Covid LIVE: Tamil Nadu sees 2,458 new cases in a day; 635 in Mumbai

Coronavirus LIVE updates: Pune reported 861 new infections, followed by Mumbai (441), Bengaluru (319), Chennai (165), Delhi (76). Stay tuned for corona-related news

Corona updates: India has recorded a spike of 38,792 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total caseload to 30,946,074, according to MoHFW. The death count increased to 411,408 with 624 new fatalities, the data showed. Addressing a press conference on the pandemic situation in the country, Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry, said people talk about the third wave as a “weather update” but fail to understand that adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour or the lack of it is what will prevent or cause any future waves.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Tuesday announced plans to start producing the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in India from September.

Kerala reported 14,539 new infections, Maharashtra 7,243, followed by Tamil Nadu (2,505), Karnataka (1,913), Andhra Pradesh (2,567), West Bengal (885) and Delhi (76).

From the northeastern states, Assam reported 2,169 new cases and Manipur 796.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6,165,402), Kerala (3,087,673), Karnataka (2,872,684), Tamil Nadu (2,523,943), and Andhra Pradesh (1,926,988).

World coronavirus update: Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with 188,577,414 confirmed cases and 4,065,307 deaths across nearly 200 countries recorded since China reported its first cases in December 2019. The US remains the worst-hit country with 34,807,678 cases, followed by India, Brazil, France and Russia. 

To read updates from our yesterday's blog, click here

11:47 PM

Coronavirus Latest: Bengal reports 831 new Covid-19 cases, 14 more deaths

West Bengal reported 831 fresh Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the tally to 15,13,845, while the death toll mounted to 17,958 with 14 more fatalities, the health department said in a bulletin.

 

The state now has 12,984 active cases, and 14,82,903 people have recovered from the disease, it said.

 

The discharge rate improved to 97.96 per cent. (PTI)

11:02 PM

Coronavirus Latest: Active infections in TN fall to 30,600

Tamil Nadu has reported 2,458 new Covid-19 cases, including those of three returnees from Jharkhand and Bihar, the Department of Health said on Wednesday.

 

With this, the total cases till date are 25,26,401, said the department.

 

The number of deaths is 33,557 with 55 people succumbing to the virus in the last 24 hours, a bulletin said here.

 

Recoveries outnumbered new infections with 3,021 people recovering today, aggregating to 24,62,244 and leaving 30,600 active cases, according to the bulletin. (PTI)

10:42 PM

Pandemic led to structural changes across industries: Wipro's Rishad Premji

The pandemic has resulted in structural changes across almost all industries, and challenged established ways of working, said Rishad Premji, chairman Wipro at the company's 75th Annual General Meeting.

 

"Whether it is digital commerce, or telemedicine, technology-enabled businesses have emerged rapidly over the last 15 months, with Cloud technology becoming the cornerstone of this transformation," he said while addressing the shareholders. Read here

10:12 PM

Over 390 mn Covid vaccine doses administered so far: Health ministry

The total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India so far has surpassed 39 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

 

According to a provisional report at 7pm, more than 32.10 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Wednesday.

The ministry said 13,82,467 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years were given the first dose and 1,57,660 the second dose on Wednesday. Read here

10:07 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Tamil Nadu reports 2,458 fresh cases in a day

Tamil Nadu reports 2,458 new coronavirus cases, 3,021 recoveries and 55 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the state health department

9:18 PM

Coronavirus Latest: Maharashtra adds 8,602 cases, 170 deaths

Maharashtra reported 8,602 new coronavirus positive cases and 170 deaths on Wednesday, taking the caseload to 61,81,247 and toll to 1,26,390, a health department official said.

 

On Tuesday, the state had reported 7,243 cases and 196 fatalities.

 

A total of 6,067 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, while the number of recoveries rose to 59,44,801. (PTI)

9:04 PM

The great exit: central banks line up to dial back emergency stimulus

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand on Wednesday said it would halt its pandemic-induced quantitative easing programme, becoming the latest major central bank to start exiting emergency stimulus.

 

Canada's central bank meanwhile cut its weekly bond purchases, taking a further step to dial back its stimulus.

 

As major economies bounce back thanks to Covid-19 vaccination campaigns and an easing of lockdown restrictions, a debate about dialling back emergency stimulus is underway.

 

Here's a look at who is tapering, who may raise rates first and who might be the last to call time on pandemic-era money-printing. Read here

9:00 PM

Tamil Nadu reports 2,458 new cases

8:25 PM

Telangana logs 749 new Covid-19 cases, 5 deaths

Telangana on Wednesday recorded 749 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to over 6.33 lakh while the death toll stood at 3,743 with five more deaths.

 

Khammam district accounted for the highest number of cases with 96 followed by The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)-72, a state government bulletin said.

 

The number of active cases was10,203.

 

The total number of cases in the state stood at 6,33,895, while with848people being cured, the total recoveries were at 619,949. (PTI)

8:04 PM

Coronavirus Latest: Mumbai's daily case count goes above 500-mark after two days

Mumbai, which had witnessed less than 500 coronavirus cases for last two consecutive days, on Wednesday reported 635 infections, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

 

The city also reported 10 fresh fatalities during the day, it said.

 

With this, the COVID-19 caseload in the country's financial capital rose to 7,29, 250 and death toll to 15,654, the BMC said.

 

On Tuesday, Mumbai had reported 441 new coronavirus positive cases, the lowest after February 9 this year (375 cases), and eight fatalities, while on Monday, it had recorded 478 new cases and nine deaths. (PTI)

7:46 PM

UP govt's preparations for third wave limited to mere claims: State Cong chief

UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu on Wednesday alleged that despite the looming threat of a third wave of Covid-19, the Uttar Pradesh government's preparations to deal with it are so far limited to mere announcements and claims.

 

The government should explain to the people as to what preparations it has made to deal with the third wave and take the public into confidence, he said.

 

"The third wave of coronavirus is knocking at the doors in Uttar Pradesh but the preparations of the Uttar Pradesh government, like the second wave, are only confined to announcements and papers," the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president said in a party statement. (PTI)

7:24 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Manipur adds 1,104 fresh cases to its tally in last 24 hours

6:53 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: MP govt decides to reopen schools for students of classes 11,12

Coronavirus LIVE: MP govt decides to reopen schools for students of classes 11,12

6:38 PM

Congress alleges shortage of vaccines, says third wave may hit 'very badly'

The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Centre over the "shortage" of Covid-19 vaccines and said the third wave of the pandemic may hit the country very badly due to the "slow" pace of vaccination and the government's "failure".

 

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the weekly pace of vaccinations has declined to nearly 60 percent of what was seen in the week after June 21.

 

Rahul Gandhi, who has been persistently targeting the Centre over its handling of the pandemic, said there are "jumlas (rhetoric)" but no vaccines. Read here

6:11 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Kerala reports 15,637 new cases in a day

Kerala reports 15,637 new coronavirus cases, 12,974 recoveries and 128 deaths today. The positivity rate in the state is at 10.03%, according to the state health department