Coronavirus News Live Updates: FDA Clears Export Stocks of Remdesivir For Use in Covid-Battered Maharashtra

FDA on Thursday ordered Export Stocks of Remdesivir to be used in Maharashtra as an emergency amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

The antiviral injections are considered crucial for Covid-19 patients battling severe chest infection.

Heavy Penalty at Railway Stations | Heavy penalty will be levied for not wearing masks. It is mandatory to wear masks inside the trains and on premises of railway stations. Passengers travelling from outside the state will be tested for Covid-19: Awanish K Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary, Home

Delhi Covid-19 LIVE Updates | Delhi govt appoints 10 IAS officers as 'nodal officers' for Covid-19 hospitals run by it, asks them to work from health care facility they have been assigned: Health department order

Mumbai Covid-19 Hotspots | South Mumbai's A ward and D ward have emrged as new covid-19 hotspots. During the last seven days, 1,888 cases were reported in A ward and 2,977 cases in D ward.

ASI Tourists Spots in Kolkata Shut amid Covid Surge | Due to spike in Covid-19 cases in West Bengal, sites that come under the Archeological Survey of India will remain shut. Victoria Memorial, Museums, Birla Planetarium, Science City to remain shut and won’t allow public visits till May 15.

Mumbai Remdesivir Helpline Toll-Free No Now Available | Remdesivir injection now will be provided through Collector and Drug inspectors. A toll-free helpline number: 1800222365 has been set up days after health minister Rajesh Tope announced the same a few days ago.

UPDATE | Union Home Secretary reviews Covid-19 Status and Public Health Measures for its Containment & Management taken by Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. States assured Continued Assistance from Union Govt

Five Poll Contestants Test Positive in Bengal | At least five candidates of different parties contesting the ongoing assembly election in West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19, a health department official said on Friday. Out of the five candidates who tested positive, three are from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and one each from the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said.

BMC released a list of agencies supplying oxygen to all 24 wards of Mumbai and a list of ward wise nodal officers These nodal officers will check whether all private hospitals are getting oxygen support and patients are getting oxygen at the right time. 

Sad to know that @CMofKarnataka Shri. @BSYBJP has been tested positive for #Covid19. I wish him speedy recovery & return with good health: Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah

Will urge EC to stop BJP from bringing outsiders in Bengal during campaigning to check spread of Covid-19: Cheif Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nadia rally

Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates | Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla says US needs to lift its embargo on raw material exports to help ramp up covid-19 vaccine production.

Niranjani Akhara Secy Tests Positive | Niranjani Akhara's secretary Ravindra Puri tested positive for coronavirus today. He attended the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand's Haridwar.

Odisha Running Short of Vaccines, Only 7 Inoculation Site Operating |  We are running short of vaccines. We don’t have enough stock to run all 1,500 vaccination sites across Odisha. With this stock, only 700 vaccination sites are possible to operate: Bijay Panigrahi, Covid-19 vaccination in-charge, Odisha

Punjab Covid-19 LIVE Updates | Seven private hospitals providing tertiary care for Covid-19 patients in the district to set aside at least 50% of their total bed capacity as isolation beds and wads for COVID Care: District Magistrate SAS Nagar (Mohali)

NDA and other exams won't be affected due to weekend lockdown in Chandigarh, students can travel showing admit card. Vaccination program will continue during curfew: Manoj Parida, Advisor, Chandigarh Administration.

70% of samples sent to the National Centre for Diseases Control, Delhi in March had the UK variant of coronavirus. This strain is very infectious and affecting all age groups. Some samples also had the double mutant strain: PGIMER Director Prof. Jagat Ram

Delhi Metro Guidelines for Weekend Lockdown | In view of the curfew imposed by the Delhi government for coming weekend for the containment of Covid-19, Metro services will be available with a headway of 15 min across the whole network on the weekend i.e, on April 17 and 18. The two sections, where there is a bifurcation in the network i.e, Noida/Vaishali section of Blue Line and Kirti Nagar/Inderlok section of Green Line, the headway will become double i.e. services will be available after every 30 minutes in these sections: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

CSIR Dehradun lab can prepare around 500-litre oxygen per minute. We can generate oxygen onsite which is cost-effective because no manual intervention is needed. Integration with hospitals oxygen distribution system will be useful: Dr Sekhar Mande, Director General, CSIR.

Delhi Govt Issuing E-passes: Commissioner | If anyone has to go to hospital in an emergency, it'll be considered. A doctor going to a hospital, can go on the basis of an ID. If a vegetable seller is making sales and it can be seen, then he'll be allowed even without a pass. E-pass needed for many things. Delhi Police and Delhi Govt are issuing e-passes. Journalists can move on basis of their ID, they won't face any issue - except those whose IDs won't be proper; they won't be permitted and same action will be taken as for anyone else: Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava on weekend curfew.

While the government is scrambling to control Covid-19 infections in the national capital, crematoriums and burial grounds of the city are reeling under constant pressure.

17 saints at Niranjani Akhara Test +ve | 17 saints from Niranjani Akhara in Haridwar test positive for Covid-19 in the rapid antigen test. All positive saints will be isolated at the Akhara itself. The arrangement of isolation is currently underway. The state health department teams are constantly taking samples of other saints and hermits.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) amends Jaslok hospital order, says 52 critical non-Covid patients admitted there can't be moved to other hospitals. Remaining beds to be converted to Covid-19 beds. In view of the current surge in Covid-19 patients in urgent need of hospitalisation, it was decided to convert Jaslok Hospital into dedicated Covid-19 hospital. However, the city's civic body was informed by the hospital management that presently 30 critical patients undergoing cancer treatment and another 22 critical patients undergoing cardiac/nephro treatment are already admitted in the hospital and considering their medical condition, shifting them to other hospital at this juncture may prove fatal. 

Helpline for ITBP Jawans, Families | A helpline is being started to help jawans, families and retired personnel. A COVID Care Centre made functional at Chhawla campus in Delhi. It is fully equipped. All our hospitals have been activated to treat our Himveers and their families: SS Deswal, DG ITBP writes to all jawans.

An all-party meeting called by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal over COVID19 norms, underway at Kolkata Circuit House.

Kolkata: An all-party meeting called by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal over COVID19 norms, underway at Kolkata Circuit House pic.twitter.com/HKspoHyCI2

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2021

Night Curfew in Bhubaneswar Tomorrow | As per Odisha govt order, night curfew to be imposed in Bhubaneswar from 9pm tomorrow (till 5am), until further orders. All essential services and supply of essential commodities including medical services etc allowed: Commissioner, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

Weekend Curfew in Chandigarh from Tonight | Weekend curfew to be imposed in Chandigarh from Friday 10 pm to Monday 5 am. Only essential services will be allowed. The order will come into effect from tonight. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting of Chandigarh Administration.

Sanitisation being done at Ahmedabad railway station in Gujarat.

Gujarat: Sanitization being done at Ahmedabad railway station, to contain the spread of COVID19 pic.twitter.com/il12M0AK9S

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2021

PM Modi was informed that States and transporters have been asked to ensure tankers move round the clock with drivers working in shifts to ensure faster turnaround and adequate capacity to meet the demand. Cylinder filling plants will also be permitted 24 hr working with necessary safeguards. Govt allowing Industrial cylinders for medical oxygen after due purging. Nitrogen and argon tankers will be automatically allowed to be converted to oxygen tankers to overcome potential shortage of tankers. Officers also briefed PM about efforts to import medical grade oxygen: PMO.