Workers setting up beds at an indoor stadium which will be functional as a Covid-19 care centre at Delhi’s Commonwealth Games Village on Tuesday.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) India News Updates: India on Wednesday reported 18,653 new cases of coronavirus and 507 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 5,85,493 with around 17,400 fatalities, according to Health Ministry data. There are 2,20,114 active cases and around 3,47,978 people have recovered from the disease. Around 59.43 per cent people have recovered so far, PTI quoted an official as saying.

Here are the top COVID-19 developments from across the country

Govts trying to manage perceptions, give sense that Covid not as bad: Rahul Gandhi

Governments are trying to “manage the perception” about coronavirus infections and give a sense that the problem is not as bad as it is, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday, asserting that it is important to accept the problem and fight it.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (File)

Gandhi, on Doctor’s Day, expressed solidarity with health workers and described them as “a nonviolent Army” risking their lives to save people from the coronavirus pandemic.

He was in conversation with four Indian nurses working in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and India, where he heard their experiences and said people stood with them in these times of crisis.

Goa open to domestic tourists from July 2, says Minister

Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Wednesday announced that the coastal state will be open to tourists starting July 2, as 250 hotels have been granted permission to resume operations.

Goa, one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, has remained shut for travellers since the nationwide coronavirus-induced lockdown was imposed in March.

The decision to restart tourism activities was taken during a state cabinet meeting, the minister said.

The tourism department has so far granted permission to 250 hotels, which can operate in keeping with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) put in place by the state government.

Odisha Covid-19 tally rises to 7,316

The total number of active cases in the state stands at 2,094 and as many as 5,189 people have recovered.

Odisha reported 251 new cases of coronavirus, taking the state’s total tally to 7,316, a health department official said on Wednesday, PTI reported. The state has recorded 25 deaths due to the disease. Out of the 251 new cases, 208 have been reported from quarantine centres where people returning from different states are lodged for preliminary observation. The total number of active cases in the state stands at 2,094 and as many as 5,189 people have recovered.

Covid-19 situation in Delhi improving, says Kejriwal

The city’s recovery rate has been recorded at 66.8%, with 58,348 people recovering so far. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday said that the situation in the capital is improving and is “not as terrible” as predicted a month ago. In a video press conference, Kejriwal said that the number of recoveries in the city is increasing and that the coronavirus situation is now under control. The chief minister, however, warned people against complacency.

“It was predicted that by 30th June Delhi would have 1 lakh cases out of which 60,000 would be active cases but today we only have 26,000 active cases. This is the result of everyone’s hard work. We have been able to control the situation. The situation is improving in Delhi in the last few days. However, there is no room for complacency. This virus is unpredictable. We must continue our efforts with more vigor,” Kejriwal said.

The capital reported 2,199 new Covid-19 cases and 62 deaths on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases and death toll to 87,360 and 2,742, respectively. In the last 24 hours, 2,113 more people have recovered.

Goa BJP MLA tests positive for coronavirus 

A BJP MLA from Goa has tested positive for coronavirus, a senior state health official said on Wednesday. The legislator was admitted to Margao-based ESI Hospital, a specially designated facility for COVID-19 patients, after his test came out positive on Tuesday, the official said. Till Tuesday, Goa reported 1,315 COVID-19 cases and three deaths due to the disease, as per official data.

Maharashtra records 4,878 fresh cases

Across Maharashtra 245 deaths were recorded taking the total deaths to 7,855. (File photo)

Maharashtra recorded 4,878 Covid-19 cases on Monday taking its tally to 1,74,761. Of them about 90,911 people have recovered from the infection. Mumbai recorded 893 new Covid-19 cases touching 77,658 mark. At least 93 people succumbed to the infection in Mumbai. The city has so far recorded 4,556 Covid-19 deaths.

Across Maharashtra, 245 deaths were recorded taking the total deaths to 7,855. Of the 245 deaths reported in the state on Tuesday, 95 occurred in the last 48 hours and 150 deaths are from the previous period.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday released a nine-point protocol that will be followed under the new initiative ‘Save Lives Strategy’ in order to reduce Covid-19 deaths in Mumbai hospitals, BMC noted that many deaths in hospitals occur as patients remove oxygen to go to the toilet, especially between 1 am and 5 am.

Under the new protocol, it will now be mandatory for every bed to be provided with a bed-pan. It will also be mandatory for junior and senior doctors to conduct meetings twice a day for updates on patients, either through video conference or telephonic conversation.

Bihar Covid-19 death toll rises to 68

With five more fatalities in the last 24 hours, the death toll due to Covid-19 in Bihar rose to 68, while the total number of cases in the state inched closer to the 10,000-mark, with 370 new cases, PTI quoted the health department as saying. The number of confirmed cases in the state has reached 9,988.

 

Health workers at a temporary isolation ward for COVID-19 patients attached with LNJP Hospital, in New Delhi on Tuesday.(Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Patna district accounts for the maximum number of six casualties, and also tops the state in terms of the number of confirmed cases. As many as 713 people have tested positive for the infection.

State Health Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh said that a high number of fresh cases withstanding, Bihar’s recovery rate of 77 per cent is significantly higher than the national average of 59 per cent. He said that 8,231 samples were tested in the last 24 hours while the total number of samples tested till date was 2.20 lakh.

Tamil Nadu reports over 3,900 cases

Tamil Nadu recorded its highest spike till date with 3,942 fresh cases reported on Tuesday, bringing the state tally to 90,167.

Among these, Chennai reported 2,393 positive cases, bringing the city’s total to 58,327. Tamil Nadu recorded 60 deaths on Tuesday, putting the state toll at 1,201. Fifty seven of them had succumbed due to comorbidities.

As of Tuesday, the number of active Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu is 38,889. Till date, 55,502 males, 34,644 females and 21 transgenders have tested positive for the virus in the state.

According to a bulletin released by the Health and Family Welfare Department of Tamil Nadu, 11,70,683 samples from the state have been sent for testing till date, with 30,242 samples having been sent today.

The state discharged 2325 patients following treatment today, putting the total number of discharged patients at 50,074.

Gujarat: Health Secretary visits Surat, helpline launched for info on availability of beds in Ahmedabad

Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Jayanti Ravi visited Surat on Tuesday when the district reported 199 new Covid-19 cases, exceeding the number of new cases reported in Ahmedabad where 197 people tested positive .

The total number of positive cases reported in Gujarat neared 32,700 with 618 new cases. Valsad saw a surge in new cases with 20 people testing positive.

Ravi will be camping in Surat till the situation does not normalise. Surat saw a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases since June 1 when the curbs were eased. She also conducted meetings with the Covid-19 nodal officer and municipal authorities, and took stock of the situation. This is the second tour of Jayanti Ravi in Surat.

Surat city will get two new Covid care facilities with 1000-bed capacity at the International Convention Cum Exhibition Centre of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) and community hall of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) in a week.

The Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (AHNA) in association with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Tuesday launched a 24-hour helpline for information on availability of beds for Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals in the city.

The helpline will also provide information on availability of ambulance service for Covid-19 patients along with information on home care facilities for them.