The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a challenge and this is a long-drawn battle to be fought by each one of us, warned V.K. Paul, member of the Central government’s COVID-19 response team, on Sunday, speaking exclusively to The Hindu.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
2:20 p.m.| Kolkata
COVID-19: TMC MLA Samaresh Das, who tested positive, dies
Trinamool Congress MLA Samaresh Das who tested positive for COVID-19 recently, died on Monday morning at a health facility in Kolkata. He was 76.
Also read: Trinamool MLA Tamonash Ghosh dies of COVID-19
He represented Egra Assembly constituency in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district. The three-time MLA had other co-morbidities along with the contagious viral infection.
— Shiv Sahay Singh
2:10 p.m. | Daman and Diu
Andaman & Nicobar Islands COVID-19 tally rises to 2,399
The number of COVID-19 cases in Andaman and Nicobar Island rose to 2,399, with 93 more people testing positive for coronavirus, an official said on Monday.
All the new cases were detected during contact tracing, he said.
— PTI
2:00 p.m. | Bihar
Bihar extends lockdown till September 6
Government of Bihar has issued a fresh order according to which, the lockdown regulations in the State will be in place till 6th September.
On July 30, Bihar had announced the imposition of a lockdown in state headquarters, district headquarters, sub-divisional headquarters and all municipal areas from August 1 to 16.
1:50 p.m. | Australia
Australia records highest daily COVID-19 deaths
Australia on Monday recorded its highest count in daily COVID-19 deaths with 25 fatalities, taking the country-wide coronavirus death toll to 421.
Apart from the 25 deaths, 282 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours. Now, the country’s total number of COVID-19 cases stands at 23,576, including 14,080 cases of recovery.
— PTI
1:40 p.m. | Kolkata
Safety, efficacy main concerns with Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine: Nobel laureate Peter Doherty
Echoing the scientific community’s scepticism over Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine rolled out for emergency use, Nobel laureate Peter Charles Doherty says his big worry is there could be refusals for other vaccines if doubts over its safety turn out to be true.
Russian President Vladimir Putin last week announced that his country has developed the world’s first vaccine against COVID-19, which works “quite effectively” and forms “stable immunity” against the disease. He also disclosed that one of his daughters has already been given the vaccine, named Sputnik V.
— PTI
1:30 p.m. | New Delhi
Steps taken by Modi govt in 6 years ensured India’s success in containing pandemic effect: Naqvi
The steps taken by the Narendra Modi government in the healthcare sector in the last six years ensured India’s success in containing the effects of the coronavirus pandemic to a large extent, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Monday.
The passionate commitment of the people and the strong will of the government during the pandemic have resulted in the country speedily becoming self-reliant in the health sector, he said while flagging off a mobile clinic provided by the Ministry of Minority Affairs’ National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) to the Holy Family hospital here.
— PTI
1:20 p.m. | New Delhi
SC rejects plea seeking postponement of JEE (Main) & NEET-UG exams amid COVID-19
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition by students to postpone the NEET and JEE examinations citing the pandemic after recording the exam authorities assurance that all necessary precautions will be taken to keep the candidates, who run into lakhs, safe.
“Education should be opened up. COVID may continue for a year more. Are you going to wait for another year. Do you know what is the loss to the country and the career peril to the students?” Justice Arun Mishra, who headed the three-judge Bench, asked the petitioners.
— Legal Correspondent
1:10 p.m. | Rajasthan
COVID-19 death toll in Rajasthan climbs to 886
Rajasthan reported 10 COVID-19 deaths and 693 fresh cases of the virus on Monday, according to an official report. The deaths were reported from Banswara (2), Bikaner (3), Jaipur (3) and Kota (2).
With the fresh fatalities, the death toll in Rajasthan has climbed to 886. Maximum cases were reported from Jodhpur where 157 people have tested positive for COVID-19.
— PTI
01:00 p.m. | Chennai
S.P. Balasubrahmanyam battling COVID-19, has crossed the critical phase: Rajinikanth
Top actor Rajinikanth on Monday said renowned playback singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, being treated for COVID-19 at a private hospital here has crossed the critical phase and prayed for his speedy recovery.
“Get well soon dear Balu sir,” the Tamil superstar said on his Twitter account and posted a short video in which he praised the singer for entertaining people for decades.
— PTI
12:50 p.m. | Pakistan
Pakistan registers 488 new coronavirus cases; tally reaches 289,213
Pakistan registered 488 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 289,213, the health ministry said on Monday.
The death toll reached 6,175 with seven more fatalities reported overnight.
While 269,087 coronavirus patients have recovered so far, 771 others are in critical condition, the ministry said.
— PTI
12.30 pm | Karnataka
MMCRI evaluating outcome of plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients
Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI), whose doctors and nursing staff are in the forefront of COVID-19 treatment here at the designated hospital, is evaluating the outcome of plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients.
“We have been told that the patients are showing signs of recovery after being transfused with plasma of the recovered patients. The degree and extent of recovery may vary from patient to patient and the same is being documented to check its benefit on the patients,” said MMCRI Dean and Director C.P. Nanjaraj.
12.00 pm
COVID-19 tests in India cross 3 crore mark
The total number of tests for detection of COVID-19 has crossed the 3 crore mark in India, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data.
A total of 3,00,41,400 samples have been tested until August 16 with 7,31,697 samples being tested on Sunday, the ICMR said.
11.00 am
New COVID-19 guidelines in Kerala explore more treatment options
The State has brought out revised treatment guidelines for the management of COVID-19, a comprehensive document drawn from the best of evidence-based practices from across the globe and encompasses the experience of the State’s clinicians in treating those infected till date.
10.30 am | Assam
Public opinion to decide reopening of Assam schools
The outcome of an analysis of suggestions from people will decide whether or not schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Assam would be reopened, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
10.00 am | Tamil Nadu
Tasmac liquor outlets to open in Chennai from August 18
Retail liquor shops run by Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) Ltd. in areas within Greater Chennai Police limits will be reopened from August 18.
“Liquor shops will be open between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Every shop will distribute only 500 tokens a day,” an official release said.
9.00 am | Tripura
Law department office sealed after officers found COVID-19 positive
The office enclosure of the law department at the civil secretariat here has been sealed on Sunday after a few senior officials tested positive for coronavirus. The officers and staffs of the law department have been quarantined following the detections, health department sources confirmed.
8.30 am | Andhra Pradesh
Lockdown extended till month-end in Tirupati
TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal feeds a cow marking ‘Go Puja’ in Tirupati on Wednesday.
The government has announced extension of the lockdown in Tirupati till August 31 in view of an ever-increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) Commissioner P.S. Gireesha on Sunday announced that the restrictions on public movement would be in force till the said period.
8.00 am | Uttar Pradesh
90 inmates of girls home test positive
Ninety inmates of a government shelter home for girls here have tested positive for COVID-19, an official said on Sunday.
Deputy Director of Women Welfare Department Nita Ahirwar said, “In the past two days, 90 inmates of Nari Niketan in Bareilly have tested positive. All of them have been isolated.”
How the inmates got the infection is being investigated, she said.
– PTI
7.00 am | Puducherry
ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre sets up COVID-19 diagnostic lab
The ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) has set up a COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory to help the Government effort to build testing capacity for the viral infection in the region.
The lab with equipment including centrifuge and vortex for RTC-PCR testing has been established as bio safety level 3 (BSL-3) facility to be managed by a set of technicians trained at Jipmer.