New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra and Kerala on July 16 to discuss the Covid-19 related situation in these states.

Prime Minister Modi will be interacting with the chief ministers of these states via video conferencing at 11 a.m. on July 16.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister interacted with the chief ministers of the north-eastern states on the Covid-19 situation.

ALSO READ: People Without Masks At Hill Stations, Markets “A Cause For Concern”: PM

Prime Minister Modi during the interaction lauded the people, health workers and the governments of north-east for their hard work in the fight against the pandemic and creating infrastructure for testing, treatment and vaccination despite the difficult terrain of the states.

Noting the capacity of 20 lakh tests per day in the country, the Prime Minister highlighted the need to augment the testing infrastructure in the affected district on priority.

Prime Minister Modi stressed aggressive testing along with random testing and expressed hope that the spread would be contained with collective efforts.

The Prime Minister’s interaction assumes significance as the Centre, as part of the nationwide vaccination drive, has been supporting the states and Union Territories by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost.

ALSO READ: Need To Work Together To Stop 3rd Wave, Accelerate Vaccination Process: PM Modi To North-East CMs

In the new phase of the universalization of the Covid-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 percent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to the states and UTs.

New Delhi: The ongoing pandemic has already kept us on our toes and there seems to be no relief from the mutating virus in the coming months. There are several complications associated to the viral disease that have come to the fore and made us wary. But did you know  dirty air contributes to Covid-19 severity? Yes, If you go by the new study from one of America’s most polluted cities then researchers found Covid-19 patients more prone to breathing issues living in those areas.

What are findings of the report?

In their observation, researchers who studied 2,038 adults hospitalised with Covid-19 in the Detroit area, found requiring intensive care and machines to help them breathe were more likely to live in neighborhoods with higher levels of air pollution and lead paint.

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It has been observed that the level of air contamination impacted the chances of patients getting admitted in intensive care and the requirement of mechanical ventilation. Dr Anita Shallal of Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital explained that the long-term exposure to air pollution may harm the immune system and make it more susceptible to viral infections, while fine particles in air pollution may also act as a carrier for the virus and help it spread.

The study “calls attention to the systemic inequalities that may have led to the stark differences in COVID-19 outcomes along racial and ethnic lines,” Shallal said in a statement from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, where the findings were shared. “Communities of color are more likely to be located in areas closer to industrial pollution, and to work in businesses that expose them to air pollution.”

In one of the recent study,  Aaron Bernstein, the director of the Center for Climate, Health, and Global Environment at Harvard University clearly said that people living in polluted areas are more likely to succumb to air pollution.

 “The evidence we have is pretty clear that people who have been living in places that are more polluted over time, that they are more likely to die from coronavirus,” said Bernstein.

How To Prevent Air Pollution At Home

• One of the most common causes of air pollution is cigarette smoke. It is best to opt for a smoke-free home to keep pollution away.
• Indoor pollution can also be caused by household cleaning supplies. Harsh chemicals that produce fumes can irritate nose, mouth and lungs, as well as your skin.
• Other sources of indoor pollution can be particulates from candles and incense, irritating perfumes, allergens, such as mold, pollen, pet dander and dust mites.
• Try to avoid any such wood-burning fireplaces or stoves.
• Make sure there is proper ventilation inside homes besides ensure that gas stoves are well ventilated with hoods to outside.
•  Materials used in older buildings such as asbestos, formaldehyde and lead should be noticed.

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New Delhi: If you are a coffee lover, then scientists have got good news for you. New research has revealed that a cup of coffee daily can reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Researchers from Northwestern University in the US say that drinking one cup of coffee or more every day reduces the risk of Covid-19 by 10 percent as compared to those who do not drink coffee at all.

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A cup of coffee can reduce the risk of corona

The results of the research have been published in Nutrients. It has been shown that the use of more vegetables and less processed meat can also reduce the risk of Covid-19. Coffee has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Research suggests that coffee has a positive effect on inflammatory biomarkers. Furthermore, drinking coffee has been associated with a lower risk of pneumonia in the elderly. The results of the research have been published in the journal Nutrients.  

Coffee reduces the risk of pneumonia in the elderly.

The results were announced after UK Biobank evaluated the records of 40,000 British adults. The scientists examined the association between dietary factors such as daily coffee, oily fish, processed meat, green vegetables, fresh fruit, red meat consumption, and Covid-19. “Our results support the hypothesis that nutritional factors may affect different aspects of the immune system,” the researchers said. He also opined that adherence to certain dietary practices such as increasing vegetable intake and reducing processed meat intake needs to be included in the current measures to combat Covid-19. However, he also believes that the results demand independent confirmation.

