Relief shipments, new beds and infection data: Covid updates in pictures

Amid a barrage of complaints about private ambulance operators charging exorbitantly to transport Covid-19 patients in Agra, the district administration on Sunday capped the fares, officials said.  The Agra police also formed a squad and released a WhatsApp number on which the people can register complaints against those involved in black marketing of oxygen cylinders, Remdesivir injection and other drugs used for COVID-19 treatment.  Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muniraj G said the residents can raise their complaint on WhatsApp number 7839003386 and the official Twitter handle of the Agra police.

The first consignment from South Korea of 30 oxygen concentrators and 200 oxygen cylinders with regulators arrived in India on Sunday, as the country battles the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.   The South Korean embassy, in a statement, said that Seoul is sending two consignments of medical supplies, containing 230 oxygen concentrators, 200 oxygen cylinders with regulators and 100 negative pressure isolation stretchers to India. The first flight containing the medical supplies arrived on Sunday at 4:30 pm, according to the embassy. The second flight would come on May 12.  

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh are among the top 10 states accounting for 73.91 per cent new Covid-19 cases registered in the past 24 hours, said Union Health Ministry's data on Monday.  Maharashtra reported the highest daily new cases of 48,401, followed by Karnataka (47,930) and Kerala (35,801). Tamil Nadu logged 28,897 cases followed by Uttar Pradesh (23,175), Andhra Pradesh (22,164), West Bengal (19,441), Rajasthan (17,921), Haryana (13,548) and Delhi (13,336), the data said.

With 366,161 fresh infections, India recorded a significant drop in the number of daily Covid-19 cases. Its cumulative caseload now stands at 22,662,575, while 246,116 people have died from the deadly virus. India now has 3.75 million active cases. On a positive note, 18,671,222 (or or 82.15 per cent of total caseload) patients have recovered.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP State President VD Sharma during the inauguration of the 1,000-bed Madhav Sewa Kendra Covid-19 centre at Motilal Nehru Police Stadium in Bhopal.

A Delhi court on Monday refused to grant any stay on coercive action against businessman Navneet Kalra in connection with hoarding of oxygen concentrators after seizure by Delhi Police from his restaurant "Khan Chacha".  Kalra had moved the Saket court seeking anticipatory bail in the case.Delhi Police Crime Branch had launched a manhunt against him.A special judge has directed the investigating officer (IO) to file the reply on Kalra's application by Tuesday.   Kalra moved the court seeking interim relief of no coercive action by Delhi Police and also denied the allegations of hoarding of oxygen concentrators.

The Indian Army establishes a 20-bed high dependency unit (HDU) for Covid19 patients in Baramulla on Sunday.

Metro rail services to remain temporarily suspended till 5 am on May 17, as the national capital enters into an extended period of lockdown with strict restrictions

The Supreme Court Monday said it will hear on May 13 the suo motu case on management of Covid-19 on account of technical glitches.  A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, L N Rao and S Ravindra Bhat said, "Our server is down today. We judges had discussion among ourselves and have decided to take up the matter on Thursday." Justice Bhat further said that in the meantime judges will go through the Centre's compliance affidavit filed late night and even amicus curiae in the matter will get time to go through the government's response.

Getting people vaccinated is the only long-term solution to the current Covid-19 crisis in India, America's top public health expert Anthony Fauci said on Sunday as he called for scaling up manufacturing of coronavirus vaccines both domestically and globally to fight the deadly pandemic.  The endgame of this all...is going to be to get people vaccinated...India is the largest vaccine-producing country in the world. They've got to get their resources, not only from within, but also from without, Fauci, who is the Chief Medical Adviser to US President Joe Biden, told the ABC News in an interview.