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Coronavirus Live News Updates: Centre imposes curbs on export of Amphotericin-B, drug used to treat black fungus

Coronavirus Live News Updates: According to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, export of the injections have been put in the restricted category

FP Staff June 01, 2021 15:10:21 IST
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Coronavirus Live News Updates: Centre imposes curbs on export of Amphotericin-B, drug used to treat black fungus

Representational image. AP

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LIVE NEWS and UPDATES

June 01, 2021 - 15:19 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

Petrol, diesel sales drop 17% in May due to COVID-19 lockdown

India's petrol and diesel sales fell by about 17 per cent in May from a month ago as restrictions clamped to curb the world's worst outbreak of coronavirus infections stifled demand.

Sales of petrol — used in cars and motorcycles — fell to 1.79 million tonne in May, the lowest in a year, according to the preliminary data of state-owned fuel retailers. While the consumption was almost 13 percent higher than demand in May 2020, it was 28 percent lower than pre-COVID levels of 2.49 million tonne.

India was under one of the world's strictest lockdowns in May last year, which brought all mobility and economic activity to a grinding halt. This year, though the infection rate is much severe, restrictions are localised. Personal mobility is not as hampered as last year and more factories have remained open while cargo movement between states too hasn't been as badly affected.

June 01, 2021 - 14:56 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

Centre imposes restrictions on export of Amphotericin-B injections

The government on Tuesday imposed curbs on export of Amphotericin-B injections that are used for treatment of mucormycosis or black fungus infections.

According to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), export of the injections have been put in the restricted category. This means that an exporter would need permission or licence from the directorate for its outbound shipments.

"The export of Amphotericin-B injections... is restricted, with immediate effect," it said. 

June 01, 2021 - 14:41 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

Madhya Pradesh BJP leader Laxmikant Sharma dies of COVID-19

Senior BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Laxmikant Sharma died of coronavirus at a private hospital, family sources said on Tuesday. Sharma, 60, succumbed to the deadly infection at Chirayu Hospital and Medical College on Monday night, the  hospital's director Dr Ajay Goenka said.

The senior BJP leader is survived by his wife and three daughters, the family sources stated. Sharma's last rites were performed at Sironj, his ancestral town, in Vidisha district with full state honours on Tuesday, they said.

June 01, 2021 - 14:23 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

London's Heathrow airport opens for 'red list' countries

London's busy Heathrow Airport opened a dedicated new terminal on Tuesday for arrivals from countries designated as "red list", such as India, for a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission. Travellers on direct flights from such destinations will now go through Terminal 3 and then move directly to a government-approved quarantine facility booked at the passengers' own expense.

It comes after the London airport's staff had raised fears for their safety because of overcrowding, amid concerns that travellers arriving from red list countries  from where travel is effectively banned except for British and Irish nationals or limited exceptions  were mixing with those from green and amber.

"Red list routes will likely be a feature of UK travel for the foreseeable future as countries vaccinate their populations at different rates, a Heathrow Airport spokesperson said.

June 01, 2021 - 14:12 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

9,928 children tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra Ahmednagar, says admin

Over 9,900 minors tested positive for coronavirus at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra last month, but the district administration claimed that around 95 percent of

them were asymptomatic and the situation was not alarming. In May this year, a total of 86,182 COVID-19 cases were reported in Ahmednagar, district collector Rajendra Bhosale said.

"Out of them, 9,928 were minors (aged below 18), which comes to about 11.5 percent of the total cases reported last month," Bhosale said.

June 01, 2021 - 14:01 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

P Chidambaram says '2020-21 darkest year of economy in four decades'

Congress leader and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday slammed the Centre over its economic management and labelled it as "inept".

"The GDP in 2020-21 is lower than the GDP in 2018-19. 2020-21 has been the darkest year of the economy in four decades. The performance in the four quarters of 2020-21 tells the story."

"The current state of the economy is no doubt largely due to the impact of the pandemic, but it has been compounded by the ineptitude and incompetent economic management of the BJP-led NDA government," he said.

June 01, 2021 - 13:44 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

SC stays Delhi HC's order holding IGST on oxygen concentrators as 'unconstitutional'

The Supreme Court Tuesday stayed a Delhi High Court order holding as "unconstitutional the imposition of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) by the Centre on import of oxygen concentrators by individuals for personal use.

A special bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah issued notice on the plea and sought response from the petitioner, who filed a PIL before the high court. "We are staying the operation of the Delhi High Court order till further orders," the bench said.

The top court was hearing an appeal field by Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) against the 21 May high court order. Attorney General KK Venugopal said the GST council will meet on 8 June and deliberate on granting exemption to essential items related to COVID-19, including oxygen concentrators.

June 01, 2021 - 13:32 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

Sputnik V vaccine doses arrive in Hyderabad

A consignment of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, arrived on a specially-chartered freighter at Hyderabad Airport on Tuesday morning.

June 01, 2021 - 13:16 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

Karnataka govt says 1,370 black fungus cases in state so far

The Karnataka government on Tuesday said that a total of 1,370 mucormycosis or 'black fungus' cases have been reported in the state so far. Currently, 1,292 patients are undergoing treatment, the statement added.

June 01, 2021 - 13:00 (IST)

Coronavirus News Updates

322 fresh cases push Arunachal's COVID-19 tally to 27,272

Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally soared to 27,272 on Tuesday as 322 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said. The state's coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 115 as no fresh COVID-19 fatality was reported in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

The Capital Complex region reported the highest number of fresh cases at 49, followed by West Kameng (37) and Changlang (29).

