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

We Have To Stay Safe As Well As Move Forward: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation suggested that India's determination to fight COVID-19 is going to be stronger than COVID-19. India has to not only stay safe but also move forward. 

India's COVID-19 Mortality Rate Among Lowest In World: Dr Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan today said that India's mortality rate of 3.2% is among the lowest in the world, according to a Hindustan Times report. Dr Vardhan also said that the recovery rate in the country is at 31.7% and getting better.

Two Travellers Die Onboard Shramik Special Trains

Two travellers onboard Shramik Special trains died in separate incidents on May 12. Akhilesh Kumar Rana, a hotel employee from Pune, was travelling to Gonda in UP on the Pune-Prayagraj Sharmik Special when he died due to cardiac arrest reports PTI. Nandkumar Pandey, who was travelling with his wife and daughter from Chennai to Bihar's Aurangabad, also died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

PM Narendra Modi To Address The Nation At 8 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8 pm today. PM Modi had held a video conference with all state Chief Ministers and UT administrators on Monday to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic in India. 

Glenmark Initiates Phase 3 Clinical Trials On Favipiravir

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has begun Phase 3 of clinical trials on antiviral drug Favipiravir to check its efficacy on COVID-19 patients, reports PTI. The company said that it has commenced clinical trials and 10 public and private hospitals have enrolled in the trial.

Top 7-8 'Top' Vaccine Candidates Identified: WHO

The World Health Organisation has said that there are seven or eight “top” candidates for a COVID-19 vaccine and work on them is being accelerated, reports AP. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that $8 billion has been pledged by leaders of 40 countries to speed up the development of the vaccine.

India's Case Count Crosses 70,000; Death Toll Rises To 2,293

India added 3,604 new cases to take the country's total case count to 70,756. The death toll rose by 87 to 2,293. Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state with 23,401 cases and 868 deaths. Gujarat has reported 8,541 cases with 513 dead while Tamil Nadu has reported 8,002 cases with 53 dead.

Let States Choose Red, Orange, Green Zones: Chhattisgarh CM to PM

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday said the Centre should allow state governments to decide on red, green, orange zones based on the severity of the coronavirus situation in areas under their jurisdiction, officials said.

This comes in the wake of several state governments voicing their displeasure at the way districts have been classified into red, orange and green zones for easing the lockdown restrictions and mitigating COVID-19. 

ICMR Says No Post Mortem For Dead Bodies

Invasive techniques should not be adopted for forensic autopsy in COVID-19 death cases as doctors and other mortuary staff are exposed to potentially dangerous health risks due to organ fluids and secretions, the ICMR has said in a draft document.

The deaths in hospital and under medical care due to coronavirus infection don't require postmortem and the required certification of death is being done by treating doctors.

Lav Agarwal Denies Religion-based Mapping Of COVID-19 cases

Joint secretary Lav Agarwal has denied religion-based mapping of COVID-19 cases is being done. Agarwal said, "It is a very irresponsible thing. All news should be published only after checking facts. The disease does not differentiate between race and religion."