India overtakes Russia, becomes third-most COVID-infected nation

India, which on Sunday (July 5) recorded a single-day spike of 21,514 COVID-19 cases, is inching its way up the COVID-19 list of most-affected countries, and has taken over Russia as the third-most affected nation.

India is currently the third worst-hit nation by the pandemic after the US and Brazil, and is at the eighth position in terms of the death toll.

With a single-day surge of 21,514 coronavirus infections and 412 fatalities, India’s COVID-19 caseload jumped to 6,95,418, while the death toll climbed to 19,692 on Sunday (July 5), according to covid19india.org.

However, amid the rise in cases, none of the 11 COVID-19 vaccine candidates undergoing clinical trials are likely to be ready for use before 2021, the Ministry of Science and Technology said on Sunday.

Shah, Rajnath, Kejriwal visit newly-created 1,000-bed COVID-19 hospital

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited a newly-created temporary hospital with 1,000 beds, including 250 in the ICU, for COVID-19 patients here on Sunday, officials said.

The facility was constructed in just 12 days near the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on a piece of land belonging to the Ministry of Defence.

“Visited the 1,000 bed Sardar Patel Covid Hospital, which has 250 ICU beds, along with @rajnathsingh ji. DRDO built it in record time of 12 days with assistance from MHA, MOHFW, Armed Forces and Tata Trust,” Shah said in a tweet.

PM @narendramodi ji is fully committed to helping the people of Delhi in these challenging times and this Covid hospital, yet again, highlights the resolve.

I thank DRDO, Tatas and our Armed Forces Medical personnel who have risen to the occasion and helped tackle the emergency. pic.twitter.com/O7TqmK81qG

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 5, 2020

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also accompanied Shah and Singh. Shah said an Armed Forces Medical Services team will run the hospital while the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will maintain it.

The home minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fully committed to helping the people of Delhi in these challenging times and this COVID hospital, yet again, highlights that resolve. He thanked the DRDO, Tatas and the armed forces medical personnel “who have risen to the occasion and helped tackle the emergency”.

In a tweet in Hindi, Kejriwal said, “DRDO’s 1,000-bed coronavirus hospital is ready. I thank the central government on behalf of Delhiities. It (hospital) has 250 ICU beds, which is very much needed in Delhi at the moment.”

DRDO का 1000 बेड का करोना अस्पताल बनकर तैयार हो गया। दिल्ली वालों की ओर से केंद्र सरकार का शुक्रिया। इसमें 250 बेड ICU के हैं। इसकी दिल्ली में इस वक्त बहुत ज़रूरत है।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 5, 2020

How are the states doing?

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 2,06,619 followed by Tamil Nadu at 1,11,151, Delhi at 99,444, Gujarat at 36,123, Uttar Pradesh at 27,707, Karnataka at 23,474, and Telangana at 22,312, according to covid19india.org.

The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 22,126 in West Bengal, 20,164 in Rajasthan, 18,697 in Andhra Pradesh, while Kerala has 5,430 cases.

According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 97,89,066 samples have been tested up to July 4 with 2,48,934 samples being tested on Saturday. It also said that more than 70 per cent deaths took place due to comorbidities.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR,” the ministry said, adding that 4,629 cases are being reassigned to states.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra crossed the grim milestone of two lakh COVID-19 cases, recording a single-day increase of 6,555 infections, according to covid19india.org. In the past 24 hours, the state recorded 151 deaths.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu registered 4,150 cases in the past 24 hours with 60 deaths recorded. The state is currently under lockdown after the Tamil Nadu government decided to extend lockdown till July 31 to curb the spread of coronavirus. The state observed total lockdown until Sunday (July 5). However restrictions will be eased from Monday (July 6).

Delhi

The Delhi government will set up a COVID-19 War Room, which will 24×7 monitor the city’s fight against the novel coronavirus, and suggest measures to effectively deal with the prevailing situation, officials said on Sunday.

The COVID-19 War Room, which is being set up at the Delhi Secretariat, will be manned by around 25 experts. It is expected to become operational in the next few days.

According to the plan, the new strategic facility will cover all aspects such as testing, bed strength, medical equipment, ambulance infrastructure and containment zones. It will represent a snapshot of the city’s position when it comes to tackling the COVID-19 situation, the officials said, adding that Chief Secretary Vijay Dev has directed officials to set up the same as soon as possible.

Officials said that the COVID-19 War Room will also flag discrepancies in those areas wherein authorities can take steps to prepare a robust system. “The COVID-19 War Room will closely monitor measures being taken by the authorities. It will also project the future requirements of medical infrastructure to deal with surging coronavirus cases.

“For instance, if there is a shortage of ambulances in the city, it will inform authorities about it,” he said.

Another official noted that the district administration has been taking steps in their respective areas, and that the war room will operate in a centralised manner for better coordination among the districts.

“An IAS officer has been given the charge of this war room for better coordination with higher authorities in the government.

The COVID-19 War Room will have 20-25 experts who will work round-the-clock,” official said.

On Saturday, Delhi recorded 2,244 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally in the city to over 99,400, while the death toll from the disease mounted to 3,067. Sixty-three fatalities were recorded on Saturday.

