Coronavirus News Highlights: Karnataka reports 1,875 fresh infections, 25 deaths

India reported 41,831 new cases on Sunday, 541 deaths and 39,258 recoveries. For every single Covid-19 case reported in India, there were 30 cases that remained undetected or were missed, according to an analysis of ICMR's fourth sero-survey by independent epidemiologist Dr Chandrakant Lahariya.

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Covid-19: 1,875 fresh infections, 25 deaths in Karnataka (PTI)

Maharashtra sees 6,479 new Covid-19 cases, 157 deaths, 4,110 recoveries (PTI)

J&K reports 145 coronavirus cases, 1 death (PTI)

Delhi reports 85 Covid-19 cases, 1 death

The national capital Sunday reported 85coronavirus cases and one death, while the positivity rate stood at 0.12 per cent, according to data shared by the health department here.

With the newcases, the overall infection tally in the city climbs to 14,36,350. Of this, over 14.10 lakh patients have recovered from the disease.

(PTI)

36 new cases take Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally to 3,47,173

Jharkhand'sCovid-19 tally rose to 3,47,173 on Sunday as 36 more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.

The state's coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 5,128 as no fresh fatality was reported.

(PTI)

Fauci predicts US will not return to lockdowns despite Delta variant risks

President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday told ABC News he does not expect the United States will be returning to lockdowns, despite the growing risks ofCovid-19 infections posed by the Delta variant.

(Reuters)

Andhra Pradesh logs 2,287 new Covid-19 cases, 18 fatalities

The daily coronavirus count went up in Andhra Pradesh as 2,287 cases were reported afresh in 24 hours ending 9 AM on Sunday, taking the gross to 19,68,462.

The latest bulletin said 2,430 people got cured, pushing the total recoveries to 19,34,048.

(PTI)

Four children of deceased Covid warriors receive scholarship

Four children, whose parents had lost their lives while performingCovidduties, received a scholarship of up to Rs 2lakh each in the first list of beneficiaries announced under the 'Kritagnya Awards' programme.

Kritagnya is an initiative of Kauvery Hospital to recognise and honour the healthcare warriors from across the hospitals in Bengaluru.

(PTI)

20,728 fresh cases in Kerala, 56 deaths

Kerala recorded 20,728 freshCovid-19 cases on Sunday, pushing the infection caseload to 34,11,489, while 56 more deaths took the toll to 16,837. It is for the sixth day running that the state has recorded more than 20,000 fresh cases.

Since July 27 there have been 1,28,373 more infections in the state.

Sikkim reports 206 new Covid-19 cases, one more fatality (PTI)

Pfizer and Moderna raise prices for Covid-19 vaccines in EU

Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc have raised the prices of theirCovid-19 vaccines in their latest European Union supply contracts, the Financial Times reportedon Sunday.

The new price for the Pfizer shot was 19.50 euros ($23.15)against 15.50 euros previously, the newspaper said, citing portions of the contracts seen.

The price of a Moderna vaccine was $25.50 a dose, the contracts show, up from about 19 euros in the first procurement deal but lower than the previously agreed $28.50 because the order had grown, the report said, citing one official close to the matter.

(Reuters)

Chhattisgarh: Schools to reopen for Classes 10, 12 from Monday; parents say govt should have waited

Classes 10 and 12 of government-run and private schools in Chhattisgarh will reopen from Monday with 50 per cent attendance, for which the prerequisite is that theCovid-19 positivity rate of the district concerned should be one per cent for last seven days.

However, a state-level body of parents of school students has opposed the move saying the government should have waited for some more time before allowing the schools to reopen, in view of the possible third wave of the pandemic.

(PTI)

UK FM Sunak writes to PM Johnson to ease Covid travel curbs

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has reportedly written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for an urgent easing ofCovid-19 travel curbs to aid the revival of the country's economy.

(PTI)

Maharashtra govt committed to keeping economic cycle moving amid Covid-19 pandemic: CM Uddhav

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the state government was committed to ensuring that the economic and development cycle keeps moving despite theCovid-19 pandemic.

(PTI)

Chinese cities test millions as Covid cases surge

Chinese cities rolled out mass testing of millions of people and imposed fresh travel restrictions as health authorities battled Sunday to contain the country's most widespread coronavirus outbreak in months.

China on Sunday reported 75 new coronavirus cases with 53 local transmissions, with a cluster linked to an eastern airport now reported to have spread to over 20 cities and more than a dozen provinces.

