As 'Unlock 1' came into effect on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi likened it to the "start of getting growth back." The Prime Minister expressed confidence in the country even as Moody’s Investors Service downgraded India’s sovereign credit rating for the first time in more than two decades to ‘Baa3’.
Here is a list of State Helpline numbers . You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here .
Here are the latest updates:
Delhi reports biggest single-day jump of 1298 new cases
Delhi reported 1,298 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 22,132, according to a health bulletin released by the Delhi government on Tuesday.
This is the biggest single-day jump in the number of cases in the city so far.
Also, 33 more deaths have been reported taking the total number of deaths to 556. But only 11 of these deaths were declared in the past 24 hours.
Of the total cases, 9,243 people have recovered and there are 12,573 active cases.
- Nikhil Babu
Reopening of cinema halls to be examined after looking at COVID-19 status in June: Prakash Javadekar
Reopening of cinema halls will be examined after assessing the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in the month of June, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday.
The Minister conveyed this to the Association of Film Producers, Cinema Exhibitioners and Film Industry representatives during a video-conference convened by him to discuss the problems being faced by the industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an official statement said.
Representations on the problems being faced by the industry had been sent to the Minister earlier by these parties, it said.
He appreciated the fact that India has over 9,500 screens generating nearly ₹30 crore per day by way of sale of tickets of cinema halls alone.
Discussing the specific demands of the industry, Mr. Javadekar said relief sought by the industry was more financial in nature such as salary subsidy, interest-free loans for three years, exemption on taxes and duties, waiver of minimum demand charges on electricity and electricity at industrial rates, among others.
On the issue of restarting production-related activities, Mr. Javadekar said standard operating procedures are being issued by the government.
Unveiling the phased reopening termed as ‘Unlock-1’, the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines had said activities at religious places, opening of hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services and shopping malls will start from June 8. However, it had said that cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums and similar places will continue to remain shut.
14 family members of two COVID-19 patients test positive in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar
Fourteen family members of two COVID-19 patients tested positive for the disease in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar on Tuesday, taking the district’s tally to 93, officials said.
Seventeen people were discharged from hospital after being cured of the disease. The number of active cases in Muzaffarnagar now stands at 48 and 45 patients have recovered so far, they said.
District Magistrate Selva Kumari said results of 144 samples were received on Tuesday. Among these, 14 new cases were found, while 17 patients tested negative.
The fresh cases include 11 family members of a female COVID-19 patient who had died on May 27. The other three cases include the husband and two children of another female patient who is undergoing treatment at Muzaffarnagar Medical College and Hospital, she said. Ms. Kumari said all these 14 people were already in quarantine when they tested positive.
Punjab’s COVID-19 death toll rises to 46, tally touches 2,342
The death toll due to COVID-19 in Punjab rose to 46 on Tuesday, with two fresh fatalities and the total number of cases climbed to 2,342 as 41 more people tested positive for the disease, officials said. The deaths were reported from Ludhiana and Pathankot districts, they said. Of the 41 fresh cases, 11 were reported in Amritsar, followed by eight in Pathankot, according to a medical bulletin.
Six cases were reported in Sangrur; four in Ludhiana; two each in Amritsar, Moga, Kapurthala and Gurdaspur; and one each in SBS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala and Faridkot, it stated.
Fifteen of these patients contracted the virus from outside Punjab, the bulletin said. Seventeen coronavirus patients were also discharged from various hospitals in Punjab after being cured, it said. With this, the total number of cured persons in the State has reached 2,017, it added.
According to the bulletin, there are 279 active cases in the State.Amritsar continues to lead the COVID-19 tally with 388 cases, followed by 256 in Jalandhar, 200 in Ludhiana, 157 in Tarn Taran, 140 in Gurdaspur, 130 in Hoshiarpur, 123 in Patiala, 113 in Mohali, 104 in SBS Nagar and 102 in Sangrur.
There are 70 cases in Rupnagar, 69 in Pathankot, 66 in Muktsar, 64 each in Fatehgarh Sahib and Moga, 63 in Faridkot, 49 in Bathinda, 46 in Ferozepur, 44 in Fazilka, 38 in Kapurthala, 32 in Mansa and 24 in Barnala. One patient is critical and on ventilator support, the bulletin said.
