Coronavirus news updates: India, Russia in talks to advance localised development of Covid-19 vaccine

TheCentre is in consultations with the Russian government for exploring the possibility of cooperation between the two countries for advancing the Covid-19 vaccine in India, Parliament was told on Friday.

. Three of the nearly 30 coronavirus vaccine candidates in the country are in advanced stages of clinical trials, while four are in the pre-clinical development stage,Minister of HealthHarsh Vardhan said on Friday.

. Thank you for tuning in to our coverage of coronavirus cases in India. Click here for more updates on the Covid-19 situation in the country.

. A doctor from Hassan became the 42nd medical practitioner from a private hospital to die of Covid in the state on Wednesday. Yet, his family will receive no compensation under the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for health workers fighting Covid-19 because private doctors are not eligible for it.

. As many as 9,366 cases new cases and 93 Covid deaths were reported on Thursday. But the data logjam continued due to the doctors' strike as 15 districts reported zero discharges and seven districts reported new cases in double digits.

. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday reported 6,613,331 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 41,464 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,224 to 196,277.

The CDC's tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as Covid-19, caused by the new coronavirus, was as of 4 p.m. ET on Sept. 16 versus its previous report a day earlier.

The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.

. The Yorkshire player said he was "gutted to be missing the remaining (group) games" of the domestic T20 league Vitality Blast.

Read more here

. Urgent requirement of specialist medical staff to man intensive care units (ICU) of Covid-19 dedicated hospitals in Maharashtra has also prompted the premature service recruitment of students from medical institutions affiliated to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER).

Read more here

. Flattening the curve will require international multi-sectoral collaborative efforts to ensure that health systems across the world are able to maintain sufficient capacity to address the flux of complicated Covid-19 cases & protect the vulnerable & elderly: Harsh Vardhan.

. The current pandemic and the global crisis arising out of that, highlights more than ever the need for national and global solidarity: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan at the joint meeting of G20 Finance and Health Ministers, being held through video-conferencing.

. In a written reply to a question in the Upper House, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said Indian Missions arranged for the welfare of Indian nationals, where required, including through the Indian community associations.

Read more here

. DCP Operations has issued an order under 144 CrPC yesterday which will be applicable in Mumbai City upto 30th September. It is issued as per the guidelines received from State Govt on 31st August regarding Easing of Restrictions and Phase wise Opening of Lockdown (Mission Begin Again) & no new/fresh restrictions have been imposed by Mumbai Police: Mumbai police PRO. The senior BJP leader visited a medical facility in the morning and was in good health, a source close to him said.

Read more here

. The USNational Institutes of Health on Thursday launched a clinical trial of fostamatinib, currently used to treat a blood platelet-destroying autoimmune disorder, in patients hospitalised with severe Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Read more here

. In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Rajnath Singh says India and China have different perceptions of LAC; the government aims to bring the Covid-19 mortality rate down to less than 1% andIndia's Covid-19 recoveries have crossed 40 lakh.

Listen to the entire podcast here

. Through the collaboration, the two companies will have the ability to scale up production should one or more of Lilly's antibody therapies prove receive regulatory approval, the companies said in a statement.

Read more here

. A health ministry official on Sept. 10 said 12% of cases in the previous two weeks were from international arrivals while 88% were linked to people gathering in large groups. The UAE recorded 786 new novel coronavirus cases on Thursday, down from 1,007 on Saturday, it biggest daily total so far.

Read more here

. "This is also the moment when the international community needs to come together to defeat the virus. Many pin their hopes on a vaccine - but let’s be clear: there is no panacea in a pandemic. A vaccine alone cannot solve this crisis; certainly not in the near term,” Guterres said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Read more here

. Less than 3 per cent population in 177 tribal-dominated districts in the county has been detected as positive for coronavirus, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Read more here

. Vaccine candidates for Covid-19 should elicit a broad immune response that includes antibodies, and the body's helper and killer T cells, according to a study which says weak or uncoordinated immunity may lead to a poor disease outcome.

Read more here

. Jharkhand's Covid-19 caseload rose to 66,074 on Thursday as 1,618 more people tested positive for the infection, while eight fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 579, a health bulletin said.

Read more here

. After months of uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the delayed season of the popular Indian Premier League will kick off in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday with a clash between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

Read more here

. South Korea said on Thursday it has approved Celltrion Inc's experimental Covid-19 treatment for Phase 2/3 clinical trials, as the firm plans to seek an emergency use authorisation for the antibody-drug.

Read more here

. It has warned that any failure to comply with the same will be "viewed seriously" and action will be initiated under the relevant provisions of the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Ordinance, 2020, Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act, 2017 and Disaster Management Act, 2005, which include suspension of registration, fines and even imprisonment.

