Covid LIVE: Haryana schools to reopen for Classes 9-12 from July 16

Today's coronavirus numbers: Kerala reported 13,772 new infections, followed by Tamil Nadu (3,211), Andhra Pradesh (2,982) and Delhi (93). Stay tuned for corona-related news

Corona updates: India on Friday recorded 43,393 fresh cases taking the total caseload to 30,752,950, according to MoHFW. The death count increased to 405,939 with 911 new fatalities, the data showed. 

Kerala reported 13,772 new infections, followed by Tamil Nadu (3,211), Andhra Pradesh (2,982) and Delhi (93).

From the northeastern states, Assam reported 2,644 new cases and Manipur 839.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6,122,893), Kerala (3,011,694), Karnataka (2,862,338), Tamil Nadu (2,506,848), and Andhra Pradesh (1,911,181).

World coronavirus update: Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with 186,304,778 confirmed cases and 4,025,755 deaths across nearly 200 countries recorded since China reported its first cases in December 2019. The US remains the worst-hit country with 34,676,093 cases, followed by India, Brazil, France and Russia. 

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

2:49 AM

Fully vaccinated people too should follow coronavirus norms: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday appealed to people who have taken both doses of coronavirus vaccines to continue adhering to Covid-19-appropriate behaviour and cautioned against crowding at tourist places.
 

Speaking to reporters here after a review meeting, Pawar said in light of a shortage of vaccine doses, inoculation centres are closed in Pune district for the last two days.
 

"The district has surpassed the 50-lakh vaccination mark...but for the last two days, all the centres are closed as vaccine doses are not available. There is a possibility that we might get vaccines tomorrow," he said.
 

Pawar is also the Pune district guardian minister.
 

He added that it has been observed that those who have taken both doses of vaccines are a bit lax in following Covid-19 norms like using face masks when outdoors and maintaining social distancing.
 

"I would like to request all such people to kindly continue to use masks, maintain physical distancing and hand hygiene," Pawar said.
 

The NCP leader said he has given instructions to the police to strictly implement coronavirus norms at tourist places, where people are thronging after relaxations in curbs, and take strong action against those flouting them.
 

2:48 AM

Rise in patients with brain metastases after missing cancer treatment follow-up: Delhi hospital

A private hospital in the national capital on Friday said it has observed an increase in the number of patients with brain metastases after they missed follow-up of their cancer treatment owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
 

The hospital has seen three such cases in the last six months against none in the prior six months, while one patient succumbed to the illness, it said.
 

Brain metastases is a condition when tumour cells of cancer, diagnosed elsewhere in the body, reach the brain. The condition occurs due to no follow-ups in diagnosed cancer patients, a statement from Moolchand Hospital here said.
 

"These patients were unable to access follow-up for their cancer care. They were unable to go for imaging studies and follow up on their chemotherapy. Tertiary care for cancer patients was limited as all beds were turned into Covid beds.
 

"This shortage of access to cancer follow-up along with the fear of Covid and the various lockdowns have led to a deluge of patients suffering from the aggressive spread of cancer," said Dr Madhu Handa, Medical Director, Moolchand Hospital.
 

The incidence of cancer cells spreading to the brain varies between 10 per cent to 30 per cent. The chances of survival in such conditions are very feeble. In most cases, the survival varies between two months to seven months only, it said.
 

"The pandemic has taken its toll on Covid patients and more so on non-Covid patients in particular those with cancers. Future pandemic lessons should incorporate protocols to sustain continued healthcare for all," Dr Handa added.
 

2:48 AM

Bengal logs 990 new Covid-19 cases, 19 fresh fatalities

West Bengal's Covid-19 tally rose to 15,10,208 on Friday as 990 more people tested positive for the infection, while 19 fresh fatalities pushed the state's death toll to 17,886, a health bulletin said.
 

A total of 1,424 more people were cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, it said.
 

Darjeeling district registered the highest number of new cases at 95, followed by North 24 Parganas (94), and Coochbehar and Kolkata (73 each).
 

North 24 Parganas recorded the highest number of fresh fatalities at four.
 

The recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in the state stands at 97.78 per cent.
 

The state now has 15,690 active cases, while 14,76,632 people have recovered from the disease so far.
 

