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Brazil’s first lady tests corona positive

New Delhi (NVI): Brazilian first lady Michelle Bolsonaro has tested positive for the novel coronavirus almost a week after her husband, the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, tested negative.

Michelle is in good health and is being taken care of by the President’s medical team, according to an official statement by the President’s team.

“First lady Michelle Bolsonaro tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. She is in good health and will follow all established protocols,” a statement by the President’s House read.

Her husband, Brazil’s President, had few weeks ago tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Bolsonaro, 65, has faced criticism for his handling of the pandemic as Brazil has surged to become the country with the second-highest number of infections and deaths in the world, after the United States: more than 2.5 million and 91,000, respectively.

-CHK

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India crossed 16 lakh-mark today and jumped to 16,38,870, after 55,078 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, the biggest single-day jump so far, according to Union Health Ministry data.

This is the first time that India crossed 55,000-mark in a single day.

Meanwhile, the death toll stands at 35,747 after 779 new fatalities were reported in the country during this period.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 471

Andhra Pradesh- 1,30,557

Arunachal Pradesh- 1,484

Assam- 38,407

Bihar- 48,477

Chandigarh- 1,016

Chhattisgarh- 8,761

Dadar Nagar Haveli & Diu – 1,064

Delhi- 1,34,403

Gujarat- 60,285

Goa- 5,704

Haryana– 34,254

Himachal Pradesh- 2,506

Jammu and Kashmir- 19,869

Jharkhand- 10,167

Karnataka- 1,18,632

Kerala- 22,303

Ladakh- 1,378

Madhya Pradesh- 30,968

Maharashtra- 4,11,798

Manipur- 2,505

Meghalaya- 803

Mizoram- 408

Nagaland- 1,566

Odisha- 30,378

Puducherry- 3,298

Punjab- 15,456

Rajasthan- 40,145

Sikkim- 610

Tamil Nadu- 2,39,978

Telangana- 60,717

Tripura- 4,706

Uttarakhand- 7,065

Uttar Pradesh- 81,309

West Bengal – 67,692

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 4

Andhra Pradesh- 1,281

Arunachal Pradesh- 3

Assam- 94

Bihar- 282

Chandigarh- 14

Chhattisgarh- 51

Dadra and Nagar Haveli- 2

Delhi- 3,936

Goa- 42

Gujarat- 2,418

Haryana- 417

Himachal Pradesh- 14

Jammu and Kashmir- 365

Jharkhand- 95

Karnataka- 2,230

Kerala- 70

Ladakh- 7

Madhya Pradesh- 857

Maharashtra- 14,729

Manipur- 4

Meghalaya- 5

Nagaland- 5

Odisha- 169

Puducherry- 48

Punjab- 370

Rajasthan- 663

Sikkim- 1

Tamil Nadu- 3,838

Telangana- 505

Tripura- 21

Uttar Pradesh- 1,587

Uttarakhand- 76

West Bengal- 1,536

However, a total of 10,57,805 people have been cured or discharged. Total active cases stand at 5,45,318.

-CHK

Indonesia’s Bali reopens for domestic tourists after 4-month lockdown

New Delhi (NVI): Indonesia’s resort island of Bali today officially reopened to domestic tourists after almost four-month lockdown in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the second phase of the multistage reopening policy introduced by the Bali’s governor I Wayan Koster, who has been impatient to revive the economy and began easing restrictions on public activities three weeks ago.

Under the easing that will come into effect from today, Indonesians visiting Bali will face strict rules at hotels, restaurants and beaches.

On July 9, the first phase started with the reopening of the island’s tourist attractions and facilities solely for the island’s own residents.

In the third phase of reopening, foreign tourists will be allowed on the island beginning September 11. The regulation prohibiting the entrance of foreigners into Indonesian territory is an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

However, tourism is the main source of income for Bali, which had 6 million tourists from abroad and 10 million from Indonesia last year but the pandemic has caused the numbers to dive.

