A medical professional offers aide to a patient outside Delhi's AIIMS.
The Health Ministry has announced that 78 districts, from at least 429 where cases have been reported so far, have recorded no new infection over the last 14 days. Of these, it said, 12 districts reported no new cases in the last 28 days.
At the media, C K Mishra, environment secretary who heads the empowered group on medical infrastructure, made a global comparison of where countries stood by the time they had conducted 5 lakh tests.
He said that the US reached the mark on March 26 with 80,000 cases, Italy on March 31 with 100,000 cases, UK on April 20 with 120,000 cases and Turkey on April 16 with 80,000 cases. India, which had tested 5,00,542 samples by Thursday morning, reached that line on April 22 with about 20,000 cases.
78 districts, from at least 429 where cases have been reported so far, have recorded no new infection over the last 14 days.
“If we make a comparison, we seem to be doing well with our strategy, which is intensely focussed on areas of high positivity — of course, countries like South Korea have done better. This shows that our testing strategy has been targeted and continues to expand. It’s an evolving strategy, we are learning every day and as we are learning we are expanding...we will expand it again in future as the scale of the challenge keeps changing,” Mishra said.
According to the Health Ministry’s latest figures, India reported 1,229 new cases and 34 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 21,700 cases and 686 deaths. About 19.8% patients — 4,324 — have recovered from the disease, the figures show.
According to the Ministry, the list of 12 districts that did not report a fresh case in the last 28 days or more, include eight new ones: Chitradurga (Karnataka), Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), Imphal West (Manipur), Aizawl West (Mizoram), Bhadradari Kothagudem (Telangana), Pilibhit (UP), SBS Nagar (Punjab) & South Goa (Goa).
The list of 78 districts from 23 states/UTs that have not reported any fresh cases during the last 14 days include 33 new ones in nine states: Hailakandi and South Mancachar (Assam); Kaithal (Haryana); Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Alappuzha (Kerala); Vidisha (MP); Cuttack, Kendrapara and Dhenkanal (Odisha); Moga, Amritsar and Muktsar (Punjab); Sidipet, Pedapally, Nagarkurnool, Mulugu, Janagaon, Mahabubabad, Mahaboobnagar and Sangareddy (Telangana); Udhamsingh Nagar and Almora (Uttrakhand); Hathras, Allahabad, Barabanki, Lakhimpur Kheri, Maharajganj, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Kaushambi and Pratapgrah (UP).
A low-cost method of testing coronavirus or COVID-19 developed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, has been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). According to a press release from the institute, the COVID-19 detection assay was developed by a research team from IIT-Delhi’s Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS).
This makes IIT-Delhi the first academic institute to have obtained ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay.
The institute claims “the assay was validated with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 per cent”. This makes IIT-Delhi the first academic institute to have obtained ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay.
A group of 101 retired civil servants have written an open letter to Chief Ministers of all states and Lieutenant Governors of all Union Territories against reports of harassment of Muslims in some parts of the country after coronavirus cases were linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin area.
“The Jamaat was criticised for ignoring the principles of social distancing when cases of Covid-19 had started emerging in the country. Although this was hardly the only incident of such gatherings, both political and religious, sections of the media hastened to give a communal colour to Covid-19, including attributing motives to the Tablighi Jamaat in spreading the virus to different parts of the country,” the group, under the banner of the Constitutional Conduct Group, said in the letter written Thursday.
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No new Covid-19 case has been reported in 15 districts in the last 28 days.
A BJP MLA in Nagpur on Friday protested in front of the district headquarters demanding that a quarantine facility for suspected coronavirus cases be shifted as it is in a densely populated area where people are already "frightened" because of the outbreak.
Hingna MLA Sameer Meghe said the quarantine facility set up in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Government Boys' Hostel in Wanadongri should be closed and relocated. "Wanadongri area is spread over 1,208 hectares and is home to labourers and small traders. People here are already frightened because of the coronavirus outbreak. The quarantine facility in the hostel should be relocated immediately," Meghe said
In a modification to its April 15 order, the Ministry of Home Affairs Friday allowed registered shops, including those in residential complexes and market complexes, except shops in multi-brand and single brand malls, to open with 50% strength of workers wearing masks.
