The government on Tuesday said it has extended connectivity norms for work from home for IT and BPO companies till December 31. The time period for work from home was expiring on July 31.

“DoT has further extended the relaxations in the terms and conditions for other service providers up to December 31, 2020 to facilitate work from home in view of the ongoing concern due to COVID-19,” the Department of Telecommunications said in a late night tweet.

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:

MoS Health receives 1st tranche of 4,475 oxygen concentrators from Temasek Foundation

Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey received on Wednesday the first tranche of 4,475 oxygen concentrators from Singapore’s Temasek Foundation.

The Foundation has offered to donate 20,000 oxygen concentrators to India, the Health Ministry said.

The remaining oxygen concentrators will be received in August. These devices will be made available to states and Union Territories for management of moderate cases of COVID-19, it said in a statement.

GoAir launches GoMore scheme to book adjacent seat for social distancing

Budget carrier GoAir on Wednesday launched GoMore scheme, which will allow passengers to book adjacent seat on the same PNR in order to maintain social distancing amid the pandemic.

Besides, the city-based airline also announced the launch ‘Online Doctor Consultation’ facility in association with MFine, an on-demand healthcare platform.

— PTI

Dharavi records five fresh COVID-19 cases

According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, COVID-19 tally in Mumbai’s Dharavi slum has risen to 2,507 with addition of 5 new cases:

— PTI

Six BSF staffers among 24 new COVID-19 cases in Meghalaya

Twenty-four more people, including six BSF personnel, tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya on Wednesday, while seven patients recovered from the disease, an official said.

The number of active cases in the state is 433 now, Director of Health Services, Dr. Aman War, said.

— PTI

Suspected COVID-19 patient alleges assault by neighbours

A suspected COVID-19 patient, his pregnant wife and child were allegedly beaten up by their neighbours at Patuli in the southern part of the city, police said on Wednesday.

An investigation has been initiated into the case after a complaint was lodged at the local police station by the man.

— PTI

Himachal C.M. in self-quarantine after deputy secretary in his office tests positive for virus

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said he was going into self-quarantine after a deputy secretary in his office tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday.

As per coronavirus protocol, I am going to quarantine myself,” Mr. Thakur told the media before leaving his office for his residence.

He then quarantined himself at his official residence at Oakover here.

— PTI

Maharashtra minister Abdul Sattar tests coronavirus positive

Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Abdul Sattar on Wednesday said he has tested positive for coronavirus.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Sattar, who is an MLA from Sillod constituency in Aurangabad and is a minister of state in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, said he his home quarantined in Mumbai and appealed to those who came in contact with him to get themselves tested.

— PTI

Don’t collect fees during closure: Gujarat govt to unaided schools

The Gujarat government has directed the self-financed schools in the state not to collect tuition fees from students as long as they remain shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has also asked these schools not to hike fees for the academic year 2020-21.

— PTI

Coronavirus | New academic session in Goa likely from September

The Goa Education Department is expecting to start the new academic session from September this year, State Education director Santosh Amonkar has said.

The annual academic session in Goa begins in the first week of June, but it has been delayed this year due to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).

— PTI

Yogi Adityanath asks officials to study case history of patients cured of COVID-19

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday asked officials to study the case history of patients discharged after treatment for COVID-19, saying it could help in improving the recovery rate in the state.

Addressing a review meeting with senior officials here, he also suggested that findings of such studies should be shared with high level medical research institutions.

— PTI

COVID-19 vaccine by October-November: Poonawalla to Patnaik

Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, is hopeful of developing a COVID-19 vaccine by October/November this year, its CEO Adar Poonawala said on Wednesday.

It has partnered with biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to manufacture the experimental COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford.

— PTI

COVID-19 recovery rate rises to 63.13% with record 28,472 patients recuperating in 24 hours

India’s COVID-19 recovery rate rose to 63.13% on Wednesday with a record 28,472 patients recuperating from the disease in 24 hours, while the case fatality rate further dropped to 2.41%, the Union Health Ministry said. According to the ministry data updated at 8 a.m., recoveries have surged to 7,53,049 exceeding active cases of coronavirus infection by 3,41,916.

— PTI

Week-long lockdown with stricter provisions begins in Raipur

A week-long lockdown began on Wednesday in the municipal limits of Raipur and Birgaon in the Chhattisgarh capital in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Only essential activities will be allowed to operate during the lockdown which will remain in force till July 28 midnight, officials said.

