Has India become the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic? (Photos: PTI/Reuters) New Coronavirus Cases in India Live Updates: India on Thursday registered 2,00,739 fresh Covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours, a record high since the coronavirus pandemic began last year. This is the highest single-day increase in terms of the new Covid cases that India has ever seen. Over a thousand Indians lost their lives due to the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours. The official health bulletin released by the Centre shows that 1,038 individuals died due to Covid-19. This is the 9th consecutive day when India has seen more than 1 lakh new corona infections. In a matter of 11 days, India doubled the new infections from 1 lakh daily caseload to 2-lakh mark.
People are anticipating that the second wave of the coronavirus may have peaked.
However, nothing conclusive can be said yet as states are reporting terrifying surge. The National Capital and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh have registered record-high cases. Hospitals across India are reporting a shortage of beds, oxygen, Remdesivir injections. Cremation grounds are seeing pyres 24 hours with burial grounds running out of space. Social media is flooded with requests for plasma donation and crucial drugs. On Wednesday, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan accepted that the production of Remdesivir was reduced as the cases were declining. In a related development, Gujarat has rejected reports that it will supply Remdesivir to BJP-ruled states.
Amid calls for stringent measures, religious gatherings and election rallies are going as usual. On Wednesday when India recorded a new high – 1,84, 372 to be precise — lakhs of devotees were seen taking a dip in the Holy Ganga during the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Elsewhere, cities such as Delhi and Mumbai have been witnessing a steady exodus of the migrant workforce due to the lockdown-like curfew and fear of more stringent restrictions. Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have set up call centres and snack stalls for the workforce coming home. So how does the second-most populous country in the world battling the second wave of the coronavirus? Well, the straight answer for this is – we are still fighting, there’s no surrender and that is what matters! From tired doctors in Chhattisgarh to melting furnaces at the cremation grounds in Surat, every single city, town, the village has a tale of utter desperation and exhaustion. While the Centre has maintained again and again that there is no shortage of Covid jabs, the state officials have totally different story to tell.
Though nobody wants a lockdown and everybody wants the vaccine, the problem lies in the fact that there is no plan of action so far. It is in this context that Maharashtra’s corona curfew can help India in formulating a new strategy.
Meanwhile, there’s a growing demand among students of other state boards to cancel the exams after the CBSE decided to cancel the Class X exams and postpone the Class XII exams. With coronavirus not going anywhere, anytime soon, even the education sector needs to see how can it impart the lessons without putting the students’ health at risk. Is it also time for the political parties to introspect about the election rallies? Or are we ready to change our lifestyle around the novel coronavirus? These are some of the issues that need to be taken into consideration.
As India sees the fresh peak of the coronavirus wave, here are the latest, verified pandemic updates:
Highlights
The risk of rare blood clotting known as cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) following COVID-19 infection is several times higher than post-vaccination, according to a study unveiled on Thursday. The study led by researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK counted the number of CVT cases diagnosed in the two weeks following diagnosis of COVID-19, or after the first dose of a vaccine. They compared these to calculated incidences of CVT following influenza, and the background level in the general population. The team found that CVT is more common after COVID-19 than in any of the comparison groups, with 30 per cent of these cases occurring in the under 30s. (PTI)
A top official from the World Health Organisation says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains "serious," with about 1.6 million new cases reported each week in the region. Addressing recent concerns about vaccines, Dr Hans Kluge also said the risk of people suffering blood clots is far higher for people with COVID-19 than people who receive AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Greece, Kluge did point to "early signs that transmission may be slowing across several countries" and cited "declining incidence" among the oldest people. (AP)
The International Baccalaureate (IB) on Thursday cancelled its examinations across the country following a surge in COVID-19 cases. There are 185 schools in India following the IB's curriculum. Students who seek admission in schools abroad or those whose parents are mostly transferred to foreign countries, usually opt for exams under this board. According to the board, India will follow the non-examination route for the diploma programme, the career-related programme and the alternative task for the middle years programme. "The IB has informed schools of our decision not to hold examinations in India due to rising cases of COVID-19, and following ongoing conversations with our schools, associations and education boards," an official statement by the International Baccalaureate said. (PTI)
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UP reports 114 coronavirus deaths and 22,439 fresh cases, highest single-day spikes: Officials (PTI)
Chief Electoral Office (CEO) West Bengal has called for an all-party meeting asking all political parties to adhere to COVID19 guidelines mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for strict compliance: ECI Official (ANI)
