Saturday, December 21, 2024 | 01:36 PM ISTEN Hindi

Coronavirus LIVE updates: Containment zones rise to over 4,550 in Delhi

Coronavirus update: US is the worst-hit country with 12,072,560 coronavirus cases, followed by India, which has 9,004,365 cases, Brazil (5,912,903), France (2,065,138), Russia (1,991,998)

BS Web Team New Delhi

A medical staff tends to a patient inside the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the San Filippo Neri hospital in Rome. Photo: Reuters

2:34 PM

Random Covid-19 testing in Dehradun for people coming from other states

In order to combat COVID-19, the Dehradun District Administration on Friday started to conduct Rapid Antigen Tests at the Aasarodhi Inter-State Check Post for those coming from other states. According to Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Srivastav, teams from the state health department have been deployed at the post and testing is being done free of cost.

"Corona is on the rise in other states, especially Delhi. Due to increasing contact with these people, cases have been growing here too. We have started free random testing at the check post. A team from the health department has been deployed for the same," Srivastav said.

A similar move was made by the district administration earlier in May as a precautionary measure against the virus. It was relaxed at the end of July as cases started to decrease.

2:25 PM

Coronavirus pandemic LIVE: Pakistan reports 2,500 new Covid-19 cases

Pakistan has registered more than 2,500 new Covid-19 cases in a 24-hour period, marking a highest single-day spike after four months, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). In its latest update, the NCOC said that the country reported 2,547 new cases on Thursday, which increased the overall infection tally to 365,927, Dawn news reported.

Earlier over 2,500 cases were reported on July 11 and since then the number of cases was decreasing. The number of daily cases dropped to less than 300 in September but it again started increasing in October.

2:16 PM

Door-to-door survey in Delhi containment zones amid Covid-19 spike

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the national capital, a door-to-door survey for identifying and testing people symptomatic for COVID-19 in containment and densely packed areas of the city commenced on Friday. The survey will be completed within five days and will cover over 57 lakh people in containment zones, dense areas and identified clusters of virus transmission, officials said.

Delhi Health minister Satyendar Jain told reporters that the survey is aimed at identifying and testing symptomatic people living in containment zones and densely packed areas. District officials said all the containment zones and super spreader areas are being covered through teams including teachers, municipal corporation staff, Asha workers and civil defence volunteers.

"All protocols will be followed to test all symptomatic persons. The survey will be completed within 5 days," said a district magistrate. There are currently over 4500 containment zones in Delhi.

2:02 PM

Sanitisation work underway at Patna college ghat amid Chhath Puja celebration

1:52 PM

Gradual reduction in new cases, positivity rate points at decreasing Covid-19 spread in Delhi

The gradual reduction in the number of new COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate is a "clear indicator" that the spread of the virus is decreasing in the national capital, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Friday. The minister announced that government rates would apply to the normal, non-ICU beds reserved in private hospitals by the Delhi government for COVID-19 patients.

"The positivity rate was 15 per cent on November 7. It is less than 11 per cent now. The maximum number of cases (8,593) were reported on November 10," Jain said. "The positivity rate has come down and the number of cases is also reducing gradually. It is a clear indicator that the spread of the virus is decreasing in Delhi," he told reporters.

1:40 PM

Telangana reports 894 new coronavirus cases

As many as 894 new COVID-19 cases, 1,057 discharges and 4 deaths due to coronavirus were reported in the last 24 hours in Telangana, state Health Department said on Friday.

The total count of coronavirus cases increased to 2,61,728 including 2,47,790 discharges and 1,423 deaths while the active cases currently stand at 12,515 in the state.

Meanwhile, with 4 fatalities reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll rose to 1,423 in Telangana. Currently, there are 10,245 people under home or institutional isolation. As many as 39,448 samples were tested for the pathogen yesterday while a total of 50,50,612 samples were sent for evaluation till now.

12:56 PM

Make it a rule that you don't step out without mask: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain

There's no harm in wearing face masks inside cars. Make it a rule that you don't step out without mask: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain

12:45 PM

Spread of virus decreasing in Delhi: Health Minister Satyendar Jain

New COVID-19 cases reducing gradually, positivity rate falling. These indicate spread of virus decreasing in Delhi: Health Minister Satyendar Jain

12:37 PM

Indian airlines, airports are all set to handle distribution of temperature-sensitive COVID-19 vaccines

As some of the coronavirus vaccine trials across the world are in their final stages, Indian airports and airlines have geared up to to handle the distribution of temperature-sensitive vaccines in the country.

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport and GMR Hyderabad airport's cargo are set to play a pivotal role in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines as they are equipped with the state-of-the-art time and temperature-sensitive distribution system.

"Delhi Airport has two cargo terminals with world-class infrastructure that provides GDP (good disctribution practices)-certified temperature-controlled facility for handling temperature-sensitive cargo. With the capacity to handle over 1.5 lakh MT per annum, this facility has state-of-the-art temperature-controlled zones with separate cool chambers ranging from +25 to -20 degree Celsius, which would be extremely conducive for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines," a Delhi International Airport Limited spokesperson said.

"There are Cool Dollies at the airside that ensure unbroken cool chain during temperature-sensitive cargo movement between terminal and aircraft. The terminals have separate gates dedicated for fast movement of vehicles carrying vaccines in and out of the airport," he added.

The emphasis has been laid on quick and efficient transportation and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines whenever they are available.

12:33 PM

Corona tests on Delhi commuters at Gurugram's Kherki Daula toll plaza

After Uttar Pradesh health authorities, those in Gurugram adjoining Delhi too began to conduct random coronavirus tests on Friday on the inter-state border on people travelling from the national capital to the Haryana territory.

A team of Haryana Health Department was deployed at Kherki Daula toll plaza for the COVID-19 rapid antigen tests.

The health officials said that similar drive will be started in other Delhi-Gurugram border areas from Saturday.

In view of the increasing cases of infections in Haryana as well as Delhi, the Health Department Director General Dr VK Bansal had instructed district authorities for the test drive.

12:26 PM

Coronavirus: Centre considering sending high-level teams to other states to monitor Covid fight, day after rushing teams to 4 states

12:25 PM

Puducherry logs 54 new coronavirus cases, no fresh fatality reported

Puducherry added 54 new Covid-19 cases while no fresh fatality was reported in the union territory in the last 24 hours, a top Health department official said on Friday.

The 54 new cases were identified at the end of the examination of 3,468 samples, Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release.

Cumulatively, there were 36,585 coronavirus cases after the transfer of two patients to Tamil Nadu, he said.

12:08 PM

Health experts clash over use of certain drugs for coronavirus

Health officials around the world are clashing over the use of certain drugs for COVID-19, leading to different treatment options for patients depending on where they live.

On Friday, a World Health Organisation guidelines panel advised against using the antiviral remdesivir for hospitalised patients, saying there's no evidence it improves survival or avoids the need for breathing machines.

But in the US and many other countries, the drug has been the standard of care since a major, government-led study found other benefits it shortened recovery time for hospitalised patients by five days on average, from 15 days to 10.

11:49 AM