Rao said, a resident of Cherry County society has tested coronavirus positive. To check the further spread of the virus, the administration has decided to seal the entire society.

The society has been sealed from Monday till May 3, as per the order.

Some nearby areas have also been sealed to check the spread of the virus.

15:44 IST 20 Apr

Drones to sanitise Bhopal & two municipalities in AP

Drones have been already used for sanitisation in smart cities like Varanasi, Raipur, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Now, drone company Garuda Aerospace has bagged three more drone based anti-coronavirus sanitisation contracts, said a top company official. The contracts are from Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation in Madhya Pradesh, Kurnool Municipal Corporation and Nuzvid Municipality both in Andhra Pradesh, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Managing Director of city-based Garuda Aerospace, told IANS on Monday.

According to him, the drone team currently in Andhra Pradesh will be moved to Bhopal to execute the project. New teams will reach Andhra Pradesh.

14:47 IST 20 Apr

Andhra reports three more COVID-19 deaths, toll rises to 20

Andhra Pradesh has confirmed three more Covid-19 fatalities during the last 24 hours, taking the toll in the state to 20, officials said on Monday. The state also reported 75 fresh coronavirus positive cases since Sunday, taking the total tally to 722. One death each was reported from Anantapur, Krishna and Kurnool districts, the health officials added. (IANS)

14:15 IST 20 Apr

6 Inter-Ministerial Teams formed to focus on lockdown measures

The Centre has constituted six Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to focus on the implementation of and compliance with the lockdown measures as per the guidelines, supply of essential goods and other related issues.

The IMCTs have been authorised to make on-spot assessment of the situation and issue necessary directions to state authorities for redressal of various issues and submit their report to the central government in the larger interest of the general public.

Besides implementation of the lockdown measures, the IMCT will keep its focus on preparedness of the health infrastructure, safety of health professionals and conditions of the relief camps for labour and poor people. (IANS)

12:42 IST 20 Apr

Three major Mumbai fishing colonies declared as containment zones

The civic health authorities have so far declared three sprawling fishing colonies in Mumbai as ‘containment zones’ and imposed lockdown by barring all entry-exit points there, official sources said here.

They are: Versova fishing colony, Mahim fishermen colony, both isolated this week, and earlier last month, it was the Worli Koliwada.

The drastic move was implemented after more than a dozen fishermen have been detected Covid-19 positive in both Versova and Mahim fishermen colonies. (IANS)

12:12 IST 20 Apr

WHO recommended disinfectants found effective against COVID-19

When used correctly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended alcohol-based hand disinfectants to be effective against the novel coronavirus, as confirmed by the international team of researchers.

The disinfectant one recommended by the WHO consists of 80 volume per cent ethanol, 1.45 volume per cent glycerine and 0.125 volume per cent hydrogen peroxide.

Disinfectant two consists of 75 volume per cent isopropanol, 1.45 volume per cent glycerine and 0.125 volume per cent hydrogen peroxide.

The WHO also recommends the use of disinfection chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, chlorine, bleach solution (in recommended dilution) for disinfecting surfaces and objects. (IANS)

10:07 IST 20 Apr

11 industrial units begin operations in UP today

Eleven industries will restart operations in Uttar Pradesh from Monday, subject to conditions.

These include steel, refineries, cement, chemicals, fertilizers, garments (excluding apparel), foundries, paper, tyre, common effluent treatment plants and sugar mills. However, only the manufacturing and industrial units will be permitted to function and not their headquarters or administrative offices.

Chief Secretary R.K. Tiwari has issued a detailed advisory for these industries, asking them to take adequate precautions to ensure that their staff is kept safe. In case an industry or unit fails to adhere to the government’s rules as may be updated from time to time, its license to operate can be cancelled. (IANS)

07:57 IST 20 Apr

Lifting lockdown restrictions is not the end of epidemic: WHO Chief

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday that lifting lockdown restrictions for COVID-19 is not the end of the epidemic, it’s just the beginning of the next phase.

Speaking at the Group of 20 (G20) Health Ministers in a virtual meeting from Geneva, the WHO chief said it’s vital in this next phase that countries educate, engage and empower their people to prevent and respond rapidly to any resurgence, Xinhua reported.

We are encouraged that several G20 countries are now starting to plan how to ease social restrictions. It is critical that these measures are a phased process,” he said.

Tedros told the health ministers that the WHO is deeply concerned that the virus now appears to be gathering pace in countries that lack the capacity of many G20 countries to respond to it. (IANS)

20:23 IST 19 Apr

Centre launches online data of human resource to fight Covid-19

The Centre has launched online data pool of human resource, comprising details of doctors, other healthcare professionals and auxiliary help, to fight Covid-19.

The information has been uploaded on a dashboard and is regularly updated.

MSME Secretary Arun Kumar Panda in a letter to states and Union Territories said, a dashboard master database of healthcare professionals and volunteers had been made operational. It contains data on state-wise and district-wise availability of human resources, along with contact details of the nodal officers.

This database can also be used for services of volunteers for enforcing social distancing at banks, ration shops, mandis and for providing help to elderly, Divyang and orphanages. This will also help states and UTs to move human resources from one location to the other for their use.

The platform also provides anytime onsite delivery of training material modules through any device. IANS

19:17 IST 19 Apr

Drone used for sanitisation in Varanasi

A drone has replaced the risky manual sanitisation of the coronavirus hotspot in Varanasi. The drone carrying pesticides sanitised heavily populated areas of Madanpura locality on Sunday. It was monitored from Godowlia by Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agrawal.

After Madanpura, this sanitization drone will also be used to disinfect hotspots of Bajardiha, Lohta, Nakkhighat and Gangapur, said Agrawal.

As per the contract signed between the Chennai-based aerospace company Garuda from where the drone was purchased, Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) and Varanasi Smart City Limited, this drone was introduced in view of the topography of localities.

18:27 IST 19 Apr

Punjab Govt. to allow limited industrial activity from Monday

The Punjab government on Sunday announced it would strictly regulate any activity in the containment zones but allowed a limited industrial activity to set in motion its economy.   

The government has authorised District Magistrates to exercise due diligence in regulating the timings of various establishments, including industries and other permitted activity, depending upon the local requirements and norms of social distancing.

The industrial activity was allowed on the condition of due arrangements of stay in factory or transport of workers to be taken care of by the operator, involving employment of 10 or more people.

17:05 IST 19 Apr

Community transmission of COVID a possibility in Delhi: Health Minister

Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday asserted that no community spread of coronavirus has happened in Delhi. However, he warned that it can be a possibility as there are cases in which the government is not aware about the source.

Talking to media here, Jain said only experts can tell better if the community transmission of disease has started. Jain noted that the asymptomatic patients do not carry any symptoms “but can infect others”.

Stage 3 or local transmission is the community transmission, when infections happen in public and the source for the virus cannot be traced. To avoid any such transmission of coronavirus, a nationwide lockdown has been imposed by the Centre till May 3. A total of 736 coronavirus tests were conducted in Delhi on Saturday and 186 were positive.

15:55 IST 19 Apr

Delhi has 12% of the total COVID-19 cases in India: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said while Delhi has only two per cent of the country’s total population, it accounts for 12 per cent of the total coronavirus cases reported across the nation.

Speaking to the media, Kejriwal said Delhi received most people coming from abroad — from where the infection came. Kejriwal also said that Delhi patient count also increased as Delhi was the worst affected among the cases reported from the Nizamuddin Markaz. The Chief Minister said Delhi currently has about 1,900 coronavirus cases, of which 26 are in the ICU and six on ventilators. While he said the cases are increasing, he said the situation is under control.

14:33 IST 19 Apr

Delhi launches COVID-19 testing on wheels

With testing considered one of the key elements in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Delhi’s Central district on Sunday launched COVID-19 Testing on Wheels. The Central district, with seven containment zones, will have the mobile van which can collect two samples at a time.

“The fabricated vehicle will be able to cater to the narrow lanes, larger and dense areas of the District Central,” an official said.

This, the official added, will increase the number of samples collected in the district in a day.

The measure, according to the district office, was important to make testing accessible and at the same time ensuring safety of health workers.

13:59 IST 19 Apr

4 family members of PGI employee, including a newly born, test positive in Punjab

Four family members, including a newly born, of a sanitation employee of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) were the four new coronavirus cases from Punjab’s Mohali district on Sunday, an official said. With this the total number of cases in Mohali district rose to 61.

