COVID-19 Latest News and Updates: Maharashtra's daily COVID growth rate is half of national average, says health minister

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Jharkhand extends lockdown-like restrictions till 27 May

The Jharkhand government on Wednesday extended the lockdown-like restrictions with stricter provisions, including 7 days mandatory quarantine for people visiting the state, till May 27 amid a surge in COVID- 19 cases, officials said.

The cap on people attending weddings has been fixed at 11, lower from earlier 50 persons with a provision that marriages can be conducted either at homes or at courts. The restrictions, first imposed on 22 April were enlarged till 13 May and now stand further extended till 27 May with harsh provisions.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Maharashtra’s daily COVID-19 growth rate is half of national average: Tope

Maharashtra’s per day COVID-19 growth rate is 0.8 percent, which is half of the country’s average of 1.4 percent, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday. He said that out of 36 states, Maharashtra is at the 30th position in terms of the growth of coronavirus infection.

“Maharashtra’s COVID-19 growth rate is merely half of the country’s daily growth rate. The state’s per day growth rate is 0.8 percent as against the country’s rate of 1.4 percent. The state is carrying out around two lakh tests on a daily basis while per million testings is around 2.50 lakh. It is a very good sign for us,” he said.

Tope, however, cautioned by saying, “The strict measures under the ‘Break the Chain’ directives introduced by the Maharashtra government have definitely brought down the number of COVID-19 cases, but the curve is not stable yet.

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Rajasthan to issue global tender for COVID-19 vaccines

The Rajasthan government will purchase vaccines from abroad to speed up the coronavirus vaccination process in the state and a global tender will be issued for the same.

Along with this, the government has also approved direct purchase of coronavirus treatment drugs and equipment from the companies.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state council of ministers held through video conference on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

In the meeting, important decisions were made for speedy procurement of vaccines, medicines, oxygen concentrators and other necessary resources to deal with the surge in coronavirus infections in the state.

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Vaccination for journalists: Not enough vaccine stock, says Maharashtra govt

The Maharashtra government said on Wednesday that journalists can be extended the facility of inoculation on priority only when the state gets a sufficient stock of vaccine doses. Earlier in the day, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis supported the demand that journalists be considered frontline workers and vaccinated on priority.

Asked about the demand, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said, “There is no sufficient stock of vaccine doses and the available stock is going to be used for the above-45 age group because their inoculation can not be delayed further.

“We are being told that over one crore Covishield vials would be available from May 20 onwards. If we get vials in such a large quantity, we can discuss the proposal of vaccinating journalists under the frontline workers category,” he told reporters.

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With vaccine shortage hitting the state, Karnataka suspends vaccine for 18-44 yrs group

The Karnataka government on Wednesday decided to import vaccines, as a shortage of dosages hit the state and the demand went up substantially with an alarming rise in COVID cases. The state government also decided to suspend the vaccination for people between 18-44 years age group, which had started symbolically on May 1, till further orders.

“Today the state government has decided that the vaccine procured directly by the state for vaccination of persons between 18 and 44 years will be utilised for vaccination of beneficiaries who are due for second dose,” a notification issued by the government said.

“We have to purchase vaccines for people between the age group of 18-44 years. We have already paid money to the two vaccine manufacturers in the country for three crore doses. Out of three crore doses, we have received seven lakh,” Karnataka Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar told reporters here.

He said the government will administer vaccines as and when the stocks arrive. “Since we are not getting adequate vaccines because there are just two manufacturers, we are going to issue orders to import (vaccine),” Ravi Kumar said. He added that the Government of India has approved only one vaccine outside India.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

India’s total COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeds 17.70 cr doses

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has gone past 17.70 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

It said 4,17,321 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and cumulatively 34,66,895 across 30 states and union territories since the start of the third phase of the vaccination drive.

“The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 17,70,85,371 as per the 8 pm provisional report,” the ministry said.

The total of 17,70,85,371 include 95,98,626 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 65,68,343 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 1,42,26,185 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose, 80,25,849 FLWs who have taken the second dose and 34,66,895 beneficiaries in the 18-44 years of age group who have taken the first dose.

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Crematorium workers to be considered as frontline warriors, says Gujarat govt

Those working at crematoriums will be considered as COVID-19 frontline workers and will get all related benefits, the Gujarat government said on Wednesday.
The benefits include Rs 25 lakh for the family if a worker dies due to the virus infection.

“At the meeting of the state core committee headed by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani it was decided that staff of crematoriums throughout the state should be considered as frontline workers,” an official release said. They will be eligible for benefits retrospectively, from April 1, 2020, when the outbreak began.

The decision was taken as a compassionate measure considering that crematorium workers are overburdened, the release added.

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PM reviews availability, supply of oxygen and medicines

The supply of oxygen is now more than three times of what it was during the peak of the first COVID-19 wave, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Wednesday, noting that production of all drugs, including Remdesivir, has been ramped up significantly in the last few weeks as India battles the nationwide surge in infections.