Karnataka

In view of an exponential rise in cases in Bengaluru, the Karnataka government has imposed a 33-hour-lockdown in the city from 8 pm on Saturday (July 4) to 5 am on Monday (July 6).

Amid the rising COVID-19 cases, over 3,000 beds in private hospitals have been reserved for treating patients while a 10,100-bed coronavirus care centre, the biggest in the country, has been set up, authorities said on Sunday.

Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said 3,331 beds in 72 private hospitals have been earmarked for COVID-19 patients.

The city civic body, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner B H Anil Kumar said the sprawling Bangalore International Exhibition Centre has been converted into a coronavirus care centre with 10,100 beds.

“Across Bengaluru, 3,331 beds have been reserved in 72 hospitals for treating coronavirus patients. By Saturday evening 733 beds were occupied and 2,598 beds were unoccupied,” the Medical Education Minister tweeted.

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಗರದಾದ್ಯಂತ ಇರುವ ಒಟ್ಟು 72 ಖಾಸಗಿ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ 3331 ಹಾಸಿಗೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕೋವಿಡ್ ಸೋಂಕಿತರ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆಗೆ ಮೀಸಲಿಡಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಶನಿವಾರ ಸಂಜೆಯ ವೇಳೆಗೆ ಇವುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ 733 ಹಾಸಿಗೆಗಳು ಭರ್ತಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದು 2598 ಹಾಸಿಗೆಗಳು ಅಂದರೆ ಸುಮಾರು ಶೇ.78% ಹಾಸಿಗೆಗಳು ಖಾಲಿಯಿವೆ@BSYBJP pic.twitter.com/xVzAXcpHlr

— Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) July 5, 2020

Recently, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had convened a meeting with private hospital owners during which he directed them to reserve at least 50 per cent beds to treat coronavirus cases.

The government had set a target to reserve at least 2,000 beds for coronavirus patients. However, the number has swelled to 3,331.

Meanwhile, BBMP Commissioner Anil Kumar on Sunday visited the coronavirus care centre at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre along with Yelahanka BJP MLA S R Vishwanath.

“BIEC has been converted into a 10,100 bed Covid Care Centre. Visited the centre along with honble MLA @SRVishwanathBJP, @BBMPSWMJtComm & other #BBMP officials,” Kumar tweeted.

BIEC has been converted into a 10,100 bed Covid Care Centre. Visited the centre along with hon’ble MLA @SRVishwanathBJP, @BBMPSWMJtComm & other #BBMP officials. The centre is well ventilated, has adequate number of toilets, nursing stations, kitchens & other required facilities. pic.twitter.com/quDkk2ruwa

— B.H.Anil Kumar,IAS (@BBMPCOMM) July 5, 2020

He also said the centre is well ventilated, has adequate number of toilets, nursing stations, kitchens and other required facilities. The centre is ready to house asymptomatic patients, including children.

The BBMP Joint Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), Sarfaraz Khan said, “This is the biggest ever COVID care centre in the country. Delhi has a COVID care centre of 10,000 beds in Radha Soami Satsang.”

As many as 150 doctors will man the centre. Oxygen facilities will be available in some beds for patients who need it, he said. In addition, there will be adequate arrangements to shift the critically-ill patients to nearby hospitals, Khan added.

Bengaluru has seen the biggest ever spike in coronavirus cases in the past one week. The city has witnessed 9,580 positive cases, of which 8,166 are active cases. The city has so far reported 145 deaths due to the virus.

Kerala

Kerala on Sunday made it mandatory for people to follow COVID-19 safety rules including social distancing and wearing masks for the next one year.

In a gazette notification, the health department said people will also have to wear masks at their workplaces, and that six-feet social distancing will be applicable everywhere. Further, up to only 50 people can attend weddings in the state, and 20 for funerals.

Moreover, the notification said that no manner of social gatherings, including get-togethers, processions, dharnas, congregation, demonstration etc., shall be conducted without written permission of the concerned authority.

Meanwhile, Kerala tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said on Sunday that Thiruvananthapuram district was sitting on an active volcano with a rising number of COVID-19 cases and there was no guarantee that there would be no community spread.

He also said that the state government has decided to conduct more antigen tests in the district to check the spread of the virus. “It’s like we are sitting on top of an active volcano which can burst anytime. Just because there has been no community spread till now doesn’t mean it will not occur,” the minister told reporters.

Surendran said the restrictions in force in containment zones would be tightened and food delivery boys would be tested.

Recently, a food delivery boy and a policeman in the city tested positive, prompting health department officials to implement a health protocol.

Adding to the concern of rising COVID-19 cases in the capital district, two accused lodged at a quarantine centre at nearby Varkala escaped early on Sunday morning. Police said they were nabbed from two different areas and brought to the centre for observation as part of COVID-19 protocol. Police said a search was on to nab them.

Kerala’s COVID-19 tally breached the 5,000-mark on Saturday with 225 cases being reported, with Thiruvananthapuram reporting 11 cases.

The number of active cases in Thiruvananthapuram district has risen from 77 on June 25 to 107 at present, while 13,513 people are under observation. A total of 256 people are in isolation wards of various hospitals across the district.

(With inputs from agencies)