A slew of COVID-19 related announcements were made on Wednesday, aimed at the revival of India's economy. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a ₹3 lakh crore stimulus package for MSMEs, and the Prime Minister’s Office announced that the PM CARES fund will allocate ₹3,100 crore to COVID-19 relief , including funds for ventilators, migrant workers and vaccine development.
The Hindu has brought out a multi-language e-book on essential COVID-19 information, in addition to covering the developments related to the coronavirus pandemic as it unfolded. Here is a collection of our daily cartoons on COVID-19 .
Here are answers from experts on your queries about the virus, a list of State Helpline numbers , a State-wise tracker for COVID-19 cases, deaths and testing, and a map of confirmed cases in India.
Here are the latest updates:
Delhi govt suggests Centre that shops in markets, malls be allowed to open on odd-even basis
The Delhi government on Thursday submitted a proposal to the Centre on lockdown relaxations post May 17 and suggested opening of markets, shopping complexes and operation of buses and metro services with strict social distancing norms.
The government has suggested operation of construction activities in the national capital and that movement of labourers within Delhi be allowed, sources in the government told PTI.
Taxis with two passengers will be allowed, they said, adding that in buses, 20 passengers are likely to be allowed to travel with strict social distancing norms.
“The government has suggested that opening of markets, complexes and malls should be allowed in Delhi. However, shops engaged in non-essential items in shopping complexes and malls should be allowed to operate on odd-even basis,” a source said.
Four deaths - two from other States and one each in Jaipur and Karauli - reported in Rajasthan today, taking the COVID-19 related death toll in the State to 125. A total of 206 COVID-19 positive cases detected in 17 districts today. The tally of positive cases in Rajasthan is now 4,534. Of them, 2,638 have recovered and 2,397 have been discharged. Additionally, 267 persons among the migrants coming back to Rajasthan have tested COVID-19 positive. As of now, the State has 1,771 active cases: Medical & Health Department.
- Mohammed Iqbal
The count of COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh surged to 4,426 on Thursday as 253 new cases were reported during the day. Five deaths owing to the illness were reported on the day, taking the State-wide death toll to 237. Three persons died in Burhanpur, while one person died in Indore and Neemuch each. Whereas, 167 patients were discharged from hospitals across the State after being cured of the illness. So far, 2,171 persons have recovered from the illness, says the State Directorate of Health Services.
- Sidharth Yadav
Telangana reports 47 new cases on Thursday taking the total to 1,414. The State reported 13 discharges today and the active cases stood at 428. The death toll stood at 34.
Sikkim only coronavirus-free State in India, proactive steps made this a reality: Officials
Sikkim continues to be the only Indian state that is free from the clutches of coronavirus, which has wreaked havoc in the country and across the globe, taking lives at will and locking up millions within the confines of the four walls.
Officials attribute this remarkable achievement to a slew of proactive measures since March 5, including banning entry of tourists and suspending issuance of permits for the popular Nathula visit, as well as the Inner-line Permit (ILP) for foreign travellers.
The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) government headed by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang also temporarily barred Sino-India trade near the Nathula International Border.
“The state government had to initiate stern and timely measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19 and the results are in front of everyone,” a senior official told PTI.
Fresh test for Wuhan as cluster sparks mass virus screening
Nervous residents of China's pandemic epicentre of Wuhan queued up across the city to be tested for the coronavirus on Thursday after a new cluster of cases sparked a mass screening campaign.
Lines of socially distanced people formed at makeshift testing sites set up under tents in parking lots, parks and residential communities as it rained in the metropolis of 11 million people.
"This is a good thing. It's a way to be responsible towards others and to yourself," a 40-year-old man told AFP after completing the process.
New Covid-19 guidelines: Test mandatory for all entering TN, travelling inter-district
The Tamil Nadu government has made it mandatory to test all people entering the State from other parts of the country or abroad and those within returning to their home towns, according to its revised guidelines on COVID-19 testing and quarantine on Thursday.
