Coronavirus in India: A total of 90,020 people have died due to COVID-19 in India.
India's COVID-19 case count has crossed the 56-lakh mark with a rise of 83,347 new cases today. In the last 24 hours, 1,085 deaths were recorded in the country, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The total case count now stands at 5,646,011 including 9,68,377 active cases, 45,87,614 cured and discharged cases. A total of 90,020 people have died due to COVID-19 in India till now.
India reported its lowest daily tally of coronavirus cases in almost a month on Tuesday as it prepares for clinical trials of a potential Russian vaccine in the next few weeks. However, India is consistently reporting the highest tally of daily cases anywhere in the world as a dense population and often rudimentary healthcare infrastructure hamper attempts to control the pandemic.
Drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd said it could begin late-stage trials of a vaccine within the next few weeks. Indian trials of the Sputnik-V vaccine candidate, being developed by Russia's sovereign wealth fund, will enroll 1,000-2,000 participants and be conducted at multiple government and private hospitals across the country.
The coronavirus pandemic appears to be accelerating worldwide, with new cases soaring last week to a new seven-day high of almost two million, even as new deaths decreased, WHO statistics showed. The World Health Organization said that during the week ending on September 20, 1,998,897 new cases of the novel coronavirus were registered around the world.
Here are the highlights on Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases:
280 new COVID-19 cases,446 recoveries and 5 deaths have been reported in Himachal Pradesh, in last 24 hours. Total number of cases now at 13049 including 3952 active cases, 8937 recoveries and 135 deaths: State Health Department
Jharkhand reported 1,141 new COVID-19 cases, 1,232 recoveries & 3 deaths on Wednesday, taking total cases to 75,089 including 61,559 recoveries, 648 deaths & 12,882 active cases: State Health Department
84 deaths and 3,886 COVID-19 positive cases reported in last 24 hours in Pune, taking total cases to 2,61,683 including 5,954 deaths: Pune Zilha Parishad, Maharashtra
2,061 prisoners and 421 jail staff tested positive for COVID-19 in prisons across Maharashtra. 6 prisoners and 5 jail staff died of the disease so far: State Prison Department
COVID-19: Kerala registers highest single-day spike with 5,376 new cases
Kerala reported its highest single-day spike of 5,376 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday taking the active count to 42,786, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed today.
The death count touched 592 which included 20 deaths and 2,591 recovered cases in the past 24 hours.
"This is the first time the number of cases has crossed the 5,000-mark in the state. The increase in numbers is a matter of grave concern as the situation is not improving. In the last 24 hours, 51,200 tests were conducted against our target of 50,000. For now, people who test positive for COVID-19 but are asymptomatic and have facilities at home should continue in home isolation. The home environment would help them recover fast. This would also lessen the burden on the hospitals and would facilitate the treatment of those with symptoms and having other diseases," Mr Vijayan said while briefing the media.
Of the new cases, 4,424 are cases of infection through contact and the contact source of 640 was not traceable (total of 5,064 contact cases). While 99 healthcare workers were among those infected. Meanwhile, 20 deaths were reported today even as 2,951 patients have recovered from the disease.
COVID-19: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister asks Centre to share 50 per cent of RT-PCR test costTamil Nadu on Wednesday reported 5,325 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the tally to 5,57,999 while the death count mounted to 9,010 with 63 more fatalities.
With 5,363 patients getting discharged from various hospitals, the cumulative number of cured people breached the five lakh mark.
The state has tested (RT-PCR) 67,25,037 samples, including 84,979 on Wednesday, and Chief Minister K Palaniswami urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a virtual meet on the
pandemic situation to fund at least 50 per cent of the cost of the tests, an official release said.
The positivity rate in the state has come down from a high of 10.47 per cent in July to 6.2 per cent currently, he said.
COVID-19: 96 new cases reported in Manipur
A total of 96 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths were reported in Manipur on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 9,376 in the state.
According to the data, as many as 221 recoveries were also reported in the state. The total number of cases in the state includes 7,108 recoveries, 2,206 active cases, and 62 deaths.
The recovery rate in the state is at 75.81 per cent.
