Coronavirus India Roundup, May 8: PPE created by Navy gets approved, Indians evacuated from Abu Dhabi, Dhaka, Singapore

In the last 24 hours, with 3,390 new cases confirmed, the total number of COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 56,342, the Union Health Ministry revealed during its latest press briefing. A total of 16,540 patients have recovered until now, and Joint Secretary Lav Agrawal revealed that the recovery rate has increased to 29.36%. The pandemic has claimed the lives of 1,886 patients in India so far. [caption id=“attachment_7996191” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption] Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi continue to be the worst-hit states in the country. Agrawal revealed that 216 districts of the country have reported no positive COVID-19 cases, while no new cases have been detected in 42 districts over the last 28 days. He also mentioned that a revised list of red, orange and green zones will be distributed to the states and the public soon.

Indian evacuees from Abu Dhabi, Dhaka, Singapore arrive 

As per the Indian government’s massive Vande Bharat Mission, the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in 13 other countries has begun in full force. The first Air India repatriation flight brought 181 Indians from Abu Dhabi to Cochin. Indian students living in Bangladesh arrived in Srinagar on an AI flight from Dhaka, while AI’s first flight to take off from Singapore with more than 250 Indian citizens has arrived in Delhi as well. Five other AI repatriation flights are expected to arrive today. The Indian Navy’s INS Jalashwa has reached the Maldives and will depart with Indian citizens today.

SC says states should start online sale and home delivery of liquor

The Supreme Court has recommended that all states should consider indirect sale of alcohol along with home delivery to minimise crowding at liquor stores. The suggestion came in the wake of the flagrant flouting of safety and hygiene norms at standalone liquor stores which have been gradually opened across most states of the country. Some state governments, like that of Chhattisgarh, have already partially begun home delivery of alcohol. Indian food delivery company Zomato and the International Spirits and Wines Association of India are also lobbying to start home delivery of alcohol in the nation.

Low-cost PPEs created by Indian Navy approved for use

The Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), which is a laboratory and testing agency of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has given the personal protective equipment (PPE) created by the Indian Navy its approval. The navy’s PPE has now been certified for mass production and use in clinical COVID-19 situations. This low-cost PPE are expected to make up for the shortage the entire nation is currently experiencing. For more information, read our article on Personal protection equipment for different areas of the hospital. Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.