India had 28,000 coronavirus cases and 900 deaths from the disease till Monday afternoon. Nine chief ministers met Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening to discuss the lockdown to contain the disease.
Business Standard takes a look at regional editions of Hindi newspapers to provide you with a picture of the Covid-19 situation in the hinterland.
Disaster in making: MP failing at sending test reports
Problems for Madhya Pradesh are far from over. The state has seen a spike in the number of cases. However, testing reports are the major concern for the authorities, reports Dainik Bhaskar from Bhopal. It has been more than a month since the first coronavirus case was detected in Madhya Pradesh, and yet there is no system in place. Since March 22, 10,351 samples have been taken and sent for testing, however, only 6,932 reports have been received till now. Around 1,800 samples reach Bhopal on a daily basis. Only 1,100 samples get tested in the five labs. This means that 700 samples go untested daily. The reports of the samples that are sent to New Delhi, Puducherry are getting delayed as well. Some samples are getting rejected as well. Some discrimination has been witnessed. Reports of people in authorities are delivered in 2-3 days, while reports of common citizens are taking more than 15 days. Wrong reports are creating mass confusion. Eight people from two families of Nawab Colony, Bhopal, were sent to quarantine centre after their samples were taken on April 17. On 22nd, they were sent home by the authorities as their reports came negative. However, on the morning of 23rd, the authorities called them to inform that all eight people were coronavirus positive.
Rajasthan village has 102 cases; 90% from 4 colonies
Nagaur in Rajasthan is a major hotspot for the coronavirus. 700 samples have been taken from the village with 102 declared positive, reports Dainik Bhaskar. Reports on many are pending. Around 5,000 workers returned to the village just before the lockdown. They worked in Mumbai in dairy sector. The health department says that some seven families have spread the virus in the whole village. The spread of virus took place due to people not following the social distancing norms. Entire families from the village are under treatment.
Kanpur's tally nears 200; hospital ward boy infected
Kanpur is facing the heat of coronavirus more than most of the infected districts of Uttar Pradesh. On Sunday, 27 new cases surfaced in the city. Out of these, 17 are women, reports Dainik Jagran. This is the first time that so many women have been found with infection at the same time. The city has three new hotspots, with the total going up to 28. Till now, nine policemen have tested positive. CMO Dr Ashok Shukla blamed men for the spread of the virus, who did not follow the lockdown norms.
Haryana reports cases that trace back to Delhi
Haryana on Sunday detected five new cases. Two of them — one farmer and one broker — had travelled to Delhi. In view of this, the government has increased the scrutiny on the Delhi Haryana border, reports Dainik Bhaskar. Around 400 workers were stopped from going to Delhi via the Kondli border. There will be no transportation of vegetables from Delhi to Haryana and vice versa. Trucks from other states will have to take NH44.
Rich cities of UP hit hardest
Uttar Pradesh has growing number of cases. But most of these cases are in the most developed and rich cities. Guatambudhh Nagar, Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra, Meerut have the maximum number of cases and they are the backbone of state's economy, reports Amar Ujala. The top 18 sensitive districts for coronavirus account for 42 per cent of the state's economy. Out of these, the per capita income of people in 12 districts is more than the average income of the state. Gautambudhh Nagar (Noida) accounts for 9.19 per cent of the economy. And these cities are under the severe impact of the virus. Even if the lockdown is lifted in other cities in a staggered manner, it won't help the economy, as these cities will need more time.
Coronavirus tales
Taking the lockdown lightly has cost 40 people dearly in Vijayawada, reports Amar Ujala. A trucker got so bored that he went out of his house to play cards with his friends, and infected 24 of them. Another similar incident with a trucker resulted in infecting 15. More than three dozen people injected due to disobedience.
In a case of desperation, a man staying in Mumbai, hailing from Praygaraj, posed as a vegetable vendor and bought 25 tonnes of onion worth Rs 2.5 lakhs. He then paid Rs 77,000 to a trucker and travelled to his home city. Later he was tested and sent to home quarantine.
After 35 days, the newlywed bride and the groom returned to their native village in Atrauli. Such was the excitement that the entire village came out to welcome them, disobeying the lockdown.