At a high-level meeting which Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired to review the availability and supply of oxygen and medicines, it was noted that states are being provided medicines in good quantities with the Centre in regular touch with the manufacturers to enhance their production and extend all help needed.

The central government is actively monitoring the supply of drugs being used in the management of COVID as well mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection being reported at some places

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Madhya Pradesh logs 8,970 new cases, 84 deaths

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 8,970 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 84 fatalities, taking its infection tally to 7,00,202 and death toll to 6,679, the state health department said. A total of 10,324 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, which pushed the state’s recovery count to 5,83,595, it said.

With 1,597 new cases, Indore’s caseload went up to 1,31,707, while that of Bhopal rose to 1,08,546 with 1,304 new cases. Indore reported seven deaths, taking the toll to 1,227, while the number of fatalities in Bhopal rose to 817 after five people succumbed to the virus, the officials said. Indore is now left with 17,514 active cases while Bhopal has 15,664 such cases.

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Tamil Nadu reports highest single-day rise

Tamil Nadu recorded 30,355 new COVID-19 cases in the single biggest day spike so far on Wednesday, pushing the caseload to 14,68,864 while 293 deaths in the last 24 hours took the toll to 16,471

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Maharashtra reports 46,781 new COVID-19 cases, 816 deaths

Maharashtra reported 46,781 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, an uptick from 40,956 a day ago, and 816 deaths, the health department said.
The caseload increased to 52,26,710, while toll reached 78,007, it said. On Tuesday Maharashtra had reported 40,956 COVID-19 cases, 793 deaths and 71,966 recoveries.

Of 816 fatalities, 387 had occurred in the past 48 hours, 193 last week and the rest even before that but were added to the tally on Wednesday. As many as 58,805 patients were discharged from hospitals taking the total of recoveries to 46,00,196. Maharashtra now has 5,46,129 active cases.

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111 mucormycosis patients undergoing treatment in Mumbai

As many as 111 patients, all COVID-19 survivors, are undergoing treatment for the fungal infection `mucormycosis’ in Mumbai hospitals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed on Wednesday.

Prabhakar Shinde, the BJP’s group leader in the BMC said the information was provided to the civic body’s standing committee upon his query.

Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani told the committee that 38 mucormycosis patients are being treated at the civic-run BY Nair Hospital, 34 at KEM Hospital, 32 at Sion Hospital and seven at Cooper Hospital, he said. Most of these patients are from outside Mumbai, according to the BMC.

Shinde also said that the civic body has set up a medical experts’ panel to decide the line of treatment for the disease, and all hospitals have been informed about the precautionary measures to avoid its spread.

-PTI

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Parliamentary panel had asked Centre to ramp up production in March

A parliamentary standing committee had in March suggested ramping up of production capacity of the two COVID vaccines manufactured in India for ensuring their availability to a wider population as soon as possible after it was informed that there could be a “shortage” if the inoculation is opened beyond the priority groups.

The recommendation was made by the 31-member committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, chaired by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, in its report on Demand for Grants for Department of Biotechnology that was tabled in Parliament on 8 March.

The panel has as many as 14 members from the ruling BJP.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Shift vaccine centres to avoid crowding, says Madras HC

The Madras High Court on Wednesday suggested to the Tamil Nadu government to relocate Covid-19 vaccination centres from hospitals elsewhere in order to prevent crowding. The state government also submitted a status report on various aspects including availability of beds, oxygen and vaccine stocks.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, said that “to reduce the fear, stress and crowding among the people, we are asking to shift the vaccination centers from the hospital and set up at other places of public convenience.”

The court was hearing a case taken up on its own on issues, including shortage of beds and ventillators, besides diversion of oxygen.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Uttarakhand import 20 lakh doses of Sputnik V

Uttarakhand will import 20 lakh doses of Sputnik V vaccine over the next two months, officials said on Wednesday.  Giving the information at a press conference , Chief Secretary Om Prakash said a five-member committee has been constituted for the purpose and the required funds have been arranged.

The state government has also requested the country’s leading vaccine manufacturing companies to supply doses of the vaccine to Uttarakhand, he said. He said the state government is constantly in talks with the Centre also as vaccine doses received so far are not adequate. “We will get 8 lakh doses this month and 9 lakh doses next on the condition that the second dose is administered to people who have already got the first dose,” he said.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

269 IIT-Jodhpur students test COVID positive since 2 Feb

A total of 269 IIT-Jodhpur students returning to the campus have tested COVID-19 positive since 2 February, university officials said on Wednesday. With students arriving at the campus for their practical sessions, 3,000 RT-PCR tests were conducted till May 10 to curb the spread of the infection. 

Of the 269 students who have tested COVID positive, 240 have fully recovered while the remaining 29 are in the process of recovery and are in isolation, Deputy Registrar Amardeep Sharma said.

