Coronavirus India Highlights: India Sees Record 49,310 New COVID Cases; Fatality Rate Drops To 2.38%

COVID-19 cases in central police forces cross 10,000-mark
The total number of COVID-19 cases in central police forces under the command of the Union home ministry crossed the 10,000-mark on Saturday with 421 fresh cases being reported in a day, a latest data said.

The cases pertain to the seven forces of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

As per the latest data accessed by PTI, these forces have recorded a total of 10,259 COVID-19 cases till now out of which 4,687 are active while the rest of the personnel have recovered.

The maximum cases of 3,341 have been recorded in the CRPF, the country's largest paramilitary force with about 3.25 lakh personnel.

COVID-19: Uttarakhand reports 224 new cases
Uttrakhand reported 224 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the total cases in the state to 5,962.

According to the Uttrakhand health department, the state has 2,365 active cases, with 3,495 recoveries and 38 migrations. As many as 63 people have lost their lives to COVID-19 in the state so far.

The state health department also informed that the doubling rate of the viral infection, reported in the past seven days, is 20.81 days. The percentage of recovery for COVID-19 patients in the state is 58.63 per cent.

COVID-19 death count in Assam mounts to 77; tally crosses 31,000
A 65-year-old man died due to COVID-19 in Assam on Saturday, taking the death count to 77, while the state's tally crossed the 31,000-mark after 1,165 fresh cases were reported, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases reached 31,086 from Friday's 29,921. Of the fresh cases, 353 are from Guwahati and 100 from Golaghat.

The man, who was from Nagaon, died at Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), the minister said.

"Very sad to share that another #COVID19 patient, of Nagaon, succumbed to his infection today. He was admitted at GMCH. I feel extremely sorry for this loss to the family. Condolences," Mr Sarma tweeted.

The minister advised people to follow the necessary precautions strictly to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

"A total of 1,165 new #COVID19 cases detected in Assam today, with 353 incidents recorded from Guwahati and 100 from Golaghat. Please follow precautions strictly," he tweeted.

The number of discharged patients was more than the number of fresh cases for the fourth consecutive day with 1,294 recovered patients being released from different hospitals, he said.

Coronavirus news: 3 more COVID-19 patients die in Nagaland
A day after Nagaland recorded its first death due to COVID-19, three more people infected with the disease died, while the state's tally rose to 1,289 after 50 fresh cases were reported on Saturday, officials said.

All the four deaths occurred in Dimapur district.

The state registered its first COVID-19 fatality when the test result of a 50-year-old man came out positive on Friday, three days after his death, State Nodal Officer for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Dr Nyan Kikon, had said.

Three more COVID-19 patients succumbed since Friday and authorities were ascertaining whether they died of the infection as they had comorbidities, Health and Family Welfare Minister S Pangnyu Phom said.

COVID-19: Bihar's tally rises by over 2,500
Bihar's COVID-19 tally reached 36,314 on Saturday with over 2,500 more people testing positive for the disease in a day, while 11 new fatalities took the death toll to 232, the state health department said.

The department, however, underscored that among the cases registered on Saturday, 1,782 were from tests which were conducted on or before July 23 and 1,021 were reported in the last 24 hours.

Of the 11 deaths that occurred in the last 24 hours, three were from Munger, two each from Araria and Samastipur and one each from Bhagalpur, Nalanda, Rohtas and West Champaran.

Patna district has reported the maximum number of 36 deaths, followed by Bhagalpur 20, Gaya 14, Rohtas 12, Muzaffarpur 11, and Nalanda and Darbhanga 10 each.

Coronavirus: Bihar Cabinet nod to ''special family pension'' for dependents of government staff who die of COVID-19
The Bihar Cabinet on Saturday agreed to give "special family pension" to the dependents of state government staff who die of COVID-19 while on duty, according to an official release.

The dependent of a government employee, who die of COVID-19 while on duty, will be given the benefit of compassionate ground, for getting a job, besides other existing benefits, Cabinet Secretariat Department's Special Secretary Mithilesh Kumar Singh said in the release.

If the dependent doesn't want to avail the benefit of compassionate ground, then the family will be given full salary of the staff, who died due to COVID-19, as "special family pension" till the date retirement, he said.

