Maharashtra, India's worst hit State, reported its highest single-day surge in COVID-19 deaths till date on Wednesday, with 105 fatalities taking the toll so far to 1,897, while another big spike of 2,190 cases saw its case tally rise to 56,948.
According to the Health Ministry, India's recovery rate is now 42.4%, with a fatality rate of 2.86%, whereas the world average is 6.36%.
Here is a list of State Helpline numbers. You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here.
Here are the latest updates:
A nine-year-old boy in Mannadipet tested positive for COVID-19 in Puducherry on Thursday, taking the active count to 40.
The boy contracted the infection from his father who is under treatment for COVID-19, a health official said.
12 IndiGo passengers who travelled on four flights test positive for COVID-19
A total of 12 asymptomatic passengers who travelled in four flights of IndiGo have tested positive for COVID-19, the airline said on Thursday.
Three passengers who travelled on Delhi-Jammu flight on Tuesday, six passengers who were on Bengaluru-Coimbatore flight on Wednesday, two passengers who were on Delhi-Coimbatore flight on Wednesday and one passenger who was on Bengaluru-Madurai flight on Wednesday tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the airline said.
Domestic passenger flights resumed in India from Monday. Since then, 16 passengers of three different airlines have tested positive for COVID-19.
Karnataka campaign rakes up the migrant workers issue
The Congress in Karnataka on Thursday came down heavily on the B S Yediyurappa government in the state for its failure to address the grievances of the migrant labourers during the COVID-19 lockdown, as the party launched the ‘Speak Up India’ nationwide online campaign against the ‘cruelty of the BJP government’ on Thursday.
The BJP too launched a counter campaign highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “relentless battle against COVID-19.”
Responding to the party high command’s call, the state Congress leaders took part in the campaign to rally behind those affected by the lockdown and posted their messages and videos on the social media platforms.
Sharad Pawar letter to PM Modi
NCP chief Sharad Pawar tweets "I have written a letter to Hon. Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi to express my deep concern over the current scenario of Real Estate Sector in India, amidst the unprecedented pandemic COVID-19 and consequent nationwide lockdown."
7 more die of COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh, total cases rise to 7,071
Seven more people died of coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, while 80 fresh cases pushed the total number of COVID-19 cases in the State to 7,071, officials said. With seven more fatalities, the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the State has reached 189.
“The total number of cases reported so far are 7,071, including 4,062 who have been treated and discharged and there are 2,820 active cases. The death toll in the State has reached 189,” Principal Secretary, Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters in Lucknow.
HC allows shifting of Markaz attendee foreigners from quarantine centres to alternate accommodation
The Delhi High Court Thursday allowed shifting of 955 foreign nationals, who had participated in the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz event, from institutional quarantine to an alternate place of accommodation.
A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar, which conducted the hearing through video conferencing, disposed of two petitions filed by various foreign nationals and said all of them will be shifted from government’s quarantine centers to nine designated places in the national capital as suggested by them.
The high court’s order came after the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Police did not object to the suggestion of petitioners’ counsel for shifting the foreigners to alternate accommodation and that the financial burden will be borne by the community, Tablighi Jamaat.
Five measures should be taken to prevent virus spread in absence of vaccine
The COVID-19 press conference today is on development of drugs, vaccines and technologies for testing. Niti Aayog Member (Heath) and Empowered Group Chairman Dr. V.K. Paul speaks:
"The final frontier for the fight against Covid-19 is science and technology. The base of our institutions of science and technology, bio-tech and pharma industry is strong. The entire infrastructure is engaged in the war against Covid-19."
Dr. K. Vijayraghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor says: "Five measures should be taken to prevent spread of Covid-19 - maintain hygiene, surface cleaning, physical distancing, tracking and testing. In the absence of drugs and vaccine, these steps can be taken by us.