A tigress has died in Delhi Zoo due to “kidney failure” and authorities have sent her samples for coronavirus testing.
The 14-year-old big cat named Kalpana died on Wednesday evening and the carcass was cremated on Thursday following directions to minimise human-animal interface, an official from the Environment Ministry said.
The tigress had grown frail. Post-mortem revealed high creatinine levels, the official said.
Nine CRPF personnel on Friday tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Delhi, officials said.
The personnel underwent tests after ‘contact tracing’ was done in the backdrop of a head constable working as a nursing assistant was declared COVID-19 positive a few days back, they said. As many as 50 personnel have been quarantined after these cases came to light in the CRPF’s 31st battalion in the national capital.
The nine who tested COVID-19 positive include seven constables, a head constable and a sub-inspector rank officer, the officials said.
After an endless wait, the test samples of a 62-year-old COVID-19 woman patient, who has been in a hospital here for the past 48 days, returned
negative following which she was discharged on Friday. The patient, Shirley Abraham'ssampleshad returned positive 20 times,while her last two consecutive results were negative. She would be in quarantinefor 14 days, a government press release said.
State Health Minister K K Shailaja congratulated all the medicalpersonnel involved in the patient's treatment and care. The woman is the primary contact of the the three-member Ranni family from Italy who had returned to the state and had tested positive. (PTI)
In Kolkata, Yamraj chased the lockdown violators on streets while help poured in for sex workers in Delhi. Around 70 labourers who had planned to leave Delhi amid the lockdown were convinced by the police to stay back. Meanwhile, Khammam in Telangana is offering a home away from home to stranded migrant workers. Here is a curated list of some striking stories from across the country on Day 31.
For the first time, the West Bengal government Friday admitted that 57 coronavirus positive patients have died in the state. Of these, it said, 18 deaths were because of Covid-19 infection while the rest were due to co-morbidities. More details here.
The death toll due to the coronavirus pandemic in the US has crossed the 50,000 mark, according to Johns Hopkins University tally. The confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday exceeded 2.7 million globally, with more than 192,000 dead. Click here to follow our global coverage.
Pakistan extends coronavirus lockdown till May 9; cases rise to 11,155 Pakistan on Friday extended the partial lockdown imposed in the country by another two weeks as the number of people affected by the deadly virus rose to over 11,000. About 79 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in Pakistan are now locally transmitted, health authorities said. In the last 24 hours, 642 new cases were reported, taking the tally to 11,155 in the country, news agency PTI reported.
Although there has been so census, estimates say that art and crafts involves more than 130 lakh people in rural and semi-rural locations. Usually, December to March is their peak season — with increased tourism activity, and fairs and exhibitions like the annual Surajkund Crafts Mela. But with Covid-19 cutting their season short, many of them are staring at financial distress and loss of livelihood.
A probe has been launched into allegations of faulty and unfit Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits provided to the staff treating novel coronavirus patients at the Government Medical College in Amritsar.
“PPE kits are not only unfit but also faulty. Wearing PPE kit is not enough. It is not any vaccine that will protect you after wearing it. It is a physical equipment and works only if it is fit on the body of medical worker. But sometimes we feel air moving inside PPE kit. It means PPE kit is not securing our body from virus,” said a doctor, not wanting to be named. More details here.
It’s one of the states with the highest literacy rate in the country, and true to its form, it is now delivering books right to people’s doorsteps. On April 18, NGO Young Mizo Association in Mizoram, started an initiative called the Kawtkai Library (‘kawtkai’ translates to doorstep in Mizo) which brings people a book of their choice
“Every locality has a library in Mizoram,” said B. Lalmalsawma of the YMA, “Ramhlun South, our locality, does too. We realised that people are bored during the lockdown, and what better way to utilise time than reading?” Read the full story by Tora Agarwala here
With 1,752 new positive cases in last 24 hours, India recorded its highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases on Friday, taking the country’s tally to 23,452. The death toll stood at 723. As many as 17,915 Covid-19 cases are active while at least 4,813 people have been cured and discharged so far.
