Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi's Covid-19 caseload crosses 600,000-mark

Coronavirus live updates: At 1,868,172, Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases, followed by Karnataka 896,563, Andhra Pradesh 873,000, Tamil Nadu 794,020, and Kerala 649,000

7:13 PM

Kerala's Covid-19 caseload crosses 6.50 lakh mark; 4,470 new cases

Kerala's COVID-19 caseload crossed the 6.50 lakh mark on Thursday, with 4,470 new cases being reported while 4,847 people have been cured of the infection. In the last 24 hours, 52,769 samples have been tested and the test positivity rate dipped to 8.47 per cent, Health minister K K Shailaja said in a press release. So far, 68,08,399 samples have been sent for testing. With 4,847 recoveries today, presently 59,517 people are undergoing treatment and 5,91,845 have recuperated.

 

The total COVID cases in the state has touched 6,54,041.

 

Malappuram accounted for 700 new cases, Kozhikode 578, Ernakulam 555 and Thrissur 393. The toll has climbed to 2,533 with 26 more deaths confirmed due to the virus infection. Of the positive cases, 37 are heath workers, 77 had come from outside the state, 3,858 were infected through contact and the source of infection of 498 people is not known, the release stated. As many as 3,16,491 people are under observation in various districts, including 13,924 in hospitals.

6:49 PM

Five new coronavirus cases in Dharavi

The COVID-19 tally in Dharavi, the biggest slum in Mumbai, rose to 3,741 on Thursday with the addition of five cases, a senior official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. On Wednesday, only one positive case was reported from the area. Out of the 3,741patients from this densely-populated slum pocket, 3,415 have already recovered and got discharge from hospitals, the civic official said.

 

There are 15 active cases in Dharavi at present. Spread over 2.5 square kms of area, Dharavi is considered the largest slum in Asia with a population over 6.5 lakh.

6:40 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: 4,470 new Covid-19 cases reported in Kerala today

6:15 PM

SpiceJet ties up with Om Logistics for Covid-19 vaccine transportation

No-frills carrier SpiceJet on Thursday announced its partnership with Om Logistics for COVID-19 vaccine transportation. The strategic partnership aims to not only provide a speedy and seamless solution for COVID-19 vaccine movement and delivery, but also to create a sustainable cold chain network both domestically and internationally, SpiceJet said in a release.

 

Recently, the Gurugram-based airline said its dedicated freighter division SpiceXpress has the capability to transport sensitive drugs and vaccines in controlled temperatures ranging from (-)40c to (+)25c.

 

SpiceJet, in its endeavour to provide seamless end-to-end cold chain solutions for the COVID-19 vaccine delivery, has partnered with Om Logistics Ltd, the airline said in a release.

5:39 PM

Third wave of Covid-19 pandemic in Delhi 'on the wane': Satyendar Jain

The third wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the national capital is not over yet but it is "definitely on the wane", Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday. Delhi recorded 2,463 new COVID-19 cases and 50 fatalities on Wednesday, the lowest number of deaths in a single day since November 1. As the positivity rate slipped to 3.42 per cent, Jain had on Wednesday tweeted thatit washeartening to see that the national capital is "emerging victorious" in the battle against the coronavirus.

 

"Cases are falling, and death count in a day is lowest in the last 40 days. The situation has improved, and we can definitely say the third wave of the pandemic here is on the wane. It is not over, but on the wane," he told reporters on Thursday. On plans of COVID-19 vaccination, he said, healthcare workers and frontline staff will be administered the vaccine first, followed by the elderly and then others.

 

"If we have vaccine availability, we can vaccinate the entire population in a week's time, we have the preparations ready," he added.

5:08 PM

Novel Covid-19 antibody test gives results in 20 minutes

Scientists have developed a new accurate and reliable test to detect antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, which gives results in less than 20 minutes. The serological assay, described in the journal Scientific Reports. is as accurate as the most reliable antibody tests currently available, but is less complex and can be performed much faster.

 

The gold standard for serological testing is a complex laboratory method called ELISA that takes four to six hours to run and provides quantitative results indicating the strength of the immune response.

 

Simpler assays using test strips provide rapid results, but are less reliable and do not quantify antibody levels, the researchers said. The new method, called biolayer interferometry immunosorbent assay (BLI-ISA), provides complete quantitative results in less than 20 minutes.

