Tag: covid deaths

  • Courts can’t presume that all Covid deaths during second wave were due to negligence: SC

    A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli asked the petitioner Deepak Raj Singh to approach the competent authorities with his suggestions.

  • West Bengal logs 686 new coronavirus cases, 11 deaths 

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal’s COVID-19 toll rose to 18,483 on Friday after 11 more persons succumbed to the disease, while 686 new cases pushed the tally to tally 15,50,664, a bulletin issued by the state health department said.

    North 24 Parganas accounted for four deaths, Kolkata for three and Hooghly district for two.

    One fatality was recorded in Nadia.

    Of the 686 new cases, 110 were reported from the state capital and 109 from North 24 Parganas, the bulletin said.

    At least 715 more recoveries were registered in West Bengal, which took the total number of people cured of the infection to 15,23,487.

    The discharge rate stands at 98.

    25 per cent.

    The state currently has 8,694 active cases.

    As many as 1,71,22,925 samples have been tested in Bengal thus far, including 43,504 since Thursday, the bulletin added.

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  • COVID: SC expresses displeasure over delay in framing guidelines for issuance of death certificates

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Friday expressed displeasure over delay in framing guidelines for issuance of death certificates to the families of those who died of COVID-19 and directed the Centre to file compliance report by September 11.

    “We passed the order a long time back. We have already extended the time once. By the time you frame the guidelines, the third phase will also be over”, a bench comprising Justices M R Shah and Aniruddha Bose observed.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, assured the court that everything is under consideration.

    Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who has filed the petition, submitted that under the pretext of consideration things should not be delayed as the top court has already granted four-week extension to the Centre on August 16 to frame guidelines for ex-gratia compensation and now it is seeking more time.

    Advocate Sumeer Sodhi, who appeared for some of the applicants, said extended time for the first direction passed on June 30 is getting over on September 8.

    The bench said it is for the Centre to take decision on compensation within that period of time and today it was adjourning the matter only for the purpose of compliance with other directions.

    “Put up on September 13 as Solicitor General seeks time to enable Union Of India to comply with earlier order and place on record compliance report of other directions issued by this court on June 30, 2021. Compliance report to be filed with the registry on or before September 11,” the bench said.

    The apex court had in its June 30 verdict directed the National Disaster Management Authority to recommend within six weeks appropriate guidelines for ex-gratia assistance on account of loss of life to the family members of persons who died due to COVID-19.

    The Centre had moved an application seeking some more time to frame the guidelines on the ground that the exercise which was in active consideration of the NDMA was at an advanced stage and requires a little more in-depth examination.

    In its June 30 verdict, the top court had also ordered steps to simplify guidelines for issuance and correction of death certificates/official documents, stating the exact cause of death, that is, ‘Death due to COVID-19’ for enabling dependents to get benefits of welfare schemes.

    The top court’s verdict had come on two separate pleas filed by lawyers Reepak Kansal and Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking directions to the Centre and the states to provide Rs 4 lakh compensation to the families of coronavirus victims as provisioned under the Act.

    Four intervenors, who had lost their family members due to COVID have also moved the top court contending that there cannot be any discrimination in the amounts being paid by different states to family members of those, who had succumbed to the deadly infection.

    The apex court in its verdict, however, had noted the peculiarity and the impact and effect of the pandemic and said that it cannot order payment of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia compensation which should be decided by the NDMA as there was a need to focus simultaneously on prevention, preparedness, mitigation and recovery, which calls for a different order of mobilization of both financial and technical resources.

    “We direct the NDMA to recommend guidelines for ex gratia assistance on account of loss of life to the family members of the persons who died due to Covid-19, as mandated under Section 12(iii) of Disaster Management Act (DMA) 2005 for the minimum standards of relief to be provided to the persons affected by disaster – Covid 19 Pandemic, over and above the guidelines already recommended for the minimum standards of relief to be provided to persons affected by Covid-19, it had said.

    It had also directed the Centre to take appropriate steps on recommendations of the Finance Commission on providing insurance cover for deaths caused by Covid.

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  • Assam reports 15 fresh coronavirus deaths, 538 new cases 

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: Assam reported 15 deaths due to COVID-19 on Monday, while 538 more people tested positive pushing the caseload to 5,88,856, the National Health Mission said.

    With the death of three persons in Jorhat, two each in Nagaon and Sivasagar, and one each in Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Hojai, Lakhimpur, and Sonitpur, the COVID-19 death toll rose to 5,655, it said.

    The NHM said 1,347 more COVID-19 patients have died till now, but the government’s death audit board has not included them in the death toll caused by the virus, as they had other ailments too. The current death rate is 0.96 per cent, it said.