Meanwhile, with a spike of 83,347 new cases and 1,085 deaths, India's COVID-19 count stood at 56,46,011 on Wednesday.
COVID-19: Submit death reports of patients within 48 hours, Odisha government to hospitals
Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department on Wednesday directed all government and private hospitals, allotted for the treatment of COVID-19, to submit death reports within 48 hours of the death of a patient for a state-level audit.
The hospitals have also been directed to submit reports related to the COVID test status and investigation into the death of patients within the same time frame.
All deaths of the COVID-19 positive patients are being audited at the state level to determine the cause of death.
The hospitals have also been directed to record all pre-existing diseases with signs and symptoms at the time of admission of a patient, along with a report on the treatment of the concerned co-morbid condition.
Coronavirus: 21,029 new cases, 479 deaths in Maharashtra
Maharashtra's coronavirus case tally rose to 12,63,799 on Wednesday with addition of 21,029 cases, the state health department said.
With 479 COVID-19 patients dying during the day, the death count reached 33,886, it said.
On the other hand, 19,476 patients were discharged, taking the number of recoveries in the state to 9,56,030, it said, adding that there are now 2,73,477 active cases in Maharashtra.
Mumbai city reported 2,360 new infections on Wednesday, which pushed its case count to 1,90,264, while the death count rose to 8,604 with 49 coronavirus patients dying in the state capital.
Pune city added 1,797 COVID-19 cases, raising its tally to 1,46,062, while 26 deaths took the count to 3,329.
COVID-19: Testing, Tracing, Treatment, PM's Message To States Hit Worst By CovidPrime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the need to increase focus on "effective testing, tracing, treatment and surveillance" to bring the coronavirus outbreak in the country under control. In his virtual meet with Chief Ministers of seven states with the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country this evening, he also spoke of the need for clear messaging to dispel rumours about testing.
"Effective messaging is also necessary because most COVID19 infections are without symptoms," PM Modi said. "In such a situation, rumours may rise. It might raise doubts in the minds of the people that testing is bad. Some people also make mistake of underestimating the severity of infection," he added.
The states attending today's meet include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Punjab. More than 63 per of the active cases in the country are concentrated in these seven states, reported news agency Press Trust of India quoting government officials.
COVID-19: Ahmedabad records 185 new coronavirus cases, three deathsAhmedabad's tally of coronavirus casesrose to 35,488 with 185 new cases being reported on Wednesday, the Gujarat health department said.
With three more COVID-19 patients dying, the death count in the district reached 1,807, it said.
A total of 29,494 patients have been discharged in the district so far. 129 patients recovered from the virus on Wednesday, the department said in its release.
Ahmedabad city reported 160 new cases while the rural parts reported 25 cases.
Coronavirus news: Over dozen localities declared COVID-19 ''red zones'' in Jammu
Authorities in Jammu on Wednesday declared over a dozen localities as ''red zones'' and announced a strict lockdown except for essential services and tight perimeter control around those as the region witnessed a spike in coronavirus cases.
According to an official order, it would be mandatory for people residing in containment zones to get themselves tested and any refusal in this regard would invite action, including filing of FIR under relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act.
District Magistrate of Jammu Sushma Chauhan declared various areas as containment or ''red zones'' given the situation emerging due to a spike in the COVID-19 cases, a spokesperson said.
Quoting an order issued by the district magistrate, he said Muthi Gaon, near Matador Stand and Purkhoo Camp in Domana, Rajpura and Lane number six near Government School New Plot, Ram Vihar Ward No 35, Janipur, Rajiv Nagar in Trikuta Nagar, Channi Rama, Ward No 40 (Poonch House), Talab Tillo, Ward No 9, R S Pura, Nai Basti, Gajansoo-Marh in Kanna Chak have been declared as containment zones.
"These areas shall be under strict lockdown and tight perimeter control, except for essential needs. There shall be no movement, whatsoever, in and out of the containment zones," the spokesperson said.
Coronavirus news: Pandemic caused by new virus infect humans in multiple waves, says Centre
Pandemics caused by a new virus have the propensity to infect human population in multiple waves and some countries which initially successfully contained the COVID-19 outbreak are now reporting a resurgence of cases, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday.
