India registered its highest single-day increase in new COVID-19 cases with 7,964 cases and 265 deaths reported in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, during the past 24 hours, a total of 11,264 COVID-19 patients have recovered, according to the Health Ministry.
“This is the highest number of recovered patients recorded in a day. Thus, so far, a total of 82,369 patients have been cured of COVID-19. This has resulted in a recovery rate of 47.40% amongst COVID-19 patients, an increase of 4.51% in the recovery rate from the previous day’s recovery rate of 42.89%,” it said.
Also on Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs released new guidelines called ‘Unlock 1.0’ that allow the opening of malls, restaurants and religious places in all areas except the containment zones from June 8. It, however, prohibits the opening of bars, swimming pools gymnasiums, entertainment parks, cinema halls, metro rail and international air travel.
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:
Bihar reported 56 more COVID-19 positive cases, taking the total number to 3565 in the State. All cases from Jehanabad, Kaimur, Bhagalpur, Buxar and other districts.
- Amarnath Tewary
9 deaths, 246 new cases in M.P.
Madhya Pradesh on Saturday recorded 246 new COVID-19 cases, taking the State-wide tally to 7,891. The number of active cases stands at 3,104. Nine patients died of the disease on the day. Three persons died in Indore and two in Bhopal, while Ujjain, Burhanpur, Sagar and Khargone reported one death each.
The death toll climbed to 343. As many as 175 patients were discharged from hospitals on the day. So far, 4,444 persons have recovered from the illness, says the State Directorate of Health Services. -- Sidharth Yadav
6 deaths, 74 new cases in Telangana
Telangana reported 6 deaths and 74 new cases on Saturday, raising the death toll to 77 and the total positive cases to 2499. Totally 1412 people have been discharged and the active cases stand at 1010, according to the State healh department.
List of instructions in fresh guidelines issued by Union home ministry
The Union home ministry on Saturday issued following instructions as national directives for COVID-19 management:
- * Face covering: Wearing of face cover is compulsory in public places, in workplace and during transport.
- * Social distancing: Individuals must maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet (do gaz ki doori) in public places. Shops will ensure physical distancing among customers and will not allow more than five people at one time.
- * Gatherings: Large public gatherings or congregations continue to remain prohibited. Marriage related gatherings: Number of guests not to exceed 50. Funeral or last rites related gatherings: Number of persons not to exceed 20.
- * Spitting in public places will be punishable with fine, as may be prescribed by the states or UT or local authority in accordance with its laws, rules or regulations.
- * Consumption of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco etc. in public places is prohibited.
- Additional directives for work places:
- * As far as possible the practice of Work from home (WfH) should be followed.
- * Staggering of work or business hours will be followed in offices, work places, shops, markets and industrial and commercial establishments.
- * Screening and hygiene: Provision for thermal scanning, hand wash and sanitizers will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas. Frequent sanitization of entire workplace, common facilities and all points which come into human contact like door handles will be ensured, including between shifts.
- * Social distancing: All persons in charge of work places will ensure adequate distance between workers, adequate gaps between shifts, staggering the lunch breaks of staffers, etc.
Nitish tells officials to ramp up testing capacity
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday directed officials to ramp up testing capacity and conduct tests of more and more people in order to know the status of infection in the state.
The chief minister said this during a high-level meeting convened to review the steps being taken by the state government to contain spread of infection.
The meeting was attended by states Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar and a hosts of other senior officials of various departments and CM secretariat.
“Carrying out test of more and more people will alone enable the government to know the current situation of infection especially of those who are coming from outside the state in large numbers. There is a need to prepare a strategy for conducting tests,” Kumar said in an official release
COVID-19 positive woman delivers baby at AIIMS Rishikesh
A COVID-19 positive woman had a safe delivery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on Saturday.
The 30-year-old woman, who has no symptoms of the disease, had tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday morning.
All arrangements were made hurriedly to ensure she had a safe delivery, head of the institute’s maternity ward Latika Uniyal said.
Both the mother and child are doing fine, she said.