Read more here

. The main Opposition party in Goa, the Congress, on Thursday, goaded the ruling BJP-led coalition government to honour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 70th birthday by subsidising the exorbitant prices charged by private hospitals in Goa for Covid-19 treatment.

Read more here

. Mizoram's Covid-19 tally crossed the 1,500-mark on Thursday as 26 more people, including an 83-year-old man, were found to be positive, an official said.

. Seven more people died from coronavirus in Rajasthan, taking toll to 1,286, while number of infections rose to 1.08 lakh with 814 new cases: Heath Department

. Singapore has the lowest coronavirus case fatality count globally, with just 27 deaths among the more than 57,000 people who have been infected with Covid-19 in the Southeast Asian island.At 0.05%, Singapore's death rate is well below the global average of around 3%, according to data compiled by Reuters from countries that have recorded more than 1,000 cases.

. The Delhi High Court Thursday sought response of the Centre and AAP government on a lawyer's plea challenging the Rs 500 challan issued to him for not wearing a mask while he was driving alone. Justice Navin Chawla issued notice to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi government, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and the police seeking their stand on the petition which seeks quashing of the challan, refund of the Rs 500paid as fine and compensation of Rs 10 lakh for mental harassment suffered by the petitioner.

. Stressing that there should no politicisation of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Shiv Sena on Thursday asked the Centre to release money to states from the PM Cares Fund and also clear GST dues to help them deal with the coronavirus situation.

. The Bommanahalli Zone is carrying out a concerted testing programme within factories in its 16 wards after an assessment revealed that a large number of factory workers are testing positive for the disease. According to an order issued by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), daily reports being collated by Bommanahalli Zone has discovered that garment factory workers are among the worst hit. Read more

. "What does RadarCOVID not do?" a promotional video for Spain's contact-tracing app asks. The answer: while navigating the country's decentralised healthcare system, it does not locate users, identify them, record personal details, or send data.

. Puducherry on Thursday logged 323 fresh coronavirus cases while 13 related fatalities pushed the death toll in the union territory to 431.The 323 new cases were identified after examination of 4,867 samples during the last 24 hours while 330 patients were discharged from hospitals, Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release.

. Vaccine candidates forCovid-19 should elicit a broad immune response that includes antibodies, and the body's helper and killer T cells, according to a study which says weak or uncoordinated immunity may lead to a poor disease outcome. (PTI)

. Seven more people died from the novelcoronavirusin Rajasthan, taking the toll to 1,286 on Thursday, while the number of infections rose to 1.08 lakh with 814 new cases, the Heath Department said. (PTI)

. Wuhan pensioner Zhong Hanneng endured every parent's worst nightmare when coronavirus claimed her son in February, and -- alongside other bereaved relatives -- she wants to sue the local government she blames for his death.

. As Covid-19 cases shoot up in Nagpur, the orange city in Maharashtra, will go on a two-day Janta Curfew over the next two weekends of September.

. Odisha'sCovid-19 tally rises to 1,67,161 with detection of 4,241 new cases. The state reported13 fresh fatalities pushing the death toll to 669.

. Even as Covid-19 positive cases continue to rise at an alarming rate in Jammu and Kashmir, some greedy officials are selling fake coronavirus negative tests to people, in exchange for money.

. India is making efforts just like other countries. Under PM's guidance, an expert group is looking at it & we have advanced planning in place. We are hopeful that by start of next year, vaccine will be available in India, saysHealth Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in Rajya Sabha

. We have increased Covid-19 testing four times due to which numbers are likely to rise in Delhi, for 10-15 days. This will help in isolating the positive cases and have a positive impact on national capital, saysDelhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on rise in active cases in the UT.

. Delhi reported 4,473 new coronavirus cases yesterday. Total tests conducted were 62,553 while positivity rate was 7.15. The death rate is at 0.7% from the last 10 days. The bed availability here is 14,521 out of which 50% are occupied: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain

. Jharkhand's Covid-19 caseload rises to 66,074 as 1,618 more people test positive.Eight fresh fatalities pushed state's coronavirus death toll to 579.

. The Government wasted the golden months to stop Covid-19.As China is our neighbouring country, we should have been alert first. Congress's Rahul Gandhi had also alerted that an epidemic was looming over us, says Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azadin Rajya Sabha

. A record single-day increase of97,894 infections pushed India'sCovid-19 tally to over 51 lakh,while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 40 lakh on Thursday,according to the Union Health Ministry data.

. The total number of Covid-19 cases in Rajasthan rises to 1,08,494 with 814 fresh cases reported in the last 24 hours. Death toll is at 1,286: State Health Department

. Four Yorkshire players, including David Willey, will miss their two remaining Vitality Blast group matches after the England all-rounder tested positive for Covid-19.

