LIVE News Updates: No lockdown in UP for now, SC put on hold Allahabad HC's order

India reports 2,59,170 new COVID-19 cases, 1,761 deaths and 1,54,761 discharges in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry

No lockdown in UP, for now, SC put on hold Allahabad HC's order

Telangana government imposes night curfew till April 30.

Uttar Pradesh government moves Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order on imposing lockdown in its five cities, on the ground that the High Court did not have the domain to issue such kind of directions.

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) led bench of the Supreme Court decides to hear the matter today

A day after announcing COVID vaccine for all above 18 years from May 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the vaccine manufacturers on Tuesday evening through video conferencing.

With the Centre deciding to open vaccination for all above 18 years from May, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the government should ensure adequate availability of vaccines.

"Finally the Central govt has relented & taken decision to allow everyone above 18 to be vaccinated. The Central govt should now ensure adequate availability of vaccines so that people above the age of 18 years can be vaccinated asap, " he tweeted.

"We look forward to a rational & transparent strategy for vaccine distribution among states in the coming days," he added.

Two UK strains and one other mutant strain found in three samples sent for testing to National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi: Dr Deepak Juyal, VRDL lab of Doon Medical College, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Telangana confirmed 5,926 fresh coronavirus cases, the highest ever in a single day, pushing the total infection count to over 3.61 lakh, while the toll rose to 1856 with 18 more fatalities.

In view of the rising Covid cases in the state, the Himachal Pradesh government on Monday decided to close all educational institutions till May 1.  The faculty of schools, colleges and universities has also been exempted from the duty.

The government also decided to put a complete ban on transfers of field functional staff, informed an official spokesperson saying that the decision was taken by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over a high level meeting with senior officers to review the Covid-19 situation in the State, here today. The state Cabinet meeting would be held on April 22 to take few more decisions to contain the spread of Covid-19 virus, he informed.

The CM has directed the officers to enhance the bed capacity in the hospitals. He said that steps would be taken to ensure proper availability of oxygen and medical staff in the State.  He said that bed capacity would be enhanced in Government Medical College, Nerchowk, IGMC, Shimla, Zonal Hospital Dharamshala, Tanda Medical College at Kangra, Sunder Nagar Hospital and various other hospitals. He said that health workers would be posted in appropriate number for care of Covid-19 patients.

Thakur said that special emphasis was being laid on providing better health care and other facilities to the patients under home isolation.

Odisha reported 4,761 new COVID-19 cases, 1,503 recoveries and five deaths on April 19; case tally at 3,77,464 Active cases: 27,821 Total recoveries: 3,47,637 Death toll: 1,954

Andhra Pradesh government declares closure of academic year 2020-21 and announces summer holidays for Classes 1 to 9 from today for all schools functioning under all managements, in view of prevailing COVID19 situation

Amid a surge in COVID cases (in India), travellers should avoid all travel to India. Even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting & spreading variants and should avoid all travel to India. If you must travel to India, get fully vaccinated before travel: CDC, USA

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 141.8 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.02 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

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