Maharashtra's tally breached 3 lakh-mark and reached 3,00,937 as the state recorded 8,348 fresh cases
Budget-carrier IndiGo announced pay cuts, leave without pay, and other cost-cutting measures amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a press release, the carrier said, "We did have to undertake a number of measures such as Pay Cuts, Leave Without Pay and various other costs." "Therefore, after carefully assessing and reviewing all possible scenarios, it is clear that we will need to bid a painful adieu to 10 per cent of our workforce," it added.
Meanwhile, with the cases of novel coronavirus infection rising in the southern state of Kerala, the state government is now making arrangements to treat 50,000 patients at a time, news agency PTI reported on Monday. State Health Minister K K Shailaja said experts have forecast a surge in the number of cases next month but sounded confident that the government can manage any such situation with the measures being taken by it.
The lockdown imposed in Kalaburagi district has been extended till the midnight of July 27 by district administration. According to an order issued by Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner, B Sharat, the decision to extend the lockdown was taken as the number of COVID-19 cases in the district is increasing.
Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases, followed by Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. The recovery rate stands at 62.61 per cent.
Kalaburagi district in North Karnataka reported 69 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. The district has a total of 2743 COVID-19 cases so far, this includes 1,771 cured and discharged patients, and 926 active cases. 46 deaths have been reported due to the virus, taking the toll to 789 in the district.
Among the southern states, while Telangana has shown a slowdown, Andhra Pradesh showed an unusually high rise in its daily cases, reporting close to 4,000 new infections, while Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also recorded their highest single-day numbers. Tamil Nadu has remained the second-largest contributor of Coronavirus cases for a long time, even though its growth rate has dropped off in the last couple of weeks. But the other states, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana started to grow at a rapid pace only recently, from the start of this month.
The national capital, on the other hand is projecting an uplifting trend. For 17 of the last 20 days, including 11 in a row now, the number of people recovering from Covid in Delhi has remained higher than newly detected infections -- no other state has come close to such a trend.
The number of cases in Mumbai, the capital state of Maharashtra, crossed 1 lakh on Saturday. Maharashtra's tally breached 3 lakh-mark and reached 3,00,937 as the state recorded 8,348 fresh cases, the health department said.
Ahead of Bakri Eid and Ganesh festivals, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray reiterated that religious, social and political gatherings will remain prohibited in the state in view of the rising infections. Addressing collectors and municipal commissioners via a virtual meeting, Thackeray called for replication of the Dharavi model at other places in the state to control the coronavirus outbreak.
India is the third country in the world, after the US and Brazil, to cross the 10 lakh mark in Covid-19 cases. The country reached this grim milestone merely three days after it crossed the 9 lakh mark. Currently, India has 3,42,473 active cases. Over 6.35 lakh coronavirus patients have been cured/discharged/migrated since Thursday.
Compared to the world average, India’s mortality rate is much lower. While globally the mortality rate of the disease is about 4.3 per cent, in India it has dropped to 2.55 per cent. Meanwhile, the US, which has seen the maximum number of deaths, more than 1.35 lakh, has a mortality rate of about 3.98. With over 74,000 deaths, Brazil has a mortality rate of 3.84 per cent.
British scientists: No normality until vaccine
British scientists are dismissing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s hope the country may emerge from coronavirus lockdown and return to normality by Christmas.
Johnson has announced more easing of restrictions, with people urged to return to public transit and workplaces.
He says sports fans should return to stadiums by October and remaining restrictions could be lifted from November, possibly in time for Christmas.
“But epidemiologist John Edmunds, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies,” says a return to pre-pandemic normality wouldn’t be possible until there’s a vaccine for the virus.
He says a world where people can go to work normally, travel on the buses and trains, go on holiday without restrictions, meet friends, shake hands, hug each other and so on that’s a long way off, unfortunately.
Doctors wearing PPE kit at LNJP Hospital in New Delhi
As Jammu and Kashmir continued witnessing spike in number of Coronavirus cases, the UT Government decided to impose fine ranging between Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 on people found violating the guidelines laid down by it to prevent spread of COVID-19. A notification issued by Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education Department Atal Duloo read that UT’s Lt Governor G C Murmu has authorized all the Deputy Commissioners to imposed fine of Rs 500 on anybody found not wearing a mask, or spitting in public places. The fine will be Rs 2,000 in case of one violating the home quarantine instructions, or owner of a shop/commercial places violating the social distancing norms, it added. However, in case of violation of social distancing norms by bus owners, the fine will be Rs 3,000, cars (Rs 2,000) and auto rickshaws/two-wheelers (Rs 500).
