Daily news 31 December 2020

National News

1. Cabinet approves export of indigenously-developed Akash Missile System

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal to export indigenously-developed Akash Missile System.
• The Cabinet has also approved to set up of a committee for faster approvals of exports. The export version of Akash will be different from System currently deployed with Indian Armed Forces.
• Akash is a short-range Surface to Air Missile with a range of 25 Kms to protect vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from air attacks. It was inducted in IAF in 2014 and in the Indian Army in 2015.

State News

2. India's first pollinator park opens in Uttarakhand

• The country's first pollinator park with over 40 species of butterflies, honeybees, birds and insects has been developed over four acres at Haldwani, Uttarakhand.
• The objective behind developing the park is to conserve various pollinator species, create awareness among people in general about the importance of conservation of these species and to promote further research on various aspects of pollination, including a threat to habitat and impact of pollution on pollinators.
• There are at present 40 species of pollinators at the park, including common jezebel, common emigrant, red pierrot, common sailor, plain tiger, the common leopard, the common moron, common grass yellow, common blue bottle, common four-ring, peacock pansy, the painted lady, pioneer white, yellow-orange tip and lime butterfly.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister: Trivendra Singh Rawat.
• Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.

Defence News

3. Navy, DRDO conduct a maiden trial of air-dropped container 'SAHAYAK-NG'

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with the Indian Navy conducted the successful maiden test trial of 'SAHAYAK-NG' India's first indigenously designed and developed Air Dropped Container from IL 38SD aircraft (Indian Navy) off the coast of Goa.
• The trial was conducted by the Indian Navy to enhance its operational logistics capabilities and provide critical engineering stores to ships that are deployed more than 2000 kilometres from the coast.
• SAHAYAK-NG is an advanced version of SAHAYAK Mk I.
• The newly developed GPS aided air dropped container is having the capability to carry a payload that weighs up to 50 kilograms and can be dropped from heavy aircraft.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• DRDO Chairman: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy.
• DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.
• DRDO Established: 1958.

Appointments News

4. Harsh Vardhan nominated to the Board of ‘GAVI’, The Vaccine Alliance

• Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has been nominated as the board member of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI).
• The seat is currently held by Myint Htwe of Myanmar. Dr Vardhan will represent the South East Area Regional Office (SEARO)/ Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) constituency on the GAVI Board.
• Dr Vardhan will assume the charge with effect from January 1, 2021, and serve till December 31, 2023.
• The vaccine alliance GAVI is an international organisation, that provides a forum for balanced strategic decision-making, innovation and partner collaboration.
• It was created to improve access to new and underused vaccines for numerous vaccine-preventable diseases for children who live in the world’s poorest countries.
• The GAVI board is responsible for the strategic direction and policy-making oversees the operations of the Vaccine Alliance and monitors programme implementation.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• GAVI Headquarters location: Geneva, Switzerland.
• GAVI Founded: January 2000.

Science and Technology News

5. India's 1st Testbed TiHAN launched at IIT Hyderabad

• Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' has virtually laid the foundation stone of "TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad", India's first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems (Terrestrial and Aerial) at IIT Hyderabad.
• The Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Systems (TiHAN) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Remotely Operated Vehicles at IIT Hyderabad.
• The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has sanctioned Rs. 135 crores to IIT Hyderabad under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) to set up a Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation and Data Acquisition Systems.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

• Director of IIT-Hyderabad: Budaraju Srinivasa Murty.

Awards News 

6. V.K. Yadav chairman of railway board conferred with Eminent Engineer Award

• The chairman & CEO of Railway Board, Vinod Kumar Yadav has been conferred with the prestigious “Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2020’.
• This award is given by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for his outstanding contribution towards modernization and reforms over Indian Railways.
• Every year Institution of Engineering and Technology, Delhi Local Network celebrates Engineers’ Day on the 15th of September to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya.
• On this occasion, besides technical activities, the Institution also presents the Eminent Engineer’s Award to distinguished Engineering personalities for their outstanding services in the field of Engineering and technology.

7. Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice 2020

• Harmony Foundation hosted the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice. The Awards in its 16th year is the only award endorsed by Sister Prema, the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, the organization started by Mother Teresa.
• The theme for this year's awards was, 'Celebrating Compassion In Times Of Covid '.
• Dr Anthony Fauci (USA) is the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA. He and his task force were among the first ones to realize the seriousness of this pandemic.
• Father Fabio Stevenazzi (Milan, Italy), decided to return to medical practice in order to help those infected with COVID 19 has thrust him to be the modern-day example of St Charles Borromeo who in 1576 during the Great Plague that hit the city of Milan and cut the population by half, stayed behind to nurse the sick and renovate hospitals.
• Dr Pradeep Kumar (Chennai) took it upon himself to give a befitting burial to his colleague with the help of two ward boys, at a cemetery in the city in the middle of the night.
• IPS Sanjay Pandey (DG Home Guards, Maharashtra) went beyond the call of duty as a police officer to open the first relief camp in the Mumbai city suburbs for migrant workers whose livelihood were disrupted by the lockdown to contain the pandemic.
• Vikas Khanna (Manhattan, USA) heart still moves to serve the lonely and underprivileged here in India.
• KK Shailaja (Minister of Health, Kerala), her extraordinary efforts and pro-activeness in dealing with the pandemic by following experts and scientific advice helped countless Keralites survive the terrors of this pandemic, serving as an example for governments of other states countries to follow.

8. Pt Satish Vyas conferred Tansen Samman at the World Music Festival

• In Madhya Pradesh, 96th Tansen Music Festival began in Gwalior with strict COVID-19 guidelines in place. In the inaugural ceremony renowned santoor player, Pandit Satish Vyas was conferred upon the prestigious Tansen Samman.
• Bhopal-based institution Abhinav Kala Parishad was honoured with Raja Mansingh Tomar award. The festival pays tribute to Tansen, one of 9 gems in Akbar's court.

Obituaries News

9. Veteran broadcaster Indira Joseph Venniyoor passes away

• Veteran broadcaster, Indira Joseph Venniyoor passed away. She was a renowned broadcaster, All India Radio veteran & first English news announcer of Travancore Radio when its English service began in 1949.
• She was the wife of well-known literary scholar & art critic the late E.M.J. Venniyoor.

Miscellaneous News

10. Indian Railways’ new Vistadome coach successfully completes 180 kmph speed trial

• Indian Railways successfully completed the 180 km per hour speed trial of its new design Vistadome tourist coaches.
• These Vistadome coaches will make train journeys memorable for the passengers, as well as give a further boost to tourism.
• The luxurious tourist's coaches have been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.
• The European-style coaches are made with see-through glass rooftops and wide windows for the indulgent sightseeing experience.
• Currently, 13 Vistadome coaches are being operated on select routes including the Nilgiri Mountain Railway line, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Kalka-Shimla Railway, Kangra Valley Railway, Matheran Hill Railway, between Dadar in Mumbai and Madgoan in Araku Valley as well as in the Kashmir Valley.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Indian Railway Founded: 16 April 1853.
• Indian Railway Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Union Minister of Indian Railways: Piyush Goyal.

11. Harsh Vardhan inaugurates India’s highest meteorological centre at Leh

• Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the meteorological centre (MC) of the India Meteorological Department at Leh in Ladakh via video conferencing.
• The centre would provide localised weather forecasts in the region, which would result in strengthening the weather-related early warning system for the region.
• The meteorological centre at Leh is the second MC located in the Himalayas. The first such facility is based in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The facility is located at a height of 3,500 metres, which makes it the highest meteorological centre in India.
• This new MC will provide short-range (three days,) medium-range (12 days) and long-range (one month) forecast for Leh and Kargil districts of the Union Territory.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh: Radha Krishna Mathur.

Daily news 30 December 2020

State News

1. Bihar wins Digital India award for transferring money in COVID time

• The Chief Minister Secretariat of Bihar, the Disaster Management Department besides the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the state have jointly been chosen as winners in the “pandemic category” Digital India Awards 2020.
• Bihar government’s initiative to transfer financial assistance directly to the accounts of beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic has made its departments winners of the Digital India Awards, instituted by the central government, this year for innovative steps in e-governance.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Bihar: Nitish Kumar; Governor: Phagu Chauhan.

