Coronavirus live updates: MHA tells states to ensure migrant workers do not resort to walking on road or on railway tracks

Make modest opening of road, air transport to start economic activity: Chidambaram

Vizag: There are 975 active cases with the discharge of 998 patients and death of 45 Covid confirmed cases.

International tourism could decline by 60-80 per cent in 2020: UN

International tourism could decline by 60-80 per cent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the revenue loss of USD 910 billion to $1.2 trillion and placing millions of livelihoods at risk, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has said. The global international agency said that the pandemic has caused a 22 per cent fall in international tourist arrivals during the first quarter of 2020. According to the United Nations specialized agency, the global health crisis could lead to an annual tourism decline between 60 per cent and 80 per cent when compared with the 2019 figures. “This places millions of livelihoods at risk and threatens to roll back progress made in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” it said. Read more

State/UTs should ensure migrant workers do not resort to walking on roads, rail tracks and use available special trains: Centre to states

Concerned over stranded migrant workers forced by circumstances to make an arduous journey back home, the home ministry on Monday asked all state and Union territory governments to ensure that they do not resort to walking on road and railway tracks since their movement by buses and Shramik Special trains has already been allowed to enable their return to native places. In a letter sent to all chief secretaries and UT administrators, the Home Secretary urged them to heed the request of the Cabinet secretary to cooperate with the railways in running of more number of 'Shramik' special trains so that travel of stranded migrant workers is facilitated at a faster rate. Read more

Uttarakhand CM makes an alarming remark that after 2.5 lakh migrants return home, the number of corona positive cases could be 25,000 in the state.

Gujarat: Two persons in Jamnagar and one in Bhavnagar tested positive

States to ensure unhindered movement of doctors, paramedics:MHA

The Centre has asked states to ensure uninterrupted movement of doctors and other healthcare workers during the ongoing lockdown, saying curbs on them can lead to severe constraints in rendering Covid and non-Covid medical services. There have been reports of health care services being affected in some places including in the national capital after neighbouring states closed down inter-state borders and barred movement of medical workers. In a letter to chief secretaries of all states and union territories, Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla said inter-state movement of doctors and paramedics should be facilitated wherever required. "Any restrictions on the movement of medical professionals and para-medical staff can lead to severe constraints in rendering Covid and non-Covid medical services. "As such, ensuring unhindered movement of all such medical professionals is essential for meeting public health requirements and saving precious human lives," he said in the letter.

326 stranded people return from London, taken to quarantine centres

As many as 326 people stuck in London due to the COVID-19 lockdown arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport here in the early hours of Monday. After their arrival by an Air India evacuation flight at 4.45 am, a team of corona warriors checked the passengers' health condition before letting them go to the designated quarantine centres. All the 326 passengers were found to be asymptomatic and put up in hotels as chosen by them, a senior Karnataka government official said. The state administration has designated certain resorts and hotels as quarantine centres, especially for those stranded in foreign countries. Read more

Two SRP jawans of Bharuch who returned from duty in Ahmedabad tested positive. Both are suffering from diabetes.

Why are men more vulnerable than women to Covid-19?

Men's blood has higher levels than women's of a key enzyme used by the new coronavirus to infect cells, the results of a big European study showed on Monday — a finding which may help explain why men are more vulnerable to infection with Covid-19. Read more

84 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Rajasthan today, taking the total number of cases and deaths to 3898 and 108, respectively. Number of active cases stands at 1537: Rajasthan health department

MHA tells all states to allow smooth movement of all medical professionals, nurses, para medics, sanitation personnel and ambulances, and ensure opening of all private clinics, nursing homes and labs with all staff. Such movement shall also be facilitated inter-state, where required.

We welcome the decision of the government to cautiously start operations of inter-state passenger trains. The same modest opening should be started with road transport and air transport: P Chidambaram, Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister

Home ministry tells states to ensure that migrant workers do not resort to walking on road or on railway tracks since their movement by buses and Shramik spl trains has already been allowed to enable their travel to native places.

A Special train from Vellore will leave for Howrah at 12 noon today.

14 more test positive for Covid-19 in Odisha. State total rises to 391: Health department