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This story is from May 16, 2020

Coronavirus India updates: India tally inches towards 86,000; death toll nears 3,000

Coronavirus India updates: India tally inches towards 86,000; death toll nears 3,000
Helicopter showers flower petals on the staff of INS Asvini hospital in Mumbai. (Credits: AP)
NEW DELHI: India's total tally of coronavirus cases stood at 85,940 and death toll at 2,752, as of Saturday morning registering an increase of 103 deaths and 3,970 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry.
On Friday, India ranked 11th among countries with the highest number of coronavirus cases overtaking China’s official count of 84,031 cases.
On Friday, India had reported more than 3,500 new cases for the sixth consecutive day while the day’s death toll was 105, back in three digits after dropping to 99 on Thursday.
Here are the latest updates:
US approves at-home sample collection for virus testing
The US approved a DIY nasal sample collection kit for coronavirus tests on Saturday, adding to an array of at-home options for a country eager to expand its Covid-19 testing.
The Food and Drug Administration on April 21 approved a first at-home nasal sample collection kit under an arrangement that sends such samples to LabCorp, a major chain of laboratories.
On May 8, the FDA gave the green light to a test developed by Rutgers University which uses a saliva sample taken at home and sent to a Rutgers lab.

Surveillance system for Covid-19 in urban areas should be strengthened: health ministry
Surveillance system for Covid-19 in urban areas should be strengthened and strict perimeter control be maintained in containment zones with Section 144 enforced to ensure people remain in their dwelling units, according to the health ministry's guidelines on coronavirus management in urban settlements released on Saturday.
In most of the cities or towns, the disease surveillance system is not as well organised as in the rural areas, the health ministry guidance document for preparedness and response to Covid-19 in urban settlements said, asserting that this is more so pronounced in these urban settlements.
Maha Covid-19 cases rise by 1606 6o 30,706; death toll 1135
Maharashtra recorded 1,606 new Covid-19 cases and 67 deaths, taking the case count to 30,706 and the number of the fatalities to 1,135, state health department said.
A total of 524 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the total number of the recovered cases to 7,088, a statement said.
Punjab extends lockdown till May 31, but curfew restrictions to go
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said the coronavirus lockdown in the state will continue till May 31, though his government will lift the curfew restrictions.
He further indicated the resumption of limited public transport services from May 18. He said the state government will announce more relaxations from May 18 but sought support of people in containing the Covid-19 spread in the state.
Govt permits exports of non-medical, non-surgical masks
The government on Saturday eased mask export restrictions by permitting outbound shipments of non-medical and non-surgical masks of all types, including cotton, silk, wool and knitted.
However, all other types of masks such as N-95 and surgical masks will continue to remain prohibited for exports.
A notification is "amended to allow the export of non-medical/non-surgical masks of all types (cotton, silk, wool, knitted)," the directorate general of foreign trade said in a notification.
Iran reports 35 new virus deaths, lowest since March 7
Iran on Saturday reported 35 new deaths from the coronavirus -- the lowest number since March 7 despite infections rising -- and announced a further relaxation of Covid-19-related closures.
"Despite the unfortunate loss of 35 of our compatriots in the past 24 hours, this number is the lowest in the past 70 days," health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said.
The new deaths brought the overall toll to 6,937, he added.
Distribute free ration to 8 cr migrants within 15 days: Centre to states
As hundreds of migrants continue to travel a long distance in this Covid-19 crisis, Union food minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday appealed to state governments to immediately lift food grains and pulses from the godowns and distribute them for free within a fortnight to 8 crore migrants who neither have centre nor state ration card.
According to the food ministry, about 142 lakh migrants will benefit in Uttar Pradesh and in Bihar (86.45 lakh), Maharasthra (70 lakh), West Bengal (60.1 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (54.64 lakh), Rajasthan (44.66 lakh), Karnataka (40.19 lakh), Gujarat (38.25 lakh), Tamil Nadu (35.73 lakh), Jharkhand (26.37 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (26.82 lakh) and Assam (25.15 lakh).
In the national capital, about 7.27 lakh migrants will get free 5 kg food grains per person and 1 kg chana per family for May and June.
