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Coronavirus Highlights: India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 18-lakh mark on Monday, with 52,972 cases being reported in a day. The country now has 18,03,695 infections of the deadly virus which has affected more than 18 million people globally. With 771 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the number of deaths count has climbed to 38,135, the government said. More than 11.86 patients have recovered; the recovery rate stood at 65.76 per cent this morning. India has tested a total of 2,02,02,858 samples so far. The positivity rate - percentage of patients who have tested positive for coronavirus - stood at 13.90 per cent.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa have tested positive for coronavirus.
According to the sources said Amit Shah has been admitted to Medanta hospital, located in Haryana's Gurugram near Delhi.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases:
89 new COVID-19 cases reported in Madhya Pradesh's Indore yesterday, taking the total number of cases in the district to 7,735. Death count in the district stands at 320: Chief Medical and Health Officer, Indore district
Drug Controller Nod For Apheresis Machine To extract Blood Plasma In Goa
Goa has made a new breakthrough in its plasma therapy for critically ill COVID-19 patients after Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) gave its approval for using Apheresis machine to extract blood plasma, said Health Minister Vishwajit P Rane.
"With DGCI's permission for using the Apheresis machine to extract blood plasma, Goa has made a new breakthrough in its plasma therapy for critically ill COVID patients," Mr Rane tweeted.
"With this significant development, we are moving forward head on to tackle the menace of this virus," he added.
Goa has so far reported 1,809 active COVID-19 cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Manipur: Chief Minister N Biren Singh inaugurated a 300 bedded COVID care centre at Manipur Trade & Expo Centre, Lamboikhongnangkhong in Imphal West, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/tqKFwTHBoH
- ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2020
Jharkhand's COVID-19 Death Count Mounts To 125 With 3 More Fatalities
Three more people died due to COVID-19 in Jharkhand on Monday, raising the death count to 125, a state government bulletin said.
All the deaths were reported from East Singhbhum district, it said.
A total of 618 people tested positive in the past 24 hours, taking the state's coronavirus tally to 13,500, the bulletin said.
Jharkhand now has 8,581 active cases, while 4,794 people have recovered from the disease.
Till date, 3,39,560 swab tests have been conducted, it added.
The mortality rate of the state is 0.93 per cent, while the recovery rate is 35.5 per cent, the bulletin said.
Jharkhand's COVID-19 Death Count Mounts To 125 With 3 More Fatalities
Three more people died due to COVID-19 in Jharkhand on Monday, raising the death count to 125, a state government bulletin said.
All the deaths were reported from East Singhbhum district, it said.
A total of 618 people tested positive in the past 24 hours, taking the state's coronavirus tally to 13,500, the bulletin said.
Jharkhand now has 8,581 active cases, while 4,794 people have recovered from the disease.
Till date, 3,39,560 swab tests have been conducted, it added.
The mortality rate of the state is 0.93 per cent, while the recovery rate is 35.5 per cent, the bulletin said.
Impose Lockdown In An Area If Number Of COVID-19 Cases Rise: Rajasthan Chief Minister To Collectors
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asked district collectors on Monday to clamp a lockdown in an area if the number of coronavirus cases is on the rise there.
He said the collectors may impose other restrictions such as declaring containment zones and announcing a night curfew, according to the requirements.
Chairing a review meeting, Gehlot also directed officials to ensure compliance of the COVID-19 health protocols, adding that the situation may worsen if the same are violated.
The chief minister also said if those in home quarantine violate rules, they should be shifted to institutional quarantine.
State Health Minister Raghu Sharma, Chief Secretary Rajeeva Swarup and other senior officials were present at the meeting.
Rajasthan recorded 13 deaths due to COVID-19 on Monday, taking the total number of such fatalities in the state to 719, while with 1,145 fresh cases, the tally went past the 45,000-mark, the health department said.
Nearly 15 lakh face masks distributed in Raigarh district
Around 14.87 lakh face masks were distributed free of cost among people in Chhattisgarhs Raigarh district as part of a drive conducted by local police on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on Monday to encourage citizens to make efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Under the campaign, titled ''Ek Rakshasutra Mask Ka'' (one safety string of mask), police distributed a record 12.37 lakh masks to people covering each police station area of the district, an official said.
Another 2.50 lakh masks were distributed free of cost by various organisations and individuals among citizens as part of the drive, Raigarh Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh said.
