Fresh cases dip to 80K, a 71-day low; 3,303 deaths

With 80,834 fresh Covid19 cases in the past 24 hours, India on Sunday recorded its lowest daily rise in new cases after 71 days (since April 2). The number of deaths in the past 24 hours was 3,303, while 1.32 lakh people recovered, taking the country’s recovery rate to 95.26 per cent.

Major cities like New Delhi and Mumbai are contributing heavily to the reducing daily numbers. Once an epicentre of Covid cases, Mumbai’s Dharavi on Sunday had only two fresh Covid-19 cases. Delhi recorded 255 new Covid-19 cases and the city’s positivity rate has dropped to 0.35 per cent.

Along with New Delhi and Mumbai, some other cities too have started reopening from the lockdown gradually. The Assam government directed fully vaccinated government employees to attend offices from June 14.

Jammu and Kashmir has given relaxations from curbs for a few activities in eight districts — Poonch, Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Shopian, Kulgam, Ganderbal and Bandipora — on significant improvements. The UT government has said government and private offices can work without

restrictions subject to strict adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour.

In Karnataka, chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa said he will instruct the health department to conduct Covid-19 tests on people/migrant labourers who will return to the state after its unlocking.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that head of the EU drug regulator's Covid-19 task force was quoted as saying that countries should also avoid giving the AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 60 amid fears over rare blood clotting and as more vaccines become available. It said the European Medicines Agency (EMA) considers the AstraZeneca shot safe for all age groups. However, several European Union member states have stopped administering it to people below a certain age, usually ranging from 50 to 65, restricting its use to the older population, due to the rare cases of blood clotting, mainly among young people.