    Out of the new cases, the highest 103 patients were detected from Kamrup Metro, followed by 37 in Jorhat, 34 in Golaghat, and 33 in Tinsukia.

    With the detection of 538 coronavirus patients against the testing of 9,140 samples on Monday, Assam has reported a positivity rate of 0.68 per cent for the day.

    Currently, the state has 5,613 active cases, while the cumulative tests conducted in the state so far are 2,15,86,352.

    Meanwhile, 612 patients recuperated from the disease during the day taking the total recoveries to 5,76,241. The current recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in the state is 97.86 per cent.

    The state has inoculated over 1.72 crore people to date, of whom 30,77,059 have received both doses.

  • COVID-19: India records 25,072 new cases, lowest tally in 160 days

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India saw a single-day rise of 25,072 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 160 days, while active cases declined to 3,33,924, comprising 1.03 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Monday.

    The tally of COVID-19 cases has increased to 3,24,49,306, while the death toll has climbed to 4,34,756 with 389 daily fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.

    The active cases have declined to 3,33,924, the lowest in 155 days, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 97.63 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the health ministry said.

    A reduction of 19,474 cases has been recorded in the total number of active COVID-19 cases in a span of 24 hours.

    Also, 12,95,160 tests were conducted on Sunday, taking the cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 50,75,51,399.

    The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.94 per cent. It has been less than 3 per cent for the last 28 days. Weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.91 per cent.

    It has been below 3 per cent for the last 59 days, according to the health ministry.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,16,80,626, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.

    According to the Union Health Ministry, India recorded 25,072 new #COVID19 cases, 44,157 recoveries and 389 deaths in the last 24 hrs.Express Photo | @ashwinacharya05 pic.twitter.com/DYFEP7tV56
    — The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) August 23, 2021
    Cumulatively, 58.25 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive till Monday morning.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 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.

    India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

    The 389 new fatalities include 145 from Maharashtra, 69 from Odisha and 66 from Kerala.

    A total of 4,34,756 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,35,962 from Maharashtra, 37,145 from Karnataka, 34,709 from Tamil Nadu, 25,079 from Delhi, 22,792 from Uttar Pradesh, 19,494 from Kerala and 18,364 from West Bengal.

    The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

    “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

  • Maharashtra’s Thane logs 196 new COVID-19 cases, 5 deaths 

    By PTI

    Thane, Aug 23 (PTI) With the addition of 196 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra’s Thane district has gone up to 5,49,596, an official said on Monday.

    These new cases were reported on Sunday, he said.

    The virus also claimed the lives of five more people, which pushed the death toll in the district to 11,244, he said, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.

    04 per cent.

    In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,34,236, while the death toll has reached 3,277, another official said.

  • COVID-19: India reports 36,401 new cases, 530 deaths

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India has added 36,401 new COVID-19 infections, taking the total tally of cases to 3,23,22,258, while the death toll has climbed to 4,33,049 with 530 more fatalities, according to Union health ministry data updated on Thursday.

    The national recovery rate has improved to 97.52 per cent, the highest since March last year, according to the data updated at 8 am.

    The ministry said that active cases have declined to 3,64,129, the lowest in 149 days, and comprise 1.13 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March last year.

    A reduction of 3,286 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

    The ministry said that 18,73,757 tests were conducted on Wednesday, taking the total tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 50,03,00,840.

    The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 1.94 per cent and it has been less than three per cent for the last 24 days, it said.

    The weekly positivity rate has been recorded at 1.95 per cent and it has been below three per cent for the last 55 days, according to the ministry.

    According to the Union Health Ministry, India recorded 36,401 new #COVID19 cases and 39,157 recoveries in the last 24 hrs.Express Photo | @prasantmadugula pic.twitter.com/RcA1IGTFcj
    — The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) August 19, 2021
    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 3,15,25,080, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.

    Cumulatively, 56.64 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive so far.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year 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 last year.

    India crossed two crore cases on May 4 and three crore cases on June 23.

    The 530 fresh fatalities include 179 from Kerala and 158 from Maharashtra.

    A total of 4,33,049 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,35,413 from Maharashtra, 37,061 from Karnataka, 34,610 from Tamil Nadu, 25,077 from Delhi, 22,787 from Uttar Pradesh, 19,049 from Kerala and 18,325 from West Bengal.

    The ministry said that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

    “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

  • 135 employees of East Central railway lost battle to Covid during second wave: GM

    By Express News Service

    PATNA: As many as 135 employees of the five divisions of the Hajipur-based East Central Railway (ECR) have succumbed to Covid-19 during the second wave, general manager of ECR Anupam Sharma said. 

    The railway zone has extended financial aid to the dependents of the deceased employees, Sharma added. He was speaking on the occasion of Independence day.

