Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi govt allows cinemas, theatres to reopen Oct 15

Coronavirus update: DCGI expert panel has directed the pharma giant Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) to submit a revised protocol for performing phase 2,3 clinical trials of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine

9:02 PM

Maharashtra Coronavirus updates: 14,578 new coronavirus cases, 355 deaths, 16,715 recover

Maharashtra's coronavirus tally on Wednesday reached 14,80,489 with 14,578 fresh cases coming to light, a state health official said.

With 355 new fatalities being reported, the death toll in the state reached 39,072, he said.

But on the other hand, 16,715 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the tally of recovered patients in the state to 11,96,441.

8:59 PM

630 more people test positive for Covid-19 in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand's Covid-19 tally rose to 52,959 on Wednesday with 630 more persons testing positive while 11 more infected people died at different hospitals in the state.

Dehradun district reported 224 positive cases, Udham Singh Nagar (82), Haridwar (73), Nainital (61), Pauri (43), Uttarkashi (32), Chamoli (28), Pithoragarh (27), Tehri (25), Bageshwar (19) , Champawat (9) and Rudraprayag (7),a state health department bulletin said.

8:45 PM

Gujarat adds 1,311 new Covid-19 cases; 1,414 recover, nine die

Gujarat reported 1,311 new coronavirus positive cases on Wednesday, taking its count of infections to 1,46,673, state health department said.

With nine patients succumbing to the infection, including four in Ahmedabad, the overall death toll went up to 3,531, it said.

While three patients died in Surat, one person succumbed each in Mehsana and Vadodara, it said.

8:30 PM

Goa reports 432 fresh Covid-19 cases, nine more deaths; 394 recover

Goa's Covid-19 tally rose to 36,670 on Wednesday with a single-day addition of 432 fresh cases while nine deaths took the total toll to 477, a health official said.

With 394 people getting discharged from hospitals during the day, the overall count of recoveries in the state went up to 31,444, he said.

A total of 1,820 samples were tested in the day, the official added.

8:18 PM

Madhya Pradesh adds 1,639 new Covid-19 cases, 2,228 recover; 30 die

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 1,639 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the count of infections to 1,40,307, a health official said.

With 30 patients succumbing to the infection, the toll went up to 2,518, he said.

At six, Indore reported the highest number of deaths in the state in the day, while four persons died in Bhopal.

8:06 PM

Delhi sees 35 new Covid deaths taking toll to 5,616; case tally at 298,000

The national capital recorded 35 fresh casualties due to COVID-19 on Wednesday and the death toll mounted to 5,616, while 2,871 new cases took the tally to over 298,000, authorities said.

 

These fresh cases were detected after 51,505 tests were conducted the previous day.

Thirty-five new fatalities have been recorded, taking the death toll to 5,616, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department. Read more...

7:52 PM

3,561 fresh Covid-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday recorded 3,561 fresh coronavirus cases, raising the total infection count to 4,24,326, while the death toll reached 6,200 with 47 more fatalities.

The recovery rate of the state is 88.36 per cent with a total of 3,74,972 Covid-19 patients being discharged from hospitals after recovery, Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal said.

While 3,561 fresh cases were reported in a day, as many as 4,219 patients were discharged from hospitals during the same period, he said.

The state presently has 43,154 active cases, of which around 19,000 are in home isolation, Sehgal said.

7:49 PM

Kerala's daily Covid-19 cases zoom past 10,000 for first time; Tally rises to 251,000

In the highest single-day surge of Covid-19, Kerala's fresh infections crossed the mark of 10,000 on Wednesday, taking the total infecion count to 2,51,405.

The toll climbed to 906with 22 more fatalities, the state government said.

In the last 24 hours, a total of 73,816 samples were sent for testing and 10,606 positive cases detected, Health Minister K K Shailaja said.

7:46 PM

Delhi govt allows cinemas, theatres to reopen with 50 per cent seating capacity from October 15: Official order

7:37 PM

Nagaland's Covid-19 tally rises to 6,715

At least 53 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Nagaland on Wednesday, pushing the coronavirus caseload in the state to 6,715, an official said.

The new cases were reported from Dimapur (37), Kohima (8), Peren (6) and one each from Mokokchung and Phek districts.

"53 positive cases of Covid-19 were detected Dimapur 37, Kohima 8, Peren 6 and one each in Mokokchung and Phek district," Health and Family Welfare Minister, S Pangnyu Phom said in a tweet.

7:25 PM

Lilly seeks emergency use of its antibody drug for Covid-19

A drug company says it has asked the US government to allow emergency use of an experimental antibody therapy based on early results from a study that suggested the drug reduced symptoms, the amount of virus, hospitalisations and ER visits for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19.

Eli Lilly and Company announced the partial results Wednesday in a news release; they have not yet been published or reviewed by independent scientists.

