Coronavirus Latest Updates: Delhi logged 26,169 cases with a positivity rate of 36.24 %, the highest since the pandemic began a year ago, even as the city hospitals grappled with depleting oxygen supplies Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a series of meetings on Friday, including one with chief ministers of states with a high burden of COVID-19 cases. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared on Thursday that all her prescheduled public meetings stand cancelled. From 7 pm on 22 April, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies, pad yatras or roadshows will not be allowed in West Bengal, said the Election Commission. Permission for such events if already granted stands withdrawn, the Commission said. It also said public meetings will be allowed with a maximum attendance of 500 people, if adequate space is available and with adherence to COVID-19 norms and social distancing. The UAE has banned travel from India for 10 days from Sunday due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country, according to media reports on Thursday. According to reports , the Supreme Court Bar Association has moved the Supreme Court saying cases in high courts on coronavirus-related issues should not be transferred to the top court. If patients are unable to get the anti-viral drug in adequate quantities, it is a violation of Article 19, the Karnataka High Court observed. Oxygen stocks have dried up in six hospitals , as per the 1 pm data shared by Manish Sisodia, even as the HC directed the Centre to ensure unhindered transport of oxygen The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the Union Government to reconsider its stand that door- to-door COVID-19 vaccination was not feasible, saying it must consider the plight of old people and the disabled. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta andJustice G S Kulkarni said the government cannot just “leave old people to die”. The Madras High Court on Thursday took on record concerns over the financial burden for the COVID-19 vaccination for the age group 18-45 from 1 May., “in particular, the cost of the vaccine at Rs 400 per shot from government counters and at Rs 600 per shot from private counters may be beyond the reach of a large section of the population, particularly considering the family structure in this country.” The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Centre to ensure that the allocation of oxygen takes place as planned and transportation of the tankers takes place unhindered. It further ordered that adequate security should be provided to lorries transporting the oxygen, in order to enable them to move without obstruction. The Union Home Ministry on Thursday issued orders directing states not to impose restrictions on interstate movement of medical oxygen. It also said that no restrictions should be imposed on oxygen manufacturers to limit oxygen supply to hospitals in states and UTs where they are located. Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals on Twitter appealed to the government to tag oxygen tank as ambulances and enable quick movement through the green corridor. As the country grapples with the current wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of the prevailing grim situation and said it wanted a national plan on issues, including supply of oxygen and essential drugs for treatment of patients infected with the virus. India registered over 3.14 lakh new coronavirus cases in a day, the highest-ever single-day count recorded in any country, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases in the country to1,59,30,965. According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday, a total of 3,14,835 fresh infections were registered in a span of 24 hours, while the toll increased to1,84,657 with a record 2,104 new fatalities. The national COVID-19 recovery rate fell below 85 percent. Registering a steady increase for the 43rd day in a row, the active cases have increased to 22,91,428 comprising 14.38 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has dropped to 84.46 percent, the data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,34, 54,880. The case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.16 percent, the data stated. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August,30 lakh on 23 August, 40 lakh on 5 September and 50 lakh on 16 September. It went past 60 lakh on 28 September, 70 lakh on 11 October, crossed 80 lakh on 29 October, 90 lakh on 20 November and surpassed the one-crore mark on 19 December. India crossed the grim milestone of 1.50 crore on 19 April. According to the ICMR, 27,27,05,103 samples have been tested up to 21 April with 16,51,711 samples being tested on Wednesday. The 2,104 new fatalities include 568 from Maharashtra, 249 from Delhi, 193 from Chhattisgarh, 187 from Uttar Pradesh, 125 from Gujarat and,116 from Karnataka. A total of 1,84,657 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 61,911 from Maharashtra, 13,762 from Karnataka ,13,258 from Tamil Nadu, 12,887 from Delhi, 10,710 from West Bengal, 10,346 from Uttar Pradesh, 8,114 from Punjab and 7,510 from Andhra Pradesh. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 percent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
Coronavirus Updates: Delhi registers record 306 COVID-19 deaths; Kerala sees highest one-day surge with nearly 27,000 cases
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Delhi logged 26,169 cases with a positivity rate of 36.24 %, the highest since the pandemic began a year ago, even as the city hospitals grappled with depleting oxygen supplies
)
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Kerala sees highest one-day surge of about 27,000 new cases
With Kerala’s COVID-19 graph witnessing the highest single day surge of nearly 27,000 cases on Thursday, the state government has decided to hold discussions with the manufacturers to procure vaccines. “We have sought more vaccines from the Centre and expect a reply soon. But we are not planning to wait for the allotment.
The state government is holding discussions with the vaccine manufacturers and steps will be taken to place orders after a discussion between the Chief Secretary and the Finance and Health secretaries,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here.
