Coronavirus LATEST Updates: The government of Maharashtra has announced further restrictions for the state that will come into force at 8 pm on 22 April and will be imposed till 7 am on 1 May. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to forthwith provide oxygen by whatever means to the hospitals in the national capital which are treating serious COVID-19 patients and is facing scarcity of oxygen. With 67,468 new Covid-19 cases and 568 deaths, Maharashtra’s cases tally 4,027,827 and the toll climbed to 61,911. Congress leader and West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took to Twitter to announce that he has tested positive for COVID19 and said that he will continue campaigning for West Bengal Assembly Elections “virtually”. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday ruled out the possibility of lockdown in the state in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19 and said universal vaccination for those who are above 18 will start from 5 May. Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announce night curfew in the coastal state between 10 pm to 6 am, starting tonight till 30 April. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the state government will vaccinate everyone above 18 years of age free of cost. Bharat Biotech on Wednesday said its coronavirus vaccine Covaxin has shown efficacy of 78 percent against mild, moderate and severe cases of COVID-19, as per Phase III interim analysis results. ICMR DG Balram Bhargava said 2-4 per 10,000 breakthrough infections have been reported after vaccination and added that this is a very small number. Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that 146 districts have positivity rate of over 15percent and these are facing the strain in terms of hospital care The Tripura government has decided to impose a seven-hour night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am in Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) area from Thursday onwards for an indefinite period to contain the spread of COVID-19, a notification said. The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. Zakir Hussain Hospital in Nashik is a COVID-dedicated facility. Around 150 patients were either oxygen-dependent or on ventilators, said news reports. The hospital in Nashik has over 170 patients and at least 150 critical patients were on oxygen support, according to news reports. The ICMR study showed that Covaxin neutralised the UK and Brazil variants of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the Indian double mutant variant. The new variant has a major mutation called E484K — found in several of the internationally identified variants that help it evade the immune system, according to reports. The single-day rise in new coronavirus infections inched closer to 3 lakh, pushing India’s tally to 1,56,16,130, while the toll increased to 1,82,553 with a record 2,023 daily fatalities. The total number of active COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 21,57,538 on Wednesday, said the Union health ministry in its latest report. With this, the active caseload in the country comprise 13.8 percent of total infections. With the death of 2,023 more COVID-19 patients in the past 24 hours, the toll in the country increased to 1,82,553 on Wednesday, said the health ministry in its latest data. On Tuesday, the issue of a stricter lockdown in Maharashtra was discussed in the Cabinet where the majority was in favour of a long lockdown in the state, extending for a week or two. Slamming the Narendra Modi government for its “monumental incompetence” in COVID management, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said the Centre allowed open market sale of coronavirus vaccines only after shipments to foreign countries led to depletion of stocks in India. Mamata also alleged the schedule for West Bengal Assembly election was decided to assist the BJP, and voiced displeasure at the rejection of her proposal to club the polling for the remaining three phases. Addressing an election meeting at Bhagwangola in Murshidabad district, the Trinamool Congress supremo claimed the prime minister allowed export of vaccines to other countries to “boost his image” while states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan and West Bengal struggled to get the doses they required to combat the pandemic. “Yesterday the prime minister said the medicine (vaccine) will be available in open market. Where is the open market, where is the availability? You have already shipped out the majority of stock to foreign destinations,” she alleged. India, as part of vaccine diplomacy decided to export life-saver jabs to several countries including Pakistan, notwithstanding persistent tensions between the two countries. “We are facing a huge deficit of vaccines due to faulty planning,” she said, calling the Centre “a government of monumental incompetence”. The TMC supremo said more and more COVID-19 cases are being reported from Kolkata, North 24 Parganas and Asansol belt and the state government is trying to manage the crisis with limited stock. “For six months the central leadership did not bother to plan, they were busy plotting electoral battles in Bengal,” the TMC chief alleged. Training her guns on the BJP, she claimed the party brought in “lakhs of people” from outside the state to help in the campaign and many of these people were infected with COVID. These people will leave but they have already spread the virus and the onus to manage the new crisis will be on us, she said. “Bengal’s COVID situation was firmly under control but now the rate of infection is rising again,” she said and advised people not to panic. “We will again put it (pandemic) under a tight leash.”
Coronavirus Updates: Centre increases states' quota of oxygen amid reports of shortage; India reports record 2.9 lakh cases
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: As per the new rules, weddings can be held in marriage halls with 25 people for 2 hours and those seen to be flaunting the restraints or not following these may be fined Rs 50,000
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Coronavirus LATEST Updates
7500 MT oxygen being produced in India daily, say Centre
Amid reports of oxygen shortage in the country, the Centre on Wednesday said of the total 7,500 metric tonnes of oxygen being produced in India per day, 6,600 metric tonnes, as on date, is being allocated to states for medical use and assured that efforts are being made to increase its supplies in the coming days.
