Covid LIVE: Kerala reports 19,688 new Covid cases; 3,626 in Maharashtra

India logged 38,948 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 33,027,621, while the death toll climbed to 440,752 with 219 fresh fatalities, the lowest in 167 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The case fatality rate has declined to 1.33 per cent, according to the data updated at 8 am.

India had reported 199 deaths in a single day on March 23.

Meanwhile, the global Coronavirus (Covid-19) caseload has topped 220.6 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 4.56 million and vaccinations soared to over 5.44 billion, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Monday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload, death toll and vaccination tally stood at 220,624,875, 4,566,726 and 5,446,556,336, respectively.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 39,941,581 and 648,467, respectively, according to the CSSE.

1:38 AM

Mumbai logs over 28% of total COVID-19 cases recorded in Aug in just 6 days of Sept: BMC data

The financial capital has reported over 28 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases it had recorded in the entire month of August in the first six days of this month, as per the civic data.

 

The spike in the cases has left the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials worried ahead of the festive season beginning on September 10 with the Ganesh Chaturthi.

 

Suresh Kakani, the additional municipal commissioner, said in view of the current situation, the Mumbai civic body has decided to ramp up COVID-19 testing, hire more clean-up marshals to fine people spitting at public places, and keep jumbo COVID-19 centres ready.

1:08 AM

Bengal reports 13 more Covid deaths, 505 new cases

Altogether 13 people succumbed to Covid-19 on Monday taking the death toll due to the disease in West Bengal to 18,515, the health department said in its bulletin. The tally went up to 15,52,576 with 505 fresh cases of the contagion, it added. In the last 24 hours, 664 patients recovered from coronavirus taking the cured people to 15,25,581. The discharge rate was recorded at 98.26 per cent, it added.

 

The number of active cases was recorded at 8,480.

 

Nadia accounted for four fatalities while two deaths each were reported from North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts. One fatality each was registered in Howrah, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas and Jalpaiguri district, it said.

 

At least 26,338 samples were tested for Covid-19 in the state pushing the total number of such clinical examinations to 1,72,36,527, the bulletin said. On Monday, altogether 6,63,799 people were inoculated in West Bengal taking the total number of people getting vaccinated to 4,40,62,405, a senior official of the health department said.

12:33 AM

Rich countries hog Covid-19 vaccines. Is there a solution?

Wealthy countries have hog­ged Covid-19 vaccines, providing a glaring illustration of how unfair the world can be. While 57 per cent of people in high-income countries had received at least one dose of vaccine by August 30, the figure in low-income countries was just 2 per cent, according to the United Nations. Health advocates wo­rry that the imbalance will be aggravated by plans in wealthy countries to provide booster shots to fully inoculated people to combat the super-contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. The uneven distribution — which many scientists say will likely prolong the global health crisis — has prompted proposals to expand production of Covid shots, re­allocate rich countries’ excess doses, and ensure vaccines are deployed more equitably in future pandemics. READ MORE...

12:03 AM

Kerala reports 19,688 new COVID-19 cases

Kerala reported 19,688 new cases of COVID-19 and 135 fatalities on Monday. According to state health bulletin, death toll in the state has gone up to 21,631.

 

It said 28,561 patients have recovered from the virus and 2,38,782 are undergoing treatment. The total number of those who have recovered from COVID-19 is 39,66,557. The bulletin said 1,17,823 samples were tested during the last 24 hours and test positivity rate is 16.71 per cent.

11:21 PM

NABL certification must for enrollment of private labs for Covid testing: ICMR

The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) certification is must for enrollment of private labs for COVID-19 testing, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Monday.

 

ICMR in its affidavit told the Delhi High Court that monitoring the activities of online health service aggregators does not come under the purview of ICMR.

 

ICMR has filed its affidavit in a petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings for the Delhi government for allegedly not complying with the court's order to take action against illegal online health service aggregators operating in the national capital and to regulate online pathological labs.

10:45 PM

Iran reports 27,579 new COVID-19 cases, 5,156,986 in total

Iran's Health Ministry on Monday reported 27,579 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's total infections to 5,156,986.

 

The pandemic has so far claimed 111,257 lives in the country after 583 new deaths were registered in the past 24 hours, said Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

 

A total of 4,394,083 people have recovered from the disease or been discharged from hospitals across the country, while 7,628 remain in intensive care units, according to the ministry.

