Breaking News: July 17, 2020 | As it happened

A 90-yr-old woman discharged today after a successful recovery from COVID-19. She was at Margao COVID Hospital for 23 days. She was critical at admission time, was suffering from dementia and malnutrition but steadily improved under treatment and care of doctors and staff.

In the last late 24 hours, 36 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Manipur, taking the total number of cases to 1,800 of which 637 are active cases and 1,163 recovered cases.

The SOG team couldn’t find Bhanwar Lal Sharma at ITC Manesar, left empty-handed from there.

615 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported till 8.30 pm today in the state, taking the total number of cases to 27,789. The death toll rises to 546 after 8 deaths were reported today. There are 6,617 active cases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a High-Level Segment of UN Economic, Social Council shortly. Here are the highlights from his address:

• In our joint fight against COVID-19, we have extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries.

• Today, the United Nations brings together 193 member countries. Along with its membership, the expectations from the organisation have also grown.

• From the very beginning, India has actively supported the UN's development work and the ECOSOC. The first president of ECOSOC was an Indian. India also contributed to shaping the ECOSOC agenda.

• Today, through our domestic efforts, we are again playing a salient role in achieving Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. We are also supporting other developing countries in meeting their Sustainable Development Goals.

• Our motto is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas'  - meaning 'Together, for everyone's growth, with everyone's trust'. This resonates with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind.

• We are also on track to remove TB by 2025. Other developing countries can learn from the scale and success of India's development programmes. And from the technologies and innovations, we have deployed.

• We celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi last year by achieving full sanitation coverage in our six hundred thousand villages.

• Our ‘Housing for All’ programme will ensure that every Indian will have a safe and secure roof over her head by 2022, when India completes 75 years as an independent nation.

• We have leveraged the power of technology for financial inclusion. This is based on the trinity of a unique identity number, a bank account, and a mobile connection for everyone.

• We know that if India succeeds in achieving its development objectives, it will go a long way in the achievement of global goals.

• With our deep commitment to maintaining global harmony, to improving socio-economic equity, and to preserving nature's balance, India will play its role in full support of the UN agenda.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has severely tested the resilience of all nations. In India, we have tried to make the fight against pandemic a people's movement by combining the efforts of government and civil society.

• The United Nations was originally born from the furies of the Second World War.  Today, the fury of the pandemic provides the context for its rebirth and reform. Let us not lose this chance.

• India was among the 50 founding members of the United Nations immediately after the Second World War. A lot has changed since then. Today the UN brings together 193 member countries.

• Be it earthquakes, cyclones, Ebola crisis or any other natural or man-made crisis, India has responded with speed and solidarity. In our joint fight against COVID,  we have extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries.

• Internationally, our initiative to set up the International Solar Alliance was a practical manifestation of climate action.    Similarly,  the Coalition for  Disaster Resilience  Infrastructure brings together all relevant stake-holders.

• We have an age-old tradition of living in harmony with nature. We launched one of the largest campaigns for cleanliness and discouraged the usage of single-use plastic.

• Our massive awareness generation programmes are empowering women. We have achieved gender parity in elementary and secondary education. Nearly 70 million women in rural India are part of self-help groups under our livelihood mission.

120 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Uttarakhand today, taking the total number of cases to 4,102.

3,693 new COVID-19 cases and 115 deaths reported in Karnataka today, taking the total number of cases to 55,115 cases including 20,757 recoveries and 1,147 deaths.

8,308 new COVID-19 positive cases and 258 deaths have been reported in Maharashtra today. Total number of positive cases rise to 2,92,589 including 1,60,357 recovered cases, 1,20,480 active cases and 11,452 deaths.

There is no further extension of lockdown in Bengaluru, Karnataka Minister R Ashoka said on Friday. Lockdown has been imposed in the city for 7 days with effect from 8 pm on July 14 till 5 am on 22nd July, to curb the spread of COVID-19.

West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has declared Class 12 exam results. This year the merit list of Class 12 will not be announced.

A 92-year-old Italian national was among the three people who succumbed to coronavirus in Puducherry, taking the tally of infections in the union territory to 1,832 on Friday.

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Friday.

• Districts in MP, Bihar, Telangana most vulnerable to COVID-19 pandemic, says Lancet study.
• Five more persons, including a woman, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the state's tally to 272.
• Odisha's COVID-19 tally crosses 16,000-mark, with death toll rising to 83.
• At 273 million people, India records largest reduction in number of people living in poverty, UN says.
• Too soon to say whether recovered COVID patients lose immunity with time, scientists say.
• IndiGo introduces option to book two seats for single passenger.
• Record single-day surge of nearly 35k COVID cases in India as total tally crosses 10 lakh.
• Around a hundred patients broke out of a COVID Care Centre in Assam's Kamrup district and blocked National Highway 31, alleging that they were not being provided with proper food and water, officials say.
• As Maharashtra gears up for low-key Bakri Eid celebrations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of people, including cattle rearers and farmers, who earn substantially during the festival, are staring at severe financial losses this year.
• Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday urged the government to take concrete steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus, saying if it keeps spreading at the current pace then there will be more than 20 lakh cases by August 10.
• Admission to colleges in West Bengal will be via online mode this year, state Higher Education department says.
• After the US, which has carried out a record 42 million COVID-19 tests, India has done the second largest number of 12 million coronavirus tests, the White House says.

Five more persons, including a woman, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the state's tally to 272, an official said on Friday.

Odisha reported 718 COVID-19 cases yesterday, taking total number of cases to 16,110 out of which 5,124 cases are active. A total of 3,69,738 tests were conducted in the state till yesterday

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inspects a Pika machine gun at Stakna, Leh

COVID-19 cases cross the 10 lakh mark in India with the highest single-day spike of 34,956 cases, and 687 deaths. Total positive cases stand at 10,03,832 including 3,42,473 active cases, 6,35,757 cured/discharged/migrated and 25,602 deaths

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane arrive at Stakna, Leh. They will witness para dropping skills of the Armed Forces here.

Assam crossed the 20,000 mark with 892 new COVID-19 cases and the death toll due to the infection reached 50 with two deaths on Thursday, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Watch yoga guru Swami Ramdev's lessons to boost immunity, maintain good health and fight coronavirus, LIVE every day at 7:58 am and repeat 5 pm, only on India TV. Watch today's show on yoga remedies to get rid of intoxication |