Eight states contributed 85 pc COVID-19 caseload, says Health Ministry

A robot collects swab samples for COVID-19 testing in Coimbatore

Eight states, including Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu, contributed 85.5 per cent of the active COVID-19 caseload and 87 per cent of the total deaths due to the disease in India, according to the Union Health Ministry. The ministry said it briefed the Group of Ministers on COVID-19 on the Coronavirus situation in the country and the efforts to boost healthcare infrastructure on Saturday.

"It was mentioned that presently eight states - Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal - contribute 85.5 per cent of active caseload and 87 per cent of total deaths in India," it said in a statement. India has reported five lakh COVID-19 cases with the worst single-day jump of 18,552 cases on Saturday. The death toll has climbed to 15,685.

A devotee offers prayer outside the closed gate of Kalighat Kali temple on the occasion of Bipodtarini puja in Kolkata on Saturday. Pics/PTI

14-day survey begins
The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on Saturday began a 14-day serological survey across Delhi to ascertain the presence of anti-bodies among people. Under the survey, from June 27 to July 10, blood samples from 20,000 persons will be tested, said a Health Ministry statement, adding that the survey is part of the Centre's support to states and Union Territories (UTs) to combat COVID-19. The survey has begun at a time when the number of COVID-19 patients in the national capital has crossed 77,000.

J'khand extends lockdown
The Jharkhand government has decided to extend the lockdown till July 31 to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the state. All schools and religious places will remain closed during this period. Jharkhand chief secretary Sukhdev Singh on Saturday issued a circular to extend the lockdown. "All religious places, schools, hotels, spa and salons in the state will remain closed till further orders," says the circular. All district administrations have been directed to ensure that provisions of the lockdown extension are implemented seriously and effectively in their area. Apart from emergency work, a complete ban has been imposed on all kinds of movement between 9 pm and 5 am.

Oldest woman beats virus
Offering a ray of hope, a woman in Karnataka has successfully recovered from the disease at the age of 99, leaving the medical fraternity and her family elated. Marceline Saldanha had contracted the pathogen after coming in contact with her grandson and was hospitalised on her 99th birthday on June 18. "The patient, who was also suffering from hypertension, was admitted to our hospital on June 18 after she tested positive for the Coronavirus. She was treated as per the protocol and we were elated to see her recover," Dr Smitha S Segu, nodal officer in charge of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, said.

FIR against Ramdev, others

In a jolt to yoga guru Baba Ramdev, an FIR has been lodged against him, Patanjali Ayurved CEO Acharya Balkrishna and three others for allegedly making misleading claims that the herbal medicine company has found a cure for COVID-19 called Coronil. The complaint was filed at Jyoti Nagar police station in Jaipur on Friday. Avnish Parashar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), south, Jaipur, said: "Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna, Balbir Singh Tomar, Anurag Tomar and Anurag Varshney, were booked under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, as per the FIR lodged by an advocate Balbir Jakhar."

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