As many as 771 casualties took place in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 38,135.
Coronavirus India News Live Updates: With nearly 53,000 new cases (52,972), the number of confirmed infections in India crossed the 18-lakh mark on Monday. As many as 771 casualties took place in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 38,135. Of the 18,03,696 cases, 5,79,357 are active, while 11,86,203 have been cured.
Home Minister Amit Shah, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit are among the top politicians who tested positive on Sunday. Uttar Pradesh minister Kamal Rani Varun succumbed to the infection. Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan was discharged after he tested negative, son Abhishek who continues to be positive is still undergoing treatment at a Mumbai hospital.
Global coronavirus cases surpassed 18 million as the pandemic is now adding a million infections every four days, prompting more lockdowns. The World Health Organisation, has meanwhile, said that the said it expects the Covid-19 pandemic to be of “lengthy duration” and that it remains “a public health emergency of international concern.”
Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-affected state at over 4 lakh cases.
Kosovo Premier Avdullah Hoti said he has contracted Covid-19 and will self-isolate for two weeks while working from home. Hoti, 44, said on his Facebook page that he has “no symptoms, except for a very mild cough.”
With nearly 53,000 new cases (52,972), the number of confirmed infections in India crossed the 18-lakh mark on Monday. As many as 771 casualties took place in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 38,135. Of the 18,03,696 cases, 5,79,357 are active, while 11,86,203 have been cured.
A day after Karanataka CM Yediyurappa tested positive, her daughter has also been infected with the virus. She has been admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru.
CM Yediyurappa, meanwhile, is "doing well" and is "clinically stable." "Hon CM of Karnataka Shri BS Yediyurappa has been admitted to Manipal hospital for observation. He is doing well, is clinically stable and will be monitored closely by our team," Manipal Hospital said in a statement issued late Sunday night, hours after the leader was admitted. Yediyurappa was in home quarantine a couple of weeks ago after some staff members in his home office were found infected with the virus.
New Zealand will not be proceeding with a quarantine-free travel zone with Australia any time soon as a coronavirus outbreak spreads in the state of Victoria, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. Officials from both nations have been working toward a “trans-Tasman bubble” to stimulate tourism and help their economies recover from the pandemic. While New Zealand has no community transmission of the virus, and has so far caught and quarantined anyone infected as they arrive at the border, Victoria has gone into a second lockdown as the outbreak there shows no signs of abating.
As Covid-19 cases climb steadily across the country, touching 17.50 lakh on August 1, general insurance companies, including standalone health insurers, have reported an over 240 per cent jump in claims for treatment for the disease over the previous month. As of July last week, 71,423 people had claimed Rs 1,145.87 crore from insurance companies towards Covid treatment, according to figures compiled by the General Insurance Council, the apex body of all general insurers. On June 22, only 20,965 people had made claims for Rs 323 crore
Despite this jump in insurance claims, in a sign of the low insurance penetration in the country, the health insurance claims received so far amount to just 4.08 per cent of the total number of people infected with the virus so far (17.5 lakh cases as on August 1). The average claim per person works out to Rs 1.60 lakh.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given nod to the Serum Institute of India (SII) for conducting phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the Oxford University developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country. Government officials told PTI that the approval for conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials by the SII was granted by DCGI Dr V G Somani late Sunday night after a thorough evaluation based on the recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19. "The firm has to submit safety data, evaluated by the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), to the CDSCO before proceeding to phase 3 clinical trials," a senior official said. "As per the study design, each subject will be administered two doses four weeks apart (first dose on day one and second dose on day 29) following which the safety and immunogenicity will be assessed at predefined intervals," the official said.
Singapore will require some incoming travelers who are serving their 14-day stay-home notices outside of dedicated facilities to wear an electronic monitoring device to ensure compliance. The rule will come into effect Aug. 10 and will apply to Singapore citizens, permanent residents, long-term pass holders and work pass holders, the government said.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. Taking to Twitter, Yediyurappa said: "I have tested positive for coronavirus. Whilst I am fine, I am being hospitalised as a precaution on the recommendation of doctors. I request those who have come in contact with me recently to be observant and exercise self quarantine."
Issuing fresh guidelines for international passengers arriving into India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Sunday made a seven-day institutional quarantine mandatory for travelers, followed by home isolation for another 7 days.
