Maintenance work being done at the Covid Care Center in College of Engineering Pune hostel in Shivajinagar by employees wearing PPE kit. (Express Photo by Pavan Khengre,17.08.20)

Coronavirus India Updates:  A day after the country’s death toll crossed the 50,000-mark, 876 fresh deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data. However, the case fatality rate is still below 2 per cent.

The number of cases also crossed another grim milestone of 27 lakh with a spike of 55,079 cases. There are 6,73,166 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which is 24.91 per cent of the total caseload, while the number of recoveries has risen to 19,77,779. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7.

Delhi airport likely to get COVID-19 testing facility

International passenger can get themselves tested on arrival if and when a Covid-19 testing facility comes up at the Delhi airport. Those tested negative will get exemption from the seven-day mandatory institutional quarantine, said senior government officials on Tuesday.

As per the Union health ministry, passengers arriving from abroad have to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine followed by seven days of home quarantine.

“The government is considering establishing a COVID-19 testing facility at the Delhi airport. It takes around eight hours to get the results, which means the international passenger will have to remain at the airport premises for that duration,” a government official told PTI.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (L) inspects a mobile clinic before a flagging off ceremony, in New Delhi, Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)

‘Over 600 people in Bhubaneswar recovered at home in 1 month’

More than 600 people in Bhubaneswar have recovered from the disease without having to undergo treatment at a hospital, a senior official told PTI. At least 1,035 people who have tested positive for the infection since mid-July in the state capital underwent home isolation, and 608 have recovered, the senior Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said on Tuesday.

“Only those with no comorbidity are allowed to stay at home under the supervision of a nodal or a ward officer, provided they self-isolate themselves. During the phase, the patient should be giving mandatory updates to the state-level and city-level control rooms.

“A care giver could be assigned if necessary. People under home isolation will have to ensure their own safety along with that of the household and the community at large,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Dr Ajay Parida, director of city-based Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) said the coronavirus situation in the state is likely to improve from the second week of September. He claimed that the situation will gradually normalise after reaching peak in the first week of September.

“This (fall in cases) has happened in Ganjam district and will occur in other parts of the state,” Dr Parida said on Monday.

Wrestler Vinesh pulls out of national camp citing health risk

The only Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for Tokyo Olympics, Vinesh Phogat, has pulled out of the national camp citing health safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rescheduled national camp for Olympic weight category wrestlers is set to begin from September 1 in Lucknow (women) and Sonepat (men).

However, Vinesh said she is not comfortable travelling to Lucknow as she is fearful of her health.

“I am not going to attend the camp. I am training everyday with coach Om Parkash, who follows the plan which my personal coach Woller Akos sends me every week. The situation is not good to travel to Lucknow,” Vinesh told PTI.

Class X pass outs collecting their marksheet from a school in Pune. (Express Photo by Pavan Khengre)

SC refuses to direct transfer of contributions made to PM CARES to NDRF

The Supreme Court Tuesday said the money deposited in the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM Cares) Fund need not be transferred to the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). Dismissing a petition filed by NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation, the apex court said no order could be issued for transferring money from the PM Cares Fund.

The NGO had moved the Court seeking direction to the government to transfer funds in light of the coronavirus pandemic. It claimed the Centre was “refraining from divulging information” about the money “contributed to the PM CARES Fund till date”.

No change in Mukherjee’s health condition: Hospital

There is no change in the condition of former President Pranab Mukherjee who continues to be on ventilator support, the Army’s Research and Referral hospital said on Tuesday. Doctors attending on him said his vital parameters are stable.

The 84-year-old former president was admitted to the hospital in Delhi Cantonment on August 10.
He was operated for removal of a clot in the brain and has been in a coma ever since. He also tested positive for COVID-19.

Home Minister Shah admitted to AIIMS for post COVID care

Days after he tested negative for Covid-19, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was on Tuesday admitted to AIIMS, Delhi after complaining of “fatigue and body aches”. According to a statement issued by the premier hospital, Shah has been hospitalised for post-Covid-19 care. “He has been admitted to AIIMS for post-COVID care. He is comfortable and is continuing his work from hospital,” the statement added.

Shah had earlier been admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon for the treatment. He was the first member of the Union Cabinet to test positive for the disease.

The Home Minister had tested negative for the disease on August 14, nearly a fortnight after contracting the novel coronavirus. He had even hoisted the national flag at his residence on Independence Day. He was advised by doctors to stay in home isolation for a few days.

A Jumbo Covid facility with 200 ICU beds and 600 beds with oxygen support in final stages of completion in Pune.
(Express Photo by Pavan Khengre)

Telangana records eight COVID-19 deaths, 1,682 new cases

Telangana reported 1,682 fresh coronavirus cases and 8 deaths, pushing the state’s tally of positive cases to 93,937. With eight more fatalities the toll rose to 711, a state government bulletin said on Tuesday, providing data as of 8 PM on August 17.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corpoation (GHMC), the COVID-19 hotspot in the state, continued to witness low number of infections with only 235 cases being reported. The GHMC was followed by Rangareddy 166, Warangal Urban 107 and Medchal-Malkajgiri 106 districts. Except Kumram Bheem Asifabad 9 and Vikarabad 7, all other districts reported cases in double digits.