Government of India has accordingly advised states to upgrade health infrastructure based on the case growth trajectory in respective states and districts, besides taking stringent containment measures, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey said in a written reply.
He was responding to a question on whether the government has anticipated and is ready for the second wave of COVID-19 during the winter months in India.
"Pandemics caused by a new virus have the propensity to infect human population in multiple waves, each time affecting a cohort of susceptible population.
"Some countries, which had initially successfully contained the COVID-19 outbreak earlier are now reporting a resurgence of cases," the minister said in his reply.
COVID-19: India's current testing rate six times the WHO recommendation, says Centre
India is conducting COVID-19 tests at a rate of 875 per million population per day, which is more than six times the figure recommended by the WHO, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended testing of 0.14 samples per day per 1,000 population or 140 tests per day per million population, Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
In response to another question, Mr Choubey said that average test conducted by a district in a day is 1,053.
"Presently, the rate of COVID-19 test conducted per 1,000 persons in India is 0.875 test per day (as on September 19)," he said in response to a question on whether the rate of tests is commensurate with testing levels in countries with similar number of active COVID-19 cases.
COVID-19: Kerala reports single biggest day surge, reports 5376 fresh cases
Kerala's COVID-19 cases saw the highest single day surge with 5,376 new cases on Wednesday, taking the infection tally to 1,47,132while the death count soared to 592 to with 20 deaths.
So far, 1,04,682 have recovered from the infection.
The state reported 5376 positive cases today after 51,200 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
While Thiruvananthapuram recorded 852 cases and Ernakulam 624, in four other districts over 500 COVID cases were detected.
Wayanad had 59 cases, the least and Idukki 79, Mr Vijayan told reporters.
Twenty deaths, which occurred in the past few days, were diagnosed due to the infection, as the toll climbed to 592.
COVID-19: 1,100 indigenous manufacturers of PPE kits developed by Centre till date, says Centre
A total of 1,100 indigenous manufacturers of personal protection equipment (PPE) kits have been developed by the government till date, most of them being from the MSME sector, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey told the Lower House that the production capacity of PPE coveralls is nearly 5 lakh per day with potential for additional capacity creation to meet the demand.
He was talking about increase in the production capacity of PPE kits in the country since the beginning of the lockdown.
"From no indigenous manufacturer to begin with... 1,100 indigenous manufacturers of personal protection equipment (PPE) kits have been developed by the government till date, most of them being from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector," Mr Choubey said.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Covid Positive, Admitted To HospitalDelhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who tested positive for coronavirus last week, has been admitted to the city's Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Hospital after complaints of fever and breathing difficulties. He had been under self-isolation at his official residence since testing positive for the highly contagious disease on September 14.
Patients who do not have co-morbidities or complications and do not belong to the vulnerable age group, are advised home quarantine.
On September 14, Mr Sisodia had tweeted to announce his positive status and warn those who came in contact with him.
COVID-19 tally 11,817, recoveries cross 10,000-mark in Noida
Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar recorded 152 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, pushing the district's tally to 11,817, official data showed.
The number of active cases came down to 1,615 from 1,623 on Tuesday, while overall recoveries crossed the 10,000-mark, according to data released by the UP Health Department for a 24-hour period.
On the brighter side, 162 more patients got discharged during the period, as the total number of recoveries reached 10,152, the data showed.
The district, adjoining Delhi, has so far recorded 50 deaths linked to the pandemic, with one of the lowest mortality rates - 0.42 per cent - in the state, it showed.
Meanwhile, the recovery rate of patients reached 85.91 per cent, slightly up from 85.65 per cent on Tuesday, as per the statistics.
Gautam Buddh Nagar now ranks ninth among the 75 districts in the state in terms of active cases, seventh in recoveries and 31st in death toll, according to the official figures.
2 Mumbai Hospitals Begin Phase 2, 3 Trials Of Oxford Covishield Vaccine For COVID-19: ReportThe civic-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Mumbai today began phase II and III trials of the Oxford Covishield vaccine for COVID-19, an official said.
