Health

Paris, Aug 18 (AP) France's government is conferring with unions on Tuesday about requiring masks in workplaces to contain growing virus infections.

France's High Council for Public Health recommended obligatory masks in all workplaces this weekend as the country's daily infection count jumped past 3,000 for the first time since May.

Lucknow, Aug 18 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Atul Garg was hospitalised on Tuesday after he said he had tested positive for COVID-19.

The 63-year-old Garg, an MLA from Ghaziabad, requested all those who came in contact with him recently to get tested for the disease.

Bhopal, Aug 18 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Mohan Yadav said on Tuesday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus infection.

"My corona test comes out to be positive so I have admitted to Aurobindo Hospital. By the grace of Baba Mahakal I am healthy," Yadav said in a tweet on Tuesday night.

He is a fifth member of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's council of ministers to test positive for the viral infection.

MOSCOW, August 11. /TASS/: Medical workers and teachers will be the first to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said during a session between Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of the government.

"We will begin the stage-by-stage civilian use of the vaccine. First and foremost, we would like to offer vaccination to those who come into contact with infected persons at work. These are medical workers. And also those who are responsible for children’s health - teachers," the minister said.

Jalna, Aug 15 (PTI) Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday expressed concern over the rise in COVID-19 in rural areas of the state due to the influx of migrants from Mumbai.

Speaking at an Independence Day function at the Collectorate, the minister said despite the rise in infections, the recovery rate in the state was high.

While the COVID-19 tally in Jalna had reached 3,000, more than 2,000 patients had recovered from the infection, said Tope, who is also the guardian minister of the district.

Panaji, Aug 16 (PTI) BJP leader Utpal Parrikar, who is the son of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, said he has tested positive for coronavirus and got admitted to a hospital on the advice of doctors.

After his test results came out, Uptal Parrikar told reporters on Saturday evening that he tested positive for COVID-19. "Its a mild infection, so I would be home quarantined, he then said.

On Sunday, he tweeted saying, "On advice of Doctors and to take proper line of treatment, I've got admitted to Hospital. Thank you everyone for the wishes.

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu condoled the death of Uttar Pradesh minister and former cricketer Chetan Chauhan on Sunday.

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) A spike of 65,002 cases took India's COVID-19 tally past 25 lakh on Saturday just a day after it reached the 24-lakh mark, while 18 lakh people have so far recuperated from the disease pushing the recovery rate to 71.61 per cent, Union health ministry data showed.

India has been reporting over 60,000 cases daily since August 7, barring August 11 when the country registered 53,601 new instances of the infection.

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 14 (PTI): The over a month-long COVID-19 induced lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram corporation limits will be lifted from midnight following which malls, hypermarkets and salons will open Saturday morning.

The order will be effective only in non-containment zones, a circular from the District Collector, Dr Navjot Khosa said.

Lockdown was imposed in the corporation limits on July 5.

Seoul, Aug 14 (AP/PTI) South Korea reported 103 new virus cases on Friday, one of its biggest daily jumps in months, as officials express concerned that infections are getting out of control in cities as people increasingly venture out in public.

Eighty-three of the new cases were from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where health authorities have struggled to stem transmissions from various sources and groups, including churches, nursing homes, schools and workers. Infections were also reported in other major cities such as Busan, Gwangju and Ulsan.