In May, India potentially had 6.4 million COVID-19 infections and for every confirmed case, 82 to 130 infections went undetected, according to the results of the first sero survey conducted by over 50 scientists of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other institutions.
Manoj Murhekar, Director of the National Institute of Epidemiology, the lead author of the study, told The Hindu that the proportion today of those confirmed and those who had probably been exposed to the infection would be still be high but significantly reduced from May.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
COVID-19 cases in India cross 46-lakh mark
India’s COVID-19 caseload raced past 46 lakh with a record 97,570 infections being reported in a day, while 36,24,196 people have recuperated so far taking the national recovery rate to 77.77% on Saturday, according to Union Health Ministry data.
The total number of coronavirus cases mounted to 46,59,984, while the death toll climbed to 77,472 with 1,201 people succumbing to the infection in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 a.m. showed.
The COVID-19 case fatality rate due to the coronavirus infection has further dropped to 1.66%. There are 9,58,316 active cases of COVID-19 in the country which comprises 20.56% of the total caseload.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and it went past 40 lakh on September 5.
- PTI
Many endemic species sighted in T.N. during lockdown
The lockdown forced people to largely remain within the confines of their homes, but it was life as usual for birds and a good number of them were sighted by bird watchers here and in other parts of Tamil Nadu.
At least 80 bird species in June and about 83 in July were spotted in the Pallikaranai Marsh, the last remaining wetland in the city, which also attracts migratory birds, according to the Tamil Nadu Forest department.
Members of the Salem Ornithological Foundation (SOF) have recorded 81 endemic bird species in the city in western Tamil Nadu during the COVID-19 lockdown.
With a steep decline in noise pollution and industrial and other human activities coming to a halt, the call or song of birds fill our ears, said wildlife activist K Mohan Raj.
- PTI
HC reduces number of Benches holding physical hearings as COVID-19 cases rise in Delhi
The Delhi High Court on Saturday said it has reduced the number of Benches that would be holding physical hearings due to the “alarming” rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital and majority of lawyers preferring virtual hearings.
According to a note issued by the office of Registrar General Manoj Jain, a full court of the judges of the Delhi High Court deliberated on continuing with physical hearings, which were started from September 1, and decided not to discontinue them completely.
The full court decided that physical hearings would be conducted each day, from September 15 onwards, by one Division Bench and two single judge Benches on rotation. Till now, two Division Benches and three single judge Benches were holding physical courts on rotational basis.
- PTI
Govt.’s ‘well planned fight’ against COVID has put India in ‘abyss of GDP reduction’: Rahul
Taking a dig at the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said its “well planned fight” against coronavirus has allegedly put India in an “abyss” of GDP reduction of 24%, 12 crore job losses, 15.5 lakh crore additional stressed loans and globally highest daily COVID-19 cases and deaths.
But for the government of India and the media “sab changa si (all is well)”, the former Congress chief said.
DCGI asks Serum Institute to suspend any new recruitment in phase 2, 3 for the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate clinical trials and increase safety measures for the volunteers.
- Bindu P.
Chennai Corpn. to ramp up surveillance in 15,000 streets
The Greater Chennai Corporation will intensify active surveillance in at least 15,000 streets that have not reported any cases so far.
Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash said that over 60% of the 39,000 streets in the 15 zones of the city had registered COVID-19 cases during the pandemic.
City health officer Jagadeesan said the civic body would increase testing in areas that had not registered COVID-19 cases so far. “We will increase the number of fever clinics. Door-to-door surveillance will also be stepped up in such streets,” he said.
New cases have been reported in zones such as Adyar, in streets that have so far not seen any infections. For instance, streets in areas such as Velachery are now seeing COVID-19 cases for the first time. Some of the 987 cases reported on Friday were from streets that had not reported infections so far.
DMRC deploys flying squads across stations to keep check on violators
Following complaints on social media from commuters pertaining to co-passengers not wearing masks and adhering to social distancing norms, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Friday said they have deployed flying squads across corridors to carry out random checks.
The officials said with the flying squad in place, around 150 passengers were “counselled” and ₹200 fine was imposed on 92 passengers each for “creating nuisance".
Poor response to renewal of bar licences in Gurugram
Around one-third of the bar owners in Millennium City have sought the renewal of the licences since the government decided to grant permission to serve them liquor to the guests starting from this month. Cyber Hub has been hit hard with uncertainty over the opening of the offices in its surroundings.
Of the 91 bars and hotels in the West Zone of the Gurugram Excise Department, including Cyber Hub, only 35 have applied for the renewal of licences since September 1. The department has so far issued licences to 22 of them. Similarly, the East Zone, comprising Sector 29 commercial area and Golf Course Road, has received 66 applications for renewal and 29 of these have been approved. The East Zone has 196 bars and hotels. Eight and 12 bars in West and East Zones respectively had already surrendered their licences before September 1.
Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (Excise, West) Anirudh Sharma told The Hindu that the government had not fixed any deadline for the renewal of the licences keeping in view the unprecedented situation of the pandemic and that its approach was pro-business.
Host of safety measures in place for conducting NEET in T.N.
This year, a host of added precautions and safety norms have been put in place in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, for thee conduct of the NEET examination in Tamil Nadu.
