NEW DELHI: After a Covid-19 test of an overseas rifle shooter returned positive on Friday, the ongoing ISSF World Cup in Delhi has been hit with three more fresh positive cases, two of which are Indian athletes, according to sources. Sources said that the fresh positive results include a female foreign athlete and two men from the Indian pistol team. “Three more shooters have been tested positive,” said the source talking to Timesofindia.com. “Two are males from the Indian pistol team and an overseas female shooter.” “Shooters, who have tested positive, have been isolated,” the source further said. “The roommates of the Covid-positive shooters have tested negative and will participate in their respective events,” the official source confirmed. The final of the men and women 10m air rifle, along with the qualifying round and final of men and women 10m air pistol are scheduled for Saturday (March 20). “Of course, the positive shooters, along with their roommates, won’t participate,” the source added. The names of the shooters who have tested positive have so far been withheld. The World Cup officially began on March 18 and runs till March 29.
NEW DELHI: India saw 40,953 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, the highest single-day rise recorded in 111 days, taking the nationwide Covid-19 tally to 1,15,55,284, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. Registering an increase for the tenth day in a row, the total active caseload has reached 2,88,394, which now comprises 2.49 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 96.12 per cent, the data stated. The daily rise in infections (40,953) was the highest recorded in 111 days, while the death toll increased to 1,59,558 with 188 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. On November 29, 41,810 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,11,07,332, while the case fatality rate stood at 1.38 per cent, the data stated. India’s Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20 lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. According to ICMR, 23,24,31,517 samples have been tested up to March 19 with 10,60,971 samples being tested on Friday.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Friday that the country faces a few crucial weeks as the number of coronavirus infections rise, and that the government has decided to pause its plans to gradually ease restrictions.
Obligatory mask-wearing outdoors, night-time curfews and restaurant and bar closures have been in place since the start of November. A ban on non-essential travel is also in effect. The plan had been to offer some relief to long-suffering citizens by resuming some outdoor activities from April 1.
We are pressing the pause button, De Croo told reporters.
Earlier Friday, health authorities said the number of confirmed new daily infections had risen by a third over the past seven days, to reach 3,226 on average. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 also rose by 27% over the same period.
Virologist Yves Van Laethem warned that the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care beds could reach a critical level by April 10 if the pace of infections does not slow down.
De Croo said that most new cases were being found in schools and in the work place. The number of elderly people catching or dying from the virus is dropping as Belgiums vaccination program kicks in.
We have one month to limit social contacts as much as possible so that schools can open normally again on April 19 after the Easter vacation, De Croo said. He said the travel ban will also remain in place until at least the same date.
Van Laethem said earlier that Belgium is standing at the foot of a third wave of infections, but that people can help turn that into a mini-wave by respecting the rules.
A total of 22,624 people have died from coronavirus-related causes in Belgium, a country with 11.5 million inhabitants that was among the hardest-hit globally when the pandemic broke. Around 7.5% of the population has received a first jab of coronavirus vaccine so far.
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’s Bhide aka Mandar Chandwadkar has tested positive for COVID-19. The actor confirmed that he got himself tested after getting coronavirus-related symptoms. Chandwadkar is in home quarantine. The show’s plot is currently revolving around Bhide so the actor’s Covid positive reports have got the makers worried. The actor was shooting with co-stars Sonalika Joshi and Palak Sindhwani and has asked them to get tested as well.
The actor told ETimes, “My symptoms of cold had actually gone away but suddenly yesterday I could not smell camphor in puja. I felt I had lost the sense of smell and got myself tested. Upon getting the test, I immediately informed the ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ unit that I shall stay away from the shoot until I am perfectly alright again.” Mandar further said, “I have told Sonalika and Palak also to get themselves tested. Rishi, an AD on the show had a bit of cold and I told him too, he has thankfully tested negative.”
Meanwhile, Nikki Tamboli of Bigg Boss 14 fame, Ghum Hai Kisike Pyaar Mein actor Neil Bhatt, Satish Kaushik, Manoj Bajpayee, Prem Bandhan actor Ariah Agarwal, Yennai Arindhaal’s star Ashish Vidyarthi, Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and others have tested positive for COVID-19 recently.
Superspreader events like weddings might have led to the recent resurgence of Covid-19 cases in India, a preliminary assessment by the Union government suggests adding that people were found becoming less careful in the recent months when the daily cases were low.