    “Liquidator payments have been made to the kin of all the deceased employees. Also, 82 dependents have been given jobs on the compassionate ground”, Sharma said, adding that a special “Emergency Corona Emergency Fund” was created with the donations of other employees so that assistance can be provided to the affected employees and their kin.

    The GM further said 96% of the personnel working in East Central Railway have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

    “The ECR’s growth rate in initial income from January to July 2021, was 14.145% over the target as compared to 37.59% higher than the corresponding period last year,” the GM said.

    Also, Sharma said, the zone transported 93.96 million tonnes of goods from January to July 2021 amid the pandemic.

    The annual target of scrap execution in the year 2020-21 was fixed at Rs 230 crore. “It is a matter of joy that despite challenging circumstances due to Covid, we have achieved a record income of about Rs 308 crores from scrap execution. This is the best performance ever.”

    “In the current financial year, a target of Rs 240 crore has been set from scrap sales”, the GM said.

    “On freight services, the zone registered an income of Rs 11,044 crore, which is 33.37% higher than the previous period,” he claimed.

    Sharma also said that with the activation of the “Business Development Unit”, 1,526 rakes of various items were loaded from January to July 2021, earning revenue of Rs.340.71 crore.

  • SC gives Centre four more weeks to frame guidelines for ex-gratia to families of COVID victims

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted 4-week extension to the Centre to frame guidelines for ex-gratia compensation to families of those who died of COVID-19.

    The Centre told the top court that the exercise of framing the guidelines is at an advanced stage and therefore some more time is required for in-depth examination before it is finalised and implemented.

    During the brief hearing, a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati about compliance of other directions given by the court in its verdict on June 30.

    Bhati told the bench that she will file an affidavit within two weeks giving the entire details of compliance of other directions issued by the court.

    The bench then ordered that time be extended by four weeks for compliance of the direction on framing of the guidelines.

    It directed the Centre to file a status report on compliance of other directions of the court and listed the matter for further hearing after two weeks.

    The apex court had in its June 30 verdict directed NDMA to recommend within six weeks appropriate guidelines for ex-gratia assistance on account of loss of life to the family members of persons who died due to COVID-19.

    The Centre has moved an application seeking some more time to frame the guidelines on the ground that the exercise which was in active consideration of the NDMA was at an advanced stage and requires a little more in-depth examination.

    In its June 30 verdict, the top court had also ordered steps to simplify guidelines for issuance and correction of ‘death certificates/official documents’, stating the exact cause of death, that is, ‘Death due to Covid-19’, for enabling dependents to get benefits of welfare schemes.

    The top court’s verdict had come on two separate pleas filed by lawyers Reepak Kansal and Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking directions to the Centre and the states to provide Rs 4 lakh compensation to the families of coronavirus victims as provisioned under the Act.

    Four intervenors, who had lost their family members due to COVID have also moved the top court through advocate Sumeer Sodhi contending that there cannot be any discrimination in the amounts being paid by different states to family members of those, who had succumbed to the deadly infection.

    The apex court in its verdict, however, had noted the “peculiarity and the impact and effect” of the pandemic and said that it cannot order payment of Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia compensation which should be decided by the NDMA as there was a need to “focus simultaneously on prevention, preparedness, mitigation and recovery, which calls for a different order of mobilization of both financial and technical resources”.

    “We direct the NDMA to recommend guidelines for ex gratia assistance on account of loss of life to the family members of the persons who died due to Covid-19, as mandated under Section 12(iii) of Disaster Management Act (DMA) 2005 for the minimum standards of relief to be provided to the persons affected by disaster – Covid 19 Pandemic, over and above the guidelines already recommended for the minimum standards of relief to be provided to persons affected by Covid-19,” it had said.

    It had also directed the Centre to take appropriate steps on recommendations of the Finance Commission on providing insurance cover for deaths caused by Covid.

    The direction had come after the Centre said that presently there was no “guideline/policy/scheme in NDMA which relates to National Insurance mechanism that may be used to pay for disaster related deaths due to COVID”.

  • India records lowest daily coronavirus count in 147 days, recovery rate at 97.45%

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India logged 28,204 new coronavirus infections, the lowest in 147 days, taking the total tally of cases to 3,19,98,158, while the active cases fell to 3,88,508, the lowest in 139 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

    The national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 97.45 per cent, which is the highest ever recovery rate achieved, the ministry said.

    The death toll has climbed to 4,28,682 with 373 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

    The active cases comprise 1.21 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, the ministry said.

    According to the Union Health Ministry, India recorded 28,204 new #COVID19 cases, the lowest in 147 days.Express Photo | @gadekal2020 pic.twitter.com/drxfWgagut
    — The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) August 10, 2021
    A decrease of 13,680 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

    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.

    India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.