Coronavirus Cases in India: The recovery rate is 97.67 per cent.
India logged 37,593 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased marginally to 3,22,327, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The total tally of COVID-19 cases increased to 3,25,12,366 and the number of deaths climbed to 4,35,758 with 648 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The active cases comprise 0.99 per cent of the total infections.
The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.67 per cent, the ministry said.
An increase of 2,776 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
Meanwhile, sixteen Afghanistan evacuees out of the 78 that landed in India yesterday are coronavirus positive. As a measure of precaution, all 78 have been quarantined.
All 16 returnees are said to be asymptomatic - patients who don't exhibit any symptoms for the virus.
Among those infected are three granthis who carried the copies of the Sikh holy scriptures back to India from Kabul. Union Minister Hardeep Puri, who received the copies of the Sikh holy scripture at the Delhi airport Tuesday morning, had tweeted a video of him carrying one of the copies on his head with reverence.
Here are LIVE Updates on Coronavirus Cases:
Kerala's Covid Cases Up 30% In 24 hours As Government Flags 'Onam Spike'The number of Covid cases in Kerala jumped nearly 30 per cent over the past 24 hours to over 31,000 as the state government flagged an 'Onam spike'. The state recorded 215 deaths along with a test positivity rate of 19.03 per cent.
The state today reported 31,445 fresh cases, pushing its total infection count to 38,83,429 and fatalities to 19,972.
Ernakulam district recorded the highest number with 4,048 cases, followed by Thrissur (3,865), Kozhikode (3,680), Malappuram (3,502), Palakkad (2,562), Kollam (2,479), Kottayam (2,050), Kannur (1,930) Alappuzha (1,874), Thiruvananthapuram (1,700), Idukki (1,166) Pathanamthitta (1,008) and Wayanad (962), a government release said.
These numbers came a day after Kerala Health Minister Veena George called for "increased vigil" over the next four weeks as exposure at public gatherings during Onam season is expected to show up in the next 7-10 days, especially with the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant.
COVID-19 India News: Chhattisgarh Reports 52 New Cases, Active Cases Below 650Chhattisgarh's COVID-19 tally rose to 10,04,282 on Wednesday with the addition of 52 new cases, while no fresh fatality due to the infection was reported in the case, a health department official said, according to PTI. The death count remained unchanged at 13,555, he said.
The day also saw the discharge of 29 patients from various hospitals, while 49 others completed their home isolation, taking the number of recovered cases to 9,90,100, the official said. The state now has 627 active cases.
COVID-19 India News: Punjab Reports 37 New Cases, One More DeathPunjab on Wednesday reported 37 fresh cases of coronavirus and one Covid-related death, taking the number of infections and fatalities to 6,00,378 and 16,358 respectively, according to a medical bulletin, reported PTI. The latest death was reported from Sangrur. The death count includes two deaths, which were not reported earlier. The number of active cases dropped to 401 from 423 on Tuesday, the bulletin said.
COVID-19 India News: Bengal Reports 10 More Covid Deaths, 708 New CasesWest Bengal's COVID-19 death count climbed to 18,393 with 10 more fatalities, while 708 fresh cases pushed the tally to 15,44,817, a bulletin released by the health department said Wednesday, reported PTI. The state now has 9,185 active cases, and 15,17,239 patients have recovered from the disease so far, including 730 since Tuesday, it said.
COVID-19 India News: Maharashtra Reports 5,031 New Cases, 216 DeathsMaharashtra reported 5,031 new coronavirus cases and 216 fresh fatalities on Wednesday, taking the infection tally to 64,37,680 and the death count to 1,36,571, a state health department official said, according to PTI. The state has crossed the 5,000 daily case mark after a gap of six days. It had reported 5,225 coronavirus infections on August 19.
An official said 4,380 patients were discharged from hospitals across the state in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative number of recovered cases to 62,47,414.
Maharashtra, currently, has 50,183 active cases, he said.
COVID-19 India News: Delhi Reports 35 New Cases, One DeathDelhi reported 35 fresh COVID-19 cases and one more fatality due to the disease on Wednesday, according to data shared by the city health department, reported PTI. According to a bulletin by the department, 86 COVID-19 patients were discharged from city hospitals in the last 24 hours and the positivity rate stands at 0.05 per cent.
With the new cases, Delhi's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 14,37,550, of which 14,12,081 patients have either recovered, migrated or have been discharged. The death count due to the viral disease has gone up to 25,080 and the case fatality rate stands at 1.74 per cent, the bulletin said. Of the 12,036 beds in city hospitals for Covid patients, only 249 are occupied, it added.
COVID-19 India Blog: Goa Reports 77 New Cases, One Death
Goa recorded 77 new coronavirus infections and one death on Wednesday, a health department official said, according to PTI. The caseload in the state rose to 1,73,434 while the death count reached 3,187. The number of recovered patients rose to 1,69,314 with 75 persons getting discharged from hospitals on Wednesday. The number of active cases stands at 933, the official said. "With 4,969 samples tested during the day, the total of coronavirus tests conducted in the state has gone up to 11,78,040," he added.
