Thursday, September 10, 2026
Home Blog Page 1115

Coronavirus cases surge past 33.5 million worldwide

Coronavirus cases
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): More than 33.5 million people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while the death toll has crossed the 1 million-mark, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. More than 23.3 million people have recovered from the disease.

In the US, the number of coronavirus infections have surged past 7.1 million while the death toll has crossed 2,05,000 in the country.

New York City will impose fines on people who refuse to wear a face covering as the rate of positive tests for coronavirus climbed above 3 per cent for the first time in months.

Brazil’s coronavirus infections have climbed past 4.77 million while the number of fatalities exceeded 1,42,000.

France has reported 8,051 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours, up sharply from Monday’s 4,070. The number of people in France who have died from Covid-19 infections rose by 85, versus 81 on Monday, taking the total death toll to 31,893. The cumulative number of cases now totals 5,50,690.

The UK reported 7,143 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, the highest single figure to date, and 71 deaths, the biggest toll since July.

The Netherlands is in grip of a fast-growing second wave of coronavirus. The country reported 3,011 new cases on Tuesday, a daily record, as it imposed new measures to combat a resurgence of infections.

Ukraine’s former president, Petro Poroshenko, has tested positive for Covid-19 as the pandemic situation worsens across the country.

Walt Disney announced it was laying off 28,000 employees from its theme park business on Tuesday, the latest company to announce huge jobs cuts in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The entertainment company blamed limited attendance at the theme parks it has reopened and the continuing closure of others for the “difficult decision”.

-CHK

Fire breaks out at private firm in Thane

(Source :@twitter)

New Delhi (NVI): A major fire broke out at the office of private company in Maharashtra’s Thane West today.

The incident took place at around 5:30 am at the Raymond company office located at Vartak Nagar, according to the reports.

Fire tenders along with two fire engines, two rescue vehicles, and one water tanker were rushed to the spot to douse the fire.

Meanwhile, firefighting operations are underway as the smoke continued to be seen from the site for hours and there is no report of any loss of life so far.

The situation has been brought under control. However, the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

-RJV

India’s COVID tally crosses 62-lakh mark, death toll nearing 98,000

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): India coronavirus tally has crossed the 62-lakh mark and stands at 62,25,764, with a single-day spike of 80,472 new cases in last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry said.

The country’s death toll has reached 97,497 with 1,179 fatalities reported during this period.

Notably, the number of active cases stands at 9,40,441, while 51,87,826 patients have been cured and discharged from the hospitals across the country.

However, the recovery rate rises to 83.33 per cent from yesterday’s 82.58 percent in India.

In worst-hit Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases climbed to 13,66,129, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 6,87,351 cases, and Tamil Nadu with 5,69,370 cases.

The other worst affected states in the country are Karnataka (5,91,943), Uttar Pradesh (3,94,856) and Delhi (2,76,325).

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of death toll at 36,181 followed by 9,453 deaths in Tamil Nadu.

The death toll in the national capital surpassed to 5,320, while 2,43,481 patients have recovered so far, the healthy ministry data shows.

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, a total of 7,41,96,729 samples tested for COVID-19, up to September 29. Of these, 10,86,688 samples were tested yesterday.

Meanwhile, UP Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh said that Phase 3 trials of the COVID-19 vaccine is being developed by Bharat Biotech which will involve 3,000 volunteers—1,500 each from Lucknow and Gorakhpur.

-RJV

VP Venkaiah Naidu tests Covid positive

New Delhi (NVI): Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has tested positive for Covid-19 during a routine check-up, his office said in a statement today. The 71-year-old, who underwent a Covid-19 test, is asymptomatic and in good health.

As per reports, Naidu’s wife Usha Naidu also underwent a test today, however, she has tested negative and is in self-isolation.

“The Vice President of India who underwent a routine COVID-19 test today morning has been tested positive. He is however, asymptomatic and in good health. He has been advised home quarantine. His wife Smt. Usha Naidu has been tested negative and is in self-isolation,” read the official statement.

Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, recently attended the monsoon session of parliament, which was cut short after more than 25 members tested positive for the virus.

Both houses of parliament were adjourned indefinitely on September 23, instead of continuing till the designated date of October 1.

ESIC issues guidelines for Covid safety

New Delhi (NVI): The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) today released Safe Workplace Guidelines for Industry & Establishment to combat Covid-19.

The guidelines were jointly released by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State  (I/C) for Labour & Employment.