6 more test positive in Goa’s first containment zone
Six COVID-19 cases were detected in Goa on Tuesday, all from Vasco’s Mangor Hill area, which was declared a containment zone after two cases were reported a day earlier, an official said.
Goa now has 79 COVID-19 case, though the number of active ones is 22 as 57 people have been discharged, including 13 on Tuesday, he added. Goa’s COVID-19 figures are: Positive cases: 79, new cases: six, deaths: nil, discharged: 57, active cases: 22, samples tested till date: 22,378.
Jammu and Kashmir records 117 fresh COVID-19 cases; tally rises to 2,718
Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded two deaths and 117 fresh COVID-19 cases, including 13 pregnant women, taking the total number of infected persons to 2,718 in the Union Territory, officials said.
Of the 117 new cases, 40 are from Jammu and 77 from Kashmir, they said. Thirteen pregnant women, over a dozen police personnel and a leading pulmonologist from a government hospital in Srinagar are among the fresh cases, the officials said.
The total number of cases in Jammu and Kashmir has now reached 2,718. “Of these, 2,076 are in Kashmir and 642 in the Jammu region,” the officials added.
At present, there are 1,732 active cases in the Union Territory, while 953 patients have recovered from the disease, they said.
Meanwhile, two COVID19-related deaths were recorded in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 24 hours. The fresh fatalities include a 25-year-old man from Kupwara and an 80-year-old woman from Baramulla, the officials said. The UT has witnessed 33 COVID19-related deaths so far.
Four persons' death - 2 in Jaipur and 1 each in Bharatpur and Kota - takes the COVID-19 related mortality figure in Rajasthan to 203. A total of 273 new COVID-19 positive cases were detected in the State today, taking the tally to 9,373. Of them, 6,435 have recovered and 5,895 have been discharged. The number of active cases in Rajasthan, as of now, is 2,735: Medical & Health Department.
- Mohammed Iqbal
Maharashtra reported another massive spike of 2,287 new COVID-19 cases to take the State's cumulative tally to 72,300 while 103 new deaths saw the total number of fatalities rise to 2,465. However, only 38,493 of these cases are active. As many as 1,225 patients were discharged today, taking the total number of discharged till date to 31,333.
Mumbai's total case tally has now crossed the 42,000 mark to reach 42,216 with the city reporting 1,117 new cases today. Mumbai's death toll has risen to 1,368. As many as 49 of the new deaths reported today were from Mumbai city, ten each from Pune district and the Mira Bhayander civic body area, and six from Raigad district among other parts of the State.
- Shoumojit Banerjee
Gujarat adds 29 deaths and 415 new infections of COVID-19, increasing its total numbers to 1,092 deaths and 17,632 cases.
- Mahesh Langa
Delhi police personnel among 5 fresh COVID-19 cases in Himachal; tally 346
The number of coronavirus cases in Himachal Pradesh rose to 346 on Tuesday as five more people were confirmed positive for the infection, officials said.
The fresh cases include a Delhi police personnel, a flight passenger and a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) employee, they said. While three cases were reported from Kangra district, two were detected from Mandi district, Special Secretary (Health) Nipun Jindal said.
The number of coronavirus cases in the State has risen to 346. The active cases are 212, while 123 patients have recovered. Six have died of the infection, the officials said.
Hamirpur has the highest number of active cases in the State at 76, followed by 57 in Kangra, 18 each in Una and Solan, 13 in Chamba, 11 in Bilaspur, nine in Mandi, seven in Shimla, two in Sirmaur and one in Kullu.
On Tuesday, six patients - five in Hamirpur and one in Una - recovered from coronavirus, Jindal said.
86 positive cases in Kerala, tally climbs to 1,412; one death, taking toll to 11
In the biggest single day spike, 86 COVID-19 cases were reported in Kerala on Tuesday, taking the infection tally to 1,412 as one more person succumbed to the virus in the State.
The 77-year-old deceased, a Christian priest, died at the Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital. With this, the total fatalities in the State has climbed to 11.
Presently, 774 people are undergoing treatment for COVID-19 and 627 have recovered, including 19 who were discharged today, a release quoting Health Minister K.K. Shailaja, said.
