Coronavirus News updates: Modi to interact with field officials from districts in 10 states and UTs tomorrow

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Starting vaccination with frontline warriors paid rich dividends for 2nd wave, says Modi

Asserting that the strategy of starting the vaccination programme with frontline warriors has paid rich dividends in the second wave of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the vaccines have ensured the safety of most of the doctors as 90 percent of health professionals have already taken its first dose.

In an interaction with a group of doctors via video-conferencing, Modi said be it testing, supply of medicines or setting up new infrastructure in “record time”, all these are being done at a fast pace, according to a statement. 

His assertions came amid criticism from opposition parties of his government’s vaccination programme and also alleged poor handling of the second wave of the pandemic.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Black fungus injection hard to come by for Indore patients

Over 120 people in Indore in Madhya Pradesh suffering from Mucormycosis, a rare and dangerous fungal infection being seen in some COVID-19 patients and those who had recovered from it, are finding it tough to get Amphotericin-B injections for its treatment.

State water resources minister Tulsiram Silawat said he had spoken to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the spread of black fungus infection in Indore district, adding that 122 patients were admitted in hospitals with the ailment.

Efforts were on to get Amphotericin-B injections in adequate numbers, the minister added.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Discussions on regarding extending lockdown, no decision yet: BS Yediyurappa

Discussions are on regarding extending the lockdown in Karnataka, but no decision has been taken yet on the matter, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said
on Monday, as the state battles the second wave of COVID-19.

“I’m discussing it, will let you know. No decision has been taken yet,” Yediyurappa told reporters in response to a question on extending the lockdown and announcing a package.

Later in the evening after meeting with senior Ministers, Deputy Commissioners, zilla panchayat CEOs, police superintendents, health officers and surgeons of all districts, he said till 24 May there is already a lockdown, and after couple of days “we will discuss and decide on, how long to extend it.”

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Ramesh Pokhriyal reviews education strategy in COVID-19 era with states

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Monday chaired a review meeting with the education secretaries of states and UTs to discuss various measures adopted for the management of the education system during COVID,  strategies adopted for online and offline learning in schools so far and the way forward. According to officials, the issue of pending class 12 board exams also came up for discussion and suggestions were sought from states in this regard.

The CBSE has already announced that a review will be done on or after June 1 and a decision will be taken on the pending board exams.

Class 10 exams have already been cancelled and a marking policy has been announced. A section of parents and students has been demanding that class 12 exams be cancelled and a similar marking strategy be adopted.

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Peak of second wave in Kerala over, says Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala is past the peak of the second wave of the COVID-19, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday, and told people not to lower their guard. “The experts are of the opinion that the peak of the disease spread is over but we should continue to restrain ourselves, Vijayan told reporters.

He said it is a positive sign that the average number of cases per day has started coming down as a result of the weekend restrictions, night curfews and the general caution implemented before the lockdown.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Oxygen concentrators hoarding: Navneet Kalra sent to three days police custody

 A Delhi Court on Monday remanded businessman Navneet Kalra to three days of police custody, saying his custodial interrogation is required in connection with alleged black marketing and hoarding of oxygen concentrators amid the coronavirus pandemic. Metropolitan Magistrate Archana Beniwal sent the restaurateur for three days of custodial interrogation after the Delhi Police said his police custody is required to unearth the whole nexus and conspiracy behind the black marketing and know the trail of money transaction.

Kalra will now be produced before the court at the end of his police remand on 20 May.  He was nabbed from Gurugram on Sunday night and was formally arrested earlier today. He was on the run for over a week since the seizure of more than 500 oxygen concentrators from Khan Chacha, Town Hall, and Nege & Ju restaurants owned by him. 

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Modi to interact with field officials from states and districts tomorrow, says PMO

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an interaction with field officials from states and districts to converse about their experience in handling the pandemic at 11am on Tuesday (18 May), said the Prime Minister’s Office in a press release . Many of these districts have seen a huge surge in cases and widespread infection, it said. 

Through their interaction with the prime minister, the officials will share some best practices, in addition to suggestions and recommendations for continuing the battle against COVID-19, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. Officials from Karnataka, Bihar, Assam, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi will take part in the meeting, the release said.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Manipur extends curfew in seven districts till 28 May

The Manipur government on Monday  extended the curfew imposed in seven districts of the state till 28 May to check spread of the virus. The state government had clamped 24-hour curfew in the seven districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur, and Ukhrul from 8 to 17 May to combat the surge in COVID-19 cases.