Here's what has happened today:
Once the virus enters the body, it can cause discomfort when it reaches the air passages on the outside of the lungs. These passages conduct air into and from the lungs. The virus injures the lining of the passageways, and the body responds with an inflammation, which in turn irritates the nerves in the lining. That is when an infected person coughs. Click here to read our explainer.
More than 2.7 million people have been reported to be infected by the virus globally and 190,985 have died, according to John Hopkins tally. The US leads the chart with 869,000 cases and 49,954 deaths. The next worst-affected countries are Italy on 25,549 deaths, Spain on 22,157 and France on 21,856.
Here's what's happening globally:
*Donald Trump says US is very close to finding a vaccine for Covid-19
*Pakistan’s coronavirus cases rise to 11,155; 79% cases locally transmitted
*Philippines extends capital’s lockdown to May 15
*Spain records lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths in over a month
*NASA develops high-pressure ventilator to fight Covid-19
*South Africa to begin phased easing of lockdown on May 1
*Indonesia's capital relocation on hold, shifts budget to fight pandemic
*Coronavirus will make life hard for a long time, Angela Merkel says
At a review meeting with senior officers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityananth said that the government will bring back labourers stranded in other states because of the coronavirus-forced lockdown. He also directed officials to prepare an action plan in this regard.
IPS officer Madhur Verma shared a photograph of two cops sleeping on the ground saying 'Proud of these #CoronaWarriors'. The picture is being widely circulated on social media.
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Here's what the Health Ministry said about Covid-19 situation in India:
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry: "Our recovery rate is 20.57%. Districts with no cases in 28 days are now 15. New districts added are Durg, Rajnandgaon and Shivpuri. In 80 districts with cases earlier none for 14 days."
"In last 24 hours, as many as 1,684 positive cases of Covid-19 have been reported in India, which takes our total confirmed case to 23,077," says Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry.
At midnight on Thursday, doctors at AIIMS received a message from the emergency department about a 35-year-old farmer from Bihar — a suspected coronavirus patient — who needed surgery. The man, who had a life-threatening disease, was brought to the hospital by his brother at 10.30 pm. He was in acute pain and his condition was deteriorating with each passing minute. Within an hour, a team was formed to operate on the patient. More details here.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami Friday announced a complete lockdown in five cities including Chennai. The lockdown in Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore corporations will be from 6 am on April 26 to 9 pm on April 29. Meanwhile, Salem and Tiruppur corporations will follow complete lockdown from 6 am on April 26 to 9pm on April 28.
NASA engineers have developed a new, easy-to-build high-pressure ventilator tailored specifically to treat COVID-19 patients. The device, called VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally), passed a critical test this week at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York, an epicentre of COVID-19 in the US, NASA said.
Continuing his criticism of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Friday accused the state government of failing to combat the Covid-19 outbreak in the state. In a 14-page letter, Dhankhar said that CM Banerjee has adopted a “street fighter approach” and entered into an “accusatory mode” to cover up “monumental failures in these challenging times by series of blunders”.
Dhakhar’s latest letter to the CM came a day after he sent a five-page missive in which he accused her of violating the Constitution. CM Banerjee had earlier reminded the Governor of his “nominated” post and accused him of “consistent interference” in the administration.
Two recent figures given out on separate days by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) about people without symptoms testing positive for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created fear about the possibility of unsuspecting individuals suddenly falling very sick, and of their infecting others. A look at the evidence and the guidance on asymptomatic cases of COVID-19.
The Bombay High Court has directed the state government to expedite temporary release of prisoners serving up to seven years imprisonment from all jails across Maharashtra as per the Supreme Court’s directions on decongesting jails due to COVID-19 pandemic. The court’s directions came after government lawyer informed it that 4,060 out of 11,000 prisoners have been released on interim bail or parole and no prisoner in jails across Maharashtra has been affected by COVID-19.
In Delhi, over 80 healthcare workers have been tested positive for Covid-19 and many others have been quarantined. Several hospitals like Delhi State Cancer Institute, Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Babu Jagjivan Ram hospital have seen a large number of healthcare workers falling prey to the disease. On Friday, another resident doctor from LHMC has been tested positive for Covid-19.
