The recovery rate among COVID-19 patients stood at 63.13%.
Eighty-Four staff members at Tamil Nadu Governor's Housethe Raj Bhavan, in Chennai, have tested positive for coronavirus. "All 84 people quarantined by the Health Department. They were not working in the Main Building and none of them came in contact with the Tamil Nadu Governor," the Raj Bhawan said in a statement.
India's COVID-19 tally crossed 12-Lakh mark Today as the country reported 45,720 new cases in the last 24 hours, the government said today. The country also witnessed the highest number of COVID-19 deaths with 1,129 people losing their lives due to the virus. So far 7,82,607 people have recovered, while 29,861 have died. The recovery rate is 63.18 per cent and positivity rate is 13.03 per cent. The highest number of samples were tested on Wednesday, with 3,50,823 samples collected. The total samples tested till now is over 1.5 crore, government data shows.
The five states that reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours are: Maharashtra (10,576), Andhra Pradesh (6,045), Tamil Nadu (5,849), Karnataka (4,764) and Uttar Pradesh (2,300). The five states that reported the highest deaths in the last 24 hours are: Tamil Nadu (518), Maharashtra (280), Andhra Pradesh (65), Karnataka (55) and West Bengal (39).
Several states have declared full lockdown in their cities as coronavirus cases continue to rise. India has the highest number of coronavirus cases after the US and Brazil.
Here are the Updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases:
Coronavirus: People's participation must to control COVID-19, says Uddhav Thackeray
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said people's participation is necessary to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
To curb the pandemic in adjoining Osmanabad, Mr Thackeray directed officials to constitute a district-level task force and form village-level teams to undertake mitigation measures.
Laboratories should continue their research work even after the pandemic is brought under control, he said here in central Maharashtra.
The Chief Minister inaugurated a coronavirus testing laboratory in Osmanabad through video conferencing.
Speaking on the occasion, he said, "Participation of citizens is important to control the pandemic. The administration must see that citizens follow safety and preventive measures."
COVID-19: West Bengal's tally crosses 50,000-mark
West Bengal's COVID-19 tally breached the 50,000-mark on Thursday with a record 2,436 new cases reported in 24 hours, as per the state health department.
The state's total number of cases was at 51,757, following the detection of fresh infections, it said.
Thirty-four fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the count to 1,225, said the bulletin issued by the department in the evening.
Most of the new deaths were reported from Kolkata, where 19 people lost their lives. The city also registered its highest single-day spike with 795 new cases being detected.
Six deaths were reported from North 24 Parganas, three from Howrah, two from South 24 Parganas. One person each died in Hooghly, Birbhum, Paschim Medinipore and Purba Bardhaman districts.
COVID-19: Kerala reports over 1,000 cases for second day
The COVID-19 cases continued to soar in Kerala breaching the grim 1,000 mark for the second straight day on Thursday, taking the tally past the 16,000 mark with the state government saying the option of a complete lockdown again to manage the situation cannot be ruled out.
A decision on lockdown would be taken after consultations with all stakeholders, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said as the state has been logging higher number of cases with a large number among the thousands of people who returned to the state since Unlock-1 phase last month testing positive.
He also announced the formation of "Covid Brigade" consisting of doctors, para-medical staff and volunteers to man the First Line Treatment Centres (FLTC) that would treat asymptomatic and less complicated COVID-19 patients, and said additional manpower would be mobilised for them.
Coronavirus news: Israel to participate in anti-COVID-19 cooperation operation with India
Israel's Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry and Health Ministry will be participating in anti-COVID-19 cooperation initiative between India and Israel in the coming weeks.
"In the coming weeks, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Health will lead an unprecedented anti-COVID-19 cooperation operation between India and Israel," the Indian embassy in Israel tweeted.
In a series of tweets, the embassy said that a high-ranking research and development (R&D) team of Israel's Defence Ministry will be flying to New Delhi on a special flight.
COVID-19: Asymptomatic patients allowed home quarantine in Goa
The Goa government on Thursday issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for home quarantine of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the state.
This is for the first time that Goa government is allowing asymptomatic patients to be home quarantined, who were earlier shifted to COVID care centres.
The SOP, issued by the state administration, empowers Deputy Collectors or District Collector to allow any asymptomatic COVID-19 patient to be quarantined at home after consulting the local health officer from the respective area.
