Relatives and Medical Staffs perform the last rites of a COVID deceased at Delhi Nigambodh Ghat Cremation ground
India Coronavirus Latest Update: With over 2,000 casualties reported today, the toll in India rose to 11,903, while the number of infections crossed the 3.5 lakh mark. Of the 3,54,065 infections, the number of active cases stands at 1,55,227, while 1,86,934 people have recovered. This is the sixth day in a row that the country has registered over 10,000 cases.
Of the 2,003 new deaths, Maharashtra accounted for the highest 1,409 fatalities taking its COVID-19 death tally to 5,537. But all these deaths did not happen in the last two days. These numbers are actually a result of a massive data matching exercise which has revealed large numbers of deaths that have remained unreported so far. Of the 1,400 deaths reported in Maharashtra, it said, only 81 had happened on that day. The remaining were all unreported deaths from various parts of the state.
Here is the other COVID-19 news from across India
‘Don’t shoot the messenger’: Supreme Court pulls up Delhi govt over harassment of doctors
The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Delhi government over suspension of healthcare workers for exposing facts related to the condition in hospitals while saying that doctors and nurses were “corona warriors” and needed to be protected.
The remarks were made by a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul, and MR Shah while hearing a suo motu cognisance matter related to the treatment of Covid-19 patients and dignified handling of bodies in government hospitals.
“Stop harassing doctors and registering FIRs. You can’t suppress the truth. Why did you suspend a doctor who made a video of the pathetic conditions of one of your hospitals?” the Supreme Court said and asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit in the case. The bench posted the hearing for Friday.
Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain tested again for COVID-19
Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain has tested again for COVID-19 today. His test result came negative yesterday. He was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital after he complained of high fever and difficulty in breathing on Tuesday.
Prime Minister to hold meeting with CMs today
In the second round of meetings between the prime minister and the chief ministers, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be present as well. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will skip the virtual meeting after it was found that her name was missing from the list of speakers. Instead of her, Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha will attend the meeting, state secretariat sources said on Tuesday.
Yesterday, PM Modi had held a meeting with chief ministers and Lt Governors of 21 states and Union Territories. During Tuesday’s meeting, Modi told the CMs to focus on both lives and livelihood now, boost health infrastructure and emphasise testing and tracing to keep Covid-19 in check, even as they step up economic activities. Claiming that green shoots were visible two weeks after the easing of the lockdown, the PM said the economy was expected to pick up further in the coming days and urged states to work together with the Centre for it.
A screengrab from a previous meeting between the chief ministers and PM Modi
In Delhi, cops asked to maintain strict lockdown in containment zones
In an order passed today, the Delhi Police Commissioner asked the authorities to ensure strict lockdown in containment zone and keep a close watch on cremation grounds and COVID hospitals as well. The order comes amid the uptick of infections in the capital. Delhi now has 44,688 cases. In another development in the capital, ACP (operations) and his family have tested positive. Delhi DCP Alok Verma has also sought permission to be home quarantined as he had a meeting with the ACP 2 days ago.
#JUSTIN:Order issued by @CPDelhi, asking to ensure strict lockdown within the containment zone,entry/exit be completely sealed,except for essential services,drone surveillance,close watch on all COVID hospitals + cremation centres to avoid any law & order situation.@IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/TjcZDupbAb
— Mahender Singh (@mahendermanral) June 17, 2020
Ensure payment of salaries to healthcare staff: SC tells Centre
The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the Centre to issue directions to states for payment of salaries to doctors and healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients. Warning that non-compliance of the order would be viewed seriously, the court asked Centre to file a report on payments within a month. It also said that healthcare staff involved in fighting the infection should not be denied quarantine facilities.
During the hearing, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre, told the court that the government had already issued a circular saying that the healthcare workers must be paid. He also said that a directive to the states will be issued within 24 hrs and the Chief Secretaries of states will be responsible to ensure timely salaries. He also said that non-payment of salaries will be made criminal offence under the NDMA Act.
Staff nurses of Jaslok hospital who tested positive for Covid-19 were brought to a quarantine facility in Fort Mumbai (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran/File)
Over 500 doctors to resign today in Karnataka; 3,000 nurses arrive in Chennai
Over 500 MBBS doctors in Karnataka — working on a contract basis for the Health and Family Welfare department — have decided to quit en masse on Wednesday, pointing out that their demands to regularise them have been left unattended.
According to the Contract Doctors’ Association of Karnataka (CDAK), doctors from across the state will submit their resignations to Health Minister B Sriramulu and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in Bengaluru. “Currently, more than 30 per cent of the posts are vacant in government hospitals. With the rise in COVID-19 patients, contract doctors are working on a par with regular doctors at Covid-designated hospitals,” a letter written to CM Yediyurappa read. These doctors have been posted at various Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state.
Meanwhile, as many as 3,000 nurses from Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Erode districts arrived in Chennai on Wednesday to cater to requirements in the state-run hospitals. Tamil Nadu, the second worst-hit state, has over 48,000 cases.
Two migrants wear PPE kit for extra protection at Pune railway station (Express photograph by Arul Horizon)
For Kerala’s health officials fighting Covid, a new threat: dengue fever
Even as Kerala is engaged in a spirited fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, with the number of infections surging in recent weeks, a familiar, endemic disease that grows in leaps and bounds with the arrival of the southwest monsoon is threatening to pile pressure on severely-strained health machinery.
Dengue fever, known to strike with impunity with a high mortality rate unless detected early, is showing alarming incidence across the state, heightening fears among health officials and workers who have been forced to mobilize a huge chunk of their resources towards battling Covid in the last few months.