PTI

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Allahabad HC asks UP govt to respond to allegations of mismanagement of oxygen, beds

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh to respond to the allegations of mismanagement in availability of oxygen, beds and medcines required for the treatment of serious Covid-19 patients.   Justices Ritu Raj Awasthi and Manish Mathur of the Lucknow Bench of the High Court was dealing with the PIL which also said that audit of the oxygen and supply of medicines in the State was required to be done so that they are properly utilised. We direct the counsel for the opposite parties to seek instructions in the matter, said the bench which declined the submission of the state government not to entertain the PIL as the High Court at Allahabad was already seized of the same issues in a suo motu matter.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

SII, Bharat Biotech submit production plan for the next four months

Amid multiple states reporting a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech have submitted to the Centre their production plan for the next four months, informing they can ramp it up to 10 crore and 7.8 crore doses respectively by August, official sources said on Wednesday

The sources said the Union Health Ministry and the office of Drugs Controller General of India had sought from both the firms their production plan for June, July, August and September.

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s indigenously developed Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca’’s Covishield, being manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, are currently being used in India’’s inoculation drive against coronavirus.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

No politician should hold physical functions amid lockdown, says HC

Expressing its displeasure with politicians for not following COVID-19 lockdown curbs imposed in Maharashtra, the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday said no leader or minister should conduct physical ceremonies or functions.

While hearing a suo motu (on its own) on COVID-19- related issues, a division bench of Justices R V Ghuge and B U Debadwar said no politician or minister shall conduct physical ceremonies or functions.

The bench was informed by an advocate that Shiv Sena leader and state cabinet minister Sandipan Bhumre had participated in inauguration functions where people had gathered in large numbers.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Ministers propose extending Maharashtra lockdown, CM to take final call

“At the Cabinet meeting, the health department and ministers proposed extending the lockdown for 15 days. The chief minister will take a final decision on this matter,” ANI quotes Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope as saying.

At the Cabinet meeting, the health department & ministers proposed to extend the lockdown for 15 days. The chief minister will take a final decision on this matter: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope pic.twitter.com/tjIEQZ8YLg

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2021

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Maharashtra halts vaccinations for 18-44 age group

The Maharashtra govt has temporarily suspended the vaccination programme for those in the 18 to 44  age group, due to a shortage of vaccine, say reports . According to news agency ANI, state health minister Rajesh Tope said all vaccine doses will be diverted to those above the age of 45.

“Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla has promised the chief minister to deliver 1.5 crore doses of Covishield to Maharashtra after 20 May. We will start the vaccination for 18-44 age group after we receive the vaccines,” ANI quotes Tope as saying.

Vaccination for 18-44 age group has been suspended for the time being due to shortage of vaccines. All the doses purchased by the state government for the age group will now be diverted for the 45+ category: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope after state Cabinet meeting pic.twitter.com/hZIoJqqevP

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2021

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Delhi receives 2.67 lakh more doses of Covishield, runs out of Covaxin stock: Atishi

AAP leader Atishi on Wednesday said Delhi received 2.67 lakh more doses of Covishield vaccine on May 11, but it has completely run out of Covaxin. She said some Covaxin centres for the 18-44 age group have been temporarily shut from Wednesday. “Around 16,000 Covaxin doses, which were available in the morning, were administered at 44 centres. These centres will also be shut after Wednesday evening,” the AAP MLA said.

Atishi hoped that the Central government would intervene and make Covaxin doses available for the 18-44 age category. “Soon it will be time to give the second dose of Covaxin to beneficiaries in this category,” she added.

PTI

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Twelve Opposition leaders write to Modi, suggest nine measures to fight pandemic

Leaders of 12 Opposition parties in a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government should implement nine measures, including procuring vaccines from all available sources centrally and immediately starting a universal and free mass vaccination programme, on a war footing. Other measures suggested by the Opposition leaders include spending Rs 35,000 crore budgetary allocation for the vaccines and releasing all money in the " unaccounted private trust fund" PM CARES for the purchase of more vaccines, oxygen, and medical equipment. The signatories include Sonia Gandhi (Congress), Mamata Banerjee (TMC), MK Stalin (DMK), Hemant Soren (JMM), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), among others.

Without going into all the acts of commission and omission by the Central govt that have brought the country to such a tragic pass, we are of the firm opinion that the following measures be undertaken on a war footing.

- Joint Letter by Major Opposition Parties to PM Modi pic.twitter.com/YJ283g4arV

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 12, 2021

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Karnataka puts off CET exam to August-end

The Karnataka government  on Wednesday announced postponing the Common Entrance Test- 2021 following the postponement of the second pre-university

exam this year.  The exam will now take place from  28 to 30 August, the government said.   “Due to the postponement of the 2021 annual PUC second year examinations and the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state, Common Entrance Test-2021 has been postponed,” Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who also holds the higher education portfolio, said in a statement.

PTI

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SC judge Justice DY Chandrachud tests positive

Supreme Court judge Justice DY Chandrachud has tested positive for COVID-19, said reports . Justice Chandrachud is currently heading the bench which is hearing the suo motu case concerning COVID-19 issues. According to Bar&Bench , the case will not be heard on Thursday .

