India recorded 2,40,766 new COVID-19 cases and 3,736 deaths on May 22. The country has so far reported a total of 2,65,28,846 cases and 2,99,296 deaths.
Tamil Nadu reported 35,873 new infections, followed by Karnataka (31,183) and Kerala (28,514). Maharashtra recorded 682 casualties over the past 24 hours, followed by Karnataka (451) and Tamil Nadu (448). Maharashtra’s fatalities include backlog deaths which were missed in the previous reports.
India's COVID-19 death toll crosses 3 lakh-mark
India's coronavirus death toll climbed up to 3,00,734 with 1,013 deaths as on 23 May, 20201, 8 p.m.
Lockdown extended in Haryana till May 31
The Haryana government extended the lockdown for the third straight week till May 31. Standalone shops and shops in market places are now allowed to open with certain restrictions, but shopping malls will continue to remain shut.
Amid decline in active cases and the positivity rate in the State, the Haryana government extended lthe ockdown — rechristened as “Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana” — for another week saying there was a need to continue the restrictions to further bring down the positivity and fatality rates.
Stringent lockdown from Monday in Chennai
The police have registered a total of 3,980 cases for violating the lockdown norms and seized 3,446 vehicles on Saturday. On Sunday, in many parts of the city the police pressed in patrol vehicles to control the crowd as they thronged the markets to make purchases throwing caution to the wind.
The complete lockdown has been enforced in the state from May 10 to 24. As many people were seen roaming around the city, the city police commissioner Shankar Jiwal made the restrictions stringent. From May 18 the city was divided into 348 sectors and to move from one police station limits to another, the public were supposed to carry a E-registration proof with them with a valid reason.
Tamil Nadu banks
The State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) of Tamil Nadu has said business hours of the banks will continue to be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., from May 24 to 30 and the branches will function with one-third of staff strength on rotation basis, following the intense lockdown announcement by the State government.
Chennai sees huge crowds at markets on Sunday morning
Vegetable markets across the city saw huge crowds on Sunday morning, ahead of the intensified lockdown from Monday.
Since the State government has announced that all shops would be closed and that vegetables and fruits would be supplied through mobile vehicles in their areas for the next one week, residents flocked to vegetable, fruit shops and grocery stores in their localities to stock up.
Puducherry
The prevailing lockdown has been extended till May 31 in the Union Territory.
Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan announced on Sunday that while there had been some success in lowering incidence of new coronavirus cases following the regulations in force from May 10 to 24 midnight, the extension of the lockdown by another week was required to bring the situation under further control.
Indian tech cos join hands to make open source based oxygen concentrators; to be priced at around ₹ 40k
A group of small and medium Indian technology companies and a defence PSU have joined hands to manufacture oxygen concentrators based on an open source design project Marut, initiated by robotic and automation startup Technido to meet the immediate need of patients and reduce dependency on imports.
According to the companies involved in the project, the oxygen concentrator (OC) with 10 litres per minute flow with purity of above 93 % and capability to operate round-the-clock can be retailed at about half the price of imported units in the range of ₹ 65,000-70,000 per piece.
The prices can further reduce to ₹ 35,000-40,000 apiece on bulk purchase of 100 units or more, according to Technido.
Commercial rollout of the product is expected by the third week of June. - PTI
Lockdown extended by one more week: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaks: "We were the first to lockdown on April 19. At that time we did not know how long it would last. In one month, due to the dedication and hard work of Delhiites, we have seen an improvement in the Covid-19 situation with cases coming down."
"We have fought this together and have overcome difficulties like shortage of oxygen. We now have a problem of shortage of vaccines and we will come together and overcome this difficulty as well," he adds.
The CM saluted all the doctors and nurses who have worked had and for those who have lost their lives, Delhi govt is giving ₹ 1 crore to the families.
The Delhi CM said that the lockdown is extending by one more week.
"If this downward trend continues in the number of cases and people follow Covid protocols, we will start unlocking slowly. Our top priority is now to vaccinate people so that we can combat a third wave."
He said the Delhi is preparing for a large vaccination programme but need to have vaccines supplied. The Kejriwal govt is "willing to spend any amount on buying vaccines from companies to protect Delhiites."
LG Mathur reviews COVID-19 situation in Ladakh
Ladakh Lt Governor R.K. Mathur reviewed the COVID-19 scenario in the union territory and called for intensifying testing across villages to control the spread of the infection, an official spokesman said on Sunday.
He also directed the health department to begin infrastructural development and strengthen the paediatric section to tackle the possible third wave besides building up medicine stock for black fungus for an immediate emergency, the spokesman said Chairing a virtual meeting with senior officers here on Saturday, the Lt Governor also appealed to all to follow guidelines relating to funerals, marriages and other social functions. - PTI
After complaints of police highhandedness, Telangana govt. swings into action
Taking a serious view of the police's highhandedness in enforcing the State-wide lockdown, the Telangana government is taking action to rein in the force.
Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao and Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali held a teleconference with the Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy, after which Mr. Rao tweeted: “Discussed with Home Minister @mahmoodalitrs Garu & @TelanganaDGP Garu on today’s incidents. They will issue a statement shortly.”
This was after both Ministers took to social media stating they have received several complaints on how police stopped vehicles of food delivery executives and others in distress.
“Received several complaints on the police stopping the food delivery services & others in distress. Will discuss with @TelanganaDGP and resolve asap,” Mr. Rao tweeted. - Abhinay Deshpande
TN govt. prioritises vulnerable segment for vaccination in 18+ age group
The Tamil Nadu government has prioritised some segments of the population for the preventive vaccination against COVID-19 in the 18-44 years age group. The decision was taken in view of the limited stock of vaccines the State has, a Government Order has said.
Those who will be given priority are vulnerable groups such as newspaper boys, milk vendors and distributors; street vendors, pharmacy and grocery staff; autorickshaw and taxi drivers; bus drivers and conductors; EB staff, local body employees; workers in the e-commerce sector and essential industries, construction workers, other State labourers; all government staff and transport employees; all school and college teachers besides press and mediapersons.
Volunteers who serve food to COVID-19 patients in containment areas, members of NGOs who help out in hospitals; seafarers working in shipping industries and airport employees will also get priority.
Differently-abled persons would have to produce a certificate to be vaccinated without waiting in queue. - R. Sujatha