Chief of staff to Brazil's Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's chief of staff, Army General Walter Souza Braga Netto, has tested positive for COVID-19, his office said on Monday, becoming the seventh Brazilian minister to have contracted the disease.
Braga Netto is doing well and has no symptoms, the office said in a statement. He will remain in isolation until a new examination and medical evaluation is carried out, and will continue to work remotely.
Last week, Bolsonaro's wife and one of his ministers tested positive for COVID-19.
Maharashtra Tally At 4,50,196 With 8,968 New Cases COVID-19: Hyderabad International Airport gets mass fever screening system
The Union health ministry has provided the Hyderabad international airport a mass fever screening system, funded by the UNICEF, to enhance the efficacy of the screening process amid the coronavirus pandemic, its operator GHIAL said on Monday.
The new thermal scanner at the airport is a ceiling-mounted mass fever screening system, it said.
"With an objective of enhancing the efficacy of the screening process, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in coordination with Asian Development Bank, has provided Hyderabad International Airport with a state-of-the-art Thermal Scanner - a Mass Fever Screening System, funded by UNICEF (United Nations Children''s Fund)," GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) said in a release.
805 new COVID cases in Delhi; total number of deaths 4021
Delhi registered 805 more novel coronavirus cases, taking the tally to over 1.38 lakh on Monday, while the toll rose to 4,021 with 17 more deaths, authorities said.
The three-figure count for the new COVID-19 cases was recorded on a day when the number of tests conducted was 10,133, according to the bulletin.
On July 20, too, a low number of 11,417 tests were conducted. The number of tests done per million rose to 56,515 and 10,73,802 tests have been conducted so far, it said.
Record 53 single-day COVID deaths in Bengal; 2,716 fresh cases reported
The number of single-day COVID-19 fatalities in West Bengal crossed 50-mark on Monday after 53 people succumbed to the disease, taking the deaths to 1,731, the health department said.
The states coronavirus caseload also mounted to 78,232 after the highest one-day spike of 2,716 fresh cases was reported from different districts.
Since Sunday, 2,088 patients have been discharged from hospitals improving the discharge rate to 70.07 per cent, a bulletin released by the department said. The number of active cases stood at 21,683. In the last 24 hours, 22,122 samples have been tested in West Bengal.
Manipur Chief Minister inaugurates 300-bed Covid Care Centre
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday inaugurated a 300-bed Covid Care Centre (CCC) at Manipur Trade and Expo Centre, Lamboikhongnangkhong in Imphal West District.
Briefing media persons, the chief minister said that there is evidence of community transmission of the disease in the state. Manipur has reported 2,920 COVID-19 cases till Monday.
The total active cases in the state is 1,147 as 1,766 people have recovered from the disease and seven have died. He said that awareness among the people is very much needed to contain further spread of the disease and appealed to the people to come out openly for early treatment instead of concealing their COVID-19 status if tested positive.
Lockdown dates changed in West Bengal for the second time
The West Bengal government on Monday changed for the second time the dates for the complete lockdown in the state to check the spread of COVID-19.
As per the new changes the lockdown will be enforced on August 20 and 21 and August 27 and 28, instead of August 16, 17, 23 and 24 as announced earlier, the government order said.
The other lockdown dates - i.e August 5, 8 and 31 are unchanged. The state government had on July 28 withdrawn the complete lockdown on August 2 and 9 paring down the number of lockdown days from nine to seven.
Tamil Nadu's COVID-19 recoveries cross 2 lakh
Maintaining its robust recovery of COVID-19 patients, Tamil Nadu on Monday saw the cumulative discharges crossing the two lakh milestone while the daily deaths breached the 100 mark for the first time.
The state recorded 5,609 fresh cases, taking the overall infection count to 2,63,222, a health department bulletin said.
As many as 109 people died due to the coronavirus as the deaths mounted to 4,241, it said.
On the positive side, a total of 5,800 people were discharged, eclipsing the new cases on Monday and taking the total recoveries to 2,02,283.
Virus curfew imposed in Australia's Melbourne, South Africa tops 500,000 cases
Australia's second-largest city imposed an overnight curfew on Sunday to halt the spread of coronavirus cases, as South Africa's infection count topped more than half a million.
Six months after the World Health Organization declared a global emergency, the virus has killed more than 680,000 people and infected more than 17.5 million.
Fresh clusters have been reported in countries -- such as Australia -- that had previously brought their outbreaks under control.
