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Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Delhi HC directs Centre to send oxygen tankers seized by Rajasthan govt to National Capital

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: The Delhi High Court directed the Centre to take necessary steps to fulfill its assurance of getting INOX's four oxygen tankers, which have been seized by Rajasthan government, be allocated to the National Capital

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Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Delhi HC directs Centre to send oxygen tankers seized by Rajasthan govt to National Capital

Representational image. PTI

Highlights

11:23 (ist)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Bengal's daily COVID-19 cases increased by 21 times since start of Assembly polls

Since the time when Assembly polls in West Bengal commenced on 27 March till the eighth phase on 29 April, the daily COVID-19 case count increased 21 times, reported the Times of India

The report stated that when elections were announced on 26 February, Bengal reported over 200 new cases with the active case count around 3,300. 

From 4,000-odd new cases, 21,000 active cases and 12 deaths on 10 April, when the fourth phase of elections was held, the case count had crossed the 7,500 mark on 17 April, active case count spiralled beyond 45,000 and 43 deaths were recorded on 17 April, when the fifth phase of election was held, read the report.

While the spread of COVID-19 depends on multiple factors such as total population and density, the most reliable indicator is the positivity rate. 

The surge in positivity rate in West Bengal was from 1.1 percent (26 February) to 31.3 percent (28 April), according to a India Today report. 

Daily cases on 28 April: 17,207

Daily cases on 26 February: 216

Positivity rate on 28 April: 31.3%

Positivity rate on 26 February: 1.1%

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May 01, 2021 - 14:33 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Delhi HC asks Centre to send oxygen tankers seized by Rajasthan govt to National Capital

The Delhi High Court directed the Centre to take necessary steps to fulfill its assurance of getting INOX's four oxygen tankers, which have been seized by Rajasthan government, be allocated to the National Capital.

The tankers were supposed to be put in use for Delhi by INOX. On 26 April, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had assured the court that strict action will be taken and it "shall be ensured that the tankers are freed so that they can proceed to their destination for the propose of filling and supplying liquid medical oxygen".

May 01, 2021 - 14:26 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

SII to start vaccine production outside India: Report

The Serum Institute of India, which manufactures the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, is planning to start vaccine production in other countries as it struggles to meet supply commitments, its chief executive officer told The Times.

"There’s going to be an announcement in the next few days," Adar Poonawalla was quoted as saying by the newspaper in an interview published on Friday.

Poonawalla said last week that the Serum Institute would be able to raise its monthly output to 100 million doses by July, later than a previous timeline of end-May. Several states in India have run out of vaccines against COVID-19.

May 01, 2021 - 14:12 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Jailed SP leader Azam Khan tests positive for COVID-19

Senior Samajwadi leader Mohammad Azam Khan tested positive for COVID-19 along with 13 other prisoners in Sitapur jail, officials said on Saturday.

The Rampur MP and the other prisoners tested positive for the infection in both rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests, said RS Yadav, jailer, Sitapur Jail.

He said the tests were conducted after complaints of fever and cough. Initially, the rapid antigen was done and later the samples were sent for the RT-PCR test, the reports of which came positive late Friday night, he said.

May 01, 2021 - 14:11 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Times Now suspends Assembly polls coverage on 2 May, says 'will keep COVID-19 priority'

English news channel Times Now on Saturday announced that it will suspend its coverage of Assembly elections results in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry on 2 May, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

The channel made the announcement on its social media handle that it has decided to track the "the biggest health emergency" and keep news on COVID-19 as its main priority. India recorded its biggest-ever daily spike of 4 lakh new cases.

"As part of the coverage, viewers can expect COVID-related news reports, the latest on the status of the vaccination drive, information on helplines, and can interact with healthcare and mental wellness experts on the channel. For our viewers looking for election results from the five states where polls were conducted, we will carry regular news updates," it stated.

May 01, 2021 - 13:33 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Batra hospital in Delhi flags oxygen shortage, says 'an hour of supply left'

Batra hospital in Delhi flagged oxygen shortage in the High Coourt on Saturday. "We're only left with one hour of oxygen supply. Suppliers like  Inox and Goel have said they can only deliver by evening," said the hospital in court.

Around 230 COVID-19 patients are on oxygen support, we are again on SOS mode since 6 am, said the hospital.

The Delhi High Court is hearing the COVID-19 related cases in the National Capital for the 11th straight day.

May 01, 2021 - 13:24 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Suppliers diverting oxygen from Delhi to other states: Govt tells HC

The Delhi government told the High Court on Saturday that suppliers seem to be diverting medical oxygen to other states. Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the government, told the court that when the National Capital should be getting the allocated 490 MTs supply, there's a shortfall by about 100 MTs. 

"Our tankers are not given priority. What's happening behind the scenes. My officers will have a breakdown," Mehra added. 

The Division Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli is currently hearing the cases in which it has been monitoring the COVID-19 situation and oxygen shortage in Delhi. 

May 01, 2021 - 13:16 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin dies after testing COVID-19 positive

Former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Mohammad Shahabuddin passed away on Saturday after being infected with the novel coronavirus. He was being treated at the DDU hospital in New Delhi.

DG (Tihar) Sandeep Goel said Shahabuddin, who was serving a life sentence for murder in Tihar jail, had contracted the virus on 20 April, after which he was admitted to DDU hospital. 

