Coronavirus India Updates, Sept 18: Former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel tests positive; schools in Delhi to remain closed for all students till Oct 5

The country has been consistently reporting a very high level of daily recoveries of more than 70,000 for the past 11 days, the ministry said. India has added over 12 lakh cases in the past 13 days. It crossed the 40-lakh mark on September 5 and subsequently crossed the 50-lakh mark two days ago.

India’s COVID-19 caseload mounted to 52,14,677 with 96,424 people testing positive for the disease in a day, while the death toll climbed to 84,372 with the virus claiming 1,174 lives in a span of 24 hours, the data of the ministry updated at 8 am showed. The virus was fatal for 1,174 patients in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s death toll to 84,372. Over 41.12 lakh people have recovered after testing positive while over 10.17 lakh cases still remain active. India’s Covid-19 case fatality rate further dipped to 1.62 per cent. (Follow Covid-19 LIVE UPDATES here)

Home Ministry directs states to not restrict supply of medical oxygen, says it’s critical to fighting virus

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday directed states to not restrict inter-state movement of medical oxygen supply as it is “critical to fighting Covid-19 virus.” “Some states trying to curb inter-state movement of oxygen supplies from manufacturing units, such curbs should be ended,” the MHA said in a statement adding that the consumption of oxygen is expected to increase as the the number of cases are rising.

98 deaths, 6,584 fresh virus cases in UP; total count 3,42,788

Uttar Pradesh reported 98 fatalities due to COVID-19 on Friday, taking the death toll to 4,869, while 6,584 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 3,42,788. The maximum 16 deaths were reported from Lucknow, followed by 13 Kanpur, seven in Gorakhpur, five in Meerut among other districts, a health bulletin issued here said. Lucknow reported the maximum 1,244 cases. Kanpur reported 407 infections, Allahabad 336, Ghaziabad 191 and Varanasi 239, it said, adding that 6,584 fresh cases were detected in the past 24 hours. Lucknow has so far recorded the highest 576 deaths in the state. Kanpur comes a close second with 569 fatalities, followed by 232 in Allahabad and 220 in Varanasi, according to the bulletin.

Can yoga help COVID-19 patients? Research on in Delhi hospitals

Only those diagnosed with COVID-19 through RT-PCR testing, who have mild symptoms and are aged between 18 and 60 years are being included in the research.

Clinicians and meditation practitioners have undertaken research in at least three Delhi hospitals to ascertain if yoga can improve the overall condition of COVID-19 patients. The Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Science and Technology had invited proposals for the study in April.

In the national capital, the research is being conducted at the AIIMS, the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and the Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital (RGSSH). The study evaluates the effect of yoga — pranayama and relaxation — on stress, mood, sleep quality, symptom severity, quality of life and clinical outcomes in coronavirus patients, Dr Ajit Jain, the nodal officer for COVID-19 at RGSSH, said.

Only those diagnosed with COVID-19 through RT-PCR testing, who have mild symptoms and are aged between 18 and 60 years are being included in the research, he said.

Supply 90% oxygen for medical use: MP govt asks manufacturers

In a bid to ensure adequate supply of oxygen for COVID-19 patients, the Madhya Pradesh government has directed the manufacturers of the life-saving gas in the state to ensure that 90 per cent of their output is reserved for medical purposes.

The state Public Health and Family Welfare Ministry issued an order to this effect on Thursday. “To all transporters of liquid oxygen, oxygen manufacturers by air separation unit and re-fillers of oxygen gas of Madhya Pradesh shall use 90 per cent of their total transporting/ generating/re-filling capacity to produce and distribute oxygen for medical purposes only,” the order said.

Schools in Delhi to remain closed for all students till Oct 5, says Delhi govt

On March 25, the central government announced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the virus from spreading. (Representational image)

All schools in the national capital will continue to remain closed till October 5 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi government announced on Friday. “All government and private schools will remain closed for all students till October 5. However, online teaching and learning activities will continue as usual,” an official order issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE) said.

School principals are authorised to call “staff as per requirement for smooth conduct of online classes or any other work”, it said. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On March 25, the central government announced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the virus from spreading.

Central team rushed to Jammu to help strengthen COVID-19 containment measures

With Jammu reporting a rise in COVID-19 cases, the health ministry has decided to depute a high-level Central team to the district to assist in strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of positive cases. Jammu has so far reported 9,428 infections and has 6,115 active cases of coronavirus infection, the ministry said, adding the total cases one week ago were 6,878. Jammu has been reporting doubling time of 15.4 days, recovery rate of 33.9 per cent and case fatality rate of 1.24 per cent.

The team comprises Dr S K Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Dr Vijay Hadda, Professor, Department of Pulmonary Critical Care, AIIMS, New Delhi, the ministry said. A special team had visited the Srinagar valley recently. The two-member high-level team was led by Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog and Dr S K Singh, Director, NCDC was its member. The team had reviewed the status of preparedness for COVID management with district collectors of the valley.