At a press conference, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul appealed to the states, hospitals and nursing homes to ensure rational use of oxygen as it was a “life-saving” drug for coronavirus infected patients.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, “We are producing 7,500 metric tonnes of oxygen per day of which 6,600 metric tonnes is being allocated to the states for medical purposes.
“Presently, we have issued instructions that, leaving a few industries, the supply to industries will be restricted so that more and more oxygen can be made available for medical use,” he said.
Bhushan further said that a 24×7 control room has been set up where state governments can raise the problems bring faced by them like if their truck is stuck somewhere or if movement is being hindered.
-PTI
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Kerala records highest single day spike of 22,414 COVID cases
Kerala reported the highest single-day surge of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 22,414 infections, including 105 health workers, while the toll touched 5,000 with the addition of 22 deaths. The previous high was on April 20 with 19,577 cases.
The health department quoted Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan as saying that 22 more deaths had taken the toll in the state to 5,000. This is the highest single-day surge reported from Keralasince the outbreak of the virus, according to government sources.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Maharashtra announces new rules, marriages to be held with 25 people for 2 hrs
As per the new restrictions announced by the Uddhav Thackeray government on Wednesday night, govt offices to function with 15 percent attendance. Marriages to be held with only 25 people for 2 hours. “Any family seen to be flaunting the restraints or not following these in letter and spirit may be fined Rs 50,000,” read the order.
These new rules are to be implemented from 22 April, tomorrow from 8 pm onwards.
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Maharashtra govt announces additional restrictions but no full lockdown
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Human lives more important than commercial interests: Delhi HC
The Bench said, “You (Centre) have to take captive oxygen from industries. If it means that those industries have to shut till imports (of oxygen) are made, so be it. We cannot afford to lose lives. It might be inconvenient. Let it be inconvenient”
Justice Sanghvi said, “Human lives are more important than commercial interests.”
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
‘No industry will say no to you, you must take over’: Delhi HC to Centre
SG Tushar Mehta representing the Centre tells the court that the supply of oxygen is on its way and it will reach the hospital shortly. “O2 has been delivered at one of the Max hospitals,” he adds.
Delhi High Court said that it has full faith that the Centre will deliver oxygen. “Patparganj hospital will get the supply of oxygen in 2 hours. But many other hospitals also facing a shortage” the court observed.
“You have plenary sovereign power. No industry will say no to you. You must take over,” the court said.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
‘Beg, borrow, steal, provide oxygen anyhow’: Delhi HC to Centre
The Delhi High Court resumed hearing an urgent plea regarding oxygen shortage in Delhi hospitals. “We have been informed that need for oxygen for medical supply has gone up 5 times. We are dealing with the lives of thousands and thousands,” the court said.
As per Bar and Bench, the high court urged the Centre to provide oxygen anyhow. “We want you to undertake maximum procurement from all sources. Beg, borrow, steal, whatever, you have to provide it”
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Why is Centre not waking up to ground reality?: Delhi HC
The Delhi High Court said that their concern was not just for Delhi but all parts of the country and what the Centre is doing. “How is this that the government not waking up to the ground reality? We can’t have people dying? Yesterday, we were told you were trying to import. What happened to that. This is an emergency of such grave nature,” the court said, as per Bar&Bench .
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Provide oxygen forthwith to hospitals by whatever means: HC to Centre
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to forthwith provide oxygen by whatever means to the hospitals in the national capital which are treating serious COVID-19 patients and is facing scarcity of oxygen. “Why is the Centre not waking up to the gravity of the situation? We are shocked and dismayed hospitals running out of oxygen but steel plants are running,” the high court said.
A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said the responsibility to ensure oxygen supply is squarely on Central government shoulders and if necessary, the entire supply of oxygen to industries including steel and petroleum can be diverted for medical usage. “The steel and petrochemical industries are oxygen guzzlers and diverting oxygen from there can meet hospitals’ requirements,” the bench said.
“If Tatas can divert oxygen they are generating for their steel plants to medical use, why can’t others? This is the height of greed. Is there no sense of humanity left or not,” the court observed. The court was hearing a plea with regard to the urgent need for oxygen in some Delhi hospitals.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Maharashtra reports record number of deaths with over 550 fatalities
With 67,468 new Covid-19 cases and 568 deaths, Maharashtra’s cases tally 4,027,827 and the toll climbed to 61,911. As many as 272,744 tests were conducted on the day and so far 24,614,480 tests have been conducted.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Mumbai’s COVID-19 tally crosses six-lakh mark with over 7,000 new cases
The tally of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai crossed the six lakh mark on Wednesday as it added 7,684 cases, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC). The city also recorded 62 deaths, the highest in a day since July 21, 2020, when the same number of fatalities had been witnessed.
