Family members of a Covid-19 patient perform the last rites wearing PPE kits at Khaswadi crematorium in Vadodara on Wednesday. (Express Photo: Bhupendra Rana) Coronavirus India Live Updates: India reported over 72,000 Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Thursday, the highest daily spike since October 11, 2020. Of the 72,330 new infections, 39,544 were from Maharashtra. Chhattisgarh recorded its highest ever count on Wednesday with 4,563 cases, while Karnataka also reported over 4,000 cases.
Meanwhile, 459 deaths were reported from across the country, the highest since December 5, 2020. Apart from Maharashtra, which reported 243 deaths, Punjab (55), Chhattisgarh (39), Karnataka (26) and Tamil Nadu (19) were the other big contributors. At least 14 states reported zero deaths on Wednesday.
India’s caseload is now over 1 crore and 22 lakh while there are more than 1.62 lakh fatalities.
The third phase of India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive begins Thursday, with everyone above the age of 45 eligible for the shot. It will cover the population which is at the highest risk — 90 per cent of deaths related to the disease in India have been in the category of those above the age of 45. The Centre has instructed states to ensure all districts with high caseloads achieve 100 per cent vaccination coverage in the next two weeks.
Now, as state governments begin imposing restrictions, mobility indicators predict a potential dent the uptick in business activity, especially in the services sector. While Maharashtra has imposed localised restrictions for public places like restaurants, gardens, parks, malls and beaches, states like Chhattisgarh and Gujarat have imposed night curfews, and Uttarakhand and Gujarat have made Covid-19 testing mandatory for those entering the regions from outside.
At a cloth market in Andheri East, Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon. (Express Photo: Amit Chakravarty)
Osaka and two other prefectures, Hyogo and Miyagi, will see restrictions again amid a rise in cases and ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Economy revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told a government panel meeting the three prefectures would be designated for semi-emergency status under a new rampancy prevention law beginning next Monday for one month, reported Reuters. Japan recently lifted its state of emergency in the Toyo area.
As of Wednesday, Japan had 474,773 Covid-19 cases and 9,162 deaths.
Kaushambi district court in Uttar Pradesh has been shut after two judges and one staffer tested positive for Covid-19. According to news agency PTI, Additional Civil Judges Sumit Kumar and Abhishek Gupta, and an employee identified as Pankaj Kumar were found infected with the virus.
Judge Kumar and Pankar are being treated for the disease in Allahabad, and Judge Abhishek is admitted in a district hospital in Kaushambi. The court will remain closed for three days while the building is sanitised.
Veteran singer and music composer Bappi Lahiri has tested positive for COVID-19. His daughter Reema Lahiri Bansal confirmed his diagnosis and shared that he has been admitted to south Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. “Bappi Da has exercised immense precaution but has been detected with mild Covid symptoms. He has been admitted under the care of Dr Udwadia at Breach Candy Hospital purely as a precautionary measure due to his age. He will be fine and home soon. Thank You for keeping him in your prayers always,” she said.
“He seeks blessings and wishes of his fans, friends & everyone from India and abroad. On behalf of Bappi Da, we passing his message to all his well-wishers and fans to stay healthy, stay blessed,” her statement further read.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has warned of stricter Covid-19 restrictions if the situation in the state does not improve over the next one week. The state is reeling under a massive surge of cases and deaths despite the administration imposing night curfew. Amarinder will review the situation on April 8 and take a decision on further curbs if the Covid spread continues unchecked. “I will watch things for a week, and then if there is no improvement, we may have to go for stricter curbs,” he said.
The daily count of coronavirus cases in Pune scaled a new high, with 8,553 infections detected on Wednesday. This figure is only marginally less than the all-time record for any city, set by Delhi on November 11, when it had reported 8,593 cases.
But even Delhi has not reported more than 8,000 cases on more than one occasion. Pune has crossed this figure twice in the last four days. Pune reported almost as many cases on Wednesday as Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, the second and third-biggest contributor of cases after Maharashtra, put together.
Pune is now contributing almost 20 per cent of all cases in Maharashtra, and more than 10 per cent of cases in all of India. Read more here
A mix up at a vaccine manufacturing plant in Baltimore, United States, has led to contamination of nearly 15 million doses of Johnson and Johnson's Covid-19 shot. According to The New York Times, workers at the plant accidentally conflated the ingredients several weeks ago. The report states that the error does not affect any of the J&J vaccine doses that are currently being delivered and used across the US. Read more here
The recent laws in Jharkhand and Haryana that reserve private sector jobs for local residents are “nativist” and should be struck down, panelists said Tuesday at the second edition of the eight-part webinar series — Thinc Migration — organised by The Indian Express. Watch here:
India detected over 72,330 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, of which Maharashtra accounted for 39,544. 459 deaths were reported from across the country, the highest since December 5, 2020.
The Madras High Court has ordered the Chennai civic body to exhume the body of a doctor -- who was forced to be buried in a cemetary of a different faith after his death due to Covid-19 -- and reinterr it at a burial ground of his family’s choice. The order came on a plea by Anandhi Simon, the wife of Dr Simon Hercules who died of Covid-19 in April 2020.
Stating that the dignity of the deceased should be maintained throughout the process, Justice Abdul Quddhose observed that the aftermath of the doctor’s death was “shocking” as the incident had given a go-by to all human values. His corpse was shunted from one burial ground to another due to the objections raised by heartless human beings for allowing the burial of the body of a Covid-19 victim, the judgment said. Read more here
Close to 40 per cent of over 16.49 lakh healthcare and frontline workers, who got the first dose of their vaccine, have skipped their second dose.
According to information provided by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad, over 8.90 lakh healthcare workers in the state have got their first dose of the vaccine, but close to 3.05 lakh, or 34 per cent of them did not take the second dose. Similarly, out of 7.59 lakh frontline workers who got their first dose, over 3.50 lakh, or 46 per cent have skipped their second dose. Read more here
Following an increase in Covid cases, random tests will be conducted at Delhi Airport for domestic passengers arriving from states where cases are increasing, starting today.
The Delhi Airport issued an advisory that read: “As per the latest government mandate, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) shall conduct random Covid-19 testing of passengers coming from states where cases are increasing. After the collection of samples, the travellers would be allowed to exit. However the passengers who are found to be positive shall be mandatorily quarantined as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare protocol.” Read Ashna Butani's report here
Good morning and welcome to our live blog on the Covid-19 situation in India. On Thursday, India opens up its vaccination drive for all those above the age of 45, a key group which is at highest risk -- 90 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in India have been in the category of those above the age of 45. This comes amid a resurgence of infections; the country now has 5.52 lakh active cases, most of which are from five states, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and Chhattisgarh.