Covid LIVE: 540 new cases in Mumbai; no vaccination on Friday, says BMC

Today's coronavirus numbers: Kerala reported 15,600 new infections, followed by Maharashtra (9,558), Tamil Nadu (3,367), Andhra Pradesh (3,116). Stay tuned for corona-related news

A beneficiary reacts Wednesday, June 16, 2021, while getting a Covid-19 vaccine at a facility in Navi Mumbai for students who have to travel abroad for education and jobs. (PTI Photo)

Corona updates: India on Thursday recorded a spike of 45,892 new infections, taking the total caseload to 30,709,557, according to MoHFW. The death count increased to 405,028 with 817 new fatalities, the data showed. Active cases rose again for the first time since May 13, to 460,704. Expressing concern over the surge in Covid cases in nine states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Tripura and Sikkim — the health ministry has emphasised the need to strengthen efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

Kerala reported 15,600 new infections, followed by Maharashtra (9,558), Tamil Nadu (3,367), Andhra Pradesh (3,116), Karnataka (2,743), Delhi (93) and West Bengal (962).

From the northeastern states, Assam reported 2,289 new cases and Manipur 760.

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6,122,893), Kerala (3,011,694), Karnataka (2,862,338), Tamil Nadu (2,506,848), and Andhra Pradesh (1,911,181).

World coronavirus update: Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with 185,816,850 confirmed cases and 4,017,142 deaths across nearly 200 countries recorded since China reported its first cases in December 2019. The US remains the worst-hit country with 34,641,050 cases, followed by India, Brazil, France and Russia.

To read updates from our yesterday's blog, click here

1:37 AM

Gujarat: Night curfew now only in eight cities, coaching classes allowed

With a sharp drop in daily coronavirus cases in Gujarat, the state government on Thursday decided to lift the night curfew in 10 out of 18 urban areas.

Further, even in the eight cities where night curfew will continue, coaching centres for the students of class 9 onwards can resume classes.

Curfew between 10 pm to 6 am is in force in 18 cities and towns at present.

Gujarat on Thursday recorded 62 new Covid-19 cases, 534 recoveries and no fresh deaths.

From July 10 to 20, the night curfew will be in force in only eight major cities -- Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh and Gandhinagar.

The decision to lift curfew in 10 other cities was taken by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani after reviewing the coronavirus situation, said an official release.

Thus, there will be no curfew at night in Bhuj, Morbi, Patan, Mehsana, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad, Ankleshwar, Vapi and Gandhidham.

All commercial establishments, including shops and beauty parlors, can remain open till 9:00 pm in the eight cities where night curfew will continue. Restaurants too can remain open till 9:00 pm and home delivery is allowed till midnight in these areas, said the release.

Instead of the previous limit of 100, 150 persons can attend weddings, and public gardens in these eight cities can remain open till 9:00 pm.

Coaching classes for students of class 9 to post-graduate courses as well as those for competitive exams can be held with 50 per cent attendance, said the release.

1:36 AM

346 Covid-19 cases in Chhattisgarh, three deaths

Chhattisgarh's Covid-19 case tally rose to 9,97,035 on Thursday with 346 new cases coming to light, a health official said.

The state also recorded three deaths, which pushed the death toll due to the pandemic to 13,467, he added.

The number of recoveries rose to 9,78,654 after 60 people were discharged from hospitals while 386 others completed their home isolation during the day.

The number of active cases in the state stands at 4,914, the official informed.

Raipur district reported 19 new cases of infection, taking its caseload to 1,57,332 including 3,133 deaths. Sukma district recorded 45 new cases, Bijapur 38 and Jashpur 28 cases.

With 33,948 samples tested for coronavirus on Thursday, the total of tests carried out in the state went up to 1,05,55,481.

Chhattisgarh's coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 9,97,035, New cases 346, Death toll 13,467, Recovered 9,78,654, Active cases 4,914, Tests so far 1,05,55,481.

1:35 AM

Assam reports 2,644 new Covid-19 cases, 21 fresh fatalities

Assams Covid-19 caseload mounted to 5,27,200 on Thursday as 2,644 more people tested positive for the infection while 21 fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 4,764, the National Health Mission bulletin said.

Lakhimpur district reported the highest number of new cases at 285, followed by 280 in Golaghat, 173 in Sonitpur, and 168 in Kamrup Metro.

At present, the number of active cases in the state is 21,701.

Of the 21 fatalities, three deaths were reported each from Dibrugarh, Jorhat, and Sonitpur, two each from Bishwanath, Karbi Anglong, and Sivasagar.

Kamrup Metro, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nalbari, and Tinsukia reported one death each.

The current death rate is 0.90 per rcent and the number of Covid-19 positive patients dying due to other causes is 1,347.

The state now has 21,701 active cases and 4,99,388 Covid-19 patients have recovered from the infection so far.

Meanwhile, 2,946 coronavirus patients were discharged during the day and the current recovery rate is 94.72 per cent.

1:34 AM

Bengal reports 995 new Covid-19 cases, 17 more fatalities

West Bengal's Covid-19 tally rose to 15,09,218 on Thursday as 995 more people tested positive for the infection, while 17 fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 17,867, a bulletin issued by the health department said.

