COVID-19 HIGHLIGHTS | Odisha not to lower guard even after vaccines are available: CM Naveen Patnaik

Kerala's fresh COVID-19 cases and recoveries hovered a little over 5,000 on Tuesday as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cautioned that the state should not let down its guard. The total infection count in the state mounted to5,71,641 with the addition of 5,420 cases while the recoveries touched 5,05,238 after the discharge of 5,149 people.

Ahmedabad recorded 347 COVID- 19 cases on Tuesday, the highest for any district in Gujarat, taking its tally to 48,000, while 12 people died and 362 people recovered during the day, an official said. The toll in the district is now 1,993, while the number of people discharged so far stood at 42,693, he added.

The COVID-19 toll in West Bengal rose to 8,121 on Tuesday after 49 people succumbed to the disease, the health department said in a bulletin here. The tally mounted to 4,63,463 after 3,545 new cases of infection were reported from different parts of the state, it said.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said the state cannot lower its guard against COVID-19 even after availability of vaccine to fight the viral infection. Patnaik said this while attending a meeting of chief ministers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the PM took stock of vaccination preparedness across the country over a video conference.

Various aspects related to the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine once it is developed, including logistics and the need for verification of possible side effects, were flagged by chief ministers during the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday on the coronavirus situation.

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths due to the virus in Delhi, city's Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday claimed the national capital reported the "least" fatality ratio among major cities in the country.

Goa's coronavirus caseload went up by 167 and reached 47,068 on Tuesday, while the toll rose to 679 after two people succumbed to the infection, said an official. The number of people who have recovered increased by 85 during the day to touch 45,168, he added.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal provided detailed feedback of the ground situation and preparedness of COVID-19 response and management in the state during a virtual meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday reported 1,766 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the count of infections to 1,96,511, while 11 fatalities pushed the toll to 3,183, health officials said. A total of 1,112 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the state's tally of recoveries to 1,80,349.

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh on Tuesday could not attend PM Narendra Modi's meeting with chief ministers and other representatives from states and union territories to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine distribution strategy because he was not well.

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 431 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the tally to 1,07,330 while 10 more deaths in the last 24 hours raised the toll to 1,651, officials said. The Jammu division accounted for 253 of the fresh cases, while the Kashmir division recorded 178 new infections, they said.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Nashik district in Maharashtra reached 99,086 after 132 people were detected with the infection on Tuesday, while the death toll increased by three to touch 1,769, an official said.

Nagpur District Collector Ravindra Thakre on Tuesday said a fine of Rs 1,000, up from the current Rs 500, will be levied on people violating the mandatory mask norm amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Normal life was hit in Ladakh for the second consecutive day on Tuesday following a call for a self-imposed week-long lockdown by the civil society to contain the spread of coronavirus which claimed one more life in the Union territory, taking the death toll to 101, officials said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Tuesday directed its ward officials to deploy staff at railway stations in the metropolis to check coronavirus negative documentation of passengers arriving from Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa.

A consignment of Covaxin, one of the COVID-19 vaccine candidates, reached Sola civil hospital here in Gujarat on Tuesday for the phase-III clinical trials, a senior official said.

Sikkim's COVID-19 tally rose to 4,777 on Tuesday as 41 new infections were reported in the last 24-hours, an official said. The COVID-19 death toll in the state climbed to 102 with two more fatalities, state Information Education and Communication (IEC) member Sonam Bhutia said.

The Uttar Pradesh government has started preparations for a massive coronavirus vaccination drive and required logistics will be in place in advance, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told PM Narendra Modi during a virtual meeting on Tuesday.

Amid a recent spurt in coronavirus cases in Himachal Pradesh, CM Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday launched a door-to-door campaign to screen people for symptoms of COVID-19.

Rajasthan recorded 19 more fatalities due to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 2,200, while 3,314 fresh cases brought the infection count to 2,50,482 in the state, according to a health department bulletin. A total of 25,197 COVID-19 patients are under treatment in the state.