In addition to this, Indonesia Tourism Minister Wishnutama said that the world is watching closely, and the success of Bali in reopening its tourism will greatly influence our efforts to resurrect Indonesian tourism.

As of today, the cumulative number of coronavirus cases in Bali has reached 3,360 with 48 deaths.

Bali scores a recovery rate of 82.98 percent, the second-highest in Indonesia, after West Sumatra.

-RJV

Coronavirus cases exceed 17 million globally; death toll tops 6.73 lakh

Coronavirus cases

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases have crossed 17 million globally and are nearing 17.3 million. More than 10 million patients have recovered, and at least 6,73,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In the US, the total number of coronavirus infections are nearing 4.5 million while the death toll has exceeded 1,52,000.

In Brazil, the number of infections have surged past 2.6 million meanwhile the total number of fatalities have crossed 91,000 in the country.

In addition to this, Brazil’s first lady Michelle Bolsonaro tested positive for the new coronavirus, the government announced on Thursday, five days after her husband Jair Bolsonaro said he had recovered from his COVID-19 infection.

Spain reported a second day of 1,000-plus coronavirus cases, the highest since the country lifted its lockdown in June.

China tightened travel restrictions in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, requiring people arriving in the city from regions deemed to have high infection risks to undergo a two-week quarantine. Since mid-July, the Xinjiang outbreak centered in Urumqi has seen more than 600 cases of illness, including 112 new ones reported on Friday.

Hong Kong reported a new daily record of coronavirus cases, logging 149 additional infections at the end of Thursday.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte extended quarantine restrictions in the capital Manila, limiting movements of the elderly and children, and the operations of businesses from restaurants to gyms, until mid-August.

Indonesia’s resort island of Bali has reopened to domestic tourists after an almost four-month lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic.

Vietnam’s health ministry reported 45 new coronavirus infections linked to a recent outbreak in the central city of Da Nang, marking the highest daily increase since the first cases emerged in the country in late January.

-CHK

India’s COVID-19 tally past 16 lakh-mark; death toll tops 35,000

India’s COVID tally tops 10.34 million with 16,505 new cases
(File/ Representational image)

New Delhi (NVI): The number of coronavirus cases in India reached 16,38,870 after 55,078 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours, the biggest one-day spike so far, Union Health Ministry said.

In addition to this, this is the first time that India crossed 55,000-mark in a single day.

Meanwhile, the country’s death toll stands at 35,747 with 779 fresh fatalities being reported during this period.

With this, India has now replaced Italy to reach at the fifth place in terms of the number of fatalities, according to World Health Organization (WHO).

So far, as many as 10,57,805 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged across the country.

In worst-hit Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases increased to 4,11,798, followed by Tamil Nadu with 2,39,978 cases and Delhi with 1,34,403 positive cases.

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities at 14,729.

The death toll in the national capital rose to 3,936, while 1,19,724 patients in Delhi have recovered so far, the healthy ministry data shows.

The other worst affected states in the country are Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the total number of COVID-19 samples tested up to July 30 is 1,88,32,970 which includes more than 6 lakh sample tests done in last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry iterated that herd immunity cannot be a strategic choice or option for the country, given its size of population.

-RJV

J&K records 450 new positive cases, tally mounts to 19,869

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 450 fresh cases of Covid-19 including 67 travelers, taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 19,869.

With 450 new cases, the tally of positive cases in J&K has reached 19,869 including 15,568 from Kashmir and 4,301 from Jammu division.

Among 450 new cases, 367 belong to Kashmir while 83 are from Jammu, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir reached 15,568 including 9,417 recoveries while the total number of positive cases in Jammu reached 4,301 including 2425 recoveries and 26 deaths, officials said.

They said that the total number of active cases in J&K is 7,662 including 5,812 from Kashmir and 1850 from Jammu.

With 520 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in the UT reached 11,842 which is 59.60 percent of the total cases which was over 63 percent a few days before.

