(Contains Press releases concerning Covid-19, issued in last 24 hours, inputs from PIB Field Offices and Fact checks undertaken by PIB)

Updates on Covid-19 from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:Recovery of more than 20,000 cases in the last 24 hours pushes the Recovery Rate to 63.24%; Recovered Cases close to 6 lakhs; Actual Case Load of COVID-19 is only 3,19,840 active cases

The last 24 hours have seen a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 patients recovering. 20,572 people were cured taking the total number of recovered cases among COVID-19 patients to 5,92,031. The recovery rate has climbed up to 63.24% today. The surge in recovered cases is driven by aggressive testing, timely diagnosis and effective management of the patients either through supervised home isolation or under active medical attention in the hospitals. The actual case load of COVID-19 is 3,19,840 active cases. They are all under medical supervision. The norms and standards for Home Isolation along with use of oxymeters have helped to keep a check on the asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients without putting pressure on the hospital infrastructure.The gap between recovered and active cases has been consistently growing. It stands at 2,72,191 today. The number of recovered cases outweighs the active cases by a factor of 1.85.

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WHO advises 140 tests/day/million population, 22 States/UTs in India are already conducting 140 and more tests/day/million; Testing per million crosses 8994

WHO in its Guidance Note on “Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19” has advised comprehensive surveillance for suspected cases. WHO has advised that a country needs 140 tests per day per million population. With the various coordinated efforts made by the Centre and the States/UTs, 22 States/UTs in India are already conducting 140 and more tests per day per million.

With 865 labs in the government sector and 358 private labs, the total number of testing labs in the country  is 1223, as on date. During the last 24 hours 3,20,161 samples have been tested. The cumulative number of samples tested, as of now is 1,24,12,664. The testing per million for India is consistently rising. Today it has touched 8994.7. On 14^th July 2020, more than 3.2 lakh tests were done on a single day.

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HRD Minister Launches World's Most Affordable COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit Corosure Developed by IIT Delhi

Union Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal'Nishank' today e-launched the World’s most affordable RT-PCR based COVID-19 diagnostic kit developed by IIT Delhi and approved by the ICMR and DCGI in New Delhi.Shri Pokhriyal said that Corosure, COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit developed by Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is a step towards Prime Minister Shri NarendraModi's vision of a self-reliant India.He said that the country requires cheap and reliable testing for the country which can help to control the pandemic. The Corosure Kit has been developed indigenously and is much cheaper than other kits.

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Prime Minister, on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, exhorts Youth to Skill, Reskill and Upskill

In his message to the Digital Skills Conclave held today on the occasion of the World Youth Skills Day and the fifth anniversary of ‘Skill India’ mission, the Prime Minister NarendraModiexhorted the youth to skill, reskill and upskill in order to remain relevant in the rapidly changing business environment and market conditions. He said the world belongs to the youth due to their ability to acquire new skills all the time. He stated that the Skill India Mission launched five years back on the same day has led to creation of a vast infrastructure for skilling, reskilling and upskilling and enhancing opportunities to access employment both locally and globally. Referring tothe portal launched recently for mapping the skilled employees and employers, the Prime Minister stated that this would help the skilled workers, including the migrant workers who have returned to their homes, to access jobs easily and the employers to contact skilled employees at the click of a mouse. He emphasized that the skills of migrant workers would also help in changing the local economy.

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Text of PM's address on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day

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15th India-EU (Virtual) Summit: Opening Remarks By Prime Minister Sh. NarendraModi

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Clarification on issue of GST rate on alcohol based hand sanitizers

The issue of GST rate on alcohol based hand sanitizers has been reported in few sections of media. It is stated that hand sanitizers attract GST at the rate of 18%. Sanitizers are disinfectants like soaps, anti-bacterial liquids, dettoletc which all attract duty standard rate of 18% under the GST regime. The GST rates on various items are decided by the GST Council where the Central Government and all the state governments together deliberate and take decisions.