This decision will be effective from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.

The decision assumes significance in view of a number of government staff succumbing to COVID-19 infection while discharging their duty.

Coronavirus: Withdrawal of Assam Raj Bhawan's containment zone status gross violation of COVID norms, says Tarun Gogoi
Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday alleged that the sudden withdrawal of Raj Bhawan's containment zone status by the state government was tantamount to gross violation of COVID-19 protocols.

Mr Gogoi, in a statement, also claimed that the 77-year-old governor violated the protocols, too, by visiting the flood-affected areas in the state.

"The governor is the constitutional head of the state and instead of setting an example to fellow citizens, he himself visited different flood-affected areas of Assam in violation of protocol, and thereby, doing great disservice to the state," he said.

The Raj Bhawan was declared a containment zone as 73 people, including officers and staff there tested positive for COVID-19, he said.

COVID-19: Another patient dies in Himachal, count rises to 13
A 55-year-old woman died due to COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday, taking the death count in the state to 13.

The patient, a resident of Govindgarh in Sirmaur''s Nahan, had comorbidities, Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) senior medical superintendent Janak Raj said.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh on Saturday recorded 95 fresh COVID-19 cases, including that of an Army jawan, bringing the state's tally to 2,050.

Thirty-five of the fresh cases were reported from Solan, 25 from Sirmaur, 15 from Mandi, seven from Chamba, six from Una, four from Kangra, two from Hamirpur and one from Shimla, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said.

A 21-year-old Army jawan tested positive for coronavirus in Kangra, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Prajapati said.

The jawan had returned from Leh on July 18 and was home quarantined, Prajapati said, adding that he was being shifted to a military hospital in Palampur.

COVID-19: Delhi has improved its position in number of active COVID-19 cases, says Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi has improved its position in the number of active COVID-19 cases and is currently at the eighth spot among states and union territories in the country, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday.

Sharing a list of the states with the number of active coronavirus cases on Twitter, he said the situation was "bad" and Delhi was on the second spot a few days back.

He also said despite the improvement there was no room for complacency and urged people to take precautions.

"Delhi has reached 8th position in terms of number of active cases. Situation was bad till a few days back. We were at 2nd position. However, there is no room for complacency. Take precautions and stay safe," the chief minister tweeted.

Coronavirus news: 2,891 new cases found in Maharashtra's Pune district
Pune district reported 2,891 new coronavirus cases since previous evening, taking its case tally to 66,965, a health official said on Saturday.

The death count in the district due to the pandemic reached 1,672 with 47 patients succumbing to the infection, he said.

"Of the 2,891 new cases, 1,479 are from the Pune

Municipal Corporation limits, which has reported 43,083 patients so far," the offiicial said.

693 patients were also discharged from city hospitals upon recovery, he said.

1,041 new cases were reported from neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad industrial belt where the COVID-19 case count now stands at 15,997.

Coronavirus: UP post office gives women option to send masks, sanitisers along with rakhis for brothers
As part of efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and as a gesture of care from sisters, the General Post Office (GPO), Lucknow is giving the women who come to send rakhis option to also send masks, sanitisers and Giloy tablets to their brothers.

The masks, sanitisers and Giloy tablets are being offered both as a token of affection and care at a time when the fight against COVID-19 is paramount on everyone's mind. While masks and sanitisers provide protection against the virus, Giloy, an Ayurvedic herb, is seen to be helpful in strengthening immunity.

KK Yadav, Director at GPO Lucknow, said that slogans related to COVID-19 awareness were being stamped on the special envelopes issued by India Post.

A booth has been reserved for women who come to the post office to send rakhis and they are all praise for the efforts made.

COVID-19: People allege negligence in conducting tests at Andhra hospital
Deserted roads, empty offices and shut shops on Saturday accentuated the second day of the bi-weekly complete lockdown in West Bengal, where surging COVID-19 cases have prompted the government to enforce stricter norms to break the chain of infection.

All modes of transport were off the streets, public and private offices, banks, commercial establishments and markets remained closed, officials said.

Only medicine shops and other healthcare facilities were open during the lockdown across the state, they said.

Flight operations at the Kolkata airport were also suspended following a request by the state government to the Civil Aviation Ministry in this regard.