. A nurse (C top) wearing a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suit pushes a wheelchair carryingMaiHandique(C bottom), 100, who got admitted as a Covid-19 coronavirus patient on September 7 at Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital, as she is being released from the hospital a day after lastly testing negative for the Covid-19 in Guwahati. Picture Credit: AFP Photo

. Telangana recorded 2,159 Covid-19 cases, 2,108 recoveries and 9 deaths yesterday, taking total cases to 1,65,003 including 1,33,555 recoveries, 1005 deaths and 30,443 active cases: State Health Department.

. Mainland China reported nine new Covid-19 cases as of September16, down from 12 reported a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Thursday.

. Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech plans to start a clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine with children and adolescents later this month, widening its test on a shot that's already in the final stage of study with adults. Picture Credit: Reuters Photo

. A possible second Covid-19 wave seems to hover over the Mumbai-Pune belt as the progressive cases cross the 6.5 lakh-mark and deaths nearing the 20,000-mark. The combined figures of the Mumbai-Pune exceed some states – and even ahead of some countries. Read more

. Facebook and Instagram flagged posts from the Fox News show “Tucker Carlson Tonight” as false information Wednesday, saying that they repeated information about Covid-19 “that multiple independent fact checkers say is false.”

. Australia's unemployment rate fell slightly to 6.8 per cent in August, spurring hopes that the worst of a coronavirus-fuelled recession may have passed.

. We think of Covid-19 as killing primarily the elderly around the world, but in poor countries it is more cataclysmic than that. It is killing children through malnutrition. It is leading more people to die from tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS. It is forcing girls out of school and into child marriages. It is causing women to die in childbirth.It is setting back efforts to eradicate polio, fight malaria and reduce female genital mutilation. It is leading to lapses in vitamin A distribution that will cause more children to suffer blindness and die.

. Covid-19 screening tests used at airports, schools, and other public places are not particularly effective, a large analysis shows. Researchers synthesized the evidence from 22 studies of various screening methods, including taking people'stemperature, asking about symptoms, travel history and exposure to infected or possibly infected people, and combinations of those and other approaches.

. President Donald Trump on Wednesday rejected the professional scientific conclusions of his own government about the prospects for a widely available coronavirus vaccine and the effectiveness of masks in curbing the spread of the virus as the deathtoll in the United States from the disease neared 200,000.

. A group of wealthy nations representing 13 percent of the global population have already bought up more than half of the promised doses of future Covid-19 vaccines, according to a report by Oxfam on Wednesday.

. India's Covid-19 case tally crosses 51-lakh mark with a spike of 97,894 new cases and 1,132 deaths in last 24 hours. The total case tally stands at 51,18,254 including 10,09,976 active cases, 40,25,080 recovered/discharged/migrated and83,198 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said a White House staffer tested positive for Covid-19 but the individual was not "near" him or "associated with" him.

. Soaring global demand for hand sanitiser to combat the new coronavirus could increase the use of forced and child labour in sugarcane plantations, UK-based researchers said on Thursday.

. Democrat Joe Biden said Wednesday that President Donald Trump's refusal to take key steps to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, like instituting national guidelines on social distancing and testing, should disqualify him for the presidency.

. It was the middle of the night when a man in a hazmat suit led a first-year student from her dormitory at State University of New York at Oneonta to a van as she cried quietly, a scary experience later shared on social media. She had tested positive ...

. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik asks district magistrates to properly implement government's livelihood programmes to protect rural people from adverse impact of economic slowdown due to Covid-19 pandemic

. An analysis of the recent Covid-19 deaths has shown that some people have a gruelling struggle with the disease before succumbing to it, despite advances in therapies. Official data on the known cases and fatalities say that only about 1.57%% of people in Karnataka who have contracted Covid-19 have died.

. In apost-Covid management protocol released on September 13, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had recommended immunity-boosting Ayush medicine for patients who have recovered from acute Covid illnesses.

. Federal officials outlined details Wednesday of their preparations to administer a future coronavirus vaccine to Americans, saying they would begin distribution within 24 hours of any approval or emergency authorization, and that their goal was that ...

. A laboratory staff wearing Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) receives samples collected for Covid-19coronavirustesting as part of Project Ummeed, a public-private initiative dealing with large scale Covid-19 RT-PCR tests available for low-income households, at the Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. diagnostic centre in Mumbai. Credit: AFP Photo

. The Delhi High Court Wednesday suggested that the AAP government increase the RT-PCR test capacity to the maximum possible to detect Covid-19 infection, as Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) were only 60 per cent accurate.

. A Covid-19 vaccine could be broadly rolled out in the United states by the middle of next year or a little later, the head of the federal government's disease control agency said on Wednesday.

. Coronavirus in India: Total number of positive cases (including deaths):51,03,663as of September 17

. Karnataka reported 9,725 new Covid cases and 70 deaths. This took the active case tally to 1,01,626. This is the second time in the past few days when the active cases in the state havebeen above the one-lakh mark.

