advertisement
The Meghalaya government on Monday, 13 April, decided to extend the ongoing lockdown till 30 April, as part of its measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Vietnam PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc about potential areas for bilateral collaboration in fighting the pandemic, as per PTI.
The total number of cases in India climbed to 9,352 on Monday, 13 April, according to health ministry data, including 324 deaths and 980 discharged, while one migrated.
PM Modi will address the nation at 10 am on 14 April, reported ANI. He will likely address the issue of whether the 21-day nationwide lockdown should be extended or not.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)
France reports lower coronavirus daily death toll. The total number of cases is almost 14,400, AFP reports.
The Ministry of Home Affairs directs states to implement lockdown guidelines to ensure smooth movement of inter and intrastate cargo, trucks, workers and the functioning of warehouse/cold storages.
The United States on Monday, recorded 1,514 deaths due to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, reported AFP, quoting John Hopkins University. With the latest deaths, the death toll in the country rose to 22,073.
The number of coronavirus containment zones in the national capital rose to 43 on Sunday, 12 April, with southeast Delhi having the most such zones at 12.
Close on the heels of southeast district, East Delhi has nine containment zones, followed by Shahdara at five and West Delhi at four. While south, southwest and central Delhi have three containment zones each, New Delhi and North district each have two such zones. Mansara Apartments in Vasundra Enclave, Street Number 9 in Pandav Nagar and Vardhaman Apartments in Mayur Vihar Phase-1 Extension are among 43 containment zones.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday declared Ganesh Gully in Lalbaug area as a 'containment area, reported ANI.
The total number of COVID19 cases in the Maharashtra stands at 1982
Trucks carrying essential and non-essential goods are being detained and workers needed for operation of manufacturing units of essential goods, and other exempted categories are not getting authorisations/passes for their movement during lockdown, said Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla
In a communication to chief secretaries of all states and union territories, he state that inter-state and intra-state movement of all trucks and other goods/carrier vehicles with one driver and one additional person is allowed as long as the driver is carrying a valid driver's licence.
As per the guidelines issued by the home ministry, empty trucks/ goods carriers should also be allowed to operate while on way to pick up goods, or returning after completing a delivery.
China has reported over 100 new COVID-19 cases for the first time in recent weeks, while two more people have died in the central Hubei Province, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus, taking the death toll in the country to 3,341, health officials said on Monday.
Ten new domestically transmitted cases were reported, seven in Heilongjiang Province and three in Guangdong Province, the NHC said.
Four more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Dharavi, Mumbai on Monday, raising the total number of cases in the area to 47, reported PTI, quoting the Bombay Municipal Corporation. The latest cases also include one death.
A man from Nagaland has tested positive for novel coronavirus, the first case reported from the state, reported PTI, quoting officials on Monday.
“The man with coronavirus-like symptoms was admitted to a hospital in Assam's Guwahati, where he tested positive for COVID-19,” the official said.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also tweeted that a private hospital in Dimapur referred a patient to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital after he was found with symptoms of COVID-19.
Eleven more people tested positive for COVID-19 (10 from Bharatpur and 1 from Banswara) in Rajasthan on Monday, raising the total number of cases in the state rises to 815, reported ANI, quoting the state health department.
One more person from Assam’s Dhubri tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, raising the total number of cases in the state to 30. The patient was connected with the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin, Delhi , reported ANI, quoting HB Sarma, Assam Health Minister.
Two more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district on Monday, raising the total number of cases in the state to 19, reported PTI. quoting officials.
New York City, the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, now alone has over 100,000 novel coronavirus cases, more than the confirmed cases in China and the UK, according to the official data, reported PTI.
According to the data from the New York City government, an increase of at least 5,695 cases on Sunday put New York City's total number of coronavirus infections at over 104,410 as of 12 April and 27,676 hospitalisations. The city's death toll is 6,898.
Twenty two more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Gujarat on Monday, raising the total number of cases in the state to 538, including 26 deaths and 47 patients discharged, reported ANI, quoting the state health department.
