COVID-19 HIGHLIGHTS | Nineteen passengers test positive in 'Vande Bharat' flight to Wuhan

A woman passenger wearing protective suit, waits for train at New Delhi station. (Photo | PTI)

While Chennai reported 671 cases, its neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur reported 136, 78 and Tiruvallur 115 cases respectively/
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

The assembly provided for the new anti-COVID measure by amending the Rajasthan Epidemic Act, with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asserting that face masks are the sole anti-COVID vaccine as of now.
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

Jharkhand reports 403 new COVID-19 cases and 512 recoveries today

Total number of cases now at 1,02,490 including 96,485 recoveries, 886 deaths and 5,119 active cases: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/70hT6KcWX9

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

A sero-prevalence survey conducted last month in Haryana has found that 14.8 per cent people have antibodies against the COVID-19 infection, state Health Minister Anil Vij said on Monday.
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

Devotees, not adhering to social distancing norms, offer prayers at Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) on the occasion of 486th birth anniversary of the fourth Sikh Guru Ram Das, in Amritsar.
(Photo | PTI)

According to the initial estimation, 3,02,708 HCWs, including doctors, nurses and paramedics in both government and private settings besides the ASHA and Anganwadi workers associated with 3683 health centres across the state will be vaccinated first.
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

The total number of COVID19 cases in the state stands at 22,598 including 2,958 active cases, 19,279 recoveries and 330 deaths so far: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/TqWUjB5mBE

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

People, flouting social distancing norms, visit a crowded Sadar Bazar market during the festive season, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, in New Delhi. (Photo | PTI)

The 'IIT-M Covid Game' is browser-based and can be played on several devices including computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones, among others. It is available free of cost.
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

Women get their hands adorned with 'menhadi' on the eve of Karwa Chauth festival in Jammu. (Photo | PTI)

14.8 percent of the people in Haryana antibodies as per second seroprevalence survey#Hry@Newindianxpress, @SundayStandard, @TheMornStandard

— Harpreet Singh Bajwa (@Harpreet_TNIE) November 2, 2020

Although the importance of mental health has been recognised during COVID-19 times, there is one condition that is rarely spoken about -- postpartum depression (PPD). Better known as ‘Baby blues’, this is a very common psychiatric complication associated with childbirth.
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

#TNIEUpdatesOnCovid19
Discharges 8334
New +ve 2576
Deaths 29
Active cases 44805
Tally 829640
+Vity rate 3.28%#Bengaluru 1439#Tumkuru 123@NewIndianXpress @XpressBengaluru @santwana99 @CovidKarnataka @COVIDNewsByMIB @MoHFW_INDIA @DHFWKA @CMofKarnataka @mla_sudhakar @BBMPCOMM pic.twitter.com/nO2l7COTpu

— Bosky Khanna (@BoskyKhanna) November 2, 2020

A second nationwide lockdown could be on the cards for Pakistan if Covid-19 cases continue to spike, health officials have warned. Director of General Health Services Islamabad Dr Hassan Orooj, while speaking to Geo News, said that the second lockdown now seems "inevitable".
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

#Passengers breathe a sigh of relief as @apsrtc and @TSRTCHQ finally agree to restart inter-state bus services after 4 rounds of negotiations held in last 7 months.
Scenes from Pandit Nehru Bus Station in #Vijayawada.

????| @prasantmadugula @NewIndianXpress #travel #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ZE5m8kit4V

— TNIE Andhra Pradesh (@xpressandhra) November 2, 2020

India’s apex drug regulator has turned down a proposal by a pharmaceutical major for full marketing authorisation for remdesivir for Covid-19 patients but has said that the emergency use authorisation for the drug will continue. 
(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

Tamil Nadu reports 2,481 new #COVID19 cases, 31 deaths and 3,940 discharges today, as per the State Health Department.

The total number of cases in the State is now at 7,29,507 including 6,98,820 discharges and 11,183 deaths.

There are 19,504 active cases in the State. pic.twitter.com/dfG0wF2FTM

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

Gujarat reports 875 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths and 1,004 recoveries today. Total cases at 1,74,679 including 1,58,251 recoveries, 3,728 deaths and 12,700 active cases, as per State Health Department

Rajasthan detects 1,748 new #COVID19 cases and 9 deaths today.

