A Covid-19 patient waits outside LNJP Hospital in New Delhi on Friday. (Express Photo: Praveen Khanna)
Chief minister Vijay Rupani appointed two senior bureaucrats — Additional Chief Secretary (labour and employment) Vipul Mittra and Commissioner (municipalities) Rajkumar Beniwal — to rush to Bharuch for an inquiry. Rupani said a judicial probe would also be initiated.
The United States has imposed restrictions on travel from India starting on May 4 because of the extraordinarily high Covid-19 caseloads and multiple variants circulating in the country, the White House said. “On the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Administration will restrict travel from India starting immediately,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday.
Meanwhile, in an exclusive chat with The Indian Express, Dr Anthony S Fauci, one of Covid’s most trusted global voices, said although no nation likes to lock itself down but an “immediate” shutdown for a “few weeks” could put an end to the cycle of transmission in India.
"Well, one of the things you really need to do that to the extent that you can — is shut down temporarily the country, I think is important. If we want to time out and go back to what I said. There is the immediate, the intermediate, and the long range. I think the most important thing in the immediate is to get oxygen, get supplies, get medication, get PPE, those kinds of things but also, one of the immediate things to do is to essentially call a shutdown of the country," he added.
Why two rates for vaccine, SC asks Centre
In a key hearing on the Covid crisis that covered a range of issues, from vaccines and oxygen to testing and hospital admissions, the Supreme Court on Friday described the pricing of vaccines as “extremely important”, wanted to know from the Government if it is “doing something” to regulate that, and asked: “Why should there be two prices for the Centre and states?”
The court also warned state governments against any clampdown on grievances shared online by the public on the crisis and advised High Courts to avoid “off-the-cuff remarks” during Covid hearings as they “can give rise to misgivings about any individual”.
West Bengal goes into mini-lockdown amid Covid surge
Amid surging Covid 19 cases in the state, the West Bengal government has ordered all shopping malls, beauty parlours, cinema halls, restaurants, bars, sports complexes, gyms, spas, swimming pools to close until further notice.
In an order issued Friday, the state government also prohibited all kinds of social, cultural, academic and entertainment gatherings. It was also announced that markets will remain open from 7 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 5 pm. “All shopping complexes, malls, beauty parlours, cinema halls, restaurants and bars, sports complexes and gyms, spas and swimming pools shall remain closed (even while home deliveries and online services shall remain permitted). All social/cultural/academic/entertainment related gatherings and congregations shall remain prohibited,” read the order.
Mourning the death of a relative at Batra Hospital in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: Gajendra Yadav)
New Zealand High Commission tweets asking for oxygen cylinder
Uncertain allocation to oxygen suppliers, the Delhi government frequently changing its allocation orders, and the Centre not supplying as much oxygen as promised are among key reasons cited before the Delhi High Court for the crisis facing the national capital. On Saturday, the court asked the counsel representing all suppliers of liquid medical oxygen to Delhi to remain present during all hearings, with both the Delhi government and hospitals alleging erratic and inadequate supply. The Delhi government told the court that hospitals are suffering because of suppliers and sought action against them.
India on Sunday reported more than 300,000 cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, as the infection tally crossed the 19.5 million mark, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare. With 392,488 fresh cases, India’s Covid-19 tally has risen to 19,557,457 According to the health ministry, 3,689 patients succumbed to the viral disease in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 215,542.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet experts at 9:30 am today to review oxygen and medicine availability. During the meeting, will review the human resource situation, in relation to the COVID19 pandemic, and ways to augment it.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday urged sarpanches of over 14,000 gram panchayats to enforce a 15-day blockade to control the spread of coronavirus disease in the rural parts of the state. Admitting that Covid-19 cases have increased even in the villages, Rupani addressing a virtual meeting on Gujarat Day, said a 15-day “Maru Gaam, Corona Mukt Gaam” programme is being rolled out during which the village heads should test and isolate rural folk with Covid-like symptoms. This, the chief minister said, was necessary to prevent a spillover of Covid-19 patients from the villages to the cities.
Some members of the Covid-19 task force, a technical expert body that advises the Central Government, are “pushing hard” for a national lockdown, The Sunday Express has learnt. Significantly, this call for a lockdown comes even as Modi, in his address to the nation April 20, had underlined that all efforts should be made to avoid a lockdown which should be used only as the “last resort.”
“The Covid-19 task force is trying to say this very aggressively for the last few weeks. That we should tell the people at the top that we should have a lockdown,” a member said. “A nationwide lockdown rather than what we are doing now, in bits and pieces across states, because of the simple fact that it is spreading all over,” a member said. Read more
An 88-year-old woman died from complications related to COVID-19 at a Singapore hospital, the first in more than a month, according to media reports. The last COVID-19 death in Singapore was reported on March 13, when a 61-year-old man died from complications due to the infection. With her death, the coronavirus fatality count rose to 31 in Singapore, which reported 34 new infections on Saturday
Israel barred its citizens from travelling to India and six other countries, citing high COVID infection rates there. In a joint press release issued by the Israel Prime Minister's Office and the Health Ministry on Friday, it was said that Israelis will not be allowed to travel to Ukraine, Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa, India, Mexico and Turkey. This regulation will come into force on May 3 and will remain in place until May 16. Non-Israelis, however, will be able to travel to these countries, provided they plan to reside there permanently, the press release said.
As the country reels under the massive second wave of Covid-19, many states are reimposing restrictions and night curfews to break the chain of infection. A look at some of the populous states, like West Bengal, Karnakata and Gujarat, which are reporting a rapid increase in Covid numbers, and the steps they have taken to break the chain. Read More
Only 84,599 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years received their first dose on Saturday as India opened vaccination against Covid-19 to every citizen above the age of 18 years.
