Cinema halls to reopen in West Bengal from October 1, with limited occupancy: Mamata Banerjee
"To return to normalcy, Jatras, Plays, OATs, Cinemas & all musical, dance, recital & magic shows shall be allowed to function with 50 participants or less from 1 Oct, subject to adherence to physical distancing norms, wearing of masks & compliance to precautionary protocols," the Chief Minister said on Twitter.
Surge in Delhi Covid-19 cases seems to have plateaued: Satyendar Jain
"The overall case fatality rate on Friday was 1.95 per cent, so less than 2 per cent. It used to be 3.5 per cent and above earlier. Also, cases which were coming in excess of over 4,000 per day have come down over the past few days. So, the surge we saw in September seems to have plateaued, and it should see a rapid fall," Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.
China gives unproven Covid-19 vaccines to thousands, with risks unknown
The world still lacks a proven coronavirus vaccine, but that has not stopped Chinese officials from trying to inoculate tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of people outside the traditional testing process. Three vaccine candidates are being injected into workers whom the government considers essential, along with many others, including employees of the pharmaceutical firms themselves.
Covid-19 will take women 10 years back in workplace
Workplaces already tend to penalize women who choose to work fewer hours or need more flexibility, and that, too, is proving to be exacerbated in the pandemic.
Over 900 Covid-19 cases detected in private offices of Ahmedabad
As part of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) drive 67,845 tests were conducted in 7,810 offices, in which 966 persons have tested positive so far, said Rajiv Gupta, additional chief secretary and in-charge for Covid-19 management in the city.
Kerala adds over 7,000 new Covid-19 cases, 50,000 people under treatment
Kerala's daily Covid-19 graph continues to surge with 7,006 new cases being reported on Saturday, taking the infection count to 1,66,939 and over 50,000 people are presently under treatment, state Health Minister K K Shailaja said.
Tiny airborne particles may pose a big Covid-19 problem
People expel particles while coughing, sneezing, singing, shouting, talking and even breathing. But the drops come in a wide range of sizes, and scientists are trying to pin down how risky the various kinds are.
Where is United Nations in fight against Covid-19, asks PM Narendra Modi
Modi said that India would let the entire humanity benefit from its own vaccine production and delivery capability and would thus help the world come out from the pandemic. He also questioned how long India, the world's largest democracy, would be kept out of the UN Security Council.
Gujarat govt to not organise state Navratri festival due to Covid-19
However, the government has not yet clarified its stand on whether Navratri celebrations, marked by 'garba' dance, will be allowed to be organised by individuals. Representative image: Reuters Photo
Covid-19 death toll in West Bengal rises to 4,721 with 56 more fatalities; 3,181 fresh cases take tally to 2,44,240: State Health Department
Maharashtra reports 20,419 new Covid-19 cases, 23,644 recoveries & 430 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking total positive cases to 13,21,176 till date, including 2,69,119 active cases, 10,16,450 discharges & 35,191 deaths
Migrants from various states arrive at Thane Railway Station to reach their workplaces, amid thecoronaviruspandemic, in Thane, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. Credit: PTI Photo
Karnataka reported 8,811 new Covid-19 cases, 5,417 discharges & 86 deaths today. The total number of cases in the state now stands at 5,66,023 including 1,01,782 active cases, 4,55,719 discharges & 8,503 deaths.
Manish Sisodia's condition improves, likely to be shifted out of ICU: Official
He is currently undergoing treatment at Max hospital, Saket, where he was admitted on Thursday evening after a "falling" blood platelet count and low oxygen level.
A woman artisan carries the face-idol of Goddess Durga at a studio, ahead of Durga Puja festival, in Agartala, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. Idol making business is badly hit this year due to coronavirus pandemic. Credit: PTI Photo
Will Centre have Rs 80,000 crore to provide everyone in India a Covid-19 vaccine, asks Adar Poonawalla
“I ask this question, because we need to plan and guide, vaccine manufacturers both in India and overseas to service the needs of our country in terms of procurement and distribution,” said Poonawalla, who heads the world’s largest vaccine maker.
