Coronavirus News Live Updates: India records 72,330 new cases, highest single day rise

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Those discharged from hospital after COVID have increased risk of organ damage, says study

People discharged from hospital after Covid-19 appear to have increased rates of organ damage ("multiorgan dysfunction") compared with similar individuals in the general population, finds a study. The study was published in The BMJ today. The increase in risk was not confined to the elderly and was not uniform across ethnic groups, prompting the researchers to suggest that the long-term burden of Covid-19-related illness on hospitals and broader healthcare systems is likely to be substantial.

Although Covid-19 is most well known for causing serious respiratory problems, it can affect other organs and systems within the body, including the heart, kidneys, and liver. Several unexplained symptoms that continue for more than 12 weeks after Covid-19 are said to be part of a post-covid syndrome (also known as "long Covid"), but the long term pattern of organ damage after infection is still unclear.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Music director Bappi Lahiri tests positive for COVID-19, hospitalised in Mumbai   Veteran music composer and singer Bappi Lahiri has been admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. His family has requested everyone who has come in contact to get tested as a precautionary measure. On behalf of Bappi Lahiri, his spokesperson shared, "Despite utmost precautions, unfortunately Mr Bappi Lahiri has tested positive for Covid 19. He is under very good and expert care at the Breach Candy Hospital. Bappi dada's family requests all those who came in contact with him in the recent past to get themselves tested as a precautionary measure." "He seeks blessings and wishes of his fans, friends and everyone from India and abroad. On behalf of Bappi Da, we are passing his message to all his well-wishers and fans to stay healthy, stay blessed."

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India records 72,330 new cases, highest single day rise  India saw 72,330 new coronavirus infections being reported in a span of 24 hours,the highest single day rise so far this year, takingthe COVID-19 tally of cases to 1,22,21,665, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. The single-day rise in cases is the highest recorded since October 11, 2020, while the death toll increased to 1,62,927 with 459 daily new fatalities, the highest in around 116 days, the data updated at 8 am showed.   Registering a steady increase for the 22nd day in row, the active cases have increased to 5,84,055 comprising 4.78 percent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 93.89 per cent, the data stated. As many as 74,383 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on October 11. The active caseload was at its lowest at 1, 35,926 on February 12 comprising 1.25 percent of the total infections.  The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,14,74,683. The case fatality rate has further has dropped to 1.33 percent, the data stated.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra district withdraws COVID-19 restrictions from today

Lockdown imposed in Maharashtra's Nagpur in view of a rise in coronavirus infections will not continue from 1 April. The restrictions that were earlier imposed in Nagpur between 15 and 31 March by the district administration will not be extended further, state minister Nitin Raut has announced. "Covid-19 restrictions that were imposed by the district administration will not continue," said Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister, Nagpur. However, the curbs and guidelines issued by the state government will be applicable in the district, he added.

Raut, who is Nagpur district guardian minister, had held a review meeting on Wednesday with the local officials to take stock of the coronavirus situation. Raut, after the meeting, said that these restrictions will not be extended further in Nagpur. The government had imposed a lockdown in the Nagpur district from 15 to 31 March after experiencing a spike in cases.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi zoo to reopen from today; 1,500 visitors to be allowed in each slot

After a year of the shutdown due to COVID-19, the National Zoological Park in Delhi is all set to open for visitors from April 1 adhering to pandemic guidelines. However, unlike earlier tickets are mandatory to be bought online only 24 hours before the visit. The ticket price has been increased from Rs 40 to Rs 80. QR code has been installed for easier transactions.

"We only have a facility online ticketing now. Paper tickets or any cash transaction is not allowed here. Moreover, covid appropriate behaviour needs to be followed stringently," Ramesh Pandey, the director of the Delhi Zoo told ANI. 1,500 visitors will be allowed in each slot that starts from 8 am to 12 pm and another from 1 pm till 5 pm. An hour's gap has been kept for sanitisation purposes.

"We will see how does it goes and accordingly will think of increasing or decreasing the number of visitors," said the Director. The zoo was being sanitised twice a day after the bird flu cases were reported. Disinfectants like Virkon, Sodium Hypochlorite, Lime Powder is being used to keep the zoo atmosphere safe, especially for the raptors.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra added 6.5 lakh COVID-19 cases last month against 7.3 lakh from October to February

Maharashtra added 6,51,513 COVID-19 cases in March this year, which accounts for 88.23 per cent of the total number of cases reported in the previous five-month period, according to official data. Between October 1 last year and February 28, 2021, the state recorded 7,38,377 cases of coronavirus. The data shows the increased pace of the viral infection in March 2021 compared to previous months.

One of the main reasons for it is the people not following "COVID-appropriate behaviour", say experts. Many people are not maintaining social distance and do not wear masks, exposing themselves to the infection, they say. "There have been several discussions among state officials and ministers about increasing the fine amount for people not wearing masks. It could put some pressure, but the government does not want to use an iron fist to ensure people adhere to the guidelines," a member of the state COVID-19 task force told PTI.

However, another senior state health official said people cannot be pressurised after a certain limit. "The labour class (low income group) in the state is desperate to go out to work. Same is the situation with micro, small and medium industries. They are labour-dominated sectors and we cannot stop people from travelling," she said. Another government health official said hygiene is a "delicate and lifestyle-related issue" and its definition varies from person to person.