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Washington: In yet another warning related to Covid-19 vaccine, the US regulators on Monday raised alarm on Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine about links to a rare and potentially dangerous neurological reaction, but also noted it’s not completely known if the shot caused the problem.

What’s the FDA warning?

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration shared the new findings flagging the concerns related to Guillain-Barre syndrome, an immune system disorder that can cause muscle weakness and paralysis at times. On the other hand, health officials mentioned the side effect as a “small possible risk” for those taking the jab, according to AP report.

The warning comes after the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysed reports of about 100 people developing the syndrome after taking the jab.

According to the FDA observation, almost all of them who took the dose required hospitalisation and one person also passed away after taking the dosage. Most cases were reported in men — many 50 years old and up — and usually about two weeks after vaccination, as per the report.

What’s Guillain-Barre syndrome?

Guillain-Barre syndrome happens when the body’s immune system ends up attacking some of its nerve cells by mistake leading to muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis that typically is temporary. An estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop the syndrome each year, according to the CDC.

Although the number of cases reported in connection with J&J’s vaccine exhibits only a tiny fraction of the nearly 13 million Americans who have received the one-dose shot.

The pharma company has been discussing the reports with the FDA and other health regulators around the world. The CDC said it would ask its panel of outside vaccine experts to review the issue at an upcoming meeting.

Meanwhile, the government said the most vaccines used in the US made by Pfizer and Moderna have not exhiited any risk of the disorder after more than 320 million doses have been administered.

The FDA insisted on adding the new warning in pamphlets given to people getting the J&J shot. Bsides that seek medical attention if they experience any symptoms, which include tingling sensations, trouble walking and double vision, the FDA said.

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Thrissur: India’s first Covid patient, a medical student from Thrissur, Kerala has tested positive again for the virus. She was getting ready to leave for Delhi for study so her samples were tested. 

The RT-PCR result turned out to be positive, she is at home but is okay. 

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“She is reinfected with COVID-19. Her RT-PCR is positive, antigen is negative. She is asymptomatic,” Thrissur DMO Dr K J Reena told PTI. The woman is presently at home and “she is OK,” the doctor said.

According to an NCBI report, on January 27, 2020, the 20-year-old visited the Emergency Department in General Hospital, Thrissur, Kerala, with a one-day history of dry cough and sore throat she had no history of fever, rhinitis or shortness of breath.

The third-year medical student from Wuhan university tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the country’s first COVID-19 patient, days after she had returned home following semester holidays.

After nearly three weeks of treatment at the Thrissur Medical College Hospital, she had tested negative twice for the virus, confirming her recovery, and was discharged on February 20, 2020.

While recounting the story last year, she told NDTV, that on January 13th, when Wuhan university had closed for a four-week vacation, she hadn’t anticipated the outbreak. “Everything seemed normal on the streets. By January 17th, people on the streets were wearing masks and then the situation quickly worsened,” she was quoted as saying.

“Our holiday was for only four weeks. In June, we have a longer holiday and I thought, considering the airfare, that I would go to India then,” she recalled.

“But as the situation worsened, we booked tickets for January 23. We had to fly out from Kunning to Kolkata because flight services were already restricted. On January 22, we got information from our seniors that the airports are going to be shut. We immediately went to the airport to get a connecting flight to Kunning. Amid the delay, we took a train instead,” she told NDTV.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with the chief ministers of eight north-eastern states on Tuesday to discuss the Covid-19 situation amid concerns over the coronavirus numbers in the region.

He talked about the need to accelerate the vaccination programme in order to combat the third wave from flaring. 

ALSO READ: India Coronavirus Cases Today: Over 30K Covid Infections Reported In Last 24 Hrs; Lowest In 118 Days

PM Modi during his interaction with the chief ministers of Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram via video-conferencing he reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the North-East. He said that there is a need to focus on improving the infrastructure related to testing and treatment.

For which the cabinet has also approved a new package of Rs 23,000 crore. This package will help every state in the North East to strengthen its health infrastructure, he noted.

He also expressed concern over crowds at hillstations, he said that while he understood that tourism, business and business have been greatly affected due to Covid.

“But today I will say very emphatically that it is not okay to have huge crowds in hill stations, markets without wearing masks”.

While most parts of the country have seen a steady decline in the Covid numbers, the northeast region has been a cause of concern with the number of cases either rising or not falling in line with the nationwide trend, experts have noted.