"The disease spreads as our immune response takes a little longer and the virus by that time overwhelmes us. The vaccine is given to those who are not infected, that's why safety is important. It usually takes 10 to 15 years to develop vaccines at a cost of 200-300 million dollars.
Parallel processing needed in order to develop vaccine in a year
Dr. Viijayraghavan continues: "If we want to develop it in one year, parallel processing has to be done. 100 vaccines are being tested, instead of one. Simultaneously, we have to go fast on the regulatory process without compromising quality. We have to have manufacturing capability without compromising our standard immunising programme.
"We have to have a distribution system ready. This will require investment of 2 to 3 billion dollars, which is currently being done by the world. Our vaccine manufacturing is top class, of the three standard immunising vaccines, two are produced in India.
"For generics, India is one of the world's largest providers. Over the last few years, because of multiple kinds of investments, our vaccine companies are not only into manufacturing but also developing vaccines.
"Start-ups and acadamics have also got into developing vaccines. There are about 30 groups in India, big industries to individual academics, of which 20 are keeping good pace.
"Four categories of vaccines can be there:
1. MRNA vaccines, in which a component of genetic material of the virus is injected. Our body translates it into viral protein and develops immune system when the virus attacks.
2. Standard vaccine: in which weak version of the virus is used.
3. Protein coding region of the virus is attached to the backbone of another virus to develop vaccine.
4. Virus protein is developed in the lab and is used with another stimulant.
"Several companies are trying to develop it on the backbone of flu vaccine, it is in late pre-clinical trial stage and may be by October, pre-clinical trial would conclude.
"Indian companies are collaborating with foreign companies. Academics are also trying to develop the vaccines. The logistics of making the vaccine available to everyone will be a big challenge.
Drugs
"Drugs attack the virus chemically after it infects. This is a big challenge, as the virus uses our machinary to replicate. A drug has to be designed to attack only the virus.
"It has to attack the virus an early stage. There are two broad categories of drugs which can be developed.
1. It can be repurposed drugs
2. new drugs. Designing of new drugs is a major channel.
"In India, in addition to our science agencies, the CSIR and AICTE have embarked on drug discovery hackethon where students are trained with info on how to do computational drug discovery, they will get access to expensive equipment.
"As for testing and diagnosis, a new kind of test is likely to come up for testing of virus particle presence. Several nucleic acid tests have been developed, variations of RTPCR tests have been developed. Then there are antibody tests.
"If sensitivity and specificity of antibody tests are high, they can be used to test at individual level. Otherwise, they can be used for community surveillance purpose.
Dr. K. Vijayraghavan continues: "Till today, we have not observed any change in the virus that alters its fundamental properties."
HCQ
Dr. V.K. Paul: "Several trials have been done on the use of HCQ, it is also being done in India. Our experience so far is that as per the current guidelines for its use by frontline workers, its benefits outweigh any risks.
"More research will throw light on new aspects, on the basis of which further decisions will be taken.
"About 20 new companies in India have developed diagnostic kits, which will be supplied all over the world after meeting domestic requirements. By July, the domestic companies will be producing 5 lakh kits per day.
"On the drug front, we are trying many medicines, including oral medicine Favipiravir, plant-based medicine ACQH, Itolizumab (Also used for arthritis) BCG vaccine Micro-Bacterium W, Convalescent Plasma, Arbidol, and HCQ besides Ramdesivir. Eight vaccine candidates are being tried."
No fare for travel by train or bus shall be charged from migrant workers: Supreme Court
Supreme Court on Thursday said no fare for travel by train or bus shall be charged from migrant workers and it shall be shared by the States.
Stranded migrant workers be provided food by States, UTs till the time they board train or bus back home. The apex court added that migrant workers shall be provided meals at stations by States, railways to provide food to them during the journey.
- PTI
7 new cases in Manipur
Seven persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Manipur, taking the total number of such cases in the State to 51, an official said on Thursday.
Of the fresh cases, five were from Thoubal district and one each from Kakching and Imphal West, he said.
