Coronavirus News Live Updates: Rajasthan govt orders closure of offices, markets till May 3

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Delhi govt lodges FIR against 4 airlines including IndiGo, SpiceJet for not checking RT-PCR reports of Maharashtra returnees

The Delhi government has lodged an FIR against four airlines -- Indigo, Vistara, Spice Jet, and Air Asia -- for not checking properly the RT-PCR negative reports of those coming from Maharashtra and flouting Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) rules, ANI reported. Cases have been lodged against the four airlines under the Disaster Management Act. The DDMA has issued guidelines making it mandatory for people travelling by air from Maharashtra to produce a negative RT-PCR report of a test done not more than 72 hours before arrival.

As per DDMA rules, those failing to produce a COVID-19 negative report would have to quarantine themselves for 14 days. The Delhi government has also registered FIRs against two private hospitals for giving “false” information on the availability of beds. Kejriwal has warned all hospitals with strict action if they are caught giving wrong information about bed availability or turning away COVID-19 patients despite having beds available. The development comes at a time when COVID-19 cases in Delhi are increasing exponentially.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Railways to run ‘Oxygen Express’ to meet high demand amid COVID-19 second wave

The Railways will run “Oxygen Express” over the next few days to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country, the national transporter said on April 18. Amid spiraling coronavirus cases in the country, the demand for medical oxygen in the country has gone through the roof. Empty tankers will begin their journey from Kalamboli and Boisar railway stations in and near Mumbai on April 19 to load liquid medical oxygen, officials said.

Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra state governments had earlier approached the Railways Ministry to explore whether liquid medical oxygen tankers could be moved by the rail network, they said. On the receipt of the request from the two states, the Railways immediately explored the technical feasibility of transportation of liquid medical oxygen. It has to be transported through roll-on-roll-off service with road tankers placed on flat wagons.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Bihar imposes night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am, extends closure of schools, colleges till May 15

In view of the alarming rise in the number of coronavirus infections being reported daily, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced on April 18 that a night curfew will be imposed across the state from 9 pm to 5 am. During this time, all shops selling vegetables, fruits, eggs, and meat will have to be shut by 6 pm and restaurants and small eateries will be operational only for home delivery and take away services till 9 pm.

Additionally, the Bihar government has also extended the closure of schools, colleges, and coaching centres till May 15. No examination will be held by any state-run school or university in this period. Cinema halls, malls, clubs, gyms, and parks will be closed till May 15 along with all religious places in Bihar, Nitish Kumar has announced. At funerals, there will be a 25-people cap on attendees and not more than 100 people will be allowed to attend weddings.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Hong Kong suspends flights connecting India from April 20 to May 3

Hong Kong has suspended all flights connecting it with India, Pakistan, and the Philippines from April 20 to May 3 amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, aviation industry sources said on April 18. They said the Hong Kong government has also suspended flights to and from Pakistan as well as the Philippines for the aforementioned time period.

The Hong Kong government's decision has come after 50 passengers of two Vistara flights this month were found positive for COVID-19 when tested on arrival. According to rules, all passengers who want to come to Hong Kong need to have a COVID-negative RTPCR result with them from a test done 72 hours prior to the journey.

Earlier in the day, the Hong Kong government announced suspension of all Vistara flights on Mumbai-Hong Kong route till May 2. According to rules, all passengers who want to come to Hong Kong need to have a COVID-negative RTPCR result with them from a test done 72 hours prior to the journey. Earlier in the day, the Hong Kong government announced suspension of all Vistara flights on Mumbai-Hong Kong route till May 2.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Mamata Banerjee cancels Kolkata rallies, TMC to hold small meets amid COVID-19 surge

Amid a spike in coronavirus infections in poll-bound West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 18 said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would organise small meetings in Kolkata and she would give short speeches in rallies in districts where polling would be held in the remaining three phases. Speaking to a TV channel, Banerjee said she would shorten her speeches at the campaign in different parts of the state to around 20 minutes or so from the usual time of 50 minutes to one hour so that the people don't have to stay long at the meetings.

