Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi govt allows cinemas, theatres to reopen Oct 15

Coronavirus update: DCGI expert panel has directed the pharma giant Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) to submit a revised protocol for performing phase 2,3 clinical trials of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine

The government would launch a campaign from Thursday to spread awareness on the measures people need to follow to check the spread of coronavirus, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday on the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet, he said till the time a vaccine is available, people need to wear masks, maintain distance and sanitise hands as part of efforts to check the spread of the virus.

Coronavirus update: The coronavirus cases in India crossed 6.7 million with over 72,000 new infections reported across the country on Wednesday. With 986 fatalities in 24 hours, India's death toll stands at 104,555. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reaffirmed that the COVID-19 situation in the state was better than the national average.

Coronavirus vaccine update: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) expert panel has directed the pharma giant Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) to submit a revised protocol for performing phase 2,3 clinical trials of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine (Sputnik V) in India. Recently, Dr Reddy's lab had submitted an application to the top drug regulator seeking their approval to conduct clinical trials for the Russian COVID-19 vaccine in India.

World coronavirus update: US President Donald Trump instructed his officials to stop negotiating with the House Democrats on another coronavirus stimulus package, alleging that Speaker Nancy Pelosi was not holding talks in good faith. "I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major stimulus bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and small business," Trump said in a series of tweets. US is one of the worst hit with cases reaching 7,722,746. 

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9:02 PM

Maharashtra Coronavirus updates: 14,578 new coronavirus cases, 355 deaths, 16,715 recover

Maharashtra's coronavirus tally on Wednesday reached 14,80,489 with 14,578 fresh cases coming to light, a state health official said.

With 355 new fatalities being reported, the death toll in the state reached 39,072, he said.

But on the other hand, 16,715 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the tally of recovered patients in the state to 11,96,441.

8:59 PM

630 more people test positive for Covid-19 in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand's Covid-19 tally rose to 52,959 on Wednesday with 630 more persons testing positive while 11 more infected people died at different hospitals in the state.

Dehradun district reported 224 positive cases, Udham Singh Nagar (82), Haridwar (73), Nainital (61), Pauri (43), Uttarkashi (32), Chamoli (28), Pithoragarh (27), Tehri (25), Bageshwar (19) , Champawat (9) and Rudraprayag (7),a state health department bulletin said.

8:45 PM

Gujarat adds 1,311 new Covid-19 cases; 1,414 recover, nine die

Gujarat reported 1,311 new coronavirus positive cases on Wednesday, taking its count of infections to 1,46,673, state health department said.

With nine patients succumbing to the infection, including four in Ahmedabad, the overall death toll went up to 3,531, it said.

While three patients died in Surat, one person succumbed each in Mehsana and Vadodara, it said.

8:30 PM

Goa reports 432 fresh Covid-19 cases, nine more deaths; 394 recover

Goa's Covid-19 tally rose to 36,670 on Wednesday with a single-day addition of 432 fresh cases while nine deaths took the total toll to 477, a health official said.

With 394 people getting discharged from hospitals during the day, the overall count of recoveries in the state went up to 31,444, he said.

A total of 1,820 samples were tested in the day, the official added.

8:18 PM

Madhya Pradesh adds 1,639 new Covid-19 cases, 2,228 recover; 30 die

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 1,639 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the count of infections to 1,40,307, a health official said.

With 30 patients succumbing to the infection, the toll went up to 2,518, he said.

At six, Indore reported the highest number of deaths in the state in the day, while four persons died in Bhopal.

8:06 PM

Delhi sees 35 new Covid deaths taking toll to 5,616; case tally at 298,000

The national capital recorded 35 fresh casualties due to COVID-19 on Wednesday and the death toll mounted to 5,616, while 2,871 new cases took the tally to over 298,000, authorities said.

 

These fresh cases were detected after 51,505 tests were conducted the previous day.

Thirty-five new fatalities have been recorded, taking the death toll to 5,616, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department. Read more...

