Covid LIVE: Staff shortage affected patients most, says Maharashtra survey

Maharashtra says 'slight increase' in Covid-19 cases is worrying; Japan investigates deaths of two people who had been administered Moderna's vaccines.

10:35 PM

One more death, 11 fresh cases in Haryana

Haryana reported one more COVID-19-related fatality on Sunday, taking the death toll to 9,674, while 11 new cases pushed the infection count to 7,70,456. According to the health department's daily bulletin, the latest death was reported from Jhajjar district.

 

Among the new cases, two were reported from Gurgaon and three from Yamunanagar district.

 

The total active cases in the state stands at 646. The overall recoveries so far have reached 7,60,136, while the recovery rate was 98.66 per cent, the bulletin added.

9:40 PM

Maharashtra's Covid tally grows by 4,666, death toll by 131

Maharashtra on Sunday reported 4,666 new coronavirus positive cases, which increased its tally to 64,56,939, while 131 deaths pushed the toll to 1,37,157, the health department said.

 

A total of 3,510 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, which took the state's recovery count to 62,63,416.

 

Maharashtra's recovery rate is 97 per cent and fatality rate is 2.12 per cent. There are 52,844 active cases at present.

 

So far, 2,03,210 tests have been carried out in the state for COVID-19 detection, which took the overall test count to 5,36,59,613.

 

Jalna, Akola, Yavatmal, Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia districts and Parbhani city did not report a single infection case on Sunday, while there was no death due to the virus in Nagpur and Akola divisions of Vidarbha region during the day, the department said.

9:05 PM

Kerala records 29,836 new infections, 75 deaths

Kerala confirmed 29,836 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday, the state health ministry department said in a bulletin. The spike in cases came even as the state observed a complete lockdown on Sunday. With the 75 deaths, the COVID death toll of the state rose to 20,541. The test positivity rate is 19.67 per cent was recorded out of 1,51,670 samples were tested during the last 24 hours.

 

At present, 22,088 recoveries were reported in the last 24 hours, with 2,12,566 in treatment and a total number of recoveries in the state now stand at 37,73,754.

 

According to the health department, Kerala also reported Covid cases to district wise Thrissur reported 3965, Kozhikode 3548, Malappuram 3190, Ernakulam 3178, Palakkad 2816, Kollam 2266, Thiruvananthapuram 2150, Kottayam 1830, Kannur 1753, Alappuzha 1498, Pathanamthitta 1178, Wayanad 1002, Idukki 962 and Kasaragod 500.

9:02 PM

People thronged in huge numbers to Mumbai's Marine Drive after Covid-19 guidelines

8:53 PM

Nagaland reports 52 new Covid-19 cases, 3 fresh fatalities

Nagaland's Covid-19 tally rose to 29,972 on Sunday as 52 more people tested positive for the infection, while three fresh fatalities pushed the northeastern state's coronavirus death toll to 617, a health bulletin said.

Dimapur district registered the highest number of new cases at 16, followed by Kohima (15) and Mon (seven). The fresh fatalities were reported in Kohima.

8:50 PM

70% of Nepal's population developed Covid antibodies, finds study

Almost 70 per cent of Nepal's population have developed Covid antibodies, a large-scale seroprevalence study carried by the Ministry of Health and Populations has found.

"As per our findings, around 68. 6 per cent of the total population have developed Covid antibodies," the ministry said in a statement on Sunday, noting that means out of 30 million total population, 20 million have already developed the antibodies.

8:44 PM

Nashik reports 90 new Covid-19 cases, two deaths

The coronavirus infection count in Nashik district of Maharashtra on Sunday rose to 4,05,252 with the addition of 90 cases, health officials said.

The virus claimed two lives in the district in the last 24 hours, which took the death toll to 8,574, they said.

8:33 PM

Jammu and Kashmir reports 169 Covid-19 cases, one death

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 169 fresh Covid-19 cases and one fatality on Sunday, taking its infection tally to 3,25,148 and the death toll to 4,407, officials said.