The first of the two lockdowns for next week is scheduled on Wednesday.

Police patrolled all major traffic intersections in the metropolis to keep a check on people coming out on the streets without any valid reason, and barricades were put up in various parts of the state, the officials said.

Several special train services at Howrah and Sealdah stations were also cancelled, they said.

Coronavirus: Bengal comes to grinding halt on second day of bi-weekly lockdown
Deserted roads, empty offices and shut shops on Saturday accentuated the second day of the bi-weekly complete lockdown in West Bengal, where surging COVID-19 cases have prompted the government to enforce stricter norms to break the chain of infection.

All modes of transport were off the streets, public and private offices, banks, commercial establishments and markets remained closed, officials said.

Only medicine shops and other healthcare facilities were open during the lockdown across the state, they said.

Flight operations at the Kolkata airport were also suspended following a request by the state government to the Civil Aviation Ministry in this regard.

The first of the two lockdowns for next week is scheduled on Wednesday.

Police patrolled all major traffic intersections in the metropolis to keep a check on people coming out on the streets without any valid reason, and barricades were put up in various parts of the state, the officials said.

Several special train services at Howrah and Sealdah stations were also cancelled, they said.

Coronavirus News: 3-Day Lockdown In Tripura From Monday To Curb Spread Of Coronavirus
Tripura has decided to impose a three-day statewide total lockdown from Monday as coronavirus cases continue to rise, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said on Saturday. The complete shutdown will begin at 5 AM on July 27 and continue till 5 AM on July 30, he said. A formal order in this regard has been issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar, reported news agency PTI. The chief minister announced the decision during a televised programme. The lockdown will have 21 exemptions, including that to emergency and essential services as well as to print and electronic media. In order to ensure that people strictly adhere to the curbs, the state government has decided to impose a fine on those not wearing mask and violating social distancing rules. Those not wearing masks will be fined Rs 200 for the first time and Rs 400 the next time, the government order stated, adding a penalty of Rs 1,000 will be imposed on those flouting social distancing rules.

Coronavirus News: Eastern Railways Cancels Special Trains To And From Bengal On July 29 Amid Lockdown
The Eastern Railways (ER) on Saturday cancelled special trains that were scheduled to originate from and arrive at some stations in West Bengal on July 29 in view of a lockdown announced in the state on that date to curb the spread of coronavirus, officials said. The state government has announced twice-a-week lockdowns as the number of coronavirus cases in the state showed no signs of abating, reported news agency PTI. The New Delhi-Howrah AC special that was scheduled to begin its journey from Delhi on July 28 and the Howrah-New Delhi AC special that was scheduled to depart from Howrah on July 29 will remain cancelled, an ER official said. The Sealdah-New Alipurduar special will remain cancelled on July 27 and July 29, while the New Alipurduar-Sealdah special will not depart from the north Bengal town on July 28 and July 30, the official said. The Sealdah-Bhubaneswar special and the Bhubaneswar-Sealdah special will not run on July 27 and July 28 respectively, he said. The Howrah-Patna and the Patna-Howrah specials will not run on July 29, the official said. The Patna-Shalimar special and the Shalimar-Patna special will not depart from their originating stations on July 28 and July 29 respectively, he added.

Coronavirus News: COVID-19 Cases In Central Police Forces Cross 10,000-Mark
The total number of COVID-19 cases in the central police forces under the command of the Union Home Ministry crossed the 10,000-mark on Saturday with 421 fresh cases being reported in a day, latest data showed.
In all these forces, the recoveries are much more than the active cases.
These forces, with a combined strength of about 10 lakh personnel, render a variety of security duties, law and order management, border guarding, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations and disaster rescue and relief under the command of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Coronavirus News: 20 Charged For Playing Cricket, Defying COVID Safety Rules In Punjab's Pathankot
Around 20 people have been charged for allegedly violating the COVID-19 guidelines and playing cricket in Punjab's Pathankot district, police said on Saturday. Police also impounded 10 two-wheelers belonging to them, Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Deepak Hilori said.
Around 20 youths, who are in the age group of 18-20 years, have been charged under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Disease Act, police said.