. A Covid-19 antigen test device that will provide results in just about five minutes using saliva has been developed by the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) and Ricovr Healthcare, a US-based diagnostics platform company.

. International airports in Mumbai and Delhi are planning to arrange Covid-19 tests for incoming passengers under the assumption that testing will be made mandatory at the airports once the normal functioning of the flights resume.

. Jharkhand reports 1,618 new Covid-19cases and 8 deaths, taking total cases to 66,074 including 51,357 recoveries and 579 deaths. The number of active cases stands at 14,138: State Health Department

. Assam reported 2,394 Covid-19 cases today, taking total cases to 1,48,969 including 1,16,900 recoveries, 31,555 active cases, and 511 deaths: State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

. Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday alleged that cases of assault on women at Covid-19 care centres are increasing in the state.

. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Aurobindo Pharma Limited have announced a collaboration to develop Covid-19 vaccines.

. Madhya Pradesh reports 2,462 new Covid-19 cases and 24 deaths today. Total cases now at 95,515 including 1,844 deaths and 22,136 active cases: State Health department

. Karnataka reported 9,725 new Covid-19 cases, 6,583 discharges and 70 deaths today, taking total number of cases to 4,84,990 including 1,01,626 active cases, 3,75,809 discharges and 7,536 deaths: State Health Department

. 23,365 new Covid-19cases and 474 deaths reported in Maharashtra today; 17,559 patients discharged. Total cases in the state rise to 11,21,221 including 30,883 deaths and 7,92,832 patients discharged. Active cases at 2,97,125: Public Health Department, Maharashtra

. Highest single-day Covid-19recovery recorded in Odisha with 4121 discharges today. The total number of recovered cases now stands at 1,29,859: Health & Family Welfare Department, Odisha

. The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to cost club football $14 billion this year worldwide, around one-third of its value, a leading official at global soccer body FIFA said on Wednesday.

. Scientists have identified a key carbohydrate molecule, called heparan sulphate, which the novel coronavirus uses to infect human cells, an advance that may provide a potential new approach for preventing and treating Covid-19.

. The total number of Covid-19cases in Delhi rises to 2,30,269 with 4,473 new positive cases and 33 deaths reported today. The numbers of active and recovered cases are 30,914 and 1,94,516 respectively. Death toll 4,839: Delhi Government

. 110 new Covid-19cases, 103 recoveries & 1 death reported in Manipur over the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the state stands at 8,320, including 1,751 active cases, 6,521 recovered cases & 48 deaths: State Health Department, Govt of Manipur

. The global recession this year will not be as deep as expected as a result of countries' efforts to counter the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the OECD said on Wednesday.

. 1,590 new Covid-19 cases (832 from Jammu division & 758 from Kashmir division), 747 recoveries & 11 deaths reported in Jammu & Kashmir today. Total number of cases now at 58,244 including 19,503 active cases, 37,809 recoveries & 932 deaths: Govt of Jammu and Kashmir

. No. of Covid-19 cases in Army, Navy & IAF are 16,758, 1,365 & 1,716 respectively. No. of deceased due to Covid-19 in Army & IAF are 32 & 3, respectively & 'nil' in Navy. All deaths while in service awarded terminal benefits: MoS Defence Shripad Naik in a written reply in Lok Sabha

. Himachal Pradesh records 178 new Covid-19 cases & 18 recoveries since 9 pm yesterday, taking total cases to 10,513, including 6,435 recovered cases, 3,960 active cases & 89 deaths: State Health Department

. 8,835 new Covid-19cases, 10,845 recoveries & 64 deaths reported in Andhra Pradesh today. Total number of cases now at 5,92,760 including 90,279 active cases, 4,97,376 recoveries and 5,105 deaths so far: State Health Department

. 7 new Covid-19recoveries reported in Mizoram today, taking the total number of recoveries to 929. Total number of positive cases stands at 1,480 so far, including 551 active cases in the state till date: State Health Department

. A hospital in India has deployed a customer-service robot to patrol its wards, connecting coronavirus patients to friends and relatives.

. Two persons involved in collecting and analysing samples in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district have been dismissed from service after some villagers received a message saying they had tested coronavirus positive even though they were never tested, an official said on Wednesday.

. Rajasthan on Wednesday recorded seven more coronavirus fatalities, taking the overall toll in the state to 1,271, according to a health department bulletin.

. President Donald Trump denied Tuesday that he downplayed the threat of the coronavirus that has taken more than 1,95,000 lives in the United States, directly contradicting his own recorded words in which he admitted doing exactly that. And then he pr...

. Amid the Covid-19 crisis when poor students are unable to take up online classes, the zilla parishad here in Maharashtra has started an innovative way of imparting education to them by painting walls on streets and public places with mathematical concepts.