Twenty-four of the new infections were reported in Jammu division and 145 in Kashmir division, they said.

8:24 PM

Maharashtra wants to vaccinate teaching, non-teaching staff by Sep 5, says Tope

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday said the state government plans to fully vaccinate all teaching and non-teaching staff against COVID-19 by September 5, and this would be the first step towards reopening of schools.

Speaking to reporters in Jalna, the minister said a special drive was being conducted for this, adding that a state task force was of the view that schools in districts where there were no positive cases can be reopened.

8:08 PM

Delhi reports 31 new Covid-19 cases

7:56 PM

Self-help book to combat negativity among youngsters during Covid-19 released

A self-help book to combat negative energy among those hit by the coronavirus pandemic was released here on Sunday.

Authored by Gohan Kumar, a public speaker, youth personality development coach and banker, the book titled "Instant Positivity" is aimed at providing a tool to those whose lives have been affected by the pandemic.

7:44 PM

Bengal logs 650 new Covid-19 cases, 6 fresh fatalities

West Bengal's COVID-19 tally rose to 15,47,548 on Sunday as 650 more people tested positive for the infection, while six fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 18,423, a health bulletin said.

North 24 Parganas district registered the highest number of new cases at 88, followed by Kolkata (87) and South 24 Parganas (59).

7:36 PM

Recruitment of volunteers for trial of Covid vaccine Covovax on children begins

Recruitment of volunteers for the phase 2/3 clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine Covovax among children aged 2 to 17 years began on Sunday at the Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research here.

The trial would be held across 10 sites and would cover 920 children -- 460 each in the age groups of 12-17 and 2-11 -- according to official sources.

7:23 PM

Mumbai reports 345 new Covid-19 infections

7:10 PM

1,262 Covid-19 cases, 17 deaths in Karnataka

Karnataka reported 1,262 fresh Covid-19 cases and 17 deaths on Sunday, taking the total number of infections to 29,47,255 and the toll to 37,278.

The day also saw 1,384 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 28,91,193.

7:04 PM

J&K allows higher educational institutions to resume physical classes if staff, students vaccinated

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday granted permission to higher educational institutions to resume off-line classes provided all staff members and students are fully vaccinated, over four months after shutting them owing to the second wave of Covid-19.

The administration, however, extended the closure of schools and coaching centres till further orders.

6:50 PM

After reporting over 30,000 cases 4 days running, Kerala records 29,836 fresh infections

After reporting over 30,000 cases for four consecutive days, Kerala on Sunday recorded 29,836 fresh infections which pushed the total infection count in the state to 40,07,408.

The test positivity rate rose closer to 20 per cent and with 75 deaths, the number of fatalities increased to 20,541, a state government release said.

6:27 PM

Rise in Covid-19 cases: Plan on tests recast

With Kerala recording over 30,000 COVID-19 cases in the last four days, Health Minister of the State Veena George on Sunday said the government has renewed its plan to test more number of people than before.

The Minister, in her post on Facebook, said new centres and clusters would be created based on the outcome of the sample testing methods. In districts of the State where the first dose of vaccine has been administered, she said RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction)is recommended for individuals with symptoms such as sore throat, cough and diarrhoea.

6:04 PM

Andhra Pradesh adds over 1,500 fresh Covid-19 cases

The cumulative coronavirus cases in Andhra Pradesh climbed to 20,12,123 with the addition of 1,557 fresh positives on Sunday.

The gross recoveries went up to 19,83,119 as 1,213 infected persons got cured in 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday.

5:52 PM

True number of Covid-19 cases in Pakistan likely to be much higher: UK govt

British government on Sunday claimed that the actual number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan is likely to be much higher than the reported cases in the country.

Pakistani media, Geo News citing a 'leaked letter' from the UK government informed that country's testing and sequencing rates are relatively low (1.8 per 1,000 over the last seven days) and lower testing and sequencing mean it is not possible to know the full genomic makeup of their current wave.