All the new patients have returned to the State recently and were in quarantine centres, the official said, adding that their samples were tested at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here.
The number of active cases in the State rose to 47 and four have recovered from the disease.
- PTI
Nine held for attack on healthcare workers, police personnel in U.P.
Nine people were on Thursday arrested after a team of healthcare workers and police personnel who had gone to cremate the body of a suspected COVID-19 victim were attacked on Wednesday by locals in Bhadohi district.
A case was registered against 35 people and 50 unidentified others for attempt to murder, wrongful confinement, rioting and assault, said Bhadohi police.
Sections of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant clauses of the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act were slapped against the accused.
The incident took place on Wednesday evening when the healthcare workers were on their way to the Ganga ghat area in an ambulance.
33 more cases in Assam
Assam added 33 more cases on Thursday, taking the total number of positive cases to 831, including 87 discharged, according to the State health bulletin in the afternoon. There are 737 active cases.
Uttarakhand reports 24 new cases
Uttarakhand reported 24 new cases on Thursday, taking the total positive cases in the State to 493, according to the health bulletin released this afternoon. There were no recoveries yet, so the active cases are now at 407.
24 new cases in Assam
The number of coronavirus positive cases in Assam rose to 798 after 24 more people tested positive for the disease, State Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.
Fifteen new cases have been reported this morning and nine were detected late on Wednesday night, the minister said.
Of the fresh cases, 12 were reported from Kamrup (Metro), five from Hojai, three from Dibrugarh and one each from Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Morigaon and Jorhat.
The number of active COVID-19 cases in Assam now stands at 704, while 87 have recovered from the disease and three have migrated to other States.
Four people have died of the disease in the State.
- PTI
Indigo passenger who took Bengaluru-Madurai flight tests positive for COVID-19
An asymptomatic passenger who took an IndiGo Bengaluru-Madurai flight on Wednesday was found positive for COVID-19 during mandatory testing on the same day at a quarantine facility in Madurai, the airline said on Thursday. Domestic passenger flights resumed in India from Monday. Since then, five passengers of three different airlines have tested positive for COVID-19.
“An asymptomatic passenger who travelled on IndiGo on 6E 7214 from Bangalore to Madurai on May 27, 2020 was discovered to be COVID-19 positive during the mandatory testing at the quarantine facility in Madurai on 27th May,” the airline said in its statement.
The passenger had observed all precautionary measures, including wearing face mask, face shield and gloves, like other passengers on the aircraft, IndiGo added.
The COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar has increased to 3090. All from Nawada, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Purnima, Gaya,Siwan, Supaul and Gopalgunj districts.
- Amarnath Tewary
195 healthcare workers at AIIMS tested positive for COVID-19 so far
As many as 195 healthcare workers have tested positive for coronavirus infection at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here till date, sources said.
Over 50 healthcare personnel, including one MBBS student, three resident doctors, eight nurses and five mess workers, have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last two days, the sources said.
Others include laboratory staff, technicians, sanitation staff and security guards.
Contact tracing has been initiated, the sources said.
- PTI
Rumours of army deployment in Mumbai and Pune is fake news: Maharashtra Home Minister
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said that action will be taken against those creating panic by spreading rumours of army deployment in Mumbai and Pune.
Mr Deshmukh on Thursday clarified that this is wholly and completely fake news.
“First of all I want to underline that as the Home Minister I am fully confident of the Maharashtra Police's wherewithal and capabilities in tackling any emergent situation. I exhort citizens not to believe such messages or share/forward them as this unnecessarily compounds panic in society.
"The Maharashtra government is committed in its battle with Covid-19 and has been open in its communication with citizens on policy decisions with regard to combatting the pandemic,” he said but warned, “The spread of such rumours can attract penalties and punishment under the provisions of both the IT Act and the IPC. The Maharashtra Cyber Department is actually looking closely at this issue and has alreay initiated action against the rumour mongers.”