HRD postpones announcement of pending exams' schedule for class 10, 12 students
The HRD ministry on Saturday postponed announcement of the exam schedule for pending class 10 and 12 board exams, saying the CBSE is still considering certain technical aspects before finalising the datesheet.
The ministry had earlier announced that it would notify the schedule at 5 pm on Saturday.
FM announces easing of restrictions on utilisation of Indian air space
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced easing of restrictions on utilisation of Indian air space, benefiting civil aviation sector by about Rs 1,000 crore per year.
Announcing the fourth tranche of economic stimulus, she said only 60 per cent of Indian airspace is freely available. More air space available would reduce travel time and save on fuel, she said.
The finance minister said six more airports will be auctioned for private participation.
FM announces hike in FDI in defence production: FM
To boost Make in India in defence production, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said FDI limit in defence manufacturing will be hiked to 74 per cent from 49 per cent while some weapons and platforms will be banned for imports.
Items banned for imports can only be purchased from within the country, she said presenting the fourth tranche of the economic stimulus package.
Also, there will be indigenisation of some imported spares, she said adding separate budget provisioning for domestic capital procurement will be done.
This, she said, will reduce the huge defence import bill.
Over 14 lakh people transported back to their home states in 15 days: Railways
The ministry of railways on Saturday said that 1,074 Shramik special trains have been operationalised from various States across the country till May 15 midnight.
The ministry has added that more than 14 lakh stranded people have been transported back to their home states in the last 15 days.
In a statement, the ministry of railways stated that more than two lakh persons are being transported per day during the last three days. In days to come, it is expected to be scaled up to three lakh passengers per day, said the ministry.
Previously known antiviral drug can speed up recovery of Covid-19 patients: Study
Researchers have shown for the first time that a previously known antiviral drug can speed up recovery of Covid-19 patients, an advance that may help slow down the tide of the pandemic across the world.
According to the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, treatment with the drug interferon(IFN)- a2b may significantly accelerate virus clearance and reduce levels of inflammatory proteins in Covid-19 patients.
The scientists, including those from the University of Toronto in Canada, found that treatment with this drug which has been in clinical use for many years, significantly reduced the duration of detectable virus in the upper respiratory tract on average by about 7 days.
Important for nations to work together to make world free from Covid-19: PM Modi to Trump
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday thanked President Donald Trump for his remarks that the US stands with India during the pandemic as also for deciding to provide ventilators to New Delhi to help patients suffering from Covid-19.
"Thank you @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. This pandemic is being fought collectively by all of us," the Prime Minister tweeted.
He said in such times, it's always important for nations to work together and do as much as possible to make the world healthier and free from Covid-19.
Modi was responding to a tweet by US President Trump on Friday announcing the decision to donate ventilators to India.
India can avoid 72% of projected Covid-19 cases by closing red light areas: Report
India can add 17 days of additional delay to reaching the peak of novel coronavirus cases, and prevent 72 per cent of projected new cases by closing down its red-light areas till a Covid-19 vaccine is developed, researchers including those from Yale School of Medicine in the US have said. By closing down these places of sex work may projected Covid-19 death toll increase in India could be reduced by 63 per cent post the easing of lockdown measures. The scientists said the findings have been shared with the government of India.
Put money into poor people's account: Rahul Gandhi
Commenting on easing restrictions in the fourth phase of nationwide lockdown, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that it is important to lift lockdown intelligently without sacrificing old, vulnerable people to the disease. On reviving economy he said, "If demand is not generated, the country will suffer a bigger loss economically than from coronavirus." In a critique of the Narendra Modi-led government, Gandhi said,"Government shouldn't act like money lender for its children by giving credit; it should put money into accounts of poor."
Uttar Pradesh: 24 migrant labourers killed, 36 injured
At least 24 migrant workers were killed and 36 injured when a trailer rammed into a stationary truck, both carrying passengers, on a highway near Auraiya in Uttar Pradesh in the early hours of Saturday.
Vice Prez, PM condole death of 24 migrant workers in UP road accident
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condoled the death of migrant workers in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh, saying the government is carrying out relief work in full swing.
