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UP health minister tests corona positive

Jai Pratap Singh

New Delhi (NVI): Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh has tested positive for coronavirus today after he complained of mild fever.

The minister has quarantined himself at home in Lucknow. He was found positive after testing through TrueNet.

However, the samples of other family members of the minister have been taken by the health authorities and their test reports are expected by tomorrow.

In the last 24 hours, Uttar Pradesh recorded yet another single-day spike of COVID-19 cases with 2,529 infections.

Whereas, Lucknow continues to be one of the worst-hit areas in the state.

So far, the state has confirmed 58,104 COVID-19 cases while the death toll stands at 1,298.

-RJV

President flags off Red Cross relief material for flood affected states

President Kovind flagged off nine trucks of relief supplies from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

New Delhi (NVI): President Ram Nath Kovind today flagged off nine trucks of Red Cross relief supplies from Rashtrapati Bhavan for the flood affected people of Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

These relief supplies for the flood affected people shall be carried from Delhi to the concerned states by train and will be received by the state Red Cross branches of respective states.

The relief material included items such as tarpaulins, tents, saris, dhotis, cotton blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, bed sheets, buckets and two water purification units. In addition, COVID-19 protection items such as surgical masks, PPE kits, gloves and face shields are also part of the relief material flagged off by President Kovind.

These items are meant to safeguard and protect health workers associated with Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) medical services in these states as well as the volunteers of IRCS who are at the forefront of flood relief and rehabilitation efforts.

The supply of the above materials is in continuation and in addition to the material already provided by IRCS to be distributed by the state Red Cross branches to the affected people.

During the occasion, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan was also present. In addition to this, R. K. Jain, General Secretary, IRCS briefed the President on the initiatives and the work done by IRCS to serve the people affected by floods and COVID-19 in different parts of the country.

-CHK

WHO launches joint effort for COVID-19 traditional medicine research in Africa

New Delhi (NVI): Africa has a long history of traditional medicine and practitioners that play an important role in providing care to populations. To explore this potential further amid the Covid-19 pandemic, WHO and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have launched a joint effort.

Under the initiative, an expert advisory committee/panel will provide independent scientific advice and support to countries on the safety, efficacy and quality of traditional medicine therapies.

The 25-member Regional Expert Committee on Traditional Medicine for COVID-19 will support countries in collaborative efforts to conduct clinical trials of traditional medicines in compliance with international standards, the WHO said in a statement.

The initiative has been taken by the global health body and partners to enhance research and development of traditional medicines for COVID-19 in Africa.

WHO said that by pooling expertise within the continent, the Regional Expert Committee will also accelerate the pace and elevate the standards of research, particularly clinical research on new therapies from traditional medicines against COVID-19.

“WHO recognizes that traditional, complementary and alternative medicine has many benefits and Africa has a long history of traditional medicine and practitioners that play an important role in providing care to populations,” the global health body said in a statement at the launch on July 22.

“Interest in traditional medicine as potential remedies for COVID-19 is growing in Africa. As the world races to find treatment and vaccines against the virus, research into traditional and orthodox medicines as potential COVID-19 therapy must be grounded in science, and today marks an important step in supporting these endeavours,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“Commendable efforts are ongoing on the continent to find COVID-19 therapies in traditional medicine. Rigorous clinical testing to evaluate safety and efficacy will be critical, similar to other areas of medicine,” said Dr John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC and WHO Special Envoy on COVID-19.

Members of the Regional Expert Committee are mainly from research institutions, national regulatory authorities, traditional medicine programmes, public health departments, academia, medical pharmacy professions and civil society organizations of Member States.

Their expertise covers various areas such as traditional medicine research and development, laboratory and pre-clinical research; clinical research; regulation of medical products; research ethics; public health and community empowerment; leadership and governance; laboratory strengthening and infectious disease.

According to WHO, the Regional Expert Committee will start working immediately. “Developing a master protocol to guide countries on clinical trials for COVID-19 and setting the agenda to support Member States will be among the initial tasks,” it said.

-ARK

IPL 2020 to start from Sept 19 in UAE, final on Nov 8

New Delhi (NVI): The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to begin on September 19 in UAE and the final tournament will be played on November 8, IPL chairman Brijesh Patel has said.

However, the tournament clearance is pending before the Government. BCCI had held long deliberations earlier to host the popular tournament in India but there was no approval due to the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country. Earlier this week, BCCI zeroed in on the UAE as the venue for 2020 edition.

Meanwhile, the event’s Governing Council will meet next week to finalise details and set up the schedule. According to reports, BCCI has informally intimated the franchises about the plan.

The window for IPL opened up after the ICC’s decision to postpone the October-November T20 World Cup in Australia owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Australia had expressed its inability to conduct the event due to the situation.

The Emirates Cricket Board, and SLC, had approached the BCCI with the offer of playing host to the IPL, stating that they had the required infrastructure for it.