(AFP)

Thai protesters demand PM resign amid surge in Covid cases

Anti-government protesters in Thailand took to the streets in cars and motorcycles on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha over his handling of the spread ofCovid-19, as the country struggles with its biggest outbreak to date.

(Reuters)

Tamil Nadu makes RT-PCR report or vaccine certificate mandatory for travellers from Kerala

The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday said it was mandatory for people coming from Kerala, to the state to carry a negative RT-PCR test report or vaccination certificate of twoCoviddoses from August 5, in the wake of aspike in infections in the neighbouring state.

Addressing reporters, Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian said, "From August 5, concerned district administrations have been directed to intensify surveillance and allow people from Kerala to enter the state if they possess an RT-PCR negativity certificate."

(PTI)

UK offers shopping vouchers, pizza discounts to boost youth Covid vaccinations

From shopping vouchers and pizza discounts to Uber reminders, the UK is planning a so-called “vouchers for vaccines” scheme to encourage greater uptake ofCovid-19 vaccines among the younger age groups of the country.

A number of ride-hailing and food delivery apps will be offering discounted travel and meals to people who get vaccinated, with offers including free lifts to vaccine centres and cheap meals for those already inoculated. Uber, Bolt, Deliveroo and Pizza Pilgrims are among the brands in the UK that are part of the government-backed scheme.

(PTI)

Odisha logs 1,437 new Covid-19 cases, 64 fatalities

Odisha’sCovid-19 caseload on Sunday surged to 9,78,705 after 1,437 more people tested positive for the infection while 64 fresh fatalities took the coastal state’s toll to 5,966, a health department official said.

Of the 1,437 cases, 832 were from quarantine centres and the rest detected during contact tracing. Khurda district, which encompasses state capital Bhubaneswar, reported 409 new cases, followed by Cuttack at 190 and Puri at 146.

According to the official, eight deaths each were recorded in Bhadrak, Cuttack and Khurda districts, seven each in Puri and Sundargarh, four in kendrapara, three each in Dhenkanal and Nayagarh.

(PTI)

Hackers shut down system for booking Covid-19 shots in Italy's Lazio region

Hackers have attacked and shut down the IT systems of the company that managesCovid-19 vaccination appointments for the Lazio region surrounding Rome, the regional government said on Sunday.

"A powerful hacker attack on the region's CED (database) is under way," the region said in a Facebook posting.

It said all systems had been deactivated, including those of the region's health portal and vaccination network, and warned the inoculation programme could suffer a delay.

(Reuters)

Sumatran tigers infected with coronavirus at Indonesian zoo

Two Sumatran tigers were recovering at a Jakarta zoo after being infected with coronavirus, Indonesian officials said Sunday, as they probed how the critically endangered animals got sick.

Nine-year-old Tino and 12-year-old Hari tested positive in mid-July after they experienced flu-like symptoms, trouble breathing and appetite loss.

(AFP)

Covid-19: Sri Lanka lifts inter-provincial travel ban

Sri Lanka on Sunday lifted its three-month-long inter-provincial travel ban, as the coronavirus vaccination drive picks up pace in the country.

However, the travel permission as of now will only be extended to government employees on official duty. While public buses resumed services on Sunday, public trains will resume services on Monday.

Officials said over-crowding in the services will be strictly prohibited.

(PTI)

Thailand extends stricter Covid-19 measures until end-August

Thailand on Sunday extended tighter containment measures in the capital and high-risk provinces until the end of August, government sources said, to slow the spread ofCovid-19 as the country deals with its biggest outbreak to date.

(Reuters)

Cos spending on Covid jabs for individuals except staff to be considered CSR activity

Companies spending funds on Covidvaccination for individuals other than employees and their families will be considered as a CSR expenditure. The corporate affairs ministry, which is implementing the Companies Act, 2013, has issued a clarification in this regard. In March 2020, the ministry had said that spending on Covid-19 would be considered as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity. (PTI)

Puducherry reported 90 fresh cases of coronavirus on Sunday, taking the total caseload to 1,21,005. No new fatality was reported from any of the four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam during last twenty-four hours. The fatalities thus remained 1,795. The new cases were identified at the end of examination of 4911 samples and were spread over Puducherry 78, Karaikal 6 Yanam and Mahe regions three cases each.

Boxers' rhythm affected by COVID lockdown

There will be greater focus on making Indian boxers mentally stronger for high-pressure events like the Olympics, Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh told PTI, ruling out any "knee jerk reactions" to the mixed bag of performances at the ongoing Games in Tokyo.