2. India’s 1st hot air balloon wildlife safari launched in Madhya Pradesh

• India's first hot air balloon wildlife safari in a tiger reserve was launched in the world-famous Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve by Madhya Pradesh forest minister Vijay Shah.
• Now like Africa's forests, tourists in India will also enjoy hot air balloon wildlife safari. The state was planning to introduce this service in Pench, Kanha and Panna tiger reserves as well.
• The activity will be restricted to the buffer area and people can watch tigers, leopards, Indian sloth bear and other wild animals from a height. It is the first in any tiger reserve in the country. The service is being operated by Jaipur-based Sky Waltz and company.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

Agreements News

3. AU Small Finance, ICICI Pru Life tie up to offer life insurance solutions

• AU Small Finance Bank has announced a strategic partnership with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance to offer life insurance solutions. The tie-up aims to deliver "paperless, secure, and hassle-free life insurance".
• Through the corporate agency arrangement, over 18 lakh customers of AU Bank across over 700 banking touchpoints in 13 states and 2 Union territories, will have easy access to the entire suite of customer-centric protection and long-term savings products of ICICI Prudential Life.
• AU Bank even claimed that these products will enable customers to provide financial security to themselves and their families and help them achieve their financial goals.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• AU Bank HQ: Jaipur;
• AU Bank MD & CEO: Sanjay Agarwal.

Awards News

4. Hemant Kumar Pandey gets DRDO's "Scientist of the Year" award

• Senior scientist Hemant Kumar Pandey has been honoured with DRDO's ''Scientist of the Year Award'' for his contribution in developing several herbal medicines, including the popular drug Lukoskin meant for the treatment of leucoderma.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had recently facilitated the scientist at an event here with the prestigious award that comprises a certificate and cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.
• The scientist has developed six herbal drugs so far, Lukoskin used for treating leucoderma or Vitiligo, a condition in which white patches get developed on the skin, has been most widely appreciated and found huge acceptance in the market.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• DRDO Chairman: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy.
• DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.

5. K. Veeramani honoured with Dr. Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Award

• The Dr Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Award for this year has been conferred upon Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani. The award was instituted in the memory of the Maharashtra-based rationalist Dabholkar.
• The U.S.-based Maharashtra Foundation had instituted the award in his memory, a release issued by the Dravidar Kazhagam.
• The award includes ₹1 lakh and a citation. Mr Veeramani has dedicated his whole life to propagate rationalism and served for the cause of social justice in society.

Business News

6. ICICI Bank and Google Pay collaborate to bring digital registration of FASTag

• ICICI Bank has announced that it is collaborating with Google to issue FASTag. It has become the first bank to join hands with Google Pay for the issuance of FASTag.
• Customers will now be able to order, track and recharge ICICI Bank FASTag via the Google Pay app.
• Currently, Google Pay users could recharge their FASTag on the app, but purchasing one directly from the Google app was not possible.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• CEO of Google: Sundar Pichai; Headquarters: California, United States.

Science and Technology News

7. Harsh Vardhan launches India’s 1st indigenous pneumonia vaccine ‘Pneumosil’

• The Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched India’s first indigenously developed vaccine against pneumonia.
• The Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) named ‘Pneumosil’ has been developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and PATH, an international, nonprofit global health organization based in Seattle.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Serum Institute of India CEO: Adar Poonawalla.
• Serum Institute of IndiaFounder: Cyrus S. Poonawalla.
• Serum Institute of IndiaFounded: 1966.
• Serum Institute of India Headquarters location: Pune.

Books and Authors 

8. Late Justice Rajindar Sachar's Autobiography: 'In Pursuit of Justice'

• The family of Late Justice Rajindar Sachar in association with The Indian Society of International Law and The Indian Law Institute is organizing the book launch "In Pursuit Of Justice: An Autobiography" written by Late Justice Rajindar Sachar. The book has been posthumously published.
• Justice Rajindar Sachar was a socialist, an egalitarian, a defender of civil liberties, a deeply engaged citizen of India, and, above all, a humanist.
• A man who believed in standing for the last man in the line, he was ‘armed’ with a moral compass that never wavered.

Miscellaneous News

9. Kerala’s Arya Rajendran becomes India’s youngest mayor from Thiruvananthapuram

• The 21-year-old college student, Arya Rajendran has been elected the new mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, of Kerala.
• The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Arya is the youngest person in India to occupy the post of mayor anywhere in the country.
• Arya won 54 votes out of 99 votes cast in the civic body polls in Kerala. She is also the state president of Balasangam, the children’s wing of the CPI(M).
• Arya is a second-year student of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Mathematics at the All Saints College.

10. INCOIS launches "Digital Ocean" app for information sharing

• The Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Science & Technology, Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually inaugurated the web-based application “Digital Ocean”.
• It has been developed by Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) an autonomous organization under M/o Earth sciences. Digital Ocean is a first of its kind digital platform for Ocean Data Management.
• Digital Ocean is a step towards Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India, to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy
• Digital Ocean will serve as a one-stop-solution for all the data related to the ocean.
• It will help to share this knowledge about the ocean with a wide range of users including research institutions, operational agencies, strategic users, the academic community, maritime industry and policymakers, as well as general public and the common man that too free of cost.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Director of INCOIS: T. Srinivasa Kumar.
• INCOIS Founded: 1998.
• Headquarters of INCOIS: Pragathi Nagar, Hyderabad.