At least 1,490 more people were cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 14,75,208, it said.

The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in West Bengal now stands at 97.75 per cent.

The state now has 16,143 active cases.

Jalpaiguri reported the maximum number of fresh Covid fatalities at four, followed by North 24 Parganas at three, Kolkata and Howrah at two each.

The remaining deaths were registered in several other districts.

Since Wednesday, 49,842 samples were tested for Covid-19 in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, 2,42,110 people were inoculated during the day in the state, a health department official said.

1:34 AM

93 new Covid-19 cases; 3 more deaths in Delhi

The national capital recorded 93 fresh Covid-19 cases, and three deaths due to the disease on Thursday, according to data shared by the health department here.

The positivity rate stood at 0.12 per cent, same figure as on Wednesday.

The three new fatalities have pushed the death toll in the city to 25,008, according to the latest bulletin.

On Tuesday, Delhi had reported 79 cases and four deaths. And, on Wednesday, 93 cases and four deaths were recorded, according to official figures.

On February 16, ninety-four people were diagnosed Covid positive while the daily tally was 96 on January 27, according to the figures.

The infection rate., which had reached to 36 per cent in the last week of April, has come down to below 0.15 per cent now.

1:33 AM

Olympics-Sports bodies disappointed but accept Tokyo decision to ban spectators

Sports ruling bodies expressed their disappointment at the decision of Olympics organisers ban spectators from the July 23-Aug. 8 Tokyo Games but understood Japan's need to take drastic action to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The Olympics will take place without spectators in host city Tokyo, organisers said on Thursday, as a resurgent coronavirus forced Japan to declare a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the Games.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said it was essential to prevent Tokyo, where the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 variant was spreading, from becoming a flashpoint of new infections.

People will also be asked not to gather for events on public roads, such as the triathlon, though officials said some venues outside the greater Tokyo metropolitan area would allow small numbers of spectators.

World Athletics, the sport's governing body, said athletes have become used to competing in stadiums that are not packed but that they would have loved to see "noisy fans" in Tokyo.

"This is disappointing for everyone," World Athletics said in a statement. "For the people of Tokyo and Japan, the chance to see the world's best athletes competing in the flesh is an opportunity that does not come around very often.

"We, of course, need to listen to, and abide by, the decisions that individual countries make because this virus is impacting countries and regions differently and they have access to all the information and the science.

"What all of us in sport must focus on is making brave decisions which are usually tough ones."

8:52 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: New package will further strengthen fight against Covid, says Modi

8:36 PM

Maharashtra govt to train 20,000 youngsters in 3 months to boost anti-coronavirus fight

Amid fears of a third coronavirus wave, the Maharashtra government on Thursday launched a mega programme under which 20,000 youths will be trained in healthcare, nursing and paramedical fields through short-term courses.

The scheme, "Mukhya Mantri Maha Arogya", a skill development programme in the health sector that seeks to bolster human resources to handle the pandemic, was launched virtually by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. (PTI)

8:16 PM

Sikkim eases restrictions to woo tourists

The Sikkim government on Thursday further relaxed restrictions to attract tourists to the state.

In a fresh notification, the Home Department said that if one member of a family has got both doses of a Covid vaccine then other family members with one dose and accompanying children will be allowed to enter the state through the Melli and Rangpo check posts.

However, the partially vaccinated persons will have to carry a valid RT-PCR report, the test for which should be conducted within 72 hours of arrival, it said.

Tourists who are not vaccinated, or partially vaccinated but are not accompanied by a fully vaccinated relative will not be allowed to enter the state, it added. (PTI)

8:04 PM

Cabinet nod to Rs 23,123-cr package for boosting health infra amid Covid

The Union cabinet Thursday approved a Rs 23,123-crore financial package for improving health infrastructure in the country to fight the Covid pandemic.

Addressing a press conference here after the first meeting of the Union cabinet following its reshuffle on Wednesday, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the package will be implemented over the next nine months till March 2022.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Read here

7:57 PM

Manali initiates Covid awareness campaign as tourists throng hill stations

7:45 PM

Karnataka govt mulls waiving DCC & Apex bank loan of farmers who died of Covid-19

Karnataka Co-Operation Minister S T Somashekar on Thursday said the state government is mulling waiving loans taken from the District Credit Cooperative (DCC) and Apex banks by farmers, who succumbed to Covid-19.

He said the data is being gathered and the government will take a decision in a couple of days.

Depending on the amount of loan taken by those who have died due to Covid-19 in the limits of DCC and Apex banks, which are in profit, the government is considering waiving their loans, Somashekar said. (PTI)

7:35 PM

Coronavirus Latest: UP sees 10 more deaths due to Covid, 112 new cases

Ten more people succumbed to Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh, bringing the toll to 22,676, while the infection count reached 17,07,044 on Thursday with the detection of 112 fresh cases, according to an official statement.

Of the new fatalities linked to the coronavirus, three were reported from Etah; two each from Amethi and Shahjahanpur; one each from Siddharthnagar, Pratapgarh, Moradabad, the UP government said in the statement issued here on Thursday.

Eleven of the fresh Covid-19 cases were recorded in Varanasi, nine in Lucknow and eight in Kanpur Nagar, it said. (PTI)

7:35 PM