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Live News Updates: The government on Tuesday imposed curbs on export of Amphotericin-B injections that are used for treatment of mucormycosis or black fungus infections.

According to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), export of the injections have been put in the restricted category. This means that an exporter would need permission or licence from the directorate for its outbound shipments.

"The export of Amphotericin-B injections... is restricted, with immediate effect," it said.

London's busy Heathrow Airport opened a dedicated new terminal on Tuesday for arrivals from countries designated as "red list", such as India, for a higher risk of transmission. Travellers on direct flights from such destinations will now go through Terminal 3 and then move directly to a government-approved quarantine facility booked at the passengers' own expense.

It comes after the London airport's staff had raised fears for their safety because of overcrowding, amid concerns that travellers arriving from red list countries from where travel is effectively banned except for British and Irish nationals or limited exceptions were mixing with those from green and amber.

"Red list routes will likely be a feature of UK travel for the foreseeable future as countries vaccinate their populations at different rates, a Heathrow Airport spokesperson said.

The Supreme Court Tuesday stayed a Delhi High Court order holding as "unconstitutional the imposition of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) by the Centre on import of oxygen concentrators by individuals for personal use.

A special bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah issued notice on the plea and sought response from the petitioner, who filed a PIL before the high court. "We are staying the operation of the Delhi High Court order till further orders," the bench said.

The top court was hearing an appeal field by Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) against the 21 May high court order. Attorney General KK Venugopal said the GST council will meet on 8 June and deliberate on granting exemption to essential items related to , including oxygen concentrators.

Upset over yoga guru Ramdev's remarks on allopathy, resident doctors at several Delhi hospitals launched a protest as part of a nationwide stir on Tuesday and sought an unconditional public apology or action under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

Banded under the Federation of Resident Doctors Associations (FORDA), which had called for the protest on May 29 and stressed that healthcare services would not be hampered, the doctors wore black armbands, ribbons and held up placards.

"Our protest began on Tuesday morning against the remarks made by Ramdev, who is not qualified to even speak on the discipline of allopathy. It had affected the morale of doctors, who are fighting day in and day out in the (COVID-19) pandemic. We demand an unconditional public apology from him or action against him under the Epidemic Diseases Act," a senior FORDA official said.

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has been admitted to AIIMS due to post-COVID complications. He had contracted the in April, but resumed office after recovery.

The Delhi High Court sought response of the city government and police on a plea seeking to restrain beggars and vagabonds from begging at traffic junctions and markets to prevent spread of as many of them do not wear masks or maintain social distancing.

Maharashtra reported 500 fatalities, its lowest in 42 days, while Tamil Nadu and Karnataka recorded 478 and 411 deaths respectively.

The recovery rate continues to increase, at 92.09 percent today, while the daily positivity rate dipped to 6.62 percent, and has been less than 10 percent for seven consecutive days.

Bihar, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh on Monday extended COVID-induced lockdown or curfew though there will be some relaxation in curbs.

Andhra Pradesh has decided to continue with curfew till 10 June, while the complete shutdown in Lakshadweep will remain till 7 June.

Almost all states and Union Territories have extended the curbs which they first started imposing in mid-April as the second COVID wave hit the country.

"In view of the corona outbreak, a decision has been taken to extend the lockdown by a week, till June 08. However, some extra concessions will be made for business activities," Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar tweeted in Hindi.

As per the revised guidelines, which would come into effect from 2 June, shops dealing in essential items like grocery, vegetables, dairy products, meat and fish, will be allowed to do business from 6 am to 2 pm.

Similar relaxations have also been announced by other states. Shopping malls, cinema halls, gyms, stadiums, clubs and swimming pools will, however, remain closed.

Restrictions also remain on the number of people who could attend weddings and funerals.

The Chhattisgarh government said that the lockdown, which was scheduled to end on Monday, will continue with some relaxation in restrictions in those districts where the case positivity rate is less than five percent.

The Rajasthan government also issued guidelines on Monday to start the "unlock" process by easing certain restrictions from 2 June.

According to the guidelines for the modified lockdown, exemption for various activities will be given only in areas where the positivity rate is less than 10 percent or the use of oxygen, ICU and ventilator beds is less than 60 percent.

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash said the COVID curfew has been extended in the state till 8 June. The period of the ongoing curfew in the state was scheduled to come to an end at 6 am on Tuesday morning.

The Lakshadweep administration announced the extension of the complete shutdown for seven more days, beginning 31 May.

The complete shutdown was first announced on May 24 for a week.

The Andhra Pradesh government decided to extend the COVID curfew till June 10, with the same set of restrictions.

The curfew, which was first clamped from May 5 as the cases were on a steep upward spiral, was supposed to end on May 31.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government extended the relaxations announced in the curfew to six more districts from June 1, allowing shops and markets outside the containment zones to open for five days a week.

The relaxations will apply to a total of 61 districts from Tuesday, while 14 districts with an active caseload of over 600 have been kept outside the purview of the order for the time being.

The 14 districts where there would be no relaxation in curbs are Meerut, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Jhansi, Lakhimpur-Khiri, Jaunpur and Ghazipur, the spokesperson said.

Updated Date: June 01, 2021 15:20:23 IST

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