As COVID-19 fatalities in India crossed the 14,000 mark, the Centre on Tuesday said the country has one death from the disease per lakh population. The government also said the country's mortality rate is among the lowest as against the global average of 6.04 even as there was no let up in the surge in new cases.
The country recorded 14,000 plus coronavirus cases for the fourth straight day as Delhi, the second worst affected state, witnessed the biggest single-day jump of 3,947 infections to take its tally to 66,602.
With the Union Health Ministry crediting India's low COVID-19 mortality rate to timely detection of cases, extensive contact tracing and effective clinical management, the recovery rate also steadily improved and it was nearly 57 per cent.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy said this morning that the government should impose a lockdown for another 20 days as he linked the rise in coronavirus cases in India to the ease in restrictions. An immediate shutdown should also be announced in Karnataka, "especially for Bengaluru", the 68-year-old leader said, adding that "Bengaluru will become another Brazil" if stricter restrictions are not put in place.
More than nine million people have now been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, according to an AFP tally drawing on official sources, as of Monday 1520 GMT. More than half of the 9,000,091 cases are in Europe and the United States: Europe having recorded 2,537,451 and the United States 2,281,903. The number of cases worldwide has doubled since May 16 and more than a million new cases have been recorded in the past seven days. The official figures nevertheless reflect only a fraction of the true number, as many countries only test serious cases.
Here are the Updates on Coronavirus Pandemic:
Andhra Pradesh: Ramesh Solanki, owner of a shopping complex with 22 shops in Vijayawada waived off rent for tenants for 2 months in view of #COVID19. A tenant says, "We had no work during the lockdown so our landlord waived off the rent. We thank him for this gesture". (23.06.20) pic.twitter.com/BxC0RpY4uw
- ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2020
When most of his peers are watching television, playing video games as schools are closed due to COVID-19 outbreak, a Class 10 student of Delhi is using the time to design and make face shields using 3D printers at his home.
Zareb Vardhan has transformed his study room into a face shield production room and made his snooker table a face shield holder, reported news agency ANI.
He has handed over 100 pieces of the face shield to Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastav at his office on June 22 to help policemen keep COVID-19 infection at bay.
A total of 198 Indians were brought back to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu from Male in Maldives on Tuesday under ''Operation Samudra Setu'', the Navy said.
''Operation Samudra Setu'' was initiated by the Indian Navy on May 8 to bring stranded citizens from abroad.
The Navy, in a press release, said, "The evacuees were received by local authorities at Tuticorin and arrangements were in place for speedy disembarkation, health screening, immigration and transportation of the evacuees."
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Tuesday that it has now facilitated setting up 1,000 laboratories across the country for testing COVID-19 samples.
ICMR said that this is a major milestone towards enhanced testing in India, reported news agency PTI.
According to ICMR, there are 730 government labs and 270 private labs for the testing.
There was only one lab for testing on January 23, 160 labs on March 23 and 1,000 labs on June 23, ICMR said.
A total of 141 fresh COVID-19 cases reported on Tuesday, taking the total number of positive cases to 3451, said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Addressing a daily briefing about the coronavirus situation in the state, Chief Minister Vijayan said there are 1620 active COVID-19 cases in the state.
"A total of 141 fresh COVID-19 cases, one death, and 60 recoveries have been reported in Kerala today. The total number of positive cases stands at 3451 including 1620 active cases," Mr Vijayan said.
Delhi on Tuesday reported 3,947 coronavirus cases - its highest single-day number so far. 68 people died in 24 hours, taking the deaths count to 2,301, the government data said." itemprop="description
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said his state had the lowest growth rate of COVID-19 infection in the country at 1.43 per cent, and the recovery rate was over 76 per cent.
As on Monday, MP has 12,078 COVID-19 cases, 521 people have died of the infection, while 9,215 have recovered.
After chairing a review meeting, Chouhan tweeted, "The growth rate of COVID-19 infection is the lowest at 1.43 per cent in Madhya Pradesh while the recovery rate among the epidemic's patients is over 76 per cent."
An MP public relations department official said the average growth rate of the infection in the country was 3.63 per cent.
Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday alleged that Maharashtra government is conducting less COVID tests per day to keep the count of coronavirus cases low.
"The biggest mistake is to show less numbers. Testing protocols that were needed, weren't made. In cities like Mumbai, they're testing 4000-4500 people in a day and we find 1500 positive cases. The state is trying to show less number" Mr Fadnavis told reporters.
"We have the capacity to do 38,000 tests per day but we are doing only 14,000 tests per day and I think it's dangerous. Now when cases are found more outside containment zones, more testing is the only solution," he said.
An Air India flight under Vande Bharat Mission on Tuesday with 169 stranded Indians departed from Yerevan for Delhi and Chennai on Tuesday.
"#VandeBharatMission successfully evacuated stranded 169 Indians in #Armenia by @airindiain flight AI 1930 YER-DEL-MAA. Thank you all who made it happen," India embassy in Armenia.
As many as 2,50,087 Indian nationals stranded abroad have been repatriated since the beginning of Vande Bharat Mission last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Rapid Antigen Testing kits have arrived in Uttar Pradesh and will be used from June 24 for COVID-19 tests with special focus on six districts, said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish K Awasthi on Tuesday.
"Health Department has informed that Antigen test kits have arrived and they will be brought into use from tomorrow. Special focus will be on Noida, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Kanpur Nagar districts," Mr Awasthi said at the daily press conference.
