A woman gets a shot of a Covid-19 vaccine. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)Coronavirus India Live Updates: Kerala on Sunday reported 18,582 new Covid-19 cases pushing the total infection count to 36.69 lakh, as the number of people succumbing to the disease rose to 18,601 with 102 additional deaths. As many as 20,829 people have been cured of the infection since Saturday, taking the total recoveries to 34,92,367 and the number of active cases in the state to 1,78,630, a state government release said.
In the last 24 hours, 1,22,970 samples were tested and the TPR was found to be 15.11 per cent. So far, 2,94,57,951 samples have been tested, it said. Some of the worst affected districts in the state are Malappuram 2681, Thrissur 2423, Kozhikode 2368, Ernakulam 2161, Palakkad 1771, Kannur 1257, Kollam 1093, Alappuzha 941, Kottayam 929 and Thiruvananthapuram 927.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India takes pride in having the world’s largest Covid-19 vaccination programme and more than 54 crore people have already taken the vaccine doses. In his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the prime minister spoke of the country’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and praised the scientists, doctors, paramedical staff among others. He lauded those involved in vaccine manufacturing in the country, saying India did not have to depend on others for vaccines due to their efforts.
Meanwhile, India reported 36,083 new Covid-19 cases and 493 deaths in the last 24 hours ending on Sunday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. More than 3.21 crore people have tested positive for coronavirus so far. The total death toll has surpassed 4.31 lakh. Active cases have declined to 3.85 lakh while as many as 3.13 crore people have recovered from the disease.
Covid-19 testing at a beach in Mumbai, Maharashtra. (PTI Photo)
The Sikkim government on Sunday relaxed the Covid-related restrictions, allowing tourists who have got one dose of vaccination to enter the state, officials said. The government also allowed shops, commercial establishments and other businesses to remain open till 8 pm, instead of 5 pm, they said.
The government also exempted tourist vehicles and two-wheelers from the odd-even rationing scheme. Private vehicles and taxis ferrying locals will have to comply with the odd-even regulation, officials said. However, those who are willing to enter the state with a single-dose vaccination will have to produce a Covid-negative certificate of RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours, they said. Those who have taken both doses would not need to produce any test certificate, they added. Those below 18 years will have to show Covid-negative certificate of RT-PCR test, officials said. The government also allowed casinos in hotels for in-house customers. (PTI)
The Mizoram government extended the partial lockdown in the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) area and certain restrictions in other parts of the state till August 21, officials said on Sunday. The restrictions, imposed on August 8, expired on August 14, following which the extension was announced.
The movement of people, including the casual visit of neighbours or relatives within the same complex, except under exceptional cases, is strictly prohibited during the partial lockdown, it said. Places of worship or religious congregation, educational institutions, picnic spots, public parks, gymnasium, sports practice, tournaments, social gatherings, and trekking or hiking will remain closed or suspended in the AMC area. However, schools and Anganwadi centres will be allowed to open in COVID-free villages outside the AMC. Construction work, working at fields or gardens, and essential services will function normally. There will be no restriction on agricultural and livelihood activities outside the AMC area. All Group A and Group B government employees working in the state capital will have to attend their offices without fail, while heads of department or office heads will make the rosters for the Group C and Group D employees. Shops dealing in essential commodities, eateries and vegetable seeds or materials will open every day between 5 am and 9 am, while shops dealing in other goods, including shops in market places, will be divided into three groups and they will be allowed to open on specific days based on their categorisation from 5 am to 5.30 pm. Commercial vehicles will be allowed to operate in the state capital, and the traffic superintendent of police will make arrangements to enable both commercial or public transport and private vehicles to operate or ply on a rational basis or on specific days. Travelling and intra-state movement is also allowed under very essential circumstances, it said. (PTI)
The Gujarat government on Sunday extended the night curfew from 11pm to 6am in 8 cities -- Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar and Junagadh -- till August 28.
With at least half of the districts in the state reporting a good number of new cases daily, the Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday further extended the Covid curfew till August 21.
Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal said the 10 pm to 6 am curfew has been extended after a thorough review of the Covid-19 situation and keeping in view the number of positive cases. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC would continue to be in force even during non-curfew hours. Gatherings at marriages, functions and religious events should not exceed 150 persons. Following Covid appropriate behaviour is a must at all congregations. Any violation will attract action as per the Disaster Management Act and the IPC," Singhal said.
The Principal Secretary directed the district Collectors, Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to enforce the orders scrupulously. (PTI)
Active coronavirus cases dwindled by 345 to 17,865 in Andhra Pradesh even as the state reported 1,506 fresh positives and 1,835 recoveries on Sunday. The state also reported 16 more deaths in 24 hours ending 9 AM on Sunday, the latest bulletin said.
