Coronavirus Cases in India: The recovery rate is 86 per cent.
New cases of coronavirus infection in India were recorded above 2,50,000 taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,53,21,089 according to the Union Health Ministry data.
The COVID-19 active caseload is 20,31,977 which now comprises 12.81 per cent of the total infections.
The recovery rate has increased to 86 per cent, the data stated.
A total of 2,59,170 new infections were registered in a day, while the death count increased to 1,80,530 with 1,761 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Meanwhile, the US public health agency has warned travellers against heading for India even if they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. If such a journey is unavoidable, it has advised getting all doses of vaccination before setting forth. The agency has also placed the country in the highest Level 4 category which implies "very high level of Covid-19".
"Because of the current situation in India, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at the risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants and should avoid all travel to India," the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said as part of its "Key Information for Travelers to India".
Here are the Live Updates on Coronavirus India Cases:
Delhi's Anand Vihar bus terminal wears a deserted look as 6-day lockdown imposed in national capital, in wake of prevailing COVID-19 situation here.
The bus terminal witnessed a huge rush of migrant workers last night, leaving for their native places after lockdown was announce.
Traffic jam at Delhi's Connaught Place, due to checking of vehicles by police, in view of COVID-induced lockdown.
Bengaluru epicentre of COVID-19 in Karnataka: Health Minister
Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Tuesday said Bengaluru has emerged as an epicentre of coronavirus cases in Karnataka and there was a need to work on a war footing.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Bengaluru is the epicentre of Karnataka. If you see the total cases, at least 70 per cent are reported in Bengaluru."
He was replying to queries on the all-party meeting to be chaired by Governor Vajubhai Vala.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will attend the meeting virtually as he has got reinfected by the virus and is undergoing treatment.
Mr Sudhakar said there will be discussion on Bengaluru and seven other districts, which have been designated as sensitive zones in view of the alarming rise in COVID cases.
#JustIn | 1,761 #Covid19 deaths in India in 24 hours in biggest one-day spike, 2.59 lakh fresh cases pic.twitter.com/uB7XDFZ8nC
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 20, 2021
COVID Update: ICSE cancels class 10 boards exams, withdraws option for students to appear later
The ICSE class 10 board exams have been cancelled in view of the worsening COVID-19 situation and the option for students to appear later has been withdrawn, board secretary Gerry Arathoon said on Tuesday.
Last week, the board had postponed both class 10 and 12 exams.
The Council for The Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) had announced that class 10 students will get an option to either write the exams later or get evaluated on the basis of an alternative criteria.
"Given the present worsening situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the CICSE has decided to cancel the class 10 examination. The option for students announced earlier, stands withdrawn. The safety and wellbeing of our students and teaching faculty is of topmost priority and paramount importance," said Arathoon, Secretary and Chief Executive of the CISCE.
Police pickets placed in Nizamuddin area for checking of vehicles and movement of people during COVID-induced six-day lockdown.
The national capital reported 23,686 new cases and 240 fatalities in last 24 hours; active cases at 76,887.
5,007 new COVID-19 cases in Thane, 40 more deaths
Thane has added 5,007 new cases of coronavirus, raising the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 4,21,388, an official said on Tuesday.
These new cases were reported on Monday, he said.
The virus also claimed the lives of 40 more people, pushing the death toll in the district to 6,982, he said.
The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane is 1.66 per cent, he added.
The number of active cases and recovered patients was not provided by the district administration.
Visuals from Bhopal where 'corona curfew' has been imposed, to continue till Monday morning.
Madhya Pradesh reported 12,897 new COVID-19 cases and 79 deaths in last 24 hours; active cases at 74,558.
Madhya Pradesh's largest COVID-19 care centre set up in Indore
Madhya Pradesh's largest COVID-19 care centre has come up in Indore with various items like clothes for patients, beddings and oxygen machines worth Rs 5 crore donated by people, a senior state official said.
The centre, set up within a fortnight, is equipped with beds made out of cardboard which can be easily disposed of after use, MP government's COVID-19 advisory committee member Dr Nishant Khare told reporters on Monday.
Located in a community satsang complex on the Khandwa road, the facility will have 600 beds in the initial phase and the capacity can be raised to 6,000 beds, if required, he said.
Delhi: Migrant workers continue to leave for their hometown as the 6-day lockdown in the national capital comes into effect. Visuals from Anand Vihar Bus Terminal.
- ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2021
The lockdown, which started at 10 pm last night, will remain imposed till 5 am on April 26th. pic.twitter.com/8mJfiif2ey
No permission for weddings till April 30 in Indore amid COVID-19 surge
The Indore district administration has decided not to give permission for weddings till April 30 amid the unprecedented increase of COVID-19 cases.
"No permission will be given for weddings as there''s a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission. People are requested to postpone their weddings and stay home till April 30," said Indore District Magistrate Manish Singh.
"This will help us reduce numbers as hospitals'' capacity is full now," he added.
He also informed that they have been getting complaints of black marketing of Remdesivir injections.
COVID-19: White House refuses to comment on lifting ban on vaccine raw materials export to India
The White House on Monday did not respond to questions on the request by Serum Institute of India to lift export ban on certain raw materials needed for ramping up production of COVID-19 vaccine.
The question in this regard was asked twice on Monday -- once during the morning White House briefing on COVID-19 and later during the daily news conference by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
"The Serum Institute of India has been saying that the Biden administration is blocking exports of raw materials that it needs to make COVID vaccines, and the Serum Institute has also urged President Biden to lift that embargo. So I wanted to ask which raw materials are at issue here? And do you have any plans to address Serum's concerns?" asked a reporter during the morning news conference by the White House COVID-19 Response Team.