Total positive cases in the state stand at 2,00,495 with 1,926 deaths, 1,82,680 recoveries/discharges and 15,889 active cases: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/Ou3T709Fum

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

Manipur records 341 new #COVID19 cases and 9 deaths today.

Total number of positive cases stand at 19,091 including 15,343 recoveries, 3,568 active cases and 180 deaths: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/5gg6ssAWOz

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

At least 135 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Monday, pushing the tally in the state to 30,852, a health department official said. The death toll rose to 345 after two more patients succumbed to the infection, he said.

The Feroz Shah Kotla premises is undergoing another round of sanitisation drive after two Delhi & Districts Cricket Association employees have tested positive for COVID-19, days before the state unit's elections.

The Kerala government has extended the ongoing parole of aged prisoners in jails for one more month in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the state. The home department, in its recent order, said that the ongoing parole of the prisoners aged 65 years and above has been extended in the wake of the pandemic.

Andhra Pradesh reports 1,916 new #COVID19 cases taking total positive cases in the State to 8,27,882.

There are 22,538 active cases and 7,98,625 recovered cases in the State; the death toll is at 6,719, as per State Health Department pic.twitter.com/xb08VZLQUc

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

After a gap of over seven months, inter-state bus services between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh resumed on Monday as officials of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation and its AP counterpart came to an understanding and signed a MoU, a senior TSRTC official said.

Voting for bypolls to eight Assembly seats in Gujarat will be held from 7 am to 6 pm on Tuesday and authorities are taking various steps to check the spread of COVID-19 during polling, officials said on Monday.

The eight department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees of the Rajya Sabha have reported a marked improvement in their functioning during 2019-20, clocking the best performance of the last three years, officials said on Monday.

Peeved at being sent to quarantine following a complaint against him, a migrant labourer allegedly abducted a 12-year-old son of the complainant, killed the boy and tried to extort Rs 30 lakh from his family, police said on Monday.

There could be a spurt in coronavirus cases due to tourists from outside who came to the city to witness the Dasara festivities, Mysuru deputy commissioner Rohini Sindhuri said on Monday.

The strategy to contain spread of COVID-19 in Delhi, especially keeping in view the festival season and decreasing temperatures accompanied by rising pollution was discussed at length with representatives of MoHFW and the health experts who were present in the meeting: MHA

The government on Monday attributed the surge in active COVID-19 cases in Delhi to the festive season, greater movement of people and laxity in adhering to safe COVID behaviour and said efforts will be made to increase testing in critical zones.

Doctors at two COVID-19 facilities who were asked to vacate their rooms by the Goa government withdrew services on Monday after pleas to overturn the order went unheard. GARD president Dr Pratik Sawant said resident doctors have withdrawn their services from ESI Hospital and South Goa District Hospital in Margao as the Saturday circular asking them to vacate government-provided accommodation was still in force.

The COVID-19 death toll in Uttar Pradesh rose to 7,076 on Monday after 25 more people succumbed to the disease, while 1,788 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 4,85,609, according to a statement.

India continues to occupy the top position globally in terms of COVID-19 recoveries, while the total number of active cases have witnessed a sustained downward trend with its percentage having reduced more than three times in just two months, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was admitted to a city-based hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 last month, was discharged from the medical facility on Monday.

Several school principals in the national capital and adjoining areas are not in favour of postponement of the CBSE board exams next year in view of continuing closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wedding pandal organisers, photographers and various other event management professionals staged a protest outside the Aurangabad district collector's office on Monday, demanding resumption of their businesses.

Students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras have developed a multi-lingual free of cost digital game to create pubic awareness on COVID- 19, the premier institute said on Monday.

Karnataka: Beaches in Mangaluru re-open for public after months of closure due to #COVID19 pandemic; visuals from Panambur Beach

"Corona won't stop in future. But one needs to enjoy life, so we came here today. Staying inside isn't good as one gets depressed," says a tourist. pic.twitter.com/PaRCt6TzMK

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

Andhra Pradesh: Schools reopen in Krishna district, after months of #COVID19 induced lockdown.

