A 48-year-old priest of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam who manages the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara has died of coronavirus on Thursday.

After he tested positive for the virus earlier this week, he was admitted to a state-designated Covid-care facility here. He died this evening while undergoing treatment, a temple official said.

Since the hill temple was re-opened for devotees on June 11, at least 170 staff members, including senior pontiff of TTD Pedda Jeeyar Swamy Mutt, 16 'Archakas' (priests) have been infected, he said.

A former head priest had died of the virus on July 20.

However, devotees are allowed to visit the shrine, the official added.

15-year-old patient dies in Manipur

A 15-year-old boy, who was diagnosed with the virus, died at a hospital here on Thursday, taking Manipur's toll to eight, officials said.

The state also reported 124 new cases, following which the tally rose to 3,217, they said.

The teen, who died at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), had an acute kidney problem, they added. He was a resident of Phubala village in the Moirang sub-division in Bishnupur district.

He was admitted to RIMS on Wednesday evening after undergoing treatment at several hospitals across the country for the kidney ailment, its director Dr Ahanthem Santa Singh told PTI.

Patient commits suicide in Chhattisgarh

A 40-year-old male coronavirus patient allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a toilet at a care centre in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district on Thursday, police said.

The facility, set up at a school in Janjgir town of Janjgir-Champa district, is located 250km away from capital Raipur.

The deceased, a native of Jamgahan village in Dabhra development block of the district, had recently returned from Gujarat to his village, he said.

After testing positive for COVID-19, the patient was admitted to the facility on August 4.

The exact reason that prompted him to take the extreme step is yet to be known, he said.

Four patients, accused of spitting on Tripura doctor, surrender

Four Covid patients, accused of spitting on a doctor at a medical facility in Tripura, surrendered before police on Thursday after their interim bail was cancelled by the high court, officials said.

Police have sought seven day remand and a test identification parade.

"After hearing the arguments, the court kept the verdict reserved. We will do whatever direction is given by the magistrate," he said.

West Tripura district surveillance officer had gone to the Covid Care Centre set up at the Bhagat Singh Youth Hostel on July 24 to admit five women with newborn babies when a group of patients said they would not allow any new admission, alleging that the facility had reached full occupancy, according to police.

When doctors at the centre tried to convince the patients, they allegedly threatened to infect her with coronavirus, abused her and then spat at Chakraborty, police said.