Covid LIVE: 11,586 new cases in Kerala in a day; 4,877 in Maharashtra

Coronavirus live updates: India's daily test positivity rate, which is percentage of people who test positive for Covid-19 compared to those who were tested, stays below 5%.

12:09 AM

48,000 Delhi construction workers to get Rs 5,000 Covid relief

The Delhi government on Monday announced Covid relief of Rs 5,000 each to 47,996 construction workers.

 

The Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has been directed to disburse the relief amount to workers whose applications were approved between May 28 and July 18, an official statement said.

 

"This relief comes as an additional benefit for construction workers who were hit hardest because of the Covid crisis in Delhi," it said.

 

The Delhi government had disbursed the same relief amount to 2,16,602 construction workers in April this year.

11:51 PM

Maharashtra sees 4,877 new Covid cases, lowest after February 17

Maharashtra on Monday reported 4,877 fresh coronavirus positive cases, the lowest single-day spike after February 17 this year, and 53 fatalities, lowest in the last two weeks.

 

The new additions raised the tally of cases to 62,69,799 in the state and the toll to 1,31,605, the health department said.

 

Maharashtra had reported 4,787 infections on February 17.

 

Among the 53 deaths reported in the eight administrative regions in Maharashtra, the Kolhapur region reported the highest 22 fatalities in the last 24 hours, a health official said. At 4,877, the cases dipped significantly on Monday compared with Sunday when 6,843 infections were reported while the number of fatalities also came down as against 123 recorded on the previous day.

11:13 PM

Nashik sees 86 COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths, 118 recoveries

The COVID-19 tally in Nashik in Maharashtra reached 4,02,042 on Monday after 86 cases were detected, while the day also saw four people succumbing to the infection and 118 recovering, an official said.

 

He said the district's toll was 8,498 and the number of people discharged post recovery stood at 3,92,291.

 

With 6,207 samples being examined on Monday, the number of tests in Nashik went up to 22,08,154, he added.

9:54 PM

Tamil Nadu records 1,785 new COVID-19 cases, 26 fatalities

Tamil Nadu on Monday recorded 1,785 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the state's caseload to 25,50,282. The death toll from the virus mounted to 33,937 with 26 new fatalities, including 21 in government facilities, according to a government bulletin. As many as 2,361 COVID positive patients were discharged after treatment today, taking the total number of recoveries to 24,93,583.

The number of active cases including isolation as of today remain at 22,762.

Among the new infections, Coimbatore recorded a maximum of 164 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, according to the bulletin.

9:19 PM

Over 1 crore people received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine

More than one crore people in Maharashtra have been administered both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, an official said on Monday.

 

He said the exact number of fully vaccinated people in the state was 1,00,64,308.

 

An official statement also said that till 4 pm on Monday, 3,75,974 people were administered vaccine doses.

 

It said that 3.16 crore people in the state have received the first dose of the vaccine against coronavirus so far.

9:08 PM

Biocon Biologics gets licence from Adagio Therapeutics for antibody Covid treatment

Biocon Biologics, a subsidiary of Biocon, on Monday said it has got a licence from US-based Adagio Therapeutics for an antibody therapy to treat and prevent COVID-19, for India and select markets.

 

Adagio Therapeutics has granted an exclusive licence to the company to manufacture and commercialise an antibody treatment based on ADG20 for India and select emerging markets, Biocon Biologics said in a statement.

 

"ADG20, a novel monoclonal antibody targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses, is in global clinical development by Adagio as a single agent for both the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its variants, as well as future variants that may emerge," it added.

8:53 PM

Bangladesh logs highest daily Covid deaths, cases

Bangladesh on Monday recorded 15,192 new Covid-19 cases and 247 fresh deaths, the highest in one day, as the country's health facilities are facing mounting pressure amid a stricter nationwide shutdown.

 

According to the directorate general of health services (DGHS) data, the total death toll stands at 19,521 and the number of infections at 11,79,827.

 

The country earlier witnessed the record high 231 Covid-19 deaths on July 19, while the highest 13,768 single-day cases on July 12.

 

"Fatalities rose by 247 deaths in 24 hours when 15,192 infections were reported . . . this is a new record both in terms of deaths and infection cases," the DGHS said in a statement. (PTI)

8:52 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Spas re-open today as Delhi eases curbs

8:36 PM

MP sees 6 Covid-19 cases; nearly a million vaccinated in a day

Madhya Pradesh on Monday added six Covid-19 cases to its tally, which reached 7,91,756, while the toll remained unchanged at 10,512 as no death was reported during the day, an official said.

 

The recovery count stands at 7,81,104, leaving the state with 140 active cases, he said.