On Thursday, seven doctors and 14 healthcare workers from Babu Jagjivan Ram hospital have been tested positive for Covid-19. The hospital has quarantined its staff and the DOTS block where TB patients come for the treatment has been sealed. The hospital administration is carrying out a sanitization exercise in the complex.
As many as 35 healthcare workers from AIIMS Gastroenterology department have been asked to self-quarantine after a 30-year-old nurse was tested positive for COVID-19. Around five healthcare workers including a junior resident doctor from the department of physiology have been tested positive for the disease.
“None of the healthcare workers who have been tested positive were posted in the Covid-19 ward. All have contracted the disease from outside the hospital. We are further tracing the contacts of the workers,” said Dr DK Sharma, medical superintendent of AIIMS. -- ENS
As pollution in the Yamuna dipped by up to 30% and the quality of waste water in drains improved by up to 80% in the first week of April due to lockdown, The Indian Express photographer clicked photos of the river during sunset. See here!
Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu Friday said three prisoners at Ramanagara district jail, which is 60 kilometres outside state capital Bengaluru, had contracted Covid-19. The confirmation came a day after two accused in the Padarayanapura violence case tested positive for the disease at the prison. All five have been isolated at a hospital in Bengaluru.
The Bengaluru Police had arrested 54 accused in connection with the violence that broke out on the night of April 19 in the city, and shifted them to the Ramanagara prison three days later.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in bringing back the bodies of NRIs whose death occurred due to reasons other than COVID-19.
The prime minister said the coronavirus pandemic has thrown up new challenges which the country never faced before, but it also made people learn new things. Applauding people for observing lockdown rules, the prime minister said it is because of them, the entire world today is talking about how India has responded to COVID-19 crisis. Despite limited resources amid the coronavirus crisis, citizens are taking on this challenge instead of succumbing to difficulties, he said. Read the full copy here
The total number of novel coronavirus cases in Karnataka rose to 463 on Friday as 18 new cases were confirmed by the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services.
According to the latest media bulletin, while 11 of these are from Bengaluru, two each are from Tumkur and Chikkaballapura districts, and one each from Tumkur, Chikkaballapura, and Vijayapura.
Total cases: 463. Deaths: 18. Discharges: 150. Active cases: 295.
Kejriwal appealed to recovered patients to donate plasma for other positive patients. "I appeal to all people who have recovered from COVID-19 to come forward and donate plasma for serious patients."
Kejriwal says, "Initial results of plasma therapy conducted on COVID-19 patients gives hope, more trials to be done in next 2-3 days."Also, Dr. SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver & Biliary Science says, "At this time, we need those people who have recovered from #COVID19 and are at their homes. We need them to show their patriotism and donate blood plasma."
PM Modi also said, "There are hurdles, but with resolve we are moving forward, and the work for saving country is on."
Pm Modi said, "Coronavirus pandemic has thrown up new challenges which we never faced before, but it also made us learn new things. It is because of efforts of people, entire world today is talking about how India has responded to COVID-19 crisis. Despite limited resources amid coronavirus crisis, citizens are taking on this challenge instead of succumbing to difficulties."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says, "In the last few days, we have tried plasma therapy on 4 patients at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. Till now the results are encouraging."
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal briefing the media on the initial positive results of the use of plasma treatment to COVID19 patients.
PM Modi says, "The villages in India have given the mantra of - 'Do gaj doori ' to define social distancing in simpler terms, to fight coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has given its biggest lesson that we have to become self-reliant."
PM Modi said, "The Coronavirus pandemic has taught that we have to become self-dependent." He inaugurated e-GramSwaraj portal and a mobile application, on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Diwas. "Now, broadband has reached more than 1.25 lakh panchayats. Not only that, the number of common service centres in villages is also crossing three lakh."
US President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that researchers should try to apply their findings to coronavirus patients by inserting ‘light or disinfectant’ into their bodies. The theory comes amid shortage of testing kits and medical staff in the US, where nearly 50,000 people have been killed and over eight lakh people have been infected. The theory suggests that coronavirus could become less contagious in summer months as it appears to weaken more quickly when exposed to sunlight, heat and humidity.
Authorities had a tough time managing a large crowd that arrived at the Madurai District Collector's office this morning to collect vehicle e-passes amid the lockdown. The chaos later forced authorities to close the office.
