Has India become the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic? (Photos: PTI/Reuters) New Coronavirus Cases in India Highlights: 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 Union government has given its permission to the city-based Haffkin Institute to manufacture Covaxin, an anti-coronavirus vaccine of Bharat Biotech, an official said on Thursday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had earlier requested the Centre to allow the Haffkine Institute to produce Covaxin. It is currently produced by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, the official from the chief minister's office (CMO) said. Accordingly, the Centre gave its nod, he said. Thackeray thanked the central government for granting permission, the official said. (PTI)
In view of increasing demand for medical oxygen, a tender will be finalised for import of 50,000 MT of medical oxygen & possible sources will be identified by MEA, Union Health Ministry said today. 4880 MT, 5619 MT & 6593 MT been identified for 12 high burden states to meet their projected demand as on Apr 20, 25 & 30 respectively. States are Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat, UP, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana & Rajasthan, the ministry said.
Uttarakhand recorded the highest single-day spurt in COVID-19 cases on Thursday with 2,220 people testing positive for the disease. The previous record of single-day rise in the number of cases was witnessed on September 19 last year when the state reported 2,078 cases. With 2,220 people testing positive on Thursday, the total number of coronavirus cases climbed to 1,16,244 in Uttarakhand, a bulletin issued by the COVID control room said here. Nine more people succumbed to the viral disease, taking the death toll to 1,802, it added. Dehradun district reported the maximum number of 914 cases, followed by Haridwar (613), Nainital (156), Udham Singh Nagar (131) and Pauri (105). A total of 12,484 COVID-19 patients are under treatment in the state while 99,777 have recovered, the bulletin said. (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Thursday recorded 489 new COVID-19 cases, its highest single-day spike, which pushed the tally to 28,928 in the district, according to official data. One death linked to COVID-19 took the toll in the district to 98, it stated. The number of active cases in the district, adjoining Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh, has reached 2,334 from 2,027 the previous day, according to the figures released by the UP Health Department for a 24-hour period. Among the new patients is also BJP leader and Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, who took to Twitter to announce that he has tested positive for the infection. (PTI)
Telangana govt cancels Class 10 SSC Board Exams, following the rise in COVID19 cases. Results of Class 10 students to be prepared on basis of objective criteria to be developed by the Board. Any student not satisfied with marks can appear for Exam when conditions are conducive. (PTI)
Considering the rapid increase in coronavirus cases in Bihar as in other parts of the country, major political parties in Bihar including the ruling JD(U) and main opposition RJD have closed their party offices. While JD(U) shut its state headquarters here from Thursday till April 20, the RJD locked its office from April 15 till further orders seeing the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases. Both the parties have put up notices to this effect on the main gates of their state headquarters on Bir Chand Patel Marg in the heart of the city. Other major political parties including BJP, Congress and CPI(ML) are operating their offices with strict instructions to abide by COVID-19 protocol. (PTI)
Uttarakhand reports 2,220 new COVID19 cases and 9 deaths in the last 24 hours; case tally at 1,16,244; 613 fresh cases in Haridwar district take case tally to 19,575 (ANI)
A considerable dip in the number of domestic travellers has been reported in the country due to the mandatory requirement of producing Covid-19 test report at the time of travel. According to an Indian Express report the total number of domestic air travellers fell from the 2 lakh mark for the first time in the country in the last five months. According to aviation experts, the prime factor for the sudden dip in the number of travellers is the mandatory requirement of Covid-19 negative test in many states and random Covid-19 tests at the airports by many state governments. The number of domestic travellers that travelled in the domestic flights in the country on Tuesday was 1.83 lakh, the Indian Express quoted the data provided by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. READ MORE
