Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Part 3 of Relief Package Today With Focus on Agri, Cases in India Near 82,000-Mark

Hospitals Overflow as Covid-19 Infections Explode in Mumbai | The coronavirus problem that India had feared is becoming reality in Mumbai. It is India’s most densely populated city, a scraggly peninsula framed by the Arabian Sea and other waterways, a metropolis of towering apartment blocks and endless slums, a city of oversize dreams and desperate poverty, all sandwiched together. Read More Here

WATCH | Licensed Drug For Covid-19 Treatment Likely To Be Approved Before Summer: EU

SC Directs States to Not Prosecute Factories for Not Paying Full Wages | The Supreme Court asked the Centre and states to not prosecute private factories for not paying full wages to workers amid the Covid-19 lockdown. While the Central government sought time to submit its reply, SC said no coercive actions against any unit will be taken till next week.

Andhra Pradesh Records 57 New Cases | Health officials in recorded 57 new coronavirus cases today, taking the state's infections tally to 2,157. Reports suggest that migrants who have returned to the state are increasingly testing positive for the disease. 

India has tested over 20 lakh samples so far to detect coronavirus.

The Supreme Court on Friday said it was impossible for anyone to stop migrant workers from walking back to their homes and refused to direct the government to give them shelter or free transportation.

Supreme Court today dismissed two petitions for closure of liquor shops with a penalty of Rs 1 lakh each, says these are publicity-oriented.

SC Refuses to Pass Directions on Matter Where Migrants Run Over by Train in Aurangabad | The Supreme Court has refused to pass directions on a matter in which 16 migrant labourers, who were trying to return to their home state Madhya Pradesh on foot, were killed when a goods train ran over them between Jalna and Aurangabad districts. The SC asks, "How can anyone stop this when they sleep on railway tracks? How do you stop people who want to keep walking? Can anyone go and stop them? Impossible for anyone to stop them." When the court sought Centre's view on it, SG Tushar Mehta says, "arrangements are being made but some don't want to wait and start walking on foot. Migrants must have patience to wait for their turn."

SC Directs Centre to Consider Providing Facilities to Doctors Near Hospitals | The Supreme Court has asked the central government to consider providing accommodation and quarantine facility to doctors in the vicinity of hospitals they work. SG Tushar Mehta asked to seek instructions on a petition by a woman doctor from Udaipur in Rajasthan.

Delhi High Court today declined to stay for now the levy of 70 per cent special corona fees on liquor.

New York Probing 110 Cases of Covid-related Rare Inflammatory Illness in Children: Governor | The authorities in the upscale New York City, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in the US, are investigating 110 Covid-19 cases related to a rare inflammatory illness in children that has claimed three lives, the city's Governor has said, describing the situation as "serious". The severe illness in children and child deaths is linked to the serious inflammatory disease called 'Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with Covid-19'. So far, two boys aged 5 and 7 years and an 18-year-old girl have died due to the illness.

CM Pramod Sawant Against Train Halt in Goa as New Covid-19 Cases Surface | Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has suggested the Railways to cancel the halt at Madgaon for special trains being operated by it as the state records new cases of coronavirus after a gap of more than a month. He has also said people travelling to the state in special trains or flights will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days even if they are non-Goans.

Air India has opened bookings on select repatriation flights to be operated from India to the USA, the UK, Australia, Frankfurt, Paris and Singapore under the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission.

World Bank Announces $1 Billion Social Protection Package for India | World Bank approved $1 billion aid to support India's efforts for providing social assistance to poor, vulnerable households, according to a statement.

55 Fresh Covid-19 Cases in Rajasthan; Total 4,589 | Rajasthan recorded 55 fresh coronavirus cases today, taking the state's virus tally to 4,589, an official said. The state has so far seen 125 deaths due to the coronavirus, with Jaipur accounting for 63 deaths. "As many as 55 fresh cases have been reported in nine districts of the state today, including 29 in Kota district," Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said.

Germany's Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Rise by 913 to 173,152 | The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 913 to 173,152, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed today. The reported death toll rose by 101 to 7,824, the tally showed.

Whatever the reason might be, the slower rate of growth than what was projected and this recent flattening of the curve (in terms of number of new cases) and the sheer timing of it is to India's credit and advantage.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking bailout package for sugar industry as a relief amid Covid-19 lockdown.