The hospital employee recently tested positive. His 26-year-old wife, his month-old daughter, his 60-year-old mother and a 19-year-old man also tested positive.

The sanitation worker was the second PGI employee who has been diagnosed positive. The four new cases take Punjab’s tally up to 219, with 16 deaths.

The Deputy Commissioner on Saturday said Mohali would not be relaxing the curfew on April 20 since the district has the highest number of cases in the state and not reached the stage of no new cases in 14 days.

12:44 IST 19 Apr

All 11 districts in Delhi are hotpots, no lockdown relaxation from Monday: CM

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said there will be no relaxation in the lockdown due to coronavirus in the national capital as all the 11 districts are hotpots.

Speaking to the media, Kejriwal said the situation will be reviewed after a week and if there is improvement, the relaxation will be given.

“After assessing the prevailing situation in Delhi, we have decided not to permit any relaxation in the lockdown, as of now,” the Chief Minister said.

He said 186 more cases were recorded on Saturday and all were asymptomatic. (IANS)

10:53 IST 19 Apr

Eight persons arrested, sent to jail for 14 days for not wearing face masks in Agra

Eight persons, including two women, have been arrested in the Loha Mandi area of Agra for allegedly not wearing face masks. The police have charged all the eight persons under the CrPC section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences).

The accused were presented before the executive magistrate who sent them to jail for 14 days on Saturday for not wearing the mandatory face masks in public.

The Uttar Pradesh government has made it compulsory to wear mask or hide mouth and nose, while travelling on street or moving in public places. (IANS)

09:52 IST 19 Apr

UP to increase CIVID-19 testing facilities ten-fold

The Yogi Adityanth government in Uttar Pradesh has decided to increase coronavirus testing by almost ten times of the present level. The state, at present, conducts around 3,200 tests for corona infection per day.

As part of the test augmenting drive, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) will also be increasing its testing capacity by two-and-half times, said the institute’s Director Prof R.K. Dhiman.

“The SGPGI has the capacity to test 400 samples in a day but will soon be carrying out 1,000 tests per day,” said Prof Dhiman.

SGPGI is also running a 24×7 telemedicine facility for medical colleges and government hospitals. (IANS)

08:49 IST 19 Apr

45 new corona cases in a day in Agra, tally reaches 241

Agra recorded 45 new Covid-19 positive cases on Saturday, taking the tally to 241. Of the 45 new cases, 27 contracted the disease from hospitals, five came in contact with Tablighis. The total number of the Tablighis under treatment is now 80. The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday in its report, included Agra in “performance unsatisfactory” list. Two senior doctors of the S.N. Medical College were also suspended.

07:47 IST 19 Apr

Noida CMO who joined a fortnight ago removed as COVID-19 cases increases in the city

Chief Medical Office (CMO) A.P. Chaturvedi of Gautam Buddh Nagar has been shunted and replaced by Deepak Ohri, officials said.

An order issued by the Uttar Pradesh Health Department on Saturday night mentioned that Ohri would take the charge of his post with immediate effect. The reason behind Chaturvedi’s removal from his post was not clearly mentioned. Sources, however, believe the government was not satisfied with him as the number of positive cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Noida continued to rise.

Around a fortnight ago, the Yogi Adityanath government had shunted out then CMO Anurag Bhargava who was replaced by Chaturvedi. Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar, adjoining national capital, has so far recorded over 90 positive COVID-19 cases, while over 30 patients have been treated and discharged from hospitals.

(IANS)

20:22 IST 18 Apr

Immune system genes linked to severity of COVID-19: Study

Genetic variability in the human immune system may affect susceptibility to, and severity of infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The findings published in the Journal of Virology may help shed new light into the puzzling question of why the disease hits some people harder than others.

19:51 IST 18 Apr

Karnataka to partially relax lockdown from April 21

Karnataka would partially relax the extended lockdown from April 21 across the state, excluding the coronavirus-hit hotspots to restore normal life gradually, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Saturday. The partial relaxation will allow two-wheelers and cars with passes given so far to ply on the roads. No new passes will be issued till May 3, when the extended lockdown ends.

19:15 IST 18 Apr

AMU alumnus develops testing kit to detect Covid-19

An alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University has developed a coronavirus testing kit in response to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) call to all the countries to ramp up Covid-19 tests, the varsity management said on Saturday afternoon. Nadeem Rahman has developed the antibody based testing kit which takes less than 15 minutes to give an accurate result. It costs Rs 500 and the labs charge is Rs 4,500.

18:20 IST 18 Apr

Govt says nearly 30% coronavirus cases linked to Tablighi event

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said 4,291 or about 30 per cent of coronavirus cases in the country have been traced to Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi out of 14,378 cases in the country. In Delhi, 63% of the reported 1,707 cases are linked to the same gathering. Nearly 40,000 people related to Delhi’s Nizamuddin event have already been quarantined.

16:04 IST 18 Apr

CSIR develops protective suit for healthcare workers

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) constituent lab in Bengaluru has developed and certified overall protective coverall suit for protection of healthcare workers against COVID-19. The polyproplylene spun laminated multi-layered non-woven fabric based coverall has been developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL), along with MAF Clothing Pvt. Ltd. The overall protective coverall suit can be used to ensure the safety of Doctors, Nurses, Paramedical staff and Health Care workers working round the clock on COVID-19 mitigation.

14:42 IST 18 Apr

With Rapid-test kits, UP to detect corona patients in minutes

The Uttar Pradesh government is all set to launch the much-awaited Rapid Testing Kits, which use antibody-based blood tests for Covid-19, the results of which will come in minutes. Uttar Pradesh will become the first state in the country to do so. The results of antibody blood tests come within minutes as against the proper coronavirus tests which take hours. The kits will be used to test people with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. This will be the first mass testing exercise in the state.

13:29 IST 18 Apr

Coronavirus cases rise to 85 in Bihar

Coronavirus cases in Bihar rose to 85 on Saturday, with Begusarai and Nalanda reporting fresh cases. Bihar Health Department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar said that two people were found positive for Covid-19 in the state on Friday night. They hail from Nalanda and Begusarai districts. Both of them came in contact with a coronavirus infected person. History of other travel is being ascertained. So far, Bihar has reported two deaths from Covid-19.

11:51 IST 18 Apr

COVID-19 striking more children than expected: Study

Contrary to what governments and a school of scientists claim (including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk), the number of children infected with the coronavirus is far more extensive than what is currently reported — a hidden detail that could vastly underestimate the demand on health care systems and pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). A new study, published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice from the University of South Florida (USF) and the Women’s Institute for Independent Social Enquiry (WiiSE), estimated that for each child who requires intensive care for COVID-19, there are 2,381 children infected with the virus.

10:47 IST 18 Apr

Americans react with alarm as Trump pushes to 'liberate' economy

“All risk and no upside” is how doctors on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic in America are describing US President Donald Trump’s push to “liberate” the country’s economy even as the virus killed 36,000 people and sickened more than 680,000 Americans by Friday. Trump’s urgency to revive the economy, a crucial piece in his re-election strategy, resulted in re-opening guidelines being issued by the White House this week in preparation for a much touted May 1 timeline.

10:11 IST 18 Apr

21 Indian Navy men test coronavirus positive

A total of 21 serving personnel of Indian Navy have been tested positive for Coronavirus within naval premises at Mumbai, sources in Defence Ministry said on Saturday. “This number includes 20 sailors of Indian Naval Ship Angre, a shore establishment at Mumbai,” a Defence Ministry source said. It was found that most of these cases were ‘asymptomatic’ and have been traced to a single sailor who was tested positive on April 7.

09:20 IST 18 Apr

Guterres 'salutes' India's international aid for fighting COVID-19

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres salutes India and all countries that are helping others in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, according to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. India has offered to help member countries of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and has sent medicines to several countries, including the US, Brazil and Israel.

08:55 IST 18 Apr

World Bank to launch COVID-19 emergency programmes

The World Bank Group (WBG) is expected to launch health emergency programs in over 100 countries by the end of April to support the fight against COVID-19, with 64 already in operation, President David Malpass said on Friday. Malpass said the WBG will work to deploy as much as $160 billion over the next 15 months, tailored to the nature of the health, economic and social shocks that countries are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

21:13 IST 17 Apr

S Korean rapid test kits land in AP; CM tests corona negative

Apart from officially flagging off the rapid testing kits imported from South Korea on Friday, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also underwent the COVID-19 test. When the results came about ten minutes later, everyone breathed a sigh of relief when Jagan Mohan Reddy tested negative for coronavirus. The state will also breathe easier as the introduction of the fast-action test kits will mean quicker results and consequently better chances of treatment and containment.