He stated that the COVID-19 situation is worrisome in some districts of North-East and that there is a need to stay alert and act fast to check the further spread of the virus.

Hyderabad: The Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, on Monday announced strong results of the study on neutralizing the activity of sera from individuals vaccinated with Sputnik V vaccine against new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

The company said vaccination with Sputnik V has produced protective neutralizing titers against new variants, including Alpha B.1.1.7 (first identified in the UK), Beta B.1.351 (first identified in South Africa), Gamma P.1 (first identified in Brazil), Delta B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3 (first identified in India) and Moscow endemic variants B.1.1.141 and B.1.1.317 with mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD).

“The methodology was based on the assessment of virus-neutralizing activity (VNA) using the live virus, which provides the most reliable data and is the gold standard. It compared neutralizing activity of Sputnik V induced sera to the internationally relevant variants with the neutralizing activity to the ancestral B.1.1.1 variant. The sera were obtained from individuals after vaccination with two doses of Sputnik V,” the company said.

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The study methodology was described in the research paper published in a leading international journal on July 12, 2021.

Sputnik V Reaches 50 Cities & Towns: Dr Reddy’s Labs

Meanwhile, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories on Monday clarified that the soft launch of the Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V has not been put on hold. “Neither the ongoing soft commercial launch nor work towards its ramp-up in India have been put on hold,” the Hyderabad-based company said in a statement.

The Hyderabad-based pharma major stated that the nationwide soft launch of the Russian vaccine has reached over 50 cities and towns across India. It said it will strengthen the commercial roll-out of Sputnik V in the coming weeks.

Starting initially in Hyderabad on Monday, the soft launch roll-out of Sputnik V has scaled up speedily and reached cities and towns all India. Dr Reddy’s gave a list of cities and town. Dr Reddy’s has partnered with major hospitals across the country for this purpose, all of whom have successfully administered Sputnik V in India, including ongoing commercial roll-out to the public, it added.

Dr Reddy’s clarification came amid reports that Sputnik V second dose shortage will delay the commercial roll-out. Under the soft launch, the company has reportedly administered more than 1.95 lakh doses at hospitals across the country. The company, which was originally planning a full roll-out in mid-June, is reported to have so far received about 30 lakh first doses and 3.60 lakh second doses.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: India reported 31,443 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the lowest in 118 days. Recovery rate has increased to 97.28%. India’s active caseload currently stands at 4,31,315; lowest in 109 days.

More than 39.46 Cr vaccine doses were provided to States/UTs. More than 1.91 Cr balance & unutilized doses still available with States/UTs & private hospitals to be administered. The total consumption including wastages is 37,55,38,390 doses (as per data available at 8 am today).

(This is a developing news. More details awaited…)

Actor Suniel Shetty has rubbished reports of three delta variant covid-19 positive cases being found in his society. This comes a day after, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sealed several floors of a posh building in south Mumbai where Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty lives with his family.

Due to rising Covid-19 cases reported from there, the 30-storied building with 120 flats- Prithvi Apartments, on Altamount Road was sealed, civic officials said on Monday. There were many online reports claiming that Shetty’s apartment in South Mumbai was sealed after three Delta variant COVID-19 cases were found in the building.

But now the actor has rubbished the reports on social media, Suniel took to Twitter and said that no Delta variant of coronavirus was found in his building and just one covid positive patient who is recuperating at Breach Candy hospital.

“Wow! Must say that fake news spreads quicker than any virus. People, pls don’t spread panic. There’s NO ‘Delta Variant’ in my building society. Just one COVID+ case & the patient is recuperating at Breach Candy hospital. The others are currently negative & self quarantined,” Shetty tweeted.

He further added that his family is safe and just one wing is sealed and not the entire building as reported in media. Shetty tweeted: My building is safe and the family is fine. One wing has a notice up but NOT entire building sealed as being misreported. My mother, my wife Mana, #Ahan, #Athiya & my staff; as well as the entire Bldg are fine & thank U for your good wishes. Sorry folks no #DELTA

Along with Prithvi Apartments, the civic body has affixed the seal on at least 9 other posh buildings in the south Mumbai’s affluent Malabar Hill and surroundings for growing number of Covid-19 cases. According to the BMC, in the second wave, a majority of the cases have been reported from residential buildings or skyscrapers as compared with the crowded slum areas.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Suniel Shetty was last seen in Sanjay Gupta’s ‘Mumbai Saga’. The movie also starred John Abraham, Emraan Hashmi, Gulshan Grover, Kajal Aggarwal and others in key roles.

