COVID-19 news from across the nation

India's COVID-19 tally of cases climbed to 73.07 lakh with 67,735 new cases in a day, while 63,83,441 people have recuperated so far pushing the national recovery rate to 87.35 per cent on Thursday, according to the Union Health Ministry data. Meanwhile, Punjab Govt to reopen schools from 19th Oct- keeping in line with govt guidelines for Classes 9th-12th and also issues a set of SOPs. At Tamil Nadu, former MLA and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam party leader P Vetrivel passed away at 6.44 pm on Thursday. He was admitted to hospital for treatment of Covid-19.

Hyderabad: The doubling time of the coronavirus infection has sharply improved from 25.5 days in mid-August to nearly 73 days now, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. The doubling time for Covid-19 is the number of days it takes for the count of cases to double.

"India has come a long way from registering a doubling rate of 25.5 days in mid-August to now registering a doubling rate of nearly 73 days (72.8 days)," the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Fresh Covid-19 infections in India went up marginally on Wednesday but stayed below the 70,000-mark for the fourth consecutive day even as the daily casualties at 689 were the lowest in 79 days. Active cases went down by more than 16,000 to 8,12,739, sliding for the 13th consecutive day in a row.

COVID-19 news from across the nation

Maharashtra

Mumbai:A COVID-19 patient urgently requiring plasma approached Thane police for help, following which personnel promptly responded to his request, the city police said. According to the news agency, the Thane police in Maharashtra received a message on its WhatsApp group about a 65-year-old patient suffering from coronavirus infection urgently in need of B+ve plasma.

After reading the message, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Natrajeshwar Andhalkar, who was posted in the wireless section, did not waste any time and rushed to the hospital and donated his plasma, the Thane city police tweeted on Wednesday.

Punjab

Chandigarh: Punjab Govt to reopen schools from 19th Oct- keeping in line with govt guidelines for Classes 9th-12th and also issues a set of SOPs. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh ordered the resumption of normal OPD service & elective surgeries, with extensive precautions in place.

Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Former MLA and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam party leader P Vetrivel passed away at 6.44 pm on Thursday. He was admitted to hospital for treatment of Covid-19.

Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: "Covid-19 negative certificate is mandatory for visiting Sabarimala temple which is reopening tomorrow. Only 250 people will be allowed to visit on a day. A health certificate assuring the devotee is fit for climbing the hill is also mandatory, " said Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

Furthermore, not just the Covid negative certificate, a medical fitness certificate to prove that you are fit to trek the holy path, has also made mandatory for the devotees who are reaching to have darshan at Sabarimala from Saturday. The temple will be opening on Friday evening for a five-day-long Thulam month pooja.

Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurates a hashtag campaign about hygiene awareness on the occasion of Global Hand Wash Day. "We all have realised the relevance of handwashing during COVID19 pandemic, one can't ignore it," says Yogi Adityanath, CM, Uttar Pradesh

Odisha

Bhubaneswar:Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday reviewed the COVID situation and its management in the state with senior government officials and collectors.

The Chief Minister said that Odisha has consistently performed well in the management of Covid. All indicators are better than the national average. New infections are declining in most districts.

The situation has also improved in districts with higher infections such as Cuttack, Khordha and Puri.

The Odisha Human Rights Commission asks govt to identify an alternative area outside Cuttack city for the cremation of persons who die of Covid to address the issue of air pollution because of cremations carried out inside the city