7:52 PM

3,561 fresh Covid-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday recorded 3,561 fresh coronavirus cases, raising the total infection count to 4,24,326, while the death toll reached 6,200 with 47 more fatalities.

The recovery rate of the state is 88.36 per cent with a total of 3,74,972 Covid-19 patients being discharged from hospitals after recovery, Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal said.

While 3,561 fresh cases were reported in a day, as many as 4,219 patients were discharged from hospitals during the same period, he said.

The state presently has 43,154 active cases, of which around 19,000 are in home isolation, Sehgal said.

7:49 PM

Kerala's daily Covid-19 cases zoom past 10,000 for first time; Tally rises to 251,000

In the highest single-day surge of Covid-19, Kerala's fresh infections crossed the mark of 10,000 on Wednesday, taking the total infecion count to 2,51,405.

The toll climbed to 906with 22 more fatalities, the state government said.

In the last 24 hours, a total of 73,816 samples were sent for testing and 10,606 positive cases detected, Health Minister K K Shailaja said.

7:46 PM

Delhi govt allows cinemas, theatres to reopen with 50 per cent seating capacity from October 15: Official order

7:37 PM

Nagaland's Covid-19 tally rises to 6,715

At least 53 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Nagaland on Wednesday, pushing the coronavirus caseload in the state to 6,715, an official said.

The new cases were reported from Dimapur (37), Kohima (8), Peren (6) and one each from Mokokchung and Phek districts.

"53 positive cases of Covid-19 were detected Dimapur 37, Kohima 8, Peren 6 and one each in Mokokchung and Phek district," Health and Family Welfare Minister, S Pangnyu Phom said in a tweet.

7:25 PM

Lilly seeks emergency use of its antibody drug for Covid-19

A drug company says it has asked the US government to allow emergency use of an experimental antibody therapy based on early results from a study that suggested the drug reduced symptoms, the amount of virus, hospitalisations and ER visits for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19.

Eli Lilly and Company announced the partial results Wednesday in a news release; they have not yet been published or reviewed by independent scientists.

Its drug is similar to one that President Donald Trump received on Friday from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. These medicines supply concentrated versions of specific antibodies to help the immune system clear the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. They're given as a one-time treatment through an IV.

7:08 PM

Nonagenarian freedom fighter wins battle against Covid-19

A 96-year-old freedom fighter has won the battle against Covid-19 and was released from the designated coronavirus hospital in the city where he was under treatment on Wednesday after testing negative, an official said.

Loknath Nayak had tested positive for coronavirus on September 29 and was admitted to SUM COVID Hospital on the same day with fever, weakness and breathing problems, a hospital statement said.

6:54 PM

6:45 PM

South Korea's Covid cases bounce back to over 100

South Korea's daily new infections of the novel coronavirus bounced back to over 100 cases on Wednesday after rising by double digits for six consecutive days as health authorities strive to curb sporadic clusters across the nation after a long holiday.

The country added 114 more Covid-19 cases, including 94 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,353, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The figure marks a sharp rise from 75 posted Tuesday and 73 cases reported Monday. It is also the first time since last Wednesday that the country's daily virus tally increased by triple digits, reported Yonhap news agency.

6:32 PM

Steady rise in Covid-19 cases, spillover effects of lockdown to hit India's economic growth: Report

Resurgence in Covid-19 cases is the main headwind for the global economy, and in India the steady rise in coronavirus caseloads will have an adverse impact on the country's economic growth, says a report.

According to Dun & Bradstreet's Country Risk and the Global Outlook report, the pandemic will induce long-term structural changes in the global economy.

"In India the steady rise in caseloads and the spillover effects of the strict lockdown measures will continue to undermine the growth impulses," said Arun Singh, Chief Economist, Dun & Bradstreet.

Singh added that "restrained government finances, probable defaults by firms and the consequent subdued investment demand will continue to be a drag on growth."