Coronavirus highlights: Covid Test Mandatory For All International Passengers Landing At Mumbai Airport
The Maharashtra government has made RT-PCR test mandatory for all international passengers arriving at Mumbai airport.
The Maharashtra government has made RT-PCR test mandatory for all international passengers arriving at Mumbai airport. "If negative, people will be allowed to leave and stay under seven-day home quarantine. Those found positive will undergo institutional quarantine," the guidelines said.
The Karnataka government has decided to impose a weekend curfew from 10 pm on Friday to 5 am on Monday in view of rising Covid-19 cases, said minister R Ashoka. Schools in Bengaluru, apart from class 10 and 12, will be shut down for two weeks from January 6. Theaters, malls, pubs and bars will be allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity. No gatherings allowed at public places, the guidelines said.
Karnataka recorded 2,479 infections and four deaths on Tuesday. The spike in new cases was driven by Bengaluru Urban, which contributed 2,053 infections and three deaths.
For the first time, UK registered over 200,000 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, AFP reported. It is less than two weeks since the daily recorded total passed 100,000 for the first time. The number of cases over the past week is up 50.9%. However, only 48 deaths were registered.
Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has tested Covid-19 positive and has isolated himself at home. "After experiencing symptoms like mild fever and cold last night, I got myself tested and am Covid-19 positive. I would request every one who came in contact with me over the last 24 hours to take appropriate precautions and get themselves tested," Randeep Surjewala tweeted.
The Kerala government has decided to restrict the number of people who can attend marriages, funerals, political, social and cultural events in a closed room to 75. The Chief Minister's Office said the number of people who can attend such functions in open areas have been limited to 150. "The testing for symptomatic people who come from other countries will be strengthened. Currently, there are 181 Omicron cases in the state," the CMO release said.
West Bengal has registered highest-ever single day infection of 9,073 Covid-19 cases. Sixteen Covid-related deaths were recorded while 3,768 people recovered from the infection. Active cases stand at 25,475.
The Delhi government has directed all private hospitals and nursing homes with 50 beds or more to reserve at least 40 per cent of their total bed capacity for Covid patients. The positivity rate has exponentially increased from 2.44 per cent on December 31, 2021, to more than eight per cent on Tuesday, the government said in an order.
Mumbai reported 10,860 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, up by 34.37 per cent from yesterday. Two Covid-related deaths in Mumbai have taken the toll to 16,381, the BMC said. Meanwhile, schools for Classes 1 to 8 in Pune district will be shut till January 30. On Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced that schools for Classes 1 to 9 and 11 would remain shut in Mumbai till January 31.
The West Bengal government modified its Covid-19 guidelines on Tuesday and wrote to the Ministry of Civil Aviation informing it of the decision to allow domestic flights from Mumbai and Delhi thrice a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from January 5.
In the wake of a rise in coronavirus cases in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel orders ban on rallies, processions and other kinds of public events across the state. "In districts with a positivity rate of 4% or more all schools, anganwadi centers, libraries, swimming pools, malls, cinemas, marriage palaces, hotels, restaurants, auditoriums should be closed. Night curfew from 10 pm to 6 am should be implemented," a statement by the CMO said.
The Cordelia cruise ship with 66 Covid-19 infected passengers docked at Mumbai port in the evening. While six people disembarked in Goa, 60 people have returned to Mumbai. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said the 60 Covid positive passengers would be put under isolation at designated facilities.
"All other passengers will undergo RT-PCR test and will be allowed to disembark from the ship only after their Covid test results come. Passengers who test positive will be kept under isolation onboard Cordelia ship, their samples will be sent for genome sequencing. Passengers who test negative will undergo 7-day mandatory home quarantine," the BMC said.
Merck's anti-viral Covid-19 pill, molnupiravir, will cost Rs 35 per capsule, a Reuters report said. The pill will be launched by Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. The overall cost for a patient treated with a 5-day course of 40 capsules of the generic drug, to be sold under brand name 'Molflu', will come up to Rs 1,400, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday. The treatment in the United States costs $700.
Last week, India gave emergency use approval to molnupiravir. "Molflu is expected to be available from early next week in pharmacies throughout (India) with particular focus on states with high caseload of Covid-19," the company spokesperson said.
Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant on Tuesday said they have tested positive for Covid-19. More than 10 ministers and at least 20 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had said last week. On Monday, Maharashtra reported 12,160 new cases of Covid-19 and 11 casualties.
Delhi has registered 5,481 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths. Active cases stand at 14,889. The positivity rate has climbed to 8.37%. The Delhi government has imposed weekend curfew in view of rising Covid cases. Buses and metro trains in Delhi will run with 100% capacity to avoid crowding at stops and stations, the government said on Tuesday.
Even as Omicron continues to spread rapidly across the world, a new variant of Covid-19 has emerged in France recently. The B.1.640.2 variant, named IHU, was discovered by researchers at institute IHU Mediterranee Infection, Reuters reported. The B.1.640.2 variant contains 46 mutations – even more than Omicron. At least 12 cases of the new variant have been reported near Marseilles. All of them had travel history to the African country Cameroon.
The United States has set a global record of over 1 million daily Covid-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins data. The surging infections have led to canceled flights, closed schools and offices, overwhelmed hospitals, and strangled supply chains.
Delhi is expected to report 5500 COVID cases, with the positivity rate rising to 8.5%: Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain
Maharashtra: BMC says everyone onboard Cordelia cruise ship that is scheduled to reach Mumbai from Goa today evening, will undergo COVID tests. More than 66 people including crew members of the ship have been diagnosed with the disease.
Amid the rising number of Covid-19, Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde says he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Amid huge spike in Covid cases in the country, Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde says he has tested positive for COVID-19
Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde says he has tested positive for COVID-19
Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde says he has tested positive for COVID-19
Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde says he has tested positive for COVID-19
Trinamool Congress leader Babul Supriyo, his wife, father, and multiple staff have tested positive for the virus.
Former Saurashtra cricketer Ambapratasinhji Jadeja died of COVID-19 infection on Tuesday, the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) said.
He was 69.
"Everyone at Saurashtra Cricket Association are deeply saddened on the sad demise of Saurashtra's yesteryears' cricketer late Shri Ambapratapsinhji Jadeja. He passed away today early morning at Valsad fighting hard battle against Covid-19," the SCA said in a media statement issued here.
Hailing from Jamnagar, Jadeja was a prominent right-arm medium pacer and right-handed batsman. He played eight Ranji Trophy matches representing Saurashtra.
He was a retired DSP, Gujarat Police.
In a condolence message, former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said, Ambapratapsinhji was a remarkable player and I have interacted good cricketing moments with him. May his noble soul rest in the shelter of the Almighty.
COVID-19: AIIMS, Delhi cancels remaining part of winter vacation from January 5 to January 10; asks faculty members to join duty 'with immediate effect'
Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting begins in virtual format. The agenda of the meeting is to discuss the need for more curbs in view of the alarming spike in cases.
According to the DDMA-approved Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a positivity rate of more than five per cent for two consecutive days is one of the criteria to declare a 'red alert' which would mean a 'total curfew' in the capital.
The 'red alert' (Level 4) is the topmost level of restrictions including the closure of all nonessential shops, metro trains, government offices except those dealing with essential services, under four-stage Graded Response Action Plan approved by the DDMA.
Punjab Govt imposes night curfew in municipal areas with certain exceptions Bars, cinemas halls, malls, restaurants, spas to operate at 50% capacity subject to staff being fully vaccinated.
Cordelia Cruise sails back to Mumbai with all the passengers including those who have tested positive, only 6 seriously infected crew members are taking treatment in Goa
Covid outbreak was recorded on Cordelia Cruise Ship as out of 2000 people on board 66 were found covid positive on Monday.
Cordelia Cruise had to set sail to Goa from Mumbai on Sunday but was held back at Mormugaon Port after a staff on the cruise tested positive.
A total of 1,892 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far, out of which 766 have recovered or migrated, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Tuesday.
Maharashtra has recorded the maximum number of 568 cases, followed by Delhi (382), Kerala (185), Rajasthan (174), Gujarat (152), and Tamil Nadu (121).
India's Covid tally rose to 3,49,60,261 with 37,379 new cases, while the active cases increased to 1,71,830, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The death toll climbed to 4,82,017 with 124 more fatalities, the data showed.