5:45 PM

Himachal Pradesh completes 100% Covid-19 first dose innoculations

Himachal Pradesh government has claimed cent per cent completion of inoculation of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the state.

State health minister said that on Saturday, Himachal Pradesh had become the first state in the country to complete vaccination of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine for the 18 plus age group.

5:28 PM

80 new cases push Sikkim's Covid-19 tally to 29,809

Sikkim's COVID-19 tally rose to 29,809 on Sunday as 80 more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.

The Himalayan state's coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 369 as no fresh fatality was reported.

4:52 PM

Maharashtra health survey: Prime focus on Covid-19, staff shortage affected patients most

Focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the postponement of several types of surgeries, and shortage of staff at hospitals were among the factors that affected patients in Maharashtra, as per a survey conducted recently.

In a release issued on Saturday, the Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a non-profit public health campaign involving activists, experts and NGOs, which carried out the survey, said cesarean section procedures, trauma care etc took a hit, especially in rural parts of the state.

4:34 PM

Wait for two-three months till children get vaccinated, says Dr Trehan

Stating that India approved Zydus Cadila's DNA vaccine for emergency use in adults and children, Medanta Chairman and Managing Director Dr Naresh Trehan on Sunday cautioned against the re-opening of schools and said that since the vaccine is around the corner, the government should wait for two-three months till the children get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Speaking to ANI Dr Trehan said, "I believe that we should be a lot more cautious. And the fact is that the vaccine is now around the corner because the drug controller just approved the Zydus vaccine. So even if people get one dose, we know that the protection goes up 30 per cent to 50 per cent. So, we should be patient for another two-three months till the vaccine arrives, children get vaccinated, and then they should be allowed to go to school but it seems we are in a rush right now to open schools."

4:28 PM

Over 11,000 Covid vaccine doses administered in Delhi's three jails: officials

Over 11,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to inmates of three jails in the national capital so far by the Delhi Prisons Department, officials said on Sunday.

A total of 11,525 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, they said.

As on Friday, 1,710 Tihar jail inmates aged above 45 and 6,328 below the age of 45 years were given COVID-19 vaccine, they said.

3:52 PM

SC to resume physical hearings with hybrid option from September 1

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court had been hearing matters since March last year through video conferencing, however, it will resume its physical hearings with the opening of a hybrid option from September 1 and asked the lawyers to select between virtual and physical hearings, according to a Supreme Court's notification.

The physical hearings are to be conducted in adherence with the Standard Operating Procedures while conducting the physical hearing, further stated the notification.

3:42 PM

India's Bharat Biotech scouts international Covid-19 vaccine partners

Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech is seeking international manufacturing partners as it targets a billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine each year, the company said on Sunday.

COVAXIN, the company's home-grown COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in India, is one of two shots driving the country's massive vaccination programme.

3:34 PM

Russia records 19,286 Covid-19 cases in past 24 hours

Russia registered 19,286 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, down from 19,509 the day before, taking the overall tally to 6,882,827, the federal response center said on Sunday.

"Over the past day, 19,286 COVID-19 cases were confirmed across 85 Russian regions, including 1,324 cases (6.9%) without clinical symptoms," the center said, adding that the rate of increase stands at 0.28%.

3:01 PM

ICU nears capacity, more mandates imposed in US amid Covid surge

Intensive care units (ICU) at hospitals across the US are reaching their capacity, and more vaccine and mask mandates as the country is witnessing a resurgence of record Covid-19 cases and fatalities.

On August 27, the country reported 155,365 new cases of daily coronavirus, with the 14-day change seeing a 21 per cent rise, Xinhua news agency quoted The New York Times as saying in an update on Saturday.

2:26 PM

Over 2.36 million people administered Covid vaccine in Gurugram

Around 23,61,212 people in Gurugram have been administered the Covid-19 vaccine, the health officials said on Sunday.

They said the vaccination drive is being done in the government and private health facilities across the district.