Jammu and Kashmir reported 751 new coronavirus cases on Monday, including 240 in Jammu region, the highest ever single day spike in the Union Territory so far. There were ten COVID-19 related deaths also in J&K including one in Jammu region, according to media bulletin issued by UT’s Health Department. Of the 511 COVID-19 infections reported during the day, Srinagar reported 171, followed by Pulwama (111), Ramban (90), Shopian (62), Baramulla (40) Udhampur (33) and Doda (32). Among those infected in Jammu region included 21 CRPF personnel and seven police personnel. With this, the number of active Coronavirus cases in J&K have risen to 6,122 and deaths to 254.
- Inputs from Arun Sharma
The Centre has written to all states and union territories warning against the use of N-95 masks with valved respirator by people, saying these don't prevent the virus from spreading out and are "detrimental" to the measures adopted for its containment, news agency PTI reported. The Director General of Health Services in the Ministry of Health, in a letter to the Principal Secretaries of health and medical education of states, said it has been observed that there is "inappropriate use" of N-95 masks, particularly those with valved respirator, by the public other than designated health workers. The DGHS referred to the advisory on the use of homemade protective cover for face and mouth available on the website of the Ministry of Health.
"It is to bring to your knowledge that the use of valved respirator N-95 masks is detrimental to the measures adopted for preventing the spread of coronavirus as it does not prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask. In view of the above, I request you to instruct all concerned to follow the use of face/mouth cover and prevent inappropriate use of N-95 masks," DGHS Rajiv Garg said in the letter.
Andhra Pradesh's COVID-19 tally crossed the 50,000-mark on Monday as another 4,074 fresh cases were added in the state. The coronavirus death toll increased to 696 after 54 new casualties were reported in a day, according to the latest bulletin. As many as 1,335 patients got discharged from hospitals after recovering from the infection, the bulletin added. The total positive cases in the state touched 53,724 while it has 28,800 active cases after 24,228 recoveries. As per the bulletin, 33,580 samples were tested in the last 24 hours ending 9 am on Monday with 16,195 of them rapid antigen tests. Of the 4,074 new cases, 2,011 were rapid antigen positives, the bulletin added. (PTI)
Delhi seems to have hit the COVID-19 peak with the number of daily cases declining significantly, AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said on Monday, but cautioned against any lowering of guard. He also said cases are increasing in certain states and they will reach a peak later, but there is not much evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 at the national level. "However, there are hotspots even in cities where there is a spike of cases, and it is likely that local transmission is happening in those areas that is why containment zones need aggressive action," he said. Asked if COVID-19 cases in India have hit the peak, Guleria said, "My feeling is that certain areas have hit their peak. Delhi seems to have done so because the cases have declined significantly. But certain areas are yet to reach their peak. Cases are increasing in certain states. They will reach a peak later," he said. (PTI)
AIIMS-Delhi on Monday began the process of recruiting volunteers for conducting human clinical trials of the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate Covaxin, director Dr Randeep Guleria said. AIIMS-Delhi is among the 12 sites selected by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting Phase I and II randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trials of Covaxin. In phase I, the vaccine would be tested on 375 volunteers and 100 of them, the highest, would be from AIIMS. The second phase, would include around 750 volunteers from all 12 sites put together, Guleria said while addressing reporters. Phase I of the vaccine trial will be done on healthy people, aged between 18 and 55 years, having no co-morbid conditions. Women with no pregnancy will also be selected to be a part of the trial in the first phase, he said. In the second phase, 750 people will be recruited and they will be between 12 and 65 years of age, Guleria said. (PTI)
Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally rose to 3,18,695 on Monday with the addition of 8,240 new cases, while the death toll crossed the 12,000-mark, news agency PTI reported quoting state health department data. With 176 new deaths in a day, the state's fatality count increased to 12,030, the department said. A total of 5,460 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recovered persons to 1,75,029, the department said in a statement. There are 1,31,334 active cases in the state at present, it added.
Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava have written to all States to ramp up testing capacity, reported news agency ANI.