The hospital, located in Parel area, on Tuesday got the approval of the Maharashtra ethics committee for conducting the vaccine trials.
King Edward Memorial Hospital Dean Dr Hemant Deshmukh told news agency Press Trust of India that the hospital has started screening volunteers for the trials.
The medical facility will be conducting the trials on 100 volunteers, he said.
COVID-19: UP sees 5,234 fresh cases, 87 deaths; recoveries cross 3 lakh-mark
With 87 COVID-19 deaths reported from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, the death count due to the disease climbed to 5,299, while the total number of people discharged after treatment crossed the 3 lakh-mark in the state.
As many as 5,234 fresh coronavirus cases were reported in the state, taking the infection tally to 3,69,686, officials said.
Of the 87 latest fatalities, Kanpur reported 12 deaths, while 11 patients died in the state capital Lucknow. Six patients died in Gorakhpur, five in Allahabad and three patients each died in Varanasi and Jhansi.
Out of the fresh COVID-19 cases, Lucknow reported 825 cases, Allahabad 292 cases, Kanpur 274 cases, Varanasi 266 cases and Ghaziabad recorded 205 fresh cases.
Coronavirus news: Bharat Biotech Partners With US University For Covid Intranasal VaccineBharat Biotech on Wednesday signed a licensing agreement with Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, US for a novel "chimp-adenovirus", single dose intranasal vaccine for COVID-19.
According to a press release issued by the city-based vaccine maker, Bharat Biotech owns the rights to distribute the vaccine in all markets except the US, Japan and Europe.
While the Phase I trial will take place in St Louis University's Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit, Bharat Biotech, upon obtaining the required regulatory approval, will pursue further stages of clinical trials in India and undertake large scale manufacture of the vaccine at its GMP facility in Genome Valley, it said.
Coronavirus: Maharashtra Police reports 253 new Covid infections among its personnel
As many as 253 personnel of Maharashtra Police tested positive for COVID-19 while five of them succumbed to the infectious disease in the last 24 hours.
With the latest infections, the total number of cases in the State's force touched 21,827, including 3,435 active cases. So far 18,158 personnel have recovered, while 234 have died, the Maharashtra Police said in a statement.
As far as actions related to violation of Covid-19 guidelines are concerned, Maharashtra Police has so far registered 2,67,044 cases under Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code.
Also, 895 people have been arrested so far since the outbreak of the pandemic in 360 cases of assault on policemen.
COVID-19: Daily Recoveries Exceed Daily Cases For Fifth Day Daily Covid-19 recoveries have exceeded the new cases for the fifth consecutive day, the Union Health Ministry said Wednesday, as the total recoveries surged to 45,87,613 pushing the national recovery rate to 81.25 per cent.
A total of 89,746 recoveries have been registered against 83,347 new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry data.
With its focused strategies and coordinated and proactive measures, India is reporting a steep increase in recoveries, the ministry said.
"New recoveries in India have exceeded the new cases for the fifth consecutive day," it said, adding, "India has the highest recovered cases in the world. It contributes 19.5 per cent to the global recoveries."
COVID-19: Delhi hospitals have enough oxygen for 6-7 days, says Satyendar JainDelhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said there is no shortage of oxygen in Delhi hospitals and that enough stock is available for the next six to seven days.
The minister also the COVID-19 positivity rate in the national capital has plateaued out a bit and a downward trend is expected in a week or two.
"There is no shortage of oxygen in Delhi hospitals. I took stock of the situation. There is a slight issue, but there is enough oxygen for 7 days in Delhi government-run hospitals," he said.
Delhi gets oxygen from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Some suppliers in those states have been told to first supply oxygen there. These issues are being sorted, Mr Jain told reporters.
He said Delhi reported a positivity rate of 6.47 per cent on Tuesday. The average positivity rate for the last 7 days stood at 7 per cent.
COVID-19: 14 states, UTs have higher tests per million, lower positivity than national average, says CentreIndia's total tests for detection of COVID-19 has reached over 6.6 crore and tests per million have risen to 48,028 as on date with the national cumulative positivity rate being recorded at 8.52 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.
