Coronavirus live updates: 'White House-type' Covid test kits coming to India from US today

On Wednesday, 14 states and UTs recorded their highest single-day case count on Wednesday, with India reporting nearly 3.8 lakh cases in last 24 hours and over 3,000 deaths. Stay with TOI for all the updates on coronavirus

Odisha Govt to provide additional one-month remuneration to all contractual and outsourced staff working under health department, who are actively engaged in line of Covid-19 duty and Covid vaccination for the period from April to July, 2021

13:12 (IST) Apr 29

An incentive of Rs 1000/month to each ASHA worker shall be paid for the period from April to July, 2021 as they are taking active role in surveillance, contract tracing, containment measures and mobilization of beneficiaries for Covid-19 vaccination: Govt of Odisha

13:11 (IST) Apr 29

In view of the current Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Mumbai Cricket Association has decided to defer the 3rd edition of the T20 Mumbai League till further notice.

13:10 (IST) Apr 29

We've prioritised certain areas, liquid oxygen is one of the areas that has been a priority. We've also seen the requirement for any equipment that produces oxygen - oxygen generators, concentrators, cryogenic tankers, transportation equipment for oxygen: Foreign secretary HV Shringla

White House-type' Covid test kits coming to India from US today

Two days after US President Joe Biden's pledge to help, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Covid-19 emergency aid materials shall start landing in New Delhi from Thursday onwards, an official spokesperson said here on Thursday. This would include 10,00,000 Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), the same used by the White House, to provide reliable results in less than 15 minutes to identity the virus and prevent community spread. The first consignment on the world's largest military aircraft would bring 440 oxygen cylinders and regulators donated by the State of California, plus 9,60,000 Rapid Diagnostic Tests and 100,000 N95 masks for the India's frontline healthcare teams.

12:52 (IST) Apr 29

Uttarakhand govt suspends Char Dham Yatra for pilgrims, shrines to open as per schedule

The Uttarakhand government on Thursday announced that in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was suspending the Char Dham Yatra to the four Himalayan shrines of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. The yatra was scheduled to begin next month. The announcement was made by chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat a day after the Uttarakhand high court reprimanded the state for holding Kumbh and becoming a ‘laughing stock’. The division bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma had also made the oral observation that the prospect of conducting the Char Dham Yatra in the midst of a raging pandemic is “a frightening one”. Read more

12:50 (IST) Apr 29

We do not have vaccines as of now. We have made requests to the company regarding vaccines, we will tell you when it comes

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain when asked about inoculation of people above 18 years of age, from May 1.