Coronavirus Live News Updates: Given the mutations in the virus, curbs in the state will be eased in a staggered manner, said Thackeray
Coronavirus
Latest Updates: Haryana, Odisha, Telangana and Sikkim were the latest among states and Union Territories to extend the COVID-induced lockdown, while Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday announced easing of restrictions in districts with less active cases, though night curfew and weekend shutdown will remain.
Maharashtra extended restrictions till 15 June, but announced relaxations in areas with positivity rate less than or equal to 10 percent and oxygen bed occupancy less than 40 percent, and tightening of curbs in those with positivity rate over 20 percent and bed oxygen bed occupancy over 75 percent.
The Maharashtra chief minister emphasises that the new cases may be reducing but the number is close to what it was in the peak of the previous wave.
Telangana Cabinet on Sunday extended the ongoing lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 by another 10 days with relaxations from 6 am to 1 pm every day. The present lockdown was slated to end today.
Earlier in the day, the health ministry had said that nearly 12 crore doses of COVID vaccine will be available in June, which is a 50% jump from the allocation in May, when 7.94 crore doses were supplied.
Serum Institute of India (SII) has informed the government that it will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of Covishield in June, official sources said on Sunday amid complaint by states about the shortage of anti- Coronavirus vaccine jabs.
"We are pleased to inform that in the month of June we will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of our Covishield vaccine to the country as compared to our production capacity of 6.5 crore doses in May," Prakash Kumar Singh, the Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at SII, said in the letter.
Upset over Yoga guru Ramdev's remarks on allopathy, the federation of resident doctors associations on Saturday said they will hold a nationwide protest on 1 June and observe it as a 'black day'. In a statement, the federation has also sought an "unconditional open public apology" from him for his remarks.
Uttar Pradesh govt announces economic activities in zones with less than 600 active cases from June 1 (7am to 7pm), reports news agency ANI UP. The curfew will, however, continue during the weekend, the news agency quotes the state's chief secretary as saying. Shops and bazaars will open from 7 am to 7pm with weekend lockdown, in 55 districts, reports The Hindu.
According to News18, there will be no relaxations in 20 other districts.
Italy extended on Sunday an entry ban for people coming from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as a continued precaution against the more transmissible India-dominant variant of the novel coronavirus . The ban, which does not apply to Italian citizens, was introduced in late April and was due to expire on Sunday. It was prolonged until 21 June , a spokesman for Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement.
Karnataka home minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday was quoted as saying that the ongoing lockdown — with the same restrictions in place — will be extended in the state 7 June.
"We have got general guidelines from GoI regarding how to follow containment measures till 30 June. There will be no changes in ongoing restrictions till 7 June", said Mr Bommai.
"The positivity rate and the number of cases in the state have declined, and if every citizen supports, we can control the infection", he added.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that the average death rate due to COVID-19 and the positivity rate were much less now than what they were during the first wave of the pandemic last year.
Stating the West Bengal government has been able to vaccinate over 1.40 crore citizens, she claimed that the state is in the "No. 1 position" in the country in terms of inoculating people.
"It is good news for us that the positivity rate has come down from 33 percent to 18 percent and it has become possible only because people abided by the strict restrictions imposed," she told reporters at the secretariat.
On the occasion of Hindi Journalism Day on Sunday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 10 lakh in aid for the families of journalists who died due to COVID-19 .
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the state only has 20,000-25,000 doses of vaccines for the 18-44 years age group at present.
Facing the second wave and shortages in crucial resources in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, India is also battling a shortage of vaccine doses across states. The Centre and state governments have sought to bolster stocks for the 18-45 group in particular.
Mizoram reported the highest single-day spike of 329 COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally in the state to 11,988 on Sunday, an official said. The COVID-19 toll in the state rose to 36 with one more person succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours, official data said.
Of the 329 fresh cases, Aizawl district registered the highest at 135, followed by Kolasib (57) and Lawngtlai (46). The remaining cases were reported from Lunglei district (41), Serchhip (41), Mamit (1), Saitual (4), Siaha (2) and Khawzawl district (2), it said.
The Union Health Ministry on Sunday said that nearly 12 crore vaccine doses will be available for National COVID-19 vaccination program in June 2021.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the state government will enforce the statewide lockdown till 7 June.
"Shops can now operate from 9 am to 3 pm. Shopkeepers must follow odd-even formula. Educational institutions will remain closed till 15 June. Night curfew will continue from 10 pm to 5 am," he said.
