Several states/UTs in the country are now under lockdown, while strict Covid-19 restrictions are in place in other areas.Covid-19 India Live Update, Coronavirus Cases and Deaths in India Live Coverage: Hope or illusion? For the past few days, India, which has been battling a severe second wave of Coronavirus infections in the country, has been reporting a drop in the number of daily Covid-19 cases. Active Covid-19 cases in the country are also falling sharply. According to the Union Health Ministry data, as many as 200 districts in the country have been reporting a drop in virus infections for the past two weeks after consistently increasing for the past 13 weeks. The country’s overall case positivity has also registered a decline over the past seven days, it said. All these indications are giving a glimmer of home that the Covid-19 pandemic may be shrinking in the country.
On Tuesday, India reported below 3 lakh Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive days. Coronavirus infections in Maharashtra and Delhi, two of the worst-affected states/UTs, have dropped massively in the past few days. However, Covid-19 cases in Karnataka are still surging, which is a worry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday held a meeting with field officials from states and districts across the country on Covid-19 management as Covid-19 spreads to rural areas. He asked them to be more vigilant even as cases drop in some states and urged not to lower the guard. He also informed that the supply of vaccines, the main weapon to fight Covid-19 infections, is set for a big boost. He also said efforts are on to provide states/UTs with 15 days’ advance schedule of vaccination.
Containment measures can’t be relaxed now, given that only 1.8% of India’s population has been infected by Coronavirus; still, a vast majority remains susceptible to the virus, said a government official on Tuesday after a meeting with PM Modi. Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, ministry of health and family welfare said the country could not afford to let its guard down as there is a gradual ingress of Covid-19 infection in peri-urban, rural and tribal areas now.
Several states/UTs in the country are now under lockdown, while restrictions are in place in other areas. Some have extended the lockdown till June 1 in order to limit the spread of Coronavirus infections; Delhi, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh extended Covid-19 lockdown yesterday.
As the country tries to find a way out of the second wave with Coronavirus infections spreading to rural areas, here are the latest, confirmed updates on Covid-19 from India and around the globe:
Highlights
With the death of five people, Ladakh has reported the highest single-day spike in fatalities due to COVID this year, raising the toll to 170, officials said on Wednesday. They said the total number of coronavirus cases has gone up to 16,784, with 202 fresh infections being reported in the union territory. They said Ladakh has reported the death of five patients -- four in Leh and one in Kargil. This is highest single-day spike in deaths in union territory this year. Three coronavirus patients each died on May 5 and May 14. The total number of deaths in the union territory has reached 170 -- 123 in Leh and 47 in Kargil, they said. The total number of active cases in the union territory has reached 1,583 -- 1,300 in Leh district and 283 in Kargil district, the officials said. (PTI)
A US Congressman on Tuesday praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and exuded confidence that Indians will overcome the challenge. Reiterating that the United States and India share a special partnership, Congressman Joe Wilson also said he is grateful to support efforts in Congress to supply India with the necessary equipment to combat the pandemic. READ MORE
COVID-19 vaccines that are available in the United States are effective against the deadly variant that was first detected in India, top US health officials said on Tuesday. The B.1.617 virus variant, first identified in India last year, has been classified as a ‘variant of concern’ at the global level by the World Health Organisation. READ MORE