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Here’s the State-wise distribution of Covid-19 cases in India

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Even as the number of samples tested for coronavirus in India has crossed the 10 million (1 crore) mark, the country continues to witness a surge in Covid-19 cases, with its overall position at number 3 globally now.

India has recorded over 7 lakh cases so far, with the overall tally at 7,19,665, according to the latest data by the Health Ministry. 22,252 fresh cases have been recorded since yesterday and the death toll has climbed to 20,160 with 467 new fatalities.

With 2,11,987 COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of infections, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,14,978), and Delhi (1,00,823).

Here are the total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 141

Andhra Pradesh- 20,019

Arunachal Pradesh- 270

Assam- 12,160

Bihar- 12,125

Chandigarh- 489

Chhattisgarh- 3,305

Dadar Nagar Haveli & Diu – 297

Delhi- 1,00,823

Gujarat- 36,772

Goa- 1,813

Haryana– 17,504

Himachal Pradesh- 1,077

Jammu and Kashmir- 8,675

Jharkhand- 2,847

Karnataka- 25,317

Kerala- 5,622

Ladakh- 1,005

Madhya Pradesh- 15,284

Maharashtra- 2,11,987

Manipur- 1,390

Meghalaya- 80

Mizoram- 197

Nagaland- 625

Odisha- 9,526

Puducherry- 802

Punjab- 6,491

Rajasthan- 20,688

Sikkim- 123

Tamil Nadu- 1,14,978

Telangana- 25,733

Tripura- 1,680

Uttarakhand- 3,161

Uttar Pradesh- 28,636

West Bengal – 22,987

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andhra Pradesh- 239

Arunachal Pradesh- 2

Assam- 14

Bihar- 97

Chandigarh- 6

Chhattisgarh- 14

Delhi- 3,115

Goa- 7

Gujarat- 1,960

Haryana- 276

Himachal Pradesh- 11

Jammu and Kashmir- 138

Jharkhand- 20

Karnataka- 401

Kerala- 27

Ladakh- 1

Madhya Pradesh- 617

Maharashtra- 9,026

Meghalaya- 1

Odisha- 38

Puducherry- 12

Punjab- 169

Rajasthan- 461

Tamil Nadu- 1,571

Telangana- 306

Tripura- 1

Uttar Pradesh- 809

Uttarakhand- 42

West Bengal- 779

A total of 4,39,948 people have been cured or discharged, with 15,515 treated in the last 24 hours. Total active cases now stand at 2,59,557.

-ARK

Remote prefecture in Tibet connects with rest of China through Ngari Gunsa Airport

New Delhi (NVI): Ngari Gunsa airport, a dual-use military and civil airport constructed by China in Tibet Autonomous Region has now connected Ngari, a remote prefecture in the region to the rest of China, says a report by People’s Daily.

The development carries significance as it comes amid the ongoing stand-off between India and China over border row in Ladakh. Even as troops on both sides have stepped back at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), both the countries have spiked up efforts to boost border infrastructure in case of any emergency.

Ngari prefecture is home to over 1,20,000 permanent residents, covering an area of 3,04,000 square kilometers, according to the report. It is nicknamed the “top of the roof of the world” for its average altitude of over 4,500 meters. The airport is located t 14,002 feet which makes it among the highest in the world.

Shiquanhe township is the seat of the Ngari administrative office, which is over 1,300 kilometers from its nearest city, Hotan in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the north, 1,400 kilometers from Tibet’s capital Lhasa, and 5,100 kilometers from Beijing.

Before the Ngari Gunsa Airport, roads were the major way of transportation for the people in Ngari to go to Hotan, and Tibet’s Shigatse and Lhasa before. The airport, southwest to Shiquanhe township, was officially put into operation in 2010, an executive at the airport was quoted as saying by the daily, adding that the trip to Lhasa would always take at least 40 hours.

The airport also shortens the travel time between Ngari and Lhasa from over 40 hours to two hours, and allows residents in the prefecture to arrive in China’s major cities within one day.

Although Ngari airbase is close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the fighter jets deployed at such a high altitude can only carry limited war-loads and fuels.

In the worst ever flare-up of tensions between India and China at LAC since 1967, troops from both sides engaged in a violent clash with each other in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh on June that led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers.

The two countries have engaged in military and diplomatic level talks in the past few weeks to normalise the situation along LAC.

Tibet is at the core of India’s ongoing border tensions with China as the region has witnessed years of oppression by Beijing. India has hosted the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader for years, apart from giving refuge to lakhs of Tibetans.

On Monday, the members of Tibetan government-in-exile celebrated the 85th birthday of the Dalai Lama at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. Dharamsala also hosts the seat of Tibetan Government in exile.

-RJV/ARK

Odisha: Covid antigen tests to start at Ganjam, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack today

Subrat Kumar Sarangi

Bhubaneswar (NVI): With a surge in Covid-19 cases at hospitals and hotspot districts in Odisha, the State Government has planned to conduct rapid antigen tests at all containment zones and points of care at district level.

