Coronavirus India Live Updates: More curbs in Tamil Nadu, easing in Karnataka; Delhi's weekend curfew not ending yet

Mumbai reported 5,008 new Covid-19 infections on January 21, a decline of 700 cases from the previous day's tally. The daily death toll remained constant at 12.

Delhi reported 10,756 new Covid-19 cases on January 21, down from 12,306 seen a day earlier. The national capital's positivity rate stood at 18.04% on Jan 21, compared to 21.48% on Jan 20. The daily death toll was 38, compared to 43 a day earlier.

Union govt updated vaccination registration rules to allow for 6 people to be registered using the same mobile phone number on the Co-WIN app, as per reports. Earlier, only 4 people could be registered using the same number.

Tamil Nadu government reportedly announced a lockdown on Sunday, i.e. January 23 due to the Covid-19 situation. Autorickshaws and taxis will reportedly be allowed to ferry passengers to airports, and bus and railway stations. The state recorded 28,561 new infections on January 20.

The Jharkhand government has reduced the rates for RTPCR and rapid antigen tests for Covid-19 by Rs 100 with immediate effect, an official order said.

An RTPCR test in the state will now cost Rs 300 and a rapid antigen test can be done at Rs 50, it said.

Additional Chief Secretary of Health Department, Arun Kumar Singh, said the decision was taken following a reduction in prices of testing materials.

Karnataka government reportedly announced the lifting of weekend curfew. However, a minister was quoted as saying that the restriction might be reimposed if hospital admissions rise. Night movement restrictions, from 10 pm to 5 am, are still in place, as per reports.

Another big jump in Covid cases. India logs close to 3.5 lakh cases in 24 hours, Positivity rate shoots to nearly 18%. 

730 deaths due to Covid in 24 hours. 

Active Covid cases in the country zoom past the 20-lakh mark.

The Rajasthan government on Thursday decided to increase the guest limit in marriage functions from 50 to 100 in cities from January 24.

The number of guests allowed at marriage functions in rural areas of the state was already capped at 100 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the guidelines released by the Home Department, weekend curfew will now be limited to municipal areas only from Saturday 11 pm to Monday 5 am whereas night curfew will be effective everyday from 11 pm to 5 am.

Maharashtra on Thursday recorded 46,197 fresh coronavirus cases, including 125 Omicron infections, and 37 new deaths, while more than 52,000 patients recovered from the disease, the health department said.

The daily tally was 2,500 more than a day ago, when the state had reported 43,697 cases.

Jammu & Kashmir administration reportedly announced complete restriction on non-essential movement from every Friday 2 pm to following Monday 6 am. On Jan 20, J&K recorded 5,992 new Covid-19 cases compared to 5,818 a day earlier. The Union Territory saw 7 deaths on Jan 20, versus 4 a day earlier.

Delhi government reportedly issued an order stating that private labs can charge up to Rs 300 for an RT PCR test wherein the sample is submitted by the individuals at the laboratory or collection centre. When the sample is collected from home, then Rs 500 can be charged. For Rapid Antigen detection Tests, the rate has been fixed at Rs 100, as per reports.

Karnataka recorded 47,754 new cases in 24 hours while state capital Bengaluru reported 30,540. A day earlier the state's count of new cases stood at 40,499 and Bengaluru's at 24,135. Karnataka's positivity rate stood at 18.48% on Jan 20. The state saw 29 deaths in 24 hours with Bengaluru accounting for 8.

Mumbai reported 5,708 new Covid-19 cases on Jan 20 with 12 deaths being recorded in 24 hours. A day earlier, 6,032 new cases and 12 deaths were recorded.

Kerala recorded 46,387 new Covid-19 cases and 32 deaths in last 24 hours. 15,388 patients recovered, as per reports.

Delhi reported 12,306 new Covid-19 cases on Jan 20, 2022. A day earlier, the national capital had recorded 13,785 new infections. On Jan 20, Delhi's positivity rate stood at 21.48%, lower than 23.86% from a day earlier. However, the daily death toll went up from 35 on Jan 19, to 43 on Jan 20.

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as 'states of concern' as per the Union government. Centre is maintaining continuous contact and dialogue with these states and reviewing the situation, said the Health Secretary. Central teams have also been sent to these states to inspect the situation in various districts and provide feedback to the local administration.

Maharashtra government has decided to reopen schools for classes 1-12th from January 24. State School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has agreed to the proposal for opening schools with Covid protocols.

Even as countries slammed travel bans to curb the spread of Omicron variant of Covid-19, the World Health Organization has said that international travel bans don't work.

The UN body said that travel bans "do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress" of countries.

The WHO also urged countries not to require proof of vaccination against Covid-19 as the only way for travelers' entry, citing inequity in vaccine distribution.

Face masks will no longer be mandatory in public places and schools in England and Covid-19 passports will be dropped for large events as infections level off in large parts of the country, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday.

Johnson told lawmakers that the restrictions were being eased because government scientists believed it was likely that the surge of infections prompted by the highly contagious Omicron variant “has now peaked nationally.”

Assam on Wednesday reported the highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases for the third day in a row. 8,339 people tested positive for the infection on Wednesday, state govt said.

The number of active Covid-19 cases now is 35,161.

Fifteen more fatalities were also reported during the day, bringing the death toll to 6,248.

Twenty-seven more people succumbed to Covid-19 in Punjab while 7,849 fresh coronavirus cases took the state’s infection tally to 6,84,664,govt data showed on Wednesday.

The number of active cases was 45,505 while the state's positivity rate stood at 18.94 per cent. Ludhiana reported 1,325 cases, followed by 1,231 in Mohali and 888 in Jalandhar.

Delhi reported 13,785 fresh Covid-19 cases and 35 more fatalities due to the infection on Wednesday while the positivity rate climbed to 23.86 per cent, according to the data shared by the Health Department.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the positivity rate in the national capital is not low enough to lift the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the infection and that the government will monitor the situation for three to four days.

More than half of the estimated 74 million children in the 15-18 age group have now received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to government data on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the milestone as encouraging news and Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said it marked a big day for India’s fight against Covid-19.

“Young and youthful India showing the way! This is encouraging news. Let us keep the momentum. It is important to vaccinate and observe all Covid-19 related protocols. Together, we will fight this pandemic,” PM Modi said in a tweet from his account, responding to an earlier tweet by Mandaviya.

Mumbai recorded 6,032 new Covid cases on January 19 - a slight dip from 6,149 seen a day earlier. However, the daily death toll climbed higher with 12 deaths on Jan 19 versus 7 on Jan 18.

WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan reportedly said that there is 'no evidence' that healthy children and adolescents need booster doses.