Coronavirus LATEST Updates

Railways has delivered over 6,000 tonnes of LMO on 100 Oxygen Express

The Railways has delivered nearly 6,260 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) onboard 100 Oxygen Express’ trains since April 19 when it started its first such service, an official statement said on Wednesday.  The Railways delivered 800 tonnes of LMO to the nation on Tuesday, it said.

“One hundred Oxygen Expresses have completed their journey so far and brought relief to various states. It is the Indian Railways’ endeavour to deliver as much LMO as possible in the shortest time possible to the requesting states. So far, nearly 6,260 tonnes of of LMO has been delivered in 396 tankers,” the statement said.

Till now, 407 tonnes of oxygen has been offloaded  in Maharashtra, nearly 1,680 tonnes in Uttar Pradesh, 360 tonnes in Madhya Pradesh,  939 tonnes in Haryana, 123 tonnes in Telangana, 40 tonnes in Rajasthan, 120 tonnes in Karnataka, and more than 2,404 tonnes  in Delhi, it said.

PTI

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Mamata Banerjee proposes franchise mode for bulk production of COVID-19 vaccines

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for a liberal, pro-active import of COVID-19 vaccines. In her letter, Banerjee says that the production and hence supply  and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine seems to be extremely inadequate and insignificant when compared to the massive needs of the people. Banerjee also asked the prime minister to consider encouraging global and national manufacturers to set up franchise operations in the country. the  Bengal govt  is ready to provide land and support in this regard, she says in the letter. 

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Narendra Modi, urging to 'speedily import vaccines' from global manufacturers

She suggests PM Modi to 'encourage world & national players (vaccine manufacturers) to open up franchise operations'. pic.twitter.com/Ss2sQLX2xi

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2021

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Azam Khan’s condition stable, but next 72 hours critical: Hospital

The condition of senior Samajwadi Party leader and Rampur MP Mohammad Azam Khan, admitted to a private facility here, is stable but the next 72 hours will be “critical”, the hospital treating him said on Wednesday.  Azam Khan and his son Abdullah were shifted from the Sitapur jail to Medanta hospital in Lucknow for coronavirus treatment, officials said.

“Azam Khan was admitted here on 9 May. He has COVID pneumonia. Due to high oxygen demand, he was shifted to the ICU. As compared to Tuesday, his oxygen requirement has come down. He is conscious and taking food. His condition is stable and the next 72 hours will be critical,” Medanta Medical Director Rakesh Kapoor said. “Our entire team is taking care of him in accordance with the severe infection disease protocol. The condition of Abdullah is satisfactory and he is also under observation,” Kapoor added.

PTI

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Could have saved many lives with door-to-door vaccination, says Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court on  Wednesday said if the Union government had started door-to- door vaccination programme for senior citizens a few months

back, then lives of many of them, including prominent persons, could have been saved. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni asked the Union government why not pro-actively start this programme when the lives of senior citizens, who are unable to go to vaccination centres to get inoculated, are concerned.

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by two lawyers  Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari seeking door-to-door vaccination facility for senior citizens above the age of 75, specially-abled persons and those who are bed-ridden or wheelchair-bound.

PTI

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Tamil Nadu to invite global tenders for vaccines 

The Tamil Nadu government decided to invite short-term global tenders for procuring COVID-19 vaccines for the 18-45 age group, said reports.  According to The New Indian Express , Chief Minister MK Stalin also ordered establishing additional oxygen production units in the state to meet the rising demand.

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Over 84% vaccine doses sent abroad due to commercial, licensing liabilities: BJP

The ruling BJP accused the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday of spreading misinformation on India’s vaccination programme and said over 84 percent of the vaccine doses sent abroad were part of the commercial and licensing liabilities of the two Indian manufacturers.   Addressing a virtual press conference, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra said 1.07 crore vaccine doses sent abroad were India’s aid to different countries and noted that of those, 78.5 lakh were dispatched to seven neighbouring countries. More than two lakh doses were given to the UN peace-keeping force, in which over 6,600 Indian soldiers are deployed, Patra said. 

PTI

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Black fungus scare: Govt engaging with drug makers to ramp up production of anti-fungal drug

 The government is engaging with the drug manufacturers to ramp up the production of an antifungal drug used for the treatment of mucormycosis, the Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry said, as a rash of cases of rare black fungus infection have been reported among people either recovered or recovering from COVID-19.      With a spike in the cases of COVID-19 in the country, doctors have been reporting a rare infection mucormycosis, also called as black fungus, among people recovered from COVID-19. The infection is caused by exposure to mucor mould and it affects the sinuses, the brain and the lungs and can be life-threatening.  

   “A sudden increase in demand has been observed in some states for Amphotericin B which is being actively prescribed by the physicians to patients suffering from mucormycosis, a post-COVID complication,” the ministry said in a statement.  The government is therefore engaging with the manufacturers to ramp up production of the drug. The supply position is expected to improve with extra imports of this drug and increase in its production domestically, it added.