The guidelines have been prepared as a comprehensive planning guidance for employers and workers to use it to help identify risk levels of Covid-19 at individual workplace settings in their premises and to determine appropriate control measures.

These guidelines are in the form of a booklet which consolidates all important measures into a ready reckoner of action points to make the workplace safe Based on the bulwark of infection control measures like respiratory hygiene, frequent hand washing, social distancing and frequent sanitization of the workplace.

It details the structural and administrative measures and HR policies that can be used to control the spread of Covid-19 at the workplace. Guidance for the assessment, categorization and mitigation of risk related to varied work related exposures to Covid-19 and contingency plan has also been provided in the guidelines.  Isolation and management of sickness at the workplace has been dealt with in detail.

Dos and don’ts for social behavior have also been listed for all the stakeholders in the safety guidelines.

Dr V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, under whose constant guidance these guidelines have been prepared, also joined the release as Guest of Honour, the Ministry of Labour & Employment said in a statement.

-ARK

India-Bangladesh JCC meet held with focus on Covid-19, connectivity, water sharing

New Delhi (NVI): Covid-19, connectivity and water sharing were among the major highlights of the sixth meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) which was held today.

Although Dhaka was scheduled to host the meeting, due to the COVID-19 situation the meeting was held on virtual platform, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Dr A K Abdul Momen, MP, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh. Both Ministers expressed satisfaction over the current state of bilateral relations under the leadership of the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and PM Modi.

During the virtual meeting, Jaishankar and his Bangladesh counterpart reviewed and discussed the cooperation on connectivity, security, political issues, development, trade and investment, power and energy sector and people to people contacts.

They also talked about the scope of collaboration in the health sector in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, especially in terms of supply, delivery, distribution and co-production of COVID-19 vaccine.

On the occasion, Jaishankar also appreciated Bangladesh’s gesture of releasing the commemorative stamp on the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Jaishankar also informed about to India’s decision to issue a commemorative stamp on the birth centenary of Bangabandhu on 16 December 2020, on the occasion. He said that both sides will prepare for the Virtual summit between Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh in December 2020.

The JCC meeting also comes against the backdrop of indications that Dhaka was cozying up to China. China has been aggressively backing of Bangladesh as Beijing announced $1 billion for the Teesta river project recently.

The Chinese funding for the Teesta project is worrying for India as a proposal for signing a pact between India and Bangladesh regarding sharing of this river’s water has been pending for long.

According to local media reports, Bangladesh is going for the deal with China on the Teesta project because Indian government failed to finalise the treaty.

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had arrived in Bangladesh in August on an unannounced visit and met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to discuss th matter.

-ARK

18 more deaths, 1,081 fresh cases take J&K’s Covid tally to 74,095

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The deadly coronavirus today claimed 18 more lives in J&K, taking the death toll to 1164, while 1,081 more people were diagnosed with the virus, taking the total number of positive cases in the UT to 74,095.

Of the total cases, 45,392 are from Kashmir and 28,703 from Jammu division. Officials said that among 1,081 new cases, 441 belong to Kashmir division while 640 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 45,392 including 37,320 recoveries and 833 deaths.

The total number of positive cases in Jammu division has reached to 28,703 including 18,197 recoveries and 331 deaths.

They said that the total number of active cases in J&K is 17,414 including 7,239 from Kashmir division and 10,175 from Jammu division. With 1,250 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in J&K has reached 55,517 which is 74.92 percent of the total cases.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 222 from Srinagar, 29 from Budgam, 62 from Baramulla, 24 from A Pulwama, 11 from Anantnag, 22 from Bandipora, 36 from Kupwara, 24 from Ganderbal, 07 from Kulgam and 04 from Shopian in Kashmir division while as 640 from Jammu division include 313 from Jammu, 61 from Rajouri, 49 from Udhampur, 29 from Kathua, 34 from Doda, 44 from Samba, 21 from Poonch, 28 from Ramban, 15 from Reasi and 46 from Kishtwar,” officials said.

Interestingly, in the last 24 hours, 18 persons who were tested positive for the deadly virus have died, which include seven from Kashmir division and 11 from Jammu division.

As per the daily media bulletin, patients who have died include two each from Srinagar and Baramulla and one each from Budgam, Anantnag and Kupwara in Kashmir division while 11 from Jammu division include six from Jammu district, three from Udhampur and one each from Rajouri and Ramban.

As per the daily information bulletin, 5,73,200 persons in J&K are under observation while 14,281 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Besides that, 17,414 persons are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 4,88,289 persons have completed surveillance period and 52,052 persons are under home surveillance.

