Coronavirus India Updates: Fresh Cases Fall To Lowest In Nearly A Month

The Vice President of India who underwent a routine COVID-19 test today morning has been tested positive. He is however, asymptomatic and in good health. He has been advised home quarantine. His wife Smt. Usha Naidu has been tested negative and is in self-isolation.

— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) September 29, 2020

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board on Tuesday said the city generates about 17 tonne of Covid-19 waste per day and the same is being handled successfully.

"We have successfully handled the 17 tonne of infectious Covid medical solid generated daily from the city. We have tracked the movement of the waste through GPS," WBPCB chairman Kalyan Rudra said at CII organized online green industry conclave.

The only positive out of this pandemic induced lockdown is the improvement in the air quality to permissible level in all parameters across the state. This probably has helped uniform and undisturbed monsoon, the pollution control body official said.

He said that besides air quality improvement there was water quality improvement of rivers but there was no decline in coliform bacteria as urban waste water continued to flow uninterrupted into rivers.

WBPCB was trying for online pollution monitoring for large and major polluting industries of the state. Rudra said after the green tribunal order WBPCB expects emissions at a permissible level by industry and 100% waste water recycling.

Source: PTI

The West Bengal Health Department has decided to form Rapid Response Teams to treat critical Covid-19 patients, a senior official said on Monday. The RRTs will include one anesthesiologist and one medicine specialist to treat such patients, he said.

The step has been taken to strengthen the treatment and patient care services at designated Covid-19 hospitals across the state, the official said. "... Specialists and other medical officers so deployed must stay near the Covid hospitals," an order issued by the department said.

Source: PTI

With Covid-19 cases witnessing a spike in Kerala over the past few weeks, the Left government has decided to impose strict restrictions on gatherings besides taking action against shop owners who fail to implement the health protocol, including social distancing.

After reporting over 7,000 fresh Covid-19 cases for two consecutive days, Kerala on Monday reported 4,538 new positive cases taking the infection count in the state to 1,78,922 and currently, there are 57,879 patients under treatment in the state.

"Covid-19 is rapidly spreading in our State and we had a record increase in the number of new cases in the last week.The situation is serious as the positive cases in the state are seen doubling on an average of every 20 days. We have held a high-level meeting of officials today to discuss the situation," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media.

He said strict action will be taken against those not following social distancing. "Wearing masks is mandatory and those who dont wear masks in public will be strictly penalised.

Shop owners will have to ensure they comply with the Covid-19 health protocol and action will be taken against shop owners also if norms are violated.

The restrictions of 50 people for marriage functions and 20 for funerals should be strictly followed," the chief minister said.

Source: PTI

Global Update

Cases worldwide have now topped 33 million, while the global death toll hit one million. In the U.S., warning signs are emerging that the country faces more deaths and serious illnesses as winter approaches. Germany could face more than 19,000 new cases a day by Christmas, Chancellor Angela Merkel said. Moscow has started to reopen temporary hospital wards as infections in the Russian capital soar. However, France marked the lowest daily increase since August and South Korea the lowest in seven weeks.

Track the latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic in India, here.