- Alok Deshpande
Maharashtra Governor announces austerity measures to reduce Raj Bhavan expenses
The Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari on May 28 announced a series of austerity measures to reduce the expenses of Raj Bhavan so as to make more resources available for COVID-19 relief measures.
1. No new capital works to be undertaken. There will not be any new major construction / repairing works in Raj Bhavan. Only ongoing works in progress will be continued and completed.
2. The Independence Day Reception to be held on 15th August 2020 at Raj Bhavan, Pune will be cancelled.
3. There will be no new regular recruitment in Raj Bhavan until further orders.
4. The proposal for the purchase of new car for Raj Bhavan be deferred.
5. The practice of offering gifts/mementos to VVIPS will be discontinued until further order.
6. The practice of welcoming VIP visitors with bouquets will be discontinued. Guest house rooms in Raj Bhavan should not be decorated with vases and flower-pots.
7. Meetings and interactions with Vice-Chancellors and various officers to be conducted via video conference to avoid any expenses on travel.
Expected annual savings - 10-15%.
- Alok Deshpande
Southern Railway closes headquarters for 2 days after staff test positive
Southern Railway closed its headquarters here for two days after some officers and staff reportedly tested positive to COVID-19.
According to sources in the railways, the headquarters that houses the offices of the Southern Railway General Manager, Additional General Manager and Principal Heads of Departments will open on Monday.
The offices opened with initially 33% staff as per Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines and increased to about 50% a couple of days ago, the sources said.
Though safety measures like wearing of face masks, use of hand sanitisers and spreading of disinfectants at public utility spaces were done, some officers/employees whose samples were to the Kings Institute tested positive.
In a note, Southern Railway’s Deputy Chief Personnel Officer Siddharth S.K. Raj said that considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation in Chennai, the competent authority had decided that the General Manager’s office and all offices in the Annexe Complex would remain closed on May 28 and 29 in order to enable disinfection in the entire premises.
- S. Vijay Kumar
75 new cases in Karnataka
As many as 75 new cases in Karnataka have been reported on Thursday morning, taking the total number of cases to 2,493.
This includes 47 Covid deaths, two non- Covid deaths and 809 discharges.
Of the new cases, Udupi has reported the highest with 27. While Bengaluru Urban has reported seven cases, Hassan has 13, Chitradurga and Dakshina Kannada six each and Vijayapura and Chickmangaluru two each.
- Afshan Yasmeen
Red Cross says 208 COVID-19 related attacks on health workers
The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross said it has recorded 208 COVID-19-related attacks against health workers and installations in 13 countries since March, a striking contrast to the cheers and clapping in gratitude for their work in many nations.
Peter Maurer said on Wednesday that health workers are being attacked and abused and health systems are being targeted at a time when they are most needed.
The COVID-19 crisis is fast threatening to become a protection crisis,” he told the U.N. Security Council.
2 deaths, 75 new cases in Pune district
Despite a robust recovery rate, the surge in new Covid-19 cases continued unabated in Pune district after 75 new cases were reported over a 12-hour span on Thursday, taking the district’s total case tally to 6,718 while two more deaths since Wednesday evening has taken the total death count to 300, said authorities.
Of the total case tally, officials said that only 2,757 cases were active while as many as 3,661 persons had been discharged thus far. 214 cases were ‘critical’.
- Shoumojit Banerjee
1 death, 128 new cases in A.P.
Andhra Pradesh reported 1 death and 128 new postive cases on Thursday. 68 have recovered. A total of 2125 people have recovered, taking the number of active cases in the State to 1061. The State has 3245 positive cases and the death toll has risen to 59.
- Tharun Boda
6 more deaths in Rajasthan
Six more COVID-19 deaths were reported in Rajasthan on Thursday, taking their number to 179 as 131 new coronavirus cases pushed the tally in the State to 7,947, the Health Department said here.
One death each was reported from Ajmer, Banswara, Dausa, Karauli and Nagaur. The location of one more fatality is yet to be ascertained, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said.
