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Coronavirus cases exceed 2.55 lakh in Pakistan; death toll at 5,386

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan crossed 2.55 lakh after detection of 2,165 new cases in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus death toll jumped to 5,386 today after 67 new fatalities were reported during this period.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh reported 1,07,773 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 88,045 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 31,001 cases, Balochistan is at 11,239, Gilgit-Baltistan at 1,708, Islamabad at 14,315 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 1,688 cases so far, according to media reports.

A total of 1,72,810 patients have recovered from the disease so far in the country.

-CHK

Afghanistan’s COVID tally nears 35,000, death toll at 1,094

New Delhi (NVI): The coronavirus cases in Afghanistan saw a rise of 254 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number to 34,994, according to Afghan media reports.

The death toll in the country stood at 1,094 with 32 new fatalities being reported in the past 24 hours.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said, the highest count was reported in Kabul with 78 cases, followed by Daikundi with 61 positive cases.

Likewise, 18 cases were reported in Takhar, Herat (6), Kandahar (3), Balkh (10), Paktia (18), Nangarhar (3), Badghis (11), Logar (9), Badakhshan (11), Wardak (1), Laghman (4) and Ghor (15).

In terms of fatalities, 20 people died Kabul, seven in Farah, three in Herat and two in Nangarhar in the last 24 hours.

The ministry also added that 1,002 patients have been discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, bringing the total recoveries to 22,456 in the country.

So far, 81,934 samples have been tested in the government’s testing centers and there are 11,444 known active COVID-19 cases in the country.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government is also implementing a programme titled “national dining table” to replace the bread distribution efforts to families in need during the COVID-19 crisis.

-RJV

COVID-19 increases risk of life for Ethiopian migrants stranded in Yemen

New Delhi (NVI): Tens of thousands of Ethiopian migrants stranded in war-torn Yemen are in fear for their lives as COVID-19 spreads throughout the country and life-saving aid is in short supply, International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

These migrants face increasing dangers throughout Yemen — a major transit country on the Horn of Africa-Arabian Gulf migration route — without vital services or a means to return home.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led to a 90 per cent reduction in migrant arrivals in Yemen between February to June. In addition to this, the outbreak related restrictions have caused tens of thousands of Ethiopian migrants to be stranded on their journeys.

According to IOM’s report, at least 14,500 migrants today are estimated to be stranded in Yemen’s Aden, Marib, Lahj and Sa’ada governorates, due to the blocked route through the country migrants being forcibly transferred between governorates.

Yemen traditionally has been a country of transit for impoverished Ethiopians seeking work and a better life in Saudi Arabia.

“For nearly six years, Yemen has been an extremely unsafe place to be a migrant,” said Christa Rottensteiner, the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Chief of Mission in Yemen.

He further added, “COVID-19 has made this situation worse – migrants are scapegoated as carriers of the virus and, as a result, suffer exclusion and violence.”

Most of the stranded Ethiopians are sleeping in the open or in unsafe, abandoned buildings. That puts them at greater risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Furthermore, as a reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, migrants in Yemen have been experiencing verbal and physical harassment, increased detention, movement restrictions as well as forced movements to areas far from main urban centres or services.

Aid agencies like IOM are providing assistance to the stranded migrants, but major funding shortages jeopardize the response, putting lives at risk.

Earlier in 2020, IOM launched an appeal for USD 155 million to support over 5.3 million people by the end of the year. Without urgent funds, over 2.5 million displaced Yemenis and migrants will be left alone to face the devastating fall out of nearly six years of conflict and the worsening COVID-19 outbreak.

So far, more than 1,460 cases of coronavirus, including 418 deaths have been reported in Yemen.

-CHK

WATCH | Daughter of abducted J&K BJP leader appeals terrorists to release her father

In this video, the daughter of Mehrajuddin Malla, a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in the Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla, appeals to terrorists to release her father. Mehrajuddin, who is also the Vice President (VP) of Municipal Committee at Watergam in Sopore, was abducted by the ultras from his residence today.

-ARK

Covid-19 cases in Nepal climbs to 17,177

New Delhi (NVI): Nepal registered 116 new cases of the coronavirus infection today, rising the nationwide tally to 17,177, according to local media reports.

The country’s Ministry of Health and Population said, of the newly infected, three persons are from Province 1; 24 from Province 2; 18 from Bagmati Province.

Likewise, 27 people are from Gandaki Province; one from Province 5; 40 from Karnali Province; and three from Sudurpaschim Province.

The ministry also said that, the new infections were confirmed after testing 5,090 specimens through PCR method in 26 labs across the country, in the last 24 hours. In total, 298,829 people have undergone PCR tests so far.

In the past 24 hours, 697 recoveries have been reported which has taken the total number of recoveries in the country to 10,238. With this Nepal’s current recovery rate stands at 64.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, the deadly contagion has spread across all 77 districts of the country. Of them, Mahottari, Rautahat, Palpa, Kailali, and Bajura have more than 500 active cases each. While Bhojpur, Mustang, Manang and Humla do not have any active case.

So far, 38 people died from the pandemic in Nepal as no coronavirus related death was reported today in the country.

-RJV

First indigenous pneumonia vaccine gets DCGI approval in India

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New Delhi (NVI): The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given its approval to the first fully indigenously developed Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine for pneumonia.

The vaccine has been developed by Serum Institute of India, Pune.

This vaccine is used for active immunization against invasive disease and pneumonia caused by “Streptococcus pneumonia” in infants.  The vaccine is administered in an intramuscular manner.

Serum Institute first obtained the approval of DCGI to conduct Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III clinical trials of Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine. These trials have since been concluded within the country. Serum Institute has also conducted clinical trials in Gambia.

DCGI looked at the evidence from human trials to allow marketing of the vaccine in the country.