Mumbai’s caseload rose to 6,01,590 and toll increased to 12,501, the civic body said. As many as 47,270 tests were done on Wednesday, taking the number of samples tested for coronavirus to50,75,152.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Nashik hospital tragedy: toll rises to 24 as 2 more die
The death toll in the Nashik hospital oxygen leakage incident on Wednesday rose to 24 after two more COVID-19 patients died in the evening, a top district official said. “Two more patients, who were on a ventilator, succumbed in the evening. They could not get sufficient oxygen earlier in the day when its supply stopped due to the leakage in the tank,” collector Suraj Mandhare told PTI.
Earlier in the day, 22 COVID-19 patients on ventilator support suffocated to death when their oxygen supply stopped suddenly because of a malfunction in the main storage at the civic-run Dr Zakir Husain Hospital in Nashik city. A total of 150 patients were admitted to the hospital when the incident occurred, a senior civic official said earlier.
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Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tests COVID-19 positive
Congress leader and West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took to Twitter to announce that he has tested positive for COVID19 and said that he will continue campaigning for West Bengal Assembly Elections “virtually”.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Kerala government to provide free vaccines
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday announced that the state government will provide the COVID-19 vaccine free of cost for all above 18 years of age.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tests COVID-19 positive
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Mamata Banerjee rules out lockdown in Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday ruled out the possibility of lockdown in the state in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19 and said universal vaccination for those who are above 18 will start from 5 May.
The Election Commission should take steps to ensure that postal ballot facilities are made available for COVID-19 patients admitted in hospitals, the TMC supremo said. She iterated her demand for a proper supply of vaccines and oxygen from the central government.
Criticising the disparity in vaccine prices, Banerjee said it is the duty of the Centre to ensure that it is not so. “I am writing a strong letter to the Centre on the discrimination in the pricing of the vaccines. The vaccine producing companies are charging different rates from the Centre, states and private hospitals for the same vaccine. Why this discrimination? Is this time to make business with vaccines?” she asked.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Centre has increased Delhi’s quota of oxygen supply: Kejriwal
The Centre has increased Delhi’s quota of oxygen supply to treat coronavirus patients as the city faces an unprecedented shortage, tweets Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The national capital’s oxygen quota has been increased from 378 metric tonnes per day to 500 metric tonnes, sources within the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) told NDTV on Wednesday evening.
This comes after several hospitals in Delhi earlier today had alleged that the Haryana government was not allowing vendors to supply oxygen to them and there is only limited stock left as hundreds of coronavirus patients battled for their life in these healthcare facilities
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Max Healthcare urges Delhi, Central govt to immediately procure oxygen supply for its hospitals
Max Healthcare said its hospitals in Delhi-NCR are working on dangerously low levels of oxygen supply, according to a press release shared by India Today. The hospital network has over 1400 COVID-19 patients and most are being supported on medical oxygen, the statement said. " We are facing supply uncertainties and delays leading to serious concerns regarding a calamitous incident involving patients being maintained on oxygen, the statement said and urged the state and Central governments to help procure oxygen supply on immediate basis. It also gave a break up of oxygen supply available at each of its seven hospitals in Delhi NCR.
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Online registration for Amarnath Yatra should be stopped immediately, says former J&K advisor
Former advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir government Tanvir Sadiq on Wednesday said that the online registration for the Amarnath Yatra should be stopped immediately. “The online registration of Amarnath Ji yatra should be stopped immediately. You can’t accommodate 1.22 lakh pilgrims on a daily basis with this pandemic on your head, it will be a catastrophe. Can’t we make it ‘Symbolic’ this year? Lives are at stake,” he said in a tweet, tagging the Prime Minister’s Office and the UT’s Liuetenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on 17 April said the Kumbh in Haridwar should now have symbolic participation due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Coronavirus LATEST Updates
Haryana govt official stopped oxygen supply from plant in Faridabad, alleges Sisodia
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged on Wednesday that an official of the Haryana government stopped oxygen supply to Delhi from a plant in Faridabad Sisodia said the Centre decides the quota of oxygen for states and the AAP govt had been demanding that the Centre increase Delhi’s quota of oxygen from 378 metric tonnes to 700 metric tonnes. The Central government is yet to take a step in this direction, he said.
“We again demand that the Centre increase our oxygen quota to 700 MT in view of the increased consumption. Patients from several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, are admitted in city hospitals,” Sisodia said at a press conference.