COVID-19 wrap August 21 | Weekend lockdown back in Haryana; BMC modifies quarantine guidelines

India has recorded more than 29.05 lakh cases of the novel coronavirus and 54,849 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry's latest update. Of these, over 6.9 lakh are active cases while more than 21.5 lakh have  recovered.

Maharashtra continues to report the highest number of infections, followed by Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The health ministry updates its numbers a day after states release their data.

Globally, more than 2.2 crore infections and over 7.8 lakh deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported .

Here are all the latest updates:

>> Haryana government said all offices and shops, except essential ones, will remain closed on weekends to contain the spread of COVID-19. The development comes a day after the state reported its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases.

>> Children play a larger role in the community spread of COVID-19 than previously thought, according to a study which found that the younger people may not be as likely to become seriously ill as adults, but they can spread infection and bring the virus into their homes.

>> The mutant form of the novel coronavirus reported from Malaysia as being “10 times more infectious” is not a concern for India as it is widely prevalent here and isn't any more virulent than the strain originating in Wuhan, scientists said today.

>> Scientists at the Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, with the support of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a body under the DST, are developing a kit that will differentiate various types of coronavirus infection.

>> BMC modified quarantine guidelines and made institutional isolation compulsory for all COVID-19 patients above 50 years of age from this week in a bid to bring down morality rate.