Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 25 million, death toll crosses 840,000.

India on Sunday set a new COVID-19 record when it reported 78,761 new infections in 24 hours, according to health ministry figures, passing the United States for the world’s highest single-day rise.
Meanwhile, the government has allowed considerable relaxation of restrictions, including resumption of metro rail services, as a part of Unlock 4 guidelines.
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:
Chhattisgarh CM to be in isolation as 2 staff test positive
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said he will isolate himself for the next four days as two of his staff members, including a personal security officer, have tested positive for coronavirus.
The Chief Minister said his test report came negative.
My OSD (Officer on Special Duty) and PSO (Personal Security Officer) have found corona positive. My (test) report is negative at the moment, but I will be in isolation for the next four days as a precautionary measure. This is a period of crisis, everyone please be careful, the CM tweeted in Hindi.
A public relations department official said Mr. Baghel will be in isolation at his official residence here.
Chhattisgarhs COVID-19 case tally stood at 28,746 as on August 29.
Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel tests positive
The State BJP president and Member of Parliament from Dakshina Kannada Nalin Kumar Kateel has tested positive for COVID-19.
He tweeted on Sunday that though he is asymptomatic he has got himself admitted to a hospital on the recommendation by a doctor. Mr. Kateel asked those who came in contact with him recently to be alert.
Actor Himansh Kohlis family tests positive for COVID-19
Actor Himansh Kohli has said his family, including father, mother and sister, have tested positive for COVID-19 while he has not contracted the virus. Kohli took to Instagram on Saturday and shared that for the last two-three days, his family was experiencing symptoms of viral infection, including mild fever.
Recently, we all got ourselves tested for Novel Coronavirus – mom dad and Disha have tested positive with mild COVID-19 infection and I have tested negative.
We are home quarantined, taking all precautions and are thankful to the government authorities for all the help and the advice, Kohli wrote.
The 30-year-old actor, best known for his show Humse Hai Life and the 2014 film Yaariyaan, hoped that the family comes out of it and recover very soon.
I am taking care of myself and my family members. In the meanwhile, safeguard your family and ensure that they are taking all precautions.
Even the slightest bit of carelessness can be harmful. But, please dont be scared, a sane mind deals with all the problems better. Wishing all of you good health and lots of love, he added.
Flying to India for NEET amid COVID-19 risk stressful, impractical: Aspirants in Gulf nations
Travelling to India to write the medical entrance exam NEET is not only stressful but also impractical, several candidates in Gulf countries have said, citing the risk of contracting COVID-19 and the need to undergo a mandatory quarantine, among other issues.
Some of them have decided the skip the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) altogether this year.
Several Indian students said the Supreme Courts refusal to allow exam centres for the NEET in Gulf countries has left them the lurch. Many of these students have their JEE Main exam in the Gulf and the NEET in India.
While exam centres have been set up abroad for JEE Main, there is no such plan for NEET.
Reaching India in time to be able to complete the mandatory quarantine period before the exam, arranging a stay before taking a flight back home, additional expenses, the risk of contracting COVID-19 and being quarantined again back home, are among several concerns on the mind of the aspirants.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts medical and engineering entrance exams, has decided to hold NEET on September 13 and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains from September 1 to 6.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of India declined to pass direction to the Central government to hold NEET in Gulf countries. The court directed the government to allow students to come through Vande Bharat Mission flights to write the exams.
The SC was hearing a plea filed by parents of nearly 4,000 NEET candidates, who alternatively had sought to postpone the examination until the coronavirus pandemic subsides.
The parents of these candidates, who reside in Doha, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, had approached the apex court challenging the High Court of Kerala order which had dismissed their plea in June.
Intense lockdown shuts TN
An intense lockdown was observed on Sunday across Tamil Nadu as part of efforts to fight COVID-19 and only healthcare services and milk supply continued as usual.
Effective since last month on all Sundays, the complete lockdown saw closure of fuel pumps, markets and outlets selling essential commodities.
People stayed indoors and roads were largely deserted and police set up checkposts at important intersections across Tamil Nadu to check against violations.
Policemen could be seen warning those who ventured out on streets without any valid reason in several regions.
Amma Canteens and healthcare services -hospitals, pharmacies and labs- functioned and sanitary workers continued their routine clean up work.
