Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: The chief medical superintendent in the Ambedkar Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh succumbed to COVID-19 at a government hospital in Lucknow, News18 reported. He was admitted to Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here five days ago and suffered from other health issues too.
The first casualty due to coronavirus was reported in Tripura on Tuesday, The Indian Express reported.
"Tripura reported its first COVID-19 death on Tuesday after a 42 year old patient admitted in the COVID care ward of state-run GB Panth Hospital passed away this afternoon.The patient from Chachu Bazaar area of West Tripura district was admitted at the hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest earlier in May. He was later tested for coronavirus and his report came positive on June 03. He was shifted to the COVID care ward of flu ward on the day," the report said.
With sustained efforts by the Maharashtra government and NGO workers to curb the spread of coronavirus in Dharavi, a densely-populated area in Mumbai, News18 reported that there has been a "steady decline" in the number of cases in June.
"A steady decline in the number of cases since the beginning of June is a testament to that. From the days when Dharavi was hitting the headlines for recording 80-90 cases a day in the beginning of May, the area has now started to report an average of just 20 cases a day since the start of June. June 8 recorded 12 cases, June 7 saw 13 and June 6 the lowest with 10 cases . In addition, not a single death has been registered since May 30," the report said.
The Tamil Nadu health department said that 1,685 COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths were reported in the state on Tuesday. Total number of cases in the state is now at 34,914, including 16,279 active cases, 18,325 discharged, and 307 deaths.
The Indian Railways on Tuesday said that it has has informed the state governments that it will continue to provide Shramik Special trains within 24 hours after the demand is received from the state governments.
"So far, more than 4347 Shramik Special services have been operated by Indian Railways to transport approximately 60 lakh persons to their destination states. Shramik trains are being run since 1 May 2020," the statement said.
Reports said that a BMC deputy municipal commissioner passed away due to coronavirus on Tuesday.
"Shirish Dixit, engineer in BMC's water supply department, has died due to Covid-19. The 54-yar-old died on duty. He was asymptomatic, however, on Tuesday Morning, his family called the authorities to inform that he was not feeling well. When a team reached his home, he was pronounced dead," India Today reported.
The BMC said that a senior official of the municipal corporation, who had tested positive for COVID-19, has succumbed to the infection. He was deployed in the water supply department, the statement added.
The Mumbai Police on Tuesday said that 1,871 personnel have been infected with coronavirus so far, including 853 recovered and 21 deaths.
82 positive cases also reported among State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) personnel deployed in the city.
BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and his mother Madhavi Raje Scindia on Tuesday tested positive for coronavirus, reports said. They have been admitted to Max Hospital in south Delhi’s Saket, India Today reported.
"While Jyotiraditya Scindia has showed symptoms of coronavirus, his mother remains asymptomatic. Both of them are now undergoing treatment at the private hospital in Delhi," the report said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revised its ‘Unlock 1.0’ guidelines. As per the new guidelines, shops will be allowed to stay open for the full working hours for six days a week in Mumbai. However, shops will remain closed on Sundays. Earlier, shops were allowed to stay open till 5.00 pm only.
Officials from the Centre say there is no community transmission of COVID-19 in Delhi, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia asserted on Tuesday, and estimated that there might be 5.5 lakh COVID-19 cases in the city by 31 July.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain Tuesday said the source of Covid-19 infection was unknown in 50 percent cases in the national capital. He, however, added it was up to the Centre to declare whether the city had entered the phase of community spread.
The Tamil Nadu government has cancelled Class 10 and 11 exams in view of the rising coronavirus cases in the state. Students of these classes will be promoted on the basis of quarterly and half-yearly exam results as well as their attendance.
Union home minister Amit Shah attacks Mamata Banerjee over 'Corona Express' remark on trains for migrants, saying "It will become your exit route" while addressing the ‘West Bengal Jan Samvad Rally’ via video conference on Tuesday. 'Mamata ji, you referred to Shramik Special Trains as 'Corona Express'. The name that you have given, 'Corona Express' will become an exit express for TMC. You've insulted migrant workers, you've rubbed salt into their wounds and they will not forget it,' he said.
Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has called an all-party meeting later in the day to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the city and measures to contain the spread of the dreaded virus. The meeting will be held after the Delhi Disaster Management Authority's high-level meet to assess whether coronavirus has entered the community spread stage in the national capital.
In its order, the Supreme Court says in the event of a demand for Shramik Special trains, the Railways will provide trains within 24 hours. The apex court also said that the Centre and states have to prepare a list for the identification of migrant workers in a streamlined manner. Employment relief is to be mapped out and skill-mapping to be carried out for migrant labourers.
The Supreme Court says migrant workers should be identified and sent home within 15 days, reports PTI. It also asks states to drop all cases of lockdown violations against them.