20:10 IST 17 Apr

BMC tests 171 Mumbai mediapersons for Covid-19

Around 171 mediapersons were tested for Covid-19 by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a two-day special camp, which was coordinated by Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi following directions from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray. A BMC spokesperson said that a request was made by TV Journalists’ Association and Mantralaya and Legislature Reporters Association to Uddhav Thackeray to organise such a camp for the mediapersons who go out for reporting at great personal risks.

19:24 IST 17 Apr

Uber partners with Medlife to get medicines for you

Ride-hailing giant Uber on Friday joined forces with e-health platform Medlife to provide residents across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow and Pune, access to prescription and other over-the-counter medicines, amid the ongoing national lockdown. As earning opportunities dwindle due to COVID-19 restrictions, the move may give Uber’s driver partners some relief.

18:48 IST 17 Apr

India's trajectory satisfactory as doubling of corona cases dips: AIIMS Director

While the country is battling the outbreak of the COVID-19, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director has suggested that India’s trajectory is satisfactory as compared to the other countries as “the doubling time has decreased.”

18:06 IST 17 Apr

Paper towels more effective than hand dryers at removing viruses

Using paper towels to dry your hands is substantially more effective than hand dryers for removing viruses including the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a new study. According to researchers, hand drying is important to minimise the spread of dangerous microbes – including the novel coronavirus – since failure to remove them increases transfer to environmental surfaces and increases the opportunities for transmission and spread. For the findings, researchers from the University of Leeds in the UK investigated whether the way people dry their hands in a public toilet made a difference to the way COVID-19 is transmitted.

17:41 IST 17 Apr

Distressed corona healthcare warriors in India call for respect

With novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases growing rapidly in India, overburdened doctors, nurses and healthcare personnel at the frontline are facing immense pressure from the society at large. While fighting against the deadly virus, they are continuously facing threats and abuses from the society, affecting their mental health as they battle it out in the ICUs as well as inside the corona patients’ wards.

16:02 IST 17 Apr

Patient responding well to plasma therapy: Delhi hospital

A resident of Defence Colony who was given plasma therapy in a private hospital for the treatment of coronavirus infection was responding well and showing signs of improvement, a source at Max Hospital in Saket said on Friday. The patient is the son of an elderly person who passed away on Wednesday due to COVID- 19.

14:03 IST 17 Apr

Maharashtra’s COVID-19 mortality rate is about double the national average

According to the latest facts and figures released by the Medical Education and Drugs Department report, Maharashtra’s mortality rate is almost double the national average. The state has witnessed a death rate of 6.05 percent for COVID-19 patients, whereas India’s average figure is 3.26 per cent.

12:02 IST 17 Apr

US Coronavirus strategy failing the poor: UN expert

The poor in the US are being hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and the US COVID-19 strategy is failing the poor, a UN human rights expert said Thursday. “Low-income and poor people face far higher risks from the coronavirus due to chronic neglect and discrimination, and a muddled, corporate-driven federal response has failed them,” said Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human, Xinhua reported.

11:25 IST 17 Apr

Implement proposed law for docs safety, AIIMS RDA urges Shah

The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urged for the implementation of a proposed law that prohibits violence against healthcare professionals and clinics. In the letter dated April 16, the RDA said that in spite of an advisory issued by the Home Ministry to ensure protection to the doctors, there were multiple instances of violence against them all over the country.

10:29 IST 17 Apr

Relaxing COVID-19 restrictions will be gradual: Irish PM

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said the relaxing of the COVID-19 restrictions in the country will be a gradual process and could take months. He said this on Thursday while addressing the lower house of the country’s parliament on the pandemic that has paralysed much of the country’s life since late March, Xinhua reported.

10:03 IST 17 Apr

'At delicate, dangerous stage': UK extends lockdown for three weeks

Lockdown in the UK, imposed last month, will continue for “at least another three weeks” to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced on Thursday, saying any relaxations now will harm both public health and the economy. Addressing the daily No 10 briefing, Raab, who is deputising for coronavirus-affected Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said the infection rate had not been brought down as far as needed.

09:43 IST 17 Apr

226 new coronavirus positive cases in Madhya Pradesh

Eight persons including two brothers were reported dead in the past 24 hours, taking the toll of COVID-19 patients to 61 in Madhya Pradesh, according to the state health department. With 226 persons testing positive on Thursday, the number of coronavirus positive cases rose to 1,164. The virus has now expanded its footprint to 26 out of 52 districts of the state.

09:23 IST 17 Apr

Only 4 per cent odd tests turning COVID-19 positive in India

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has reported that 12,581 individuals have tested positive for coronavirus in India and 1,206 tested positive on Thursday. ICMR said that a total of 3.02 lakh samples from 2.86 lakh individuals have been tested as on April 16 out of which 12,581 individuals have been confirmed positive among suspected cases and contacts of known positive cases in India. This translates into only 4.39 per cent of the individuals who were tested were positive for COVID-19.

22:13 IST 16 Apr

Delhi containment zones increased to 60, 25 new COVID-19 cases reported in TN

The number of ‘containment zones’ in Delhi rose to 60 on Thursday. The two new areas included in the list are Street no 6, A block, Abu Fazal enclave, Shaheen Bagh and Street nos 3-5, East Ram Nagar, Shahdara.

The Tamil Nadu reported 25 more COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state is now at 1,267, including 180 discharged and 15 deaths, the state government said.

20:33 IST 16 Apr

6.5 lakh rapid antibody testing kits arriving from China today: ICMR

The Central government has ordered at least 6.5 lakh rapid antibody testing kits and RNA extraction kits from China and they are arriving today, ICMR officials said during a media interaction on Thursday.

Bihar reported six new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 80. All six positive cases are family members of the person from Munger who tested positive on Wednesday, a statement from the sate government said.

In Kerala, seven fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported on Thursday, taking the total number of active cases to 147 in the state. Over 88,000 people are under observation. On Wednesday, only one positive case had been reported, the lowest in weeks.

19:03 IST 16 Apr

UP cops lodge nearly 20,000 FIRs, book over 60,000 people for lockdown violations

The Uttar Pradesh police has registered 19,448 FIRs and booked 60,258 people for allegedly violating prohibitory regulations under the current lockdown, an official said on Thursday. A total fine of Rs 7.7 crore has also been collected from people violating the restrictions, the official said. The FIRs were lodged under IPC section 188, which deals with disobedience to any order promulgated by a public servant.

17:17 IST 16 Apr

Curfew violators, people indulging in violence to be booked under Disaster Management Act

The Ministry of Home Affairs is keeping an eye on incidents of violation of lockdown guidelines including congregation of people and opening of shops and establishments. It is also checking on instances of violence against health workers engaged in surveillance and quarantine measures, etc.  Those found responsible for such violations, would be booked under the Disaster Management Act against, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.  

16:18 IST 16 Apr

You can buy electronic items from e-commerce platforms starting April 20

Electronic items like mobile phones, televisions, refrigerators, laptops as well stationary items will be allowed to be sold through e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal from April 20 during the lockdown, a senior home ministry official said on Thursday.

This clarification from the official came a day after Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla issued revised guidelines for the extended lockdown period till May 3.

15:19 IST 16 Apr

HAL introduces aerosol boxes to protect doctors from COVID-19

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Thursday said it made aerosol boxes to protect doctors treating coronavirus patients in hospitals across six states.

“We have delivered about 300 aerosol boxes to state-run hospitals in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh to protect their doctors treating Covid patients,” said the city-based defence behemoth in a statement here.

The transparent boxes act as an insulator between a doctor and a patient infected with the deadly virus. An aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas. Aerosols can be natural or anthropogenic. (IANS)

14:25 IST 16 Apr

Karnataka reports 34 COVID-19 cases today, highest single-day rise in the state

The Karnataka government confirmed 34 new positive COVID-19 cases till noon on Thursday, marking the highest single-day rise so far in the state. A 66-year old man from Bengaluru also died of the disease on Thursday, raising the total death count to 13.

“Till date, 313 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed. This includes 13 deaths and 82 discharges,” the state’s health department said in its morning bulletin.