According to local reports, District Collector Dr T G Vinay had issued an order that from April 25 only those with QR code-generated vehicle e-passes would be allowed to commute, and the rest of the vehicles would be seized. Due to this order, people gathered at his office to collect vehicle e-passes.
Tripura has become the third Covid-19 free state after Goa and Manipur. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb took to Twitter to announce that the state is free of the disease after two patients who had tested positive recovered.
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Assam’s Kamakhya Temple has decided not to organise the annual 'Ambubachi Mela' this year. This is perhaps the first time in history that the annual religious congregation, which takes place from June 22-26 every year, stands cancelled.
The mela, which draws lakhs of devotees from across the country, is one of the most important events on the temple’s annual calendar and marks goddess Kamakhya’s menstrual period.
“The annual Ambubachi Mela which was to take place starting June 22 stands cancelled in view of the coronavirus pandemic. However, it has been decided that only the traditional ritualistic practices will take place,” read a statement by the Maa Kamakhya Devalaya. The centuries-old temple is located atop the Nilachal Hill in Guwahati.
A 34-year-old who was allegedly attacked on suspicion of being a Covid-19 patient died in Kalyan in Maharashtra's Thane district. The victim had reportedly stepped out to buy essential commodities when he was assaulted after coughing. He had fallen into a gutter.
Puducherry Congress MLA T Jeyamoorthi prostrated before a doctor after undergoing a Covid-19 test on Thursday. He later said, "We have to congratulate them. They are risking their lives to save people." He was among the several leaders, including Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy, Speaker V P Sivakolundhu, to be tested for the disease at the legislative Assembly yesterday.
Here are some global stories:
History shows that during pandemics the fear of contracting infections can bring out the worst in human beings. And in a country where people do not have adequate faith in the public health system, the medical professional’s work has been made more arduous, even dangerous. But violence against doctors cannot be tolerated. Government must find ways to persuade society to rally around medical workers.
The Sensex has opened 500 points lower tracking weak global cues. The 30-share index was trading 1.37 per cent lower at 31,426. The broader Nifty, meanwhile, is trading 128 points, or 1.38 per cent, lower at 9,185. Global stocks are in the red amid projections of a severe blow to the global economy due to Covid-19, traders told PTI.
On Thursday, the first of many British Airways flights took off from Amritsar carrying British citizens stranded in India. Today, at least 3,600 more travellers are set to fly out on 14 flights, reports ANI. Once completed, a total of over 13,000 people would have been flown out of India to the UK, the news agency quotes the British High Commission in India as saying. The Indian Express has previously quoted a spokesperson as saying: “An estimated 35,000 British nationals are currently in India. Over 20,000 have told us they wish to return to the UK as soon as possible."
An artisan at Kumartuli paints the finishing touches of a replica of coronavirus, in Kolkata on Thursday. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)
The government is following a geographic (zonal) approach. This is a high-risk approach which can also prove ineffective. A more effective, minimal-risk approach would be to create infection-free worker pools, by a strategic combination of antibody and PCR testing of workers in businesses that open up. Bina Agarwal, Professor of Development Economics and Environment, University of Manchester, UK, explains in this article.
A four-month old child who had tested positive for Covid-19 has died today morning. The child was suffering from heart ailments. The child's parents haven't contracted the virus. A distant relative had tested positive earlier. A 45-day-old in Narayanpet district of Telangana had passed away from the disease Sunday.
US government researchers have claimed that the coronavirus would weaken when exposed to sunlight, heat and humidity. William Bryan, acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, was quoted as saying by Reuters: "The virus dies quickest in the presence of direct sunlight". If true, this could be good news as summer approaches. (Don't miss our explainer: Will summer kill Covid-19?)
Maharashtra continued to set new records for number of Coronavirus cases, reporting as many as 778 infections on Thursday, and, in the process, propelled India to its highest single-day surge in numbers thus far. The fresh cases on Thursday took Maharashtra’s total number of people to have tested positive for the virus to 6,427. The state, which is witnessing the fastest spread of the disease in the country, has doubled its number of positive cases in the last one week. It had 3,202 positive cases on April 16. Read Amitabh Sinha's explainer here.