So far results of 16,00,606 samples are available out of which 15,26,511 stand negative while 74,095 have tested positive. Among positive cases, 17,414 are active, 55,517 persons have recovered and 1,164 persons have died.

-ARK

In restive South Kashmir, teenage girl soothes minds through her paintings, poems

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): South Kashmir districts in J&K have been in news for encounters, killings and protests for the past many years. But a teenage girl from the southern district of Anantnag is soothing minds and souls through her poems that are aimed to address anxiety and depression.

Sahiba Irshad Wani, 17, daughter of Muhammed Irshad Wani, a resident of Dupatyar village of Anantnag district, about 2 kilometers from Bijbehara town, is a young poetess, besides being a good artist who paints sketches to address anxiety, depression and to heal minds.

A class 12 student of Radiant Public School Anantnag, Sahiba says since her childhood, she was interested in making sketches and drawing different kinds of paintings, besides writing poems. “I started making these sketches when I was in 4th standard,” she says.

However, she was opposed by her parents vociferously and was asked to concentrate on studies only. “My parents wanted me to qualify NEET. When they tore my artwork, I used to cry all alone,” she recalls. “In utter disappointment and lack of family support, I started writing poems to address anxiety and depression.”

Sahiba says she has so far written around two dozen poems and they are multi-dimensional, however, her prime focus is about depression and anxiety and how to get rid of it.

“Being a science student and securing around 90 percent marks in class 10th, I want to become a doctor and treat people. I want to continue my art and poetry work to heal people by writing poems. I also want to ease out the depression levels of people through sketches and paintings,” she said.

She told NVI that poets like William Wordsworth and Shakespeare inspire her. “I am writing on different things but due to the pressure from parents, I hardly get any time to spend on my artwork.”

“My message to the youth of Kashmir would be that don’t get depressed at any stage, don’t feel let down, just show consistency and patience. You can achieve any goal of life,” she says. Sahiba is an inspiration for many young students in restive South Kashmir that has seen countless encounters, killings, protests and a tough life over the past almost a decade.

“Lot of people visit Sahiba’s house to see her paintings. Many believe they feel relaxed after seeing the young girl’s artwork,” says Irshad Ahmed, a local villager of Sahiba’s native village in Anantnag.

Sahiba urges the younger generation not to waste time in playing games on mobiles as she believes “it affects the life badly.” “Try to utilize every minute of your life so that you can contribute your part towards society,” she says in her appeal to youth in Valley.

-ARK

Pak violates ceasefire in Poonch, Rajouri districts of J&K

Ceasefire
Representational image

Jammu (NVI): Pakistan today violated the ceasefire by firing with small arms and mortars while targetting forward areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts along the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K.

In the afternoon, Pakistani troops targetted the Sunderbani sector in Rajouri district and again shelled forward areas in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district in the evening at around 5.15 pm.

Defence officials said that the Indian Army was retaliating befittingly.

Yesterday, an Indian Army soldier was injured as in Pakistani firing in Machil sector of J&K’s Kupwara district.

-ARK

One in every 15 person was exposed to COVID by Aug: ICMR on 2nd sero-survey result

Dr Balram Bhargava

New Delhi (NVI): One in 15 individuals aged more than 10 years were estimated to be exposed to Covid-19 by August 2020, according to the Indian Council Medical Research’s (ICMR) second national sero-survey report.

“Of 29,082 people surveyed from August 17 to September 22, 6.6% showed evidence of past exposure to SARS-COV2,” Dr Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR said stating the sero report.

Bhargava, while speaking at the health ministry presser today, also added that according to the second sero survey report, urban slum and urban non-slum areas had higher SARS CoV 2 infection prevalence than that of rural areas.

“Risk in urban slums twice than that in non-slum areas and 4 times the risk in rural setting,” the report stated.

“Since a large portion of the population is yet susceptible, prevention fatigue is to be avoided and 5T strategy (Test, Track, Trace, Treat & Technology) is to be adhered to,” Dr Bhargava emphasised.

ICMR sero-survey finding stated that 7.1 per cent of adult population showed evidence of past exposure to COVID-19.

Lower infection to case ratio in August compared to May reflects substantial increase in testing and detection.

During the presser, the ministry also added that ICMR’s second Sero Survey report revealed that a considerable population is still vulnerable to Covid-19.

The ministry also added that in the light of the upcoming festivities, winter season and mass gathering, inventive containment strategies need to be implemented by the states.

-CHK

1...1,1141,1151,116...1,732Page 1,115 of 1,732

MUST READ