Fewer than eight people per lakh of population in India have been infected by the novel coronavirus, the Union Health Ministry said this evening, pointing out that this was significantly better than the global average of 62 people per lakh. The government also said India's per lakh mortality rate was only 0.24, compared to the global average of 4.2.
Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said 42,298 people have recovered from the illness so far and that the recovery rate (recoveries as a percentage of total cases) had improved steadily through the four phases of lockdown - from 7.1 per cent in March (when it was imposed) - to 39.62 per cent today.
Domestic passenger flights will resume from Monday "in a calibrated manner", the government said today. Flights were stopped in late-March, when the country went into lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Passenger train service will expand from the existing 15 trains to more than 200 starting next month. The service will involve non-air conditioned trains, which had not been allowed so far. The 15 trains that have been running since May 12, are air-conditioned trains and the passengers are required to maintain rules of social distancing and use masks and sanitisers.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases Live Updates:
Buses carrying migrants left for various states from the Delhi-Ghazipur border on Wednesday night, reported ANI. A passenger, Ramdev Sharma said, "I am going to Jharkhand and have paid Rs 4,000 as bus charge." The driver of a bus, Santosh said, "I think more people have boarded the bus than permitted according to norms of social distancing. I have not yet received instructions on how many people can board the bus. When I get it, I will accordingly ask some of them to get down."
Coronavirus themed robots were deployed in a containment zone in Chennai on Wednesday to sanitise the area, reported ANI. Gowtham, the designer of the robots said, "It can store around 30 litres of disinfectant. This is a prototype, we are building better ones."
BJP MLA T Raja Singh on Wednesday requested the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to test all media persons, who are frontline warriors, for COVID-19, reported ANI. "We all know that many of the media persons have been affected by coronavirus while performing their duties in many states of the country. Many states are testing the media persons as they are roaming in their respective locations to report news-reports to the people of the country. Hence, to protect media persons in Telangana state, I request you to test our frontline warriors," the MLA said in a letter to the chief minister.
Coronavirus Testing News: India Has Conducted Over 25 Lakh COVID-19 Tests, Says ICMRIndia has conducted over 25 lakh COVID-19 tests till 12.30 pm on Wednesday, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
27, including 12 migrants, tested positive for coronavirus in Telangana on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 1,661, reported ANI. 89 migrants have tested positive till Wednesday in Telangana, the state Health Department said.
Nearly 2,300 vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, were penalised and 115 impounded across Noida and Greater Noida for allegedly defying lockdown curbs on Wednesday, police said, reported PTI. The Gautam Buddh Nagar police stepped up vigilance on road traffic violations as new guidelines which permit some ease in movement kicked in during the fourth phase of the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Indian Railways has released the list of the 200 trains which will be operated from 1st June: Government of India pic.twitter.com/U1SmC4Bn8C
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
Telangana: Air India Express IX 244, an evacuation flight from Doha (Qatar) with 184 Indians landed today at Hyderabad International Airport under the second phase of #VandeBharatMission. pic.twitter.com/1BSlkaWluL
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
Delhi High Court directs Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to take adequate steps to maintain social distancing once the Metro Rail is permitted to function, particularly, since compartments are fully packed, which can be dangerous in the current #COVID19 pandemic situation. pic.twitter.com/YVBUNRcFGg
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
During today's Cabinet meeting, important decisions were taken which are focused on welfare of migrants, poor, senior citizens, easier availability of credit, harnessing opportunities in the fisheries sector. They will benefit several citizens.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2020
Finance Ministry has issued sanction orders for ₹46,038.70 cr today for the May instalment of Devolution of States' Share in Central Taxes & Duties. #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/158b6C6c5f
- Ministry of Finance 🇮🇳 #StayHome #StaySafe (@FinMinIndia) May 20, 2020
Some wacko in China just released a statement blaming everybody other than China for the Virus which has now killed hundreds of thousands of people. Please explain to this dope that it was the "incompetence of China", and nothing else, that did this mass Worldwide killing!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2020
It's not viable to keep the middle seat vacant.Even if you keep middle seat vacant you'll still have a situation where prescribed distance for social distancing isn't followed. If you were to do it then you've to hike up airline ticket price by 33%:Civil Aviation Minister HS Puri pic.twitter.com/9LfiI9tAA3
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
If she's (Priyanaka GV) really focussed about UP govt,she should see why 300 trains arrived in UP,when not even 5-7 arrived in Chhattisgarh. Don't want to politicise this as migrants are Indians&all of us in this extraordinary situation should concentrate&work together: FM to ANI pic.twitter.com/RZgNgLiu4M
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
It was important to give stimulus for businesses to start off. In PM Garib Kalyan scheme - introduced after lockdown, we gave some cash transfer. With that done, we weren't closing the option: FM to ANI on did govt consider more immediate measure while deciding #EconomicPackage pic.twitter.com/xlExmQ4Eob
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday 25th May 2020.
- Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 20, 2020
All airports & air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from 25th May.
SOPs for passenger movement are also being separately issued by @MoCA_GoI.
Coronavirus: After 4 PM Deadline For UP Government, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Recalls Buses For MigrantsPriyanka Gandhi Vadra said today the buses she had arranged for migrants would be taken back after the Congress waited till 4 pm for Uttar Pradesh to allow them in. Hundreds of buses had been lined up at Delhi's border with Uttar Pradesh since morning."
Taking into consideration the academic interest of large number of students, it has been decided to grant exemption from the lockdown measures to conduct Board examination for classes 10th & 12th, with few conditions like social distancing, face mask etc, for their safety. pic.twitter.com/P4ULsmbPVv
- Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 20, 2020
We'll have to understand our responsibilities. They (migrant labourers walking to return to their native states)aren't just Indians but India's spinal cord. The country runs on their blood&sweat. It's everyone's responsibility. It's not the time for politics: Priyanka GV,Congress pic.twitter.com/bLCqQxAkGx
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
Op #SamudraSetu #Phase3#INSJalashwa continues with the Mission to bring back Indian Citizens stranded Overseas.
- SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 20, 2020
The ship will embark Indian Nationals at #Colombo, #SriLanka on 01 Jun 20.#हरकामदेशकेनाम#IndiaFightsCorona#MissionVandeBharat@SpokespersonMoD @IndiainSL pic.twitter.com/W9WBIUb29A
Punjab: Food shops open for online delivery in Ludhiana amid #COVID19 lockdown. Vipin Sharma, Samosa shop owner says,"We have some relief that we will be able to meet few expenses due to this. But we only have 20% work as compared to earlier days. Only online delivery is allowed" pic.twitter.com/5M7GVW0ofw
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
63 more #COVID19 cases reported in Karnataka between yesterday 5 pm and 12 pm today. Total number of cases in the state is now at 1458, including 864 active cases & 41 deaths (1 due to 'non-covid' cause): State Health Department pic.twitter.com/96ChD73jTC
- ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020
