Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday that the nation-wide lockdown would be extended till May 3, the Indian Railways and the civil aviation ministry have said that flights and railways services will remain suspended till then.
The Union health ministry’s update on Tuesday morning placed the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India at 10,363, with 8,988 patients currently under treatment, and the death toll at 339. The ministry said that 1,035 people had far recovered from the infection.
On Tuesday morning, Congress president Sonia Gandhi thanked frontline workers, saying “What can be more patriotic that all of us fighting the pandemic together. Our coronavirus warriors are fighting this war despite lack of basic safety gear. Doctors, health workers and volunteers are treating patients despite lack of protection kits.”
A Press Trust of India tally based on state government updates said the total numbers of cases in India was at 9975, with death toll at 346, as of 9.45 pm on Monday.
Here are the day’s top updates:
1. All Airlines And Railway Operations To Stay Suspended Till May 3
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the lockdown till May 3, the civil aviation ministry and the railway ministry said that all airlines and railway operations will remain shut till May 3.
“All domestic and international scheduled airline operations shall remain suspended till 11.59 pm, 3rd May,” ANI quoted the civil aviation ministry as saying.
The Indian Railways meaning said that IRCTC will make full refunds of all trains that will be cancelled due to the lockdown.
2. Kejriwal Says Delhi Will Fully Implement Lockdown
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said Delhi would fully implement lockdown measures announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain the COVID-19 spread.
“Delhi will fully implement PM’s lockdown measures,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Modi said implementation of the lockdown will be strictly ensured in the coming days to ensure that the coronavirus does not spread to new areas.
3. Congress Slams PM Speech, Asks For ‘Concrete Steps’ For Economy
The Congress on Tuesday termed as rhetoric and hollow on specifics the prime minister’s address to the nation, saying there was no mention of a financial package or concrete steps to revive the economy.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the PM’s address was like Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark.
“Amazing PM address. Exhortation, rhetoric, inspiration.....yet hollow on specifics! No financial package, no details, no concrete item. Neither for poor nor middle class nor industry nor businesses. Lockdown is good but cannot be end in itself! Where is single livelihood issue,” he asked.
Meanwhile, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked about the country’s roadmap to fight coronavirus.
He said leadership does not mean making people realise their responsibilities but to fulfil the government’s duty of accountability towards the people of the country.
“A lot of talk has taken place. But, where is the roadmap to fight corona,” he asked.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, “The poor have been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food. There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food. Cry, my beloved country,” he said on Twitter.
4. Nation-Wide Lockdown Extended Till May 3
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation on Tuesday said that keeping in mind the spread of coronavirus, the lockdown in India would be extended to May 3.
“Keeping in mind everyone’s suggestions we have come to the decision that the lockdown needs to be extended till May 3,” Modi said.
Modi said that most states and even citizens suggested that the lockdown should be extended. “We have to identify hotspots and we have to be even more careful than before,” Modi said.
He said till April 20 all districts, police stations and areas will be monitored to see if they are abiding by the lockdown.
He claimed that India jumped to take measures even before the coronavirus spread much across the country.
Modi said that compared to many developed countries, India was in a better state, and praised the power of “We the People” for the success of the lockdown. “From the experience in the past few days, it is clear that the path we chose it is the right path. Social distancing and lockdown has helped us”
He said while the economic cost of the lockdown was massive, “nothing comes before the lives of Indians”.
5. Delhi reports 356 new patients in 24 hours
The nation capital reported 356 fresh COVID-19 cases in a day taking the tally to 1,510 on Monday night, while four people died of the disease within 24 hours, the Delhi government said.
With four more fatalities reported, the death toll from COVID-19 in Delhi has jumped to 28.
Total number of COVID-19 samples sent till date stands at 15,032, the Delhi Health Department said in a statement. As many as 2,456 have been kept in quarantine at various government facilities, it said.
As many as 27,735 people who came in contact with affected persons, are under home quarantine till date and 15,190 have completed their 14-day quarantine, they said.
6. Over 2,000 patients in Maharashtra, death toll over 100 in Mumbai
The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra on Monday night crossed the 2000-mark, with 352 more people, including 242 from Mumbai, testing positive for the novel coronavirus infection, a Health department official said.
While the number of total cases has gone up to 2334, the COVID-19 death toll increased to 160 with 11 more people succumbing to the infection on Monday.
Of the 11 deaths, nine were reported in Mumbai where toll has crossed 100.
7. Antiviral drug remdesivir may be effective in stopping replication of coronavirus: ICMR
The Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday said antiviral drug remdesivir, which was used during the Ebola outbreak, may be highly effective in stopping the replication mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19.
The ICMR said research on its efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19 is a part of WHO’s “Solidarity Trial”.
According to a recently published study in the New England Journal of Medicine, two out of three critically ill coronavirus infected patients who were on oxygen support or on ventilators showed signs of improvement when they were administered remdesivir.
Commenting on the study, Head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases at ICMR Raman R Gangakhedkar said that drug which was used against Ebola virus, according to the researchers, hinders the reproduction of coronavirus which is why they believe that it could be effective in COVID-19 treatment.
He further said that remdesivir, developed by Gilead Sciences Inc, is not presently available in the country and the government is working on to see if any pharmaceutical company can manufacture it. (PTI)
8. WHO says vaccine needed to fully interrupt Covid-19 transmission
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from Geneva that the organisation was constantly learning about the new virus sweeping the globe, which has now killed nearly 115,000 people and infected over 1.8 million.
More than half of the planet’s population is currently staying home as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus, but Tedros warned that “our global connectedness means the risk of re-introduction and resurgence of the disease will continue”.
He pointed out that while COVID-19 had accelerated quickly, “it decelerates much more slowly.” “In other words, the way down is much slower than the way up,” he said, stressing that “control measures must be lifted slowly, and with control. It cannot happen all at once.” “Control measures can only be lifted if the right public health measures are in place, including significant capacity for contact tracing,” he said.
Regardless of the efforts put in place, the WHO acknowledged that “ultimately, the development and delivery of a safe and effective vaccine will be needed to fully interrupt transmission”.
A vaccine is thought to be at least 12 to 18 months away. (AFP)