Visuals of students undergoing thermal check & being provided free face maks before entering classrooms of a school in the district. pic.twitter.com/Szr68rITMd

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

#Studying in classroom better than attending #OnlineClasses as concepts get cleared in a better way through regular classes, says a student from #Vijayawada while stating the reason for attending #school amid #COVID19 situation.
| @prasantmadugula @NewIndianXpress #education pic.twitter.com/g8n6m2ER8W

— TNIE Andhra Pradesh (@xpressandhra) November 2, 2020

Rajasthan will be the first state in the country to enact a law making it compulsory to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Monday. The law will be enacted on Monday, he said in a tweet, describing mask as a vaccine to protect against coronavirus.

The COVID-19 tally in Thane district of Maharashtra rose to 2,12,129 with the addition of 608 new cases, an official said on Monday. The district also reported 10 deaths due to COVID-19 on Sunday, taking the toll to 5,352, he said.

The union territory of Puducherry reported no fresh COVID-19 death while the new infections dipped to 70, a top Health department official said on Monday. The fresh cases were identified at the end of the examination of 2,820 samples, Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release.

Andhra Pradesh: Schools reopen in Krishna district, after months of #COVID19 induced lockdown.

Visuals of students undergoing thermal check & being provided free face maks before entering classrooms of a school in the district. pic.twitter.com/Szr68rITMd

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

• Single-day recoveries outnumbered new COVID-19 cases in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday as 114 people were cured of the disease and 29 tested positive for the infection, a health department official said.
• The new infections pushed the tally to 14,881, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.
• The number of people cured of the disease has increased to 13,073, he said, adding that the recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state currently stands at 87.85 per cent.
• Of the 29 fresh cases, 11 were reported from the Capital Complex region, five each from West Kameng and Papumpare, two from West Siang and one each from Upper Subansiri, Siang, Namsai, East Siang, Lepa Rada and Upper Siang, Jampa said.
• Barring five, all new patients are asymptomatic a

Chitrakoot-Banda zone Inspector General of Police, Satyanarain, has tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Monday. All those deputed at the IG's residence and office are being tested. "On Sunday 26 people, including IG Satyanarain, were found positive for COVID-19," Chief Medical Officer, Banda, Dr ND Sharma said.

• The Maharashtra education department on Monday started free online classes for 11th standard students to prevent loss of the academic session due to the COVID-19 outbreak, an official said.
• The classes have begun on YouTube and over 60,000 first-year junior college (FYJC or Class 11) students have so far enrolled for these classes, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Director Dinkar Patil said.
• The decision to start online classes free of charge for FYJC Arts, Science and Commerce students was taken to avoid the academic loss till colleges start functioning normally, he said.

Active cases comprise only 6.83% of the total positive cases; recovery rate stands at 91.68%. 53,285 recoveries as against 45,321 new confirmed cases in last 24 hours: Ministry of Health. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/40f7WbpudK

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

Make in India breaks pre-COVID manufacturing records-Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala doubled its production and achieved the highest productivity of safer LHB coaches in Oct. It produced 5.88 coaches/day as against 3.08 coaches last yr in same period: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/fIdExxOIXj

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

India continues to occupy the top global position as the country with the maximum number of recoveries. The total recoveries have crossed 75 lakhs today (7,544,798): Ministry of Health. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/wgxx9Rg1eV

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

• The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started free COVID-19 testing at 244 centres in the city from Monday, officials said.
• With this, the number of COVID-19 testing facilities in Mumbai, which is one of the worst affected by the pandemic, has gone up over 300, they said.
• A person with COVID-19 symptoms can dial helpline number 1916 or visit the BMC's dedicated webpage 'http:topcoronavirus.mcgm.gov.in' for information about testing centres near their home, a BMC release on Sunday said.
• The free COVID-19 testing facilities have been started at 244 locations in the BMC-run hospitals and dispensaries in the city, the release said.
• The RT-PCR tests have been made available at some of these centres, while the antigen tests are available at the other facilities, it said.