Testing will be done on people coming into Tamil Nadu from all the States and union territories, the revised guidelines said.
While those testing positive will be taken to a hospital, those coming from hotspots and testing negative for the virus will be in institutional quarantine for seven days, it said.
After a week, if the individuals display no symptoms, then they will be sent for home quarantine or continued in government quarantine facility in case the said individual does not have facilities at home for the remaining seven days.
Those from other States (non-hotspots) who test negative may be sent for home quarantine or institutional quarantine if facilities were not available in their homes for two weeks.
The State government has, however, exempted four categories of travellers from undergoing institutional quarantine norms, including people aged over 75 years.
The four exempted categories of travellers are:
People with terminal illnesses and those requiring immediate medical attention in a hospital, pregnant women, people who are to attend a funeral or death rituals of an immediate family member and those above 75 and who require assistance.
They can opt for home or hospital quarantine after initial testing if they submit an undertaking that they will get themselves admitted in a medical facility if their test results come back as positive.
Such people will be made to undergo medical examination to confirm the status and must submit a request for exemption in advance to the authorities, the government said.
Recently, the State government had set up a website to facilitate the return of the Tamils across the world who have been stranded due to the lockdown.
Massive surge of new cases in Maharashtra
Maharashtra reported a massive surge of 1,602 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday as the cumulative tally breached the 27,000 - mark to reach 27,524. Fortyfour new deaths were reported, breaching the 1,000-mark. The total number of fatalities stood at 1,019. As many as 512 patients were discharged taking the total number of discharged till date to 6059.
Mumbai's case tally has now soared to 16,738 cases, while it's death toll stood at 621. As many as 25 of the new deaths reported today were from Mumbai city , 10 from Navi Mumbai and five from Pune district among other parts of the state.
Gujarat records 324 new cases and 20 deaths, increasing the State’s tally of total Covid-19 infection cases to 9592 and fatality numbers 586.
School converted into 400-bed hospital in Thane
Considering the rise in COVID-19 cases, the civic body in Maharashtra’s Thane city has converted a school here into a 400-bed hospital, a senior official said on Thursday.
Mayor Naresh Mhaske on Thursday said the Thane Municipal Corporation had converted a school building in the city into a COVID-19 care facility in light of the rise in cases.
This was in addition to 1,000 beds, which were being arranged at a centre, apart from 600 beds reserved at various hospitals in the city, he said.
As of Wednesday, Thane city had recorded 843 COVID- 19 cases, including 37 deaths.
23 more COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar taking the total number to 989 in the State. All the cases are from Muzaffarpur, Banka, Lakhisarai and other districts.
Thirteen more COVID-19 positive cases, all Surat returnees, were detected in Kendrapara district taking Odisha’s total to 624 on Thursday. 73 cases were detected in the State earlier in the day.
Second tranche of economic package will benefit farmers and migrant workers, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the announcements made by his government on Thursday to boost the economy will strengthen food security and credit to farmers as well as street vendors.
“Today’s announcements by FM Nirmala Sitharaman will especially benefit our farmers and migrant workers,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter.
“The announcements include a series of progressive measures and will boost food security, credit to farmers as well as street vendors,” he said.
On the economic package, BJP chief J.P. Nadda said “Finance minister’s announcements will help ensure food security for migrant workers, boost farm sector and small firms.”
Protests in Leh over new containment rules
Locals held a demonstration in Ladakh's Leh district on Thursday against the Union Territory (UT) administration's new COVID-19 containment rules and the move to charge between Rs. 2500 to Rs. 3000 at non-administrative quarantine facilities from the stranded students and pilgrims, who returned home from the outside.
Scores of protesters took to streets in Leh's Chuchot, which is a containment zone, and lodged a street protest against the UT administration's new rules to counter the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the protesters.
Saira Bano, a Block Development Council chairperson, was injured in the lathicharge. "We demand action against the policemen who thrashed the female protesters.
