Over the last few days, over 8,000 new cases have been reported from across the country daily.
Coronavirus India News Live Updates: The World Health Organization on Wednesday said that clinical trials of the drug hydroxychloroquine will resume, having been suspended pending a safety review in the search for coronavirus treatments.
“On the basis of the available mortality data… the executive group will communicate with the principal investigators in the trial about resuming the hydroxychloroquine arm,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual news briefing.
On the other hand, for the first time in nearly two months, the growth rate of infections in India declined. One of the main reasons for the decline in growth at the national level is the fact that Maharashtra, which accounts for more than a third of all cases in India, has been slowing down for more than two weeks now.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientist Dr Nivedita Gupta said that the country is still “very far away from the peak”. In an infectious disease, a peak signifies the point at which the daily case count will start to fall. Over the last few days, over 8,000 new cases have been reported from across the country daily.
In other news, the Ministry of Home Affairs today relaxed Visa regulations for foreign officials as India entered unlock 1.0. The government has allowed foreign businessmen, healthcare professionals and engineers to visit India but they will have to obtain fresh visas.
The total number of coronavirus infections in India crossed the 2 lakh-mark to reach 2,07,614 on Wednesday. This includes 5,815 deaths and 1,00,302 cured/ discharged. As many as 217 people have died in the last 24 hours across the country. India is currently on the 7th spot on the global list of countries worst-hit by Covid-19. Globally, over 6,378,239 cases have been reported, while 3,80,250 people have succumbed to the infection. The United States continues to be the worst-affected nation with 1,831,821 cases and 1,06,180 deaths.
Coronavirus India LIVE news updates: As relaxations under Unlock 1.0 were announced in Gujarat, state transport buses started their operations on Monday.
Coronavirus LIVE updates: Migrant workers from Hardoi of UP resides at Jawaddi in Ludhiana wait for the confirmation of their ticket to Shramik train.
The World Health Organisation Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tody said that the organisation continues to work through regional and country offices to monitor the COVID19 pandemic. Addressing a presser, the WHO chief said that the Executive Group endorsed continuation of all arms of the Solidarity Trial, including hydroxychloroquine.
GOA recorded its highest number of positive cases in a single day on Wednesday with the state government shifting 47 patients to the Covid Hospital at Margao, south Goa. Of the 47, 42 are residents from the containment zone at densely populated Mangor hills, Vasco. The rest include two who traveled by road from Maharashtra, another two passengers from Dubai who had traveled in the first Vande Bharat flight that arrived in Goa early hours of Wednesday. One passenger from a Hyderabad flight also tested positive, confirmed the daily bulletin by Directorate of Health Services.
With Mangor hills declared a containment zone, the residents of the cluster were being supplied essentials on price through government channels. The Chief Minister also confirmed the three access routes to the cluster were heavily policed with arrangements made to ensure no one leaves the cluster till they are tested.
In the last two days 553 swabs have been collected in this containment zone itself, with 353 collected on Wedneday. The Health officials are relying on interviews and symptoms and also perimeter distance on collecting swabs.
On June 3, Goa has recorded 126 Covid cases with a total of 69 active cases. 57 have recovered so far. Out of the 2418 samples sent, 1230 are negative with reports for 1141 awaited. 391 people continue to be home quarantined.
Delhi reported a surge in cases on Wednesday. The latest update shows a rise of 1513 cases today and 50 more deaths.
Manipur reported six more COVID-19 positive cases on Wednesday evening, taking the total number for the day to 19. Earlier in the morning 13, positive cases were reported. Adding up the latest figure, the total number of positive cases in the state has reached 108, with 70 active cases.
As many as 12 COVID-19 patients hospitalised at JNIMS were also discharged on Wednesday after testing negative. The total of recovered has increased to 38 with 35.18 per cent recovery rate.
Manipur government has increased the testing capacity of samples for COVID-19 to 1400 per day. So far, the labs at JNIMS and RIMS have tested 11,653 samples.
