People drive past a mural honouring the warriors of COVID-19, during unlock-2, in New Delhi, on Thursday, July 2, 2020. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)

Coronavirus (Covid-19) India Updates: India recorded a single-day jump of 24,248 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the country’s total tally to 6,97,413 on Monday. With 425 new fatalities, death toll stood at 19,693. India overtook Russia on Sunday evening to become the country with the third-largest caseload of novel coronavirus infection in the world. With this, the country has recorded over 20,000 cases for the fourth consecutive day.

The number of recoveries stand at 4,24,432 in the country, while one patient has migrated. There are 2,53,287 active coronavirus cases in the country, according to government data. “Thus, 60.85 per cent of the patients have recovered so far,” the ministry said. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 99,69,662 samples were tested for the disease in the country till July 5, with 1,80,596 just on Sunday.

Here are the top developments in India:

COVID-19 positivity rate has declined from 30 pc to 10 pc in Delhi: Centre

The Centre on Monday said in spite of increased testing, the positivity rate has declined from around 30 per cent to 10 per cent in the last three weeks. The average number of samples being tested per day for Covid-19 in Delhi has risen from 5,481 to 18,766 in about a month, it said.

The government also said that the national positivity rate, percentage of samples testing Covid positive from the total number of samples, has also reduced and now stands at 6.73 per cent. The Union, state and union territory governments have made a joint and coordinated effort to effectively manage the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Union health ministry said in a statement. The Union government has emphasised on increasing testing, prompt contact tracing and timely clinical management of cases, the statement said.

A health worker collects a sample of a man for COVID-19 test at a centre, in New Delhi, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)

Goa to conduct rapid antigen detection test

Goa Chief Minister Monday said the government will soon start conducting rapid antigen detection test for Covid-19 diagnosis. He said the testing will begin from the worst-affected Mangor Hill area in Vasco town. It is a test on swabbed nasal samples that detects antigens (foreign substances that induce an immune response in the body) that are found on or within the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The chief minister, however, didn’t clarify whether it will be conducted only for residents of Mangor Hill containment zone or for high-risk contacts of the infected patients. Sawant has rejected possibility of immediate de-sealing Mangor Hill area, saying the infection is still spreading in the locality.

ASI monuments reopen in Delhi, masks mandatory

A host of ASI-protected monuments in Delhi, including Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, were reopened on Monday for visitors on Monday after being shut for over three months due to the COVID-19 crisis, officials said. All guidelines, including social distancing and sanitisation measures, would be followed at the  heritage sites. Wearing of masks would be mandatory and no one would be allowed to enter without it, an official told PTI.

There are 173 monuments in Delhi protected under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It includes three UNESCO World Heritage Sites — Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb and Qutub Minar — and Safdarjung Tomb, Purana Quila, Tughlaqabad Fort and Firoz Shah Kotla.

“Delhi’s ASI-protected monuments have been reopened for the public as per the directions of the Culture Ministry. However, Red Fort, which is closed every Monday on regular days, will remain closed today,” the official said.

HC seeks Delhi govt reply on helpline for nurses to complain lack of PPE kits, masks

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the AAP government’s reply on suggestions for setting up a helpline for nurses to complain against private hospitals failing to provide N-95 masks and PPE kits and also considering ex-gratia to those who die attending to COVID-19 patients, PTI reported.

The HC court bench asked the Delhi government to also respond to the suggestion that private hospitals and nursing homes must give an undertaking before the concerned authorities for providing PPE kits, N95 masks to the nurses. The high court directed the Delhi government, represented by advocate Anupam Srivastava, to file a precise reply to the 6 points suggested by the counsel for an NGO which has filed a PIL alleging that nurses in private hospitals and nursing homes were not being provided proper personal protection equipment (PPE) kits and masks to guard against COVID-19 infection.

Three more COVID-19 deaths in Rajasthan

Rajasthan reported three COVID-19 deaths and 99 fresh cases on Monday, according to an official report. While two deaths were reported from Ajmer, one death was of a patient from outside the state, taking the death toll to 459. The total number of coronavirus positive cases in the state has increased to 20,263.

Of the total 99 fresh cases, a maximum of 27 cases were reported from Bharatpur. Other cases were reported from Jaipur (24), Alwar (12), Kota (9), Jhunjhunu (8), Dausa (5), Udaipur (4), Rajsamand (3), Swai Madhopur (3) and one case each in Pali, Nagaur, Bhilwara, and Ajmer.

Mumbai: Health workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) conduct health check-ups of residents of Poddar Wadi Slum for the detection of COVID-19 cases, at Vile Parle East in Mumbai, Thursday, July 2, 2020. (PTI Photo)

10 new cases in Arunachal Pradesh, tally rises to 269

Ten more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, taking the northeastern state’s tally to 269, a senior Health department official said on Monday. Of the 10, three are from the Capital Complex comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa, while two each are from Namsai, Changlang and Lower Subansiri districts and one from Upper Subansiri, the official said.

All fresh cases were reported from isolation centres, where people are being placed under quarantine following their return from other states, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) L Jampa said. “All are asymptomatic and shifted to Covid Care Centers,” he said.

Testing for Covid in in Mandala, Anushakti Nagar in Mumbai on Friday.

Karnataka govt sets up helpline for complaints on hospitals denying treatment

The Karnataka government has set up a toll-free round-the-clock helpline to lodge complaints about hospitals refusing to accept suspected coronavirus cases. Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Sunday warned private hospitals of action if they denied admission to coronavirus patients or declined to carry out swab tests.

“If denied admission, the patient can call 1912. It is a 24×7 helpline number. Whoever calls the number will get immediate relief,” Sudhakar told reporters.

Covid patients at Shehnai Banquet Hall in Delhi. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

Goa govt to widen scope of testing as cases rise

The Goa government plans to expand the scope of COVID-19 testing in the state by designating special teams at the primary health centres and community health centres to collect samples of suspected coronavirus patients, health minister Vishwajit Rane has said. Currently, samples for COVID-19 testing are collected only at the district hospitals in Margao (South Goa) and Mapusa (North Goa), and the sub-district hospital in Ponda (North Goa).

Goa reported 77 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total count to 1,761. There have been seven deaths so far due to the disease in the coastal state.

A passenger waits for a government bus in West Bengal’s Kolkata, on June 30, Tuesday. (Express Photo Shashi Ghosh)

Thane COVID-19 tally rises to 42,420, death toll reaches 1,268

The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra’s Thane district has gone up to 42,420 after 1,878 more people tested positive for the disease, officials said on Monday. Thane city accounts for over 25 per cent of the total cases in the district, as per an analysis of the data.

On Sunday, 1,878 people tested positive for coronavirus, taking the count of cases to 42,420, the district administration said in a medical bulletin. Out of the fresh cases, Kalyan-Dombivali reported the maximum 482 cases, followed by Thane city-373, Mira Bhayandar-303, Ulhasnagar-251 and Navi Mumbai-191. The remaining cases were reported from other civic limits in the district.