Covid-19 Cases in India: Total recoveries in country climbed to 3,35,97,339 (File)
India reported a single-day rise of 13,451 new COVID-19 cases with which the country's active caseload stands at 1,62,661, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated this morning.
The daily test positivity rate - number of positive cases identified per 100 - stands at 1.03%, less than 2% for last 23 days while the weekly positivity rate stands at 1.22% less than 2% for last 33 days.
The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.19 per cent, highest since March 2020, the bulletin showed. With 14,021 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries in the country climbed to 3,35,97,339.
Here are the updates on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
Assam Relaxes Covid Curbs, Allows More People In Weddings, FuneralsThe Assam government on Wednesday further relaxed COVID-related restrictions, allowing 200 people with at least one dose of vaccination to attend weddings and religious functions, reported news agency PTI.
Issuing a new set of guidelines, Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua said the overall COVID-19 situation in the state has "considerably improved".
Russia Discourages Domestic Travel To Curb Covid SurgeThe Kremlin on Wednesday cautioned Russians against travelling during a non-working period ordered by Moscow to stem a spike in coronavirus infections and deaths, reported news agency AFP.
President Vladimir Putin last week ordered the week-long paid holiday between October 30 and November 7 in a bid to reverse rising infections in the country, one of the worst-affected in Europe.
UK Wasted 37 Billion Pounds On Covid Plan That Failed, Says Lawmakers' ReportThe UK government largely wasted a mammoth £
37 billion on a test and trace programme that failed to control the spread of Covid-19 last year, a report by lawmakers said today.
The government and its inexperienced head for the programme, Dido Harding, displayed "gung-ho confidence", the chair of the House of Commons public accounts committee said.
Karnataka Issues Guidelines For International ArrivalsIn view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Karnataka government has issued a new set of guidelines for international passengers arriving in the state, reported news agency ANI.
According to the notification issued on October 25, passengers coming from countries including the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing.
As per the new guidelines, all passengers planning to travel to Karnataka have to submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel.
Delhi Allows Chhath Puja Celebrations At Designated Sites Amid Covid ProtocolsThe Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday allowed devotees to perform Chhath Puja at designated spots in the national capital amid strict Covid protocols.
The DDMA, which devises Covid management policies for the capital, had banned Chhath Puja celebrations at public places, including at Yamuna riverbanks, water bodies and temples in Delhi, after a meeting on September 30.
The ban on Chhath celebrations had triggered protests by opposition parties, the BJP and the Congress.
China's "Steady" Covid Surge Brings Sense Of Foreboding In Border TownsChina has reported nearly 250 locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 since the start of the current outbreak 10 days ago, with many infections in remote towns along porous international borders in the country's northwest.
China had 50 new local cases for Oct. 26, the highest daily count since Sept. 16, official data showed on Wednesday.
The overall number is tiny versus many clusters outside the country. It is also modest compared with more than 1,200 local cases reported during China's July-August outbreak and the more than 2,000 cases in January during the last winter.
Covid surge in West Bengal: Authorities create 24 containment zones in BaruipurAccording to the official, all markets under the Sonarpur-Rajpur municipality, Baruipur municipality and Joynagar II block in Baruipur subdivision will be shut for three days starting Thursday. "We will not allow any crowding anywhere.
Wearing mask has been made compulsory here. Market places will remain shut for the next three days. Areas under Narendrapur, Sonarpur, Baruipur and Bakultala police stations will be shut during these days. All these steps have been taken after a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases. We are trying to combat the rise and break the chain of transmission of the virus effectively," a senior official of Baruipur sub-division said.
Nine new cases push Arunachal's COVID tally to 55,114Arunachal Pradesh reported nine fresh COVID-19 cases, seven less than the previous day, with the caseload rising to 55,114, a health department official said. The death toll in the northeastern state remained at 280 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported in the last 24 hours, he said.
At least 10 people were cured of the disease during the period, taking the total number of recoveries to 54,697, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients currently stands at 99.24 per cent, he said.
41 pregnant women die of COVID-19 in Kerala, 149 patients end life: GovernmentAs many as 41 pregnant women have so far succumbed to COVID-19 in Kerala after the virus infection broke out in the southern state one and half years ago, state Health Minister Veena George said.
The number of the COVID positive persons, who had committed suicide in the state, stood at 149, she told the state Assembly during the question hour. The minister was replying to a question in this regard raised by Congress legislator T J Vinod. "As per the figures reported from the districts, 41 pregnant women have succumbed to the disease in the state. Besides, 149 patients affected with the viral infection have committed suicide," Ms George said.