PM Modi speaks to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, takes stock of measures to control pandemic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and took stock of the measures being taken to control the coronavirus pandemic.
"The CM told the PM that the state was working with full devotion to check the spread (of the virus). In addition to ensuring availability of ICU beds and oxygen, the state is working on maximum testing," according to an official statement issued.
The prime minister also sought information regarding RT-PCR tests done by private laboratories. All district magistrates have been instructed to ask private labs to increase their RTPCR test capacity.
Yogi Adityanath also told PM Modi that some elements are spreading rumours that private labs are not doing COVID-19 tests, whereas the fact is so far over 17 lakh tests have been done by private labs only.
Night curfew in Kerala from Tuesday amid surge in COVID-19 cases
Night curfew for two weeks will be imposed in Kerala amid the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the state.
The decision was taken by a core committee of COVID-19 management headed, by the Kerala Chief Secretary, on Monday.
"Restriction on non-essential activities and movement at night between 9 pm and 5 am shall come into force from 9 pm of April 20. No gatherings of any kind shall be permitted between 9 pm and 5 am. Essential services (medical stores, hospitals, fuel stations, night shift employees, milk, newspaper, media etc), goods transportation and public transportation are exempted from the night restriction," said the government order issued by the Chief Secretary.
The order said that tuition centers shall only function through online medium and should not hold physical classes while all malls and cinema theatres have been asked to reschedule their timings to close by 7.30 pm.
Gujarat: Vadodara's Jahangirpura Masjid converted into a 50-bed COVID facility
Gujarat: Amid a surge in COVID cases, Vadodara's Jahangirpura Masjid converted into a 50-bed COVID facility
- ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2021
"Due to oxygen & beds shortage, we decided to convert it into COVID facility. And what's better than the month of Ramadan to do it," says mosque trustee (19.06) pic.twitter.com/MRqxAN1WBm
Allahabad High Court closed till April 24, Rajasthan High Court to function virtually till May 3 amid COVID-19 surge
The Allahabad High Court and its offices will remain closed till April 24, while the Rajasthan High Court will function only virtually till May 3 amid a surge in coronavirus infections.
According to a notification issued by the Allahabad High Court, "Only urgent cases will be taken up by the courts only through virtual modes with effect from April 26, 2021."
A committee set up by the high court for the purpose of taking preventive and remedial measures and for combating the impending threat of COVID-19 decided that there shall be no physical filing/e-filing in the Lucknow and Allahabad benches between April 20 and April 24.
The committee further directed that the District Magistrates and the Chief Medical Officers of Prayagraj and Lucknow will ensure arrangement of COVID-19 medicines and oxygen cylinders in adequate numbers at hospitals.
The Rajasthan High Court administration has decided to shift back to hearing through video conferencing only between April 19 and May 3, the period when the state government has imposed various restrictions in view of a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases.
Maharashtra government issues SOP on micro containment zone
Any cooperative housing society (CHS) having more than five COVID-19 cases, who are present in the society/building, will be declared as a micro containment zone (MCZ), the Maharashtra government has said.
The state government declared the standard operating procedure (SOP) for MCZs in an order issued on Sunday under the break the chain initiative, launched to stem the rise of COVID-19 cases, which have seen a spurt in the recent weeks.
The government said a MCZ means any delineated area so declared by local disaster management authority (DMA).
The government said if the DMA is of the view that there is a willful default on part of residents leading to their housing society being declared a MCZ, it may levy a fine on them that may collectively go up to Rs 10,000.
Covid-19: First "Oxygen Express" rakes leave from Mumbai region to Vizag
The first ''Oxygen Express'' departed from Central Railway's Kalamboli yard on Monday evening to ferry liquid oxygen for Maharashtra from Vishakhapatnam steel plant in Andhra Pradesh amid the worsening COVID-19 situation.
In a statement, the ministry of railways informed that the Mumbai Division built a ramp overnight within 24 hours at Kalamboli goods yard to facilitate loading/unloading of tankers in/from flat wagons.
"The Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) service with seven empty tankers departed from Kalamboli goods yard for Visakhapatnam steel plant siding at 8.05 pm on Monday."
This train will move via Vasai Road, Jalgaon, Nagpur, Raipur Junction to Visakhapatnam steel plant siding in ECoR zone where it will be loaded with Liquid Medical Oxygen.
On Sunday, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, in an interview to ANI, had informed that the central government was creating a green corridor for fast movement of ''Oxygen Express'' trains to facilities for the smooth transport of oxygen to states.
Working tirelessly and non-stop, we have to win fight against COVID: Bhupesh Baghel
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has allowed the Collectors to purchase Remdesivir and other essential life-saving medicines as per immediate requirement amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the state.
He has also approved the establishment of an RT-PCR testing lab in Balod and Mungeli, as per a statement from the Chhattisgarh CMO.
The Chief Minister gave these approvals in a virtual meeting held at his residence office here on Monday during a review of the current status of COVID-19 infections and measures to control them in 11 districts of the state.
The situation in districts is constantly being reviewed by the Chief Minister in view of the present condition of coronavirus pandemic. In this series, he reviewed Mahasamund, Gariaband, Dhamtari, Balod, Kabirdham, Mungeli, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Surguja, Surajpur, Korea and Balrampur districts.
