A COVID-19 patient being brought in an e-rickshaw for treatments at Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj. (PTI Photo) Coronavirus India Cases Today, New Strain of Coronavirus, Covid-19 Lockdown Live Updates: The horrifying scenes from India’s hospitals, cremation/burial grounds that stunned the world and showed the gruesome impact of the second wave of coronavirus in the second most populous nation on the Earth have not improved despite some states reporting a significantly lower number of new Covid-19 infections. What has changed is the testing pattern and with the new guidelines issued by the ICMR last night, India may register a further dip in daily caseload. However, experts say that this may result in actual infections not getting detected and that may result in other super-spreader events. So, what changes now? The ICMR says that states should go for rapid antigen rather than the RT-PCR, which is considered the best possible test for diagnosing Covid-19 infection. The new norms come into effect at a time when the diagnostic centres across the country face huge backlogs due to a massive surge in cases and testing. Another key element of the new rules says that now those travelling across states need not undergo the RT-PCR test.
Meanwhile, despite help pouring in from across the world, many states have said that they have not received any relief material. The Centre maintains that it has streamlined the process and sending the Oxygen devices and other things via proper channels. With the High Courts berating the Centre and state governments, one can only hope that situation improves without artificial gimmicks of antigen results and lower testing. As India continues its war against Covid here are the latest verified news and other developments from across the country and around the world:
Highlights
Rural-focussed fintech player Spice Money on Wednesday said it has launched a dedicated initiative to help people register for the COVID-19 vaccination. Spice Money has launched the dedicated assistance initiative for vaccination registration to enable rural citizens to register through its dense network across more than 18,000 PIN codes, Spice Money said in a release. The company said it has also initiated a special drive to spread awareness and educate its banking correspondent partners (Spice Money Adhikaris) about the priority vaccination available to them as directed by the government. The Spice Money Adhikari (SMA) network covering 95 per cent of India's rural PIN codes will facilitate people to register and book an appointment for vaccination, said the fintech company. (PTI)
Those who need emergency medicines and are unable to go out can seek the help of Kerala Police to buy medicine by calling the police control room. The State Police media centre will also spread awareness in social media about COVID-19 guidelines: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan (ANI)
In view of rising COVID19 cases, District Magistrate Swati Bhadoria has issued orders imposing 'corona curfew' in Chamoli dist up till May 9. During the curfew, essential shops will stay open in district till 2 pm while pharmacies will remain open throughout day. (ANI)
There is no doubt that people have been pretty active on social media at a time when COVID-19 transmission and oxygen crisis, just so they can help others in need for treatment. Among the posts shared, many of them have requests for convalescent plasma as it is being prescribed to many for treating the COVID-19 infection. Blood banks too have seen a rise in demand for convalescent plasma. For this, NGOs have been working selflessly to respond to people’s pleas and are also encouraging Covid-recovered patients to donate plasma, a report by The IE noted. READ FULL STORY
Homegrown live streaming platform Bolo Indya has stepped forward to create awareness regarding the Coronavirus vaccination across the tier 2, tier 3 and tier 4 cities in India. For this initiative, the company has partnered with the citizen engagement platform of the government- MyGov India where the aim is to aid the Centre’s efforts to fight the pandemic via an awareness drive. READ MORE
"Angrezi Medium" actor Radhika Madan and "Fukrey" actor Pulkit Samrat on Wednesday received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. The actors took to Instagram to share the update. "One step at a time #Vaccinated," Madan captioned her photo as she took the first jab of the vaccine. The 26-year-old actor urged everyone to get registered and requested them to maintain all precautions at the vaccination centres. "Wear double mask, sanitise your hands, maintain distance and don't panic. Don't forget to get a good night's sleep the day before and stay well hydrated #FightCorona," she said. Samrat, 37, said getting vaccinated is the "best form of defence" against COVID-19. "#Jab We Met. This is our best form of defence. Be safe. #GETVACCINATED," he wrote in the caption. "Dil Bechara" star Sanjana Sanghi and her brother Sumer also received the first jab of the vaccine. "Tiny rays of hope and sunshine in dark times #GetVaccinated" the 24-year-old actor wrote alongside a selfie with her brother. (PTI)