Its drug is similar to one that President Donald Trump received on Friday from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. These medicines supply concentrated versions of specific antibodies to help the immune system clear the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. They're given as a one-time treatment through an IV.

7:08 PM

Nonagenarian freedom fighter wins battle against Covid-19

A 96-year-old freedom fighter has won the battle against Covid-19 and was released from the designated coronavirus hospital in the city where he was under treatment on Wednesday after testing negative, an official said.

Loknath Nayak had tested positive for coronavirus on September 29 and was admitted to SUM COVID Hospital on the same day with fever, weakness and breathing problems, a hospital statement said.

6:54 PM

6:45 PM

South Korea's Covid cases bounce back to over 100

South Korea's daily new infections of the novel coronavirus bounced back to over 100 cases on Wednesday after rising by double digits for six consecutive days as health authorities strive to curb sporadic clusters across the nation after a long holiday.

The country added 114 more Covid-19 cases, including 94 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,353, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The figure marks a sharp rise from 75 posted Tuesday and 73 cases reported Monday. It is also the first time since last Wednesday that the country's daily virus tally increased by triple digits, reported Yonhap news agency.

6:32 PM

Steady rise in Covid-19 cases, spillover effects of lockdown to hit India's economic growth: Report

Resurgence in Covid-19 cases is the main headwind for the global economy, and in India the steady rise in coronavirus caseloads will have an adverse impact on the country's economic growth, says a report.

According to Dun & Bradstreet's Country Risk and the Global Outlook report, the pandemic will induce long-term structural changes in the global economy.

"In India the steady rise in caseloads and the spillover effects of the strict lockdown measures will continue to undermine the growth impulses," said Arun Singh, Chief Economist, Dun & Bradstreet.

Singh added that "restrained government finances, probable defaults by firms and the consequent subdued investment demand will continue to be a drag on growth."

5:59 PM

Nepal reports record spike of 3,439 COVID-19 cases

Nepal has recorded the highest single day spike of 3,439 COVID-19 cases, taking the country's coronavirus tally to 94,253, a senior health official said on Wednesday.

The country also witnessed 15 COVID-19 deaths, pushing the number of fatalities to 578.

A total 14,209 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours across the country and 3,439 people have turned out to be positive, said Jageshwar Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population.

As many as 1,126 people, who had earlier tested positive for the virus, have fully recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, Gautam said.

5:46 PM

Karnataka government slashes fine on not wearing face masks

Days after imposing hefty penalties, the Karnataka government on Wednesday reduced the fine on people not wearing masks from Rs 1,000 to Rs 250 in urban areas and from Rs 500 to Rs 100 in rural parts of the state.

The government had come under sharp criticism from various quarters not only for the exorbitant penalty amount but also policemen reportedly going on a fine collection spree at public places.

"In its recent order the government had fixed a fine of Rs 1000 in the urban areas and Rs 500 in the rural areas on those not wearing the masks," Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said.

5:33 PM

No free COVID-19 test in Meghalaya from Oct 16

With the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) withdrawing subsidy on testing kits, the Meghalaya government has announced that COVID-19 tests will be charged from next week, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Wednesday.

The samples for COVID-19 test will be examined on payment from October 16.

The deputy chief minister also said that plans are afoot to charge inmates at government Corona Care Centres for meals.

The state government has initiated the process for identifying hotels and guest houses where people who are currently in institutional quarantine can be lodged, if they are willing to undergo paid isolation.

5:22 PM

Bengaluru's iconic flower market hit hard by Covid, vendors await vaccine

The 10-day Dasara festival which was supposed to bring a smile to the faces of flower sellers and flower decorators of the iconic Krishna Rajendra Market in the heart of the city has failed to cheer them up so far. 

In this bustling market, the flower sellers are still sceptical about their business reaching the pre-Covid levels but many feel that this festival might at least help them reach a reasonable level of financial stability.

Most of the flower sellers say that their business has fallen by almost 65 to 70 per cent compared to the previous year. The worst affected in this segment are the flower decorators who say their business has fallen by 75 per cent to 80 per cent due to the closure of marriage halls, convention centres, schools and colleges. Read more...

5:22 PM

Bengaluru's iconic flower market hit hard by Covid, vendors await vaccine

The 10-day Dasara festival which was supposed to bring a smile to the faces of flower sellers and flower decorators of the iconic Krishna Rajendra Market in the heart of the city has failed to cheer them up so far. 

In this bustling market, the flower sellers are still sceptical about their business reaching the pre-Covid levels but many feel that this festival might at least help them reach a reasonable level of financial stability.

Most of the flower sellers say that their business has fallen by almost 65 to 70 per cent compared to the previous year. The worst affected in this segment are the flower decorators who say their business has fallen by 75 per cent to 80 per cent due to the closure of marriage halls, convention centres, schools and colleges. Read more...