The cumulative Covid-19 cases now touched 19,93,697. The total recoveries increased to 19,62,185 and toll to 13,647, the bulletin added.
East Godavari district reported 319, Chittoor 217, SPS Nellore 181, West Godavari 170, Guntur 162 and Prakasam 102 fresh cases. The remaining seven districts added less than 100 new cases each. Chittoor and Krishna had four fresh fatalities each, East Godavari and Visakhapatnam two each while Guntur, Srikakulam, SPS Nellore and West Godavari had one each in a day. (PTI)
Kerala on Sunday reported 18,582 fresh Covid-19 cases along with 20,089 recoveries. 102 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours. The test positivity rate stands at 15.11 per cent.
Uttar Pradesh on Sunday reported one more death due to Covid-19, taking the fatality toll due to the fatal infection in the state to 22,784. It also detected 34 new Covid cases as the infection count rose to 17,08,948. One death was reported from Jaunpur, the UP government said on Sunday.
Of the 34 fresh Covid-19 cases, four cases each were reported from Lucknow and Prayagraj. In the past 24 hours, 36 COVID-19 patients recovered from the disease and were discharged, taking the total number of cured patients in the state to 16,85,725. The present count of active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 439, the statement said. In the past 24 hours, more than 2.32 lakh samples were tested in the state, the statement said, adding over 6.90 crore samples have been tested so far. (PTI)
Delhi on Sunday reported 53 fresh Covid-19 cases and 18 discharges. No deaths related to Covid were recorded in past 24 hours.
The union territory of Puducherry registered 79 new coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours taking the overall tally to 1,22,282, a senior official of the Health Department said on Sunday. The 70 fresh cases were identified at the end of the examination of 5,022 samples, the Director of the Health Department G Sriramulu said.
The cases were spread over Puduchery (41), Karaikal (17), Yanam (one) and Mahe (20). He said the number of active cases stood at 929 with 201 in hospitals and the remaining 728 in home isolation. As many as 85 patients recovered and were discharged during the last 24 hours, he said, adding the overall recoveries in the union territory stood at 1,19,548.
Sriramulu said the test positivity rate was 1.97 per cent while fatality and recovery rates were 1.48 per cent and 97.76 per cent respectively. One patient, a 60-year old man hailing from Puducherry, succumbed to the infection as the toll went up to 1,805. (PTI)
The Madhya Pradesh government was working on vaccinating all eligible people in the state against COVID-19 by December-end, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday during an Independence Day programme here.
"This is not a vaccine. It is the dose of life. This will save our lives," he said.
He also said his government was focusing on inclusive development of people, especially the poor, and was committed to give 27 per cent reservation to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Referring to the recent devastating floods in parts of the state, Chouhan stressed on protecting the nature and promoting environment-friendly energy.
He said the coronavirus caused massive losses to the economy, but it was now going to get back on track.
Chouhan said he was happy to inform that 3.75 crore people in the state have so far received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. (PTI)
India has done better than any country in the world as regards to affordability and the reach to the people of COVID-19 vaccines, Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ella Sunday said, PTI reported.
Highlighting the enormity of the task of vaccination, Ella said, "When you have 1.3 billion people to be given a vaccine in a certain period of time, it is challenging."
The US has more vaccines than India, but only 16 crore people there are vaccinated. "In India, I'm proud to say that we have done a great job," he added.
Earlier in the day, in his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India takes pride in having the world's largest vaccination programme, and over 54 crore people have already taken the COVID-19 vaccines.
Arunachal Pradesh reported 161 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the virus tally in the state to 51,300, a senior health department official said here on Sunday.
The COVID-19 death toll in the frontier state remained at 252 as no new fatality was reported in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.
The Capital Complex Region recorded the highest number of fresh cases at 54, followed by Leparada (23), Changlang (12), East Siang and Lower Dibang Valley at 9 cases each, Upper Siang (8) and six cases each from Kamle and Tawang, the official said.
New cases each were also reported from West Kameng, Lower Subansiri, Anjaw, Papumpare, Lohit, Upper Subansiri, Shi-Yomi, Namsai, East Kameng, Lower Siang, Pakke Kessang, Tirap and West Siang districts, the SSO said.
Of the 161 new cases, 144 were detected through rapid antigen test, 14 through RT-PCR and three by TrueNat method, the official said, adding that 67 people have developed symptoms of COVID-19. (PTI)
India reported 36,083 new Covid-19 cases and 493 deaths in the last 24 hours ending on Sunday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.
