Coronavirus LIVE Updates: As per the health ministry fifty-eight percent of the new recovered cases are being reported from 5 states: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh Coronavirus LATEST Updates:India now has 9,73,175 active cases, while 37,02,595 people have recovered.
Therecovery rate is currently 77.88%, while the mortality rate is 1.65%The crucial National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which is a pen and paper-based test, unlike engineering entrance exam JEE, has already been deferred twice in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.India's total number of COVID-19 cases crossed 46 lakh with a record 97,570 infections being reported on Saturday, while 36,24,196 people have recuperated so far, taking the national recovery rate to 77.77 percent, according to Union health ministry data.The toll rose to 77,472 with 1,201 people succumbing to the infection in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The total number of cases (46,59,984) also includes9,58,316 active cases,which comprises 20.56 percent of the total caseload, the ministry said.The COVID-19 case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.66 percent, the statement added.India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August, 30 lakh on 23 August and it went past 40 lakh on 5 September.
The country has registered over 95,000 cases for the third consecutive day on Saturday.According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 5,51,89,226 samples have been tested up to 11 September, with 10,91,251 samples being tested on Friday.NEET 2020 to be held amid COVID-19 precautionsOver 15 lakh candidates are expected to appear in medical entrance exam, NEET, on Sunday.
The exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) amid strict precautions in view of the COVID1-9 pandemic.In order to maintain social distancing, the NTA has increased the number of exam centres from 2,546 to 3,843, while the number of candidates per room has been reduced from 24 to 12.The crucial National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which is a pen and paper-based test, unlike engineering entrance exam JEE, has already been deferred twice in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The exam was originally scheduled for 3 May, but was pushed to 26 July, and then to 13 September.A total of 15.97 lakh candidates have registered for the exam."For ensuring social distancing outside examination halls, a staggered entry and exit of candidates has been planned.
Adequate arrangements have also been made outside examination centres to enable candidates stand with adequate social distancing while waiting," NTA was quoted as saying by PTI.Serum Institute of India says awaiting DCGI nod to restart vaccine trialsThe Serum Institute of India said it will resume clinical trials of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine candidate after getting the permission from the Drugs Controller General of India(DCGI).British pharma giant AstraZeneca on Saturday said that clinical trials for its coronavirus vaccine AZD1222 have resumed in the UK following confirmation by the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) that the trials were safe."Once DCGI will give us the permission to restart the trials in India, we will resume the trials,"Serum Institute of India (SII) said in a statement.In a tweet, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said, "As I'd mentioned earlier, we should not jump to conclusions until the trials are fully concluded.
The recent chain of events is a clear example why we should not bias the process and should respect the process till the end.
Good news, @UniofOxford."The human trials were temporarily paused after one of the participants developed an adverse reaction.Following the suspension by the British drugmaker's UK trials, the DCGI also directed SII to suspend orders new recruitment in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the vaccine candidate till further orders.News18 also reported that vaccine producer Bharat Biotech on Saturday announced that animal trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate 'Covaxin' have beensuccessful."It said the results demonstrated the protective efficacy of the vaccine in a live viral challenge model.
It said the data from the study on primates substantiates the immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate," the report said.Delhi Metro resumes full services todayThe Delhi Metro resumed its full services on Saturday with the Airport Express Line reopening after a hiatus of over 170 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.All corridors of the Metro network are now in operation and the timing of services will follow the pre-COVID-19 schedule of 6 am to 11 pm."With the resumption of service on the Airport Express Line, all lines of the Delhi Metro network are now open! Remember to follow the guidelines when travelling.
#MetroBackOnTrack," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) tweeted.On Monday, the Delhi Metro had resumed services with curtailed operation of the Yellow Line and Rapid Metro.Meanwhile, the Delhi airport started its on-arrival COVID-19 testing facility on Saturday, wherein an international passenger can pay Rs 5,000 to avail an RT-PCR test and also use the waiting lounge, PTI reported.The Centre had on 2 September said that international passengers, who have to take connecting domestic flights after landing in India, will have the option of getting themselves tested for COVID-19 at the entry airports.Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over COVID-19 as PM warns against 'carelessness'Taking a dig at the Centre on Saturday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government's "well-planned fight" against the coronavirus pandemic has put India in an "abyss" of GDP contraction of 24 percent, 12 crore job losses, 15.5 lakh crore additional stressed loans and the globally highest daily COVID-19 cases and deaths.The Congress has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of not handling the COVID-19 pandemic effectively, but the government has dismissed all such claims."Modi Govt's 'well-planned fight' against Covid has put India in an abyss of: 1.
Historic GDP reduction of 24% 2.
12 crore jobs lost 3.
15.5 lac crores additional stressed loans 4.
Globally highest daily Covid cases - deaths," Gandhi said in a tweet.But for the government of India and the media "sab changa si(all is well)", the former Congress chief added.According to the official data, the country's economy suffered its worst slump on record in the April-June quarter with the gross domestic product (GDP) contracting by 23.9 percent as the COVID-19lockdown weighed on the already-declining consumer demand and investment.Meanwhile, Modi cautioned people against lowering their guard till an effective anti-coronavirus medicine is developed and introduced a slogan in Hindi to the effect.
He said, "Jab tak dawai nahi, tab tak dhilai nahi' (No carelessness till a medicine is found)."State-wisedata on fatalities due to COVID-19Of the 1,201 new deaths, 442 were reported from Maharashtra, 130 from Karnataka, 77 each from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, 76 from Uttar Pradesh, 63 from Punjab, 57 from West Bengal, 30 from Madhya Pradesh, 26 from Chhattisgarh, 25 from Haryana, 21 from Delhi, 16 each from Assam and Gujarat, 15 each from Jharkhand and Rajasthan and 14 each from Kerala and Odisha.Twelve fatalities each have been reported from Bihar and Puducherry, 11 from Uttarakhand, 10 from Telangana, nine each from Jammu and Kashmir and Tripura, eight from Goa, five from Himachal Pradesh, four from Meghalaya, three from Chandigarh, two from Ladakh while Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have registered one fatality each.Of the total 77,472 deaths, Maharashtra has reported the highest at 28,724 followed by 8,231 in Tamil Nadu, 7,067 in Karnataka, 4,779 in Andhra Pradesh, 4,687 in Delhi, 4,282 in Uttar Pradesh, 3,828 in West Bengal, 3,180 in Gujarat and 2,212 in Punjab.So far, 1,691 people have died of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh, 1,207 in Rajasthan, 950 in Telangana, 932 in Haryana, 854 in Jammu and Kashmir, 797 in Bihar, 605 in Odisha, 532 in Jharkhand, 519 in Chhattisgarh, 430 in Assam, 410 in Kerala and 388 in Uttarakhand.Puducherry has registered 365 fatalities, Goa 276, Tripura 182, Chandigarh 86, Himachal Pradesh 71, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 51, Manipur 44, Ladakh 38, Meghalaya 24, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh 10 each, Sikkim eight and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu two.With inputs from agencies