For the first time since the nation-wide lockdown was announced in March, the government has allowed foreign businessmen, healthcare professionals and engineers to visit India but they will have to obtain fresh visas. In an order, the Home Ministry said the foreign nationals, holding a valid long-term multiple-entry business visa, would also have to get their travel documents re-validated from the Indian missions.
Those who are allowed to visit India are: foreign businessmen coming to India on a business visa (other than on B-3 visa for sports) in non-scheduled commercial and chartered flights.
*Foreign healthcare professionals, health researchers, engineers and technicians who wish to come for technical work at Indian health sector facilities, including laboratories and factories.
*This is subject to a letter of invitation from a recognised and registered healthcare facility, registered pharmaceutical company or accredited university in India.
*Foreign engineering, managerial, design or other specialists who wish to travel to India on behalf of foreign business entities located in India.
Karnataka COVID19 tally crossed 4000-mark with 267 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. Total: 4063. Deaths: 53. Discharges: 1514 (June 3). Over 3000 cases reported since May 15.
Traders in Noida’s Sector 18 market opened their shops after over two months, following the relaxation in lockdown guidelines as well as in curfew timings for citizens. With overhead costs increasing by the day, traders are hopeful that sales will pick up over the next few weeks as people begin stepping out.
“Customers usually shop if they are around the market for lunch or dinner. If restaurants are not opened, we won’t have footfall,” says Shalabh Gautam, managing a shop selling opticalware. Gautam says most of his customers are buying only what is essential, that too on an order basis. “In my shop, the sale of sunglasses have gone down at least 75 per cent since all the orders have been for spectacles.”
The Ministry of railways on Wednesday said that the operation of Shramik trains from Delhi ended as no new demand emerged from the Delhi government. A total of 242 trains originated from railway stations in Delhi since May 1; 101 went to Uttar Pradesh, 111 trains terminated in Bihar.
Last three Shramik trains from Delhi operated on May 31; Anand Vihar to Purnia, Anand Vihar toBhagalpur, H. Nizamuddin to Mahoba, said the ministry of railways.
*India reported 8,908 covid-19 cases in last 24 hours taking the tally to 2,07,614 on Wednesday. The numbers include 5,815 deaths and 1,00,302 recovery.
*For the first time in two months, the growth rate of infections in Maharashtra declined. And because the state accounts for more than a third of the national caseload in the country, this has slowed down the national growth rate as well. ( Can cut and make two-points)
*Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientist Dr Nivedita Gupta has said that the country is still “very far away from the peak”.
*India is currently on the 7th spot on the global list of countries worst-hit by Covid-19.
*Globally, over 6,378,239 cases have been reported, while 3,80,250 people have succumbed to the infection.
*The United States continues to be the worst-affected nation with 1,831,821 cases and 1,06,180 deaths.
*Italy has opened its borders for tourists within Europe in an attempt to revive its flailing tourism sector.
*With over 233,515 recorded COVID-positive cases and 33,530 deaths, Italy is the third worst-hit European nation after the UK and Spain.
*A record 1,262 Covid-19 deaths have been recorded in Brazil - taking the country’s total death toll to 31,199 - but the president continues to downplay the pandemic.
The number of coronavirus cases in the state surged to 8,361 byTuesday evening, with an addition of 296 cases in the past 24 hours. For the second consecutive day, Noida recorded the highest number of cases in UP at 27, taking the number of active cases there to 194 — the highest in the state. Most of the news cases reported are by are inter-state migrants coming back from Delhi, Mumbai, Surat.
Tripura crossed 500 mark of coronavirus patients on Wednesday as forty-nine more people tested positive. Most of them had recent travel history or they were in close contact with those affected by the virus earlier. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb Tweeted about the new cases and wrote, "Out of 821 samples tested today, 49 people found COVID-19 #POSITIVE. Most of them have travel history and contact's. #TripuraCOVID19Count". Tripura now has 521 cumulative coronavirus patients, out of which 173 have 'recovered' and were discharged from hospital.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday imposed Rs 10,000 as cost on a runaway couple for not wearing masks at the time of the marriage ceremony. The couple from Punjab had married against the wishes of their families and approached the High Court for protection against the threats to separate them.