The country's testing capacity has surged to more than 12 lakh tests daily. Up to September 22, a total of 6,62,79,462 samples have been tested with 9,53,683 samples being tested on Tuesday.
Fourteen states and Union Territories, including Gujarat, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Assam, Haryana and Tripura, have demonstrated better COVID-19 response with higher tests per million and commensurate lower positivity rate than the national average, the ministry highlighted.
"A high level of testing leads to early identification of positive cases. As evidence has revealed, eventually the positivity rate will fall. The national cumulative positivity rate is 8.52 per cent and tests per million stand at 48,028 today," it said.
A total of 83,347 new infections have been reported in 24 hours, the ministry said, underscoring that 74 per cent of the new cases are concentrated in 10 states and Union Territories -- Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Kerala, Delhi, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
Maharashtra alone has contributed more than 18,000 cases followed by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka with over 7,000 and 6,000 cases respectively, it said.
COVID-19: Saudi Arabia suspends travel to three countries including India
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday suspended air travel to and from India, Brazil and Argentina, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the country's Civil Aviation Authority, people with travel history to any of the mentioned countries 14 days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom, have also been barred.
"Suspending travel to and from the following countries (India, Brazil, and Argentina) including any person who has been in any of the mentioned countries in the last (14) days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom," General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement.
However, those who have official government invitations are excluded.
COVID-19: Odisha asks hospitals to avoid tests after patients' deathThe Odisha government has asked both state-run and private hospitals to avoid conduct of
coronavirus tests on the bodies of patients dying while undergoing treatment for non-COVID ailments, an official said on Wednesday.
The directive was prompted by incidents of relatives and neighbours abstaining from funerals of people testing positive for the infection after their death, he said.
The Health and Family Welfare Department, in a notification issued on Tuesday, asked the hospitals to avoid undue delay in releasing patients'' bodies to prevent harassment of bereaved family members.
The department has also directed all hospitals treating COVID-19 patients to submit the death report along with the copy of bedhead tickets, investigation reports and coronavirus test status to the Director of Health Services, Odisha within 48 hours of the death of a patient for a state-
level death audit.
Saudi Arabia bans flights to India amid COVID-19 outbreak: Report
Saudi Arabia has banned flights to and from India amid a surge in coronavirus cases, according to an official document.
In a circular issued on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said it was "suspending travel to and from the following countries: (India, Brazil and Argentina) including any person who has been in any of the mentioned countries above in the last 14 days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom".
However, it excluded "passengers who have official government invitations".
Civil lawsuits filed over COVID-19 outbreak at Austrian ski resort
A consumer rights group said it had filed civil lawsuits against the Austrian government over a coronavirus outbreak at the ski resort of Ischgl last winter, but it held off on a class-action suit for the time being.
The outbreak at Ischgl, which calls itself the "Ibiza of the Alps", was Austria's biggest and helped spread the virus across Europe. Hundreds of Austrians were infected and thousands of foreign tourists say they were too as the virus found a breeding ground in crowded apres-ski bars in February and early March.
COVID-19 testing in India much higher than WHO guidelines: Health Ministry
The World Health Organization has recommended 0.14 samples per day per 1000 or 140 tests per day per million population, the health ministry says.
As on September 19, India is conducting tests at a rate of 875 tests/million population per day. This is more than six times the WHO recommendations, it adds.
COVID-19 daily recoveries exceed daily cases for fifth day
Daily COVID-19 recoveries have exceeded the new cases for the fifth consecutive day, the Health Ministry said, as the total recoveries surged to 45,87,613 pushing the national recovery rate to 81.25 per cent.
A total of 89,746 recoveries have been registered against 83,347 new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry data.
With its focussed strategies and coordinated and proactive measures, India is reporting a steep increase in recoveries, the ministry said. "India has the highest recovered cases in the world. It contributes 19.5 per cent to the global recoveries."
Paris to ban gatherings of over 10 people amid Covid restrictions: Report
The French government is expected to unveil tighter coronavirus restrictions for Paris on Wednesday following a cabinet meeting, BFM TV and Le Parisien newspaper said.
