LIVE: UP restricts visitors to indoor events at 100 as Covid-19 tally rises

Coronavirus live updates: At 1,780,208, Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases, followed by Karnataka 873,046, Andhra Pradesh 862,000, Tamil Nadu 769,000 and Kerala 562,735

1:59 AM

Despite Covid-19 warnings, air travel soars ahead of Thanksgiving

Millions of Americans appear to be defying health warnings and traveling ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, likely exacerbating a surge in coronavirus infections before a series of promising new vaccines become widely available. With U.S. COVID-19 infections hitting a record 168,000 per day on average, Americans are flocking to airports against the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. surgeon general and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert.

For Americans, the long holiday weekend, which begins on Thursday, is traditionally the busiest travel period of the year, and 2020 may prove to be no exception. Some 1 million passengers passed through airport screenings on Sunday, the highest number since March. It was the second time in three days that passengers screened topped 1 million but screenings are down nearly 60% from the same time last year, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration said. Meanwhile, the seven-day average number of U.S. COVID-19 deaths rose for a 12th straight day, reaching 1,500 as of Monday, according to a Reuters tally of official data.

1:34 AM

British PM announces 'tougher' tiered system of covid restrictions

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday a "tougher" tiered system of coronavirus restrictions to replace England's current lockdown when it ends on December 2. Under the "Covid Winter Plan" which Johnson revealed to the House of Commons (lower house of parliament), the revised three-tiered system "is designed to carry us safely to spring", the Xinhua news agency reported. According to the Prime Minister, under Tier One, the lowest of the new three-tier system, people in the areas will be urged to work from home wherever possible.

In Tier Two areas, pubs and bars must close unless they are serving substantial meals along with alcoholic drinks. In Tier Three areas all pubs, bars and restaurants must close except for delivery, takeaway and drive-through. Hotels and indoor entertainment venues must also close in these areas. Johnson said he will announce which areas will fall into which tier later this week, probably on Thursday. The Prime Minister said he was "very sorry for the unavoidable hardship to business owners who have already endured so much destruction this year". Meanwhile, shops, gyms and salons are allowed to reopen across the country after December 2. The "rule of six" will return, which means people will again be able to meet up to six people from different households outdoors across England.

1:03 AM

Assam logs 169 new coronavirus cases

Assams COVID-19 caseload went up to 2,11,682 after 169 more people tested positive for the virus on Monday, while one fresh fatality took the death toll to 975, Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Altogether 131 patients recovered from the disease taking the total number of cured people to 2,07,525, the minister said.

The number of active cases currently is 3,179. "Sad to share the demise of one #COVID patient today.....Condolences to all bereaved families," Sarma tweeted. An 85-year old woman died in Dibrugarh while the death rate remained constant at 0.46 per cent, he said. The 169 new cases which include 56 from Kamrup Metropolitan district were detected out of 25,225 tests conducted during the day. The total number of tests conducted in the state reached 51,63,201 which includes both Rapid Antigen and RT-PCR tests. Of the total 2,11,682 positive cases, 975 people have died and three migrated out of the state.

12:29 AM

Allahabad HC asks Centre to arrange video-conferencing with ICMR to find out Covid vaccine status

The Allahabad High Court on Monday asked the Centre's counsel to arrange a video-conferencing session with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as it wants to know the status of the COVID-19 vaccine and preparations for its administration whenever possible. The court further directed SSP Prayagraj Sarvshresth Tripathi to apprise it with the progress in deployment of police to enforce the mandatory use of face masks in public places in the city.

The bench comprising Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ajit Kumar passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) on the spread of COVID-19 in the state. Tripathi, who was present in the court during the hearing, said he would personally look into the matter of deployment of police personnel in the city and shall also see that sustained efforts are made to ensure that people wear face masks as a rule. On October 11, the court had directed all shops apart from eateries to ensure that customers entering their premises must wear a mask.

The court had directed the police to take appropriate action against those flouting COVID-19 norms including wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing.