The state also reported two deaths due to COVID-19 on Monday, one each from Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
Pakistan's COVID-19 cases rose to 5,374 with 334 new cases reported on Monday. Seven more deaths due to the disease was also reported, raising the death toll to 93, reported PTI, quoting, health officials.
Twelve more people tested for COVID-19 in Andhra Pradesh (8 in Guntur, 2 in Chittoor and 1 each in Krishna and West Godavari), raising the total number of cases in the state to 432, reported ANI, quoting a COVID-19 Nodal Officer.
Twenty two more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Indore on Monday, raising the total number of cases in the city to 328. The city also reported one more death due to the disease, raising the death toll to 33, reported ANI, quoting Dr Praveen Jadia, Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday donated Rs 5 crore to Give India, matching Google's earlier donation to the non-profit organisation for the coronavirus pandemic.
A 52-year old gazetted officer of Punjab Police, posted in Ludhiana, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. The officer had been unwell for the past week and has been put on a ventilator, reported ANI, quoting KBS Sidhu, Special Chief Secy, Punjab Disaster Management.
Two Noida residents, who were discharged after testing negative on Friday from Noida's Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), and were re-admitted after their third samples tested positive, reported NDTV.
Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad on Monday decided to quarantine himself after he came in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.
“A police official with whom the minister interacted recently has tested positive for COVID-19. Hence, as a precaution, Awhad has decided to self-quarantine for next few days,” a source said.
A doctor, a nurse and one staff at Max Hospital, Saket, tested positive for COVID-19, reported ANI, quoting Max Hospital spokesperson.
“The doctor has in all probability acquired the infection from outside the hospital.” the spokesperson added.
Construction on government projects will resume from 15 April in Uttar Pradesh while maintaining norms of social distancing by workers, reported ANI, quoting Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
With the coronavirus lockdown coming to an end on 15 April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10 am on Tuesday, 14 April.
Delhi Development Minister Gopal Rai on Monday stated that vegetables will be sold from 6 am to 11 am and fruits to be sold from 2 pm to 6 pm in all wholesale markets in Delhi, reported PTI.
“Odd-even rules to be implemented in wholesale markets in Delhi under which traders will sell vegetables on alternate days,” said Rai in a statement to PTI.
“Delhi govt has formed 4 special task forces to ensure effective social distancing in mandis in wake of COVID-19,” Rai added.
Forty three more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Rajasthan, raising the total number of cases in the state to 847. Of the fresh cases, 20 have been reported in Jaipur, 11 in Bharatpur and 7 in Jodhpur, reported ANI, quoting the state health department.
“Bihar government needs to be proactive in combating COVID-19, it is hoping “fire will douse on its own,” said RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, PTI reported.
“It is to inform that Union Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA), on 28 March, had granted consular services on gratis basis to foreign nationals, presently residing in India due to travel restrictions in context of COVID-19 outbreak, till 30 April,” said MHA, ANI reported.
Karnataka Chief Minister on Monday said the COVID-19 situation has thrown the state into a deep financial trouble and there is a need to to find ways to overcome the present crisis, as he announced certain measures aimed at resource mobalisation.
He said the state government was awaiting guidelines from the Centre regarding the implementation of lockdown during the next two weeks, and noted that discussions were on regarding relaxations on the sale of liquor and the decision will be taken after 14 April.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation today with Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam. The two leaders discussed the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic and the steps being taken to address this challenge,” stated the Prime Minister's Office
The PMO added, “the two leaders agreed on potential for bilateral collaboration in fighting COVID-19, including for facilitating supplies of required medical equipment. They also committed to provide necessary support to each other’s citizens present in their territories.”
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said passing orders by “sitting in front a computer” will not help the citizens tide over the coronavirus crisis.
He claimed leaders should come out on the streets and help those hit by the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of the disease.
“Conditions will not improve if review is done for the sake of reviewing by sitting in front of a computer. Those in power will have to come on streets, and serve the people in a direct manner like the Samajwadi Party,” Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi.
