The government on Wednesday said sanitisers are disinfectants like soaps and anti-bacterial liquids among others, which attract 18% duty under the GST regime. Reducing the GST rate on sanitisers and other similar items would lead to an inverted duty structure and put domestic manufacturers at a disadvantage vis-a-vis importers of hand sanitisers, the ministry said.
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:
Record single-day jump of 32,695 COVID-19 cases in India
COVID-19 cases in India crossed the 30,000 mark in a single day for the first time pushing its tally to 9,68,876 on Thursday, while the death toll climbed to 24,915 with 606 people succumbing to the disease, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
The number of recoveries stands at 6,12,814, while there are 3,31,146 active cases of coronavirus infection presently in the country.
“Thus, around 63.25 per cent of patients have recovered so far,” an official said. - PTI
Sourav Ganguly goes into self quarantine after brother tests positive
BCCI president and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has gone into home quarantine after his elder brother Snehasish Ganguly tested positive for COVID-19.
Mr. Snehasish Ganguly is joint secretary Cricket Association of Bengal. “These are tough times. He has admitted himself yesterday at a city hospital. Other than having mild temperature, he is alright at the moment. Wish him a speedy recovery,” a statement from CAB read. CAB chief Avishek Dalmiya has also gone into home quarantine.
It is learnt that Mr. Snehasish Ganguly and Mr. Dalmiya met some senior police officials at the Eden Gardens last week to discuss the possibility of converting it into a COVID centre.
Mr. Snehasish Ganguly has been living with Mr. Sourav Ganguly since June 20 after the former's family, barring him, was diagnosed with COVID-19. - PTI
9-month baby is the latest COVID victim
A nine-month-old baby who died at the Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children's hospital tested positive for COVID-19, taking the mortality count in Puducherry to 22 on Thursday.
The UT also saw the highest number of cases in a single day with 147 admissions.
The tally is 22 deaths, 774 active cases, cumulative total of 1743 cases and 947 patients discharged. - Dinesh Verma
Bridge closed
As part of the COVID-19 containment efforts, the West Godavari district authorities on Wednesday closed the road-cum-rail bridge across the Godavari, to restrict movement of people between Kovvur and Rajamahendravaram. This is a vital link between the Godavari districts in Andhra Pradesh. Traffic is allowed through two other bridges.
Outpatient services resume at Chennai's Vijaya Hospital
Vijaya Hospital has resumed outpatient services (only by appointment) since July 14. The private hospital group was the first major healthcare facility in Chennai to suspend services due to the spread of COVID-19 among staff.
“The management had voluntarily decided to shut down one of our units (Vijaya Hospital) in the last week of June as soon as we identified a potential risk of infection spread. Following this, we have taken stringent measures to disinfect the facility completely as per disinfection protocols...,” a media release said. “Most of our staff have been tested, and the ones who required institutional quarantine have been taken care of at our other unit (Vijaya Health Centre),” the release said.
Amid rising cases lockdown begins in Karnataka's Dharwad district
The lockdown announced by the Dharwad district administration to check the surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases came into force on Wednesday with the authorities taking steps to ensure strict implementation of the Deputy Commissioner’s order.
Due to lockdown, T.N. suffers 50% fall in its tax revenue
The lockdown, imposed throughout the country to contain the spread of COVID-19, has caused about a 50% fall in the State’s Own Tax Revenue (SOTR) of Tamil Nadu during the first quarter (April-June) of this financial year, compared with the figure for the corresponding period last year.
This year’s SOTR collections during April-June amounted to ₹12,318.18 crore against the previous year’s figure of ₹25,082.52 crore.
46% of cases in Ernakulam through local transmission
The Aluva market area and Chellanam remain areas of concern for the district, as 39 persons from Chellanam and 12 from the Aluva market area tested positive on Wednesday. Those who tested positive in Chellanam are all contacts of people who had been infected earlier. A total of 109 persons from Chellanam have tested positive so far.
Around 46% of the 659 cases recorded in the district so far are through local transmission. The percentage of cases through local transmission has steadily increased from a little over 20% in the middle of last week, going by data available on the Directorate of Health Services COVID dashboard.
Situation much better in Delhi, says CM
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said Delhi was in a “much better position” than had been estimated amid rising cases of COVID-19 in June, but this should not be a reason for complacency.
He said both active cases and deaths had reduced in the city because of the “Delhi Model”, which had also been praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tamil Nadu’s case count likely to decline in 10 days, says CM
Health officials checking temperature and conducting swab test in Sowcarpet during the complete lockdown in Chennai on Sunday. | Photo Credit: R. Ragu
Tamil Nadu’s COVID-19 case count is likely to decline in the next 10 days and the spread of the virus is reducing noticeably in Chennai, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said on Wednesday.
Addressing the media, Mr. Palaniswami said the daily case tally was expected to come down. However, the containment of the virus was “in each person’s hands”, and what was needed was “self-regulation and people’s support”, he added.
Highest single-day spike in West Bengal
West Bengal recorded 1,589 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, its highest single-day spike yet, taking its tally to 34,427. The State also recorded 20 more deaths, pushing its toll to 1,000.
Of the latest victims, nine were from Kolkata, six from North 24 Parganas, three from Howrah, and one each from Hooghly and Paschim Bardhaman districts. There are 12,747 active cases in the State and its recovery rate stands at 60.06%. As many as 11,388 samples were tested on Wednesday.
Maharashtra to form panel to fix rates of masks, sanitisers
Health workers screen people for COVID-19 symptoms at a slum in Mumbai, on July 14, 2020. | Photo Credit: AP
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday said it will be forming a committee to fix the rates of masks and sanitisers, which are in high demand owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government will be appealing to the Centre to include these two items in the list of essential commodities, State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said after a meeting of the Food and Drug Administration Department.
High Court asks political parties to strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocol
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed all the political parties and other organisations in the state to strictly abide by the Central government's COVID-19 guidelines issued for the Unlock-2 period, which prohibits social, political, religious and other large congregations.
The Bench led Chief Justice S. Manikumar also directed the State government to ensure that the Centre government guidelines issued on June 29 are implemented strictly in the state.