“That (role of superspreader events) is what it looks like, as people have become lax in their behaviour. We must understand that there is still a large section of population that is vulnerable, especially in villages. We cannot afford to lower our guard at this stage, and should avoid mass gatherings as it can become superspreading events,” Dr VK Paul, member (health), Niti Aayog reportedly said, according to Hindustan Times.
India on Friday recorded around 40,000 new coronavirus infections, the highest single day rise recorded so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally of cases to 1,15,14,331, according to Union Health Ministry data.
The daily rise in infections (39,726) was the highest recorded in 110 days, while the death toll increased to 1,59,370 with 154 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Dr Paul said that testing, especially RT-PCR testing needs to be increased in districts reporting high positivity rate.
Some experts also said that the country is in midst of second Covid wave and it could witness even more cases in the coming weeks.
“We are in the midst of second wave of Covid. 1,00,000 new cases could be added in the next 6-8 weeks if specific steps aren’t taken,” Dr NK Arora, Head, Operations Research group of National Covid-19 Task Force told CNBC TV18.
Punjab authorities said that they had found at least 30 super-spreader instances, where more than 10 cases were recorded from a single event.
“In around 75-80 percent of the cases, patients were found asymptomatic or with mild symptoms. Contact tracing, after one person from the event was found, led to detection in these functions,” a nodal officer reportedly said.
Doctors in Delhi also blame weddings, social outings and get-togethers for the current surge in cases.
“I have personally seen several cases where groups of people got the infection at a wedding. There are cases where five to six people in one group who travel for a destination wedding get it. Then, there are kitty parties where four to five people have contracted the infection. We need to change our behaviour, there is no other way to control the spread of the infection,” Surajit Chaterjee, senior consultant at Apollo hospital said.
Recently, a large gathering of people in a funeral turned into a superspreading even in Telangana where 33 people got infected after attending a funeral on February 18.
NAGPUR DISTRICT’S worsening Covid situation seems to be fast losing its silver lining — fewer deaths. On Friday, districts in Vidarbha region together recorded 54 deaths, out of which 35 were in Nagpur district alone.
The deaths took place in seven districts, while five districts — Bhandara, Wardha, Gondia, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur — did not record any on the day.
Out of 35 deaths in Nagpur district, 23 were reported from the municipal area, nine from rural parts and three outside the district.
On Thursday, the district recorded 23 deaths. Vidarbha region recorded 48 deaths on Thursday, which means Friday’s rise is due to a spurt in Nagpur district.
The number of daily Covid-19 cases, however, dropped from 3,796 on Thursday to 3,235 on Friday. The drop looks encouraging against almost identical number of tests — 16,139 on Thursday and 16,066 on Friday.
The total number of positive cases in the region on Friday was 6,167, which was 6,096 on Thursday. After Nagpur, Buldhana remains the most severely affected district. On Thursday, it recorded 885 new cases and three deaths, while on Friday the corresponding numbers were 732 and three.
Yavatmal recorded 526 new cases and three deaths, while Akola had 451 new cases and three deaths. In Amravati, which first reported maximum cases with the second wave of Covid-19, cases seem to be on a decline. It recorded 333 cases and two deaths on Friday with a positivity rate of 8.32 per cent and mortality rate of 0.6 per cent, as against Amravati division’s overall positivity rate of 11.29 per cent and mortality rate of 0.86 per cent.
In Amravati division’s five districts — Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Washim and Buldhana — the death rate has remained around 0.8 per cent and positivity rate has risen from 12.1 per cent in the first week of February to 19.57 per cent in the last week. In this week, so far, it has dropped to 12.12 per cent.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has cautioned insurers against not being transparent to policyholders while rejecting health insurance claims.
“Insurer shall ensure that the repudiation of the claim is not based on presumptions and conjectures,” the IRDAI said in a circular to Life, General and Standalone Health Insurance Companies as well as TPAs.
IRDAI said when a claim is denied or repudiated, the insurer should communicate the same, specifically mentioning reasons and also referring to the corresponding policy conditions. Details of the grievance redressal procedures available with the insurer as well as the Insurance Ombudsman along with addresses of the respective offices should also be furnished to the policyholders.
Besides processing of the claims in a “transparent, seamless and efficient manner within prescribed timelines,” the insurance companies should ensure the policyholder is provided with granular details of the payments made, amounts disallowed and the reasons for the amount disallowed. The regulator said it is essential for all insurers to establish procedures to let policyholders get clear and transparent communication at various stages of claim processing.