Personnel of civic bodies conducted door-to-door surveys to detect people with flu like symptoms in addition to fever camps
Carelessness leading to rise in COVID-19 cases: Experts
Careless behaviour of people and complacency are leading to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh, which saw a 78 per cent rise in cases in the past two months, according to medical experts and government officials.
A senior official from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhopal expressed concern over the governments fresh guidelines allowing political, social and religious congregations of up to 100 people from September 21.
Till Saturday, Madhya Pradesh reported 60,875 COVID-19 cases since the disease outbreak in the state on March 20.
An analysis of the government data shows that 47,282 of these total cases, or about 78 per cent, were reported in July and August.
These two months also reported 773 deaths, accounting for 57 per cent of the total 1,345 fatalities due to the disease so far in the state.
Talking to PTI, AIIMS, Bhopal, Director Prof Sarman Singh said complacency among people with regard to social distancing and other preventive norms, and the easing of restrictions are leading to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
No. of COVID-19 tests conducted goes past 4.14 cr in India
With a record over 10.5 lakh tests conducted for detection of COVID-19 in a single day, the number of such tests performed in the country has crossed 4.14 crore, the Union health ministry said on Sunday.
The exponential jump in the testing capacity and the number of tests has resulted in an upsurge in the Tests Per Million to 30,044 as on date, it highlighted.
With a record 10,55,027 tests conducted on Saturday, the country has further strengthened the national diagnostic capacity of testing more than 10 lakh samples for COVID-19 on a daily basis.
The total number of COVID-19 tests conducted in the country currently stands at 4,14,61,636.
The Centre, keeping in view the evolving global context of COVID-19, conceptualised and implemented the continuum of care strategy of test, track and treat in close coordination with the states and Union territories.
Pivoted on the strong pillar of aggressive testing, the positive cases are identified early, which enables and ensures that their contacts are efficiently tracked in a timely manner, the ministry underlined.
This is followed up with prompt isolation at home or a facility setting for the mild and moderate cases, and hospitalisation for the severe and critical patients, it said.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in its guidance note on Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19, has advised a comprehensive surveillance for suspected coronavirus cases.
It has advised that a country needs 140 tests per 10 lakh people every day.
All the states and Union territories have crossed the advised number of tests. Several states have demonstrated a better performance by registering a positivity rate that is lower than the national average, the ministry said.
10 Gujarat ATS personnel test coronavirus positive
As many as 10 Gujarat ATS personnel, who were involved in an investigation into the alleged attempt to kill BJP leaders, have so far tested positive for coronavirus, an official said on Sunday.
The state Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on August 19 arrested one Irfan Shaikh in Ahmedabad, following a tip-off that he was sent by gangster Chhota Shakeel to kill BJP leaders.
On August 20, Shaikh tested positive for coronavirus.
Later, the ATS personnel who came in contact with him were tested.
Ten ATS personnel, who were involved in the investigation into the case, have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, ATS Assistant Commissioner of Police K K Patel said.
The personnel who have tested positive include an inspector, a sub-inspector, constables and clerks, he said.
Mayawati welcomes unified central policy regarding Unlock 4 guidelines
BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday welcomed the unified policy of the Centre pertaining to Unlock 4 guidelines.
The Union Home Ministry on Saturday issued the Unlock 4 guidelines under which metro trains would be allowed to resume services from September 7 in a graded manner, while political, social and religious congregations of up to 100 people would be permitted from September 21.
However, schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will remain closed for students till September 30, with some relaxations for students of classes 9 to 12.
The unified policy (ek saamaanya neeti) of the Union home ministry pertaining to lockdown/unlock to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic is welcome. This has long been the demand of BSP. It will stop (people from) indulging in politics in the garb of coronavirus, and the public will get more facilities, Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.
In a significant directive, the Home Ministry said State governments shall not impose any local lockdown outside the containment zones without prior consultation with the central government.
Driving change: women e-rickshaw drivers hit by pandemic but stay the empowerment course
No rides, no income and no money to repay the loans they took. But the band of intrepid women who took the decision to steer the course of their lives by driving e-rickshaws and also owning them arent giving up.
It will take more than a pandemic to get them back into the confines of their homes, say the women who decided to defy convention when they stepped out of the door and got behind the wheel of their e-rickshaws.
Organisations such as Humsafar and SMV Green Solutions which helped train scores of women and facilitated their loans said none of their drivers have reached out to them to sell their vehicles.