Malappuram reported the highest number of 15 cases,Alappuzha 10, Kasaragod nine, Kollam eight, Thiruvananthapuram seven, Kottayam, Thrissur and Wayanad six each, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Kannur five cases each, Ernakulam three and Pathnamthitta one. Of the postive cases, 46 were from abroad and 26 from other States, the release said.
The release said 71,068 samples have been sent for testing so far of which results of 67,249 received are negative. The number of hotspots in the State has touched 122, with the addition of one region from Malappuram.
Four AAI employees test COVID-19 positive; Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan sealed till June 4 for sanitisation
Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, which houses Civil Aviation Ministry and Airports Authority of India (AAI) offices, has been sealed for sanitisation after four AAI employees tested positive for COVID-19, senior government officials said on Tuesday.
“Four AAI employees have tested positive. Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan has been sealed till June 4 for a thorough sanitisation,” they said.
On April 22, the Civil Aviation Ministry wing of the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan was sealed for three days after an employee of the Ministry tested positive for the disease.
Institutional quarantine period doubled in Odisha’s Kendrapara amid spike in COVID-19 cases
The Kendrapara district administration on Tuesday increased the period of mandatory institutional quarantine to 14 days from one week amid a spike in COVID-19 cases, a senior official said.
Migrant returnees in rural areas of the State are placed under seven-day institutional quarantine and another week of home isolation, while in urban areas, a 14-day home quarantine is mandatory.
The district on Tuesday recorded 13 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 152. Of the fresh cases, 12 were reported from quarantine centres, while one tested positive in a containment zone. On Monday, Kendrapara had witnessed the highest single-day spike with 50 positive cases.
As a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the disease, the administration has placed the Kansara gram panchayat under containment zone, the Collector said.
The administration has readied 46,892 beds in 1,164 temporary health camps spread across 249 gram panchayats of the district, as authorities await more returnees from various parts of the country, he said.
West Bengal government to set up 15 more hospitals for COVID-19 patients
Amid the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases following the return of migrant workers, the West Bengal government has decided to set up 15 more dedicated hospitals for coronavirus patients, a senior official said on Tuesday.
A directive in this regard has already been sent to the State Health Department, which would soon set the ball rolling for the project, he said.
Currently, the State has 69 dedicated hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients. Of them, 16 are run by the government and the rest by private entities.
“These specialised hospitals will be coming up in Coochbehar, Alipurduar, Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum, Hooghly and Howrah,” the official at the State Secretariat said.
So far, over five lakh migrant labourers have returned to West Bengal from other parts of the country, including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu - which have been earmarked as COVID - 19 hotspots.
Cooch Behar district, which was a green zone until May 29, has reported 87 cases in a matter of three days. Similar is the scene in Bankura, Uttar Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Malda, Purulia, Jhargram, Darjeeling as well as Dakshin Dinajpur, the official added.
Four-month-old tests positive for COVID-19 in Amravati
At least 18 people, including a four-month-old baby girl, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra’s Amravati district on Tuesday, an official said.
With the detection of 18 fresh cases, the district’s COVID-19 tally has risen to 248, a release from the administration stated.
A four-month-old baby girl and two children aged two and five were among 18 persons who tested positive for the infection on Tuesday, the official said. The infant from Aurangpura has become the youngest COVID-19 patient in the district, he added.
Of the new cases, eight were reported from Frezerpura, three from Ratanganj and one each from Masanganj, Ramnagar, Budhwara, Chhayanagar, Maloo Layout in Saturna, Jalaramnagar and Aurangpura on Tuesday, the data stated.
Rajasthan at top in prevention of COVID-19 spread, recovery of patients: Minister
Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Tuesday said the State is at the top in the country in prevention of coronavirus spread, recovery of infected patients and reduced mortality rate. He said Rajasthan has topped every index in a comparative study of 10 States done by the Central government.
The State presently has capacity to conduct 18,250 tests per day and soon it will achieve the target of 25,000 tests per day, he said.
Mr. Sharma said 35 lakh tests have been done in the whole country and 4 lakh tests have been done in the State alone. More than 1.10 lakh tests have been done at the State-run Sawai Mansingh Hospital. The doubling rate of coronavirus cases in Rajasthan is 18 days against the country’s 12 days, he said.
The Minister said the mortality rate due to COVID-19 in the State is 2.16, which is much lower than the national average.