. As many as 5.4 crore samples have been tested for coronavirus and 40 lakh people are under surveillance, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also said India is testing about one million samples a day at 1,697 laboratories across the country. Read more

. The gap between Recovered andActive cases has crossed 29 lakh today, tweetedUnion Minister for Health & Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan. He also added thatRecovered Cases are nearly 4 times (3.96) the number of Active Cases.

. The pressures of the pandemic have fallen hardest on developing countries with weak governments. They’re struggling to determine who is being infected and why, and to mitigate the economic impact of lockdowns and social distancing measures.If dealing with Covid-19 is stressing those states, however, the effort required to end the pandemic may exhaust them.

. An artisan wearing a protective face mask adorns idols of Lord Vishwakarma, the Hindu deity of architecture and machinery, kept on display for sale ahead of the Vishwakarma festival, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease, in Kolkata,India, September 16, 2020. Credit: Reuters Photo

. The novel coronavirus pandemic has brought "herd immunity" to the public consciousness, kindling hope the phenomenon can help slow or even end the outbreak. As the global community awaits Covid-19 vaccine, Reuters explains thetwo pathways one can attainherd immunity: natural infection or vaccination and more.

View here

. Earlier, the BMC in July said if there is a Covid-19 case in a society or building, only the particular floor will be sealed and the entire building need not be sealed. (PTI)

. 247 police personnel of Maharashtra Police tested positive for coronavirus and2 died in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infections in the state force to 20,003 including 3,728 active cases, 16,071 recovered cases and 204 deaths: Maharasthra Police

. As India’s coronavirus case tally topped 50 lakh on Wednesday, the Congress asked the government to tell the nation how the pandemic will be controlled and if it will blame god to evade accountability.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also compared the battle against Covid-19 to the Mahabharata.

. Australia's national footballplayers have agreed to pay-cuts as part of an adjusted collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that takes into account the economic impact of the novel coronavirus, the players union said on Wednesday.

. A record-low share of Americans were living in poverty, incomes were climbing, and health insurance coverage was little changed in 2019, a government report released Tuesday showed — although the circumstances of many have deteriorated as pandemiclockdowns and industry disruptions have thrown millions out of work.

. The severity of Covid-19 in people with obesity and diabetes may be explained by the combined effects of the novel coronavirus and the body's natural community of bacteria -- the microbiota -- working together in the lungs, according to a new study.

. Bayern Munich forward Kingsley Coman is in isolation at home ahead of the new Bundesliga season after he had contact with a person infected with the coronavirus, the Champions League-winning club said.

. In view of the extra load on medical facilities in the state capital following surge of coronavirus cases, the Odisha government has asked district authorities to strengthen Covid care facilities and to refer less patients to hospitals in Bhubaneswarand Cuttack.

. Odisha reports 4,270 new Covid-19 cases and11 deaths taking the state's tally to1,62,920: State Health Department

. Women healthcare workers and medical staff with Asian heritage are less likely to be using face masks that fit them properly making them more vulnerable to infection, according to a report on Tuesday calling for more robust equipment testing.

. Australia's Victoria state on Wednesday said the daily rise in infections in its coronavirus hot spot of Melbourne has eased further, setting it on course to relax an extended hard lockdown in the city by the end of the month.

. India's total coronavirus cases passed 50 lakhon Wednesday, health ministry data showed, as the pandemic extends its grip on the vast country at an ever-faster rate.

With its latest one million cases recorded in just 11 days, a world record, India now has 50.2 lakh infections. Only the United States has more, with 65.9 lakh.

. Disneyland, Universal Studios and other theme parks have called on California officials to set out the health criteria required for them to reopen, warning that tens of thousands of jobs are at stake.

. In the early days of the pandemic, President Emmanuel Macron exhorted the French to wage “war” against the coronavirus. Today, his message is to “learn how to live with the virus.”

. In a path-breaking innovation in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Mumbai-based Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence has secured a US patent for its AI-based tool ‘Cough against Covid’. The tool can effectively screen for Covid-19, based on cough sounds.

. The new president of the UN General Assembly warned Tuesday that unilateralism will only strengthen the Covid-19 pandemic and called for a new commitment to global cooperation, including on the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines.

. USPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday said a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus could be three or four weeks away, underscoring predictions made by USpublic health officials and Pfizer Inc earlier this month.

. A healthcare worker puts a pulse oximeter on a woman's finger to check her oxygen level during survey for thecoronavirusdiseaseat the construction site of a railway track, amidst the spread of the disease in Babla village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad,India,September 15, 2020. Credit: Reuters Photo

. Telangana records2,273 Covid-19 cases, 2,260 recoveries and 12 deaths on September 15, taking total cases in the state to 1,62,844.

. 5,94,29,115 samples tested up to 15th September for Covid-19. Of these, 11,16,842 samples tested yesterday: ICMR

. Since April, there has been no bingo, nail hour or birthday cake sliced and distributed at communal tables. Residents sit in their rooms for 24 hours a day. The dining room has been converted to a socially distant break area for the 18 nurses and 27 certified nursing assistants.

