Health

New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) India's Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, following which the defence ministry carried out a massive contact-tracing exercise, official sources said.

Kumar's condition is stable and he is currently under home-quarantine, they said.

At least 35 officials working at the ministry's headquarters in South Block in the Raisina Hills have been sent on home quarantine after reports of Kumar testing positive for the infection emerged on Wednesday morning.

New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) Joining the bandwagon of books on beauty and healthy living is best selling Indian author and renowned personal lifestyle coach, Luke Coutinho's new book, "The Dry Fasting Miracle: From Deprive to Thrive".

Co-authored by Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Ali Bin Rashed Al Nuami, a member of the Ajman royal family in the UAE, the book will be published under the Ebury Press imprint of Penguin Random House.

Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI) At least 30 police personnel, including an officer, have so far died due to COVID-19 in Maharashtra, while over 2,500 have tested positive for the disease, an official said on Thursday.

Nearly 18 of the total 30 victims were working in the Mumbai Police force and contracted the deadly infection while implementing the lockdown orders, he said.

"Till now, over 2,500 state police personnel have tested positive for the coronavirus and 30 of them, including an officer, have died," the official said.

New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) Coronavirus cases in India saw a record single-day jump of 9,304 cases on Thursday pushing the total tally to 2,16,919, while the death toll climbed to 6,075 with 260 new fatalities, according to the Union health ministry.

India stood seventh among the nations worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia, the UK, Spain and Italy.

The health ministry said the number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 1,06,737 while 1,04,106 people have recovered and one patient has migrated.

PUTRAJAYA, June 4 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin returned to work in the office here today after undergoing self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

In a posting on his official Facebook page, Muhyiddin began his day with an audience and pre-Cabinet meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah through a video conference.

He then chaired the Cabinet meeting with all members of his Cabinet, also through a video conference.

JAKARTA, June 4  (NNN-BERNAMA) — Though the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) move in Jakarta province has been extended to the end of June, several  socio-economic activities will be allowed with the implementation of new norms and protocols starting tomorrow. 

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the PSBB first phase of transition until the end of June, would see among others, the reopening of houses of worship, working from office to resume, business centres and public transport service back in operation.

DAKAR, June 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Senegal has postponed the restart of schools until further notice after several teachers tested positive for the new coronavirus, the education ministry said.

The government announced on May 20 that schools would gradually resume on Tuesday June 2, after weeks of shutdown due to the pandemic. Senegal has recorded 3,739 positive COVID-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, with 43 deaths.

PRETORIA, June 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) - A South African high court declared some of the government’s coronavirus lockdown regulations unconstitutional but suspended the order for 14 days, leaving the rules in place for now.

South Africa introduced in March one of the world’s most restrictive COVID-19 lockdowns – including a ban on alcohol and cigarette sales – but has gradually eased restrictions down to the third of five levels.

GENEVA, June 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization announced that clinical trials of the drug hydroxychloroquine will resume as it searches for potential coronavirus treatments.

On May 25, the WHO announced it had temporarily suspended the trials to conduct a safety review, which has now concluded there is “no reason” to change the way the trials are conducted.

The UN health agency’s decision came after a study published in The Lancet medical journal suggesting the drug could increase the risk of death among COVID-19 patients.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia is seen as gaining the upper hand in eliminating the COVID-19 pandemic as positive cases continue to decline, allowing the opening of more economic sectors for the benefit of all segments of society.

As the country enters the final six days of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) scheduled to end on June 9, it has recorded COVID-19 cases in single figures for three consecutive days, demonstrating that the outbreak is under control.