— PTI

Antibody levels in patients with mild COVID-19 decline rapidly, scientists say

In people with mild cases of COVID-19, antibodies against the novel coronavirus may drop sharply over the first three months after infection, according to a research which says the levels may decrease by roughly half every 73 days.

Scientists, including Javier Ibarrondo from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), noted that if the declining antibody levels sustained at that rate, they might disappear within about a year.

— PTI

Madhya Pradesh govt cancels Independence Day public events due to COVID-19

The Madhya Pradesh government will not organise traditional public functions to mark the Independence Day this year in view of the coronavirus crisis, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra said on Wednesday.

Instead only an official flag hoisting programme will be held in the state capital which will be attended by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other members of the Cabinet.

— PTI

Pandemic to bite deeply, GDP to shrink by 6% in FY21: Report

Citing the yet to be stabilised infection curve and the COVID-19 caseload in economically key states, Singaporean brokerage DBS on Wednesday forecast deeper distress for the country which will lead to a 6 per cent growth contraction in FY21.

In its earlier forecast, the brokerage had penciled in a minus 4.8 per cent growth for the current fiscal.

— PTI

When COVID-19 vaccine comes through, time may be right for next fiscal push: Chief Economic Advisor

The Centre is likely to wait for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine before committing to any further “fiscal push” to revive the economy, according to Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian.

After he addressed a webinar organised by the Federation of Indian Chmbers of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, Dr. Subramanian was asked whether the government was planning any further fiscal measures as part of an economic stimulus, as opposed to monetary and credit-based measures which have so far dominated the Centre’s response to the crisis.

— Priscilia Jebraj

Iran says 138 medical professionals among dead

Iran says 138 health care professionals have died so far while battling the coronavirus pandemic.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency on Wednesday quoted Hossein Kermanpour, spokesman for the regulatory body for Iranian health care professionals, as saying that the death toll includes 90 doctors and 28 nurses.

— AP

Antigen test for people arriving in Goa from outside:  Pramod Sawant

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said his government will start rapid antigen tests of people arriving in the State from Thursday.

He also said that the antibody testing began on Wednesday in Mangor Hill area of Vasco town in South Goa, which has been declared as a COVID-19 containment zone.

— PTI

U.S. leading the world in COVID-19 testing, India second: Donald Trump

The US is leading the world in terms of COVID-19 testing and India is second, President Donald Trump has said while warning Americans that the pandemic may “get worse before it gets better.”

Over 140,000 Americans have died due to the coronavirus and 3.8 million have tested positive in the country. While the US economy is slowly coming back to normal, the pandemic is now spreading in many Sun Belt states, including in Arizona, Florida, Texas and parts of California.

— PTI

With 254 new cases, Tripura’s COVID-19 tally rises to 3,346; death toll mounts to 8

Tripura’s COVID-19 tally rose to 3,346 on Wednesday as the state reported its highest single-day spike of 254 fresh cases, officials said. One more patient succumbed to the infection, taking the death toll due to the coronavirus to eight in the northeastern state, they said.

Eighty-one more people have recovered from the disease in the state and were discharged from hospitals on Tuesday, Biplab Deb said

— PTI

Movement of vehicles prohibited in Virudhunagar bazaar area

Virudhunagar Local Incident Commander has prohibited movement of two-wheeler and four-wheeler in the Bazaar area in Virudhunagar town as a measure to prevent spreading of COVID-19. 

In an order, the Local Incident Commander, R. Banugopan, said that Virudhunagar taluk has recorded around 500 positive cases within the 13 days from July 8 to 21.

— Special Correspondent

Supreme Court rules out possibility of conducting physical hearings at present

The Supreme Court Wednesday ruled out the possibility of conducting physical hearings at present in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde said that a seven-judge committee of the apex court would consider after four weeks the aspect of re-starting physical hearing in the top court.

— PTI

COVID-19: Kerala Assembly session likely to be deferred

Considering the spike in COVID-19 cases in the State during the past fortnight, the Cabinet is likely to recommend the postponement of the Assembly session scheduled for July 27.

The one-day session was set to be convened as per the COVID-19 protocol for passing the Kerala Finance Bill.

— Special Correspondent

Singapore reports 310 new coronavirus cases, mostly foreigners

Singapore on Wednesday reported 310 new coronavirus cases, mostly foreign workers, taking the total COVID-19 tally in the country to 48,744, the health ministry said.