Pertinently, Srinagar district alone has 4,658 positive cases which is more than the total number of positive cases in Jammu division where total cases are 4301.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 183 from Srinagar, 42 from Baramulla, 02 from Kulgam, 06 from Shopian, 20 from Anantnag, 16 from Kupwara, 32 from Pulwama, 20 from Budgam, 33 from Bandipora and 13 from Ganderbal in Kashmir division while as 87 from Jammu division include 38 from Jammu, 0 from Kuthua, 13 from Rajouri, 09 from Udhampur, 01 from Ramban, 03 from Samba, 04 from Doda, 12 from Poonch, 02 from Kishtwar and 01 from Reasi,” officials disclosed.

As per the daily information bulletin, 3,66,937 persons in the UT are under observation while 47,281 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 7662 persons are in hospital isolation while 06 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 2,71,040 persons have completed surveillance period and 40,583 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 6,27,387 samples are available.

Out of 6,27,387, the number of samples, 607,518 tested negative while 19,869 have been tested positive. Among them, 7,662 are active and 11,842 persons have recovered.

-ARK

NASA launches Perseverance Rover to Mars to seek signs of ancient life

(Image credits: @NASA)

New Delhi (NVI): NASA’s Perseverance rover blasted off to Mars from Cape Canaveral in Florida atop an Atlas V rocket today to hunt for signs of life past or present on the Red Planet.

Beginning its six and a half month trip to the red planet, the rover is destined to land in Jezero crater on February 18, 2021. If all goes well, the rover will use a sophisticated suite of science instruments including 23 cameras to examine the planet’s climate and geology, after landing.

The six-wheeled rover is charged with investigating the Jezero Crater. The 45km (28-mile-long) crater is the site of an ancient lake bed that’s more than three billion years old.

It is the third mission heading to Mars this month after launches by the UAE and China.

Unlike the previous four rovers Nasa has sent to Mars, its new machine is equipped to directly detect life – either current or in fossilised form.

Perseverance will spend at least one Martian year (equivalent to roughly two Earth years) investigating the possibility.

The rover is armed with a host of scientific instruments, including two that are mounted on its robotic arm. PIXL and SHERLOC are two spectrometers, which analyse spectra (or light) to determine what types of chemical compounds are present.

-CHK/ARK

Ladakh standoff: REC removes Chinese firm from J&K smart meter project

New Delhi (NVI): Amid heightened tensions between India and China over border row in Ladakh after Galwan incident, State-owned REC Power Distribution Corp Ltd (RECPDCL) today said it removed a Chinese firm from the smart meter project in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

RECPDCL, which has issued clarification regarding the smart metering project being implemented in the UT, said the project was awarded to an Indian company, Techno Electric & Engineering Co Ltd. The company engaged sub-contractors for different components of the project.

The decision to remove the Chinese firm was taken as the government last week restricted Chinese companies from participating in bids for government procurement without approval from relevant authorities on the ground of defence and national security.

The project was awarded to an Indian company, Techno Electric & Engineering Co Ltd. The company engaged sub-contractors for different components of the project.

However, the Ministry of power issued an order on July 7 regarding vulnerabilities in the power supply system and network which may arise due to possible cyber-attacks through malware/trojans etc., embedded in the imported equipment.

“After this order was issued, all new/ongoing contracts are being reviewed and as part of that review one of the sub-contractors of the (J&K) project, which though a company registered in India and having manufacturing facilities in India, was found to be a subsidiary of a Chinese company,” the Power Ministry said in an official statement.

“The said sub-contractor was directed to be removed from the project since the continuation of the sub-contractor would have led to the requirements of taking prior permission and testing of every equipment supplied thus leading to unacceptable delays in execution,” it added.

The principal contractor has informed RECPDCL that they have removed that sub-contractor, the statement said.

-ARK

J&K Govt modifies Covid protocol to allow home quarantine of asymptomatic cases

Srinagar (NVI): The Jammu and Kashmir government, while modifying the protocol for Covid-19 positive cases and their contacts today, revised the home isolation guidelines to permit such patients for home quarantine who are asymptomatic with no comorbidity and are not vulnerable.