COVID-19 India News: Karnataka Adds 1,224 New Cases, 22 More DeathsKarnataka on Wednesday logged 1,224 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the caseload to 29.42 lakh, while 22 deaths pushed the death count to 37,206, reported PTI. The day also saw 1,668 people being discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 28,85,700. Active cases stood at 19,318, a health department bulletin said.
A total of 1,95,966 samples were tested in the state on Wednesday, taking the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 4.25 crore. The number of vaccinations done so far in the state rose to 3.83 crore, with 3,36,984 people being inoculated on Wednesday, it said.
COVID-19 India News: Kerala Reports Over 30,000 New Cases, First Since May 20
Kerala on Wednesday reported 31,445 fresh COVID-19 cases and 215 deaths, pushing the total infection count to 38,83,429 and the fatalities to 19,972 till date, reported PTI. The last time the state crossed the 30,000-mark was on May 20 when it witnessed 30,491 cases. The test positivity rate (TPR) today crossed the 19 per cent mark, according to an official press release. After the Onam festivities, medical experts predicted that the TPR would go beyond 20% and that the number of infections would rise further.
COVID-19 News: States Asked To Vaccinate All School Teachers Before Teachers' DayUnion Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said more than two crore additional COVID-19 vaccine doses are being made available to states this month and they have been asked to vaccinate all school teachers on priority before Teachers' Day on September 5.
"In addition to the plan to provide vaccines to every state this month, more than 2 crore vaccine doses are being made available. We have requested all states to try to vaccinate all school teachers on priority before Teachers'' Day, which is celebrated on September 5," Mr Mandaviya said in a tweet in Hindi.
COVID-19 India News: Meghalaya Adds 354 New Cases, 7 More Deaths
Meghalaya's COVID-19 tally rose to 74,586 on Wednesday as 354 more people tested positive for the infection, while seven fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death count to 1,292, said a senior health official, according to PTI. The state now has 2,815 active cases, while 70,479 more people have been cured of the disease, including 352 on Tuesday. Meghalaya has so far tested over 9.44 lakh samples for COVID-19, and inoculated over 12.98 lakh people, of whom 2.9 lakh have received both doses, the official added.
COVID-19 News: Japan Expands Virus Emergency After Paralympics Open
Japan's government on Wednesday decided to extend a virus state of emergency to eight more regions, a day after the Paralympic opening ceremony, as rising infections put hospitals under pressure, reported AFP. The step comes with summer school holidays ending and top infection experts suggesting delaying the start of classes to reduce contagion risks.
Japan has been recording over 20,000 new cases a day in recent weeks as the more infectious Delta variant spreads. In urban areas like Tokyo, patients in serious condition have been left waiting for hours or travelling long distances in ambulances to find available hospital beds.
States asked to vaccinate all school teachers on priority before Teachers' Day
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said more than two crore additional COVID-19 vaccine doses are being made available to states this month, and they have been asked to vaccinate all school teachers on priority before Teachers' Day on September 5.
"In addition to the plan to provide vaccines to every state this month, more than 2 crore vaccine doses are being made available. We have requested all the states to try to vaccinate all school teachers on priority before Teachers' Day, which is celebrated on 5th September," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Schools across the country were closed in March last year ahead of a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of novel coronavirus infection.
Update| After reviewing the COVID-19 situation, shops, shopping malls, parks, gardens, and religious places will be permitted to function normally. Universities, Colleges, technical education institutions, schools and coaching centres are also permitted to reopen: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
Coronavirus India Updates: 1 new COVID-19 case in Andamans, tally rises to 7,560
The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 7,560 on Wednesday as one more person tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.
The Union territory now has 10 active cases, while 7,421 people have been cured of the disease so far, including one in the last 24 hours.
The coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 129 as no fresh fatality was reported. The administration has tested over 4.72 lakh samples for COVID-19 thus far, the bulletin said.
A total of 3.34 lakh people have been vaccinated to date, of whom over 1 lakh have received both doses.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Japan expands virus emergency after Paralympics open
Japan moved Wednesday to expand a virus state of emergency to eight more regions, a day after the Paralympic opening ceremony, as rising infections put hospitals under pressure.
The step comes with summer school holidays ending and top infection experts suggesting delaying the start of classes to reduce infection risks.
The country has been recording more than 20,000 new infections a day in recent weeks, and in urban areas like Tokyo patients in serious condition have been left waiting for hours or travelling long distances in ambulances to find available hospital beds.
Government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said a panel of experts had approved a plan to place eight more regions under the emergency already in place in 13 areas including Tokyo.
The decision is expected to become official later in the day, when Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga convenes a special meeting of ministers.
The measure largely limits the sale of alcohol by restaurants and bars and asks them to close early, while urging the public to work from home and avoid non-urgent outings.