The state saw the highest single day spike so far with 26,995 cases, pushing the total infection count to 13.22 lakh.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Record rise of 13,105 COVID-19 cases in Gujarat, 137 deaths
Gujarat added 13,105 new coronavirus cases, its highest one-day rise so far, in the last 24 hours, health officials said on Thursday evening. It took the state’s caseload to 4,53,836. As many as 137 patients, also the highest so far, succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,877
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Delhi sees record 306 COVID-19 deaths
Delhi logged a record 306 COVID-19 deaths and 26,169 cases with a positivity rate of 36.24 percent, highest since the pandemic began a year ago, on Thursday even as the city hospitals grappled with depleting oxygen supply for the third consecutive day.
The city has reported over 1,750 deaths due to the deadly virus in the last 10 days.
It had recorded 24,638 cases and 249 deaths on Wednesday, as the positivity rate stood at 31.28 percent.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Israel issues travel warning for India and six other countries amid COVID surge
Israel issued a travel advisory on Thursday warning Israelis, including those who have recovered from or been vaccinated against COVID-19, to refrain from travelling to India, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Turkey because of high COVID morbidity rates in the seven countries.
The statement from the Israeli health ministry also noted the presence of alarming COVID variants in the seven countries, and recommended that the public avoid all travel outside of Israel if possible, the Haaretz newspaper reported.
The Health Ministry’s Director-General Chezy Levy said that unvaccinated foreign workers and students from India must quarantine in state-run quarantine hotels, it said.
-PTI
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Over 13.5 crore COVID vaccine doses administered in India, says Centre
The total number of vaccinations against COVID-19 has crossed 13.5 crores in the country with more than 30 lakh vaccine doses administered on Thursday till 8 pm, the health ministry said.
The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stood at 13,53,46,729, according to a provisional report compiled at 8 pm.
The beneficiaries include 92,41,384 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose, 59,03,368 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 1,17,27,708 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose and 60,73,622 FLWs who have taken the second dose.
Besides, 4,55,10,426 and 18,91,160 beneficiaries in the 45-60 age group have taken the first and the second dose respectively, while 4,85,01,906 and 64,97,155 people aged above 60 have been administered the first and the second dose.
-PTI
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
AAP leader tests positive, share video of himself from Delhi hospital bed
Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj, who tested positive, shares a video of himself from his hospital bed in Delhi. He implores the Centre and the Haryana government to show a “big heart” and provide oxygen in the Capital, adding that there was only three hours of oxygen left in the hospital he is admitted.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Mamata Banerjee bans all meetings in Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared on Thursday that all her prescheduled public meetings stand cancelled. The decision comes less than an hour after the Election Commission restricted the number of people allowed to attend a public meeting to 500 in light of the surge in Covid-19 cases.
In a tweet, Mamata Banerjee said she will reach out to the people virtually. The Trinamool Congress will share the updated schedule of the virtual meetings shortly, she added.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
State govts free to procure COVID-19 vaccine from manufacturers: Centre
State governments are free to procure anti-coronavirus vaccine doses from vaccine manufacturers as per the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.
The ministry said this while refuting some media reports that suggested the Serum Institute of India (SII) has contracted all its production till 25 May, 2021 to the Centre, and therefore, till that date the state governments will not be able to procure vaccine from SII.
“These media reports are based on incorrect facts and are without any basis,” the ministry said.
In order to expand and liberalise the countrywide vaccination drive, the Union Government on 19 April announced the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy which would come into effect from 1 May.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Ready to supply 500 tonnes of oxygen to Madhya Pradesh, says Naveen Jindal
Naveen Jindal is an Indian industrialist and a former Member of Parliament, took to Twitter to announces that his company Jindal Steel Power is ready to supply over 500 tons of liquid oxygen to the Madhya Pradesh government. The former MP also said that the company can provide 100 tonnes/day to any government that needs it.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
COVID care centre with 500 beds to be reopened in Delhi
A COVID care centre equipped with 500 oxygen beds will be restarted in Delhi amid a surge in coronavirus cases, and border guarding force ITBP has been again entrusted to run it, officials said on Thursday.
An order issued by the Union Home Ministry said the Delhi government has “sought assistance to re-operationalise” the Sardar Patel COVID care centre (SPCCC) with 500 oxygen beds, which was first created last year at the Radha Soami Beas campus located in south Delhi’s Chhattarpur area.
“Keeping in view the above request, it has been decided to provide an adequate number of medical officers and para-medical staff to man 500 oxygenated beds at SPCCC.”
“ITBP is designated as a nodal force for operation of the SPCCC…ITBP may draw the required medical manpower (doctors and paramedics), if needed, from other central armed police forces (CAPFs) also,” the order said.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Kerala journalist “collapsed in bathroom”, tested positive for COVID
According to Print.in, Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, who has been under arrest since October last year, tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to a hospital.
A plea filed by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) said that Kappan had collapsed in the bathroom at the Mathura jail and later tested positive for COVID-19. According to his lawyer, Wills Mathews, Kappan was admitted to the KM Medical College in Mathura Wednesday morning, reports Bar&Bench.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Modi to hold series of meetings tomorrow
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a series of meetings on Friday, including one with chief ministers of states with high burden of COVID-19 cases.