New Delhi: Several states including national capital Delhi, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh have flagged Covid-19 vaccine shortage. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia informed that several government-run vaccination centres in Delhi will be closed on Tuesday because the city has exhausted its Covishield COVID-19 vaccine stock. 

While sharing a report on the shortage of vaccines, Sisodia in a Twitter post said, “Vaccines have run out in Delhi again. The central government gives vaccines for a day or two, then we have to keep the vaccine centres closed for several days. Why is our country’s vaccine programme faltering even after so many days?”

According to reports, only 36,310 vaccine doses were administered in national capital till 10 pm on Monday. 

Notably, the daily inoculation has seen a significant dip since June 21 across the country. Besides Delhi, Odisha, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have also raised complains over vaccine shortage. 

The data available on the CoWIN platform shows that an average of 61.14 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered on daily basis between June 21-27. However, number of daily average vaccine doses dropped to 41.92 lakh doses in the subsequent week of June. It further dipped to 34.32 lakh doses between July 5 to July 11. 

India’s COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage crossed landmark milestone of 38 Crore. More than 37.03 lakh Vaccine Doses were administered till Monday evening. The centre plans to inoculate the entire adult population in India by the end of December this year.

 

Coronavirus LIVE Updates, Tuesday July 13: India’s COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage crossed landmark milestone of 38 Crore. More than 37.03 lakh Vaccine Doses were administered till Monday evening. While at the time when authorities have ramped up vaccination drive across nation and gradually relaxed Covid norms, IMA President Dr JA Jayalal has appealed the Centre to reconsider its decision of relaxing restrictions. he has suggested the government of India not to allow any kind of festival celebrations in wake of probable third wave of Coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia informed that several government-run vaccination centres in Delhi will be closed on Tuesday because the city has exhausted its Covishield COVID-19 vaccine stock. While sharing a report on the shortage of vaccines, Sisodia in a Twitter post said, “Vaccines have run out in Delhi again. The central government gives vaccines for a day or two, then we have to keep the vaccine centres closed for several days. Why is our country’s vaccine programme faltering even after so many days?”

Coronavirus in Pakistan: There is a huge increase in new cases of Coronavirus in Pakistan. The government is also cautious in view of the fast pace of the pandemic.

This is the reason why the ministers of the Imran Khan government are now appealing to people to get vaccinated. Pakistan’s Planning Minister Asad Umar is encouraging the country’s 27 million citizens who are over 50 years of age to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Asad Umar is also the head of the national body formed to control the Coronavirus spread in the country. He said that people above 50 years of age are at greater risk.

ALSO READ | Amartya Sen Talks Over Constitution’s Idea Of Justice, Polls Amid Covid Pandemic & More

In a tweet on Sunday, Asad Umar said that 5.6 million or 20.6 percent of people in that age group in Pakistan have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The national body has asked people to wear masks and maintain social distance in public places, registering an increase in the infection rate.

According to officials, 27 more patients died due to COVID in Pakistan. At the same time, 1,980 new cases were reported. Due to this, the number of deaths due to COVID in the country increased to 22582, while the number of infected people reached 973,284.

According to the data, in the first such instance, the rate of Coronavirus infection in Pakistan is more than four percent. The Ministry of National Health Services said that this is the first time since May 30 that the infection rate has crossed four percent. On May 30, the infection rate was recorded at 4.05 percent.

Every day the number of people found infected by Coronavirus has increased by three times. On June 21, 663 new cases of Coronavirus were reported. 

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In a recent conversation with National Opinion Editor Vandita Mishra, Indian economist and philosopher Amartya Sen, discussed the “contrast” between the Constitution’s idea of justice and what’s going on now, the “tragic choice” between holding or not holding polls in the pandemic, and how he believes South Asian countries can still fight Covid together. 

Justice or trillion-dollar economy? 

On being asked if the economist sees a contradiction between the country’s aspiration to become a $5 trillion economy and common citizens’ aspiration to get justice, Sen said that there is a definite contrast between the direction of justice the constitution is expected to go towards and the direction it has been going in. 

“I don’t know whether the country in any sense aspired to become a ‘$5 trillion economy — some people did certainly — but people mostly wanted basic justice”. 

If we go by official data:

According to the India Justice Report of 2020, India has one judge for every 50,000 citizens and one police person for the safety of 858 people. 
 
As per data released by the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), 5.75 million cases are pending in the Indian high courts (HCs), and 38.15 million cases are pending in the district courts (DCs). The total is a staggering 43.90 million cases. 