Australia's Victoria state imposed fresh, sweeping restrictions on Sunday, including a curfew in Melbourne for the next six weeks, a ban on weddings, and schools and universities going back online in the coming days.
Uttar Pradesh reports 4,441 new COVID-19 cases, 50 more fatalities
Uttar Pradesh reported 4,441 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the total to 97,362 as 50 more fatalities pushed the death toll in the state to 1,778.
Of the new deaths reported, seven were from Kanpur, six from Varanasi, five each from Lucknow and Lakhimpur Kheri and four each from Meerut and Gorakhpur, among others, an official statement said.
Among the fresh cases of the infection, the highest number of 507 was reported from Lucknow, followed by 415 in Kanpur Nagar and 194 in Varanasi, it said.
WHO Says Completes Groundwork In China For Virus Origin Probe
The World Health Organization's mission in China laying the groundwork for an investigation into the animal origins of the coronavirus pandemic has concluded, the UN health agency said Monday.
"The WHO advance team that travelled to China has now concluded their mission to lay the groundwork for further joint efforts to identify the virus origins, the agency's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference, adding, "Epidemiological studies will begin in Wuhan to identify the potential source of infection of the early cases."
Wockhardt announces COVID-19 vaccine partnership with UK government
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology major Wockhardt said it has entered into an agreement with the UK Government to fill-finish COVID-19 vaccines.
Fill-finish is the final manufacturing step of putting vaccines into vials or syringes and packaging them. The manufacturing will be undertaken at CP Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Wockhardt based at Wrexham in North Wales.
As per the terms of the agreement, Wockhardt has reserved manufacturing capacity to allow for the supply of multiple vaccines to the UK Government in its fight against COVID-19, including AZD1222, the vaccine co-invented by the University of Oxford and its spin out company Vaccitech and licensed by AstraZeneca.
Karnataka Congress leader tests positive for COVID-19
Karnataka Congress leader R Prasanna Kumar on Monday tested positive for COVID-19. He had attended a party program in Bengaluru last week.
"I don't have symptoms. Those who came in contact with me should get tested," Mr Kumar said in a statement today. Mr Kumar had attended a party program on July 27.
New guidelines released for yoga institutes and gyms across the country
- Those above 65 years, people with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below 10 have been asked not to use gyms in closed spaces.
- Face cover or mask is mandatory at all times on the premises.
- It is recommended to use the COVID-19 tracker app Aarogya Setu.
- The yoga or gym floor should have space of four metres per person.
- Equipment should be kept six feet apart, and wherever possible, they should be moved outdoors.
WHO: There May Never Be A COVID-19 'Silver Bullet'
The World Health Organization said Monday that there might never be a "silver bullet" answer to the new coronavirus, despite the rush to discover effective vaccines.
"There is no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference in Geneva.
UK Rolls Out 2 New Rapid COVID-19 Tests, Can Detect Virus In 90 Minutes: Report20 Security Personnel Among 28 Fresh COVID-19 Cases In Meghalaya; Count Rises To 902
Twenty-eight more people, including 20 security personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya, taking the northeastern state's virus count to 902 on Monday, officials said.
Twenty-one new cases were reported in East Khasi Hills district, under which Shillong falls, while five fresh infections were registered in Ri-Bhoi and two in West Jaintia Hills districts, they said.
Of the new cases, 13 are Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, seven are from the armed forces and eight are civilians, the officials said.
Chef Vikas Khanna To Help India's Street Vendors Impacted By COVID-19: Report
Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, who will soon reach the milestone of having distributed 25 million meals across India amid COVID-19, is now aiming to provide essential rations and supplies to 10 million street vendors and their families facing hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read here
Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, who will soon reach the milestone of having distributed 25 million meals across India amid COVID-19, is now aiming to provide essential rations and supplies to 10 million street vendors and their families facing hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read here
Melbourne Orders Non-Vital Businesses Shut To Curb Virus
Non-essential businesses in Australia's second-biggest city of Melbourne were ordered Monday to close for six weeks as officials struggle to control a growing coronavirus outbreak.
Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews said most retail outlets in Melbourne would have to shut from midnight Wednesday into Thursday, with exemptions for supermarkets, pharmacies and liquor stores.
The measures are the most restrictive Australia has seen since the epidemic began and came on top of mandatory mask-wearing, stay-at-home orders and a night-time curfew in the city.
