Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Centre Issues SOPs for Conducting Exams during Pandemic

Tamil Nadu Records 5,990 New Covid-19 Cases | Tamil Nadu today reported 5,990 new Covid-19 cases. According to state health department, 5,891 people have discharged, while 98 deaths have been reported. Chennai has recorded 1,025 new Covid-19 cases. 

641 New Covid-19 Cases in Jammu and Kashmir | According to Jammu and Kashmir government, 641 new Covid-19 cases reported in the union terrritory today; 274 from Jammu division and 367 from Kashmir division. The total number of cases now at 38,864 including 8,053 active cases, 30,079 recoveries and 732 deaths.

Delhi Reports 2,509 New Covid-19 Cases | Delhi reported 2,509 new Covid19 cases, 1,858 discharges and 19 deaths today. Total number of cases now at 1,79,569 including 1,58,586 recovered/discharged/migrated cases, 16,502 active cases and 4,481 deaths. 

Nepal's Covid-19 Cases Jump to 41,649 | Nepal's coronavirus tally jumped to 41,649 today with 1,120 new Covid-19 cases recorded across the country, a senior health official has said. The country also recorded 12 new coronavirus-linked deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 251, said Dr Jageshwar Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population.

The Health Department team had gone to Nakta village on Tuesday to take samples of a family after a member had tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Coronavirus cases in India crossed the 37-lakh mark on Wednesday, with 78,357 new Covid-19 infections being reported in the last 24 hours from across the country. As many as 1,045 deaths in the past…

2,066 Fresh Covid-19 Cases in Jharkhand | Jharkhand's Covid-19 caseload rose to 43,835 today as 2,066 more people tested positive for the infection, while five fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 428, a health bulletin said. Ranchi district reported the highest number of new cases at 951, followed by East Singhbhum (246), Bokaro (203) and Giridih (155), it said. The state has tested 37,715 samples for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, the bulletin added.

The national capital on Tuesday recorded 2,312 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike in around two months.

Northern Railway Provides 503 Isolation Coaches as Covid-19 Care Centers | In view of providing additional healthcare facility to the people of Delhi-NCR, Northern Railway on demand of the government is providing 503 isolation coaches equivalent to 8,048 beds as Covid-19 Care Centers at nine different stations of Delhi area, says Northern Railway. 

Journalist Dies at Covid-19 Facility, Kin Blame Maharashtra Govt | A 42-year-old reporter of a Marathi news channel died of Covid-19 infection today at a newly-created jumbo care facility at COEP in Maharashtra, a top civic official said. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Vikram Kumar said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident. District collector Rajesh Deshmukh said deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had given instructions to probe the issue of non-availability of a cardiac ambulance. 

SOPs to be Followed During Exams | Here are the SOPs issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in case of a suspect or person who develops symptoms during the conduct of examination.

SOPs by Health Ministry for Examination Centres | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released SOPs on preventive measures to be followed while conducting examinations, to contain further spread of Covid-19. These include - physical distancing of at least 6 feet to be followed as far as feasible, use of face covers/masks to be made mandatory, isolation wards in every centre, neither staff nor examination centres at Containment zones shall be allowed, etc. 

Covid-19 India Update | Union Minister for Health, Dr Harsh Vardhan, said, "While the global average is 110 deaths/million population, India is reporting 48 deaths/million population." He also said that Covid-19 deaths per million population in India is one of the lowest in the world.

#COVID19 Update !

👉The deaths per million population in India is one of the lowest in the world.

👉While the global average is 110 deaths /million population, India is reporting 48 deaths /million population@PMOIndia @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/5zxEZwWtzL

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) September 2, 2020

52 New Covid-19 Cases, Another Death in Ladakh | An octogenarian died of the novel coronavirus in Ladakh, taking the toll to 35 today, officials said. The number of cases of the pathogen rose to 2,733 with 52 more people testing positive for the infection, including 46 in Leh and six in Kargil, according to the officials.