An order issued by the state Home Department said, “the virulence of COVID-19 virus continues unabated and the need for stringent measures to check physical contact among people still exists.” However, the government has allowed additional relaxations including permitting local vegetable vendors from7 am to 10 am on 20, 23 and 2 May with strict observation of SOPs, though vehicular movements during the period will be strictly prohibited, the order said.

PTI

Manipur | Curfew in the districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur and Ukhrul with effect from 18th May 2021 to 28th May 2021. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/Q6OfjDeS20

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2021

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Shilpa Medicare arm inks pact with Dr Reddy’s to manufacture Sputnik V vaccine

Drug firm Shilpa Medicare earlier on Monday said its arm has entered into a definitive agreement with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for manufacturing of Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V.  “The company, via its wholly owned subsidiary Shilpa Biologicals Pvt Ltd (SBPL), has entered into a three year definitive agreement with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for production-supply of the Sputnik V vaccine from its integrated biologics R&D cum manufacturing center at Dharwad, Karnataka,” Shilpa Medicare said in a regulatory filing. 

PTI

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Vaccination to resume at selected centres on 18 and 19 May, says BMC

Vaccination to resume at selected centres on 18 & 19 May’21

The list of CVCs for tomorrow shall be uploaded later tonight.

Walk-in for 60+ taking their 1st dose of Covishield while 84 days to be completed after 1st dose of Covishield’s second. #MyBMCVaccinationUpdate

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) May 17, 2021

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

India received over 11,000 oxygen concentrators, 5.5 lakh Remdesivir vials as foreign aid, says Centre

 Nineteen oxygen generation plants, 11,321 oxygen concentrators, 15,801 oxygen cylinders and about 5.5 lakh Remdesivir vials received as global aid have been delivered or dispatched to various states and Union Territories from 27 April to 16 May, the Centre said on Monday. The Union health ministry said that cumulatively, 11,321 oxygen concentrators, 15,801 oxygen cylinders, 19 oxygen generation plants, 7,470 ventilators or Bi-PAPs and about 5.5 lakh Remdesivir vials have been delivered or dispatched through road and air from 27  April to 16 May.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Chandigarh extends weekend lockdown by one more week

The Chandigarh administration on Monday decided to extend weekend curfew restrictions by one more week till 25 May. The Union Territory administration said it was extending the weekend curfew so that gains made by the plateauing number of cases due to the lockdown is not lost.

Following extensive discussions in various forums and with medical experts, it was decided that the restrictions already imposed under corona curfew should remain in force for another week, that is up to 5 am on 25May, so that gains of plateauing of caseload due to lockdown is not lost, an official said according to the decision taken in a COVID-19 review meeting.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Pune hospital refuses to release COVID-19 victim’s body, probe ordered

The Pune district health department on Monday ordered an inquiry against a medical college-cum- hospital in Talegaon Dahbhade over a complaint that it had

allegedly held back a COVID-19 victim’s body due to non- payment of bills. The district administration has set up an eight-member committee of officials from the district health department, a doctor from BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, an official from Food and Drug Administration, the District Health Officer and the district surgeon for the probe against the medical college-cum-hospital.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Why can’t formula to determine MRP of oxygen concentrators be fixed, Delhi HC asks Centre

 The Delhi High Court Monday asked the Centre why it can’t fix a formula to determine the MRP of oxygen concentrators which are in demand for COVID-19 treatment as people were being charged exorbitantly.  The high court said it was not asking the government to fix a price in rupee or paisa, but to fix a principle on which oxygen concentrators will be charged and it should understand if this is not an extra ordinary circumstance where it should intervene, then what will be.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Another BJP MLA questions state govt’s handling of pandemic

 The BJP’s Sitapur MLA has become the latest to join the list of ruling party lawmakers in Uttar Pradesh who have expressed resentment over COVID-19 management in the state, saying he feared a sedition charge for speaking up.  What standing do MLAs have? If we speak too much, treason and sedition charges will be slapped on us as well, Rakesh Rathore told reporters last week, according to a video clip which surfaced Monday. The MLA was replying to a question about ICU facilities in Sitapur.