5:07 PM

Previous infection with 'common cold' coronavirus may lessen Covid-19 severity: Study

Being previously infected with coronaviruses that cause the 'common cold' may decrease the severity of COVID-19, according to researchers, including one of Indian origin, who said the finding could have significant implications on vaccine development.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, also demonstrates that the immunity built up from previous non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections does not prevent individuals from getting Covid-19.

The researchers at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine in the US noted that SARS-CoV-2 is a relatively new pathogen.

There are many other types of coronaviruses that are endemic in humans and can cause the "common cold" and pneumonia, they said.

4:57 PM

Bangladesh reports 1,520 new Covid cases

Bangladesh has logged 1,520 new Covid1-9 cases, pushing the tally to 373,151, health officials said on Wednesday.

The death toll jumped to 5,440 following 35 fresh deaths across the country.

The number of recoveries outpaced active cases in the same period as another 1,798 patients recovered from Covid-19 through treatment at home and in hospital care, bringing the total to 286,631, bdnews24 reported.

4:48 PM

Delhi: Fall in containment zone count after steady rise since Aug last week

After rising steadily for over 40 days, the number of containment zones in the national capital fell to 2,697 on October 6, a marginal dip compared to the figures the previous day, according to official data.

 

Since last week of August, there has been an upward trend in the number of containment zones till October 5 when the count stood at 2,707. Read more..

4:28 PM

Govt to launch awareness campaign to check spread of coronavirus

The government would launch a campaign from Thursday to spread awareness on the measures people need to follow to check the spread of coronavirus, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday on the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet, he said till the time a vaccine is available, people need to wear masks, maintain distance and sanitise hands as part of efforts to check the spread of the virus. Read on...

4:25 PM

Covid-19: Dasara festival likely to be confined to Mysuru Palace and Chamundi Hills

As part of checking the spread of Covid-19, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Wednesday there is a general view that the Dasara festival should be confined to the Mysuru Palace and Chamundi Hills this year.

"We have discussed the safety measures that should be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection during the Dasara festival in Mysuru.

There is a general view in the meeting that the Dasara should be confined to the Mysuru Palace and the Chamundi Hills," Sriramulu tweeted after a meeting with the Mysuru district authorities.

4:20 PM

Arunachal guv urges people to support state govt in its fight against Covid-19

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) Dr B D Mishra on Wednesday urged people to cooperate with the state government in its fight against COVID-19, and iterated that safety protocols have to be strictly followed to stop the spread of the disease.

The governor, who along with wife returned from Delhi on Tuesday, took the rapid antigen test at Banderdewa check gate and tested negative for the infection, a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan here said.

During his stay in the national capital, he held discussions with the central leadership on several developmental issues concerning the state, it said.

4:03 PM

Problem at Roche warehouse raises fears over UK Covid-19 tests

Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche said Wednesday that problems at a UK warehouse are delaying shipments of testing products to clinics and hospitals, triggering concerns that COVID-19 testing may be disrupted as infection rates rise around Britain.

Roche informed doctors about the problem at its UK distribution center in Sussex, southern England, in a letter that advised customers to prioritize essential services only.

Roche said the problem arose after it moved to a new automatic warehouse in September.

The company said that it was prioritizing the dispatch of Covid-19 PCR and antibody tests and doing everything we can to ensure there is no impact on the supply of these to the National Health Service.

3:36 PM

Karnataka conducts over 100,000 Covid-19 tests in a day, aims at scaling it up to 150,000

Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Wednesday said the state conducted 104,000 coronavirus tests in a single day on October 6, and the government's aim was to increase the number of tests to 150,000 per day.

In a tweet, Sudhakar said, "Karnataka conducted 1,04,348 Covid-19 tests in a single day on Tuesday. 55,690 RT-PCR & other method tests were conducted across 146 labs in the state & 48,658 Rapid Antigen Tests were conducted across 30 districts.

We will soon increase the tests to 150,000 per day, he added.

As of October 6 evening, cumulatively 657,000 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 9,461 deaths and 5.33 lakh discharges, the health department's bulletin said.

3:00 PM

Tripura reports 237 new Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 27,545

At least 237 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Tripura on Wednesday, pushing the tally in the state to 27,545, a health department official said.

The death toll remained at 298 with no fresh fatalities reported in the last 24 hours, he said.

West Tripura district, comprising state capital Agartala, has accounted for 161 Covid-19 deaths so far, the official said.

2:57 PM

Billionaire wealth reaches new high during Covid-19 pandemic: UBS report

Billionaire wealth reached record high levels amid the Covid-19 pandemic, a report by UBS and PwC found, as a rally in stock prices and gains in technology and healthcare helped the wealth of the world's richest break the $10 trillion mark.

 

The report, covering over 2,000 billionaires representing some 98% of the cohort's total wealth, found billionaire wealth grew by more than a quarter during the early months of the pandemic to reach $10.2 trillion in July, breaking the previous record of $8.9 trillion at the end of 2019.