Every resident at Canyon has Covid-19.

. US delivery firm FedEx Corp reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday, after price hikes, lower fuel costs and efficiency gains countered negative impacts associated with a pandemic-fueled surge in e-commerce shipments.

. China has suspended imports from an OK Foods poultry plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas, because of coronavirus cases among workers, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council said on Tuesday. China, the world's top meat importer, has blocked products from some plants in foreign countries as part of an all-out effort to control the spread of Covid-19.

. China is inoculating tens of thousands of its citizens with experimental coronavirus vaccines and attracting international interest in their development, despite expert concerns over the safety of drugs that have not completed standard testing.

. Pfizer Inc said on Tuesday participants were showing mostly mild-to-moderate side effects when given either the company's experimental coronavirus vaccine or a placebo in an ongoing late-stage study.

. Business of idol makers in Agartala remains affected ahead of Vishwakarma Puja, due to Covid-19pandemic.An idol maker says, "We are facing difficulties as we depend on festivals for our livelihood. There is very less work. It has become difficult for us to sustain."

. RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) capacities have been substantially scaled up in all States, tweeted the Ministry of Health.It added that on an average, over9.5lakh samples are tested by government labsand more than 1.2 lakh samples are tested dailyin privatelabs.

. Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr V G Somani gives permission to Serum Institute of India to resume clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country while revoking its earlier order of suspending any new recruitment for phase two and three trial

. Five days since Bengaluru first began encountering a shortage in ICU and ICU ventilator beds, the situation showed no signs of abating on Tuesday.So far, the crisis has claimed one confirmed victim:a 46-year old man who was sent to a private hospital in Bommanahalli on Sunday to occupy an ICU ventilator bed under the government quota.

. India managed to prevent 14-29 lakh Covid-19 cases and 37-78,000 related deaths by imposing a nationwide lockdown and "successfully blunted" the "aggressive spread" of the coronavirus in the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday.

. The USCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday reported 6,537,627 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 34,597 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 387 to 194,092.

. Responding to a question on the issue, Bhargava told a press conference that reinfection was "very, very rare" with Covid-19, but it can happen as had been seen in a case in Hong Kong.

. Ireland's parliament has been suspended for a week and cabinet ministers have been told to self-isolate after Health Minister Stephen Donnelly fell ill, the speaker of parliament said on Tuesday.

. Amid complaints of steep fees charged by private hospitals for providing Covid-19 treatment, the Goa government on Tuesday ordered a capping of prices for private health facilities.

. The coronavirus crisis cost the global tourism sector $460 billion in lost revenue during the first six months of 2020 as the number of people traveling plunged, the UN said Tuesday.

. Britain's testing system for Covid-19 was creaking on Tuesday as a bottleneck prevented people including medics from getting a test in a potential threat to key health services, with the government saying it may take weeks to resolve the problem.

. As government medical officers refused to share Covid-19 reports with the government, an information black hole and massive underreporting of Covid-19 cases was seen in the state on Tuesday.

. India managed to prevent 14-29 lakh Covid-19 cases and 37-78,000 related deaths by imposing a nationwide lockdown and "successfully blunted" the "aggressive spread" of the virus infection in the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday.

. The clinical trialof a fourth Covid-19 vaccine is set to start in India in October in partnership with an ICMR laboratory.

. AstraZeneca has resumed Covid-19 vaccine trials in South Africa, more than a week after tests were paused due to serious side effects in a participant in Britain, an official at the country's Department of Health told Reuters on Tuesday.

. 19,423 patients discharged today; 7,75,273 Covid-19 patients discharged after full recoveryuntil today; Recovery rate in the state is 70.62%

20,482 new cases in the state today

515 Covid-19 deaths reported in the state today. Case fatality rate in the state: 2.77%

Out of 54,09,060 laboratory samples, 10,97,856 have been tested positive (20.29%) for Covid-19 until today.

Currently 17,34,164 people are in home quarantine and 37,225 people are in institutionalquarantine.

. Phase-Iclinical trials have revealed "excellent safety" of the two candidate vaccines indigenously developed byBharatBiotechin collaboration with ICMR andCadila Healthcare Ltd and theirimmunogenicity testing is now in progress, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

. Kolkata Metro on Tuesday relaxed its norms for senior citizens, allowing them to board trains without an e-pass during non-peak hours, provided they furnish identity proof at the gates.

. The coronavirus pandemic has pushed almost 37 million people into extreme poverty besides reversing the progress made in the health sector for the past several decades, a report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said on Tuesday.

. Therapeutics which suppress the immune system in those with inflammatory diseases like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis "are not associated with a significantly greater risk" for contracting Covid-19, according to a study which says these patients should continue taking their medicine as prescribed.

. Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey on Tuesday informed the Rajya Sabha that current evidence, according to WHO, suggests that transmission of coronavirus occurs primarily through direct, indirect, or close contact with infected people through saliva and respiratory secretions.

. A China-developed coronavirus vaccine could be ready for the public as early as November, a Chinese official has told state television, as the global race to clear the final round of trials heats up.

. The lockdown from March 25 to May 31 successfully controlled the aggressive progression of Covid-19 in India but there has been a steady rise in the number of cases in the post-lockdown phase, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey said on Tuesday.

. US & countries of Europe had a peak, then they came down & there is a 2nd wave occurring there. We took learning from that. We distributed the curve in a way that we didn't have many deaths. It was because we had an effective lockdown. We didn't have a huge peak at all: DG ICMR

. India has contributed internationally to randomized trial on 464 patients in 39 hospitals in 25 districts across 14 States & Union Territories & have shown that it (plasma therapy) does not reduce mortality or prevent progression from moderate to severe disease.

It's still undergoing peer review. Once peer review happens & we get full publication out, this data will be considered again by National Task Force & joint monitoring group of Health Ministry, then a decision will be taken if we should continue with it: Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR

. Once herd immunity is attained, the novel coronavirus may follow suit and become a seasonal virus in countries with temperate climates, but until that time, Covid-19 will continue to spread across the seasons, a new study says.

. Telangana recorded 2,058 new Covid-19 cases and ten related fatalities, pushing the tally of infections to 1.60 lakh in the state.

. Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has said India's willingness to play a "big role" in manufacturing Covid-19 vaccine and allow it to supply to other developing countries will be a critical part in containing the coronavirus pandemic globally.

. Australia recorded zero new coronavirus deaths for the first time in two months on Tuesday, as a slowdown in new cases allowed a crippling lockdown in its second-biggest city to be eased.

. Coronavirus-ravaged economies across the Asia Pacific will make a "swoosh-shaped" recovery next year, the Asian Development Bank forecast on September 15, but it warned that further restrictions to combat the contagion could derail the region's return to growth.

Picture Credit: AFP Photo

. Around 40 lakh people have been kept under surveillance as a part of the contact-tracing efforts in the country and 5.4 crore samples were tested for coronavirus till September 10, Union minister Ashwini Choubey told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

. India's willingness to play big role in manufacturing vaccines, says Bill Gates. He adds that these vaccines should be sent to developing countries

. India is a leading vaccine producer; we need cooperation from India on manufacturing COVID-19 vaccine. World looking to India for some of that capacity to be available to developing countries, says Bill Gates

. As the Covid-19 pandemic upends normal life, it has also changed the way people express grief over the death of their near and dear ones with many taking the virtual route to pay condolences from safe confines of their homes.

. President Donald Trump is running as the “law and order” candidate. But that hasn't stopped him and his campaign from openly defying state emergency orders and flouting his own administration's coronavirus guidelines as he holds ever-growing rallies in battleground states.

. Coronavirus vaccines being developed in China may be ready for use by the general public as early as November, an official with the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

. Odisha reported 3,645 new Covid-19, 3,382 recoveries and 8 deaths on September 14, taking total cases to 1,58,650: State Health Department

. China has locked down a city on the border with Myanmar and will launch a mass coronavirus testing programme, officials said Tuesday, after a handful of infections, were detected there.

. The knock-on effects of the coronavirus pandemic have halted and reversed global health progress, setting it back 25 years and exposing millions to the risk of deadly disease and poverty, a report by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation warned on Tuesday

. Europe will face a rising death toll from the coronavirus during autumn, the World Health Organization warned on Monday as the number of daily infections around the world hit a record high.

. As coronavirus cases surge by the day, rumours of a nationwide lockdown from September25 for 46 days have emerged when a supposed 'NDMA order' went viral on social media. The Press Information Bureauwas quick to debunk the rumour calling it fake.

. A House subcommittee examining President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic is launching an investigation into reports that political appointees have meddled with routine government scientific data to better align with Trump's public statements.

. India's Covid-19case tally crosses 49-lakh mark with a spike of 83,809 new cases and1,054 deaths in last 24 hours. The total case tally stands at 49,30,237 and death toll stands at80,776 deaths: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

. Inhaled versions of Covid-19 vaccine candidates developed by Oxford University and Imperial College will be trialled to see if they deliver a localised immune response in the respiratory tract, British researchers said on Monday.

. India has consistently maintained a low & declining Case Fatality Rate (1.64 per cent). This is lowest compared to global average of 3.2 per centand many countries, according to the Ministry of Health.

. The global economy is unlikely to worsen due to the coronavirus pandemic even as countries face a second wave of infections, Qatar's commerce minister said on Monday, forecasting a recovery somewhere between a 'U' and 'V' shape.