11:28 PM

Reserve ICU beds getting vacant for Covid-19 patients: Delhi govt to pvt hospitals

The Delhi government has directed private hospitals here to reserve ICU and normal beds for coronavirus patients once these get vacant after discharge of non-COVID-19 patients. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Delhi government in orders issued last week had enhanced the percentage of ICU and non-ICU beds in many private hospitals in view of rising number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi. Delhi government has ordered 90 private hospitals to reserve 60 per cent of their total bed capacity for treatment of COVID-19 patients, increasing 2,644beds.

It has also ordered 42 private hospitals to reserve 80 per cent of their total ICU bed capacity for treatment of COVID-19 patients, thus enhancing 260 ICU beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients. In the last fortnight, there has been an unprecedented surge in the number of clinically severe COVID-19 cases, having less than 90 per cent oxygen saturation at the time of arrival to the hospital, requiring intensive care, said the DGHS order. "However, if in some hospitals, non-COVID patients are already admitted in more than 20 per cent of their ICU/HDU beds then in such cases once these non-COVID patients are discharged, the vacant ICU/HDU bed shall thereafter be kept reserved for COVID-19 patients only," said the order.

A similar order has been issued to the private hospitals where 60 per cent non-ICU beds have been reserved for COVID-19 patients.

10:37 PM

Madhya Pradesh reports 1,701 new Covid-19 cases, 1,120 discharges

10:09 PM

Delhi logs 4,154 new Covid cases, tally at 534,317

9:55 PM

Can't wait for majority to be caccinated, need to topen borders: IATA DG

Countries across world should not wait for majority of people to be vaccinated against coronavirus and need to open their borders by implementing systematic pre-departure testing: International Air Transport Association (IATA) DG Alexandre de Juniac

IATA chief Alexandre de Juniac. Photo: Twitter @IATA

9:53 PM

Himachal records 454 new Covid cases, tally at 34,781

9:01 PM

Haryana reports 2,633 new coronavirus cases, 2,567 discharges, and 28 deaths

8:52 PM

Gujarat reports 1,487 new coronavirus cases, 17 fatalities

Gujarat on Monday reported 1,487 fresh coronavirus positive cases, taking the count of infections to 1,98,899, the state health department said.

 

With 17 more people succumbing to the viral infection, the cumulative toll in the state mounted to 3,876, the department said in a release.

 

At the same time, 1,234 patients were discharged after treatment, taking the tally of recoveries to 1,81,187, it said. The number of active cases has risen to 13,836. Gujarat's COVID-19 case recovery rate now stands at 91.09 per cent.

8:28 PM

Maharashtra records 4,153 coronavirus cases, 30 deaths; 3,729 recover

Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally rose to 17,84,361 with the addition of 4,153 new cases on Monday, the state health department said. With 30 fresh deaths reported during the day, the state's fatality count increased to 46,653, the department said in a statement here.

 

A total of 3,729 patients were discharged from hospitals, which took the number of recovered persons to 16,54,793. There are 81,902 active cases in the state at present. 

8:18 PM

Covid-19: AstraZeneca delivers but can't match rivals, here's what we know

The pressure was on AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford after stunning Covid-19 vaccine trial results from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., and the U.K. partners delivered, even if they couldn’t match the data from the two front-runners.

 

Scientists will now closely scrutinize the preliminary results. The report is significant because Astra and Oxford are taking a different approach from the one used by Pfizer and Moderna, and vaccine advocates say multiple shots will be needed to stop a contagion that’s killed almost 1.4 million people. Here’s what we know, and what the results could mean in the battle.

 

8:05 PM

608 recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir in 24 hrs against 351 new Covid cases

Recoveries continued to outnumber the new Covid cases in J&K on the second consecutive day on Monday as 608 patients were discharged while 351 tested positive in the last 24 hours.

 

Out of 351 new Covid cases, 185 were reported from Jammu division while 166 from Kashmir, the official bulletin said.

 

The total tally of UT reached 1,06,899 while the total recoveries were reported to be 99,827. So far, 1,641 people have succumbed to the deadly virus, including 12 who died on Monday. The number of active cases is 5,431 out of which 1,882 are from Jammu division and 3,549 are from Kashmir division.

7:59 PM

LIVE: UP restricts visitors to indoor events at 100 as coronavirus tally rises