Covid LIVE: ICU beds, ventilators among 26 aspects being monitored by Mumbai's civic body to tackle Covid concerns

A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation statement said it was working on 26 different aspects to tackle any emergency. "These include preparation of oxygen beds, ventilators, medicines, ICU beds, training of nurses and paramedical staff and maintaining sufficient stock of medicines," it said. 

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said the people of Rajasthan need not panic but they should wear masks in public places, reported PTI. Speaking at a Covid review meeting at his residence, he said face masks also protect against other diseases like TB.

"The Union Ministry of Health has been sharing information on various aspects of Covid prevention and management. I urge everyone to access and share only verified information and encourage others to also do so," Union health minister Mandaviya said. He urged the doctors to continue to spread authentic information about COVID- 19, according to a health ministry statement.

Many studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that women are more likely than men to develop long COVID, reports AP citing a study.

The Delhi government issued a notice on Monday to deploy government teachers at IGI airport from December 31 to January 15 to ensure that passengers arriving from abroad behave appropriately. Due to winter vacations, schools in Delhi will be closed during this time.

In Karnataka, two doses of covid vaccination is compulsory at bars, restaurants and pubs, which will operate only up to the seating capacity for the New Year, celebrations for which should end by 1 am on January 1, the Karnataka government has mandated.

Mock drill to be held on Tuesday across a number of health facilities in several states and Union territories to ensure readiness to deal with any eventuality related to COVID-19 following advisory by central government, reports PTI.

Pakistan is reportedly ill-prepared to prevent the spread of possible coronavirus infection, regardless of claims made by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on country's Covid preparedness, according to local media, reported ANI.

West Bengal Health Department has scheduled a virtual meeting with all hospitals in the State on Monday, to assess their preparedness in tackling Covid 19, reported ANI.

Delhi's Deputy CM Manish Sisodia held a high-level review meeting to take stock of the preparations in view of Covid scare, reported ANI.

"The current COVID situation was discussed at the cabinet meeting today, about the need to create awareness among the public about increase in booster dose, testing, making testing compulsory for Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases, wearing masks in closed places," reported PTI quoting Karnataka CM Bommai. We will have to bring in preventive measures step by step, without hampering normal life and economic activities in any way," he added.

Amid Covid scare, Karnataka has made masks mandatory for theatres, schools, colleges and New Year celebrations, reported ANI citing state health minister.

Two covid positive cases have been detected at the Kolkata Airport. Both passengers are foreign nations and their samples sent for genome sequencing, reported ANI citing Kolkata airport sources.

In Kolkata, a foreign national carrying British passport, suspected of being infected with Covid-19, has been moved to an isolation ward in the state-run Beliaghata ID Hospital on Monday, PTI reported. The passenger's RT-PCR test has been conducted and more information is awaited.

Officials on Monday began physically visiting all government hospitals in Delhi to ascertain their preparedness in view of the surge in Covid cases in some countries, authorities said, PTI reported.

Four foreigners -3 from Myanmar & 1 from Bangkok-have tested positive for COVID-19 at Gaya airport. They are asymptomatic and have been placed under isolation: Ranjan Kumar Singh, Civil Surgeon, Gaya

China is seeing Covid spreading unabated across the country, with cities and provinces reporting hundreds of thousands of daily infections surpassing the official national tally and predicting that outbreaks will peak during January. Read more

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that the government has so far administered 220.05 crore vaccine doses under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, of which 29,818 were administered in the last 24 hours.

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a meeting via video conferencing with the Indian Medical Association today on Covid19 situation and preparedness: Indian Medical Association

India logged 196 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases marginally increased to 3,428, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,77,302). The death toll stands at 5,30,695 with two fatalities reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

Maharashtra's Thane district has reported two new COVID-19 cases, raising its infection count to 7,47,393on Monday.  There are currently eight active COVID-19 cases in Thane.

Chhattisgarh on Sunday reported one COVID-19 case at a positivity rate of 0.33 per cent, taking the tally to 11,77,749. The death toll and recovery count remained unchanged at 14,146 and 11,63,595, respectively.