Coronavirus News: Nagour Mayor Thanks Residents For Following Rules As 2-Day Janata Curfew Began In District
The 2-day 'janata curfew' in Nagpur began on Saturday with people showing good levels of compliance, with only establishments dealing in essential items remaining open as permitted, officials said, reported PTI. The decision to implement the janata curfew (voluntary shutdown) was taken during a meeting on Friday which was attended by Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, Mayor Sandip Joshi and other elected representatives and officials. Pharmacies, health care establishments, grocery and vegetable stores, milk outlets, fuel pumps and industrial units were allowed to function, while markets remained shut, officials said. Some 3,000 police personnel were deployed on the streets of Nagpur city to enforce the curfew, they added. "People have given a good response to the janata curfew. We are thankful to them," Mayor Sandip Joshi said. A meeting will be held on July 31 to decide if the curfew should be a 14-day one or will be enforced only during weekends.

Coronavirus News: Delhi Police Head Constable Dies Of Coronavirus
53-year-old head constable of the Delhi Police died due to coronavirus at a city hospital, officials said on Saturday, reported PTI. Head Constable Satya Narayan was posted at the Madhu Vihar police station, they said. On July 13, Mr Narayan tested positive for coronavirus and was sent to the COVID Care Centre in Akshardham. Later in the day, he was shifted to LNJP Hospital, a senior police officer said. He had comorbidity issues like high blood pressure, diabetes and had two stents in his heart. He was shifted to the ICU due to his diabetes and blood pressure issues and his condition was improving, the officer said. "Later, his oxygen saturation level dropped. He was also administered plasma therapy. On Thursday, his second COVID report also came back positive. He died at 6 AM on Friday at LNJP Hospital," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Jasmeet Singh said.

Coronavirus News: Delhi BJP Chief Demands "Corona Warriors" Be Exempted From Traffic Challans During Lockdown
"These are our corona warriors and they may face financial problems due to heavy challans. Corona warriors could not also seek challan-related assistance as the Traffic Lok Adalat is still closed," he said. Many routes in Delhi were restricted while some were open for one-way movement only. People unintentionally violated traffic rules for which huge challans have been issued, Mr Gupta added.

Tamil Nadu Coronavirus Cases Cross 2 Lakh After Highest One-Day Spike Of 6,989
Coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu have crossed the two lakh-mark with 6,989 new cases reported in the last 24 hours, which is also the biggest single-day spike, government data shows. Eighty-nine have died and 7,758 have recovered in the last 24 hours. The total cases in the state is now 2,06,737.

Coronavirus News: Jammu Goes Into 60-Hour Lockdown As COVID Cases Rise
Jammu has gone into a 60-hour lockdown from Friday 6 pm in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus that has witnessed a spike over the past week, officials said on Saturday, reported PTI. Jammu district tops the list among 10 districts in the region with 14 deaths and 472 virus cases. It is the ninth among 20 districts in terms of such cases and deaths in Jammu and Kashmir.

The government employees of essential services departments, including medical services or such other departments as required by the government, were permitted to move upon showing ID proof. Police barricades and concertina wires were placed on roads for a complete blockade on movement of vehicles.

Coronavirus News: Streets Empty, Shops Shut As Lucknow Observes Second Weekend Lockdown
Lucknow streets wore a deserted look on Saturday as most shops and businesses were closed and public transport were off roads amid the second weekend lockdown of the month to combat coronavirus, reported news agency PTI.

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to impose a strict lockdown across the state on weekends to stop the spread of the virus. The restrictions will remain in place at least for July, officials had said earlier.

Markets were closed in the city and only vehicles carrying essential goods were seen running on Saturday.

The markets in prominent areas of Lucknow such as Hazratganj, Aminabad, Chowk, Gomtinagar, Indiranagar, Latouche Road, Alambagh, Hewett Road, Aliganj and Gudumba remained shut.

Police personnel were deployed at all prominent intersections of Lucknow and other cities as well.

"The weekend lockdown is in place in the district. Sanitisation is being done in the city. District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash took rounds of various places in the city. Scanning people in the containment zones of the city has gained momentum since most of them are home," an official of the Lucknow district administration said.

He added that screening and sampling has been intensified, and markets are being sanitised. People too are abiding by the lockdown rules, the official said.