Among the measures planned are a ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people while attendance at major events could be limited to 1,000 people from the 5,000 allowed now, the reports said. The sale of alcohol outdoors will be prohibited after 8 p.m. they added, citing several sources.
Coronavirus case count in Odisha rises to 1,92,548
Odisha's COVID-19 case count rose to 1,92,548 as 4,237 more people tested positive for the infection, while record 15 deaths pushed the state's coronavirus death count to 736, a health official said.
Ganjam district has so far registered the highest number of COVID-19 deaths at 218, followed by Khurda at 110 and Cuttack at 60, he said.
Over 1.77 lakh coronavirus cases recorded in Telangana
Telangana recorded 2,296 coronavirus cases, taking the total count to 1.77 lakh, while the death count rose to 1,062 in the state.
Out of the 2,296 cases, 321 were reported in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), followed by Rangareddy at 217, Medchal Malkajgiri at 173, Nalgonda at 155, Karimngar at 136 and other districts, a state government bulletin said.
Puducherry coronavirus case count rises to 24,227
Puducherry recorded 543 fresh cases of coronavirus and eight deaths, taking the total infection count to 24,227.
Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said eight more people, including two women, died of COVID-19 during the last 24 hours and the overall count rose to 481. Of the total 24,227 positive cases, there were 4,853 active cases while 18,893 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals.
International aviation body calls for systematic COVID-19 testing for passengers
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for development and deployment of rapid, accurate, affordable, easy-to-operate, scalable and systematic COVID-19 testing for all passengers before departure as an alternative to quarantine measures in order to re-establish global air connectivity.
IATA said it will work through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and with health authorities to implement this solution quickly. International travel is 92 per cent down on 2019 levels.
Sikkim Chief Minister's wife says she has tested positive for COVID-19
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang's wife Krishna Rai and some of her family members have tested positive for COVID-19, according to news agency PTI.
In a Facebook post, she said: "We made all possible efforts to keep corona at bay but unfortunately we got infected. I appeal to those who came in contact with us to get themselves tested and my close contacts to go into quarantine."
She said that on doctors advice she along with her family members have quarantined themselves at their home.
US passes 200,000 coronavirus deaths, Trump accuses China of unleashing "plague"
The US has passed 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, as a record-breaking wave of new infections forces authorities in Europe to reimpose lockdown restrictions.
US hit the figure just 41 days before a presidential election, and as the World Health Organization warned that new cases worldwide have risen to record highs.
US President Donald Trump said the 200,000 milestone was "a shame" and deflected blame onto China. "We must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague onto the world -- China," he told the UN's diplomatic showcase event.
India records over 56 lakh coronavirus cases, death count rises to 90,020
India's COVID-19 case count has crossed the 56-lakh mark with a rise of 83,347 new cases today. In the last 24 hours, 1,085 deaths were recorded in the country, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The total case count now stands at 5,646,011 including 9,68,377 active cases, 45,87,614 cured and discharged cases. A total of 90,020 people have died due to COVID-19 in India till now.
Covid Vaccine Must Have 50% Efficacy For Wide Use: Drug Controller
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a new set of guidelines, focusing on safety, immunogenicity and efficacy parameters for pharma giants who are developing COVID-19 vaccines.
The DCGI has said that a COVID-19 vaccine candidate should have at least 50 per cent of efficacy in the Phase-III clinical trial for it to be widely deployed and adequate data informing the potential risk of vaccine-associated Enhanced Respiratory Disease (ERD) needs to be generated.
22 more COVID-19 cases in Mizoram
Mizoram recorded 22 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total tally to 1,713, the state government said. The total figure includes 690 active cases while 1,023 people have been discharged.
No deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported in the state till date.
Colleges re-opening in US likely added 3,000 Covid cases per day: Study
Reopening college and university campuses for in-person instruction during late summer this year could be associated with more than 3,000 additional cases of COVID-19 per day in the United States in recent weeks, according to a new study.
The findings call into question the practicality of face-to-face classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and are important as colleges and universities plan their spring 2020 semesters, said researchers from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Indiana University, the University of Washington and Davidson College.
The findings are yet to be peer reviewed and have not yet been published online.