6 more returnees test COVID-19 positive in Nagaland, total rises to 49
Nagaland reported six more COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total number of people afflicted with coronavirus in the State to 49, Health Minister S. Pangnyu Phom said.
All new patients had returned to the State from Chennai on May 22 by a Shramik special train. The train brought back 1,328 residents of the State, who were stranded in various parts of Tamil Nadu due to the lockdown.
“Out of 90 samples tested from Chennai returnees, six tested COVID-19 positive. All cases are from Dimapur,” the Minister said in a tweet.
The State recorded a surge in the number of cases with migrants from other parts of the country returning home. A total of 31 patients are undergoing treatment at a COVID-19 hospital in Dimapur, 13 in Chedema facility in Kohima and five in Tuensang hospital.
The Nagaland government has not counted a person from the State who tested positive for coronavirus on April 12 last in Assam after a private hospital in Dimapur referred him to Guwahati for treatment. He later recovered from the disease.
COVID-19 lab not needed in every district: Maharashtra government to Bombay High Court
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that COVID-19 testing facilities need not be set up in every district, as the outbreak is largely confined to urban or semi-urban areas.
Besides, hospitals in many districts can not be upgraded quickly enough to set up coronavirus testing labs, it added.
The reply, by the Director of Health Services, came in response to a public interest litigation filed by Khalil Wasta. Mr. Wasta had sought a direction to the government to set up laboratories in non-red zone districts such as Ratnagiri.
The State government was committed to establish testing laboratories at places where it is most necessary, the reply added.Setting up a COVID-19 testing lab is a highly specialised exercise which needs to be carried out carefully, it said.
Labs not only require sophisticated machinery, but also need highly trained manpower, the government said.
As per the Indian Council of Medical Research’s guidelines, a dedicated COVID-19 testing facility should be set up in a district where the number of patients is increasing by a minimum of 100 per day, it said.
A division Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipankar Datta posted the matter for hearing on June 5. As per the government affidavit, there are 79 coronavirus testing facilities in Maharashtra at present.
COVID-19 count from Tamil Nadu: 1,091 persons test positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the total to 24,586; 536 discharged and the total discharged is 13,706; 13 deaths reported, taking the total death toll to 197.
- Serena Josephine
Uttar Pradesh’s COVID-19 death toll rises to 223, tally climbs to 8,532
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 223 in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, with one fresh fatality and the total number of cases in the State rose to 8,532 as 171 more people tested positive for the disease, a Health Department bulletin said.
There are 3,231 active cases in the State, while 5,078 patients have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, it said. Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said Uttar Pradesh has a recovery rate of 59.71%.
Nine coronavirus cases reported in Puducherry, tally rises to 82
Nine fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Puducherry on Tuesday, taking the total number of infections in the Union Territory to 82, a top Health Department official said.
Nine patients were admitted to the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College hospital in Pudhcherry while five people were discharged, taking the total number of active cases to 52, Director of Health and Family Welfare Services S. Mohan Kumar said.
The total number of patients treated and discharged so far is 30, he said. He further said Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions had no active coronavirus cases.
COVID-19 count from Bihar: Total death - 24; number of positive cases: 4,049; number of recovered persons: 1,803 and total sample tests done: 81,413.
- Amarnath Tewary
Notices issued to four private hospitals over COVID-19 treatment
Maharashtra Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday said show-cause notices have been served to four prominent private city hospitals for not following rules with regard to COVID-19 treatment and warned of strict action against hospitals violating norms.
He said the notices have been served to Bombay, Jaslok, Hinduja and Lilavati Hospitals for not adhering to rules related to treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Mr. Tope said he visited these four medical facilities following complaints that some private players were not cooperating with patients after the State government took charge of 80% of the beds in private hospitals in view of the COVID-19 crisis. He was accompanied by State Health Assurance Society CEO Sudhakar Shinde during the random visit, it said.
Strict action will be taken against hospitals which will not follow government orders, Mr. Tope tweeted.
Yamunanagar’s famous timber market reopens after over 2 months
North India’s major timber market in Yamunanagar district of Haryana has opened for the first time since the lockdown was imposed in March to control coronavirus infection, traders said.
More than 20% of units resumed work on the first day of reopening on Monday, traders said, adding that they were following all the guidelines of the State government in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Around 350 to 400 trolleys arrived in market on Monday against about 800 to 900 trolleys that used to come in the market daily before the lockdown, traders said.