India Ramps Up COVID Testing To 4.2 Lakh Tests Daily: Health Ministry
India, the world's third worst-hit country by coronavirus after US and Brazil, has gradually ramped-up its COVID testing capacity and has conducted over 4.20 lakh tests in a day, the highest ever, the Union Health Ministry said Saturday, crediting the increase in number of labs for the achievement.

Coronavirus News: Uddhav Thackeray Virtually Inaugurates COVID Care Facilities At Kalyan, Dombivli
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday inaugurated COVID Care Centres at Kalyan and Dombivli in the state's Thane district through video conferencing link, reported news agency PTI. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the state government was committed to providing all necessary facilities to fight the pandemic. Local authorities should ensure proper patient care, medical treatment and adequate oxygen supply at hospitals where coronavirus patients are being treated, he said.

Coronavirus News: Yogi Adityanath Directs Senior Officers To Review Medical Facilities In 4 Districts
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the state's Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary to take stock of the medical facilities providing coronavirus treatment in Kanpur and Jhansi on Saturday and in Prayagraj and Mirzapur on Sunday.

The chief minister said that the action plan should be prepared on the points directed at the review meeting and the same should be implemented by the Mandalayukta concerned in his/her Mandals.

Nodal officers posted in these divisions will organise five-day camps in the district under their charge and implement these arrangements effectively. The system of providing employment to workers should be effectively implemented, the chief minister has directed.

Yogi Adityanath also directed officials to increase the testing by RTPCR and Rapid Antigen Tests to 1 lakh tests per day by July 27.

Coronavirus News: Pharma Giant Serum Institute Of India Seeks Permit To Conduct Phase 2/3 Of Human Trial Of COVID Vaccine
The Serum Institute of India (SII) has applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for conducting the Phase 2/3 of human clinical trials for a potential coronavirus vaccine, reported news agency ANI. The domestic pharma giant has partnered with British pharma firm AstraZeneca to manufacture the Oxford vaccine candidate for coronavirus.

"SII has submitted its application to the DCGI on Friday asking permission to perform the phase 2/3 human clinical trials of the potential vaccine," a Health Ministry official said.

Coronavirus News: 2 COVID Positive Prisoners Run Away From Care Centre In Andhra Pradesh's Eluru
Two coronavirus positive prisoners have ran away from the COVID care centre in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru in West Godavari district today, reported news agency ANI.

According to the police, two prisoners, Jangareddygudem and Bhimavaram, who tested positive for coronavirus and were sent to the COVID care centre at CR Reddy Engineering College, ran away from the centre around 2.30 am on Saturday.

"At least 74 prisoners were tested for COVID-19 in Eluru district prison on July 21. Of which, 13 had tested positive including Jangareddygudem and Bhimavaram. Later these prisoners were sent to the COVID-19 care centre," Venkata Ramana, Sub-inspector, Eluru town police station said. Police are searching for the prisoners who are on the run. An FIR has been registered and a case has been filed under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Coronavirus News: Rajasthan BJP President, Leader Of Opposition Lead Delegation In Meet With Governor Over COVID
A BJP delegation, led by Rajasthan BJP President Satish Poonia and Leader of Opposition Gulab Chandra Kataria, met Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhawan today to discuss the COVID situation in the state, reported news agency ANI. Rajasthan has reported 34,178 COVID-19 cases so far.

Coronavirus News: Bengaluru's MS Ramaiah Hospital To Reserve 500 Beds For COVID-19 Patients
Bengaluru's MS Ramaiah Hospital officials have assured Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwathnarayan that 500 beds will be reserved for COVID-19 patients amid rising coronavirus cases in Karnataka's capital, news agency ANI. Mr Ashwathnarayan inspected the COVID-19 wards of the hospital through CCTV cameras from the boardroom during a meeting with hospital officials today. Srinivasamoorthy, CEO of the Ramaiah Medical College and Hospital, said that 340 beds are already ready for use of the 500 beds which will be reserved for coronavirus patients. Mr Ashwathnarayan promised to provide 10 ventilators and 10 dialysis machines to the hospital. The hospital administration also sought supply of certain medicines to which the deputy chief minister assured he will ensure the required medicines reach the hospital.

