Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Bengal Govt Says No Plan to Impose Lockdown, But Curbs to Continue in Containment Zones

Thane Pvt Hospital Bill Audit Shows Overcharging of Rs 27L | The Thane Municipal Corporation has asked private hospitals in the city to refund patients Rs 27 lakh which was found to be excess billing in an audit conducted by the civic body amid the coronavirus outbreak. The amount is a cumulative one from 196 objectionable cases found in a preliminary audit of 1,752 bills, and there were more rounds to follow, a TMC official said.

Odisha Exempts Biometric Aadhar Authentication for PDS Distribution | Odisha government exempts biometric mode of Aadhar authentication using finger print scanner and IRIS device for the distribution of PDS commodities at fair price shops until further orders.

Andhra Covid-19 Cases | Andhra Pradesh reported 3,963 new Covid-19 cases and 52 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking total cases to 44,609 including 21,763 recoveries and 586 deaths: State Health Department

Australian Uni Develops Blood Test to Trace Covid-19 in 20 Minutes | Researchers at the prestigious Monash University here have developed a new blood test that they say can detect positive Covid-19 cases in just about 20 minutes and identify if someone has contracted the novel virus, a finding that could assist the world to mitigate the virus spread through robust contact tracing.

No Plan for Further Lockdown in Bengal | The state government has no plans for introducing lockdown in the state but there will be strict lockdown only in containment zones. There is no plan for further lockdown: West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha.

Recoveries Exceed Active Cases by 2.95 Lakh | India's actual Covid-19 caseload is 3,58,692, while close to 18,000 people have recuperated from the disease in 24 hours taking the the number of recoveries to 6,53,750 which exceed active cases by 2,95,058, the Union Health Ministry said. Medical attention is being provided to all active cases, either in home isolation or in hospitals for severe cases, it said.

Scientists Identify 6 Clusters of Symptoms | Scientists have claimed that there are six distinct 'types' of Covid-19, each distinguished by a particular cluster of symptoms in patients, findings, if validated, can help physicians better diagnose and monitor those infected with the novel coronavirus.

TMC Urges Youth Wing to Help Needy | Trinamool Congress MP and senior party leader Abhishek Banerjee exhorted members of its youth wing to visit households and help the needy amid the coronavirus crisis. He also asked them to "work selflessly" in cyclone Amphan-hit districts of the state.

Admit Patients from Hotspots: Odisha to Pvt Hospitals | The Odisha government warns private hospitals of strong action for denying treatment to patients coming from Covid-19 hotspots. Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said there are instances of some private hospitals being reluctant in admitting patients coming from hotspot districts. He termed such act as unethical and illegal.

UP Covid-19 Cases Today | As many as 1,986 new Covid-19 cases have been reported in Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours. The total number of active cases now stand at 17,264. A total of 28,664 people have been discahrged after recovering from the disease, and the death toll stads at 1,108: UP Principal Health Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad

Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi donates plasma after recovering from Covid-19: 

Delhi: AAP leader Atishi donates blood plasma at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Vasant Kunj. pic.twitter.com/fmHgQTzK9w

— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2020

Bihar Tally Nears 25,000-mark | Bihar reports 739 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total number of positive cases to 24,967: State Health Department.

Collectors, Revenue Divisional Officers (RDOs) and Thesildars or Mandal Revenue Officers (MROs) are in a dilemma whether to go with the programmes held every Monday or cancel them.

Tirupati Board Contemplating on Continuing Darshans to Temple | Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) board contemplating whether darshans should continue after 158 employees tested positive including 15 priests. Two senior priests/institution heads- Peddha Jiyar Swamy and Chinna Jiyar Swamy also tested positive. In an internal Police report,  Tirupati Senior Cops suggested that temple Darshan should be closed immediately.

In view of this possibility, the authorities have started gearing up to reserve more than 10,000 beds for coronavirus patients in the district hospitals.

Central Team to Visit Bihar Tomorrow | A high-level central team led by Joint Secretary of Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal, along with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) chief will visit Bihar on Sunday to monitor Covid-19 situation in the state.

Even as Mumbai's COVID-19 case count is nearing the one lakh-mark, the recovery rate of the country's financial capital is nearly 70 per cent, which is seven per cent more than the national average, official data has revealed. Read more here.

Karnataka government transfers Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner Anil Kumar and names Manjunatha Prasad as the new Commissioner. Until now, Prasad was a nodal officer of Covid-19.

Tips for helping people deal with Covid-19

Isolation vs Quarantine

A study of the data set over the last month indicates that even within the region, the coronavirus outbreak is shifting to new urban spots.

Madurai Temple to Hold Aadi Mulaikathu Festival from July 20 | Aadi Mulaikathu festival to be held from July 20 to July 30 at Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Entry of devotees not allowed at the temple due to Covid-19 pandemic: Temple management.

Local Transmission Over 50% in 84 Clusters: Kerala Health Minister | There are 84 clusters in Kerala. Inside the clusters, local transmission is more than 50%, but outside the clusters it is below 10%. We should prevent cluster forming and community spread of infection: Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja.

Aaditya Thackeray Files Petition in SC against Final Year Exams | Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray files a petition before Supreme Court challenging the decision of University Grants Commission (UGC) to conduct final year examinations. Court has not yet admitted the petition for hearing.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja says, the state government is trying to break the chain of transmission from one cluster to another. Clusters are bring thoroughly locked and more attention needs to be given to coastal areas.

Yuva Sena files petition in Supreme Court against UGC's decision of conducting final year exams amid Covid-19 pandemic.

Karnataka Congress Chief DK Shivakumar questions BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government over 'Ventilator Scam', claiming the state purchased single ventilator at Rs 18.20 lakh while the Tamil Nadu government paid Rs 4.78 lakh per ventilator.

'CORONA CORRUPTION' of BJP govt is exposed in this Ventilator purchase scam.

TN Govt purchases at ₹4.78 lakh per ventilator, Karnataka Govt has purchased it at ₹18.20 lakh per ventilator!

CM @BSYBJP, answer us on this corruption by your govt.#ಉತ್ತರಕೊಡಿಬಿಜೆಪಿ #AnswerUsBJP pic.twitter.com/YHzVm8U8QB

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) July 18, 2020

Forty days after re-opening the store, the retail giant has once again downed the shutters. The move came amid growing number of coronavirus cases in Hyderabad.

Total Cases in Himachal Rise Over 1,400 | The total number of Covid-19 positive cases in Himachal Pradesh stands at 1,421 including 381 active cases, 1,014 recovered and 9 deaths: State Health Department.

58 New Cases in Pondy | Puducherry reports 58 new Covid-19 cases and 3 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking total number of cases to 1,898 including 1,066 recoveries and 28 deaths: Puducherry Health Department.