No need to panic over rise in cases in Uttarakhand: Official
The Uttarakhand government on Saturday asked people not to panic over the rise in COVID-19 cases, assuring them that active cases will start coming down in 10-15 days. “There is no need to panic over the recent rise in coronavirus cases. There is no community spread of the virus yet in Uttarakhand. Those testing positive in the state either have a travel history or are contacts of those infected,” Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh told reporters.
The cases may continue to rise over the next few days, but the number of active cases will begin to drop in 10-15 days, he said.
The doubling rate of coronavirus cases in Uttarakhand has improved over the last three days. The positivity rate is lower than the national average and the death rate is less than one per cent at a time when the national average is 2.8 per cent, Singh assured.
Nine persons' death - 3 in Sirohi, 2 each in Jaipur and Jodhpur and 1 each in Pali and Sikar - takes the COVID-19 related mortality figure in Rajasthan to 193. A total of 252 new COVID-19 positive cases were detected in the State today, taking the tally to 8,617. Of them, 5,739 have recovered and 5,079 have been discharged. The number of active cases in Rajasthan, as of now, is 2,685: Medical & Health Department.
- Maharashtra recorded 2940 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, the second highest single day jump, pushing the tally to 65168.
- The State also recorded 99 deaths, taking the death toll to 2197.
-1084 patients discharged today, 28081 total discharged
-Mumbai recorded 1510 cases and 54 deaths taking the tally to 38442 and death toll to 1227
Punjab extends lockdown till June 30
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced a four-week extension of the coronavirus lockdown till June 30.
Though experts have advised against opening of hospitality services and shopping malls in the state, the chief minister said his government will take into account the Centre’s guidelines for lockdown 5.0.
The Centre on Saturday issued fresh guidelines relaxing the nationwide lockdown, the fourth phase of which ends on May 31.
The countrywide lockdown in containment zones has been extended till June 30, while hospitality services, hotels and shopping malls will be allowed to open from June 8, the Union home ministry said.
Singh announced his decision after an on-ground assessment of the COVID situation through a video conference with health experts and cabinet ministers Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Balbir Singh Sidhu and Tript Singh Bajwa, according to a government release.
1,163 cases reported in New Delhi
As many as 1,163 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 18,549, according to a health bulletin released by the Delhi government.
This is the biggest single-day jump in the number of cases in the city so far and the third consecutive day recording more than 1,000 cases.
Also, 18 more deaths have been reported taking the total number of deaths to 416. But all the deaths did not happen in the past 24 hours.
Of the total cases, 8,075 people have recovered and there are 10,058 active cases. -- Nikhil
Technician at LJNP hospital dies of COVID-19
A technician working at the Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, who was tested positive for COVID-19, died on May 30, according to hospital authorities.
“He had tested positive around 15 days back and was admitted in the ICU of our hospital. We will be writing to the Delhi government for the ₹1 crore compensation to his family,” a hospital official said.
With 27 new deaths, Gujarat’s COVID-19 fatality count climbs to 1007. New 412 infections were also reported from the state.
Ahmedabad Covid-19 death toll reaches 822 with new 24 deaths reported on Saturday. Total cases have reached 11881 with 284 new cases.
Govt. issues new guidelines for phased re-opening
The guidelines will come into effect from June 1, 2020 and will be effective till June 30, 2020. The current phase of re-opening, Unlock 1, will have an economic focus.
All activities that were prohibited earlier will be opened up in areas outside Containment Zones in a phased manner, with the stipulation of following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), to be prescribed by the Health Ministry.
In Phase I, religious places and places of worship for public; hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services; and shopping malls; will be permitted to open from June 8, 2020. Health Ministry will issue SOPs for the above activities, in consultation with the Central Ministries/ Departments concerned and other stakeholders, for ensuring social distancing and to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In Phase II, schools, colleges, educational/ training/ coaching institutions etc., will be opened after consultations with States and UTs. State Governments/ UT administrations are being advised to hold consultations at the institution level with parents and other stakeholders. Based on the feedback, a decision on the re-opening of these institutions will be taken in the month of July, 2020. MoHFW will prepare SOP for these institutions.
Only a limited number of activities will remain prohibited throughout the country. These activities are: International air travel of passengers; operation of Metro Rail; cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places; and, social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions/ and other large congregations. In Phase III, dates for their opening will be decided based on assessment of the situation.