The SOP stated that home quarantine is allowed for very mild, pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic patients. Such patients can request Deputy Collectors or Collector for home quarantine through email on their official email ID.
Such patients will have to give undertaking on self-isolation.
On receipt of the application along with the undertaking the Collector/Dy Collector shall forward it to the medical officer concerned, in whose jurisdiction the said person is residing, the SOP said.
Coronavirus news: Arvind Kejriwal says Delhi providing plasma for free
With Delhi recording 1,041 fresh COVID-19 cases on Thursday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the government is providing plasma for free for coronavirus patients and people do not need to buy or sell it.
The tally of COVID-19 in the city rose to 1,27,364 on Thursday, while the death toll mounted to 3,745, authorities said.
"We are giving free plasma to people. We have more than 500 plasma samples as stock in ILBS Hospital. What is the need of selling and buying plasma if the government is providing plasma for free? People do not need to buy plasma because all plasma blood groups are available there," Mr Kejriwal said.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said strict action will be taken if it is found that monetary transaction was done during the process of plasma donation for any COVID-19 patient.
COVID-19: Jharkhand reports 403 new cases; recovery rate at 45.40%
Jharkhand on Thursday reported 403 new cases of COVID-19, while three more persons lost their lives due to the disease, the state government said.
One person died on Wednesday night and the other two died during the day, it said in a bulletin.
The death count rose to 67 with the latest fatalities.
There are 3,845 active cases in the state at present, it added.
The total count of confirmed cases is at 7,166.
So far, 3,254 people have recovered and discharged from different hospitals.
While the mortality rate is 0.93, the state's recovery rate is 45.40 per cent, the bulletin said.
Coronavirus: Random sampling to detect asymptomatic patients to begin from Jodhpur, says Rajasthan Health Minister
Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Thursday said the scope of contact tracing will be extended through random sampling where high number of coronavirus are being detected in the state.
The random and cluster sampling will start from Jodhpur, he said.
The biggest challenge is to identify asymptomatic patients in the state and it can be only detected through investigation, the minister asserted.
He said the random sampling method used in the Ramganj model will be adopted to identify those who are infected in Jodhpur city as well.
The health minister claimed that the proportion of patients recovering in the state is the best among the 10 big states of the country and the death rate is also less than the national average. He pointed out that the death rate in the state is 1.38 per cent.
Coronavirus news: 18,388 people returned to Jaipur under Vande Bharat Mission
A total of 18,388 people have arrived in Jaipur till now from abroad under the Vande Bharat Mission, Additional Chief Secretary Subodh Agarwal said.
He said 175 people reached Jaipur on Thursday.
Two flights from Bishkek and one each from Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah and Doha will come to Jaipur carrying people belonging to Rajasthan between July 25 and August 4.
Mr Agarwal said regular monitoring and coordination is being done by a committee constituted by the state government.
COVID-19: Uttarakhand's tally rises by 145 to reach 5,445
Uttarakhand's COVID-19 tally shot up to 5,445 on Thursday with 145 more people testing positive for the viral infection, while the death toll rose to 60 with three patients succumbing to the disease, according to health bulletin.
Of the total cases, 3,399 have recovered and 38 have migrated out of the state. There are 1,948 active COVID-19 cases as of now, the bulletin stated.
Dehradun accounted for the highest 68 cases, Haridwar 32, Nainital 31, Uttarkashi seven, Tehri four and Almora three.
Among the fresh fatalities was a 63-year-old coronavirus patient who died a AIIMS, Rishikesh. As per death summary provided by the hospital, the cause of death is described as Ventricular Fibrilation/ARDS/MCA Infraction, the health department bulletin said.
An 80-year-old COVID-19 positive woman died at Sushila Tiwari Govt Hospital, Haldwani, it said.
COVID-19 cases go past 50,000-mark in Telangana
The tally of COVID-19 cases in Telangana crossed 50,000 on Thursday with 1,567 new cases being reported.
The number of deaths rose to 447 after nine more people died of the virus.
Of the 1,567 cases, 662 were reported from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits followed by Ranga Reddy and Warangal urban districts with 213 and 75 cases respectively.
The total number of cases stood at 50,826.
A bulletin said 39,327 people have recovered so far, while 11,052 were under treatment.
The bulletin said 13,367 samples were tested during the day. Cumulatively, 3,22,326 samples have been tested.
