Coronavirus India News Live Updates: 6.8 lakh people in India get jabbed on May 9, over 17 crore shots administered so far

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19 induced curfew extended in Bhopal till May 17 

The district administration on Sunday extended the COVID-19 induced curfew in the Madhya Pradesh capital till May 17, an official said. The curfew was supposed to be lifted at 6 am on May 10. Enforced on April 12 given the rise in coronavirus positive cases, the curfew was later extended subsequently after every one week till May 10.

"The corona curfew is extended in the areas under the Bhopal Municipal Corporation and Berasia town till 6 am on May 17 as per the order issued by district collector Avinash Lavaniyam," the official said. He said essential services and emergency travel are exempted from the purview of the restrictions on the movement of people. As of Saturday, Bhopal's COVID-19 caseload stood at 1,02,776 while the death toll stood at 788, as per the state health department. 

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Jharkhand reports 141 more COVID-19 deaths, 6,112 fresh cases

Jharkhand on Sunday reported 141 COVID-19 fatalities, raising the toll to 3,756, while the coronavirus tally mounted to 2,82,174 with 6,112 fresh cases, a health department bulletin said. The state now has 61,195 active cases, while 2,17,223 patients have so far recovered from the disease, it said. Ranchi district recorded the maximum number of 42 fatalities, followed by East Singhbhum (25) and Dhanbad (11).

The recovery rate stood at 76.98 per cent as against the national average of 81.90 per cent, the bulletin said.  The mortality rate in the state, however, is higher at 1.33 per cent compared to 1.10 per cent at the national level. A total of 73,05,183 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in Jharkhand, including 45,658 since Saturday, it said.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | During a phone call by PM Narendra Modi today, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh urged the PM to increase the total quota of oxygen to 300 MT, & ensure urgent supplies of vaccine for the state, which is facing shortages on both counts, says State government

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 6.8 lakh people in India get jabbed on May 9, over 17 crore shots administered so far

More than 6.89 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in India on May 9, according to the Union Health Ministry's latest provisional report.With that, over 17.01 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the country so far. On May 9, 4.05 lakh beneficiaries received their first shot and 2.84 lakh people were given their second dose.

This included healthcare and frontline workers, people aged over 60 and beneficiaries above the age of 45 with or without comorbidities. The government had earlier revised the gap between the two doses for the Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield, being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, to six-eight weeks. However, the interval for the second dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin remains unchanged.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India turns to ex-army medics as COVID surge sparks calls for lockdown

India is to recruit hundreds of former army medics to support its overwhelmed healthcare system, the defence ministry said on Sunday, as the country grapples with record COVID-19 infections and deaths amid angry calls for a complete nationwide lockdown. Some 400 medical officers are expected to serve on contract for a maximum of 11 months, the ministry said in a press release, adding that other defence doctors had also been roped in for online consultations.

COVID-19 cases and deaths have been hitting records every two or three days. Deaths rose by more than 4,000 for a second consecutive day on Sunday. Many Indian states have imposed strict lockdowns over the past month while others have announced restrictions on public movement and shut down cinemas, restaurants, pubs and shopping malls.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Only 10 persons can attend weddings, funerals in Chhattisgarh

In view of the grim coronavirus situation, the Chhattisgarh government on Sunday said only 10 persons will be allowed to attend weddings and funerals in the state, while all kinds of religious, social, political, social and other programmes will continue to remain prohibited in the state. The General Administration Department issued the guidelines to this effect on Sunday for all divisional commissioners (revenue), Inspector General of Police (IGPs), district collectors and Superintendents of Police (SPs).

At present, several districts in the state have set different limits on the number of people allowed at weddings, while some other districts have even cancelled permission for such functions during the lockdown at the local level. The new guidelines said that in order to put an effective check on the spread of the new variant of coronavirus, there will be a strict ban on the presence of more than ten people in marriage functions and funeral rituals, an official statement said. There will be a complete ban on all kinds of religious, social, political and other programmes across the state, it said. 

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 35,801 new COVID-19 cases, 29,318 recoveries and 68 deaths were reported in Kerala

Active cases 4,23,514 

Total recoveries 1,4,72,951 

Death toll 5,814

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Rajya Sabha MP and eminent sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, dies in Odisha hospital, says Official

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot calls for strict enforcement of lockdown from May 10-24

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asserted that the state-wide lockdown from May 10 to May 24 should be strictly followed. “There should not be any kind of laxity in enforcing the lockdown. Whoever violates the guideline, strict action should be taken against them,” he said in a statement. The CM said along with all efforts for investigation, treatment, vaccination and expansion of resources, the government will strictly follow the coronavirus-induced lockdown to prevent the spread of the infection. Without this, it is not possible to stop this deadly wave, he said.

He also conducted a high-level review on COVID-10 situation, lockdown and availability of resources. Gehlot said the deaths from the virus are very worrying and distressing. In such a situation, people of the state should follow the lockdown with utmost sincerity and responsibility, he said. He also suggested police forces to conduct flag marches in police station areas and checkpoints to create public awareness. The CM also called for rationalising prices of medical oxygen, beds, ventilators, among others, in private hospitals.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Boeing to construct 200-bed hospital in Gorakhpur, says UP govt 

US-based aircraft maker Boeing has proposed to construct a 200-bed ICU hospital at Vir Bahadur Singh Sports College in Gorakhpur, the Uttar Pradesh government said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the site of the proposed hospital, it said. The chief minister also inspected the integrated COVID command centre through which work like sending COVID patients to hospitals, providing medical counselling to them in home isolation and distributing medical kits etc., is carried out, the government said.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Haryana extends lockdown by a week till May 17

The Haryana government announced extending the coronavirus-induced lockdown in the state by a week till May 17. Making the announcement on Twitter, Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said, "Mahamari Alert/ Surkshit Haryana announced from 10 May to 17 May. Stringent measures will be taken to contain the spread of Corona in Haryana."

Vij later told PTI that the restrictions, which are currently in force, will continue till May 17. Last week, the Haryana government had imposed a lockdown in the state from May 3 to May 10 (5 am). According to an official order issued late Sunday night detailing the fresh guidelines of the extended lockdown, no gathering of more than 11 persons will be allowed, including in weddings, cremation and funerals. Marriages will be allowed only at home and in courts with a maximum limit of 11 persons. No movement of "barat" procession is allowed, the order said.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 17.56 crore free vaccine doses provided to states, says MoS Finance Anurag Thakur

Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur on Sunday said the government has provided 17.56 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses so far to states and union territories for inoculation of people of all age groups and 46 lakh doses will be supplied to them in the next three days. Thakur's remarks came in response to senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to use Rs 35,000 crore allocated in the Union Budget to ensure free vaccine for all citizens instead of the current system of multiple pricing for various users.

Pune-based Serum Institute of India is supplying Covishield to the Centre for Rs 150 a dose while to states for Rs 300 a dose. Private Hospitals are getting it at double the state's price at Rs 600. Whereas, Covaxin manufacturer Bharat Biotech has priced its vaccine at Rs 150 a dose for the Centre, Rs 600 a dose for state governments and Rs 1,200 a dose for private hospitals.