A Covid isolation facility at Radha Saomi Satsang Beas in New Delhi.
The Central government has instructed the Delhi government to make five-days institutional quarantine compulsory for all people testing positive for Covid-19, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs said. Earlier, the Delhi government had allowed home quarantine for asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms. MHA argues that isolation not possible in most homes.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Friday said it would direct states to set up expert panels and on installing CCTV cameras in hospitals to ensure proper treatment to COVID-19 patients while asking the Centre to take a decision on the issue of different charges being levied in different states for coronavirus tests.
India has reported 13,586 cases and 336 deaths in the last 24 hours. This takes the country’s Covid-19 tally to 3,80,532, including 1,63,248 active cases, 2,04,711 recoveries and 12,573 deaths. Haryana has emerged as a concern as it is the fastest-growing state in India’s 10 most affected states. Bihar, on the other hand, offers a glimmer of hope as its cases have slowed down. Once growing very rapidly, the state’s growth rate is now below 3 per cent.
A customer wears a mask as mandated by shops in Pune on Wednesday. (Express photo/Arul Horizon)
Deputy Chief Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar held a review meeting on Covid-19 Friday and directed the local administration to ensure that coronavirus test results should be obtained within 24 hours. To that end, the state government has allocated Rs 12.44 crore to increase the Covid-19 testing capacity of Sassoon General Hospital, he added.
“A fund of Rs 8.90 crore has been approved for procuring swab tests and Rs 3.53 crore for other equipment required to conduct Covid-19 tests. Apart from this, Rs 7.15 crore is being allocated for other essential machinery and equipment for Sassoon Hospital. This will help keep the labs up to date. Funds have also been provided for hiring more nurses and support staff,” Pawar said.
According to Pune District Collector Naval Kishore Ram, Pawar urged the administration to take steps to reduce the mortality rate in the district. Read more
AAP MLA Atishi, who is herself undergoing treatment for Covid-19, has criticised the Delhi LG's decision to make 5-day institutional quarantine mandatory for Covid patients, saying it will lead to further spread of the virus as many people will be scared of institutional quarantine and will not get themselves tested.
Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet districts went under a strict 12-day lockdown from Friday. The lockdown, which will end on June 30, was imposed in a bid to curb the rise in Covid-19 cases in the four districts.
In Chennai, 288 checkpoints were set up by the Greater Chennai Police to carry out vehicle checks. Only those with a valid pass or ID card will be allowed to travel around the city during the lockdown.
The police have warned that strict action will be taken against violators and vehicles will be seized if citizens are found to be commuting without a valid reason. Read more
With 540 new coronavirus patients detected on Friday, the number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat reached 26,198, the state health department said.The death toll due to the pandemic in the state also rose to 1,619 with 27 COVID-19 patients dying, it added.
Ahmedabad alone reported 312 out of 540 new cases, raising its total to 18,258. The death toll in the district rose to 1,296 with 21 more patients dying on Friday, news agency PTI reported.
Twenty-seven new Covid-19 cases were detected in Tripura on Friday, raising the state’s tally to 1,186, out of which 547 are active patients.
As per latest reports, 37,495 out of 44,489 people placed under surveillance for coronavirus in Tripura have completed their 14 days observation period and were discharged from hospital. However, 6,994 others are still under observation including 719 in different quarantine centres and 6,275 people placed under home quarantine. Tripura has so far tested 51,500 people.
121 active Covid cases in Mizoram
With 08 more Covid-19 patients discharged from the Zoram Medical College (ZMC), Mizoram's COVID-19 tally is at 130. Out of these, 121 cases are active. The Department of Information of Public Relations informed this evening that eight COVID-19 patients including six from Kolasib District and two from Aizawl, who were admitted at ZMC isolation ward since June 02, were discharged today after testing negative twice in last 24 hours.
COVID-19 has one more high-profile casualty in the hospitality industry. Indian Accent London, which operated in Mayfair, one of the city’s poshest locations, has shut its doors permanently.
According to a statement put out by IRL, the company which licensed Indian Accent in London, the decision was the direct result of COVID-19. “Social distancing would reduce the restaurant capacity to just 30 covers. This, combined with the significant fixed costs as a result of operating on one of the most expensive streets in the world and the general economic uncertainty in the UK, means that the business is unviable at its current location,” said the statement.
This is the second major fine dining restaurant to announce its exit from London’s highly competitive hospitality scene. The two Michelin-starred restaurant, The Ledbury, located in Notting Hill, announced its closure earlier this month, again due to the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.
Favipiravir and Umifenovir (Arbidol) are the drugs approved by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for clinical trials to treat Covid-19, at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Dr Shekhar Mande, Director General, CSIR, said the regulatory body had approved Favipiravir for the second phase of clinical trials, and multicentre trials were underway across different locations, including Mumbai and Pune.
