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

Security Personnel Account For Most COVID-19 Cases In The North East

In all the north-eastern states except Assam, security personnel account for a large proportion of the COVID-19 cases. From the currently active cases in Arunachal Pradesh 52.9% are from the forces, in Mizoram 61.7% are from the various forces, and in Manipur 40.7 are from the forces, reported Indian Express. 

UK Economy Slips Into Recession

The UK's economy has slipped into a recession, after it recorded a record 20.4% drop in GDP from the quarter spanning April to June. It joins other advanced economies such as the US, France, Japan and Singapore in recording periods of economic contraction, attributed to COVID-19 lockdown fallout. In the first quarter (Jan to March), its economy contracted 2.2%.

India Reports 60,000 New COVID-19 Cases

According to data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has recorded 60,963 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. The total case count stands at 23,29,638 of which 6,43,948 are active cases while 16,39,599 patients have been cured or discharged so far. The death toll has risen to 46,091 after 834 patients died due to the disease.

Urdu Poet Rahat Indori Succumbs To COVID-19

Urdu Poet Rahat Indori has died aged 70 after contracting COVID-19. Indori had been admitted to Aurobindo hospital in Indore on Sunday and tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. "Mr Indori had been on ventilator support and suffered two cardiac arrests on Tuesday afternoon and passed away at 4.40 pm," Dr Neeraj Sen, hospital administrator at Aurobindo Hospital told BOOM.

Health Ministry Chooses To Wait On Sharing Details About Vaccine Projections And Reopening Of Schools

"It will be too premature today to divulge details on when schools and colleges will be reopened as well as funding, procurement as well as projections for COVID-19", Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a press conference held on Tuesday. 

In response to questions by reporters on when the government plans to reopen schools in the country, Bhushan stated that the Ministry of Education has devised SOPs which are being discussed with all the stakeholders and are even consulting parent bodies. 

As to what is the plan by the government for procuring vaccines or risk funding for vaccines, he said that a National Expert Group headed by Dr Vinod Paul would be meeting on Wednesday to discuss steps. 

India's Goal To Reduce COVID-19 Mortality Below 1 Percent

India's COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.99% and the government aims to bring it down to less than 1.0%.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a meeting with the officials of the 10 worst affected states also advised them to carry out continuous containment, contact tracing and surveillance along with conducting testing and contact tracing of people close to infected cases within 72 hours. 

China's CanSino Vaccine To Be Tested In Saudi Arabia

China's CanSino vaccine candidate is set to begin its Phase III trials in Saudi Arabia. This is the same vaccine candidate that was used on personnel in the military and showed effective results. 

Bhutan Announces First Nationwide Lockdown

Bhutan has announced its first nationwide lockdown as the total number of cases in the country reached 113. The country has reported the lowest cases in South Asia and has not reported any fatalities. 

The decision for the lockdown comes after a woman who returned from Kuwait had first tested negative during quarantine but later tested positive. In the interim, she was in close proximity of people in Timphu, the country's capital. 

New Zealand Reports Community Transmission After 102 Days

New Zealand has announced a Level 3 lockdown in Auckland after four new cases of community transmission were recorded in the city. The country reported new cases of community transmission after 102 days. Auckland will stay under level 3 lockdown till Friday night.

All the four cases were detected in members of the same family who had no history of oversea travel or isolation.  

Pranab Mukherjee Critical After Emergency Service And Testing Positive

Former President Pranab Mukherjee's situation remains critical and he has been put on ventilator support at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital where he tested positive for COVID-19 when he was admitted in a critical condition. He underwent a brain surgery for a blood clot that the hospital diagnosed after he was admitted.