Coronavirus LIVE: Govt Expresses Concern Over Rise In Covid Cases In 22 Districts Across 7 States
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Govt has expressed concern over rise in daily new Covid cases in 22 districts across seven states including Kerala, two in Maharashtra, and rest spread across the Northeast.
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Background
Coronavirus LIVE Updates, Wednesday 28 July: Even as the average daily new Covid-19 cases are declining consistently, the Centre expressed concern over 22 districts showing a rising trend in daily new cases in last four weeks along with an increase in number of districts reporting positivity rate of above 10%. Seven of these districts are in Kerala, and two in Maharashtra, with the rest spread across the Northeast.
Meanwhile, two Covid cases of UK strain and five cases of Delta strain have been reported in Darjeeling district. One (Delta strain) case in Kalimpong.
RAI urges Maharashtra govt to consider reopening of malls, shopping centres
Retailers Association of India (RAI) on Wednesday said the prolonged closures of malls in Maharashtra due to COVID-19 have 'impacted' around 2 lakh jobs and asked the state government to allow them to operate with necessary safeguards.
The closure has put the entire ecosystem that depends on the malls in "serious jeopardy" and is not only hurting businesses but also livelihoods of people working there, RAI said in a statement.
"The prolonged closures have impacted the estimated 50 malls in Maharashtra that employ more than 2 lakh people, generate a business of (around) Rs 40,000 crore and contribute Rs 4,000 crore in GST, per month," the retailers' body said.
RAI further said, "It has also afflicted all the businesses associated with malls -- on an average, a mall has 200 retail stores operating in it and over 5,000 business entities associated with it as suppliers and vendors. Restarting malls will help ensure the survival of this ecosystem."
Puducherry reports less than 100 daily cases
Puducherry reported 97 fresh cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours ending 10 am on Wednesday, taking the overall infection count to 1,20,627. The new cases were identified at the end of examination of 5635 samples and were spread over Puducherry 74, Karaikal 16, Yanam 2 and Mahe 5.
The active cases were 923 of whom 189 were in hospitals and the remaining 734 were in home isolation. While 96 patients recovered and were discharged from hospitals today the overall recoveries were 1,17,627.
The test positivity rate was 1.72 percent while fatality and recovery rates were 1.49 percent and 97.75 percent respectively, the Director of the Department of Health S Mohan Kumar said. On the vaccination front, 37,785 health care workers and 22,962 front line workers have been inoculated against the pandemic so far. He said 4.86 lakh people belonging to the senior citizens category or those above 45 years with co morbidities have been inoculated.
In all 6.86 lakh people including those who received the second dose of vaccination have been inoculated in the Union Territory. Meanwhile, the Health Department announced a three-day free vaccination drive from Thursday.
India recorded 43,654 Covid Cases and 640 deaths in last 24 hours
India reports 43,654 fresh COVID cases, 41,678 recoveries, and 640 deaths in the last 24 hours
Active cases: 3,99,436
Total recoveries: 3,06,63,147
Death toll: 4,22,022
Total vaccination: 44,61,56,659
Saudi To Impose 3-Year Travel Ban For Those Visiting "Red List" Countries
Saudi Arabia will impose a three-year travel ban on citizens travelling to countries on the kingdom's 'red list' under efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus and its new variants, state news agency SPA said on Tuesday.
It cited an unnamed interior ministry official as saying some Saudi citizens, who in May were allowed to travel abroad without prior permission from authorities for the first time since March 2020, had violated travel regulations.
"Anyone who is proven to be involved will be subject to legal accountability and heavy penalties upon their return, and will be banned from travel for three years," the official said.
Saudi Arabia has banned travel to or transit at a number of countries including Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
White House considering vaccine mandate for federal workers
The White House is strongly considering requiring federal employees to show proof they've been vaccinated against the coronavirus or otherwise submit to regular testing and wear a mask a potentially major shift in policy that reflects growing concerns about the spread of the more infectious delta variant.
The possible vaccine mandate for federal employees regardless of the rate of transmission in their area is one option under consideration by the Biden administration, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss deliberations that have yet to be made public. The White House is expected to announce its final decision after completing a policy review this week.
Bengal districts asked to strictly handle flouting of Covid norms
Amid the growing trend of people flouting the Covid-19 safety protocols set by the state government, West Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi on Tuesday directed all district magistrates to handle incidents of such violation "very strictly", official sources said. In a letter to the DMs, Dwivedi directed them to increase vigilance during the night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am to ensure that Covid-19 protocols are not flouted.
"As per the instructions of the chief secretary, district authorities must enhance the number of police personnel during the night curfew as well as CCTVs. District administrations can also utilise the services of the officials of the Enforcement Directorate," a source said.
Several hundred people have been arrested in the state for flouting the Covid-19 norms for partying and coming out at night unnecessarily. Dwidevi also asked them to keep a watch on hotels, restaurants and pubs to check whether or not Covid norms are being followed there.
Govt Expresses Concern Over Rise In Covid Cases In 22 Districts Across States
Even as the average daily new Covid-19 cases are declining consistently, the Centre expressed concern over 22 districts showing a rising trend in daily new cases in last four weeks along with an increase in number of districts reporting positivity rate of above 10%. Seven of these districts are in Kerala, and two in Maharashtra, with the rest spread across the Northeast.
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