Of the new cases, 69 were reported in Jhalawar, 13 in Pali, 12 in Bharatpur, eight in Kota, seven each in Jaipur and Jhunjhunu, five each in Nagaur and Churu, four in Dausa and one in Ajmer district, officials said.
There are 3,292 active cases in the State and 3,913 people have been discharged, they said.
- PTI
Domestic flight operations in Kolkata to resume from today
Domestic flight operations to and from Kolkata will resume from Thursday after a gap of two months due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Though domestic flight operations across the country began on May 25, it could not be restarted in Kolkata as the state machinery was involved in the relief and restoration work after the extremely severe Cyclone Amphan whiplashed many areas of the state.
On Thursday, 10 flights will take off from Kolkata and an equal number will arrive in the city, sources at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport said.
The first flight from Kolkata would leave for Guhawati at 6.05 a.m., the sources said.
All shops, barring malls, to be open from today
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said that all shops except malls will be opened from Thursday.
The government said that though it allowed opening of shops on alternate days, it was observed that more crowds were gathering at the shops that were open. Thus, it was decided to open more shops and let the crowds disperse. Shop owners and consumers should strictly following COVID-19 guidelines of physical distancing, wearing masks and using hand sanitisers, a release from the Chief Minister’s office said on Wednesday night.
67 fresh cases in Odisha
Sixty-seven more COVID-19 positive cases were detected in Odisha on Thursday taking the State’s total to 1660, according to State Health Department. While 65 were detected in quarantine centres, two were detected in the local community.
Number of active cases in the State now stands at 841, while 812 have recovered and seven have died so far, officials say. - Prafulla Das
Palika Kendra sealed
A notice at the entrance of Palika Kendra says the premises will be shut for two days. | Photo Credit: Special Arangement
The headquarters of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Palika Kendra, was sealed for sanitation on Thursday morning, after five employees tested positive for COVID-19 since Friday.
“In addition to 6th floor it has been decided to seal Palika Kendra for 48 hours w.e.f. immediate effect. Civil Engineering Department (Building Maintenance) and Public Health Department will carry out intensive disinfection in Palika Kendra, three time a day for next two days,” the NDMC said in a statement.
On Friday, a doctor working at a dispensary on the ground floor of the NDMC headquarters had tested positive for COVID-19. - Nikhil M. Babu
Part of Madhya Pradesh Raj Bhavan declared containment area after six residents test positive
The Bhopal district administration on Wednesday declared part of the Madhya Pradesh Raj Bhavan as a containment area as six residents of the employees’ quarters on campus have tested positive for COVID-19.
“The Governor has tested negative for the illness,” confirmed Ajay Varma, Press Officer to the Governor.
“All the caretakers have also tested negative and shifted to guest rooms to break their possible contact with the affected area,” he said.
Death toll due to COVID-19 rises to 4,531, number of cases climb to 1.58 lakh
Healthcare workers use Laser Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun to check the temperature of residents of the Prajapati Society, Kumbharwada in Dharavi, Mumbai, during the nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus. | Photo Credit: Vijay Bate
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,531 and the number of cases climbed to 1,58,333 in the country, registering an increase of 194 deaths and 6,566 cases in the last 24 hours till 8 a.m., the Union Health Ministry said.
The number of active COVID-19 cases stand at 86,110 while 67,691 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said.
“Thus, around 42.75 per cent patients have recovered so far,” a senior Health Ministry official said. - PTI
Cabinet Secretary calls meeting with municipal commissioners, DMs of 13 COVID-19 hit cities
As Lockdown 4.0 nears an end on May 31, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba is holding a video conference on the issue of ‘Public Health Response to COVID-19’ with all States/UTs.
Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries (Health) will be joining.
Other than them, municipal commissioners and district collectors of Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi/New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Thane, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata/Howrah, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur will be attending the video conference. - Vijaita Singh