Migrants along with their families wait outside a government school to get screened before boarding buses for their native places in east Delhi, Wednesday.
Coronavirus India Updates: With 5,611 cases in the last 24 hours, India’s tally of coronavirus infections Wednesday rose to 1,06,750. At least 3,303 people have died due to the disease. Mumbai’s Dharavi area recorded 25 new cases on Wednesday, taking the total Covid-19 cases to 1,378, BMC said.
The Health Ministry Wednesday said the Covid-19 recovery rate in India has improved to 39.62 per cent, adding that at least 42,298 people have recovered from the virus. “Globally, 62 people per lakh have been affected with Covid-19. Whereas in India, only 7.9 people per lakh population have been affected by the coronavirus,” Health Secretary Luv Agarwal said.
While Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-affected state with 37,136 cases and 1,325 deaths, Odisha is emerging as a point of concern with 978 cases and five deaths. Already fighting a surge in Covid-19 cases after the return of migrants, the Odisha government now faces the unique challenge of bracing for cyclone Amphan while keeping social distancing in mind.
Meanwhile, Kerala has added 139 Covid-19 cases in the last 10 days but the government has ruled out community spread of the virus based on random testing done on 5,630 samples, of which only four tested positive. In Delhi, the heath department has red-flagged the fact that even though coronavirus cases are rising in the city (10,054), the number of containment zones is going down. Gujarat, with the second highest number of cases and deaths at 11,745 and 694 respectively, has the most number of people living in containment zones, 31 lakh, across the state.
As the global toll of the coronavirus crosses 3,20,000, a resolution to probe the origin of the virus and to evaluate the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) was passed by an overwhelming support of around 130 countries, including India, at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. Over 4.8 million people are infected with the virus worldwide, with the most number of fatalities in the United States (91,187), followed by the United Kingdom (35,422) and Italy (32,169).
Relaxation during the Lockdown 4.0. Salesmen at a showroom in Ludhiana on Tuesday.
Migrant workers wait at Kharadi for the special bus to their hometown in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
A man wearing a protective face mask walks in Rome, Italy, (Reuters photo)
A total of 14 Covid-19 related deaths were reported on Wednesday, taking the toll in Pune to 235. As many as 174 new cases were also reported in Pune, taking the total number of infected persons to 4,544.
Of the 14, five persons died on Wednesday, including an 80-year-old man from Tadiwala Road, who was admitted on May 9 at Sassoon General Hospital. He also had hypertension and ischaemic heart disease.
In another case, a 69-year-old woman from Shirur, who was admitted on May 13 at Sahyadri Hospital (Nagar Road), succumbed to the infection on Wednesday. The woman had acute renal failure with lymphoma. READ MORE
Six new cases of coronavirus emerged in Gurgaon on Wednesday, bringing the count of total cases in the district to 226. “Of the six who have tested positive today, four are contacts of people who had tested positive earlier, while the new cases are from Bharti Chowk and Sector 32 respectively,” said a spokesperson of the Gurgaon district administration.
Faridabad also recorded 13 new cases on the day, including the niece of a 45-year-old man among six people who have succumbed to the infection in the district so far.
“The niece of the Bharat Colony resident who had died due to coronavirus last week has tested positive today. Apart from her, among those who have tested positive are a multi-purpose health worker of the health department, currently posted at Ballabhgarh, and a 28-year-old man working at a company in Manesar,” said a spokesperson of the Faridabad district administration.
“A 57-year-old woman who works as a teacher at a Delhi school has also tested positive, along with a 21-year-old engineering student residing at Dabua colony,” he said. Faridabad has so far recorded 176 cases of coronavirus, of which 90 people have recovered. (ENS)
Noida-Delhi borders will remain sealed, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration said Wednesday as it released guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown. According to officials, a clarification regarding movement between Delhi and Noida has been sought from the state government and the rules will be in place till directions are received.
The UP government order for the lockdown Monday had read, “Except those staying in containment zones in Delhi, anyone can travel to Noida, Ghaziabad. Local administration will provide guidelines for the same.”
