Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi past 2nd wave peak, situation mostly controlled: CM

Coronavirus update: Maharashtra has 1,453,653 coronavirus cases, Andhra Pradesh 723,512, Karnataka 647,712, Tamil Nadu 625,391 and UP 417,437. Stay tuned for coronavirus India LIVE update

Coronavirus update: India on Monday registered a sharp drop of 61,267 in the number of new Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 6,685,082. With 886 fatalities in 24 hours, India's death toll stands at 103,600. The head of emergencies at the World Health Organization, Dr Michael Ryan, says its best estimates indicate that roughly one in 10 people worldwide may have been infected by the coronavirus. Experts have long said that the number of confirmed cases greatly underestimates the true figure.

Coronavirus vaccine update: The Oxford coronavirus vaccine might be rolled out in six months' time or even less, a report said on Saturday. If reports in the UK media are to be believed, there is hope that a vaccine against coronavirus may get a clearance from health regulators in December.

World coronavirus update: The global tally of coronavirus cases stands at 35,624,780. While 26,771,212 have recovered, 1,044,501 have died so far. The US, the worst-hit country, has 7,662,635 cases. It is followed by India, which has 6,685,082 cases, Brazil (4,918,022) and Russia (1,225,889).

Stay tuned for coronavirus LIVE updates

2:01 AM

US FDA safety guidelines likely to push Covid-19 vaccine authorization past election

The US Food and Drug Administration told coronavirus vaccine developers on Tuesday it wants at least two months of safety data from half of their trial volunteers in order to authorize emergency use, a requirement that would likely push any US vaccine availability past the Nov.3 presidential election.
 

The FDA released the guidance laying out more stringent recommendations for drugmakers hoping to apply for an emergency use authorization (EUA) for their experimental vaccines.

10:15 PM

Compulsory Covid tests, physical checks of tourists being considered by Karnataka govt

Compulsory Covid-19 tests and physical checks of visitors to tourist destinations in Karnataka are among the guidelines being considered to prevent spread of the virus, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said here on Tuesday.
 

"Instructions have been given to officials to introduce new and improved guidelines to ensure that Coronavirus does not spread due to people visiting tourist spots in the state," he told reporters.
 

The Minister was speaking after reviewing the Covid-19 situation in the district headquarters town of Kodagu and the steps taken by the administration to prevent its spread.
 

"Guidelines like compulsory Covid-19 tests and physical checking of tourists, with the help of police, health and revenue department staff at tourist spots, are under consideration for framing new guidelines," Sudhakar added.
 

To a question on reopening school as per the Centre's guidelines, he said the state was not considering it now in view of the surge of infections in Karnataka.

On the Covid situation in the district, the minister there were certain shortcomings in the health services, which would be sorted out.
 

Referring to the mortality rate in the district, it was earlier in the green zone, but was now in the red zone due to increase in Covid-19 deaths after unlock relaxations The minister directed the officials to ensure that the that a death audit be conducted every day.
 

He also recommended that local people be inducted in the booth level task force committee.
 

9:00 PM

Covid-19: Goa govt announces safe service to cater to needs of patients

The Goa government on Tuesday announced that it would be providing helpers to cater to the needs of COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at state-run ESI Hospital in Margao.

This would be the country's first-ever service for safe patient handling, state health minister Vishwajit Rane claimed.

Taking to Twitter, the minister said, "In addition to the treatment of patients, providing drug therapy, nutrition, etc, patients also require assistance in the ward with numerous things, to cater to the same, we have started Patient Handling Services at ESI Hospital for COVID patients."

8:44 PM

Maharashtra: Nashik's Covid-19 count goes up by 983; tally at 81,895

With single-day addition of 983 new infections, the Covid-19 tally in Maharashtra's Nashik district rose to 81,895 on Tuesday, a health official said.

At least 12 persons died of the infection, taking the toll to 1,463, the official said.

Of the latest casualties, seven were reported from the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) limits and five from other parts of the district.

Among the cases reported so far, 55,077 were from Nashik city, 22,371 from other parts of the district, 3,882 from Malegaon and 545 from outside the district, the official said.

8:34 PM

Delhi records 39 new Covid-19 deaths, toll 5581 now; nearly 2700 fresh cases push tally to 295,000

The national capital recorded 39 Covid-19 fatalities on Tuesday, pushing the toll to 5,581, while 2,676 fresh cases took the tally to over 295,000, authorities said.

These fresh cases came out of the 53,591 tests conducted the previous day.

Thirty-nine new fatalities have been recorded, taking the death toll to 5,581,according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.

The active cases tally on Tuesday stood at 22,720.

The bulletin said the total number of cases has climbed to 2,95,236

8:28 PM

Italy prepares to make masks outdoors mandatory to fight coronavirus

Italy's health minister says the government is examining a proposal to make masks mandatory outdoors as the country enters a difficult phase of living alongside Covid-19, with the number of infections growing steadily for the last nine weeks.