 

With 71,613 samples being examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 1,40,61,460, he added. (PTI)

8:21 PM

28 new cases take Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally to 346,946

Jharkhand reported 28 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which pushed the tally in the state to 3,46,946, a health department bulletin said on Monday.

 

The death toll remained at 5,124 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported during the period, it said.

 

Of the fresh cases, four each were registered in Hazaribag and Koderma, three each in Dhanbad, Jamtara and Simdega and two each in Bokaro, Gumla and Latehar.

 

No new case was reported from Chatra, Deoghar, Garhwa, Giridih, Godda, Gumla, Khunti, Lohardaga, Pakur, Palamu, Saraikela and West Singhbhum. (PTI)

8:15 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: 11,586 new cases in Kerala in a day; 1,785 in Tamil Nadu

Coronavirus LIVE: 11,586 new cases in Kerala in a day; 1,785 in Tamil Nadu

7:04 PM

Coronavirus Latest: Delhi adds 39 Covid cases, one death

Delhi recorded 39 fresh Covid-19 cases and one more death on Monday while the positivity rate stood at 0.07 per cent, according to data shared by the health department.

 

With the new cases, the city's infection tally climbed to 14,35,949. Of these, over 14.10 lakh patients have recovered from the disease, the data showed.

 

The death toll stands at 25,044, it stated. (PTI)

6:58 PM

How the 'fittest and fastest' Delta variant upends assumptions about Covid

The Delta variant is the fastest, fittest and most formidable version of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 the world has encountered, and it is upending assumptions about the disease even as nations loosen restrictions and open their economies, according to virologists and epidemiologists.

 

Vaccine protection remains very strong against severe infections and hospitalisations caused by any version of the coronavirus, and those most at risk are still the unvaccinated, according to interviews with 10 leading Covid-19 experts. Read here

6:46 PM

Second Covid wave may have more lasting damage on economy: Moody's

The second wave of Covid-19 may have a more lasting damage on the Indian economy and exports will once again be the foundation for recovery, Moody's Analytics said on Monday.

 

In its report titled 'APAC Economic Outlook: The Delta Roadblock', Moody's Analytics said social distancing is weighing on the current quarter, but economic recovery will resume by the year-end. Read here

6:33 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra first state to fully vaccinate over 10 mn people

Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra first state to fully vaccinate over 10 mn people, says state health department

6:12 PM

Delhi govt grants Covid relief of Rs 5,000 to nearly 48,000 construction workers

The Delhi government granted Covid-relief of Rs 5,000 each to 47,996 construction workers on Monday.

 

The office of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, in a statement, the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has been directed to disburse the relief amount to workers whose applications were approved between May 28 and July 18.

 

"This ex gratia payment is for construction workers whose applications were approved between 28.05.2021 to 18.07.2021. This relief comes as an additional benefit for construction workers who were hit hardest because of the Covid crisis in Delhi," it said.

 

The Delhi government had disbursed the same relief amount to 2,16,602 construction workers in April this year.

 

Sisodia, also the Labour Minister, urged all construction workers to get registered with the workers board to avail the benefits of welfare schemes of the government. (PTI)

5:10 PM

2nd wave may lead to some reassessment of economic growth estimates: Birla

The deadly second wave of Covid-19 may lead to some reassessment of India's economic growth rate in the current fiscal but the long-term prospects for the country continue to remain robust, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has said.

 

The silver lining, however, was the lesser severity of disruptions to production and supply chains during the second wave of the pandemic than during the first wave, said Birla in the latet annual report of group firm UltraTech Cement Ltd. Read here

5:00 PM

India to miss July-end Covid vaccination target as Bharat Biotech lags

India will miss a target to administer over a half billion Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of the month as Bharat Biotech - maker of its only approved homegrown shot - struggles to boost output, an analysis of government data showed on Monday.

 

India has undertaken one of the world's largest vaccination drives and has so far distributed some 430 million doses - more than any country except China, but less than many countries relative to its population.

 

The government said in May it would make 516 million shots available by the end of July. It wants to inoculate all its estimated 944 million adults by December. Read here

4:57 PM

DATA STORY: India reports 39,361 new cases, 416 deaths; active cases rise

India on Monday reported a net addition of 2,977 in active coronavirus cases to take its count to 411,189. India’s share of global active coronavirus cases now stands at 2.96 per cent (one in 33). The country is seventh among the most affected countries by active cases. On Thursday, it added 39,361 cases to take its total caseload to 31,411,262 from 31371901 — an increase of 0.1%. And, with 416 new fatalities, its Covid-19 death toll reached 420,967, or 1.34 per cent of total confirmed infections. Read here

4:03 PM

Tunisia president Kais Saied suspends parliament as Covid fuels unrest

Tunisian President Kais Saied fired his prime minister and suspended parliament, a move that critics assailed as threatening to derail the only surviving democracy to have emerged from the Arab Spring. Saied took action late Sunday after masses of largely young people demonstrated in the capital, Tunis, and other cities calling for the fall of the government and railing against hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The moderate Islamist Ennahda party, which is the dominant force in parliament, accused him of carrying out a coup. Read here

3:35 PM

Punjab govt opens schools with Covid-19 protocols in place

Punjab government allowed the reopening of schools for Classes 10, 11 & 12 from Monday after complying with the instructions of the health department and with Covid-19 protocols in place.