5 migrants dead, 19 injured as UP-bound truck overturns in MP
Five migrant workers going to Uttar Pradesh from Maharashtra were killed and 19 others injured when a truck carrying them overturned on Sagar-Kanpur Road, about 70-km from the district headquarters, on Saturday morning, police said.
India likely to produce 2 crore PPE by June-end
As India’s manufacturing capacity for personal protective equipment (PPE) for the medical personnel treating Covid-19 patients touched 3 lakh a day earlier this week, it is estimated that the projected requirement of 2 crore body coveralls will be met by June-end. So far, around 50 lakh PPE have been manufactured and another 50 lakh is expected to be ready by the end of this month.
Punjab CM boosts morale via Covid survivor child clip
In a morale-boosting initiative of the frontline Covid-19 warriors, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh shared a video clip of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl who defeated coronavirus and was discharged from a hospital in Patiala city. The 28-second clip shows the girl receiving flowers. Expressing gratitude, her mother sang a poem thanking doctors.
Nine districts in MP become coronavirus-free: Officials
Nine districts in Madhya Pradesh, which had earlier reported Covid-19 cases, have now become coronavirus-free, a state government official has said. The nine districts are: Barwani, Agar-Malwa, Shajapur, Sheopur, Alirajpur, Harda, Shahdol, Tikamgarh and Betul. Besides, no COVID-19 case has been reported in eight districts of the state so far, said officials.
79% of Covid cases concentrated in 30 municipal regions
As many as 79% of over 81,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases in India are concentrated in 30 municipal regions, leading the government to focus on containment measures, contact tracing and disease management in regions reporting maximum cases and deaths due to the disease. Analysts said positivity rate as well as fatality remained high in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi and needed more aggressive contact tracing and testing. Positivity rate in Mumbai, in particular, is an insistent cause of concern.
'Yagna' organized in Jammu city to beat Covid-19
After the coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir crossed 1,000 mark, a ''Yagna" was organised in Jammu city by the pundits to beat the deadly virus. "Our prayers will give people strength in these testing times. It will give them inner strength. They must all follow all the rules and abide by social distancing norm. They must stay indoors," said Mahanth Rohit Shastri.
Don't want to talk to Xi Jinping right now: Trump
US President Donald Trump has said that he does not want to talk to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping right now, indicating his displeasure at the Chinese leadership's handling of the coronavirus outbreak which has now spread across the world, killing over 300,000 people.
Pak's coronavirus cases touch 38,799 with 834 deaths
Pakistan on Saturday said it has reported 1,581 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the total infections in the country to 38,799 with 834 deaths, the health ministry said. In its latest update, the ministry of national health services said that overall 14,201 cases have so far been detected in Punjab, 14,916 in Sindh, 5,678 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 2,457 in Balochistan, 518 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 921 in Islamabad and 108 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Singapore reports 27,356 cases
Singapore registered 465 new coronavirus infections, its health ministry said on Saturday, taking the city-state's total to 27,356 cases. The vast majority of the newly infected people are migrant workers living in dormitories, the health ministry said in a statement. Four are permanent residents.
Italy to reopen borders for tourists in early June
Italy will reopen to tourists from early June and scrap a 14-day mandatory quarantine period, the government said on Saturday, as it quickened the exit from the coronavirus lockdown. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte enforced an economically crippling shut down in early March to counter a pandemic that has so far killed more than 31,500 people in Italy. The shutdown halted all holidaymaking in a country heavily dependent on the tourism industry.
S.Korea reports fewest daily Covid-19 cases in week
The new 19 more cases, detected on Friday, brought the country's total to 11,037, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Nine were local infections, six of which are tied to the Itaewon outbreak, reports Yonhap News Agency. It is the first time that the number of daily new infections fell below 20 since May 9 when the single-day cases hit 18.
Russia reports 9,200 new coronavirus infections
Russia reported 9,200 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, down from 10,598 new cases reported the previous day. Russia's coronavirus taskforce said the overall number of cases nationwide stood at 272,043. It added that 119 people had died over the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll from the virus to 2,537.
(With inputs from agencies)
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