Coronavirus LIVE Update: India's Cases Rise To 59,92,532; 94,503 Dead

Home Minister Amit Shah Tests Negative For COVID-19

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has tested negative for COVID-19, he announced on Twitter today. Shah had tested positive for the disease on August 2 and had been admitted to a private hospital in Noida. Shah will be in home quarantine for some days after being discharged.

India Reports Highest Tests Done For Third Successive Day

For the third day in a row, India conducted a one-day record of 8,48,728 COVID-19 test, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research. The total tests conducted so far stands at 2,76,94,416. The daily positivity rate is 7.6%.

Kerala To Witness 10k To 20k Daily Cases During Aug-Sept: KK Shailaja

Kerala is likely to report 10,000 - 20,000 new COVID-19 cases daily in August and September according to state Health Minister KK Shailaja, reports PTI. "Experts have opined that during the months of August and September we may witness a surge in COVID-19 cases. We may report between 10,000 to 20,000 cases per day. We must also understand that the death toll will increase with the rise in the number of cases. So, we need to put a hold on the rise in cases. For that the people must cooperate. They should strictly follow the health protocol of wearing masks, handwashing and social distancing in order to break the chain of virus from spreading," Shailaja said in a video campaign urging the youth to join the "Covid Brigade" to halt the pandemic spread.

India's Reports More Than 1,000 COVID-19 Deaths In A Day

India's COVID-19 death toll rose to 48,040 after 1,007 succumbed to the disease. The total case count stands at 24,61,190, a one-day rise of 64,553 cases. The number of active cases increased by 7,973 to be 6,61,595 while 55,573 patients were discharged or cured in the last 24 hours taking the total count to 17,51,555.

Zydus Cadila Launches Cheapest Variant Of Remdesivir

At Rs. 2,800 for 100 mg, Zydus Cadila has launched the cheapest variant of anti-viral Remdesivir in the Indian Market. After Hetero, Cipla, Mylan and Jubilant Lifesciences, Zydus is the fifth company to manufacture and distribute Remdesivir. 

Hetero's product is priced at 5,400, Cipla's product is priced at 4,000, Mylan NV is priced at 4,800, while Jubilant's product is priced at 4,700 rupees. 

India Increases Testing Capacity, Tests Over 8 Lakh Samples In Last 24 Hours

India conducted over 8,30,391 COVID-19 tests on Wednesday, the highest number of tests conducted so far. However, the country also reported the highest number of new cases. The current positivity rate is at 8.07%

Ram Janmabhoomi Head Priest Tests Positive For COVID-19

Chief of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das who shared the stage with PM Narendra Modi at the foundation ceremony last week has tested positive for COVID-19. 

Gopal Das, 82 shared the stage with PM Modi, CM Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel, and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat at the ceremony in Ayodhya 

India Reports Highest One-day Rise In COVID-19 Cases

India reported 66,999 new COVID-19 cases, the highest one-day rise, as the total case count rose to 23,96,637. The number of active cases has risen to 6,53,622 while 16,95,982 patients have been cured or discharged so far. The death toll has increased to 47,033 after 942 patients died due to the disease.

AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik Tests Positive

AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik tweeted that he has tested positive for COVID-19 but is asymptomatic and will be under home isolation. He further requested people who had come in contact with him to get themselves tested for COVID-19 and take the necessary precautions. 

Naik is the next union minister to have tested positive after Home Minister Amit Shah and Ministers for State for Agriculture Kailash Chaudhary and Minister of State Arjun Meghwal

ICMR Tests Highest Number Of Samples In Last 24 Hours

Around 7,33,449 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the country in the last 24 hours, making it the highest number of tests done in the day. The positivity rate stands at 8.31% as the country reported 60,963 new cases in the last 24 hours