Coronavirus Pandemic LIVE Updates: Responsible for Virus Spread, China Refuses to Share Info to Aide Global Fight, Says US

Delhi govt wants markets to open on odd-even basis | The Delhi government today submitted a proposal to the Centre on lockdown relaxations post May 17 and suggested opening of markets, shopping complexes and operation of buses and metro services with strict social distancing norms. The government has suggested operation of construction activities in the national capital and that movement of labourers within Delhi be allowed. 

Trump says pandemic clouds trade deal | US President Donald Trump said he was very disappointed in China over its failure to contain the novel coronavirus, and that the worldwide pandemic had cast a pall over his trade deal with Beijing. The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China, in December, was spreading as the United States and China signed a Phase 1 trade deal in January that was hailed by the Republican president as a major achievement.

Schools told to charge only tuition fees | The schools which are imparting online education will be allowed to charge only tuition fee for lockdown period & admission fees, uniform or any other charges in any form will not be charged from the students in Punjab, says State Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla. 

Left terms Centre's package a cruel joke | Terming the economic package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, a hoax and mere political rhetoric, the Left parties said the government has played a cruel joke on the poor of the country. The package did not address any of the fundamental issues plaguing the country. What the migrants need is free transportation so that they can reach home, said CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Covid detected in B'desh rohingya camp | Coronavirus has been detected in one of the camps in southern Bangladesh that are home to more than a million Rohingya refugees, officials said today, as humanitarian groups warned that the infection could devastate the crowded settlement. An ethnic Rohingya refugee and another person have tested positive for COVID-19, a senior Bangladeshi official and a U.N. spokeswoman said. It was the first confirmed case in the camps, which are more densely populated than most crowded cities on earth.

14 migrant workers killed in 2 accidents | Fourteen migrant labourers were killed and nearly 60 injured in two road accidents while they were on the way to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, police said today. In an early morning accident in Guna, around 180 km from Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, eight Uttar Pradesh-bound migrant workers were killed and nearly 55 injured when the truck they were traveling in collided with a bus, the MP police said.

China dubs US claims of attempted vaccine theft 'slanderous' | China termed as slanderous the US accusation that hackers backed by Beijing may be attempting to steal COVID-19 related research and vaccine materials and said that "smearing and scapegoating" others will not make the deadly virus go away. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian also rebutted US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien's charge that five plagues came out China in the last 20 years. 

Maha Update | Maharashtra reported 1,602 new COVID-19 cases, a fresh single-day high, taking the tally to 27,524 today, while 44 deaths, 25 of them in Mumbai, raised the toll to 1,019, a health department official said.

Will ensure cries of migrants reach govt: Rahul | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party will ensure that the cries of migrant workers reach the government, describing them as the flag-bearers of the country's self respect.Along with his tweet, Gandhi also shared a video of migrant labourers walking on the roads of the country in an attempt to reach their native places amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

अंधकार घना है कठिन घड़ी है, हिम्मत रखिए-हम इन सभी की सुरक्षा में खड़े हैं। सरकार तक इनकी चीखें पहुँचा के रहेंगे, इनके हक़ की हर मदद दिला के रहेंगे। देश की साधारण जनता नहीं, ये तो देश के स्वाभिमान का ध्वज हैं... इसे कभी भी झुकने नहीं देंगे। pic.twitter.com/bBf48DiluY

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 14, 2020

Haryana Update | Twenty-five fresh COVID-19 cases  cases were reported from the worst-affected Gurgaon and Faridabad districts among others today, taking the infection tally in the state to 818. As per the state health department's bulletin, 12 cases were reported from Faridabad, four from Gurgaon, three from Jhajjar, two each from Jind and Karnal, and one each from Mahendragarh and Rewari.

Free foodgrains for migrants, loans to farmers | Firing a second salvo to limit Covid-19 fallout, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 3.16 lakh crore package comprising free foodgrains for migrant workers, Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit to farmers and working capital for street vendors in a bid to help those hit hard by the nationwide lockdown.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the announcements by the government will especially benefit our farmers and migrant workers. 

Today’s announcements by FM @nsitharaman will especially benefit our farmers and migrant workers. The announcements include a series of progressive measures and will boost food security, credit to farmers as well as street vendors. #AatmaNirbharBharatPackage

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 14, 2020

J&K Update | Twelve more people were tested positive for coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir today, taking the number of such cases in the union territory to 983, officials said. "12 new positive cases of coronavirus were detected in the union territory today," officials said. They said while eight cases are from the Kashmir Valley, four are from the Jammu region.

25 fresh cases in CAPFs, 17 recover | Coronavirus cases in the central paramilitary forces continued to grow, with 25 more personnel reported infected today, taking their number in these combat organisations to over 820, officials said.However, as many as 17 troops of these forces have been discharged since Wednesday after their coronavirus test results came negative.

Defence Min patents Navy's low cost PPE | The Indian Navy said a low cost personal protective equipment (PPE) developed by it has been successfully patented by the Defence Ministry in a step towards its rapid mass production amid the coronavirus pandemic."The low cost PPE has been developed by a doctor of Indian Navy, posted at the recently created Innovation Cell at Institute of Naval Medicine (INM), Mumbai. A pilot batch of PPEs has already been produced at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai," a statement issued by the Navy said.

