Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Domestic Flight Operations to Restart in Phased Manner from May 25

Navy to Repatriate Stranded Indians from Sri Lanka on June 1 | As part of the third phase of its mission to bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Navy will repatriate expatriates stranded in neighbouring Sri Lanka in the beginning of next month, defence sources said.

Navy to Repatriate Stranded Indians from Sri Lanka on June 1 | As part of the third phase of its mission to bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Navy will repatriate expatriates stranded in neighbouring Sri Lanka in the beginning of next month, defence sources said.

Haryana Takes Back Decision to Ply Inter-state Buses | Haryana government took back its decision to ply inter-state buses but said its buses will continue to run within the state. The decision came after Home minister Anil Vij met Chief Minister M L Khattar and told him that it will be difficult to keep a check as there is high possibility of COVID-19 infection spreading once people freely travel from one state to the other.

Domestic Flights to Resume from May 25 | Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday 25th May 2020, says Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday 25th May 2020.

All airports & air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from 25th May.

SOPs for passenger movement are also being separately issued by @MoCA_GoI.

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 20, 2020

16 Gujarat Hospitals Get Notice for Turning Away Virus Patients | The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation served notices to 16 private hospitals for refusing to admit COVID-19 patients referred to them by the civic body. In the notices served under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the AMC has alleged that despite its order and an appeal made by Ahmedabad Medical Association, 16 hospitals had refused to cooperate and provide beds for COVID-19 patients.

0.2 Deaths Per Lakh Population in India | If the total population of the world is taken into account then 62 people per lakh population have been affected due to COVID-19. In India, 7.9 people per lakh population of this country got affected due to COVID-19. 4.2 people per lakh population across the world have died due to the disease. In India it is 0.2 deaths per lakh population: Lav Agarwal, Health Ministry Joint Secretary.

Over 42,000 People Have Recovered | It is satisfactory to note that 42,298 people have recovered and the number of active cases are 61,149: Lav Agarwal, Union Health ministry joint secretary

Centre Grants Exemptions from Lockdown for Board Exams | The Union Home Ministry has granted exemptions from the lockdown to conduct board examinations for classes 10 and 12, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said. The ministry has already written to all state governments informing them about the exemptions given for holding the examinations across the country with certain conditions.

Bihar Health Secretary Transferred | In a sudden move, the Bihar government transferred Health Secretary Sanjay Kumar, who has been at the forefront of the state's fight against coronavirus. According to a notification issued by the General Administration Department, the 1990-batch IAS officer has been made to swap posts with 1993-batch officer Uday Singh Kumawat, who is the state's Principal Secretary for Tourism Department.

Need to Accept COVID-19 as Part of Life: Sharad Pawar | NCP president Sharad Pawar said that Covid-19 would not be wiped out soon and it was imperative "to accept it as a part of life" while returning to normalcy. "The corona disease will not be eradicated shortly. It's necessary to accept it as a part of life. Beware of it and create awareness among the masses about health care," Pawar said.

Please Get Our Buses Running: Priyanka Gandhi | Had the buses been been allowed to ply, 36,000 migrant workers yesterday and another 36,000 today could’ve been taken home safely. If you want to stick BJP stickers on these buses, please do. If you want to say these buses are yours, please do. But please get the buses running. Give us permit. If you don’t wish to use them, please tell us. We’ll call back the buses: Priyanka Gandhi

Parties Must Put Aside Politics & Work Together: Priyanka Gandhi | All political parties must keep politics aside and work together with a positive approach to help in this time of need. We want to help. Our approach has been positive from the beginning. That’s how we approached UP CM: Priyanka Gandhi

Former Sri Lanka PM Praises Kerala Health Minister | Former Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has praised Kerala's Health Minister K K Shailaja's proactive and bold leadership in curbing the spread of the coronavirus in her state. Kerala, which reported India's first case in January, has recorded an impressive recovery rate and flattening of the COVID-19 curve.

Uttarakhand Case Count | Nine new COVID-19 cases were reported in Uttarakhand today, and one patient was cured and discharged. The total number of cases in the state rises to 120: Uttarakhand State Control Room for COVID-19

Centre Releases Guidelines for Exams Amid Covid-19 Pandemic | Taking into consideration the academic interest of large number of students, it has been decided to grant exemption from the lockdown measures to conduct Board examination for classes 10th & 12th, with few conditions like social distancing, face mask etc, for their safety: Home Minister Amit Shah

Sindh recorded 17,947 coronavirus cases, followed by Punjab at 16,685, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 6,554, Balochistan 2,885, Islamabad 1,138, Gilgit-Baltistan 556 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 133.