More than 3.21 crore people have tested positive for coronavirus so far. The total death toll has surpassed 4.31 lakh. Active cases have declined to 3.85 lakh while as many as 3.13 crore people have recovered from the disease. Kerala reported 19,451 new cases, 105 deaths while Maharashtra had 5,787 new infections and 177 fatalities.
India reported 36,083 new Covid-19 cases and 493 deaths in the last 24 hours ending on Sunday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.
More than 3.21 crore people have tested positive for coronavirus so far. The total death toll has surpassed 4.31 lakh. Active cases have declined to 3.85 lakh while as many as 3.13 crore people have recovered from the disease. Kerala reported 19,451 new cases, 105 deaths while Maharashtra had 5,787 new infections and 177 fatalities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said that India takes pride in having the world's largest vaccination programme and over 54 crore people have already taken the COVID-19 vaccines.
"We can say with pride that the world's largest COVID vaccination programme is going on in India. More than 54 crore people have already taken the vaccine," he said in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
The prime minister lauded those involved in vaccine manufacturing in the country and said India did not have to depend on the outside world for vaccines against the coronavirus. "We have to ensure we meet our goal of building Aatmanirbhar Bharat when we celebrate 100 years of India's Independence," PM Modi said.
He also lauded the doctors, nurses and paramedics for their efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The prime minister highlighted the creation of the digital platform, CoWIN app, which was attracting the attention of the world. (PTI)
A record 9.36 lakh people were given Covid-19 vaccine shots till 7 pm on Saturday across Maharashtra. This is the highest single-day number of vaccinations in the state so far since the immunisation drive began early this year.
The number may increase by the end of the day, Additional Chief Secretary of the health department Pradeep Vyas said.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray congratulated Health Minister Rajesh Tope on the development. The health minister said the state government has launched an aggressive campaign for vaccination.
“If the supply of vaccine is adequate and uninterrupted, Maharashtra has the potential to cover 10 lakh people daily,” Tope said.
On July 3, the state had administered vaccine to total 8.11 lakh people.
Maharashtra on Saturday reported 5,787 new coronavirus positive cases and 134 fatalities, including the highest 45 in the Kolhapur region, taking the tally of infections to 63,87,863 and the toll to 1,34,909, a health department official said.
The state witnessed a marginal decrease in the Covid-19 cases and fatalities as compared to Friday when 6,686 infections and 158 fatalities were added. A total of 5,352 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24-hours, taking the cumulative tally of recoveries in Maharashtra to 61,86,223, leaving the state with 63,262 active cases.
The case recovery rate now stands at 96.84 per cent and the fatality rate is 2.11 per cent. PTI
AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said on Saturday that the country might not see a third wave of coronavirus disease but it largely depended on people following Covid Appropriate Behaviour. Talking to reporters at the Gitam Institute in Andhra Pradesh, where he received the Foundation Day Award in recognition of his services, Guleria noted that the only unpredictable part was how the virus behaved. "But I don't think that we will see a third wave which will be as bad as the second wave," he observed.
Referring to apprehensions that the possible third wave could infect children more, the AIIMS chief pointed out that children would be "more susceptible" because they were not being vaccinated. "The general feeling is that adults are getting vaccinated, children are not being vaccinated and therefore if there is a new wave it will affect those who are more susceptible. Children will be more susceptible," he noted. PTI
Karnataka on Saturday logged 1,632 fresh Covid-19 cases and 25 deaths taking the total infections and fatalities to 29,28,033 and 36,958, the health department said.
There were 22,695 active cases in the state while the recovery of 1,612 patients took the total recoveries to 28,68,351. The positivity rate for the day was 1.04 per cent and case fatality rate 1.53 per cent, the department said.
Dakshina Kannada district, which borders Kerala, remained the major Covid-19 hotspot. The district reported a maximum of 411 infections and seven fatalities, which was highest among all the districts. Bengaluru urban district recorded 377 fresh infections and one death. The Karnataka capital has so far reported 12,32,597 infections and 15,934 deaths. There were 8,200 active cases. PTI
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on saturday said that the state will reopen schools for classes 9 to 12 in districts where the Covid test positivity rate is less than 2 per cent. It would be mandatory for all parents and school staff to be vaccinated for entry into the school premises, he added.
The CM further said that he will be meeting with the Union Health Minister in Delhi, to get more vaccines for the state.
"We are trying to get up to 1 crore vaccines for the state. We have been asked to increase vaccinations in the border districts," he added. ANI