PTI

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Order on Navneet Kalra’s anticipatory bail plea tomorrow

Delhi Court reserves order in anticipatory bail application moved by Navneet Kalra in case filed in connection with seizure of oxygen concentrators from his restaurants. The order will be pronounced on Thursday at 10 am, reports Bar&Bench.

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Follow Centre’s SoP on vaccinating prison inmates, Bombay HC tells Maharashtra

The Bombay High Court on  Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government to follow the Union government’s SoP on vaccinating prison inmates, including those inmates who do not have an Aadhaar card. A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni also directed the state to fill up vacancies for

doctors and other medical staff in prisons and correctional homes across the state.

The bench was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PILs), including one taken up suo motu (on its own), on containing the spread of COVID-19 in prisons across Maharashtra.

PTI

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Delhi records 13,287 new cases, 300 deaths

The National Capital reported 13,287 new coronavirus cases and 300 more fatalities on Wednesday, while the positivity rate came down to 17 percent, the lowest in nearly a month, according to the health department. The 13,287 new cases came from 78,035 tests, including 63315 RTPCR/CBNAAT/True Nat tests, conducted on Tuesday.

 As many as 14,071 people recovered from the infection during the period, the health bulletin said. Now there are 82,725 active cases, down from 83,809 the previous day and 49,974 of them are in home isolation, it said. The number of cumulative cases stands at 13,61,986 and the toll at 20,310.

PTI

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HC pulls up Delhi govt for not fully operationalising Indira Gandhi Hospital

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Delhi government for not yet fully operationalising its 1,241 bedded Indira Gandhi Hospital, which presently has only 80 beds available that too for non-serious COVID patients, saying the state should learn from the “bitter experience” of the people during the present onslaught of the second wave of the pandemic. A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said that had the Delhi government taken up the completion of the hospital as a pressing issue, it would have been up and running by now.

“If a third wave comes, as many experts are warning it might, and your facility is not up and running (to full capacity), then again we would be back to this situation,” it said after senior advocate Rahul Mehra said completion of the hospital was not a pressing issue as around 4,500 beds were available in the National Capital at present.

PTI

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Make action plan for possible third wave, Karnataka HC tells state govt

The Karnataka HC directs the state government to prepare an action plan and vision statement outlining its preparedness for dealing with possible third  wave of COVID-19, reports _LiveLaw. “_Though during last few days we have dealt with immediate measures enormous challenge posed by Covid-19 it is high time that state starts preparation for dealing with third wave by projecting estimate for drugs, oxygen personnel etc,” Live Law quotes the court as saying. The court asked the Karnataka government to place before it the plan within two weeks

HC: By projecting estimate for drugs, oxygen personnel etc. We direct state to prepare an action plan and vision statement dealing with state of preparedness for dealing with third possible wave of Covid-19. Necessary vision plan to be placed on record within two weeks from tdy.

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) May 12, 2021

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Rajasthan to conduct rapid antigen tests in rural areas, says health minister

With the coronavirus infection spreading rapidly in rural areas of Rajasthan, the state government has decided to conduct rapid antigen tests to detect COVID-19 cases at an early stage.  Health Minister Raghu Sharma said on Wednesday that the rapid antigen test will be conducted in community health centres and other hospitals to check the spread of the virus in rural areas. 

 COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in rural areas and is a cause of concern for the state government, he said, adding the decision to conduct rapid antigen tests was taken after taking into account the situation in rural areas. “The report of the antigen test is received within half an hour. Those who are found positive will be isolated and treatment will be started while RTPCR test will be conducted for those who are negative in antigen test but have symptoms, Sharma said. 

PTI

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World could have prevented COVID catastrophe: expert panel

The catastrophic scale of the COVID-19 pandemic could have been prevented, an independent global panel concluded Wednesday, but a “toxic cocktail” of dithering and poor coordination meant the warning signs went unheeded. The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR) said a series of bad decisions meant Covid-19 went on to kill at least 3.3 million people so far and devastate the global economy. Institutions “failed to protect people” and science-denying leaders eroded public trust in health interventions, the IPPPR said in its long-awaited final report.

Early responses to the outbreak detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019 “lacked urgency”, with February 2020 a costly “lost month” as countries failed to heed the alarm, said the panel. The panel did not spare the WHO, saying it could have declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)  —its highest level of alarm —on 22 January , 2020. Instead, it waited eight more days before doing so. Nevertheless, given countries’ relative inaction, “we might still have ended up in the same place”, said  former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark.

AFP

Karnataka HC seeks district-wise data of beds

During a hearing on a batch of petition on the management of COVID-19 in the state, the Karnataka HC said going by estimates there is a shortage of beds and told the state to be prepared as experts have warned of a third wave, reports _ LiveLaw.   “_Perhaps nobody anticipated about future requirement during the first wave and thus now you (State) should be more prepared. Disaster Management Act says about preparedness. Address us on this next week,” LiveLaw quotes Chief Justice Abhay Oka as saying. The court said it wanted district wise data of beds, as increase only in one area it may not serve the purpose.

The court also said that the suggestion made by the  KSLSA Committee in the report on the Chamarajanagar incident should be considered by the state government immediately.

