Coronavirus India summary: cases, deaths and news, 13 June
Coronavirus live India: latest Covid-19 news - 13 June
India Covid-19 update: 03:30 IST on Sunday 14 June (00:00 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 7,730,422 cases have been detected worldwide, with 428,101 deaths and 3,679,339 people now recovered.
In India, there have been 308,916 cases confirmed, 8,884 people have died and 154,303 people have recovered from the virus.
India Covid-19 update: 21:45 IST on Saturday 13 June (18:45 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 7,702,513 cases have been detected worldwide, with 426,696 deaths and 3,657,830 people now recovered.
In India, there have been 308,916 cases confirmed, 8,884 people have died and 154,303 people have recovered from the virus.
A colleague helps a nurse put on her personal protective equipment (PPE) in Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi. Even though India's lockdown has been eased, the pandemic is still raging, with almost 10,000 new cases every day and infections now over 275,000 -- the fifth highest in the world -- and almost 8,000 deaths
India records biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases
(Reuters) - India reported its biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases on Saturday, adding 11,458 confirmed infections and taking the its total count to more than 300,000, according to data from the federal health ministry.
Sikh Nihang's Singh (Sikh warriors) walk along the empty Heritage Street after strict lockdown norms for weekends and public holidays were imposed as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Amritsar on June 13, 2020. (Photo by NARINDER NANU / AFP)
Odisha cases spike
Odisha state reported its highest single-day spike on Saturday with 225 new cases of coronavirus.
Dr. Jayaprakash Muliyil not keen on another lockdown
The debate rages on as to how much damage the lockdown does economically, against knowing people will die from coronavirus.
Mumbai death toll rises by 69
Latest figures from Mumbai:
1,380 new cases take the total confirmed infections to 56,831.
69 new deaths, giving a total death toll of 2,113.
Remdesivir update
India's drug regulator gave pharma giant Gilead marketing authorisation for remdesivir back on 1 June. Gilead in turn has given four companies non-exclusive licenses to manufacture and sell the drug, but so far they haven't been given the green light by India's Drug Controller General. There is still testing work to be done on the quality and safety aspects.
It appears further work still needs to be done to prove to a gold standard that the drug is effective against covid-19, but the drug in India is recommended under emergency use authorisation for patients on oxygen support.
Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat poses for a picture with policemen at Marine Drive seafront in Mumbai on June 13, 2020. (Photo by Sujit Jaiswal / AFP)
PM meeting
PM Modi discussed hospital bed requirements and instructed Health Ministry officials to undertake emergency planning. He also urged an increase in testing capacity. The PM additionally asked for preparations for the start of monsoon season.
Kerala: 85 new cases
Kerala health department reports 85 new confirmed Covid-19 cases today. Total active cases: 1,342. Total deaths: 19.
Covid-19 test price cut
The Maharashtra government has cut the price cap on Covid-19 tests in private labs from ₹4,500 to ₹2,800 (home collection) and ₹2,200 for hospital collection.
Health Minister Tope said a committee had looked at the pricing to reach the new cap.
About a third of the 620,000 tests in the state have been carried out in Mumbai.
Pain in the back
Seems trivial in the face of a global pandemic, but these 'lockdown consequences' can be extremely difficult for people.
This article has some great advice:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hits out
Gandhi argues that both the lockdown and easing have been ill-timed.
(The quote is often misattributed to Einstein)
Stricter lockdown
In this photo by Narinder Nanu, Punjab police personnel stand guard at Hall Gate, after stricter lockdown norms for weekends and public holidays were imposed in Amritsar as a preventive measure against the coronavirus.
Study shows risk of Covid case fatality in India higher among females
In general across the world the data shows that males are at higher risk of dying from Covid-19, with older men with risk factors (diabetes, heart problems, vascular problems) at particular risk.
However, in India the figures show that females have a higher relative-risk of Covid-19 mortality, with 2.9% of infected males dying from the disease, but 3.3% of females.
As reported in the Indian Express, a new study published in the Journal of Global Health Science, has said the findings call for more attention towards females for Covid-19 care.
Over the past 14 days Delhi has added cases at twice the rate of Mumbai
Mumbai may have the highest number of officially confirmed Covid-19 cases (54,000) and is continuing to add a large number daily, but the rate of the growth in cases in Delhi is twice that of Mumbai over the past fortnight.
Delhi had 17,386 cases at 29 May and added 18,000 across the 14 days, a growth rate of 100%. Mumbai added 50% more cases.
India cancel tour to Zimbabwe due to coronavirus concerns
India will not travel to Zimbabwe for a one-day international series in August due to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah said on Friday.
The move follows the BCCI's decision on Thursday to postpone India's limited-overs tour to Sri Lanka, which was originally scheduled for later this month.
India, who last visited Zimbabwe for a bilateral series in 2016, were due to play a three-match ODI series. The BCCI has not confirmed rescheduled dates for either of the tours.
"The BCCI is determined to take steps towards the resumption of international and domestic cricket," Shah said in a statement.