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Kerala is going through a serious situation with COVID spreading rapidly in the state. Test positivity rate is not coming down. The situation calls for imposing more restrictions in the state: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan (ANI)
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Punjab | CM Amarinder Singh today announced thrust sector status for all oxygen production units, appointed a nodal officer for quick clearance of foreign aid. Status applicable to O2 production units with minimum capacity of 700 cylinders per day, oxygen refilling excluded: CMO (ANI)
All migrant workers returning to the state shall be tested (RAT) on arrival. Those testing COVID negative shall be isolated for 7 days at govt facilities. While those testing positive shall be managed as per protocol of Health and Family Welfare: Chief Secretary, Jharkhand (ANI)
Coronavirus in older adults: Ever since the pandemic first struck early last year, fever is being used as a key indicator of checking if someone potentially has COVID-19. A testament to this is the fact that at all public places like metro stations, offices and tourist attractions, thermal screening measures are at place, and people have to go through it first before being allowed to enter. However, now, medical experts have proposed that to check whether older adults have infections, pulse oximeters are more useful than taking temperature, according to a report in IE. This commentary has been published in Frontiers in Medicine by Catherine Van Son and Deborah Eti of Washington State University’s College of Nursing. READ FULL STORY
This disease (Covid-19) is not spreading through animals, it's human to human transmission: Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog (ANI)
Sikkim reported 221 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours pushing the tally to 8,919, a health department bulletin said on Wednesday. The COVID-19 death toll rose to 155 as four more persons succumbed to the disease, the bulletin said. Of the 221 new COVID-19 cases, East Sikkim district registered 171 cases followed by 24 each in South and West Sikkim and 2 in North Sikkim. (PTI)
A phase three is inevitable, given the higher levels of circulating virus but it is not clear on what time scale this phase three will occur. We should prepare for new waves: K VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to Centre (ANI)
External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Wednesday described the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic as an “all consuming” challenge posed by a virulent strain of coronavirus and welcomed the enormous goodwill from countries around the world as a sense of solidarity in diplomacy. Jaishankar, who is in the UK on a four-day visit to participate in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting as a guest minister, admitted that India’s health system “stands exposed” but that there is a focussed plan to ramp up the vaccination programme and address the country’s needs beyond the immediacy of the pandemic. READ MORE
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain takes stock of preparations of COVID Care Centre at Gurudwara Rakab Ganj. He says, 'We're trying to set up 500 oxygen bedded centre here. Apart from ICU, everything will be available here. We're trying to start this facility at the earliest' (ANI)
Karnataka on Wednesday crossed the 1-crore mark in inoculation of COVID-19 vaccines, Health Minister K Sudhakar said. "Karnataka crossed 1 crore inoculations of Covid-19 vaccine today. K'taka has received 1,05,49,970 doses from Centre & State Govt has procured 3 lakh doses," the Minister tweeted. Noting that the vaccine is the biggest weapon to defeat the virus, Sudhakar said the government is leaving no stone unturned to inoculate everyone at the earliest. According to the health department officials, these inoculations comprise first and the second doses. On Tuesday alone, the state government has achieved 99.36 lakh inoculations. (PTI)
A German military cargo aircraft with a mobile oxygen production unit for India has departed from an airport in northern Germany to help Indian hospitals that are overwhelmed with coronavirus pandemic patients. The plane will have a layover in Abu Dhabi and is expected to arrive in India on Thursday. "We're proud to contribute significantly with our airlift in the global fight against the coronavirus," German air force Lt Gen Ingo Gerhartz told German news agency dpa on Wednesday. Air transports are a routine for us but we all know that the fight against this pandemic is about human lives and that every single life counts. (PTI)
At a time when the COVID-19 cases are surging, the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH), an autonomous organisation here and the State DisasterManagement Authority, have jointly set up a 24 X 7 Covid-19 helpline exclusively for the deaf and hard of hearing. The facility is primarily meant for answering queries and concerns related to the pandemic and extending counselling to stress-related issues. Sign language interpreters will be available to attend the WhatsApp video calls made to the helpline, an official statement said. (PTI)
