LIVE: Kerala considering re-opening schools, consulting experts, says CM

Covid-19 live updates: Tamil Nadu extends ban on religious gatherings; Microsoft won't forecast new date for returning to office.

6:10 PM

Kerala sees 25,010 new cases, 177 deaths in last 24 hrs

5:53 PM

Mass booster doses not needed, says UK Covid-19 vaccine creator

A widespread booster shots campaign as planned by the UK government is not required for everyone as immunity against COVID-19 among fully vaccinated people is lasting well, the creator of the Oxford University vaccine said on Friday, according to PTI.

 

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, a leading scientist who led the development of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine being administered in India as Covidshield said the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may well require the boosters but other doses should be prioritised for countries with low vaccination rates.

 

As the virus spreads between people, it mutates and adapts and evolves, like the Delta variant, she told The Daily Telegraph'.

5:52 PM

Andhra: Active Covid-19 cases cross 15,000 again

Active Covid-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh once again went past the 15,000 mark as the state reported 1,608 fresh coronavirus infections as against 1,107 recoveries on Friday, PTI said.

 

The state reported six deaths in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Friday, according to the latest bulletin. The state's Covid-19 chart now showed a gross of 20,27,650 positives, 19,98,561 recoveries and 13,970 deaths. 

5:16 PM

Odisha reports 745 new Covid cases, 6 more deaths

Odisha reported 745 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and six more deaths, a Health Department official said, according to PTI.

 

The state reported an average of 66 deaths per day in August, while the average in July was 61, and in June it was 42, he said.

 

Odisha has so far reported 10,15,083 cases and 8,084 deaths, he said.

5:12 PM

WATCH | PM Modi chairs a high-level review meeting on Covid situation

4:58 PM

PM Modi chairs high-level meet to review Covid situation, says report

4:57 PM

Maha: Ganesh fest begins under COVID-19 shadow, CM prays for destruction of 'evil' virus

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday urged citizens to launch a strong movement against coronavirus and said he prayed to Lord Ganesh to destroy all "evil and negativity" as the 10-day festival dedicated to the deity began amid the pandemic and looming threat of a third wave, PTI reported.

 

People welcomed Lord Ganesh in their homes and pandals in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra without pomp and gaiety and with focus on online 'darshan' to avoid gathering as the state government has made it clear it does not want to take any chance in view of an uptick in cases, especially in the metropolis. For the second straight year, the pandemic cast a long shadow on Ganesh Chaturthi festivities with the Maharashtra government placing a slew of restrictions to avoid gathering and processions.

4:17 PM

Subdued celebrations at Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja amid Covid restrictions

Amid strict COVID-19 restrictions in Mumbai, the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the famous Lalbaugcha Raja pandal are muted as the darshan has gone virtual, ANI reported.

 

Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been imposed from September 10 to 19 as a precautionary measure, banning the gathering of people, to curb the transmission of the virus. The police stuck notices outside the pandal that read, "No devotees allowed to go for prayers."

 

The lane outside the pandal wore a deserted look as devotees were not permitted at the venue. Huge contingent of security personnel were lined up outside the venue to maintain the law and order situation.

4:09 PM

Punjab govt extends Covid restrictions till Sept 30

3:59 PM

HC grants time to Delhi govt to decide on implementing CM's promise to pay rent to poor during Covid

The Delhi High Court Friday granted two weeks to Delhi government to decide on implementing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's announcement that if a poor tenant was unable to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state would pay it, PTI reported.

 

Delhi government's counsel Gautam Narayan told Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing a plea alleging willful disobedience of the court's order directing a decision to be taken in this regard in six weeks, that the matter was under consideration and sought two weeks to arrive at a conclusion.

 

On July 22, the court had ruled that a Chief Minister's promise to citizens was enforceable and directed the AAP government to decide within six weeks on Kejriwal's announcement that the state would pay rent on behalf of a poor tenant who are unable to do so on account of COVID-19.

3:46 PM

Unvaccinated Punjab govt employees to be sent on leave after Sept 15

3:23 PM

Sri Lanka extends nationwide curfew to curb Covid-19 spread

Sri Lankan authorities on Friday further extended a nationwide quarantine curfew till September 21 to prevent further spread of the COVID-19, ANI reported.

 

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the curfew will be lifted at 4:00 a.m. on September 21 after a decision made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa following a meeting with the COVID-19 Task Force.

 

Rambukwella said the number of COVID-19 patients in the country was steadily declining and authorities were confident that Sri Lanka would once again be able to reopen without risk.

3:22 PM

Maha: For 2nd year, austere Ganeshotsav, sans crowds amid Covid fears

For the second consecutive year, millions of people in Mumbai, the coastal Konkan region and other parts of the state on Friday cheerfully welcomed Lord Ganesha amid stringent restrictions to ward off the lurking threats of the Covid-19 'third wave', IANS reported.

The state's biggest public festival's lowkey celebrations were further hit by an abrupt change in the rules -- banning all physical 'darshan' at the 2,400-odd public associations which have erected marquees (pandals) for devotees -- disappointing the organisers.

"We were all geared to conduct the festival with full Covid-19 protocols but at the last-minute, the new rule with Sec. 144 has been clamped. This has come as a shock to all, but we shall strictly adhere to the government norms for public safety," the BrihanMumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Samanway Samiti (BSGSS) President Naresh Dahibhavkar told IANS.

3:22 PM

Madhya Pradesh CM reviews Covid-19 vaccination programme

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister on Friday held a meeting to review the COVID-19 vaccination programme and district-wise dengue and chikungunya cases at Chief Minister's residence office, according to the Chief Minister's office (CMO), ANI reported.

 

State Health Minister, Director Health, Secretary Chief Minister and other officials were also present at the meeting.

 

Madhya Pradesh has administered over 5 crore COVID-19 doses by September 9. Out of the total number of doses administered, the state has administered 4 crore 10 lakh with the first dose of the anti-COVID shot while over 95.4 lakh received the second dose, as per the CMO.

3:00 PM

Over 10mn people in SL fully vaccinated against Covid

Over 10 million people, above the age of 30 years, have been fully vaccinated in Sri Lanka against Covid-19 since a mass inoculation program was launched in January, the Health Ministry said on Friday, IANS reported.

According to the Ministry's Epidemiology Unit, 10,211,537 people were administered with both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine across the country to date, while 13,264,806 had received the first doses, reports Xinhua news agency.

Official statistics showed that the Sinopharm vaccine was the leading jab used across the island nation.