While directing the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gurdaspur, take appropriate remedial measures regarding their threat perception and ordering the officer to pass a necessary order to ensure that no harm is caused to their life and liberty, the court also took note of the photographs attached with the petition which showed the couple and other attending persons were not wearing masks at the time of marriage ceremony. The masks are otherwise mandatory in Punjab in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here
A homoeopathic drug, Arsenicum album 30, has become a subject of debate after several states recommended it for prophylactic (preventive) use against Covid-19. This was after the Ministry of AYUSH listed the drug among “preventive and prophylactic simple remedies” against Covid-19. The debate stems from the fact that there is no scientific evidence that the drug works against Covid-19, a fact stressed not only by medical scientists but also by some homoeopathic practitioners themselves.
Arsenicum album 30 has been recommended by the state governments in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. While the Maharashtra government is yet to take a formal decision, Mumbai civic authorities have been distributing the drug to high-risk populations in at least two wards. The Haryana prisons department and Mumbai police too are also distributing the drug to prisoners and officers respectively.
As states began phased reopening of most activities on Monday, tto track prevalence of infection in the community.
From construction workers to agricultural labourers, and vegetable vendors to shopkeepers, there are 15 categories of people who will be tested every day in each district as part of the sentinel surveillance, the state Health Medical and Family Welfare Department has ordered.
The Rajasthan government Tuesday imposed a surcharge of up to Rs 30 on Liquor to mop up the revenue amid the coronavirus crisis.The state finance department said the decision has been taken to mitigate natural or man-made calamities like floods, epidemic etc
Similarly, the surcharge on Indian-made Foreign Liquor will be Rs 5 for 180 ml and 375 ml bottles, breezers, miniature and other packaging, while it will be Rs 10 on 750 ml bottles.
Voters navigated curfews and health concerns in a slate of primary contests on Tuesday that tested the nation’s ability to host elections amid dueling crises and moved Joe Biden closer to formally clinching the Democratic presidential nomination.
In all, nine states and the District of Columbia held primary elections to decide a series of state and federal contests, including the 2020 presidential race . With no real competition, Biden and President Donald Trump easily won their respective primary elections in Indiana, Rhode Island, Maryland, New Mexico, Montana and the night’s biggest prize: Pennsylvania. Biden also won South Dakota. Read More
Haryana witnessed the highest single-day spike with 296 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with the maximum cases again recorded in Gurgaon district (160), followed by Faridabad (26) and Sonipat (21). With the total number of cases reaching 2,652 Tuesday, the case-doubling rate in the state also reached six days.
Haryana ACS (Health) Rajiv Arora issued notices to various private laboratories in Gurgaon for not sharing proper data of testing samples with the state government. Sources said Arora had also written to ICMR and the Union government apprising them that as many as 20 private laboratories in Gurgaon were not sharing any testing samples’ reports with the state government. He wrote that samples from Delhi were also being tested in Gurgaon’s labs.
With Bihar deciding to do away with mandatory quarantine for migrants returning to the state, the centres will be closed on June 15 after the last batch of registered migrants finish their period. While staying cooped up indoors could get pretty monotonous and difficult to pass time, a video of migrants dancing at a quarantine centre while maintaining social distance has gone viral on social media.
Tweeted by Uttar Pradesh police officer Rahul Srivastav, the video shows residents of Juafar Quarantine Centre in Siwan, Bihar, standing in five rows and trying to match the steps of an instructor who is seen dancing to the tunes of ‘Sandese Aate Hai’ from the 1997 war-action film Border.
Business activity across India’s service sector fell drastically during May as the unfavourable economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic impaired business operations, restricted consumer footfall and led demand to collapse, a monthly survey said on Wednesday. The IHS Markit India Services Business Activity Index stood at 12.6 in May. Although the headline figure rose from April’s unprecedented low of 5.4, it remained at a level which, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, was unparalleled in over 14 years of data collection and pointed to an extreme drop in services activity across India, the survey noted.