The conduct of IPL will be another challenge before the authorities amid the pandemic situation and the final decision on allowing crowd in stadiums rests with the UAE government.

UAE has three grounds available for the matches — Dubai International Stadium, Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi) and the Sharjah ground.

The event was originally scheduled to start at the end of March but was postponed after in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions that followed.

-ARK

Odisha: Amit Shah lays foundation of eco-park ‘Utkal Upvan’ in Jharsuguda 

Subrat Kumar Sarangi

Bhubaneswar (NVI): Union Home Minister, Amit Shah yesterday laid the foundation stone of ‘Utkal Upvan’, an eco-park being developed by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) as a tourist attraction in Jharsuguda district of Odisha.

The foundation stone of the park was laid remotely through video conferencing from New Delhi by the Home Minister in the presence of Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi and Coal Secretary Anil Kumar Jain, MCL said in a statement.

MCL, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, has taken an initiative to develop ‘Utkal Upvan’ with a vision to transform an excavated coal mine into eco-park.

Besides, ‘Utkal Upvan’, MCL celebrated Vanmohotsav-2020, by holding a special plantation drive at all its Project areas and offices spread over in Angul, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh districts.

MCL chief managing director, BN Shukla also participated over video conferencing in the launch of ‘Vriksharopan Abhiyan’, a plantation drive by Shah and foundation stone laying ceremony along with senior officers.

In addition to this, the CMD and directors planted saplings of fruit bearing trees at townships Jagruti Vihar and Anand Vihar in Sambalpur.

MCL has targeted plantation of 1.22 lakh trees in the financial year 2020-21. However, the company has planted progressively around six million trees in Odisha over the years, the statement said.

-RJV

 

India imposes restrictions on public procurement from ‘certain countries’

India toughens public procurement rules for bidders from bordering countries

New Delhi (NVI): Amid the border row with China, the Centre has announced restrictions on bidders from countries that share a land border with India on grounds of defence and national security, aimed at keeping Chinese vendors out from public procurements.

In a statement, the Ministry of Finance said that the Department of Expenditure has, under the said rules, issued a detailed order on public procurement to strengthen the defence of India and national security.

“The Government of India today amended the General Financial Rules 2017 to enable imposition of restrictions on bidders from countries which share a land border with India on grounds of defence of India, or matters directly or indirectly related there to including national security,” said the official statement.

According to the order, any bidder from countries sharing a land border with India will be eligible to bid in any procurement whether of goods, services or works only if the bidder is registered with the Competent Authority.

The Competent Authority, in this case, is the Registration Committee constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). “Political and security clearance from the Ministries of External and Home Affairs respectively will be mandatory,” the statement said.

The order takes into its ambit public sector banks and financial institutions, Autonomous Bodies, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Public Private Partnership projects receiving financial support from the government or its undertakings.

The statement further noted that, the Centre has written to the chief secretaries of the state governments for the implementation of this order at state level. For state government procurement, the competent authority will be constituted by the states but political and security clearance will remain necessary.

“Relaxation has been provided in certain limited cases, including for procurement of medical supplies for containment of COVID-19 global pandemic till 31st December 2020,” the statement said.

By a separate order, countries to which Government of India extends lines of credit or provides development assistance have been exempted from the requirement of prior registration.

The statement also stated, the new provisions will apply to all new tenders. In respect of tenders already invited, if the first stage of evaluation of qualifications has not been completed, bidders who are not registered under the new order will be treated as not qualified.

If this stage has been crossed, ordinarily the tenders will be cancelled and the process started over again. The order will also apply to other forms of public procurement. It does not apply to procurement by the private sector, it added.

-RJV/ARK

 

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India are nearing 13 lakh-mark after 49,310 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, the biggest single-day spike so far, taking the total number of cases to 12,87,945, according to Union Health Ministry data.

Meanwhile, the death toll also crossed the 30,000-mark after record 740 new fatalities were reported in the country during the last 24 hours.

With 3,47,502 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu with 1,92,964 cases and Delhi with 1,27,364 positive cases.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 240