The Worli and Dharavi areas of Mumbai, which are hotspots for the novel coronavirus, are now witnessing a continuous decline in the number of daily cases, and an increase in the doubling rate, the Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday.
India on Tuesday reported the highest single-day spike of 9,987 new COVID19 cases & 331 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country now at 266598, including 129917 active cases, 129215 cured/discharged/migrated and 7466 deaths according to the latest update by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The total confirmed COVID-19 cases in India have risen to 2,66,598, according to the latest update from the Union Health Ministry, while the toll due to the coronavirus pandemic has risen to 7,466. As many as 1,29,215 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged so far with 1,29,917 active cases.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had gone into self-quarantine after developing sore throat and fever, and will get himself tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday, officials said on Monday. The 51-year-old chief minister, who is also a diabetic, was feeling unwell since Sunday afternoon. Earlier officials said Kejriwal has also developed a mild fever.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Mumbai crossed the 50,000-mark yesterday and reached 50,085. This came after 1,311 more people tested positive for the viral infection. The number of COVID-19 fatalities in Mumbai stands at 1,702. Critically ill Covid-19 patients continue to battle for beds, according to the latest data from BMC, which shows that 99 percent intensive care unit (ICU) beds are full.
The head of the World Health Organization warned that the coronavirus pandemic is worsening globally, even as the situation in Europe is improving. At a press briefing on Monday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that about 75% of cases reported to the UN health agency on Sunday came from 10 countries in the Americas and South Asia. He noted that more than 100,000 cases have been reported on nine of the past 10 days and that the 136,000 cases reported Sunday was the biggest number so far.
The toll due to coronavirus in India climbed to 7,135 and the total number of persons infected increased to 2,56,611 on Monday as malls, temples and restaurants re-opened in various parts of the country after nearly two months under the Centre's 'Unlock' plan.
However, Mizoram extended 'complete lockdown' in the state for two weeks and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the lockdown would continue in the state for 15 more days till 30 June.
India reports 206 deaths, 9,983 cases in 24 hours
In the 24 hours since 8 am on Sunday, India registered 206 fatalities and a record single-day spike of 9,983 cases, taking the toll to 7,135 and case count to 2,56,611 , according to Union health ministry data.
The number of active novel coronavirus cases stands at 1,25,381 while 1,24,094 people have recovered, said the ministry. "Thus, around 48.36 percent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said.
Of the 206 deaths reported since Sunday morning, 91 were in Maharashtra, 30 in Gujarat, 18 each in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, 13 each in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, nine in Rajasthan, four in Haryana, two each in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, and one each in Odisha and Punjab.
Out of the total 7,135 fatalities, Maharashtra has reported the highest with 3,060 deaths followed by Gujarat with 1,249 deaths, Delhi with 761, Madhya Pradesh with 412, West Bengal with 396, Uttar Pradesh with 275, Tamil Nadu with 269, Rajasthan with 240 and Telangana with 123 deaths.
Malls, restaurants and religious places re-opened in various parts of the country. AP
Maharashtra also accounts for the highest number of cases at 85,975, followed by Tamil Nadu at 31,667, Delhi at 27,654, Gujarat at 20,070, Rajasthan at 10,599, Uttar Pradesh at 10,536 and Madhya Pradesh at 9,401, according to the health ministry's data updated in the morning.
The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 8,187 in West Bengal, 5,452 in Karnataka, 5,088 in Bihar and 4,708 in Andhra Pradesh.
The ministry's website said that 9,189 cases are being reassigned to states and "our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR".
Separately, the health ministry asked officials of 45 civic bodies across 38 districts in 10 states, which account for around 78 percent of the country's total COVID-19 cases, to bolster house-to-house surveys, prompt testing and surveillance measures to contain the infection and reduce mortality.
"In view of the easing of lockdown and lifting of curbs, states were advised to make a district-wise prospective plan for the coming months," the ministry said.
Malls, restaurants, religious places open
Also on Monday, the country began emerging out of a 75-day lockdown with malls, religious places and offices opening in several parts of the country under strict conditions limiting the number of people and mandating sanitisation of all premises.
However, amid strict guidelines preventing trial of clothes in malls in some states, and distribution of 'prasad' in religious places, footfall remained low.
Gurdwaras, temples, mosques and churches opened their doors in several parts of the country, including in Delhi, West Bengal and Karnataka, but the entry of devotees was restricted in keeping with social distancing norms. In some places, temple bells were wrapped in cloth.
The historic Jama Masjid in Delhi and the Golden Temple in Amritsar saw the devout come in, albeit in far fewer numbers, after the long gap.
The Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, too, opened with precautions. According to chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das, only five people were allowed to pay obeisance at a time and that too 15 metres away from the idol of Ram Lalla.