Till last year, candidates were expected to report to the centres an hour in advance. This year, candidates have been allotted staggered shifts to enter the centre from 11 a.m. The exam will begin at 2 p.m.
Candidates can carry a transparent water bottle and a 50-ml sanitizer bottle into the centre and wear masks and gloves. Every year, the candidates are checked and frisked. But this time, body pat frisking will not be done.
A metal detector, with a long handle, will be used. This will be done after a temperature check of the candidate is done with a thermal temperature gun at the entrance.
India votes in favour of UNGA resolution calling for multilateral cooperation
India, along with 168 nations, voted in favour of a COVID-19 resolution in the UN General Assembly that reaffirms international cooperation to respond to one of the greatest global challenges and acknowledges the World Health Organisation’s key leadership role in responding to the outbreak, a reference the U.S. objected to as it opposed the resolution.
The Omnibus Resolution on Comprehensive and Coordinated Response to the COVID-19 pandemic was overwhelmingly adopted by the 193-member General Assembly Friday, with 169 nations voting in favour of the resolution that recognised the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the greatest global challenges in the history of the United Nations .
The U.S. and Israel voted against the resolution and Ukraine and Hungary abstained.
₹500 fine for not wearing face mask in Thane city
In view of the rising coronavirus cases, those not wearing face masks in Thane city of Maharashtra will be fined ₹500. Thane Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma issued an order to this effect on Friday night.
Till Friday night, Thane city recorded 29,463 coronavirus positive cases and 885 deaths.
Other municipal corporations in Thane district issued similar orders recently. The administration of neighbouring Palghar district also instructed the people to use face masks.
- PTI
UN General Assembly adopts pandemic resolution
The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved a resolution on tackling the coronavirus pandemic over objections from the United States and Israel, which protested a successful last-minute Cuban amendment that strongly urges countries to oppose unilateral economic, financial or trade sanctions.
The world body adopted the resolution Friday by a vote of 169-2. It was a strong show of unity by the UN’s most representative body in addressing the coronavirus, though many countries had hoped for adoption by consensus.
The resolution is not legally binding. It calls for intensified international cooperation and solidarity to contain, mitigate and overcome the pandemic and it urges member states to enable all countries to have unhindered timely access to quality, safe, efficacious and affordable diagnosis, therapeutics, medicines and vaccines.
- AP
Maharashtra hits new peak of 24,886 cases
Maharashtra recorded 24,886 fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, its highest single-day spike yet, taking its total tally to 10,15,681.
With 442 more deaths, of which 393 were reported on Friday and 49 from an earlier period, the State’s death toll has risen to 28,724.
The number of active cases has now risen to 2,71,566. With 14,308 patients being discharged, the total recoveries has surged to 7,15,023. “The State’s recovery rate stands at 70.4%, while its case fatality rate has marginally reduced to 2.83%,” said State Surveillance Officer Dr. Pradeep Awate.
Delhi Metro resumes full services
Delhi Metro resumed its full services on Saturday with the Airport Express Line reopening after a hiatus of over 170 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All corridors of the Metro network are now in operation and the timing of services will follow the pre-COVID-19 schedule of 6 a.m to 11 p.m.
On Monday, the Delhi Metro had resumed services with curtailed operation of the Yellow Line and Rapid Metro.
The Metro services were shut on March 22 to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Postpone pilgrimage to Tirumala: TTD
The Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD) has appealed to devotees in Tamil Nadu to postpone their pilgrimage during the Tamil month of Purattasi in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the non-availability of online darshan tickets for many dates in September.
Special Invitee to the TTD Board of Trustees and Local Advisory Committee president A.J. Sekhar said, since darshan tickets were being issued only online and booking had already been done for most of the dates, the devotees should consider postponing pilgrimage to Tirumala this season.
“Those who are able to get ₹300 special darshan confirmed online tickets are welcome to visit Tirumala by road or the Alipiri footpath,” he said.
Private schools ask parents to be invigilators for online tests
Along with work from home, household chores and monitoring online classes for their children, parents have a new responsibility.
With no clarity on when normal academic activities will resume, private school managements have begun conducting online tests for students. What’s more? They have taken parents into confidence, asking them to don the role of invigilators and ensure that their children do not cheat in the tests. Though teachers will be monitoring the test online, parents have been asked to support them.
Assam's monetary aid for cremating COVID-19 victims
The Assam government has decided to pay up to ₹5,000 each for the last rites of COVID-19 patients whose relatives refuse to receive the body or cannot bear cremation expenses.
The amount, according to requirement, would be paid to the administration of a district from the funds provided by the State unit of the National Health Mission, an order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department said on Thursday.
“This is in view of the difficulties communicated by the deputy commissioners regarding the cremation of COVID positive patients,” said Samir K. Sinha, Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare.
Diamond industry hit hard by pandemic
The once bustling city of Surat has come under unprecedented slowdown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as all three sectors driving the city — diamond, realty and textiles — are a shambles, rendering lakhs of people jobless.
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the industry globally, hitting the supply chain and shutting the jewellery sector. But Surat has bore the brunt because it is the largest cluster where nearly 90% of the cutting and polishing work is done.