HC: Vehicles carrying LMO should be installed by GPS. It is observed that one bottling plaint in Mysuru city is non functional. State will take immediate steps to revive the functioning.

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) May 12, 2021

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WHO has not associated term “Indian Variant” with the B.1.617 strain, says health ministry

Taking umbrage against the B.1.617 mutant of the novel coronavirus being termed an “Indian variant”, the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said the WHO has not used the word “Indian” for this strain in its document.  The ministry dismissed as “without any basis and unfounded” media reports that have used the term “Indian variant” for the B.1.617 mutant strain, which the WHO recently said was a “variant of global concern”. 

“Several media reports have covered the news of World Health Organisation (WHO) classifying B.1.617 as variant of global concern. Some of these reports have termed the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus as an ‘Indian Variant’,” the ministry said in a statement. “These media reports are without any basis, and unfounded,” it said.

This is to clarify that the WHO has not associated the term “Indian Variant” with the B.1.617 strain of the coronavirus in its 32 page document, it said. In fact, the word “Indian” has not been used in its report on the matter, the ministry added.

PTI

Tamil Nadu to give Rs 25L ex-gratia to families of 43 doctors who died in COVID-19 fight

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK. Stalin on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of 43 doctors who died while performing their duty in the COVID-19 pandemic, said reports.  According to The Hindu,  Stalin also announced incentives to doctors, nurses, sanitary workers, people working in labs, operating CT scan equipment and those involved in operating ambulances during the second wave of COVID-19, for the months of  April, May and June this year. According to the report, doctors, nurses, trained and qualified health workers and other medical staff will be given an incentive of Rs 30,000, Rs 20,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively for these three months.

Oxygen allocation to TN increased, Centre tells Madras HC

Appearing for the Union government, ASG R Sankaranarayanan says that the oxygen allocation to Tamil Nadu has been increased to 519 MT, reports Bar&Bench. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee thanks the Centre and informs that the state estimates the requirement for oxygen to go up to 800 MT. The ASG tells the court that DRDO has informed that they are setting up (PSA plants) under the PMCARES. After the ASG says states can write to PMCARES , the chief justice suggests that the state should immediately write to PM CARES for release of funds for DRDO to set up the PSA plants.

CJ suggests to State: Mr Adv ... immediately write to PMCARES for release of funds for DRDO to set up the PSA plants.. at least four or five places if you can do that, it would be much better. #MadrasHighCourt #COVID19India

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) May 12, 2021

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Procurement of 1.50 lakh units of oxycare system developed by DRDO approved under PM-CARES fund: DRDO

PM CARES Fund has approved procurement of 1,50,000 units of Oxycare System developed by the DRDO at a cost of Rs 322.5 crore,news agency ANI quotes DRDO as saying." It’s a SpO2 based Oxygen Supply System, that regulates oxygen being administered to patients based on sensed SpO2 levels," DRDO adds.

PM CARES Fund has approved procurement of 1,50,000 units of Oxycare System developed by DRDO at a cost of Rs 322.5 Cr. It's a SpO2 based Oxygen Supply System, that regulates oxygen being administered to patients based on sensed SpO2 levels: DRDO pic.twitter.com/hkdcSZLtY6

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2021

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UK strain of COVID-19 found in Rajasthan

The UK strain of COVID-19 has been found in the samples sent from Rajasthan for genome sequencing, the state government said. 

The state’s Health Minister Raghu Sharma said the process of setting up genome sequencing facility at the Swai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College in Jaipur has commenced.

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Corpses found floating in rivers in UP, Bihar

The Bihar government on Tuesday said altogether 71 bodies have been fished out from the Ganges in Buxar district, where these were found floating in the river, triggering suspicion that the abandoned corpses could be those of COVID-19 patients. State Water Resources Minister Sanjay Kumar, a key aide of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, came out with a series of tweets, asserting that the bodies had flown downstream from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Bodies were seen floating in the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia and Ghazipur districts, reported news agency PTI on Tuesday quoting local residents and authorities. Earlier, residents in UP’s Hamirpur district had spotted five bodies floating in the Yamuna, creating a scare that these were of COVID patients, an apprehension dismissed by the authorities.

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Centre celebrated Tika Utsav but didn’t provide vaccines:Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Centre celebrated Tika Utsav in April but allegedly did not make arrangements to provide vaccines against COVID-19 which led to a decline in vaccinations.

The government had marked Tika Utsav, a vaccination drive between 11 and 14 April, with an aim to inoculate the maximum number of eligible people against coronavirus amid a surge in cases. “India is the largest vaccine-producing country. The BJP government marked Tika Utsav on 12 April, but did not make arrangements for providing vaccines and in 30 days there was an 82 percent decline in our vaccinations,” Gandhi alleged, sharing graphics comparing the number of vaccinations on 12 April and 9 May.

जनवरी 2021 में क्यों किया?

