People who gave the swab sample for the Covid-19 coronavirus test at SPPC Yoga Anusandhan Kendra in Delhi on Wednesday. Express photo of Gajendra Yadav
Updates from Coronavirus India: With up to 49,310 new Covid-19 cases, India’s total workload is now over 12.87 lakh (12.87,945). Up to 740 coronavirus patients succumbed to the disease in the past 24 hours, bringing the number of deaths to 30,601. After 34,602 patients were reported healed/discharged since yesterday, total recoveries have increased to 8.17 lakh (8.17,209).
In the past few days, India has registered more coronavirus patients than any other country in the world except the United States. Daily figures for Brazil have fallen in the past week, while India has risen from the level of about 35,000 to nearly 50,000 now.
States with a high number of COVID cases, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, have largely taken responsibility for pushing India towards the 50,000 marks.
Meanwhile, according to data released by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), more than 3.52 lakh (3.52,801) samples were analyzed since yesterday. The total number of tests carried out in the country since the start of the pandemic is more than 1.5 million rupees (1.54,28,170).
A look at today’s main developments:
With 2,436 new cases, West Bengal COVID account now half lakh
Since Thursday, 2,436 new cases of coronavirus have been registered in West Bengal, bringing the total to 51,757. With this, West Bengal has become the eighth Indian state to cross the grim 50,000 marks.
More than 75 percent of new cases and 31 of the last 34 deaths were reported from the epicenter of infection in South Bengal – Calcutta; its adjoining Howrah, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts; and Hooghly
The remaining three deaths were reported in Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, and Birbhum. The state’s death toll is now 1,255.
Andhra Pradesh records almost 8,000 new cases
Andhra Pradesh recorded a staggering 7,998 new Covid-19 cases in one day, bringing the state’s overall count to 72,111 on Thursday. With 61 new casualties since yesterday, the death toll is now 884.
According to the state’s daily bulletin, 5,428 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after they were cured. To date, 37,555 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospitals, while the state now had 34,272 active cases, he added.
East Godavari District is now the main hotbed of coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh. He recorded a record 1,391 cases in one day and crossed the 10,000 marks in the aggregate count. East Godavari also saw 14 Covid-19 deaths, the largest number in a district in a day so far.
According to state health department officials, Covid-19 infection has spread “widely” at the “community-level” in Telangana. The state, which has faced criticism over low evidence and alleged data falsification, has become the third Indian state to declare the start of community transmission of the virus.
“The coronavirus has spread to the community level. The next three to four weeks will be crucial … especially in Hyderabad. We have to impose strict containment zones, ”said the State’s Director of Public Health, Dr. G Srinivasa Rao.
Telangana reported 1,567 new Covid-19 cases Thursday, raising the state’s case count to 50,826. Of this, Hyderabad alone reported 662 cases.
More than 10,000 new cases of Covid-19 registered in Maharashtra
An unprecedented increase of 10,576 new cases was witnessed in Maharashtra on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 3.37,607. Approximately 5,552 patients were discharged since yesterday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1.87,769.
Last week, Maharashtra has been consistently reporting more than 8,000 cases, mainly due to an increase in Pune, which is currently detecting more than 3,000 cases every day, more than any other city in the country.
MHA Issues Advice for Celebrating Independence Day
In its notice for upcoming Independence Day celebrations, the Home Office (MHA) has urged all government offices, states, and governors to avoid congregating in public places. The technology should be used to facilitate any program planned for the day, MHA said.
At the state and district levels, the MHA has ordered authorities to enforce the wearing of masks and strict social distancing standards at flag-raising ceremonies scheduled for August 15. The Ministry also urged states and districts to invite Covid-19 warriors, including doctors and health workers, to participate in the ceremony.
Meanwhile, no school child will participate in Independence Day celebrations this year. “At the Red Fort, instead of the 900-1,000 guests each year, around 250 people will be present when the Prime Minister addresses the nation,” an official at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) told The Indian Express.
More complaints of domestic violence in red zones during confinement: study
According to a recent study by researchers at the University of California, there was a considerable increase in reports of domestic violence and cybercrime against women in India’s red zones, where stricter restrictions were imposed due to the high caseload from COVID.
The researchers compiled the complaints registered with the Indian National Commission for Women and mapped them to districts in the red, orange, and green zones, before verifying the findings with Google Mobility and Search trends.
Overall, there were 392 reports of domestic violence recorded in the NCW Complaint and Investigation Cell in May this year compared to 266 in May 2019. The study also found that there was a decrease in the number of reports of bullying, sexual assault, and rape.
Minor sexual assaults, filmed at the COVID center in Delhi: Police
A young girl, who was admitted to a COVID care center in Delhi after testing positive for coronavirus, was allegedly sexually assaulted by a patient inside the facility on July 15. Police arrested the accused as well as a second person who allegedly filmed the assault.
In her complaint, the minor alleged that the 19-year-old patient sexually assaulted her inside a bathroom in the center. She accused another 19-year-old patient of recording the incident on her phone.
“We have registered a case against the two men under the POCSO Law and IPC 376 (sexual assault). The defendants have been arrested and sent to judicial custody but will remain in institutional care until they recover from the infection. We are investigating the matter further, ”said Parvinder Singh of the additional DCP (Southern District).
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.