NEW DELHI: India's Covid-19 tally has reached 33,050, including 1,074 deaths, according to the ministry of health and family welfare on Thursday. 1,718 more coronavirus cases were reported and 67 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours. Currently, there are 23,651 active cases while 8,324 Covid-19 positive patients have been cured/discharged.
Here are the latest updates on coronavirus:
No respite for 15 Red Zone districts in UP even after May 3
The "green" and "orange" zones in Uttar Pradesh are likely to see a gradual easing of the lockdown from May 4 but no respite is expected for the 15 districts in the Red Zone. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials to prepare a plan for allowing economic activity in "green" and "orange" zones after May 3. However, he has reiterated that no social gathering will be permitted in the state till June 30.
Maharashtra, Gujarat & Delhi report highest cases
Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with 9,915, followed by Gujarat with 4,082 cases and Delhi with 3,439 cases. The death toll in Delhi reached 56. However, the last three days saw no deaths due to COVID-19 in the national capital.
India needs Rs 65,000 crore to help its poor, says former RBI governor
India needs Rs 65,000 crore to feed the poor during pandemic, said Raghuram Rajan in a conversation with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. India's GDP is Rs 200 lakh crore, so we can afford Rs 65,000 to save the livelihood of India's poor, said Rajan. The former RBI governor further said that India has to prioritize as it has limited capacities. "We need to decide how do we keep economy together so that when we reopen it's itself able to walk off the sick bed and not be impaired at that point. Most immediately, I think keep people well and alive," he said.
More curbs to be eased after May 3
The Centre also indicated a significant easing of curbs in "orange" and "green" areas post-May 3, with measures to increase economic activity and restore normal life. "New guidelines to fight Covid-19 will come into effect from May 4, which shall give considerable relaxations to many districts. Details regarding this shall be communicated in the days to come," the home ministry said. The easing of curbs is likely to be most evident in districts that have had no fresh cases for more than 28 days.
Groom cycles 100 kms to get married in UP district
A groom pedaled 100 km on a bicycle from Hamirpur to Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh to get married. And, he brought back his bride on the bicycle too. The incident took place in the Pauthiya village in Hamirpur district where the groom Kalku Prajapati resides. He travelled to the Puniya village in Mahoba district where his bride-to-be Rinki lived. He started the journey on April 27 and reached his destination the same evening. There were no 'baraatis' because the police did not allow anyone else to accompany Prajapati.
Indian mechanic invents 'social distancing' motorbike
An Indian school drop-out has built a motorbike with a one-metre gap between the rider and the passenger to drive home the importance of social distancing in the coronavirus pandemic. Partha Saha, 39, bought an old bike from a scrap dealer, removed the engine and cut the machine in two before affixing a rod slightly longer than a metre (3.2 feet) to connect the wheels. "Now I can ride with my eight-year-old daughter while maintaining a safe distance," he told AFP from Agartala, Tripura.
Migrants can go home, says ministry of home affairs
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has said that buses shall be used for transport of groups of stranded students, pilgrims and tourists and these vehicles will be sanitised and will have to follow safe social distancing norms in seating. But while the Centre expects states to ensure that the "homecoming" happens in controlled conditions, it can potentially spell a logistical challenge, besides stiffening the task of dealing with the pandemic.
Jharkhand CM thanks Centre for allowing return of students, migrant labourers
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday said that he was thankful to the Centre for issuing guidelines for bringing back students and migrant labourers stuck in various parts of the country. According to the Chief Minister, an estimated 5 lakh migrant labourers from the state are stranded across the country due to the national lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus threat.
Indian Embassy in US contact nationals who wish to travel back home
The Indian Embassy in Washington has started to contact the Indian nationals who wish to return home once the international travel lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic is lifted. Those interested in travelling back home can register at https://indianembassyusa.gov.in/Information_sheet1. However, no travel dates have been announced yet. There is no official estimate of the number of Indian citizens stranded in the US.
Politicians log into technology to beat lockdown hurdles
Ministers and politicians in Maharashtra have taken to technology in a big way to keep in touch with their constituents, conduct meetings and carry out official responsibilities. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis said he uses 'Zoom' for internal party meetings and the audio bridge to interact with a larger group of workers. A recent meeting of state leaders with AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge lasted for five-and-a-half hours on the Zoom App.
Across the globe:
With more than 26,000 deaths, the UK now has Europe's second-highest official death toll, behind Italy. Also, more than 5,000 Brazilians have lost their lives to the coronavirus - even more people than in China, if its official statistics are to be believed. Finally, some 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy, representing nearly half of the global labour force, are in immediate danger of losing their livelihoods due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Labour Organization said.
US virus toll passes Trump's 60,000 marker
The reported U.S. death toll on Wednesday crept past 60,000, a figure that US president Donald Trump in recent weeks had suggested might be the total death count. He had cited the estimate as a sign of relative success after the White House previously warned the U.S. could suffer 100,000 to 240,000 deaths. Trump also has repeatedly used the outer band of any estimate--the potential that 2.2 million Americans could have died had there been no interventions--to try to make his case most powerfully. The US death toll from Covid-19 is certain to keep growing from here, say observers.
