New Delhi: The number of new coronavirus infections in India has jumped 18% recorded with 45,576 recorded in the past 24 hours, according to government data. That takes the overall figure to 89,58,483 since the outbreak in January. Up to 585 people died of the disease since yesterday, the overall number till now being 1,31,578. Up to 4.43 lakh active cases remain in the country.
Delhi recorded 7,546 fresh COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking the infection tally in the national capital to over 5.1 lakh, even as 98 more fatalities pushed the count to 8,041, authorities said.
Meanwhile, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said he was confident that the COVID-19 vaccine would be ready in the next three-four months and added that the priority to provide the same to 135 crore Indians would be based on scientific evaluation.
The Minister was addressing the FICCI FLO webinar on "The Shifting Healthcare Paradigm During and Post-Covid" today.
"I am confident that the COVID-19 vaccine will be ready in the next three-four months. Priority for the vaccine will be designed on the basis of scientific data. Health care workers and corona warriors will naturally be prioritised followed by elderly and disease-prone people. Very detailed planning is underway for vaccine dissemination. An e-vaccine intelligence platform has been created to discuss the blueprint for the same. Tracking and tracing of the vaccine would be neck-deep once it's available for the public. Hopefully, 2021 should be a better year for all of us," the Health Minister said.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus Cases:
Nov 20, 2020 05:38 (IST)
COVID-19: WHO advises against remdesivir for coronavirus treatment
The anti-viral drug remdesivir should not be used to treat Covid-19 patients no matter how severe their illness as it has "no important effect" on survival chances, the World Health Organization said Friday.
Scratching one of the few treatments that had shown some initial promise in severe patients, a WHO Guideline Development Group (GDG) of international experts said there was "no evidence based on currently available data that it does improve patient-important outcomes".
The United States, the European Union and other countries have granted temporary approval for the use of remdesivir after initial research showed it may shorten recovery time in some coronavirus patients.
Nov 20, 2020 05:33 (IST)
Coronavirus: Government advises Haryana, UP to conduct survey of private hospitals over COVID-19
Union Home Ministry said on Thursday that it has advised Haryana and UP governments to hold a survey of private hospitals in their NCR districts on the lines of Delhi over preparedness to tackle COVID-19.
The ministry, which made a series of tweets, said about 150 ICU beds have been added in the last three days in Delhi following directions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
It said that capacity of RT-PCR tests in Delhi will be ramped up to 60,000 per day by end of November.
"After HM's review meeting on Delhi''s COVID situation, more than 28,708 RT-PCR tests conducted on November 18. Capacity of RT-PCR tests to be ramped up to 60,000 per day by end of November. MHA has advised Haryana and UP govts to hold survey of pvt hospitals in their NCR districts on the lines of Delhi," MHA said.
Nov 20, 2020 04:16 (IST)
Coronavirus news: Joe Biden says won't order 'national shutdown' despite Covid surge
US President-elect Joe Biden said Thursday he would not order a nationwide shutdown to fight the Covid-19 pandemic despite a surge in cases.
States and cities have been imposing their own restrictions, including home confinement, the closure of indoor dining and a limit on gatherings as infections soar across the country.
"There's no circumstance which I can see that would require total national shutdown. I think that would be counterproductive," Biden, who takes office on January 20, told reporters.
He said however that rules for when and how businesses and other establishments can open would have to be calibrated based on the threat in the area in question, noting the varying levels of spread throughout the country.
Nov 20, 2020 03:08 (IST)
COVID-19: Andhra reports 1,316 new cases
Andhra Pradesh reported 1,316 new cases of COVID-19 taking the tally of total cases to 8,58,711, said state government on Thursday.
According to state government, total recoveries in the state stand at 8,35,801 with 1,821 people recovered in last 24 hours.
The death count reached 6,911 in the state with eleven people succumbed to the disease. Out of the eleven deaths reported today, two people each succumbed in Chittoor and Krishna district while one death each reported in Anantapur, East Godavari, Guntur, Nellore, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts.
Nov 20, 2020 02:48 (IST)
COVID-19: Germany reports 22,609 new daily cases
The number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Germany increased by 22,609 in 24 hours, bringing the total to 855,916, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said on Thursday. The increase is slightly above the previous week's level.
Germany is currently in the second half of a month-long partial coronavirus lockdown.
The situation is "still serious, very serious," said RKI President Lothar Wieler at a press conference on Thursday. The case numbers are "still very high overall, much too high."
"The case numbers have stabilized at a high level in the last two weeks," said Wieler. "But we do not know whether this is already a trend reversal."
Nov 20, 2020 02:19 (IST)
Coronavirus news: Complete curfew in Ahmedabad from tonight till Monday morning
In a bid to bring under control the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, a curfew will be imposed in Ahmedabad from 9 pm on November 20 to 6 am on November 23, after which a night curfew will remain in force.
"Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation declared night curfew from 9 pm to 6 am every day from tomorrow in order to control the spread of COVID-19. The situation was reviewed late night and it has been decided that a complete curfew shall be imposed from tomorrow night 9 pm till Monday morning at 6 am in the city of Ahmedabad," an order said on Thursday.
During this period, only shops selling milk and medicines will be permitted to remain open.
Nov 19, 2020 23:42 (IST)
Assam reports 175 new COVID-19 cases today. Total cases in the State now at 2,11,040 including 2,06,875 recoveries, 3,193 active cases, and 969 deaths: Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
