India’s COVID-19 death toll crossed the 9,000-mark on June 13 with a record daily increase making it the world’s ninth worst hit nation in terms of fatalities, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed steps to contain the pandemic in areas where large numbers of cases are being detected.
Karnataka governmnet is set to constitute a special task force that will oversee all activities in Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts. A decision on this was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar on Friday.
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:
Odisha's Ganjam district repeals Unlock-1 relaxations, orders lockdown till June 30
To prevent community spread of COVID-19, Odisha’s Ganjam district administration on Sunday repealed all relaxations of Unlock-1 and ordered the strict imposition of complete lockdown in the district till June 30. The total weekend shutdown declared by the State government on Saturdays and Sundays will also be enforced in the district.
Ganjam is the worst COVID-19 affected district in Odisha. Till Sunday morning, it had recorded six COVID-19 deaths and 682 positive cases. District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said there had been no community spread of COVID-19 in Ganjam till now.
Amit Shah calls meeting of all Delhi-based parties tomorrow to review COVID-19 situation in national capital
Home Minister Amit Shah has called a meeting of all Delhi-based parties tomorrow to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the national capital.
PTI adds:
Mr. Shah held a meeting with top functionaries of Delhi’s three municipal bodies along with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take stock of the COVID-19 situation in the national capital.
This was the second high-level meeting held during the day in the wake of rising cases of the novel coronavirus. The key objectives of the second meeting were to review the steps taken by the municipal bodies and how to check the further spread of the virus, a government official said.
Apart from Mr. Shah, Mr. Baijal, Mr. Kejriwal and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Mayors of Delhi’s North and East municipal corporations - Avtar Singh and Anju Kamalkant respectively - attended the meeting. A representative of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation was present.
Commissioners of the three municipal corporations also attended the meeting.
Centre has ‘let down’ Pondy without sanctioning funds to battle COVID-19: CM
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy charged the Centre with “letting down” the Union Territory and also to several other states by turning a deaf ear to their repeated pleas for allocation of funds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing reporters, the Chief Minister said, “The Puducherry government for instance has been sincerely taking steps to keep the spread of the pandemic at bay.
"But the Centre is not listening to our repeated pleas for financial assistance so that our performance would be still better," he said.
“We are concerned with the lives of the people and hence persuade the Centre to extend grants to strengthen facilities in the hospital,” he contended.
- PTI
Parents want CBSE, CICSE pending board exams scrapped due to spike in COVID-19 cases
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, most parents say they are worried about the pending class 10 and 12 board exams by CBSE and CICSE scheduled from July 1, and demand that they be scrapped and the result be declared by either calculating the average of tests already conducted or based on an internal assessment.
Several parents have launched an online campaign hashtagged “studentlivesmatter”, “livesoverexams” and “cancelboardexams".
Meghalaya extends night curfew till June 22
The Meghalaya government has extended the night curfew till June 22 to contain the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.
Restrictions on inter-state movement of people will also continue, exempting only those having permission for medical purposes, they said.
“In view of the prevailing situation regarding COVID-19 in the state, district authorities have promulgated night curfew with effect from June 15 up to June 22 between 9 pm and 5 am each day,” a senior government official told PTI.
- PTI
Chargesheet against over 2,000 people for defying lockdown norms in Muzaffarnagar
Over 2,000 people who were booked during lockdown in 374 cases in the district have been chargesheeted, police said. Police had booked 2,052 people for defying lockdown norms in different police station areas in the district.
All of them have been chargesheeted, the police said.
- PTI
Long-distance bus operators to run vehicles on Kolkata routes
With several Kolkata-based private bus operators demanding an increase in fares to resume services, the West Bengal transport department has roped in long-distance private bus operators to run their fleets in the city to meet the demand in the eastern metropolis, officials said.
Though some local private bus operators have recommenced services in Kolkata since last week, the number of vehicles on the roads is less than normal, causing trouble to commuters, they said.
- PTI
COVID-19 cases in Thane police reach 269, Palghar at 50
The number of police personnel who have tested positive for novel coronavirus in Palghar in Maharashtra reached 50 after two men from the force were detected with the infection on Sunday, an official said.
The two are attached to the police control room, where four personnel were detected with the infection four days ago, he added.
“Of the 50 who have tested positive so far, 17 have been discharged after recovery,” the official said.
In Thane city, as on Saturday evening, there were 269 COVID-19 cases in the police force, and two have died of the infection.
“So far, 187 Thane police personnel have been discharged. The active cases are 80,” an official informed.
- PTI
Amit Shah transfers 4 IAS officers to Delhi govt. to assist COVID-19 fight
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday ordered the immediate transfer of four IAS officers to the Delhi government and attachment of another two from the Centre to help the national capital fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The order was issued within hours of a high-level meeting Mr. Shah held with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
No question of reimposition of lockdown: Karnataka minister
Karnataka Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said there was no question of re-imposition of the lockdown amid speculation that it would be done.
“The question of lockdown is not in front of us.
"There is such speculation as the Prime Minister is holding a video conference with all Chief Ministers on June 16 and 17.