अमरीका और अन्य देशों ने हिंदुस्तानी वैक्सीन कंपनियों को बहुत पहले ऑर्डर दे रखा था। इसकी जिम्मेदारी कौन लेगा?

घर-घर वैक्सीन पहुंचाए बिना कोरोना से लड़ना असम्भव है। 2/2

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) May 12, 2021

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Centre sends 80 MT oxygen to Uttarakhand

Eighty metric tonnes of oxygen sent by the Centre by an Oxygen Express train was dispatched to different districts of Uttarakhand.

Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat said enough oxygen is being supplied by the Centre to the state in view of the difficult circumstances arising out of the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Though there was never a shortage of oxygen in the state, its consumption has gone up with the rising number of oxygenated beds in hospitals and COVID care centres, Rawat said.

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Punjab AAP MLA alleges ventilators lying unused at Faridkot hospital

Kultar Singh Sandhwan, AAP MLA from Punjab’s Kotkapura, has alleged that ventilators supplied under PM Cares Fund are lying unused in the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of Faridkot’s Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, said 62 of the 82 ventilators given to the institute under the PM Cares Fund were not in working condition. He added that the hospital only has 42 working ventilators currently.

On 11 April , the Union health ministry had informed the Punjab Chief Secretary that the state was allocated 809 ventilators, out of which only 558 ventilators were installed.

These r the ventilators fm #PMCaresFund lying unused in GGSMC Faridkot. @CMOPb pls make them work for the needy #COVID19 patients....I shall be Obliged..and Appreciate....@ChitleenKSethi @ANI @AAPPunjab @CsPunjab pic.twitter.com/GV9lUZBlox

— Kultar Singh Sandhwan (@Sandhwan) May 11, 2021

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WHO says India COVID variant found in 44 countries, of global concern

The B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus first identified in India last year has been found in 44 countries, says the World Health Organization (WHO) which has classified it as a variant of concern'.

As of 11 May, over 4,500 sequences have been uploaded to GISAID and assigned to B.1.617 from 44 countries in all six WHO regions, the global health body said. GISAID is a global science initiative and primary source that provides open access to genomic data of the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO has also characterized the lineage B.1.617 as a variant of concern (VOC).

Variants of concern are those considered more dangerous than the original form of the virus first seen in China in late 2019. That danger stems from a variant’s higher transmissibility, lethality and resistance to vaccines, or either of them.

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Operational licence can be given to 150-bed closed hospital, Delhi government informs HC

The Delhi government informed the Delhi High Court that an operational licence can be given for the 150-bed multi-speciality hospital which was closed down due to insolvency resolution process against its parent company, if it has all the requisite infrastructure in place.

The Delhi government said however that it cannot bear the expenditure or provide logistical support for running the hospital as a COVID-19 centre as its resources – manpower, medicines and equipment – were already “stretched thin” in operating its own hospitals.

The submission has been made on an affidavit filed through Delhi government standing counsel Santosh K Tripathi who said the licence can be granted if the court so directs and if the hospital – Febris Multispeciality Hospital– is in compliance with the parameters given in the Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act.

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Centre to ramp up Amphotericin B production to combat Mucormycosis

The Centre is engaging with manufacturers to ramp up production of Amphotericin B – to fight Mucormycosis.

A sudden increase in demand has been observed in some states for Amphotericin B which is being actively prescribed by the physicians to patients suffering from Mucormycosis, a post COVID complication, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers said.

The Government of India is therefore engaging with the manufacturers to ramp up production of the drug. The supply position is expected to improve with extra imports of this drug and increase in its production domestically.

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Mumbai man cheated while trying to buy Remdesivir vials online

A Mumbai-based man was allegedly duped of over Rs 40,000 by a person who allegedly promised to get him Remdesivir injections at a cheaper rate online, a police official said.

The incident took place on 27 April when the victim was in need of six Remdesivir vials. While looking for the medicine online, he found the contact number of a leading medical company’s social arm, the official said on Tuesday.

When the man dialled the number, the person on the other side asked him to deposit Rs 20,400 into a bank account specified by the latter for buying six Remdesivir injections. However, the transaction failed and he was asked to deposit the money again. Later, the victim realised that the money was withdrawn twice from his account, the official said.

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Delhi government to close 100 inoculation centres amid Covaxin paucity

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi’s reserve stock of vaccines is exhausted, adding that while centres administering Covishield vaccines are functioning, 100 centres across 17 schools administering Covaxin will be closed down.

Urging the Centre to act as the “government of the country”, Sisodia said that export of vaccines should be halted. “We had demanded 1.34 crore doses – 67 lakhs each of Covaxin and Covishield. Bharat Biotech refused to provide more doses, stating that they’re making dispatches as per directives of concerned government officials. It is obvious that these are central government officials,” he said.

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Lockdown in Assam from 2 pm to 5 am

The Assam government has enforced a lockdown from 2 pm to 5 am in the state in view of rising COVID-19 cases. Government and private offices, weekly markets will remain closed for 15 days. All shops and eateries, including dine-in, will be allowed till 1 pm.