PM Narendra Modi has indicated that the COVID-19 vaccine was likely to be ready soon and has asked states to prepare for its quick and effective distribution, Karnataka CM Yediyurappa said on Tuesday.

Twenty-two more deaths due to COVID-19 in Punjab pushed the toll to 4,653, while 614 new cases took the infection tally to 1,47,665 on Tuesday.

Gujarat's COVID-19 tally crossed the 2-lakh mark and rose to 2,00,409 with the addition of 1,510 new cases on Tuesday, the state health department said. This is the second time in three days that the state has reported over 1,500 new cases in a day.

#TNIEUpdatesOnCovid19
New +ve 1870
Discharges 1949
Death 17
Active 24612
Tally 876425#Bengaluru 927#Mysuru 159
Bbmp shares #COVID19 graph.@NewIndianXpress @XpressBengaluru @santwana99 @CovidKarnataka @MoHFW_INDIA @COVIDNewsByMIB @DHFWKA @CMofKarnataka @mla_sudhakar @BBMPCOMM pic.twitter.com/L02iqMooO1

— Bosky Khanna (@BoskyKhanna) November 24, 2020

Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 5,439 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the count of infections to 17,89,800, state health department said. With 30 more people succumbing to the infection, the overall toll rose to 46,683.

The St Stephen's college in Delhi is setting up a 'Resilience Fund' to support tuition fees of its students facing financial constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials. The COVID-19 Resilience Fund is being set up to support tuition fees of 50-100 students from the college enrolled in different courses, according to an official order.

Mumbai on Tuesday reported 939 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the count of infections to 2,77,446, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said. With 19 more people succumbing to the viral infection, the overall death toll rose to 10,706, it said.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said the Haryana government has decided to limit the number of people allowed at social gatherings like marriages, religious or political functions with a view to contain the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, especially in some NCR districts.

Karnataka reported 1,870 new cases of COVID-19 and 17 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 8,76,425 and the death toll to 11,695, the health department said on Tuesday. The day also saw 1,949 patients getting discharged after recovery.

Haryana on Tuesday reported 33 more COVID-19 fatalities, the highest single-day fatality count so far, taking the death toll to 2,249 while 2,329 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 2,22,292.

As many as 356 persons tested positive for coronavirus, while 11 died of the infection in Maharashtra's Nagpur district on Tuesday, an official said. With the addition of the latest cases, the tally in the district has reached 1,09,561, the official said.

The death toll from COVID-19 mounted to 7,615 in Uttar Pradesh with 33 more fatalities, while the infection count climbed to 5,31,050 on Tuesday after the detection of 2,274 new cases in the past 24 hours, according to an official statement.

Notwithstanding the recent spurt in COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan, more than 3,000 weddings are scheduled to take place in the capital city Jaipur over the next few days, posing a grave threat to people's lives amid the pandemic outbreak. (READ MORE)

PM Narendra Modi said any vaccine against coronavirus that is administered to citizens will meet all necessary scientific criteria and stressed that governments at all levels will have to work together to ensure that the vaccination drive is smooth, systematic and sustained.

The biggest Muslim graveyard in the national capital near ITO is running out of burial space amid rising COVID-19 deaths with coronavirus victims from other NCR areas also being buried here, an official managing it said on Tuesday.

Nagaland's COVID-19 tally rose to 10,931 on Tuesday as 75 more people tested positive for the infection, Health minister S Pangnyu Phom said.

Uttarakhand's COVID-19 tally rose to 72,160 on Tuesday with 528 more people testing positive for the infection, while 11 more patients died. Deharadun district reported the highest number of 192 cases, Haridwar 83, Udham Singh Nagar 69, Pithoragarh 49, Nainital 37, Pauri 24, Almora 20, Chamoli 20, Uttarkashi 11, Bageshwar seven, Tehri six, Rudraprayag five and Champawat five, a state health department bulletin said.