Roberto Speranza told the lower house of parliament on Tuesday that as infections spread, it is necessary to return to restrictions that were gradually loosened over the spring and summer months after Italy's strict nearly three-month lockdown.

''We must raise our guard with the awareness that our county is better off than others,'' Speranza said.

8:15 PM

8:10 PM

48% of Covid-19 deaths concentrated in 25 districts of 8 states: Health Ministry

About 48 per cent of total Covid-19 deaths in the country are concentrated in 25 districts of 8 states, out of which 15 districts are in Maharastra alone, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press briefing, Union Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India has recorded the highest number of recoveries from COVID-19 at over 56 lakh and India has also conducted the second highest number of tests in the world at 8.10 crore.

"New recoveries have been more than new cases over the last two weeks. New cases being reported in last 14 days are below previous highs of 90,000 cases per day," Bhushan said.

Giving figures on Covid deaths, Bhushan said about 48 per cent of total Covid-19 deaths in the country are concentrated in 25 districts of 8 states.

7:57 PM

Over 65% of beds for Covid-19 patients vacant at Delhi hospitals

With coronavirus cases here witnessing a decline in the last few days, over 65 per cent of beds for Covid-19 patients in the city hospitals are vacant, data on Delhi Corona app showed.

However, the bed occupancy is higher in private hospitals as compared to government-run facilities.

At the LNJP Hospital, which is the Delhi government's biggest COVID facility, 1545 of 2000 beds are vacant, while the GTB Hospital has a vacancy of 1321 beds against its strength of 1500, according to Delhi Corona app.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospital has 110 out of 300 beds vacant, while only 53 out of 250 beds are unoccupied in Max Smart Saket. At Sir Gangaram Hospital, 60 beds are vacant out of 200 beds earmarked for coronavirus patients.

7:51 PM

Covid-19 vaccine may be ready by year-end, says WHO's Tedros Adhanom

A vaccine against Covid-19 may be ready by year-end, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, without elaborating.

 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressing the end of a two-day meeting of its Executive Board on the pandemic, said: “We will need vaccines and there is hope that by the end of this year we may have a vaccine. There is hope.”

7:49 PM

J-K reports 739 new Covid-19 cases, 16 deaths

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded 738 fresh Covid-19 cases, while 16 deaths took place in the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 80,476 and the death toll to 1,268, officials said.

Srinagar district reported the highest number of 183 new Covid-19 cases, followed by 91 in Jammu district, they said.

"The Union Territory recorded 738 fresh Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours -- with 290 in Jammu and 448 in the Kashmir Valley," they said.

There are 13,712 active coronavirus cases, while 65,496 patients have recovered so far, the officials said.

7:36 PM

Over 480 Covid-19 patients given plasma therapy at two Delhi govt hospitals

Over 480 COVID-19 patients have been administered convalescent plasma therapy at the Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital over the last few months, officials said on Tuesday.

 

LNJP Hospital and RGSSH are dedicated coronavirus facilities.

 

 

Plasma therapy was started at the LNJP Hospital, the largest under the Delhi government, in June. Later, Delhi's second plasma bank was set up at the hospital in July.

7:25 PM

Tripura reports 275 fresh Covid-19 cases, state's tally now at 27,308

At least 275 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Tripura on Tuesday, pushing the tally in the state to 27,308, a health department official said.

The death toll rose to 298 with two more people succumbing to the infection, he said.

West Tripura district, of which state capital Agartala is a part, has accounted for 161 of the 298 Covid-19 deaths, the official said.

Tripura currently has 4,879 active coronavirus cases, while 22,108 people have recovered from the disease.

7:19 PM

48% of total Covid-19 deaths concentrated in 25 districts of 8 states: Health Ministry

About 48 per cent of total Covid-19 deaths in the country are concentrated in 25 districts of 8 states, out of which 15 districts are in Maharastra alone, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

 

Addressing a press briefing, Union Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India has recorded the highest number of recoveries from Covid-19 at over 56 lakh and India has also conducted the second highest number of tests in the world at 8.10 crore.

 

"New recoveries have been more than new cases over the last two weeks. New cases being reported in last 14 days are below previous highs of 90,000 cases per day," Bhushan said.

 

Giving figures on Covid deaths, Bhushan said about 48 per cent of total Covid-19 deaths in the country are concentrated in 25 districts of 8 states.

7:13 PM

Noida reports 247 fresh Covid-19 cases; tally crosses 14,000-mark

Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar registered 247 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the district's infection tally to 14,163, official data showed.

The district's active cases count rose to 1,434 from 1,345 on Monday even as 158 more patients were discharged, according to the data released by the UP Health Department for a 24-hour period.

The district has so far recorded12,673 recoveries, seventh highest in the state, according to the data.

The death toll stands at 56 with a mortality rate of 0.39 per cent, it stated.