Global virus cases top 18 million as Australian city imposes curfew
The number of coronavirus cases recorded worldwide topped 18 million on Monday with the illness continuing its march, after Australia's second-largest city imposed a curfew to halt the spread.
Six months after the World Health Organization declared a global emergency, the virus has killed more than 687,000 people since it first emerged in China late last year, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources.
Fresh clusters have been reported in countries that had previously brought their outbreaks under control, forcing governments to reimpose lockdown measures despite worries over further economic fallout.
JustIn| 6 Staff Members Of BS Yediyurappa, In Hospital For Covid, Test Positive
Telangana Reports 11 Deaths, 983 New COVID-19 Cases
Telangana reported 983 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of positive cases in the
state to 67,660.
With 11 more deaths, the coronavirus toll in the state rose to 551, a state government bulletin said on Monday, providing data as of 8 pm on August 2.
Out of the 983 fresh cases, 273 were from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), a substantial fall compared to the previous days, followed by Ranga Reddy (73) and Warangal Urban (57) districts, the bulletin said.
US Coronavirus "Extraordinarily Widespread", Say White House Experts
The United States is in a new phase of the novel coronavirus outbreak with infections "extraordinarily widespread" in rural areas as well as cities, White House coronavirus experts said on Sunday. Read more
The United States is in a new phase of the novel coronavirus outbreak with infections "extraordinarily widespread" in rural areas as well as cities, White House coronavirus experts said on Sunday. Read more
JustIn| Congress MP Karti Chidambaram tests positive for Coronavirus; goes into home-quarantine.
I have just tested positive for #Covid. My symptoms are mild and as per medical advice I am under home quarantine. I would urge all those who have recently been in contact with me to follow medical protocol.
- Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) August 3, 2020
India's COVID-19 Testing Crosses 2 Crore Mark: Top Medical Body
India has crossed the 2 crore mark of COVID-19 testing across the country on Sunday after 3,81,027 samples were tested yesterday.
A total of 2,02,02,858 samples for COVID-19 were tested across the country as of Sunday, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) today.
"The total number of COVID-19 samples tested up to August 02 is 2,02,02,858 including 3,81,027 samples tested yesterday," said the ICMR in a bulletin shared on Twitter.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa May Have To Remain In Hospital For 8 To 10 Days: Medical Education Minister
All those who met Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who has tested positive for
COVID-19, in the last three-four days will have to be quarantined, Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K said on Monday.
He also said those who came in contact with Mr Yediyurappa in a couple of programmes in the past week are being traced.
Sudhakar, a medical doctor himself, said Mr Yediyurappa has "very mild cough and his chest is clear."
"I think eight to ten days," he told PTI when asked how long the Chief Minister would have to remain in hospital.
Millions Return To Lockdown In Philippines As Virus Cases Soar
More than 27 million people in the Philippines -- about a quarter of the population -- will go back into lockdown Tuesday after overwhelmed health workers warned the country was losing the battle against the coronavirus.
Since the beginning of June, when much of the country emerged from one of the world's longest stay-at-home orders, confirmed infections in the archipelago have increased fivefold, surging past 100,000.
The new restrictions announced by President Rodrigo Duterte late Sunday apply to the capital Manila and four surrounding provinces on the main island of Luzon.
JustIn| Coronavirus cases in India cross 18-lakh mark, 38,135 deaths
Top Coronavirus Advisor Warns US In "New Phase" Of Pandemic
The United States has entered a "new phase" of the pandemic, White House coronavirus advisor Deborah Birx warned Sunday, with rural areas just as threatened as major cities.
Birx, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, told CNN's "State of the Union" that local virus mitigation procedures were starting to work, but added that "what we are seeing today is different from March and April".
"It is extraordinarily widespread. It's into the rural as equal urban areas," she added. "To everybody who lives in a rural area, you are not immune or protected from this virus."
BS Yediyurappa Tests Covid +ve, Hospitalised, Daughter Also Positive
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tweeted late Sunday night that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. In a brief post on Twitter, Mr Yediyurappa said that he was fine but had been hospitalised on the advice of doctors. While his daughter Padmavathi has also tested positive for the virus, the Chief Minister's son, Vijayendra, has tested negative. Read more
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tweeted late Sunday night that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. In a brief post on Twitter, Mr Yediyurappa said that he was fine but had been hospitalised on the advice of doctors. While his daughter Padmavathi has also tested positive for the virus, the Chief Minister's son, Vijayendra, has tested negative. Read more
Virus Exposes Cracks In Brazil's Public Health System
Brazil's public health care system, considered among the world's most advanced when it was launched, is being pushed to the brink by the coronavirus pandemic, which has exposed the impact of years of under-funding and mismanagement.
