Coronavirus LIVE: Global cases hit 17 million; US deaths cross 150,000

Coronavirus latest news: Total number of Covid-19 cases in India is 1,558,447 now. West Bengal has 62,964 cases, Tamil Nadu 2,27,000, and Maharashtra 391,440. Stay tuned for coronavirus LIVE updates

2:37 AM

Unlock 3: Night curfew ends, no schools till August 31, gyms can reopen

The Centre on Wedenesday issued fresh guidelines as part of ‘Unlock 3’ — the Covid-19-related lifting of restrictions — which scrapped night curfew and allowed gyms and yoga institutes to reopen from August 5.

 

The goverment ignored demands by cinema hall owners for reopening. Theatres, bars, and places of congregation will also remain shut.

 

As part of ‘Unlock 2’, night curfew was in place from 10 pm to 5 am. This has now been done away with. The move will allow shops, malls, and other establishments to remain open after 10 pm, but not many in the industry were enthused by the relaxation given the poor sales. Other restrictions continue, at least till August 31. READ MORE

1:22 AM

Odisha Covid-19 tally crosses 29,000; death toll rises to 159

12:56 AM

Covid-19: Over 16,000 prisoners released on parole in Odisha to decongest prisons

12:56 AM

Assam records four more Covid-19 deaths, 1,348 new cases

12:53 AM

Delhi health minister holds video conference meeting to review Covid-19 mortality status

11:26 PM

105-year old woman becomes Kerala's oldest Covid-19 survivor

A 105-year old woman was cured of Covid-19 after over three-month long battle and discharged from a government hospital in Kerala on Wednesday, becoming the oldest coronavirus survivor in the state, the Health department said.

 

A native of Anchal town in neighbouring Kollam district, Asma Beevi was admitted to the Kollam Medical College Hospital on April 20 after contracting the virus through her daughter, it said, adding she showed "enormous strength" during the treatment.

11:17 PM

Antitrust panel chair says US tech firms will emerge stronger from Covid crisis

11:16 PM

226 Covid-19 cases reported in Jharkhand. Total count in the state is now at 9,894

11:15 PM

FIFA Council approves $1.5 billion Covid-19 relief plan regulations

Bureau of the FIFA Council on Wednesday approved the $1.5 billion Covid-19 relief plan regulations which will support all 211 FIFA member associations and the six confederations to assist in the alleviation of the financial impact of the pandemic.

 

"The regulations establish strict compliance and audit requirements, as well as clear loan repayment conditions, under the supervision of a steering committee, the football's governing body said in a statement.

 

The plan was originally drawn up by the FIFA administration in close cooperation with the confederations and subsequently approved by the FIFA Council on June 25.

 

"This relief plan is a great example of football's solidarity and commitment in such unprecedented times. I would like to thank my colleagues of the Bureau of the Council for approving the decision to move forward with such an important initiative for the benefit of all member associations and confederations," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

11:13 PM

46 ITBP personnel among 229 new Covid-19 cases in Chhattisgarh

11:01 PM

Manipur records highest single-day spike of 141 new Covid-19 cases; total rises to 2,458

10:49 PM

Maharashtra lockdown extended till Aug 31

Maharashtra Government on Wednesday extended the lockdown in the state till August 31 in view of rising coronavirus cases.

 

A notification issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar said the decision has been taken as an "emergency step to prevent and contain" the spread of Covid-19.

 

As part of the Mission Begin Again initiative, malls and market complexes without theatres, food courts and restaurants will be operational between 9 am and 7 pmfrom August 5, the notification said.

10:40 PM

10:23 PM

Lockdown in Shillong to be lifted from midnight: CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said the state government will lift the lockdown in Shillong agglomeration from midnight.

 

"The government has decided that the lockdown will not be extended in the Shillong Agglomeration. However, we appeal to all our citizens to not be complacent but stay safe and be vigilant by adhering to the protocols and SOPs," he said.

 

The announcement was made after he chaired a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and Health Minister A L Hek.

9:56 PM

Covid-19 death toll in West Bengal rises to 1,490 with 41 fatalities; case count reaches 65,258 with 2,294 fresh cases

9:55 PM

Jammu and Kashmir records 540 fresh Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 19,419;

9:49 PM

14 deaths and 917 new Covid-19 cases reported in MP. Total count in the state stands at 30,134

9:47 PM

1,118 new coronavirus cases in Mumbai, 60 deaths

9:17 PM

Delhi reports 1,035 new Covid-19 cases; hotels delinked from hospitals as situation appears improving

8:57 PM

Delhi govt discontinues scheme of creation of healthcare facilities at hotels by private hospitals

8:55 PM

Coronavirus pandemic LIVE: Japan, China hope to lift Covid-19 travel ban soon

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday talked about outlooks for easing travel curbs imposed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

"Both ministers have confirmed they will make adjustments to allow the resumption of travel as soon as possible," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

 

They also agreed to continue sharing information on the coronavirus epidemic in a transparent manner. Japan has banned entry to nationals from 146 countries and territories affected by the outbreak but has been weighing to ease the restrictions for some nations in a bid to salvage the economy, according to an ANI report.