Systems to enable policyholders track status of cashless requests/claims filed with the insurer/TPA either through website/app or any other authorised electronic means on an ongoing basis have to be provided by the insurers. The status shall cover from the time of receipt of request to the time of disposal of the claim along with the decision thereon, General Manager (Health) D.V.S.Ramesh said in the circular.
Friday’s circular follows the one issued earlier this week, by the regulator, advising health insurers to refrain from modifying existing benefits or add new benefits in existing products that results in increase in the premium. Any addition to and upgradation of existing benefits can be made only as add-on covers or optional covers with a standalone premium rate.
Separately, IRDAI asked insurers to make special arrangements to facilitate eligible policyholders to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as a group or individually either at government or private facilities as per the option of the policyholders. The insurer should assist them by making arrangements through pre-booking slots and send reminders when the second shot of vaccine is due, IRDAI said.
Similar arrangements may be made for all employees of insurance companies as also agents “so that they can be made immune to future COVID-19 infection.”
The regulator did not specify whether the cost of the vaccination would be covered under the policies for those taking the shots at private hospitals. However, on Thursday the regulator had clarified that “in the unlikely event of hospitalisation following adverse reaction to COVID-19 vaccination, hospitalisation is covered under the health insurance policies subject to the specific terms and conditions of the policy.”
Maharashtra and Punjab, which are recording a surge in new COVID-19 cases, tightened curbs on Friday and the chief minister of the western state said lockdown is an option, as India added close to 40,000 cases in the biggest daily increase in nearly four months. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, meanwhile, told Parliament that the COVID-19 vaccination drive will be extended in the coming days, and asserted there should not be any misconceptions about the two Indian vaccines being administered inthe country. He also said it is not necessary, scientifically, to administer the vaccine to each and every person in the country.
The Maharashtra government issued a notification asking drama halls/auditoriums to operate only at 50 per cent of their capacity till March 31, and warned they will have to remain closed for a period until the pandemic stays notified as a disaster by the Centre if there is any violation. Private offices, except those related to health and other essential services, have been asked to function only at 50 per cent of their capacity, it said.
A day after Maharashtra witnessed the highest one-day spike of 25,833 COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said lockdown is an option but he trusts people to follow the norms on their own. On Friday, the state recorded 25,681 cases, a health official said, adding Mumbai reported the highest spike of 3,062 new infections. Talking to reporters in Nandurbar, Thackeray also appealed to people to get vaccinated against the virus without fear.
The chief minister acknowledged that the COVID-19 situation has become grimmer as the number of new cases on Thursday crossed the earlier highest rise which was recorded in September. “I see lockdown as an option going ahead. But I trust people of the state to cooperate (and follow the COVID-19 norms voluntarily) like the last time.” After a review meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered a slew of restrictions beginning Saturday which included closing of all educational institutions till the month-end and curbs on cinema and mall capacities.
States likeMaharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Chhattisgarhare reporting a surge in the daily COVID-19 cases, accounting for over 80 per cent of the new infections, the Union Health Ministry said. Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 25,833 which is 65 per cent of daily cases. It is followed by Punjab with 2,369 while Kerala reported 1,899 new cases, the ministry said in its morning update. The new cases in Punjab rose by 2,490 on Friday, according to a state medical bulletin.
According to the ministry data updated on Friday. India reported 39,726 new coronavirus infections in a day, the highest single-day rise recorded so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,15,14,331. The daily rise was the highest recorded in 110 days, while the death toll increased to 1,59,370 with 154 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. As many as 41,810 new infections were registered during a 24-hour period on November 29 last.
Registering an increase for the ninth day in a row, the total active caseload has reached 2,71,282, which now comprises 2.36 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 96.26 per cent, the data stated. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,10,83,679, while the case fatality rate has further to 1.38 per cent, it said.
Eight states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryanaare showing an upward trajectory in daily new cases. The notification issued by the Maharashtra government said that in case of government and semi-government offices, the head of the office will take a decision regarding the staff attendance and ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
As per the notification, drama halls and auditoriums will not be used for religious, political, cultural and social gatherings. On March 15, the state government had notified that cinema halls, hotels, restaurants and offices, except those related to health and essential services, will function at 50 per cent of their capacity.
But the Friday’s order has included drama halls and auditoriums as well. The order, however, allowed the manufacturing sector to function at full capacity, but advised that the workforce be reduced to ensure adequate social distancing on the production floor.