The government on Wednesday said that spending by companies for setting up health infrastructure for COVID care will be considered as CSR activities. The corporate affairs ministry's latest clarification comes weeks after clarifying that spending for setting up makeshift hospitals and temporary COVID-19 care facilities will be considered as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity under the companies law. Certain class of profitable companies are required to shell out at least 2 per cent of their three-year annual average net profit towards CSR works in a particular year. - PTI
The Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday decided to impose a lockdown in the state from May 7 to May 16 to check the spread of COVID-19, an official said. The decision to impose the "corona curfew" in the state was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, the spokesperson added. While government and private offices and establishments will remain closed during the lockdown period, essential services such as those related to health, electricity, telecommunication, water supply and sanitation will be exempted, the official said. The cabinet decided that work would continue at civil work sites and horticultural, agricultural and other projects, while educational institutions would remain closed till May 31, he said. Government and private transport vehicles will be allowed to ply with 50 per cent occupancy, and inter-state transportation will continue, the official added. Industrial establishments will work as per guidelines issued by the state government, he said. The cabinet also decided to cancel the Class 10 board exams of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education. All students will be promoted to Class 11 as per norms suggested by the CBSE for its students of the same class, the official said. (PTI)
An IL-76 aircraft of IAF landed in Singapore today. After loading 352 empty oxygen cylinders there, it is expected to get airborne late afternoon and land at Hindon Air Force Station late in the night: Indian Air Force
Pakistan has reported 4,113 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of coronavirus infections to 841,636, the health ministry said on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of National Health Services, another 119 people died in the last 24 hours, taking the number of COVID-19 toll to 18,429. The authorities performed 44,838 tests, recording a 9.17 per cent positivity rate. A total of 4,113 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 841,636. Meanwhile, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, who is also chief of National Command Operation Centre (NCOC), the top body to combat COVID-19, tweeted that more and more people were registering for inoculation. - PTI
The two medical oxygen plants have been installed at AIIMS and Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in the national capital with PM-CARES fund and will start supplying oxygen to these medical facilities by this evening, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. The plants were airlifted from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and installed here on Tuesday on a war footing, it said. The ministry said in order to cope with high demand of medical oxygen amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, fund has been allocated from PM-CARES for installation of over 500 medical oxygen plants across the country. These plants are planned to be set up within three months. - PTI
Karnataka crossed 1 cr inoculations of COVID19 vaccine today. We've received 1,05,49,970 doses from Centre & state govt has procured 3 lakh doses. Vaccine is biggest weapon to defeat pandemic. We're leaving no stone unturned to vaccinate all: Dr K Sudhakar, Karnataka Health Minister - ANI
Delhi reports 20,960 new COVID19 cases, 19,209 discharges and 311 deaths
Active cases: 91,859Death Toll: 18,063 - ANI
Two members of the small delegation accompanying External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to the UK have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to rework his official schedule here. "Was made aware yesterday evening of exposure to possible Covid positive cases," Jaishankar tweeted on Wednesday. "As a measure of abundant caution and also out of consideration for others, I decided to conduct my engagements in the virtual mode. That will be the case with the G7 Meeting today as well," he said. According to numerous sources, two members of the delegation tested positive on Tuesday with further test results still awaited. - PTI
The Home Ministry has asked states and union territories to carry out a detailed fire safety review of hospitals and nursing homes to prevent fire incidents, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday. Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has written to state chief secretaries and UT administrators, asking them to ensure fire safety measures, particularly in view of the summer season. Given the recent fire incidents in hospitals and particularly in view of the impending summer, it needs to be highlighted that short circuiting takes place, leading to fire incidents and loss of life and infrastructure, either because of high temperature, lack of maintenance or high load on internal wirings within the facilities, the Home secretary said. - PTI