The World Health Organization Europe head, Hans Kluge, said on Thursday that Denmark is examining options for sharing AstraZeneca's vaccines with poorer nations, after itself halting use of the shots over concerns over rare blood clots. (Reuters)
Merck & Co Inc on Thursday said it plans a large study of what could become the first pill to target the coronavirus in people at risk of severe COVID-19, but will no longer pursue use of the experimental antiviral drug in hospitalized patients. The company said it would study the drug molnupiravir in a Phase 3 trial among COVID-19 patients out of hospitals who have at least one risk factor for poor outcomes, such as advanced age, obesity or diabetes. Trial participants can have had symptoms for no more than five days, shortened from seven days in a prior study."We had some encouraging signals in the outpatient trial. That was not the case in the inpatient trial, but that was not unexpected," Roy Baynes, Merck's chief medical officer, told Reuters. He said COVID-19 patients who need hospital treatment are often in the "inflammatory" phase of the disease, which is too late for an antiviral drug to provide much help. Molnupiravir, which Merck is developing with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is designed to interfere with the ability of the coronavirus to replicate. Merck also said it discontinued development of an experimental immune modulator, known as MK-7110, for treating COVID-19 after concluding that clinical trial and manufacturing preparations would take too long. (Reuters)
Uttarakhand | According to State Control Room-COVID 19, a total of 2,167 positive cases have been found in Haridwar from April 10 to April 14 (ANI)
Battling the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Delhi recorded over 17,000 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday to become the worst-affected city in the country, leaving financial capital Mumbai far behind in the daily tally. Mumbai's single day peak so far is 11,163, registered on April 4, according to officials figures. On Wednesday, Bengaluru recorded 8,155 cases, Chennai 2,564, their highest daily surge. Pune's highest single-day since the pandemic began was 12,494 cases, recorded on April 4. Delhi recorded 17,282 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest single-day surge in the national capital since the onset of the pandemic, while over 100 fatalities were reported, according to data shared by the health department. Thus, Delhi has eclipsed Mumbai in the daily infection tally by a huge margin. (PTI)
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan have shown a steep rise in COVID-19 daily cases, accounting for 80.76 per cent of the new infections reported in a day, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. India's daily new cases continue to rise and, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am, a record 2,00,739 cases were registered in a span of 24 hours. Maharashtra reported the highest number of daily cases at 58,952 and it is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 20,439 cases and Delhi with 17,282 new cases, it said. India's total active cases reached 14,71,877 and now comprises 10.46 per cent of the country's total infections. A net increase of 1,06,173 cases has been recorded in the total active cases in a span of 24 hours. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala cumulatively account for 67.16 per cent of India's total active cases, the ministry said. (PTI)
With the CBSE cancelling Class X board exams due to an alarming surge in coronavirus cases, DMK chief M K Stalin on Thursday wondered if it was the 'right' time to conduct the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) for Post Graduate courses. NEET-PG 2021 is scheduled on April 18. In a tweet, Stalin, whose party is a vocal critic of NEET, pointed out at the cancellation of CBSE class X exams "due to the second wave" of covid-19. (PTI)
In light of the rise in coronavirus cases, the administration in Maharashtra's Raigad district has reserved 5,086 beds in government and private hospitals, an official said on Thursday. According to a release issued by the district administration, 3,552 beds without oxygen support, 1,042 with oxygen support, 311 ICU beds and 181 ventilators have been prepared for COVID-19 patients. There are 3,552 beds without oxygen support in the COVID-19 isolation ward, while a separation room has been set up with 1,042 beds that have oxygen support, the release stated. (PTI)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to chair virtual meeting on the COVID19 situation with presiding officers on April 19. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi among other leaders of Opposition will also attend the meeting. (ANI)
Union Home Secretary chairs high-level meeting to review COVID-19 status and public health measures taken by Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh advised to strengthen&enhance oxygen beds & ICU beds. Union Health Secretary focused on 5-fold strategy of “Test, Track, Treat, Vaccinate”. (ANI)
Delhi High Court allows 50 people to offer prayers at Nizamuddin Markaz mosque five times a day, subject to guidelines issued by authorities concerned (ANI)
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to take concrete steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus and asserted that it is "futile" to invest time and resources in "hiding" this tragedy. Taking to Twitter, the Congress general secretary also tagged a video purportedly showing Baikunth Dham crematorium in Lucknow being covered by opaque screens. "There is a request to the government of Uttar Pradesh: It is futile to invest time, resources and energy into hiding, suppressing this tragedy," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. "Take concrete steps to stop the pandemic, save lives, and prevent the spread of infection. This is the need of the hour," she said. - PTI