Patenting of Innovative Low Cost #PPE developed by @indiannavy Paves way for Rapid Mass Production (1/2)#हरकामदेशकेनाम#IndiaFightsCorona#MoDAgainstCorona#ProtectingCoronaWarriors@SpokespersonMoD@DefenceMinIndia@MoHFW_INDIA@COVIDNewsByMIB @PIB_Indiahttps://t.co/jwgkQw6mbS https://t.co/0SrAbUK0AV

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 14, 2020

ODISHA UPDATE | At least 73 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha today, raising the total count in the state to 611, a health department official said. The number of recoveries in the state rose to 158, with 15 more patients, all from Jajpur district, having defeated the deadly disease, the official said.

4 embark on 1700 km journey from Mumbai to UP | Four autorickshaw drivers from Mumbai embarked on an arduous 1,700-Km long journey to reach their homes in Uttar pradesh's Deoria in an autorickshaw with a 2-Litre petrol tank, which they filled every 40kms. On being asked about the problems they had faced during their journey, one of them says, “We have stopped counting our problems now. We just want to make it back to our families.”

India supplied paracetamol, HCQ to 120 nations | India has supplied paracetamol and hydroxychloroquine to over 120 countries in the last two months while ensuring the domestic supply, as these two medicines are in huge demand due to COVID-19, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said. He said India has put restrictions on exports of these medicines with an intention to ensure that not even the less developed nations also get equal and fair access to serve and cure their people.

7 Mumbai returnees test positive in Assam | Seven persons who recently returned from Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19 in Assam, taking the total number of cases to 86 in Assam, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted today. Among those who tested positive are three cancer patients, and a 13-year-old girl who recently underwent heart surgery in Mumbai. The other three are their attendants. "7 patients & attendants  who came from Mumbai & now in quarantine tested positive, " Sarma tweeted. 

No shortage of health workers, says Raj Health Min | Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma said there will be no shortage of health workers in the state in its fight against coronavirus as the government has approved recruitment on 1,058 posts of assistant radiographers, after appointing 9,500 nurses. He said that keeping in mind the need of nursing workers, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot himself had cleared the way for the ANM-GNM recruitment. 

Workers protest, demand buses to go home | Migrant workers create ruckus near Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border in Barwani, demanding arrangement of buses to send them to their native places in Uttar Pradesh & Bihar. Barwani District Collector Amit Tomar said the authorities will arrange buses for them soon. 

#WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Migrant workers create ruckus near Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border in Barwani, demanding arrangement of buses to send them to their native places in Uttar Pradesh & Bihar. Barwani District Collector Amit Tomar says, "We're arranging buses for them". pic.twitter.com/O6e80Dgz6s

— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2020

167 go 'missing' from Haridwar-bound train | As many as 167 passengers of a special train bringing migrants to Haridwar from Gujarat's Surat have gone missing, causing concern among officials here. The number of passengers who deboarded the train here does not match with the list of passengers received from Surat, Haridwar District Magistrate C Ravishankar said. He said the discrepancy is being looked into. If these passengers have gone missing after boarding the train in Surat then it is a serious matter. Investigation is underway and action will be taken when it is complete. 

Over 1 Lakh offences lodged for violations in Maha | One lakh six thousand offences have been registered in Maharashtra for lockdown violations till now, says Maharashtra government. The state has also reported 218 incidents of attack on police personnel in which 770 persons have been arrested till now. The state government today also hinted at extending lockdown till May 31. 

14  booked for fleeing containment zone in Maha | An offence was registered against 14 persons for allegedly escaping from a COVID-19 containment zone in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city, police said. The incident came to light on Wednesday, when 16 residents of Pundalik Nagar escaped from the area, which has been declared a containment zone, investigating officer Vishnu Munde said.

The ICMR will be soon deploying ELISA testing for conducting a national-level surveillance study on the prevalence of COVID-19.

Lockdown extension in Maha till May 31? | The Maharashtra government expressed its intent to extend till May 31 the lockdown in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad and Malegaon, which have emerged as COVID-19 hotspots in the state, a senior official said. The possibility of extending the restrictions at these places was discussed during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today. 

Japan lifts state of emergency in most regions | Japan's prime minister has announced the end of the state of emergency for most regions of the country, but restrictions are being kept in place in Tokyo and seven other high-risk areas, including Osaka, Kyoto and Hokkaido. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the measure today ahead of schedule in 39 of the country's 47 prefectures, effective immediately.

Cop dies of virus,sixth death in Mumbai police | A 45-year-old police naik, who had tested positive for COVID-19, succumbed to the infection in neighbouring Navi Mumbai today, an official said. The deceased policeman was posted at Shivajinagar police station and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital for the last few days. 

AIR Headquarter santised after employee tests positive | Akashvani Bhavan, the headquarters of the All India Radio here, was sanitized today as a precautionary measure after an employee who last attended office on April 27 tested positive for COVID-19, say sources. The employee felt uneasy a couple days ago and was confirmed positive for coronavirus yesterday. 

70 Kerala cops test postive | Coronovirus scare has gripped the police in the district as around 70 personnel, including their chief, have gone on quarantine as a precautionary measure after three colleagues tested positive for the pathogen. A day after three personnel of Mananthavady police station tested positive for COVID-19, District Superintendent of Police R Illango said he and others decided to quarantine themselves. 

Prez takes 30 per cent salary cut | President Ram Nath Kovind has decided to take 30 per cent salary cut for himself besides announcing a slew of other austerity measures to aid the government's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The domestic tours and programmes of the President will be substantially reduced in order to follow social distancing restrictions and minimise expenditure, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique issued today.