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Atal Innovation Mission teams up with Ministries, Partners to support Startups with COVID-19 Solutions

As Covid-19 pandemic and economic shutdowns are dealing a severe blow on world economy, NITI Aayog’s flagship Atal Innovation Mission, (AIM) is on full swing to keep the entrepreneurial spirit high across the country by teaming up with other Ministries and partners to support Startups with COVID-19 innovative Solutions and to further fight Covid- 19 pandemic. In this regard, AIM coordinated and concluded a series of virtual COVID-19 Demo-Days- an initiative to identify promising start-ups with potential Covid-19 innovations to further help them deploy and scale-up their solutions nationwide, yesterday. The initiative was launched in partnership with other government bodies including Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT); Department of Science and Technology (DST), Startup India, AGNIi, and other Ministries. Over 1,000 COVID-19 related start-ups from a diverse set of categories including curative, preventive and assistive solutions were put through two rounds of evaluation, from which more than 70 start-ups were shortlisted for the Virtual COVID-19 Demo Days. These start-ups will receive support in the form of funding, access to manufacturing abilities, supply chain and logistics and finding the right vendors and mentors.

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Shri PiyushGoyal reiterates the extraordinary momentum developed in the India-US bilateral ties, driven by strong shared interests in promoting global stability, security and economic prosperity

The India-U.S. CEO Forum was held on 14^th July 2020, through a telephonic conference. The meeting was chaired jointly by Shri PiyushGoyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways and on the US side by Mr. Wilbur Ross, US Secretary of Commerce. Secretary Ross thanked Minister Goyal, the co-Chairs and CEO forum members for their participation and initiative in strengthening the bilateral relationship, particularly during the challenging times of the Covid19 pandemic, which is also an opportunity to bring the two nations closer through collaboration in the area of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and associated supply chains. Shri Goyal reiterated the extraordinary momentum developed in the India-US bilateral ties, driven by strong shared interests in promoting global stability, security and economic prosperity. He emphasized on the importance of small businesses in the economies of both the countries and the need to increase employment and skilling in the sector. He urged the Forum to be the leaders in charting out a new path in a post-Covid world.

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Class X results of CBSE declared; Trivandrum region records highest pass percentage

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared Class X results today. Trivandrum performed best amongst all regions with 99.28 % pass percentage followed by Chennai region with 98.95 % while Bengaluru stands at third position with 98.23 % pass percentage. A total of 18, 73,015students appeared in the exam out of which 17, 13,121students passed the exam. Overall pass percentage of this year is 91.46.

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Minister of Rural Development &Panchayati Raj Shri Narendra Singh Tomar holds review meeting on the progress of GaribKalyanRojgarAbhiyaan with representatives of six states

Minister of Rural Development &Panchayati Raj Shri Narendra Singh Tomar held a review meeting on the progress of GaribKalyanRozgarAbhiyaan through video-conferencing with the Rural Development Ministers and senior officials of six states, yesterday. Launched on 20^th June 2020, the Abhiyaan is being undertaken in 116 districts in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan. The Abhiyaan will continue for 125 days, and 25 works coming under 11 different ministries have been identified for completion. The Minister said that it is the effort of the Government to provide employment to the migrant workers at their native places. He said the Abhiyaan is not only providing employment to returning migrants and similarly affected rural citizens, but also strengthening the economy and will saturate villages with public infrastructure and create livelihood opportunities. He laid emphasis on further accelerating the drive and creation of maximum infrastructure.

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Shri KirenRijiju calls upon States to create awarenessabout Atmanirbhar Bharat through NYKS, NSS volunteers

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports( I/C) Shri KirenRijiju met Ministers as well as senior officials of the Youth Affairs and Sports Departments of 18 States and Union Territories through video conferencing yesterday. The meeting was the first part of the two-day conference where all States and UTs will share the roadmap forward for resumption of sports post Covid19 as well as of engaging more volunteers of the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and National Service Scheme (NSS) to promote various schemes at the State-level.Addressing the meeting, ShriRijiju saidthat the NYKS and NSS volunteers have done a commendable job working alongside civil administration during Covid 19. He stated that there are currently 75 lakh volunteers and the ministry has decided to take that number up to 1 crore in Unlock 2. The minister said  the Prime Minister has already announced Atmanirbhar Bharat. As the country opens up, our volunteers will create awareness among all sections of society such as farmers, small business owners and others, regarding the direct benefits that they can get through beingself-reliant.