In view of rising COVID-19 cases, stricter restrictions to come into force w.e.f. 5 am on May 13 till further orders. All shops, eateries including dine-in to be allowed till 1 pm. Only home-delivery allowed after 1 pm. Weekly markets to remain shut for 15 days: Govt of Assam pic.twitter.com/C1M50fTSdw

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2021

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India opened up prematurely: Anthony Fauci

India made the “incorrect assumption” that it was finished with the COVID-19 pandemic and opened up prematurely that has left the country in such “dire straits”, America’’s top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has told senators.

India has been severely affected by the unprecedented second wave of the coronavirus and hospitals in several states are reeling under the shortage of health workers, vaccines, oxygen, drugs and beds.

“The reason that India is in such dire straits now is that they had an original surge and made the incorrect assumption that they were finished with it, and what happened, they opened up prematurely and wind up having a surge right now that we’’re all very well aware of is extremely devastating,” he said.

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Second wave flattened but won’t end before July, says expert

India’s second COVID-19 wave seems to have flattened but the climb down will be a more prolonged, long drawn-out process than the first and will possibly run till July, says eminent virologist Shahid Jameel.

Though the new variants of the virus may partly be responsible for the explosion in the number of cases, there is no indication the mutant versions are more lethal, added the director of the Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, amid mounting worries about what is fuelling the second wave in India.

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Autos double up as ambulances, provide oxygen to COVID patients

A city-based NGO is reaching out to the needy in makeshift ambulances with the oxygen in times of crisis. The “emergency auto ambulance” is also being used by patients home quarantined and in dire need of it.

City-based Kadamai Educational and Social Welfare Trust is operating innovating auto ambulances, albeit in a smaller radius in the northern parts, but is fast turning out to be a much sought after service. “A jumbo hospital oxygen cylinder from the clinic we run and another cylinder that we obtained from an industrial unit, both of 47 lt capacity, were fitted to two autos to provide oxygen to the people in north Chennai area, round the clock,” TC Kumaraswamy, head, education department of the trust, told PTI.

hese emergency auto ambulances are operated by six persons on shift basis and they respond promptly to callers who seek medical oxygen to improve their oxygen levels. “Presently, we operate only within 15 km radius in north Chennai alone and we don’’t discourage callers seeking oxygen,” Kumaraswamy said. On an average, the trust receives about 150 to 200 calls a day.

Another metro-based volunteer organisation has launched a “Help Chennai breathe” campaign, aimed at crowdfunding a sum of Rs three crore to provide equipment like 420 oxygen cylinders and 240 oxygen concentrators to five government hospitals in the city. Gayathri Suryanarayanan of ‘‘Samarpana’’ said she launched the initiative after her own experience with oxygen issues. The effort has helped the organisation raise about Rs 25 lakh. Suryanarayanan immediately got into touch with the deans of the medical college hospitals here and offered help.

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Maharashtra may have over 2,000 Mucormycosis cases: Rajesh Tope

The Maharashtra government has decided to use hospitals attached to medical colleges as treatment centres for Mucormycosis, a serious but rare fungal infection now affecting coronavirus patients, said health minister Rajesh Tope.

Symptoms of Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision.

He said, “There could be over 2,000 Mucormycosis patients in the state as of now and with more and more COVID- 19 cases coming up, their number would increase for sure.”

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Harsh Vardhan to discuss vaccination with state health ministers

As many states raise the issue of deficient supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will hold a meeting with the health ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Telangana.

Amid a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine does, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday decided to divert three lakh vials of Covaxin meant for the 18-44 age group for the use of the people aged 45 years and above.

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Experts recommend Covaxin for phase 2/3 trials on those aged 2-18 years

Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin was recommended by an expert panel for phase II/III clinical trial on those aged between two to 18 years, official sources told PTI.

The trial will take place in 525 subjects at various sites, including AIIMS, Delhi, AIIMS, Patna and Meditrina Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur.

The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Tuesday deliberated upon Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s application seeking permission to conduct phase II/III clinical trials to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of Covaxin jabs in children aged 2 to 18 years.

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Fire at Covid care centre; 61 patients shifted

A fire broke out at a hotel-turned-Covid care centre in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar town, officials said, adding nobody was hurt. Altogether 61 coronavirus patients were shifted from the facility to other hospitals after the “minor fire and smoke”, an official said.

There were 68 patients at the facility when the fire broke out. The remaining seven will be shifted soon, he said. The hotel, around 170 km from the state capital, was converted into a Covid care centre by a private hospital.

The fire was minor and was doused immediately, the official said. Smoke engulfed the third floor of the “Generation X Hotel” facility, where the patients were kept, said senior fire officer of Bhavnagar fire brigade, Bharat Kanada.

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India reports over 3.48 lakh cases in 24 hours, 4,205 deaths

As per data updated till 8 am on Wednesday by the health ministry, India recorded 3,48,421 new COVID-19 cases, 3,55,338 discharges and 4,205 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The total COVID cases now stand at 2,33,40,938, of which over 37 lakh are active cases. The toll has risen to 2,54,197