Sikkim government on Monday announced a complete lockdown in the state from 6 am on July 21 to 6 am on July 27.
The Centre needs to accept that community spread of the coronavirus is happening in the country and follow Delhi's lead in containing the virus by ramping-up testing "on a large scale", senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said on Monday. The Rajya Sabha MP said people are not realising that the community spread is underway and hence contracting the virus. "(If) you are not able to find information on the source of the infection so that is community spread," he said at a press briefing. "The Centre needs to accept that community spread is taking place and ramp-up testing on a large scale and more testing kits must be made available. They must replicate what the Delhi government did," Singh said. (PTI)
A coronavirus vaccine the University of Oxford is developing with AstraZeneca Plc showed promising results in early human testing, a sign of progress in the high-stakes pursuit of a shot to defeat the pathogen. The vaccine increased levels of both protective neutralizing antibodies and immune T-cells that target the virus, according to the study organizers. The results were published Monday in The Lancet medical journal.
“We are seeing very good immune responses, not just on neutralizing antibodies but of T-cells as well,” said Adrian Hill, head of Oxford’s Jenner Institute, in an interview. “We’re stimulating both arms of the immune system.” The results will be closely scrutinized as governments around the world seek to end a pandemic that’s killed more than 600,000 people and triggered economic turmoil since erupting earlier this year. Moderna Inc., another front-runner, released results last week from an early-stage test that showed its vaccine raised levels of antibodies that fight the virus.
Stating that community transmission of Covid-19 had been recorded in a few areas in West Bengal, the Mamata Banerjee government on Monday announced a complete lockdown in containment zones across the state for two days every week amid a surge in cases.
“There are a few places in the state where community transmission of COVID-19 has been detected. After talking to experts, doctors, enforcement authorities, and the police, we have decided to impose complete lockdown for two days every week in the entire state to break the chain (of transmission),” Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said while addressing a press conference.
Delhi recorded 954 fresh coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the tally in the city to over 1.23 lakh, while the death toll from the disease rose to 3,663, news agency PTI reported quoting authorities. For the last nine days, fresh cases were being reported in the range of 1,000-2,000 consecutively. On Monday, the cases dipped to three-figure count. Thirty-five fatalities have been recorded in the last 24 hours, according to the Delhi health department bulletin. The active cases tally on Monday was 15,166, down from 16,031, the previous day. Delhi had crossed the 1,000-mark in COVID-19 tally on April 11.
Budget-carrier IndiGo announced pay cuts, leave without pay, and other cost-cutting measures amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a press release, the carrier said, "We did have to undertake a number of measures such as Pay Cuts, Leave Without Pay and various other costs; but unfortunately, these cost savings are clearly not enough to offset the decline in revenues. And from where things stand currently, it is impossible for our company to fly through this economic storm without making some sacrifices, in order to sustain our business operations." "Therefore, after carefully assessing and reviewing all possible scenarios, it is clear that we will need to bid a painful adieu to 10 per cent of our workforce," it added.
The BJP MLA from Assam's Dispur constituency has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to a hospital here for treatment, officials said on Monday. The MLA, Atul Bora, is the fifth from the ruling party to have tested positive for the contagious disease. Bora tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday night and was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Monday morning for treatment, a senior official of Kamrup Metropolitan district said. Formerly with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Bora joined the BJP before the 2016 state assembly polls and won the prestigious Dispur seat. (PTI)
West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandyapadhyay on Monday said that the state recorded community transmission in some areas. "Community transmission of COVID-19 has been recorded in a few areas in West Bengal," the minister said.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district rose to 10,854 after 51 more people tested positive for the disease on Monday, an official said. Three more deaths due to COVID-19 were also reported in the district, taking the toll to 399, he said. Out of the 51 new cases, 17 were reported from Aurangabad city and 23 from rural parts of the district. The other 11 cases were found during rapid-antigen tests at checkposts set up by the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation. As of now, there are 4,314 active cases in the district, while 6,141 patients have been discharged after recovery, the official said. (PTI)
Amidst reports of a shortage of beds for COVID-19 patients in hospitals here in Maharashtra, a housing society has converted its clubhouse into an isolation facility. The facility in Sigma One Housing Society in Kothrud area houses six beds, an oxygen cylinder, and concentrator, side tables, wheel-chairs, and medicines. It took just four days for members of the society to make necessary arrangements after the idea was suggested by Dr Abhijeet Mantri, an ENT surgeon and a resident of the housing complex. The facility will cater to members of the society and office-bearers when needed. District collector Naval Kishore Ram has welcomed the efforts, but said such facilities set up in housing societies cannot be recognised as a hospital.