Coronavirus News: Mumbai Seals Off 50-Year-Old Navjivan Hpusing Society Over Rising COVID Cases
50-year-old Navjivan Co-Op Housing Society has been sealed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) following a spike in coronavirus cases, officials said on Saturday, reported news agency ANI. According to the BMC, the action was taken on Friday after around 60 people from the society tested positive for coronavirus, of which around 40 cases are currently active. Of the 18 buildings that have sealed in the society, seventeen are residential buildings while one is commercial building. There are around 750 flats in the society in which 4,000 people reside. The BMC's decision to seal the society has made people uncomfortable who alleged that they were not being allowed to move out even for emergency purposes. Congress leader Ameen Patel said the society has been completely sealed as there are 11 gates.

Coronavirus News: COVID-19: Uddhav Thackeray To Launch Plasma Donation Programme In Dharavi On July 27
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will launch a plasma donation program on July 27, following the 'Plasma Daan Sankalp Abhiyan' for primary screening of recovered COVID-19 patients in Mumbai's Dharavi, reported news agency ANI. After Dharavi set an example in successfully controlling the coronavirus spread, Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale has organised primary screening for the upcoming plasma donation camp at Kamaraj Memorial School in the area. The program will be launched on the occasion of the chief minister's birthday on July 27.

"About 500 COVID-19 patients have shown interest in donating their plasma after their recovery, of whom 50 people were primarily screened," Mr Shewale said.

"Earlier, the people of Dharavi won the fight of COVID-19 and now they are gearing up to win the hearts of the people of Maharashtra," he added.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had praised the efforts taken to contain the coronavirus in Mumbai's Dharavi - Asia's largest slum cluster, while saying that only aggressive action combined with national unity and global solidarity can turn this pandemic around.

Coronavirus News: Import Licenses For COVID Test Kits Of 3 Firms Cancelled By Drug Regulatory Body

As for the three companies whose licenses were cancelled, the July 21 order said, "Your response to the show cause notice has not been found satisfactory with respect to the removal of said kit, by USFDA from their list mentioning not to distribute. Further, it has been mentioned by you that you intend to surrender your license for the above product. Therefore, in public interest, your import license for above product becomes inoperative and stands cancelled with immediate effect.

Coronavirus News: Three Charged For Poor Maintenance Of Maharashtra COVID Facility
A case has been registered against three persons under the Disaster Management Act for poor upkeep of a hostel that had been turned into a COVID-19 facility in Maharashtra's Osmanabad district, news agency PTI reported quoting an official. Osmanabad tehsildar had lodged a complaint against the manager of Panjabrao Deshmukh Hostel and two others for failing to comply with the orders regarding maintenance of the facility. In one instance, an ambulance was turned away as the facility maintenance was not up to the mark. The three have been booked under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the official added.

Coronavirus News: COVID-19 Situation In Delhi "Satisfactory", Says Satyendra Jain
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Saturday said that the positivity ratio in Delhi is at 5 per cent today while he giving updates on the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, reported news agency ANI. "The situation is satisfactory," he said. According to the Union Health Ministry, Delhi has so far recorded 1,28,389 cases of COVID-19. Out them, 13,681 are currently active in the state while 110,931 have been cured/migrated/discharged. 3,777 have died so far after contracting the infection in the capital.

Coronavirus News: 100-Year-Old Karnataka Woman Hallamma Beats Coronavirus
A 100-year-old woman from Karnataka's Bellary district has won the fight against coronavirus after testing positive earlier this month, reported news agency ANI. "The doctors have treated me well. Along with regular food, I was given an apple everyday. The doctors gave me tablets and injections, and I am healthy now. COVID-19 is like a common cold," Hallamma said while speaking to ANI. The woman's son, daughter-in-law, and grandson had also tested positive for the virus, and were treated at their home.

Coronavirus Update: Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 Tally Crosses 1,000-Mark
Arunachal Pradesh's coronavirus tally crossed the 1,000-mark on Saturday as 65 more people tested positive for the disease, a Health Department official said. The new cases included including 33 security personnel.

With the fresh infections, the total number of cases rose to 1,056, State Surveillance Officer Dr L Jampa said was reported as saying by news agency PTI.

Coronavirus News: Russia Registers 5,871 COVID-19 Cases In 24 Hours
Russia has registered 5,871 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the country's total to 806,720, as per an official statement on Thursday.

