Coronavirus LIVE: West Bengal Extends Covid Restrictions Till Aug 30, Night Curbs Relaxed

Coronavirus LIVE, August 12, Thursday: With at least 20 new cases of Covid's Delta Plus variant detected, the total number of patients in Maharashtra infected by it has shot up to 65.

Background

Coronavirus LIVE, August 12, Thursday:  With at least 20 new cases of Covid's Delta Plus variant detected, the total number of patients in the state infected by it has shot up to 65, health officials said on Wednesday.

Of the fresh cases, the maximum - seven - are from Mumbai, followed by three from Pune, two each from Palghar, Raigad, Nanded, and Gondia, and one each from Akola and Chandrapur districts.

Among the 65 total cases detected in the state to date, the highest 13 are from Jalgaon, 12 from Ratnagiri, 11 from Mumbai, six each in Thane and Pune, three in Palghar, two each in Raigad, Nanded, and Gondia, and one each from Sindhudurg, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Beed, Nandurbar, Akola, and Chandrapur.

The patients include 33 women and 32 men, and a whopping 33 cases - or nearly half - of those infected are in the 19-45 age group, while 17 are 46-60 years and seven in above-60 age group.

Kerala's Covid cases continue to rise and the state's daily surge is hovering over 20,000. On Wednesday, Kerala recorded 23,500 fresh COVID-19 cases, infection tally climbs to 36,10,193, death toll mounts to 18,120 with 116 new fatalities; active case count 1,75,957, as informed by the state's health bulletin.

Tamil Nadu, after witnessing a declining trend, reported a marginal increase in daily COVID-19 infections, as 1,964 cases pushed the caseload to 25,81,094, while 28 more people succumbed to the virus, aggregating to 34,395 overall, the health department said on Wednesday.

 

Recoveries were lower compared to new infections, with 1,917 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 25,26,317 leaving 20,382 active cases, a medical bulletin said. New infections in Tamil Nadu were on the declining trend after the state saw a marginal rise in the cases over the last few weeks.

 

16:34 PM (IST)  •  12 Aug 2021

Bengal Extends Covid Restrictions Till Aug 30, Night Curbs Relaxed

The COVID-related restrictions in West Bengal were extended till August 30 with relaxations in the curbs during the night hours, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Thursday. The restrictions, first imposed on May 16 amid the second wave of the pandemic and extended at regular intervals, were about to expire on August 15.

The chief minister announced that the night hours during which stringent restrictions are imposed will be reduced. "We have decided a few relaxations -- such as full lockdown during the night will now be from 11 pm to 5 am, instead of 9 pm to 5 am," she said.

15:43 PM (IST)  •  12 Aug 2021

Karnataka CM directs officials in border districts to be extra cautious

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Thursday asked officials in border districts to be extra cautious to check  COVID-19 pandemic. Bommai was here in this district headquarters town of Dakshina Kannada district (bordering Kerala) which has seen significant rise in coronavirus cases in recent days.

"I have come here to review the COVID-19 situation. Our objective is to completely control COVID-19 in the Dakshina Kannada district. There is a need to take extra precautionary measures in the border regions," he told reporters after inaugurating the new intensive care unit at the Wenlock Madison Government Hospital here.

The Chief Minister said he has directed officials to allow people coming from neighbouring states only after COVID tests. He also said that he would travel to other border districts.  Recently, he paid a visit to Mysuru followed by the ongoing one to Mangaluru and Udupi on Thursday.