''Jumla'' version of COVID-19 vaccine story will not save lives: Rahul GandhiFormer Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said actual vaccinations and not the "jumla (rhetoric) version" of the COVID-19 vaccine story would save lives and pointed out to the large number of people who are yet to be vaccinated in the country.
He shared an article by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a newspaper which lauded Indian scientists and researchers on achieving the 100-core vaccination milestone but pointed out to the large number of people and children who are yet to be inoculated against COVID-19.
"Jumla-version of the vaccine story won't save lives. Actual vaccination will," he said on Twitter using the hashtag "#DutyToVaccinate". The Congress also shared on Twitter Sonia Gandhi's article and quoted her, "The PM likes to emphasise that vaccines are free, while conveniently forgetting that they have always been free. It is the BJP government that moved away from India's universal free vaccination policy."
''Jumla'' version of COVID-19 vaccine story will not save lives: Rahul GandhiFormer Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said actual vaccinations and not the "jumla (rhetoric) version" of the COVID-19 vaccine story would save lives and pointed out to the large number of people who are yet to be vaccinated in the country.
He shared an article by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a newspaper which lauded Indian scientists and researchers on achieving the 100-core vaccination milestone but pointed out to the large number of people and children who are yet to be inoculated against COVID-19.
"Jumla-version of the vaccine story won't save lives. Actual vaccination will," he said on Twitter using the hashtag "#DutyToVaccinate". The Congress also shared on Twitter Sonia Gandhi's article and quoted her, "The PM likes to emphasise that vaccines are free, while conveniently forgetting that they have always been free. It is the BJP government that moved away from India's universal free vaccination policy."
Days After Reporting 889 COVID-19 Cases, Maharashtra Sees 1,201 New InfectionsA day after reporting 889 COVID-19 cases, the lowest after May 5, 2020, Maharashtra on Tuesday logged 1,201 new infections, taking the tally to 66,05,051, a health department official said.
COVID-19 Crisis Far From Finished, Says WHOThe COVID-19 crisis is far from over, the World Health Organization's emergency committee said Tuesday as it called for research into next-generation vaccines for long-term control of the pandemic.
Over 103.53 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India so farWith the administration of 55,89,124 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 103.53 crore, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As per provisional reports till 7 am today, 1,03,53,25,577 vaccine doses were administered through 1,02,95,714 sessions.
Meanwhile, India reported 13,451 new COVID-19 cases and 585 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative tally to 3,42,15,653.
Australia to lift outbound travel ban for vaccinated residents from next week All fully-vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents will be able to leave the country without a special exemption from Nov. 1, authorities said on Wednesday, as Australia eases coronavirus restrictions amid a rise in vaccination rates.
Australians have been unable to travel abroad for more than 18 months without a government waiver, while thousands of fully-vaccinated residents living abroad have been unable to return due to a cap on arrivals to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Many of these are now expected to return after Sydney and Melbourne ended quarantine rules for inoculated travelers from Nov. 1. Other cities, mostly virus-free, are expected to ease their border rules once they reach higher vaccination rates.
"The national plan is working ... (it) is about opening Australia up and that is because the vaccination rates are climbing so high," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Seven News.
Maharashtra's Thane reports 128 new COVID-19 cases, 6 deathsWith the addition of 128 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 5,64,931, an official said on Wednesday. Besides these new cases reported on Tuesday, the virus also claimed the lives of six more people, which raised the death toll in the district to 11,486, he said.
The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.03 per cent, he added.
In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,37,865, while the death toll stands at 3,282, another official said.
Update| Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a meeting with the state health ministers today to discuss ramping up the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country.
US Panel Recommends Pfizer Covid Vaccine For Younger ChildrenA medical panel of US government advisors endorsed the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in five-to-11-year-olds Tuesday, paving the way for younger children to get their shots within weeks.
The independent experts concluded the known benefits -- both directly to kids' health but also in ending school and other disruptions -- outweighed the known risks.
After a day of presentations and debate, the final vote was 17 in favor and one abstention.
No Nod For Covaxin Yet, WHO Seeks "Additional Clarifications"The World Health Organisation's technical advisory group on Tuesday sought "additional clarifications" from Bharat Biotech for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin to conduct a final "risk-benefit assessment" for Emergency Use Listing of the vaccine.
The technical advisory group will now meet on November 3 for a final assessment.
Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, which has developed Covaxin, had submitted EOI (Expression of Interest) to the WHO on April 19 for the vaccine's Emergency Use Listing (EUL).