Official sources said he will review the COVID-19-related situation in an internal meeting at 9 am followed by the meeting with chief ministers an hour later via videoconference. At 12:30 pm, he will hold a meeting with leading oxygen manufacturers in the country, they added.
The prime minister had earlier called off his visit to West Bengal for poll campaign on Friday due to the meetings here to review the COVID-19 situation. He will instead address the West Bengal voters virtually.
PTI
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Election Commission bans bike rallies, roadshows
From 7 pm on 22 April, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies, pad yatras or roadshows will not be allowed in West Bengal, said the Election Commission. Permission for such events if already granted stands withdrawn, the Commission said. It also said public meetings will be allowed with a maximum attendance of 500 people, if adequate space is available and with adherence to COVID-19 norms and social distancing.
The poll panel also noted “with anguish” that many political parties/candidates are not adhering to prescribed safety norms during the publinc gatherings
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
UAE bans travel from India for 10 days
The UAE has banned travel from India for 10 days from Sunday due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country, according to media reports on Thursday. The travel ban will come into effect from 11.59 pm on Saturday, 24 April , and is subject to review after 10 days, Gulf News reported.
However, departure flights will continue to operate, it added. UAE citizens, diplomatic passport holders and official delegations are exempted from the above conditions, it said. According to a notification, the exemptions will be made on the basis of a RT-PCR negative test 48 hours prior to departure.
Arrival passengers from India, who have transited through other countries, will not be allowed in UAE unless they were staying for 14 days in other countries, the notification said.
According to Khaleej Times, people are barred from booking flights from the UAE to Indian destinations after 24 April on the Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia websites.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Ready to touch Centre’s feet for oxygen supply, says Rajesh Tope
With Maharashtra facing severe shortage of medical oxygen amid the spike in COVID-19 cases, Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said the state
government is even willing to touch the Centre’s feet if it helps in getting the required supply of the life-saving gas. Speaking to reporters, he said, “The state government is willing to do everything to save the lives of people. We are making an extremely polite request…even ready to touch the Centre’s feet to get the required quantity of the liquid medical oxygen.”
“The rights of oxygen distribution among the states is in the hands of the Union government. They should exercise their rights and ensure that Maharashtra gets more oxygen,” he said. The Centre should ensure that oxygen-carrying tankers get a green corridor so that they can reach quickly, Tope added.
PTI
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
At least 31 COVID-19 patients flee temporary care centre in Agartala
At least 31 COVID-19 patients, who were being treated in a temporary care centre in Agartala, have escaped from the facility, following which the Tripura Police
launched a massive search operation, an official said on Thursday. All the coronavirus-positive patients, who fled the COVID care centre at Panchayat Raj Training Institute (PRTI) in Arundhatinagar area on Wednesday night, are residents of other states, Sadar Subdivisional Police Officer Anirban Das said.
“We have informed all the police stations about the incident and alerted the railway authorities since they have come here from other states. We have initiated a search operation to trace them,” he said.
PTI
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Received oxygen for 30-40 hrs, Saroj Hospital tells HC
Saroj Super Speciality Hospital, dedicated to COVID-19 cases, informed the Delhi High Court on Thursday that shortly after filing petition, it has received an oxygen tanker for treating seriously ill patients. A bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli was informed by the counsel for the hospital at 6:30 pm that this oxygen stock will run for next 30 to 40 hours and it will be able to treat more COVID-19 patients now.
Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur said the hospital will also try and assist Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute in Paschim Vihar, which is also running out of oxygen.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Singapore to put restrictions on travel from India
The Singapore health ministry on Thursday said it will not allow entry to long-term visa holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to India, reported Reuters. The government said travel restrictions with India will help curb potential cases in migrant workers’ dormitories because many of the labourers arrive from the South Asian nation.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Registrations on COWIN for those above 18 years of age to begin from 24 April
It is clarified that CooWin portal will be made ready for beneficiaries above the age of 18 years by 24 April, said the Union health ministry in a tweet. “Registrations for 18+ citizens to book appointments (from 1 May) will begin on 28 April,” it said.
This clarification comes just hours after National Health Authority CEO RS Sharma told C NBC-TV18 that people above 18 will be able to register on the platform from 24 April.
Sharma also said that while people above 18 will be able to register on the platform that does not necessarily mean they will be able to get an appointment. Sharma also said people between the ages of 18 and 45 will not be able to avail free vaccinations at Central government-run hospitals.
He added that above 45 years of age can continue to avail of free vaccinations at government-run hospitals and added that states may choose to give it for free to those above the age of 18.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
SCBA moves SC opposing transfer of COVID-related matters from high court
According to reports , the Supreme Court Bar Association has moved the Supreme Court saying cases in high courts on coronavirus-related issues should not be transferred to the top court.
HCs are best suited to deal with the situation and should be allowed to continue dealing with the issue, LiveLaw quotes SCBA as saying.