13:17 IST 16 Apr

US scientists warn social distancing may have to remain till 2022

Social distancing measures such as restrictions on public gatherings may have to remain in place intermittently for at least a couple of more years to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the absence of a vaccine against the virus or dramatic increase in critical care capacities, researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have warned. These tough measures which have already pushed the world economy into recession may be necessary because the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may occur again in winter, according to the projections made by the researchers who used data from the US for creating a model of transmission.

12:02 IST 16 Apr

Air India lifts Garuda drones to sanitise Chandigarh, Varanasi

The national air carrier Air India on Thursday airlifted two drones and two pilots of Garuda Aerospace from Chennai for drone based anti-coronavirus sanitisation operations in Chandigarh and Varanasi, said a top official of Garuda Aerospace. Thanking the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Air India officials for the permission to air lift the drones and the pilots, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Managing Director of the city-based Garuda Aerospace, said the plane’s flight path will be Chennai-Bhubaneswar-Guwahati-Delhi-Chennai.

11:27 IST 16 Apr

Typo error turns man into corona positive

A typographical error had proved to be a nightmare for a family in Nauganva Sadat town in Amroha. A 66-year-old man was suffering from cold and sore throat and was admitted to a Moradabad hospital for treatment. His blood sample was collected and sent to Aligarh laboratory last week. The report arrived on Monday night which showed that he was corona positive. Eight members of his family were quarantined and the health officials started tracking all those who had been in contact with the family.

10:26 IST 16 Apr

Govt taking measures to ramp up drug production

The Central government is pro-actively working to speed up the production of essential medicines to avoid any drug crisis-like situation during the nationwide lockdown owing to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has claimed over 390 lives in the country so far, an official said.

10:06 IST 16 Apr

COVID-19: US death toll crosses 27,900

Nine states in the US, which has the world’s maximum coronavirus caseload, have emerged as outliers with less than 1,000 cases and less than 30 cases per day at a time when the country’s death toll soared beyond 27,900 and government relief checks began arriving in American’s bank accounts as the economic damage piled up. Predictive models from the University of Washington, used by the White House, are projecting a peak death toll of more than 68,000 by August 2020 assuming full social distancing in place.

09:27 IST 16 Apr

All districts in Delhi under COVID-19 'red zone'

Two days after the nationwide lockdown was extended, the Central Government has released a list of 170 hotspot districts, which includes all six metros and various other large cities. The list includes all nine districts of national capital. According to the government, any hotspot called as a red zone would be a district or city that contributes to more than 80 per cent of the cases in the country or the state. Besides, places that show a high rate of infection that has a doubling rate of less than four days — will also be tagged in this category.

08:48 IST 16 Apr

4 members of a family test positive in Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave

Safdarjung Enclave’s B Block in the national capital has been declared a containment zone after four members of a family tested positive. The office of the District Magistrate (South) on Wednesday said the area will be made a containment zone. According to an official from the DM office, the B-Block of the Safdarjung enclave will be the new containment zone.

23:08 IST 15 Apr

2 deaths reported in Delhi, Abbott launches new COVID-19 blood test

The Delhi government confirmed 17 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths in the National Capital in the last 24 hours. The total number of confirmed positive cases in Delhi has reached 1,578 (including 1,080 active cases). Total death toll now stands at 32.

Meanwhile, Abbott Laboratories Inc has announced that it would begin shipping a new coronavirus blood test that can tell whether a person has ever been infected. It plans to speed up manufacturing to produce 20 million tests per month by June, according to a new agency report.

The test helps identify disease-fighting antibodies in people who have been infected but may have had mild symptoms or none at all. The current diagnostic tests require nasal swabs to confirm active infection.

21:07 IST 15 Apr

Journalist tests positive for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh

A journalist has been tested positive for COVID-19 in the Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. The journalist is associated with a newspaper, according to the Kangra administration.

The Andhra Pradesh reported three deaths reported on Wednesday, taking the toll to 14.

The state also reported 23 new COVID-19 cases today, after which the total cases has increased to 525.

Maharashtra saw 232 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,916. The death toll in the state rose to 187, after nine deaths were reported on Wednesday.

21:05 IST 15 Apr

Maharashtra witnesses 232 new cases of COVID-19 cases

According to reports, 232 new cases of the novel coronavirus infection have been reported in Maharashtra today. This has taken the COVID-19 toll in the state to 2,916. With nine deaths reported on Wednesday, the number of deaths in Maharashtra stands at 187. A total of 295 patients have been discharged till date

19:14 IST 15 Apr

2 deaths in Mumbai today, only one new COVID-19 case in Kerala

The BMC on Tuesday confirmed two new deaths in Mumbai, taking the toll to 113 in the city.  Additionally, 183 new coronavirus cases were reported in Mumbai in the last 24 hours. The total confirmed cases have now risen to 1,936. Meanwhile, 181 patients have been discharged.

There is some relief in Kerala, as chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that only one new COVID-19 case was reported in the state on Wednesday. The total number of positive cases in the state is now 387, of which 167 are active.

The next 2-3 weeks are going to be the most crucial in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in India, said Union health minister Harsh Vardhan.

18:12 IST 15 Apr

Centre identifies 170 districts across the country as hotspots, AP to conduct 4,000 tests per day

The government has classified districts into 3 categories based on COVID-19 threat. As many as 170 districts across the country have been identified as hotspots, 207 other districts will be treated as potential hotspots. The Health Ministry has said that districts where cases are being reported but are not hotspots also need to work proactively and initiate containment strategies.

Andhra Pradesh government has decided to double the COVID-19 testing capacity to 4,000 tests per day. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced this during a review meeting on Wednesday. As of now more than 2,100 tests are being done per day and that would be scaled up to 4,000 a day by using TrueNat TB testing equipment, the Chief Minister said.

17:01 IST 15 Apr

No community transmission in India so far: Health Ministry

There is no community transmission in India so far, said Health Secretary Lav Agarwal, on Wednesday, stressing that the major challenge right now is to “implement containment strategies on field.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also issued coronavirus guidelines for lockdown 2.0. As per the guidelines, the government will permit all agricultural, e-commerce and construction activities from April 20 in regions that have been successful in containing the spread of the virus. The government has also allowed manufacturing in special economic zones (SEZs) and services like plumbing and electricals.

16:59 IST 15 Apr

Lockdown woes: NGO aims to bring down fear, anxiety among migrant labourers

Keeping in view the fear and anxiety developed in marginalised society owing to the spread of deadly COVID-19, a non-governmental organisation has drawn out a plan to reach out to marginalised populations and help them fight their fears and anxiety. The NGO-Smile Foundation aims to get a solution for this through psychological counselling by tele-calling.

16:00 IST 15 Apr

20% rise in mental illness cases in India after COVID-19 outbreak

There has been a steep rise in the number of patients suffering from mental illness in India after the outbreak of COVID-19, reveals a survey conducted by the Indian Psychiatry Society (IPS). The survey noticed a 20 percent rise in mental illness cases, with at least one in five Indians suffering from it.

As per the IPS study, the drastic increase in the number of mental patients was observed in just one week. It also affirms that the COVID-19 pandemic could be one of the contributing factors.

15:46 IST 15 Apr

Railways to make 30K PPE in April, 1 lakh in May to meet demand

With the growing demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) across the country amid the novel coronavirus crisis, the Indian Railways on Wednesday said that it plans to supply 30,000 PPE to medical professionals by April-end. The national transporter also said that it plans to manufacture one lakh PPE in May. A Railway Ministry spokesperson said that the production units, workshops and field units have started manufacturing PPE coveralls for healthcare personnel, who get directly exposed to coronavirus while treating infected patients.

14:54 IST 15 Apr

Germany records highest COVID-19 fatalities in 24 hours

Germany on Wednesday confirmed 285 COVID-19 fatalities in 24 hours, recording its highest daily death toll from the disease, health authorities reported. The 285 new deaths – surpassing the previous record of 266 last Friday – brought the total from 2,969 to 3,254, an increase of 9.6 per cent, Daily mail reported. The spike in deaths comes despite a slowing infection rate which has prompted scientific advisers to call for a re-opening of schools ‘as soon as possible’.

14:17 IST 15 Apr

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani to go for a one-week self-isolation

A Congress MLA tested positive for COVID-19 on yesterday evening after a meeting with top ministers including Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, his deputy Nitin Patel. PTI has quoted the chief minister’s office saying that Rupani is going to be on self-isolation for a week. The secretary of the CMO, Ashwani Kumar, however, has confirmed that Rupani is fine, healthwise and that he’ll be running the administration through video conference, video-calling and tele-calling.