There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements.
However, if a State/ UT, based on reasons of public health and its assessment of the situation, proposes to regulate movement of persons, it will give wide publicity in advance regarding the restrictions to be placed on such movement, and the related procedures to be followed.
Night curfew shall continue to remain in force, on the movement of individuals, for all non-essential activities. However, the revised timings of the curfew will be from 9 pm to 5 am.
Passenger ship service from Chennai to Andaman resumes after nearly two months
Passenger ship service from Chennai to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has resumed after a gap of nearly two months, during which it remained suspended due to COVID-19 lockdown, with a vessel carrying 87 people leaving for Port Blair, officials said.
“M V Nicobar” left the Chennai Port on Thursday after the passengers boarded it complying with necessary standard operating procedures, including social distancing, they said.
The passenger ship services between Chennai Port and Port Blair were suspended due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
The decision to resume the services was taken after detailed discussions between representatives of Tamil Nadu government, the Andaman Nicobar Islands union territory administration and the Port Trust.
938 test positive in Tamil Nadu
A total of 938 persons test positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Saturday taking the total number of confirmed cases to 21,184. 687 persons were discharged today taking the total to 12,000.
The State also reported 6 deaths on Saturday taking death toll to 160.
Parliament sanitised after latest case of coronavirus
Government agencies undertook a massive drive on Saturday to sanitise all buildings in the Parliament House Complex after a fourth case of COVID-19 was reported from the complex, officials said.
Of the four cases, three had contracted the infection after Parliament resumed on May 3, when Lockdown 2.0 ended. A Rajya Sabha Secretariat official tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, they said.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat said in a statement the comprehensive drive included sanitisation of all indoor and outdoor areas, individual offices, restrooms and common areas.
It previously conducted a similar exercise on March 21. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla then said awareness and restraint are key to prevent COVID-19 spread. Thereafter, several such exercises were undertaken.
For the second time in a week, Dharavi recorded the lowest number of 18 new cases on Saturday. The slum pocket also recorded one death. Dharavi’s tally now stands at 1733 and death toll is 71. The slum had last reported 18 cases on May 27 and its lowest single day addition of 16 cases was recorded on April 18.
28% of 40,184 cases in India till April 30 asymptomatic: Study
At least 28 per cent of 40,184 people, who had tested positive for COVID-19 between January 22 and April 30 in India, were asymptomatic, a study showed amid concerns about the novel coronavirus being spread by those who show mild or no symptoms.
Large proportions of both those tested and those found positive were asymptomatic contacts, according to the study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientists along with other collaborators.
Healthcare workers constituted about 5.2 per cent of the total infected, according to the study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR) on Friday evening.
The study came at a time when the apex health research body ICMR is conducting a sero-survey to estimate the prevalence of community transmission of the infection among the Indian population.
People from 70 districts will be tested for COVID-19 at random to check whether they have developed antibodies against the infection even though they remained asymptomatic.
According to the study published in the IJMR, of the 28.1 per cent asymptomatic patients, 25.3 per cent were direct and high-risk contacts of the positive cases, while 2.8 per cent were healthcare workers in contact with confirmed cases without adequate protection.
57% worried of high-priced COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals: Survey
Around 57 per cent of respondents expressed concern about exorbitant charges for COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals, while 46 per cent fear contracting a secondary infection in a government facility, a survey said. The survey conducted by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, received around 40,000 responses on five questions related to public perception of government and private hospitals for COVID-19 treatment.
It also said that 61 per cent of respondents want the government to fix a price cap or standardise coronavirus treatment related room charges in private hospitals.
According to the survey, 46 per cent of people expressed concern over catching secondary infection due to crowd and poor adherence to infection prevention control standards in hospitals, while 32 per cent highlighted the lack of adequate medical infrastructure, as their topmost concern regarding COVID-19 treatment available in the country.