Pune institute develops AI for detection of COVID-19
Researchers at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) in Pune have developed an Artificial Intelligence-enabled COVID-19 detection tool, which uses chest x-rays of patients to identify the infection.
According to the release, chest x-rays of suspected patients can be uploaded on this AI tool, which immediately confirms any abnormality due to COVID-19 or other kinds of respiratory disorders. This will be a useful tool for radiologists and it can also be used in telemedicine, the statement read.
The DIAT has made it available for free on its website www.diat.ac.in, where a link has been provided, the release stated.
13 employees of Delhi LG office test COVID-19 positive; 6 other government officials infected
Thirteen employees of the Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal’s office and six other government officials in New Delhi have tested positive for COVID-19, sources said on Tuesday.
They said that junior assistants, drivers, peons are among the 13 people working at the Lt. Governor Secretariat who have tested positive for the deadly virus.
Recently, all officers and officials working at the Delhi LG office underwent the COVID-19 test after a junior assistant was found infected. Meanwhile, sources said that six officials of the Delhi government have also tested positive for COVID-19.
On Monday, Delhi recorded 990 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 20,834, while the death toll due to the disease mounted to 523, authorities said. The number of active cases stands at 11,565, while 8,746 patients have been cured, they said.
Delhi returnee tests positive in Arunachal Pradesh
A 36-year-old woman who had returned to Arunachal Pradesh from Delhi tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday in Lohit district, where the first positive case was detected on April 1, a health official said.
With this, the total number of novel coronavirus cases in the State rose to 23, including 22 active cases. The woman, wife of an Indo Tibetan Border police (ITBP) officer, was in an institutional quarantine centre after arriving from Delhi in a special train with her husband and child on May 24, the official said.
Her swab sample was collected on May 28 and sent to the Regional Medical Research Centre at Dibrugarh in Assam, District Medical officer of Lohit Dr. S. Chai Pul said.
In the highest single-day spike of novel coronavirus cases in the State, 18 people had tested positive for the infection on Monday. All the active cases in Arunachal Pradesh are returnees from other States after the Union Home Ministry allowed movement of stranded people.
Two more COVID-19 deaths in Jammu & Kashmir; toll rises to 33
Two more people succumbed to COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in the Union Territory to 33, officials said on Tuesday. The fresh fatalities include a 25-year-old man from Kupwara and an 80-year-old woman from Baramulla, they said.
With these deaths, the death toll due to COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 33, they said.
Meanwhile, a pulmonologist Naveed Nazir Shah, who was leading a COVID-19 hospital in Srinagar, tested positive for the respiratory disease late on Monday night.
As of Monday, Jammu and Kashmir had 2,601 COVID-19 cases, according to official data.
"It is not fair to attribute every death to COVID"
ICMR spokesperson said that ICMR is conducting sero-survey to determine the extent of transmission of virus. About 34,000 individuals are being tested and the results are expected to be out within a week or so.
We are far away from "peak", in comparison to other countries, we are in a much better condition, says the ICMR spokesperson.
None of us thinks that there is gross under reporting of deaths in India. We have been good in terms of reduction in mortality, compared to other countries. It is not fair to attribute every death to COVID: ICMR spokesperson. Causalty analysis is done to determine if any death is due to COVID-19.
Drug Controller General approves Remdesivir for emergency use
Remdesivir has been given approval by the Drug Controller General for emergency use, based on evidence: Health Ministry spokesperson.
From Day 1, our effort has been to advise the State governments on the infrastructure required to meet the challenges. Keeping in view the requirement, we have advised them to make arrangements for oxygen supported bed. Based on the trajectory of cases, we have also been advising them on how many beds they would require in the coming days. On a query about OPDs still not operating in hospitals, Health Ministry spokesperson says instructions have already been issued for ensuring regular functioning of medical facilities.
"We discuss contact-tracing with the States"
We have been continuously discussing with the States about contact-tracing, identification of cases and treatment of the patients. With the increase in number of cases, it is up to the States to make appropriate arrangements.
As the number of cases approach 2 lakh, our primary focus remains on containment zones, identifying cases and contact tracing in the particular areas, as and when additional cases are found in other locations, to that extent the area of containtment zones is increased and those found positive are to be quarantined and treated as per protocol.
