Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, Kerala, Pune and most recently Uttar Pradesh have reintroduced fresh restrictions.
Coronavirus India Updates: Just four days after it crossed the 7-lakh mark, India Covid-19 tally on Saturday zoomed past the eight-lakh mark on Saturday with a record rise in 27,114 fresh cases in the last 24 hours.
The country’s death toll, which is the eighth-worst in the world, climbed to 22,123 with 519 fatalities in the last 24 hours. According to Union health ministry data on Saturday, the number of recoveries stands at 5,15,385 while there are 2,83,407 active cases.
Meanwhile, ICMR has said that as many as 1,13,07,002 coronavirus samples have been tested so far, of which 2,82,511 samples were tested on Friday. (Follow coronavirus India LIVE updates). Amid a surge, Kerala, Pune and most recently Uttar Pradesh have reintroduced fresh restrictions. States like Goa have ruled out the possibility of a new lockdown amid the economic “unlocking”.
Here are the top developments from the country
Swab samples of Jharkhand CM, wife collected for Covid tests
The swab samples of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana and officials working in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) were collected on Saturday for COVID-19 tests, news agency PTI reported.
Health workers took swab samples of the chief minister, his wife Kalpana Soren, Press Adviser Abhishek Prasad, senior personal secretary Sunil Srivastav and other officials and police officers working in the CMO, the statement from the CMO said.
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. (File Photo)
Soren has quarantined himself at his Ranchi residence since July 8 after coming in contact with Drinking and Sanitation Minister Mithilesh Thakur and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Mathura Mahato, who have tested positive for COVID-19.
PM Modi appreciates efforts of Centre, Delhi govt in containing situation in capital
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday appreciated efforts of the Centre, state and local authorities in containing the COVID-19 situation in Delhi and directed that similar approach be adopted with other state governments in checking the pandemic in the entire NCR area.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File photo)
Modi made these remarks at a meeting to review the coronavirus situation in the country, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said. He also reiterated the need to observe personal hygiene and social discipline in public places.
Delhi state universities not to hold final year exams: Manish Sisodia
The Delhi government has decided to cancel exams for all the state government-run varsities in the national capital. The deputy chief minister of Delhi and state Education Minister, Manish Sisodia had taken to Twitter and informed about the decision. “In light of the major disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, Delhi govt has decided to cancel all Delhi state university exams including final exams,” he wrote on Twitter.
In light of the major disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, Delhi govt has decided to cancel all Delhi state university exams including final exams https://t.co/g4SFLqaBQK
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) July 11, 2020
Sisodia in a video message said, “These are extraordinary times and we need to have extraordinary decisions”. He said all intermediate and term-end university exams will be cancelled and evaluation will be based on previous year exams, internal assessment, or any other “progressive” evaluation mode deemed fit by the respective university.
Strict lockdown restrictions reimposed J-K’s Rajouri
Strict lockdown restrictions were reimposed on Saturday in parts of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district following a spike in coronavirus cases, PTI reported.
The entire Rajouri city and adjoining areas were sealed and people were asked to stay indoors as part of the efforts to slow the spread of the infection, they said.
“The restrictions were reimposed as a precautionary measure after some locals were tested positive for COVID-19. While in most cases the source of the infection is known, there are some cases where the source is unknown,” Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Sher Singh told the news agency.
Itolizumab approved for limited use to treat Covid-19 patients
Itolizumab, an antibody injection used to cure skin ailment psoriasis, has been approved by India’s drug regulator for restricted emergency use on coronavirus patients who have moderate to severe acute respiratory distress, officials told news agency PTI.
Drugs Controller General of India Dr V G Somani approved the injection for cytokine release syndrome in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome patients due to COVID-19.
“The approval was given after its clinical trials on COVID-19 patients in India was found satisfactory by the expert committee comprising pulmonologists, pharmacologists and medicine experts from AIIMS, among others, for treatment of cytokine release syndrome,” an official said.
Three-day lockdown in Kashipur due to rise in cases
A three-day lockdown was imposed from Saturday in Kashipur in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district in view of rising cases of COVID-19, news agency PTI reported.
The lockdown which came into effect at 10 am on Saturday will continue till the midnight of July 13, an order issued by Kashipur’s Joint Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said.
As the third worst-hit country, India has been adding over 22,000 cases every day for the past eight days. (Express photo: Arun Horizon)
Barring essential services, all commercial activities in the market area will remain suspended during the period.
Goa rules out lockdown amid case surge
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has ruled out the possibility of imposing a further lockdown in the state as it is prioritising the resumption of economic activity. “The lockdown was initially imposed to create awareness and educate people about coronavirus. That phase has passed now,” he said, speaking to a TV channel. Sawant also emphasised on prioritising the process of “unlocking”.
Goa has recorded 2,151 cases of COVID- 19, including nine deaths and 1,347 recoveries.
Bihar govt directs six medical colleges to prepare isolation wards
Six medical colleges in Bihar were directed to allocate a 100-bed isolation ward with oxygen cylinders and clinical services in order to help assist any shortage of beds in the wake of the coronavirus surge in the last 10 days.
New OPD building at AIIMS, Patna. (Express photo: Kaunain Sheriff M)
AIIMS, Patna was announced as the fourth specialised Covid hospital after Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna, Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital (ANMCH) in Gaya, and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) in Bhagalpur. The state has recorded a jump of 4,000 cases in the last 10 days.
Adityanath issues directives on ‘sanitation campaign’ that begins today
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, through a video conference, issued directives to officials concerned for the special cleanliness and sanitation campaign that will be carried out in all rural and urban areas in the state on July 11 and 12.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (File photo)
Emphasising the importance of the campaign to curb the spread of coronavirus, he asked officials to provide photographs of the same and talked about the possibility of the campaign’s extension till July 13, if needed.
Derailed economic activities getting back on track amid unlocking, says Khattar
Several disrupted economic activities are getting back on track post the “unlocking”, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Friday. He also highlighted the increase in revenue generation of the state in the last few weeks.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar presides over the crisis coordination committee meeting, last week. (Express Photo)
Khattar said the government earned revenue of Rs 16,009 crore in the last financial year 2019-20, whereas during the corresponding period in the current financial year, only Rs 11,098 crore was received.
Eden garden to be converted into a Covid-19 facility
West Bengal on Friday recorded its highest single-day spike of 1,198 cases bringing the total caseload to 27,109. The death toll increased to 880 with 26 fatalities in the last 24 hours. Of the new fatalities, Kolkata registered 13 deaths, followed by six in North 24 Parganas, four in Howrah and one each in Hooghly, Malda and Purba Medinipur districts.
Yesterday, the number of broad-based containment zones went up to 463 after 29 more such zones were added to Thursday’s list, according to government data.
The Kolkata Police has requested the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) to make use of under galleries of the Eden gardens as a makeshift quarantine facility for police personnel on an urgent basis.