PM Modi pledges to use India's vaccine production capacity to help 'all humanity' fight coronavirus
"As the largest vaccine-producing country of the world, I want to give one more assurance to the global community today," Modi said in a pre-recorded speech to the UN General Assembly. "India's vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis."
Karnataka govt lowers rates of RT-PCR test in private labs; fixes rate of RT-PCR test for samples sent by govt at Rs 1,200 & up to Rs 1,600 for private samples (including cost of PPE kit).
Representative image: AFP Photo
191 police personnel tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking total cases to 22,460 in the force including 19,022 recoveries, 3,199 active cases and 239 deaths: Maharashtra Police
India's total Covid-19 recoveries reach over 48.4 lakh with 93,420 cured in a day; recovery rate at 82.14%
With the recovery rate rising to 82.14 per cent, the ministry said India has maintained its top global ranking in total recoveries with such high successive single-day numbers.
Woman NCC cadets practice firing at a camp in Jammu, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. The 10-day camp is the first this year amid coronavirus driven lockdown across the country. Credit: PTI Photo
10 states, UTs account for 75% of new Covid-19 cases, total tests cross 7 crore: Centre
The 10 states and Union Territories from where 75 per cent of the new cases have been reported are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
Maharashtra continues to top this list by accounting for more than 17,000 cases. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh reported more than 8,000 and 7,000 cases respectively, the ministry said.
IISc-incubated startup develops Covid-19 diagnostic kit
The test kit, based on Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), the gold standard for Covid-19 diagnosis, has been approved for use in authorised Covid-19 diagnostic labs by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), according Bengaluru-based IISc.
India's Covid-19 testing capacity crosses 14 lakh tests per day; over 7 crore tests conducted in the country till date
India’s tally breaches 59-lakh mark with over 85,000 fresh infections
83% new Covid-19 cases reported from 10 states and UTs. Maharashtra in the lead, Karnataka follows closely.
Tripura reports 278 new Covid-19 cases, tally at 24,408
At least 278 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Tripura on Saturday, pushing the coronavirus tally in the state to 24,408, a health department official said.
Read more
Desk shortage amid Covid-19 forces people to get creative about workspaces
First it was toilet paper. Disinfectant wipes. Beans. Coins. Computers. Now, desks are in short supply because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more
Places of worship to reopen in Meghalaya from October 1
The Meghalaya government has decided to reopen all places of worship from October 1, after a gap of more than six months, and issued necessary guidelines to ensure the safety of one and all at the shrines, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Saturday.
Read more
1,457 fresh Covid-19 cases were detected in the state yesterday. The total count of active cases in Bihar is 14,963: Bihar Health Department
According to the Ministry of Health, 23 States/UTs are reporting deaths per million lower than the national average (68).
Thane's Covid-19 tally crosses 1.67 lakh with 1,670 new cases
The coronavirus tally in Thane district of Maharashtra has reached 1,67,013 with the addition of 1,670 cases, an official said on Saturday.
Read more
Odisha records 4,356 fresh Covid-19 cases, 16 deaths
Odisha on Saturday registered its highest single-day spike of 4,356 Covid-19 cases, which took the tally to 2,05,452, while 16 fresh fatalities pushed the death toll in the coastal state to 783, a senior health department official said.
Read more
Tripura's Covid-19 tally rises to 24,408 with 278 new cases; death toll reaches 265 after three more people succumb to the disease, according to PTI.
Six more die of coronavirus in Puducherry, toll touches 500
Six more people, including an 89-year old woman, succumbed to Covid-19 in Puducherry on Saturday taking the toll to 500.
Read more
Coronavirus Worldometer | 15 countries with the highest number of cases, deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic
This data from Worldometer lists the countries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
I express my gratitude for the way in which India worked for other countries during the Covid-19 pandemic: Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa
Arunachal Pradesh records 253 new Covid-19 cases, tally at 8,671
Arunachal Pradesh's Covid-19 tally rose to 8,671 as 253 more people, including 45 security personnel and five health care workers have tested positive for the virus, a senior health department official said on Saturday.