4:08 PM

Smell and taste loss first Covid-19 infection symptom: Study

Loss of smell and taste are common in people who have Covid-19 infections and now a new study found that these symptoms often occur before other symptoms, like fever or shortness of breath. According to the study, published in the journal Neurology, almost two-thirds of the people admitted to an Italian hospital with Covid-19 in March experienced losing their senses of smell and taste. Additionally, about 22 per cent of those with an impaired sense of smell and taste said it was their first symptom of infection.

 

"While many people show evidence of Covid-19 infection in the lungs, we found there could be more at play than what a person's lungs can tell us," said study author Francesco Bax from the Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital in Italy.

 

The study involved 93 people with an average age of 63 who were admitted to the non-intensive Covid-19 unit of the hospital in March 2020. The participants either tested positive for the virus with a swab test, or they showed signs of lung problems with a chest X-ray or scan. They were also interviewed about their symptoms.

3:42 PM

There are 18,800 Covid-19 beds in Delhi and over 13,000 are vacant: Health Minister Satyendar Jain

3:00 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: India's cumulative Covid-19 tests cross 150-million mark

India's cumulative tests for detection of COVID-19 has crossed 15 crorewith one crore tests added in just 10 days, the Union Health Ministry said underlining comprehensive and widespread testing on a sustained basis has resulted in bringing down the positivity rate. The country has also reportedless than 40,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 for eleven continuous days, the ministry underscored. A total 9,22,959samples were tested in a day which has increased India's total cumulative tests to15,07,59,726.

 

"The past one crore tests were added in just 10 days. Comprehensive and widespread testing on a sustained basis has resulted in bringing down the positivity rate," the ministry said.

 

In a span of 24 hours, 31,521persons were found to be COVID-19 positive in the country while37,725new recoveries were registered in the same duration which has led to a further contraction of the active caseload. India's present COVID-19 active caseload of3,72,293 consists of just3.81 per centof total infections reported so far. The total recovered cases have surpassed92.5 lakh (92,53,306).

2:39 PM

Increasing gap between Covid-19 recovered and active cases of India: Health Ministry

2:16 PM

Coronavirus tally in Andamans rises to 4,783 with five new Covid-19 cases

Five more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, raising the tally in the Union Territory to 4,783, a health department official said on Thursday. The death toll remained at 61 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported, he said.

 

Of the fresh cases, four were detected during contact tracing and one has travel history. The Union Territory now has 75 active cases, and 4,647 people in the archipelago have recovered from the disease so far. The Andaman and Nicobar administration has conducted 1,44,401 sample tests for COVID-19, and the positivity rate stands at 3.31 per cent.

1:39 PM

Gates Foundation announces additional $250 mn for Covid-19 research

The Seattle-headquartered Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Thursday announced that it will offer an additional $250 million to fund the research, development and equitable delivery of tools for Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. In a statement, the Foundation called for global commitments to make Covid-related scientific innovations available in 2021 to everyone who needs them.

 

"We are confident that the world will get better in 2021, but whether it gets better for everyone depends on the actions of the world's leaders and their commitment to deliver tests, treatments, and vaccines to the people who need them, no matter where they live or how much money they have," said Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Foundation.

 

This funding will support continued innovation to develop tests, treatments, and vaccines that are easier to scale and deliver, to ensure there are many options that are less expensive and can be used in different settings, according to the statement.

12:53 PM

Tokyo's daily infections top 600 for first time

The number of new coronavirus infections in Japan's capital have topped 600 in a day for the first time.

 

Experts on Tokyo's virus task force say the surge in infections has placed an added burden on hospitals, making it difficult for many of them to carry out treatment for ordinary patients.

12:01 PM

DATA STORY: India's share of global active Covid-19 cases shrinks to 1.89%

India on Thursday reported a net reduction of 6,616 to bring its count of active coronavirus cases down to 372,293, the lowest level since July 18. With a continuous trend of daily reductions, India’s share of global active coronavirus cases is down to 1.89 per cent (one in 52). Read on...

11:26 AM

Coronavirus India update: Five states with highest 24-hour net addition to active cases

Chhattisgarh (262)

Kerala (193)

Uttarakhand (57)

Punjab (51)

Ladakh (28)