. Total number of confirmed Covid-19 positive cases in India reaches 49,22,039; death toll stands at 80,733 as of September 15

. Karnataka Urban Development Minister BA Basavaraja (Byrathi) said Monday that he tested positive for Covid-19.

“I got tested positive for coronavirus today, but I don’t have any health problems,” he said. “As per medical advice, I got admitted into Columbia Asia Hospital for treatment,” he said, expressing confidence that he will recover soon “with all your wishes and blessings.”

. A portfolio of therapeutic options for Covid-19 patients is being built by undertaking 13 clinical trials of repurposed drugs and harnessing traditional knowledge using the modern medicine approach, with planned trials involving medicinal plants like 'Aswagandha', Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday.

. The number of Covid-19 patients requiring oxygen support has increased by nearly three-fold within the last one and half months, prompting the Centre to ask the states to carry out oxygen audits at the hospitals as the pandemic spreads across the country.

Read more here

. 2,256 new Covid-19 cases and 31 deaths reported in Mumbai today. The total number of positive cases increases to 1,71,949 in Mumbai, including 31,063 active cases, 1,32,349 recovered cases and 8,178 deaths: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra.

. 1,229 new Covid-19 cases reported in Jammu and Kashmir today; 837 from Jammu division and 392 from Kashmir division. The total number of cases now at 55,325 including 18,049 active cases, 36,381 recoveries and 895 deaths: Govt of Jammu and Kashmir.

. 7,956 new Covid-19 cases, 9,764 recoveries and 60 deaths reported in Andhra Pradesh today. Total number of cases now at 5,75,079 including 93,204 active cases, 4,76,903 recoveries and 4,972 deaths: State Health Department.

. Mantasha Bano was 28-weeks pregnant when her cries of sudden, unbearable pain prompted neighbours to call an ambulance in the rural Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It never came, and Bano's baby was stillborn.

Read more here

. 2,540 new Covid-19 cases, 2,110 recoveries and 15 deaths reported in the state in the last 24 hours. Count of active cases now stands at 30,486, while 79,813 patients have recovered till now. The death toll is at 454: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

. The total number of Covid-19 cases in Delhi rises to 2,21,533 with 3,229 new positive cases and 26 deaths reported today. The numbers of active and recovered cases are 28,641 and 1,88,122, respectively. Death toll 4,770: Delhi Government.

. Himachal Pradesh records 41 new Covid-19 cases till 5 pm today, taking the total positive cases in the state to 9,655 so far, including 3,418 active cases, 6,143 recoveries, and 77 deaths: State Health Department, Himachal Pradesh.

. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday introduced in Lok Sabha a bill that seeks to reduce for one year the salaries of Members of Parliament by 30 per cent "to meet the exigencies arising out of Covid-19 pandemic".

Read more here

. Odisha registered its highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases on Monday as 4,198 more people, including state BJP chief Samir Mohanty, tested positive for the infection, a health official said.

Read more here

. We've 23,624 active cases and 3,945 deaths (86% deaths due to comorbidities). Covid-19 positivity rate in India is 8.53% & here it's 8.21%. Discharge rate in India is 77% & here it is 86.40%. The situation's getting better but we need to be careful: Mamata Banerjee.

. The Supreme Court on Monday indicated to issue directions to the High-powered Committee of the Maharashtra government to decide the release of every prisoner on merit, instead of insisting on excludinga large number of people arrested or convicted under the special laws, amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Read more here

. The death toll due to Covid-19 in Ladakh has reached 40 after one more patient succumbed to the infection in the Union Territory, officials said on Monday.

Read more here

. The coronavirus pandemic has largely affected shopping habits with safety now taking over as a new criterion over a price range, variety and convenience, forcing retailers to adapt to the new reality, according to a report.

Read more here

. More than 60 per cent of active coronavirus cases are concentrated in five states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the Health Ministry said on Monday, underlining that the recovery rate in India has touched 78 per cent.

. Karnataka Institute Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi, which is also a designated Covid-19 hospital, has so far delivered babies of over 100 coronavirus positive pregnant women.

Read more here

. The government has no data about deaths and job loss of migrant labourers during the national lockdown imposed due to the Covid-19, the Ministry of Labour and Employment informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.

It also did not have any report of forced retention of migrant labourers who wanted to return to their home states. This was disclosed by Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar in a series of written replies in Lok Sabha.

Coronavirus news updates: India, Russia in talks to advance localised development of Covid-19 vaccine

Govt talking to Russia for possible advancement of its Covid-19 vaccine here: Health Ministry

Three Covid-19 vaccine candidates in advanced stage of clinical trials: Harsh Vardhan

No relief for private doctors dying on Covid-19 duty

Karnataka reports 9,366 new Covid-19 cases, 93 deaths

Follow us on :

Follow Us