An unprecedented nine Indian boxers -- five men and four women -- made the cut for the shopwiece with Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) securing the lone medal, India's first in nine years, by advancing to the semifinals. (PTI)

Europe's vaccine passes reveal some pockets of resistance

Shouts of “Liberty!” have echoed through the streets and squares of Italy and France as thousands show their opposition to plans to require vaccination cards for normal social activities, such as dining indoors at restaurants, visiting museums or cheering in sports stadiums.

Leaders in both countries see the cards, dubbed the “Green Pass” in Italy and the “health pass” in France, as necessary to boost vaccination rates and persuade the undecided. (AP)

Arunachal Pradesh reported 266 fresh Covid-19 cases, which pushed the tally to 48,122, a senior health official said here on Sunday.

The Covid-19 death toll in the frontier state increased to 229 with three more persons, including two women, succumbing to the infection on Saturday, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. (PTI)

Ladakh recorded 10 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 20,338 while the active cases in the union territory stood at 56, officials said on Sunday.

Ladakh has registered 207 Covid-related deaths -- 149 in Leh and 58 in Kargil -- since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. A total of 20,075 patients have recovered till date. (PTI)

India, UK to conduct clinical trials of Ashwagandha for promoting recovery from Covid-19

The AYUSH Ministry has collaborated with UK's London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to conduct a study on Ashwagandha for promoting recovery from Covid-19.

The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH, and LSHTM recently signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct clinical trials of Ashwagandha on 2,000 people in three UK cities -- Leicester, Birmingham and London (Southall and Wembley), the ministry said in a statement.

India's death toll on Sunday climbed to 4.24 lakh

The death toll climbed to 4,24,351 with 541 daily fatalities.

Registering an increase for the fifth consecutive cases, the active cases have climbed to 4,10,952 and comprises 1.30 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.36 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Odisha reported 1,437 new cases, 64 deaths and 1,899 recoveries on July 31. Active caseload in the state rose to 15,858.

China on Sunday reported 75 new cases of Covid-19 on the mainland for July 31, up from 55 cases a day earlier, including new locally transmitted cases in eight provinces.

The wave is part of an expanding Covid-19 Delta variant outbreak in China that is becoming increasingly severe, following months of little to no locally transmitted cases. (Reuters)

Thane has reported 350 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,44,766, an official said on Sunday. Besides these new cases recorded on Saturday, eight more people also succumbed to the viral infection, which raised the death toll in the district to 11,035. (PTI)

US administers 345.6 mn doses of Covid-19 vaccines: CDC

The United States had administered 345,640,466 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country and distributed 400,675,525 doses as of Saturday morning, the USCenters for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The figures were up from the 344,928,514 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by July 30, out of 399,090,105 doses delivered. (Reuters)

Organisers report 18 new Games-related Covid-19 cases for total of 259 cases

Tokyo Olympics organisers on Sunday reported 18 new Games-related Covid-19 cases including one athlete, bringing the total Games-linked number since July 1 to 259. The government has extended a state of emergency. (PTI)

Florida breaks record with more than 21,000 new Covid cases

Florida has reported 21,683 new cases of Covid-19, the state's highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic, according to federal health data, as its theme park resorts again started asking visitors to wear masks indoors.

The state has become the new national epicentre for the virus, accounting for around a fifth of all new cases in the US as the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread. (AP)

Over 46.72 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India: Govt

(PTI)

For each Covid-19 case detected in India, 30 were missed or undetected: Virologist

(PTI)

Workers wear facemasks and face shield standing at entry of a multiplex after cinema theatres reopened with 50% occupancy as the Covid-19 coronavirus imposed lockdown eases further, in New Delhi on on July 30, 2021. Credit: AFP Photo

Reopening of schools in Karnataka doubtful from August first week due to rising Covid cases

Despite the recommendations from various experts' committees, including Dr Devi Shetty-led task force, on reopening of schools from the first week of August, the state government is forced to put its plans on hold in the backdrop of a sudden spurt in the daily Covid cases.

Read more

States give surveys a miss, slip up on Covid response

In 14 months, the rampaging SARS-CoV-2 has found its way to nearly two-thirds of Indians. But most of the states still have little clue on the volume of vulnerable population in the absence of granular data, since they didn’t care to conduct serosurveys which generate such information. And a few that had undertaken the exercise failed to continue it with regular periodicity.

Read more