PM Modi to discuss spike in COVID-19 cases with state Chief Ministers on Tuesday

As several states in India witness a rise in Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, PM Modi will convene a conference with some state CMs on Tuesday. discussion may t pertain COVID-19 vaccine distribution, state reports. While list of CMs has t been released, currently Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Kerala and Goa are India's new COVID-19 hotspots seeing a rise in case positivity in post-Diwali period. Currently, India has 91,39,866 cases with active cases at 4,43,486 and death toll at 1,33,738.

'Maharashtra to decide on lockdown soon,' says Dy CM Pawar; slams crowding during Diwali

PM-CM meeting tomorrow

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India's tally rises to 91,39,866; Maharashtra mulls on lockdown

Previous PM-CM conferences

PM Modi has held seven conferences with all CMs amid Coronavirus pandemic. Previous meetings had all been to discuss nation's strategy to battle COVID-19 and had resulted in nation-wide lockdowns - last one with considerable relaxations. While all CMs had attended first one, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has sent a representative for past several meetings. Most CMs had aired ir grievances and have supported Centre's move to extend lockdown and later lift restrictions. Currently, we are in Unlock-6, with just international travel restricted and educational institutions remaining shut in several states. 

Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine shows over 70% efficacy as India looks to give emergency use d

Curfews in parts of India

While Delhi has ruled out a lockdown, it has increased fine on t wearing masks to Rs 2000. Gujarat has introduced a 3-day lockdown in Ahmedabad, nightly curfews in  Rajkot, Surat, and Vadodara from vember 21. Similarly, Madhya Pradesh has introduced night curfew in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Ratlam and Vidisha districts with effect from vember 21. Rajasthan too has decided to impose a night curfew in 8 districts - Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Bikaner, Udaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, and Bhilwara and increased fine amount on t wearing a face mask from Rs 200 to Rs 500. Moreover, Himachal too has put a nightly curfew in Shimla, while Maharashtra will decide on a lockdown in 8-10 days.

Tejashwi warns Nitish that RJD will expose corruption; JDU doesn't want him to be LoP

In a heartening development, Oxford University has anunced, earlier in day, that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed in collaboration with AstraZeneca is 70.4% effective against highly-infectious disease. Anuncing interim trial data from its Phase 3 trials, Oxford University said in a statement that its vaccine candidate ChAdOx1 nCoV-2019 has shown more than 70 per cent efficacy after analysis included 131 COVID-19 cases. India is mulling to approve Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use, once UK government clears it.