- Health Ministry spokesperson
'Elderly and those with co-morbidities most vulnerable'
Elderly people of above 60 years age and those with co-morbidities are the most vulnerable, says Health Ministry spokesperson. 73% of deaths in India are people with co-morbidities, he adds.
If the high-risk population develops any symptom, without panicking, they should take medical advice, seeking medical support from State or district helplines. They should act as per the doctor's advice, he says.
'India's fatality rate among the lowest'
Wrong and doubtful conclusion is bring drawn when we say that in terms of number of cases, our country is in the seventh place, the comparison should be made primary in terms of our country's population, says Health Ministry spokesperson.
"If we take 14 countries with total population close to that of India, in those countries, in comparison to India, 22.50% more cases have been 55.20 times more deaths have been reported there," he adds.
The fatality rate is continuously declined. It was 3.30% on April 15, 3.25% on May 3, it went down to 3.15% on May 18 and it is now 2.82%. On April 15, the recovery rate was 11.42%, it was 26.59% on May 3, which went up to 38.29% on May 18 and now it is 48.07%.
Fatality per lakh population is 0.41% in India, compared to 4.9% in the world, he says.
Another Mumbai policeman dies of COVID-19
An Assistant sub-Inspector (ASI) of Police died due to COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the total number of the police personnel having succumbed to the viral infection in Mumbai to 19 and in Maharashtra to 29.
The ASI breathed his last at Sion hospital and is survived by his wife and two children.
Uttarakhand govt launches website of self-employment scheme for youths, migrants
The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday launched a website of the Mukhya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana to make it easier for enterprising youths and migrants returning to the state to apply online for the scheme. The website msy.uk.gov.in has been hosted in the state data centre located at IT Park, chief minister’s IT adviser Ravindra Dutt said.
Applicants will have to register themselves on the website and create a log in ID to be able to apply online for the self-employment scheme.
Loans will be given to eligible applicants under the scheme for projects worth Rs 25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and worth Rs 10 lakh in the service sector.
Out on parole, prisoner tests positive for COVID-19
A 30-year-old prisoner, who was out on parole from Thane Central Jail, has tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra’s Palghar district.
Following his release on Saturday, the patient had travelled to his sister’s place in Wada and later proceeded to Jawhar, where he was not allowed to enter his village without a COVID-19 test. He was taken to a medical centre, where he tested positive for the deadly infection on Monday night.
At least 888 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in Palghar district so far, of which 31 persons have succumbed to the infection. - PTI
COVID-19 cases in U’khand near 1,000-mark
Forty-one more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand on Tuesday, taking the total number of infections in the state to 999.
The highest number of 26 cases were reported from Dehradun district, 11 from Tehri, three from Chamoli and one from Haridwar district, a state heath department bulletin here said.
There are 746 active cases in the hill state, while 243 people have recovered from the infection, it said.
Seven people have died due to coronavirus in Uttarakhand so far and three patients migrated to other states.
In “containment-free” Raj Bhavan, a construction worker is COVID-19 positive
A day after the Madhya Pradesh Raj Bhavan declared part of its campus “containment-free”, without reportedly consulting the Bhopal district administration, a construction worker tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, said a Raj Bhavan official.
As six residents had tested positive by May 27, a containment area was thrown around 10 employees’ quarters which curbed movement. Later, another four residents were confirmed positive, with three families being affected.
“The worker lives outside the campus and didn’t have contact with the infected residents. He worked in another part of the campus,” said the official.
Until Monday, the Raj Bhavan had received 395 test reports including the Governor’s who was declared negative for the infection. A day later, another 50 reports were received. - Sidharth Yadav
Delhi HC decides to monitor disposal of COVID-19 bodies
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said it would be monitoring implementation of the AAP government’s recent order on disposal of bodies of those who died of COVID-19.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan said that it wants to see how the Delhi government health department’s May 30 direction regarding disposal of COVID-19 dead has worked at the ground level.
Delhi government additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose, who appeared for the health department, said that the court particularly wanted to see whether the May 30 order has worked with regard to bodies of those who died on May 31 and June 1.