Salon owners and barbers in Maharashtra have demanded financial assistance from the state government in the wake of their shops being shut to curb the spread of COVID-19. The state government has enforced tough new measures, which exclude essential services, from Wednesday for 15 days to break the COVID-19 transmission chain. Barber shops, salons, spas, schools, colleges, coaching classes, beaches, clubs, swimming pools, gyms, drama theatres and cinema halls will remain shut during the period, according to a government notification. - PTI
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava on Thursday asked the personnel of the force to take adequate precautions, maintain social distancing and wear N-95 or 3-ply surgical masks to protect themselves. In a video message, the police chief told his personnel to be extra cautious and follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), saying the new wave of coronavirus was "far more serious" in nature than the previous one. "In the last few days, some of our personnel have been found coronavirus positive and this number is increasing, which is a cause of worry," he said, stressing that the Delhi Police has played a vital role in fighting COVID-19. - PTI
CM Naveen Patnaik orders suspension of all 10th & 12th board exams in the state in view of COVID situation. All students of Class 9 & 11 in academic year 2020-21 will be prompted to the 10th and 12th standards respectively. They do not have to take any tests for this: Odisha CMO. Check complete list here
Kerala Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar has tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time in seven months. In a Facebook post, the minister said that he was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital here on Wednesday evening after being infected with the virus again. Kumar said his son also tested positive for the virus. The CPI leader said he contracted the infection for the second time as he was prepared to receive the COVID vaccine on Thursday. - PTI
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala received the second dose of coronavirus vaccine in Bengaluru on Thursday. According to a Raj Bhavan communique, nurse Vedha administered Vala the Covishield vaccine under the supervision of Medical Superintendent Dr B R Venkateshaiah at KC General Hospital. Vala got the first shot on March 2. Speaking to reporters later, Vala appealed to the people to take the vaccine as a precautionary measure to save themselves from coronavirus. – PTI
India's drug regulator will take a decision on applications seeking approval for restricted ‘emergency use of foreign produced vaccines’ within three working days from the date of submission, the government said on Thursday. The Central Drug Authority, CDSCO, will process applications for registration certificates (registration of overseas manufacturing site and product; in this case COVID vaccine) and import license within three working days from the date of approval of restricted use in emergency situation. The CDSCO issued detailed guidelines specifying regulatory pathway for approval of foreign approved COVID-19 vaccines after the central government on Tuesday decided to fast-track emergency approvals for all coronavirus jabs that have been given a similar nod by the WHO or regulators in the United States, Europe, Britain or Japan. - PTI
With the Centre cancelling CBSE Class X board exams due to an alarming surge in coronavirus cases, DMK chief M K Stalin on Thursday wondered if it was the 'right' time to conduct the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) for Post Graduate courses. NEET-PG 2021 is scheduled on April 18. In a tweet, Stalin, whose party is a vocal critic of NEET, pointed out at the cancellation of CBSE class X exams "due to the second wave" of covid-19. - PTI
Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Thursday took the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Jaipur. The vaccination was administered to the governor at the Sawai Man Singh government hospital under the supervision of the principal of the SMS Medical College Dr Sudhir Bhandari, an official release said. Mishra was administered the first dose of the vaccine on May 1. - PTI
On the lines of the CBSE Board, we have decided to cancel Class 10th board exams and postpone Class 12th exams. Class 10th students will be evaluated based on internal assessment: Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar - ANI
In the wake of COVID19 pandemic, Gujarat Govt decides to postpone Class 10 & 12 board examinations, scheduled to be held between May 10 to 25 & mass promotion for students of std 1 to 9 & 11. New dates to be announced after reviewing coronavirus situation on May 15: Gujarat CMO
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to the Centre, urging to consider the COVID-19 pandemic as natural calamity, so that the government can use the state disaster response fund (SDRF) to provide financial assistance to the affected people. All State Disaster Management Acts have been formed as part of the central disaster management law; hence the state needs the Union government's permission to use the SDRF for helping the pandemic-hit people, a government official said on Thursday. The chief minister wrote the letter to the Centre on Wednesday to seek its permission, he said. As of now, flood, lightning incidents, heavy rainfall where there is loss of property or livelihood fall under the category of natural calamity and monetary compensation is provided to the affected people. - PTI
