The Covid-19 situation in India is slowly but steadily stabilising.Coronavirus Third Wave India Live Update, Coronavirus Statistics India August 11 Live News: The Covid-19 situation in India is slowly but steadily stabilizing. The daily coronavirus count has been hovering around 35,000. On Tuesday, India reported 28,204 new Covid-19 cases, the lowest in nearly five months (since March 16). The number of active Covid-19 cases in the country also dropped to 3,88,508, the lowest in 139 days. Even Covid-19 deaths remained below 400. All these indicate improvement in the Covid-19 situation in the country.
However, as many as 37 districts have been witnessing a surge in daily Coronavirus infections, against 18 districts last week, which is a concern. While Covid-19 cases are “stabilizing” across the country, the rising reproduction value (R-value) is a major “reason to be concerned”, the Health Ministry said. The R-value has gone over 1 in eight states, especially in newer states. In Punjab, the R-value has increased to 1.3; in Himachal Pradesh, which saw massive overcrowding by tourists last month after Covid restrictions were eased, it is 1.3; Uttar Pradesh has an R-value of 1.1; Andhra Pradesh (1 R); Gujarat (1.1 R), Madhya Pradesh (1.1 R), Goa and Nagaland (1 R). This shows how fast the coronavirus is spreading in these states, the ministry said, asking these states to follow stricter containment measures to limit the spread. The Health Ministry said that the decline in daily cases has not conclusive meaning for India’s coronavirus trajectory if the ‘R’ factor remains high.
Kerala alone reported over 50% of India’s new Covid-19 cases last week. The test positivity rate in the state has gone over 16%, compared to the national average of 2%. However, the state government has reimposed most of the restrictions in order to contain the surge. A central team that visited Kerala has said that from August 1-20, the state may witness around 4.6 lakh Covid-19 cases. The unlocking of activities, the Onam festival (on August 20), and the reopening of tourism pose challenging scenarios to the state.
Globally, the Delta variant is still giving trouble to many countries. The variant is contributing to the high caseload in the US and UK. It is also behind the recent surge in China.
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Drugs Controller General of India gives nod for conducting a study on mixing Covaxin & Covishield. (ANI)
Thane has reported 210 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,47,153, an official said on Wednesday. Besides these new cases recorded on Tuesday, 10 more people also succumbed to the viral infection, which raised the death toll in the district to 11,143, he said. The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane is 2.03 per cent, he added. In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,33,783, while the death toll has reached 3,217, another official said. (PTI)
Melbourne will stay locked down for a second week after reporting 20 new COVID-19 cases as it struggles to stamp out infections caused by the highly infectious Delta variant of the pandemic. Melbourne had been due to exit the lockdown on Thursday, the sixth for its five million people in stop-start battles against the coronavirus also seen elsewhere across the country have triggered frustration and dischord.But Victoria state Premier Dan Andrews confirmed strict stay-at-home orders will remain in place until at least Aug. 19 after authorities were unable to trace how several of the 20 people confirmed as new cases on Wednesday contracted COVID-19. "If we were to open, then we would see cases akin to what is happening, tragically, in Sydney right now," Andrews told reporters in Melbourne, referring to an outbreak in Australia's most populous city that has spread to thousands despite Sydney being in week seven of its own lockdown. (Reuters)
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The United States will send Mexico 8.5 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccine as the delta variant drives the country's third wave of infections, Mexican officials said Tuesday. Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the U.S. government will send AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines, though the latter hasn't yet been approved by Mexican regulators. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris informed Mexican President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador of the new shipments during a call Monday, Ebrard said. On Tuesday, however, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was less definite. "We don't have anything confirmed at this point in time in terms of the numbers or the timeline on that decision," she said. As Mexico's third wave started, hospitalizations and deaths lagged significantly. But hospitalizations are starting to rise in parts of the country as infections expand rapidly and the health system grows more stressed. (AP)
Only 26 people in New Zealand have died from the coronavirus since the pandemic began, after the nation of 5 million managed to completely stamp out its spread. But a big question has arisen. Is it realistic for the country to maintain its zero-tolerance approach, which has included strict lockdowns for even small outbreaks, once it begins to reopen its borders?The answer from an expert group advising the government is a resounding "Yes." Chaired by epidemiologist David Skegg, the group said in a highly anticipated report released Wednesday that it believes it's possible to maintain an elimination strategy even after more people start arriving. The group said that many countries such as Britain and the US were already resigned to living with the virus and perhaps enduring seasonal surges. "By contrast, New Zealand has the opportunity to continue to enjoy a lifestyle that is relatively unaffected by the ravages of COVID-19," the group said. For that strategy to work, the borders should remain shut for another six months at least, until as many New Zealanders as possible had been vaccinated, the group advised. A phased reopening after that could begin with initially allowing in only fully vaccinated people from countries where the pandemic is well controlled. New Zealanders wouldn't need to engage in physical distancing, wearing masks, or separating the elderly and others at high risk during winter months, the group concluded. "This will be advantageous for our community life and economy, and it will make New Zealand a highly attractive place to visit or to settle in," the group said. (AP)