The total number of recorded COVID-19 fatalities in India crossed the 5 lakh mark on Friday. On Friday, 1070 deaths were recorded in India, similar to the the average levels recorded in the last week.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the updates:
Covid primary cause in 23.5% deaths reported in Delhi from January 13 to February 3: Data
Of the 693 fatalities recorded in Delhi between January 13 and February 3, COVID-19 was the primary cause of death in only 23.5% of the cases, according to official data.
In 530 cases, the COVID-19 finding was incidental while in nine cases, the virus was detected among trauma patients.
An analysis of the data showed that of the 693 deaths recorded during the period, the virus was the primary cause in 163 cases. - PTI
U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hits 9,00,000, sped by omicron
Propelled in part by the wildly contagious omicron variant, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than two months after eclipsing 800,000.
The two-year total, as compiled by Johns Hopkins University, is greater than the population of Indianapolis, San Francisco, or Charlotte, North Carolina.
The milestone comes more than 13 months into a vaccination drive that has been beset by misinformation and political and legal strife, though the shots have proved safe and highly effective at preventing serious illness and death. - AP
Canadian police expect COVID-19 protests to ramp up again
Ontario's Conservative premier called Friday for demonstrators to end the “occupation” of Ottawa, while police moved 150 officers to the parts of the capital most affected by the protest against COVID-19 restrictions.
Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly gave no indication when the days-old protest would end, saying police expected it to ramp up again this weekend, when protests are also planned in Toronto and Quebec City.
“It’s not a protest anymore. It’s become an occupation,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said. “It’s time for this to come to an end.” - AP
India crosses 5 lakh COVID-19 deaths mark
The total number of recorded COVID-19 fatalities in India crossed the 5 lakh mark on Friday. On Friday, 1070 deaths were recorded in India, similar to the the average levels recorded in the last week.
Kerala reported the most deaths with 595 fatalities (567 were from a backlog), followed by Maharashtra (81) and Karnataka recorded 53 deaths.
The country recorded 1,27,496 new Covid-19 cases on Friday. The total number of infections has reached 4.2 crore, and the active cases have come down to 13.4 lakh.
Delhi's offices, gyms, spas and swimming pools to open
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday decided to allow government and private offices to open with 100% strength.
In a meeting chaired by Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal, the DDMA also allowed gyms, spas, swimming pools, yoga institutes and businesses to open subject to strict observance of COVID-appropriate behaviour. Restaurants were also permitted to function up to 11 p.m. even as the imposition of the night curfew was pushed from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Furthermore, the DDMA said it will exempt lone drivers aboard four-wheelers from wearing masks amid declining COVID-19 cases in the Capital.
Delhi's offices, gyms, spas and swimming pools to open
No lag in reporting COVID deaths: Kerala Health Minister
Health Minister Veena George has termed unfortunate a purported comment by the Centre that Kerala had not been transparent about declaring COVID-19 deathsTalking to the media here on Friday, Ms. George said Kerala was the only State which took the Supreme Court’s directive on paying compensation to the kin of those who died of COVID in letter and spirit. The State government had taken the stand that none who lost their loved ones to COVID should be denied an opportunity to receive ex gratia payment. After the Indian Council of Medical Research revised the definition of what constitutes a COVID death, all attempts were made to include every death on the list of fatalities and people were encouraged to file appeals .
No lag in reporting COVID deaths: Veena
Delhi to reopen schools for all classes in staggered manner
The Delhi government has decided to reopen schools through hybrid learning in two phases — for Classes IX to XII from February 7 and for nursery to Class VIII from February 14. The schools will gradually transition to a completely offline mode in the coming weeks.
Making the announcement after the Delhi Disaster Management Authority cleared the proposal to open schools on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that prolonged school closures have resulted in significant learning losses among students of all ages and their social and emotional well-being have also suffered.
The government said there will be no restrictions on the number of students allowed to attend school as individual schools will be allowed to decide on the proportion of students attending physical classes based on their infrastructure and the number of students that can safely follow all COVID protocols.
Delhi to reopen schools for all classes in staggered manner
Now, a self-disinfecting, biodegradable face mask
A self-disinfecting ‘copper-based nanoparticle-coated antiviral face mask’ to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic was unveiled on Friday. It kills the virus and not just filters it, and is biodegradable, highly breathable and washable too.
This novel invention has been a collaborative effort by the scientists of the city based International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous R&D centre of Department of Science & Technology (DST), CSIR- Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) and a Bengaluru based private firm Resil Chemicals.
While public mask wearing is most effective in reducing the spread of COVID mainly through airborne respiratory particles, most masks available in the country neither exhibit antiviral nor antibacterial properties, said an ARCI official spokesperson.