Tripura Reports Record 566 New Covid-19 Cases, 5 More Deaths | Tripura today reported its highest single-day spike of 566 new Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 12,722, an official said. Five more people died in the state, following which the toll rose to 118, he said. There are 4,667 active cases in the state at present, the official of the Health Department said. So far, 7,847 people have recovered from the disease and 20 patients migrated to other states, he added. Tripura has tested over 2.77 lakh samples for Covid-19 so far, the official said.

Emergency patients, who require inpatient hospitalisation in general wards or such patients who are advised private wards hospitalisation owing to emergency and semi-emergency conditions will continue…

Delhi LG Directs Officers to Start Covid-19 Testing on Demand | Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has directed officers to augment the city's testing capacity by taking a few steps, including 'testing on demand', testing at the national capital's border points and at major construction sites to check the spread of Covid-19. Sources said that during a meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the lieutenant governor asked officers to prepare detailed SOPs to introduce such testing facilities in the city.

Singapore Done Well in Handling Covid-19, but Must Learn from Mistakes: PM Lee | Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today said that the country has done well in handling the coronavirus pandemic so far, but admitted that there were some shortcomings and it must learn from them. He pointed out that the city-state's fatality rate is one of the lowest in the world, with new infections in the community down to just a handful a day and fewer than 100 patients remaining in hospitals. Singapore reported 49 new Covid-19 cases today, including three imported infections. Singapore's tally of positive cases stands at 56,901 while the death toll is 27.

5,716 Fresh Covid-19 Cases in UP | Uttar Pradesh Principal Health Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad said, "5,716 fresh Covid-19 infections have been reported in the state in the last 24 hours."

India's Covid-19 Fatality Rate Slides to 1.76%, One of the Lowest Globally: Health Ministry | India has been reporting one of the lowest Covid-19 fatality rates in the world with the figure further declining to 1.76 per cent as on date against a global average of 3.3 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said today. It also said that Covid-19 deaths per million population in India is one of the lowest in the world.

The total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the country has surged to 29,01,908, while the fatality rate has further declined to 1.76 per cent.

The national capital on Tuesday recorded 2,312 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike in around two months.

Frontline Staff in Syria are Dying Due to Growing Number of Cases | Frontline staff battling coronavirus in government-held areas of Syria are dying in growing numbers for want of personal protective equipment, according to Human Rights Watch. The humanitarian organisation reported multiple deaths of doctors in August from Covid-19-related symptoms, many of which did not appear in government figures because no test was carried out.

China to Resume Flights to Eight Countries | China’s aviation regulator said it will resume direct flights to Beijing from eight countries including Thailand, Cambodia, Greece, Denmark, Sweden and Canada from 3 September.

Russia's tally of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 1 million on Tuesday as authorities reported 4,729 new cases.

Indonesia Reports Over 3,000 Cases | Indonesia has reported 3,075 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total tally to 180,646, data from the country*s health ministry website showed. The Southeast Asian country also added 111 new deaths, taking the total number to 7,616, the highest coronavirus death toll in Southeast Asia.

UPDATE | Odisha Govt requests UGC to extend deadline of September 30 for completion of all UG & PG final semester/year examinations, till October 10. This will ensure scheduling of exams with at least one day gap so that exam centres can be sanitized properly: Higher Education Dept. #COVID19

Lab technicians protest outside BRD Medical College Principal's office demanding action against junior doctors. Lab technician Vijender K Maurya says, "Junior doctors assaulted us last night when we refused to conduct COVID19 test of a female doctor without order."

Victoria Extends its State of Emergency | Australia’s coronavirus hot spot, Victoria state, extended its state of emergency for another six months as its weekly average of new infections dipped. The Victorian Parliaments upper chamber passed legislation by a 20-19 vote to extend the state of emergency, which enhances the governments powers to impose pandemic restrictions. The government had wanted a 12-month extension.

UPDATE | Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat self-isolates for three days after his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) tested positive for Covid-19. While the state Cabinet meeting also postponed.