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Delhi: 872 deaths in 15 days; Covid cases surge, pollution, laxity in behaviour factors, say experts
Over 870 Covid-19 deaths have been recorded in the last 15 days in the national capital, with experts attributing it to a sudden surge in cases, deteriorating air quality, laxity by people in adhering to safety norms, among other factors.
Coronavirus cases in Delhi have registered a sudden spike since October 28 when the daily infection tally breached the 5,000-mark for the first time and it crossed the 8,000-mark on Thursday, also for the first time.
Italy reports 37,978 daily coronavirus cases, 636 deaths
Italy has registered 37,978 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, up from 32,961 on Wednesday.
The ministry also reported 636 Covid-related deaths, up from 623 the day before and the highest figure since April 6.
Three new coronavirus cases in Dharavi
Three new coronavirus cases were recorded in Mumbai's Dharavi area on Thursday, civic officials said.
It took the tally in the area, known as Asia's largest slum, to 3,611.
On Wednesday, Dharavi had reported two Covid-19 cases, whereas only one case had been recorded the day before.
Fauci says vaccine 'cavalry' is en route but urges vigilance
US government scientist Anthony Fauci said Thursday the coronavirus vaccine "cavalry" is coming but urged the public not to let down its guard, and called for a stronger WHO to ward off future pandemics.
Fauci, a world-leading expert on infectious diseases who has been at serious odds with President Donald Trump over Covid-19, said that after Pfizer's vaccine, another is "literally on the threshold of being announced".
1,120 new coronavirus cases in Gujarat, six deaths
As many as 1,120 new coronavirus cases were reported in Gujarat in the last 24 hours, taking the infection count in the state to 1,84,964, health officials said on Thursday evening.
The death toll due to coronavirus in the state reached 3,785 with six more deaths, they said.
As many as 1,038 patients also recovered during this period.
858 new coronavirus cases in Mumbai, 19 deaths
The tally of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai increased to 2,67,604 on Thursday with 858 new cases being reported, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
The death toll went up to 10,522 with 19 new Covid-19 deaths in the city.
On the other hand, another 2,175 Covid-19 patients were discharged from the hospitals, taking the number of recovered patients to 2,41,975, about 90 per cent of the total cases.
WHO says in talks with Russian institute on Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine
The World Health Organization (WHO) is in discussions with the Russian institute that developed the Sputnik V candidate vaccine against Covid-19 over its potential application for emergency use listing, the U.N. agency said on Thursday.
In a statement to Reuters, the WHO said: "We look forward to receiving the data for their Sputnik V candidate vaccine. If a product submitted for assessment is found to meet the criteria for listing, WHO will publish the results widely."
2,788 fresh Covid-19 cases, 19 more fatalities reported in Haryana
Haryana on Thursday reported 2,788 fresh novel coronavirus cases taking the infection tally in the state to 1,93,111 while 19 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,979.
Of the fresh fatalities, six were from Hisar, four from Faridabad, three from Gurgaon, two each from Jind and Bhiwani while a death each was reported from Jhajjar and Sirsa, according to the state health department's daily bulletin.
23 more Covid-19 deaths, 692 new cases reported in Punjab
Punjab reported 23 more Covid-19 fatalities on Thursday, taking the death toll to 4,412, while 692 new cases took the state's infection tally to 1,39,869.
There are 5,439 active Covid-19 cases in the state as of now, an official bulletin issued here said.
Four deaths were reported from Patiala, three from Ferozepur, two each from Bathinda, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mohali, Pathankot and Rupnagar and one each from Muktsar and Sangrur, the bulletin added.
Rajasthan reports 13 more Covid-19 deaths, 2,176 new cases
Rajasthan reported 13 more Covid-19 fatalities on Thursday, taking the death toll to 2,032 as 2,176 new cases pushed the state's infection tally to 2,19,327.
According to a Health department bulletin, 17,352 patients are currently undergoing treatment in the state, and the number of recoveries stands at 1,99,943.
In Jaipur, the death toll from the coronavirus infection stands at 391, followed by 199 in Jodhpur, 151 in Ajmer, 149 in Bikaner, 116 in Kota, 97 in Bharatpur and 78 in Pali.
Kerala adds 5,537 new Covid-19 cases, recoveries cross 6,000
Kerala recorded5,537 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, taking the total caseloadto 5.08 lakh, while as many 6,119 patients have been cured of the disease, Health minister K K Shailaja said.
Sixty-one health workers were among those who tested positive today.
