Covid LIVE: Kerala reports 19,688 new Covid cases; 3,626 in Maharashtra

The case fatality rate has declined to 1.33 per cent, according to the data updated at 8 am

8:09 PM

Goa reports 67 fresh cases

7:42 PM

Pfizer to offer small Covid vax packaging to cut wastage of doses

US drug maker Pfizer aims to roll out smaller packages of its Covid-19 vaccine for public health departments and care providers by October, media reports said, according to IANS.

Pfizer is working on smaller packing options, the drug maker said in a statement to CBS News.

The change can help increase the availability of vaccines in smaller, more rural areas and decrease the number of wasted doses.

7:41 PM

Amid double-digit daily rise, minister speaks of enhanced curbs in Nagpur

Nagpur Guardian Minister Nitin Raut on Monday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the region and said more restrictions could be put in place in the district in the next three to four days as the daily infection count had begun rising in double digits, PTI reported.

The COVID-19 tally in Nagpur increased by 12 during the day to reach 4,93,072, while the death toll remained unchanged at 10,119, leaving the district with an active caseload of 56.

Raut, speaking to reporters after the meeting at the divisional commissionerate here, said the daily addition was in single digits till a couple of days ago, but on Monday it was 12. He said 78 samples have been sent for genome sequencing.

7:12 PM

Nashik sees 129 COVID-19 cases, 1 death, 134 recoveries

The COVID-19 tally in Nashik increased by 129 on Monday to reach 4,06,090, while the day also saw one death and 134 people getting discharged, an official said, according to PTI.

The toll in the district is 8,595 and the recovery count stands at 3,96,555, the official informed.

With 4,432 samples being examined on Monday, the number of tests in Nashik went up to 24,80,969, he added.

7:12 PM

SC raps Manipur govt over Covid preparedness, says will not give character certificate

The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Manipur government for the pathetic conditions in COVID-19 quarantine Centres in the state and said we are not going to give you character certificate, PTI reported.

The top court said that High Courts were the bastion of ensuring justice during the COVID-19 period and it is not going to interfere with the orders passed against the state government.

A bench of Justice DY Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli, dismissed an appeal of Manipur government against the two orders of the High Court passed last year on a PIL with regard to ensuring facilities at hospitals and COVID-19 quarantine centres.

6:51 PM

Kerala records 19,688 fresh Covid cases, 135 deaths

Kerala on Monday reported 19,688 fresh COVID-19 cases and 135 deaths pushing the total infection count to 42,27,526 and the fatalities till date to 21,631, the state government said, according to PTI.

 

The test positivity rate (TPR) was found to be 16.71 per cent after testing 1,17,823 samples in the last 24 hours, according to a state government release. With this, 3,25,08,136 samples have been tested till now, it said.

The bulletin also said that since Sunday, 28,561 people have recovered from the infection taking the total recoveries to 39,66,557 and the number of active cases to 2,38,782. 

6:40 PM

Singapore to expand Covid-19 testing regime

Singapore on Monday announced that its COVID-19 testing regime will be expanded after an increase in number of new coronavirus infections was reported last week, PTI reported.

Announcing a range of measures to check virus spread, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said workers in more sectors will now have to undergo mandatory rostered testing, The Straits Times reported.

Previously, only workers in higher-risk settings such as food and beverage outlets, personal care services, and gym and fitness studios needed to undergo such tests.

6:24 PM

Total 316 cases reported at Paralympics; six in last 24 hours

Six persons related to the Paralympic Games tested positive for Covid-19 as the sportspersons, officials, administrators, and volunteers that have gathered here for the Tokyo 2020 Games left for home on Monday, IANS reported.

 

The Paralympic Games concluded with the closing ceremony on Sunday.

 

The six persons whose tests came positive in the last 24 hours were tested by the Organising Committee for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020).

6:22 PM

Six people related to Paralympics test positive

6:18 PM

Kerala sees 19,688 new cases, 135 deaths in last 24 hrs

5:59 PM

Sri Lanka's Covid-19 death toll surpasses 10,000

The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka surpassed the 10,000 mark on Monday, reaching 10,140, after 189 more deaths were reported, official figures from the health ministry showed here, ANI reported.

According to the health ministry, the total number of COVID-19 patients was 462,767 while the active cases rose to 68,070.

Sri Lanka is facing a rapid rise in COVID-19 infections, and health workers said that the rise in patients in recent weeks was attributed to the Delta variant with the capital Colombo being the epicenter.

5:56 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 739 new cases

5:55 PM

Delhi reports 32 new cases

5:32 PM

Greece begins administering Covid vaccines outside churches

Greece has begun administering vaccinations for COVID-19 outside churches in a pilot program recently announced by the government as a means of encouraging more people to get the shots, AP reported.

Mobile National Health Organization units began administering shots Monday in a church yard in Archanes, a town near the city of Heraklion on the southern island of Crete.

The single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine was being used, with shots being administered from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Fifty-two appointments were booked for the first day, but some people were turning up without appointments and were being given the vaccines.

 

5:31 PM

India creating record, administering 12.5 mn Covid vaccines daily: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India is administering a record 1.25 crore (12.5 million) Covid vaccine shots every day, stressing that this figure is higher than the entire of population of several countries, PTI reported.

Addressing the people of Himachal Pradesh virtually on achieving the target of administering the first dose of Covid vaccine to all eligible people, Modi said as many as 70 crore vaccines have been administered so far in the country.

At the same time, Modi said, we should not forget the mantra of "Davai Bhi, Karai Bhi' (get vaccinated, strictly follow Covid protocols).'