Assam: Schools reopen in Guwahati after being shut for 7 months due to COVID

"I'm glad that we're able to re-open for more students. Before, it was only open for senior classes. Today we've opened for classes 6, 7 &8. We're following SoP guidelines & protocols," says a principal pic.twitter.com/uUSIMz31Ms

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

State govt has taken the decision to ban the sale and bursting of firecrackers in order to protect health of #COVID19 infected patients & public from poisonous smoke emanating due to fireworks.
In this challenging corona pandemic time,protecting lives of ppl is paramount for govt

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) November 2, 2020

1389 new #COVID19 cases in #Odisha, 9 patients die

Quarantine 798
Local cases 591
Tests 43,332
TPR 3.2%

Khurda 142
Cuttack 101
Sundargarh 100
Kendrapada 80
Bargarh 71
Balangir 70
Angul 69
Balasore 59
Jagatsinghpur 53

Tally: 2,93,214
Recovered: 277564
Death: 1393
Active: 14257

— Hemant Kumar Rout (@TheHemantRout) November 2, 2020

#Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal, first lady and four other family members test positive for novel #coronavirus. They are asymptomatic and admitted to SUM Ultimate for treatment. #COVID19 @XpressOdisha @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/4tRHtTa6zi

— Hemant Kumar Rout (@TheHemantRout) November 2, 2020

"Covid-19 has literally put the pause on life. In India, we have witnessed stringent lockdown measures since March 2020. An unprecedented 7 months of staying in and staying safe. With the Unlock procedures initiated and specially Unlock 5 permitting ground events, we figured it's time to restart lives," Karan Singh, COO, Percept Live said.
(READ MORE)

• Jharkhand's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,02,087 on Monday as 326 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
• One more patient from Simdega district succumbed to the infection, pushing the state's coronavirus death toll to 885, he said.
• Ranchi district reported the highest number of new cases at 95, followed by Bokaro (47) and Dhanbad (42), the official said.
• The state now has 5,229 active coronavirus cases, while 95,973 people have been cured of the disease so far, he said.

Schools reopen in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada after five months amid strict #COVID19 norms.
Express Photos | @prasantmadugula @xpressandhra @shibasahu2012 pic.twitter.com/ApEZAOjwwg

— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) November 2, 2020

#Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and his wife test #COVID19 positive. ?@XpressOdisha? ?@NewIndianXpress? pic.twitter.com/A90iIhZ0eJ

— Kasturi Ray (@raykasturi) November 2, 2020

• An athlete training in the national capital's Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range has tested positive for COVID-19, the Sports Authority of India said on Sunday but maintained that it will not hamper the ongoing national camp.
• Last month, SAI had approved a two-month long coaching camp for the Olympic core group shooters from October 15 to December 14.

• The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 4,340 on Monday as eight more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
• One more person succumbed to the infection, pushing the Union territory's coronavirus death toll to 60, he said.
• Three new patients have travel history, while five fresh infections were detected during contract tracing, the official said.
• Twelve more people have been cured of the disease, he said.

• Telangana reported 922 new COVID-19 cases taking the tally to2,40,970while seven more deaths pushed the toll to 1,348, the state government said on Monday.
• Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 256, followed by Rangareddy (56) and Sangareddy (44) districts, it said in a bulletin, providing data as of 8 PM on November 1.
• As many as17,630are under treatment and25,643 samples were tested on November 1.

Embassy of India in Japan issues Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for India bound passengers under ‘Air Bubble.’ pic.twitter.com/Bg8bizZH9d

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

With 45,230 new #COVID19 infections, India's total cases surge to 82,29,313. With 496 new deaths, toll mounts to 1,22,607.

Total active cases are 5,61,908 after a decrease of 8,550 in last 24 hrs.

Total cured cases are 75,44,798 with 53,285 new discharges in the last 24 hrs. pic.twitter.com/RKeFutOhuS

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

Director-General of World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to go into self-quarantine over the coming days after being identified as a contact of someone who tested positive for #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/O5JBcgixaT

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

Total 2,757 #COVID19 cases reported in Mizoram till date, of which 433 are active cases while 2,323 people have been discharged so far.

Till date, one death has been reported in the state: Govt of Mizoram pic.twitter.com/0LRbptXi3y

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2020

• The number of COVID-19 patients under home isolation in Delhi has jumped by over 5,800 in the last ten days, even as crowding due to festivities, rise in pollution and other factors have led to a massive surge in daily cases since October 23.
• The count of home quarantined cases on October 19 was 14,164 which fell marginally on October 20 to 14,046.
• However, since then, these cases showed an upward trend, and on October 31 the figures stood at 20,093, according to official data.
• In this period, the number of containment zones have also increased from 2,724 on October 21 to 3,274 on October 31.