It said the tests per million population was 8,058 and the cumulative sample positivity ratewas 15.8 per cent.
With the state government ramping up testing, the cumulative sample positivity rate has been on the decline since the last several days.
Surge in COVID-19 cases in Odisha temporary phenomenon : Additional Chief Secretary
Terming the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state as a temporary phenomenon, the Odisha government on Thursday asked people not to panic and assured that it was striving to ensure that no potential case go undetected.
The coronavirus situation in Odisha is "much better" than other states, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, P K Mohapatra told newsmen here.
The recovery rate in the state is above 65 per cent and the fatality rate is one of the lowest at 0.54 per cent against the national average of 2.5 per cent, he said.
"The surge in coronavirus cases is due to the door-to-door survey being conducted in hotspots in the state till July 31. The surge is therefore a temporary phenomenon," Mohapatra told newsmen.
Second highest single-day spike of 109 COVID-19 cases in Himachal
Himachal Pradesh on Thursday recorded 109 COVID-19 cases, its second highest single-day spike in the number of cases, bringing the state''s tally to 1,835.
Three days ago, the state recorded the highest of 110 fresh cases on a single day.
Of the new cases, 43 were reported from Solan, 42 from Sirmaur, 11 from Kangra, seven from Mandi, two each from Hamirpur and Chamba and one each from Shimla and Bilaspur, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said.
COVID-19 has claimed 11 lives in Himachal Pradesh so far, while 1,136 people have recovered from the infection and 15 have migrated out of the state.
Thirty-one more patients -- 14 in Solan, seven in Sirmaur, three in Chamba, two each in Mandi, Bilaspur and Kinnaur and one in Kangra -- recovered from the infection in the past 24 hours, Dhiman said.
1,257 new coronavirus cases in Mumbai, 55 deaths
The tally of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai increased to 1,05,829 on Thursday with 1,257 new patients detected, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
The deaths due to the pandemic in India's financial capital rose to 5,927 with 55 patients succumbing, it said.
1,984 COVID-19 patients were discharged from city hospitals during the day, taking the number of recovered patients to 77,102.
The recovery rate of coronavirus patients in Mumbai has now gone up to 72 per cent from 71 per cent the day before, the BMC said.
1.16 lakh COVID-19 tests done in Pune in 4 weeks: Authorities
The Pune district administration on Thursday said that it adopted an aggressive approach to curb the spread of COVID-19, as part of which it conducted over 1.16 tests in the city in the last four weeks.
Asenior official said that over 27,000 people tested COVID-19 positive during the tests conducted during this period. "We consciously adopted a strategy of aggressive testing in Pune to detect more cases and the purpose was to isolate the patients, provide them early treatment and contain the spread of the virus," officer on special duty Saurabh Rao said.
Coronavirus news: Human ingenuity will find solution to COVID-19, says Andhra Pradesh GovernorAmid rising Coronavirus cases, Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on Thursday said human ingenuity and capability of innovation and adaptation would soon create a solution to the COVID-19 pandemic mankind was now facing.
In a televised address to the people of the state on completion of one year in office of Governor, Mr Harichandan noted that the country was witnessing a spurt in COVID-19 in spite of the best efforts by the administration, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: Ahmedabad tops 25,000-mark with 210 new cases
Gujarat's Ahmedabad district recorded 210 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally beyond the 25,000-mark on Thursday, while five more patients died due to the infection, the state Health Department said.
Coronavirus news: 886 new COVID-19 positive cases and 11 deaths have been reported in Rajasthan
Coronavirus news: Maharashtra adds 9,895 cases; 298 die, 6484 recoverMaharashtra registered 9,895 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking the states tally to 3,47,502, the health department said.
With 298 more deaths, the state-wide count increased to 12,854, said a statement from the health department, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: Israeli team working with DRDO to develop rapid COVID-19 testing to come to India on special plane
In an effort to jointly combat the novel coronavirus, Israel Thursday said it will send to India on board a special flight a research team which has been working with the Indian side to develop a rapid testing kit for COVID-19 which can give a result within 30 seconds, PTI reported.
In the coming weeks, Israel's ministries of foreign affairs, defence and health will lead an unprecedented anti-COVID-19 cooperation operation between India and Israel, an Israel Embassy statement said.