 

"We're calling students in a staggered manner. Almost all of our staff is fully vaccinated," said Principal, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Amritsar.

 

"There are nearly 1,600 students in the school, but the school administration is allowing only 15 students per class. The school has been following Covid-19 protocols like sanitization of the school before calling the students.

 

"Students hands have been sanitized before allowing them in the classrooms and it has been made compulsory for teachers and students to wear masks," said the principal of a government school.  (ANI)

2:56 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Biological E's vaccine expected to be launched by September

Coronavirus LIVE: Biological E's vaccine expected to be launched by September

2:33 PM

Aus PM 'open' to further support measures amid lockdowns

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday announced that he was "open" to providing further support for businesses amid the ongoing Covid-19 lockdowns.

 

Morrison had recently repeated his support for lockdowns for more than half of the Australian population in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, saying there was no other "alternative" to bring the Delta strain of Covid-19 under control, reports Xinhua news agency.

 

"Let me be clear. There is not an alternative to the lockdown in New South Wales to get this under control," he told reporters.

 

"The lockdown is what is going to do it. It can be assisted by the vaccines, but the lockdown must be effective." (IANS)

1:57 PM

No plan to print currency notes to tide over crisis: FM

The government has no plan to print currency notes to tide over the current economic crisis triggered by the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed Parliament on Monday.

 

To a question on whether there is any plan to print currency to tide over the crisis, the Finance Minister said, "No Sir".

 

Many economists and experts have suggested the government to resort to printing more currency notes to support the economy ravaged by the spread of Covid-19, and protect jobs.

 

India's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to have contracted by 7.3 per cent during 2020-21, Sitharaman said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. (PTI)

1:55 PM

SpiceHealth launches mobile Covid-19 testing lab in Guwahati

SpiceHealth said on Monday it has launched a mobile testing laboratory in Guwahati, Assam, to conduct RT-PCR tests as well as rapid antigen tests to detect Covid-19.

 

The company has partnered with National Health Mission in Assam to set up the facility in Guwahati, its press release stated.

 

"The company's mobile lab will be stationed at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium whereas the sample collection set-up will be at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport," it noted.

 

Now, SpiceHealth operates Covid-19 testing labs in Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Kerala and Assam. Each mobile lab can process 3,000 test reports per day, it stated. (PTI)

1:43 PM

Child deaths increase in Indonesia as Covid surges

Covid-19 has led to the death of hundreds of children in Indonesia, many of them younger than age 5, asserting the fact that children are no longer 'hidden victims', the media reported.

 

Indonesia has a child mortality rate due to Covid greater than that of any other country, The New York Times reported.

 

More than 150 children died from Covid-19 during the week of July 12 alone, with half the recent deaths involving those younger than age 5, Dr. Aman Bhakti Pulungan, head of the Indonesian Pediatric Society, was quoted as saying.

 

Children make up 12.5 per cent of the country's confirmed cases, an increase over previous months, said Pulungan, citing reports from pediatricians.

 

"Our numbers are the highest in the world. Why are we not giving the best for our children?" he said. (IANS)

12:49 PM

Dutch tennis player tests positive at Tokyo Games

Dutch tennis player Jean-Julien Rojer withdrew from Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for Covid-19, as the event’s organisers announced 16 new infections. Rojer and his doubles partner Wesley Koolhof pulled out of their second-round match on Monday.

12:03 PM

Arunachal reports 164 new cases

Arunachal Pradesh reported on Monday 164 new Covid-19 cases, down from 515 the day before, The state has total 45,867 cases in total, PTI reported quoting the health department. Total fatalities in the state rose to 216 after three more persons succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours.

11:30 AM

30 million vaccines unutilised: Health Ministry

More than 30 million "balance and unutilised" Covid-19 vaccine doses are available with the states, union territories and private hospitals for inoculation, said the Union Health Ministry on Monday.  

10:13 AM

Algeria puts major cities under curfew

Algeria declared an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in major cities as the North African nation battles a surge in cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, Bloomberg reported.