Coronavirus India lockdown Day 44 updates | May 7, 2020

AIIMS director says cases likely to peak in June-July; Health Minister says India is doing better.

May 07, 2020 08:49 am | Updated 11:54 pm IST

A woman collects relief materials donated by  Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Kolkata on Thursday.

A woman collects relief materials donated by Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Kolkata on Thursday.

India registered 3,561 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 52,952. With 89 deaths, the tally mounted to 1,783 on Thursday.

The country currently has 35,902 active cases, with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director Randeep Guleria stating that according to data released by experts and going by the current trend, the cases are likely to peak in June-July.

“While predictions vary from May to August and keep changing depending on parameters used according to modelling data and the way our cases are increasing currently, it is likely that our case peak can come in June and July. There are many variables to this and an exact prediction isn’t possible,” said Dr. Guleria.

According to data from the Union Health Ministry on Thursday, 15,266 persons have been cured so far with 1,084 patients cured in the past 24 hours. However, the State Health Departments put the total number of cases at 54,299, of which 36,761 are active. The number of deaths rose to 1,832.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said that in comparison to other countries, India was in a better condition as the fatality rate was 3.3% and recovery rate was 28.83%.

 

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:

11.40 p.m. | Assam

4 more test positive in Assam, all in Guwahati. One of them came from outside the state and is in home quarantine. Total COVID-19 positive count in Assam is now 53.

11.20 p.m. | Bihar

Positive cases reach 550 in Bihar

The total COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar reaches 550, with five deaths so far. 246 people have been discharged or cured and the number of active cases stand at 299, of which 64% are male and 36% are female.

11.10 p.m. | Tripura

24 BSF jawans test positive in Tripura, cases up to 88

24 BSF troopers from 86 battalion tested positive to coronavirus on Thursday. This battalion is also located at Ambassa in Dhalai district. Earlier cases reported from 138 battalion. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said number of COVID-19 cases is now 88. Active cases 86.

10.40 p.m. | Delhi

Delhi records highest single-day jump in the number of cases with 448

One death and 448 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi on Thursday, taking the total number of deaths to 66 and cases to 5,980, according to the Delhi government.

This is the highest single-day jump in the number of cases so far. Wednesday had also recorded the highest single-day jump till then.

Of the 5,980 cases, 1,931 people have recovered and there are 3,983 active cases.

10.20 p.m.| Maharashtra

Maharashtra records highest single-day death toll, 1,216 new cases

1,216 new Covid-19 cases reported from Maharashtra on Thursday as cumulative tally breaches 17,000 - mark to reach 17,974 cases.

With 43 new deaths, State records single-day highest death toll with 24 of these fatalities reported from Mumbai city, seven from Pune and five from Vasai-Virar among other districts.

The total death toll in the State has now risen to 694. A total 207 persons were discharged today taking the total number of discharged till date to 3,301.

Mumbai's case tally stands at 11,394 with 437 deaths thus far.

10.15 p.m. | Assam

Assam tally up to 49 with 4 new cases

4 persons, who took the bus from Rajasthan,in which an absconding vehicle-lifter tested COVID-19 positive in Assam's Cachar district on Wednesday, have tested positive too on Thursday. T

otal COVID-19 patients in Assam now stands at 49, with 14 Active cases. 34 people were discharged in the State with one death recorded.

10.10 p.m. | Rajasthan

110 test positive, 6 die in Rajasthan

Six deaths - 2 in Jaipur and one each in Ajmer, Jodhpur, Chittorgarh and Kota - reported in Rajasthan today, taking the toll of COVID-19 deaths to 99. A total of 110 COVID-19 positive cases detected in 12 districts of the State today, including 12 BSF personnel in Jodhpur. The tally of positive cases in Rajasthan is now 3,427. Of them, 1,889 have recovered and 1,523 have been discharged from hospitals. As of now, the State has 1,439 active cases: Medical & Health Department.

10.00 p.m. | Bihar

 

Three more COVID-19 positive cases from Kishanganj, Bhagalpur and Patna districts of three males take the total number in the state to 549.

9.15 p.m. | Madhya Pradesh

114 new coronavirus cases in M.P., tally rises to 3,252

With 114 people testing positive since previous night, 47 of them in Bhopal, the number of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh rose to 3,252 on Thursday, health officials said.