Read more
Ladakh records 56 new Covid-19 cases, tally at 4,025
Ladakh has registered 56 new coronavirus cases and two more fatalities, taking the infection tally to 4,025 and death toll to 56 in the Union Territory, officials said on Saturday.
Read more
Protest at Chinmaya Mission Hospital in Bengaluru disrupts Covid-19 services
A staff protest at the Chinmaya Mission Hospital (CMH) on Saturday morning has disrupted the admittance of new Covid-19 patients.
The hospital has 84 beds set aside for Covid-19 patients, according to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). “We have 80+ Covid-19 patients currently at the hospital. Those who are set to be discharged will go, but the admittance of new new Covid-19 patients is something that is still up in the air,” said the former DG&IG of Police, Gopal Hosur, CEO of the Hospital.
Read more
BBMP drags its feet on inspecting Covid-19 hospitals over rule violations
The BBMP is way behind authorities in other districts in inspecting Covid care facilities as mandated by the apex court and the state expert committee.
And this is despite the fact that just 19 hospitals — eight government and 11 private ones — accounted for 80% of Covid-19 deaths in Bengaluru, asreflected in the BBMP’s own data submitted to the chief secretary.
Read more
Won't forget coronavirus came from China, says Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump has vowed to end his country's reliance on China once and for all if voted to power, expressing disappointment that the post-coronavirus relationship with Beijing does not mean the "same" to him as he would not forget the vi...
Read more
More than 93 thousand recoveries registered in the last 24 hours.
Mitsubishi Motors to cut 500-600 jobs to reduce costs
Mitsubishi Motors Corp will seek voluntary retirement from 500 to 600 employees, mostly in management, in Japan from mid-November to cut costs, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday.
The auto company is expected to post a net loss of 360 billion yen in the financial year to March 2021, hurt by a plunge in sales due in part to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more
India registers 85,362 new Covid-19 infections, tally sprints past 59-lakh mark
India's Covid-19 tally sprinted past 59 lakh on Saturday with 85,362 fresh cases being recorded in a day, while 93,420 people recuperated from the disease during the same period taking total recoveries to over 48 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
Read more
Pregnant women queue to test for the novel coronavirus, in Mumbai. Credit: AFP Photo.
Arunachal Pradesh's Covid-19 tally rises to 8,671 as 253 more people, including 45 security personnel and five health care workers, test positive for the disease, according to PTI.
China suspends seafood imports from 2 Russian vessels for a month amid Covid-19 fears
China will stop accepting import declarations from two Russian vessels for four weeks, after the coronavirus was detected on the outer packaging and samples of Russian aquatic products.
Read more
According to the Ministry of Health, India has recorded more than 4 lakh eSanjeevani doctor-to-patient tele-consultations.
eSanjeevani MobileApp has provided essential medical care to the beneficiaries throughtout the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling physical distancing.
Japan is paying firms to make things at home. But China’s pull is still strong.
Until July, Japanese household goods company Iris Ohyama had always made its line of masks at its two factories in China. But early this year, as the coronavirus was spreading around the world, Japanese authorities approached the company with an urgent problem.
In China, the government had locked down factories that produce most of the planet’s masks and commandeered supplies. With global demand soaring, stocks in Japan were dangerously low.
Read more
French Open: Fewer fans, plenty of rain, 'dangerous' balls
The French Open should have been staged in May-June but was pushed back four months to avoid the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. However, with cases on the rise again, the French government has insisted a maximum of 1,000 fans a day be allowed into the Roland Garros grounds.
Read more
Telangana records 2,239 new Covid-19 cases, 11 deaths
Telangana recorded 2,239 new Covid-19 cases and 11 related deaths, taking the tally of infections in the state to 1.83 lakh. The toll rose to 1,091 with 11 more people succumbing to the virus.