As cases continue to rise in West Bengal, state Home Secretary Alapan Bandyapadhyay on Monday announced a complete lockdown in the containment zones in the state, that had been announced by the government last week. This week, a complete lockdown in containment zones will be enforced on Thursday and Saturday.
Former Gujarat Congress President Bharatsinh Solanki, who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection last month, is currently on ventilator support at Ahmedabad's CIMS hospital, his spokesperson said. The statement added that the leader is on C-PAP support while doctors are attending to him and trying to reduce the dependence on ventilator. "He is now on lower sedation and is able to move his arms and follow instructions. His vitals are stable," the statement added.
India's coronavirus infection number crossed 11-lakh on Monday, with a record single-day high of 40,425 cases being reported in the last 24 hours, health ministry data said. With 681 fresh fatalities, the death toll rose to 27,497. The 11-lakh mark comes three days after the country reported 10 lakh cases. There are 3,90,459 active cases in the country, while 7,00,086 people have recovered and one person has migrated. The recovery rate stands at 62.62 per cent.
Of the 681 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, 258 were reported from Maharashtra, 91 from Karnataka, 78 from Tamil Nadu, 56 from Andhra Pradesh, 38 from Uttar Pradesh, 36 from West Bengal, 31 from Delhi, 20 from Gujarat and 15 from Madhya Pradesh. The total fatalities in one day include nine from Bihar, eight each from Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, six each from Rajasthan and Telangana, five each from Haryana and Odisha, four from Assam, three from Jharkhand, two from Kerala, and one each from Goa and Ladakh.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 1,40,47,908 samples have been tested up to July 19 with 2,56,039 samples being tested on Sunday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday stressed that many people are still hiding their COVID infection, and directed officials to allow home quarantine only if all protocols related to the disease are followed, an official release said. Fearing that there may be a spurt in cases as a large number of asymptomatic people are hiding their infection, the CM said it will be essential that the patient and his family complies with the protocol. Besides, he said people should be apprised of the necessary precautions for which an awareness campaign should also be launched with the help of the print, electronic and social media. He also said the use of masks and social distancing norms should be strictly followed.
First it was Delhi, then Tamil Nadu, then Telangana, followed by Karnataka. Now it seems to be the turn of Andhra Pradesh to experience an extraordinary surge in novel Coronavirus numbers. On Sunday, Andhra Pradesh reported as many as 5,041 new cases. No other state, except Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, have ever gone beyond the 5,000-mark in a single day.
After the surge of the last four days, Andhra Pradesh now has the fastest-growing Coronavirus numbers in the country, faster than even Karnataka. The Coronavirus cases in Andhra Pradesh are now growing at 7.9 per cent (seven-day compounded daily growth rate) every day.
Over 20,000 of Andhra Pradesh’s total of 50,000 cases, about 40 per cent, have come in the last one week. This is higher than any other state, barring Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. As a result, Andhra Pradesh jumped two places on Sunday to become the state with the fifth-largest caseload in the country, overtaking Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in the process.
Sasan Gir village in Gujarat's Junagadh district, renowned as the gateway to the Gir Lion Sanctuary and National Park, on Monday went into a self- imposed 4-day lockdown in view of the coronavirus outbreak. The decision was taken at a meeting in the village on Monday which was attended by shopkeepers and hoteliers after two people tested positive for the virus, said Sasan village sarpanch Jumabhai Katiya.
"To stop further spread of the virus, we thought the only way was to completely stop human interaction. So we have unanimously decided to observe a self-imposed lockdown for four days, starting Monday," said Katiya. "Luckily there are no tourists to manage at present. We got total support for the lockdown from the administration as well as the hotel owners association. The village will be shut for four days," Katiya informed.
Sasan Gir has a population of around 3,500, while some 5,000 tourists arrive every day during peak season to catch a glimpse of the magnificent Asiatic lion in its last abode. There are over 200 hotels in and around Sasan along with numerous eateries. (PTI)
With the cases of novel coronavirus infection rising in the southern state of Kerala, the state government is now making arrangements to treat 50,000 patients at a time, thus doubling the first line treatment centres to 56, news agency PTI reported on Monday. State Health Minister K K Shailaja said experts have forecast a surge in the number of cases next month but sounded confident that the government can manage any such situation with the measures being taken by it.