Those undergoing treatment for the infection are 77,813 and 4,28,529 have recovered so far, the minister said in a press release.
Telangana logs 1,015 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths
Telangana reported 1,015 fresh coronavirus cases taking the tally to2.54 lakh while three fatalities pushed the toll to 1,393.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 172, followed by Rangareddy 98 and Medchal Malkajgiri 97, a government bulletin said on Thursday providing details as of 8 pm on November 11.
Nepal registers 1,913 new Covid-19 cases
Nepal's Covid-19 caseload on Thursday reached 204,242 with 1,913 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.
The death toll reached 1,189 with 15 more fatalities, it said.
The total number of recoveries has reached 1,64,592 after 2,349 more people were discharged after treatment, the ministry said.
In Italy, sewage holds clues to tracking coronavirus’ moves
Researchers in Italy are scooping up sewage water from dozens of treatment plants and analysing it in the hope that its contents will reveal the future course of the coronavirus.
Their aim is to set up a system that will provide a week's notice on the rate that the Covid-19 virus is moving through the local population.
Mizoram reports 25 new Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 3,242
Twenty-five more people, including an 11-month-old baby, have tested positive for coronavirus in Mizoram, taking the tally to 3,242, an official said on Thursday.
The state now has 552 active cases and the death toll remained unchanged at two.
The official said that 2,688 Covid-19 patients have been cured of the disease till date and the recovery rate is 82.92 per cent.
German minister sees Covid-19 restrictions through winter
Germany's health minister said on Thursday he expects restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic will continue through winter, with life unlikely to get back to normal in December or January even if infections fall.
"I don't see events with more than 10 or 15 people happening this winter," Jens Spahn told RBB broadcaster.
Germany reported 21,866 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 727,553 and jumping back above 20,000 after four days below that figure, while the death toll rose by 215 to 11,982, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.
Iran's coronavirus death toll exceeds 40,000: Health Ministry
Iran's death toll from the coronavirus rose by 457 to 40,121 on Thursday, the highest in the Middle East, with the total number of identified cases reaching 726,585, health ministry data showed.
Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV that Iran had identified 11,517 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.
England Covid-19 contacts traced still near record lows as weekly cases rise 8%
Positive Covid-19 cases in England rose 8% on the previous week, the same weekly rate of increase as before, the country's test and trace scheme said on Thursday, with the proportion of contacts of the cases reached remaining near record lows.
There were 141,804 people transferred to the contact tracing system between Oct 29 and Nov 4, and 85% of positive cases were reached and asked to provide information about their contacts, up from 82.7% reported for the previous week.
BJP MLA Surendra Singh Jeena dies due to Covid-19
BJP MLA from Salt in Almora district, Surendra Singh Jeena, who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a private facility in New Delhi, died early Thursday, hospital authorities said.
Jeena, 51, was admitted to Sir Gangaram Hospital nearly a week ago, Pradesh BJP vice president Devendra Bhasin said.
HC allows Delhi govt to reserve 80% ICU beds for Covid-19 patients in 33 pvt hospitals
The Delhi High Court Thursday allowed the AAP government to reserve 80 per cent of ICU beds for Covid-19 patients in 33 private hospitals, saying the situation in the national capital is fairly dynamic and cases of coronavirus are spiralling.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad allowed the appeal of Delhi government challenging a single judge’s interim order staying the government’s decision to reserve 80 per cent ICU beds.
Malaysia reports 919 new coronavirus cases, 1 new death
Malaysia's health ministry reported 919 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, raising the total to 43,791 infections.
The Southeast Asian country also recorded one new death, taking its total Covid-19 fatalities to 303.
CureVac CEO eyes Covid-19 vaccine approval in Q3 2021
German biotech company CureVac hopes to receive approval for its experimental Covid-19 vaccine in the third quarter of 2021, Chief Executive Franz-Werner Haas said on Thursday.
Haas told a news conference of foreign journalists that the company aimed to initiate rolling review of its vaccine in the first quarter of 2021.
Now is not the time to relax Covid-19 measures: French Prime Minister
It is not the right time to relax restrictions imposed upon France to curb the Covid-19 pandemic, French Prime Minister Jean Castex told Le Monde newspaper in an interview published on Thursday.
Castex, who is due to deliver a keynote speech on Thursday at 6pm local time (1700 GMT), also told Le Monde that even though there were signs of a tapering in the Covid-19 figures in France, "it is certainly not the moment to loosen the reins."