Supreme Court judge Justice M R Shah Thursday said that all staff members at his official residence have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and "things are getting scary". Justice Shah, who was sitting on the bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, rose before the scheduled lunch break after telling the participants about the coronavirus infection of his staff members. When the bench re-assembled around 2 PM, Justice Shah, on being inquired about the well being of those at the residence, said, "with the God's grace I am ok. I am perfectly ok. Yes, things are getting scary". Justice Chandrachud adjourned hearing in other matters, except in the case in which proceedings were undergoing, saying since Justice Shah "is busy in managing things at his home, the court will only take one item and then rise for the day." (PTI)
A 33-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by drowning herself in a lake, following her husband's death due to COVID-19 in Maharashtra's Nanded district, police said on Thursday. The woman's three-year-old son also followed her into Sunegaon lake in Loha and drowned as a result on Wednesday night, an official said. According to the police, a 40-year-old labourer from Telangana had come to Loha, located 40 km from Nanded city, in search of work and had gotten infected with the disease. The man died in a government hospital on April 13, following which his wife allegedly committed suicide by drowning herself in the lake, the official said. The couple had three children, and one of them, a three-year-old boy, followed his mother into the lake and drowned in the process, he said, adding that the matter came to light on Thursday morning. (PTI)
The Kerala government on Thursday decided to conduct at least 2.5 lakh tests within the next two days to rein in the surging COVID-19 cases in the state. Steps such as extensive testing, strict containment and restrictions besides effective vaccination would also be taken to control the spread. This was decided at a COVID-19 evaluation meeting conducted online and chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "Mass testing of at least 2.5 lakh people will be held on April 16 and 17," Vijayan said. (PTI)
In view of rising COVID19 cases, ongoing Class 10 exams for remaining subjects have been cancelled and students would be promoted to Class 11 based on internal assessments. Ongoing Class 12 exams have been postponed: Office of LG of Jammu and Kashmir (ANI)
Odisha govt announces weekend shutdown in urban areas of the 10 districts bordering Chhattisgarh. No religious and political gatherings will be allowed; restrictions also put on political rallies. Night curfew across Odisha including Cuttack, Bhubaneswar from tomorrow.
The Editors Guild of India on Thursday urged the Union government to declare journalists as frontline workers and ensure priority vaccination for them amid a rise in coronavirus cases. In a statement, the Guild said news organisations have been relentlessly covering the pandemic, elections, and other current affairs in an effort to ensure that the flow of news and information to readers continues unabated. "News media is included in essential services. Therefore, it will only be fair that journalists be given this cover of protection, especially in the face of the number of infected rising to astronomical levels," the statement said. (PTI)
Two officials in Japan's ruling LDP party on Thursday said changes could be coming to the Tokyo Olympics. One suggested they still could be canceled, and the other said even if they proceed, it might be without any fans. Toshihiro Nikai, the No. 2 and secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, mentioned the cancellation only 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." Asked if a cancellation was still an option, Nikai said: "Of course." But he also added: "It is important for Japan to have a successful Olympics. It is a big opportunity. I want to make it a success. We will have many issues to resolve and prepare, and it is important to take care of them one by one." (AP)
State-owned steel maker SAIL on Thursday said its super specialty hospital at Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has been approved as a Covid Care hospital. The step has been taken in wake of rising cases in the region, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) said in a statement. "Inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under the guidance of Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Steel, SAIL's super specialty hospital at Rourkela, Odisha, is approved to be used as Covid Care Hospital (CCH)," the company said. (PTI)
Andhra Pradesh reports 5,086 new COVID-19 cases, 1,745 recoveries and 14 deaths in the last 24 hoursTotal cases: 9,42,135Death toll: 7,353Total recoveries: 9,03,072Active cases: 31,710 (ANI)
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The Covid-19 death toll in Bangladesh crossed 10,000 with 84 deaths being reported on Thursday. The country also reported 4,192 fresh coronavirus infections, according to the latest figures released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The death toll has now gone up to 10,081 and the total number of Coronavirus infected people is over 7 lakh, it said. The positivity rate of the samples collected for testing is reported at a high level of 21 percent.