The government last week issued a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) outside containment zones, mandating strict adherence to contain the spread of COVID-19. Cinema halls, spas, metro services and swimming pools remain closed. The SOPs were advisory in nature and the state governments were left to finetune the details.
In Tamil Nadu, where shops had opened some time ago, restaurants were closed for dine-in customers but takeaways continued. In West Bengal, shopping malls, restaurants and other establishments reopened to a cautious welcome too.
The Mamata Banerjee-led government had eased curbs in the state from 1 June, allowing places of worship to reopen and full operationalisation of the jute, tea and construction sectors.
People came out on the streets of Kolkata in large numbers, with many flouting the social distancing norms. Traffic snarls were reported from several areas as government offices started operating with 70 percent attendance and most private offices and establishments recommenced near-normal functioning.
'Mission Begin Again' took off in Maharashtra, the worst-affected state, in a truncated form without malls or religious places re-opening but with offices and several shops back in business.
In the state capital Mumbai, offices opened in many places, including the Bandra-Kurla Complex and Lower Parel. Shops in key market areas of Dadar, Colaba and Kurla also opened for businesses.
Though the lockdown is in force till 30 June, the Maharashtra government, as part of the phase-wise reopening of the economy and public activities, has allowed private offices to resume operations with 10 percent staff. About 2,100 buses hit the city roads till noon, a BEST statement said.
In Kerala as well, government offices began functioning with full staff from Monday in accordance with a state government order.
The Odisha government took a call to keep its religious places, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants closed till 30 June in a clarification issued late on Sunday.
West Bengal, Mizoram extend lockdown
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday extended lockdown announced that the lockdown, which was set to end on 15 June, has been extended in the state for another 15 days.
"The lockdown is being extended in the state till 30 June, with all existing relaxations and conditions still in place. Earlier, we had allowed only 10 people at social programmes such as a marriage or a funeral ceremony, now we have increased it to 25," she said after a meeting of the state Cabinet.
In Mizoram, a consultative meeting of ministers, association of doctors, churches, NGOs, local and village councils chaired by Chief Minister Zoramthanga unanimously decided to impose a total lockdown till 22 June to contain the rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases in the state
Officials told PTI that a complete lockdown would continue in towns and cities, but there could be "area-wise moderation", particularly in rural areas.
The northeastern state on Monday reported eight coronavirus cases, taking the tally from 1 to 42 in a week.
State-wise figures
Many states and Union Territories continued reporting a rise in infections and deaths and a PTI tally put the total number of coronavirus cases in the country till 9.35 pm at 2,57,777 and deaths at 7,468. According to the news agency, a total of 1,28,508 persons have recovered from the viral infection.
The number of confirmed cases in Gujarat rose to 20,574 with the addition of 477 new infections, while 31 more patients died, taking the toll to 1,280, the state health department said. In Ahmedabad, number of fatalities went up by 24 to 1,039 while cases increased by 424 to 14,631.
Maharashtra reported 2,553 new COVID-19 cases and 109 deaths, taking the case count to 88,528 and number of fatalities to 3,169. Mumbai alone has recorded over 50,000 cases and 1,702 deaths.
Tamil Nadu reported 1,562 new coronavirus cases and 17 deaths pushing the infection count to 33,229 and toll to 286 as state government asserted that there were sufficient beds for COVID-19 patients in government and private hospitals. It also said a portal would be launched to provide information on occupancy and vacancy in hospitals.
Kerala's case count crossed 2,000 with 91 new positive cases being detected and a Madlives returnee succumbing to the virus on Monday, taking the death toll due to the infection to 16. With the fresh tests, the state's infection tally touched 2,004 while the active cases stood at 1,174 with 814 recoveries, including 11 who were discharged on Monday,state Health Minister KK Shailaja said.
In Delhi, the number of confirmed cases climbed to 29,943 and the toll mounted to 874 as 1,007 new cases and 17 deaths were recorded.
Delhi LG overrules two AAP govt orders
Lt Governor Anil Baijal overruled two controversial orders of the AAP government — one on reserving Delhi government-run and private hospitals in the National Capital for Delhiites and another allowing COVID-19 test of only symptomatic patients.
In his first order, Baijal made it clear that the Supreme Court has invariably held in several successive judgements that 'Right to Health' is an integral part of 'Right to Life' under Article 21 of the Constitution and directed that all patients in Delhi be given treatment.
The development came a day after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that hospitals run by the Delhi government and private entities will only treat Delhiites during the coronavirus crisis due to the likely rise in cases in the National Capital in the coming days.
In his second order, Baijal said all nine categories people, including asymptomatic, as prescribed by the ICMR should be tested for COVID-19.
The Aam Aadmi Party reacted sharply to the LG's move, alleging that he had been pressured by the BJP which is doing "dirty politics" on the issue.
With inputs from agencies