A total of 47,10,676 cognizable crimes, comprising of 13,80,043 Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes and were registered during the year 2015 in India. This figure moved to 48,31,515 cognizable crimes, including 18,55,804 SLL crimes and 29,75,711 Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes in 2016.  

In 2019, a total of 51.5 lakh cognizable crimes comprising 32.2 lakh Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 19.4 lakh Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered nationwide. 

While the government is busy aiming at a 5 trillion-dollar economy, these facts, and figures continue to shout the need of better and quick justice in the country. 

Polls or pandemic? 

During the recent Bengal elections, questions about the need of conducting elections amid the pandemic were raised. The point that was missed in between those questions is that elections and democracy go hand in hand and that it is a constitutional requirement that cannot be ignored. But amid the pandemic? 

One of the most dangerous moves by EC in the Bengal elections were to hold them in 8 phases. If safety and fir polling was a concern after the move, more security could have been deployed to ensure fair elections. But conducting a month-long election in the middle of a pandemic drew crucial scrutiny from every direction. 

After the completion of the 4 phases, the clubbing of the leftover phases was demanded but the EC denied the demand stating under the Representation of People’s Act of 1951 which states a compulsory difference of 14 days between the date of polling and the date polls are announced on. Since each phase was notified separately, there wasn’t enough time to club the remaining phases together. 

But if this was the case, the EC should have taken this decision much earlier. 

Many people highlighted the idea of not having the elections at all but that would draw its own set of consequences. The decision would have been bad for both the Trinamool Congress, which has a years-long association with Bengal and BJB, which was very keen on holding office in the region.  

“They couldn’t have said at that time that ‘let’s not have an election, which would have looked like a sudden lack of self-confidence. For the secular parties, particularly Trinamool, to try to call off the election would have looked like not giving the BJP a chance”, said Sen.

New Delhi: Transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi has taken a dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla was present on the occasion. Adar Poonawalla posted a picture (on Twitter) of Laxmi Narayan Tripathi taking the vaccine. He said that he believed that healthcare should be a fundamental human right.

CEO Adar Poonawalla wrote: “I have always believed that healthcare should be included as a fundamental human right. I look forward to collaborating with Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (Transgender Activist) to create equal opportunities for the transgender community in India.”

I have always believed that healthcare and dignity should be fundamental human rights. I look forward to collaborate with @ImLaxmiNarayan in providing equal opportunities to the transgender community in India. pic.twitter.com/spxi1XCZ78

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) July 12, 2021

Laxmi Narayan A Transgender Activist

Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi is transgender and is currently working as a transgender activist. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi’s efforts are directed towards helping transgenders get their due and live peacefully in society.

Recently, Akhilesh Yadav met Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi. During the meeting, Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi wished him luck for the upcoming assembly elections in UP. After meeting Akhilesh Yadav, Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi said if the Samajwadi Party wins in Uttar Pradesh, the “politics of the country will change.”

New York: A new study of antibodies produced in saliva after taking the Pfizer-BioNtech corona vaccine has shown that it is important to upgrade the vaccine to deal with second doses and new forms of anxiety. The study showed that post-vaccination antibodies and health protection increased significantly after the second dose of the vaccine was given. This shows the importance of taking a second dose.

There is no reduction in neutralising antibodies against the Alpha variant

The team, including Nicole Schneiderhan-Mara at the University of Tübingen, also investigated whether the vaccine offered protection against alpha and beta variants. A study presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases found no reduction in neutralizing antibodies against the alpha variant but found a significant reduction in neutralizing antibodies against the beta variant.

To see how the protection offered by the vaccine changed for the different types, the team first profiled the antibodies generated by the vaccination and then examined their neutralizing ability. The team examined the antibodies in blood, and antibodies present in saliva as the first line of defense.

How was the study done?

To conduct the study, they adapted a previously developed test that measures antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and other coronaviruses in the blood, to specifically look for neutralizing antibodies. They collected samples from 23 vaccinated individuals (age 26-58 years, 22 percent female) who were vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioEntech vaccine after the first and second doses. For the control groups, the team collected samples from 35 infected blood donors, 27 infected saliva donors, and 49 non-infected salivary donors, along with control blood and saliva samples obtained commercially before the onset of the pandemic from different age groups.

On looking at the saliva, they observed that the vaccinated individuals had a larger amount of antibodies than the infected individuals. This observation was an indication that vaccination not only provides protection against the infection but also reduces the chances of transmission in infected patients.

