LIVE: After Centre's warning, Karnataka tightens curbs on Kerala passengers

Covid-19 live updates: India administers more than 12 million doses Tuesday; Uttar Pradesh grapples with mystery fever as Covid cases fall.

Coronavirus updates: India reported 41,965 new Covid-19 infections in 24 hours and 460 deaths from the disease, said the health ministry in a statement on Wednesday, marking a 35.6 per cent rise in daily cases since Tuesday (30,941).

India achieved a new single-day vaccination milestone on Tuesday with 12.6 million doses administered till 9.45 pm. The country had crossed the 10-million mark for the first time on August 27.

The economy rebounded in the April-June quarter even while a devastating second wave of Covid-19 swept the country, with growth of over 20 per cent compared to a year earlier driven by a surge in manufacturing and higher consumer spending.

World coronavirus updates: Google pushed back the date when its employees must return to the office until after January 10, citing uncertainty related to the pandemic. It previously delayed a compulsory office return to October 18. 

Mauritius vaccinated 60% of its population a month ahead of target and now plans to halve the number of days tourists will need to isolate on the island nation after arrival.

Morocco started administering shots to 12-to-17-year-olds on Tuesday, as the kingdom speeds up one of Africa’s most advanced vaccination campaigns ahead of the start of the new school year, Bloomberg reported.

11:19 PM

Delhi records zero deaths, 36 new cases; positivity rate 0.06%

No death due to COVID-19 was recorded in Delhi on Wednesday, while 36 fresh cases were reported with a positivity rate of 0.06 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. This is the 20th time since the start of the second Covid wave in the national capital that zero fatality has been logged in a day.

 

On July 18, July 24, July 29, August 2, August 4, August 8, August 11, August 12, August 13, August 16, August 20, August 21, August 22, August 23 and August 24, August 26, August 27, August 28 and August 29 too, no daily deaths due to COVID-19 was recorded, as per official data.

 

On March 2 this year, the national capital had reported zero death due to the virus. On that day, the number of single-day infections stood at 217 and the positivity rate was 0.33 per cent. The death toll due to the coronavirus infection in Delhi stood at 25,082 on Tuesday. The second wave swept the city during April-May period.

10:53 PM

Over 300 Mumbaikars getting vaccinated per minute against COVID-19: Maha govt

As many as 336 people are getting vaccinated against coronavirus in Mumbai every minute considering the number of doses administered in the last few days, the Maharashtra government claimed on Wednesday. A total of 97 lakh vaccine doses have been administered at civic-run vaccination centres and private hospitals in the city to date, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

 

At least 71 lakh people have got a first dose, while 26 lakh people are now fully vaccinated, the data revealed.

 

Over 1.6 lakh people were vaccinated in Mumbai on August 21, 27 and August 29, while 1.39 lakh got the jab on Wednesday, the state government said. Higher vaccination coverage of people in Mumbai will ensure greater protection and strengthen our preparation for the predicted third wave, " state minister Aaditya Thackeray said in the statement. Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said the civic body had adequate number of doses in stock as of Tuesday.

10:13 PM

Cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in India cross 66 crore: Health ministry

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 66 crore on Wednesday, the Union health ministry said. More than 69 lakh (69,42,335) vaccine doses have been administered on Wednesday as per the 7 pm provisional report. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night, the ministry said.

 

Cumulatively, 25,89,65,198 individuals in the age group of 18-44 years across states and Union Territories have received their first dose and 2,97,99,597 have received their second dose since the start of phase-three of the vaccination drive, according to the health ministry data.

 

The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from Covid continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry underlined.

9:38 PM

Nagaland logs 74 fresh COVID-19 cases

Nagaland's COVID-19 tally rose to 30,157 on Wednesday as 74 more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said. Dimapur district recorded the highest number of new cases at 47, followed by Kohima (12), Mokukchung (8), and Phek (5), it said.

 

The state now has 805 active cases, while 27,838 people have recovered from the infection, including 76 in the last 24 hours.

 

The recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in the state now stands at 92.31 per cent. No patient succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, keeping the death toll unchanged at 620. Altogether 894 COVID-19 patients have migrated to other states, he said. Nagaland has thus far tested 3,22,851 samples for COVID-19 and inoculated over 8.60 lakh people, of whom 2.03 lakh received both doses, the bulletin said.

8:56 PM

Assam CM lauds IIT Guwahati for its role in tackling Covid-19

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday lauded Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) for its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state, PTI reported.

The chief minister was addressing the 28th Foundation Day of the institute as the chief guest.

From the initial stages of the pandemic, IITG has been providing sophisticated instruments to National Health Mission (NHM) to conduct COVID-19 testing, Sarma said.

8:51 PM

Mandaviya reviews availability of Covid-19 essential drugs and their buffer stocks

Union Minister for Health and Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday reviewed the supply and availability of COVID-19 related essential medicines in the country, PTI reported.

During the review, it was noted that sufficient stocks of all the essential medicines are available, a Health Ministry statement said.

Raw materials for these drugs are also available in enough quantities.

8:50 PM

English study finds long Covid affects up to 1 in 7 children months after infection

As many as 1 in 7 children may have symptoms linked to the coronavirus months after testing positive for COVID-19, the authors of an English study on long COVID in adolescents said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

8:26 PM

J-K reports 110 Covid-19 cases, one death

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 110 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the infection tally to 3,25,529, while one fatality pushed the death toll to 4,409, officials said, according to PTI.

Out of the fresh cases, 16 were from Jammu division and 94 from Kashmir division of the union territory, they said.

The officials said Srinagar district recorded the highest number of 52 new cases, followed by Budgam with 18.

8:25 PM

322 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths in Telangana

Telangana on Wednesday recorded 322 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 6,58,376, while three more fatalities took the toll to 3,876, PTI reported.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 76, followed by Karimnagar (27) and Warangal Urban (25) districts, a state government bulletin said, providing details as of 5.30 PM on Wednesday.

Recoveries outnumbered fresh cases with 331 people recuperating from the infection, taking the cumulative number till date to 6,48,648, leaving 5,852 active cases.

 

8:24 PM

No fresh death in Delhi due to Covid

7:53 PM

Tamil Nadu reports 1509 new cases

7:40 PM

RT-PCR test mandatory for int'l arrivals in Karnataka

7:38 PM

Covid negative certificate mandatory for students, employees entering from Kerala: K'taka

7:31 PM

Covid: Cases of depression, social media addiction on the rise among youth, say docs

Cases of anxiety, depression and social media addiction have been on the rise among the youth during the Covid pandemic, a private hospital said on Wednesday, PTI reported.

Doctors at Apollo Hospital said curbs on outdoor activity since the outbreak of the pandemic have led to issues of irritability, erratic sleep, appetite problems and weight gain becoming more common among youths.

"The number of OPD consultations for young adults have doubled for anxiety, depression, gaming and social media addiction and inability to concentrate and focus on studies," said Dr Sandeep Vohra, senior consultant, mental health and psychiatry.

7:30 PM

1,159 Covid-19 cases, 21 deaths in Karnataka

Karnataka reported 1,159 fresh COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths on Wednesday, taking the total number of infections to 29,50,604 and the toll to 37,339, PTI reported.

The day also saw 1,112 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 28,94,827.

Bengaluru Urban accounted for most number of cases (359), as the city saw 232 discharges and seven deaths.