As the virus claimed eight more lives in the state since Wednesday night, the death toll of COVID-19 patients went up to 193, they added.

8.45 p.m. | Dubai

Two flights from UAE carrying 354 Indian nationals take off

The first of the two flights from the UAE carrying 177 Indian nationals left for Kerala on Thursday, as India began its biggest ever repatriation exercise to bring back its citizens stranded abroad amidst the international travel lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 354 Indian nationals, including 11 pregnant women and a pair of twins, will return home on Thursday in the two flights from the UAE to Kerala as part of the repatriation exercise named ‘Vande Bharat Mission.’

8.30 p.m. | Maharashtra

Prisoners test positive in Mumbai

About 77 prisoners lodged inside Arthur Road central jail found to be positive for COVID 19, eight prisons in the state placed under quarantine. Senior Prisons officials confirmed that 26 staffers, too, had tested positive and that the process of moving the patients out of the prison premises will begin on Friday.

8.15 p.m. | New Delhi

No new COVID-19 case reported from 13 states, UTs in last 24 hrs: Harsh Vardhan

Thirteen states and Union Territories, including Kerala, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir, have not reported any new case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday.

Informing reporters that 3,561 new coronavirus cases have been reported and 1,084 patients have recovered in 24 hours since Wednesday morning, he asserted that “in comparison with other countries, India is in a better state as the fatality rate is 3.3% and recovery rate is 28.83%.”

8.00 p.m. | Gujarat

 

Gujarat records 29 deaths and 388 new cases of Covid-19 infection in the state, taking the tally to 7013 cases and 425 deaths. Today, 209 patients were discharged after recovery, increasing the total number of recovered patients to 1709.

7.50 p.m. | Jammu and Kashmir

J&K reports 18 fresh COVID-19 cases, total rises to 793

Jammu and Kashmir reported 18 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday, nine of them from three tertiary care hospitals here, ringing alarm bells in the health community of the union territory.

“18 fresh positive cases have been detected in the last 24 hours. Total positives in the union territory now at 793,” officials said.

7.40 p.m. | Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal spent  ₹9.49 crore on COVID-19 management so far

The Arunachal Pradesh government has spent ₹9.49 crore on COVID-19 management so far, an official said here on Thursday.

The amount was spent from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMFR) on capacity building, procurement of essential equipment, providing relief to stranded persons and logistics, Secretary to the chief minister, Ameya Abhyankar said.

7.20 p.m. | Kerala

All arrangements in place at Cochin port to receive Indian citizens

All arrangements as per government guidelines are in place at Cochin Port to facilitate the arrival of those who are being evacuated by the Indian government via sea route.

The first Naval ship with around 750 Indian citizens from Male is expected to arrive Cochin Port on May 10, Port Trust officials said here.

7.10 p.m. | Maharashtra

 

The Maharashtra government on Thursday removed the provision mandating migrants to get a medical certificate with their application to go back home. The migrants/stranded persons who want to travel to their home state should be screened at the time of the journey, by use of a digital thermometer.

6.40 p.m. | Odisha

COVID-19 cases rise to 209 in Odisha

Four more COVID-19 positive cases – two in Balasore district and one each in Jagatsinghpur and #Mayurbhanj districts – were detected on Thursday taking Odisha’s total to 209, according to the State government.

6.25 p.m. | Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu reports 580 new cases, State total rises to 5409

As many as 580 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Thursday. Total count now stands at 5409.

Two more deaths were reported today.  As many as 31 people were discharged, taking the total number of discharged persons in the State to 1547.

6.10 pm | Bihar

Bihar reports fifth COVID-19 death

Fifth COVID-19 death in Bihar reported from Rohtas district. A 70-year-old man died today. He was also suffering from respiratory problem. His COVID-19 test report came positive after his death.

-Amarnath Tewary

 

6.00 pm | Uttar Pradesh

Agra prisoner tests positive despite no contact with visitors

An inmate of the Agra Central Jail has tested positive for  COVID-19  despite having no contact with visitors or outsiders for the last one and a half months.

On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the district, his sample has been sent for a recheck.