 

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court will resume physical hearing in both the benches (Lucknow and Allahabad) from Wednesday.

The court has finalised and released guidelines in this regard.

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However, virtual mode of hearing will also continue.

In the first phase, advocates’ chambers would not be opened. However, if the system of physical hearing on the guidelines framed by the high court remains successful, the decision about the opening of the chambers would be taken.

According to the guidelines, only those advocates who have been vaccinated against Covid will be permitted in the campus.

They will have to show the vaccination certificate at the time of entry without any protest, else the committee may withdraw the physical hearing arrangement.

During the course of physical hearing, advocates would have to adhere to Covid protocol like wearing a face mask/cover and maintain social distancing. Only those advocates would enter the premises whose cases are listed and for that, they will have to show the listing of the case on mobile phone or any other mode.

Not more than ten advocates will remain in a courtroom at a time.

During physical hearing, advocates would be permitted to opt for virtual hearing with advance information to the registry, thus, e-mode would also be in operation till further orders.

New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association chief has suggested the government of India not to allow any kind of festival celebrations in wake of probable third wave of Coronavirus. The IMA President Dr JA Jayalal requested the Centre to reconsider their decisions regarding any kind of mass gatherings “as it can be dangerous.”

“Holding any festival is not advisable as it can be dangerous. IMA requests the government to reconsider their decision regarding any kind of mass gatherings,” IMA president, Dr JA Jayalal told news agency ANI. 

His advice to the Centre comes on a day Puri in Odisha and Ahmedabad in Gujarat took out the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath. In view of Covid pandemic, devotees have been barred to attend the event while servitors who have received vaccine shots and test negative for Covid-19 have been allowed to attend the rituals. 

In Jharkhand, the state govt asked the citizens to worship Lord Jagannath at their homes as Rath Yatra will not be taken out this year due to the Covid-19 crisis. 

In Kolkata, the organising committees of two famous Rath Yatras called off the festivities and chose to keep it a low-key event within the temple grounds. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) Kolkata has decided to forego special Rath Yatra arrangements.

While the deities will be brought on the symbolic yatra around the temple compound and all rites will be done, they plan to transport the idols in a car rather than a chariot to a site near Gurusaday Road, create a small pandal there, and place the deities there for the devotees.

According to mythology, the deities, Jagannath and siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra Devi travel to their aunt’s house (Masir Bari) during Rath Yatra, rest there for a week, and then return to the main temple on the day of Ultarath.

Nagpur: The delta variant (B1.617.2) has been confirmed in the samples of coronavirus patients in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Nagpur Municipal Corporation started tracing the suspected cases from last month. 18 persons and their family members have been quarantined so far.

Covid in Maharashtra

8,535 new cases of corona have been reported in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 6,013 people were discharged, and 156 deaths were recorded. 61,57,799 cases of corona have been reported in the state so far, and 59,12,479 people have been cured. So far, 1,25,878 people have died due to corona in the state. At present, there are 1,16,165 corona patients in the state.

The recovery rate in Maharashtra is now 96.02 percent, while the death rate is 2.04 percent. On Sunday, 558 new cases of infection were reported in Mumbai, while 15 people lost their lives during this period. As per the bulletin, the total number of samples tested for coronavirus infection in Maharashtra has reached 44,10, 550 including the testing of 21,411 new samples.

No case of infection from Delta Plus in Tripura – Health Ministry

The Union Health Ministry said that not a single case of infection with the delta plus type of virus was found in the samples that have been genetically sequenced in Tripura so far. The ministry made this clarification in regards to news about the increasing infection of delta plus variant in the northeastern state.

The Health Ministry said that 152 samples from Tripura were sent to the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) in Kalyani for genetic sequencing. These samples were collected from infected patients using the RT-PCR test by the accidental method in April and May 2021. The Ministry said that the examination of these samples revealed that 3 samples were infected with B.1.1.7 No., while 11 samples were found to have B.1.617.1 (Kappa) type while 138 samples were infected with B.1.617.2 (Delta). None of these samples were found infected with Delta Plus.

 

Singapore: Those who are taking Covid-19 protocols lightly, then here is a reminder! The case pertains to Singapore where a 26-year-old Indian national has been sentenced to nine months’ jail for trying to leave the country during the peak of the pandemic and was asked to wait in a hospital for the results of his swab test.

How did the Indian national break the law?

Balachandran Parthiban’s was tested positive for Covid-19 after the Indian national was picked up by the police at Changi Airport and brought back to Singapore General Hospital (SGH), as per PTI report.

