A day after India overtook Russia to become the third-highest country in the world in terms of coronavirus cases, the Indian Council of Medical Research said that the country has tested over one crore samples till date. “The per day testing capacity which was around 1.5 lakh on May 25 is more than three lakh per day now,” said the institution's scientist and media coordinator Dr. Lokesh Sharma.
Here is a list of State Helpline numbers. You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here.
Here are the latest updates:
Kerala bars daily movement of workers between Kasaragod and Dakshina Kannada
The Kerala government has barred movement of daily pass holders — professionals and workers — between the State’s Kasaragod district and Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district following a spurt in COVID-19 cases.
Kerala Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekaran announced the decision at a meeting on Monday in Kasaragod. Both district administrations had in June issued passes to daily travellers in their districts to travel in connection with their work.
Ex-health minister of Goa dies of COVID-19
Former Goa health minister Suresh Amonkar died of COVID-19 infection on Monday, a health official said. He was 68. “Amonkar remained admitted in the ESI hospital (in Margao) after testing positive for coronavirus since the last week of June. He succumbed to the infection on Monday evening,” the official said, adding that Amonkar had been critical since the last few days.
Restrictions eased in capital amid widespread confusion
Day 1 of the week-long triple lockdown in the city was marked by widespread confusion with the public struggling to come to terms with the curbs introduced without putting adequate preparations in place.
Taking into account the plight of the large sections that scrambled to stock up on essential commodities, the district administration have announced certain relaxations. Milk booths, vegetable stalls, grocery shops, shops selling cattle feed, poultry feed and veterinary medicine can function from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Focus shifts from Chennai to other districts with high case loads
With easing of lockdown restrictions, Chennai witnessed traffic snarls just like these motorists riding through the Poonamallee High Road near Anna Arch, on July 6, 2020. | Photo Credit: M. Vedhan
Shifting its focus outside Chennai and its neighbouring areas, the Tamil Nadu government has instructed the Collectors of 15 districts that have reported a high number of COVID-19 cases in the past few days to consolidate their efforts, actively identify cases of influenza-like illness (ILI)/severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and adopt the successful ‘fever clinics model’.
70 policemen have succumbed to COVID-19, says Deshmukh
Seventy policemen have died of COVID-19 in Maharashtra so far, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Twitter on Monday. He also said of the 5,454 police personnel, who have tested positive for the virus, 4,250 have recovered.
“In Maharashtra, as many as 1,51,333 offences have been registered under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code since the lockdown leading to 29,635 arrests and seizure of 88,330 vehicles. ₹11,23,17,987 have been collected in fines from offenders,” the minister tweeted.
Dedicated facilities for pregnant COVID-19 patients
Amidst a growing number of complaints of patients being refused admission, the city will soon have two facilities dedicated for pregnant women who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Revenue Minister R. Ashok directed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar to set up the dedicated facilities in northern and southern parts of the city. This was following a meeting with a few councillors at the BBMP head office here on Monday.
If trend of low cases continues, Capital may have passed peak, says AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria
People waiting for COVID-19 testing at the GTB Hospital in New Delhi on Sunday.
AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria told The Hindu that if the trend of comparatively low new cases continues for the next 5-7 days, then Delhi could have passed the peak of COVID-19 cases. “If this trend continues, then we could say that we have had a peak and now we are on the downward side. Cases have come down from almost 4,000 to 2,500,” he said.