I am ready to do all kinds of odd jobs temporarily to make money, but there is no way I am selling my rickshaw, said Sima Khan, a doughty Lucknow-based woman who went from being homemaker to entrepreneur.
She is among the scores of women across the country who bought e-rickshaws through support centres in their city by somehow managing the money for down payments and have been earning a living and also paying their EMIs.
Shops to remain open on Mon, Tue in Haryana
The Haryana Government has withdrawn its order to shut shopping malls and shops on Mondays and Tuesdays. The decision was taken in view of the Unlock-4 guidelines by the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a day earlier.
In a tweet, Haryana Home Minister Anij Vij said the State government had taken back its decision to keep shopping malls and shops shut on Mondays and Tuesdays since the Union government had not allowed the State government to impose lockdown during Unlock-4.
So there will be no lockdown, said the tweet.
12 pm | Arunachal Pradesh
In Arunachal, an association of COVID-19 affected
An association of COVID-19 affected people in Arunachal Pradesh, claimed to be the first one associated with the pandemic, has demanded concessions in electricity and water bills besides partial waiver of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The All Arunachal COVID-19 Affected Forum, formed a month ago, includes people who have recovered from the infection as well as the kindred of those who have died.
 Global coronavirus cases surpass 25 million
Global coronavirus cases surged past 25 million on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally, revealing steady growth in the pandemic as its epicentre shifts again.
India’s daily new case numbers have surpassed those of the United States and Brazil, the two countries worst hit by the pandemic, for more than three weeks.
Around the world, there have been more than 840,000 deaths, considered a lagging indicator given the two-week incubation period of the virus. – Reuters
The use and re-use of N95 masks
In the case of infectious diseases like COVID-19, hospitals have to make sure that their patient-facing employees are safe by using Personal Protectivee quipment, in particular, N95 masks. N95 masks can stop up to 95% of particles that are as small as 0.3 microns. Yet, not only are N95 masks expensive, they also cannot easily be reused immediately.
A collaboration between Mumbai-based institutions, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and Tata Memorial Hospital, has spawned a workable solution to the problem of expense and decontamination.
 After discussing various routes for decontamination of the masks, such as the use of UV radiation, hydrogen peroxide and so on, they concluded that using moist heat was a good bet. They realised that heat treatment at temperatures beyond 65-70 degrees C for about 60 minutes in dry air or for just about 30 minutes in moist air with humidity over 50% was sufficient to decontaminate the masks, even with SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this method of decontamination, the pathogen is reduced by 99.9%.
 COVID-19 tally in India crosses 35-lakh mark
Indias COVID-19 tally zoomed past 35 lakh, just a week after it crossed the 30-lakh mark, with a record single-day spike of 78,761 cases, while recoveries surged to 27,13,933 on Sunday, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
The total coronavirus cases rose to 35,42,733, while the death toll climbed to 63,498 with 948 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The recovery rate has increased to 76.61% while the COVID-19 case fatality rate has further declined to 1.79%.
There are 7,65,302 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 21.60% of the total caseload, the data stated. – PTI
Delhi Metro to resume services from Sept. 7 in calibrated manner
After being closed since March 22 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Delhi Metro has received the nod from authorities to resume services from September 7 in a calibrated manner, officials said on Saturday.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that he was glad the metro services will resume operations in a phased manner.
As per the latest guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Unlock-4, the Delhi Metro will be resuming its services for public from September 7 onwards in a calibrated manner, the DMRC said in a statement. PTI
Sakshi Maharaj asked to undergo quarantine
 The Jharkhand government sent Sakshi Maharaj , Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradeshs Unnao, on a 14-day quarantine by enforcing its COVID-19 guidelines on Saturday.
Mr. Maharaj was staying at Shanti Bhawan in Giridih district, where he had come to attend a programme on Friday. He was returning to Dhanbad from where he was to board a train for New Delhi when the Giridih district administration stopped him near Pirtand police station.
 Assam to reopen schools mid-Sept. as a test run
Assams Education Minister said that the State government has decided to reopen its schools and colleges informally as an experiment for 15 days in September after engaging the teachers and staff for an equal number of days in sanitising and reorganising the classrooms according to social distancing norms.
Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said schools and colleges will reopen from September 1 but only the teachers and non-teaching staff would have to be present for the first half of the month.