India Coronavirus Updates, 08 August: PM credits Swachh Bharat in fight against Covid; As death toll mounts, AP asks people with symptoms to seek medical help

According to recent statistics released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there has been a steady improvement in India’s recovery rate since March 25. The national rate of recovery has risen to 68.32% as of August 8.

However, the declining proportion of active cases is unremarkable at this point in the pandemic. As the epidemic prolongs, the active cases, as a proportion of total confirmed cases, would progressively drop. It would get to zero by the time the epidemic comes to an end.

As many as 5,98,778 samples were tested yesterday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 tests conducted since the onset of the pandemic to 2.3 crore (2,33,87,171), ICMR data showed.

A look at the top developments today

PM Modi credits Swachh Bharat in fight against Covid

Prime Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a week-long campaign to free India of garbage and stressed that the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has been a big support in the fight against coronavirus.

Delivering the inaugural address at the launch of the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra here, which was also attended by students, Modi urged children to follow social distancing norms and wear masks to guard against coronavirus. “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has been a big support in fight against coronavirus,” he said. The week-long campaign to free India of garbage will be till August 15.

Modi said the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra is a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s efforts towards cleanliness.

COVID-19 recovery rate rises to 68.32%, fatality rate declines to 2.04%: Health Ministry

Focused and effective efforts towards containment, testing, isolation and treatment by the Centre, states and Union Territories have resulted in the recovery rate rising to 68.32 per cent and fatality rate steadily declining to 2.04 per cent, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

India has one of the lowest cases per million at 1,469 as against the global average of 2,425, it said. According to the ministry, effective surveillance and improved testing network have ensured early detection of cases and consequentially leading to timely clinical management of severe and critical cases.

Coordinated implementation of ‘test, track, treat’ strategy by the Centre, states and Union Territories has ensured that case fatality rate has been low compared to the global scenario, it said.

Centre asks states to test grocery shop workers, vendors

Vendors can potentially spread the infection to a large number of people. (File)

The Union Health Ministry has directed states and union territories to test grocery shop workers, vegetable and other vendors for Covid-19, stating if undetected they can potentially spread the infection to a large number of people.

In a letter addressed to the states and union territories, Secretary in the Health Ministry, Rajesh Bhushan also stressed the need for operationalising ambulance transport system with oxygen facility and quick response mechanism. He underlined that the refusal rate of ambulances must be monitored at a daily basis and brought down to zero.

In AP, government appeals to people to seek medical help early

The Andhra Pradesh Government has appealed to people to seek medical help as early as possible if they have Covid-19 symptoms. On Saturday, the state recorded 97 Covid-19 deaths taking the total number of deaths to 1939 while 10,080 new cases were reported taking the tally to over 2 lakh.

Special Chief Secretary (Health) K S Jawahar Reddy said today that the mortality rate in the state was still under control but appealed to people to go to hospitals if they are sick and not to wait till the last moment. “I am appealing to people to seek medical care at the earliest possible before the condition deteriorates. If a person has symptoms like high fever, breathlessness, and oxygen saturation drops below 94 percent they should seek medical help without any delay,’’ he said.

Jawahar Reddy asserted that the public should now start taking responsibility to contain the virus, and stressed on using masks, maintaining physical distance and washing hands at frequent intervals. (Sreenivas Janyala reports from Hyderabad)

Union minister Kailash Chaudhary tests COVID-19 positive

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Chaudhary has tested positive for coronavirus, he announced in a tweet on Saturday. At present, he is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jodhpur.

“Following the test done last night after showing symptoms, the report for coronavirus has come out positive,” Chaudhary tweeted. ”All friends who came in contact with me in the last few days should keep distance from their family members and get themselves tested,” he wrote. “There is fever with little breathing problem. I am taking treatment under the supervision of doctors in the hospital,” he added.

बीती रात शुरूआती लक्षण दिखने पर मेरे स्वास्थ्य परीक्षण के तहत कोरोना पॉज़िटिव की रिपोर्ट आई है। कृपया बीते कुछ दिनों में मुझसे सम्पर्क में आए सभी मित्रगण अपने परिजनों से दूरी बनाए रखें एवं अपना स्वास्थ्य परीक्षण कराएं। मेरे स्वास्थ्य की जानकारी लेने वाले सभी शुभचिंतकों का आभार।

— Kailash Choudhary (@KailashBaytu) August 8, 2020

The Union minister, who was on a three-day tour to his parliamentary constituency Jaisalmer, had visited several places, reported PTI.