Coronavirus news: Akali MLA, his son test positive for COVID-19Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday, a health official said.
His samples were taken on Tuesday after the Batala legislator complained of fever and fatigue, an official said. Lodhinangal was admitted to a private hospital in Amritsar.
His son Mandeep Singh has also contracted the infection, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: Karnataka reports 5030 new COVID-19 positive cases of which 2207 cases are from Bengaluru Urban
Coronavirus news: 441 new COVID19 positive cases and 8 deaths have been reported in Punjab today
Coronavirus news: AIIMS Patna urges contractual nursing staff to resume duty
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna wrote a letter on Thursday to its contractual nursing staff, who are on a strike over their demands including job security and increase in salary, urging them to resume duty, ANI reported.
A notice issued by the Medical Superintendent, Prof Dr C M Singh read, "If elements are found jeopardising the efforts in battling this pandemic administration will be compelled to take action."
Coronavirus news: Clinical trial of non-invasive ventilator SwasthVayu to start soon, says NALThe National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) on Thursday said it would soon start human clinical trial of its indigenously developed non-invasive ventilator "SwasthVayu" to treat COVID-19 patients.
The trial of the first Made in India non-invasive ventilator would begin at the Manipal Hospital, which also collaborated in its development in ''record'' 36 days, the NAL said in a statement in Bengaluru.
Coronavirus news: 29,557 Patients Recover In 24 Hours, Highest Single-Day Recovery So FarAs many as 29,557 COVID-19 patients have recuperated in the past 24 hours, the highest recorded in a day so far, taking the recovery rate to 63.18 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
According to data updated at 8 am, total recoveries have surged to 7,82,606 and exceeded the active cases of COVID-19 by 3,56,439 as on date, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: 6 new COVID-19 cases reported in DharaviSix new COVID-19 cases have been reported on Thursday in Dharavi, taking the total number of cases in the area to 2,513, according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
According to ANI, Dharavi currently has 142 active cases and 2,121 have been cured/discharged till Thursday.
Coronavirus news: Tripura registers ninth COVID-19 death, tally rises to 3,469Tripura registered its ninth COVID-19 fatality after a 76-year-old woman succumbed to the disease, while 126 fresh cases pushed the state's tally to 3,469, an official said according to PTI.
The woman, Gitarani Pal, was admitted to the Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) on July 11 and she died on Wednesday, the official said.
Mr Pal also had diabetes, cardiac problems and high blood pressure, he said.
"Alert! 126 people found COVID-19 positive out of 3,051 samples tested. 120 found positive in Antigen test, patient died today," Mr Deb said in a tweet on Wednesday night.
Coronavirus news: DRDO establishes COVID-19 testing facility in Leh
The DRDO has established a COVID-19 testing facility at the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) in Leh to augment the existing capacity for identification of coronavirus cases in the union territory of Ladakh, according to an official statement.
The testing facility, which was inaugurated by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur on Wednesday, is capable of screening 50 samples per day, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: India's second national-level plasma bank opened in Tamil NaduAfter national capital, India''s second national-level plasma bank was opened in Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore, C Vijaybhaskar, Health Minister, Tamil Nadu said according to ANI.
"We were earlier conducting the plasma method on a trial basis. Four people in Madurai successfully underwent the process in the early stages and a few more banks will be set up in nearby districts. We now have the approval of the Indian Council of Medical Research and have opened the second plasma bank at the national level with a total budget of Rs 2.34 crore," said Vijaybhaskar.
He added, "After a COVID-19 patient is discharged, the patient has to wait for 14 days before they can donate their plasma. Plasma will be separated from the blood, which can be stored and used for up to one year."
Coronavirus news: 13 BSF personnel among 19 new COVID-19 cases in MeghalayaNineteen people, including 13 BSF personnel, tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya on Thursday, taking the state's tally to 534, an official said.
The state now has 452 active coronavirus cases, Health Services Director, Aman War, said.
Of the fresh patients, 13 Border Security Force staffers were from East Khasi Hills district and three each from South West Garo Hills and West Garo Hills, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: Kerala Cabinet has decided to cancel Assembly Session in wake of increasing number of COVID-19 cases
Coronavirus news: Rs 1 lakh penalty, 2-year jail term for violating COVID-19 norms in Jharkhand
Jharkhand Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Jharkhand Contagious Disease Ordinance under which penalty up to Rs 1 lakh and a jail term of up to two years can be imposed against violators of measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Anyone not wearing masks in public places and spitting in public can be booked under the new law, ANI reported.