Agra prisoner tests positive despite no contact with visitors

4.40 pm | Uttar Pradesh

61 new COVID-19 cases in UP

Uttar Pradesh reported 61 fresh cases on Thursday taking the total number of COVID-19 patients in the state to 3,059.

So far 61 deaths have been reported. 1,130 people have fully recovered from the disease.

The number of active cases in the state is 1,868.

4.30 pm | Maharashtra

Uddhav holds discussion with opposition

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday met opposition leaders through video conference to discuss the coronavirus situation in the state.

While some of the leaders gathered at Mantralaya (state secretariat) here, others, including Uddhav Thackeray himself, took part in the meeting through video conference, an official in the Chief Minister’s Office said.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat and PWD Minister Ashok chavan were present at the meeting from the government’s side.

From the opposition’s side, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar,MNS chief Raj Thackeray, VBA leader Prakash Ambedkar, PRP leader Jogendra Kawade, JSS leader Vinay Kore, PWP’s Jayant Patil, RSP’s Mahadeo Jankar, AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel, Kapil Patil, Ashok Dhavle and Rajendra Gawai participated, among others.

4.20 pm | Uttar Pradesh

COVID-19 cases cross 200-mark in UP’s Gautam Buddh Nagar

Ten more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district, taking the number of cases to 202, officials said on Thursday

“Total 124 reports have been received in the last 24 hours. Ten of them were positive and the rest were negative for COVID-19. The cumulative positive cases of coronavirus in Gautam Buddh Nagar are now 202,” District Surveillance Officer Sunil Dohare said.

“So far, 109 of the 202 patients have been cured and discharged, leaving 93 active cases in the district,” he said.

4.10 pm | New Delhi

2 BSF personnel die of COVID-19

Two Border Security Force personnel have succumbed to the COVID-19 infection while the force has reported 41 new cases of infection.

The total number of infections or active cases in the 2.5 lakh personnel strong force now stand at 193 now. Two jawans have recovered.

4.00 pm | Gujarat

Surat to shut vegetable shops from May 9

Gujarat Police keep vigil at a fish market in Juhapura, Ahmedabad on Thursday. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has ordered complete shutdown till May 15, 2020.

Gujarat Police keep vigil at a fish market in Juhapura, Ahmedabad on Thursday. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has ordered complete shutdown till May 15, 2020.

 

To contain the spread of coronavirus at Surat in Gujarat, the civic authorities on Thursday announced that all shops selling vegetables and fruits will remain closed in the city from May 9 to May 14.

The announcement came a day after the Ahmedabad civic authorities ordered closure of all shops, except those selling milk and medicines, for a week.

3.45 pm | Uttar Pradesh

Pvt lab in UP banned from conducting COVID-19 tests over discrepancy in report

A private lab here has been banned from conducting COVID-19 tests after a person declared positive by it tested negative for the disease at a government hospital in Lucknow

The 65-year-old woman from Baundi area was admitted to a nursing home for a surgery on Tuesday. When her samples were sent for COVID-19 testing at PathKind Labs, she was found positive for the infection, Chief Medical Officer Dr Suresh Singh said.

On Wednesday, her report from the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute in Lucknow was found negative. - PTI

3.30 pm | Uttar Pradesh

Agra prison inmate tests positive

Prison officials in Agra Central Jail were thrown into a tizzy after an inmate lodged there tested positive for COVID-19 despite having no contact with visitors or outsiders for the last 1.5 months. On the advice of the chief medical officer of the district, the sample was sent for a re-check. - Omar Rashid

3.15 pm | Kerala

Mandatory 14 days institutionalised quarantine for those entering Kerala from red zones

The State government on Thursday clarified that persons seeking to enter Kerala from red zone localities in other regions in the country would have to go into institutional quarantine for a mandatory period of 14 days.

They would have to pay for their food and board. Those who attempted to dodge quarantine would face prosecution under the provisions of the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020.

Officials clarified that the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra had necessitated the shift in the containment strategy.

 

3.00 pm | Uttar Pradesh

UP govt. lifts ban on sale of ‘paan masala’

The Uttar Pradesh government has lifted its ban on ‘paan masala’ which does not contain nicotine and tobacco. The order, however, clarified that the ban on manufacture, storage and sale of ‘gutka/paan masala’ with nicotine and tobacco will continue.