"Over the past 24 hours, Russia has confirmed 5,871 COVID-19 cases in 83 regions," an official statement said.

Moscow has registered 648 cases in the past 24 hours.

Coronavirus Update From Puducherry: 139 New Cases, 3 Deaths
A total of 139 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths were reported from Puducherry yesterday, state's health ministry has said.

The state now has a total of 2,654 COVID-19 cases, including 1,055 active cases and 1,561 recoveries.

The virus has cost 38 lives so far in the state.

"War Against COVID-19": Uddhav Thackeray Cautions Against Lifting Lockdown
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned against rushing to lift the coronavirus lockdown, pointing to similar measures by western countries that then scrambled to re-impose restrictions when they realised the virus was still spreading.

In a two-part interview, the first of which was released Saturday, with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut for party mouthpiece "Saamna", Mr Thackeray also cautioned people in Mumbai, where the outbreak appears to be under control, against letting their guard down, saying "I'm worried about that".

"This is war against the COVID-19 virus and wherever countries removed the lockdown, all at once, they are now again re-imposing the lockdown - like Australia," Uddhav Thackeray said.
Read

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Tests Positive For Coronavirus
In a tweet the Chief Minister wrote, in Hindi: "My dear countrymen, I was having COVID-19 symptoms and, after a test, my report came back positive. I am following all the guidelines and will quarantine myself according to the doctor's advice".

Mr Chouhan also appealed to colleagues and individuals to take all possible precaution to avoid infection and urged those who had come in contact with him to get their test done as well. Read

Coronavirus News: Used PPE Kits On Roadside Trigger Panic In West Bengal Town
A few used PPE kits were found lying on a roadside in Kalyani town in West Bengal, triggering panic in the area amid the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said on Friday.
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), used by frontline workers, were found lying behind the bushes on the roadside near Kalyani College on Thursday, they said.

Kalyani Municipality Chairperson Sushil Kumar Talukdar said he will look into the matter.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital houses the isolation ward for COVID suspects and those testing positive are sent to the nearby SNR Carnival Covid Hospital, which is located off the Kalyani-Barrackpore Expressway. Read

Over 48,000 Covid Cases In India In 24 hours, Total Cases At 13.36 Lakh
India reported 48,916 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 13,36,861, the government data shows. The country also witnessed 757 virus-related deaths during the period, according to the data released by the Health Ministry. With 31,358 deaths, the fatalities in India is now the sixth-biggest in the world; the country is behind the US, Brazil, Britain, Mexico and Italy. The recovery rate is 63.53 per cent and positivity rate is 11.62 per cent. The highest number of samples were tested on Friday, with 4,20,898 samples collected. Read

Man, 30, Gets First Dose Of India's Covid Vaccine As Human Trial Begins
A 30-year-old man was on Friday given the first dose of undertrial coronavirus vaccine named as COVAXIN in Delhi's All India Institute Of Medical Sciences.

A total of 12 volunteers were called for a number of pre-tests that include blood and nasopharyngeal testing for COVID-19.

After tests, 10 healthy individuals were selected for the vaccine to be given in phases.

After the first dose, a report on their health conditio will be submitted to ethics committee, which will reviewing the entire process.

Union Minister Claims Papad Brand Helps Develop COVID Anti-Bodies
A video of Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has gone viral in which he claims that a papad brand has the capacity to develop anti-bodies against coronavirus in the body.
The video evoked sarcastic remarks on social media.

"A manufacturer has brought out a brand with the name of Bhabhi Ji papad through which the means needed to develop anti-bodies to fight coronavirus will go in the body through food and will be helpful in the fight against coronavirus," Mr Meghwal said, endorsing the brand. Read

Coronavirus: Highest Level Of Political Commitment In Handling COVID-19, says Union Minister Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Dr Harsha Vardhan on Friday said India undertook the COVID-19 challenge with the highest level of political commitment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitoring the situation and ensuring a pre-emptive, pro-active and graded response.

Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Health Ministers' meeting, Dr Harsha Vardhan expressed his deepest condolences at the loss of lives across the world due to COVID 19.

He also expressed his "sincere gratitude" for the efforts of those who are in the frontline of this battle.