Pressed further, he said, “Do you think any MLA can put forward his point of view?” Everything is going fine. I will only say that things couldn’t be better, he said in a sarcastic vein, while replying to another question. I am not the government. But I can definitely say that whatever the government is telling you, it should be considered as correct," he said. Asked why the district administration is lacking in efforts to control the crisis, the MLA said the government and administration are two sides of the same coin.

Other members of the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh too have questioned Yogi Adityanath’s handling of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

CoWIN portal in Hindi, other languages from next week, says Centre

The CoWIN portal will be made available in Hindi and 14 regional languages by next week, while 17 more laboratories will be added to the INSACOG network to monitor the variants of COVID-19, the health ministry said on Monday. According to a statement by the ministry, these decisions were announced at the 26th meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19, chaired by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, on Monday.

Vardhan informed his colleagues that 17 new laboratories are going to be added to the INSACOG network to increase the number of samples screened and allow for more spatial analysis, the ministry said. The network is presently served by 10 laboratories located at different corners of the country.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Govt should move quickly to ramp up COVID vaccine availability, says Sangita Reddy

The government should move quickly to ramp up the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country by enhancing domestic production as well as increasing procurement from abroad, Apollo Hospitals Joint MD Sangita Reddy said on Monday.   Reddy also urged the government to utilise all public and private hospitals at the district level for vaccination purposes.

The challenge of 🇮🇳#vaccinationstrategy is not admin as much as supply
I urge R #govt to move quickly on ramping up domestic prod, enhance intl procure, seek Intl aid in the form of vaccine & establish a dist network of all Pub & Pvt hospitals 2 accelerate pace of inoculation pic.twitter.com/QDCYvSul2K

— Dr. Sangita Reddy (@drsangitareddy) May 17, 2021

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Puducherry CM back home after treatment for COVID-19

Chief Minister of Puducherry and AINRC party founder N Rangasamy returned home on Monday after getting discharged from a hospital in Chennai where he
was under treatment for Covid-19, the party sources told news agency PTI.  Rangasamy was admitted to the private hospital on 9  May after he tested positive for the virus.

He alone was sworn in at a brief function in Raj Nivas on 7 May by Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, pending induction of other Ministers.  

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Nagaland launches free COVID-19 vaccination drive for 18-44 age group

Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Minister S Pangnyu Phom on Monday launched a free COVID-19 vaccination drive for people in the age group of 18-44 years. Over seven lakh people, comprising 37 percent of the state’s population, are in the 18-44 years age bracket. The state government is already providing vaccines free of cost to frontline workers and those above 45 years.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Kerala records 21,402 new cases, 99,651 recoveries and 87 deaths

Continuing to register a decline in new daily infections, Kerala on Monday reported 21,402 fresh COVID-19 case, taking the caseload to 21,39,314, while a record 99,651 people were cured in the last 24 hours, pushing the total recoveries to 18,00,179. The dip in new COVID cases was detected through 86,505 tests carried out in the last 24 hours, taking the test positivity rate to 24.74 percent.

With 87 more people succumbing to the disease, the toll reached 6,515.  Currently 3,62,315 people are undergoing treatment for the virus in the state.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Modi speaks to doctors about their learnings, suggestions on COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with doctors from across the country about their learnings and suggestions on COVID-19, government sources told news agency PTI.   They said Modi spoke to groups of doctors involved in COVID care through vide-conferencing.  The doctors were from various regions, including the northeast, and Jammu and Kashmir. They shared their experiences in dealing with the highly infectious disease and offered suggestions.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Delhi has less than a day’s stock of Covaxin for 45-plus age group, says Atishi

 AAP MLA Atishi said on Monday that Delhi has less than a day’s stock of Covaxin left for the 45 plus age group and they will have to temporarily shut down centres administering it.  The centres administering Covaxin to the 18-44 age group have been closed. “We will have five days stock of Covishield, but less than a day’s stock of Covaxin for 45 plus age group after today’s vaccination,” she said. Atishi said they have only four days of Covishield left for the 18-44 age group.