"We already have two COVID hospitals in each district. Then as the number increased, we opened one FLTC for each COVID hospital. Thus we already have 28 FLTCs. Now we have given direction to increase the number to 56. That is one COVID hospital will have two FLTCs," Shailaja told PTI.
Kerala reported 821 fresh cases on Sunday, the highest single day count so far. While the tally has risen to 12,480, the active cases stood at 7,063. The death toll is 42. According to officials, at least 60 per cent of the patients are asymptomatic in the state.
With 26 new cases reported on Monday, South Korea witnessed its lowest daily jump in local COVID-19 transmissions in two months, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Out of the new cases, 22 have been reported from international travellers. Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said the local cases were below 10 for the first time since May 19. He encouraged people to avoid crowded places or even stay at home during the summer holiday period.
More than 1.1 million people have so far been infected with the novel coronavirus in India now. Covid-19 disease is present in every state and Union Territory, except Lakshadweep. Twenty-seven of these have seen more than 1,000 people getting infected till now. Even Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is the lowest number of cases in the country, has more than 150.
The government, however, continues to insist that the disease has still not reached a stage where community transmission starts to happen. Several scientists and health experts told The Indian Express this was not true, that the government position was entirely “untenable”, that community transmission was no doubt taking place, but that it did not matter in any case.
Community transmission simply means that the epidemic has become so widespread in a community that it gets difficult, if not impossible, to determine who is passing on the infection to whom. The source and chain of infections can no longer be established. Determining the chain of infections is key to the containment strategy that is being followed. Contact tracing, identification, testing and isolation of suspect cases are all dependent on establishing this chain.
The lockdown imposed in Kalaburagi district has been extended till the midnight of July 27 by district administration. According to an order issued by Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner, B Sharat, the decision to extend the lockdown was taken as the number of COVID-19 cases in the district is increasing. Kalaburagi district in North Karnataka reported 69 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. The district has a total of 2743 COVID-19 cases so far, this includes 1,771 cured and discharged patients, and 926 active cases. 46 deaths have been reported due to the virus, taking the toll to 789 in the district.
Three more DMK MLAs in Tamil Nadu tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, taking the number of DMK legislators who have tested positive to eight. P Karthikeyan, MLA for Vellore, R Gandhi, MLA of Ranipet and Krishnagiri MLA Senguttuvan have tested positive for the virus. The three legislators had been involved in Covid-19 relief work in their respective constituencies. With this, the number of legislators who have tested positive in the state has risen to 17, with four of them serving as ministers in the Tamil Nadu cabinet.
The Chilean government officials introduced a “step-by-step” plan to gradually relax coronavirus lockdown and restrictions on Sunday. The plan will be implemented in five stages, ranging from “total quarantine” to “advanced opening”, and will be applied depending on epidemiological criteria, the capacity of the healthcare system and the ability to trace cases, officials said. “These five weeks of improvement allow us to start a new stage today … This plan, which will be step by step, cautiously, prudently, will be applied gradually and flexibly,” said President Sebastian Pinera in the announcement.
Days after the Karnataka government announced a one-time incentive of Rs 5,000 to recovered Covid-19 patients, the state's first free plasma bank has been set up in Bengaluru.
According to a health department official, the same will operate in Victoria Hospital in collaboration with Sai Krushna Charitable Trust. "Initially, this is open to donors who wish to contribute life-saving plasma. Once we get adequate donors, the free plasma bank will open for recipients as well," a health officer in Bengaluru Urban told Indianexpress.com. To donate plasma, those who have recovered from the coronavirus infection can call 080-47190606, the officer added.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav slammed the Nitish Kumar government over the handling of pandemic in Bihar. "Bihar is gradually going to become a global hotspot of COVID19, as state govt is not worried about the rising number of cases. They are doing nothing to increase testing. The number of COVID deaths is also increasing in Bihar. Different COVID19 numbers are being given for Bihar by Centre&state. Ppl are receiving test report even when they have not given any sample for test. Medical staff at COVID centres do not have PPE kits. We demand that state govt must give a clear picture," news agency ANI reported.
