Covid LIVE: Both Karnataka, Maharashtra see daily cases below 30,000-mark

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 276,110 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 25,772,440. Stay tuned for corona-related news

2:08 AM

Jharkhand Covid-19 update

2:06 AM

NHRC notice to centre, states over denial of benefits under schemes during Covid-19

The NHRC has sent notices to the centre and states over the alleged denial of benefits to beneficiaries of various public schemes during the coronavirus pandemic due to "non-completion of biometric authentication," officials said.
 

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in a statement said, it has taken cognisance of a complaint alleging "denial of benefits to the people during the Covid pandenic, under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna (PMGKAY) and other schemes under the integral management of public distribution system (IMPDS), due to non-completion of biometric authentication of the beneficiaries".
 

Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and the chief secretaries, administrators of all the states and Union Territories, it said.
 

The reports have been sought from them within four weeks on the action taken, regarding the issue of problematic biometric authentication or “end-to-end computerisation of Public Distribution System (PDS) operations”.
 

2:05 AM

EU lawmakers and nations reach compromise on Covid-19 passes

European Union citizens can start packing for summer vacations in the bloc's 27 nations without having to worry about quarantines: they should be able to travel freely across the EU.
 

European Union legislators and member countries found a compromise Thursday for launching Covid-19 certificates before the height of the summer holiday season, a move aimed at boosting travel and tourism following the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic.
 

The various players managed to reconcile their differences during another round of discussions, paving the way for the trans-border travel passes to be introduced. Officials said the system should be up and running by July 1.
 

“This agreement is the first step to get the Schengen Area back on track," European Parliament rapporteur Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar said, referring to Europe's passport-free travel zone.
 

“It will make all the difference, and it won't be repeating the nightmare of Summer 2020.” The European Commission said the certificates will be issued in digital format and designed to be shown either on smartphones or paper. It guaranteed that “a very high level of data protection will be ensured.” 

10:22 PM

Will declare black fungus an epidemic if need arises: Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the city government will declare black fungus an epidemic if the need arises and urged hospitals to use steroids in Covid-19 treatment in a controlled manner.
 

He also said dedicated centres will be set up for treatment of the fungal infection or mucormycosis at three city government-run hospitals.
 

"We will declare it (black fungus) an epidemic if needs arise. I also appeal to all hospitals and doctors to use steroids in a controlled manner. Patients should take care of their sugar levels," he told reporters.
 

The combination of steroids and sugar is leading to a rise in number of black fungus cases, the chief minister said.
 

The Union Health Ministry has urged states and Union territories to make black fungus or mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality among Covid-19 patients.
 

10:21 PM

Chhattisgarh govt slightly eases curbs for travellers visiting state

The Chhattisgarh government has provided some relaxations to the travellers arriving in the state from outside under its fresh set of guidelines issued on Thursday to contain the spread of Covid-19, an official said.
 

As per the new guidelines, the mandatory provision of having a negative RT-PCR report of the test conducted within 72 hours for people arriving in the state through air, rail and road routes has now been relaxed.
 

Now, the report of the test conducted within 96 hour of the arrival will be considered valid, the public relations department official said.
 

Besides, the persons who have certificates to prove that they have received both the doses of anti-coronavirus vaccines will also be allowed to enter the state, he said.
 

For air travellers who do not have a Covid negative test report, arrangements will be made for test at airports.
 

Such passengers will have to be in home isolation till the report comes, he said.
 

Similar arrangements for health examination will be done at railway stations and inter-state border check posts, he said.
 

9:01 PM

Madhya Pradesh records 4,952 new Covid-19 cases, 9,746 recoveries; 88 die

Madhya Pradesh on Thursday reported 4,952 new coronavirus cases and 88 fatalities, taking the infection tally to 7,52,735 and the toll to 7,315, the state health department said. Recoveries outnumbered new COVID-19 cases in the state, bringing down the count of patients under treatment below the 75,000-mark.

 

A total of 9,746 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the count of recoveries in Madhya Pradesh to 6,72,695, the department said. The state is now left with 72,725 active cases, it said. With 1,072 new infections, Indore's caseload went up to 1,42,6872, while that of Bhopal rose by 693 to 1,15,872.

8:53 PM

Karnataka reports 28,869 new Covid cases, 52,257 recoveries and 548 deaths in the last 24 hours

8:43 PM

Aerosols from Covid-19 infected person can travel in air up to 10 metres: Govt

Nasal droplets fall within 2 metres from a COVID-19 infected person and the aerosols can travel in air up to 10 metres, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser said on Thursday, adding that proper ventilation can decrease the risk of transmission.

 

In its advisory 'Stop the Transmission, Crush the Pandemic--Masks, Distance, Sanitation and Ventilation to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus', the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) noted that well-ventilated spaces play a crucial role in diluting the COVID-19 viral load of infected air and help in decreasing the risk of transmission from one infected person to the other.

 

Saliva and nasal discharge in the form of droplets and aerosols carry the virus from one person to another. Larger size droplets fall to the ground and on surfaces, and smaller aerosol particles are carried in the air to greater distances, the advisory said.

8:33 PM

Maharashtra reports 29,911 new Covid and 738 deaths in the last 24 hours

8:30 PM

4,169 new Covid cases, 67 more deaths in Jammu and Kashmir

The COVID-19 death toll in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 3,422 on Thursday with 67 more fatalities, while 4,169 new cases pushed the infection tally to 2,60,057, officials said.

 

Of the new cases, 1,518 were from the Jammu division and 2,651 from the Kashmir division, they said.

 

Srinagar district recorded the highest 674 new cases, followed by 499 in Jammu district and 393 in Budgam district. The number of active cases stands at 50,554 while 2,06,081 patients have recovered from the infection so far, officials said. The death toll has risen to 3,422 as 67 patients died in the past 24 hours, officials added.

8:24 PM

Delivered 12,630 tonnes of O2 in over 775 tankers to 13 states: Railways

The railways has delivered nearly 12,630 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen in more than 775 tankers to 13 states across the country, the national transporter said on Thursday.

 

So far, around 200 Oxygen Expresses have completed their journey, while 10 more are currently on their way with more than 784 tonnes of LMO in 45 tankers, it said.

 

Oxygen Expresses have been delivering more than 800 tonnes of LMO to the nation each day now. The life-saving gas was delivered to 13 states namely Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, Kerala, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. READ MORE...

8:12 PM

Negative RT-PCR report mandatory for train passengers arriving in Maharashtra: Railways

8:11 PM

Guidelines for mild Covid cases patients in peri-urban, rural and tribal areas: Govt

8:10 PM

Rajasthan records 7,680 new Covid-19 cases, 127 fatalities. Infection tally rises to 8,97,193

Rajasthan records 7,680 new Covid-19 cases, 127 fatalities. Infection tally rises to 8,97,193, death toll 7,346. Number of active cases of the disease in the state stands at 1,43,974.

7:46 PM

To ramp up daily testing capacity for Covid to 4.5 mn by June-end: Govt

The government aims to ramp up India's daily testing capacity for COVID-19 to 45 lakh by end of June from the current capacity of 16-20 lakh per day, the Centre said on Thursday as a record 20.55 lakh tests were conducted in a span of 24 hours.

 

On augmenting testing for COVID-19 while ICMR has so far approved a home-based rapid antigen testing (RAT) kit manufactured by Mylab Discovery Solutions Ltd, Pune, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said kits by three more companies are in pipeline and likely to get the approval within a week. READ MORE...