Coronavirus LIVE: 25,833 new cases in Maharashtra, highest since outbreak

Coronavirus live updates: Covid-19 positive cases rise unabated across the globe with 121,987,124

10:04 PM

Madhya Pradesh suspends inter-state buses from Maharashtra amid Covid surge

10:03 PM

Chandigarh reports 211 new Covid-19 cases

10:02 PM

Karnataka reports 1488 new Covid-19 cases, 8 deaths in a single day

10:01 PM

Maharashtra: 4965 new cases and 31 deaths reported in 24 hours

9:36 PM

Delhi reports 607 new Covid-19 cases, 1 death in 24 hours

8:54 PM

Maharashtra reports 25,833 coronavirus cases, highest daily figure since pandemic outbreak

Maharashtra reports 25,833 coronavirus cases, highest daily figure since pandemic outbreak; Mumbai also records highest ever daily count of 2,788 cases

8:38 PM

Mumbai reports 2,877 new coronavirus positive cases in a day

Mumbai reports 2,877 new coronavirus positive cases, 1,193 recoveries, and eight deaths, as per Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

8:16 PM

Nagpur sees single-day spike of 3,796 new Covid-19 cases

With a single-day addition of 3,796 COVID-19 cases, the count of infections in Maharashtras Nagpur district on Thursday reached 1,82,552, an official said. Apart from the fresh cases, the district also reported 23 casualties that have raised the toll to 4,528, the official said.

 

Of the fatalities reported so far, 2,908 are from Nagpur city alone, while 1,620 were reported from rural areas and out of Nagpur district.

 

At least 1,277 patients were discharged during the day, taking the count of recoveries to 1,54,410, the official said. The district is now left with 23,614 active cases, he said. As many as 16,139 swab samples were tested during the day, raising the total number of tests conducted to 14,30,750, he added.

8:06 PM

140 new coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 140 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the tally to 1,28,097, while one more person succumbed to the pathogen, officials said. Out of the fresh cases, 25 were from the Jammu division and 115 from the Kashmir division, officials said. Srinagar district recorded the highest 75 cases, followed by 20 in Jammu district.

 

Seven districts did not report any fresh cases, 10 other districts had cases in single digits. The number of active cases was 1,073 in the union territory, while 1,25,046 patients have recovered so far, the officials said. The death toll is 1,978 as one fresh death was reported from Kashmir Valley.

7:26 PM

Journalists' can work without coming in contact of people, unlike lawyers: SC on vaccination priority

The Supreme Court Thursday said journalists' work can be done without coming in contact with people unlike lawyers and asked the Centre to consider the legal fraternity's request for priority in COVID-19 vaccination saying their livelihood depends on direct interaction with their clients.

 

The Centre opposed creating a separate class of lawyers and said that though it is not opposed to the legal fraternity members but tomorrow journalists and banking sector employees may also come forward seeking priority in vaccination.

 

A bench of Chief Justice Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian asked the Centre to consider the request of lawyers for priority in vaccination as their livelihood depends on contact with people and their apprehension of getting the infection is genuine.

7:16 PM

Pakistan PM Imran Khan takes first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday received his first dose of coronavirus vaccine. This comes a day after the South Asian nation received half a million doses of coronavirus vaccines donated by China.

 

The second consignment of the Sinopharm vaccine was received by Pakistan health officials at the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi. Sinopharm, the only vaccine currently available in the country, requires two doses.

 

Earlier, China donated 500,000 doses of Sinopharm to Pakistan on February 1, enabling the country to launch a vaccination drive a day later.

6:55 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 218 new Covid-19 positive cases

The cumulative coronavirus positive cases in Andhra Pradesh increased to 8,92,740 with the addition of 218 in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Thursday. The latest bulletin said 117 patients had recovered from the infection, taking the total to 8,83,759.

 

The overall toll remained at 7,186 as no fresh deaths were reported in a day, it said. The state now has 1,795 active cases. Chittoor district reported 63 fresh cases while Guntur added 24, East Godavari 23, Kadapa and Krishna 21 each, Kurnool 18, Visakhapatnam and Anantapuramu 13 each.

6:17 PM

RT-PCR report must for those coming from Kerala: Mysore Superintendent of Police

RT-PCR report must for those coming from Kerala. RTPCR test increased in Karnataka-Kerala Border: CB Rishyant, Superintendent of Police, Mysore

6:07 PM

Amid Covid-19 surge, Jharkhand administration to run campaign against those not wearing mask

Amid the increasing COVID-19 cases, the Jharkhand health department on Thursday directed all district officials to start a special campaign to check those who are not wearing masks and take action against them. According to the union health ministry, there are 599 active cases in Jharkhand whereas 1,19,160 people have recovered from the disease till now. 90 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours, as per the health ministry's update on Thursday morning.

 

"The death toll due to COVID-19 in the state now stands at 1,094," the ministry said.

 

Overall, India registered 35,871 fresh cases and 172 related deaths in the last 24 hours. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the chief ministers and asked them to take measures in order to check the spread of growing COVID-19 cases.

5:54 PM

Seven passengers deboarded from flights for flouting Covid-19 norms

Alliance Air, IndiGo and Air Asia have de-boarded seven passengers till now for not following COVID norms and social distancing on board, DGCA officials informed on Thursday.

 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in a statement, had stated last week that passengers will be de-boarded if they don't wear masks properly inside aircraft or don't follow COVID norms.

5:11 PM

Satish Kaushik tests Covid-19 positive

Actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik has tested positive for Covid-19. He is currently under quarantine at home. Kaushik, 64, took to Twitter to share his health update with netizens and requested everyone who came in contact with him recently to get themselves tested.