While issuing the vaccination bulletin, Atishi said that Delhi also started walk-in vaccinations for 45-plus, healthcare workers and frontline workers from Monday. There are many people who don’t have smartphones and can’t register online, she said, adding that there were 97 schools where such centres have been opened.

PTI

Delhi’s Vaccination Bulletin for 17th May. pic.twitter.com/AAjqUO67B0

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) May 17, 2021

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

No decision on extending lockdown yet, discussion on, says Karnataka CM

Discussions are on regarding extending the lockdown in Karnataka, but no decision has been taken yet on the matter, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said
on Monday, as the state battles the second wave of COVID-19. “I’m discussing it, will let you know….no decision has been taken yet…,” Yediyurappa told reporters in response to a question on extending the lockdown and announcing a package.

Though the state is currently under complete lockdown till 24 May, several leaders, including ministers, have expressed themselves in favour of extending it.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Manish Sisodia urges Centre to make public data on vaccine allocation 

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia urged the Centre to make the data on vaccines supplied by it to the states public and sought 3.82 lakh doses of the vaccines for people aged 18-44 years in the city.  Currently, Delhi has a vaccine stock of four days for those aged 45 years and above, he said, adding that for the 18-44 age group, the city will run out of the stock in three days.

Sisodia said he has written to the Centre citing three requests. “The Centre has written to us, saying we will get 3.83 lakh doses for the 45-plus age group but we will not get vaccines for the 18-44 age group in May,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader told an online media briefing. “We need more vaccines for the 18-44 age group. We are ready to buy those but at least make those available. We will have to close the vaccination centres for the 18-44 age group after three days,” he said.

“There should be transparency in the data. For Delhi, we need to know how much is being given to the government and how much to the private sector and even for other states, we need to know the figures. “Please let us know about the vaccine availability for the next two months so that we can chalk out the vaccination programme for June and July,” the deputy chief minister said. 

PTI

हम केंद्र सरकार से मांग करते है वैक्सीन की आवंटन प्रक्रिया को पारदर्शी बनाया जाए। किस राज्य को कितनी वैक्सीन आवंटित हो रही है इसका डाटा सार्वजनिक किया जाए।

सरकारी सिस्टम और प्राइवेट सिस्टम को कितनी वैक्सीन दी जा रही है, इसका डाटा भी सार्वजनिक किया जाए। https://t.co/ZanS4fL2ZF

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) May 17, 2021

Coronavirus LATEST Updates 

Odisha sets up committee to deal with COVID-19 among children

 The Odisha government has set up a committee to manage COVID-19 among children in the wake of the possibility of the increased number of cases among

them, officials said on Monday. The committee has been asked to formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managing COVID-19 among the

paediatric population and submit a report to the government at the earliest, they said.

It will suggest preparedness measures, including augmentation, training of human resources to deal with the COVID-affected children and formulate SOPs, they said.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates 

Plea in SC seeks quashing of FIRs for putting up posters critical of Modi’s vaccination policy

A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking quashing of FIRs registered against at least 24 persons for putting up posters criticizing the Centre over the its COVID-19 vaccination policy, reports Bar&Bench.  The petition filed by Advocate Pradeep Kumar Yadav cites the right to freedom of speech and expression, and seeks direction to the Delhi Police not to register FIRs or act against those who allegedly put up the posters in the National Capital. 

The Delhi Police registered 25 FIRs and arrested as many people for allegedly pasting posters critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the vaccination drive against COVID-19, news agency PTI reported on Saturday, quoting officials. The posters reading “Modiji humare bachon ki vaccine videsh kyu bhej diya (PM why did you send vaccines of our children to foreign countries?)” were plastered in several parts of the city, they said.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates 

Delhi reports 4,524 new COVID cases, 340 deaths

The National Capital reported 4,524 new COVID-19 cases, lowest since 5 April, and 340 fatalities on Monday while the positivity rate dipped to 8.42 percent, according to the latest health bulletin released by the city government. The COVID-19 situation has been improving in Delhi with the number of cases and positivity rate going down steadily in the past few days.

At 8.42 percent, the positivity rate is the lowest since 9 April when it stood at 7.8 pe cent. The number of new infections is the lowest since 5  April when 3,548 people were diagnosed with the disease, according to government data.   However, the lesser number of fresh cases on Monday came from a relatively smaller number of tests  —53,756— conducted on Sunday. 