Parthiban, who reached the Terminal 1 of the Changi Airport in public transport also tried unsuccessfully to buy a ticket to India, was found loitering at the airport for about four hours, according to TODAY newspaper.

Parthiban was a resident of the Jurong Penjuru dormitory for foreign workers, which had acquired the status of an isolation area on April 18 last year to curb the infection

Not just this, he once again breached an isolation order and reached the airport in a bid to fly back home. He has been pleaded guilty in May on a charge of exposing others to the risk of Covid-19 and leaving an isolation area without permission. His pro bono lawyer Cory Wong also requested to keep him in the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for psychiatric evaluation.

After a nearly four-week stay in IMH, the accused was found to have “adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct” around the time of his offenses in May last year.

It is when Dr. Stephen Phang said that the “minor” mental disorder did not make him renounce his capacity to assume mental responsibility for his actions. Even with the minor mental disorder he retained the mental capacity to understand right and wrong and was not of unsound mind, the psychiatrist added.

However, his subsequent psychiatric history showed that he later developed full-blown “schizophreniform psychosis, which was likely to have been reactive to, and became worse by the ongoing stress of being held under conditions of security, together along with the concerns about his family situation back in India”, Dr. Phang’s medical report stated.

According to the report, Parthiban during his stay in IMH said he has been hearing voices instructing him to commit suicide which made it difficult for him to control his actions. He remains under a reduced dosage of antipsychotic medication as he is clinically well, the psychiatrist added.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Norman Yew has demanded for 10 months” jail for Parthiban, while Wong asked for six-and-a-half months” jail. While sentencing, District Judge Ronald Gwee considered two other charges -exposing others to the risk of infection and of using insulting words towards a health officer. For each charge of breaking Covid-19 laws, Balachandran could have been jailed for up to six months or fined up to SGD10,000, or both.

Coronavirus Update: India has witnessed a dip in cases as the country reported 37,154 new cases in the last 24 hours; the active caseload is at 4,50,899. Recovery rate has increased to 97.22%

Maharashtra on Sunday reported 8,535 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 156 fatalities while 6,013 patients recovered, the state health department said.

With the fresh additions, the tally of cases in Maharashtra rose to 61,57,799 and the death count to 1,25,878. The total count of recoveries so far climbed to 59,12,479, leaving the state with 1,16,165 active cases, it said in a statement.

Maharashtra’s case recovery rate now stands at 96.02 per cent and the fatality rate is 2.04 per cent.

Pune reported more than 1,000 new cases taking its total cases to 10,68,389. Nine deaths were reported as the total death toll rose to 17,509. As per district authorities, the active case tally stood at 10,700 while the total death toll has crossed 18,093.

Mumbai reported 558 new cases to take its total case tally to 7,27,694 while the active count rising to 11,423. As many as 15 fatalities took the city’s death count to 15,627.

Kolhapur in western Maharashtra reported more than 1,400 new cases taking its total case tally to 1,74,017 of whom 13,157 are active. 36 deaths saw the cumulative death toll rise to 5,048.

Noticing a declining trend in the number of covid cases in the state, Haryana government has announced to extend statewide lockdown for one more week however, with ‘certain relaxations.’

In an official notice issued on Sunday, the state government said that the Mahamari Alert – Surakshit Haryana has been extended from 5 am of 12th July to 5 am of 19th July. 

As per the revised guidelines, maximum 100 people allowed in gatherings for weddings and funerals, and maximum 200 people in open spaces. 

Spas will be allowed from 6 am to 8 pm with 50 per cent capacity after adopting requisite social distancing norms, regular sambsation and Covid appropnate behavioural norms. 

Cinema Halls in malls and even stand alone are allowed to open with maximum 50 per cent seating capacity with adherence of requisite social distancing norms as indicated in the SOPS released by Union Health Ministry.

All shops are allowed to open from 09:00 AM to 08:00 PM while Mall can operate from 10:00 AM to 08:00 PM. Restaurants and bars are allowed to open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM with 50 per cent of the seating capacity. Religious places are allowed to open with 50 persons at one time. 

Haryana reports 36 new positive cases, 62 recoveries, and 8 deaths in the last 24 hours.  With this, the number of active cases are 939 while the number of total positive cases stand at 7,69,279. 

Lucknow: Witnessing significant decline in the number of daily covid cases in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday further relaxed covid restrictions, easing the night curfew hours in the state by two hours from Monday and allowing shops, malls and restaurants to continue operations till 10 pm on weekdays. 