Ten pregnant women test positive on Saturday
Ten pregnant women were among 112 COVID-19 infections reported in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, taking the total number of cases to 2333: officials
Bihar COVID-19 update : total positive cases so far : 3511 , total people recovered : 1311 , total samples test done : 73, 929. Total death : 21
Curbs should not be eased in Chennai, 3 other high-COVID-19 prevalence districts in TN : medical panel
An expert medical panel, constituted by the Tamil Nadu government to advice it on COVID-19, on Saturday said the onoing lockdown should not be relaxed in four high-prevalence districts including Chennai.
It also indicated there cannot be a ‘one size fits all’ approach on relaxing the curbs, saying local conditions should be factored in before removing the lockdown in the respective districts.
The fourth leg of the COVID-19 induced lockdown is scheduled to end on Sunday.
Dr Prabhdeep Kaur from the National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR) and a panel member, said while the state government has already given some relaxations, the curbs should, however, continue in the four most affected districts.
“What the committee feels is we have to be more careful in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur (where the) cases are increasing. So restrictions should continue (in these places), all kinds of relaxations cannot be given,” she told reporters after the panel’s meeting with Chief Minister K Palaniswami and other government officials.
“Rather than applying the same rule across Tamil Nadu (on easing curbs), the situation in the respective districts can be assessed and some relaxations given (there) accordingly,” she added.
Earlier too, the panel had favoured a graded exit from the lockdown in Tamil Nadu, saying the curbs should not be lifted across the state uniformly.
18 test positive after attending COVID-19 patient’s funeral
At least 18 mourners, who attended the funeral of a COVID-19 patient, have tested positive for the infection in Ulhasnagar town of Maharashtra’s Thane district, a civic official said on Saturday.
Defying prohibitory orders, at least 70 persons had attended the funeral of a 40-year-old woman, who had tested positive for the virus post her death, a spokesperson of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation said.
The woman’s body was handed over to her family with specific instructions to not open the bag, but they opened the wrapped body to perform the last rites on May 25, the official said.
The police were first alerted about the funeral, following which the civic authorities were notified, he said.
11 returnees test COVID-19 positive in Nagaland, tally reaches 36
Eleven people who returned to Nagaland from Chennai have tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, raising the total number of active cases in the state to 36, Health and Family Welfare minister S Pangnyu Phom said.
Nagaland had remained COVID-19-free till Monday when three returnees from Chennai tested positive for the virus.
However, the state government has not counted a person from Nagaland who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 13 in Assam after a private hospital referred him to a government facility in Guwahati. He later recovered from the disease.
“Eleven persons, 8 from Dimapur and 3 in Kohima, all returnees from Chennai tested COVID-19 positive today (Saturday),” the minister said.
CRPF forms committee to combat spread of COVID-19 in its camps
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constituted a committee of its senior officers to find better ways of ensuring physical distancing in barracks and toilets used by jawans to check the spread of COVID-19 in its camps, officials said.
They said the recent spread of the infection to about 140 personnel living in the 31st battalion of the country’s largest paramilitary force in Delhi’s Mayur Vihar and a few other such instances led to the decision of finding innovative ways to combat the new challenge of keeping the force “combat ready amid the enhanced level of physical distance between troops.”
- PTI
Uttarakhand’s tally rises to 727
Uttarakhand’s COVID-19 tally rose to 727 with 11 more people testing positive.
The latest cases were reported from Dehradun district, where seven people tested positive, and Tehri district, where four were found infected with the virus, a State Health bulletin said. The seven cases in Dehradun were detected during contract tracing in Niranjanpur Sabzi Mandi, while the four new patients from Tehri had a travel history to Maharashtra, it said.
According to the bulletin, there are 617 active cases in the State, while 102 people have recovered from the disease.
- PTI
Adityanath directs officials to provide financial help
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a meeting to review the lockdown, directed officials to provide interim assistance of ₹ 2,000 to those affected by the lockdown and ₹ 1,000 to those who do not have ration cards to get foodgrains.
He also asked officials to provide ₹ 5,000 for the performance of last rites of a destitute person.
Mr. Adityanath directed officials to ensure immediate treatment to those suffering from serious illnesses even if not covered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana or the Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, an official spokesman said.