PTI

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Another AMU professor dies of COVID-19

Another senior professor of AMU succumbed to coronavirus at the university’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, according to officials, pushing the number of serving and retired faculty members who have died due to COVID or COVID-like symptoms to at least 39.   Professor Mohammad Nasiruddin (55) from the department of pharmacology died on Sunday, the hospital officials said. Professor Shahid Ali Siddiqui, principal of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, said Nasiruddin had tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago.

Aligarh Muslim University students have submitted a memorandum to vice chancellor Tariq Mansoor urging him to set up separate vaccination centres on campus for university staff and students. So far, at least 18 serving and 21 retired AMU faculty members have died due to COVID or COVID-like symptoms.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates 

Delhi HC permits hospitals to withdraw pleas as medical oxygen supplies stabilise

 The Delhi High Court Monday permitted various private hospitals, which had sought immediate relief of oxygen supply to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients, to withdraw their pleas as the supplies have now been stabilised.  The hospitals informed the court that now they are getting medical oxygen supplies and if they have any issues, they will give representation to the Delhi government. The court said in case a representation is made by any hospital, it should be duly considered by the authorities, action be taken and reply be given within one week.

In view of the fact that the medical oxygen supply in Delhi has been stabilised, the petition is disposed of, a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said, while similar orders in various other pleas by the hospitals. The list of hospitals which have withdrawn their petitions include Maharaja Agrasen Hospital Trust, Bhagat Chandra Hospital, Jaipur Golden Hospital, Shanti Mukund Hospital, Venkateshwar Hospital, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Ganesh Das Chawla Charitable Trust and Bram Health Care Pvt Ltd.

PTI

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Miniscule bleeding, clotting events post COVID-19 vaccination in India: Govt

India has reported 26 potential cases of bleeding and clotting after administration of Covishield vaccine, a government panel investigating adverse events following COVID-19 immunisation has found.  The Union Health Ministry said in a statement on Monday that over 23,000 adverse events have been reported since the vaccination drive involving Covishield and Covaxin vaccines started in the country and of these 700 cases were reported to be serious. 

The National Adverse Event Following Immunisation committee (AEFI) has completed an in-depth case review of 498 serious and severe events, of which 26 cases have been reported to be potential thromboembolic (formation of a clot in a blood vessel that might also break loose and carried by the blood stream to plug another vessel) events  following administration of Covishield vaccine  “with a reporting rate of 0.61 cases/ million doses”.  “There were no potential thromboembolic events reported following administration of Covaxin vaccine,” the ministry said.

PTI

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Delhi HC reserves judgment on plea seeking halt on Central Vista construction

Delhi High Court reserves judgment on plea seeking temporary suspension of work on Central Vista construction considering the coronavirus situation, reports Bar&Bench.

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Pvt hospital in Uttarakhand’s Hardiwar ‘hides’ 65 COVID deaths from authorities, probe on

 A private hospital in Haridwar allegedly withheld information about deaths of 65 COVID-19 patients from the health authorities for over a fortnight in violation of the norms, officials said on Monday. Cabinet Minister and state government spokesman Subodh Uniyal said the matter is being probed and appropriate legal action will be taken against those responsible for the negligence. 

Sixty-five COVID-19 patients died at Baba Barfani Hospital between April 25 and May 12 but the facility hid the figure from the State COVID Control Room here, officials said. 

PTI

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Coordination lacking between Centre, state for allocation of  Remdesivir, says Gujarat HC

The Gujarat High Court on Monday said there appears to be “lack of coordination” between the Centre and the state government in the allocation of the required amount of Remdesivir injections. The HC noted that the Union government continued to supply vials to the state in the range of 16,000 per day for the last one month while the demand was around 25,000 vials per day.

The HC directed the Centre to put on record the policy in place for the allocation of Remdesivir, an injection used to treat critical COVID-19 patients, to the states.

PTI

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Bharat Biotech’s Karnataka facility to have capacity to make 4-5 cr Covaxin doses a month by Aug-end, says minister

Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin manufacturing facility that is under construction in Kolar district in Karnataka would have a manufacturing capacity of four to five crore doses a month by August-end, state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Monday. Talking to reporters in Bengaluru ahead of his meeting with the experts on mucormycosis, known as black fungus, which is emerging as a new threat to those who recover from COVID- 19, Sudhakar said he had a video conference with Bharat Biotech founder Dr Krishna Ella, his daughter Dr Jala Ella and rest of the team.