Germany sees signs of coronavirus curve flattening
Germany is seeing tentative signs that a surge in coronavirus infections may be easing, the head of the country's disease control agency RKI said on Thursday.
"The curve is flattening," said Lothar Wieler, showing "we are not helpless against this virus" and that restrictions such as social distancing and mask wearing can help halt the march of Covid-19.
Maharashtra Governor calls for safe, pollution-free Diwali amid Covid-19
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday extended Diwali greetings to people of the state and urged them to celebrate the festival in a "safe, eco-friendly and pollution-free" manner in view of the Covid- 19 pandemic.
In a message to citizens, the Governor said, "I extend my hearty greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. May the festival of lights bring happiness, prosperity and contentment in the lives of all."
Koshyari noted that the challenge thrown by the novel coronavirus is "far from over".
Data on experimental Covid-19 vaccine very encouraging: German institute
Preliminary data from Pfizer and its German partner Biontech on their experimental Covid-19 vaccine are very encouraging, the head of Germany's Robert Koch institute for infectious diseases (RKI), Lothar Wieler, said on Thursday.
WHO chief says coronavirus is 'not tired', urges vigilance
The general public may be tired of the new coronavirus but should remain on high alert, the chief of the World Health Organization said on Thursday.
"We may be tired of Covid-19 but it is not tired of us. European countries are struggling but the virus has not changed significantly, nor the measures to stop it," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the Paris Peace Forum.
Germany is seeing tentative signs that a surge in coronavirus infections may be easing, the head of the country's disease control agency RKI said Thursday.
"The curve is flattening," said Lothar Wieler, adding that it "shows that we are not helpless against this virus" and that restrictions such as social distancing and mask-wearing can help halt the march of Covid-19.
Britain's economy rebounded by a record 15.5 per cent in the third quarter, emerging from a historic recession as the initial coronavirus lockdown was relaxed, official data showed Thursday.
Italy, which shocked the world and itself when hospitals in the wealthy north were overwhelmed with coronavirus cases last spring, is again facing a systemic crisis, as confirmed positives pass the symbolic threshold of 1 million.
Indonesia reported 4,173 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking its total number of cases to 452,291, according to the country's Covid-19 task force.
It also reported 97 more deaths, taking total fatalities to 14,933.
Delhi High Court division bench lifts single-judge bench order of interim stay on Delhi govt's decision to reserve 80 per cent private hospital ICU beds for Covid-19 patients.
Covid-19: Tamil Nadu cancels nod for socio-political, religious events
The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday cancelled its order allowing social, political, religious and cultural events from November 16 permitting participation of a maximum of 100 people.
Odisha's Covid-19 tally rises to 3,05,986 with 986 more people testing positive for the infection; 14 fresh fatalities push toll to 1,483.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launches Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana being launched to incentivise the creation of new employment opportunities during Covid-19 recovery.
AstraZeneca's cancer drug fails to meet main goal in Covid-19 trials
AstraZeneca Plc said on Thursday its blood cancer treatment, Calquence, failed to meet the main goal of mid-stage trials, testing it in patients hospitalised with respiratory symptoms of Covid-19.
Now, a UV sanitizer that fits in your pocket
With the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the globe and people adjusting to the new normal, here comes an innovation – a UV sanitizer that fits in one's pocket.
Zydus Cadila completes phase 2 clinical trial in Covid-19 patients
Drug firm Zydus Cadila on Thursday said it has successfully completed a phase 2 clinical trial In Covid-19 patients with its biological therapy, 'PegiHep', and it will now begin phase 3 clinical trial.
Covid-19 crisis brings regime change for the world’s central banks
Just eight months after they swung into action to avert a crippling depression and credit crunch, central banks are in the uncomfortable position of relying on governments to power fragile economic rebounds.
BJP MLA from Salt in Almora district, Surendra Singh Jeena, who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a hospital in New Delhi, died early Thursday, a party leader said.
Puducherry added 66 fresh coronavirus infections and two related deaths on Thursday, pushing the overall tally to 36,179.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was hospitalised after he contracted coronavirus earlier this week, a presidential official said on Thursday.
Covid-19 norms in Kolkata go for a toss as commuters cram local trains
Passengers crowded local trains during the peak hours on Thursday morning -- the second day after suburban railway services resumed in Bengal -- with little or no regard for Covid-19 safety protocols.