14:04 IST 15 Apr

Bosch pledges Rs 45 crore for welfare of COVID-hit

Global automotive component maker Bosch India on Wednesday said it would spend Rs 45 crore on the welfare of the COVID -affected community in the country. “We are committing Rs 45 crore for community welfare initiatives to mitigate hardships of the people affected by coronavirus,” said the city-based Indian arm of the German behemoth in a statement here. The company also donated Rs 5 crore to the PM-CARES Fund, set up on March 28 as a dedicated national fund to deal with a distress situation like the Covid-19 pandemic and provide relief to the affected.

12:20 IST 15 Apr

Indore Covid-19 positive cases give MP the jitters

The Madhya Pradesh government is worried about the rising number of novel coronavirus patients in Indore, which on Wednesday reported 117 more positive cases, taking the total count of such cases to 544 here. The city also has the highest number of covid-19 cases in the state. Indore Chief Health and Medical Officer Praveen Jadia told IANS that 117 more samples tested for coronavirus have been confirmed positive on Tuesday night.

11:10 IST 15 Apr

Medics assaulted at LNJP Hospital by patient, RDA demands action

A shocking incident of assault on doctors on duty at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital in Delhi has raised the question on the security of healthcare workers amid the ongoing pandemic situation in the country. The incident took place on Tuesday in the surgical block-5A at 5:20 p.m. according to the letter that was written by Dr Parv Mittal, President of Resident Doctors Association of the hospital.

10:39 IST 15 Apr

53,865 people examined in Amritsar for COVID-19

A door-to-door screening against COVID-19 was carried out in Punjab’s holy city Amritsar in which 53,865 people were examined in the past three days, an official said on Wednesday. “Hotspot areas from where positive cases of Nirmal Singh and Jaswinder Singh had come were covered”, Special Chief Secretary K.B.S. Sidhu, who is in-charge to monitor statewide coronavirus cases, informed in a tweet. They include Jodh Nagar, ESI Hospital vicinity, Kangra Colony and Mustafabad. The massive operation covered 12,401 households.

09:54 IST 15 Apr

UP coronavirus cases surge to 657; 10 deaths

A sudden surge in the number of Corona patients has been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh, taking the tally of Corona positive cases to 657 in the state. Sixty-four new cases of Corona patients testing positive were registered on Tuesday while the death toll by Tuesday night, went up to ten. Among the new total Corona cases in the state 40 are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat, officials said. Deaths were reported from Kanpur (one), two in Agra, one each in Moradabad and Sambhal. Five deaths that had earlier taken place had been reported from Basti, Meerut, Agra, Varanasi and Bulandshahr.

08:56 IST 15 Apr

COVID-19 cases in US top 600,000, deaths over 25,000

 The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 600,000, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. On Tuesday, the country has seen 602,989 cases with 25,575 deaths by 6:50 p.m. (2250 GMT), according to the CSSE, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the tally, the hardest-hit state, New York, saw 202,630 cases and a death toll of 10,834. New Jersey followed with 68,824 cases and 2,805 deaths. Other states with over 20,000 cases included Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois and Louisiana.

08:30 IST 15 Apr

Migrants want 'ghar-wapasi' as Maha slams Centre

As an aghast nation watched more than 3,000 hungry and angry migrant clamouring to go home at Bandra today, a slanging match erupted between the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday, reports IANS. The migrants, including many women and children, from various states, gathered near Bandra in the hope of getting a meal and then catching a train back to their states, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the national lockdown till May 3 – three days more than Maharashtra’s shutdown till April 30.

22:57 IST 14 Apr

Gujarat MLA tests positive for COVID-19, Delhi announces 9 new containment zones

A Congress legislator from Gujarat’s Jamalpur Khadia was found  positive for the COVID-19 infection on Tuesday. After the detection, Imran Khedawala, was rushed to the SVP hospital and admitted.

As per a news agency repot, he had met Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Minister of State for Home, Pradeepsinh Jadeja on Tuesday afternoon regarding the outbreak. He had also interacted with the media thereafter.

Meanwhile, nine new containment zones were announced in the national capital on Tuesday, taking the tally of Covid-19 red zones in the city to 56.

Containment zones, also known as red zones, are the areas sealed by the district administration following the surfacing of at least three coronavirus cases from the localities. Till Monday, there were 47 red zones across the city.

The nine new containment zones include two each in South, South-East and Central districts, and one each in South West, North and North-East Delhi, according to the list shared by the Delhi government. –  IANS

21:07 IST 14 Apr

Maharashtra is probably conducting highest COVID-19 tests: Uddhav Thackeray

Addressing a video conference on Tuesday Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that his state is “probably” conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests. According to him, Mumbai has tested over 22,000 samples so far, out of which 2,334 positive cases were reported till today morning. 230 people — around 10 percent have recovered.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending the lockdown till May 3 and stated that he had also suggested the same.

Maharashtra govt has also formed committees to revive economy post lockdown.

“After COVID-19 outbreak ends, we will have an equally serious challenge which will be the revival of the economy in the state. Therefore, we have formed committees which will prepare the plans for its revival,” Thackeray said.

19:24 IST 14 Apr

Tamil Nadu sees an increase of 31 new COVID-19 cases today, total tally 1,204

Tamil Nadu on Tuesday reported an increase of 31 coronavirus positive cases, taking the state’s total tally to 1,204, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said.

Out of the new 31 positive cases, 21 of them are single source contact. Till date 81 patients have been discharged and the total number of people who died due to Covid-19 was 12, Rajesh said.

The Tamil Nadu government has released Rs 64.27 crore for preventing the spread of coronavirus. (IANS)

18:06 IST 14 Apr

ICMR approves pool testing to speed up results

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has reportedly approved the use of ‘pool testing’, which facilitates testing five samples together.

Health officials believe that the new testing strategy will not only widen reach but will speed up the testing process for Covid-19.

Pool testing is normally used during large outbreaks and invisible community transmission. The testing method involves putting multiple swab samples together, and testing them using a single RTPCR test.

16:30 IST 14 Apr

WHO lauds India's decision to extend lockdown till May 3

The WHO on Tuesday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on the extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3.

Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for South-East Asia of the World Health Organization, said that a six-week nationwide lockdown to facilitate effective physical distancing, coupled with expansion of core public health measures, will benefit India in combating the novel coronavirus.

“The WHO commends India’s timely and tough actions to stop COVID-19. It may be early to talk about the results in numbers. About a six-week nationwide lockdown to facilitate effective physical distancing, coupled with expansion of core public health measures such as detection, isolation and tracing contact of COVID-19 positive people would go a long way in arresting the virus spread,” said Dr Khetrapal in a statement. (IANS)

14:59 IST 14 Apr

UP confirms 6th COVID death, 3 Tablighi Jamaat members tested positive in Shamli district

A COVID-19 suspect patient with links to the Tablighi Jamaat died in Hallett hospital in Kanpur on Monday. Now, the report of the deceased has confirmed that he had COVID-19. This is the sixth Corona death in Uttar Pradesh.

Chief Medical Superintendent Prof R.K. Maurya said that the report of the deceased was received on Tuesday morning in which he had tested Corona positive, IANS reported.

Meanwhile, five more persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection in Shamli district. Out of these five, three of them participated at the Tablighi Jamaat meet in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin, said Shamli District Magistrate Jasjit Kaur on Tuesday.

 The other two are identified to be their contacts.

13:06 IST 14 Apr

SP leader seeks insurance cover for UP journalists

Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and senior Samajwadi Party leader, Ram Govind Chaudhary, has urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide Rs 50 lakh insurance cover to journalists in the state as they are also risking their lives to keep people informed during the coronavirus outbreak. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Chaudhary said that journalists work as a bridge between the government and the public, and to safeguard such ‘warriors’ was the responsibility of the government. He wrote that Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for journalists belonging to the print media, electronic media and digital media should be given by the government.