Of the 310 cases, 303 are foreign workers living in dormitories, it said.

— PTI

Odisha’s COVID-19 caseload nears 20,000-mark with 1,078 fresh infections; death toll mounts to 108

Odisha’s COVID-19 caseload inched towards the 20,000-mark as the state reported its highest single-day spike of 1,078 new cases on Wednesday, a health official said.

Five more patients succumbed to COVID-19, pushing the death toll in the state due to the coronavirus to 108, he said.

— PTI

Pakistan reports 1,332 new COVID-19 cases, records 38 fresh deaths

Pakistan has recorded 1,332 new coronavirus cases, taking the nation-wide tally of infections to 267,428, the health ministry said on Wednesday, a day after the country registered its lowest daily COVID-19 count in more than two and a half months.

The Ministry of National Health Services said that 38 patients also died in the last 24 hours, pushing the number of COVID-19 deaths in the country to 5,677.

— PTI

Masks mandatory as cases rise in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has made it mandatory to wear masks on public transport, in indoor areas and passenger terminals. The measures will last until August 5 as the city tries to break the transmission of local infections.

Hong Kong has recorded 2,019 infections with 14 deaths. On Tuesday, it reported 58 cases, 25 of them from an unknown source.

— AP

Complete lockdown in Kashmir Valley, except in Bandipora, from Wednesday evening till Monday morning

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has imposed a six-day lockdown across Kashmir Valley, except for Bandipore district, to stem the spread of COVID-19, officials said on Wednesday.

The lockdown, which comes into effect on Wednesday evening, will be reviewed after six days, they said.

— PTI

Anantapur district is starved of COVID19 hospital beds, patients wait in ambulances

There is severe crisis in the availability of hospital beds for the COVID19 patients in Anantapur district and all suspected cases with symptoms invariably land at the Government General Hospital here and wait endlessly for preliminary COVID screening or Triage. Patients waited in ambulances outside the Infectious diseases and COVID Wards for hours on Tuesday at the GGH unable to get admission into the 164 available beds earmarked for these patients.

— Ramesh Susaria

Delhi govt plans more monthly sero-surveys, next to be conducted from Aug 1-5: Health Minister Satyendar Jain

"Yesterday, the result of the sero survey came and according to it about 24% people, that is a quarter of Delhi's total population has antibodies. That means a quarter of Delhi's population was infected and they have recovered. Most of these people didn't know that they were infected," Health Minister Satyendar Jain said while addressing a press conference on Wednesday.

"Now the government has decided that a sero survey will be done every month. From 1st to 5th August, samples will be taken again for the survey"

"There is spread (of the virus) in the community, I have been saying this for the past two months and 25% people were infected and recovered. Community spread is a dictionary word and NCDC or central government will have to take a decision whether it is community spread or not," Mr. Jain said.

— Delhi Bureau

No unlock in Karnataka's twin coastal districts

Notwithstanding Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa's clear directions to district administrations on Tuesday to lift the lockdown forthwith, the district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are yet to act upon the direction.

Dakshina Kannada in charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojari on Tuesday said the lockdown would be lifted with effect from Thursday morning.

However Udupi Deputy Commissioner G Jagadisha who had enforced a fortnight border seal down from July 15 was not clear on his steps following Chief Minister's direction.

— Special Correspondent

Kozhikode native dies at MCH

A 56-year-old native of Pallikkandi in Kozhikode city, who had been infected with COVID-19 and was under treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, died on Wednesday.

According to District Medical Officer V. Jayasree, he was admitted to the hospital on July 20. The patient had diabetes as well as cardiac problems and died of heart attack. He is reported to have contracted the infection from another person in the same area, who tested positive for the virus on July 14, she added.

— Staff Reporter

Ooty’s famous boarding schools now turn quarantine centres

To deal with the pandemic, the district administration has roped in as many as eight schools, including the Laidlaw Memorial School at Ketti, Kendriya Vidyalaya at Wellington and Saint Jude’s Public School in Kotagiri, to convert the campuses as a centre for asymptomatic patients. Udhagamandalam is home to some of the country’s best boarding schools, most built during British rule.

 

Quarantine rules relaxed for CET candidates

 

The Department of Higher Education has decided to relax quarantine norms for students coming from other States and outside the country to write the Common Entrance Test (CET). The decision comes a day after it was decided that asymptomatic students with COVID-19 would be allowed to write CET. The department has also now announced that positive students can write the test if the doctor declares them fit to do so.