People get irritated if you insist on washing hands every time they go out of their workplace or office, he said. "It is the case of either an utmost level of hygiene or nothing. One incident of delaying washing hands or not covering face sufficiently can lead to the coronavirus infection, the official said. But, living under such constant fear also leads to other psychological complications, another official said.

"We have observed people following COVID-appropriate behaviour for one week to three weeks and later becoming careless. That is the time when they catch the infection," she said. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to Maharashtra's chief secretary recently pointed out similar reasons. He had also expressed the need for surveillance of COVID-19 patients who do not follow home quarantine protocols. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope recently said people should be ready for stringent measures in the coming days to curb the spread of COVID-19 and that imposing a lockdown is the last option for the state government.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 3,171 new COVID-19 cases in Thane, 19 more deaths

The COVID-19 tally in Maharashtra''s Thane district has gone up to 3,19,011with the addition of 3,171 new cases of the disease,an official said on Thursday.
Besides these new cases reported on Wednesday, the viral infection also claimed the lives of 19 more people, pushing the death toll in the district rose to 6,469, he said. The COVID-19 mortality rate in the district is 2.03 per cent, he said.

So far, 2,81,641 patients have recuperated from the infection in the district, which reflects a recovery rate of 88.29 per cent. There are 30,901 active COVID-19 cases in Thane at present, the official said. In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 50,148, while the death toll is 1,225, another official said.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mizoram reports 3 new COVID-19 cases

Mizoram on Thursday reported three new COVID-19 cases, taking the state's tally to 4,476, an official said. Two cases were reported from the Aizawl district and one from the Hnahthial district, he said. Two women, aged 23 and 21, who returned from Mumbai and Pune were among the new patients, he said. A three-year-old boy was also diagnosed with COVID-19 during contact tracing, the official said.

All the patients were asymptomatic, he added Mizoram now has 31 active cases, while 4,434 people have recovered. The COVID-19 death toll in the state is 11. Altogether, 2,53,203 samples have been tested till date, including 803 on Wednesday. The recovery rate is 99.06 per cent. State immunisation officer Lalzawmi said that 52,882 people have been administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine till Wednesday. Further, 10,349 healthcare workers, 3,656 frontline workers and 13 senior citizens have received the second dose of the vaccine, she said.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India opens up immunisation to more people, vaccine exports to dwindle

India opened up its coronavirus inoculation programme to people above 45 on Thursday as infections surge, which will delay vaccine exports from the world's biggest maker of the drug. The country, with the most number of reported COVID-19 cases after the United States and Brazil, has so far injected 64 million doses and exported nearly as many. This has raised criticism at home as India's per-capita vaccination figure is much lower than many countries.

The government has previously said that people over 45 can register for inoculation from April 1. India initially focused on front-like workers, the elderly and those suffering from other health conditions, unlike some richer countries that have made all their adults eligible to get inoculated. New Delhi says it is working towards that goal, and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted that there would be no vaccine shortage in the country as it opens up the vaccination programme.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | WHO chief says China lab leak theory requires further investigation

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief has called for further investigation into a popular theory that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory leak in China. The director-general of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also rebuked China for not divulging key data. China has always flatly rejected the hypothesis. And the team of international experts sent to Wuhan by the WHO earlier this year to probe the pandemic's origins have also all but ruled it out.

They said the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 disease most probably jumped from bats to humans via an intermediary animal, judging a lab leak to be an "extremely unlikely" source. The WHO chief said March 30 the probe into Wuhan's virology labs had not gone far enough. He said the WHO was prepared to launch a fresh investigation.

"Although the team has concluded that a laboratory leak is the least likely hypothesis, this requires further investigation, potentially with additional missions involving specialist experts, which I am ready to deploy," he said.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India supplies 25,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines to Palestine

India on March 30 supplied 25,000 doses of Made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines to Palestine, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. Taking to Twitter, MEA S Jaishankar posted a picture of the consignment. "Reaching Ramallah. Made in India vaccines arrive in Palestine," he said. Palestine rolled out the COVID-19 vaccine on March 21 after it received around 60,000 doses of Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca doses via the Covax scheme of the World Health Organisation and the United Nation's children agency (UNICEF).

UNICEF has said it plans to deliver enough vaccine to vaccinate an additional one million people, roughly 20 percent of the Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under the Vaccine Maitri' initiative, which translates into Vaccine Friendship, the country has been providing vaccines to nations across the world - from India's immediate neighbours to countries in Latin America and Africa - and is a significant source of supply to the COVAX facility.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Rishikesh and Haridwar emerge as COVID-19 hotspots ahead of Kumbh Mela 2021

Haridwar and Rishikesh are emerging as the hotspots of the novel coronavirus infection in Uttarakhand, say experts as the state is witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases with several instances of a significant number of tourists testing positive ahead of Kumbh Mela 2021. The congregation on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar in Uttarakhand will take place from April 1 to 30, with three "shahi snan" (major bathing) dates on April 12, 14 and 27.

In a significant case of COVID-19 infection among tourists, about 76 people tested positive for the virus at a five-star hotel in Rishikesh, which leads the administration to shut down the hotel for three days for sanitisation, reported Hindustan Times. Earlier, 22 tourists part of a 50 member contingent from Gujarat tested positive for COVID-19 who came to Rishikesh, it said.

The government has already raised concerns about the recent uptick in cases during Kumbh Mela. The Union Health Ministry has directed the Uttarakhand government to follow all the "stringent measures" to control the spread of the deadly virus during the religious gathering.