11:16 IST 14 Apr

48 new cases take Jaipur tally to 418; Rajasthan total 954

As many as 48 new coronavirus positive cases reported on Tuesday in Jaipur took the state capital’s tally to 418, with Rajasthan now accounting for 954 cases, said Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh. Jodhpur had the second highest 82 corona patients, and Tonk and Banswara 59 cases each. Kota has so far reported 49 cases, Bikaner 34 cases, Jhunjhunu 31, Jaisalmer 29, Bharatpur 10, Bhilwara 28, Churu 14, Dausa 11, Dholpur 1, Dungarpur 5, Karauli 3,Pali and Sikar two each, Udaipur 4, Pratapgarh 2, Nagaur 6, Jhalawad 15, Barmer 1 and Hanumangarh 2.

10:24 IST 14 Apr

Agra emerges as the new UP corona epicenter

With the addition of 39 new cases, Agra has recorded the highest single day hike in the number of corona patients and emerged as the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in Uttar Pradesh. The total number of cases in the district is now 142. Out of the 39 positive cases confirmed in Agra on Monday, 14 are from direct contacts of a Fatehpur Sikri-based tourist guide who had tested positive in Mathura on April 10.

09:52 IST 14 Apr

189 UN staffers infected with COVID-19

 A United Nations spokesman said that as of Sunday evening, there were 189 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the entire UN system across the world, including three deaths. The UN chief on March 13 demanded all UN staff members to telecommute and work remotely from March 16 to April 12, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at the UN headquarters in New York. On April 1, he extended his order for telecommuting till April 30.

09:08 IST 14 Apr

No evidence suggests BCG vaccine can protect against COVID-19: WHO

There is no evidence that the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, which is primarily used against tuberculosis, protects people against infection with the novel coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The WHO therefore didn’t recommend BCG vaccination for the prevention of COVID-19 in the absence of evidence, according to its daily situation report on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

09:01 IST 14 Apr

Doctor becomes first Covid-19 case in Meghalaya

A senior doctor in Shillong tested positive for novel coronavirus on Monday night, the first Covid-19 case in the northeast state of Meghalaya. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma in separate tweets said that in view of the confirmed Covid-19 case in Meghalaya, the government has imposed 48-hour curfew in Shillong and Nongpoh, a commercial city. The Meghalaya cabinet will meet on Tuesday to review the situation.

19:54 IST 13 Apr

49 people test negative for COVID-19 in Kupwara, J&K

The Deputy commissioner of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir has said that all 49 samples tested in the district have yielded negative results. In his statement he mentioned, “Strategy of aggressive testing for hotspot returnees and contacts to continue in district. People in Red Zones to be facilitated through door-step delivery of essential commodities from tomorrow onwards.

19:42 IST 13 Apr

Mumbai reports 150 new COVID-19 cases, 9 deaths today

A total of 150 new positive COVID-19 cases and nine deaths were reported in Mumbai on Monday, according to a news agency.

Of the nine deaths, seven had co-morbidity. Total number of cases now stands at 1,549 and total deaths at 100 in the city. As many as 43 patients have been discharged today and a total 141 discharged till date.

17:30 IST 13 Apr

47 COVID-19 patients from UP have recovered

According to the statements of Uttar Pradesh health secretary Amit Mohan Prasad there have been 550 COVID-19 cases in the state so far, and 47 of them have been discharged from the hospital after full recovery. He also added that the Pilibhit district has has no active cases now after 2 patients have been discharged. 

15:39 IST 13 Apr

Rajasthan reports 43 new COVID-19 cases

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan has touched 847 with 43 more people testing positive. Among the new cases, 20 have been reported in Jaipur, 11 in Bharatpur and seven in Jodhpur, the state health department said.

13:51 IST 13 Apr

Doctors and a nurse from Delhi’s private hospital test positive for COVID-19

According to reports from Max Hospital in Saket, Delhi, a doctor, a nurse and one support staff in have tested positive for COVID-19. However, the doctor seems to have got the infection from outside the hospital, said the hospital spokesperson.

12:00 IST 13 Apr

22 new cases and 2 deaths from COVID-19 in Gujarat

COVID-19 cases in Gujarat have shot up by 22. The state has also witnessed two new deaths, reports ANI. The total number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat hovers around 538 including 26 deaths and 47 discharged.

10:24 IST 13 Apr

West Bengal Govt makes masks mandatory in public places

The West Bengal government has issued an order making it mandatory for everyone to cover nose and mouth with facial masks or any other piece of cloth, especially at public places.

“Covering mouth and nose at all times helps prevention of transmission of this virus. Mouth and nose should be covered by facial masks or any other available piece of cloth which may even include a properly folded or rolled dupatta (long scarf), gamcha (cotton towel), handkerchief or any such material that acts as a protective cover,” the state chief secretary said in an order.

“Therefore, it is hereby directed that it shall be mandatory to use this cover always, especially when in public places,” the order added.

Till Sunday there were above 130 cases reported from the state.  (IANS)

08:40 IST 13 Apr

Delhi marks 43 worst-hit areas as containment zones, sanitisation drive to begin from today

The Delhi government will begin a sanitisation drive on Monday in the areas hit by the coronavirus outbreak, which are classified as red and orange zones.

The worst-hit areas have been marked in the red category and will be treated as “containment zones”.  The areas with high risk are labelled as orange zone.

The government has also expanded the list of containment zones to include a total of 43 areas.

South East Delhi has 12 of the 43 containment zones, East Delhi has nine, Shahdara has five and West Delhi has four. South, South West and Central Delhi have three containment zones each, while New Delhi and North Delhi have two each.

22:15 IST 12 Apr

West Bengal makes protective covering compulsory as death toll rises

With two new people giving in to COVID-19, the death burden in West Bengal stands at 7. Currently, the total of active cases is 95 in the state. In the light of the current scenario, the West Bengal government has made it mandatory for residents to cover their mouth with a mask or a piece of cloth, especially in public places.

20:07 IST 12 Apr

156 foreigners booked for sneaking in for Tablighi Jamaat event

The Maharashtra government has booked 156 foreigners from 18 countries for violating their visa rules and attending the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi last month, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said here on Sunday.

They have been booked under the Foreigners Act’s Section 14B and relevant IPC sections, he said in a statement.

All these foreigners had been granted a tourist visa for India, but they flouted the norms by visiting the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi last month, the minister added.  (IANS)

18:29 IST 12 Apr

Tamil Nadu’s COVID-19 tally crosses 1,000-mark, 11 deaths

Tamil Nadu reported 106 new positive cases on Sunday, of which 90 persons are from ‘single source conduct’. With these fresh cases, the total tally in the state has reached to 1075, of which 971 cases are from single source conduct. The state has reported 11 deaths till now, said Tamil Nadu Health Secy Beela Rajesh.  (ANI)

16:57 IST 12 Apr

Railway coaches to become isolation wards

The Union Health Ministry has announced that 20,000 railways coaches will be converted to dedicated COVID-19 wards for isolation.

16:53 IST 12 Apr

Hydroxychloroquine to be released for 13 countries

Hydroxychloroquine, touted to be an effective treatment for COVID-19 patients, has been approved for release in 13 countries by the Group of Ministers (GoM). This decision has been taken after assessing stock for domestic use

15:05 IST 12 Apr

Hydroxychloroquine can do more harm than good: AIIMS doctor

The hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug that is touted as potential COVID-19 treatment, can lead to cardiac toxicity with irregular heartbeat, says an AIIMS doctor.

Delhi AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria stated that hydroxychloroquine, like any other drug, has side effects. It can do more harm than good for general public, he added.

Some trials show that hydroxychloroquine may have some effects in COVID-19, but Guleria said that the data are not strong enough to prove its efficacy.

13:23 IST 12 Apr

Confirmed COVID-19 cases inch towards 1900 in Maharashtra

Maharashtra witnessed 134 new cases in the last 24 hours. Currently, the number of confirmed cases in the state is 1895.

11:36 IST 12 Apr

Delhi declares three new containment zones

With an addition of three new containment zones, Delhi has now 33 such areas. The newly included areas are House No-A 176, Deoli Extension, A-30 Mansarovar Garden, and Street nos. 1 to 10, C block, Jahangirpuri. They have been declared as ‘containment zones’ after COVID-19 patients were found there. In a containment zone, the authorities take care of the essential supplies while the houses in it are sanitised properly.

09:09 IST 12 Apr

6 Taj hotel employees test positive for COVID-19

At least six employees working at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace and Towers hotel in Mumbai, Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus, a news agency reported quoting a doctor.

Indian Hotels Company, which runs the Taj Hotel chain, has been hosting, doctors and health workers from various state-run hospitals treating COVID cases at its hotels in the city.

