During a power outage at a Covid screening centre in a government school in Munirka, Tuesday. (Express Photo: Tashi Tobgyal)
Coronavirus India News Live Updates: Amid the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday told youth it was important to “stay relevant” as businesses and markets were changing, along with work culture and the nature of jobs. Addressing a conclave on World Youth Skills Day, he said the mantra to stay relevant was to “skill, re-skill and upskill”.
The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 9.3 lakh Wednesday, after 29,429 new infections were reported from across the country a day before. Over 24,300 people have succumbed to the disease, while nearly 60,000 have recovered. Karnataka has overtaken Gujarat to become the third worst-hit state in the country after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the situation in the national capital was “under control”, but warned against complacency. Addressing the media, Kejriwal said 20,000-23,000 tests were being conducted everyday, and there was no shortage of beds to treat patients.
In other news, Goa will impose a lockdown from 8 pm Thursday (July 16) to 6 am Monday (July 20). The state has 1,128 active cases of the coronavirus.
Two weeks after the ICMR said it was looking at an August 15 deadline to release a vaccine for Covid-19, Director General of the organisation, Professor Balram Bhargava Tuesday said the process should be fast-tracked but without “compromising on the science, quality and ethics part of it”. He said the ICMR did not want to waste “a single day” on the regulatory front or in gaining approvals.
Meanwhile, Moderna Inc confirmed phase 1 of its vaccine, mRNA-1273, had showed successful results. The company said the vaccine had provided immune responses in all 45 volunteers undergoing the clinical trial that exceeded the average levels seen in patients who had recovered from the disease. Moderna’s phase 2 had begun in May; its phase 3 is scheduled to begin on July 27.
Worldwide, more than 13 million infections have been recorded and 577,000 deaths. The rise in cases is being fuelled by the Americas, which account for over half the world’s infections and half the deaths.
People are tested for Covid-19 at a NDMC Dispensary in Pilanji Village, New Delhi. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)
The ICMR on Wednesday confirmed that more than 3.2 lakh samples were tested for COVID-19, the highest so far on a day, taking the cumulative number of tests conducted in the country till July 14 to 1,24,12,664.
Bihar recorded 1320 fresh cases, pushing the total to 20173. So far, 13019 persons have recovered, the State health department said. Bhagalpur today recorded 125 new case. The curve is steeply rising. On June 8, 245 cases. July 8, 693.July 15, 1259. Deaths from 1 on June 8 to 12 till yesterday. Active cases constantly rising now with 481 yesterday.Second highest cases in Bihar after Patna.
A complete lockdown will be imposed in Goa from 8 pm Thursday (July 16) till 6 am Monday (July 20), Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said. Goa has 1,128 active Covid-19 cases.
The Karnataka government has issues a clarification about the operations of e-commerce companies and food delivery services during the week-long lockdown in Bengaluru. Now, e-Commerce companies are allowed to operate from 5 am to 8 pm and food delivery services can function 5 am to 10 pm. The lockdown in Bengaluru extends till July 22.
Mumbai recorded 954 new Covid-19 cases Tuesday — a dip from the 1,158 cases it registered a day ago – taking it total virus count to 95,100. Across Maharashtra, 6,741 fresh cases were recorded on the day. The state now has a total of 2.67 lakh virus cases. According to civic officials, a weekly trend of fewer tests on weekends leads to the dip in cases in Mumbai every Tuesday. Tests conducted on Sundays are reported by Tuesdays. On June 30 and July 7, both Tuesdays, 893 and 785 cases were reported, respectively, in the city. Over 1,000 cases are recorded in Mumbai on all other days. Read more Mumbai news here
Coimbatore District Collector K Rajamani has tested positive for Covid-19. Tamil Nadu 1,47,324 cases of the novel coronavirus, including 47,915 active cases, 97,310 recoveries and 2,099 deaths.
A day after Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa tested positive for Covid-19, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh advised his Cabinet to get tested for the disease. Bajwa had met Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Monday but the meeting ensured social distancing.
The CM is also likely to get tested, despite only having held virtual meetings in the recent past. Punjab has 18 minister including the CM.
Punjab recorded 340 new cases on Tuesday, taking the tally to 8,511. At least nine people have succumbed.
Input from Kanchan Vasdev
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says the situation in the national capital is "under control", but has warned against complacency. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said 20,000-23,000 tests were being conducted everyday, and there was no shortage of beds to treat patients.
Amid the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday told youth it was important to "stay relevant" as businesses and markets were changing, along with work culture and the nature of jobs. Addressing a conclave on World Youth Skills Day, he said the mantra to stay relevant was to "skill, re-skill and upskill".
The conclave was organised by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on Wednesday, which also marked five years of the Skill India Mission.
The first ever clinical management study of Covid-19 patients in Kerala, by the state medical board, has reported that the administration of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin in early stages improved both their chances of getting better and the time taken for it. As a part of the exercise, to help improve handling of the pandemic, the 500 cases reported till May first week in Kerala were studied. Of the 500, three died, while 95.8% had only mild symptoms. Around 18 per cent had co-morbidities, including 9.2% with diabetes mellitus and 9% with hypertension. Read Shaju Philip's report
At least 44 inmates in a district jail in South Kashmir’s Anantnag have been tested Covid-19 positive. “44 inmates have been tested positive in Anantnag,” District Magistrate Anantnag K K Sidha told The Indian Express. Officials said the cases were among the 860 Covid-19 infections reported in the district so far.
Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday recorded 346 fresh cases, taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 11,173. There were eight new deaths also reported, taking the total number of deaths so far to 195.
The number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 9.3 lakh Wednesday, after 29,429 new infections were reported from across the country a day before. Over 24,300 people have succumbed to the disease, while nearly 60,000 have recovered.