The active caseload in the country dropped further to 3,63,605, the lowest in 150 days. (Picture: Reuters)Coronavirus Case and Fatality Rate in India, Coronavirus Third Wave Live Updates: India witnessed a marginal increase in daily Covid-19 cases on Friday. The country reported 36,571 new Coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, taking the overall Covid-19 tally to 3,23,58,829, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. With 540 deaths, India’s Covid-19 death toll surged to 433,589. The active caseload in the country dropped further to 3,63,605, the lowest in 150 days, and now accounts for 1.12% of the total infections in the country, said the Health Ministry. The recovery rate also improved to 97.54%, the highest since March 2020.
As the Delta variant continues to wreak havoc globally, New Zealand extended strict nationwide lockdown till next Wednesday, saying the full extent of the Delta outbreak was still unknown. Australian city Sydney too extended lockdown till the end of September. It also imposed tougher pandemic restrictions, including a curfew and compulsory mask-wearing outdoors to limit the spread of Coronavirus.
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India is fighting COVID-19 with full vigour. The approval for world’s first DNA based ‘ZyCov-D’ vaccine of @ZydusUniverse is a testimony to the innovative zeal of India’s scientists. A momentous feat indeed: PM Modi tweets.
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"'ZyCov-D' is the 6th approved #COVID19 vaccine in India, and the 2nd indigenously developed one. It fulfills the vision of #AatmanirbharBharat & Make in India," tweets Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
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"Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approves the 1st DNA-based, needle-free COVID-19 vaccine in the world - ‘ZyCov-D’ by Zydus Cadila. This vaccine can be used for individuals aged 12 and above," tweets Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
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Maharashtra reported 4,365 new coronavirus cases and 105 deaths on Friday, while 6,384 patients recovered from the viral infection, a health department official said. The state's infection tally thus rose to 64,15,935, while the death toll reached 1,35,672.
Nandurbar district in north Maharashtra did not record a single active COVID-19 case for the fifth day in a row.
As many as 6,384 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the recovery count to 62,21,305.
There are 55,454 active cases in Maharashtra.
The state's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 96.97 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.11 per cent.
As many as 2,06,848 coronavirus tests were conducted since Thursday evening, pushing the total of tests conducted so far to 5,19,21,798.
Ahmednagar district reported the highest 577 new infections, followed by Satara at 554. Satara district also recorded the highest 17 deaths during the day.
Among the eight administrative regions of Maharashtra, Pune region reported the highest 1,858 new COVID-19 cases, followed by 890 cases in the Kolhapur region.
The Nashik region reported 699 new cases, Mumbai 696, Latur 161, Aurangabad 29, Akola 18 and the Nagpur region recorded 14 new cases.
Of 105 deaths reported during the day, the highest 33 fatalities were reported from the Pune region, followed by 32 in Kolhapur and 12 in the Mumbai region. Nashik and Latur regions reported 10 and five deaths, respectively.
Akola and Nagpur regions reported eight and five deaths, respectively, while no death was reported in the entire Aurangabad division.
Mumbai city reported 319 new cases and six deaths, while Pune city reported 201 infections and one fresh fatality.
Among 55,454 patients currently under treatment in the state, Pune district accounts for the highest 12,558.
