Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on World No Tobacco Day informed that risk of fatal outcome from COVID-19 is 40-50 per cent higher in people who smoke. "People who smoke tobacco have a 40-50% hig her risk of fatal outcomes due to COVID. This causes not only diseases like lung, heart and cancer but also affects every part of the body," said Dr Harsh Vardhan.

The national capital reported about 900 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. This is the first time the daily figure went below the 1,000 mark during the second COVID-19 wave, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday."Around 900 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours. This is for the first time (during second wave) that we have reported cases below 1,000," Kejriwal told reporters after inaugurating a drive-through vaccination centre in the city. He further said he was hopeful about unlocking more activities in the city as cases decrease further. "I a

WhatsApp on May 26 has moved to high court against the policies imposed by Centre which includes to "trace" the origin of particular message sent on the service. But on the other hand opposing to this WhatsApp said, "Requiring messaging apps to 'trace' chats is the equivalent of asking us to keep a fingerprint of every single message sent on whastapp, which would break end to end encryption and fundamentally undermines people's right to privacy." On February 25, the Centre framed the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, in the exercise of

Cyclone Yaas has completed the process of landfall, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Wednesday, while advising fishermen not to go venture to sea for the rest of the day."Cyclone Yaas has complete the process of landfall. Rainfall will continue till tomorrow. Fishermen are advised not to venture till tomorrow morning because the sea condition going to be rough," Umashankar Das, Senior Scientist at the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar told ANI. The process of landfall started around 9 am today between Dhamra and Balasore. High-speed winds uprooted many trees and heavy s

With 1,96,427 fresh cases and 3,26,850 recoveries in the last 24 hours, India's daily COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 9.54 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry's data on Tuesday.The ministry informed that the daily new cases have fallen below 2 lakh to a level seen 40 days before (daily new cases were 1,84,372 on April 14, 2021). Cumulatively, the active caseload has also now reduced to 25,86,782. Active coronavirus cases in the country have decreased since its last peak on May 10, 2021. A net decline of 1,33,934 is witnessed in the last 24 hours. It now comprises 9.60 percent

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit the United States next week beginning May 24 to meet with US officials and discuss COVID-related cooperation between the two countries.Jaishankar will be visiting the United States from May 24-May 28, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday.The Foreign Minister is expected to meet UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York and later he will hold discussions with his counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington DC, the ministry said.He will also be meeting Cabinet members and Senior Officials of the Administ

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday launched a COVID Care WhatsApp chatbot for self-care during home isolation, as a part of Mission Fateh.This WhatsApp chatbot will also have information on bed availability, vaccine centres, and more.Available in three languages- English, Punjabi, and Hindi, this chatbot would help Covid patients in home isolation to be monitored by experts, who would advise patients on the course of treatment based on their vital input in the chatbot. Chairing a high-level virtual meeting on the COVID situation of the state, the Chief Minister also revi

A day after Cyclone Tauktae ravaged parts of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas. The PM is conducting aerial survey of areas such as Una, Diu, Jafarabad, and Mahuva today. He will also hold a review meeting in Ahmedabad later. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani accompanied PM Modi. Cyclone Tauktae hit several Indian coastal areas, including Gujarat, Mumbai, Diu and Goa.

Indian Coast Guard helicopter rescued stranded crew member from Gal Constructor off Satpati coast.