11. Nitin Gadkari announces Multi-Model Logistics Park in Assam's Silchar

• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has announced that a multi-modal logistics park in Assam.
• It will be constructed in Silchar and the Balacherra-Harengajao section of the Silchar-Saurashtra Highway will be completed in March 2022.
• Mr Gadkari made this announcement at a public meeting at Zero Point on the East-West Corridor at Madhurmukh at Rangpur.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Chief Minister of Assam: Sarbananda Sonowal; Governor: Prof. Jagdish Mukhi.
• Folk Dance of Assam: Bihu dance, Bagurumba, Bhortal Dance, Jhumur dance.

All the Best BA’ians for SBI PO Prelims!

Live updates 26 December 2020

Coronavirus India LIVE Updates: India's Daily Deaths Below 300 After Over 6 Months

COVID-19 in India: The active caseload remained below three lakh for the fifth consecutive day.

New Delhi:

India's daily fresh COVID-19 fatality count was reported below 300 after over six months, taking the death count to 1,47,343, while the infection tally rose to 1,01,69,118, according to the Health Ministry.

251 more deaths and 22,273 infections were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the latest data.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease surged to 97,40,108, pushing the national recovery rate to 95.78 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The active caseload remained below three lakh for the fifth consecutive day. There are 2,81,667 active coronavirus infections in the country, constituting 2.77 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

Meanwhile, France has confirmed the first case of a new coronavirus variant that recently emerged in Britain, its health ministry said.

The new strain of the virus, which experts fear is more contagious, has prompted more than 50 countries to impose travel restrictions on the UK, AFP reported.

Here are the live updates on Coronavirus Cases:

India's daily fresh COVID-19 fatality count was reported below 300 after over six months, taking the death count to 1,47,343, while the infection tally rose to 1,01,69,118, according to the Health Ministry.

Dec 26, 2020 20:40:44 (IST)

Coronavirus News: Rajasthan sees 7 more COVID deaths, 785 new cases

Seven more people died due to COVID-19 in Rajasthan, taking the deaths from the pandemic to 2,664 on Saturday, while 785 new cases brought the infection tally to 3,04,517, according to a health department bulletin.

The state has 11,488 active cases of the novel coronavirus, it said.

According to the bulletin, 2,90,365 people have recovered from COVID-19 in the state.

The deaths from the pandemic stands at 496 in Jaipur, followed by 284 in Jodhpur, 218 in Ajmer, 165 in Bikaner, 164 in Kota, 118 in Bharatpur, and 109 each in Udaipur and Pali.

Dec 26, 2020 20:25:26 (IST)

Charges against 200 for flouting COVID-19 norms during Christmas party in Kerala

Paying scant regard to the COVID-19 health protocol, hundreds of people gathered at nearby Pozhiyoor beach for a Christmas party on the night of December 25, following which a casewas registered against 200 people, police said. The DJ party was organised by some locals.

Though no permission was granted, they went ahead and conducted the event which lasted from 9.30 pm to 1 am on Saturday, they said.

A case has been registered against the organisers and some of the participants under the Kerala Epidemic Disease, COVID-19 regulation.

The video of the event, which has gone viral, shows several men and women dancing.

Dec 26, 2020 19:47:49 (IST)

374 test COVID-19 positive in Uttarakhand

The COVID-19 deaths in Uttarakhand rose to 1,476 on Saturday with 13 more fatalities, while 374 new cases pushed the infection tally to 89,218, a health bulletin issued here said.

Dehradun district reported the highest 152 cases, followed by Nainital 53, Haridwar 42, Uttarkashi 36, Udham Singh Nagar 20, Pithoragarh 29, Bageshwar 15, Pauri 11, Champawat nine, Rudraprayag seven, Chamoli six, Almora three and Tehri three, it said.

Meanwhile, 13 more COVID-19 patients died in the state, taking the toll so far to 1,476, the bulletin said.

Dec 26, 2020 19:20:36 (IST)

Coronavirus News: Kerala logs 3,527 new cases, 3,752 recoveries

Kerala recorded 3,527 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, while 3,782 people have been cured of the infection, as the deaths inch towards the 3,000-mark with 21 more deaths being added, Health Minister KK Shailaja said.