Coronavirus figures of Maharashtra are as follows: Total cases 64,15,935, New cases 4,365, Death toll 1,35,672, New deaths 105, Recoveries 62,21,305, Active cases 55,454, Total tests conducted so far 5,19,21,798. (PTI)
Twenty-six more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh, bringing the infection count to 17,09,076 on Friday, while the death toll climbed to 22,791 with two fresh fatalities, a health bulletin issued here said. The latest deaths were reported from Raebareli and Prayagraj, it said. The number of COVID-19 recoveries in the state has reached 16,85,877, the bulletin said. The number of active cases in Uttar Pradesh stands at 408, it said. So far, over 7.01 crore samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state. These include 2.33 lakh samples tested the previous day, it said. UP has a coronavirus recovery rate of 98.6 per cent, according to the bulletin. (PTI)
Rajasthan on Friday recorded 14 coronavirus cases, taking the number of infections to 9,53,995, officials said, adding no new death was reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 8,954. Of the fresh cases, four each were reported from Udaipur and Sawaimadhopur, followed by Alwar where three persons were tested positive. Bhilwara, Bikaner and Jaipur recorded one case each. The number of active cases in the state at present is 155. A total of 9,44,886 people have recovered from the infection. (PTI)
The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh rose to 7,92,089 on Friday with eight new cases, while the death toll remained unchanged at 10,515, an official said. The recovery count stands at 7,81,479, leaving the state with 95 active cases. With 70,275 samples being examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 1,58,74,744, the official added. An official release said 3,96,81,911 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the state so far, including 24,747 on Friday. Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 7,92,089, new cases 8, death toll 10,515 (no change), recovered 7,81,479, active cases 95, number of tests so far 1,58,74,479. (PTI)
Mumbai on Friday reported 322 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections in the city to 7,40,612, while six new fatalities pushed the death toll to 15,941, a civic official said. The daily rise in cases in the financial capital of the country crossed 300 for the first time after August 8, when 323 new infections had been detected. A record 56,566 coronavirus tests were carried out during the day, beating the previous high of 56,266 of April 14. The tally of tests conducted in the city so far rose to 88,55,005.With 223 people discharged from hospitals, the recovery count rose to 7,19,381, which is 97 per cent of the case tally.Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials said slums and chawls in the city do not have a single containment zone for the seven consecutive days now. An area is declared as a containment zone if at least five cases are reported from there.The number of sealed buildings in the metropolis stood at 24.The time taken for the caseload to double is now 2,052 days, while the average growth rate of cases between August 13 and 19 was 0.03 per cent. (PTI)
Kerala reports 20,224 new COVID-19 cases, 17,142 recoveries and 99 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Active cases: 1,82,285 Death toll: 19,345
1,19,385 samples tested for COVID in the last 24 hours. Test positivity rate is 16.94% (ANI)
India’s drug regulator on Friday approved Zydus Cadila’s three-dose COVID-19 DNA vaccine for emergency use in adults and children aged 12 years and above, bringing in the sixth vaccine authorized for use in the country.
The company said it plans to manufacture 100 million to 120 million doses of ZyCoV-D annually and has started to stockpile the vaccine.The generic drugmaker, listed as Cadila Healthcare Ltd, applied for the authorization of ZyCoV-D on July 1, based on an efficacy rate of 66.6% in a late-stage trial of over 28,000 volunteers nationwide. | Read More
People who have recovered from coronavirus can safely donate their kidneys, according to the findings of a multi-centre study based on 31 transplant cases.
The transplant surgeries were conducted after the first wave of the pandemic between July and September last year. All donors were those who had mild infection. | Read More
A Delhi government’s policy to make the city “self-reliant” in production of medical oxygen to tackle any COVID-19 crisis as seen during the second wave or any other medical emergency in future, has been notified, officials said on Friday.
The Medical Oxygen Production Promotion Policy of Delhi 2021 was approved by the Delhi Cabinet on August 3. | Read More
Over 1.44 lakh people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the national capital on Thursday, according to the Delhi government’s vaccination bulletin.
The bulletin issued on Friday showed that 1,06,728 people received their first dose while 38,192 were administered the second dose of Covid vaccine. | Read More
An expert panel of India’s central drug authority has recommended granting emergency use authorisation to Zydus Cadila’s three-dose COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D, sources said.
The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) deliberated on the application given by Zydus Cadila on Thursday and recommended granting emergency use authorisation to its three-dose coronavirus vaccine. | Read More
It has submitted its interim report and is working on the final report. LG as well as Health Minister, GoI have reiterated that the said committee should be allowed to do its work. Setting up of another committee for the same purpose will only create confusion: Govt Sources (ANI)
What has been said earlier on 6.7.2021 and repeated again on 19.8.2021 is that a high-level committee constituted as per SC directions, where apart from senior and reputed Doctors, the ACS (Health), GNCTD is also a member, is already looking into the matter: Government Sources (ANI)
The statements made by the Deputy CM are misleading, to say the least. Neither the LG nor GoI have said that deaths due to oxygen shortage should not be probed: Government Sources (ANI)
The government of Delhi approves the Medical Oxygen Production Promotion Policy of Delhi - 2021. This policy has been introduced with an aim to make Delhi self-reliant in production of Medical Oxygen to meet with any such crisis/medical emergency in future: Delhi Government (ANI)
We can't deny that people died due to lack of oxygen in Delhi. But Centre wants to hide this. LG had again rejected the proposal to form a committee to investigate the deaths due to lack of oxygen: Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia (ANI)
Financial assistance of Rs. 2 lakhs each to be given to poor families (with annual income up to Rs. 1.80 lakhs), who lost members due to COVID-19: CM Manohar Lal Khattar in a reply in Haryana Vidhan Sabha (ANI)
In Kerala’s lore, demon king Mahabali secured a boon from Lord Vishnu to visit his subjects every year on the annual ‘Thiru Onam’ day.