The May 30 order of the Health department has fixed the responsibility, for timely disposal of the COVID-19 positive/suspect dead bodies, on the Medical Director/ Director of the hospital where a patient died or was brought dead.
INS Jalashwa repatriates nearly 700 Indians stranded in Sri Lanka
Nearly 700 Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka due to the international travel restrictions sailed back home from the country on an Indian Navy warship.
The voyage of the Indian Navy Ship INS Jalashwa is in the series of Operation Samudra Setu, an exercise in which Indian Naval Ships have been deployed to bring back stranded Indians abroad under the Vande Bharat Mission.
The Indian Naval Ship made the voyage from Colombo Port to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu on June 1. - PTI
Quarantined migrants in Bihar given condoms, contraceptives
The Bihar government is distributing condoms and contraceptives to quarantined migrants when they are discharged from the mandatory 14-days quarantine period.
The Bihar State Health Society (BSHS) has launched the campaign to promote family planning in the densely populated State.
“At the time of migrants’ discharge from quarantine and isolation centres, the health workers not only give them tips on family planning but also provide packets of condoms, contraceptives and pregnancy kits to them,” said a BSHS official.
Delhi govt launches app to know availability of beds
Delhi is equipped to handle rising coronavirus cases and there is no need to panic, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said.
Coronavirus cases are rising in the Capital but there is no need to panic because we have made arrangements to ensure that if anyone in your family gets infected there is a bed as well as oxygen, if required, available, says Mr. Kejriwal
There are 6731 beds in our hospitals of which 4100 are lying vacant, says Mr. Kejriwal.
Today we are launching an app which will give you real time information on the number of hospital beds — both in private and government hospitals — available. The app is called Delhi Corona and is available on Play Store; you can also access this information on DelhiFightsCorona.in/beds as well as on our helpline 1031. - Jatin Anand
According to a Raj Niwas spokesperson, 13 officials posted at the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat have tested positive for COVID-19 till Tuesday afternoon. - Jatin Anand
India’s drug regulator grants Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for remdesivir
India’s drug regulator has granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for its anti-viral drug remdesivir for “restricted emergency use” on hospitalised COVID-19 patients in view of the crisis posed by the pandemic.
The drug has been allowed for restricted emergency use for treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalised with severe symptoms, subject to several safeguards.
Gilead Sciences had on May 29 applied for marketing authorisation for remdesivir in India. The drug is being touted as a potential treatment for COVID-19.
23 people from Uttarakhand Minister's house test positive
As many as 23 people including Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, his wife, family members, staff and his followers staying in the same household have tested positive for COVID-19.
Satpal Maharaj’s two sons, their wives and a one-and-a-half-year-old grandson were discharged from the hospital on Monday evening to be home quarantined as they were asymptomatic, but they had to be readmitted at their own request only two hours later, AIIMS, Rishikesh PRO Harish Thapliyal said.
171 new COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan
The novel coronavirus cases in Rajasthan rose to 9,271 on Tuesday after 171 people tested positive, while two more deaths took the toll to 201.
Seventy out of the 171 new COVID-19 cases are from Bharatpur.
Nine new COVID-19 cases were reported in Puducherry on Tuesday. Five patients were discharged after recovering. Active cases aggregated to 52, the cumulative total is 82 and number of discharged 30. - Dinesh Verma
'India needs to rise to the occasion'
Highlights from PM Modi's speech at CII event:
There are five key elements reflected in all our decisions: Intent, Inclusion, Investment, Infrastructure and Innovation.
With the recent bold decisions we have prepared various sectors for the future. For us reforms are not random or scattered decisions, but a planned, systematic, integrated and futurists process.
India needs to rise to the occasion. Getting growth back is not difficult, trust me. You now have a clear path -- that of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Atmanirbhar Bharat will be integrated with the world and will be supportive, but we don’t want to rely on others in strategic sectors.
We need to invest in a robust supply chain. Industry needs to expand its market globally. We need to increase productivity in all sectors.
We consider the private sector to be a partner in country’s progress. I request you to come up with detailed studies on every sector… think big. We will together make Atmanirbhar Bharat. The government stands with you. - Yuthika Bhargava
Strengthening the economy against corona is among our highest priorities: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi likened the unlock 1.0 to the "start of getting growth back." While addressing the annual general body meeting of CII, the Prime Minister expressed confidence in the country even as Moody’s Investors Service downgraded India’s sovereign credit rating for the first time in more than two decades to ‘Baa3’.
