Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra reports 27,918 new cases in last 24 hours

Coronavirus live updates: Maharashtra witnessed a marginal dip in its daily cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), as well as deaths. Stay tuned for corona-related news

1:57 AM

UP: Schools for students up to Class 8 shut till April 4

Amid a spike in coronavirus cases, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday extended to April 4 the closure of all schools for students up to Class 8, according to an official.
 

Earlier, the state government had shut schools for students up to Class 8 till March 31.
 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued the fresh directions during a review meeting at his 5-Kalidas Marg residence here.
 

The CM has directed the closure of schools for students up to Class 8 till April 4, an official spokesperson said, adding that it has been ordered to ensure that the Covid-19 protocol is followed for other classes.
 

The CM asked officials to step up testing with focus on old age homes, orphanages, residential schools and other such places.
 

The CM said the dedicated Covid hospitals made earlier should be reactivated.
 

1:57 AM

Maharashtra CM's wife admitted in hospital for Covid-19 treatment

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's wife Rashmi Thackeray was on Tuesday admitted in a hospital here for Covid-19 treatment, sources close to the CM's family said.
 

Since her Covid-19 test came out positive on March 22 night, Rashmi Thackeray remained home quarantined, an official had said.
 

Earlier, the CM's son and minister Aaditya Thackeray had also tested positive for coronavirus.
 

The CM and Rashmi Thackeray had taken the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the government-run J J Hospital here on March 11.

Rashmi Thackeray is editor of 'Saamana', the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena.
 

1:56 AM

Bengal reports 2 more Covid deaths, 626 fresh cases

West Bengal's Covid-19 death toll went up to 10,327 on Tuesday after two more persons succumbed to the disease, the health department said in a bulletin.

The tally also increased to 5,85,933 as 628 fresh cases of the infection were reported from different parts of the state, it said.
 

The two deaths were registered in Kolkata and South 24 Parganas district.
 

The 628 new infections included 265 from Kolkata and 145 from North 24 Parganas district, the bulletin said.
 

Since Monday, 475 patients recovered from Covid-19 and the discharge rate is now 97.33 per cent.
 

So far, 5,70,303 people have been cured of the disease in West Bengal.
 

The number of active cases now is 5,303, the bulletin said.
 

In the last 24 hours, 17,869 samples were tested for coronavirus in West Bengal taking the total number of such tests to 91,49,202.
 

Meanwhile, 2,06,829 people were vaccinated on Tuesday in the state, a senior official of the state health department said.
 

Altogether 49.62 lakh people were inoculated in West Bengal so far.
 

"One minor AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) case was reported today. The person who was sent home after initial observation is okay at the moment," the official said.
 

1:55 AM

Three new cases take Nagaland's Covid-19 tally to 12,233

The Covid-19 caseload in Nagaland rose to 12,233 as three more persons have tested positive for the disease, a health department official said on Tuesday.

All new cases were reported from Kohima, he said.
 

The northeastern state now has eight active cases- five in Dimapur and three in Kohima, Health and Family Welfare Department's Director Dr Denis Hangsing said.

A total of 11,980 people have been cured of the disease so far, he said, adding that the recovery rate currently stands at 97.93 per cent.
 

Ninety-one coronavirus patients, including 10 with comorbidities, have died in Nagaland, and 154 migrated to other states, the official said.
 

The state has so far conducted 23,250 Rapid Antigen Tests, while 75,356 samples were tested through RT-PCR and 37,520 through TrueNat, he added. 
 

1:55 AM

Grofers to cover Covid-19 vaccination cost for employees, families, contractual staff

Online grocery platform Grofers on Tuesday said it will cover the cost of Covid-19 vaccination for its employees, their family members as well as the company's contractual staff.
 

The company aims to cover vaccination cost for 25,000 people across 38 cities, it added.
 

Grofers will cover the vaccination cost for its employees, their family members (including, parents, spouse, and two children) and the company's contractual workforce, a statement said.
 

Also, the company will reimburse the vaccination cost for those who will administer the vaccine through their personal arrangements.
 

With the government recently appealing to people above 45 years to take the vaccine, the company will begin covering costs for its employees and their family members of this age group.
 

Post the government guidelines allowing the vaccination for remaining age groups, Grofers will ensure coverage of costs for the remaining workforce and their family members, the statement said.
 

Extra sick leave will also be granted towards the vaccine drive for employees to manage any post-vaccination symptoms.
 

9:06 PM

Reporting of Covid cases post vaccination rare': Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who along with his wife took the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, said cases of individuals reporting coronavirus infection post vaccination are extremely rare" and the disease among them would be very mild and not progress to an advanced stage".

 

Vardhan and his wife Nutan Goel were administered the second dose of the vaccine at the Delhi Heart and Lung Institute. They had taken the first dose of the indigenously developed Covaxin' by Bharat Biotech, on March 2.

 

We are yet to feel the slightest discomfort since our first dose of the vaccine, the minister said as he appealed to every eligible person to get vaccinated, especially in light of the government's recent decision to extend the inoculation programme to all those above 45 years of age.

8:37 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra reports 27,918 new cases

Maharashtra reports 27,918 new coronavirus cases, 23,820 discharges and 139 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the state health department.

8:21 PM

J&K sees highest single day surge of Covid cases

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday saw its highest single-day surge of Covid-19 cases, at 359, while the number of active cases crossed 2,200 and one death was reported during the last 24 hours.

 

Health Department officials said that of the new cases, 93 were from the Jammu division and 266 from the Kashmir division while 175 patients were discharged from different hospitals after recovery.

8:06 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: 191 positive cases reported in IIM Ahmedabad so far

Gujarat: A total of 191 positive cases for coronavirus reported in IIM Ahmedabad so far.

8:05 PM

No of beds reserved for Covid being increased: Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces that number of beds reserved for Covid-19 patients is being increased at few hospitals in view of surge in infections in Delhi

8:04 PM

Negative report must for travellers from 12 states witnessing Covid surge: Uttarakhand government

From April 1, travellers from Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab. Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan entering the state must carry negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours: Uttarakhand government

7:50 PM

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan asks states to take action at district level

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan writes to chief secretaries and administrators of all states and union territories, suggesting them action required at the district level in the wake of the Covid situation.

 

7:26 PM

Pak PM Imran Khan makes full recovery from Covid-19, resumes work

Prime Minister Imran Khan has made full recovery from the coronavirus and has resumed work, it was announced on Tuesday, more than a week after he tested positive for the deadly virus.

 

Senator Faisal Javed Khan, who is considered close to the premier, made the announcement on Twitter.

 

"He has resumed work gradually and started building up his work routine as per doctors' instructions keeping in view national and international guidelines," the senator tweeted, adding that the public should take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.

7:25 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Himachal Pradesh reports 339 new positive cases

339 new positive cases, 137 recoveries, and 6 deaths reported in Himachal Pradesh in the past 24 hours, according to the state health department

7:24 PM

Covid-19 claims 10 more lives in UP; 918 new cases detected

Uttar Pradesh reported 10 more Covid-19 fatalities on Tuesday, pushing the death toll to 8,800, while 918 new cases took the infection tally in the state to 615,996.

 

Four deaths were reported from Lucknow, two from Kanpur, and one each from Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Unnao and Auraiya, a health bulletin issued here said.

 

"The state reported 918 new cases of coronavirus infection in past 24 hours. While the death toll reached 8,800, the number of active cases is 9,195. The number of patients treated and discharged is now 598,001," it said.