The SSLC and vocational higher secondary education (VHSE) examinations will resume in Kerala today amid unprecedented arrangements against the backdrop of the COVID-19 threat. The higher secondary education (HSE) examinations are slated to begin on Wednesday. Around 13.74 lakh students are expected to appear for these examinations.
The Hindu has brought out a multi-language e-book on essential COVID-19 information, in addition to covering the developments related to the coronavirus pandemic as it unfolded.
Here are the latest updates:
79 more positive cases were detected in Odisha on Tuesday taking the State's total to 1,517, according to officials.
Active cases now stand at 861, while 649 persons have recovered and seven have died so far.
- Prafulla Das
Produce arrested accused before Magistrates through electronic medium: Kerala High court
Kerala High court has directed police to produce arrested accused before Magistrates and Sub judges only through electronic medium such as desktop, laptop, mobile phone.
The decision was taken after an accused, who was produced before a lower court in Thiruvananthapuram tested positive. About 100 people, including a Magistrate and some police personnel, have been asked to go into quarantine.
The accused, who was arrested along with two others in connection with a case relating to illicit liquor transportation two days ago, had been shifted to the Poojapura central jail after he was remanded to judicial custody.
China reports 36 new coronavirus cases
China has reported 36 new coronavirus cases, including 29 asymptomatic infections, mostly in the contagion’s first epicentre Wuhan where 6.5 million people have been tested so far, health officials said on Monday.
The country’s National Health Commission (NHC) said that seven new imported cases were reported, including five in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and one each in Shanghai and Fujian.
No deaths due to the COVID-19 were reported on Monday, it said, adding that 403 asymptomatic cases, including 28 from overseas, are currently under medical observation across the country.
- PTI
Saudi Arabia to end curfew on June 21, except in Mecca
Saudi Arabia will begin easing restrictions on movement and travel this week, more than two months after stringent measures were introduced to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Restrictions will be lifted in three phases, culminating in the curfew completely ending - with the exception of the holy city of Mecca - from June 21, the state news agency reported in a statement early on Tuesday.
- Reuters
U.S. firm Novavax begins vaccine trial in Australia
A U.S. biotechnology company announced on Tuesday the start of human trials in Australia of a vaccine for the coronavirus with hopes of releasing a proven vaccine this year.
Novavax has begun the first phase of the trial in which 131 volunteers in the cities of Melbourne and Brisbane will test the safety of the vaccine and look for early signs of the vaccine’s effectiveness, the company’s research chief Dr. Gregory Glenn said.
Air India evacuates 115 stranded Indians from Israel
Some 115 Indians, including out of work and broke caregivers, students and pregnant women, were all smiles as they boarded an Air India flight from Ben-Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv) on Tuesday and left for India after being stranded in Israel for more than two months due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The flight took off at 1 a.m. IST
405 positive cases, 30 deaths 24 hours
Gujarat’s infection spike continued rising with 405 new COVID-19 cases and 30 deaths reported on Monday, increasing the State’s tally of cases to 14,468, and fatality count to 888.
As the State’s mortality rate is 6.15%, along with the spike in infections, there is also a spike in patients requiring ventilator support, with as many as 109 patients surviving through mechanised ventilation as on Monday.
UK to reopen thousands of shops next month, says Boris Johnson
Britain will reopen thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres next month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, setting out a timetable for businesses as part of moves to ease the coronavirus lockdown.
He told a news conference that from June 1, outdoor markets and car showrooms could be reopened as soon as they are able to meet the COVID-19 secure guidelines, and all other non-essential retail from June 15 if the government's tests are met.
Tondiarpet becomes fifth zone in Chennai to cross the 1,000-case mark
With Tondiarpet becoming the fifth zone in Chennai Corporation to register over a thousand COVID-19 patients, officials have come up with localised plans targeting slums for testing.
Already Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Kodambakkam and Teynampet zones have reported more than 1,000 cases. The number of COVID-19 positive cases is inching towards the 2,000-mark in Royapuram.