Coronavirus news: Russia registers 5,848 COVID-19 cases in past 24 hoursRussia has registered 5,848 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours (5,862 yesterday), bringing the cumulative total to 795,038, the country's coronavirus response center said on Thursday.
"Over the past 24 hours, Russia has confirmed 5,848 COVID-19 cases in 83 regions, of which 1,620 (27.7 per cent) have been detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms," the response center said in a statement, adding that the total count has now reached 795,038, with the daily increase standing at 0.7 per cent, ANI reported.
399 new cases, 5 COVID-19 related deaths in Rajasthan
339 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths have been reported from Rajasthan today, ANI reported quoting the State's Health Department.
As of 10:30 am on Thursday, a total of 32,673 positive cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported from Rajasthan, including 8,587 active cases and 23,498 recoveries.
So far, 588 COVID-19 deaths have been reported from the state.
10,000 cases in 24 hours in Maharashtra, 6,000 cases in Andhra Pradesh
The five states that reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours are: Maharashtra (10,576), Andhra Pradesh (6,045), Tamil Nadu (5,849), Karnataka (4,764) and Uttar Pradesh (2,300).
The five states that reported the highest deaths in the last 24 hours are: Tamil Nadu (518), Maharashtra (280), Andhra Pradesh (65), Karnataka (55) and West Bengal (39).
84 staff at Tamil Nadu Governor’s residence test Covid-19 positive
84 people including security personnel and fire service staff at Tamil Nadu Governor's House have contracted COVID 19.
"All 84 people quarantined by the Health Department. They were not working in the Main Building and none of them came in contact with the Tamil Nadu Governor," the Raj Bhawan said in a statement.
Multiplexes ready for 'digital way of life'' as they wait for theatres to open
Paperless tickets, seat distancing, staggered intervals and scrupulous sanitising are part of the safety protocol multiplexes will introduce if the government allows screenings in 'Unlock 3'' next month, news agency PTI reported quoting CEOs of leading multiplex chains.
A set of SOPs drawn up by the Multiplex Association of India in collaboration with its members was submitted to various Central ministries as well as Prime Minister's Office and Niti Aayog earlier this month, said industry leaders INOX, PVR Pictures and Cinepolis India.
"If you go back to the 'Unlock 1'' notification that came from the government, it has clearly mentioned that cinemas would open in 'Unlock 3'', which is likely to happen in August. So, in that context, we are very hopeful and keeping our fingers crossed," PVR Pictures CEO Kamal Gianchandani told PTI.
1,264 more COVID-19 cases in Odisha
1,264 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported from Odisha on Thursday, reported news agency ANI quoting the State Health Department.
The state has also reported 440 recoveries. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state now stands at 21,099, including 7,025 active cases, and 13,749 recoveries, the Health Department added.
Police check IDs of commuters and shops closed in Birbhum, West Bengal (ANI)
Tamil Nadu, Delhi and other states have started plasma banks
Delhi got India's first plasma bank earlier this month. Several states have set up plasma bank since then.
Tamil Nadu's first plasma bank was launched at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) here on Wednesday, a day after Punjab set up its first plasma bank at Patiala's Rajindra Hospital.
Plasma donation has been encouraged as experimental treatment for COVID-19 patients. The antibody-rich plasma of a person who has recovered from COVID-19 could help an infected person fight off the virus, research has shown.
45,720 new cases, 1,129 deaths: India's biggest 1-day jump
India reported the highest one-day spike of 45,720 coronavirus cases and 1,129 deaths this morning, government data shows. The total number of cases has crossed 12 lakh now and stands at 12,38,635. So far 7,82,607 people have recovered, while 29,861 have died. The recovery rate is 63.18 per cent and positivity rate is 13.03 per cent.
The highest number of samples were tested on Wednesday, with 3,50,823 samples collected. The total samples tested till now is over 1.5 crore, government data shows. Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases in India, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Maharashtra has been grappling with a shortage of life saving drugs like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab.