 

"Attention please!! I have been tested Covid positive. I would request everyone to get tested, who came in contact with me in the last few days. I am home quarantined. Your love, best wishes & blessings will help. Thanks," Satish Kaushik shared on Twitter.

 

Friends, industry colleagues and social media followers commented on his post wishing him a speedy recovery.

4:55 PM

Appeal to Centre to relax vaccination eligibility criteria, open it for all except below 18 years: Delhi CM

Appeal to Centre to relax vaccination eligibility criteria, open it for all except below 18 years: Delhi CM Kejriwal

4:55 PM

Appeal to Centre to decentralise vaccination prices so that states can carry out immunisation: Delhi CM

Appeal to Centre to decentralise vaccination prices so that states can carry out immunisation on war footing: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

4:54 PM

If eligibility criteria relaxed, we can vaccinate entire Delhi population in three months: CM Arvind Kejriwal

If eligibility criteria relaxed, we can vaccinate entire Delhi population in three months: CM Arvind Kejriwal

4:30 PM

Centre's current guideline for vaccination centres is very stringent: Delhi CM

4:29 PM

Vaccination capacity in Delhi to be ramped up from about 40,000 per day to 1.25 lakh daily: CM Arvind Kejriwal

Vaccination capacity in Delhi to be ramped up from about 40,000 per day to 1.25 lakh daily: CM Arvind Kejriwal

4:28 PM

Covid-19 vaccination timing to be extended till 9 pm from 5 pm; immunisation centres to be doubled: Delhi CM

4:23 PM

Vaccination is being done in about 500 centres in Delhi: CM Arvind Kejriwal

Vaccination is being done in about 500 centres in Delhi, it'll be doubled to 1,000. In centres, especially govt centres, vaccination is being done from 9 am to 5 pm.  Now the hours are being increased from 9 am to 9 pm so that more and more people can be vaccinated: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

4:22 PM

Rise in COVID-19 cases in Delhi, but not much; nothing to worry: CM Arvind Kejriwal

Rise in COVID-19 cases in Delhi, but not much; nothing to worry: CM Arvind Kejriwal

3:35 PM

Night curfew extended by two hours in Punjab's nine districts, CM warns of strict measures

Amid rising cases of COVID-19 in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday announced a two-hour extension in the night curfew in the state's nine worst-affected districts. Singh said the coronavirus situation in the state is critical and warned people of stringent measures if they don't follow COVID appropriate behaviour.

 

"I won't be easy on the people. People may not like it, but it's my duty," the chief minister said. He expressed hope that all Punjabis will cooperate and adhere to the restrictions. "For God's sake, save the lives of Punjabis," he urged the residents of the state.

 

The night curfew will now be in place from 9 pm to 5 am, instead of 11 pm to 5 am, in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Rupnagar.

3:20 PM

Delhi CM Kejriwal to hold review meeting on rising Covid-19 cases in Delhi: Satyendar Jain

Amid rising cases of Covid-19 in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a review meeting here on Thursday, said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain. The meeting will be attended by the Health Secretary and other officials concerned of the health department.

 

Delhi on Wednesday recorded 536 coronavirus disease cases with the national capital witnessed a rise in active cases rising from 2,702 to 2,488 a day ago, according to the health bulletin.

 

Speaking to reporters here today, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, "Yesterday Delhi reported 536 COVID cases and the positivity rate was 0.66 per cent. the positivity rate was below five per cent for several months and it went beyond one per cent in the last two months. The Delhi government has been keeping the people aware and we have been telling them to be alert, to wear masks and follow social distancing norms. Although the situation in Delhi as compared to other states is under control.

2:41 PM

Night curfew looks necessary right now: Mumbai mayor on rising Covid cases

Amid rising coronavirus cases, Mumbai mayor urged all Mumbaikars to work together to prevent the lockdown and warned about the necessity of imposing night curfew in the current situation to check the virus spread.

 

"I think imposing a night curfew is necessary right now," she said. "We are also considering shifting the crowded markets to new sites. All Mumbaikars need to work together to prevent the imposition of a lockdown," mayor Kishori Pednekar said. READ MORE...

2:00 PM

Over 23 crore tests conducted for detection of coronavirus in India

The number of tests conducted for detection of COVID-19 across the country has crossed 23 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. It also said that India'scumulative positivity rate stands at 4.98 per cent as on date.

 

India's tests per day per million population are more than 140 and the daily positivity rate is 3.37 per cent as of today, the ministry said.

 

India is fast approaching total vaccination coverage of 4 crore. A total of 3,71,43,255 COVID-19vaccine doses have been administered through6,15,267 sessions,as per the provisional report till Thursday 7 am.

1:43 PM

The total number of cases with UK, South Africa and Brazil variants of the Covid-19 in India is 400: MoHFW

The total number of cases with UK, South Africa and Brazil variants of the Covid-19 in India is 400: Ministry of Health

1:20 PM

China offers its Covid-19 vaccines to diplomats, foreign journalists

China has opened its mass domestic COVID-19 inoculation drive for the first time to Beijing-based diplomats and foreign journalists by offering a vaccine developed by a Chinese pharmaceutical company.

 

A notice issued to the foreign journalists here on Wednesday said they can get the Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine, developed by Sinopharm's China National Biotec Group. Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine has been granted conditional market approval by China's National Medical Products Administration.

 

The vaccines are offered to people in the age group of 18 to 59 years. Read on...