Coronavirus news highlights: Nearly 14.5 lakh Covid-19 tests conducted in last 24 hours

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. Top medical experts on Friday cautioned practising doctors not to succumb to unproven and investigational treatments that are being permitted throughout the world as an emergency to tackle Covid-19, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) published its study.

. Maharashtra reports 7,347 new Covid-19 cases, 184 deaths and 13,247 discharges in the last 24 hours, as per the state's Public Health Department.

Total cases in the state rise to 16,32,544, with 43,015 deaths and 14,45,103 recovered patients. Active cases stand at 1,43,922.

. The potential vaccine was found to be safe without any major adverse events in the first two stages of the trials involving about 1,000 people.

. India is urgently preparing a database of all government and private health personnel to quickly vaccinate them against the novel coronavirus once it is safe to do so, health authorities said on Friday.

. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said the next three months are going to be decisive in determining the coronavirus situation in the country as he urged people to follow Covid appropriate behaviour in the coming festival season and winter months.

. Karnataka has reported 5,356 new cases of Covid-19 and 51 more deaths, taking the total number of infections to 7,93,907 and the toll to 10,821, the health department said on Friday.

The day also saw 8,749 patients getting discharged after recovery. A total of over 71,68,545 samples have been tested so far, out of which 1,08,356 were tested on Friday alone, and 21,615 among them were rapid antigen tests.

. Puducherry reported 158 new Covid-19 cases, 216 discharges & 2 deaths today.

Total positive cases in the Union Territory rise to 33,986 till date, including 3,975 active cases, 29,427 recoveries & 584 deaths: Department of Health & Family Welfare, Puducherry

. Andhra Pradesh's Covid-19 cases cross 8-lakh mark with 3,765 new infections.

Total cases at 8,00,684 out of which 31,721 are active cases. 20 deaths reported in last 24 hours taking the toll to 6,544.

. Bengaluru's first Covid-19 victim autopsy conducted 16-18 hours after the death of a 61-year-old Covid patient showed that the virus was absent from the skin surface but was present in the nose, mouth and the throat.

. As many as 239 adult patients received two transfusions of convalescent plasma, 24 hours apart, alongside standard care, while the control group comprising of 229 patients received standard care only.

. India has crossed the 10 crore-mark in conducting tests for detection of Covid-19 with 14,42,722 tests being done in a span of 24 hours, even as the cumulative positivity rate continues to decline, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

High level of comprehensive testing on a sustained basis has also resulted in bringing down the national positivity rate, it said.

"This indicates that the rate of spread of the infection is being effectively contained. The cumulative positivity rate continues to decline as the total tests cross 10 crore," the ministry underlined.

The national Covid-19 positivity rate is 7.75 per cent as on date, it said.

This is a result of the successful 'test, track, trace, treat and technology' strategy of the central government effectively followed by states and union territories, it stated.

(PTI)

. Iran’s health ministry on Friday reported a record 6,134 new coronavirus cases for the previous 24 hours, bringing the national tally to 556,891 in the Middle East’s hardest-hit country.

Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV that 335 people had died from the disease in the past 24 hours, bringing total fatalities to 31,985.

(Reuters)

. Spain's real total of Covid-19 cases exceeds 3 million, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said at a press conference on Friday, citing extrapolations from a nationwide antibody study.

(Reuters)

. 69 police personnel tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking total cases to 26,057 in the force, including 1,730 active cases, 24,053 recoveries, and 274 deaths till date: Maharashtra Police

. India crosses landmark of 10 crore total tests; last 1 crore tests conducted in 9 days

Nearly 14.5 lakh Covid-19 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.

(Credit: PIB)

. Britain's economic recovery has lost more momentum this month as a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic hit businesses in the hospitality and transport sectors, a survey showed on Friday.

. France's second wave of coronavirus could be worse than the first, the boss of Paris public hospital group AP-HP said on Friday as the country registered a record number of daily cases.

. The coronavirus vaccine, once available, will be distributed under a special Covid-19 immunisation programme with the Centre procuring the doses directly and making it available for priority groups, official sources said.

. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday laid the foundation stone for construction of a towering state-of-the-art 1,500-bed block at LNJP Hospital that will make it one of the largest facilities in the country.

. Hindu devotees wearing personal protective equipment perform Dandiya, a traditional dance, in front of an idol of Hindu goddess Durga at a "pandal" or a temporary platform, on the first day of Durga Puja festival in Kolkata. Credit: Reuters Photo

. Over a month after he recovered from Covid-19, Union minister Shripad Naik on Friday said he would resume his office in New Delhi from next week.

. Americans enduring a feeble economy and high unemployment because of the coronavirus pandemic are creating start-up companies at a record pace.

. President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden's final debate on Thursday was a starkly more civil affair than their messy first showdown.

. US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that a Covid-19 vaccine is "ready" and going to be announced "within weeks" to combat the deadly disease that has killed over 223,000 Americans, as he debated with his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for the final time before the presidential election.

. The number of active cases is at 184 while 2,175 people have been discharged so far.

No death reported in the state till date

. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden renewed his attacks on President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic at Thursday's final debate, seeking to bolster his lead in opinion polls with 12 days to go to the November 3 election.

. An expert panel at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has recommended granting permission for conducting phase 3 clinical trials of its indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine with certain conditions.

. Experts have denounced the Centre’s move to scrap plasma therapy as a recommended treatment for Covid-19 as a misstep which will adversely affect patient recoveries.

. The State government will allow pooling of samples for Covid-19 testing in districts with less than 5% weekly positivity rate.

. A scientist newly appointed as an advisor to the British government has expressed scepticism about focusing on the role of structural racism in the disproportionate effect that the coronavirus has on ethnic minority groups.

. US President Donald Trump has tested negative for Covid-19 on Thursday ahead of the final presidential debate against Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden before the November3 election, his chief of staff Mark Meadows said.

Coronavirus news highlights: Nearly 14.5 lakh Covid-19 tests conducted in last 24 hours

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Plasma Therapy: Health experts caution doctors not to succumb to unproven Covid-19 treatments

A banner that reads 'No Mask, No Entry' hangs on the gate of a 'Durga Puja Pandal', during Covid-19 pandemic, in Lucknow, Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. Credit: PTI Photo

Assam reports 427 new Covid-19 cases and 2184 discharges today. Total cases in the state rise to 2,03,709, including 1,79,843 discharges and 900 deaths. Active cases 22,963: State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

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