He is one of India’s most promising middle-distance runners but he may now have to give up athletics to support his family of six. She is an Asian youth gold-winning long-jumper but wants to take a break to help her father, an autorickshaw driver. He is an Asian youth bronze medallist but fears that he will end up selling bananas on a cart in the market. The COVID shutdown in sports, with no training for months, is beginning to wear down the country’s young athletes, many of whom are from underprivileged families without organisational support.
Today, Bhagalpur is second in Bihar’s Covid tally with 1,601 cases, and 16 deaths, after Patna’s 3,696. The district has also been left rudderless, with several senior officials testing positive, including the District Magistrate and the officer appointed in his place. With Bhagalpur battling a case spike, lack of manpower and complaints of negligence, the 800-bed hospital in Mayaganj, one of Bihar’s four dedicated Covid facilities covering several eastern districts, is under severe strain. Read our special Bhagalpur Unlockdown series
The race for an indigenously manufactured COVID-19 vaccine may see another entrant by October, with Pune-based biotechnology firm Gennova Biopharmaceuticals aiming to complete pre-clinical testing and start human trials by October. If found effective by regulators, the firm could launch its vaccine as early as March 2021, according to its CEO Sanjay Singh.
Australia’s Victoria state reported another 275 cases of Covid-19 and warned that it’s too early to say whether a lockdown across the city of Melbourne is helping to slow the spread of the virus. State Premier Daniel Andrews said a woman in her eighties had died from the virus, bringing the state’s death toll to 39. While the number of new infections is down from 363 cases reported on Sunday, Andrews said it was too soon to say whether the state had “turned a corner.”
A meeting led by Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha on Monday will discuss the possible extension of emergency rules beyond the end of the month, as well as the next stage of easing, said Somsak Rungsita, secretary-general of the National Security Council. If the state of emergency is extended, it would be the fourth time since rules were imposed in March.
Senior Congress leader and Mumbai’s guardian minister Aslam Shaikh has tested positive for the coronavirus. He is the fourth minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government to catch the infection. Public Works department minister Ashok Chavan, Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad and Social Justice minister Dhananjay Munde were previously hospitalised with the infection. All of them have recovered.
On Monday morning, Shaikh, who is the guardian minister of the island city of Mumbai, tweeted, “This is to inform that I’ve tested positive for #COVID-19. I’m currently asymptomatic and isolating myself. I request all those who have come in close contact with me to get themselves tested.” Shaikh is also the Minister for Textiles, Ports and Fisheries in the government. With Mumbai still being in the grip of the pandemic, he has been active on ground.
With more than 40,000 fresh cases reported in the last 24 hours, India now has 1.11 million infections. As many as 681 casualties were reported in the country, taking the toll to 27,497. There are over 7 lakh recoveries, while nearly 4 lakh are still active cases. This is the first time that India has reported more than 40,000 infections.
A parents’ association from the capital wrote to Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Sunday, stating that it does not want schools to re-open in the 2020-2021 academic year until a Covid-19 vaccine is developed.
On July 17, education secretaries of all state governments and Union Territories received a letter from the HRD Ministry, seeking parents’ feedback on whether they would be comfortable with schools reopening in August, September or October. A senior Delhi government official said the state government has not yet responded to this yet. On Sunday, the Delhi Parents’ Association wrote to Pokhriyal, stating, “The order to shut all schools…had been made on March 16 when the number of infected cases were in the hundreds. Now, it has crossed 10 lakh cases… To deliberate upon reopening schools in this situation is in itself laughable.”
On May 29, Delhi Police constable Om Prakash (31) came across a social media post regarding a diabetic patient’s “urgent plasma need” in Kapashera. The post mentioned a phone number and name of the hospital. “I had recovered from Covid-19 in May and realised I was eligible, so I called up the number, and on June 2, I donated plasma for the first time. Thankfully, the patient recovered… We are friends now. He says he will meet me after Covid-19 is over,” said Om Prakash. Read More
Active Covid cases in the city dipped to 16,031 — 13% of the 1,22,793 cases reported so far — on Sunday, while hospital bed occupancy stood at 3,500 of the 15,456 beds available.