As Brazil closes in on 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 -- the second country in the world to reach that bleak milestone, after the United States -- the public health care system is struggling to care for those who depend on it.
Launched in 1988, the so-called SUS -- for Sistema Unico de Saude, or Single Health System -- was modeled on Britain's National Health Service (NHS).
Covid-19: Raigarh Police To Distribute Over 7 Lakh Masks To Raise Awareness
On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Raigarh Police will distribute over seven lakh masks on Monday to raise awareness about COVID-19, the state police said.
Santosh Kumar Singh, Superintendent of Police said, "We have planned to distribute around seven to eight lakh masks. We are doing this to raise awareness as a part of our social duty.
According to an official release, a mask is a foremost measure to safeguard against the infection and hence Raigarh police have organised a mega awareness campaign named "Ek Rakshasutra mask ka", on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
Jodhpur Restaurant Sells COVID Curry, Mask Naan, Leaves Customers Intrigued
While COVID-19 continues to spread, a restaurant in Jodhpur has infused creativity in its menu by adding COVID-19-themed dishes. The Vedic restaurant is serving new and unique "COVID Curry" and "Mask Naan" to its customers.
The COVID Curry is basically "malai kofta" made in the shape of the COVID-19 while the ''Mask Naan'' is a facemask-shaped naan.
Restaurant's owner, Anil Kumar says these two new dishes are his brainchild.
Assam Government Issues Guidelines On Permissible Activities In State
The Assam government has issued guidelines regarding permissible activities in the state which will come into effect from 7 PM on Sunday and remain valid till 7 PM of August 14.
Inter-district movement is allowed on Monday and Tuesday only. No separate permission/approval/e-permit will be required.
Malls and gymnasiums are allowed to operate between Monday and Friday on the same side of the street on which other shops are allowed in Kamrup Metropolitan District and both sides in the case of all other districts.
Movement of individuals strictly prohibited between 6 PM and 6 AM.
"After due consideration of the COVID situation as it prevails in the state of Assam and taking into consideration latest directives issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs dated 29 July 2020, the following modifications of the order dated 18 July, 2020 are allowed in the entire State of Assam: This order shall come into force with effect from 7 PM of 2 August, 2020 and remain valid till 7 PM of 14 August, 2020," the order from the Assam government read.
1,178 new COVID-19 cases detected out of 19,943 tests conducted in last 24 hours. We have been able to maintain a low positivity rate consistently (today- 5.91%). Total number of cases now at 42,904 including 11,354 active cases & 105 deaths: Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Health Minister
Global Coronavirus Cases Cross 18 Million Mark With Over 687,000 Deaths
The number of coronavirus cases recorded worldwide has passed 18 million, according to an AFP tally from official sources at 2240 GMT Sunday.
At least 18,011,763 cases have now been registered as the pandemic's rate of infection continues to accelerate. A million more cases have been detected in just the last four days.
More than half of the world's cases have been recorded in the United States and in Latin America and the Caribbean region.
The United States is the worst-hit country with 4,657,693 cases including 154,793 deaths, followed by Brazil, with 2,733,677 cases and 94,104 deaths.
The third worst-hit country is India, with 1,750,723 cases and 37,364 deaths.
Worldwide, there have been 687,941 deaths.
The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.
Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the most serious cases.
Serum Institute Gets Nod For Phase 2,3 Human Trial Of Oxford COVID Vaccine
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given nod to the Serum Institute of India (SII) for conducting phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, developed by the University of Oxford, in the country.
Government officials told PTI that the approval for conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials by the SII was granted by DCGI Dr V G Somani late Sunday night after a thorough evaluation based on the recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee on COVID-19.
As a rapid regulatory response, the expert panel at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Friday, after a detailed deliberation and considering the data generated on the vaccine candidate in phase 1 and 2 of the Oxford University trial, had recommended granting permission for phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the potential vaccine, "Covishield", on healthy adults in India, the officials said.
"The firm has to submit safety data, evaluated by the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), to the CDSCO before proceeding to phase 3 clinical trials," a senior official said.
"As per the study design, each subject will be administered two doses four weeks apart (first dose on day one and second dose on day 29) following which the safety and immunogenicity will be assessed at predefined intervals," the official said.