- PTI
Assam’s tally touches 1,100-mark with 43 new cases
Assam’s COVID-19 tally touched the 1,100-mark with 43 more people testing positive on Saturday, the State’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The State, at present, has 968 active cases, he said.
“Alert ~ 43 new cases of #COVID19+ 5 Dhubri, 5 Golaghat, 3 Barpeta, 1 Bongaigaon, 29 by various labs (dist to be confirmed),” Mr. Sarma said in a tweet.
- PTI
High schools open for final exams in Palestinian territories
Students are returning to high schools in the Palestinian territories for the first time in two months for final exams.
The Education Ministry said that 78,400 XII-graders are taking the exams in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Schools have been closed since March as part of Palestinian efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
In Gaza, police and paramedics took students’ temperatures as they entered, and the students sat spaced apart in classrooms.
- PTI
Cricket West Indies announces temporary pay cut for all players, employees across regions
Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a temporary 50% salary cut across the entire regional cricket system, effective from the start of July, due to financial crunch caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision was made after CWI’s Board of Directors received recommendations from the Financial Strategy Advisory Committee during a tele-conference.
“With no international cricket currently being played anywhere in the world, and with great uncertainty of when regular cricket activity will resume, CWI — like many other international sporting organisations worldwide — is facing a significant loss of income, whilst also being uncertain of the long-term impact of the crisis on our operations,” CWI said in a statement.
- PTI
Cooch Behar reports 32 cases, up from zero, in a day
At least 32 people - all of them migrant labourers - have tested positive for COVID-19, turning West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, where not a single case of the contagion was recorded till a day ago, into a containment zone, a senior official said.
All 32 had returned to the north Bengal district a couple of days ago. After testing positive, they are undergoing treatment in a COVID-19 hospital in Siliguri, District Magistrate Pawan Kadyan said.
- PTI
131 fresh cases detected in Andhra Pradesh
The State reported 131 fresh COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. 61 of them are migrant returnees and 70 local people. No deaths were reported.
With this, the tally has gone up to 3,461 in the State.
55 persons have recovered in the past day. The total recoveries stand at 2,281.
Currently, there are 1,120 active cases.
- Tharun Boda
150 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Bihar. Total number of COVID-19 cases in the State is at 3,509 now.
13 test positive in Hassan
Thirteen more people were reported positive for COVID-19 in Hassan, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 157 in the district.
Among them, six people are natives of Alur taluk. They had returned from Mumbai recently and were quarantined in Alur. They were sent home after seven days of institutional quarantine.
However, their samples later tested positive for the virus. They have been admitted to the COVID-19 hospital in Hassan, said R. Girish, Deputy Commissioner.
- Sathish G.T.
Five test positive in Himachal
The number of COVID-19 cases in Himachal Pradesh stands at 302 as five new cases were reported in the State. Four of the five fresh cases are from Kangra and one from Solan district, officials said.
Egypt makes use of face masks in public mandatory
Egypt made the wearing of face masks in public - when taking private transportation and inside government offices - mandatory, as it eased a partial lockdown imposed during the week-long holiday of Eid- ul-Fitr.
Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly said violators would be fined and added that the nationwide curfew (between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.) is to be observed for another two weeks.
Egypt saw a jump of daily reported infections in the past week, with a total of 879 deaths among 22,082 confirmed cases.
- PTI
Singapore reports 506 new cases, most of them foreign workers
Singapore reported 506 new COVID-19 cases, the majority of them being foreign workers residing in dormitories, taking the total number of infections in the country to 34,366.
According to the Health ministry, there were five community cases. Two community cases are Singapore citizens or permanent residents (foreigners), and three are work pass holders (also foreigners).
The vast majority of the new cases are work permit holders residing in foreign-worker dormitories, it said.
- PTI
Air India's Delhi-Moscow flight returns midway as ground team realises pilot is COVID-19 positive
An Air India flight from Delhi to Moscow had to return midway after the airline’s ground team found out that one of the pilots had tested positive for novel coronavirus, officials said.
“When the A320 plane, which did not have any passengers as it was heading to Moscow to bring back stranded Indians under Vande Bharat Mission, had reached Uzbekistan’s airspace, our team on ground realised that one of the pilots had tested COVID-positive,” senior Air India officials said.