While the total virus caseload has touched 7,35,611, recoveries went up to 6,68,733 and at least 63,752 people are undergoing treatment for the infection.

Dec 26, 2020 18:52:43 (IST)

Guidelines to prevent, contain spread of mutant variant of coronavirus soon: Karnataka Health Minister

Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Saturday said that the state Health Department will discuss matters concerned with prevention and containment of new variant of coronavirus and come up with the guidelines regarding the same.

Dr Sudhakar said that third stage trials are being conducted including in Karnataka. "Anyone can volunteer to take the vaccine at this stage. I have personally appealed to many frontline warriors, especially, medical students to volunteer for trials," he added.

"A total of 1,638 out of 2,500 returnees from the UK have been tested and 14 of them have been found positive. Their swab samples have been sent to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) for gene-sequencing to find out whether it is a new strain of the virus.

Dec 26, 2020 18:39:01 (IST)

COVID-19 news: Second UK returnee tests positive in Madhya Pradesh's Indore

A 39-year-old man, who recently returned to Indore in Madhya Pradesh from the UK, on Saturday became the second such person to be found infected with coronavirus in the last two days, an official said. However, it was not yet clear if the strain he is carrying is the same as the one detected in the European nation, he added.

The man, who returned from the UK on December 6, is fine and is being closely monitored, while his family has been placed under isolation at their home in Rau, said Indore district COVID-19 prevention nodal officer Amit Malakar.

Dec 26, 2020 18:17:56 (IST)

UK Scientists Begin Trial Instant Immunity Antibody Drug Treatment For COVID-19

Scientists in the UK have begun trials of innovative antibody drug treatments that they hope could provide instant protection against COVID-19.

The University College London Hospitals NHS Trust (UCLH) said that the researchers in the Storm Chase study believe a Long Acting AntiBody (LAAB) known as AZD7442, developed by AstraZeneca, may offer immediate and long-term protection to people who have been recently exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and prevent them developing COVID-19.

"We know that this antibody combination can neutralise the virus, so we hope to find that giving this treatment via injection can lead to immediate protection against the development of COVID-19 in people who have been exposed - when it would be too late to offer a vaccine," said Dr Houlihan.

Dec 26, 2020 17:52:00 (IST)

Spain Confirms Four Cases Of British Coronavirus Variant

Four cases of a coronavirus variant believed to be particularly infectious that recently emerged in Britain have been confirmed in Madrid, the regional government said Saturday, the first cases detected in Spain.

Dec 26, 2020 17:24:21 (IST)

Coronavirus Cases Updates: Russia registers 29,258 COVID-19 cases within 24 hours, total tops 3 million

Russia has registered 29,258 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to over three million, the federal response centre said on Saturday.

"Over the past 24 hours, 29,258 coronavirus cases were confirmed in 85 regions, including 4,571 cases (15.6 percent) without clinical symptoms," the centre said, adding that the cumulative case count has now reached 3,021,964, with the rate of increase at 1 per cent.

Moscow confirmed 7,480 new coronavirus cases over the given period, followed by St. Petersburg with 3,755 cases, and the Moscow region with 1,615 new cases.

Dec 26, 2020 16:52:06 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates: China reports 20 new COVID-19 mainland cases

Mainland China recorded 20 new COVID-19 cases on December 25, compared with 14 cases the previous day, the country's health authority said on Saturday.

The National Health Commission said in its daily bulletin that 12 of the new cases were imported. Of the eight locally transmitted cases, six came from the northeastern province of Liaoning and two from the capital Beijing.

The new Beijing cases were from its Shunyi district, which has entered a "wartime state" requiring all residents to undergo testing, the state-owned China Daily reported on Saturday.

The People's Daily reported five people had tested positive after nucleic acid tests were carried out across Beijing's districts of Chaoyang, Shunyi and Tianzhu on Saturday.

Dec 26, 2020 16:29:05 (IST)

Tokyo sets new daily record with 949 Covid-19 cases amid holidays

The Japanese capital city of Tokyo on Saturday reported a record 949 coronavirus cases amid a surge in infections during the New Year holidays, the NHK broadcaster reported, citing the metropolitan government.

According to the media outlet, the figure surpassed the previous record of 888 cases registered on Thursday and exceeded 800 cases for the third consecutive day.