“Forty-seven people, out of the total 550 positive cases in the state, have been discharged from the hospitals after making a full recovery,” said Uttar Pradesh Principal Health Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad.
“Pilibhit district had two cases. One of them was discharged earlier and the second person too was discharged today. The district now doesn't have any active case. Pilibhit is Corona-free as of now,” he added.
“No new COVID-19 positive case reported in the state in the last 100 hours. Seven positive patients have recovered till now,” said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, reported ANI.
A doctor, a nurse and a non-medical staff at a leading private hospital here have tested positive for COVID-19, hospital authorities said on Monday.
In a statement, Max Hospital at Saket in south Delhi claimed that there is “no chance” that these people have contracted the disease from the hospital.
“So far, three hospital staffers have tested positive -- a doctor, a nurse and one non-medical staff. All of them are recovering,” the hospital said in a statement.
“States are working continuously to enforce lockdown measures. Retired personnel, NSS (National Service Scheme) and NCC cadets, and officials of other departments too are assisting police in enforcing lockdown measures,” said Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secy, Ministry of Home Affairs.
“Till yesterday, we conducted 2,06,212 COVID-19 tests. Also, there is no need to worry, the pace at which we are conducting tests today, we have a stock with which we can conduct tests for next 6 weeks easily,” said Raman R Gangakhedkar, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Iran's health ministry on Monday reported another 111 deaths from the novel coronavirus, taking the official overall toll in the worst-hit Middle East country to 4,585.
Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said that 1,617 new infections took the total number of cases in the country's outbreak to 73,303, of whom 45,983 had recovered, AFP reported.
Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami announces Section 144 has also been extended until 30 April in the state.
“Some 25 districts across 15 states have contained spread of coronavirus, no new cases reported from these areas in 14 days,” said the Health Ministry in a press briefing.
“796 COVID-19 cases, 35 deaths reported in last 24 hours,” the Health Ministry added.
Meanwhile, Raman R Gangakhedkar, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on being asked about supply from China, said, “The first consignment of COVID-19 kits from China will arrive in India on 15 April.”
Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad on Monday said that he has decided to quarantine himself as he came in contact with a police officer who tested positive for coronavirus.
The minister in a message said his first test has come out negative for coronavirus, but as a precaution, he has decided to self-quarantine for 14 days, PTI reported.
“Everyone is together. This battle is being fought under the leadership of PM Modi. All CMs had suggested him that lockdown should be extended. Tomorrow when he addresses the nation, he'll put forth before the people the strategy for lockdown,” said MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, ANI reported.
The Bhopal Police have so far registered over 1,000 cases related to violation of lockdown which is in force since late last month in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Monday, reported PTI.
A Bhopal police spokesman said a total of 1,017 cases were registered till Sunday evening for violation of the lockdown in the district.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has written another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the lockdown, this time, regarding the food insecurity among the poor during the current situation.
Under National Food Secuirty Act (NFSA), Gandhi has suggested the extension of provision of 10 kg grains/person to the beneficiaries for an additional period of three months i.e. till September 2020.
“Secondly, 10 kg grains/per person may be provided free of cost, for a period of 6 months to those who may be facing food insecurity but not holding ration cards,” she further wrote.
“Ninety-seven people tested for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh today, of which 28 were negative and results of 69 are awaited. Currently, the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the state is at 32, including 15 active cases, 12 recovered, and one death,” said N Jindal State Special Secretary (Health), reported ANI.
In Maharashtra, 25 staff members of a hospital in Mumbai have tested positive for COVID-19. They are all being treated at the ICU of the hospital itself. All are stable now.
Few others, close contacts of these staff members were also tested but are negative. High-risk contacts of these positive patients are quarantined in the hospital itself and low-risk contacts of positive cases have been instructed to home-quarantine themselves, reported ANI.
“Twenty-five new cases of COVID-19 reported in Jammu and Kashmir today. All from Kashmir Division. Total number of positive cases stand at 270 in the Union Territory,” said Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary-Planning, Jammu and Kashmir.
