Coronavirus live updates: Night curfew relaxed in West Bengal during Durga puja and Lakshmi puja

Odisha prohibits sale, use of fireworks in October Covid guidelines

Announcing its Covid-19 guidelines for October, the Odisha government on Thursday prohibited use and sale of fireworks in the state during the month. It had also banned their sale and use during Diwali last year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. (IANS)

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"Nowhere in Delhi can Chhath Puja be organised in public in groups on the banks of a river or pond or in parks," stated the DDMA.

DDMA permits Ramleela, Durga celebrations in Delhi, bans Chhath at public places

Amid the declining Covid-19 cases, the Delhi government has decided to relax restrictions during the festive season of Durga Puja and Ramleela, informed Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday. According to the DDMA, Durga Puja and Ramlila can be organised in Delhi this year under certain conditions, but the public event of Chhath Puja has been banned. (ANI)

Gujarat records 20 Covid-19 cases, no death

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The United States has administered 391,992,662 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country as of Wednesday morning and distributed 473,954,085 doses, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The United Kingdom also registered 137 Covid-related deaths in 24 hours.

UK has recorded 36,480 new Covid cases on Thursday.

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Singapore's health ministry reported 2,478 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. The country also reported two new deaths due to the coronavirus. (Reuters)

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"In continuation of the earlier order, restriction and relaxation measures as already in force stand extended up to October 30.... In view of the ensuing festive period the said restriction relating to movement of people and vehicles between 11 pm to 5 am is relaxed during October 10 to 20," the order read.

The government has made an exception in the night curfew rule in view of the festival as a large number of people visit puja pandals at night in Kolkata and elsewhere.

However, the government notification stressed existing Covid restrictions will be in effect on all other days of October apart from the 10 days of festivity.

In view of the festive season, restriction on the movement of people, vehicles between 11 pm to 5 am is relaxed from October 10 to October 20: West Bengal govt

The exemption from import duty would help keep low the cost of overseas vaccines that are being eyed to supplement domestically made shots of Covishield and Covaxin.

In a notification dated September 29, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said the exemption would come into force on October 1, 2021, and remain in force up to December 31, 2021.

The government has exempted customs duty on Covid-19 vaccines for three months till December 31, which will boost domestic availability and make them cheaper.