Coronavirus in Odisha LIVE Updates: State’s COVID-19 tally crosses 29,000, death toll rises to 159

Odisha’s COVID-19 tally surpassed 29,000 on Wednesday after another 1,068 people tested positive for the virus, while the death toll rose to 159 with five more patients succumbing to the disease, a health department official said. The total number of coronavirus patients in Odisha now stands at 29,175, he said. The five deaths, including three women, were reported from Ganjam, Balasore, Kandhamal, Malkangiri and Puri. A two-year-old girl from Bhadrak district also died but the cause of her death was congenital heart disease with cardiac failure, the official said. Of the fresh cases, 662 were detected at quarantine centres and the rest 406 were found through contact-tracing, he said. Ganjam, the worst-hit district, reported the highest 245 new cases, followed by Khurda (194), Sundargarh (112), Gajapati (88), Koraput (66) and Cuttack (61). So far, 18,061 people have recovered, leaving 10,919 active cases, the official said. Of the total fatalities, Ganjam district accounted for the highest 86 deaths, while 19 patients succumbed to the disease in Khurda and 11 in Cuttack.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: COVID-19 patient survives rare complication during childbirth

A 20-year-old COVID-19 patient survived a rare life-threatening complication while delivering her baby at state-run Sassoon General Hospital here, doctors said on Wednesday. After giving birth to a baby boy, the woman suffered from “uterus inversion” a rare life-threatening complication during childbirth in which the uterus turns inside out, a senior doctor from the hospital said. “The patient, who was 38-week pregnant, was admitted to the hospital on July 23. On admission, her vitals were good and her COVID-19 antigen test came out negative so her swabs were sent for RT-PCR test,” he said. On the same day, the woman delivered a baby boy and soon after the delivery, her uterus suffered an inversion, the doctor said. “Due to vigilant and quick diagnosis and manual reposition of the uterus, major complications of uterine inversion such as neurogenic and haemorrhagic shock and severe blood loss could be prevented,” he said.

Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE Updates: Doctor stabbed by son of dead COVID-19 patient in Latur

A doctor was allegedly assaulted on Wednesday by the son of a COVID-19 patient who died at a hospital in Latur city in Maharashtra. The incident took place around 7 am at Alpha Superspeciality Hospital here, the police said. The 35-year-old assailant — name not disclosed — was a resident of Udgir, the police said. His 60-year-old mother had been admitted to the hospital on July 25 after she tested positive for coronavirus, said a police officer. The woman, who was also suffering from co-morbidities existing chronic ailments — died early Wednesday morning. When Dr Dinesh Varma, who had earlier spoken to her relatives about her serious condition, arrived at the hospital, her son and three other relatives had a heated argument with him over the woman’s death. The son suddenly picked up a sharp weapon and stabbed Varma in the chest, neck and on the hand, the official said.

Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE Updates: Nagpur adds 305 cases; 11 deaths reported

Nagpur district on Wednesday reported 305 new coronavirus cases – highest one-day spike – taking its tally to 4,792, while 11 more deaths pushed up the toll above the 100-mark,  the local administration said. Also, 379 patients were discharged from hospitals – highest in a day so far – raising the count of recoveries to 3,069, said a District Information Office release here. The number of active coronavirus cases stood at 1,616 in the eastern Maharashtra district, it said. Eleven more patients died – highest fatalities in a day – taking the toll to 107, the release added.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: MHA allows gyms to open; schools, cinema halls to remain shut until under Unlock 3

The Ministry of Home Affairs in its latest ‘Unlock 3’ guidelines — aimed at continuing some restrictions on people movement while easing curbs on others — has allowed gymnasiums and yoga institutes to open from August 5. Besides, all other activities — with the exception of metro rail, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places as well as social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large congregations — will be allowed. “Dates for opening of these (metro rails, cinema halls, etc) will be decided separately, based on the assessment of the situation,” the MHA said.

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EU buys Remdesivir to treat 30,000 COVID patients, seeks more

The European Union’s executive said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy a limited supply of the COVID-19 medicine Remdesivir from U.S. drugmaker Gilead to address the short-term needs of European patients, and hoped to be able to order more later.

The anti-viral is the only drug so far authorised in the EU to treat patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19, but nearly all available supplies have already been bought by the United States.

The EU Commission has agreed to pay 63 million euros ($74 million) to buy enough doses to treat about 30,000 patients, it said in a statement.

The United States signed a deal with Gilead in June for more than 500,000 courses of treatment, which accounts for most of the company’s output through September.

5,503 new COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, 92 deaths

Karnataka on Wednesday reported 5,503 new cases of COVID-19 and 92 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 1,12,504 and the death toll to 2,147, the health department said.

The day also saw 2,397 patients getting discharged after recovery. 