Andhra Pradesh- 72,711

Arunachal Pradesh- 991

Assam- 28,791

Bihar- 31,980

Chandigarh- 800

Chhattisgarh- 6,254

Dadar Nagar Haveli & Diu – 705

Delhi- 1,27,364

Gujarat- 52,477

Goa- 4,350

Haryana– 28,975

Himachal Pradesh- 1,834

Jammu and Kashmir- 16,429

Jharkhand- 6,975

Karnataka- 80,863

Kerala- 16,110

Ladakh- 1,210

Madhya Pradesh- 25,474

Maharashtra- 3,47,502

Manipur- 2,115

Meghalaya- 534

Mizoram- 332

Nagaland- 1,174

Odisha- 21,099

Puducherry- 2,420

Punjab- 11,739

Rajasthan- 33,220

Sikkim- 460

Tamil Nadu- 1,92,964

Telangana- 50,826

Tripura- 3,656

Uttarakhand- 5,445

Uttar Pradesh- 58,104

West Bengal – 51,757

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andhra Pradesh- 884

Arunachal Pradesh- 3

Assam- 70

Bihar- 217

Chandigarh- 13

Chhattisgarh- 30

Delhi- 3,745

Goa- 29

Gujarat- 2,252

Haryana- 378

Himachal Pradesh- 11

Jammu and Kashmir- 282

Jharkhand- 67

Karnataka- 1,616

Kerala- 50

Ladakh- 2

Madhya Pradesh- 780

Maharashtra- 12,854

Meghalaya- 4

Odisha- 114

Puducherry- 34

Punjab- 277

Rajasthan- 594

Tamil Nadu- 3,232

Telangana- 447

Tripura- 10

Uttar Pradesh- 1,289

Uttarakhand- 60

West Bengal- 1,255

However, a total of 8,17,209 people have been cured or discharged. Total active cases stand at 4,40,135.

-CHK

Coronavirus cases top 15.4 mn worldwide; US tally crosses 4 mn

Coronavirus cases

New Delhi (NVI): More than 15.4 million people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and at least 8.6 million people have recovered, while more than 6,32,000 have died – according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The United States surpassed 4 million cases of coronavirus amid a surge in cases, predominantly in southern and western states.

In addition to this, the US recorded more than 1,100 deaths from Covid-19, marking the third straight day the nation passed that grim milestone, taking the total death toll to more than 1,44,000.

In Brazil, the total number of coronavirus cases are nearing 2.3 million while the death toll has reached 84,000 in the country.

The Australian state of Victoria has reported 300 new coronavirus cases and six deaths, a record one-day number of fatalities for the state.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 815 to 204,183. The reported death toll rose by 10 to 9,111, the tally showed.

Death toll in Iran from the novel coronavirus has surged past 15,000 as 2,621 people tested positive in the last 24 hours.

-CHK

India’s COVID tally nears 13 lakh; death toll at 30,601

New Delhi (NVI): The number of coronavirus cases in India reached 12,87,945 after 49,310 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the biggest single-day jump so far, Union Health Ministry said.

The death toll also crossed the 30,000-mark with 740 new fatalities being reported in the past 24 hours.

So far, 8,17,209 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged across the country. With this, the recovery rate has improved to 63.45 per cent.

With 3,47,502 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu with 1,92,964 cases and Delhi with 1,27,364 positive cases.

Karnataka has also emerged as a coronavirus hotspot in India over the last few days with 80,863 confirmed cases.

Other states with high corona cases are Gujarat (52,477), Uttar Pradesh (58,104), West Bengal (51,759) and Rajasthan (33,220).

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities at 12,854, followed by 3,232 in Tamil Nadu and 2,252 in Tamil Nadu.

The death toll in the national capital rose to 3,745, while 1,09,065 patients in Delhi have recovered so far, the health ministry data shows.

According to ICMR, the total number of COVID-19 samples tested up to July 23 is 1,54,28,170 while 3,52,801 samples tested yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Centre is today scheduled to hold a video conference meeting with eight states, which it views as a cause of concern, to check the spread of the virus.

-RJV

J&K records 718 fresh Covid cases, tally reaches 16,429

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

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today recorded 718 fresh cases of COVID-19 including 33 travelers, taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 16,429.

With the new cases, the tally of positive cases in J&K has reached 16429 including 13078 from Kashmir and 3358 from Jammu division.

Officials said among 718 new cases, 601 belong to Kashmir while 117 are from Jammu, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir reached 13078 including 6818 recoveries while total number of positive cases in Jammu reached 3351 including 1891 recoveries and 20 deaths.

The officials added that total number of active cases in J&K is 7438 including 5998 from Kashmir and 1440 from Jammu.

With 102 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in the UT has reached 8709 which is 53.009 percent of the total cases which was over 63 percent few days before.

Pertinently, Srinagar district alone has 3608 positive cases which is more than the total number of positive cases in Jammu where total cases are 3351.

Cases tested positive in J&K include 158 from Srinagar, 29 from Baramulla, 106 from Kulgam, 109 from Shopian, 33 from Anantnag, 32 from Kupwara, 56 from Pulwama, 34 from Budgam, 42 from Bandipora and 02 from Ganderbal in Kashmir division while as 117 from Jammu division include 47 from Jammu, 08 from Kathua, 15 from Rajouri, 07 from Udhampur, 20 from Ramban, 05 from Samba, 04 from Doda, 05 from Poonch, 02 from Kishtwar and 04 from Reasi.

As per the daily information bulletin, 343,799 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 40,195 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Besides that, 7438 persons are in hospital isolation while 12 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 254,221 persons have completed surveillance period and 41,651 persons are under home surveillance.

So far, results of 548,877 samples are available out of which 532,448 tested negative while 16,429 have been tested positive. Among positive cases, 7438 are active and 8709 persons have recovered.

-ARK

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