Jaishankar holds discussion on Covid-19 with 5 countries

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (File)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Friday held a meeting with his counterparts from the US, Australia, Israel, Brazil and South Korea and discussed challenges related to combating the coronavirus pandemic.

In a tweet shared after the meeting, Jaishankar said that he had a “useful meeting” with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Useful meeting with my colleagues @MarisePayne, Kang Kyung-wha, @ernestofaraujo, @Gabi_Ashkenazi and @SecPompeo. Continued our conversation on the #Corona challenge. Always good to learn from each other. pic.twitter.com/DN8TVdpz4N

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) August 7, 2020

Earlier this week, in a phone conversation with Pomeo, Jaishankar had discussed regional and global issues, including the Covid-19 pandemic.

Andhra Pradesh Covid tally crosses 2 lakh mark; records highest single day death toll

Andhra Pradesh crossed the 2 lakh mark Friday as another 10,171 were added taking the overall tally to 2,06,960 out of which over 1.2 lakh people have recovered till now. With 89 new deaths, the state reported its highest single day spike in death toll so far.(Follow Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Coronavirus LIVE UPDATES here)

The state’s total caseload jumped from 1 lakh to 2 lakh cases within merely 11 days.

Uttar Pradesh records 4,467 new cases; Lucknow hits a new high

Lucknow recorded its highest number of new cases and deaths yesterday.

Uttar Pradesh registered 4,467 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally of cases to over 1.13 lakh. With 63 new deaths, the death toll has risen to 1,981.

Meanwhile the state’s capital city Lucknow recorded its highest number of new cases and deaths yesterday. As many as 707 new cases and 13 deaths were registered, taking the respective cumulative count to 11,512 cases and 138 deaths.

Varanasi and Bareilly too, recorded another high with 271 and 211 new cases, respectively.

Telangana reports 2,207 new cases; death toll rises to 601

Telangana reported its highest single day spike with 2,207 new cases, bringing its total Covid-19 caseload to 75,257. With 12 more coronavirus patients succumbing to the illness, the death toll rose to 601, according to a recent state government bulletin.

With 12 more coronavirus patients succumbing to the illness, the death toll rose to 601.

Out of the 2,207 new cases, 532 were from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), followed by Rangareddy (196), Warangal Urban (142) and Medchal-Malkajgiri (136).

Complete lockdown in West Bengal on 8,20,21,27,28 and 30 August

Amidst a rising number of Covid-19 cases, a complete lockdown was enforced across West Bengal today. The state government has announced similar lockdowns on other dates this month, including August 20, 21,27,28 and 30, ANI reported.

Vehicle-checking underway in Kolkata.

While essential services like pharmacies and health establishments will continue operating through the lockdown, schools, colleges and other educational institutes will remain shut.

On Friday, 2,912 new cases were registered in the state, pushing its total caseload to 89,666. Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 1,954 after 52 more people succumbed to the infection.

Covid fears at Kozhikode Air India Express crash site

The Kerala Health Ministry Saturday urged all those involved in the rescue operations for the Air India Express crash at Kozhikode airport to go into quarantine as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.(Follow Kozhikode Air India Express crash LIVE UPDATES here)

Kondotty, where the airport is located, is already a containment zone with a high Covid positivity rate.

Both victims and relief workers have been directed to undergo tests. While the survivors were already being tested, all those who assisted in rescue operations will also undergo the same, state health ministry officials said.

Kondotty, where the airport is located, is already a containment zone with a high Covid positivity rate.

Parliament in Covid: Alternate workdays, sheets to separate rows

After exploring a number of possibilities, presiding officers of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have almost agreed on a fully physical model for conducting the Monsoon session of Parliament. Parliament is expected to meet in September for the first time since March.

According to the plan, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will take turns to work — either as morning and evening shifts, or by working on alternate days. Of the Lok Sabha’s current strength of 542, 168 members will be seated in the Lok Sabha chamber, and the others distributed across the Lower House’s galleries, the Rajya Sabha and its galleries.

Similarly, sources said, the 241 members of the Rajya Sabha will be spread across the chambers of the Upper and Lower Houses.