Read more
In this photo released by the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 64th crew members, from left, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergey Ryzhikov and USastronaut Kathleen Rubins wearing face masks to protect againstcoronaviruspose during their final preflight practical examination in a mock-up of a Soyuz space craft at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, outside Moscow, Russia. Credit: AP Photo
PM Modito address United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)General Debate themed 'The future we want, the UNwe need, reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism - confronting Covid-19through effective multilateral action,' marking 75th anniversary celebrations of the forum.
USDA funds $1 million research project studying Covid-19 in US beef supply chain
The USDepartment of Agriculture is funding a $1 million research project to identify how the virus that causes Covid-19 might be transmitted in the nation's beef supply chain, from cattle on the farm to the packages of meat inside a person's refrigerator.
Read more
History will be severe judge, says Australia PM Scott Morrison on nations not sharing Covid-19 vaccine
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday insisted that any nation that develops a Covid-19 vaccine share it universally, warning that history will be a "severe judge" if not.
Read more
India's Covid-19 case tally crosses 59-lakh mark with a spike of 85,362 new cases & 1,089 deaths in last 24 hours.
The total case tally stands at 59,03,933 including 9,60,969 active cases, 48,49,585 cured/discharged/migrated & 93,379 deaths: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Rise in coronavirus cases adds to economic uncertainty ahead of US election
With Covid-19 deaths in the UStopping 200,000 this week following a rise in new daily cases last week for the first time in eight weeks, the role of the economy in the looming presidential election could take on heightened importance -- but it is not clear how.
At least 7,02,69,975 samples have been tested up to September 25 for Covid-19. Of these, 13,41,535 samples were tested yesterday, saysIndian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Japan PM Yoshihide Suga 'determined' to hold Olympics despite Covid-19 pandemic
Japan is "determined" to host the postponed Olympic Games in 2021 despite the coronavirus pandemic, the country's newly elected prime minister told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.
Read more
How do children fight off the coronavirus?
Why the coronavirus affects children much less severely than adults has become an enduring mystery of the pandemic. The vast majority of children do not get sick; when they do, they usually recover.
Read more
Trump's power grab and the peaceful transfer of power
Trump, in the fog of a pandemic, has opted for chaos. If he can generate enough, he figures, the election results can be disputed, and a post-Ginsburg Supreme Court will hand him victory. “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged,” he says.
Read more
Global Covid-19 death toll could hit 20 lakh before vaccine in wide use: WHO
The global death toll from Covid-19 could double to 20 lakh before a successful vaccine is widely used and could be even higher without concerted action to curb the pandemic, an official at the World Health Organization said on Friday.
Read more
Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths on September 26
Total number of confirmed positive cases in India reaches 58,98,179; death toll stands at 93,308 as of September 26
Read more
A health worker wearing a personal protective equipment (PPE) suit prepares to collect swab samples from people to test for the Covid-19coronavirus, inside a single screen cinema hall building, as a poster of a Bengali cinema movie is seen pasted on the wall, in Kolkata. Credit: AFP
BBMP drags its feet on inspecting Covid-19 hospitals over rule violations
The BBMP is way behind authorities in other districts in inspecting Covid care facilities as mandated by the apex court and the state expert committee.
Read more
Karnataka HC reaches out to state over antigen tests
The High Court of Karnataka on Friday sought the state government’s assistance to conduct Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) at the court premises to allow witnesses and accused (on bail) to enter the courts.
Read more
Ajay Modi, a tour operator who converted his office in a dry snacks shop to support his travel agency and staff facing economical difficulties due to restrictions taken against the Covid-19coronaviruspandemic, poses in front of his office turned into a store in Ahmedabad. Credit: AFP
Approximately 900 people to be tested for Covid-19 ahead of Odisha polls
Around 900 people including MLAs of the State Assembly will be tested for Covid-19, during the next three days starting from tomorrow: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Prem Chandra Choudhary
Good Morning and welcome to DH's live coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.
For previous updates of the Covid-19 pandemic, click here.