Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Odisha are likely to start the vaccination drive for all above 18 from today.Coronavirus India News Highlights, Covid-19 Cases in India State-Wise Highlights: India on Saturday reported over 4 lakh cases, the highest single-day surge so far. According to data from the Union Health Ministry, India saw 4,01,993 fresh Coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 1,91,64,969. As many as 3,523 people died due to Covid-linked complications, while and 2,99,988 patients have been cured/discharged from the hospitals in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry data. The country still has 32,68,710 active Covid-19 cases.
Meanwhile, India is all set to start its phase 3 vaccination drive against Coronavirus for people above 18 years from today. However, the vax rollout is likely to be slow with many states/UTs complaining of a shortage of Covid vaccine supply.
According to reports, only six states — Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Odisha— are likely to start the vaccination drive for all above 18. Even then the inoculation drive in these states will be a ‘token one’, limited to few districts as these states have also limited vaccine stocks available with them.
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Highlights
IGST on import of Oxygen Concentrators for personal use reduced to 12% from 28%, to be applicable up to the 30th June 2021 (ANI)
The Election Commission (EC) moved the Supreme Court on Saturday against some critical observations made by the Madras High Court, holding the poll panel responsible for a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country. The Madras High Court had observed that the responsible EC officials should probably be tried on murder charges for their failure to ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols during the election process in four states ana a Union Territory. | Read More
Kerala govt issues order that any pvt laboratory that denies RT-PCR test/ other COVID19 tests at the rates fixed by state govt or charges in excess of the fixed rates action will be taken against it under Disaster Management Act, 2005, Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance, 2020 (ANI)
12,379 fresh cases, 102 deaths and 14,562 recoveries in Madhya Pradesh today; active cases 88,511 (ANI)
COVID19 | Haryana reports 13,588 fresh cases, 125 deaths and 8,509 recoveries; active cases 1,02,516 (ANI)
Punjab reports 7,041 cases, 138 deaths and 4,448 discharges; active cases 58,229 (ANI)
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Saturday announced a policy for tabulation of marks for class 10 board exams which have been cancelled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country. According to the policy, while 20 marks for each subject will be for internal assessment as every year, 80 marks will be calculated on basis of the students’ performance in various tests or exams throughout the year. | Read More
"Raipur Municipal Corp is working to provide necessary facilities to people during COVID crisis. Indoor Stadium has been transformed into COVID Hospital. Doorstep delivery of oxygen concentrators would prove extremely beneficial for the patients in need," said CM Bhupesh Baghel (ANI)
17,512 new cases, 103 deaths and 14,374 discharges recorded in West Bengal today; active cases 1,16,659 (ANI)
Amazon India on Saturday announced a slew of measures, including waiver in various fees paid by sellers, to help small and medium businesses amid the deadly second wave of the COVID pandemic. The e-commerce major said it is waiving 50 per cent of the ‘sell-on-amazon’ or ‘referral fee’ from May 1-31 for a section of sellers and will reimburse storage fees and long-term storage fees charged for keeping sellers’ products at its warehouses for merchants based out of non-serviceable pin codes. | Read More
COVID-19: CBSE announces marking policy for cancelled class 10 board exams. For each subject 20 marks will be for internal assessment, 80 marks for tests conducted during session. Marks should be in consonance with past performance of school in class 10 board exams. CBSE asks schools to form 8-member committee for tabulating results for cancelled class 10 board exams. Schools indulging in unfair, biased practices for assessment to face penalty, disaffiliation: CBSE on assessment for class 10 board exams (PTI)
COVID19 vaccination of those above 18 years of age to start in Haryana from tomorrow in all districts at the designated centers, says Haryana Minister Anil Vij (ANI)
The Kerala government on Saturday said that vaccination ofthose in the over 18 years age bracket, as part of thecountry’s fight against COVID-19, will be delayed due to shortage of vaccines and urged the Centre to take steps immediately to ensure their availability. “The vaccination of those above 18 years of age will be delayed by afew days. As efforts are on to procure vaccines from manufacturers, those in the 18 plus category cannot be given the jabs from tomorrow”, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters. | Read More
Tamil Nadu reports highest single-day rise of 147 COVID-related deaths, fatality count reaches 14,193; infection tally mounts to 11,86,344 with 19,588 new cases: Health Department (ANI)
Sale of Remdesivir injection through the private distributor/chemists is strictly banned in Chandigarh, henceforth, it'll be procured Health Dept from open marker or allocation by GoI & will be distributed to all govt/private hospitals treating COVID19 patients: UT Administration (ANI)
COVID19 | 3,908 new cases, 90 deaths and 5,900 recoveries reported in Mumbai today; active cases 59,318 (ANI)
Maharashtra reports 63,282 new cases, 802 deaths and 61,326 discharges; active cases 6,63,758 (ANI)
COVID19 | Karnataka records 40,990 new cases and 271 fatalities in the last 24 hours; case tally at 15,64,132 and active cases at 4,05,068 (ANI)
Gujarat reported 13,847 new cases, 10,582 discharges and 172 deaths in the last 24 hours
Total cases: 5,81,624Total discharges: 4,29,130Active cases: 1,42,139Death toll: 7,355Total vaccinations: 1,23,04,359 (ANI)
1,693 persons (in 16 districts) vaccinated till 7pm under the 18-44 age group. Vaccination in 12 districts to start tomorrow: Chhattisgarh government (ANI)
The UNICEF said on Saturday that it sent critical lifesaving supplies, including 3,000 oxygen concentrators, to help India amid the ravaging second coronavirus wave. The United Nations child rights agency has supplied more than 500 high-flow nasal cannulas and 85 RT-PCR machines. | Read More
