Coronavirus LIVE: Phase 2/3 trials of Sputnik V vaccine starts in India

Coronavirus LIVE update: At 1,828,826, Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases, followed by Karnataka 884,897, Andhra Pradesh 868,064, Tamil Nadu 781,915 and Kerala 602,982

1:45 PM

Covid-19 patients treated as untouchables once posters pasted on their homes: SC

The Supreme Court Thursday said that once posters are pasted outside the homes of COVID-19 patients, these people are treated as "untouchables", reflecting a different "ground reality". The Centre informed the apex court that although it has not prescribed this rule, the practice has nothing to do with "stigmatising" COVID-19 patients as it is aimed at protecting other people.

 

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah said that the ground reality is "something different" and as once such posters are pasted at their homes, they are treated as untouchables.

 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said that some states on their own are pursuing this practice to prevent the spread of the virus. Mehta said the Centre has filed its reply to the plea in pursuance of the top court's direction asking it to consider issuing nationwide guidelines to do away with practice of pasting posters outside the homes of COVID-19 patients.

 

"Let the counter filed by Union come on record we will take it up on Thursday," the bench said.

1:37 PM

Gujarat govt caps price of RT-PCR test by private labs at Rs 800 and Rs 1100 if a sample collected at home: Deputy CM

1:29 PM

Podcast: Serum vs volunteer fight, PM calls meet, & more

A trial participant claims to have suffered a neurological illness (acute encephalopathy) and was hospitalised 10 days after he received the first jab of the vaccine in the Covishield trial. He sent a legal notice to the Serum Institute of India (SII), the sponsor of the trial, seeking Rs 5 crore in damages. Click here to listen to the podcast for more

1:23 PM

Pakistan's coronavirus tally crosses 400,000-mark

Pakistan's Covid-19 tally crossed the 400,000-mark on Tuesday as a second wave of the coronavirus builds momentum and officials struggle to counter public indifference to the pandemic.

 

The death toll rose to 8,091 with 67 more people succumbing to the deadly viral infection overnight, the health ministry said.

1:09 PM

Coronavirus DATA STORY: India's active cases fall to 435,603, the lowest since July 23

The seventh-most-affected country by active cases, third by fatality, and second by total cases, India has added 284,969 cases in the past 7 days. Read on...

12:58 PM

Covid-19 patients treated as untouchables once posters pasted on their homes, says SC

The Supreme Court Thursday said that once posters are pasted outside the homes of COVID-19 patients, these people are treated as "untouchables", reflecting a different "ground reality".

 

The Centre informed the apex court that although it has not prescribed this rule, the practice has nothing to do with "stigmatising" COVID-19 patients as it is aimed at protecting other people.

 

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah said that the ground reality is "something different" and as once such posters are pasted at their homes, they are treated as untouchables.

12:30 PM

Won't release Covishield vaccine unless safe, says SII

Addressing concerns related to the serious adverse event reported by a volunteer in Chennai, Serum Institute of India said, "“The COVISHIELD vaccine is safe and immunogenic. The incident with the Chennai volunteer though highly unfortunate was in no way induced by the vaccine and Serum Institute of India is sympathetic with the volunteer's medical condition. However, we would like to clarify that all the requisite regulatory and ethical processes and guidelines were followed diligently and strictly."

 

SII added that the vaccine would not be released for mass use unless it is proven immunogenic, and safe.

https://www.facebook.com/SerumInstituteIndia/posts/1086801685095389  

12:14 PM

Wendy's to open 250 cloud kitchens with India's Rebel Foods as Virus hits

Wendy’s Co. has struck a deal with India’s Rebel Foods to open about 250 so-called cloud kitchens across the country, one of the most ambitious efforts yet to serve customers through delivery rather than the traditional fast-food stores as the industry adapts to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The US company is experimenting with a new format as the Covid-19 outbreak makes many consumers unwilling or unable to visit traditional stores. Cloud kitchens, which derive their name from cloud computing, are remote facilities without seating or cashiers that prepare food exclusively for delivery. Read on...

11:44 AM

After 9 months, medical, paramedical colleges in Karnataka reopen today

11:24 AM

Andaman and Nicobar Islands reports 6 Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 4,710

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported six more COVID-19 cases, pushing the coronavirus tally in the union territory to 4,710, a health department official said on Tuesday.

 

Of the six new cases, five were detected during contact tracing, while one has travel history, he said.

 

Thirteen more people recovered from COVID-19, taking the total number of recoveries to 4,550, the official said. Read on...

11:16 AM

Brazil registers 287 new Covid-19 fatalities, toll now at over 173,000

Brazil registered 21,138 new infections and 287 new deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising its national caseload to 6,335,878 and death toll to 173,120, the Health Ministry reported Monday.

 

Brazil is one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus, with the world's second-highest death toll and the third-largest caseload.

 

Also on Monday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) voiced deep concern over a sharp increase in infection and fatality rates in Brazil. Read on...

11:14 AM

Hospitalisations of coronavirus patients hit an all-time high in US

Hospitalisation of coronavirus infected patients in the US have reached an all-time high as the country is witnessing an ongoing resurgence of new confirmed cases, according to the the Covid Tracking Project.

 

In its latest update on Monday, the project said that the all time high hospitalisation figure of 93,238 was reached on Sunday, surpassing the previous day's record of 91,635, reports Xinhua news agency.

 

In recent months, Covid-19 hospitalizations have gone up on a daily basis across the country, currently the worst-hit in the world. Read on...

10:36 AM

India manufacturing PMI slips to 56.3 in November vs 58.9 in October

10:26 AM

Jharkhand registers 167 fresh coronavirus cases, one more fatality

Jharkhand's coronavirus caseload

 

rose to 1,09,151 as 167 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said on Tuesday.

 

One more person succumbed to the infection, pushing the COVID-19 death toll in the state to 964.

 

Ranchi district reported the highest number of new cases at 59, followed by East Singhbhum (22), and West Singhbhum (17), he said. Read on...

9:58 AM

Despite self triumph over virus here is how Trump lost election to Covid-19

When Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19 on October 2 and was hospitalised a day later it was widely assumed this would put a major crimp in his re-election campaign. In the event, the US president recovered quite quickly and returned to the campaign trail with gusto after a typically bullish photo-op as he arrived back at the White House.

 

But survey evidence – initial findings from which are published here for the first time – shows that, despite having apparently triumphed over the virus, he did not escape the grasp of Covid-19 and that his handling of the pandemic played a crucial role in his defeat in the November 3 election. READ ON...