“Dr Ella has assured me that their facility at Malur in Kolar will be able to produce one crore vaccines by June- end. By July-end it will be by two to three crores, and their target by August-end is four crore to five crore vaccine doses,” Sudhakar said.

PTI

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Delhi HC hears PIL seeking suspension of work on Central Vista project

During a hearing in the Delhi High Court on a plea seeking temporary suspension of work on Central Vista Redevelopment Project in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the petitioners approached the court under disguise of a purported’PIL’. “This is facade of a PIL created to disguise something that they always wanted to stop under one pretext or the other,"LiveLaw quotes him as saying. According to LiveLaw, Mehta alleges that petitioners are not concerned about the workers engaged in the construction or about the lives of citizens. 

Mehta: They don’t care about what happens to citizens of Delhi through the other projects that have been going on! #CentralVista #DelhiHighCourt

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) May 17, 2021

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ONGC to procure one lakh oxygen concentrators

 State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Monday said it will procure one lakh oxygen concentrators to aid India’s fight against the world’s worst outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. The company will use its understanding of the global supply chain and logistics to procure one lakh oxygen concentrators on behalf of the government of India, ONGC said in a statement. The Government of India will bear the cost of procuring these concentrators.

“Within a short period, ONGC placed orders for 34,673 oxygen concentrators on overseas vendors for immediate supply. Out of these, 2,900 are expected to be received by 21 May, and the rest in staggered delivery from May to the end of June 2021. “Further, to promote domestic capacity, the order has been placed for 40,000 units of oxygen concentrators on domestic manufacturers,” it sai

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Apollo Hospitals, Dr Reddy’s announce COVID-19 vaccination programme with Sputnik V

Apollo Hospitals and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories on Monday said they are collaborating to initiate a COVID-19 vaccination programme with Sputnik V.   The first phase of the programme will kick off with vaccinations in Hyderabad on Monday and in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday (18 May) at Apollo facilities. The vaccinations would follow the SOPs as recommended by the government including registration on CoWIN.    

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates 

Tanker with 22 tons of LMO overturns in MP, no report of leakage

 A tanker carrying 22 tons of liquid medical oxygen from Jharkhand’s Bokaro to Bhopal overturned near Garhakota town in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar

district in the early hours of Monday, police said. The incident took place in Chanaua village on Sagar- Damoh road, some 220 kilometres from Bhopal, at around 4am, though no leakage was noticed nor were there any reports of injuries to anybody, said Sub Divisional Officer of Police

(SDOP) Kamal Singh Thakur.

“A team of experts will be arriving from Bhopal after which the tanker’s LMO will be shifted to another carrier. It seems the vehicle overturned while trying to avoid hitting an animal. The spot has been barricaded, and a fire brigade team has been deployed there,” he added.

PTI

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Many similarities between Modi and PM-CARES ventilators: Rahul Gandhi

In a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said listed ‘similarities; between Modi and the ventilators provided under the PM-CARES Fund – ‘false publicity’ for both, failure in their work and difficulty in finding the ventilators and the PM when needed.

PMCares के वेंटिलेटर और स्वयं PM में कई समानताएँ हैं-

- दोनों का हद से ज़्यादा झूठा प्रचार
- दोनों ही अपना काम करने में फ़ेल
- ज़रूरत के समय, दोनों को ढूँढना मुश्किल।

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 17, 2021

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Curfew in Andhra Pradesh extended till end of May

According to reports, the partial curfew imposed in Andhra Pradesh has been extended till the end of this month. Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy asked officials to utilise the services of village volunteers, ASHA workers and the village Secretariat system for checking the COVID-19 spread in rural areas, reported the New Indian Express.

COVID19 | Curfew imposed in Andhra Pradesh extended till the end of May, says Chief Minister's Office

(file pic) pic.twitter.com/6N2qPSIt1D

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2021

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North Western Railway cancels 10 more train service

The North Western Railway on Monday cancelled 10 more trains due to the lockdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.  According to a North Western Railway spokesperson, the 10 train services were cancelled due to a low passenger load. These include the Jodhpur-Delhi Sarai Rohilla special train, the Jodhpur-Indore special train, the Jodhpur-Barmer special train, the Jodhpur-Bilada special train and the Sriganganagar-Ambala special train, which will remain cancelled from May 19 until further orders.