An order in this regard has been issued by Health & Medical Education Department wherein Divisional, District as well as designated institutions and hospitals which include SKIMS Soura, Srinagar, Govt. Medical Colleges of Jammu, Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua and Rajouri and Director Health Services Kashmir/Jammu have been directed to follow the revised guidelines.

“All such patients shall be permitted for home quarantine provided they have separate room available in their home; have downloaded Aarogya Setu application on their phones; besides such patients will be provided with Oximeter to monitor their oxygen saturation and in the event of drop of the Oxygen level below 90 per cent they shall immediately be hospitalized; a poster shall be pasted outside their home displaying therein that the resident has been quarantined and reach out teams shall be constituted by the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu / Kashmir to monitor health status of the patient,” the order read.

It stated that it is permitted to dispense with present practice of administrative quarantine of contacts of COVID positive patients.

“All asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patient will be allowed home quarantine and tested on the sixth day of the contact,” the order further stated, adding that in case, the test of the contact returns positive, defined protocol for COVID-19 shall be followed.

-ARK

J&K DGP puts security grid on high alert for ensuing fortnight

Abid Bashir 

Srinagar (NVI): Director General of Police Dilbag Singh today asked security forces in the Valley to remain extra alert for the ensuing fortnight and put into use all resources so that the religious festival of Eid-ul-Azha as well as the Independence Day celebration pass off peacefully in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

Chairing a high-level security meeting here, the DGP said that there will be provocations by the “anti-national and anti-social elements during this period and as such, all the policemen deployed on nakas, for operations, on static guards and other deployments need to be briefed on a regular basis.”

“He complimented the officers and said that a lot of good work has been done during the last few months on operations as well as on the law & order front. However, the guard cannot be lowered and there is a need to consolidate the gains,” the DGP was quoted as saying by a police spokesperson in a statement issued here.

The high-level security review meeting was held at Police Headquarters (PHQ) Srinagar in which overall security scenario of the J&K, particularly security arrangements ahead of Eid al-Adha, and August 15 Independence Day were discussed. The efforts of collective fight against COVID-19 by the Police, CAPFs and Civil Administration were also discussed, the spokesperson said.

The meeting was attended by ADGP (CID) J&K RR Swain, ADGP (Cord) SJM Gillani, ADGP Law & Order/Headquarter (PHQ), AG Mir, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P Pole, IGP CRPF (Ops) Rajesh Kumar, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, IGP CRPF PK Pandey, DIG BSF BK Jha, DIG SSB Ranjeet Singh, DIG CRPF DS Maan, IYC (Ops) ITBP NS Bhandari and officers of Police Headquarters.

IGP Jammu Mukesh Singh, all range DIGs and all-district SSPs of J&K attended the meeting via video conference.

“The DGP said that all the efforts must be put in place to enhance the security of vulnerable people and places. He said that the officers can take the decisions keeping in view the local requirements, conditions etc,” the spokesperson said.

The DGP also said that all the logistics such as BP Bunkers fitted with CCTVs have been provided and advised the officers that these resources must be made good use of. “The incidents of sensitive and law & order nature must be recorded and later on analysed,” he said.

The DGP said that the supervisory officers must ensure that the jawans on duty remain alert and put on BP (Bullet Proof) patkas, jackets to safeguard themselves and also do their duties efficiently.

With regard to COVID, the DGP said that the security forces need to continue to take all precautions and all the resources which have been made available must be put to use. Police Headquarters will be at the beck and call of the districts and units for any requirements which they may highlight.

The DGP said that plasma donations by the police personnel, an initiative under the supervision of ADGP Coordination SJM Gillani, has been appreciated by the civilians as precious lives are being saved through this attempt. He said that the units and districts must make a list of police personnel who can be screened for plasma donation. The donors must be duly rewarded.

He further advised that due precautions and COVID protocols must be followed during the celebration of the religious as well as national festivals.

All the officers attending the meeting briefed the DGP about the current scenario in their respective areas and assured that all the orders and advisories will be implemented in letter & spirit.

-ARK

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