National Coronavirus  News Updates  Sep 29

Punjab: To break the chain of spreading COVID-19 virus, the Health Department of Punjab has braced up its efforts for contact tracing drive under which 7.6 contacts of every COVID person have been traced and tested in last week. Punjab Health Minister said that tracing of contact persons (all household members, social contacts contact at the workplace) and early sampling/testing are significant ways to curb further spread of the virus.

Haryana: The Health Minister said that the state at present has 46,367 quarantine beds, 3486 Containment Zones, 10,145 isolation beds, 2,231 ICU beds, 1,070 ventilators, 3.78 lakh PPE kits and 7.25 lakh N-95 masks. Along with this, the state government has fixed prices for COVID-19 testing at private laboratories - Rs 2,400 has been fixed for RT-PCR Tests, Rs 650 for Rapid Antigen Tests and Rs 250 for ELISA Test. He further informed that rates have also been fixed for the facility of isolation beds, ICUs and ventilators in private hospitals for patients to prevent overcharging. In addition, plasma banks are functional in Faridabad, Gurugram, Panchkula, Rohtak and Karnal.
Himachal Pradesh: While expressing concern over the increase in a number of deaths of Covid-19 patients during the last few days in the State, Chief Minister said that the doctors must ensure proper treatment of the patients especially the patients with the co-morbid illness. He said that proper protocol must be adopted for home isolation for asymptotic patients. He said that it has been felt that such patients at home do not get proper treatment and care. The CM also said that proper hygiene and cleanliness must be maintained in Covid-19 hospitals.
Assam: In Assam, 875 more people tested positive for COVID-19 and 1670 patients discharged yesterday. Total discharged patients 139977, active patients 29350, total cases 169985 and deaths 655.
Manipur: In Manipur, 248 more people tested positive for COVID-19, total cases rise to 10,299. With 76 percent recovery rate, there are 2106 active cases.
Meghalaya: In Meghalaya, highest single-day recoveries recorded today with 311 individuals recovered from coronavirus in the State. Total active cases 1515 and total recovered  3654.
Nagaland: In Nagaland, more locations sealed in Kohima following the detection of new cases. Houses at Zeinuobadze, KMC Tata Parking, Upper Bayabu, L Khel village, Officers Hill, Ministers Hill, Leiri colony & Potterlane sealed.
Maharashtra: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray reviewed the COVID-related measures undertaken in Marathwada region and Nashik division of the state through video conference. CM expressed concerns over asymptomatic patients, allowed to remain at home, stepping out without proper precautions and infecting others. Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has initiated the process of purchasing RT-PCR test kits, after the ICMR discontinued its supply to states from September. The current stock of RT-PCR kits with the BMC will last till end-October. Maharashtra has 2.73 lakh active cases.
Gujarat: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has collected a fine of over Rs 5.5 crore so far from violators, including citizens and commercial establishments, of COVID-19 norms. The civic body has rued that despite conducting a massive regulatory drive, people are still not following guidelines. AMC has formed 192 teams for 48 wards to enforce Covid appropriate behaviour.
Rajasthan: With the number of active cases continuously increasing in Jaipur, the State government in coordination with private hospitals, is augmenting Covid treatment capacity by 2,000 additional beds. State Health Minister Raghu Sharma has also directed private hospitals at Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer and Bikaner district headquarters to keep 30 per cent beds reserved out of their total bed capacity, for Covid treatment.
Madhya Pradesh: In Madhya Pradesh, the parole granted to 3,900 inmates of Madhya Pradesh jails in view of the Coronavirus outbreak has been extended by 60 more days. The state has around 43,000 inmates in 125 jails, of which 3,900 odd were given parole and 3,000 were granted interim bail.
Chhattisgarh: All urban slums in 14 municipal corporations across Chhattisgarh will now receive medical facilities at their doorstep via mobile medical units as the pandemic escalates. In the first phase, 60 such units will be launched in slum areas of the municipal corporations, wherein a doctor along with paramedic staff in each medical unit will assist the residents. There are 31,616 active Covid cases in Chhattisgarh.
Kerala: With daily Covid-19 cases crossing 7000 for the second consecutive day and death toll breaching the 700-mark, the state government is mulling steps to tighten curbs to check the spread of the virus. An all-party meeting will be held tomorrow to discuss in this regard. Thiruvananthapuram district administration has urged the government for complete shut down in the capital district which has a huge case load. Meanwhile, the Opposition UDF has decided to end the direct protests against the government in view of the Covid spread which has reached new levels. Six more Covid fatalities were reported in the state today taking the death toll to 703. Covid-19 was confirmed in 7,445 persons in the state on Sunday. 56,709 patients are now undergoing treatment and 2,27,831 people are currently under observation in various districts.
Tamil Nadu: Schools in Karaikal, Puducherry to reopen from October 5 in a phased manner. Tamil Nadu schools to resume online classes today after the break; Owing to the increased stress among school students, online classes and the telecast of video lessons on TV channels were put on a pause from September 21 to 25. TN Chief Secretary K Shanmugan instructs Coimbatore Collector to bring down Covid-19 positivity rate below five per cent and maintain daily cases below 100 by increasing the samples tested.
Karnataka: Today farmers organisations held state-wide bandh against the farm bills; there was mixed reaction to the bandh. The common law admission test was held in the city following the health department's Covid protocol. Yesterday Bangalore reported 4217 covid cases, which is highest in a single day. In view Covid, Karnataka High Court introduced an online appointment for filing cases, which is said to be first in the country. Private hospitals urge state to provide ventilators and also manpower to treat covid patients.
Andhra Pradesh: A research study done by IIT, Mandi, published in the Journal of Travel Medicine has found that infected cases from three states -- Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh -- played less role in spreading the disease outside their communities. According to the study, coronavirus got induced into Indian states mainly due to international travellers from Dubai and the UK. The state lifted the Covid-19 restrictions for ferrying passengers in the full seating capacity of the bus by RTC. Till date, buses were operated with 60 per cent seating capacity. State Endowment Minister VellampalliSrinivas was reportedly diagnosed with coronavirus. The Minister recently participated in the TirumalaBrahmotsavam along with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Telangana:1378 new cases, 1932 recoveries & 7 deaths reported in the last 24 hours; out of 1377 cases, 254 cases reported from GHMC. Total cases: 1,87,211; Active cases: 29,673; Deaths: 1107; Discharges :1,56,431. While 20 healthcare workers in the state have already succumbed to Covid-19 (the sixth-highest among states), the number of healthcare workers who have tested positive since the onset of the pandemic have crossed 2,500, say official sources. With an eye on boosting Industry, Telangana will be the first state in the country to come up with a policy to safeguard the interest of migrant labourers, including registration of their names and a term contract to guarantee proper wages.