The new cases reported Sunday also fell to 1,211 — the first time in several weeks that fewer than 1,300 cases were recorded in Delhi in a day. Read More
After riots broke out in Northeast Delhi in February, 58-year-old Riazuddin had started a food distribution service from his home in North Ghonda. Riot-affected families could simply knock on his door for essential food items. The school principal of an MCD School in Brijpuri, Riazuddin was known for his social work, but his efforts would amplify in the time of a crisis. Covid-19 claimed Riazuddin’s life last month. On Saturday, his son Baqar Riyaz (19) donated plasma with the same thought for “humanity”. Read More
After no fresh strategies for almost a month, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has launched another surveillance campaign apart from aggressively conducting rapid antigen tests.The campaign that began last week to check super-spreaders has widened its reach to hair-cutting salons, which opened as part of the Unlock-1, banks and staff of Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) and Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). Fine for not wearing mask in public places was raised from Rs 200 to 500, while a penalty of Rs 10,000 was imposed on paan shops if customers were found spitting in public. Read more here
In just over a month, the number of new Covid-19 cases being reported from residential buildings and high-rises has seen 108 per cent increase, while slums and other congested areas have reported 60 per cent increase in cases, data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) state.
With the lockdown relaxed and non-essential movement allowed, the rise in cases have gone back to the buildings like in the initial phase of the pandemic, BMC officials say. Housing societies that were initially keeping their premises locked up, have now let their guard down, with many allowing visitors and house help, they added. Read more here
Former MLA from Karjan Assembly Constituency in Vadodara district, Akshay Patel, who recently joined BJP after resigning from Congress ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls in June, has tested positive for Covid-19. Patel, in a post on Facebook, has said he is asymptomatic and in home isolation.
Patel said his oxygen level is stable, and urged his friends to follow precautions. Last week, former BJP MLA from Karjan, Satish Patel (Nishaliya), had also tested positive and was hospitalised.
The Assembly constituency is due for bypolls in mid-September following Akshay Patel's resignation. Akshay Patel had won the seat on a Congress ticket in the 2017 Assembly polls, defeating Satish Patel. Both leaders are vying for the bypolls ticket. BJP leaders, Cabinet Minister Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja and party state general secretary Shabdasharan Brahmabhatt had held a meeting in Karjan on July 9 to discuss the strategy for the upcoming polls, where they had interacted with party leaders, including both the former MLAs.
The COVID-19 death toll in Jharkhand increased to 49 with one more person succumbing to the disease on Sunday, while 153 fresh cases pushed the tally to 5,552, a government bulletin said. The deceased was from Hazaribag district, it said. Of the total 5,552 COVID-19 cases, 2,785 are active and 2,718 people have recovered from the disease, as per the bulletin. On Sunday, 62 more people recovered from coronavirus, taking the total number of recovered persons to 2,718. The mortality rate is 0.88 per cent while the recovery rate in the state is 48.95 per cent, according to the bulletin. PTI
Tripura Sunday reported 223 COVID-19 cases, taking the state's tally to 2,892. Among these, 1,786 people have been discharged from hospital, leaving 1,106 persons under treatment.
In a late evening Tweet, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb wrote, "Alert! 223 People found COVID-19 POSITIVE out of 4175 samples tested today. 6 flight passengers. 30 were in contact of COVID-19 POSITIVE. 8 were symptomatic. 179 detected POSITIVE in Antigen Test. Among the total 223 COVID-19 POSITIVE, 101 are BSF personnel".
This is the third round of major spread of coronavirus among the ranks of Border Security Force (BSF) in Tripura, with several cases detected among the border guards yesterday.
Assam BJP MLA Nabanita Handique has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, an official said on Sunday. Handique, who represents Sonari in the Assam legislative assembly, is the fourth legislator in the state to test positive for COVID-19, the official said. The legislator's son, driver and a personal assistant had earlier tested positive while her test results came positive on Sunday, an official of the Charaideo district administration said. The MLA is currently in her constituency in the district. The first legislator to test positive was BJP's Patharkandi MLA Krishnendu Paul followed by Naryan Deka of Borkhetry. Both have recovered from COVID-19 and have been released from hospital. BJP's Sadiya MLA Bolin Chetia was the third legislator to test COVID-19 positive. Chetia was admitted to the Tinsukia Civil Hospital. Another prominent politician of the state to test positive was All India Mahila Congress president and former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev. She was admitted to the Silchar Medical College Hospital on July 8. Dev was released from the hospital on Sunday after she tested negative for COVID-19. (PTI)
The strict lockdown in Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram has been extended till July 28 after the city reported 222 cases of novel coronavirus infection on Sunday.