As per the revised guidelines, the nigh curfew in the state will be imposed from 10pm to 6am. Earlier, the night curfew hours were from 9 pm to 7 am. Saturday and Sunday will continue to be observed as weekly holidays.

Moreover, chief minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh has also allowed resumption of markets located outside of containment zones, and allowed restaurants to open with 50 per cent capacity. 

Meanwhile, Gyms, cinema halls and sports complexes are permitted to open with 50% capacity while swimming pools have not been permitted to open. Maximum of 50 persons can gather in weddings. The dine-in facilities can only be availed between 7 AM to 9 PM. Violation of the police order will be punishable under section 188 (disobeying public order) of the IPC.

The revised covid guiudelines have come at the time when the state reported about 125 new infected cases and four COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, taking the total number of fatalities and infections to 22,693 and 17,07,225 respectively. No district reported fresh cases in double figures on Saturday and now four districts have no active cases now.

 

 

 

Dehradun: The investigation into the alleged Uttarakhand COVID testing scam which took place during the Kumbh this year is in the final stages and the report is likely to be received in the next 2-3 days, said Haridwar District Magistrate C Ravishankar on Sunday.

“The report would be sent to the Uttarakhand government for action,” he said in an official statement. The investigation team has so far checked 60,000 telephone numbers while 25,000 phone numbers are yet to be investigated.

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These are the phone numbers that were mentioned in the documents along with the names of those who got their COVID-19 test done during the Kumbh Mela.

Haridwar Chief Development Officer (CDO) Saurabh Gaharwar is investigating this matter. Uttrakhand government had registered a case against two private labs and Max Corporate Limited agency in connection with the scam after many discrepancies were found in the data of the COVID test reports.

The state health department lodged an FIR at Nagar Kotwali police station against Max corporate agency, Lalchandani Labs, and Nalwa Lab in Nagar Kotwali, according to Senior Superintendent of Police in Haridwar Senthil Avoodai Krishna Raj.

New Delhi: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued fresh to open up the economic activities while also attempting to contain the COVID-19 spread.

“The status of COVID-19 in NCT of Delhi has again been reviewed and it has been observed that the number of COVID-19 patients & positivity rate has declined considerably
and the overall situation has improved, but due caution and care has to be maintained for consolidating the whole process of COVI D-19 management,” the new order issued by DDMA on Sunday stated.

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• In the new directives, academic gatherings have been allowed so events can take place at school, college, lecture, or any other academic program.
• The Delhi government has allowed auditoriums/assembly halls in schools and educational institutions for educational training to function with 50 percent capacity. 
• Taking DDMA’s permission will not be required any kind of training such as training of Delhi Police, Army or skill training of any institute, training of employees, and training related to schools and colleges.

The following activities continue to be prohibited:

• All schools, colleges, educational / coaching institutions etc. will remain closed. Online distance learning shall continue to be permitted and should be encouraged.
• All social/political / sports / entertainment / cultural /religious I festival related and other gatherings and congregations.
• All swimming pools (except being used for training of sport persons for participation in National & International events).
• Cinemas/Theaters/Multiplexes.
• Entertainment parks/Amusement parks / Water parks and similar places.
• Auditoriums/Assembly Halls (except those in schools, educational institutions for educational training/meetings upto 50% of the seating capacity).
• Banquet Halls (except for marriages)
• Business to Business (B2B) exhibitions.
• Spas.

Authorities have been instructed to ensure COVID Appropriate Behaviour such as wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing, regular hand washing and use of sanitizer, maintaining health hygiene, no spitting etc. in “all Shops, Malls, Markets, Market complexes, Weekly Markets, Restaurants & Bars, Mandis, ISBTs, Railway platforms / Stations, Public Parks & gardens, Gymnasiums & Yoga Institutes, Banquet Halls / Marriage Halls, Stadia/Sports Complexes, Slum areas as well as at all areas identified as hotspots for transmission of COVIO-19 virus”.

If norms are not followed at any establishment, it is liable to be closed as seen with markets like Sarojini recently and the defaulter is also liable for criminal prosecution under the relevant laws. 

“Market Trade Associations (MTAs), Banquet Halls / Marriage Halls Associations, Gymnasiums & Yoga Institutes Associations, and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) shall also be responsible for ensuring compliance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour by all shops, malls, markets, market complexes, offices, weekly markets, restaurants & bars, public parks
& gardens, Gymnasiums & Yoga Institutes, Banquet Halls/ Marriage Halls and residents within their respective areas,” the DDMA order informed.