For the purpose of maintaining social distancing, manufacturing units may be allowed to increase working shifts as approved by local authorities. to check COVID surge. In the 11 worst-hit districts in Punjab, a complete ban has been ordered on all social gatherings, except for funerals and weddings, which will be allowed with only 20 persons in attendance. This will be enforced from Sunday.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh appealed to people to keep social activity at their homes to the bare minimum for the next two weeks to break the transmission chain, according to an official statement released in Chandigarh. Not more than 10 visitors should be entertained in homes, he urged chairing a meeting of the COVID task force.
“All educational institutions, other than medical and nursing colleges, will remain closed till March 31,” the official statement said. The chief minister also ordered compulsory wearing of face mask, directing police and the health authorities to take all those found in public areas without it to the nearest testing facility to ensure they are not asymptomatic cases.
The situation will be reviewed after two weeks, he said. Dr K K Talwar, who heads the state government’s expert team on coronavirus, told the chief minister that the surge in cases appeared to be the result of the opening of schools and colleges, with young asymptomatic people appearing to be spreading the virus.
During the Question Hour in Lok Sabha, Vardhan said India has vaccinated 3.5 to 4 crore people so far and side effects of the vaccines have been recorded at 0.000432 per cent. “Every vaccine doesn’t require universal immunisation and all these priority groups whom we are vaccinating today like healthcare staff first and then senior citizens and people aged between 45 and 59 years, it will be extended in the coming days all these are based on experts’ opinion.
“Not only Indian experts, but we have also consulted WHO guidelines regarding priority groups.” Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin have been currently approved for restricted emergency use in India. Replying to a question by NCP MP Supriya Sule on whether the government is aiming at universal immunisation of COVID-19 vaccine, Vardhan said it is not scientifically necessary to administer the vaccine to each and every person in the country.
“Not each and every person in the world will be vaccinated. The prioritisation process is a dynamic process. “The behaviour of the virus is also dynamic. All things are based on scientific facts, scrutiny and vision of the overall scientific and health community,” he said.
According to the report, this would be the second salary hike which the TCS would carry out within a period of six months. The last year’s increment cycle got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
India’s largest IT services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Friday announced a pay increment to all its associates for financial year 2021-22. It would come into effect from April 2021.
“This step is a reflection of our steadfast commitment to our associates,” Moneycontrol quoted a TCS spokesperson as saying.
In a statement, the company said, “We can confirm that we are on track to give increments to all associates across our geographies effective April 2021, in line with our benchmarks.”
According to the report, this would be the second salary hike which the TCS would carry out within a period of six months. The last year’s increment cycle got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company’s employees will get nearly 12-14 per cent average salary hike as per the company norms, Moneycontrol quoted sources as saying. As per the regular promotion cycle, TCS will also continue to offer promotions to its employees.
On March 18, IT and professional services company Accenture said it will give one week of base pay as one-time bonus to all employees for their contribution during the challenging year. The move will benefit around 2 lakh employees the company has in India.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will be recommending to the State government to close the open air gyms in parks, gyms, swimming pools and party/ community halls in apartments, besides reduce the occupancy in cinemas to 50%. This is in light of the increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases being reported in the city over the past few days.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad said that five zones – East, West, South, Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli – were reporting more than 100 cases a day and in comparison, number of cases were fewer in Rajarajeshwarinagar, Dasarahalli and Yelahanka zones.
“In light of the increase in cases, we have already had preliminary discussions with the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary and officials of the Department of Health and Family Welfare. We will recommend closure of gyms, swimming pools and party/ community halls in apartments, apart from closure of open air gyms in all BBMP parks,” he said.
Admitting that there was no data on the number of cases that could be attributed to the closed setting of cinemas, Mr. Prasad said that the civic body would recommend bringing down the occupancy to 50% with alternate seats left vacant.
Similarly, the restriction of having 200 persons in marriage halls with a closed environment and 500 in open air would be enforced strictly. If there is any violation, cases will be booked under Disaster Management Act on those who had sought permission for the event and the owners of marriage halls.
Mr. Prasad also reiterated that it was the responsibility of mall management and owners of shops in malls to ensure that citizens follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour (mask wearing, maintaining social distance, sanitising/ washing of hands). “Marshals cannot go everywhere to enforce this. Random checks will be conducted and if there are any violations, action will be taken against mall management and shop owners,” he said.
Similarly, many exhibitions, with exhibitors from other States/ cities, are also being held across the city. “Many of those from other places are not following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. We will initiate action against the organisers and hold them responsible,” he added.
