India on Sunday reported 30,256 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours as the country seeks to reopen the country to overseas tourists. The active cases in the country stood at 3,18,181, it said.
India, which has so far administered 80.43 crore vaccine doses, is looking to protect the population and welcome back tourists.
First five lakh foreign tourists will be issued visas free of cost in an attempt to revive the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020 when a nationwide lockdown was announced.
Top Union Home Ministry officials are deliberating with all stakeholders on the expected date and modalities for opening up of the country for foreign tourists.
Here are the Highlights on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
Coronavirus Vaccination Tracker: According to the Union Health Ministry's latest update, more than 35.26 lakh vaccine doses have been administered in India on20 September 2021.
India has administered over 80.85 crore vaccine doses under the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive, according to a press release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Puducherry logged 54 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours as the overall tally climbed to 1,25,517. The number of active cases in the union territory stood at 867. The 54 new infections were identified at the end of the examination of 4,069 samples and were spread over Puducherry (34), Karaikal (15) and Mahe (five).
The overall caseload stood at 1,25,517.
Pakistan reported 2,167 fresh cases of COVID-19 after 51,348 tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours, according to Pakistan''s National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) data. As many as 40 deaths were reported due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, said NCOC data. The positivity rate fell to 4.22 per cent, as compared to the previous day''s 4.68 per cent. According to NCOC data, at least 4,840 patients were in critical care.
A new travel advisory by the United Kingdom - which says people arriving from India and a few other countries will be considered "unvaccinated" even if they have had two doses of Covishield - has renewed concern over freedom of international travel.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said there are no active cases of COVID-19 in 31 districts of the state. According to data, these 31 districts are -- Aligarh, Amroha, Auraiya, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Ballia, Banda, Basti, Bahraich, Bhadohi, Bijnor, Etah, Farrukhabad, Gonda, Hamirpur, Hapur, Hathras, Kanpur Dehat, Kasganj, In Mahoba, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Pilibhit, Pratapgarh, Rampur, Saharanpur, Shamli, Shravasti and Sultanpur.
India has administered over 80.85 crore vaccine doses under the ongoing nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive, according to a press release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/b2e8GbPLfN
- NDTV (@ndtv) September 20, 2021
Stuck in Tahiti with no available flights, Paul Stratfold was running out of time to get back home to Australia and renew his residency visa. The Briton decided his best option was to sail 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles).
Thane has reported 267 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,56,368. These new cases were recorded on Sunday. The virus also claimed the life of one person, which raised the death count in the district to 11,369. The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.04 per cent.
Kerala reports 19,653 fresh #COVID19 infections, 26,711 recoveries and 152 deaths today.
- ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2021
Active cases: 1,73,631
Total recoveries: 43,10,674
Death toll: 23,591
Test positivity rate is 17.34%
1,13,295 samples tested in the last 24 hours
Jharkhand reported two new #COVID19 cases, 20 recoveries and zero deaths on Sunday.
- ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2021
Active cases: 56
Total recoveries: 3,42,927
Death toll: 5,133 pic.twitter.com/i187Se6fNz
A panel of leading US medical experts advising the government voted in favor of authorizing boosters of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for everyone aged 65 and up, as well as people at high risk of developing severe Covid.
World Health Organisation's (WHO) approval for the emergency use authorisation (EUA) to COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, is likely to be delayed till October 5. As per WHO, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) will be meeting on October 5 to grant EUA to Covaxin.
The 11 states reporting a more dangerous type of dengue have been asked by the centre to take steps for early detection of cases, start fever helplines and stock adequate testing kits, larvicides and medicines.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi in a study observed obesity and allied comorbidities pose an enormous healthcare burden that requires a lifestyle modification by counselling and support from the provider.
Kerala on Sunday reported 19,653 fresh COVID-19 cases and 152 deaths, which took the caseload to 45,08,493 and fatalities to 23,591 till date.
As many as 1,13,295 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, the release said.
Of the 14 districts, Ernakulam recorded the highest with 2,810 cases followed by Thrissur (2,620), Thiruvananthapuram (2,105), Kozhikode (1,957), Palakkad (1,593), Kollam (1,392), Malappuram (1,387), Kottayam (1,288) and Alappuzha (1,270), it said.