Out of 5,503 fresh cases reported today, a whopping 2,270 cases were from Bengaluru urban alone.

 This is the sixth consecutive day that the state is reporting over 5,000 fresh cases. 

As of July 29 evening, cumulatively 1,12,504 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 2,147 deaths and 42,901 discharges, the health department said in its bulletin. 

Roche bid to retool arthritis drug for COVID-19 fails

Roche’s attempt to retool its rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra/RoActemra to treat patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19-related pneumonia has failed in a late-stage trial, the Swiss company said on Wednesday.

Roche launched the 330-patient trial in March as it joined other pharmaceutical companies seeking to re-purpose existing medicines to fight the pandemic.

The “COVACTA trial did not meet its primary end-point of improved clinical status in patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia, or the key secondary end-point of reduced patient mortality,” Roche said.

1,035 new COVID-19 cases take Delhi’s tally to 1,33,310; death toll mounts to 3,907

Delhi recorded 1,035 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the tally in the city to over 1.33 lakh, while the death toll from the disease climbed to 3,907, authorities said.

On Monday, the daily cases count had dipped to 613, the lowest in two months. It was 1,056 on Tuesday. Twenty-six more fatalities have been recorded in the city, the Delhi Health department bulletin said on Wednesday. 

The death toll due has risen to 3,907, and the total number of cases stands at 1,33,310, it said. 

The number of active cases is 10,770, down from 10,887 the previous day.

On June 23, the national capital had reported its highest single-day spike of 3,947 new cases.

Emerging evidence suggests smoking increases risk of COVID-19 infection: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said emerging evidence suggests that smoking increases risk of contracting COVID-19 as well as worsens the outcome in people infected with the virus.

Speaking at the release of an e-book on tackling substance abuse and behavioral addiction in the country, Vardhan said alcohol intoxication can also increase the risk of infection and have other effects, including a reduction of immunity.

Similar effects can be anticipated with other drugs as well, he added.

Vardhan elaborated on the “emerging evidence that smoking increases risk of COVID-19 as well as worsens the outcome in people who get infected with the virus. Alcohol intoxication can also increase the risk and the other effects including a reduction of immunity can increase the risk,” according to a statement by the Health Ministry.

He also highlighted the harmful association of substance use with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as well as mental health.

On the importance of addressing challenges to addiction in the times of COVID-19, he cautioned that the World Drug Report 2020 “suggests that COVID-19 can have other fallouts just like earlier economic crises have caused — users seeking out cheaper synthetic substances, a shift to more injecting, economic downturn causing the poor and disadvantaged to turn to drug use and suffer its consequences.”

Coronavirus in UK LIVE Updates: UK strikes pact for 60 million doses of COVID-19 experimental vaccine

The UK government on Wednesday announced an early access agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi Pasteur for an estimated 60 million doses of an experimental new vaccine being tested to combat COVID-19. The agreement with Britain’s GSK and France’s Sanofi, which combined have among the largest vaccine manufacturing capabilities in the world, will supply the UK with 60 million doses of their vaccine based on existing DNA-based technology used to produce Sanofi’s flu vaccine. While it remains uncertain as to which, if any, of the anti-coronavirus vaccines under various stages of development around the world will ultimately work, the British government said the latest deal helps grow the country’s portfolio of vaccine candidates and adds to previous agreements. “Our scientists and researchers are racing to find a safe and effective vaccine at a speed and scale never seen before. While this progress is truly remarkable, the fact remains that there are no guarantees,” said UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Moderna’s vaccine protects monkeys against COVID-19, study finds

US biotechnology company Moderna’s experimental vaccine to prevent COVID-19 induced robust immune response and rapidly controlled the novel coronavirus in the upper and lower airways of monkeys exposed to SARS-CoV-2, according to a study published on Tuesday. The candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, was co-developed by scientists at Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in the US. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, complements recently reported interim results from an NIAID-sponsored Phase 1 clinical trial of mRNA-1273. On Monday clinics around the US began a Phase 3 trial of the vaccine candidate, with the aim of enrolling 30,000 people to test for safety and effectiveness. In the latest study, three groups of eight rhesus macaques received two injections of 10 or 100 microgrammes of mRNA-1273 or a placebo. Injections were spaced 28 days apart.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Health ministry asks DGCI to ensure equitable distribution of Remdesivir, Tocilizumab drugs

The Union health ministry has asked the Drugs Controller General of India to ensure equitable distribution of Remdesivir and Tocilizumab drugs, which have been included as “investigational therapies” in the national treatment protocols for COVID-19, across the country. The aim is to ensure that their availability is not skewed and does not remain confined to metropolitan areas, an official said. The ministry has shot off a letter to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), asking it to ascertain how many states and Union territories (UTs) have been covered and which of them are left, as far as the availability and distribution of these drugs by the respective companies is concerned. “I am directed to say that apart from availability, the geographical distribution/reach of the drugs included as part of investigational therapies in Clinical Management Protocols for COVID-19, namely Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, may also be monitored. “This ministry may kindly be apprised as to how many states and UTs have been covered and which of the states and UTs, if any, are left as far as the availability and distribution of these drugs by the respective companies is concerned,” the letter dated July 27 said.

Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE Updates: CM Uddhav Thackeray to visit Pune to review COVID-19 situation

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will visit Pune on Thursday to take stock of the coronavirus situation in the district, officials said. This will be Thackeray’s first visit to Pune ever since the coronavirus outbreak began. “The chief minister will visit Pune and take a review of the district’s COVID-19 response,” an official from the district administration said on Wednesday. Pune district so far has reported over 74,000 COVID-19 cases and 1,792 deaths, officials said.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: COVID-positive woman gives birth to healthy twins in Meghalaya

A COVID-positive woman gave birth to healthy twins at a hospital in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district, officials said on Wednesday. The baby girls and their mother are doing well, they said. “The woman was admitted to the Jowai Civil Hospital on Sunday around 4 am and delivered the twins later that day,” its superintendent Rita Pohrmen said. The woman had comorbidities and she was tested for COVID-19, the report of which came in as positive on Tuesday, she said. As the report came in as positive, all the newborns and their mothers at the maternity ward have been shifted to the MCH Hospital in Jowai and all of them will be tested for COVID-19 as per the protocols. The twin babies are at present under observations. A team of doctors, nurses and other staff posted at the ward are also undergoing quarantine, Pohrmen said. The hospital authorities have also shut down the outpatient department. Indoor patient care services will remain in operation, she said. Two more armed forces personnel have also tested positive in Meghalaya, officials said. Another person who returned to the state has also been diagnosed with COVID-19, they said.

Coronavirus in Odisha News LIVE Updates: 71% returnees not ready to migrate from Odisha even if given regular employment, says survey

Around 71 per cent of the migrants who have returned to Odisha from across the country due to the global virus pandemic are not interested to migrate elsewhere if they find stable employment opportunities in the state, a study has said. The study, involving a telephonic survey, was conducted in four western Odisha districts of Sambalpur, Bolangir, Deogarh and Bargarh. As many as 227 migrant returnees – 88 from Bargarh, 75 from Sambalpur, 35 from Bolangir and 29 from Deoagrh – were interviewed as part of the survey. The study on migrant labourers, “Perception of returnee migrants on COVID-19 and its impact on social and migratory status”, was conducted by the Centre of Excellence Regional Development and Tribal Studies of Sambalpur University. It was found that the people from the four districts of western Odisha migrate primarily for employment as they are unable to get stable jobs within the state, said Prof Arun Kumar Acharya. During the study it was found that the workers would not migrate if constant employment opportunities are created in the region, he said. “There is an adequate scope for the government to create employment opportunities for the unemployed in the state,” he said.

Coronavirus in Karnataka LIVE Updates: Hospital charges COVID-19 patient Rs 5 lakh

Taking exception to a private hospital for allegedly charging a coronavirus patient Rs 5 lakh, Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday said he would take stringent action against the hospital. Dr Sudhakar, in-charge of COVID-19 management in the state, posted the bill of Apollo Hospitals on his Twitter handle and said the hospital has allegedly been overlooking the government guidelines and warnings. “I have come to know that the patients are suffering a lot at the Apollo Hospitals. I have warned it several times…” he said. The government has fixed a cap of Rs 5,000-Rs 15,000 a day to charge the COVID-19 patients willing to undergo treatment in the private hospitals. When contacted, Apollo Hospitals said, “There was some communication error with the Minister. Our management has briefed him.” The billing has been done as per the insurance tariff, an executive of the hospital told PTI. He said the 64-year-old patient was admitted to the intensive care unit on July 3 and he continued to remain there.

Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates: Another BJP minister in MP tests positive for COVID-19

One more minister in Madhya Pradesh has tested coronavirus positive, becoming the third member of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s council of ministers, apart from the chief minister himself, to contract the infection. Minister of State (Independent charge) for Backward Class and Minority Welfare of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ramkhelawan Patel is the latest one to test positive. In a message to people, Patel said, “I got myself, my family and other staff members tested for coronavirus and my report is found to be positive.” The minister is in the MLA Rest House at present and will be shifted to a private hospital soon. Patel said that one of his drivers has also tested positive while the report of others is negative. Before Patel, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his two ministerial colleagues have tested positive for the deadly infection. Chouhan had shared the information about his infection early on Saturday. A few days before that, state Cooperatives minister, Arvind Singh Bhadoria, had also tested positive. On Tuesday night, Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silawat and his wife were found infected with coronavirus.

Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu LIVE Updates: TN Governor in self-isolation as Raj Bhavan staff test positive

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has decided to isolate himself for seven days on medical advice after three Raj Bhavan staffers here tested positive for coronavirus. In a statement issued here, Raj Bhavan said three out of 38 persons who were tested for coronavirus infection turned positive. The three persons have been shifted to hospital for treatment. According to the statement, on Tuesday the Raj Bhavan Medical Officer carried out regular health check-up of Purohit and found him fit and healthy. However, the doctor has advised him for seven days’ isolation and Purohit has decided to keep himself isolated. On July 23, 84 persons including security and fire service personnel posted at the Raj Bhavan tested positive for coronavirus and have been quarantined. Raj Bhavan said that 147 persons were tested for coronavirus as some persons working there had shown symptoms of infection. None of the infected persons had come in contact with Purohit or other senior officials, the statement said.

Coronavirus in West Bengal LIVE Updates: Kolkata Municipal Corporation to conduct rapid antigen tests

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will conduct rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 suspects in all its boroughs from Thursday, an official of the civic body’s health department said. KMC’s facilities are capable of conducting at least 10 swab samples at one go and the results of the rapid antigen tests will be available within 30 minutes, he said. The tests will be conducted in all the 16 boroughs of KMC which will help around 8,000 inhabitants there to take the tests to be done under the supervision of the ward coordinators, the official said. “We will start conducting the coronavirus tests in all boroughs. Tomorrow tests will be conducted in ward number 82 parts of Chetla). There are 10 wards in each borough and in every ward there will be 50 kits to conduct the random tests,” he said. 

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: 222 fresh cases take Tripura’s COVID-19 tally to 4,288; death toll reaches 21

Tripura has reported 222 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the state’s tally to 4,288, while the death toll reached 21 as four more patients have succumbed to the disease, officials said on Wednesday. Four men died of COVID-19 while undergoing treatment at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC), they said. “An 80-year-old man from Belonia in South Tripura district, who was suffering from tuberculosis, has succumbed to COVID-19, while a 53-year old man from Bodhjumgnagar in West Tripura also died. He was a diabetes patient and had kidney-related problems,” the officials said. Two more men from Agartala also died of the coronavirus infection, they said. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in a tweet on Tuesday night said, “Alert ~222 people found COVID-19 positive out of 6, 196 samples tested…Unfortunately, 4 COVID-19 positive patients died today.” West Tripura district reported 76, Sepahijala 26, Gomati 39, Khowai 21, North Tripura 22, Dhalai 12, South Tripura district, 21and Unakoti five, the officials said.

Amid surging COVID-19 cases, lockdown continues in Kerala capital but curbs eased

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the district administration has decided to continue with the lockdown but decided to ease certain curbs implemented in the city corporation to ensure livelihood and revive normal day-to-day activities. The city was under ‘triple lockdown’ since July 5 following a spike in the number of coronavirus cases and patients through contacts. Two coastal regions in the district were declared as containment zones earlier this month after authorities confirmed the community spread of the virus.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: 95 not out versus COVID-19

Maan Kunwar, from the historic city of Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, was initially scared to see doctors in protective gear around her and even called one of them “betaal”, a ghost, but then she overcame her fears to defeat the coronavirus. At 95, she is being hailed as the “Rani of Jhansi” because of her indomitable spirit, and the staff of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College now don’t mind her initial outburst. They say patients take time to adapt to the hospital environment at that age. Dr Anshul Jain, the superintendent in-charge of the COVID hospital, said Kunwar was worried initially, as it was her first visit to the hospital, but she adapted well. Junior doctors made her talk with her family members on the phone also arranged video calls.

Coornavirus News LIVE Updates: Bihar extends lockdown for 16 days, says report

Lockdown extended in Bihar for a period of 16 days effective from August 1 in the wake of the COVID-19, according to a CNN-News18 report.

Coronavirus News LIVE updates: Pondy records highest single-day spike of 166 new cases

Puducherry registered 166 fresh cases of coronavirus, highest single day spurt on Wednesday, taking the tally of infections in the union territory to 3,171. Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release that 166 fresh cases were identified at the end of testing of 837 samples.

Coronavirus News LIVE updates: Majority of people against reopening cinemas, resuming international flights, says survey

Seventy-two per cent of people across the country are not in favour of visiting multiplexes and gyms, while 63 per cent are against the resumption of local train services as they feel these are risky in the current COVID-19 crisis, according to a survey.

Coronavirus News LIVE updates: ADB approves $3 million grant to India to combat COVID-19

Multilateral funding agency ADB on Wednesday said it has approved USD 3 million (about Rs 22 crore) grant to India from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund to further support the government’s emergency response to COVID-19 pandemic. The grant, which is financed by the Japanese government, will be used to procure thermal scanners and essential commodities to strengthen the India’s COVID-19 response, Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a statement.