Update| Of 9,000 samples tested yesterday (August 24), no sample tested positive for COVID-19 in Ludhiana district. We didn't report even a single positive case here after 15 months: Deputy Commissioner Varinder Sharma, Ludhiana
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Over 58.07 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses provided to States, Union Territories
More than 58.07 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to States and Union Territories, informed the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday.
"More than 58.07 crore (58,07,64,210) vaccine doses have been provided to States and UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. Further, 51,48,970 doses are in the pipeline," informed an official release by the ministry.
The ministry also informed that more than 3.62 crore (3,62,24,601) balance and unutilized Covid vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.
The new phase of universalization of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from June 21, 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
Update| More than 58.07 crore (58,07,64,210) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far. More than 3.62 crore (3,62,24,601) balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered: Union Health Ministry
Coronavirus India Updates: Puducherry adds 71 coronavirus cases, test positivity shoots up to 3.15 percent
Puducherry clocked 71 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday while the test positivity rate (TPR) rose to 3.15 percent.
The 71 new cases were identified at the end of examination of 2,254 samples and they were spread over Puducherry 42, Karaikal 15, Yanam 1 and Mahe 13. The overall case load touched 1,23,078.
Director of Health Department G Sriramulu said the active cases were 760 of whom 163 were in hospitals and the remaining 597 patients were in home isolation.
While 76 patients recovered and were discharged during last twenty four hours, the overall recoveries here stood at 1,20,599.
Sriramulu said the department has tested 16.20 lakh samples of whom 13.74 lakh were found to be negative.
The fatality and recovery rates were 1.47 percent and 97.91 percent respectively.
Surat Municipal Corporation began 'Knock the Door' campaign to create awareness among people about COVID-19 vaccination
"26.83 lakh people administered first dose of vaccine & 9 lakh people with 2nd dose," said Dr Ashish Naik, Deputy Municipal Commissioner yesterday
Just In| 37,593 fresh COVID-19 cases in India, 47.6% higher than yesterday
Update| A total of 51,11,84,547 samples were tested up to August 24. Of which, 17,92,755 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Coronavirus News Updates: 189 new COVID-19 cases in Thane, 10 more deaths
With the addition of 189 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 5,49,905, an official said on Wednesday.
These new cases were reported on Tuesday, he said.
Ten more people also succumbed to the viral infection, which raised the death toll in the district to 11,256, he said, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.04 per cent.
Coronavirus India Updates: 16 Of 78 Afghanistan Evacuees, Who Reached Delhi Yesterday, Are Covid positive
Sixteen Afghanistan evacuees out of the 78 that landed in India yesterday are coronavirus positive. As a measure of precaution, all 78 have been quarantined.
All 16 returnees are said to be asymptomatic - patients who don't exhibit any symptoms for the virus.
India has stepped up efforts to evacuate its citizens as well as Afghan citizens fleeing their country because of the worsening security situation after the Taliban's stunning sweep to power last week.
Update| The number of Delta Plus cases of the coronavirus in Maharashtra has risen to 103 after 27 new infections were reported in the state, according to the health department.
Delta Variant Cases Show 300 Times Higher Viral Load, Shows South Korea Study
People infected with the more transmissible Delta variant have a viral load 300 times higher than those with the original version of the COVID-19 virus when symptoms are first observed, a South Korea study found.
But the amount gradually decreased over time - to 30 times in four days and over 10 times in nine days - and it matched levels seen in other variants after 10 days, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Tuesday.
The higher load means the virus spreads far more easily from person to person, increasing infections and hospitalisations, a health ministry official Lee Sang-won told a news conference.
'India May Be Entering Endemic Stage Of Covid': WHO Chief Scientist
COVID-19 in India may be entering some kind of stage of endemicity where there is low or moderate level of transmission going on, Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation Dr Soumya Swaminathan said.
The endemic stage is when a population learns to live with a virus. It's very different from the epidemic stage when the virus overwhelms a population.
On clearance to Covaxin, she said she is fairly confident that the WHO's technical group will be satisfied to give Covaxin clearance to be one of its authorised vaccines and that could happen by mid-September.
In an interview to journalist Karan Thapar for news website The Wire, Ms Swaminathan said given the size of India and heterogeneity of population and immunity status in different parts of the country, it is "very very feasible" that the situation may continue like this with ups and downs in various parts of the nation.
"We may be entering some kind of stage of endemicity where there is low level transmission or moderate level transmission going on but we are not seeing the kinds of exponential growth and peaks that we saw a few months ago," Ms Swaminathan said.
"As far as India is concerned that seems to be what is happening and because of size of India and heterogeneity of population and immunity status in different parts of country in different pockets, it is very very feasible that the situation may continue like this with ups and downs in different parts of the country, particularly where there are more susceptible population, so those groups who were perhaps less affected by first and second waves or those areas with low levels of vaccine coverage we could see peaks and troughs for the next several months," she said.