Apart from this, the number of trips of four trains has been reduced. The Ajmer-Amritsar special train will now operate only on Wednesday, instead of two days a week, from 19 May till further orders. 

PTI

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Centre lays out procedure to rehabilitate children who lost parents to COVID-19

The government has laid out a procedure for rehabilitation of children who lost their parents to COVID-19. The public notice by the Women and Child Development Ministry comes amid reports that several messages offering children, who have lost their parents to COVID, for adoption are circulating on social media.  Advising the public to refrain from engaging or encouraging such action, which is in contravention to legal provisions, the WCD Ministry has laid out lawful procedure of rehabilitation of children who lost their parents to COVID-19.

The ministry has said that the child who has lost both parents to COVID-19 ought to be produced before the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) within 24 hours, excluding the journey time. “The CWC shall ascertain the immediate need of the child and pass appropriate orders for rehabilitation of the child, either to restore the child to caregivers or place her/him in institutional or non-institutional care, on case to case basis,” the WCD Ministry said in a public notice. 

PTI

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COVID-19 vaccination for 18-44 age group begins in Kerala

Amid COVID-19 cases continuing to show an upward trend in the state, vaccination for the prioritised groups in the 18-44 years age category began in Kerala on Monday with over 1.90 lakh people registering in the last two days to get the first dose. People with comorbidities, belonging to this age

group, are included in the first priority group, Health Department sources told news agency PTI.

The state government has already issued detailed guidelines for the vaccination of this age group and released the list of comorbidities to determine the eligibility, they said.

PTI

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Over two crore vaccine doses still available with states and UTs, says Centre

 More than two crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and Union Territories, while nearly three lakh doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union health ministry said on Monday. The Centre has so far provided over 20 crore (20,76,10,230) vaccine doses to the states and Union territories for free. Of this, the total consumption, calculated on the basis of average figures, up to 16 May, including wastage, is 18,71,13,705 doses (according to data available at 8 am on Monday), it added.

“More than two crore COVID-19 vaccine doses (2,04,96,525) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered,” the ministry said. Furthermore, 2,94,660 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states within the next three days, it said.

PTI

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Eli Lily inks pact with Natco Pharma for COVID-19 drug baricitinib 

Drug firm Eli Lilly on Monday said it has signed a voluntary licensing agreement with Natco Pharma to further expedite the availability of baricitinib for COVID-19 patients in India.   The company has issued an additional royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary license to Natco Pharma and the Hyderabad-based company will be collaborating with Eli Lilly to further accelerate and expand the availability of baricitinib in India during this pandemic.

The move will improve the local treatment options available and will positively impact the lives of people who are currently battling COVID-19 in India, Eli Lilly said in a statement. Earlier, the company had announced signing of six voluntary license agreements with Cipla, Lupin, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Dr Reddy’s, MSN Laboratories and Torrent Pharmaceuticals.

PTI

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Over 1.99 crore people vaccinated in Maharashtra so far

 A total of 68,811 people were inoculated against COVID-19 in Maharashtra in a single day, taking the state’s vaccination count to 1,99,85,407, an

official statement said on Monday. These beneficiaries were administered the vaccine doses on Sunday, it said.

A total of 23,12,779 frontline workers and 18,48,358 health care workers have till now been administered vaccines (first and second doses included) in the state, it said. The statement further said 6,52,119 individuals from the age group of 18 to 44 were inoculated (first dose) till Sunday. Besides, 1,51,72,151 citizens aged 45 and above have so far been vaccinated (first plus second dose) in the state.

PTI

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Political leaders have no business to hoard COVID-19 medicines: Delhi HC

Taking strong exception to political leaders and Members of Parliament hoarding medicines used for treatment of COVID-19, the Delhi High Court on Monday said that political leaders have no business to hoard such medicines at a time when citizens are suffering and running around for such drugs, reports  Bar&Bench . “Political leaders have no business to hoard stocks. If their intention is to do public good, then they should surrender the same to Director General of Health Services (DGHS) who will then distribute it to government hospitals,”  the report quotes the high court as saying.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by Dr Deepak Singh alleging hoarding of medicines by political leaders and seeking a probe into it.