22:48 IST 11 Apr

Centre to ramp up dedicated Covid-19 hospitals

The Centre is following a graded approach to ensure availability of critical items, like PPEs, N95 masks, testing kits, medicines and ventilators, and plans to ramp up dedicated Covid-19 hospitals at both central and State levels. As of Saturday, there are 586 dedicated Covid facilities, 1,04,613 isolation beds and 11,836 ICU beds.

21:39 IST 11 Apr

Haryana to turn buses into mobile clinics

The Haryana government plans to turn state roadways buses into mobile clinics and ensure adequate availability of basic medical facilities, according to Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora. The Chief Secretary on Saturday presided over a meeting of Deputy Commissioners through video link and also held discussions with the nodal officers regarding medical preparedness.

20:22 IST 11 Apr

8 new cases take Karnataka's Covid-19 tally to 215

Five contacts of a Mysuru pharmaceutical company worker are among 8 new Covid-19 cases, raising Karnataka’s tally to 215, according to an official here on Saturday. “Till date, 215 Covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed. It includes six deaths and 37 discharges,” said a health official. Currently, 166 Covid-19 patients, including a pregnant woman, are isolated at designated hospitals and are stable, and four patients in ICU.

18:32 IST 11 Apr

Hyderabad firm's Covid-19 test kit gives result in 2 hours

A Hyderabad-based life sciences company has developed a coronavirus test kit named Quantiplus COV that can give the result in two hours. Huwel Lifesciences on Friday received approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for the test kit. Its production will begin at the company’s Narsingi and Kokapet facilities on Monday. Quanitplus COVID-19 detection kit is based on published protocol of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national public health agency of the US.

17:29 IST 11 Apr

Kejriwal jumps gun on shutdown extension

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is considering the stand of various Chief Ministers to extend the nationwide shutdown, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday jumped the gun to tweet that the PM had decided to extend it beyond April 14, reports IANS. Kejriwal tweeted: “PM has taken the correct decision to extend the lockdown. Today, India’s position is better than many developed countries because we started the lockdown early. If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost. To consolidate, it is important to extend it.”

17:18 IST 11 Apr

Russians, Ukrainians start 'helpline' for stranded tourists in Goa

Virutally enemies back home, a ‘helpline’ run by Russians, Ukrainians and foreigners from other Russian-speaking nations, is coming to the aid of international travellers stranded in Goa due to the lockdown, sorting out their food, medicine queries as well as advising frantic callers about visa-related issues.

15:42 IST 11 Apr

52 corona cases found in Delhi's Chandni Mahal area

One more big Coronavirus hotspot has been found in Delhi. At least 52 members belonging to the Tablighi Jamaat out of 102, who have been found gathered in 13 different mosques in old Delhi’s Chandni Mahal area, have tested coronavirus positive. Now the process of contact tracing has begun on a massive scale. Area has been declared as a containment zone. Three people have already died in three days due to coronavirus in Chandni Mahal area.

14:32 IST 11 Apr

Jaipur tops chart with 221 cases in Rajasthan

Jaipur in Rajasthan has been topping the chart with 221 coronavirus cases out of 579 reported in the state till Saturday morning. 18 new cases were reported in the state out of which 14 were from Kota while four are from Bikaner. The 14 patients in Kota are from Telghar and Chadra Ghanta which has been seen as epicentre of Kota. In Bikaner, four of the family members who tested positive are contacts of the woman who had recently died after testing coronavirus positive.

12:30 IST 11 Apr

PM Modi meets CMs to discuss lockdown extension and other COVID-19 concerns

In a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaders are pushing for a lockdown extension in Maharashtra as COVID-19 cases soar over 1,500 in the state.  The meeting is supposed to discuss exit strategy and probable extension of lockdown which is scheduled to end on 14th April. The PM was wearing a mask during the meeting.

10:21 IST 11 Apr

Three people lost their lives to COVID-19 in Delhi's Chandi Mahal in 3 days

According to ANI reports, the last three days have taken the lives of at least 3 people in Delhi’s Chandi Mahal area. It is one of the 30 areas that have been declared as a containment zone. Geographical areas shut to control an outbreak is known as containment zones. In a containment zone, the authorities take care of the essential supplies while the houses in it are sanitised properly.

09:36 IST 11 Apr

Trump willing to help Italy

President Donald Trump told media persons that US will is ready to help out Italy with telemedicine and armed forces as the nation is trying hard to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

19:33 IST 10 Apr

IYC HQ is now a community kitchen that feeds the needy

The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) in the national capital has turned its Raisina Road headquarter space into a community kitchen to serve food to the stranded and homeless during the lockdown. The youth wing of the party has also installed an automatic chapati machine at the headquarter, which can prepare 1,000 chapatis in an hour.

17:22 IST 10 Apr

Movement of corona suspects from Nepal to India: Intel

Suspected COVID-19 positive Indian Muslim nationals are being pushed from Nepal to India, the intelligence wing of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a paramilitary force, has said, alerting the government and security agencies. SSB, under Ministry of Home Affairs, guards the 2450 km long Indo-Nepal and Indo- Bhutan border and is spread along the International border across Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

17:12 IST 10 Apr

No community transmission in India yet, says Centre

The Union home ministry said that there were no instances of community transmission in the country yet. However, according to an ICMR study, 104 of the 5,911 patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) tested positive for COVID-19. Of them, 40 cases (38.5 per cent) did not report any history of contact with a known case or international travel. The study was conducted from 15 February to 2 April.

17:09 IST 10 Apr

Availability of hydrochloroquine is 3.28 cr as opposed to requirement of 1 cr, says Centre

Lav Agrawal, Union health ministry joint secretary, said that India has a domestic requirement of 1 crore hydroxychloroquine tablets while there are 3.28 crore hydroxychloroquine tablets available currently. He was replying to questions about the export of the drug from India.

15:23 IST 10 Apr

9 fire brigade vehicles flagged off to sanitise Noida hotspots

Commissioner of Police Alok Singh on Friday flagged off nine fire brigade vehicles to santitise 22 hotspots in Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. These six big and three small vehicles will not only sanitise the hotspots but also areas within the three-km radius. Alok Singh told the media that these vehicles were fitted with 30-feet-long pipes which would enable them sanitise narrow lanes and bylanes as well.

13:37 IST 10 Apr

US starts clinical trial of HCQ for COVID-19 treatment

A clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, for the treatment of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 has begun in the United States, according to a release of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Thursday. The first participants have enrolled in the trial at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee, reported Xinhua news agency.

13:36 IST 10 Apr

Jeevika workers make 5.88 lakh face masks in Bihar

The Bihar government has roped in workers under the Jeevika scheme to manufacture around 5.88 lakh face masks till date to help fight the battle against coronavirus. An official involved with the Bihar Rural Livelihood Project (Jeevika) said that women associated with the programme were preparing face masks in all the districts of the state. The women are being provided the raw material required to make face masks.

13:35 IST 10 Apr

Assam reports 1st death, total cases 29

Assam reported its first death due to novel coronavirus on Friday even as the state’s total positive cases went up to 29, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The first corona death of Assam, also the first in northeastern region, was reported from Hailakandi district in its southern part.

11:20 IST 10 Apr

Jaipur reports its second COVID-19 death

A 65-year-old COVID-19 patient died in Jaipur on Thursday. The death of this woman takes Rajasthan’s death burden of this coronavirus strain to eight, according to PTI reports. This is the 2nd COVID-19 death of Jaipur. On Friday morning itself, the state reported 26 new cases of COVID-19.

08:41 IST 10 Apr

Pune makes masks compulsory in public places

With COVID-19 cases hitting 200 in Pune, wearing a mask has been made mandatory in public places. According to the statement of a senior official, everyone, including government officials, has been ordered to wear masks in public places to contain the spread of this coronavirus. The Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune, Ravindra Shisve has also mentioned that action will be taken against people flouting the order under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

08:32 IST 10 Apr

US President Donald Trump thanks India for lifting ban on Hydroxychloroquine

Last month, India had imposed a ban on the export of Hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, which is being tried to treat COVID-19 cases. The aim was to meet the domestic requirements. In response to this move, US President Donald Trump had threatened India of possible retaliation if the country doesn’t allow the export Hydroxychloroquine to the US. After India lifted the ban on 8th April, Trump thanked PM Modi for the decision on Wednesday (9th April). “Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten! Thank you Prime Minister Narendra Modi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!” he tweeted.