The active cases comprise 0.49 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.13 per cent, the health ministry said.
India reports 37,379 fresh COVID cases, 11,007 recoveries, and 124 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Daily positivity rate: 3.24%
Active cases: 1,71,830
Total recoveries: 3,43,06,414
Death toll: 4,82,017
Total vaccination: 1,46,70,18,464
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West Bengal on Monday registered 6,078 new Covid-19 cases, 75 less than the previous day's figure, pushing the tally to 16,55,228, the health department said.
The death toll also went up to 19,794 after 13 more people succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, the department said in a bulletin. The state on Sunday had recorded eight Covid-19 fatalities.
Altogether 2,917 coronavirus patients have been discharged from various hospitals in the state. The discharge rate dipped slightly to 97.58 per cent from Sunday's 97.77 per cent.
The number of active cases is 20,186 now, 3,148 more than what it was on Sunday.
After the Covid positivity rate crossed more than 5% in the national capital, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has called an important meeting today. In the meeting, there will be a review of the current corona situation and rising Omicron cases, as well as a decision that can be taken regarding the next alert according to GRAP. Delhi Disaster Management Authority meeting will be held at 11 am.
Background
New Delhi: With a four-fold spike in daily Covid-19 caseload in the last six days, India on Tuesday reported as many as 33,750 fresh infections. States such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka and Kerala witnessed fresh spurt in Coronavirus cases despite high vaccination numbers.
Along with the spike in daily Covid cases, the active cases have also seen two-fold growth compared to last week. India's active caseload has now crossed the 1 lakh mark and currently stands at 1,45,583 after being just over 75,000 around 10 days ago.
India has seen a massive spike in the Covid cases fueled by the new Covid variant Omicron. However, the Delta variant still remains the dominant mutant of Coronavirus in India which has also contributed significantly to the surge.
Meanwhile, vaccination for children aged between 15 and 18 began amid the ongoing surge in infections on Monday. Over 40 lakh teens were vaccinated on the first day of the drive, as per the government's CoWin portal.
State-Wise Covid Tally
Maharashtra
Maharashtra reported 12,160 fresh coronavirus cases on Monday, 283 more than the previous day, and 11 new deaths, while the active tally crossed the 50,000-mark. According to state health department, Maharashtra's Covid-19 tally rose to 67,12,028, while the death toll increased to 1,41,553.
Meanwhile, the state also recorded 68 fresh cases of the new coronavirus variant Omicron in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of such infections to 578.
Of the 68 Omicron cases, 40 were from Mumbai, 14 from Pune city, four from Nagpur, three each from Pune rural and Panvel city, one each from Kolhapur, Navi Mumbai, Raigad and Satara.
Delhi
Delhi also recorded as many as 4,099 fresh Covid infections with positivity rate spiralling to 6.46 per cent. With today's sure, the capital city is now staring at a 'Red Alert' which might include complete curfew including restriction on movement of people during weekends.
DDMA will hold a crucial meeting on Tuesday to discuss the need for more curbs in view of the alarming spike in cases.
The latest genome sequencing report shows Omicron has been found in 81 per cent of the samples tested and the new variant of concern is the reason behind the surge in Coronavirus cases in the national capital.
Kerala
Meanwhile, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Monday informed that 29 more people have turned positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, taking the tally to 181.
The state also recorded 2,560 fresh COVID-19 cases and 71 deaths, taking the caseload to 52,45,849 and the toll to 48,184. Among the 14 districts, Thiruvananthapuram logged the highest with 583 fresh cases, followed by Ernakulam 410 and Kozhikode (271).
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu continued to witness an increase in fresh Coronavirus positive cases and on Monday the State recorded 1,728 new Coronavirus infections and 6 fatalities, taking the count to 27,52,856 and the death toll to 36,796.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has asked people to get fully vaccinated to prevent Covid-19 and its new variant Omicron from affecting them.
Karnataka
Witnessing a further surge in daily COVID-19 cases, Karnataka on Monday reported 1,290 fresh infections and 5 deaths, taking the count to 30,10,847 and the death toll to 38,351.
Of the new cases, 1,041 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 134 discharges and 3 deaths. The total number of active cases is now at 11,345.
(With inputs from agencies)
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