"We have already conveyed (to the administration) that we are ready for surveillance of our kids and pilgrims who are returning, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO). The way rules are followed in other containment zones, same should be applied in Leh as per revised WHO guidelines," said Ms. Bano.
--Peerzada Ashiq
Economic package nothing but ‘Jumla package’, says Congress
The Congress on Thursday said the government’s economic package has so far fallen way short of what the prime minister had promised the nation and dubbed it as a "jumla package".
Senior spokesperson of the party Anand Sharma said the country believed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was serious when he made the “dramatic” announcement of giving 10 per cent of the GDP as a package to revive the economy and support workers and migrant labourers, and that expectations had soared.
“The finance minister’s announcement dashed all hopes,” he said.
Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcements were nothing but a "jumla package".
Senior party leader Ahmed Patel said, “It is not an economic package. It is an empty package wrapped with speeches since the last three days.”
Dharavi reported 33 new cases on Thursday bringing its tally to 1061. It also reported nine deaths, now totaling 49.
-- Tanvi
TN reports 447 more cases today
Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar says "447 persons have been reported positive on May 14, 2020. With this the total number of confirmed cases have gone up to 9,664"
He also said that two more fatalities were reported in the State taking the total to 66.
On May 14, 2020 "64 persons have been discharged taking the total to 2,240" said Mr. Vijayabaskar.
Cancer patients who went to Mumbai for treatment among Assam’s new COVID-19 cases, total at 86
Seven persons who recently returned from Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19 in Assam, taking the total number of cases to 86 in Assam, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.
Among those who tested positive are three cancer patients, and a 13-year-old girl who recently underwent heart surgery in Mumbai. The other three are their attendants.
“Seven patients and attendants who came from Mumbai and now in quarantine tested positive,” the minister tweeted.
Six buses carrying 137 passengers, mostly cancer patients and their attendants, arrived here from Mumbai late on Tuesday and they were quarantined at a hotel.
At present, there are 44 active cases in the state, one migrated to Bihar and two died. Total 39 people have recovered so far and discharged from the hospital.
Kerala sees spike in COVID-19 cases as 26 more test positive
In a steep rise in COVID-19 cases in Kerala in several days, as many as 26 people, including seven foreign returnees and a police personnel, tested positive on Thursday, taking the number of people under treatment to 64.
The tally of COVID-19 cases in the state has risen to 560.
While ten of the new cases were from Kasaragod district, Malappuram reported five, Palakkad and Wayanad three each, Kannur two and Pathnamthitta, Idukki and Kozhikode districts one case each,Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
Three people -- two from Kollam and one from Kannur -- have recovered, he told reporters here
Maharashtra government is considering the proposal to extend lockdown in the state till May 31.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday held a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues to discuss the situation. The lockdown is likely to be extended in areas such as Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune, Malegaon which are in the red zone and continue to be hotspots of corona patients.
Ahmedabad: Shops selling essential items to reopen from Friday
Over a week after the shops selling essential commodities, like vegetables and grocery, were shut in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat to curb the spread of coronavirus, these outlets will reopen from Friday, officials said.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had ordered closure of all the shops, except those providing milk and medicines, from May 7 till May 15.
Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Gupta, who is overseeing the works related to COVID-19 in Ahmedabad, said after reviewing the situation that shops selling essential items, such as grocery, vegetables and fruits, will remain open between 8 am and 3 pm from May 15.
Doubling time of COVID-19 cases slows down to 13.9 days in last 3 days, says Harsh Vardhan
The doubling time of coronavirus infection cases has slowed down to 13.9 days in the last three days, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday, as the COVID-19 death toll rose to 2,549 and the number of cases to 78,003.
The minister, who visited the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) here and dedicated the COBAS 6800 testing machine to the nation, said 14 states and Union Territories have not reported any case of COVID-19 in last 24 hours.
These states and UTs are Gujarat, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry.