West Bengal has thus far tested over 1.46 crore samples for Covid-19, including 51,365 in the last 24 hours.
 

The positivity rate dipped to 1.93 per cent.
 

A total of 2.34 crore people have been vaccinated to date, including 2,44,714 during the day, it added.
 

2:47 AM

Maha reports 8,992 Covid-19 cases, 200 deaths; 10,458 recover

Maharashtra reported 8,992 new coronavirus cases and 200 fatalities on Friday while 10,458 patients recovered from the infection, a state health department official said.
 

The official said with this, the tally of Covid-19 cases in the state surged to 61,40,968, while the total fatalities rose to 1,25,034.
 

The state reported a decrease in the daily Covid-19 cases, but the fatalities rose as compared to Thursday, when it had reported 9,114 new infections and 121 deaths.
 

The official said as many as 10,458 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the number of recovered cases to 59,00,440.
 

The state now has 1,12,231 active cases.
 

Maharashtra's recovery rate of Covid-19 cases is 96.08 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.03 per cent, the official said.
 

According to the official, 4,35,65,119 Covid-19 tests have been conducted so far in the state, including 2,14,862 tests on Friday, reflecting an overall positivity rate of 14.1 per cent.
 

The official said currently 6,27,243 people are in home quarantine and 4,756 people are in institutional quarantine across the state.
 

Out of 1,12,231 active Covid-19 cases across the state, the highest - 17,636 - are in Pune district, followed by Thane and Mumbai with 16,630 and 11,269 patients, respectively.
 

According to the health department, of the total 59,00,440 recovered patients, the highest - 10,31,138 - are from Pune district, followed by Mumbai and Thane with 6,97,444 and 5,57,148 cases, respectively.
 

Mumbai recorded 596 Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 7,26,633, while the death toll increased to 15,599 with the addition of 13 fresh fatalities, the official said.
 

2:46 AM

Assam logs 2,493 new Covid-19 new cases, 24 fresh fatalities

Assam's Covid-19 tally rose to 5,29,693 on Friday as 2,493 more people tested positive for the infection, while 24 fresh fatalities pushed the states coronavirus death toll to 4,788, a health bulletin said.
 

Kamrup Metro registered the highest number of new cases at 247, followed by Golaghat (209), Jorhat (176), and Lakhimpur (173).
 

Dibrugarh and Kamrup Metro districts reported the highest number of fresh fatalities at three each, followed by two each in Goalpara, Karbi Anglong, Sonitpur, and Tinsukia.
 

Barpeta, Biswanath, Cachar, Dima Hasao, Hojai, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, and Sivasagar reported one death each.
 

The current death rate is 0.90 per cent and the number of Covid-19 positive patients dying due to other causes is 1,347.
 

The state now has 21,689 active cases, while 5,01,869 people have thus far recovered from the infection, including 2,841 in the last 24 hours.
 

The recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in the state stands at 94.75 per cent.
 

The state has thus far tested over 1.58 crore samples for Covid-19, including 1,17,087 in the last 24 hours, it said, adding the daily positivity rate stands at 2.13 per cent.
 

More than 77.87 lakh people have been inoculated so far, of whom 13.28 lakh have received both doses.
 

2:45 AM

Clear early signs of fourth Covid-19 wave starting in Pakistan: Minister

There are "clear early signs" of a fourth Covid-19 wave starting in Pakistan due to poor compliance with the standard operating procedures and the spread of the Delta variant, Minister for Planning Asad Umar said on Friday.
 

Umar, who is also the head of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) to combat Covid-19, said field reports were showing a complete disregard for the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and warned that the government would be forced to shut down wedding halls, indoor restaurants and gyms if they ignored the rules.
 

"Two weeks ago, I tweeted that our artificial intelligence models are showing the possible emergence of a fourth wave. Now there are clear early signs of a fourth wave starting," he said in a tweet.
 

He cited poor SOP compliance by the people and the spread of Covid-19 variants, including the Delta variant, first identified in India, as reasons for the fourth wave in Pakistan.
 

The NCOC, the nerve centre of Pakistan's coronavirus response, has previously confirmed the presence of different variants of coronavirus in Pakistan, including the Delta variant, Beta variant that was first detected in South Africa, and the Alpha variant that was discovered in the United Kingdom.
 

