Covid LIVE: Delhi records 85 fresh cases, lowest daily rise this year

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Corona updates: India has recorded 48,698 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's total coronavirus caseload to 30,183,143. India also recorded a spike in new deaths with 1,183 fatalities being reported yesterday. The death toll now stands at 394,493. The Centre on Friday informed that 50 cases of Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 have been recorded across 11 states of India, adding that the maximum number of such cases were in Maharashtra.

Kerala reported 11,546 new infections, followed by Maharashtra (9,677), Tamil Nadu (5,755), Andhra Pradesh (4,458), Karnataka (3,310), Delhi (115) and West Bengal (1,933).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6,017,035), Kerala (2,865,871), Karnataka (2,826,754), Tamil Nadu (2,455,332), and Andhra Pradesh (1,871,475).

World coronavirus update: Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with 181,160,192 confirmed cases and 3,924,413 deaths across nearly 200 countries recorded since China reported its first cases in December 2019. The US remains the worst-hit country with 34,481,765, followed by India, Brazil, France and Russia.

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

8:41 PM

No new COVID-19 case in 35 districts, will withdraw Sunday corona curfew says Madhya Pradesh CM

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that the Coronavirus situation is under control in the state and not even one positive case was reported in 35 districts, ANI reported.

 

The Chief Minister also informed that the state government is ending its Sunday Corona curfew.

8:41 PM

Maha sees 9,812 new Covid-19 cases, 179 deaths

Maharashtra on Saturday reported 9,812 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 179 fatalities, taking the tally to 60,26,847 and the toll to 1,20,881, the state Health department said, according to a PTI report.

 

Of the 179 fatalities, 106 had occurred in the last 48 hours and 73 in the last week. The state also added 332 deaths which had occurred in the past to its overall tally, it said.

 

With 8,752 patients being discharged during the day, the tally of recoveries in Maharashtra reached 57,81,551 so far, leaving the state with 1,21,251 active cases, the department said in a report.

7:57 PM

Sikkim reports 130 new Covid-19 cases, 2 more deaths

Sikkim on Saturday reported 130 new COVID-19 cases, which took the tally in the state to 19,941, a health department bulletin said, PTI reported.

 

The death toll rose to 301 as two more patients succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, it said.

7:56 PM

1,028 new Covid-19 cases, nine deaths reported in Telangana

Telangana on Saturday reported 1,028 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 6,19,865, while the toll rose to 3,627 with nine more fatalities, PTI reported.

 

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 132, followed by Khammam (76) and Nalgonda (66) districts, a health department bulletin said, providing details as of 5.30 PM on Saturday.

6:45 PM

Iran produces test batch of Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik

Iran's leading pharmaceutical companies, Actoverco has produced a test batch of Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announced on Saturday, ANI reported.

 

With this Iran has become the first country in the Middle East to produce Sputnik V, RDIF said.

 

The vaccine produced in Iran will be used in the country's domestic vaccination program.

6:10 PM

PM Modi holds a meeting to review the progress on Covid vaccination

6:02 PM

Delhi: 85 new Covid-19 cases, lowest daily count this year; 9 more deaths

The national capital recorded 85 fresh cases of coronavirus, the lowest daily count this year, and nine more deaths on Saturday, according to data shared by the Health Department here, PTI reported.

 

The positivity rate dipped to 0.12 per cent, it said.

 

The nine new fatalities have pushed the death toll in the city to 24,961.

5:06 PM

Fake vaccination: Bengal BJP leader writes to Union health ministry

BJP MLA and leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has written to Union health ministry, demanding a probe by central agencies into a fake vaccination drive conducted in the city by a man who allegedly posed as an IAS officer, PTI reported.

 

In a letter to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, the BJP leader alleged that the man, who was arrested after his drive was busted by the police, have "influence in the ruling party".

 

4:41 PM

Maha: Level 3 curbs to be clamped in Nagpur on Delta Plus variant concern

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Saturday decided to clamp fresh curbs in the city from June 28 under the "level 3" of unlocking amid concerns over the Delta Plus variant of coronavirus, PTI reported.

 

Daily timings of the shops selling essential and non-essential items will be reduced by four hours till 4 pm. Malls, theatres and multiplexes will remain closed.

 

Non-essential shops and establishments will remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays, as per the order issued by Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B.

4:18 PM

Vaccination of 60-plus population sluggish after initial high; experts raise concerns

The pace of vaccination of the 60-plus population has become sluggish in the past few weeks after an initial high, with healthcare experts attributing it to mobility issues and misinformation and unsubstantiated apprehensions about the jabs, PTI reported.

 

According to Health Ministry data, 2.29 crore elderly people have been fully vaccinated so far while 6.71 crore have received just one dose of COVID-19 vaccine till now.

 

The 60-plus population in India was projected to be at 14.3 crore in 2021, so that would imply that just 16 per cent of them have been fully vaccinated till now.

 

3:34 PM

May shift T20 WC to UAE due to Covid-19 situation: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah on Saturday said the T20 World Cup may have to be shifted from India to UAE due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ANI reported.

 

"Due to the COVID-19 situation in our country, we may shift the tournament to UAE. We are monitoring the situation closely, the health and safety of players are paramount we will take a final call soon," he told ANI.

 

Meanwhile, the Indian Premier League (IPL)'s 14th edition will also be completed in the UAE. The IPL is set to get underway on September 19 and the final is to be played on October 15.

3:11 PM

'Take immediate steps to contain Delta+ variant'

The Centre has advised the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate measures to contain the spread of Delta plus variant of the Covid-19 virus in Madurai, Chennai and Kanchipuram districts where the variant has been found, IANS reported.

 

In a letter to Chief Secretary V.Irai Anbu, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said INSACOG -- a Consortium of Laboratories for whole genome sequencing in the context of Covid-19 pandemic, has intimated that the Delta plus variant is a Variant of Concern (VOC) and suggested immediate measures to contain the spread.

2:38 PM

Corona will win if stakeholders fight with each other: Kejriwal after oxygen controversy

Seeking to move on from the controversy over a Supreme Court appointed panel report on Delhi's oxygen demand, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday called for everyone to work together to ensure there is no shortage of oxygen in the next Covid wave, PTI reported.

 

The virus will win if there is a fight among stakeholders, Kejriwal tweeted, a day after his Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP hit out at each each other over the report that said Delhi's oxygen needs were exaggerated four times over during the second Covid wave.

 

2:17 PM

Covid-19: Japan to donate millions more AstraZeneca vaccine doses across Asia

Japan will donate one million COVID-19 vaccine doses each to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand starting from next Thursday, said Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Friday, ANI reported.

 

Kyodo News reported that the Foreign Minister said that the country will also offer one million doses each to Taiwan and Vietnam, in addition to the batches of 1.24 million and one million shots provided to them, respectively, earlier in the month.

1:58 PM

Delta Plus variant: Jammu's biggest grain market observes voluntary weekend lockdown

The biggest grain market in Jammu wore a deserted look on Saturday as the local traders' body decided to continue the weekend lockdown amid the detection of the first case of COVID-19 Delta Plus variant in the province, PTI reported.

 

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on June 20 announced the lifting of the weekend curfew from eight districts, including Jammu, owing to a significant improvement in Covid-19 situation.