Highlights of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman press conference (in slides)
Our govt. worked together with States to provide train facilities for migrant workers, says FM
While answering to questions during the press conference, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says "The PM had requested people to please stay where they are, but we understand the movement of migrant workers nevertheless. The whole country is concerned about the plight of migrants. Even today, we are seeing migrant families and children walking on the roads. This government is very concerned. We have worked together with State governments to provide train facilities, and so far, 806 Shramik Special trains have been run."
Ms. Sitharaman says "We are trying to facilitate trains as soon as the request comes in from States. So far, UP has accepted 386 trains, Bihar has accepted 204 trains, MP has taken 67 trains, Jharkhand has taken 44 trains, Rajasthan has accepted 18 trains, and Chhattisgarh and West Bengal have accepted 7 trains each.
"As regards migrants who are walking, we are making every State government provide freshly cooked food for them. Giving dry ration may not help those who are walking. State governments must help them," says FM.
Failed 9 and 11 classes students to be given another chance to clear exams: CBSE
Students who have failed in class 9 and 11 will be given another opportunity to appear for school-based tests in view of the COVDI-19 crisis, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced.
“The schools can conduct either online or offline exams for the failed class 9, 11 students. This one time opportunity is being extended only in current year in view of the unprecedented condition of COVID-19,” CBSE Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said
Special credit facility to be launched, says FM
"Special credit facility worth Rs. 5,000 crore to be launched within a month, so that initial working capital of up to Rs. 10,000 each can be provided to about 50 lakh street vendors, so that they can restart their businesses once the lockdown is lifted," says Finance Minister
Ms. Sitharaman says "For lowest strata of middle income group, who get Rs. 6-18 lakh annual income, the Centre is extending an existing credit linked subsidy scheme for affordable housing for one more year, until March 31, 2021."
"So far, 3.3 lakh families have benefitted from the scheme. Another 2.5 lakh are likely to benefit by the extension. We think this will also spur employment generation and demand for steel, cement and contruction industries," says the Finance Minister.
"About Rs. 6,000 crore worth of project proposals from states to use CAMPA funds will be approved within 10 days. This wll help generate employment for tribals and adivasis," says FM.
Ms. Sitharaman further adds "NABARD to provide refinancing for additional Rs 30,000 crore emergency working capital to be provided to small and marginal farmers for immediate post-rabi harvest-related work or preparatory work for kharif season.
"₹2 lakh crore of concessional credit will be extended through the Kisan Credit Cards scheme. An estimated 2.5 crore farmers who don't have KCCs will be brought into the scheme, along with fishermen and those engaged in animal husbandry," says Finance Minister.
Free foodgrain to be provided to migrants for next two months, says FM
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says "Free foodgrain to be provided to migrants for next two months. Non-ration card holders will be given 5 kg of free grain per person per month and 1 kg of chana per household per month."
Ms. Sitharaman says "We think there are 8 crore migrants who will get this benefit. Centre will spend Rs. 3,500 crore on this intervention."
The Finance Minister says "About 67 crore beneficiaries, or 83% of all ration card holders, are now covered by One Nation One Ration Card, and will be able to use their ration cards at any ration shop anywhere in the country."
Ms. Sitharaman adds "We will complete 100% coverage by March 2021."
"Centre to launch urban rental housing scheme under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. We will incentivise manufacturing units, industries and associations to build affordable rental housing complexes through PPP mode. This will benefit urban poor and migrants," says Finance Minister.
"Rs. 1,500 crore to be provided as 2% interest subvention support for MUDRA-Shishu loans (which are loans for Rs. 50,000 or less). This is likely to benefit 3 crore people.
Second tranche of Atmanirbhar Bharat to focus on migrant workers, street vendors, self-employed people, small farmers, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Summarising what has been offered by the government so far, Ms. Sitharaman says, three crore farmers with agricultural loans of Rs. 4.22 lakh crore already availed benefit of three months loan moratorium. Interest subvention on crop loans was extended to May 31. In last two months, 25 lakh new Kisan Credit Cards were given. Loans given to these farmers total to Rs. 25,000 crore.