2.50 pm | Delhi

Residents of Shiva Khand in Vishwakarma Naga, East Delhi protest against government's apathy of not strictly sealing the containment zones of nearby Pratap Khand, on Thursday. 
While COVID-19 cases have been reported from nearby Pratap Khand, locals allege people there are roaming freely in the other areas, thus posing health risk for entire Vishwakarma Nagar.

Residents of Shiva Khand in Vishwakarma Naga, East Delhi protest against government's apathy of not strictly sealing the containment zones of nearby Pratap Khand, on Thursday. While COVID-19 cases have been reported from nearby Pratap Khand, locals allege people there are roaming freely in the other areas, thus posing health risk for entire Vishwakarma Nagar.

 

2.45 pm | Madhya  Pradesh

MP increases working hours in factories

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced an increase of working hours in factories from eight to 12 hours. He has allowed an overtime of up to 72 hours.

"This is provided workers are willing to work for additional hours. They must be paid for overtime," he said. - Sidharth Yadav

2.30 pm | New Delhi

Mylab expands production capacity of COVID-19 testing kits to enable 2 lakh tests per day

Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions on Thursday said it has expanded production capacity to manufacture COVID-19 RT-PCR test kits that would enable 2 lakh tests per day to meet the growing demand in the country.

Until now, Mylab has already manufactured testing kits for conducting 6.5 lakh tests and has supplied them to 140 sites, including labs and hospitals in over 20 states. - PTI

2.20 pm | Himachal Pradesh

Fresh case of coronavirus in Himachal

Himachal Pradesh reported a fresh case of coronavirus on Thursday, taking the total number of virus cases in the state to 47.

A woman, whose 21 year-old son died of coronavirus on Tuesday, has tested positive for the virus. She was kept in quarantine at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla. Her son died in the same hospital.

The State now has six active cases with two in Chamba and Mandi and one each in Sirmaur and Kangra districts. A total of 34 people have recovered while three persons have died. - PTI

2.10 pm | Andhra Pradesh

Vizianagaram, A.P's lone Green Zone district, reports three cases

The State has witnessed two more deaths due to COVID-19 and has detected another 56 positive cases after testing 8,087 samples during the past 24 hours. The tally has gone up to 1,833 and the number of active patients is 1,015. So far, 38 patients have died, and 780 have recovered.

Vizianagaram district reported its first three cases after almost two months (56 days) since the first positive case was reported in the State. It was the only Green Zone district in the State until now as declared by the Centre.

 

2.00 pm | Delhi

Non-Delhiites landing in Delhi airport to be quarantined too

Delhi government has issued a “revised order” on guidelines for handling of passengers from abroad arriving at the Delhi Airport.

“As per the new order, passengers from other states will also be quarantined for 14 days by the Delhi government,” a Delhi government official said.

The first order issued on Wednesday had said that passengers who are not residents of Delhi can be looked after by the Resident Commissioners and nodal officers of their respective states, including “boarding and lodging in Delhi and transportation to their respective states”. - Nikhil M. Babu

1.40 pm

Air India opens bookings for foreigners, visa holders on outbound repatriation flights

Air India has opened bookings for eligible foreign nationals and valid visa holders of the UK, the USA and Singapore for outbound repatriation flights that will be operated between May 7 and May 14 under the Vande Bharat mission.

Foreign nationals or valid visa holders will be charged the same fare as Indian nationals who want a seat on the inbound repatriation flights. - PTI

 

1.00 pm

Repatriation of Indian nationals from Singapore to start from Friday

The first of the nearly 20 special flights will operate on Friday from Singapore and will evacuate 240 Indians from the city-state who are stranded amidst the international travel lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian High Commissioner here said on Thursday.

 

 

80,000 COVID-19 cases reported daily in April: WHO

An average of 80,000 COVID-19 cases were reported each day in April to the World Health Organization, the top UN health agency has said, noting that South Asian nations like India and Bangladesh are seeing a spike in the infections while the numbers are declining in regions such as Western Europe.

 

11.30 am

Eighteen persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Indore, taking the city tally to 1,699 cases.

