The single day rise in coronavirus cases was recorded at 1,73,790, the lowest in last 45 days, taking India's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,77,29,247, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Saturday.
The daily positivity further declined to 8.36%, remaining below 10% for five consecutive days, while the weekly positivity rate dropped to 9.84%, it said.
The death toll climbed to 3,22,512 with 3,617 daily deaths, the data updated by the Ministry at 8 a.m. showed.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here . A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
Maharashtra sees 20,295 new COVID-19 cases, 443 deaths
Maharashtra on Saturday reported 20,295 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 443 fatalities, taking the tally to 57,13,215 and the toll to 94,030, the state health department said.
At the same time, 31,964 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the tally of recoveries in Maharashtra to 53,39,838, the department said.
Maharashtra is now left with 2,76,573 active cases, it said.
Out of the 443 fatalities, 288 occurred in the last 48 hours and 155 during the last week.
Maharashtra also added another 389 deaths to the cumulative data with various civic bodies and districts updating the toll, which pushed the overall fatality count up by 832 in the state compared to Friday, the department said.
The state's COVID-19 recovery rate now stands at 93.46 per cent, while the case fatality rate is 1.65 per cent, the department said. The case positivity rate is 16.51 per cent.
With 2,58,799 new tests, the number of samples tested so far in Maharashtra rose to 3,46,08,985, it said.
Mumbai saw 1,038 new COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths, taking its infection tally to 7,03,560 and the death toll to 14,775, the department said.
In the wider Mumbai division, which includes the city and its satellite towns, 2,968 more people tested positive for the infection, while 59 patients died including 15 from Raigad district.
The caseload in the Mumbai division now stands at 15,27,345 and the death toll is 27,583, it said.
Kerala extends lockdown till June 9
The Kerala government on Saturday announced one more week extension of the statewide lockdown till June 9, to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the extension of the shutdown at a press conference here.
The State has been under lockdown since May 8 following the sharp rise in coronavirus cases.
The Chief Minister also announced withdrawal of "triple lockdown" in Malappuram district, where the number of cases was high.
However, the general lockdown will continue in the district along with other districts in the state.
The government had earlier extended statewide lockdown twice — on May 16 and May 23 — after reviewing the situation.
- PTI
1,200-bed COVID-19 facility comes up in Gandhinagar
A 1,200-bed COVID-19 hospital has been set up jointly by the Gujarat government and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Saturday.
Mahatma Mandir used to be a venue for business summits, state governments functions, and several Vibrant Gujarat summits have also been held there.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the facility, Rupani said although the number of daily COVID-19 cases have declined, the state government remains vigilant and has prepared a detailed plan to deal with a possible third wave of the pandemic. - PTI
Delhi govt floated global tender for COVID vaccines to tide over the shortage: Kejriwal
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the Delhi government had floated a global tender for COVID vaccines to tide over the shortage of doses for citizens in the Capital.
Mr. Kejriwal made the comments after visiting the Delhi government's drive-through vaccination centre at Chhatrasal stadium where the vaccination of those above 45 years of age will be provided for free.
“We have started this centre for 45+ and will start vaccination for 18+ on receiving adequate vaccines. People are highly satisfied with the arrangements made,” Mr. Kejriwal said. - Jatin Anand
TN CM announces relief measures for COVID-19 orphaned children
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday announced that children who have lost both parents to COVID-19 will be provided with financial assistance of ₹5 lakh as fixed deposit, and the amount will be provided to them with interest when they turn 18 years of age.
The government will bear the educational and accommodation expenses of such orphaned children till their graduation from college. It will also make arrangements to ensure that priority is given to such orphaned children to be accommodated in government homes for children.
For children, who have lost either parent, a relief amount of ₹3 lakh will be given to the living parent. Children who had lost a parent earlier and have now lost the other parent to COVID-19 will be also provided with ₹5 lakh in a fixed deposit.
Delhi to get 5.5 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses for 18-44 age group in June: Sisodia
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said the city government will receive 5.5 lakh COVID-19 jabs for beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group from the Centre in June.
Addressing a press conference here, Sisodia accused the central government of "sitting over" the vaccine distribution system.
The deputy chief minister also alleged "mismanagement" by the central government and sought to know how private hospitals were getting vaccines while states were being told that there are no stocks. - PTI
Assam MLA succumbs to virus
COVID-19 has claimed the second newly elected Assam MLA in less than a week.
Also read: Provide rations to sex workers, says Gauhati High Court
Leho Ram Boro, who represented the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) from the Tamulpur Assembly constituency, passed away at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Saturday. He was 63.
NCPCR asks States/UTs to upload data of children who lost one or both parents
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked all States and Union Territories (UTs) to upload data of children who have lost either one or both parents to COVID-19 on its portal.
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani had on Tuesday said as many as 577 children across the country were orphaned after their parents succumbed to COVID-19 , citing reports of States and Union Territories from April 1 till March 25.
The announcement by the apex child rights body comes a day after the Supreme Court directed all district officers across the States/UTs to fill data related to children who have lost either one of both parents to COVID-19 within 24 hours on the Bal Swaraj portal under the ‘Covid Care’ link.
Provide rations to sex workers, says Gauhati High Court
People waiting to receive foodgrains during the lockdown in Secunderabad.
The Gauhati High Court has directed the authorities of a district in southern Assam’s Barak valley to provide rations to sex workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic .
An order was issued to the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar district and the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority on May 28.
Mainland China reports 16 new cases
Mainland China reported 16 new COVID-19 cases on May 28, up from seven cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Saturday.
No third party authorised to supply Sputnik V vaccine, says Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
Reiterating that it has the sole distribution rights of the first 250 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in India, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories on Friday said it has not authorised any third party or intermediary to supply the vaccine on its behalf in the country.
Nor has it entered into any partnership or collaboration with any party to supply the vaccine to residential associations, the pharma major said in a joint statement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).
Jayadeva uses wearable device to remote monitor ICU patients
For the last three weeks, doctors at the State-run Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences have been able to remotely monitor 50 patients in the ICU with the help of a wearable, multi-parameter, telemetric monitoring device.
The device, designed and developed by Cardiac Design Labs in Bengaluru is a monitoring system that can record all vital parameters such as ECG, heart rate, respiration rate, SpO2 (oxygen saturation), body temperature and BP without the cuff. The firm has given the institute 50 devices for free.
Intake of foreign medicos capped at 10%
The Tamil Nadu Medical Council has directed all recognised medical colleges in the State to restrict the intake of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) to 10% of the sanctioned MBBS seats for undergoing Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) training.
In an urgent communication, the TNMC said it had observed that the number of FMGs applying for provisional registration in the council to undergo internship was gradually increasing.
( With inputs from our Correspondents and agencies)