Ms. Sitharaman says Liquidity support for farmers and rural economy has also been happening in last two months. Refinancing of Rs. 29,500 crore from NABARD provided to rural and cooperative banks, Rs 4,200 crore provided under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund and Rs. 6,700 crore provided to state govts as working capital to procure produce, she adds.
For urban poor, in last two months, Centre has allowed states to use state disaster response funds to set up shelters for migrants and provide them food and water, and has provided Rs. 11,000 cr for this purpose. Three meals per day are also bring provided in urban homeless shelters at the cost of the Central government. We are conscious and attending to migrants, says Nirmala Sitharaman.
Ms. Sitharaman says there is lot of legitimate concern about the plight of migrant workers, going back to their states without livelihoods. States and union territories have been advised to enrol them under MGNREGA. We have generated 14.62 crore man days of work upto May 13 under MGNREGA, which is 40-50% higher than previous May.
Major labour code reforms are in the pipeline. We want to bring in universal minimum wage, and bring in a national floor wage for minimum wages, so that there is no disparity between states. We want to make appointment letters and health check-ups mandatory. We want to bring in a definition of inter-state migrant workers. All of this is in Parliament, says Ms. Sitharaman.
31 fresh COVID-19 cases in UP, tally rises to 3,789
With 31 fresh infections, the number of coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh rose to 3,789 on Thursday, officials here said.
There are 1,730 active cases in the state, while 1,973 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovery, Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters.
The testing capacity in Uttar Pradesh has been increased. As many as 5,833 COVID-19 tests were conducted across the state on Wednesday, which is a record, he said.
“We are emphasising on surveillance and over 3 crore people have been surveyed by 73,131 teams in UP. Those having symptoms (of COVID-19) have been given required treatment,” Prasad said.
So far, the number of fatalities due to COVID-19 stands at 86.
COVID-19 to have significant deflationary impact due to demand evaporation: CEA
Ruling out any impact of stimulus on the price situation, Chief Economic Advisor K V Subramanian on Thursday said the COVID-19 pandemic has severely dented the demand for non-essential or discretionary goods, creating deflationary conditions.
He also said that a good part of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package is designed in a manner that the fiscal deficit remains under control.
“COVID has a significant deflationary impact because demand especially for non-essential or discretionary goods and services will go down significantly. Therefore, it is unlikely that there would be too much inflationary impact through fiscal deficit or stimulus package,” Mr,. Subramanian told PTI in an interview.
President Ram Nath Kovind to forego 30 per cent of his salary for a year in view of COVID-19 crisis.
The President has also deferred the purchase of Limousine, which was to be used for ceremonial occasions, Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
Shorter guest list at ceremonies and banquets, less flowers, reduced menu are among austerity measures due to COVID-19 situation in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
A 45-year-old police constable attached to a police station in eastern Mumbai became the sixth fatality of the novel Coronavirus in the city and the ninth in the State on Thursday. - Gautam S. Mengle
3 more test positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand, tally rises to 75
Three more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 75.
The latest cases were reported from Dehradun late on Wednesday night. All of them had a travel history from outside the state. - PTI
Crew member of ship anchored at Chennai Port tests positive
A 27-year-old person, a member of a ship’s crew that reached Chennai Port, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The ship, ‘MT Desh Abhimaan’ with an Indian flag, carrying crude oil, left from Basra, Iraq and reached the city on May 3 and was waiting for berthing.
Sources at Chennai Port said contact tracing was done immediately and further investigations are on. “The ship has been completely disinfected and its 26 crew members have been asked to be kept in isolation inside the ship. Their health conditions are monitored daily” an official said.
In first COVID-19 case in Delhi prison, Rohini jail inmate tests positive
In the first case of coronavirus in a Delhi prison, a 28-year-old inmate of Rohini jail has tested positive for the disease, officials said on Thursday. The prisoner who was asymptomatic tested positive on Wednesday and was later admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital, a senior jail official said, adding that five to six officials who came in contact with the inmate have been sent to home quarantine.