"Yes, we have decided to hold small meetings, street corner-type ones, in the city in the campaigning for the next three phases. We will not hold any big gathering any more. Also, my speeches in the meetings addressed by me will be much shorter," she said. Trinamool Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien also announced that the CM will not campaign in Kolkata. He tweeted, "Mamata Banerjee will NOT campaign in Kolkata anymore. Only one symbolic' meeting on the last day of campaigning in the city on April 26. Slashes time for all her election rallies in all districts. Restricted to just 30 minutes."

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Tamil Nadu government announces night curfew

Tamil Nadu government has announced night curfews and complete lockdown on Sundays in view of rising case of COVID-19. All essential services may operate through the night. All tourist centers, beaches and parks to remain shut. A minimum 50 per cent work from home to be adopted by the companies.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Maharashtra declares 6 states as places of sensitive origin

Struggling to contain the huge COVID-19 surge, Maharashtraon declared six states, including the national capital and the NCR region, as the places of "sensitive origin" in a bid to stop the "influx of other variants of coronavirus"from other locations. An order signed by Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte has declared states of Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Delhi and NCR region, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand as the places of "sensitive origin".

As per the order, passengers travelling to Maharashtra from the six states declared as the places of sensitive orgin will need a RT-PCR negative test within 48 hours oftheir train travel. This decision has been taken to curb the transmission of coronavirus in Maharashtra and to "stop the influx of other COVID-19 virus variants into the state of Maharashtra from other locations," it said.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Half of US adults now have received at least 1 COVID shot

Half of all adults in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 shot, the government announced Sunday, marking another milestone in the nation’s largest-ever vaccination campaign but leaving more work to do to convince skeptical Americans to roll up their sleeves. Almost 130 million people 18 or older have received at least one dose of a vaccine, or 50.4% of the total adult population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Almost 84 million adults, or about 32.5% of the population, have been fully vaccinated. The U.S. cleared the 50% mark just a day after the reported global death toll from the coronavirus topped a staggering 3 million, according to totals compiled by Johns Hopkins University, though the actual number is believed to be significantly higher.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Not afraid of inquiry, says Devendra Fadnavis on pharma firm-Remdesivir issue

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is being targeted by the ruling parties in Maharashtra for objecting to Mumbai police''s grilling of a pharma company''s top executive over alleged stocking of Remdesivir vials, on Sunday said he was not afraid of any inquiry against him as he has not done anything wrong. Speaking to reporters atthe Nagpur airport on the issue of of questioning of Bruck Pharma company''s director over the Remdesivir stock, said, "I am not afraid of any inquiry because I have worked in the opposition for 20 years and have 36 cases against me for the sake of people."

He said he would go to any limit to work in the interest of people of Maharashtra. "Yesterday''s incident was very unfortunate. We had not called those Remdesivir vials for the BJP, and (Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council) Pravin Darekar had met the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) minister that the Remdesivir injections will be handed over to the FDA and the municipal corporation," he added.

Doing politics over the issue was wrong, the former chief minister said, and alleged that false news was being spread that they possessed the stock of Remdesivir. "I challenge them to prove that we had the stock (of Remdesivir)...The DCP himself had said that we did not have any stock with us," he said. Mumbai police on Saturday night questioned Rajesh Dokania, director of Bruck Pharma, a Daman-based pharmaceutical manufacturing company that manufactures Remdesivir vials, following information that thousands of vials of the Remdesivir drug critical in coronavirus treatment were to be flown out of the country.

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Medical professionals and Task Forces release public statement on Remdesivir and its misuse: Report

According to CNBC TV, medical professionals and Task Forces issued a public statement on Remdesivir and its misuse on April 18. They say Remdesivir should only be administered in hospital setting.

Remdesivir is an expereimental investigational drug granted Emergency use authorisation for use in COVID-19 which should never be administered in home setting, said the release. It further added that the drug reduces the duration of hospital stay but is not a life-stving drug in COVID-19. It further stated that the drug is advised for hospitalised patients who are moderately sick and recieving oxygen and is to be given for a total period of 5 days only, during the first 9-10 days of illness. Unnecessary or irrational use of the drug is unethical, it added.