A Health Ministry statement said the application along with the clinical trial data has been reviewed by the Office of Drug Controller General of India with the help of Special Expert Committee (SEC) for vaccines.

“The Committee recommended for grant of permission of market authorization to the said vaccine. On July 14, Serum Institute of India, Pune, has been granted permission to manufacture domestically developed first Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine. This is the first indigenously developed vaccine in the field of pneumonia,” Ministry said.

Earlier the demand of such vaccine was substantially met by licensed importers in the country since the manufacturers were all vaccine companies based outside India.

-CHK

WHO advises to conduct 140 COVID-19 tests a day per million population

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New Delhi (NVI): The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised that a country needs to conduct 140 tests per day per million population, explaining the concept of comprehensive surveillance and testing of suspect cases, Union Health Ministry said.

The Health Ministry in a statement said, “WHO in its guidance note on ‘Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of Covid-19’ has advised comprehensive surveillance for suspected cases.”

As many as 22 states and union territories in India are reported to be already conducting 140 and more tests per day per million. In addition to this, the remaining states and UTs are being regularly advised to increase the testing capacity to match the WHO advised levels of testing, the statement added.

One of the factors strongly aiding the increasing numbers of COVID-19 tests in the country is the steadily growing network of labs for testing of COVID-19. With 865 labs in the government sector and 358 private labs, the total number of testing labs in the country stands at 1,223, as on date.

In addition to the gold standard for test, RT PCR, TrueNat and CBNAAT are also used to augment this facility, it said.

Out of these, 391 government labs and 242 private labs can conduct Real-Time RT PCR based testing.

Similarly, TrueNat based testing can be done by 439 government and 52 private labs and CBNAAT based testing can be conducted in 35 government and 64 private labs, ministry added.

The ministry also informed that the expansion of laboratory capacity has seen an exponential increase from one lab in January 2020 to 121 labs in March 2020 and 1,223 labs as of today.

During the last 24 hours, 3,20,161 samples were tested. The total number of samples tested so far in the country stands at 1,24,12,664, the ministry statement said.

However, the testing per million for India is consistently rising. As of today, it has touched 8994.7. On July 14, more than 3.2 lakh tests were done on a single day.

-RJV

Google to invest Rs 33,737 cr in Jio platforms: Mukesh Ambani

Reliance Group Chairman Mukesh Ambani (File Pic)

New Delhi (NVI): Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani today said that Google will invest around Rs 33,737 crore for 7.7 per cent stake in Jio Platforms.

Ambani made the announcement at the group’s 43rd annual general meeting that was held virtually for the first time. The Google investment values Jio platforms at an equity value of Rs 4.36 lakh crore.

At the meeting, Ambani also said that Jio is ready with a “world-class 5G solution” and that field deployment can happen next year. “Jio has designed and developed a complete 5G solution from scratch. It will be ready for trials as soon as 5G spectrum is available and can be ready for field deployment next year,” he said.

Ambani further said that Jio’s global-scale 4G and fiber network is powered by several core software technologies and components. “It is this capability and know-how that positions Jio on the cutting edge of another exciting frontier – 5G,” he added.

Jio Platforms is the digital services arm of Reliance Industries, which houses telecom company Reliance Jio Infocomm. Notably, this is the fourteenth investment in Jio Platforms since April 22 this year.

The company also announced Jio TV+, Jio Glass and provided updates on Reliance Retail, JioMart as well as the deal with Saudi Aramco. Apart from that, Google and Jio are partnering to build a smartphone operating system, Ambani added.

-ARK

40 lakh households get tap water connections since April

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New Delhi (NVI): Under the Central Government’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), 40 lakh households have been provided with tap water connections since April, thus improving the quality of life of people in the rural areas, according to the Jal Shakti Ministry.

Most of this work was done since the start of June.

Right now, connections are being given to 1 lakh households on a daily basis, it said.

The Ministry said that ever since the JJM was announced on August 15 last year, tap connections have been installed in more than 84 lakh households.

Jal Jeevan Mission — a centrally-sponsored project aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made an appeal to make water everyone’s business – a Jan Andolan.

The Centre has laid thrust on peoples’ participation in JJM, and in the efforts to boost the country’s water resource capacity and its management.

The Ministry said more than Rs 8,000 crore central funds were made available to the states and Union Territories for these three months from April to June to implement the mission.

When the whole country is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the Central Government is making all efforts for provision of safe drinking water in rural areas by providing tap connections, the ministry says.

The Mission is working closely with the States to accomplish the task Har Ghar Jal, in mission mode and time-bound manner.

Through this mission, the government intends to ensure the rural communities are safe, by providing the poor and marginalized sections of the society water supply through tap connections inside their house premises.

Government is working on this mission to improve the ease of living and quality of life of the people.

-CHK

CBSE class 10 results declared, 91.46% students pass

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New Delhi (NVI): The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has declared the CBSE class 10th exam results today. A total of 91.46 percent of students have passed the examination.

The results were declared of over 18.89 lakh students who registered to appear for the board exams.

This year, girls have outscored the boys with a pass percentage of 93.31 while the pass percentage for boys is 90.14 percent.

Union HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, took to twitter and stated, “Dear Students, Parents, and Teachers! @cbseindia29 has announced the results of Class X and can be accessed at http://cbseresults.nic.in. We congratulate you all for making this possible. I reiterate, student’s health & quality education are our priority.”

A total of 2.23 percent of students or 41,804 students have scored more than 95 percent marks in CBSE 10th exam this year, according to media reports.

For the exam which was not conducted, CBSE has awarded marks based on an average of the highest three marks obtained in subjects for which marks were held.

CBSE had on Monday announced the class 12th result 2020. A total of 88.78% students have passed the class 12th exam

-CHK

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