Hyderabad: The total number of tests conducted in India for the detection of Covid-19 infection has crossed the 13-crore mark with last one crore done in just 10 days, while the cumulative positivity rate remained low and continues a downward trajectory, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), over 13.06 crore samples have been tested till November 20 with 10,66,022 being tested on Friday.
Higher volumes of testing eventually lead to low positivity rate, the ministry said. “An average of more than 10 lakh tests conducted daily has ensured that the cumulative positivity rate is sustained at low levels and is presently following a downward trajectory,” the ministry underlined.
The Centre will shortly roll out the COVIN app which will be used to ensure last-mile vaccine delivery as several drugmakers report the effectiveness of their vaccine candidates.
The COVIN app will digitally track stocks of vaccines and help stakeholders access data on availability, procurement and also keep track of beneficiaries who have been chosen/will receive the vaccine.
Delhi
New Delhi: Delhi Police issued 1,306 challans for not wearing a facemask in public places, one challan for spitting, and 51 challans for violation of social distancing norms today (till 4 pm). 735 facemasks were distributed to needy persons.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government is toying with the idea of suspending train and flight operations to and from Delhi in view of the rising coronavirus cases in the national capital, a senior official said on Saturday. This is one of the steps being considered by the state government to curb the spread of the virus, he said.
"Various measures are being discussed in order to curb the virus spread in the state, and suspension of train and flight operations to and from Delhi is one of them," Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar said.
Schools for Classes 10 and 12 in Goa reopened on Saturday after being shut for nearly eight months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. The state government has asked the schools to strictly observe the COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) like thermal screening of students, hand sanitising, wearing of masks, social distancing in classrooms, they said.
Gujarat
Gandhinagar: In view of the rising Covid-19 cases in the state that reported 1,420 fresh cases on Friday, the Gujarat government has decided to impose night curfew in Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot from Saturday.
People resorted to panic buying in Ahmedabad that will see a complete curfew from Friday night till Monday morning, leading the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to seal a mart that saw overcrowding.
During the curfew, essential services such as medical shops, hospitals, clinics, dairy booths and petroleum/CNG pumps will remain open. Rail and air passengers, as well as candidates appearing for various competitive exams, will be allowed to commute during the curfew if they possess valid travel tickets and admit cards respectively.
Punjab
Chandigarh: Amid the fresh surge of Covid-19 cases in Punjab, chief secretary Vini Mahajan has said that all the officials concerned have been directed to ensure that minimum 15 contacts of each positive patient must be identified and tested as per the Covid-19 guidelines, says state government.
Uttarakhand
Dehradun: Less than two months from now, the Maha Kumbh will return to Haridwar, bringing with it a sea of pilgrims and enormous logistics challenges in the middle of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Himachal Pradesh
Shimla: In view of rising cases of Covid-19, Shimla district administration issues guidelines for social/academic/sports/religious and other types of gatherings.
Shimla district administration orders closure of shops/markets on Sunday; shops selling groceries, milk, fruits, vegetables, meat, medicines, and restaurants exempted.