“India's total number of coronavirus positive cases rise to 9,352 (including 8,048 active cases, 980 cured/discharged/migrated and 324 deaths,” said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.
905 new positive cases and 51 deaths reported in the last 24 hours.
“Three healthcare workers of the hospital have tested positive, while 112 healthcare staff have tested negative. COVID-19 test was conducted on all 115 healthcare workers who were quarantined two weeks back,” said Dr DS Rana, Chairman, Board of Management (BOM), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi.
“Six more COVID-19 cases reported in Punjab today, taking the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the state to 176. Of the 6 new cases, 4 have contact history,” said the Government of Punjab, ANI reported.
“Sixty-five doctors and health workers at Trauma Center of King George's Medical University (KGMU) kept in quarantine, as a precautionary measure, after a 64-year-old man who later tested positive for coronavirus, came there on 11 April with complaints of breathing difficulties,” said KGMU admininistration.
In Tamil Nadu, 98 new cases were reported today, 91 linked to the single source event. Total tally -is at 1,173, while 58 have been discharged. Eleven deathshave been reported so far.
“Three new COVID-19 cases found in Kerala — two in Kannur and one in Palakkad. Total number of positive cases in the state stands at 378. Till date 15,683 samples tested, out of which 14,829 tested negative. Number of positive cases are decreasing and that of negative cases increasing,” said Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Nepal reported two new coronavirus cases on Monday taking the total number of infected persons in the country to 14.
The Ministry of Health said a 65-year-old woman from Kailali district and a 19-year-old man from Rautahat district had tested positive for COVID-19. Of the 14 virus cases, one patient has recovered, PTI reported.
“Arunachal Pradesh government has extended the lockdown from 14 April to 30 April,” said the state’s Chief Secretary, PTI reported.
Forty-three people tested positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan on Monday, taking the total in the state to 847, an official said in Jaipur, PTI reported.
The virus has so far claimed 11 lives in the state.
“As many as 43 new cases have come up today in four districts of the state,” Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.
The Assam government on Monday decided to provide financial assistance to those people from the state stranded in other areas due to the nationwide lockdown, Finance and Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, PTI reported.
A helpline number has been given where the people hailing from the state can give a missed call. Once that is done they will be provided with a link to provide their details, including bank account numbers, the minister said at a press conference in Guwahati.
The Delhi Police received 890 calls on its 24x7 helpline number from 2 pm on Sunday and the same time on Monday, seeking assistance on issues faced during the lockdown, officials said So far, a total of 19,110 calls were received by the police on its helpline (011-23469526) since the lockdown was announced on 24 March, PTI reported.
Students of 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th standard of schools affiliated to 'Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad' (UP Board) will be promoted to the next standard, in view of the coronavirus pandemic, ANI quoted Aradhana Shukla, Principal Secretary, Secondary Education Department as saying.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday said it has tripled the size of its coronavirus response package for its member nations to USD 20 billion, PTI reported. The agency said it has also approved measures to streamline its operations for quicker and more flexible delivery of assistance. The package includes about USD 2.5 billion in concessional and grant resources, it added.
The Delhi government launched a massive sanitisation drive in the city's COVID-19 containment areas, declared as red zones, and high-risk zones, identified as orange zones, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, PTI reported.
The administration ran a pilot disinfection drive using hi-tech Japanese spray machines at the Rajinder Nagar Assembly constituency.
Mumbai reported 150 new positive cases and 9 deaths on Monday, as per ANI. Of the 9 deaths, 7 had co-morbidity. The total number of cases in the city now stands at 1549 and total deaths at 100.
A man from Nagaland has tested positive for coronavirus, the first case reported from the state, an official said on Monday, PTI reported.
The 33-year-old man with coronavirus-like symptoms was admitted to a hospital in Assam's Guwahati, where he tested positive for COVID-19, the official said. Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted the patient is undergoing treatment, and is not linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event.