21:59 IST 9 Apr

Maharashtra govt orders lockdown on 5 central prisons

Sunil Ramanand, ADG prison of Maharashtra on Thursday said an order to lockdown five central prisons (Yerawada, Arthur road, Byculla, Thane and Kalyan) have been issued. Medically examined prison staff will lock themselves up until further orders and administer the prisons without stepping out.

21:58 IST 9 Apr

Ola cabs to operate as emergency services in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh government has given permission to Ola cabs for the operation of emergency medical transport services in state. Services will be for urgent medical care (non-COVID related) like dialysis, cancer, heart ailment. The pilot project will be launched at Visakhapatnam.

20:22 IST 9 Apr

ICMR updates COVID-19 testing strategy

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday updated its testing strategy for coronavirus. The revised strategy also states ‘asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between days 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact’.

17:11 IST 9 Apr

COVID-19 cases haven't increased substantially in India: ICMR

Till now 1,30,000 samples have been tested for coronavirus in India, of which 5,734 samples tested positive for the infection, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Thursday.

“Positivity rate ranges between 3-5 percent in the last 1-1.5 months. It has not increased substantially. Yesterday we tested 13,143 samples,” ICMR added in a statement.

13:48 IST 9 Apr

India reports first death of a doctor on frontline of battling coronavirus

Doctors and healthcare professionals have emerged as one of the most vulnerable groups, and also as the frontline soldiers against the pandemic. Today Indian Medical Association announced the first death of a doctor in the country during this time. Dr Shatrughan Panjwani, MBBS was a physician who expired at 4am at Arvendo hospital in Indore.

11:33 IST 9 Apr

Not just India, Jamaat a super spreader of virus in Pak too

Tablighi Jamaat, the super spreader of the new coronavirus in India, seems to have caused a spike in the COVID-19 positive cases in Pakistan also.

11:31 IST 9 Apr

Coronavirus fatalities in France rise by 541 to 7,632

The coronavirus pandemic continued its rampage in France with 541 additional deaths in hospitals in the last 24 hours, bringing the toll in sanitary establishments to 7,632, Director General of Health Jerome Salomon said.

10:54 IST 9 Apr

With 63 new infections, China's recent COVID-19 cases rise to 1,100

China has reported 63 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, including 61 imported ones, raising concern of a second wave of infections as the country lifted more-than two-month lockdown of Wuhan, the origin point and epicentre for the COVID-19 pandemic.

08:35 IST 9 Apr

NSCI stadium in Mumbai to be used as observation facility for COVID-19 patients

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation would be using the NSCI stadium in Worli as an observation facility for people who may have come into contact with coronavirus patients, officials said on Wednesday. The Sardar Vallabhai Patel stadium at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) complex is close to Worli Koliwada, one of the coronavirus hotspots in the city.

08:34 IST 9 Apr

44-year-old Delhi Police head constable tests positive in Rohini area

A 44-year-old Delhi Police head constable tested positive for coronavirus in Rohini area on Wednesday. According to police, they received information around 3.40 pm that one head constable in Rohini’s Sector-16 has tested positive for COVID-19.

08:33 IST 9 Apr

Jair Bolsonaro thanks Narendra Modi for exporting HCQ to Brazil

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after India decided to continue exporting ingredients for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), stressing that the drug could save thousands of lives.

22:13 IST 8 Apr

COVID-19 takes 938 more lives in Britain

According to a Reuters report, the death toll of COVID-19 shot up by 938 on 7th April alone. The figure for total number of deaths in the United Kingdom is 7,097.

22:10 IST 8 Apr

COVID-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh: The count reaches 348

According to a PTI report, the total count of COVID-19 patients in Andhra Pradesh is 348 now with 19 fresh positive cases.

21:44 IST 8 Apr

30 Doctors, Nurses At AIIMS Delhi Advised COVID-19 Quarantine

Around 30 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses and technicians at the Cardio-Neuro Centre in AIIMS in Delhi have been advised to undergo quarantine after a 72-year-old man who visited the facility with neurological problem tested positive for COVID-19, sources said today.

21:42 IST 8 Apr

Delhi's Sadar Bazaar sealed as cases reported from there: Manish Sisodia

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that the Sadar area of Delhi has been sealed as a COVID-19 hotspot as some cases had been detected there. 20 hotspots have been identified in Delhi and nobody will be allowed to enter or exit from these areas. The government will ensure delivery of essential items in areas that have been sealed.

20:54 IST 8 Apr

Telangana reports 49 fresh cases

 Telangana reported 49 fresh cases in the last 24 hours. The total cases in the state, including those who have died or have been discharged, rises to 453. Hyderabad had the highest number of Covid-19 cases at 113 confirmed infections.

20:47 IST 8 Apr

Hotspots in 15 UP districts to remain sealed till 15 April

Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary, Home Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed to seal the highly infected areas of 15 districts of the state from Wednesday midnight till morning of 15 April. The hotspots have identified in districts where there are more than 6 cases. The state has reported 343 confirmed cases so far. 

20:45 IST 8 Apr

Masks now compulsory for all Delhi residents 

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal chaired an emergency meeting today, after which it was decided that use of masks will be made compulsory for all Delhi residents who step out of their homes. 

19:44 IST 8 Apr

SC tells Centre to make COVID-19 testing at private labs free

The Supreme Court has ordered the Centre to make COVID-19  tests free, irrespective of whether they are taken in government or private labs. This was in response to a Public Interest Litigation challenging a recent government order capping the cost of COVID-19 tests at Rs 4,500.

19:07 IST 8 Apr

Uttar Pradesh now has 343 COVID-19 cases

Eleven more people have tested positive for the new coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 343 today. Three people have died so far of the disease in the state so far.

19:04 IST 8 Apr

Maharashtra to setup 'fever clinics' to avoid accidental transmission

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has said the state will set up ”Fever Clinics” for those with cough, cold and fever. The locations will be announced soon. Those with these symptoms should not go to other hospitals but only to these clinics to be launched in all divisions.

17:50 IST 8 Apr

UP makes mask mandatory: Additional Chief Secretary

The additional chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh said that legal action can be taken if people do not wear masks. It is now mandatory for people to wear masks in public places

17:45 IST 8 Apr

President Trump’s u-turn on Hydroxychloroquine

Just yesterday US President Donald Trump suggested retaliation against India for banning export of Hydroxychloroquine. Today, he is all praises for PM Modi and says that he understands that India needs the drug too.

17:35 IST 8 Apr

12 arrested in Navi Mumbai for violating lockdown

According to a PTI news report on Wednesday, at least 12 morning walkers were arrested in Navi Mumbai for violating lockdown orders. 

17:24 IST 8 Apr

Nasal vaccine for COVID-19 may be ready in 12 months

Bharat Biotech International Ltd is developing a nasal  vaccine in collaboration with an international team of virologists and vaccine manufacturers. It may be ready in 12 to 18 months time.

17:17 IST 8 Apr

UP to seal off areas with high COVID-19 cases

UP Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said that only home delivery and medical teams will be allowed in the hotspot areas that have reported high COVID-19 positive cases. He also said that affected areas that have positive COVID-19 cases will be sealed. Movement will be affected as the lockdown is still on.

17:15 IST 8 Apr

Karnataka in favour of lifting lockdown in ‘safe’ areas

The Karnataka government is in favour of lifting the coronavirus lockdown in districts which remained free of the virus infection, subject to approval from the Centre. According to officials, there were no COVID-19 cases in 12 districts of the total 30 districts in the state.

17:13 IST 8 Apr

No shortage of hydroxychloroquine drug, says Health Ministry

Health secretary Lav Agarwal said that the government has ensured that there will not be any lack of HCQ (Hydroxychloroquine) as and when needed.

16:54 IST 8 Apr

PM Modi hints at lockdown extension in all-party meet

In an all-party meeting via video conference today to discuss the fight against COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that lockdown will not be lifted at one go. 

16:50 IST 8 Apr

Masks are now compulsory in Mumbai

Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has made wearing of masks compulsory in public places, hospitals, offices, markets and while travelling in vehicles.

16:42 IST 8 Apr

Film producer Karim Morani tests positive for COVID-19

Bollywood producer Karim Morani has tested positive for COVID-19. He may have contracted the virus from his daughter who was tested positive last week. The producer has been shifted to the Nanavati hospital for treatment.