In Malabar, the north Kerala region, Mahabali actually comes to “life” in the form of costumed actors on Onam who visit each household in the village, where they are welcomed with traditional lamps and vessels filled to the brim with rice. | Read More
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) on Friday said it has submitted an application to the Indian drug regulator to conduct a study of its COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents aged 12-17 years.
The US-based pharmaceutical company noted that it is committed to facilitating global equitable access to its COVID-19 vaccine and recognise the unmet needs of children. | Read More
COVID-19 curfew in Andhra Pradesh will be in place from 11 PM to 6 AM, until 4th September. Action will be taken on those who violate the Curfew regulations: Andhra Pradesh Medical and Health department (ANI)
The prevalence of COVID-19 infections in England was around 1 in 80 people in the week ending Aug. 14, Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday, slightly lower than the previous week's estimate of 1 in 75. (Reuters)
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has again rejected the Delhi government's proposal to form a panel to "investigate deaths due to oxygen shortage" in the national capital. No one can deny that Delhi grappled with an oxygen crisis in April and May during the second Covid wave and also no one can deny that people died in the capital due to shortage of oxygen, he said during an online press conference. "We had resubmitted a file for the constitution of a panel to probe deaths due to oxygen shortage. The LG (lieutenant governor) is saying that there is no need for that," Sisodia said. The deputy chief minister said that on one hand, the Centre has been asking states to tell how many people died due to oxygen shortage and on the other, "you have not been allowing us to investigate such deaths". "Then how will states tell?" he asked. "That means the Centre wants us to give in writing that no death occurred due to the shortage of oxygen. It will be a big lie," Sisodia said. (PTI)
Two persons were arrested for allegedly opening a clinic illegally for COVID-19 vaccination in the Jaidpur area here, police said on Friday. A complaint was filed by Dr Sunil Kumar at CHC in Satrikh that some persons have opened a fake clinic and were administering Covid vaccines, they said. Police swung into action and arrested Brijendra Kumar and Sandeep Kumar from the clinic and recovered a Covishield vial and fake vaccination cards, they said. (PTI)
The UK drug regulator has approved an antibody cocktail developed by Regeneron and Roche to prevent and treat COVID-19, it said on Friday, as the nation battles rising hospitalisations due to the more infectious Delta variant. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said clinical trial data shows the drug Ronapreve could help prevent infection, help resolve symptoms of severe COVID-19 infection and reduce the chances of hospitalisation. "This treatment will be a significant addition to our armoury to tackle COVID-19," British health minister Sajid Javid said in a statement. (Reuters)
Ladakh recorded eight fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the overall tally to 20,480, as the active cases in the union territory stood at 81, officials said. Ladakh has registered 207 Covid-related deaths -- 149 in Leh and 58 in Kargil -- since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. A total of 20,192 patients have recovered till date. Of the new coronavirus cases reported on Friday, six were in Leh, and two in Kargil. A total of 1,692 sample reports in Ladakh -- 878 from Leh and 814 from Kargil -- came out negative, they said. (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday announced that the curbs on opening of shops and other establishments on Sundays will be lifted in view of improved coronavirus situation in the state. He directed the officials to consider doing away with the weekly closure of markets on Sundays and implement the previous system of closure. The decision was taken after Adityanath held a review meeting with officials concerned over the COVID-19 situation. "In view of the improving situation of COVID-19 in the state, doing away with the system of statewide weekly closure on Sundays can be considered. Now on in all cities/markets/industries/factories, the closure should be implemented as it was earlier before the spread of coronavirus," a statement quoting the CM said. (PTI)
Vietnam will deploy troops in Ho Chi Minh City and prohibit residents from leaving their homes, authorities said on Friday, as the country's biggest city turns to drastic measures to slow a spiralling rate of coronavirus deaths. Vietnam's toughest order yet comes amid a spike in fatalities and infections, despite weeks of lockdown measures in the business hub of 9 million people, the epicentre of the country's deadliest outbreak. "We are asking people to stay where you are, not to go outside. Each home, company, factory should be an anti-virus fort," Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the city's coronavirus authority, said on Friday. (Reuters)
