Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Maharashtra Thinking of Opening up Places with No Cases, Says Minister

The testing capacity has been increased in the country through 435 government laboratories and 189 private laboratories. Cumulatively, 32,42,160 samples have been tested so far for COVID-19, whereas, 1,16,041 samples were tested yesterday, the government further says.

As of today, 930 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with 1,58,747 isolation beds, 20,355 ICU beds and 69,076 oxygen supported beds are available. 2,362 dedicated COVID health centres with 1,32,593 isolation beds, 10,903 ICU beds and 45,562 oxygen supported beds have been operationalised, the government says.

In Highest Single-day Spike, Nepal Records 114 Cases | Nepal records its highest single-day surge in coronavirus cases with 114 new infections, taking the total COVID-19 tally to 886 in the Himalayan nation. Nepal, which has extended its nationwide lockdown till June 2, is among the countries having the least number of COVID-19 cases. The virus has so far claimed four lives in Nepal. 

Private Bus Services to Resume in Odisha | Private bus services in Odisha will resume from tomorrow. The All Odisha Private Bus Owners' Association today agreed to run buses from Thursday after discussions with the state government regarding various demands of the association. Association Secretary Debendra Sahu said that initially, some buses will roll on the roads.

"We want to open up the economy, we want activities to begin," Patil says.

Maha Govt Mulling Opening up Places After May 31 | Responding to the question of Maharashtra government's stance on fifth phase of lockdown, NCP leader Jayant Patil says. "The government is thinking of opening up places which do not have COVID-19 cases. For red zones, we will do a review by May 29, 30. We will have to see what the PM says and then we will base our stand on that."

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when thousands of migrant labourers and their family members had gathered to complete necessary formalities for boarding a Shramik special train.

Students Can Appear for Board Exams in Their Own States: HRD Min | In a relief to Class 10, 12 students, who have moved to different states or districts during lockdown, the HRD Ministry announced that they can appear for the pending board exams in their own states.

Patients Complain of Poor Quality Food at Care Centre in Maha | A number COVID-19 patients and others quarantined at a facility in Maharashtra's Gondia city complained that they were being served poor quality food and made to stay in unhygienic conditions. After not getting a satisfactory reply over their complaints from the staff on duty at the COVID Care Centre set up in the district sports complex, the patients came out of their rooms in protest last night and said they want to leave the place. They also argued with doctors at the centre.

The bodies were found by railway staff when other passengers had got off the train and it was shifted to the yard for cleaning and sanitising. The train had arrived at the Manduadih station at 8.21 am.

Mumbai Continues to be a Concern: Thorat | "Mumbai continues to be a matter of concern but the chief minister is making sure, nobody is inconvenienced. We had expected cooperation from the Opposition but they have opened new avenues to destabilise us. But we will not let them succeed," says Thorat.

Working to Abate Migrant Woes: Thorat | Addressing a joint Maha Vikas Aghadi press conference, Congress leader and Maharashtra Minister Balasaheb Thorat says, "It has been two months since lockdown. We are all working together under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray. We are a major industrial hub. The number of our migrant labourers is also high. Each day, we are giving 7 lakh meals."

Meanwhile, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij says, "Those without masks or those found spitting in public will be fined Rs 500."

"72 people of Haryana, who are stranded in Nepal, will be brought back day after tomorrow via India-Nepal border. Haryana Roadways buses will leave for Nepal border tomorrow," says Public Relations Dept, Haryana.

"We should never let differences overshadow our relations. We should resolve differences through communication," he says.

China, India Fighting Covid-19 Together: Envoy | "China and India are fighting together against COVID-19 and we have an important task to consolidate relations. Our youth should realise the relation between China and India, the two countries are opportunities for each other and pose no threat," Chinese Envoy to India, Sun Weidong says.

China&India are fighting together against #COVID19 & we have an important task to consolidate relations. Our youth should realise the relation between China & India, the 2 countries are opportunities for each other and pose no threat: Chinese Envoy to India, Sun Weidong(file pic) pic.twitter.com/4r4Yh8GHPR

— ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2020

Kerala to Open Liquor Shops from Tomorrow | Meanwhile, the Kerala government allows the opening of liquor outlets in the state from 9am to 5pm starting Thursday. People will have to book liquor through a mobile application, following which they can collect it from the outlets. Not more than five people will be allowed in the queue at a time.

Spike in Cases Due to Poor Planning: Mamata | "The sudden spike in cases is because of mismanagement and wrong planning. We are all responsible," the West Bengal chief minister says.

Returnees from 5 States to be Put in Institutional Quarantine | "We will not be able to put everyone returning in institutional quarantine. I am asking all the district officials to set up block level task forces in the districts. Migrants returning from Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the country's COVID-19 hotspots, will be put in institutional quarantine. The returnees and their family members will have to be taken care of. They will be tested after 14 days, those found negative will be sent homes while those who test positive will be treated as per protocol," says Banerjee

"We are faced with multiple dangers simultaneously. We are also fighting Covid-19. Migrant workers are coming back. The Centre is unilaterally running trains from Maharashtra to Bengal without consulting us. Even the Maharashtra government was in the dark. They should not play politics in this hour of crisis," says Banerjee.

Returnees to State to be Home Quarantined: Mamata | West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is holding an administrative meeting with district officials, said that the returnees from other states, apart from Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, will be screened and put in home quarantine and monitored by the state health department.

Several arrangements, including preparations for implementing social distancing norms, being made at Bagdogra Airport as domestic flights will resume operations from tomorrow in the state.

West Bengal: Several arrangements, including preparations for social distancing norms, being done at Bagdogra Airport as domestic flights will resume operations from tomorrow in the state, amid #COVID19 lockdown. pic.twitter.com/E8HzOBNpLp

— ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2020

1,600 Migrant Workers Leave Mumbai for TN | About 1,600 migrant workers hailing from Tamil Nadu, who were stranded in Mumbai due to the lockdown, have left for the southern state in a special train from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). The workers started their journey for Tirunelveli on Tuesday evening.

Lockdown 5.0? The central government is likely to extend the lockdown in some form by another two weeks after May 31 to stop the spread of coronavirus to but there could be even more relaxations in the offing. Read more here.

These are the front lines of an unprecedented campaign to screen virtually all 11 million people in Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began. Nearly two weeks in, the…

Pramod Sawant on Covid-19 Tests | "We maintain the need for a COVID negative certificate and a compulsory COVID test. The 14-day home quarantine option will be no longer available. Either you bring the negative certificate or have to take the test": Goa CM Pramod Sawant on all persons entering the state.

Congress Leader Moves SC on Migrant Issue | Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking to intervene in the matter in which the apex court on its own has taken cognisance of the "unfortunate and miserable" plight of migrant labourers stranded across the country due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

18 New Cases in Assam | 18 new cases of coronavirus, including first air carrier, a resident of Kamrup Metro, who travelled from Ahmedabad to Guwahati. Total cases 704, recovered 62, deaths 4, said Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Prices of Onions Drop in Rajasthan | Prices of onion drop in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, amid the Covid-19 lockdown. An onion trader says, "Before lockdown the prices were between Rs 20 to Rs 24 per kg but now it ranges between Rs 4 to Rs 7 per kg".

Iran's Parliament Convenes | Iran's newly elected parliament convened on Wednesday, dominated by conservative lawmakers and under strict social distancing regulations, as the country struggles to curb the spread of the coronavirus that has hit the nation hard.