Germany reports 1,478 new coronavirus cases, 173 more deaths
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has risen by 1,478 to 159,119, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Thursday. According to the tally, 6,288 people have died of the disease, a rise of 173 compared to Wednesday.
(With inputs from agencies)
Here are the latest updates on coronavirus:
No respite for 15 Red Zone districts in UP even after May 3
The "green" and "orange" zones in Uttar Pradesh are likely to see a gradual easing of the lockdown from May 4 but no respite is expected for the 15 districts in the Red Zone. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials to prepare a plan for allowing economic activity in "green" and "orange" zones after May 3. However, he has reiterated that no social gathering will be permitted in the state till June 30.
Maharashtra, Gujarat & Delhi report highest cases
Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with 9,915, followed by Gujarat with 4,082 cases and Delhi with 3,439 cases. The death toll in Delhi reached 56. However, the last three days saw no deaths due to COVID-19 in the national capital.
India needs Rs 65,000 crore to help its poor, says former RBI governor
India needs Rs 65,000 crore to feed the poor during pandemic, said Raghuram Rajan in a conversation with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. India's GDP is Rs 200 lakh crore, so we can afford Rs 65,000 to save the livelihood of India's poor, said Rajan. The former RBI governor further said that India has to prioritize as it has limited capacities. "We need to decide how do we keep economy together so that when we reopen it's itself able to walk off the sick bed and not be impaired at that point. Most immediately, I think keep people well and alive," he said.
More curbs to be eased after May 3
The Centre also indicated a significant easing of curbs in "orange" and "green" areas post-May 3, with measures to increase economic activity and restore normal life. "New guidelines to fight Covid-19 will come into effect from May 4, which shall give considerable relaxations to many districts. Details regarding this shall be communicated in the days to come," the home ministry said. The easing of curbs is likely to be most evident in districts that have had no fresh cases for more than 28 days.
Groom cycles 100 kms to get married in UP district
A groom pedaled 100 km on a bicycle from Hamirpur to Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh to get married. And, he brought back his bride on the bicycle too. The incident took place in the Pauthiya village in Hamirpur district where the groom Kalku Prajapati resides. He travelled to the Puniya village in Mahoba district where his bride-to-be Rinki lived. He started the journey on April 27 and reached his destination the same evening. There were no 'baraatis' because the police did not allow anyone else to accompany Prajapati.
Indian mechanic invents 'social distancing' motorbike
An Indian school drop-out has built a motorbike with a one-metre gap between the rider and the passenger to drive home the importance of social distancing in the coronavirus pandemic. Partha Saha, 39, bought an old bike from a scrap dealer, removed the engine and cut the machine in two before affixing a rod slightly longer than a metre (3.2 feet) to connect the wheels. "Now I can ride with my eight-year-old daughter while maintaining a safe distance," he told AFP from Agartala, Tripura.
Migrants can go home, says ministry of home affairs
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has said that buses shall be used for transport of groups of stranded students, pilgrims and tourists and these vehicles will be sanitised and will have to follow safe social distancing norms in seating. But while the Centre expects states to ensure that the "homecoming" happens in controlled conditions, it can potentially spell a logistical challenge, besides stiffening the task of dealing with the pandemic.
Jharkhand CM thanks Centre for allowing return of students, migrant labourers
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday said that he was thankful to the Centre for issuing guidelines for bringing back students and migrant labourers stuck in various parts of the country. According to the Chief Minister, an estimated 5 lakh migrant labourers from the state are stranded across the country due to the national lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus threat.
Indian Embassy in US contact nationals who wish to travel back home
The Indian Embassy in Washington has started to contact the Indian nationals who wish to return home once the international travel lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic is lifted. Those interested in travelling back home can register at https://indianembassyusa.gov.in/Information_sheet1. However, no travel dates have been announced yet. There is no official estimate of the number of Indian citizens stranded in the US.
Politicians log into technology to beat lockdown hurdles
Ministers and politicians in Maharashtra have taken to technology in a big way to keep in touch with their constituents, conduct meetings and carry out official responsibilities. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis said he uses 'Zoom' for internal party meetings and the audio bridge to interact with a larger group of workers. A recent meeting of state leaders with AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge lasted for five-and-a-half hours on the Zoom App.
Across the globe:
With more than 26,000 deaths, the UK now has Europe's second-highest official death toll, behind Italy. Also, more than 5,000 Brazilians have lost their lives to the coronavirus - even more people than in China, if its official statistics are to be believed. Finally, some 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy, representing nearly half of the global labour force, are in immediate danger of losing their livelihoods due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Labour Organization said.
US virus toll passes Trump's 60,000 marker
The reported U.S. death toll on Wednesday crept past 60,000, a figure that US president Donald Trump in recent weeks had suggested might be the total death count. He had cited the estimate as a sign of relative success after the White House previously warned the U.S. could suffer 100,000 to 240,000 deaths. Trump also has repeatedly used the outer band of any estimate--the potential that 2.2 million Americans could have died had there been no interventions--to try to make his case most powerfully. The US death toll from Covid-19 is certain to keep growing from here, say observers.
Germany reports 1,478 new coronavirus cases, 173 more deaths
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has risen by 1,478 to 159,119, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Thursday. According to the tally, 6,288 people have died of the disease, a rise of 173 compared to Wednesday.
(With inputs from agencies)
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