Indian healer who kissed hands to ‘cure COVID-19’ dies from the virus
A self-acclaimed healer in Ratlam, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India, who claimed he could heal those infected with COVID-19 by kissing their hands, has died from the virus.
According to Times of India, the healer’s death came after he infected at least 20 of his followers who had contact with him.
It was gathered that the spiritualist used to kiss the hands of his devotees, claiming such would address their problems. He had also claimed his “kiss-cure” — which he christened “COVID-19 exorcisms” — could cure suspected suffers of the virus.
Popular blood pressure meds don't put patients at greater Covid-19 risk - new study
New research offers reassuring evidence to hundreds of millions of people with high blood pressure that popular anti-hypertension drugs do not put them at greater risk from Covid-19 as some experts had feared, Reuters report.
Two blood pressure-lowering drug classes, called ACE inhibitors and ARBs, came under scrutiny after the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported in April that 72% of hospitalised Covid-19 patients 65 or older had hypertension. ACE inhibitors and ARBs are thought to trigger activity along the same biological pathways used by the Covid-19 novel coronavirus to attack the lungs.
Researchers at Oxford University had recommended some patients stop the drugs until the risks were better known, while others argued patients should stay on the medications. An expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness in Baltimore described the debate as “one of the most important clinical questions.”
India records biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases
India reported its biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases on Saturday, adding 11,458 confirmed infections and taking the its total count to more than 300,000, according to data from the federal health ministry.
India is the fourth-worst affected country in the world, having surpassed the United Kingdom on Friday, with cases steadily increasingly despite a nationwide lockdown that began in late March and has since been loosened.
Confirmed cases in the worst-hit western state of Maharashtra moved past the 100,000 mark, data showed on Saturday. The national capital New Delhi, where the health system has also been reeling, saw more than 2,000 new cases.
Despite the rising case load, the recovery rate of patients was improving, with more than 147,000 people having been cured, the federal government said on Friday.
India has 145,779 active cases, and has recorded 8,884 deaths.
A series of studies in mice of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 lent some assurance that it may not increase the risk of more severe disease, and that one dose may provide protection against the novel coronavirus, according to preliminary data released on Friday.
Prior studies on a vaccine for SARS - a close cousin to the new virus that causes COVID-19 - suggests vaccines against this type of virus might have the unintended effect of causing more severe disease when the vaccinated person is later exposed to the pathogen, especially in individuals who do not produce an adequately strong immune response.
Scientists have seen this risk as a hurdle to clear before vaccines can be safely tested in thousands of healthy people.
While the data released by the U.S. National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) and Moderna offered some assurance, the studies do not fully answer the question.
"This is the barest beginning of preliminary information," said Dr. Gregory Poland, an immunologist and vaccine researcher at the Mayo Clinic who has seen the paper, which has yet to undergo peer-review.
Poland said the paper was incomplete, disorganized and the numbers of animals tested were small.
Popular blood pressure meds don't put patients at greater Covid-19 risk - new study
New research offers reassuring evidence to hundreds of millions of people with high blood pressure that popular anti-hypertension drugs do not put them at greater risk from Covid-19 as some experts had feared, Reuters report.
Two blood pressure-lowering drug classes, called ACE inhibitors and ARBs, came under scrutiny after the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported in April that 72% of hospitalised Covid-19 patients 65 or older had hypertension. ACE inhibitors and ARBs are thought to trigger activity along the same biological pathways used by the Covid-19 novel coronavirus to attack the lungs.
Researchers at Oxford University had recommended some patients stop the drugs until the risks were better known, while others argued patients should stay on the medications. An expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness in Baltimore described the debate as “one of the most important clinical questions.”
Work visa suspension under consideration
The Trump administration is reportedly considering suspending several categories of employment-based visas including H-1B for high-skilled foreigners and L-1 for internal company transfers, both very popular with Indian companies with US operations and Indians seeking to work in America.
Restriction easing not the solution
Unlock 1.0 hasn't made life better for the retail sector, it has led to more confusion instead. With every state having a different set of rules, there is confusion galore.
While Delhi allows every alternate store to be opened on a given day, Mumbai has allowed stores on one side of the street to be open on even days while the stores on the other side can be open on odd days.
Concern growing over the poverty risk
Researchers from King's College London and Australian National University published a new paper with the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research.
It said that poverty is likely to increase dramatically in middle-income developing countries and there could be a significant change in the distribution of global poverty.
Catch up...
Some of the headlines making the news over the last day:
- The doubling time of coronavirus cases in India has improved to 17.4 days from 15.4 days a couple of weeks ago
- PM Modi to hold fresh round of consultation with CMs next week
- Mumbai as the epicentre of India’s coronavirus outbreak
- Indian cricket tour to Zimbabwe cancelled over coronavirus concerns
Coronavirus India live updates - welcome
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the developing coronavirus situation in India. Throughout 13 June we aim to keep you informed of the situation and breaking news across the country.