 

Health Minister warns of action against norms violation

Madhya Pradesh Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prabhuram Choudhary has warned of “strict action” against those violating social distancing norms and organising huge public gatherings, in view of several legislators contracting COVID-19.

“The way forward to organise political rallies is through videoconferences,” Dr. Choudhary told The Hindu. “However, we have decided to take strict action against those organising gatherings inviting a huge number of people.”

 

Spread of virus to rural areas near Tirupati leads to concern

 

Though the entire Tirupati city was declared a containment zone, and a total lockdown clamped in the region, the absence of a lockdown in nearby villages is a cause for concern. Officials say that the spread of COVID-19 is alarming in Tirupati Rural, Renigunta and Chandragiri mandals, which overlap with the city’s outskirts.

The spread of the pandemic in these villages can take a heavy toll, as monitoring people’s movement is difficult.

 

Telangana’s test positivity rate plunges

The COVID-19 test positivity rate (TPR) in Telangana, which was much higher than other States until earlier this month, is on a downward trajectory. The highest of 21.98% cumulative positivity rate — total positives out of the samples tested — was reached on July 9. Nearly two weeks after the tests to detect coronavirus were ramped up using rapid antigen tests (RAT), it gradually dropped to 16.75% on July 20. Now the State’s positivity rate is second only to Maharashtra.

 

Guwahati jail ward turned into COVID-19 hospital

A ward of Guwahati Central Jail has been converted into a COVID-19 hospital less than a week after two prisoners escaped from an out-of-town Covid Care Centre they were taken to.

Apart from people serving time for various crimes, the jail has been in focus for housing anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act activists Akhil Gogoi and other members of his group besides extremist leaders from Assam and Manipur. Mr. Gogoi tested positive and is under treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

 

Local transmission goes up as Ernakulam

 

Eighty more persons tested positive for SARS-COV-2 on Tuesday, taking the active number of cases in the district to 913.

The source of infection was not known in the case of one person each from Eloor, Palarivattom, and Elamkulam and two persons from Edathala. Five patients had come from abroad or other States. Seventy-five persons contracted the disease through local transmission

 

Submit fact sheet on COVID measures to court: KCR

Telangana government has decided to present a fact sheet on the incidence of coronavirus pandemic in the State and the steps initiated by the government to control the spread of the virus.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao instructed the officials concerned to file an affidavit in the High Court, explaining the measures initiated by the government to conduct investigative tests and measures taken to check the spread of the virus.

 

Public can expect tighter curbs: CM

 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the COVID-19 pandemic was unlikely to abate any time soon.

“We are in for a marathon, not a 100-m dash. There is no immediate end in sight. The disease might test us to the limit of our endurance. We have to harness the mental strength and collective will to tide over the crisis. Kerala can’t afford to lose the fight against the scourge. Losing is not an option for us,” he said.

 

‘Percentage of people with antibodies high’

With the results of the Delhi serological survey showing that 22.86% of residents have developed antibodies against COVID-19, experts agreed that the percentage was “high”, but differed on its interpretation.

Jayaprakash Muliyil, an epidemiologist and former principal of Christian Medical College, Vellore, said the seroprevalence in Delhi is “decently high” and it was expected in the city. “There are some questions on how long the immunity last. I think it will be a long-lasting immunity, but I cannot give you an exact number," Dr. Muliyil told The Hindu. He added that in an urban area, about 50% of the people have to be infected by the virus and develop antibodies to attain herd immunity. “In a few weeks, Delhi will attain herd immunity,” he said.

No more lockdown; focus will be on revival of economy: Chief Minister

After several rounds of meetings with officials and consultations with experts over the last few days, the Karnataka government on Tuesday categorically ruled out extending lockdown anywhere the State, including in Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts, and decided that focus would instead be on the revival of the economy.

All business activities that were allowed prior to the imposition of the week-long lockdown on July 15 will become operational from Wednesday again.

Odisha extends retirement age of doctors

 

With the COVID-19 pandemic curve showing no signs of flattening, the Odisha government on Tuesday extended the retirement age of doctors from 62 years to 65 years to ensure their availability in the State.

A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik resolved to enhance the retirement age in the case of Medical Officers of the Odisha Medical and Health Services cadre, as well as that of allopathic insurance medical officers under the Labour and Employees State Insurance Department, from 62 years to 65 years.