The coronavirus tally in India sprinted past the 30-lakh mark, just 16 days after it crossed 20 lakh, on Sunday.

Coronavirus India Updates: The coronavirus tally in India sprinted past the 30-lakh mark, just 16 days after it crossed 20 lakh, on Sunday. However, with the recovery of 22,80,566 people, the recovery rate was pushed to 74.90 per cent, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

With 69,239 infections in a single day, the overall tally in the country rose to 30,44,940 while the death toll stood at 56,706. The fatality rate has declined to 1.86 per cent. A cumulative total of 3,52,92,220 samples have been tested up to August 22, with 8,01,147 samples being tested on Saturday, the ICMR said.

Here are today’s top developments from across the country

‘Maharashtra to soon decide on inter-state, intra-state travel’

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said that a decision regarding removal of restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement people
and goods will be taken soon. He announced this in a tweet.

“We have taken note of the recent guidelines announced by the centre removingall restrictionson inter-state and intra-state movement of goods and people. Appropriate decision will be taken regarding the same after discussion with chief minister and deputy chief minister,” it said.

We have taken note of the recent guidelines announced by the centre removing all restrictions on inter-state & intra-state movement of goods & people. Appropriate decision will be taken regarding the same after discussion with Hon’ble CM & DCM.

— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) August 22, 2020

In a separate statement, the minister said that currently, e-passes are required for travel and so far 7,74,203 e-passes have been issued. As part of Unlock 3, the Centre had allowed inter-state travel without any restrictions. But in Maharashtra, e-passes was mandatory.

Office of English daily in Meghalaya declared containment area

Health authorities in Meghalaya have declared the office of an English daily in Shillong as containment area, days after some of its staff tested positive for COVID-19, a senior state government official told news agency PTI on Sunday. The move would facilitate testing, isolation and quarantine of primary and secondary contacts of the positive cases, he said.

“It is necessary to declare the office building and staff quarters of The Shillong Times as a containment area so as to restrict unregulated entry and exit movement on site,” East Khasi Hills District Magistrate Matsiewdor War Nongbri said.

In a Facebook post, The Shillong Times said, “After 75 years of service, we got the stick from the government for alleged violation of health protocol. This means that ST will not hit the stands from August 23 onwards.”

With 1,450 fresh COVID-19 cases, Delhi records highest single-day spike in August

Delhi recorded 1,450 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the city’s highest single-day spike in August, taking the tally to over 1.61 lakh while the death toll rose to 4,300, authorities said. The national capital had recorded 1,412 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday, the previous highest single-day spike of the month.

Delhi has seen a fluctuation in the number of coronavirus cases since August 1. On August 1, the city recorded 1,118 fresh cases while for the next three days, the number of infections reported in a single-day stayed below the 1,000-mark.

From August 5 to August 9, the number of fresh COVID-19 cases again stayed above the 1,000-mark only to come down to 707 on August 10. Three days between August 11 and August 22 saw less than 1,000 fresh cases being reported — August 13 (956), August 16 (652), and August 17 (787).

Serological survey for COVID-19 launched in Assam

The first serological survey in Assam was launched here by the Minister of state for Health and Family Welfare Pijush Hazarika on Sunday to assess whether people surveyed have developed immunity to novel coronavirus.

A serological survey involves testing of the blood serum of individuals to check for the prevalence of antibodies against an infection.

The survey titled ‘A.A.S.H.A Assessment of Anti-SARSCoV2 Seroprevalence in Habitants of Assam: a population based cross sectional study’ is an initiative of an NGO in partnership with a diagnostics solutions provider. PTI

Centre releases guidelines for resumption of shooting of films, TV serials

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday announced a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for resuming shooting of films and TV programmes.

Providing details of the SOPs, Javadekar said barring those who are in front of cameras, all others will require to wear masks.

The guiding principles also said that employees who are at higher risk, such as older employees, pregnant employees, employees who have underlying medical conditions, should take extra precautions.

They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the public, according to the health ministry guiding principles.

An employee wears a face shield and mask while serving food during a trial-run at Bukhara Restaurant inside ITC Maurya Hotel, New Delhi, on Saturday.

Three Covid patients untraceable in UP’s Muzaffarnagar

Three persons, who had tested positive for coronavirus in Muzaffarnagar, have gone missing as they provided fake information and phone numbers during sample collection, PTI reported. While two of them had claimed to be staffers of a hospital, the third had given his address at Saket Colony, officials said.

A search has been launched by the district authorities to trace the three persons, the officials said. Following the incidents, authorities have decided to check Aadhaar cards for address during sample collection, they added.

Laxmi Road, which is usally crowded with processions on Ganesh Chaturthi, wears a deserted look due to Covid-related restrictions, in Pune on Saturday.

Pranab Mukherjee remains in deep coma: Hospital

Former President Pranab Mukherjee continues to be a deep coma as there has been no change in his health condition, the Army’s Research and Referral hospital said on Sunday.

Doctors attending on the 84-year-old said his vital parameters are stable.

“There is no change in the condition of Shri Pranab Mukherjee this morning. He remains in a deep coma and on ventilator support. His vital parameters are stable,” a statement by the hospital read.

The former President was admitted to the hospital in Delhi Cantonment on August 10 and was operated for removal of a clot in the brain. He later tested positive for coronavirus. Thereafter, he developed lung infection and is being treated for the same, doctors said.