"Directions have been given to from 1 Lakh screening teams for medical screening. Health Department has made all preparations," he added.
Mr Awasthi has said there are 3,56,28,696 ration cards in the state and out of these "2,39,36,517 which is 66 percent have been provided rations in the sixth phase of ration distribution."
Himachal Pradesh has reported 29 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total number of positive cases to 756, said State Health Department.
The total number of cases in the state includes 308 active cases, 11 migrated, 429 recovered and six deaths, reported news agency ANI.
With an increase of 14,933 new cases and 312 deaths in the last 24 hours, India''s COVID-19 count reached 4,40,215 on Tuesday.
Yoga teacher Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved has been asked by the government to furnish details of Ayurvedic medicines it launched today claiming they can cure coronavirus within seven days. The company has also been ordered to stop advertising or publicizing such claims until they have been examined." itemprop="description
Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic said Tuesday he has tested positive for coronavirus, joining a slew of other infected players who took part in an exhibition tennis tournament in the Balkans. "Novak Djokovic tested positive for a virus COVID-19," read a statement from his staff. "He is not showing any symptoms," it added.
Nagaland on Tuesday reported 50 more COVID-19 cases, taking the state's tally to 330, Health and Family Welfare Minister S Pangnyu Phom said.
All the 50 people who tested positive for coronavirus had returned to Nagaland from different parts of the country recently and were lodged in quarantine centres.
"Out of 312 samples tested, 50 new cases of COVID-19 positive have been reported," Mr Phom tweeted.
Of the fresh cases, 24 are from Dimapur Quarantine Centre, 14 from Kohima and 12 from Peren Quarantine Centre.
Of the total 330 COVID-19 cases, 189 are active while 149 people have recovered from the disease, officials said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, or the BMC, has listed the contact details of its own officer against the name of one of the 70 coronavirus patients who are untraceable in north Mumbai's Malad area." itemprop="description
After the US restricted Air India's special repatriation flights alleging"unfair and discriminatory practices", the government said today it is examining requests by America and other countries to operate similar flights." itemprop="description
As against the global average of 6.04, India has one COVID-19 death per lakh population which is one of the lowest in the world, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday, and credited timely detection of cases, extensive contact tracing and effective clinical management for the low mortality rate.
Till date, 14,011 people have died in India due to the viral infection with 312 fatalities reported in 24 hours till Tuesday 8 am, while 14,933 new instances of the disease took the total caseload to 4,40,215.
The Rath Yatra of ISKCON (International Society of Krishna Consciousness)in Kolkata has been cancelled and rituals will be held inside the temple premises, the organisation said.
"Today is Rath Yatra. Last year, around 4 lakh people participated on this day and some 16 lakh people participated in the nine day long festival. But due to coronavirus outbreak, this year it is impossible for so many people to participate and maintain social distancing at the same time," said Radharaman Das, vice president and spokesperson of ISKCON
"This time, the entire ritual is happening inside the premises of the temple. We have made a replica of the three chariots, which will be pulled by monks inside the premises," said Mr Das.
The government should impose a lockdown for another 20 days, former Karnataka chief minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy said this morning as he linked the rise in coronavirus cases to the ease in restrictions." itemprop="description
Voters in Bihar who test positive for COVID-19 will be allowed to cast their vote using postal ballot in the state assembly polls due later this year.
The Legislative Department in the Union Law Ministry has changed the Conduct of Election Rules to allow those suffering from COVID-19 to use postal ballot, a top ministry functionary said on Tuesday.
The Election Commission had approached the ministry recently to allow COVID-19 positive voters to use postal ballot to exercise their franchise, reported news agency PTI.
Two more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya, taking the total number of such infections in the state to 46, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.
Both of them had recently returned to South-West Garo Hills from Uttar Pradesh, he said.
"Two persons who came from UP to South West Garo Hills have tested positive. They are under quarantine. Total Cases 46. Total Active cases 8. They came in a private vehicle and under home quarantine," the Chief Minister tweeted late on Monday.
At least 37 people have recovered from COVID-19 in the state, which recorded its first coronavirus case on April 13, reported news agency PTI.
One person has succumbed to the disease so far.
With an increase of 163 coronavirus cases in Aurangabad on Tuesday, the district tally has gone up to 3,819, informed the district administration.
Out of the new cases reported today, 112 are from municipal areas and 51 are from rural areas, reported news agency ANI.
Out of 163 patients, 108 are males and 55 females.
Of the total number of cases, 2,046 patients have recovered while 203 died during the treatment.
At present, 1570 patients are undergoing treatment.
Karnataka govt issues notification on sharing of beds in private hospitals b/w Govt referred & private patients & to regulate package rates charged by Public Healthcare Providers for treatment of Govt referred patients & package rate ceiling for treating private patients #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/uxbhRDYlG3
- ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2020
#WATCH Indian Navy Ship (INS) Airavat arrived in Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu) today, carrying Indian citizens who were stranded in Maldives. #OperationSamudraSetu pic.twitter.com/VKRPQc5rT9
- ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2020
Odisha: Idol of Lord Balabhadra being brought to chariot by priests and 'sevayats' for the Rath Yatra from Jagannath Temple in Puri. pic.twitter.com/EmUbazA63F
- ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2020
Test results of our family members have come. Unfortunately, my wife and daughter have tested positive for #Covid19 and are undergoing treatment. My two sons and myself have tested negative. I am grateful to everyone for their best wishes and prayers.
- Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) June 23, 2020