Amid alarming rise of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh, the Centre has asked the state to strengthen and enhance oxygen and ICU beds and effectively implement a five-fold strategy of "test, track, treat, follow COVID-appropriate behaviour and vaccinate" to check the spread. The health ministry has also asked it to curb non-essential movement of large groups of people and social gatherings that could turn into super spreader events. In a statement, the ministry said issues related to adequate availability of N95 masks, PPE kits, HCQ tablets availability, ventilator allocation, delivery and installation along with oxygen requirement and status of allocation of concentrator plants were discussed in detail in a high-level meeting. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla along with Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary chaired the meeting to review the status of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh and the public health measures taken for its surveillance, containment and management by the health authorities. Madhya Pradesh has reported nearly 13.4 per cent week-on-week increase in new COVID cases. In last two weeks, the state has seen almost 79 per cent increase in weekly new cases. (PTI)
A man desperate to find a hospital bed for his "extremely weak" 60-year-old mother, another looking for anti-viral drug Remdevisir and a woman looking for a plasma donor for a friend's uncle fighting for his life -- the grim COVID-19 situation in Delhi triggered a flurry of SOS posts on Twitter on Thursday. Some claimed that while the Delhi Corona app showed that beds are available in certain hospitals in the city, the situation on the ground is different. Hospitals are not admitting patients as they have run out of beds, they said. Many even tagged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, who also holds the health portfolio, in their tweets to draw attention to their plight. The Delhi Corona app allows people to check the availability of beds in government and private hospitals in the national capital. The number of coronavirus cases has exploded in Delhi over the last few days, with the city recording a massive jump of 17,282 fresh infections on Wednesday -- the fifth record daily rise in as many days. "URGENT: NEED A HOSPITAL BED IN DELHI FOR MOTHER (AGED 60), SHE IS EXTREMELY WEAK AND WE'RE TRYING FOR A BED BUT NO LUCK. PLEASE HELP," said a tweet posted by a Twitter user with the handle @Massey Erick. "Any hospitals in #Delhi where beds are available? Asking for a friend. His wife has been calling up hospitals and even though the apps/website show available beds, the hospitals are saying no vacancy," tweeted @vibhurishi. (PTI)
In compliance with the DDMA order, National Zoological Park will be closed on the weekends till April 30 or further orders. It will also be closed on Friday too, as it's a weekly off for the Zoo: Ramesh Pandey, Director, Delhi Zoo (ANI)
Delhi weekend curfew: No restriction on inter-state movement and transportation of essential, non-essential goods, says DDMA
Domestic traders' body CAIT on Thursday asked the Delhi government to impose a complete lockdown for at least 10 days to control coronavirus infections but at the same time ensure movement of vehicles carrying essential goods for the people. Amid surging COVID cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced weekend curfew in Delhi apart from various other curbs. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said that people engaged in essential services should get e-passes on time and that the government should ensure smooth movement of vehicles at borders. "The time has come to take a strong step in order to curb the rapid outbreak and a complete lockdown for at least 10 days in order to break the chain seems the right thing to do," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said. (PTI)
The head of the Maha Nirvani Akhara from Madhya Pradesh Swami Kapil Dev who was under treatment for COVID-19 at a private hospital here has died, an official said on Thursday. The akhara's Mahamandaleshwar, who had come to attend the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Haridwar from Madhya Pradesh, was admitted to the Kailash Hospital here after his RT-PCR test result, Haridwar's Chief Medical Officer S K Jha said. Swami Kapil Dev passed away at the hospital on April 13, Superintendent of Police (City) Sarita Dobhal said. Over 1,700 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. (PTI)
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday stressed on making long-term arrangements for fighting COVID-19 and dubbed the pandemic situation as very serious. The Lok Sabha MP from Nagpur was speaking after inaugurating a private 100-bed COVID-19 care centre at the National Cancer Centre in the city. BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present. Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari stressed on making long-term arrangements for fighting the pandemic, saying "The situation is very serious and no one knows how long it will last. People should think for the best but prepare for the worst." Gadkari informed about arranging medical oxygen supply of 40 tonnes from Bhillai for Nagpur hospitals. He said up to 300 beds are being added at the AIIMS Nagpur and oxygen stock for the hospital is being sourced from Visakhapatnam. (PTI)
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to the Centre, saying the number of active caseload of COVID-19 in the state is expected to double in the next 15 days. Maharashtra is expecting its active caseload to reach 11.9 lakh by April 30, compared to the current active caseload of 5.64 lakh, Thackeray said on Wednesday in the letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also said the medical oxygen requirement in the state is projected to reach 2,000 metric tonnes per day by April-end from the present consumption of 1,200 MT per day. Citing logistical hurdles in the transportation of liquid medical oxygen from neighbouring states, Thackeray also sought permission under the National Disaster Management Act to airlift oxygen from steel plants in eastern and southern parts of the country. Medical-grade oxygen is used for the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients and in other cases of respiratory diseases. (PTI)
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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Uttar Pradesh on Thursday reported 114 coronavirus deaths and 22,439 fresh cases, its record daily infection numbers since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to an official. The infection has killed 9,480 people in the state, which has reported 7,66,360 cases so far, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters. This is the second day in a row when the state has reported a record daily increase in the COVID numbers. On Wednesday, 20,510 cases had surfaced in the state. It was last year in September when the state had witnessed 113 deaths. (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)