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INPUTS FROM PIB FIELD OFFICES

• Chandigarh: The Administrator, UT Chandigarh, directed Secretary Labour to ensure that no person, who was treated and cured of COVID, is denied from returning to his job in the private or the government sector.  He stated that such people are quite safe, since they are not likely to contact corona again.
• Punjab: Those coming to Punjab for less than 72 hours are now exempt from the mandatory home quarantine, and only need to submit a formal undertaking at the border check post. It had been decided to provide this concession to facilitate students wishing to come for examinations or business travellersetc, whose stay in the state is less than 72 hours from the time of their arrival. During this period, they shall commit to monitoring their health and maintaining distance from those around, and also interact with the assigned surveillance team in case they suffer from any symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and will immediately call at 104.
• Haryana: Chief Minister said that the State Government has taken the COVID-19 challenge as an opportunity and has introduced various industrial and economic reforms during this period as a result of which more than 60 big companies have shown keen interest in making investments in Haryana. Apart from this, the State Government has also prepared a road-map to revive the state economy in the post-Corona period under which a number of task groups,having prominent personalities from different walks of life, have been constituted.
• Himachal Pradesh: Chief Minister, during the review meeting with the senior officers of the Health Department, said that the State Government is taking effective steps for containment of COVID-19 in the State. He said that trading and economic activities have started in the state after the process of unlock. The return of industrial labourers has also begun from other states. However, keeping in view the increase of COVID-19 patients due to people coming from other states, it has been decided by the State Government to keep the industrial labourers in either institutional quarantine or in home quarantine. The contractor and industrial institutions would be completely responsible for it. They would be allowed to work after their report for COVID-19 is found negative.
• Maharashtra:  With 6,741 news Covid 19 cases reported during the last 24 hours, the state tally of total reported cases has touched 2,67, 655.  Out of these,  1.49 lakh patients have recovered while the number of active cases in the state stands at 1,07,963.  In Mumbai, 969 positive patients have been identified on Tuesday, apart from 1011 recoveries and 70 deaths. With this, the COVID-19 count in Mumbai has gone up to 94,863; while the total number of recovered patients now stands at 66,633 and the death toll at 5402. Presently, there are 22,828 active patients in the city. The doubling rate of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai has slowed down to 52 days.
• Gujarat: 951 new cases have been reported from Gujarat, taking the total cases in the state to 43,723. 14 patients lost their lives on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 2071.  Surat district reported the highest number of 291 cases, followed by Ahmedabad at 154.In view of rising number of Covid 19 cases, many shops, markets and industrial units in the textile and diamond hub of Surat have voluntarily shut their businesses or cut their working ours. About 25 textile markets with more than 35,000 shops have announced total shut down till 20th July.
• Rajasthan: The COVID-19 tally of the state has gone up to 25,806 with the report of 235 new positive cases this morning. The number of total recoveries has gone up to 19,199, while active cases are only 6,080. The death toll in Rajasthan is 527.
• Madhya Pradesh: In a new highest single day spike, 798 positive cases have been reported on Tuesday, which takes the state COVID-19 tally to 19,005. While there are 4757 active patients in M.P., the count of recovered patients is 13,575 and the death toll is 673. The maximum cases, that is, 190 new patients were reported from Gwalior, followed by Bhopal reporting 103 patients and then Morena with 98 patients.
• Chhattisgarh: 105 new positive patients have been identified which takes the state tally of COVID-19 to 4,379. Also, the present count of active patients is 1,084.
• Goa: 170 new patients have tested as positive on Tuesday which takes the state tally of to 2,753. The current count of recovered patients is 1,607 and the COVID-19 death toll is 18. The number of active patients is 1,128. A three-day lockdown with stricter provisions will be enforced in Goa from Friday in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister PramodSawant said on Wednesday. 'Janta Curfew' will be observed in Goa from 8 pm to 6 am till 10th August, in view of rising COVID-19 cases. Only medical services will be allowed.