Exceptions will be given in a few cases — human distress, pregnancy, death in family, serious illness, and parents accompanied by children below 10 years of age. They will be asked to self-isolate at home for 14 days. The new set of guidelines will come into place from August 8. Click here to read more.
In early May, an extremely well-sealed steel box arrived at the cold room of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker.
Inside, packed in dry ice, sat a tiny 1-milliliter vial from Oxford, England, containing the cellular material for one of the world’s most promising coronavirus vaccines.
Scientists in white lab coats brought the vial to Building 14, carefully poured the contents into a flask, added a medium of vitamins and sugar and began growing billions of cells. Thus began one of the biggest gambles yet in the quest to find the vaccine that will bring the world’s COVID-19 nightmare to an end. Click here to read more.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wished Home Minister Amit Shah a speedy recovery, after he was found to be suffering from Covid-19.
With several countries gradually opening their air space and lifting lockdown restrictions, ‘non-essential’ travel is slowly gaining traction as major airlines ramp up their services in time for the peak holiday season. However, most countries still have border closures and travel bans in place.
Borders across Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, and some Pacific island nations have begun to reopen to non-essential travel even though many countries across Africa and South America are in lockdown. US border closures remain in place with Europe, Mexico, and Canada.
Moreover, in a bid to kick-start tourism and help economies rebound, governments are implementing “travel bubbles” or air bridges between countries, allowing citizens to travel freely between specified nations. India has implemented a temporary reciprocal arrangement with the US, Germany, and France and more countries like the UK and Canada will soon be added to the list. Click here to read more.
Actor Akshay Kumar equipped the Mumbai Police with health-tracking devices which will help them deal better with the COVID-19 situation, Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray said in a tweet on Saturday.
"Earlier today, Akshay Kumar ji handed over fitness-health tracking devices to Mumbai Police. It gives a constant reading of oxygen, body temp, and heart rate, helpful in COVID battle. Last month, Akshay ji gave it to Nashik Police," the tourism minister tweeted.
Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday wished a speedy recovery to Union home minister Amit Shah and Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit who have tested positive for coronavirus.
"The entire nation's good wishes are with you," the former Maharashtra chief minister said responding to Shah's tweet that he has tested positive for the infection and is getting admitted to a hospital on the advice of doctors.
Police in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district will distribute over 14 lakh face masks to people on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on Monday, to urge the public to make efforts towards containing the spread of COVID-19.
As part of the drive, titled Ek Rakshasutra Mask ka (one safety string of mask), the police with the support of volunteers will offer masks to people in every police station area of Raigarh, a senior official said on Sunday.
“Right from when the coronavirus outbreak began in March, the Raigarh police have been running several awareness campaigns to sensitise people about the viral infection. The district witnessed a spurt in cases in the last one month,” Raigarh Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh told PTI.
Uttar Pradesh BJP President Swatantra Dev Singh tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. He has been advised by the doctors to stay in home quarantine.
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Sunday tested positive for Covid-19. "He is asymptomatic and clinically stable," according to a statement issued by the hospital where he was tested. He has been advised to isolate himself at his residence.
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan was discharged from Nanavati hospital on Sunday. The actor’s son Abhishek Bachchan took to Twitter to share the news.
Abhishek Bachchan tweeted, "My father, thankfully, has tested negative on his latest Covid-19 test and has been discharged from the hospital. He will now be at home and rest. Thank you all for all your prayers and wishes for him.”
Amitabh Bachchan was admitted to Nanavati hospital on July 11 after testing positive for coronavirus. Amitabh had been admitted in the hospital along with his son and actor Abhishek Bachchan, who had also contracted the disease.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday tested positive for Covid-19. "My health is fine but I am being admitted to hospital on the advice of doctors. I request all of you who have come in contact with me in the last few days to please isolate yourself and get your inquiry done," he said in a tweet.
The death toll from coronavirus in Latin America surpassed 2,00,000 on Saturday, as per a Reuters tally. Apart from the United States, Brazil and Mexico have reported more fatalities from the virus than any other country. Together, they account for around 70 per cent of the regional death toll.
Brazil reported a daily record of 1,595 coronavirus-related deaths earlier in the week and 1,088 deaths on Saturday. Mexico, meanwhile, reported 784 fatalities on Saturday and recorded over 9,000 new infections for the first time.
Peru reported 191 deaths due to the disease.