The Centre has asked states and union territories to initiate legal or administrative action against institutions which are giving package for Covid vaccination in collaboration with hotels in violation of prescribed guidelines.
In a letter to all states and UTs, Additional Secretary to Health ministry Manohar Agnani said it has come to the notice of the Union health ministry that some private hospitals are giving package for COVID-19 vaccination in collaboration with some hotels, which is against the guidelines issued for the National Covid Vaccination Program.
"Necessary legal and administrative actions should be initiated against such institutions. Therefore, you are also requested to monitor and ensure that National Covid Vaccination drive is carried out as per the prescribed guidelines," he added.
India, battling an exponential second wave, reported the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases since 13 April. According to the Union Health Ministry's update, over 1.65 lakh new cases were reported in the last 24 hours ending on Sunday morning.
India on Sunday reported 1,65,553 new COVID-19 cases, 2,76,309 discharges and 3,460 deaths in last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said.
Many states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Goa have extended the COVID-induced lockdown or other restrictions for a week to a fortnight from Monday, while some of them like Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have announced certain relaxation in the curbs.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday announced the extension of the shutdown till 9 June, while Puducherry government also decided to continue the lockdown till 7 June. Tamil Nadu has already extended the lockdown till 7 June.
"Although the prevalence of the disease is declining significantly in the state, we have not yet reached a stage to remove restrictions. The lockdown will continue in all districts from 31 May to 9 June," Vijayan said.
Kerala has been under lockdown since 8 May following a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.
As per the new lockdown guidelines, some concessions will be given to perform essential activities. All industrial establishments (including coir, cashew, etc) can function with minimum employees not exceeding 50 percent of total strength.
Banks will remain open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with extended timings till 5 pm. Shops selling education books, textiles for weddings, jewellery and footwear will be open till 5 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Toddy sale will be allowed in parcels, following the COVID protocol.
Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa said the question of extending the lockdown may not arise if the public cooperated and there is a decline in COVID-19 cases.
These would be the factors that would determine the state government's decision on the lockdown, which will continue till 7 June.
Maharashtra government has extended lockdown-like restrictions, which came into force on 14 April, by another 15 days. They were to end on 1 June.
The Goa government on Saturday decided to extend the ongoing "corona curfew" by another week till 7 June.
Staggered work hours, frequent testing and monitoring of COVID appropriate behaviour will mark resumption of manufacturing and construction activities as Delhi reopens partially from Monday, even as other lockdown restrictions continue till 7 June.
The workers and employees allowed at manufacturing units and construction sites will require to carry e passes for movement during the ongoing lockdown that has been extended by a week by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
Though the Madhya Pradesh government has approved a phase-wise unlocking of the "corona curfew" restrictions beginning June 1, the weekend lockdown will continue to be in force across the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
There will be separate sets of unlocking guidelines for the places having the COVID-19 positivity rate above five percent and below 5 percent, he said.
Chouhan said cultural, political, social, sports, fairs and entertainment activities will not be allowed. He said school, colleges, educational institutions, cinema halls, shopping malls, theatre, auditoriums and picnic spots will continue to remain closed.
In Andhra Pradesh, the month-long COVID-19 restrictions in Tirupati and the entire Chittoor district would be further intensified and extended for a fortnight from 1 to 15 June in view of COVID-19 cases.
After a COVID review meeting, Deputy Chief Minister K Narayana Swamy, Ministers P Ramachandra Reddy and M Goutham Reddy told reporters that the existing daily 18 hour-long curfew restrictions would be increased to 20 hours and it would be extended till 15 June.
The Himachal Pradesh government had on Friday extended the coronavirus curbs till June 7 but announced relaxations, including increase in the opening hours of shops
In the Northeast, most of the states have extended the curbs.
The Nagaland government has extended the total lockdown in the state till June 11. Arunachal Pradesh will continue with the lockdown in seven districts of the state till June 7, while the Manipur government has extended the curfew in seven districts till June 11.
The Mizoram government on Saturday extended the ongoing lockdown in the Aizawl Municipal Corporation area by another seven days till 4 am of June 6.
The Meghalaya government has extended the total lockdown in the East Khasi Hills district by another week.
The single day rise in coronavirus cases in India was recorded at 1,73,790, the lowest in last 45 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,77,29,247, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Saturday morning.
The daily positivity further declined to 8.36 per cent, remaining below 10 per cent for five consecutive days, while the weekly positivity rate dropped to 9.84 per cent, it said.
The death toll climbed to 3,22,512 with 3,617 daily deaths, the data updated by the ministry at 8 am showed.