• Arunachal Pradesh: In Arunachal Pradesh, the Namsai district administration  has imposed a nine day lockdown from today 10 pm to 23rd July (5am) to  check the spread of Covid -19.  Arunachal Pradesh's Health Secretary says that proposed quarantine centre at New MLA Apartments in Itanagar is meant  for all type of critical patients and not only for the Covid -19 patients.
• Assam: CM of Assam Shri SarbanandaSonowal met people residing at a flood relief camp at TeokRajabari HS school today. Around 44,000 people are currently at 198 relief camps set up by Assam government in various flood hit areas of the state.
• Manipur: Awareness programme on COVID-19 organised by the Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol Kakching District Committee in association with the United People's Administrative Council at Pallel Bazar, Kakching, Manipur.
• Mizoram: Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) declared the results for Class 12th yesterday. 78.52 per cent students passed the exam.
• Kerala:Kerala High Court today banned all the protests, strikes and marches in the state until July 31. It also urged the state government to strictly impose the instructions given by the Centre with regard to Covid-19 pandemic. In the wake of increasing Covid cases in Kozhikode, the district Collector has issued an order for total lockdown on Sundays until further notice. A day after 53 Covid cases were reported in Thuneri in Kozhikode - where triple lockdown is in force- 43 more cases has been reported today. Two harbours have also been shut down. One more Covid death was reported in the state today, taking the toll to 35. The state reported a record 608 new cases yesterday of which 396 were contact cases. Currently, 4,454 patients are under treatment and 1,81,847 people under surveillance in various districts.
• Tamil Nadu: Three more succumb to Covid as Puducherry reports 67 fresh cases; total tally reach 1,596. TN govt gives consent to BCG trial at ICMR's Chennai institute. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said that it is hoped that vaccinating the elderly with the time tested BCG would help reduce the intensity of Covid-19, admissions at hospitals and mortality rates. Covid cases in Chennai under control as cases spike in rest of TN; Madurai, Tiruvallur and Virudhunagar recorded 450, 360 and 328 cases respectively, yesterday. 4526 new cases & 66 deaths reported yesterday. 1078 cases from Chennai. Total cases till now : 1,47,324; Active cases: 47,912; Active cases in Chennai: 15,814.
• Karnataka:  Seven days lockdown is being enforced strictly in Bangalore urban and Bangalore rural districts. Shivamoga district also goes into lockdown starting from tomorrow until further orders. State government ordered display of bed allotment board mandatory in private hospitals; non-compliance of the order to attract punishment. Karnataka HC asks state whether there is special facility to conduct Covid test for public servants on duty during lockdown. State to fill up 1419 nurses, 506 lab technicians, 916 pharmacists and D-group vacant positions soon. 2496 new cases, & 87 deaths reported yesterday; 1267 cases in  Bangalore city. Total positive cases: 44,077; Active cases: 25,839; Deaths: 842.
• Andhra Pradesh:With more than forty of its staff including medical and paramedical personnel infected with Covid-19, SVIMS Super-speciality Hospital, Tirupati has closed its out-patient service for five days.   With more than 100 cases reported daily, Tirupati civic authorities have imposed complete lockdown in 18 divisions. With the concern from the working class, APSRTC withdraws Conductor-less bus services in the state introduced to encourage digital transactions to contain the spread of coronavirus spread.  26 members of APSP constables on duty at Gannavaram airport in Vijayawada have been identified as covid positive.  They are being treated in various hospitals. 1916 new cases, 952 discharged and 43 reported yesterday.  Total cases: 33,019; Active cases: 15,144; Deaths: 408.
• Telangana: District hospitals and Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences to start Covid-19 treatment. Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad starts the process of conducting clinical trials for coronavirus vaccine, COVAXIN. The country's first home-grown Covid-19 COVAXIN vaccine is developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR and the National Institute of Virology. Total cases reported yesterday: 37,745; Active cases: 12, 531; Deaths 375; Discharged :24,840.

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