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On a day the US promised medical supplies landed in India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday.
The supplies were promised on a day the US president addressed the Congress and said that US was leading the world in the fight against the pandemic. It had earlier stalled supply of raw materials for vaccines to India, with focus on domestic self-sufficiency first.
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government on Friday extended the lockdown till May 17 due to the soaring coronavirus infections. Principal Secretary (Home) Abhay Kumar issued the order, calling it ‘Pandemic Red Alert- Public Discipline Fortnight’.
The restrictions, which were imposed from April 19 to to May 3, were extended for 15 days. All workplaces, except a few government offices engaged in COVID management, and markets would remain closed, according to the guidelines.
Retail and wholesale shops of grocery, flour mills, cattle feed will continue to open for five hours from 6 am to 11 am from Monday to Friday, while dairy shops would operate daily from 6 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 7 pm.
Wholesale markets, vegetable and fruit shops, garland vendors will continue to open daily from 6 am to 11 am. Vendors who sell fruits and vegetables on pull carts, e-rickshaws and others would also be allowed from 6 am to 11 am daily.
Optical shops will also be allowed to open on Tuesday and Friday from 6 am to 11 am. Only 31 people will be allowed in marriage ceremonies and the wedding functions will be allowed for only three hours. If anyone who is not under exempted category is found roaming, that person will be shifted to institutional quarantine facility till the RT-PCR report is negative.
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has imposed weekend lockdown in nine of the 22 districts of the state. The nine districts are: Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad and Panchkula. As per the orders issued by Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan, the weekend lockdown will come into force from 10 pm on April 30, (Friday) and continue till 5 am on May 3 (Monday).
The restrictions are covered under the Disaster Management Act (DMA), 2005. Any person violating the restrictions will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Sections 51-60 of the DMA, besides legal action under Sec. 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions as applicable. An official said during the lockdown, residents must stay indoors.
No person shall leave their homes or shall move on foot or by vehicle or travel or stand or roam around on any road or public places during the restriction hours. Those exempt from the measure are persons and services tasked with law and order, emergencies and municipal services, duties including executive magistrates, police personnel, military/CAPF personnel in uniform, health, electricity, fire, media persons with accreditation and government machinery tasked with COVID-related duties.
He said those exempted for appearing in examination and on exam duties would have to produce admit/ identity cards. Those engaged in the manufacture of essential goods will also be exempt. There shall be no curbs on movement (inter-state and intra-state) of essential and non-essential goods.
All vehicles or persons in bona fide transit (inter-state or intra-state) shall be allowed to pass, but only after verification of point of origin and destination. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said all chief medical officers should ensure that treatment and admission of Covid patients is not affected during the VIP movement in hospitals.
NEW DELHI: India’s daily coronavirus tally crossed the grim milestone of four lakh, while the death toll rose to 2,11,853 with 3,523 fresh fatalities, according to date updated by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.
The data stated that the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,56,84,406, while the case fatality rate stands 1.11 per cent. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7; 30 lakh on August 23; 40 lakh on September 5; and 50 lakh on September 16.
It went past 60 lakh on September 28; 70 lakh on October 11; crossed 80 lakh on October 29; 90 lakh on November 20; and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of 1.50 crore on April 19.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 28,83,37,385 samples have been tested up to April 30, of which 19,45,299 were done on Friday.
The 3,523 new fatalities include 828 from Maharashtra, 375 from Delhi, 332 from Uttar Pradesh, 269 from Chhattisgarh, 217 from Karnataka, 173 from Gujarat, 155 from Rajasthan, 122 from Uttarakhand and 120 from Jharkhand, 113 each from Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
A total of 2,11,853 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 68,813 from Maharashtra, 16,147 from Delhi ,15,523 from Karnataka, 14,046 from Tamil Nadu, 12,570 from Uttar Pradesh, 11,344 from West Bengal, 9,022 from Punjab and 8,581 from Chhattisgarh.
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
NEW DELHI: India saw 3,86,452 new coronavirus infections in a span of 24 hours, the highest single-day rise so far, pushing the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,87,62,976, while active cases crossed the 31-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,53,84,418. The case fatality rate stands at 1.11 per cent, the data stated. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.
It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of 1.50 crore on April 19.
According to the ICMR, 28,63,92,086 samples have been tested up to April 29 with 19,20,107 samples being tested on Thursday.
The 3,498 new fatalities include 771 from Maharashtra, 395 from Delhi, 295 from Uttar Pradesh, 270 from Karnataka, 251 from Chhattisgarh, 180 from Gujarat, 158 from Rajasthan, 145 from Jharkhand, 137 from Punjab and 107 from Tamil Nadu.
A total of 2,08,330 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 67,985 from Maharashtra, 15,772 from Delhi, 15,306 from Karnataka, 13,933 from Tamil Nadu, 12,238 from Uttar Pradesh, 11,248 from West Bengal, 8,909 from Punjab and 8,312 from Chhattisgarh.
NEW DELHI: The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till May 31, aviation regulator DGCA said on Friday.
Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with selected countries since July.
