Coronavirus LIVE Updates: 9 Security Personnel Deployed With Lalu Prasad in Hospital Test Positive

Coronavirus Cases Continue Climbs in AP | Andhra Pradesh reported 9,544 new coronavirus cases and 91 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 3,34,940 while the death toll rose to 3,092 . The tally includes 87,803 active cases, 2,44,045 recovered cases. 

Jagan Mohan Reviews AP's Covid-19 Situation | Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting on coronavirus situation in the state. He told officials that strength of Covid hospitals should be increased to 287 with addition of 149 more hospitals and doctors to be made available for Covid-19 duty as soon as possible. 

The seropositivity was more in urban areas compared to rural areas; similarly those who had contact with Covid-19 positive persons were more likely to have antibodies in their blood, the study stated.

Karnataka Health Min's Mother dies After Recovering from Covid-19 | The mother of Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu died in Ballari district, a day after she recovered from coronavirus. "With deep sorrow I inform you all that my mother Honnuramma passed away on Thursday night due to age related issues. At the ripe age of 95, my mother had completely recovered from coronavirus and just returned home from the Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru," Sriramulu tweeted.

Maha Covid-19 Updates | Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated a RT-PCR Laboratory in Raigad district. He also launched a 121-bedded state of the art, ICU enabled dedicated Covid Hospital in Dombivli today. 

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated a RT-PCR Laboratory in Raigad district. He also launched a 121-bedded state of the art, ICU enabled dedicated COVID Hospital in Dombivli today: Maharashtra CMO pic.twitter.com/Gf2fiyv4PU

— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2020

27 Staffers Test Positive for Covid-19 in DRM Office | The Dhanbad Divisional Railway Divisional Manager's (DRM) office has been closed for three-days till Sunday for sanitisation after 27 employees tested positive for coronavirus. All staff would work from home and make themselves available on mobile or electronics communication during duty hours. However Railway Control Room would remain open", the APO said in his notice.

Covid-19 Cases Rise in Meghalaya | Health bulletin shows 55 more people, including five security personnel, tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Meghalaya in the last 24 hours, taking the state's tally to 1,716. 

SC Allows Prayushan Prayers in Mumbai's 3 Jain Temples | The Supreme Court allowed devotees to offer Paryushan prayers in three Jain temples in Mumbai's Dadar, Byculla and Chembur areas on the condition of "strict compliance" with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued to help contain Covid-19 spread. 

UPDATE | Madras High Court upholds Tamil Nadu government's order, banning Vinayak Chaturthi (Ganesh Chaturthi) processions in the state; allows individuals to immerse idols amid Covid-19 restrictions. 

Death Rate Down to 3.3% in Maha Dictrict | Contact tracing and detection of infection among senior citizens has helped bring down the coronavirus death rate in Maharashtra's Nanded district to 3.3 per cent from 5 per cent, collector Vipin Itankar told PTI. 

Kejriwal said that sanitation worker Raju contracted the infection when he was on COVID-19 duty and died while serving the people of Delhi.

China Asked to Explain Covid-19 Vaccine Trial on Miners | Papua New Guinea prevented the arrival of a flight carrying Chinese workers after Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Ltd, a Chinese mining company, claimed to have immunised  48 of its employees against Covid-19 in an apparent vaccination trial. 

Maha Govt Extends Insurance Cover for Docs on Covid-19 Duty | The Maharashtra government has extended Rs 50 lakh insurance cover to private doctors who die of coronavirus infection during the pandemic. In a circular issued on Thursday, director of state Health Services Dr Sadhana Tayde said the insurance cover, which is being given to doctors in government and semi-government services, has now been extended to private medical practitioners who succumb to the infection.

The efforts made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to deal with the COVID-19 situation in Delhi are showing successful results, said an official statement.

In its recent proposal to the L-G, the AAP government had said that in accordance with the Centre's 'Unlock guidelines', it has the right to decide on allowing such establishments in Delhi to reopen.

Rise in Recovered Cases

Avoid 3Cs' | There are certain places where Covid-19 spreads more easily:

1. Crowded places

2. Close-contact settings

3. Confined and enclosed spaces

The driver and another staff member of Dr. Puri had tested positive for COVID-19 after which he got himself tested and found that he had contracted the disease, university spokesperson, Dr Sudhir…

Researchers at Birla Institute of Technology in Ranchi are developing an aptamer-based diagnostic kit for detection of Covid-19. It can detect a number of infections in precise and efficient manner, besides making detection of Covid-19 less costly: Ministry of Science & Technology.

PP Saikia and Md Rasidul Karim of 97 Batallion BSF deployed in law and order duty, in Assam's Guwahati voluntarily donated Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma at GMC Hospital, Guwahati on August 20: Border Security Force (BSF).

PP Saikia and Md Rasidul Karim of 97 Bn BSF deployed in law & order duty, in Assam's Guwahati voluntarily donated #COVID19 Convalescent Plasma at GMC Hospital, Guwahati on 20th August: Border Security Force (BSF) pic.twitter.com/I6fV53Gzq6

— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2020

Himachal Reports 34 New Cases | Himachal Pradesh records 34 new Covid-19 positive cases, 36 recovered cases and two deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the state's Covid-19 tally to 4,572 cases including 1,383 active cases, 3,121 recoveries and 21 deaths: State Health Department.

Jharkhand Reports Over 800 New Cases | Jharkhand recorded 820 new Covid-19 cases, 879 recovered cases and 13 deaths on August 20. Total Covid-19 positive cases stand at 27,341 including 9,505 active cases, 17,445 recovered/discharged cases and 291 deaths till date: State Health Department.

According to the modified guidelines issued on August 19, all COVID-19 patients above 50 years with or without co- morbidities should be insisted to get admitted in COVID Care Centres, irrespective of…

9 Personnel Deployed for Lalu Prasad Yadav's Security Test Positive | Nine security personnel deployed for Lalu Prasad Yadav's security, have tested positive for coronavirus. They have been removed from their duties. RIMS has requested concerned authorities to deploy 9 new security personnel: Dr Umesh Prasad, treating physician of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Update | The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has 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 mortality rate.

The government sources said a decision on pushing the dates for the entrance exams back by a few days is likely to be taken after August 25.

Scientists Recommend at Least 40% Humidity in Public Buildings | In addition to measures like social distancing and wearing masks, an Indian-German team of scientists recommend controlling indoor humidity conditions to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus which causes COVID-19. The researchers, including those from CSIR National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi, said in order to contain the pandemic, it is extremely important to implement standards for indoor air humidity in rooms with many people, such as hospitals, open-plan offices, or public transport.

The US Food and Drug Administration's emergency approval of blood plasma as a COVID-19 treatment was put on hold last week after senior health officials said that data supporting the therapy is too weak for it to be used on coronavirus patients. The move has caused a big concern in India where plasma therapy is being widely used for the virus treatment. Read more here. 

SC Says Not Inclined to Allow Congregation in Ganapati Festival in Maharashtra | The Supreme Court has said that it is not inclined to allow congregation at Ganapati festival in Maharashtra. Some points that the apex court made:

* Congregation at Ganapati festivals are uncontrollable

* Ganesh Chaturthi festival, by its very nature, can't be controlled 

* State should have a free hand in deciding this

* SC mentions Ganapati festivities as it allows three Jain temples to open for Paryshan on Aug 22, 23

* SC clarifies opening of Jain temples won't be a ground to allow Ganapati festivities

he study will also look at degree of severity of the disease and development of immunity using immunological markers," the BMC said. The civic body said there is evidence to suggest that the BCG…