Rajasthan Records 46 More Cases | Forty six more cases of coronavirus was registered in Rajasthan till 2 pm today, taking the total number of new cases to 107 according to the latest bulletin. Of the new cases, Dungarpur recorded 11 cases, Jalore had 11 cases and Jodhpur reported 10 new cases alone. The state has a total of 5,952 cases and 143 deaths. 

Package to Provide Food Grains to Migrants | Cabinet approves ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package' for allocation of food grains for migrants amid the Covid-19 criris: KS Dhatwalia, Director-General of Press Information Bureau

Covid-19 Positive Case Detected in Nirman Bhawan | A Covid-19 positive case was found in Directorate General of Health Services in the medical education division at Union Health Ministry, Nirman Bhawan. Proper protocol for sanitisation of entire area will take place, contact tracing has been initiated, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare officials stated.

Researchers, including those from the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, said a good baseline for studying the airborne transmission of viruses, like the one behind the Covid-19 pandemic, is a deeper understanding of how particles travel through the air when people cough.

Delhi Sees Biggest Spike in Coronavirus Cases in 24 Hours | Latest bulletin by the Delhi government shows that the Covid-19 death toll rose to 176 as the capital recorded its highest single-day spike of 534 fresh cases, taking the infections tally to 11,088. Atleast 442 people were discharged, making the total number of cured/discharges in the state to stand at 5,192. The tally includes 5,720 active cases. 

Intra-state Bus Services to Resume in Andhra Pradesh | Intra-state bus services will resume in Andhra Pradesh from tomorrow. Initially, 1,683 buses will be run on 434 roots outside Covid-19 containment zones: Madireddy Pratap, Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation told ANI

Operation Samundra Setu | Indian Navy announced phase three of operation 'Samudra Setu' today. INS Jalashwa under the government's Vande Bharat Mission will bring back stranded Indian nationals from Colombo, Sri Lanka on Jun 1. 

Op #SamudraSetu #Phase3#INSJalashwa continues with the Mission to bring back Indian Citizens stranded Overseas.
The ship will embark Indian Nationals at #Colombo, #SriLanka on 01 Jun 20.#हरकामदेशकेनाम#IndiaFightsCorona#MissionVandeBharat@SpokespersonMoD @IndiainSL pic.twitter.com/W9WBIUb29A

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 20, 2020

'We are being sent on duty in high-risk areas. There are several policemen who have been infected with the virus. This cannot go on,' a police officer of the Combat Force told PTI.

Missing Covid-19 Patients Cause for Concern for Mumbai's BMC | Even as Mumbai's Covid-19 count witnesses a significant rise with each passing day, missing coronavirus patients are proving to be a major cause for concern for the city's civic body, which has adopted all possible means to trace them, reports PTI.

12 Fresh Cases of Coronavirus in Himachal | Twelve people, who had recently returned from Mumbai, have tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh, taking the virus tally in the state to 105. The 12 were among the 697 people, who had returned to Himachal Pradesh from Mumbai in a special train on May 18, officials told PTI.

Ola to Layoff 1,400 Staff Due to Covid-19 | Cab aggregator Ola is laying off 1,400 staff from rides, financial services and food business as revenues declined by 95 per cent in the last two months due to coronavirus pandemic, a note by CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said. In an email to employees, Aggarwal made it clear that the prognosis ahead for the business is "very unclear and uncertain" and the impact of this crisis is "definitely going to be long-drawn for us".

Karnataka Government to Allow Sports Activities | Sports practice allowed in clubs maintaining social distancing. However, restaurant, lodging not allowed, said state minister CT Ravi. All sports other than kabaddi, swimming will be allowed, however, no spectators should be present. Mask, sanitiser, thermal screening, tissue paper should be made mandatory at the premises, the order states. 

No State Permit Needed for Special Trains | 'Shramik special' trains now need no permit from receiving states, RD Bajpai, Railways Executive Director told ANI. This will cut short the communication time between the states and decisions can be taken faster, he added. 

Railways to Run 200 Non-Ac Trains from June 1 | Railways will run 100 pairs (200 return journeys) of non-AC trains from June 1. Only online ticket booking will be available for these trains and a schedule of these trains will be released soon. Yesterday, a record 204 'Shramik Special' trains were run: RD Bajpai, Railways Executive Director told ANI