“The prisoner had some intestinal problem and was admitted to Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital on Sunday. His intestine surgery was conducted on Sunday. On Monday, doctors took the samples for COVID-19 and the result came positive on Wednesday,” Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said.
He was lodged inside the jail around five to six months ago in a robbery and attempt to murder case and used to stay in a barrack with 19 other inmates who have been isolated. - PTI
A driver working at the Delhi secretariat has tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Thursday.
“The driver was working for the health department and showed mild symptoms. He got tested and the result came out to be positive about three to four days back. He is currently under home isolation,” an official told The Hindu .
The official said that staff who came into contact with the driver were tested, but their results came out to be negative. - Nikhil M. Babu
Delhi reports highest number of cases in a single day
472 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 8,470, according to a health bulletin released by the Delhi government on Thursday.
This is the highest number of cases reported in a single day in the city so far.
Also, nine more deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths to 115. But all the deaths did not happen in the past 24 hours.
“Cumulative deaths as per case sheets received from hospitals, after audited by committee,” the bulletin said on the total number of deaths. - Nikhil M. Babu
More than 100 new cases reported across Pune, Aurangabad districts
New COVID-19 positive cases continued to pile up across Maharashtra with more than 100 new ones being reported from Pune and Aurangabad districts on Thursday.
At least 52 new cases were reported since Wednesday evening in Pune to take the district’s total — including deaths and recoveries — to 3,284, while 55 new cases in Aurangabad had taken district’s cumulative case tally to 743, said authorities.
“As many as 15 new cases were reported since 9 p.m. on Wednesday till midnight, and a further 37 cases post-midnight till today morning,” said Pune District Health Officer Bhagwan Pawar. - Shoumojit Banerjee
Delhi Police SHO tests positive
A Delhi Police officer who is the SHO of a police station in southeast Delhi tested positive for novel coronavirus on Thursday, police said.
Five others have been sent for quarantine and further contact tracing is being done, they said.
On Wednesday, another SHO-rank officer from Dwarka district tested positive for coronavirus.
Kejriwal to meet L-G at 4 pm over post lockdown plan
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he will be meeting Lt. Governor Anil Baijal at 4 pm on Thursday to discuss post lockdown plan.
The Delhi government had sought suggestion from people on the way forward regarding easing lockdown restrictions after May 17.
We have received over five lakh responses across Whatsapp, email and recorded messages, Mr. Kejriwal said.
Among the suggestions received were educational institutions remain shut till summer vacations, opening restaurants for home delivery alone.
Mr. Kejriwal said people questioned the rationale behind curbing movements after 7 pm and sought restarting public transport to a limited extent. The Delhi government plans to compile the suggestions and forward it to the Centre. - Jatin Anand
Two more COVID-19 deaths in Karnataka
Two more deaths have been reported in the State on Thursday morning taking the total toll to 35. This is apart from a non-COVID-19 death.
A 80-year-old resident of Dakshina Kannada, got admitted at private hospital following a stroke. She was shifted to the icu on confirmation for Covid-19 at a designated hospital on April 26. She died on Thursday due to septic shock.
Another 60-year-old male, resident of Ananthapur in Andhra Pradesh, admitted at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru with severe pneumonia and respiratory distress died due to cardiac arrest on Thursday morning. He had hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus, according to the morning health bulletin.
Sources in Victoria Hospital said this person was the first patient to undergo clinical trial for plasma therapy. He was infused plasma on Monday. However, his condition continued to remain the same. - Afshan Yasmeen
Seven new COVID-19 cases in Goa
Samples of seven suspected COVID-19 patients in Goa have tested positive for the disease, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Thursday.
Goa was earlier declared a green zone by the Union government as there was not a single active COVID-19 case since May 1.
The results came out positive during the TrueNat test (rapid test) conducted on the samples.
The seven people, including three females, have been shifted to a hospital dedicated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, Mr. Rane said. - PTI
Migrant workers unsuccessfully try to enter Chennai Central Railway Station in a bid to board one of the trains.
Migrant labourers from Assam turned in huge numbers from various parts of city and outskirts expecting arrangements to return their home State.