The district authorities in Ganjam are also set to roll out rapid antigen tests from today, as coronavirus cases in the district continue to increase day by day.

The authorities will also start door-to-door screening for urban areas, as teams have been formed with 200 members to carry out massive screening. Screening areas will be put to shutdown for 3-4 days as per requirement.

The state government has planned to procure about one lakh Standard Q Covid-19 Ag (antigen) detection kits out of which 5,000 kits have already arrived here and the other 20,000 kits are expected to reach in the next few days with the cost of each kit at Rs 450.

These kits have been developed by South Korean Company, S D Biosensor whose manufacturing unit is at Manesar, Gurugram.

Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary to Health and Family Welfare department said that out of 5,000 antigen kits, 2,500 have been sent to Ganjam. 2,000 kits have been sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. The rest 500 kits have been kept for Bhubaneswar.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has advised all the states to go for the kits from the manufacturer. They said these kits come with an inbuilt testing device for sample collection.

Antigen tests are a useful tool for early diagnose of coronavirus infection and results of the tests will be known within 15-30 minutes, ICMR said.

-RJV/ARK

COVID-19: Out of 4 lakh tests in J&K, only 2.1 percent cases positive

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): In Jammu and Kashmir, at least 4 lakh people have been tested for coronavirus till date out of which 2.1 percent have tested positive, according to officials figures.

Figures available with the NVI suggest that in total 3,99,385 people were tested across J&K in the past 4 months. “Of the total tests done so far, only 2.1 per cent tested positive so far. This means the situation is not grim in J&K yet, but there is no room for complacency,” an official in the LG GC Murmu led administration said.

He said 3,90,956 samples have been tested as negative till July 5. The figure, he said excludes, the tests done at private clinics in J&K.

Director, Health Services Kashmir, Samir Mattoo said that nearly 1,80,000 people have been tested so far for COVID-19 in the Valley alone. “Six thousand among them tested positive,” he said. “Thank God, the situation is under control. thigs in Kashmir didn’t go the way they happened in Italy, US and China.”

He further added that the health department has intensified the sampling and testing over the last two days in Kashmir.

In Jammu region, close to 2.40 lakh tests have been conducted so far. Since Unlock-2, Covid positive cases have shown a steep surge in J&K as on an average 150 to 200 positive cases are being reported every day in the UT.

The pandemic also claimed lives of 139 people in J&K in the last 24 hours, of which 125 died in Kashmir and 14 in Jammu region.

According to the health experts, all those who died of coronavirus, were in the age group of 55 to 80 and 90 percent of them had underlying medical issues that include hypertension, Community Acquired Punemonia Disease(CoPD), Diabtes, Chest congestion, heart ailments and breathing issues.

Associate Professor at the Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, Nisarul Hassan said that despite Unlock-2, the Novel Coronavirus has been mild in J&K.

“There were apprehensions that when people would start coming out of their homes, go to offices, markets and other places after unlock-2, cases would show spurt and people may die on roads. But nothing of that sort has happened so far even though the virus is in the community already,” Hassan said.

He added that though there is an increase in the number of positive cases and death figures have slightly gone up, still the virus is not in its aggressive mode in the UT.

-CHK

Coronavirus cases surpass 11.6 million worldwide

Coronavirus cases

New Delhi (NVI): Nearly 11.6 million people around the world have now been diagnosed with COVID-19, and more than 5,37,000 have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The United States and Brazil have reported the most cases and the highest death tolls.

In the US, at least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to rise nationwide.

The total number of cases in the US are nearing 3 million while the death toll has surpassed 1,30,000 in the country.

In Brazil, coronavirus positive cases have exceeded 1.6 million while the number of fatalities have surpassed 65,000.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been tested again for coronavirus, after showing symptoms of the disease including a fever.

Beijing has reported no new cases of coronavirus for the first time since an outbreak emerged at the Chinese capital’s main wholesale market last month. City authorities say they have tested more than 11 million people for COVID-19 since June 11.

In addition to this, Japan has reported that five members of the Sumo Association have been confirmed to have coronavirus antibodies.

New Zealand citizens who want to return home may have to wait longer than anticipated after the government moved to limit arrivals from overseas to ease pressure on mandatory quarantine facilities.

-CHK

Covid-19 tally in India crosses 7 lakh-mark; deaths at 20,160

New Delhi (NVI): India’s COVID-19 cases crossed the seven lakh-mark and reached 7,19,665, with single-day spike of 22,252 in the last 24 hours, according to Union Health Ministry.

The death toll due to the virus rose to 20,160, with 467 new fatalities being reported in the past 24 hours.

So far, 4,39,948 patients have recovered all over the country.

Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-affected state due to COVID-19 with 2,11,987 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu with 1,14,978 cases and Delhi with 1,00,823 cases.

Other states with high corona cases are Gujarat (36,772), Uttar Pradesh (28,626), West Bengal (22,989) and Rajasthan (20,688).

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities at 9,026, followed by 1,960 in Gujarat and 1,571 in Tamil Nadu.