“The flight was immediately asked to return. It came back to Delhi at around 12.30 p.m. on Saturday,” the officials said. The crew has been quarantined. Another plane would be sent to Moscow to bring back the stranded Indians, according to the officials.
- PTI
At least two employees of MEA test positive for coronavirus
At least two employees serving at the headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs here have tested positive for the novel coronavirus following which all the staffers who came in contact with them were asked to go for self-quarantine for 14 days.
An officer working at the legal wing of the ministry and a consultant with the Central Europe Division tested positive for the infection earlier this week, sources told PTI .
Rising cases in Delhi a cause for concern, but trying to stay four steps ahead of virus: Kejriwal
"Over the last few days, coronavirus cases are rising rapidly in Delhi. We accept this. We accept that it is a cause for concern," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.
He, however, said, "we cannot live in a state of complete lockdown forever," adding, "we are trying to remain four steps ahead of the virus."
"As the Chief Minister of Delhi, I am concerned about two things: that deaths should not increase and that there should be adequate medical facilities for those getting infected," he said.
We had 4,400 dedicated COVID-19 beds during the previous conference, he said, and added, "since then we have arranged 2,100 more beds. There are now around 6,600 such beds available."
"As many as 8,500 coronavirus cases increased in the last 15 days but there was an increase of only around 500 patients at city hospitals during the same time."
That cases are increasing is a matter of concern; but the maximum number of patients have mild symptoms and are getting treated as well as cured at home, he said.
"There were some instances of patients facing inconvenience at hospitals; we have created an app for coronavirus patients, which is in the final stage of testing to help all such patients, which will be launched on Monday," Mr. Kejriwal said
"I have a request for those indulging in dirty politics even at this time- please stop. We, as a nation, are in a tough place and this is not the time for such things," the Delhi CM said.
- Jatin Anand
Police station declared ‘out of bounds’ after cop tests positive J&K’s Kathua
A police station in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir was declared ‘out of bounds’ after a policeman posted there tested positive for COVID-19, officials said.
Shailendra Mishra, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua, said the police station was closed for visitors and would remain out of bounds till the time all the personnel deployed there test negative for the virus.
The women's police station, Kathua, will take complaints till then, he said.
- PTI
Spitting of paan, tobacco products an offence in Karnataka now
The Karnataka government has banned spitting of tobacco products and paan at public places, in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the State.
According to an order issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, chewing and spitting tobacco or tobacco made products will be an offence and will attract a jail term.
Bihar and Jharkhand has also made spitting of tobacco at public places an offence under the Epidemic Act.
One more COVID-19 death in Rajasthan
One more COVID-19 death was reported in Jaipur on Saturday, taking the total number of fatalities in the State to 185.
49 new positive cases were reported in the State taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 8,414 while the maximum cases are from Jaipur (1,934).
A total of 5,290 COVID-19 patients have recovered and 4,585 have been discharged so far. There are 2,939 active cases in the state now, officials said.
No total lockdown for Karnataka tomorrow
The State government on Saturday announced that there will be no total lockdown on Sunday and all activities will be allowed between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
However, an order issued by Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar said that curfew will be imposed from 7 p.m. on Sunday till 7 a.m. on Monday.
A few days ago, the State government had announced total lockdown on Sundays in an attempt to contain the movement of the people as well spread of the COVID-19 cases.
Indore tally rises to 3,431
With Indore reporting 87 more coronavirus positive cases in the last 24 hours, the tally of such patients in the district mounted to 3,431. As three more persons succumbed to the infection in the district, the number of victims rose to 129.
Indore is one of the worst-affected districts in the country in terms of the coronavirus outbreak.
Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Praveen Jadia said that 87 people tested coronavirus positive in the last 24 hours, due to which the number of patients grew to 3,431 from 3,344. - PTI
LNJP Hospital's medical director tests positive
Medical Director of Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital has tested positive for COVID-19, said hospital authorities on Saturday.
LNJP Hospital has the highest number of COVID-19 patients among hospitals in the city. - Nikhil M. Babu
Back to work
As many as 62 policemen who recovered from COVID-19 joined duty on Saturday after being quarantined for two weeks post treatment.
