India Coronavirus Update, May 29: India becomes ninth worst-hit country; Goa, Haryana bat for lockdown extension

Over 1.65 lakh people travelled since resumption of flight services

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said more than 1.65 lakh people have travelled in 2,198 flights have travelled ever since the CEntre allowed resumption of partial domestic flight services on May 24.

Private carriers have operated a total of 2,198 flights till 5 pm on Friday — 428 on Monday, 445 on Tuesday, 460 on Wednesday, 494 on Thursday and 371 on Friday. During the pre-lockdown period, Indian airports handled around 3,000 daily domestic flights, aviation industry sources said.

Our airports continue to function smoothly.

Day 5
29th May 2020 till 1700 hrs.

Departures 371
30,814 passengers handled.

Arrivals 324
27,212 passengers handled.

Total movements 695 with 58,026 passenger footfalls at airports.
Total number of flyers 30,814@MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/H136PMlmvH

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 29, 2020

Bengal to open shrines from Monday

West Bengal Mamata Banerjee has announced a slew of relaxations, including reopening of shrines from June 1 and restarting of private and public sector offices with full attendance from June 8. “I have come to know that the Railways is sending trains, jam-packed, with migrant labourers. In one seat, three-four persons are travelling for 48 hours, 72 hours. “So I thought then what is the harm in opening up religious places. From June 1, religious sites and places can open up in Bengal. But there would no major congregation or celebration of any festival,” Banerjee said.

The CM has, however, has said there will be no congregation and not more than 10 people would be allowed at a time at the religious places in the state. Banerjee also announced full operationalisation of the tea and jute industry, the states economic backbone.

Banerjee also announced full operationalisation of the tea and jute industry, the states economic backbone.

After Goa, Haryana bats for lockdown extension

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij suggested that the lockdown should continue beyond May 31 and justified the strictness at the Delhi borders, saying free movement will lead to a surge in coronavirus cases in the state. Coronavirus cases in Haryana are reported over 1,500, including 9 deaths.

“If you ask my personal opinion, strictness will have to be maintained. Giving more relaxations at this stage can lead to increase in cases. Because the stage at which coronavirus is right now, need of the hour is that lockdown should be extended,” he said. Citing rise in cases in the national capital, Vij said the major reason for surging cases is movement of people from Delhi into these adjoining districts of Haryana. “70-80 per cent of the cases (in Haryana) are from districts adjoining the national capital,” he said.

The Delhi-Gurgaon border has seen immense traffic ever since restrictions were eased in lockdown 4.0.

Over 2,000 Maharashtra Police personnel test Covid positive

At least 2,211 police personnel in Maharashtra have tested coronavirus positive so far, of whom 25 have lost their lives due to the infection, an official told PTI. As many as 249 of these COVID-19 patients are police officers, while 1,962 others are constabulary-rank personnel, he said, adding that they are undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

Of the total deceased, 16 officers were from Mumbai. Three others are from Nashik rural, two from Pune and one each from Solapur city, Solapur rural, Thane and the Mumbai ATS, the official said. “At least 116 personnel were found infected in the last 24 hours. The number of over a hundred police personnel testing coronavirus positive everyday has remained constant throughout this week,” he said.

Mumbai police checks ID cards during lockdown in Ghatkopar East in Mumbai.

Amit Shah meets PM Modi, briefs on states’ suggestions on lockdown

As the fourth phase of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown nears its end, Home Minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and informed him about the views of all chief ministers on the road ahead. The Centre is expected to announce its decision on the lockdown within the next two days even as the number of Covid-19 cases in India climbed to 1,65,799 on Friday, making it the world’s ninth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic. The death toll stood at 4,706.

During the meeting with the Home Minister, several states suggested further opening of the economy and social life. Karnataka has already written to the Centre for opening of malls and multiplexes from June 1 while Goa is planning to open restaurants beginning Monday. Many states are also nudging the Centre on relaxations for holding religious events as multiple festivals are scheduled in June and July. (Read more)

Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI/File)

Railways urges people with comorbidities to avoid travel

The Indian Railways Friday appealed to people not to travel on the Shramik Special trains if they are suffering from pre-existing health conditions. “It has been observed that some people availing Shramik trains have pre-existing medical issues which aggravates risk of COVID-19. A few unfortunate cases of deaths related to pre-existing medical conditions have taken place in Shramik trains. So, Railways appeal to people with comorbidities, pregnant women, children below age of 10 and those aged above 65 to avoid travel by rail,” it said.

Appeal from Indian Railways to people with diseases, co-morbidity, to not travel.
“A few unfortunate cases of deaths related to pre-existing medical conditions while travelling have happened.” pic.twitter.com/R5nMdW4WWh

— Avishek Dastidar (@avishekgd) May 29, 2020

It also said that the railway family is working 24X7 to ensure that rail services are provided to all citizens of the country needing to travel. “We seek the cooperation of all citizens in this matter. In case of any distress or emergency please do not hesitate to reach out to your railway parivaar and we will help you as always (Helpline number – 139 & 138),” it said.