India has formed air bubble pacts with around 27 countries including Kenya, Bhutan and France.
Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories.
The DGCA circular also said that the suspension does not affect the operation of international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by it.
By: Husna Rizwan M.D Nasheman
Model and Actress Ankita Chouhan is all set to make her Bollywood debut through upcoming movie BA Pass 3. The film is produced and directed by Narendra Singh. It is penned by Deep Chugh and Narendra Singh and shot by ace cinematographer Anmol Dhiman. The music is composed by Altaaf-Manny and stars Sunny Sachdeva, Ankita Chouhan, Armaan Sandhu, in the pivotal roles.The film revolves around those unwanted relationships, which are made, and then they are punished as well. BA Pass 3 narrates the story of a jobless Anshul and how his life changes upside down when he meets a married woman and gets into a relationship with her.
While talking to media Ankita Chouhan said, “BA Pass 3 is my debut film and I am super excited for the film. BA Pass is already a big franchise and I hope that everybody will love my work”.
Ankita Chouhan had worked in a music album, short film the return gift for ping pong channel and web series the death warrant for mx player is going to release soon.
Bollywood fraternity, in the past two months, have come forward to help people tackle the coronavirus pandemic and navigate through the subsequent lockdown. Now, it is reported that actor Aansh Arora has donated more than 100 oxygen cylinders and more than 1000 oxygen BPC flow meter cylinder kits to the needy people in Delhi and Gurgaon. Aansh is trying to do their bit during the Covid-19 second wave, by providing oxygen cylinders and other medical equipments. He is using his social media Instagram and Facebook @aanshharora to reach to amplify calls for help. The actor is silently paying the expenses of many oxygen cylinders and medical equipments being used at the covid centre for coronavirus patients.
Aansh Arora Said, “Me and My Team Are Trying Our Level Best to Reach Out to The People Who Are in Urgent Need of Oxygen Cylinders and Medical Equipment. Receiving calls and messages from 1000s of people DAY AND NIGHT asking for oxygen cylinders and oxygen flow meter cylinder kits we are keeping our best foot forward to help all those people in urgent need. It gives immense satisfaction in helping all these people. We are Doing our bit to help fight against covid19 pandemic situation and requesting all those to come forward and help however they can. We need more helping hands to con over this situation as soon as possible. We are keeping all the required safety measures and precautions. Please stay home, stay safe, don’t go out until it’s really needed”.
Aansh is known for his roles in shows such as Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki, Tanhaiyan, Queens Hain Hum.
The minister said the government will intimate the eligible people after confirmation from Serum Institute of India about the arrival of vaccines.
BENGALURU: Vaccination of people above 18 years of age, which was supposed to start from May 1, may be delayed as the vaccines have not yet arrived, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Friday.
“We have made orders to Serum Institute in Pune for over one crore doses but the official news is that they are still not prepared to give it to us from tomorrow as scheduled,” the Minister told reporters here. He asked people who have enrolled themselves on the Cowin portal for inoculation to refrain from going to vaccination centres on May 1.
The minister said the government will intimate the eligible people after confirmation from Serum Institute of India about the arrival of vaccines. “We have already paid Rs 400 crore to purchase one crore doses of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune,” the Minister said.
According to him, the Serum Institute has the capacity to produce five to six crore doses in a month while the Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech can produce one to 1.5 crore doses. Russia’s Sputnik has given licence to Dr Reddy’s Laboratory to produce the vaccine but they have not informed the government officially when they will be able to supply it.
BENGALURU: In the most explosive increase that Karnataka has witnessed throughout the pandemic, a whopping 39,047 fresh cases were added to the state’s Covid-19 tally on Wednesday. This massive addition has pushed the state to No. 2 position behind Maharashtra, which leads the pack with 6,73,481 active cases, and overtaking Uttar Pradesh.
Although the 11,883 single-day discharges recorded on Wednesday is the highest in the second wave, the first wave of the pandemic had seen better figures with 13,550 discharged on October 22 and 12,030 discharged on October 12 last year. The total number of patients discharged from March 2020, when the pandemic broke out in Karnataka, until now, stands at 10,95,883, up from 10,84,050 on Tuesday.
BACK in October last year, the state’s recovery rate was 86.85%, and although it increased to a high of 98.05% by January 30 this year, the intense second wave has dragged it down to 76.11 per cent now. Bengaluru Urban district also recorded the single-day highest with 22,596 new cases. Out of the 229 deaths, 137 deaths were from Bengaluru Urban alone.
The total positive cases in the the city is 7,10,347. Bengaluru has reported 6,139 Covid deaths and tops among cities in the country with the highest active cases at 2,24,152. The number of patients discharged in the city for the day was 4,530 and total discharged stands at 4,80,055, up from 4,75,525 on Tuesday.
Apart from Bengaluru, the other districts with high number of cases are Mysuru (1,759) Kolar (1,194), Tumakuru (1,174), Ballari (1,106) and Hassan (1,001). Mysuru recorded 11 deaths and stands second among districts after Bengaluru Urban, with the death toll at 1,180.