Chennai Police Commissioner A. K. Viswanathan appreciated the effort of these policemen in the line of duty.
Virus spreads to interior villages in Prakasam district
Six more patients, including three women from interior villages, tested positive for coronavirus in Prakasam district in the last 24 hours.
Alarmed over the spread of the disease to remote places in the district, health officials unveiled the cluster containment strategy in H.M.Padu and Cumbum mandals.
Five of the new patients from Nallagantla village, near Hanumanthanipadu (H.M.Padu) in Prakasam district, have been infected after visiting Chennai, while the sixth person hailing from Cumbum had contracted the disease during his visit to Guntur, COVID-19 nodal officer John Richardson said.
Guidelines for prayers in masjids
As mosques are set to open in Karnataka on June 1, a group of Islamic organisations in consultation with scholars and the community have issued guidelines on offering prayers.
It states that it is the responsibility of masjid committees to ensure government regulations are implemented and health precautions are taken. Masjid floors and washrooms should be regularly cleaned with disinfectants.
Those going to pray have been asked to perform the cleansing ritual at home and bring their own prayer mats. People have to wear masks and use sanitizers, and spend as little time as possible at prayer halls.
Senior citizens, children and those with cold, cough and fever have been asked not to visit the masjids.
Four persons test positive for COVID- 19 in Puducherry on Saturday. Active cases stand at 37. Total cases 60 with 23 discharged. - Rajesh B. Nair
Backlog effect: Mumbai’s recovered cases jump from 8,650 to 16,008
On the positive side, the city’s recovered cases zoomed 85% in a single day from 8,650 on Thursday to 16,008 on Friday, thanks to a backlog of recovered patients from recent weeks being updated.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) health officials stressed that 715 patients were discharged on Friday, while the rest of the 6,643 patients had already recovered over the past few weeks.
Govt., private offices in Bengal to open from June 8
West Bengal Chief Minister on Friday announced relaxations to lockdown and said all government and private offices would open in the State from June 8.
“Public sector and private offices will function with 100% staff from June 8. Schools will remain closed in June,” she said. Religious institutions and places of worship would be opened from June 1. Tea and Jute sectors would operate with 100% staff from June 1.
30 convicts test positive at Puzhal Central Prison
Thirty convicts lodged in the Puzhal Central Prison-I tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, triggering panic among other prisoners and their family members.
With a majority of the patients not showing any symptoms, prison authorities, in consultation with the Health Department and Chennai Corporation officials, decided to quarantine them in a separate block on campus.
Ninety-six COVID-19 positive cases were detected in quarantine centres in Odisha on Saturday pushing the State’s total to 1,819, according to the State Health Department. Active cases now stands at 833.
- Prafulla Das
Assam suffers largest single-day spike with 177 cases, crosses 1,000-mark: Officials
With 177 more persons testing positive for coronavirus infection in the steepest single-day spike till date, COVID-19 cases crossed 1,000-mark in Assam on Friday, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The total number of infected cases in the state stood at 1,057 on Friday, he added.
The state breached both the 900 and 1000 marks on Friday, reporting 30 during the day, 25 in the evening, 89 in the night and 33 at midnight, the minister said.
- PTI
South Korea has another 39 cases linked to warehouse
South Korea on Saturday reported 39 new cases of the coronavirus, most of them in the densely populated Seoul area where officials have linked scores of infections to warehouse workers.
Figures from South Korea’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention brought national totals to 11,441 confirmed cases and 269 deaths
- AP
One more COVID-19 death in Jharkhand, total cases 521
One more person died due to COVID-19 in Jharkhand on Friday, taking the death toll due to the disease to five while the number of cases rose to 521 with 45 more people testing positive for coronavirus in the state, a government bulletin said.
- PTI
U.S. records 1,225 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, says tally
The United States recorded 1,225 coronavirus deaths on Friday, bringing its total to 1,02,798 since the global pandemic began, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
The country has officially logged 17,45,606 overall cases of the virus, far more than any other nation, the Baltimore-based university's tracker showed at 0030 GMT on Saturday.
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