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More members of PVTG in Odisha test COVID-19 positive

Twenty-one more members of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Odisha were afflicted with coronavirus, taking their number to 45,

official sources told news agency PTI on Sunday. The PVTG is a classification by the Central government for tribes based on their relative physical isolation,

declining population, low levels of literacy and pre- agricultural stage of economy such as hunting, food gathering and shifting cultivation. Before 2016, PVTGs were known as Primitive Tribal Groups.

While the number of PVTG people infected with COVID-19 was 21 till Friday, 10 more members of the Bonda tribe and 14 of the Dongaria Kondha community tested positive for the virus since Saturday, officials said.

PTI

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Ladakh registers 119 new cases, tally goes up to 16,452

Ladakh recorded 119 fresh COVID-19 cases that took the infection tally to 16,452 while 122 people were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease, pushing the total number of recoveries to 14,471, officials said on Monday.

No fresh deaths were reported. So far, 165 people, including 119 in Leh district and 46 in Kargil district, have succumbed to the viral disease in the union territory.

Of the 119 fresh cases, 103 were reported from Leh and 16 from Kargil, the officials said.

PTI

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15 patients infected with black fungus in Uttarakhand: AIIMS Rishikesh

ANI has quoted the PRO of AIIMS Rishikesh as saying, “Till now, 15 patients have been found infected with black fungus in Uttarakhand, and one patient has died. Ten patients have been treated with surgery.”

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New cases below 3 lakh for first time in 26 days

According to official statistics, India’s new COVID-19 cases on Monday are the lowest in the last 27 days. New cases have dropped below 3 lakh for the first time in 26 days.

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Maharashtra registers 34.4k new cases, Tamil Nadu 33.2k

Maharashtra has reported 34.4 thousand new COVID-19 cases, Tamil Nadu has reported 33.2 thousand new cases, and Karnataka has registered 31.5 thousand new cases.

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First batch of DRDO’s anti-COVID drug 2-DG released

The first batch of anti-COVID drug 2-DG, developed by the DRDO, was released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, officials said.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has approved the oral drug for emergency use as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe coronavirus patients, the defence ministry said earlier this month.

The ministry, on 8 May, said the clinical trials of the drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), showed that it helps in a faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence.

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Delhi airport to shut operations at T2 terminal from Tuesday

The Delhi international airport will shut down its T2 terminal from Tuesday midnight as the number of flights have reduced significantly due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, sources told PTI.

All flights will be handled at the T3 terminal only, they stated. Currently, the Delhi airport is handling around 325 flights per day, they mentioned, while before the pandemic, it used to handle around 1,500 flights per day.

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Black fungus found in 3 COVID patients in Karnataka

Black fungus infection has been found in 3 patients recovering from COVID-19 in Karnataka’s Bagalkot. Hospitals carrying out treatment have run out of Amphotericin stock required for its treatment, the district health officer told ANI.

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Noted virologist quits Centre’s panel on genome sequencing

Days after pointing out that scientists are facing “stubborn resistance to evidence-based policy making”, noted virologist Shahid Jameel quit as the head of INSACOG, a central government panel which conducts genome sequencing of coronavirus.

Jameel announced his plan to step down in a meeting of INSACOG held on Friday, said two officials who were part of it.

An official said the virologist did not give any reason for why he was quitting.

Last week, Jameel had written a piece on the second wave of coronavirus in the New York Times. “All of these measures have wide support among my fellow scientists in India. But they are facing stubborn resistance to evidence-based policymaking. On April 30, over 800 Indian scientists appealed to the prime minister, demanding access to the data that could help them further study, predict and curb this virus,” he said in the piece.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

India reports over 2.81 lakh new cases in 24 hours

Registering a decline in the daily COVID-19 cases, India reported 2,81,386 new infections in the last 24 hours, as per data updated by the health ministry at 8 am on Monday. In the same period, 4,106 deaths were recorded, taking the toll to 2,74,390.

The total COVID-19 cases in India now stand at 2,49,65,463, of which 35,16,997 are active cases.