The administration further clarified that as per MHA guidelines, entry of domestic helps, drivers, service personnel among others will not be restricted. Read more
A team of scientists in Pune have developed an eco-friendly and non-toxic handwash solution and a disinfectant solution. According to experts, this disinfectant solution can be safely used to wash edible foods, vegetables and raw meat before consumption.
“The handwash is composed of a nanomaterial having antiviral properties and is mixed with an herbal aromatic ingredient. Since it does not contain toxic ingredients, it is safer for use than commercially available variants,” said Ravindra Chaudhari of Shri Shiv Chhatrapati College, Junnar, one of the members of the project.
The handwash solution is water-based. “It is biologically compatible which makes it safe for the environment,” said senior scientist Dinesh Amalnerkar, former director general, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (CMET).
The return of migrants to Uttarakhand may pose a new challenge for the state, with almost 84 per cent of the COVID-19 cases detected in the last 10 days having entered Uttarakhand recently. Also, while cases were earlier reported from plain areas, the recent cases have been detected in hill districts.
Fifteen new cases were detected on Tuesday, and officials said that all of them have history of travel outside the state. Seven cases were reported from Nainital, three from Udham Singh Nagar, two each from Pauri Garhwal and Bageshwar and one from Chamoli. Read more
People in the age group of 50-59 years constituted over 26 per cent of the total COVID-19 fatalities in the national capital, according to official figures. At least 176 people have died in Delhi due to the coronavirus, authorities said.
Of the total deceased patients, 92 were aged 60 and above, accounting for over 52 per cent of the fatalities here. Forty-seven of them were aged between 50-59 years (26.71 per cent) and 37 were less than 50 years (21.02 per cent), according to the latest health bulletin released on Wednesday.
Actor Ranvir Shorey on Wednesday took to Twitter to complain about the Mumbai Police after his car was allegedly stopped by on-duty policemen. The actor has claimed that it was an emergency situation but the police have refuted the allegations.
In a series of tweets, the actor said, “My car was impounded for taking my domestic help for his wife’s delivery to hospital. Officer in-charge says a child being delivered is not an emergency. Please advise.”
A while later, as the policemen refused to budge, he again tweeted saying, “Even as other officers have understood the situation and are sympathetic, the OIC, Vijay K Kadam at Jogeshwari highway police chowki decided to file an FIR and impound my car. This is plain harassment.” Read more
From maintaining six feet distance from the victim at a crime spot, taking precautions while handling dead bodies, sanitising weapons, granting bail for a bailable offence at the spot as far as possible – Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava issued fresh guidelines to the force to preventing the spread of Covid-19.
The 11-page circular issued Wednesday has details on general precautions at police stations, micro-grouping, beat patrolling, crowd control, protest sites, crime and hospital spot visits, handling bodies, arresting protocol, and role of SHOs and ACPs. As per the circular, at police stations, all personnel should wear masks and gloves, and disinfect weapons, anti-riot gear, blinkers, dragon light, computers and printers. Read more
Maharashtra, the state worst hit by Covid-19, accounts for about a third of all cases in India, and two out of every five deaths. Mumbai, in turn, accounts for three out of every five cases in Maharashtra, and also three of every five deaths.
Amid these high numbers, epidemiologists also point to some encouraging recent trends. While the number of cases is rising, the growth rate has slowed. The death rate among the infected too has been declining. And the recovery rate too has encouraged experts.For both the state and the city, the case and death counts in April were 30 to 50 times the corresponding counts in March. The growth rates between April and the first 20 days of May, however, have been well behind the growth rates between March and April.
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Rushing home against all odds only to discover that you are no longer welcome is a predicament being faced by many among the millions of migrant workers who have returned, and are still in the process of returning, to their native places in the wake of the pandemic.
Owing to the highly contagious nature of the disease, there is a change in people’s attitude towards the migrants who traditionally spend eight to 10 months in the metro cities and return home for a few months every year. Click here to read more.
The death toll due to COVID-19 in Ahmedabad rose to 602 on Wednesday with 26 more patients succumbing in hospitals here, while the tally of cases increased to 9,216 with the addition of 271 new infections, the state health department said.