The Gujarat government on Friday announced that the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive will be suspended on August 22, on account of Raksha Bandhan festival. In a statement, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who handles health portfolio, said the decision to take a day's break on Sunday (August 22) was taken so that women health workers involved in the inoculation drive can celebrate Raksha Bandhan with their families. (PTI)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the authorities in Pune have decided to complete administering the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines, following which the first jabs will be given to citizens. The state government is taking efforts to get maximum number of vaccine doses for citizens, Pawar said, after holding a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in Pune district. Currently, there are 898 government-run vaccination centres and 440 private ones in the district, he said. "Many are waiting for the second dose of the vaccine. According to experts, if the second dose is given late, its effect won't last for long. Hence, we have decided to first complete giving the second vaccine doses. Once that is completed, the first doses will be administered," said Pawar, who is also the guardian minister for the district. The district administration has approached private hospitals, where some vaccine doses are remaining and some of these doses will expire soon, he said. (PTI)
The Meghalaya government has decided to lift restrictions on public transport services and sporting activities from next week, after a gap of almost three-and-a-half months, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Friday. The state has also granted permission for reopening of cinema halls and public parks across the state, Tynsong said. The decision was taken on Thursday during a review meeting on the COVID-19 situation, he stated. The deputy CM, however, clarified that some of these facilities might only be available to those who have taken the COVID-19 vaccine. "All sporting activities can resume from Monday. Cinema halls can restart operations with one-third occupancy. Jackpot parlours and public parks have also been allowed to reopen. "These activities, nonetheless, will be strictly subjected to the standard operating procedure (SOP), to be issued by the government," Tynsong told PTI. Private vehicles, too, have been granted permission to ply with one-third occupancy, he said. (PTI)
Israel has made third booster shots against COVID-19 available to people age 40 and older in an effort to fight a surge of the delta variant. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is 49, got his jab on Friday. He pledged to share "all the data, all the information, all the insights" of the effort. Israel has been a leader in the fight against the deadly coronavirus and last month became the first country to offer booster shots. The U.S. has approved, but not yet made available, boosters for older Americans as well. (AP)
Sri Lanka announced a 10-day lockdown starting on Friday night in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, as surging infections and deaths overwhelm the island's health system.The Indian Ocean nation recorded its highest single-day death toll of 187 and 3,793 cases on Wednesday. "Nationwide Lockdown in effect from 10pm today (20/08) to Monday (30/08). All essential services will function as normal," Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said on Twitter. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with members of the presidential task force on coronavirus and was expected to address the nation on Friday evening. Medical professionals, religious leaders, politicians and businessmen have called for an immediate nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of infections. Daily infections have more than doubled in a month to an average of 3,897, according to the Reuters Global COVID tracker. (Reuters)
Odisha on Friday registered 986 new COVID-19 cases, including 128 children and adolescents, pushing the caseload to 9,99,173, a health department official said. With 69 fresh fatalities, the toll rose to 7,223, the official said. Of the 986 new cases, 574 were reported from quarantine centres, and the rest detected during contact tracing. Khurda district, of which the state capital Bhubaneswar is a part, reported the maximum number of new cases at 373, followed by Cuttack at 139. Khurda and Cuttack together make for 52 per cent of the newly detected cases. Three districts, Boudh, Jharsuguda and Nuapada, did not report any new case. (PTI)
Vietnam will extend a coronavirus lockdown in its capital city Hanoi by 15 days to Sept. 6, state media reported on Friday. (Reuters)
The Philippines reported a record in new coronavirus cases on Friday and warned the trend could continue as restrictions were relaxed in the capital region to try to spur economic activity. The health ministry confirmed 17,231 new cases and 317 fatalities, the highest daily death toll in four months. Deaths reached more 1.8% of total cases, bringing the August average to 1.5%, versus 1.9% in July. With more than 1.8 million cases and 31,198 deaths, the Philippines has one of the highest coronavirus tolls in Asia. The health ministry urged more people to identify infections sooner and get vaccinated to boost protection. (Reuters)
Scientists have used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify several drug contenders already in use for other purposes -- including one dietary supplement -- that can block or reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, used AI-powered image analysis of human cell lines during infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The cells were treated with more than 1,400 individual US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs and compounds, either before or after viral infection, and screened, resulting in 17 potential hits. Ten of those hits were newly recognised, with seven identified in previous drug repurposing studies, including remdesivir, which is one of the few FDA-approved therapies for COVID-19 in hospitalised patients. (PTI)
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