Coronavirus roundup: Developments in India and rest of world

TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jul 19, 2020, 20:45 IST

NEW DELHI: India's Covid-19 case fatality rate is "progressively falling" and is currently at 2.49 per cent, which is one of the lowest in the world, the Union health ministry said on Sunday, crediting efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases for it.
There are 29 states and Union territories with a case fatality rate lower than India's average, with five of them having a CFR of zero and 14 having fatality rate of less than 1 per cent.

Here are the top developments:

1

India

The focused efforts of the Centre and state and UT governments on efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases have ensured that India's case fatality rate has fallen below 2.5 per cent, the ministry said.
A total of 23, 672 patients have recuperated in the past 24 hours, the highest so far in a day, according to the health ministry data. The death toll due to the disease rose to 26,816 with 543 fatalities being reported in a day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with the chief ministers of Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to discuss the Covid-19 situation in the respective states.
At least seven Indian pharma companies are working to develop a vaccine against coronavirus as they join global efforts to find a preventive to check the spread of the deadly virus that has already infected more than 14 million globally.
Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute, Zydus Cadila, Panacea Biotec, Indian Immunologicals, Mynvax and Biological E are among the domestic pharma firms working on the coronavirus vaccines in India.
A three-member central team reached Chennai on Sunday to take stock of the Covid-19 situation in Bihar, which has witnessed a surge in novel coronavirus cases. The team sent by the Union health ministry is being led by Luv Agarwal, who is a joint secretary in the ministry. The director of the National Centre for Disease Control, Dr S K Singh, and Associate Professor of Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr Neeraj Nishchal are also part of the team.
A study conducted jointly by researchers at IIT-Bhubaneswar and the AIIMS has shown that the spread of Covid-19 may pick up pace during peak monsoon and winter with a fall in the mercury.
The rainfall, decrease in temperatures and cooling of the atmosphere coupled with progression towards winter may environmentally favour the spread of Covid-19 in the country, according to the study led by V Vinoj, Assistant Professor of the School of Earth, Ocean and Climatic Sciences at IIT-Bhubaneswar.

2

States

Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu reported a new single day high of 4,979 fresh Covid-19 cases as the overall tally crossed 1.70 lakh while 78 fatalities propelled the death toll to 2,481.
Arunachal Pradesh: The Arunachal Pradesh government has extended the total lockdown in the Capital Complex for another two weeks in the wake of the spurt in Covid-19 cases in the region, chief secretary Naresh Kumar announced.
HP: Twenty-six more people -- 25 in Solan district alone -- tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh, pushing the state's infection tally to 1,484.
Goa: A North Goa-based private hospital will begin the process of human trials of a potential Covid-19 vaccine on Monday. Redkar Hospital, located in North Goa's Pernem taluka, is amongst the 12 facilities that are listed for human trials of Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited.
Assam: The situation due to Covid-19 is serious but not out of control, said Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He said a review meeting on the outbreak will be held virtually on July 20.
J&K: Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Girish Chandra Murmu appealed to people to strictly follow Covid-19 guidelines like wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing to slow the spread of the disease.
Kerala: Kerala's Covid-19 tally breached the 12,000 mark with 821 people, including 13 health workers, testing positive for the virus in the highest single day spurt in the state so far.
Punjab: The bodies of two Covid-19 patients got swapped at Amritsar's Government Medical College and Hospital, prompting district authorities to launch a magisterial probe into the matter, officials said.
Delhi: Delhi has recorded 1,211 fresh coronavirus cases, the lowest in over a month, and 31 deaths due to the disease in the last 24 hours. On June 8, the city had recorded 1,007 cases.
UP: The Covid-19 tally in Uttar Pradesh rose to 49,247 with the highest single-day jump of 2,211 fresh cases, while the death toll reached 1,146 after 38 fatalities were reported in the state.
West Bengal: The West Bengal government has added 63 areas to the list of 'broad-based' containment zones in the state, increasing the count to 739, amid the strict lockdown clamped in all such places to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Karnataka: There was no question of extending the ongoing week-long lockdown here set to end on July 22, newly appointed commissioner of the city civic body N Manjunatha Prasad said, amid speculations it may be continued for another fortnight in view of rising cases.
Odisha: Odisha's Covid-19 caseload crossed the 17,000-mark with 736 more people testing positive for the infection, while five fresh fatalities pushed the death toll due to the disease in the state to 91.
Puducherry: The UT reported 109 fresh Covid-19 cases, pushing the overall tally in the Union territory to 1,999.
Meghalaya: Two more Covid-19 patients, including a BSF personnel, died at a hospital as Meghalaya's death toll due to the disease rose to four.
Jharkhand: The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Jharkhand rose to 5,399 including 2,695 active cases. The death toll has gone up to 26,816 with 543 fatalities reported in the last 24 hours.

3

World

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 601,822 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December. At least 14,303,420 cases of coronavirus have been registered in 196 countries and territories.
The United States is the worst-hit country with 140,120 deaths from 3,711,835 cases. At least 1,122,720 people have been declared recovered.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has likened the imposition of a second nation-wide coronavirus lockdown to a “nuclear deterrent” that he would rather not use. In an interview with ‘The Sunday Telegraph' to mark his one year at 10 Downing Street, Johnson said he did not think the UK would need another complete shutdown in the event of a second wave of coronavirus infections.
Nepal reported 156 new coronavirus cases, taking the national tally to 17,658. As of Sunday, there are a total of 5,923 active patients undergoing treatment at various health facilities across the country.
Singapore reported 257 new Covid-19 cases, taking the country's total count to 47,912. Among the new cases in the community, two are Singaporeans (citizens) or permanent residents (foreigners) and six are foreigners holding work passes living outside the dormitories.
Australia's coronavirus hot spot, Victoria state, will enforce a mandatory face cover rule in view of rising new coronavirus infections in the state. Victoria reported 363 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours.
Pakistan's coronavirus tally reached 263,496 with the detection of 1,579 new cases in the last 24 hours. Of the total COVID-19 infections, 204,276 patients have recovered so far.
Russia has registered 6,109 Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours bringing the total to 771,546. A total of 591 coronavirus cases were reported in Russia's capital Moscow. As many as 95 Covid-19 patients died in Russia over the past 24 hours.
New Zealand reported three new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation in New Zealand. Two of Sunday's cases were in managed isolation in Waikato and the third in Christchurch.