New Delhi: A fresh spike of 92,605 new cases in the last 24 hours took India's coronavirus tally to 54,00,619 cases, the Health Ministry data showed this morning. About 43 lakh Covid patients have recovered so far; 94,612 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, the government said.
Twelve lakh samples- the highest in a day so far- were tested since yesterday, the Health Ministry said in a tweet. This takes the total number of samples collected to 6,36,61,060.
1,133 deaths linked to Covid registered since yesterday has taken the number of fatalities to 86,752.
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh are the worst-hit states by the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the ongoing monsoon session of Lok Sabha will be curtailed by several days, the government decided on Saturday after consulting with the opposition at the Business Advisory Committee meeting this evening. The Centre is concerned for the safety of MPs after three of them - who had attended the session - tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week, days after their mandatory test reports turned out negative.
The government had earlier held a discussion with the opposition as it had been trying to build a consensus. Many opposition parties were also in favour of winding up the session.
The session in Lok Sabha is likely to wrap up by Wednesday next week. Rajya Sabha, the upper House of parliament, is expected to follow suit.
Here are the highlights on Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases:
Sep 21, 2020 00:23 (IST)
1,492 new COVID-19 cases and 1235 recoveries and discharges reported in Jharkhand on Sunday. Total cases in the state rise to 71,352, including 56,944 recoveries and discharges and 617 deaths: State government
Sep 20, 2020 23:52 (IST)
COVID-19: Stubble Burning Can Exacerbate Coronavirus Crisis , Says Expert
The stubble burning which is likely to start later this month ahead of the Rabi crop sowing season can exacerbate the Coronavirus crisis, an agricultural-cum-environment expert has cautioned.
"If alternate arrangements to stubble burning are not made, pollutants like particulate matters and toxic gases like Carbon Monoxide and Methane could give rise to severe respiratory problems, which will further worsen the COVID 19 situation, as the Coronavirus also impacts the respiratory tract," Sanjeev Nagpal, also an advisor to the Union and the Punjab governments on the crop residue management, told PTI on Sunday.
"Last year, nearly 50,000 cases of stubble burning were reported in Punjab. Stubble burning contributes about 18 to 40 per cent of particulate matter to atmosphere in northern plains. It also emits large amounts of toxic pollutants like Methane, Carbon Monoxide and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons," said Mr Nagpal, also the MD of Sampurn Agri Ventures Pvt Ltd (SAVPL).
Sep 20, 2020 23:39 (IST)
Coronavirus: Four vaccines in advanced stages of pre-clinical trial, says Centre
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday informed that over four coronavirus vaccines are in advanced stages of pre-clinical trial in India.
"145 vaccine candidates across the world are under pre-clinical evaluation, around 35 under clinical trials. In India, we gave all support to 30 vaccine candidates -3 of these are in advanced trials of phases 1, 2, and 3. Over 4 in advanced stages of the pre-clinical trial," Harsh Vardhan said in the Lok Sabha during the discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic
The Minister also said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare received Rs 893.93 crores from PM-CARES Fund for 50,000 made in India ventilators.
"On January 30, World Health Organisation (WHO) warned the world about such disease. But we had started work from January 8. By January 17, we had issued a detailed health advisory and started point of entry surveillance and community surveillance. On January 30, when the first case in India was reported, authorities did 162 contact tracing," he said.
Sep 20, 2020 23:39 (IST)
Coronavirus: Four vaccines in advanced stages of pre-clinical trial, says Centre
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday informed that over four coronavirus vaccines are in advanced stages of pre-clinical trial in India.
"145 vaccine candidates across the world are under pre-clinical evaluation, around 35 under clinical trials. In India, we gave all support to 30 vaccine candidates -3 of these are in advanced trials of phases 1, 2, and 3. Over 4 in advanced stages of the pre-clinical trial," Harsh Vardhan said in the Lok Sabha during the discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic
The Minister also said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare received Rs 893.93 crores from PM-CARES Fund for 50,000 made in India ventilators.
"On January 30, World Health Organisation (WHO) warned the world about such disease. But we had started work from January 8. By January 17, we had issued a detailed health advisory and started point of entry surveillance and community surveillance. On January 30, when the first case in India was reported, authorities did 162 contact tracing," he said.
Sep 20, 2020 23:06 (IST)
Air India Flights To Hong Kong Barred Till October 3 Over Covid+ve Passengers
Hong Kong has banned Air India flights from Sunday to October 3 after a few passengers on its flight on Friday tested positive for COVID-19 post arrival, a senior government official said on Sunday.
Air India passenger flights were barred from landing in Hong Kong between August 18 and August 31 after 14 passengers on its Delhi-Hong Kong flight of August 14 tested positive for COVID-19 post arrival.
Passengers from India can arrive in Hong Kong only if they have a COVID-19 negative certificate from a test done within 72 hours prior to the journey, according to rules issued by the Hong Kong government in July.
Moreover, all international passengers are required to undergo a post-flight COVID-19 test at the Hong Kong airport.
Sep 20, 2020 20:58 (IST)
Coronavirus news: Delhi records less than 4,000 daily COVID-19 cases after 5 days
The national capital's COVID-19 case count went past 2.46 lakh on Sunday with 3,812 more people contracting the viral disease, while 37 fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,982, officials said.
Before this, the city recorded over 4,000 cases for five consecutive days.
The capital recorded 4,071 cases on Saturday, 4,127 on Friday, 4,432 on Thursday, 4,473 on Wednesday and 4,263 on Tuesday.
Of the total 2,46,711 cases reported in Delhi so far, 2,09,632 have either recovered, been discharged or migrated out.
As many as 52,405 tests were conducted on Saturday to detect COVID-19 infection, of which 11,322 were RTPCR/CBNAAT/TrueNat tests and 41,083 rapid antigen tests.
Sep 20, 2020 20:08 (IST)
Maharashtra records one-day spike of 20,598 COVID-19 cases, tally reaches 12,08,642; death count rises to 32,671 as 455 succumb to infection: News agency PTI quoting health department.