Since their train was cancelled they had to go back to Gurunanak College for food and shelter. - R. Sivaraman
'Work from home' to be new normal for govt offices post lockdown: Personnel Ministry
Asserting that central government employees may have to work with staggered attendance and variable working hours, the Personnel Ministry has come out with a draft framework for ‘work for home’ for the staff post-lockdown.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) may provide option for work from home to the eligible officers/staff for 15 days in a year as a matter of policy, it said.
There are 48.34 lakh central government employees. - PTI
Rajasthan records another COVID-19 death
The death toll due to coronavirus infection rose to 122 in Rajasthan, with one more person succumbing to the virus on Thursday. The state has also recorded 66 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the virus tally to 4,394.
A total of 4,395 cases of the virus have been reported in the state so far. Apart from these, 177 migrants who travelled from other states have also been tested positive.
The state has 1,697 active cases. - PTI
Coronavirus cases in Himachal climb to 70
A 30-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter have tested positive for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, taking the total number of cases in the state to 70, a state health official said on Thursday.
The two had returned from Delhi on May 4. Both of them were asymptomatic.
With this, the number of positive cases in Sirmaur district has risen to four. Two people have been cured in the district.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state has now climbed to 70 and three people have died due to the virus so far. - PTI
Passengers with coronavirus symptoms won't be allowed to travel in trains
Passengers with COVID-19 symptoms won't be allowed to board trains, the Railways has announced.
According to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, all passengers shall be compulsorily screened and only asymptomatic passengers shall be allowed to enter/board trains.
“If, during screening, a passenger has very high temperature/symptoms of COVID-19 etc., he shall not be allowed to travel despite having confirmed tickets. In such case full refund shall be provided to the passenger,” the order stated.
On a group ticket if one passenger is found unfit to travel and all other passengers on the same PNR also do not want to travel, in that case full refund shall be granted for all passengers. - PTI
All tickets booked for regular passenger trains for travel on or before June 30 stands cancelled, Indian Railways has announced.
Shramik trains for migrants and special trains will however continue.
Passengers with tickets of regular trains which have been cancelled till June 30 will get full refund.
73 new cases in Odisha
As many as 73 new COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in Odisha on Thursday, taking the State’s total to 611, according to the State Health Department
Of the total, 143 have recovered and three people have died so far.
Fifty of the new cases, including 42 in Ganjam district, were Surat returnees, while 20 had returned from West Bengal. One had returned from Karnataka. Two cases were detected in a containment zone, officials said. - Prafulla Das
Over 3,700 new cases in India in the past 24 hours: Health Ministry
India has registered 3,722 new COVID-19 positive cases and 134 deaths in the past 24 hours, according to an update from the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.
With this, the total number of cases in the country is now 78,003, according to Union Ministry data. Of this, 49,219 are active cases. As many as 2,549 people have succumbed to the infection while 20,916 people have been cured.
Tamil nadu’s tally past 9,000-mark with 509 new cases
Tamil Nadu ’s overall tally of COVID-19 cases crossed the 9,000-mark after recording 509 new cases on Wednesday. Three days after reporting more than 500 cases, the number of cases marginally dipped to 380 in Chennai, even as its total count climbed to 5,262.
With fresh cases — 288 males and 221 females — being reported in 16 districts across Tamil Nadu, the State’s total number of COVID-19 cases stood at 9,227. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 increased to 64. Three men — all in their 40s — died in Chennai.
Impossible to predict when COVID-19 pandemic will be controlled: WHO
The World Health Organization’s emergencies chief said it’s possible the new coronavirus may be here to stay, warning it’s impossible to predict when the pandemic might be controlled.
This virus may never go away, said Dr. Michael Ryan, in a news briefing on Wednesday. He said that the number of people infected by COVID-19 so far is relatively low.
13 new cases in Bihar
Bihar has registered 13 new COVID-19 positive cases, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the State to 953.
All the new cases are from Munger, Begusarai and Aurangabad districts.