8:49 PM

Kerala's Covid-19 tally over 21,000, 30 health workers among 903 new cases

Kerala reported 903 fresh COVID-19 cases, including 30 health workers, on Wednesday, taking the infection tally to 21,797, while the toll climbed to 68 with one more death.

 

As many as 10,351 people were presently under treatment, while 11,369 have recovered so far with 641 discharged on Wednesday, Health Minister K K Shailaja said in a release. The day's cases saw a marginal dip after the state on Tuesday reported its single day peak of 1,167.

 

Thiruvananthapuram district, which has a tally of 3,023 COVID cases,continued to report the highest number of per day infections with 213 cases, including 138 through contact. READ MORE...

 

8:46 PM

Gujarat reports highest single-day spike of 1,144 Covid-19 cases; state tally rises to 59,126

8:38 PM

Depression, stress higher during peak of Covid-19 pandemic

Australian researchers have found that rates of elevated psychological distress, including depression and anxiety symptoms, were found among adults during the peak of the Covid-19 outbreak, according to an IANS report.

 

The acute and long-term mental health impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic are largely unknown, the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE reported.

 

"Research into previous pandemics has shown higher rates of illness fears, psychological distress, insomnia and other mental health problems in people with pre-existing mental illness, front-line health care workers, and survivors of the disease," said study authors from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia.

8:36 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Odisha Covid-19 tally past 29,000, death toll rises to 159

Odisha's COVID-19 tally surpassed 29,000 on Wednesday after another 1,068 people tested positive for the virus, while the death toll rose to 159 with five more patients succumbing to the disease, a health department official said. The total number of coronavirus patients in Odisha now stands at 29,175, he said.

 

The five deaths, including three women, were reported from Ganjam, Balasore, Kandhamal, Malkangiri and Puri. A two-year-old girl from Bhadrak district also died but the cause of her death was congenital heart disease with cardiac failure, the official said.

8:23 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Punjab reports 25 more deaths; 568 Covid-19 cases take tally to 14,946

Punjab on Wednesday reported a record 25 COVID-19 deaths on a single day and 568 coronavirus positive cases, taking the infection tally in the state to 14,946.

 

Ten deaths were reported from Jalandhar, nine from Ludhiana, three from Amritsar, two from Gurdaspur and one from Patiala, the state's daily medical bulletin said on Wednesday.

 

With this, the death toll jumped to 361 in the state, as per the bulletin.

8:23 PM

Maharashtra's Covid-19 tally reaches 400,651 with addition of 9,211 cases; death toll rises to 14,463

8:09 PM

Unlock 3 LIVE: Gyms to open, schools to remain closed; night curfew lifted

The Home Ministry on Wednesday issued 'Unlock 3' guidelines removing restrictions on the movement of individuals during the night (night curfew) and allowing Yoga institutes and gymnasiums to open from August 5 while schools, metro and cinema halls will continue to remain closed, according to a PTI report.

 

The ministry said that lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the containment zones till August 31 and schools, colleges, coaching institutions and cinema halls will remain closed till the end of August.

 

According to the new guidelines, metro rail, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls, social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations will continue to remain prohibited.

 

Dates for the opening of these will be decided separately based on the assessment of the situation, the ministry said in a release. States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain activities outside the containment zones, or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary.

 

"Restrictions on the movement of individuals during the night (night curfew) have been removed," the release said.

8:02 PM

Schools, colleges and coaching institutions to remain closed till August 31: MHA in 'Unlock 3' guidelines

8:00 PM

Covid-19 LIVE update: Jammu and Kashmir reports 540 new coronavirus cases

A total of 540 new cases of COVID-19 were reported from Jammu and Kashmir in the last 24 hours, the J-K administration informed. The Jammu division reported 151 new cases and 289 cases were reported from Kashmir.

 

The total number of cases in the Union Territory now stands at 19,419, including 7,749 active cases and 11,322 recoveries. So far, 348 deaths due to the deadly virus have been reported from the Union Territory.