The state government says they are addressing the shortage and have been in touch with suppliers to boost supplies. (Read full story
here)
5 states with highest number of cases and deaths in last 24 hours
Cases :
Maharashtra: 10,576
Andhra Pradesh: 6045
Tamil Nadu: 5849
Karnataka: 4764
UP: 2300
Deaths
Tamil Nadu: 518
Maharashtra: 280
Andhra Pradesh: 65
Karnataka: 55
West Bengal: 39
JUST IN: 45,720 new cases, 1,129 COVID-19 related deaths in 24 hours in India
Tamil Nadu tea seller uses part of earnings to feed poor amid COVID-19 crisis
Tamilarasan, a tea seller in Madurai, spends a part of his earnings to feed the poor and homeless people during these tough times.
"I sell tea on a bicycle every morning and evening in the surrounding villages of Alankanallur, Mettupatti and Pudupatti from which I get decent daily income," Tamilarsan said.
"Whenever I sell tea, I give free to the poor and needy who flock at the roadside and near the temple gates. I also reserve a portion of my income which goes solely into feeding them thrice a day," he added. (read full story
here)
COVID-19: Strict action if any monetary transaction found in plasma donation process, says Delhi government
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday warned that strict action will be taken if it is found that monetary transaction was done during the process of plasma donation for any COVID-19 patient.
He said this in response to a query from a reporter on such alleged irregularities.
"Plasma donation to benefit COVID patients is a benevolent act. And, strict action will be taken if anyone tries to buy or sell plasma," he said.
A first-of-its-kind ''plasma bank'' in the country was recently set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Science (ILBS) in south Delhi.
Delhi government-run LNJP Hospital also recently started a plasma bank.
COVID-19: Ashok Gehlot reviews coronavirus situation in Rajasthan
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that Rajasthan is among the leading states fighting the coronavirus pandemic and its measures to contain the spread of the virus has been appreciated across the country.
Mr Gehlot said this while reviewing the pandemic situation through video conference.
He asked officials present during the meeting to remain fully focused on dealing with the pandemic without worrying about the political developments in the state.
"Our government will exert full force in the fight against corona. It is priority of the government to prevent corona pandemic from going out of control," he said, according to a government statement.
Mr Gehlot ordered officials to distribute Rs 1,000 as ex-gratia to 35 lakh needy families and give cash to eligible beneficiaries who do not have bank accounts.
Coronavirus news: Kerala Chief Minister clarifies state's COVID-19 discharge policy
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday clarified that the state's discharge policy regarding COVID-19 patients is different from the existing policies at the national level and in other states.
During a press conference, the Chief Minister said, "As per the national policy, a patient is discharged after 10 days of admission if there are no minor symptoms. Most states follow this method. Initially in Kerala, a patient was discharged only after two consecutive negative test results."
He said that tests have been made mandatory in asymptomatic cases as well in the updated guidelines by the Department of Health, which were published yesterday.
"Kerala has always followed a policy of discharging patients only after they test negative. The policy is to ensure the safety of the community and to prevent the further spread of the disease. In the third phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in the state, the numbers have been increasing rapidly and today it has cross 1,000," the Chief Minister said.
Coronavirus: Don't Expect First COVID-19 Vaccinations Until Early 2021, Says WHO Expert
Researchers are making "good progress" in developing vaccines against COVID-19, with a handful in late-stage trials, but their first use cannot be expected until early 2021, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert said on Wednesday.
WHO is working to ensure fair vaccine distribution, but in the meantime it is key to suppress the virus's spread, said Mike Ryan, head of WHO's emergencies programme, as daily new cases around the globe are at near-record levels.
"We're making good progress," Ryan said, noting that several vaccines were now in phase 3 trials and none had failed, so far, in terms of safety or ability to generate an immune response.
"Realistically it is going to be the first part of next year before we start seeing people getting vaccinated," he told a public event on social media.
WHO was working to expand access to potential vaccines and to help scale-up production capacity, Ryan said.
Coronavirus news: Ladakh Lt Governor inaugurates COVID-19 testing facility
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur on Wednesday inaugurated the COVID-19 testing facility established in adherence to the safety standards and advisories of ICMR at (DIHAR) lab in Leh on July 22.
The facility at DIHAR has been built to increase the rate of testing to identify corona cases in the union territory.
As per the Union Home Ministry, Ladakh reported 1,198 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday.
This includes 186 active cases and 1,010 cured and discharged patients. Two deaths have been reported so far due to the infection, it added.