Ahmedabad also reported recovery of 107 coronavirus patients, taking the number of such people to3,130.
There are 5,484 active cases in the district, the health department said. (PTI)
Two policemen died due to coronavirus infection in Mumbai on Wednesday, an official said here. It took the number of police personnel who have died due to the pandemic in Maharashtra to 14, ten of them in Mumbai.
A 57-year-old police constable attached to Parksite Police Station in the eastern suburbs died at Seven Hills hospital in Andheri, an official said. He had tested positive for virus eight days ago, the police official said.
An assistant sub-inspector of traffic branch also died due to the infection during the day. He was attached to Sahar traffic police, the official said.
At least 1,388 police personnel including 142 officers have tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, 700 of them in Mumbai alone. (PTI)
At least 73 new Covid-19 cases detected in Jammu and Kashmir; total number of cases reaches 1,390.
At least 14 people died due to Covd-19 in Pune on Wednesday, taking the toll in the city to 221. The are also recorded 152 new Covid-19 cases today.
The Indian Railways has run 1,813 'Shramik Special' trains since May 1 and ferried over 22 lakh migrants back home, the national transporter said on Wednesday.
Of the 1,813 trains, 301 trains are in transit and 1,512 have arrived. More than 143 trains are in the pipeline, the railways said.
Most migrant trains have terminated in Uttar Pradesh (912), followed by Bihar (398). As many as 583 trains originated from Gujarat and 320 from Maharashtra.
The operation of these trains has, however, led to a political mud-slinging, with the opposition accusing the Centre of charging fares from migrants and the central government criticising some states having non-BJP governments for allegedly not providing permission for the special trains to run.(PTI)
Taking shelter in make-do camps at an exhibition ground in Hyderabad, distressed migrant workers, stranded due to the nationwide lockdown, are now reconsidering their plans to go back home, and demanding jobs from the state government as curbs are gradually eased.
Walking into the huge temporary shelter in Nampally,a few elderly men can be seen sleeping while holding on to their minimum belongings, some lazily chatting away in groups, some seated in a circle playing cards, and a few others aimlessly strolling. With signs of normalcy returning in the city, as businesses and offices prepare to open, almost everyone in the shelter is seeking a job opportunity in the city after a failed chance to go back home.
From nearly 1300 inmates in the last week of March, the shelter is left with less than 150 persons at the moment. Languishing in the temporary shelter run by NGOs with the state’s assistance, migrant workers reiterate that they are neither beggars nor prisoners and demand that their livelihoods be restored by the government if they are not going to be sent back. Read more
Manipur reports eleven more COVID-19 cases on Wednesday taking the total positive cases to 20 and 18 active cases 10 of the eleven cases are from Churachandpur district who had returned from Chennai by train while one is from Imphal East district All the samples were tested at JNIMS.
Six new coronavirus cases were reported in Gurgaon today. Four of these are contacts of peope who tested positive earlier, in Shakti Park, Sector 38, and Sikanderpur. Other two are residents of Bharti Chowk and Sector 32. Total cases now 226.
In Faridabad, 13 new coronavirus cases were detected, including the niece of a Covid-19 patient who had succumbed to the infection, a MPHW of health dept, and an employee of a Manesar company. Total cases now 176, of who 90 have recovered and 6 have succumbed to the infection.
Three fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported on Monday taking the total number of cases in the Union territory of Puducherry to 13, even as the government underscored the need to wear masks to contain the spread of the infection.
Director of Health and Family Welfare Service S Mohan Kumar told PTI that a person and his sonreturned from Abu Dhabi and tested positive for the COVlD-19 on Tuesday.
He said the two were admitted to the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College hospital on Wednesday where already seven patients were under treatment.
The result of examination of the swabs of his wife and another son, also returnees from Abu Dhabi, was awaited, the director said. (PTI)
At least 743 people (including 83 from Maharashtra) tested positive for Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu today, taking the total cases to 13,191. Chennai reported 557 cases today.