INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: As per the health ministry fifty-eight percent of the new recovered cases are being reported
has 9,73,175 active cases, while 37,02,595 people have recovered
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
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
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
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
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
Historic GDP reduction of 24% 2
15.5 lac crores additional stressed loans 4
well)", the former Congress chief added.According to the official data, the country's economy suffered its worst slump on record in 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
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