Raised concerns through letter to Hon. @PMOIndia and requested his urgent intervention to bail out #sugar industry from crisis aggravated exponentially by unprecedented nationwide lockdown in the wake of pandemic #COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/73MYTSt5l5

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) May 15, 2020

China Reports 15 New Coronavirus Cases | China has reported 15 new Covid-19 cases, including 11 asymptomatic ones, taking the total number of coronavirus infections in the country to 82,933, health authorities said today. According to China's National Health Commission (NHC), four new confirmed coronavirus case, all locally transmitted from Jilin province, were reported yesterday. Among the new cases, 11 are asymptomatic infections, upping their total to 619, including 492 in its first Covid-19 epicentre Wuhan, it said.

Covid-19 Patients Given Malaria Drug Didn't See Significant Improvements: Studies | Patients given the malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as a potential treatment for Covid-19 did not improve significantly over those who did not, according to two new studies published in the medical journal BMJ yesterday. Neither trial was placebo controlled, generally considered the gold standard for clinical data. In a randomized, controlled trial of 150 patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 in China, researchers found that patients on hydroxychloroquine did not get better significantly faster than those not treated with the drug. Adverse events were also higher in patients receiving the malaria drug.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will address a webinar on ‘Impact of Higher Education In The Post COVID Economy’ today from 12:30pm – 1:30pm.

Covid-19 Cases in Nepal Jumps to 258 | With nine new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus till 8:20am today, total tally in Nepal has reached 258. Tests for Covid-19 undertaken at National Public Health Laboratory and Bheri Hospital, Nepalgunj confirmed the new cases, according to Nepal Health Ministry.

Sensex Drops Over 200 Points in Early Trade; Nifty Tests 9,100 Level | Equity benchmark Sensex dropped over 200 points in opening session today tracking losses in index heavyweights HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Reliance Industries amid weak domestic investor sentiment. According to market experts, investors fear that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent announcements on the Rs 20-lakh-crore economic package may not boost demand immediately, and hence economic revival would not take place any time soon.

Covid-19 Protocol by Tamil Nadu Govt | "Even if one passenger in a bogie on the Rajdhani Express that arrived in Chennai, tests positive for Covid-19, all co-passengers in the bogie would be on institutional quarantine for a week," according to a protocol framed by the Tamil Nadu government.

WATCH | Embarkation of stranded Indian Nationals onboard INS Jalashwa commenced today in Male, Maldives as a part of Operation 'Samudra Setu'. Indian Navy launched Operation 'Samudra Setu' as a part of national effort to repatriate Indian nationals stranded in the Maldives due to the Covid-19 chaos.

Op #SamudraSetu #Phase2
Embarkation onboard #INSJalashwa commences@SpokespersonMoD @HCIMaldives @Portmv pic.twitter.com/aLev9gOMHO

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 15, 2020

Highest Covid-19 Cases in Maharashtra, Followed by Tamil Nadu | According to data updated by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare this morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 27,524, followed by Tamil Nadu at 9,674, Gujarat at 9,591, Delhi at 8,470 Rajasthan at 4,534, Madhya Pradesh at 4,426 and Uttar Pradesh at 3,902. The number of Covid-19 cases has gone up to 2,377 in West Bengal, 2,205 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,935 in Punjab. It has risen to 1,414 in Telangana, 994 in Bihar, 987 in Karnataka, 983 in Jammu and Kashmir and 818 in Haryana.

Niramala Sitharaman to Address Presser at 4pm Today |  Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will again address a press conference today at 4pm. Third tranche will focus on agriculture sector. From past two consecutive days, Sitharaman has been announcing a slew of measures under the economic package that she said would infuse vigour in the economy and benefit various economic sectors hit by Covid-19 lockdown.

48 New Covid-19 Cases in Odisha, Tally Reaches 672 | With new 48 cases of novel coronavirus reported in Odisha, the total tally has jumped to 672 in the state. According to Odisha Health Department, there are 511 active cases, while 158 patients have been cured from the infection. So far, three people have died due to coronavirus in the state.

Roadways Buses Services Resume in Haryana Amid Lockdown | Haryana has become the first state to resume the roadways buses services in the state, amid Covid-19 lockdown. The first bus departed this morning at 8am from Panchkula bus depot to Sirsa. Passengers had booked tickets online and their thermal screening was done at the depot before boarding the bus.

Lockdown Norms Flouted in Karnataka | People gathered in large numbers yesterday in Kolagondanahalli village of Ramanagara in Karnataka for a village fair. Panchayat Development Officer NC Kalmatt has been suspennded by administration for giving permission to hold such a gathering.

Karnataka: People gathered in large numbers y'day in Kolagondanahalli village of Ramanagara for a village fair.They had taken permission for gathering from Panchayat Development Officer NC Kalmatt.He has been suspended by Ramanagara Dy Commissioner following a report by Tehsildar pic.twitter.com/lOGspyW1KR

— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2020