As India logged a world record of over four lakh coronavirus infections on Saturday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the entire world is shaken by what is happening here and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “dropping the ball and throwing it to states” after prematurely taking credit for having “won against COVID-19” when the second wave was already underway. “Rely on yourself is the motto. No one will come to help you. Definitely, not the prime minister,” Gandhi said, while alleging that the COVID-19 situation has gone completely out of control for the Modi government, and wondered whether it was their way of making the states and the citizens truly ‘Aatmanirbhar’. | Read More
Fatalities climbed up to 12. One of our senior doctors has also lost his battle to COVID. I'm hoping and praying this situation doesn't arrive with our hospital or any other hospital over next few days or ever again: Executive Director Delhi's Batra Hospital (ANI)
Night curfew (8pm-7am) to continue in all municipal/urban local body limits of all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Srinagar, Baramulla, Budgam and Jammu: UT Administration (ANI)
'Corona Curfew' ending at 7 am on Monday, 3 May extended till 7 am on 6 May in the Srinagar, Baramulla, Budgam and Jammu districts: Jammu and Kashmir administration (ANI)
COVID19 | Manipur reports 319 cases, 79 recoveries and 5 deaths; active cases 1,652 (ANI)
COVID19 | Himachal Pradesh reports 2,751 new cases, 1,220 recoveries and 28 deaths during the past 24 hours in the state (ANI)
Today, we have received 1,50,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine here in Hyderabad. The vaccine will be available in a few weeks after it has gone through statutory clearances. The price will also be announced then: Deepak Sapra, CEO of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (ANI)
Indore, Madhya Pradesh's worst coronavirus-hit district, will soon get a 100-bed COVID-19 facility as part of the state government's initiative to ramp up health infrastructure to tackle the surge in cases. A COVID-19 block with 100 beds is coming up on the fifth and sixth floors of the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital and it is likely to start functioning from Monday or Tuesday, Indore Guardian Minister Tulsiram Silawat told reporters on Saturday. Meanwhile, a COVID-19 centre on Khandwa road doubled its treatment capacity from 600 beds to 1,200 beds during the day, the facility's in charge Vivek Shrotri said. (PTI)
COVID-19 has brought absolute devastation; this is not a wave, it's a tsunami that has destroyed everything: Rahul Gandhi. (PTI)
4,176 train coaches have been converted into COVID19 isolation/quarantine facilities: Railway Board, Chairman and CEO. (ANI)
The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted three empty oxygen containers from Singapore to the Panagarh airbase in West Bengal on Saturday, according to an official statement. India is struggling with the second wave of the coronavirus infection as hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of oxygen and beds. "Today, the IAF has employed an IL -76 transport aircraft to carry three empty cryogenic oxygen containers from Singapore for Panagarh," the statement noted. India's daily coronavirus tally crossed the grim milestone of four lakh, while the death toll rose to 2,11,853 with 3,523 fresh fatalities, according to data updated by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday. (PTI)
The Delhi High Court Saturday directed all hospitals in the national capital to provide information on daily admissions and discharge of COVID-19 patients and of those admitted for over 10 days, since April 1. A concern was raised in the court regarding optimal utilisation of ICU and oxygenated beds and ICU beds in hospitals and nursing homes across Delhi. A bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli, which held a four-hour-long special hearing on a holiday on various issues relating to the COVID-19 situation, said it appears there is choking of beds taking place in hospitals and nursing homes. "Looking into the dearth and shortage of beds, particularly oxygen beds and beds in ICU, we consider it necessary to have this aspect looked into as there are allegations of malpractice of patients not being discharged despite having recovered from the COVID-19 disease," the bench said. (PTI)
Kerala recorded 35,636 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including 81 health workers, pushing the total caseload to15.69 lakh as the toll climbed to 5,356 with 48 deaths. As many as 15,493 people were discharged. Cumulatively 15,69,620 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 5,356 deaths and 12,77,294 discharges. There are 3,23,828 active cases at present, with 52,836 undergoing treatment in Ernakulam, 46,427 in Kozhikode and 36,650in Malappuram, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here. (PTI)
Bihar will get around 16 lakh COVID19 vaccine doses in May -- 11.89 lakh doses of Covishield & 4.14 lakh doses of Covaxin. The vaccination (for people above 18 years of age) will start as soon as we get the vaccines: Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu reports 19,588 new cases, 147 deaths and 17,164 recoveries; active cases 1,15,128. (ANI)
TV actor Rubina Dilaik on Saturday said she has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is under home quarantine. The "Bigg Boss 14" winner shared her diagnosis in an Instagram post. "I always look out for silver lining!! I will be now eligible for donating plasma after a month. Tested positive! Home quarantined for next 17 days!" she wrote. The 33-year-old actor urged everyone who came in contact with her to get themselves tested. (PTI)
Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonwalla on Saturday spoke out about the pressures he was under over the production of COVID-19 vaccines to meet the ever-increasing demand in India as the country battles through a devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. In his first comments since he was provided with 'Y' category security by the Indian government earlier this week, Poonawalla told 'The Times' in an interview about receiving aggressive calls from some of the most powerful people in India, demanding supplies of Covishield -- the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine that the Serum Institute is producing in India. (PTI)
Twelve patients at Delhi's Batra Hospital, including a senior doctor, died on Saturday and at least two other hospitals reported precipitous drops in their oxygen stocks, as the Delhi High Court stepped in and directed the Centre to provide the city with oxygen today itself or face contempt. With the death of the 12 patients in the south Delhi hospital -- which announced at 12.30 pm that it had run out of oxygen -- the number of hospital patients who have lost their lives in the deepening crisis in the last eight days has gone up to 57. (PTI)