Coronavirus India Updates: India’s Covid-19 Tally Nears 5.5 Lakh

India struggles to flatten its Covid-19 curve as the pace of transmission of the highly contagious pathogen continues to escalate in the world’s fourth-worst affected nation.

India added over 19,000 new cases of the novel virus, taking the total tally to 5,48,318 in the world’s second-most populous country, according to the Health Ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on June 29. This includes 16,475 deaths and 3,21,723 patients who have recovered.

India reported 19,459 fresh cases, 12,010 recoveries and 380 deaths in the 24 hours preceding the Health Ministry’s update. Fresh cases dropped marginally from the record hit on Sunday.

Despite an improved daily recovery rate of over 10,000 in eight of the past 10 days, the number of active cases in India now stands at 2,10,120.

Global Update

Deaths from the coronavirus surpassed 500,000 worldwide and confirmed cases exceeded 10 million as the World Health Organization reported the most infections for a single day. All indicators point to a pandemic that is far from over.

Texas is fast becoming the new center of the pandemic in the U.S. Almost three-quarters of Americans in a survey said the Trump administration wasn’t ready to deal with the outbreak when it started.

The Australian state of Victoria recorded 75 more infections, raising concerns of a second wave as the nation removes lockdown restrictions. Tokyo reported 60 more cases on Sunday, NHK said, the highest number since Japan lifted a state of emergency last month.

Track news and developments around the Covid-19 outbreak in India here.

The government on Monday night issued guidelines for the second phase of reopening activities that had been barred to contain the coronavirus spread in the country and said educational institutions, metro Rail services, cinema halls and gyms will continue to remain closed.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued detailed guidelines for "Unlock 2" that will be applicable from July 1 after the first phase ends on June 30.

Domestic and international (under the Vande Bharat mission) flights and passenger trains, already operational in a limited manner, will be further expanded in a calibrated manner, it said.

"Lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the containment zones till July 31. These zones are required to be carefully demarcated by the state, UT governments with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19, after taking into consideration the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," it said.

Source: PTI

Maharashtra government has further extended the lockdown in the entire state till the midnight of July 31, 2020, according to the order issued by the Chief Secretary.

“Concerned District Collectors and Commissioners of the Municipal Corporations in the state may enforce certain measures and necessary restrictions in specified local areas on the permitted non-essential activities and movement of persons to control Covid-19”, the government order said.

Delhi government has decided to start a ‘Plasma Bank’ in Delhi for the treatment of patients infected with the novel coronavirus, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said at a media briefing.

The 'Plasma Bank' will be set-up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Delhi, and will start operations within the next two days, he said.

Kejriwal added that “Anyone who needs plasma will need a recommendation from a doctor.”

He appealed to the people who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate their plasma for the treatment of patients currently suffering from the deadly infection.

(Source: ANI)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy holds meeting with medical experts, in view the spread of Covid-19 in the state.

As per the last bulletin, total number of positive cases in Tamil Nadu stands at 82,275 including 45,537 discharges, 35,656 active cases and 1,079 deaths.

(Source: ANI)

83,98,362 samples have been tested totally up to June 28, of which 1,70,560 samples were tested on Sunday, Indian Council of Medical Research said in a statement.

(Source: ANI)