Delhi High Court slams AAP government over Covid-19 handling
Delhi ICU beds full as Covid-19 surges; Diwali a worry
After his 92-year-old grandmother started coughing and her blood oxygen levels plummeted, Varunn Kaushik took her to two top private hospitals in New Delhi on Monday. Neither took her in, even after one of them found her positive for Covid-19.
Shoppers crowd a market ahead of of Diwali, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease, in the old quarter of Delhi. Credit: Reuters Photo
Schools in Tamil Nadu to remain shut, govt puts reopening plan on hold
Parents of some schools wanted the institutions to reopen, but others were against such a move in view of the coronavirus pandemic and the school education department analysed the opinions holistically, the release said.
Ukraine registered a record 11,057 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, its health minister said on Thursday, up from a high of 10,746 reported on November 7.
Tokyo Olympics athletes won't have to isolate for 14 days on arrival: Organisers
Athletes arriving in Tokyo for next year's Olympic Games, postponed from 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be exempt from the 14-day isolation period Japan has imposed on anyone arriving from overseas to help stop the virus spreading.
Serum Institute completes enrolment for phase-III Covid-19 vaccine trials
Serum Institute of India (SII) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body in India for biomedical research, announced completion of enrolment of phase-III clinical trials for COVISHIELD in India.
Biden insider Klain will bring virus-fighting expertise to chief of staff role
Ron Klain was once tapped by Democratic President Barack Obama to safeguard the United States from the threat of a lethal virus. As President-elect Joe Biden's chief of staff, he will take on a similar mission.
Delhi govt has decided to ban community Chhath Puja celebrations at Ghats to contain the spread of Covid-19: Satyendar Jain, Delhi Health Minister
US hospitals again under pressure with Covid-19 on the rise
After several weeks of rapidly rising coronavirus cases, hospitals around the United States are once again overwhelmed, forcing local authorities to take new measures to cope with the pandemic.
Arunachal Pradesh's Covid-19 tally rises to 15,657 as 76 more people, including five security personnel, test positive.
Union minister Smriti Irani says she has tested negative for Covid-19
India fears new Covid-19 wave even as cases plummet
Reported infections neared 100,000 a day, deaths were shooting up, and India seemed ready to surpass the United States in total recorded cases.
The number of active cases of Covid-19 remained below 5 lakh for the second day after remaining below 6 lakh for 13 consecutive days.
There are 489,294 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country as on date which comprises 5.73 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
Over 80 lakh people have recovered from the novel coronavirus in India with 52,718 new recoveries.
With 550 fatalities in the last 24 hours, India's death toll stands at 1.28 lakh.
India sees 47,905 new Covid-19 cases; tally reaches 8,683,916.
Serum Institute of India & ICMR, announce completion of enrolment of phase 3 clinical trials for COVISHIELD in India. ICMR & SII have further collaborated for clinical development of COVOVAX (Novavax) developed by Novavax, USA & upscaled by SII: Serum Institute of India
The surging coronavirus finds a federal leadership vacuum in the United States
When senior Food and Drug Administration officials held their morning call one day this week, they received a sobering warning from the agency’s chief, Dr Stephen Hahn, who had just gotten off the phone with the White House: Block out “all the craziness” afoot and stay focused on fighting the pandemic, he said.
A total of 12,19,62,509 samples tested for Covid-19 up to November 11, of these 11,93,358 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
The Covid-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 4,494 on Thursday as 17 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
Students appear in class 10th examination, at a school in Srinagar. The authorities have taken various preventive measures in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Credit: PTI Photo
Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally rises to 1,05,224 as 284 more people test positive: Health official
UK 'sleep-walking' into personal debt crisis, warns charity
Britain is 'sleep-walking' into a personal debt crisis with the number of people in severe problem debt topping a million due to the coronavirus pandemic, charity StepChange has warned.
EU may start vaccinations within months as Covid-19 cases top 10 lakh in Italy
The European Union expressed hope Wednesday that it could start vaccinating people against the novel coronavirus as early as next year, as Italy recorded more than one million cases and Britain said its death toll has surpassed the 50,000-mark.
Bypoll effect: 86 of 14,727 samples test Covid-19 positive in RR Nagar
Did by the just-concluded bypolls have an effect on Covid-19 cases? Test for three more days, says chair of the technical advisory committee (TAC).
Travellers to Spain must provide negative Covid-19 test
The Spanish Health Ministry said Wednesday that foreign travellers from countries considered high-risk areas for the coronavirus will be asked to provide proof of a negative test to visit Spain.
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