Kerala reports 5,420 fresh #COVID?19 cases and 5,149 recoveries on Tuesday. Test positivity rate 9.04% @COVID19centre @MSKiranPrakash @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/sCEKOYPcNo

— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) November 24, 2020

About 30 vaccines are in different stages of development in India. Two of them, COVAXIN & COVISHIELD, are in the most advanced stage of development: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan at First Virtual SCO Young Scientist Conclave pic.twitter.com/CNtbCKKGQn

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

Goa: Police in Panaji impose a fine of Rs 200 on people not wearing the facemasks in public places.

“We have doubled the fine amount to Rs 200. We are also planning to make Standard Operating Procedures stringent,” says Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. pic.twitter.com/CyXt3astzk

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

Bihar reports 653 new COVID-19 cases and 746 recoveries in last 24 hours, says State Health Department

Total cases: 2,31,697

Total recoveries: 2,25,447

Total deaths: 1,233

Active cases: 5,016

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

79 new positive cases reported today. The total number of cases in the state is now 10,931 including 1,471 active cases and 9,291 recovered cases: Nagaland Health Minister

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cautioned states and union territories against any laxity in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and called for reducing the positivity and fatality rates by focusing on curbing the virus transmission.

(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

Today's meeting with PM was on COVID19 vaccine and preparations to be made for vaccination of citizens. PM has invited suggestions from all States on this. We're waiting for the vaccine to be made available so that we can begin administering it: Chhattisgarh Minister TS Singh Deo pic.twitter.com/pccQdlnKpF

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

We are ready with cold chain storage facilities for the vaccine. Training of healthcare workers who'll administer vaccine is underway. As soon as we get the vaccine, vaccination will be started. Appeal to people to continue following all COVID19 guidelines: MP CM SS Chouhan pic.twitter.com/SQARnXCFJf

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

It is not certain whether there will be one, two or three doses of a vaccine. It is also not decided what will be the price of the vaccine. We still don't have answers to these questions: PM Modi during interaction with CM's on COVID19 situation https://t.co/nCCx2R1qzc

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

PM made it clear that in the first stage the vaccine will be given to the frontline health workers, in the second stage to the police personnel, sanitation workers etc, to those above 50 yrs of age in third stage &to those with comorbid conditions in the fourth stage: Gujarat CM pic.twitter.com/QkYQSIJdMB

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

PM wants India to be ready to implement the vaccination on a priority basis in different sectors. Priority sectors are health workers, people above 50 years and persons with comorbid conditions. PM has given clear directions on it: Karnataka Minister Basavaraj Bommai pic.twitter.com/EI68c8wg1Y

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

In the second phase vaccine will be given to essential service providers and then there will two phases in which there will be age-wise distribution: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar https://t.co/mkKc3vcID2

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

International travellers will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to fly with Australia's Qantas, the company has said, the first major airline to suggest that such rules could become common across the industry.

(READ FULL REPORT HERE)

Telangana govt is ready to give #COVID19 #vaccine, which is scientifically approved, to the people, #Telangana CM KCR said in a video conference conducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with CMs today. @XpressHyderabad @NewIndianXpress

— V.V. Balakrishna-TNIE (@balaexpressTNIE) November 24, 2020

We are ready to work with Central and all other stakeholders to ensure speedy and universal vaccination for everyone as soon as the vaccine is available: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee https://t.co/AlUpTBvzGr

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

SC issues notice to Union and state governments on a PIL which alleged that RTPCR test for Covid costs Rs 200, hospitals and labs are charging a very high amount @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard

— kanupsarda (@sardakanu_TNIE) November 24, 2020

The Delhi High Court asked the AAP government on Tuesday as to what was so special about spas that they were not being allowed to open even though everything else like markets, gyms, restaurants, metro and buses was operational in the city.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

Philippine officials say about 60 million Filipinos are being targeted for vaccination against the coronavirus next year at a cost of more than 73 billion pesos (USD 1.4 billion) to develop considerable immunity among a majority of Filipinos.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray informed PM Narendra Modi that he is in constant touch with Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute and that the state has formed a task force to ensure timely distribution of vaccine and executing the vaccination programme: Maharashtra CMO#COVID19 https://t.co/AlUpTBvzGr pic.twitter.com/F49HJa02XQ