 

By Monday, 19,620,596 people have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine in the country, while 9,832,848 have taken two doses.

 

Iran has been recently facing a resurgence of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

 

Iran reported the first case of COVID-19 in the country in February 2020.

10:18 PM

Gujarat sees 19 new covid cases; over 6 lakh vaccinated

Gujarat on Monday reported 19 COVID-19 cases, taking its tally to 8,25,509, while the death toll remained unchanged at 10,082, an official said. The discharge of 13 people increased the recovery count to 8,15,275, leaving the state with 152 active cases, including seven critical patients, he said. Ahmedabad led with nine cases, followed by three each in Surat and Vadodara, he said.

 

An official release said 6,01,254 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 on Monday, raising the total number of doses administered so far in the state to 4,97,04,707.

 

Neighbouring Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu's tally and recovery count stood unchanged at 10,637 and 10,631, respectively, on Monday, leaving the Union Territory, which has seen four deaths so far, with two active cases. Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 8,25,509, new cases 19, death toll 10,082, discharged 8,15,275, active cases 152, people tested so far - figures not released.

9:22 PM

Maharashtra CM urges political parties to cancel rallies, religious events in view of COVID-19 surge

In view of the surge in COVID cases in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday urged political parties to cancel all rallies and religious events in the state. Thackeray today chaired a meeting of Disaster Management in which senior officials and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other ministers like Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan, Eknath Shinde, Vijay Wadetiwar and others were present.

 

In the meeting, the chief minister urged all the political parties to cancel all rallies and religious events to avoid a surge in COVID cases.

 

"Public health is very important. Festivals can be celebrated in future. The situation can worsen if the cases of COVID increase. One must give priority to the health of the people so that we can avoid the third wave," Thackeray said.

9:12 PM

For 3rd time in 11 days, India's daily COVID-19 vaccination crosses 1 crore doses

For a third time in the last 11 days, India administered more than one crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine in a day on Monday taking the total number of doses given in the country to over 69.68 crore, the Union Health Ministry said.

 

"September has started on a high note as India touches 1 crore COVID-19 vaccinations today. Under PM Narendra Modi's leadership, world's largest vaccination drive is scaling massive heights," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.

 

A total of 1,05,76,911 doses were administered on Monday, officials said, adding that the figure is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night.

 

Citing data collated till 7 pm, the ministry said the country has so far vaccinated 53,29,27,201 beneficiaries for the first dose and 16,39,69,127 for the second dose.

8:57 PM

DU to resume practical classes for final year students from September 15

The Delhi University will be resuming practical lab sessions for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students from September 15, PTI reported.

 

In an order issued on Monday regarding the phased reopening of the university, it said the physical presence of students may be optional and must be for them to decide.

 

The order also said that the teaching and non-teaching staff of the colleges/ departments/centres must receive both the doses of Covid vaccine at the earliest.

8:50 PM

Meeting of G-20 could help ensure Covid-19 vaccines to poor countries: Italian minister

The Italian health minister has indicated that a meeting of his G-20 counterparts could yield a pledge about ensuring COVID-19 vaccines reach everyone in poor countries, AP reported.

 

Minister Roberto Speranza told reporters on Sunday, after the opening session of the two-day meeting in Rome, that he hopes the gathering would yield a pact about the challenge to bring vaccines to everyone, including the more fragile populations.

 

Speranza lamented that there is a deep gap between wealthier countries and poorer ones regarding vaccine distribution.

8:49 PM

J-K's records 93 fresh Covid cases

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 93 fresh cases of coronavirus on Monday, raising its tally to 3,26,033, while no death was registered in the past 24 hours, officials said, according to PTI.

 

Of the fresh cases, 20 were reported from the Jammu division and 73 from the Kashmir division of the union territory, they said.

 

The officials said Srinagar district recorded the highest number of 41 cases, followed by 12 cases in Doda district.

8:47 PM

Maharashtra logs 3,626 new Covid cases in a day, lowest since mid-February

Maharashtra reported 3,626 new coronavirus cases on Monday, the lowest daily count since since February 15, and 37 fresh fatalities, taking the infection tally to 64,89,800 and the death toll to 1,37,811, a health department official said, according to PTI.

 

8:10 PM

India administers over 10 mn shots today; third time in 11 days

8:09 PM

Brazil health regulator halts use of Sinovac shots over contamination fears