PM Narendra Modi on Monday had a telephonic conversation with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc about potential areas for bilateral collaboration in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, PTI reported.
"Both the leaders agreed that their teams would remain in touch in the coming days for coordination on the pandemic response measures as well as other aspects of bilateral relations," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The Puducherry government has decided to extend the lockdown from 14 April to 30 April, said Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, PTI reported.
Earlier in the day, the Arunachal Pradesh government had announced the same decision, joining West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra and other states in deciding to extend the lockdown.
The coronavirus outbreak may have spread to 25 districts of Rajasthan but 22 percent of the total infected patients have been cured so far, state Health Minister Raghu Sharma said on Monday, PTI reported.
Even though the number of infections has increased, 121 people have been cured as well and that is an achievement for the state, he said.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has written to PM Narendra Modi to arrange special flights to bring back the Keralites stranded in Gulf countries due to the lockdown, PTI reported.
The Supreme Court on Monday modified its 8 April order which asked private labs to conduct free COVID-19 tests, and said the benefit will be available only to "economically weaker sections" who are covered under a government scheme such as the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, PTI reported.
The top court said it never intended to make testing free for those who can afford to pay.
Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced various initiatives taken by the government to help citizens during the pandemic, ANI reported.
"Assam has started a helpline through which we want to connect non-resident Assamese. They can call 9615471547, we'll register them. Once registered, we'll transfer an amount which will help them in surviving in another state till lockdown is completely lifted," said Sarma.
"Another initiative was to help critically ill patients, like those suffering from cancer, kidney & liver ailment. We have transferred Rs 25,000 each to all those patients so that they can continue to get treatment wherever they are today. We have also started an initiative to help the people who are stuck in different countries. To those residents of Assam, we have transferred $1,000 (USD)," he said.
The Jharkhand state government has sought legal advice on the matter of granting parole to ex-Bihar CM and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, in view of the pandemic.
"We have informed the Advocate General that we are concerned for his (Yadav's) health. So the state government should be informed with a legal opinion," said Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, ANI reported.
A 55-year-old man infected with COVID-19 died in Kalaburagi in Karnataka, taking the state toll up to seven, PTI reported on Monday, quoting official sources.
The Meghalaya government on Monday decided to extend the ongoing lockdown till 30 April, as part of its measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, PTI reported
The decision was taken by the state cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma. "We have decided that the lockdown will continue till 30 April," Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters.
Telangana police, as part of surveillance of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, have been using Artificial Intelligence for the purpose, state Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahendar Reddy said on Monday, PTI reported.
He said 330 cameras across three Police Commissionerates of Hyderabad have been set with AI-based technology. Whenever more than five people come under surveillance, operational teams are alerted and they bring things into control.
The Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday said the emerging evidence suggests that transmission of coronavirus from mother to baby before birth or during delivery is possible, PTI reported.
"...Emerging evidence now suggests that vertical transmission (from mother to baby antenatally or intrapartum) is probable, although the proportion of pregnancies affected and the significance to the neonate has yet to be determined," it said.
Telangana reported 61 new positive cases and 1 death on Monday, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 472, while the death toll stands at 17. A total of 103 people have been cured or discharged, ANI quoted the Director of Public Health & Family Welfare, Government of Telangana, as saying.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, BJP workers will mark the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar by distributing ration and masks among the poor on Tuesday, the party's media in-charge Anil Baluni said on Monday, PTI reported.
BJP chief JP Nadda will also address party workers on the occasion, Baluni said in a statement.
With 356 new cases reported in Delhi on Monday, the total number of positive cases in the national capital rose to 1,510, ANI said, quoting Delhi government reports. Out of the new cases, 325 are included under the 'Special Operations' category, taking the category total to 1,071 cases.
The death toll reached 28, with 4 new deaths within the last day.
A 65-year-old man from Bengaluru, who was hospitalised on 12 April and had tested positive for coronavirus, died on Monday, the Karnataka Health Department said as per ANI reports.
This takes the state's death toll up to 8.