Coronavirus Live Updates: Govt invites bids for delivery of vaccines to remote areas by drones

India recorded a single-day rise of 70,421 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 74 days, taking the country's infection tally to 2,95,10,410, while the count of active cases fell below 10 lakhs after over two months. The COVID-19 death toll in the country climbed to 3,74,305, with 3,921 fatalities recorded in a span of 24 hours. The government has invited bids for the use of drones to deliver vaccines and drugs to remote and difficult-to-reach areas to ensure last-mile coverage in select locations of the country.

The 3,921 new fatalities include 2,771 from Maharashtra, 267 from Tamil Nadu, 206 from Kerala and 125 from Karnataka.

A total of 3,74,305 deaths have been reported so far in the country. This includes 1,11,104 from Maharashtra, 32,913 from Karnataka, 29,547 from Tamil Nadu, 24,823 from Delhi, 21,786 from Uttar Pradesh, 16,896 from West Bengal, 15,562 from Punjab and 13,317 from Chhattisgarh.

Delhi, Haryana and Tamil Nadu permitted more activities from Monday as the easing of restrictions by states gained momentum following a decline in active COVID-19 cases in the country.

Karnataka will also begin the unlock process, barring in 11 districts, from Monday, with the opening of parks and industrial units with riders, besides other relaxations.

Most states are easing the coronavirus-induced curbs, which they first started imposing in mid-April, in a staggered manner, confining it to districts with low positivity rates and active cases and continuing with restrictions like the closure of schools and colleges and night curfew.

Restaurants with 50 percent capacity, weekly markets and religious places will reopen in the national capital from June 14, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday, saying the COVID-19 situation has significantly come under control in the city.

Salons, beauty parlours and barbershops closed since the imposition of lockdown on April 19, will reopen. Markets and malls, which were earlier allowed to reopen on an odd-even basis, will now open on all days, from 10 AM to 8 PM. Only one weekly market per municipal zone per day will be allowed, he said.

Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutes, cinema halls, multiplexes, theatres, gyms, spas, yoga institutes, swimming pools, auditoriums, banquet halls, amusement and water parks, and public parks and gardens, will continue to be closed till 5 AM on June 21, according to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) order issued on Sunday.

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