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

At a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the high severity of the third wave of COVID-19 in the national capital is due to many factors, pollution being an important one.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

An estimated one crore frontline health workers will received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine whenever it becomes available, with around 92 per cent of government hospitals and 55 per cent of private hospitals across all states and UTs providing data identifying the workers, official sources said.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

642 new #COVID19 cases in #Odisha
14 patients die

Quarantine: 374
Contacts: 268
Tests: 37875
TPR: 1.69%

Keonjhar 70
Nuapada 69
Sundargarh 66
Khurda 62
Angul 46
Mayurbhanj 41
Cuttack 26

Tally: 315271
Recovered: 306726
Death: 1724
Active: 6821@XpressOdisha @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/Ufx096eGwN

— Hemant Kumar Rout (@TheHemantRout) November 24, 2020

Indonesia's Health Ministry announced that new daily infections rose by 4,442 to bring the country’s total to 502,110, the most in Southeast Asia and second in Asia only to India’s 9.1 million confirmed cases. It also reported a total of 16,002 deaths from the coronavirus.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel is attending the meeting with PM Narendra Modi & other chief ministers over #COVID19 situation. Home Minister Amit Shah also participating.

(Photo source: Chhattisgarh CMO) pic.twitter.com/xkmCBNBp4g

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

Mizoram's COVID-19 tally rose to 3,710 on Tuesday as 50 more people, including nine Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

There are 4,38,667 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country as on date which comprises 4.78 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 86,04,955 pushing the national recovery rate to  93.76 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.46 per cent.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

Even though the #NivarCyclone is still very far from the Tamil Nadu coast, Chennai witnessed heavy rainfall. #NivarCycloneUpdate #CycloneNivar
Express Video | @haisat2005 @xpresstn @shibasahu2012 pic.twitter.com/xUrMIjXRzG

— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) November 24, 2020

In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the Central Railway has launched a UV light-based luggage sanitisation facility for passengers at a few major stations, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai, officials said on Tuesday. (READ ARTICLE HERE)

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal orders immediate procurement of 1200 BiPAP machines for new ICU beds in the national capital. The BiPAP machines will be procured immediately from CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) on nomination basis: Delhi Chief Minister's Office pic.twitter.com/S1IotRGDBp

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2020

Mysuru district administration is hopeful of tackling it adequately with improved infrastructure and already acquired experience. On Sunday, the district’s Covid tally surpassed 50,000, making it the second district in the state to cross that mark.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

he Covid-19 has spread to remote high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh. Out of the 41 panchayats with 14,000 people in Lahaul and Spiti sharing border with China, seven have reported a surge in cases. (READ ARTICLE HERE)

The rising number of COVID-19 cases and engineering admission for this year still being underway, are among the reasons behind authorities contemplating the move.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

#IndiaFightsCorona #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/jrPstU6drH

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) November 24, 2020

To prevent another wave of the pandemic post local body elections, the district health authorities have ramped up testing in the district along with aggressive training sessions for polling officers to equip them to enforce prevention protocols.
(READ ARTICLE HERE)

The data further shows that till date, a total of 5,44,880 people have been fined out of which 5,05,560 were issued for mask violation, 3,382 for spitting and 35,985 for social distancing violation. Under the cap of Rs 500 for violating covid rules, the police has collected a total sum of Rs 99,58,10,000.

Three persons—a police sub-inspector, a home guard and a priest—on duty at pushkar ghats in Kurnool district on the occasion of Tungabhadra Pushkarams, have tested positive for the coronavirus. (READ ARTICLE HERE)

The minister while speaking to mediapersons said that the pollution due to stubble-burning caused problems in breathing and those who had Covid-19 inhaled the smoke, which aggravated the seriousness. However, the minister expressed hope that the and count of deaths is expected to see a downtrend in it in the next two-three weeks as pollution due to stubble-burning has lessened in the last few days.
(READ FULL ARTICLE HERE)

Maharashtra reports 4,153 fresh cases, 30 deaths; caseload at 17,84,361 and more coornavirus updates from across India fro, November 23
(CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS UPDATES)