"On June 17 our State will be taking part in it at around 3 p.m.,” Mr. Sudhakar said in response to a question.
- PTI
Mysuru hotel visitors told to self-quarantine
Those who had food at a restaurant in Mysuru on June 6 evening have been asked to go into self quarantine after a COVID-19 infected couple, who had a travel history to Tamil Nadu, had food at the hotel.
The restaurant at Indiranagar in Ittigegud had been shut after the couple, who had returned to Mysuru recently, was tested positive.
According to the health authorities, the couple ate food at the restaurant between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on June 6. “If anyone had food at the hotel at the specified time, they are requested to go for self quarantine at their homes for 14 days in the interest of public besides informing the district surveillance unit,” they added.
Adyar police create Whatsapp group to help quarantined persons
To help residents who have been placed under quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, police personnel in Adyar (district) have now started a Whatsapp group. Monitoring apart, the police also use it to find out what residents need, and deliver grocery essentials to the doorsteps of those under home quarantine.
There are approximately 290 persons in 182 houses under home quarantine under the Adyar police limits. Apart from the persons under quarantine, their family members too, have been asked not to step out of their homes.
South Korea, Egypt report rise in virus cases as curbs ease
The coronavirus infections in South Korea and Egypt has risen, showing how the disease can come back as curbs on business and travel are lifted.
Egypt reported its biggest daily increase on Saturday. Infections were rising in some U.S. states as President Donald Trump pushed for businesses to reopen despite warnings by public health experts.
Testing to be increased two-fold in Delhi in the next two days: Amit Shah
Amid exponential rise in number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that testing would be ramped up in the next two days and polling booths would be used to test patients in containment zones. A house-to-house survey in containment zones was also planned.
As on Saturday, there are 241 containment zones in Delhi, and more than 1,000 deaths due to the infection have been reported so far.
Mr. Shah met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, and Union Health Minister Harshvardhan on Sunday to discuss the COVID-19 strategy in Delhi.
Soon after the meeting, Mr. Shah posted a series of tweets about the outcome.
Case against AIADMK MLA for violating lockdown norms in Puducherry
The Grand Bazaar police have booked a case against an AIADMK MLA and seven others for violating prohibitory orders and staging a demonstration here.
According to police, AIADMK legislature party leader and Uppalam MLA, A. Anbalagan, along with party cadres had staged a demonstration near the Chambre De Commerce building on Saturday, demanding the immediate release of fishing ban relief assistance to fishermen in the Union Territory.
AIADMK MLA tests positive for COVID-19; hospitalised
AIADMK MLA K. Palani, elected from Sriperumbudur constituency, has tested positive for COVID-19 and has since been hospitalised.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami spoke to the MLA over the phone this morning and advised him to undertake all necessary medical treatment, an official release stated.
Beds for COVID-19 patients in Delhi to increase by 5,000: Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the bed strength in the national capital for treating COVID-19 patients will increase by 5,000 after the city government decided to declare small and medium multi-speciality nursing homes as “COVID nursing homes“.
Small and medium multi-speciality nursing homes in the city having 10 to 49 beds have been declared as “COVID nursing homes” by the Delhi government to increase the bed capacity for coronavirus patients, according to an official order issued on Saturday.
Shah holds meeting with Delhi LG, CM on COVID-19 situation
Amid rising concern over the rapid growth of the novel coronavirus cases, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday held a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others to discuss the situation in Delhi.
The meeting comes in the wake of increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi, where the tally has reached nearly 39,000 cases and the death toll rose to over 1,200.
Highest single-day spike
India saw the highest single-day spike of 11,929 novel coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the number of infections to over 3.20 lakh on Sunday, while the toll crossed the 9,000 mark with 311 more deaths, the Health Ministry said.
This is the third day in a row there were more than 10,000 cases of the coronavirus disease.
- PTI
HC junks plea seeking COVID-19 medical trials on jail inmates
The Bombay High Court has refused to pass an order directing the government to conduct trials of possible COVID-19 drugs or treatment on inmates of jails or correctional homes who have contracted the novel coronavirus.
On whom medical trials should be conducted is a matter of government policy and the court would not interfere in that, said a Division Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice S.S. Shinde on Friday.
Chartered flight brings 180 from Dubai
The first of several chartered repatriation flights for Indians in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), organised by the Maharashtrian community, brought back 180 people to Mumbai on Saturday evening. A second flight is scheduled to arrive in Pune on Sunday.
Three PG students of Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital test positive
Three postgraduate students of Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.
Two postgraduate students attached to the Department of Anaesthesia and another one belonging to the Department of Surgery tested positive for the viral infection after they were part of the team of doctors who performed surgery on a patient admitted to the Emergency and Trauma Care ward.
Despite odds, India Post ensures essential services during lockdown
Since March 25, 2020 when crores of Indians have been staying indoors due to lockdown, around 4 lakh postal department employees on the ground worked day in and out to deliver parcels, letters and even cash thus maintaining the essential service when regular flights and passenger train services remained suspended.