A total 16,48,192 doses were administered on day 1 of phase 3 of the vaccination programme, according to data released by the government. Read More
Maharashtra: The state on Saturday began the third phase of the national vaccination campaign for the 18 to 44 age group by vaccinating 11,492 people with 3 lakh doses it had procured from Serum Institute of India (SII) late Friday. On Saturday evening, several centres opened fresh slots on the CoWin app for Sunday, which were booked within an hour.
Until 6 pm Saturday, Pune had vaccinated 1,316 people, followed by Mumbai (1,004), Parbhani (846) and Palghar (700). There is, however, some discrepancy in Mumbai's figures. While according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, 992 people were administered jabs at its centres, the state government said 1,004 were vaccinated in the city. Read More
On a day the 18-plus vaccination programme got off to a bumpy start, India Saturday received a small initial consignment of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine, 'Sputnik V'. The 150,000 shots that arrived Saturday are expected to be rolled out across "different channels" following clearance from the Indian drug regulatory machinery, according to distributor Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.
“We are pleased to announce that the first consignment of 150,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine has landed in Hyderabad from Russia,” said DRL in a statement. Subsequent shipments of this vaccine will arrive over the next few weeks and are expected to be more significant in size, according to a source. Read More
Israel barred its citizens from travelling to India and six other countries, citing high COVID infection rates there. In a joint press release issued by the Israel Prime Minister's Office and the Health Ministry on Friday, it was said that Israelis will not be allowed to travel to Ukraine, Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa, India, Mexico and Turkey.
This regulation will come into force on May 3 and will remain in place until May 16. (PTI)
A total of 68 police personnel from the Maharashtra Police department died of Covid-19 in April as the state saw the pandemic’s second wave. The toll in April assumes significance as an equal number of cops had succumbed to the virus in the past five months.
In the past four days, total 20 cops died of Covid-19. Of these, four were from Mumbai, three from Ahmednagar, one each from the Special Investigation Department (SID) Mumbai, Thane, Thane rural, Pune city, Pune rural, Pune railway, Nashik rural, Osmanabad, Beed, Hingoli, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Gondia. Read More
Filled with visible exuberance of getting an appointment and some frayed nerves, over 900 people in the 18-44 age group were vaccinated in Mumbai on Saturday, as the city extended the Covid-19 immunisation drive to a larger and younger population. While according to BMC, 992 people were administered jabs, the state government said 1,004 were vaccinated.
With 20,000 vaccine doses in its kitty, the BMC started administering vaccines to the 18 to 44 age group from Saturday at five civic-run centres. Each of the five centres was given 4,000 doses late Friday. For Sunday, BMC has increased the target to vaccinate 2,500 people – 500 at each of the five centres from 9 am to 5 pm. Read More
The Health Ministry said 84,599 beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine in the country on Saturday. A total of 16,48,192 vaccine doses were given till 8 pm on Saturday, the 106th day of the inoculation drive, the ministry said.
As many as 9,89,700 beneficiaries were vaccinated for the first dose and 6.58 lakh beneficiaries received second dose, according to the provisional report. (PTI)
France on Sunday will send to India 28 tonnes of medical supplies, including eight large oxygen generation plants, as part of its "solidarity mission" to help the country in its fight against a devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain said the plants will be able to make eight hospitals "oxygen autonomous" for over 10 years.
"First phase of French solidarity mission is underway. Twenty-eight tons of medical equipment will be flown in tomorrow, including eight world-class oxygen plants that will make eight Indian hospitals oxygen autonomous for 10+ years," he tweeted.
The French shipment is also expected to comprise liquid oxygen containers, ventilators and other medical supplies.
On Tuesday, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs had said it was carrying out an "exceptional solidarity mission" to assist Indian people following a call for support by French President Emmanuel Macron. (PTI)
The Congress on Saturday started a new initiative -- plasma collection drive -- with its leader Rahul Gandhi launching a medical advisory helpline aimed at helping those battling with COVID-19.
"India needs to stand together and help our people. We have launched 'Hello Doctor' a medical advisory helpline. Please call +919983836838 for medical advice," Gandhi said on Twitter while launching the doctor helpline.
"Dear Dr's and mental health professionals, we need your help. Please enroll on," he said sharing the "Hello Doctor" helpline link and urging doctors to join the battle against the coronavirus and help those in need. (PTI)
Some private hospital chains commenced COVID-19 immunisation drive for the 18-44 age group at limited centres in the country on Saturday, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that inoculation of people in that age group in the national capital will begin from Monday.
Kejriwal said 4.5 lakh vaccine doses have been received by the city government and urged people not to queue up outside the vaccination centres, saying walk-ins are not allowed yet. He visited a vaccination centre at Saraswati Vihar for a "symbolic launch" of the drive.
The Delhi government has placed orders for 67 lakh doses each of Covishield and Covaxin from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech respectively which would be supplied in three months. (PTI)
The Mizoram government on Saturday announced an eight-day lockdown in Aizawl and other district headquarters town from May 3 following the surge in COVID-19 cases.
The order issued said that in view of the continued surge of COVID-19 cases, the Mizoram State Disaster Management Authority has decided to impose stricter measures, in the form of 'lockdown', for curtailing people's movement and activities, except essential services, to flatten the curve of the disease transmission and for efficient testing, tracking and treatment of COVID-19 positive patients and to scale up immunization.
The lockdown would come into force at 4 am on Monday (May 3) and would remain in force till 4 am of May 11. (PTI)