May 01, 2021 - 13:05 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Reliance Industries produces over 11% of medical oxygen in Jamnagar facility

Reliance Industries Ltd produces over 11 percent of India's total production of Medical Grade Liquid Oxygen, meeting needs of nearly every 1 in 10 patients, said the company in a statement on Saturday.

RIL has ramped up production of medical oxygen from near zero to 1000 MT per day free of charge. "1000 MT of oxygen to meet the needs of over 1 lakh people everyday on an average," read the statement. 

May 01, 2021 - 12:52 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

SC directs UP govt to impose curfew till vote counting ends

A curfew will be imposed in areas near the counting centres and no victory rallies will be allowed in Uttar Pradesh after the results are announced, the Supreme Court was assured by the state poll commission.

The poll body further said that senior officials will ensure that COVID-19 protocol is followed at all the counting centres.

The apex court on Saturday ordered refusal to stop counting of votes for UP panchayat elections amid raising concerns over COVID-19 surge. The court cited a petition from a teachers' body that said 700 teachers had died while they were on duty during the four-phased election. 

May 01, 2021 - 12:35 (IST)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

SC asks UP poll commission to follow COVID-19 protocols during counting

Teachers' association has filed a petition, and they are unwilling to work. How do you handle the situation? the apex court asked the UP state election commission on Saturday, referring to the plea which mentioned the death of school employees who attended polling duty.

At the beginning of the hearing, the state election commission had assured the top court that it will adhere to covid-19 protocol for the counting process. Oximeter tests will be done at the entrance of counting centres, no crowds will be allowed inside the counting centres and outside, centres will be sanitised after every shift, social distancing will be maintained and thermal checking will be done, it said.

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LATEST Updates: The Delhi High Court directed the Centre to take necessary steps to fulfill its assurance of getting INOX's four oxygen tankers, which have been seized by Rajasthan government, be allocated to the National Capital.

Around 230 patients are on oxygen support, we are again on SOS mode since 6 am, said the hospital.

The Delhi High Court is hearing the related cases in which it has been monitoring the situation in the National Capital for the 11th straight day.

Senior poll officials should make sure that protocol is followed at all the counting centres, said the top court on Saturday.

At least 700 school employees, including a pregnant lady, succumbed to while attending panchayat poll duty, tweeted the Congress leader.

From 4,000 new cases being reported in the state on 10 April, when the fourth phase of elections was held, the case count had crossed the 7,500 mark on 17 April, when the fifth phase of election was held.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the innoculation will start from Saturday 'as per the availability' of vaccine doses. 'We will be receiving 18 lakh doses in May. I urge the Centre to increase the supply,' said the CM.

With the death of 3,523 more patients in the past 24 hours, the total number of fatalities in the country climbed to 2,11,853 on Saturday, said the Union health ministry. This takes the national fatality rate to 1.1 percent.

Several state governments have said they won't be able to start the Phase 3 vaccination drive from Saturday because they do not have sufficient doses. This phase of vaccination drive is for people between the age group of 18-45 years.

A fire in a hospital ward in Gujarat's Bharuch killed 18 patients early Saturday, as the country grappling with the worst outbreak yet steps up a vaccination drive for all its adults even though some states say don't have enough jabs.

Fifty other patients at the Welfare Hospital in Bharuch, a town in Gujarat state, were rescued by hospital workers and firefighters, said police officer Rajendrasinh Chudasama.

The fire broke out in a ward on the ground floor and was extinguished within an hour, PTI quoted the fire service as saying. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

On 23 April, a fire in an intensive care unit killed 13 patients in the Virar area on the outskirts of Mumbai.

Faced with an unprecedented surge in cases that has filled hospitals and crematoriums, creating a major crisis in a country of 1.4 billion, the government on Saturday shifted its faltering vaccination campaign into high gear by saying all adults 18 and over were getting their shots.

Since January, nearly 10 percent of Indians have received one dose, but only around 1.5% have received both, though India is one of the world's biggest producers of vaccines.

Some states already said they do not have enough doses for everyone. Even the ongoing effort to inoculate people above 45 is stuttering.

The state of Maharashtra has said it won't be able to start on Saturday. Satyender Jain, the Delhi health minister, said earlier this week that the city doesn’t have enough doses to vaccinate people between 18 and 44.

India on Friday reported another global daily record of 386,452 new cases, pushing the overall toll to more than 18.7 million since the pandemic began, second only to the United States. The Health Ministry also reported 3,498 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 208,330. Experts believe both figures are an undercount.

The US meanwhile joined a growing list of countries restricting travel from India, the White House said, citing a devastating rise in cases and the emergence of potentially dangerous variants of the .

President Joe Biden spoke Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the growing health crisis and pledged to immediately send assistance. This week, the US began delivering therapeutics, rapid virus tests and oxygen to India, along with some materials needed for India to boost its domestic production of vaccines.

Additionally, a CDC team of public health experts was expected to be on the ground soon to help Indian health officials move to slow the spread of the virus.

Other nations have also sent assistance, and the Indian air force airlifted oxygen containers from Singapore, Dubai and Bangkok.

Updated Date: May 01, 2021 14:37:39 IST

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