With 10,244 fresh cases, 263 deaths on Monday, Maharahstra’s recovery rate rises to 80%

The Translational Health Science And Technology Institute (THSTI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), has been chosen by the international non-profit, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), as one of the Global network of Laboratories for centralized assessment of COVID-19 Vaccines.
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan had earlier said that according to current projections, about 25 crore Indians are likely to be vaccinated by July next.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
Kerala to set up help desks to check pandemic in tribal hamlets
A meeting of senior officials of various departments chaired by Excise Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan directed the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) officials to set up special help desks in tribal settlements in Wayanad district to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the tribespeople.
The help desks would take steps to contain the spread of the pandemic, disburse face masks, sanitisers and soaps among tribespeople, Mr. Ramakrishnan said.
They would consist of tribal promoters, animators, and officials of the Tribal Development Department. The desks would also monitor and restrict the entry of outsiders to hamlets as a part of combating the pandemic, Mr. Ramakrishnan said. – E.M. Manoj
Watch out for blurred vision, COVID-19 survivors told
 Retina and cornea consultants have urged people to watch out for eye-related complications after recovering from COVID-19.
Specialists from L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) said that critically-ill COVID patients who were administered steroids to mitigate complications in lung and other organs can be at risk of developing steroid related ocular complications.
Not all those who have recovered from COVID-19 need a mandatory detailed eye examination. It is suggested for those who experience blurring of eyesight or similar symptoms after recovering from the infectious disease.
 Odisha Minister, BJD MLA accused of attending funeral despite testing positive
A Puri-based outfit on Monday lodged a complaint against Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and BJD MLA Umakant Samantray for allegedly participating in a funeral procession at Puri despite testing positive for COVID-19.
Mr. Dash and Mr. Samantray were among BJD leaders who attended the last rites of former Minister Pradeep Maharathy who died on Sunday.
Despite testing positive, both the Minister and the MLA participated in the procession. Their presence could be a source of COVID spread. Action should be taken against the two leaders for violation of COVID protocol, Priyadarshan Patnaik, Convener of the Jagannath Sena, said after lodging the complaint at the Seabeach police station. – Satyasundar Barik
Results of withheld sero survey expose a lost chance in Kerala
 After a lag of three months, Kerala has released the report of the baseline sero surveillance study it did in June, piggybacking on Indian Council of Medical Researchs report of the second round of sero survey conducted in the State in August as part of a national survey.
Despite the alleged shortcomings in the study, the fact that nothing was done to analyse the data and put it to practical use can be seen as a lost opportunity to check the spread of COVID-19, public health experts say.
Going by the States (and ICMRs) estimate of 0.33% of past infection in May, when extrapolated to the States population of 3.34 crore would translate to 1,10,240 infected individuals. The actual cases detected in Kerala then were less than 1,000.
Though a chunk of the individuals would be asymptomatic and would defy detection, they would still transmit the infection. But the narrative at the time was about how the State had COVID-19 under control. – C. Maya
 No visitors, media to Wadiyars Dasara fete
The erstwhile Mysuru royal family has decided to celebrate the ensuing Navaratri festivities at the palace without the participation or presence of family members, visitors and the media, in view of rapid surge in COVID-19 cases in Mysuru.
The Khas Durbar as part of the private Dasara celebrations of the Wadiyars at the Palace Durbar Hall, one of the main attractions of the festivities, will be out of bounds for the visitors as a safety precaution over the pandemic.
Ms .Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, in a release on Monday, urged the public and the media to extend their cooperation in this connection.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
COVID-19 could spread by airborne transmission: CDC
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in an updated guidance on Monday, said COVID-19 can spread through airborne transmission, a month after it took down a similar warning.
It said some people could get infected by exposure to the novel coronavirus in small droplets and particles, or aerosols, that can linger in the air for minutes to hours.
Aerosols lingering in the air could be a major source of COVID-19 transmission, a group of U.S. scientists warned in an unrelated open letter published in medical journal Science on Monday.