Former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel tests positive

Dubai suspends Air India Express flights till Oct 2 for bringing passengers with COVID-positive certificates

Both the incidents of passengers flying with COVID-positive certificates to Dubai from India on Air India Express flights happened during the last couple of weeks, the officials noted.

After Air India Express passengers were allegedly allowed to fly with Covid-19 positive certificates, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has suspended all AI Express flights till October 2.

“A passenger who had a COVID-positive certificate dated September 2 travelled on Air India Express’ Jaipur-Dubai flight on September 4. A similar incident had happened with a passenger on one of the airline’s other Dubai flights previously,” officials told PTI.

The announcement comes in response to the violation of the UAE government rules under which each passenger travelling from India needs to bring an original Covid negative certificate from RT-PCR test done 96 hours prior to the journey.

Goa to prepare SOP on providing oxygen to COVID-19 patients

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said the state government will prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure that state-run facilities provide oxygen to all COVID-19 patients, irrespective of their symptoms.

The announcement comes as Goa witnesses an uptick in Covid-19 cases. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh/Representational)

“A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to be developed to ensure all patients, whether mild, moderate or severe, get oxygen on a timely basis,” an official statement quoted the Health Minister.

Rane also said patients coming to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) with coronavirus symptoms are to be treated in the COVID-19 ward of the facility without any delay. The announcement comes as Goa witnesses an uptick in Covid-19 cases.

Health teams to monitor virus patients under home isolation in Haryana

The record of all these cases will also remain with the department. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij Thursday said the state’s Health Department will regularly monitor the conditions of Covid-19 patients in home isolation and will ensure a regular supply of medicines to them.

Addressing a meeting of Health, AYUSH and Medical Education and Research Department, Vij said the teams will go from house-to-house and conduct necessary physical tests, including checking their blood pressure, body temperature and oxygen level besides giving them proper medication. The record of all these will also remain with the department.

Govt aims to bring down India’s mortality rate below 1 per cent: Health minister

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. (Twitter/@drharshvardhan)

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Thursday said the government aims to bring down India’s Covid-19 mortality rate to less than 1 per cent from the current 1.64 per cent, which, he said, is still the lowest in the world. Speaking at the Rajya Sabha, Vardhan said the country’s recovery rate of 78-79 per cent is one of the highest in the world, and although total cases may have crossed 50 million, active cases are less than 20 per cent.

“We want to bring it (mortality rate) to less than 1 per cent. We have 50 lakh cases right now but out of these, only 10 lakh are active cases,” Vardhan said.

On the vaccine front, Vardhan noted that “Vaccines can come in future. Extensive planning is underway to execute how to manage the scenario.

In a first, over 60 deaths recorded on consecutive days in West Bengal

West Bengal on Thursday  recorded 60 deaths for the second straight day. It pushed up the toll to 4,183. This is the first time the state has reported more than 60 fatalities on consecutive days, and the fourth time overall.

Bengal now has 24,336 active cases. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Most of the new fatalities and about half of the 3,197 new cases were recorded in the South Bengal epicentre comprising Kolkata; its adjoining districts North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Howrah; and Hooghly.

Though the percentage increase in the recovery rate has come down, the discharge of 2,948 patients in 24 hours still pushed it up to 86.77 per cent. The state now has 24,336 active cases.

Delhi sees most Covid deaths in 60 days; Health Minister says new cases will rise with testing

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain. (File)

The national capital recorded 4,432 fresh cases of Covid-19 Thursday, taking the total tally to 2,34,701. The death toll mounted to 4,877, with 38 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours – the highest in over 60 days. Of the total cases, 1,98,103 have recovered. The number of active cases stands at 31,721.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain Thursday said Covid-19 cases in the city will rise in the next 10 days as testing capacity has quadrupled. “Cases of Covid-19 and active cases will rise in the next 10-15 days as testing has been ramped up four times. But we will then be able to contain the spread of infection in the long-run through effective isolation, as planned,” he said.

Lucknow has highest Covid deaths in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hold a inspection at a Covid Hospital (Civil Hospital)in Lucknow. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)

In the past 24 hours, Lucknow recorded 908 new cases and six deaths – once again the highest in the state – followed by Kanpur Nagar (413 cases and six deaths) and Prayagraj (367 cases and two deaths). As the number of Covid-19 cases in UP reached over 3.36 lakh, the government Thursday said five districts — Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Prayagraj, Muzaffarnagar and Meerut – have highest test-positivity ratio, an indicator of the spread of disease. The government, however, did not reveal the positivity rate of these five districts.

Active cases in the state reached an all-time high of 68,235 with a slight drop in the number of people recovering in the past 24 hours. According to the state’s health bulletin, 4,715 people recovered, taking the total recovery to 2,63,288 with 78.29% rate.