The Emirates airlines on Sunday said it will operate repatriation flights from four additional Indian cities of Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata to Dubai till July 26. The Dubai-based airline had on July 11 announced that it would be operating special repatriation flights from Bengaluru, Kochi, Delhi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between July 12 and July 26.
The airline will now be operating repatriation flights to Dubai from a total of nine Indian cities till July 26. In a press release on Sunday, the airline clarified that the repatriation flights between Kochi, Delhi, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram and Dubai are permitted to carry eligible passengers on both the directions.
However, the flights from Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata to Dubai "will carry passengers only outbound from India", the airline said. (PTI)
More stories here
A staggering 5,041 Covid-19 cases, the single largest number in a day so far, were registered in Andhra Pradesh as the overall aggregate inched closer to the 50,000 mark on Sunday. Also, the state saw the highest spike in deaths in a day as 56 coronavirus patients succumbed, pushing the toll to 642, a government bulletin said. It took three months for the state to register the first 5,000 coronavirus cases, from March 12 when the first one was reported. (PTI)
West Bengal on Sunday reported 2,278 new cases of COVID-19 and 36 deaths in the past 24 hours, the highest recorded by the state in a single day. As of July 19, the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state are 1,112. According to figures provided by the West Bengal government, as of July 19, there are 42,487 cases in total and 16,492 active cases. In the last 24 hours, 1,344 people have been discharged and the discharge rate is 58.56%.
Gujarat on Sunday recorded the highest single-day spike of 965 coronavirus cases in the state. This takes the state tally to 48,441. With a fresh fatality number of 20, the death toll in the state stands at 2,147.
Maharashtra on Sunday recorded the highest one-day spike of 9,518 coronavirus cases in the state. This takes the state tally to 3,10,455, with fresh 258 fresh fatalities being reported, the state health department said.
Madhya Pradesh on Sunday recorded its highest single-day spike of 837 new COVID-19 cases, which took the count of patients to 22,600, an official said. The state's death toll due to coronavirus reached 721 with 15 more patients succumbing to the infection, the official said. The COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh almost doubled in the past 30-days as it reported 11,018 cases and 226 deaths during this period. As on June 19, the coronavirus case count stood at 11,582 and the death toll at 495 in the state. With 15 more people succumbing to the viral infection during the past 24-hours, the death toll went up to 721, the officials said. Of them, five were reported from Bhopal, four from Indore and one each patient died in Jabalpur, Sagar, Khandwa, Khargone, Harda and Guna, officials said. Among new cases, the highest 136 were reported from Bhopal, followed by 129 in Indore, 103 in Morena and 60 in Gwalior, officials said. (PTI)
In a sharp attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said the fight against COVID-19 is in a bad state, but the CM is evading accountability by giving "childish statements" like calling it the century's weakest virus. The Congress general secretary has been criticising the state government's response to the COVID-19 crisis repeatedly, alleging that it is indulging in propaganda, instead of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
"CM Sahib and his officials have repeatedly claimed having adequate number of beds and of everything being fine in the fight against coronavirus, but looking at the condition of Lucknow in these media reports, it will be understood that the policy of hiding UP government's inadequate preparedness, poor management and weaknesses, has resulted in this bad state of affairs," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet and tagged media reports on long wait for beds for COVID patients in Lucknow. "Patients are worried, health workers are worried, but the head of the government is evading accountability by making childish statements like 'this is the weakest virus of the century'," she said. (PTI)
Kerala's COVID-19 tally breached the 12,000 mark on Sunday with 821 people, including 13 health workers, testing positive for the virus in the highest single-day spurt in the state so far. As many as 629 people were infected through contact, including 203 in Thiruvananthapuram district, Ernakulam 84, Palakkad 70 and Kollam 61.
The source of infection of 43 is not yet known. Thiruvananthapuram district, where community transmission has been reported in two coastal hamlets, has the highest number of cases 222, followed by Ernakulam 98. There have been two fatalities on Sunday-- a 75-year-old woman from Uppala in Kasaragod and a 67-year-old man from Ernakulam succumbed to the virus. With these two fatalities, the toll climbed to 42 in the state.
Delhi on Sunday reported 1,211 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. This takes the national capital's tally to 1,22,793. With 31 fresh fatalities, the death toll now stands at to 3,628.