As many as 1,718 persons tested positive for coronavirus, while 27 have died of the infection in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, an official said on Thursday. With the latest cases and casualties reported on Wednesday, the caseload in the district reached 1,03,254 and the toll touched 2,052, the official said. A total of 85,400 patients have recovered from the disease so far, leaving the district with 15,802 active cases, he said. Of the fresh cases, 771 were detected in the city, while 947 were reported from the rural parts of the district, the official said. Among the latest casualties, 18 patients died at the Government Medical College and Hospital, six at private facilities and three at the civil hospital. - PTI
All schools in Uttar Pradesh will be closed till May 15 while board exams for classes 10 and 12 have been postponed till May 20 in view of rising COVID-19 cases, the state government said on Thursday. The new dates for the board examinations will be decided in the first week of May, an official said. "Schools up to class 12 are being closed till May 15 and no examinations will also be held during this period. Also, UP board examinations for classes 10 and 12 have been postponed till May 20," the official said. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Uttar Pradesh Education Board examinations were scheduled to start from May 8. A night curfew from 8 pm till 7 am was imposed in 10 districts with more than 2,000 active COVID-19 cases, the official said. The districts are in Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Gorakhpur, the official said. - PTI
Two top officials of Japan's ruling LDP party on Thursday said radical changes could be coming to the Tokyo Olympics. One went as far to suggest they still could be canceled, and the other that even if they proceed, it might be without any fans. Toshihiro Nikai, the secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, suggested the cancellation just a day after Tokyo reached the 100-days-to-go mark on Wednesday. He made his comments in a show recorded by Japan's TBS TV. ‘If it seems impossible to go on with the games, they must be definitely canceled,’ Nikai said. ‘If there is a surge in infections because of the Olympics, there will be no meaning to having the Olympics.’ - AP
A total of 1,701 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Haridwar Kumbh Mela area from April 10 to 14 confirming fears that one of the world's largest religious gatherings may contribute further to the rapid rise in coronavirus cases. The numbers include both RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Test reports of devotees and seers of different akharas (ascetic groups) over the five-day period in the entire Mela Kshetra extending from Haridwar to Devprayag, Haridwar Chief Medical Officer Shambhu Kumar Jha said on Thursday. More RT-PCR test reports are awaited and the trend shows that the number of infected persons in the Kumbh Mela Kshetra is likely to climb to 2,000, he said. The Kumbh Mela area is spread over 670 hectares covering parts of Haridwar, Tehri and Dehradun districts, including Rishikesh. - PTI
he Karnataka government has asked those returning from Kumbh Mela at Haridwar to get themselves quarantined and get tested for coronavirus infection. "Pilgrims returning to the state after taking part in the holy Kumbh Mela at Haridwar must isolate themselves at home and undergo tests for coronavirus. I urge pilgrims to continue with their regular activities only after their COVID negative test report," Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted. The Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Services K V Thrilok Chandra too issued a circular to this effect. - PTI
The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday roped in its aircraft to rush Remdesivir injections from Indore to various other districts in the state for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, an official said. Two hundred boxes containing 9,264 Remdesivir injections (a key anti-viral drug) have arrived at the Indore airport, an official from the Chief Minister's Office said. Out of these, 42 boxes will be airlifted to Bhopal, 39 to Jabalpur, 19 to Gwalior, 18 to Rewa, he said. Besides, 75 boxes of the Remdesivir injections would be kept for Indore, the worst coronavirus-hit district in the state, and some stock will also be sent to Sagar, Ratlam and Khandwa, the official said. - PTI
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh announces that all students of class 5, 8 & 10 be promoted to next class, without taking any examination. A decision on Class 12 PSEB exams, which have already been postponed, to be taken later based on the emerging situation: Punjab CMO
Curfew passes to be issued to those rendering essential services. Malls, gyms, spas and auditoriums to be closed. Cinemas halls to operate at 30% capacity only. People will not be allowed to dine-in restaurants, only home deliveries permitted: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Check full report here
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a weekend curfew in the national capital, says all malls, gyms, swimming pools shut.
Delhi Chief Minister is addressing the state right now
Speaking on the Covid deaths, MP Minister Prem Singh Patel on Wednesday said, "Nobody can stop these deaths. Everyone is talking about cooperation for protection from Corona...You said that many people are dying every day. People get old and they have to die."
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Mizoram on Thursday reported 37 fresh COVID-19 cases, the biggest single-day spike this year, pushing the tally to 4,722, an official said. The new infections include 33 cases from the state capital, he said. The northeastern state now has 240 active cases, while 4,470 people have recovered from the disease. At least 12 people have succumbed to the virus so far. Altogether, 2,68,697 samples have been tested till date, including 2,317 on Wednesday, the official said. Meanwhile, State Immunisation Officer Lalzawmi said 91,547 people, including 24,397 senior citizens, have been administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine till Wednesday, and 29,011 have received the second dose, she said. - PTI