On one hand while we need to take tough steps to prevent virus, we also have to stabilize and speed up the economy. We will definitely get our growth back. Some people might think how can i say this with such confidence during such tough times. I have full confidence in India's capability.
Corona may have slowed our speed but the truth is that India is now leaving lockdown and entering Unlock 1. This is the start of getting growth back. We are able to do this because when corona was spreading in the world, India took the right steps. Lockdown has helped India to develop physical resources and save human resources.
Strengthening the economy against corona is among our highest priorities. Government is not only taking important decisions for the short term but also for the long term. With the recent bold decisions we have prepared various sectors for the future. For us reforms are not random or scattered decisions, but a planned, systematic, integrated and futurists process.
- Yuthika Bhargava
Wuhan registers zero asymptomatic infections for first time
China has reported 15 new coronavirus cases while Wuhan, the epicentre of the COVID-19, where over nine million people have been tested in the last few weeks has not registered any asymptomatic case for the first time, the health authority said on Tuesday.
According to China’s National Health Commission (NHC), five imported cases and 10 asymptomatic cases were reported in the country on Monday.
12 people test COVID-19 positive in Mizoram
Twelve people who recently returned from Delhi and Kolkata have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Mizoram, an official said on Tuesday.
The state had earlier reported only one COVID-19 case on March 24. The first patient was discharged from hospital on May 9 after he recovered.
Ten out of the 12 new cases were Delhi returnees, while two have returned from Kolkata recently. Their sample results came on Monday night, Health Department spokesperson Pachuau Lalmalsawma told PTI .
All the new COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic. Eleven of them were inmates of a quarantine facility in Kolasib district and one was an patient of Zoram Medical College, Lalmalsawma said.
The 11 COVID-19 patients from Kolasib were admitted at the ZMC early on Tuesday, he said.
- PTI
141 new COVID-19 cases were detected in Odisha on Tuesday pushing the State’s total to 2,245.
Active cases stood at 991, while 1,245 had recovered and nine died – seven of COVID-19 and two due to other ailments, officials said.
- Prafulla Das
Japan allows saliva-based coronavirus tests
The Japanese Health Ministry said on Tuesday it now allow saliva-based coronavirus tests, to help boost the number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.
Currently, nasal swabs are mainly used for tests in Japan, and sneezes at the time of collecting samples expose medical workers to the risk of potential infection.
102 new COVID-19 cases in Tripura
The number of COVID-19 cases in Tripura rose to 423, with 102 people testing positive for coronavirus. 173 people have been discharged so far.
“Alert. 102 people found COVID-19 positive today in Tripura out of 578 samples tested. All of them have travel history. As the numbers are rising, I urge everyone to stay extra conscious, follow the Govt instructions and co-operate with us. #TripuraCOVID19Count”, CHief Minister Biplab Deb tweeted.
Punjab launches month-long awareness campaign to fight COVID-19
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday launched a month-long drive, as part of “Mission Fateh”, to spread mass awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The campaign, which will broaden the ambit of ‘Mission Fateh’ beyond the frontline workers, will bring the people of Punjab into its fold to make the fight a battle of the people, by the people and for the people,” said the Chief Minister.
Complete weekend shutdown in 11 districts
The Odisha government on Monday announced several tough measures to tackle the COVID-19 challenge in the wake of return of lakhs of Odia migrant workers.
The government ordered complete weekend shutdown in 11 migration-prone districts in June.
The shutdown will be enforced in Ganjam, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and Bolangir on all Saturdays and Sundays till June 30, said Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy.
Places of worship, hotels, malls to reopen on June 8
The Assam government has allowed places of worship, hotels, restaurants and shopping malls to reopen on June 8.
A notification issued on Monday said the shooting of films and videos in open spaces and studios; operation of barber shops and parlours only for hair trimming; and yoga, morning walk and jogging in open spaces and public parks were allowed with immediate effect.
Assam COVID-19 count on June 1, as updated Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma: 123 cases during the day, including 30 who arrived by flight from Kuwait, puts the total of positive people at 1,485, with 1,194 active cases, 284 discharged, 4 dead and 3 migrated to other states
- Rahul Karmakar