The death toll in the national capital rose to 3,115, while 72,088 patients in Delhi have recovered so far, the healthy ministry data shows.

In a development, West Bengal set up its first plasma bank at the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research said, 2,41,430 samples were tested for COVID-19 on July 6, taking the total number of samples tested till Monday to 1,02,11,092.

-RJV

Soldier, terrorist killed in encounter in J&K’s Pulwama

July 18 Shopian encounter: Army completes summary of evidence
An encounter site in Kashmir (File Pic)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A terrorist was killed while a soldier also lost his life in an encounter that broke out in the wee hours today in Goosu area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said.

“A soldier and a police personnel were injured in the gunfight during initial exchange of firing. Both were shifted to Army’s 92 base hospital Srinagar, where injured soldier succumbed,” the officials said. They said a militant was also killed in the first exchange of firing.

The encounter broke out after a joint team of Police, Army’s 53 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of militants in the area in the wee hours.

However, it is believed that two to three terrorists are trapped in the village.

Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, internet services have been snapped in Pulwama Police district. Today’s encounter is 18th in South Kashmir since June 1 in which 50 terrorists have been killed.

This year, so far 122 terrorists were killed in various encounter across Kashmir. From Hizbul Mujahideen alone, 55 terrorists including top commanders were killed. Police has already prepared a list of 12 top militant commanders that include five from Hizb, four from Lashkar e Toiba and three from Jaish-e-Muhamad outfit who are being tracked down.

-RJV

WHO halts hydroxychloroquine, HIV drugs in Covid-19 trials

Representational Image

New Delhi (NVI): The World Health Organisation has discontinued trials of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir to find out whether these drugs help patients hospitalised with the Covid-19.

In a release, WHO said that it has “accepted the recommendation from the Solidarity Trial’s International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir arms”.

The Solidarity Trial was established by WHO to find an effective COVID-19 treatment for hospitalized patients.

“The International Steering Committee formulated the recommendation in light of the evidence for hydroxychloroquine vs standard-of-care and for lopinavir/ritonavir vs standard-of-care from the Solidarity trial interim results, and from a review of the evidence from all trials presented at the 1-2 July WHO Summit on COVID-19 research and innovation,” WHO said in a statement.

The interim trial results showed that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients when compared to standard of care. “Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect,” WHO said in a release issued Saturday.

-ARK

Officer among two SSB personnel killed in fratricide incident at J&K’s Kulgam

Policeman
Representational Pic.

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Two Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel including an officer died in a fratricide incident in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district late today, police said.

A police official told NVI that two SSB men posted with the SSB 49G Company identified as Constable Hemant lost his cool and fired by his service riffle INSAS at his college Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar after the two entered a verbal brawl over some issue. “After firing at ASI Sandeep, Constable Hemant later fired at himself too. Both died on the spot,” police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kulgam, Gurinder Pal Singh, said that police have registered a case of fratricide. “Both SSB men were found dead. They shot each other with their own service rifle. Investigations have been taken up,” he said.

An SSB official, while terming the incident as unfortunate, said that an in-house inquiry has been ordered to find out what led to the scuffle and verbal dual between the two SSB personnel. “We will find out the cause of incident and accordingly steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in future,” he said.

J&K: 13 CRPF men, 2 cops among 246 new cases, tally at 8,675

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

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today witnessed 246 new Covid positive cases that include 13 CRPF men, two cops and a soldier, taking the number of positive cases in the UT to 8,675.

Officials said that among new cases, 104 were tested positive at SKIMS, 52 at JVC Bemina and rest at other hospitals. “The new cases include 13 CRPF, two cops and a soldier,” they said.

Among 246 new cases, 210 belong to Kashmir division while 36 are from Jammu division, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 6,866 including 4,013 recoveries and 124 deaths while the total number of positive cases in Jammu has reached to 1,809 including 1,305 recoveries and 14 deaths.

They said that the total number of active cases in J&K is 3,219 including 2,729 from Kashmir and 490 from Jammu.

With 63 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in the UT has reached 5,318 which is 61.30 percent of the total cases.

Cases tested positive in J&K include 65 from Srinagar, 49 from Kulgam, 41 from Baramulla, 12 from Shopian, 1 from Anantnag, 3 from Kupwara, 34 from Pulwama, 3 from Budgam, 1 from Bandipora and 1 from Ganderbal in Kashmir while as 36 from Jammu include 6 from district Jammu, 1 from Udhampur, 5 from Kuthua, 3 from Ramban, 13 from Samba, 1 from Poonch, 4 from Rajouri, 2 from Rajouri and 3 from Reasi.

As per the daily information bulletin, 2,99,748 persons in J&K are under observation while 40,157 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Apart from that, 3,219 persons are in hospital isolation while 47 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 2,09,410 persons have completed surveillance period and 46,777 persons are under home surveillance.

So far, results of 4,06,212 samples are available out of which 3,97,537 tested negative while 8,675 have been tested positive. Among positive cases, 3,219 are active and 5,318 persons have recovered while 138 have died.

-ARK

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