1. India on Monday recorded 28,701 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to 8,78,254. The toll in the country rose by 500 to 23,174. This is the biggest single-day jump in infections so far. More than 5.53 lakh people have recovered. The Union health ministry said India’s recovery rate is now 63.02% while the mortality rate is 2.64%.
  2. Maharashtra reported 6,497 new coronavirus cases, taking the state’s overall count to 2,60,924 and the toll to 10,482. Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, recorded 4,328 new cases, taking its tally to 1,42,798. The state’s toll rose to 2,032. The state government extended its ban on bus services till July 31. Delhi reported 1,246 new cases, taking its tally to 1,13,740 and the toll to 3,411. Kerala’s coronavirus count reached 8,322 with 449 new cases and the toll rose to 33.
  3. The Punjab government issued new restrictions in a bid to control the spread of the coronavirus. The state government said that first information reports will be filed against people who violate the norms. Only 30 people will be allowed at weddings now instead of 50 and social gatherings will be limited to five people.
  4. The Kerala government set up the first plasma bank in the state. India’s first plasma bank was launched in Delhi last month, followed by the second in West Bengal. Convalescent plasma therapy, an experimental treatment for severe cases of the coronavirus, involves giving the blood plasma of an individual who has recovered from the infection to a patient in a serious condition. The antibodies in the recovered person’s plasma are expected to improve the condition of the patient requiring treatment.
  5. The Karnataka government directed people who have been tested for the coronavirus to stay in quarantine at home till they get their results.
  6. The Supreme Court refused to hear a petition seeking restrictions on this year’s Amarnath Yatra because of the coronavirus pandemic. The court observed that the local administration was better equipped to take a decision on the pilgrimage.
  7. Pharmaceutical company Glenmark slashed the prices of its antiviral drug Favipiravir for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 symptoms, by 27% to Rs 75 per tablet. The company had launched the drug under the brand name of “FabiFlu” last month, at a price of Rs 103 per tablet.
  8. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for claiming that India is at a “good position” in its battle against the coronavirus outbreak. Gandhi tweeted a graph showing that the coronavirus curves of India and the United States had not flattened, unlike those of South Korea and New Zealand. “India at good position in Covid-19 battle?” he asked sarcastically.
  9. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said a specific deadline or timeline for the coronavirus vaccine cannot be given at the moment. Vardhan once again reiterated that there is no community transmission of the coronavirus in India. “I can say with confidence [that] community transmission has not begun,” he said.
  10. The global coronavirus count is now over 1.29 crore, while the toll has crossed 5.70 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 71 lakh people have recovered so far. A group of more than 80 millionaires urged governments across the world to substantially increase taxes on them in order to accumulate more funds to fight the escalating coronavirus crisis.