Coronavirus live updates: India's Covid toll nears 60k, recoveries cross 24 lakh mark

The problem has been created by your (Centre's) lockdown. This is also not the time to consider business. The plight of people has to be considered, observed the Supreme Court.

Read: SC slams Centre on loan moratorium: Can't be interested only in business

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said that Centre is working in coordination with RBI to ameliorate difficulties for those who have availed loans.

He told the SC that Centre's stand cannot be any different than that of RBI.

SC said it appears that Centre is hiding behind RBI decision on this issue when it had ample powers under Disaster Management Act to decide whether it could stop banks from charging interest on deferred EMIs and stop interest on interest for moratorium period.

SC asks Centre to file affidavit within a week stating it's stand on moratorium on loan repayment, which expires on August 31.

It has to decide whether interest can be waived or, whether it can stop charging interest on interest acrued during moratorium period.

SC comes down heavily on Centre for not taking a stand on giving moratorium on charging interest on loan as well as interest on interest during moratorium period declared during pandemic.

"You cannot be interested only in business and not about sufferings of people," it said.

Senior Telangana cop succumbs to Covid-19 days before retirement

A senior police officer in Telangana died of Covid-19 here on Wednesday, just days before his retirement from service.Additional Superintendent of Police of Jagtial district, K Dakshina Murthy (58), contracted coronavirus and was admitted to a private hospital here a week ago, police said.

Over 1.16 Covid-19 cases in Thane; death toll reaches 3,348

With the addition of 788 positive cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 1,16,413, an official said on Wednesday.These new cases were reported on Tuesday, the official from the district collectorate said.

Read: Over 3.76 cr samples tested for Covid-19 so far

A total of 8,23,992 samples were tested for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the total number of samples tested to 3,76,51,512 so far, informed the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday.In a tweet today, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said that testing has worked as an 'effective' tool to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Ranjeeta Mehta, the national coordinator of women Congress and her husband Abhi Mehta too are tested positive. The couple is asymptomatic and isolated at their home in Panchkula.

Haryana agriculture and farmers welfare minister J P Dalal have contracted nCov virus.

India's Covid-19 tally crosses 32-lakh mark

India's Covid-19 tally crossed the 32-lakh mark with 67,151 new cases and 1,059 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW).The overall coronavirus count reached 32,34,475 including 7,07,267 active cases, 24,67,759 cured/discharged/migrated and 59,449 deaths.Maharashtra has 1,66,239 active coronavirus cases, the highest in the country followed by Andhra Pradesh with 89,932 active cases.

Thiruvananthapuram: Padmanabhaswamy temple opens for devotees from today since it was closed in March due to Covid induced lockdown.

Devotees will be allowed inside the temple from 8 am to 11 am in the morning & from 5 pm till the time of Deep Aradhana in the evening.

The Covid-19 case tally in the country rises to 32,34,475 including 7,07,267 active cases, 24,67,759 cured/discharged/migrated & 59,449 deaths: Ministry of Health

India's Covid-19 case tally crosses 32 lakh mark with 67,151 fresh cases and 1,059 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Could US regulators authorize a Covid-19 vaccine before the election?

US President Donald Trump has said a vaccine for the novel coronavirus could be available before the Nov. 3 presidential election, sooner than most experts anticipate. A Covid-19 vaccine as early as October could become a reality if drugmakers deliver on optimistic timelines for completing large, late-stage clinical trials and regulators allow for its use prior to a full review and approval.

Kejriwal calls urgent meet on Covid situation

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called a high-level meeting to discuss the rising number of novel coronavirus cases in Delhi, sources said on Wednesday.Health Minister Satyendar Jain, Chief Secretary Vijay Dev and senior officials will attend the meeting, which will take place at 11 am, according to sources.

The total number of samples tested up to 25th August is 3,76,51,512 including 8,23,992 samples tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal (in file pic) has called for a meeting today over the increase in number of Covid-19 cases. Delhi Health Minister and other officials to attend the meeting.

U'khand CM isolates himself, tests Covid negative

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has isolated himself for three days as a precautionary measure despite his novel coronavirus test report coming negative.Sharing this information on the social media on Tuesday, Rawat said he and his family underwent a Covid-19 test along with the staff and the security personnel at the CMO as a precautionary measure.