Coronavirus: IIT Madras cases rise to 183 as 79 more test positive
India tally rose to 99,06,165 on Tuesday, while the toll reached 1,43,709.
The number of coronavirus cases at the Indian Institutes of Technology, Madras rose to 183 as 79 more infections were reported on Tuesday. The institute was temporarily shut due to the outbreak.
India on Tuesday crossed the 99-lakh coronavirus cases mark as it recorded 22,065 fresh infections cases in 24 hours. This is the lowest daily count in India in over five months. The overall tally is now 99,06,165 while the toll has increased by 354 to 1,43,709. There are 3,39,820 active cases and 94,22,636 recoveries.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 7.28 crore people and killed over 16.20 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University. Over 4.76 crore people have recovered from the infection.
The national helpline number for the coronavirus is 011-23978046, and a toll-free number 1075.
These are the helpline numbers for states and the Union Territories
Live updates
2.52 pm: The Tamil Nadu government will test all students residing in hostels of schools and colleges for the coronavirus following the emergence of a cluster in the Indian Institutes of Technology, Madras, according to The Times of India.
2.44 pm: Seniormost submariner of the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Srikant, died due to Covid-19 complications at the Base Hospital in Delhi Monday night, The Indian Express reported, citing navy officials.
2.44 pm: Dr Mayank, the nodal officer for coronavirus in Uttarakhand’s Pokhda block, says the Sileth village has been declared a containment zone after 50 more residents tested positive for the infection, reports PTI. Thirty-nine people from the village tested positive for Covid-19 on December 12.
2.38 pm: Vikas Swarup, secretary (West) in Ministry of External Affairs, says that India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting the Covid-19 crisis, reports, The Hindu.
“It is important that we make reformed multi-lateralism our guiding principle,” Swarup says Addressing the UN General Assembly special session on the coronavirus pandemic. “It is imperative that we must join hands to show leadership, solidarity and collaboration to deal with the pandemic. We can respond best by collaboration, not confusion; preparation, not panic and coming together, not growing apart.”
2.34 pm: The Supreme Court asks Centre to grant breaks to doctors on coronavirus duty as continuous work might be affecting their mental health, reports PTI. The government assured the court that it would consider the suggestion.
1.09 pm: The Supreme Court holds that AYUSH doctors cannot prescribe or advertise medicines as cure for the coronavirus, Bar and Bench reports.
1.07 pm: The Supreme Court directs the states to provide all the necessary equipment to child-care institutions for online classes within a month, ANI reports.
1.02 pm: The number of coronavirus cases at the Indian Institutes of Technology, Madras rises to 183 as 79 more infections are reported on Tuesday, The News Minute reports.
Also read: Coronavirus: IIT-Madras temporarily shuts down after 71 people test positive since December 1
11.05 am: Biotechnology company Moderna says it was informed by the European Medicines Agency that certain documents related to pre-submission talks of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate were unlawfully accessed in a cyberattack on the medicines regulator, reports Reuters.
11.03 am: The Indian Council of Medical Research says it has tested up to 15,55,60,655 Covid-19 samples till Monday. The ICMR says it tested 9,93,665 samples on December 14.
COVID-19 Testing Update. For more details visit: https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ @MoHFW_INDIA @DeptHealthRes #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/fMYEkLgNiS
— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) December 15, 2020
10.57 am: Arunachal Pradesh reports 23 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally in the state to 16,536, reports PTI. The toll stands at 55. There are 238 active cases and 16,243 discharges.
10.55 am: Uttarakhand Health Secretary Amit Negi says more than 93,000 health workers of the state will be given coronavirus vaccine free of cost, reports ANI.
10.52 am: The World Health Organization says it was aware of the reports of a new variant of Covid-19 being identified in the United Kingdom but added that there was no evidence to suggest that the mutation will affect the effectiveness of vaccines, reports ANI.
10.49 am: Pentagon chief Christopher Miller was one of the first Americans to receive the Covid-19 vaccine Monday, reports AFP. “That’s all?! Oh come on! That did not hurt at all!” Miller said as he got the vaccine, encouraging other Americans to follow suit.
9.55 am: India reports 22,065 new coronavirus cases, taking its tally over 99 lakh, health ministry data shows. This the lowest daily count since July 6, according to the Hindustan Times.
The country has registered under 40,000 cases for 16 days now. This is also the fourth day in December that the daily infection tally is below 30,000.
The overall tally is now 99,06,165, while the toll has increased by 354 to 1,43,709. There are 3,39,820 active cases and 94,22,636 recoveries.
9.35 am: Canada on Monday administered its first dose of coronavirus vaccine, reports PTI. Five front-line workers in Ontario were among the first Canadians to receive the vaccine at one of Toronto’s hospitals.
9.25 am: Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital authorities claim that its doctors have found multiples cases of fungal infection in recovering coronavirus patients, reports PTI. The infections, triggered by Covid-19, led to half of the patients losing their eyesight.
9.20 am: Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences said on Monday that the vital parameters of Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij was normal and that he was undergoing convalescent plasma therapy, reports PTI. Vij tested positive for the infection on December 5.