"The world is faced with an unprecedented disaster, which has so far affected of the entire planet leading to close to 15 million cases and 0.6 million deaths globally," said the Minister.

"We, in India, undertook the COVID 19 challenge with the highest level of political commitment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, personally monitored the situation and ensured a pre-emptive, pro-active and graded response. leaving no stones unturned to contain the deadly virus from spreading," he said.

COVID-19: Focus Must Be On Zero Mortailty Rate, Says Maharashtra Chief Minister
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said his administration was aiming for zero mortality from COVID-19 in the state, which leads the country currently in terms of cases and deaths.

As on Thursday, the state had 3,47,502 cases, and 12,854 people have died due to the infection so far.

Speaking at a meeting of doctors from the task force set up in districts, Mr Thackeray said health infrastructure in rural areas should be strengthened.

He asked the administration not to be complacent when it came to testing people for the virus.

"The focus should be on reducing mortality rate and bringing it to zero," said Mr Thackeray, who also asked for a uniform line of treatment across the state.

The CM praised the task force in Mumbai.

Coronavirus: Top Drug Regulator Suspends Mumbai-Based Firm's Import License For COVID Kit
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has suspended the import license of Mumbai-based company--Transasia Bio-Medicals which is providing COVID-19 IgG ELISA kit.

The move comes when the USFDA removed the manufacturer from their list of the product of serology test kits for COVID- 2019.

On July 17, the company was issued a show-cause notice from the top drug regulator asking why its import licence shall not be cancelled since the rapid diagnostic kit of the manufacturer has been removed by USFDA with the direction that it should not be distributed from the list of the product of serology test kits for coronavirus disease.

"And whereas your response to the show-cause notice has not been found satisfactory with respect to removal of said kit, by USFDA from their list mentioning not to distribute. However, it has been mentioned by you to not to cancel your said import for the above product," stated the order, a copy of which is with ANI.

COVID-19: Delhi's recovery rate improves to 86%; active cases lowest in seven weeks
Delhi's COVID-19 recovery rate improved to over 86 per cent and active cases dipped to 13,681, lowest in the last seven weeks, even as 1,025 fresh instances were recorded on Friday, the health bulletin said.

With 32 fresh fatalities, the death count climbed to 3,777.

The Friday bulletin said 1,866 patients recovered from the deadly virus. The number of people recovered from the infection now stand at 1,10,931. The coronavirus count in the city now stands at 1,28,389.

The recovery rate has improved to 86.4 per cent, said a tweet by the Chief Minister's Office. The national recovery rate stands at 63.45 per cent.

The active cases have been lowest since June 4, which had recorded 14,456 active cases.

Of the 15,475 dedicated beds in the city for coronavirus patients, 12,265 are vacant. Similarly, of the 9,554 beds in dedicated COVID Care Centres, 8,032 are vacant.

The number of containment zones in the city stand at 702.

Coronavirus: Centre asks 9 states with high active caseload to strictly implement containment plan
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Friday reviewed the management of COVID-19 in nine states with the high active caseload and asked them to urgently ramp up testing, augment health infrastructure and ensure effective clinical management.

The high-level virtual review meeting Mr Gauba with the Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of the nine states that are driving the present spurt of the active caseload in the country.

The nine states that participated in the meeting include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

In keeping with the ''Test Track Treat'' strategy, the states were advised to ramp up the testing with a special focus on containment zones. "The areas of concern with respect to low testing in certain states were highlighted. It was reiterated that sustained and aggressive testing is crucial for early identification of cases and to prevent the spread of infection," the Health Ministry said in an official release.

COVID-19: Record high of 284,196 cases push global count to over 15.2 million
The global cumulative coronavirus tally increased by a record high of 284,196 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total count to over 15.2 million, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in its daily situation report on Friday.

The daily increase in coronavirus-related deaths worldwide has for weeks been steadily around 4,000. Over the past day, 9,753 people died, taking the global toll to 628,903, according to the WHO.

The cumulative global count of confirmed cases has now reached 15,296,926, as stated in the report.

Almost half of all cases are concentrated in three countries -- the United States with 3.9 million cases and over 142,000 deaths, Brazil with 2.2 million cases and nearly 83,000 deaths and India with 1.3 million cases and over 30,000 deaths