The railways have been running Shramik special Trains on a daily basis throughout the country to ensure that migrants can travel back to their homes since May 1.

Two floors of Parliament Annexe building sealed after official tests positive

A Rajya Sabha Secretariat official tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, the fourth such case reported in the Parliament complex so far, according to PTI. Out of the four, three were found to have contracted the infection after Parliament resumed operations on May 3 when Lockdown 2.0 ended and were on duty. The director-level officer, who attended work on May 28, was found positive for the infection along with his family members. Two floors of the Parliament’s Annexe building have been sealed.

Top ten states with maximum caseload

Lockdown should be extended by 15 more days, says Goa CM

In the first indication that the lockdown may be extended, Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant was quoted by local media on Friday as saying, “Held a telephonic conversation with Home Minister Amit Shah, lockdown likely to increase by 15 days.”

This comes a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to chief ministers on Thursday to take stock of the Covid-19 situation on ground, and sought their views on the extension of lockdown beyond May 31 – lockdown 5.0.

Bengal minister tests positive for COVID-19

A minister in West Bengal tested positive for the virus, making it the first such case in the Mamata Banerjee-led state cabinet, PTI quoted a government source as saying. State Fire Services minister Sujit Bose has been advised to undergo home quarantine after his test results came out positive, the source said. A domestic help at the minister’s residence was diagnosed with the disease, following which samples of Bose and his family members were sent for examination. The reports, which arrived on Thursday night, showed Bose and one of his family members have contracted the virus, the source added.

Coronavirus India updates: A jump of 7,466 infections and 175 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours from across the country.

CISF official posted at warship building GRSEL succumbs to disease

A Central Industrial Security Force personnel posted at the GRSEL, a warship manufacturing facility in Kolkata, has succumbed to the novel coronavirus, officials said on Friday. They said head constable Susanta Kumar Ghosh, 58, was a resident of Murshidabad district of West Bengal. This is the fourth death from coronavirus in the about 1.62 lakh personnel strong force and the second from this unit, a defence PSU located in Kolkata. Earlier, 55-year-old Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) rank official from this unit had succumbed to the virus. An official posted at the Indian Museum in Kolkata and another in the unit that guards the Mumbai international airport have been the earlier COVID-19 casualties in the force.

494 domestic flights carrying 38,078 passengers operated in India yesterday: Hardeep Puri

A total of 494 domestic flights, carrying 38,078 passengers, were operated on Thursday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday. Domestic flight operations resumed in the country on Monday after a gap of two months. All scheduled passenger flights were suspended from March 25 to May 24 due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. International passenger flights continue to remain suspended.

Our airports are abuzz again.

Figures for domestic flights for 28th May 2020 till 2359 hrs.

Day 4
Departures 494
38,078 passengers handled.
Arrivals 493
38,389 passengers handled.

Total movements 987 with 76,467 passenger footfalls at airports.
Total number of flyers 38,078 pic.twitter.com/Uio5WvrAi1

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 29, 2020

Make jobs available to migrant workers near their homes: Mayawati to Centre

BSP president Mayawati on Friday asked the Centre and state governments to solve basic problems of livelihood and food faced by migrants returning home and said providing them jobs near their homes will be the real test of their intention. Referring to the Supreme Court’s directions that no fare for travel either by train or bus be charged from migrant workers stranded across the country, Mayawati said the government has been ignoring a similar demand made by the BSP.

In a series of tweets, she said, “Finally, for lakhs of migrant labourers returning home, suffering from all kinds of neglect/disdain due to the lockdown for the last 66 days in the country, the court had to say that it is the responsibility of the government to send them home by rail/bus free of cost. The government had been ignoring this demand of the BSP.”

The COVID tally in India crossed the 1,65,000 mark on Friday.

Here are some news stories from The Indian Express which you shouldn’t miss today:

# Less than 5% of all patients require critical care: As returning migrants and easing lockdown push the coronavirus far and wide, an analysis of statewise data shows that when it comes to Covid patients requiring critical care, their share, even in high-burden states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, remains low. So is the demand for ventilators. Similar is the case in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha where the migrant influx is pushing up Covid numbers.Of the total 83,004 active cases on May 27, less than 3500 needed any kind of intervention — oxygen therapy, ICU or ventilators.

# Most Shramik trains: Gujarat, Maharashtra to UP and Bihar:  Around 40 per cent of the Shramik Special trains so far have set off from the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, carrying roughly 20 lakh migrants back home. Until Thursday, 50 lakh stranded passengers had used these trains, the majority to get to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, according to official data.

# Package not much help, govt must do the heavy lifting: As companies gradually ramp up capacities post the lockdown and announcement of the Rs 20 lakh crore AtmaNirbhar Covid economic package, many are of the view that the government needs to do a lot more heavy lifting to generate demand given the extraordinary circumstances. There cannot be a better way than increased government spending, direct cash transfers to consumers and deferment of taxes, according to responses of 100-plus companies to a survey carried out by a national trade body.