Dec 26, 2020 16:10:37 (IST)

COVID-19 News Updates: Puducherry reports 33 new cases

Puducherry has reported 33 new Covid-19 cases and one death on Saturday, while 36,962 patients have recovered so far, the health department said. As per it, the total number of active cases in the Union Territory currently stood at 355.

"Puducherry reported 33 new Covid-19 cases and one death today, taking active cases to 355 and deaths to 630. A total of 36,962 patients have recovered so far," the department said in a statement.

Dec 26, 2020 15:24:17 (IST)

Coronavirus Latest Updates: Russia Tops 30 Lakh COVID-19 Infections
Russia on Saturday passed 30 lakh confirmed coronavirus infections, as authorities hold out against reimposing a national lockdown while the country is battered by a second wave.

Official figures showed that a total of 3,021,964 cases have been detected, with 54,226 deaths.

In the past 24 hours, 29,258 new infections and 567 deaths were registered in Russia, fourth on the list of hardest-hit countries worldwide.

Dec 26, 2020 13:35:21 (IST)

Covid Latest News: Jagannath Temple In Puri Reopens For Local Residents

After remaining closed for nearly nine months due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was reopened for local residents on Saturday.

Puri District administration said that till December 31, locals will be allowed to enter the temple ward-wise after showing their voter card or Aadhaar card.

People from other parts of states and countries will be allowed to visit the temple from January 3 with a COVID-19 negative report, not more than four days old.

As per COVID-19 guidelines issued by Puri District administration, old persons above 65 years and children below 10 years will be not allowed to enter the temple premises.

Dec 26, 2020 13:07:59 (IST)

Coronavirus Live News: Telangana Reports 317 New Cases, 536 Discharges And 2 Deaths

Dec 26, 2020 12:29:20 (IST)

Coronavirus Latest News: 8 UK Returnees Test Covid Positive In Kerala

Eight people who recently returned from the UK to Kerala, have tested positive for coronavirus and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune for genomic analysis, PTI reported quoting Health Minister KK Shailaja on Saturday.

Surveillance at the four international airports in the state have been further strengthened.

Dec 26, 2020 11:03:50 (IST)

Coronavirus Latest News: UK Returnee Tests COVID-19 Positive In Maharashtra's Aurangabad

A woman, who had returned to Aurangabad in Maharashtra from the UK in the last few weeks, has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Saturday.

The woman is among the 44 persons who arrived in the district from the UK after November 25, they said.

"Eleven of these UK returnees underwent RT-PCR test, in which the woman was found infected with COVID-19. She is asymptomatic," Aurangabad Municipal Corporation's health officer Dr Neeta Padalkar said.

Dec 26, 2020 10:45:57 (IST)

Coronavirus Live Updates: India's Total Cases Rise To 1,01,69,118 With 22,272 New Infections

Dec 26, 2020 09:49:45 (IST)

Coronavirus Latest Updates: Telangana Adds 317 New Cases, Death Count Rises To 1,529

Telangana reported 317 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to over 2.84 lakh while two fatalities pushed the death count to 1,529, the state government said on Saturday.

Over 2.76 lakh people have recovered from the disease so far.

As many as 6,618 patients are under treatment and 30,376 samples were tested on Friday. Cumulatively, over 66.86 lakh samples have been tested.

Dec 26, 2020 09:31:59 (IST)

COVID-19 Live News: 16,71,59,289 Samples Tested Till December 25, Says Indian Council Of Medical Research

Dec 26, 2020 09:01:34 (IST)

Boston Doctor Has Severe Allergic Reaction To Moderna Covid Vaccine: Report

A doctor in Boston with a shellfish allergy developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving Moderna's coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing the doctor.

Dr Hossein Sadrzadeh, a geriatric oncology fellow at Boston Medical Center, said he had a severe reaction almost immediately after being vaccinated, feeling dizzy and with a racing heart.

It is the first severe reaction publicly linked to Moderna's vaccine, which is in its first week of a nationwide rollout.

Dec 26, 2020 07:34:58 (IST)

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Assam reports lowest coronavirus cases since May 23

Assam reported 61 new COVID-19 positive cases on Friday, the lowest since May 23, with the

total cases so far rising to 2,15,836 ande no deaths were reported, state Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The 61 new cases were detected out of 11,757 tests
conducted during the day with a positivity rate of 0.52 per cent, PTI reported.

Dec 26, 2020 07:33:30 (IST)

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Tripura reports nine more COVID-19 cases

Nine more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Friday, pushing the tally

to 33,225, a Health Department official said. The death count remained at 381, PTI reported.

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