Covid-19: Delhi HC pulls up AAP government for relaxing norms amid surge in cases
Rahul Gandhi has asked the Centre to define its vaccine distribution strategy after Pfizer’s vaccine was found to be over 90% effective during initial trials.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Aam Aadmi Party government for relaxing norms for public gatherings and transport when Covid-19 cases are increasing. The High Court directed the government to file a status report on the steps it has taken to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked the Narendra Modi government to define its coronavirus vaccine distribution strategy after Pfizer’s vaccine was found to be more than 90% effective based on initial trial results. However, reports said that India has no system to be able to deliver a minus 80 degree Celsius vaccine.
India on Wednesday recorded 44,281 new coronavirus cases, pushing the tally in the country to 86,36,011, according to the health ministry’s data. The toll rose by 512 to 1,27,571 in 24 hours. There are now 4,94,657 active cases and 80,13,783 recoveries.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 5.13 crore people and killed 12,70,706 people, according to the John Hopkins University data. The recoveries stand at 3,34,90,724.
The national helpline number for the coronavirus is 011-23978046, and a toll-free number 1075.
These are the helpline numbers for states and the Union Territories.
Live updates
2.51 pm: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai says the Aam Aadmi Party government will begin the phase-2 of the “Red Light On, Engine Off” campaign from November 16, and it will continue till November 30, reports ANI. He adds that 2,500 marshals will be deployed for the campaign.
2.15 pm: Delhi High Court directs the Aam Aadmi Party government to file a status report on the steps it has taken to control the spread of coronavirus in view of surge in cases in the last two weeks, reports PTI. The High Court pulled up the government for relaxing norms for public gatherings and transport when cases are increasing.
12.28 pm: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says the Narendra Modi government has to define its coronavirus vaccine distribution strategy. His comments come two days after Pfizer said that its vaccine is more than 90% effective based on initial trial results.
“GOI [Government of India] has to define a vaccine distribution strategy and how it will reach every Indian,” Gandhi tweets. “Even though Pfizer has created a promising vaccine, the logistics for making it available to every Indian need to be worked out.”
The former Congress chief also attached a media report with his tweet, saying that no cold chain logistic company in India has the capability to transport the Pfizer vaccine to India. It requires a temperature storage of minus 70 degrees.
Even though Pfizer has created a promising vaccine, the logistics for making it available to every Indian need to be worked out.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 11, 2020
GOI has to define a vaccine distribution strategy and how it will reach every Indian. pic.twitter.com/x5GX2vECnN
12.25 pm: The Supreme Court refuses to interfere with the Calcutta High Court order banning the sale and use of firecrackers in West Bengal during Kali Puja, says preservation of life is more important amid the coronavirus pandemic, reports PTI.
“We are all battling for life in this situation and all of us have elderly people in our home,” the court says. “We are in a situation where, at this time, preservation of life is more important and the High Court knows what is required at the ground level.”
12.22 pm: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain says the testing in the national Capital has increased amid a record rise in new cases, reports ANI. “Three times more tests are being done now as compared to last peak,” he says. “No doubt third peak is here, hope cases fall in next couple of days. 17,000 RT-PCR tests were conducted yesterday, we’ve increased testing.”
12.20 pm: Prakash Rajpurohit, Ajmer district collector in Rajasthan, says that Pushkar fair will not be held this year due to coronavirus restrictions, reports ANI. “The government will not conduct any programme at the fair,” he adds.
10.47 am: The Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday announced that it would close all educational institutions for a fortnight, amid a rise in coronavirus cases, PTI reports.
Meanwhile, the state Cabinet in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur decided to recommend to the Governor to convene the winter session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly from December 7 to December 11.
10.45 am: Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor on Tuesday got himself registered to be the first volunteer for the Covaxin trials – a vaccine being developed by Bharat Biotech, PTI reports. The phase 3 trials of Covaxin have begun at the JN Medical College and Hospital of the university.
10.43 am: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on Tuesday banned marriage processions in the Odisha capital and limited attendance in marriage functions to 100 people, and funerals to 50, the Hindustan Times reports. The BMC said children below 10 years, old people, pregnant women and people with comorbidities are advised to avoid public gatherings of any kind, while people with severe acute respiratory illness would not be allowed to such functions.
10.42 am: Delhi on Tuesday recorded 7,830 new Covid-19 cases, the highest single-day rise till date, taking the infection tally in the national Capital to over 4.5 lakh, PTI reports. As many as 83 new fatalities pushed the number of deaths to 7,143.
10.15 am: India records 44,281 Covid-19 cases, pushing the tally in the country to 86,36,011, according to the health ministry’s data. The toll rises by 512 to 1,27,571 in 24 hours. There are 4,94,657 active cases and 80,13,783 recoveries.
10 am: Here are the top updates from Tuesday.