Along with Favipiravir are other drugs – ACQH, Umifenovir (Arbidol) and Mycobacterium W (anti-leprosy drug), which are now in clinical trials. The focus is on repurposed drugs and with 10 in the basket so far, Dr Mande said he was hopeful of results in the next two to three months. More details here.
A total of 32 Bangladeshis, who were stranded in India due to the lockdown, have been sent back to the neighbouring country through a checkpoint in Assam's Karimganj district, a senior police officer said on Friday.
The foreigners - 14 males and 18 females - were stuck here for a long time and their visas had expired, Karimganj Superintendent of Police Kumar Sanjiv Krishna said.
In the presence of BSF officials, they were sent back to Bangladesh through the Sutarkandi-Sheora checkpoint at the border on Thursday evening, he said. (PTI)
With 145 people testing positive in Gurgaon today, the district has now crossed the figure of 4,000 in terms of Coronavirus cases.
The Delhi government has asked NGOs, civil society organisations, NCC and NSS cadets and scouts for the survey of coronavirus suspects, and surveillance and management of isolation cases. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to NGOs and individuals to join the fight against COVID-19 in large numbers.
MHA sources confirm that the Delhi government has been instructed to make five days institutional quarantine compulsory for all people testing positive for Covid-19. Centre argues that isolation is not possible in most homes.
Scientists in Italy have found traces of the new coronavirus in wastewater collected from Milan and Turin in December 2019 - suggesting COVID-19 was already circulating in Northern Italy before China reported the first cases. The Italian National Institute of Health looked at 40 sewage samples collected from wastewater treatment plants in northern Italy between October 2019 and February 2020. An analysis released late on Thursday said samples taken in Milan and Turin on Dec. 18 showed the presence of the SARS-Cov-2 virus, news agency Reuters reported.
Here are the private labs permitted by ICMR to carry out Covid-19 tests in Telangana
Global property consultant Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) has projected that office rentals might drop 5-10 per cent on lower demand for office space from corporates because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease will have a short-term impact on India's office market, with demand likely to fall 45 per cent, said C&W Managing Director (India and Southeast Asia), Anshul Jain. The net leasing or absorption of office space might fall to 25 million sq ft this year across eight major cities as against 45 million sq ft during 2019, he said. (PTI)
The Supreme Court Friday said it would direct states to set up expert panels and on installing CCTV cameras in hospitals to ensure proper treatment to COVID-19 patients while asking the Centre to take a decision on the issue of different charges being levied in different states for coronavirus tests.
Seeking uniform COVID testing charges, the top court said that in some states it was Rs 2,200, while in others it was fixed at Rs 4,500. It, however, left the issue to be decided by the Centre, news agency PTI reported.
The medical condition of Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain deteriorated Saturday afternoon after he developed a lung infection during the ongoing treatment for Covid-19 at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality hospital. He is being shifted to the ICU of Max Super Speciality Smart hospital in Saket, said a government source.
“He faced difficulty in breathing and during the CT scan, it was found that the pneumonia patch in his lungs has widened. His condition is slightly critical,” said a source in the Delhi government.
Jain, 55, was admitted to the government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital on Tuesday after he developed breathlessness, fever and a drop in oxygen levels had tested negative for the virus, but as his symptoms persisted, he was tested again. He was tested positive on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has capped the treatment cost of Covid-19 for private hospitals in the national capital. The decision was based on suggestions by a committee led by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul, along with representatives from the Delhi government and AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria. The move is expected to provide relief to patients. Click here to know how much you have to pay now for Covid treatment in Delhi.
The Delhi government on Friday issued a statement needing the support of NGOs, CSOs, individual volunteers, NCC, NSS cadets etc for survey of suspected Covid-19 cases in Delhi. Taking to twitter chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Delhi will fight Corona together. I appeal to all NGOs and individuals to join in this effort on a large scale."
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain has been shifted to Max hospital after his health worsened. He's facing diffculty in breathing. Union Minister Amit Shah, just a while ago wished speedy recovery to the health minister. He tested positive for covid-19 a week ago.
A high-level committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended rates for COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals in Delhi to be reduced by close to two third of existing rates. The committee, led by Niti Aayog member Dr VK Paul, has fixed the rate for isolation beds and ICU beds with and without ventilators at almost 30% of the existing rates in private hospitals.
From Rs 24,000-25,000 for isolation beds, the rates have been reduced to Rs 8,000-10,000. For ICU beds without ventilator, the rates have been reduced from Rs 34,000-43,000 to Rs 13,000-15,000. ICU beds with ventilators, which earlier cost Rs 44,000-54,000 a bed a day, have been recommended to be charged at Rs 15,000-18,000 a bed a day.
The committee has also said that these rates will include PPE costs. Earlier, hospitals charged extra for PPE kits. Sources said the report has been forwarded to the Delhi government for further action. The Delhi government is likely to take private hospitals into confidence before issuing an order. Read more here