COVID-19 news from across the nation

Amid growing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Delhi government commenced COVID-19 testing through the rapid antigen methodology at 169 centres in and around containment zones of the city. Whereas, the Karnataka government celebrated 'Mask Day' to spread awareness about the need to wear masks amid coronavirus pandemic.

Hyderabad:The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 12,227 in the country on Thursday and the number of coronavirus cases climbed to 3,66,946 with as many as 1,60,384 active cases. A total of 1,94,324 patients have also been discharged till date.

COVID-19 cases in India

Delhi

The Delhi government commenced COVID-19 testing through the rapid antigen methodology at 169 centres in and around containment zones of the city on Thursday. A total of 341 teams are involved in the rapid-antigen testing which makes results available within 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, Delhi government announced a price cap at Rs 2,400 for COVID-19 RT-PCR test. Deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia, in his tweet said, "Delhi government has decided to cap the rates for #COVID19 RT-PCR test at Rs 2,400 inclusive of all charges."

Maharashtra

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday called for a simple and low-key Ganpati festival celebration this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, and asked Ganesh mandals to undertake social welfare programmes.

Thackeray said the threat of coronavirus is not yet over and therefore, it will not be possible to celebrate the Ganesh festival with the usual pomp and gaiety.

He said that there should be no crowding or processions during the festival.

The 10-day festival begins on ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’, which falls on August 22 this year.

Karnataka

In order to spread awareness about the need to wear masks amid coronavirus pandemic, the Karnataka government on Thursday celebrated 'Mask Day'. To make it an event to remember, the Police band played as horse-mounted personnel carried out a parade from the Cubbon Park area in state capital Bengaluru. Former India cricketer Anil Kumble also participated in the march and urged the citizens to wear masks and protect their loved ones.

Meanwhile, as much as 95.46 per cent of the total students who registered for the Pre-University Certificate (PUC) board examinations in the state attended the only remaining exam which was held on Thursday.

According to statistics shared by the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE), as many as 5,68,975 students attended the exam while 27,022 gave it a miss.

Kerala

One more death has been reported in Kerala due to COVID, taking the total tally to 21. KP Sunil (26), a driver attached to the Excise department who had accompanied an accused for COVID testing a few days back, died in the hospital. Kerala has formed a special investigation team to find the source of infection to the deceased.

As many as 97 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Kerala on Thursday taking the total number to 2794.

Gujarat

A PIL was filed in the Gujarat High Court on Thursday seeking a direction to the state government to not allow a temple trust to take out the annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad considering the coronavirus pandemic in the city.

Shri Jagannathji Mandir Trust organises the annual rath yatra, a major religious event in Gujarat which attracts thousands of devotees.

The state government has not yet given a green signal for the procession, slated for June 23.

The PIL, filed by journalists and activist Hitesh Chavda through his lawyer Aum Kotwal, is likely to come up for hearing in a day or two.

Madhya Pradesh

State home minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday said that as many as six districts are now free from the infection as the cases in the state are dipping down day-by-day. He also said that the recovery rate in the state has improved and it has reached to 75.5 percent. It is to be noted that the exact figure of the corona active cases in state is 2308 with at least 182 new cases were registered on Thursday.

Bihar

Former BJP MP Putul Kumari tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. She has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

It is to be noted that she is the second leader to be tested positive in the state after the former RJD MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh.

The state health department is now doing contact-tracing to ascertain the people who came into contact with these two leaders.

Meanwhile, the state reported as many as 53 new COVID-19 positive cases on Thursday taking the total number to 6993 with total 39 deaths.

Jharkhand

In the wake of spurt in cases of coronavirus, the Jharkhand government banned the consumption of all types of tobacco products at public places in the entire state.

Issuing an order, the state government asked all not to consume tobacco products at public places until the cases come to zero in the state.

Meanwhile, a patient admitted to the prisoner's ward of Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) has been tested positive for coronavirus. He had come to get treatment from Khunti jail. When his blood sample was examined, he found to be corona positive.

Following this, 15 others in the prisoner's cell have been isolated and the jail authorities are trying to scrutinize the contact list of the infected prisoner so that other suspected prisoners can be tested.

Uttarakhand

As the coronavirus continues to creep in the state, Trivendra Singh Rawat led government decided to convert the International cricket stadium in Dehradun's Raipur into a temporary hospital with a capacity of accommodating 2000 patients for the treatment of COVID 19 patients. The state reported 57 fresh coronavirus positive cases on Thursday, as the total tally rose to 2,079.

Odisha

As many as 97 COVID-19 patients on Thursday recovered taking the total number of recovered cases in the state to 3,144. After the recovery of these patients, active cases in the state have dropped to 1354‬. Earlier in the day, Odisha reported 174 new corona positive cases in the last 24 hours, taking the affected tally to 4512.