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on the COVID-19 situation, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday said the state government will abide by his decision. Addressing reporters here, Yediyurappa said, "We have to implement the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We are also waiting for his directions. Based on it, we will take a decision in the evening." The Prime Minister is going to take a decision against the backdrop of the Supreme Court's recommendation, which would be binding on Karnataka as well. The Apex Court has asked the Central and state governments to consider imposing a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. - PTI
Odisha on Wednesday registered 9,889 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 4,89,641, while 16 fresh fatalities raised the toll to 2,104, a senior health department official said. Of the 9,889 new cases, 5,611 were reported from various quarantine centres and the rest were detected during contact tracing, the official said. Khurda district, of which state capital Bhubaneswar is a part, reported the maximum number of new cases at 1,331, followed by Sundergarh at 1,137 and Cuttack at 790. At least five districts recorded more than 400 cases -- Bargarh (483), Sambalpur (470), Angul (443), Kalahandi (424) and Puri (437). -PTI
Ambassadors from World Trade Organisation countries on Wednesday plan to discuss trade rules protecting the technological know-how behind COVID-19 vaccines amid growing pressure on rich nations to relax them as a way to help developing countries fight the pandemic. The WTO's General Council was taking up a temporary waiver for intellectual property protections that South Africa and India first proposed in October. The idea has gained support in the developing world and among some progressive lawmakers in the West. Authors of the proposal, which has faced resistance from many countries with influential pharmaceutical industries, have been revising it in hopes of making it more palatable. No consensus -- which is required under WTO rules -- was expected to emerge from the ambassadors' two-day meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. - AP
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced that journalists and their families will now get special consideration in the state and will be given priority in vaccination against COVID-19. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday issued instructions to allot separate vaccination centres for journalists and their family members, who are above 18 years of age, an official statement said here. The chief minister took the decision to recognise the efforts of journalists, who have been putting their lives and health at risk to cover the pandemic, it said. Adityanath has also instructed officials to ensure that all journalists get vaccinated, the statement said. "If required, go to their workplace and administer free vaccination. All those above 18 years of age will be vaccinated in the families of journalists," Adityanath said. Non-accredited journalists and freelancers will also get the benefit of the welfare scheme, the statement said. - PTI
Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday decided to increase the duration of the weekend lockdown till 7 am on May 10, an official spokesman said here. "The corona curfew from Friday 8 pm to Tuesday 7 am, which was extended on May 3 for 48 hours and is in force till May 6 till 7 am has been further extended till Monday (May 10) 7 am," an official spokesman said here. All shops and establishments will now remain closed till Monday 7 am. The official said that further decision to extend the curfew will be taken on Sunday. The decision for extension has been taken for breaking the chain of coronavirus. During this period, all essential services will be allowed and vaccination drive will continue, a senior official said, but refused to term it as a "lockdown", preferring "closure" instead. On April 29, the state government had announced that weekend lockdowns will now cover Mondays too and on May 3 it was extended till May 6. -PTI
Aam Aadmi Party legislator and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Harpal Singh Cheema, on Wednesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19. ‘I have tested +ve for Covid-19 with mild symptoms. Following instructions of my doctor while undergoing home isolation. All those who have come in close proximity to me over last few days are requested to kindly get tested,’ he said in a tweet. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh wished the Dirba legislator a speedy recovery. ‘Wishing a speedy recovery to Leader of the Opposition @HarpalCheemaMLA Ji who has tested positive for #Covid19,’ Singh tweeted. - PTI