US agency to tighten coronavirus vaccine authorisation standards ahead of election: Report
The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to soon announce new, more stringent standards for an emergency authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine, lowering the chances that one might be cleared for use before the November 3 election, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
The agency is issuing the guidance to boost transparency and public trust as health experts have become increasingly concerned that the Trump administration might be interfering in the approval process, the newspaper said.
Britain to impose new virus restrictions as WHO issues warning
The British government announced fresh steps to try to stop a coronavirus surge in England, as the World Health Organization warned that new cases worldwide soared to record levels last week.
The tally of 1,998,897 infections was "the highest number of reported cases in a single week since the beginning of the epidemic", the WHO said, adding that the number of deaths fell compared with the previous week.
The ramped-up response in Britain followed warnings that the country could see an explosion of cases and deaths if it failed to take decisive action.
Britain to impose new virus restrictions as WHO issues warning
The British government announced fresh steps to try to stop a coronavirus surge in England, as the World Health Organization warned that new cases worldwide soared to record levels last week.
The tally of 1,998,897 infections was "the highest number of reported cases in a single week since the beginning of the epidemic", the WHO said, adding that the number of deaths fell compared with the previous week.
The ramped-up response in Britain followed warnings that the country could see an explosion of cases and deaths if it failed to take decisive action.
18 new COVID-19 cases reported in Andaman and Nicobar, taking the total number of cases to 3,691; death count stands at 52. Total 3,479 patients have recovered so far and there are 160 active cases : Andaman and Nicobar Administration
874 Fresh Covid Cases Take Uttarakhand Tally To 42,651, Death Count Rises To 512The COVID-19 death count in Uttarakhand rose to 512 on Tuesday with 11 more fatalities, while 874 fresh cases pushed the infection tally in the state to 42,651, a health bulletin issued said.
Of the fresh cases, the maximum 368 were reported from Dehradun district followed by Udham Singh Nagar with 158 cases, Nainital with 76, Haridwar 62, Uttarkashi 43, Pauri 42, Almora 34, Tehri 28, Chamoli 23, Pithoragarh 17, Bageshwar 12, Rudraprayag 10 and Champawat one, it said.
Meanwhile, eleven more COVID-19 patients died in the state, taking the death toll to 512, it said.
Five fatalities were reported from Doon Medical College, three from Susheela Tiwari Government Hospital, Haldwani and one each from AIIMS, Rishikesh, Base Hospital Srinagar and district hospital Uttarkashi, it said.
A total of 30,107 COVID-19 patients have recovered in the state and the number of infected patients under treatment is 11,831.
It said 201 patients have migrated out of the state.
Coronavirus News: Three Punjab Medical Colleges To Participate In Phase-3 Trial Of Covaxin
The Punjab government today said three government medical colleges of the state will participate in the phase 3 trials of the anti-COVID vaccine "Covaxin" being tested by Bharat Biotech Ltd in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), reported news agency PTI. The trials are scheduled to start from October 15, said a government statement. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who chaired a COVID review meeting in Chandigarh, directed the Medical Education & Research Department to ensure full care and strict adherence to all precautions during the trials with mandatory consent of the participants.
2,073 new COVID-19 cases reported in Assam on Tuesday. The total cases in the state rise to 1,61,393 including 1,29,130 recoveries and 586 deaths. Active cases stand at 31,674: State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
Odisha Asks Covid Treatment Centres To Set Up Help Desk For Family Of PatientsOdisha on Tuesday issued anadvisory asking all COVID-19 treatment facilities to set up help desks and provide necessary information to family members of patients, after several people complained that their requests for details were being snubbed by the centres.
The health and family welfare department, in its notification, said similar instructions were given to the medical facilities in the past, but "feedback from attendants and relatives of the patients clearly suggested that the directions were not followed".
"After careful examination of the matter, the government has come up with some guidelines, to be followed for establishing a dedicated help desk in each COVID-19 facility with immediate effect.
"The facilities (both government and private) should mandatorily establish a 24X7 help desk and have a dedicated phone number, preferably a toll free number, to reply to queries," the notification said.
The toll-free numbers should be "widely notified to the public", and the help desk be manned with sufficient people round the clock, the department said.