With this, Madhya Pradesh count has surged to 3,156. So far, 595 patients have recovered from the illness in the city, while 83 have died of it, said Pravin Jadia, Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer.

The death toll in the State stands at 187, while 1,203 persons have been cured.

(Sidharth Yadav)

11.00 am

One COVID-19 patient each in Jaipur and Ajmer died on Thursday, taking the death toll in Rajasthan to 95.

Thirty-eight new COVID-19 positive cases detected in the State today.

According to the Medical & Health Department, the tally is now 3,355, and of these 1,739 patients have recovered and 1,275 have been discharged from hospitals.

(Mohammed Iqbal)

10.45 am | Mumbai

Cop succumbs to COVID-19 in Maharashtra; 5th death in police force

A 58-year-old assistant sub- inspector of police has died of coronavirus in Maharashtras Solapur district, an official said on Thursday. With this, five police personnel from the state have so far succumbed to the viral infection.

The assistant sub-inspector, posted at Solapur MIDC police station, was admitted to the civil hospital there on Tuesday after he tested positive for coronavirus. He died while undergoing treatment at the hospital on Wednesday, the official said.

The victim, who was set to retire after four months, was on duty till last week, he said.

Maharashtra Police expressed grief over the personnel’s demise. “DGP and all ranks of Maharashtra Police offer their condolences to the bereaved family, the state police said in a tweet.

So far, 456 police personnel, including 42 officers, have tested positive for coronavirus in the state.

(PTI)

9.30 am | India

Over 52,000 cases in India: Union Mnistry

India has registered 52,952 COVID-19 positive cases, of which 35,902 are active, according to the latest update from the Union Health Ministry.

As many as 1,783 people have succumbed to the infection in the country, and 15,266 have been cured of the illness, the Ministry said in its daily update.

The country saw an increase of 3,561 positive cases and 89 deaths overnight, according to the update.

 

What are the different methods of testing are being experimented in the country to trace COVID-19 infection?

Jaipur

Rajasthan govt decides to seal interstate boundaries

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot decided on Wednesday to seal all interstate boundaries of Rajasthan to prevent any unauthorised entry of persons.

Holding a high-level meeting late on Wednesday night, Gehlot directed the officials to seal the border with immediate effect and regulate the interstate boundaries so that those who have permission from the state government could enter.

Gehlot said there had been an unprecedented increase in the number of novel coronavirus cases in many states of the country in the past few days. “It has been decided to seal the borders with the possibility of people in large numbers entering without permission from other states of the country,” Gehlot said in a statement.

Only in cases of medical emergency and family death, the collector will be able to issue an e-pass, which will have to be reported to the Home Department on the same day. Apart from this, only after the prior permission of the Rajasthan government, other states will issue permits to enter Rajasthan, according to the statement.

Gehlot instructed that people coming from abroad would be quarantined for 14 days and they would be subjected to a COVID-19 test. Those violating the home quarantine directive will necessarily be placed in the government institutional quarantine and an FIR will also be lodged against them, he said.

USA | 9 am

Coronavirus worse for US than Pearl Harbor, 9/11: Trump

President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of China on Wednesday over the global coronavirus pandemic and said it has been worse for the United States than Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

Mr. Trump said fallout from the pandemic has hit the United States harder than the December 7, 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor or the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington.

“This is really the worst attack we've ever had,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House. “This is worse than Pearl Harbor. This is worse than the World Trade Center.”

Trump lashed out at China, continuing a war of words over the origins of the deadly virus that emerged in Wuhan last year.

“It should have never happened,” he said. “Could have been stopped at the source. Could have been stopped in China.”

China hit back Wednesday at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over his claims the virus originated in a Wuhan laboratory, saying he has no evidence.

“This matter should be handed to scientists and medical professionals, and not politicians who lie for their own domestic political ends,” China's foreign ministry spokesperson said.

- AFP

Odisha | 8.30 am

With 20 new cases, Odisha’s tally goes up to 205

Odisha has registered the highest single day spike in COVID-19 positive cases.

Twenty new cases – 17 in Ganjam district and three Mayurbhanj district – have taken the State’s total to 205, according to the Health Department.

 

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