Coronavirus roundup: Developments in India and rest of world | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Thirteen districts in eight states and Union territories reporting Covid-19 mortality higher than the national average were advised by the Centre on Saturday to address the issues of low testing and delay in test results, and ensure timely hospitalisation.
In view of reports from some areas that patients were dying within 48 hours of being admitted to health facilities, the Union health ministry asked them to ensure timely referral and hospitalisation of people afflicted with Covid-19.

Here are the top developments:

India

Noting that 60 crore people have been provided toilet facilities in 60 months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said ‘swachhagraha’ has empowered the country in its fight against Covid-19 and asked if lockdown to contain coronavirus would have been possible if a large section of the population was defecating in the open.
Focused and effective efforts towards containment, testing, isolation and treatment by the Centre, states and Union territories have resulted in the recovery rate rising to 68.32 per cent and fatality rate steadily declining to 2.04 per cent, the Health ministry said on Saturday.
India has one of the lowest cases per million at 1,469 as against the global average of 2,425, the ministry said.
There has been a sharp increase in Covid-19 recoveries. With 48,900 patients discharged in 24 hours, India’s total recoveries from Covid-19 has reached 14,27,005. “The recovery rate, on a steady rise, stands at 68.32 per cent,” the ministry said.
With a single-day rise of 61,537 cases, India’s coronavirus tally reached 20,88,611 while the death toll due to the disease rose to 42,518 with 933 fresh fatalities being reported in a day, the health ministry data showed.
Expressing concern that grocery shops, vegetable and other vendors can be potential spreaders of coronavirus infection to a large number of people, the Union health ministry has advised states and UTs to take up testing of such people to ensure early detection of cases which can lead to reduction in mortality rate.
Union minister of state for agriculture Kailash Chaudhary has tested positive for coronavirus, he said in a tweet on Saturday. He is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jodhpur, he said.
Actor Abhishek Bachchan on Saturday said that he has tested negative for Covid-19 and expressed gratitude to the medical staff for taking care of him during his recovery. The 44-year-old actor, who was diagnosed with the virus and shifted to a hospital on July 11 along with his father, shared the news of his negative report on Instagram.
A total of 196 doctors in the country, majority of them being general practitioners, have succumbed to Covid-19 so far, said the Indian Medical Association on Saturday, requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his attention on the issue.

States

UP: Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest single-day spike of 4,660 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the state’s virus count to 1,18,038. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 2,028 with 47 more casualties in the state.
Maharashtra: The state reported a highest single-day spike of 12,822 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 5,03,084. With 275 COVID-19 patients succumbing, the death toll in the state increased to 17,367.
Delhi: Delhi recorded 1,404 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally in the city to over 1.44 lakh, while the death toll from the disease climbed to 4,098. The number of daily cases after dipping to three-figure count last Sunday, has again shown a rise in the last few days, recording in excess of 1,000.
Tamil Nadu: The Tamil Nadu government announced that small temples with an annual income below Rs 10,000, mosques, dargah, churches and other religious places in the corporation areas will be opened for worship from August 10. Also, driving schools shall function from August 10 adhering to the standard operating procedures.
Andhra Pradesh: Observing that peaking of coronavirus cases was a natural consequence, Andhra Pradesh special chief secretary (Health) K S Jawahar Reddy said their focus was now on reducing the mortality rate. He said saving lives was now the main focus, particularly in the critical Covid-19 cases.
HP: Himachal Pradesh recorded 92 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the infection tally to 3,243. Meanwhile, BJP state spokesman Baldev Tomar also tested positive for the disease. He had come in contact with power minister Sukh Ram Chaudhary, who had tested positive on Thursday.
West Bengal: The West Bengal government has decided to upload the health parameters of Covid-19 patients under treatment in state-run and private hospitals on the health department’s website, so that family members are able to know their condition, a senior official said.
Odisha: The total number of Covid-19 cases in Odisha crossed the 44,000-mark with 1,643 fresh infections, while the toll climbed to 259 as 12 more people succumbed to the disease. The coronavirus tally in the state now stands at 44,193.
Uttarakhand: The Uttarakhand government announced that it will impose a fine of Rs 200-Rs 500 on people who do not wear face masks in public places. Issuing the order while reviewing the Covid situation in the state, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said first time offenders should be fined Rs 200 and second time offenders Rs 500.
Meghalaya: Seventeen more people including three BSF personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 in Meghalaya, taking the state’s tally to 1,023, an official said. The fresh cases have pushed the total number of active Covid-19 cases to 594.
Telangana: Senior Congress leader Nandi Yellaiah died of Covid-19 at a hospital in Hyderabad, party sources said. Yellaiah (78) was admitted to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences on July 29.
Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal Pradesh’s coronavirus tally crossed the 2,000-mark as 101 more people, including 46 security personnel, tested positive for the disease.
Rajasthan: The Covid-19 death toll in Rajasthan rose to 776 after nine more people succumbed to the disease, while 499 fresh infections pushed the caseload to 50,65.
Puducherry: The Covid-19 toll in Puducherry mounted to 80 with five more people, including two women, succumbing to the viral infection. The Union territory also recorded 268 new cases, highest so far, taking the tally to 5,087.

World

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 721,902 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December. At least 19,419,370 cases of coronavirus have been registered in 196 countries and territories.
The United States has reported 58,173 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the total past 4.9 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. The country is expected to cross the 5 million thresholds in the coming days.
Face coverings are now a legal requirement across most indoor settings in England and Scotland from Saturday as part of the UK government’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19. Under the new rules, face masks or some form of face covering must now be worn in cinemas, museums, places of worship and aquariums besides public transport and shops and supermarkets, where it was already mandatory.
Mexico has posted 6,717 newly confirmed coronavirus cases, increasing the country’s accumulated total to 469,407. Officials also said that the number of confirmed Covid-19 deaths rose by 794 to a total of 51,311.
Six of the security personnel stationed at the residence of ruling Nepal Communist Party co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ have tested positive for coronavirus, according to a media report. The country has so far reported 22,592 coronavirus cases with 73 deaths.
Singapore has reported 132 new Covid-19 cases, including six imported ones in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s caseload to 54,929, the health ministry said. The vast majority of the new infections are work permit holders residing in foreign worker dormitories.
Pakistan’s coronavirus cases have reached 283,487 with 842 new cases in the last 24 hours while the death toll has climbed to 6,068, the health ministry said. Fourteen patients died in the last 24 hours. As many as 259,604 people have recovered across the country.
The Australian state of Victoria recorded 466 new cases of Covid-19 and 12 deaths, including another man in his 30s. The figures were released as the city of Melbourne remained in lockdown and under an overnight curfew.

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