Pakistan on Friday announced to ban air travel for unvaccinated people from next month and vaccination for workers of various sectors and students.
 

The NCOC said in a statement that no one will be allowed to travel without a vaccination certificate after August 1.
 

8:58 PM

In Mumbai, no Covid vaccination on Saturday too due to dose shortage

The COVID-19 vaccination drive will remain suspended at civic and government-run centres in Mumbai on Saturday due to a shortage of doses and no inoculation will take place on Sunday on account of weekly off of staffers, the BMC said on Friday.

 

On Friday, too, the drive remained suspended in BMC and Maharashtra government-run centres in the metropolis due paucity of doses. According to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) statement, the inoculation drive will remain suspended on Saturday due to a shortage of vaccines, while it will be closed on Sunday because of weekly off. In the statement, the civic body said the vaccination drive will resume once it receives a fresh stock of vaccines. "The citizens of Mumbai are constantly informed about the vaccination, depending on the stock of vaccines received," it said.

8:18 PM

Working with Moderna to bring its Covid vaccine to India, says govt

The government said on Friday that it is working actively with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer Moderna to see how its vaccine can be imported and made available in the country.

 

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine was granted emergency use authorisation last month.

 

Responding to a question at a press briefing, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said, "Moderna vaccine is under emergency use authorisation. The government is working actively with the manufacturers to see how to make this vaccine available in the country, importing it into the country, those efforts are on the process that has to be gone through is being actively pursued." READ MORE...

8:12 PM

Covid LIVE: Haryana schools to reopen for Classes 9-12 from July 16

8:09 PM

13,563 coronavirus infections, 130 fatalities reported in Kerala

Kerala reported 13,563 fresh cases and 130 deaths on Friday, taking the total affected in the state to 30,39,029 and the toll to 14,380.

 

Malappuram reported the highest number of cases--1,962, followed by Kozhikode with 1,494 and Kollam with 1,380 cases.

 

"Out of those who were found infected today, 52 reached the state from outside while 12,769 contracted the disease from their contacts. The sources of infection of 685 are yet to be traced. Fifty seven health workers are also among the infected," Health minister Veena George said in a release. READ MORE...

8:03 PM

Vaccine shortage hits inoculation drive in Aurangabad

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has the capacity to vaccinate 20,000 people daily against coronavirus, but due to a shortage of doses, the inoculation drive is facing hurdles in achieving the target in this central Maharashtra city, a civic official said on Friday.

 

7:40 PM

13 more deaths, 90 new Covid cases in Uttar Pradesh

The COVID-19 death toll in Uttar Pradesh rose to 22,689 on Friday with 13 more fatalities, while 90 new cases pushed the infection count to 17,07,127, according to an official statement issued here.

 

Of the new fatalities, three were reported from Amethi, two from Pilibhit and one each from Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Agra, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Maharajganj, Bhadohi and Balrampur, it said.

 

Of the new cases, 16 were reported from Lucknow and 13 from Allahabad, the statement from the Uttar Pradesh government said. In the past 24 hours, 162 patients have recovered and have been discharged, taking the overall recoveries to 16,82,741, it said, adding the recovery rate is 98.6 per cent.

7:19 PM

81 new coronavirus cases; three more deaths in Delhi

The national capital recorded 81 fresh COVID-19 cases, and three deaths due to the disease on Friday, according to data shared by the health department. The positivity rate slightly dropped to 0.11 per cent from 0.12 per cent on Thursday when 93 cases and three deaths were recorded.

 

The three new fatalities have pushed the death toll in the city to 25,011, according to the latest bulletin.

 

On Tuesday, Delhi had reported 79 cases and four deaths. And on Wednesday, 93 cases and four deaths were recorded, according to official figures. On February 16, ninety-four people were diagnosed Covid positive while the daily tally was 96 on January 27, according to official figures.

7:09 PM

Mumbai's Crawford market sees high footfall amid Covid scare

6:58 PM

Gap between Sputnik V Covid shots can be up to 180 days: Russia's RDIF

The gap between the two shots of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine can be extended up to 180 days and it will remain effective, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said on Friday.

 

An official at the RDIF, which markets the vaccine abroad, made the comments in a statement after some countries decided to widen the gap between the first and second doses of the vaccine developed in Russia. READ MORE...