Coronavirus Live India: India has reported 1,218 COVID-19 deaths so far. (File)
In a big jump in the number of Coronavirus cases in the country, as many as 2,411 people were diagnosed with the highly contagious virus in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of patients to 2,411. The total number of fatalities have gone up to 1,223, while 10,018 patients have been cured.
The first ''Shramik Special'' train carrying 1,187 stranded migrant labourers from Rajasthan's Jaipur reached Bihar's Patna on Saturday afternoon. The 24-coach train departed at 10 pm on Friday from Jaipur and reached the Danapur railway station around 2 pm, railway official Rajesh Kumar told PTI.
Meanwhile, all 11 districts in the national capital will remain in red zone till May 17, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Saturday. Till Friday, the national capital had recorded 3,738 cases of coronavirus and 61 fatalities. On Friday, 223 new cases were reported. Forty four new cases were also reported from Delhi's Kapashera after the residents in a building tested positive for coronavirus today. The residents are believed to have contracted the virus from a COVID-19 patient who tested positive on April 18.
In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, seven daily-wage labourers who recently returned from Maharashtra have tested positive for the highly infectious COVID-19. The labourers in eastern UP's Basti district, about 260 km from state capital Lucknow, were quarantined at a college after their return earlier this week; they have now been shifted to a local hospital.
Over 2,000 people tested positive for coronavirus in India in 24 hours, taking the total number of cases past the 37,000-mark, government data showed. 2,293 people have contracted the virus, the biggest jump in the country since the virus was first reported in January. The Health Ministry data showed that 1,218 people have died due to the virus.
The nationwide coronavirus lockdown will be extended by two more weeks after May 3, the government said today, noting significant gains from the six-week shutdown in India's fight to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Here are the Coronavirus Outbreak Live Updates:
Military jets fly over US cities to honour COVID-19 frontline workers
Military jets flew over US cities on Saturday to salute frontline workers in the country with the highest coronavirus caseload and death toll in the world.
Residents of the nation's capital Washington, as well as Baltimore and Atlanta were treated to sights of the Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's Thunderbirds arcing across the sky. The Thunderbirds hailed health workers and first responders battling the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 1.1 million in the US and killed more than 66,000.
Rajasthan government warns of fines for not wearing masks in public
The Rajasthan government has authorised all Executive Magistrates within their respective jurisdiction to impose fine of Rs 200 if any person is found without wearing a face mask or face covered in public or work place.
The government notification said that a shopkeeper will also be fined if he is found selling an item to a person not wearing face mask or face cover.
France extends virus emergency until July 24
The French government said it will extend a health emergency imposed to fight the new coronavirus by two months, allowing it to keep stringent anti-virus measures in place even after a partial lifting of the country's lockdown.
The government has announced the gradual lifting of some lockdown measures from May 11, including the re-opening of primary schools.
Mizoram approves ordinance seeking exemplary punishment for lockdown violators
Mizoram has approved an ordinance that seeks exemplary punishment for those violating the lockdown, an official said. The Cabinet's approval of the ordinance comes a week after eight teenagers were beaten up by members of a local COVID-19 task force for defying the lockdown orders.
Coronavirus: 384 New Coronavirus Cases In Delhi, Biggest One-Day SpikeThe national capital saw the biggest spike in coronavirus cases on Saturday with 384 new cases, taking the total to 4,122. Three deaths were reported on Saturday and 89 recovered the same day. The total number of patients who have recovered is 1,256 in Delhi, while 64 have died so far." itemprop="description
Haryana asks migrants to not leave the state
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has asked migrant workers to not leave the state as some of industrial units have resumed operations during the lockdown.
"Industries have resumed operations, and those which remain, will open from tomorrow. Hence, I would like to appeal to the migrant labourers to not return to their homes. You will not face any difficulties here," the Chief Minister said.
India will play a greater role in world post COVID-19: BJP Leader
Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav says India will play a greater role in the new world order that would emerge post COVID-19.
"The way Prime Minister Narendra Modi is handling the situation, it is appreciated by the world. It has also enhanced India's prestige in the world. It will help us in playing a greater role in the new world order that would emerge post COVID-19," Mr Madhav told news agency ANI.
The BJP General Secretary also said that the world will have a totally different agenda after the fight against Covid-19 is over worldwide.
Coronavirus News: Delhi To Reopen Standalone Liquor Shops On MondayThe Delhi government has started the process of allowing standalone liquor shops to reopen in the national capital, a coronavirus "red zone", from May 4 after the centre extended the lockdown by two more weeks.
The Home Ministry has said that except in containment areas, standalone liquor shops can open in all zones, including "green", where there are no coronavirus cases, and medium-risk "orange" areas.
Read More Here Coronavirus News: 17 Border Security Force Personnel Test COVID-19 +ve In Delhi, TripuraSeventeen Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have tested positive for the coronavirus in Delhi and Tripura. They are part of the 126th and 178th battalion, sources said.
Seven of these personnel were deployed along with the police in Delhi's Chandani Mahal, one of the coronavirus epicentres in the national capital. They were admitted to a hospital in neighbouring Noida.
Five BSF personnel have reportedly contracted the virus from a BSF hospital in Delhi's RK Puram. A kidney ailment patient at the hospital had tested coronavirus positive last month.
Read More Migrant Worker Tries Cycling Home 1,200 Km From Delhi, Dies In UP Town A migrant labour, part of a group of seven workers cycling over 1,200 kilometres between Delhi and Bihar's Khagaria, died in UP's Shahjahanpur district on Friday morning.
The workers had reached Shahjahanpur on Thursday evening and spent a night there.
The worker, identified as Dharamveer, collapsed next morning and was rushed to a hospital in the district. Read More
Coronavirus News: Rahul Gandhi Criticises Arogya Setu AppCongress MP Rahul Gandhi today criticised the government over the coronavirus tracking app Aarogya Setu. The app that was meant for voluntary use when it was launched in early April has been made a must for all private and government employees. If a private firm employee is found without the app on their phone, the head of the company will be held responsible, the centre has said.
"The Arogya Setu app, is a sophisticated surveillance system, outsourced to a pvt operator, with no institutional oversight - raising serious data security & privacy concerns. Technology can help keep us safe; but fear must not be leveraged to track citizens without their consent," Rahul Gandhi tweeted today.
Read More Here COVID-19 Update: India Gets 7 Metric Tonnes Of Medical Supplies From UAE
The United Arab Emirates on Saturday sent a plane carrying seven metric tonnes of medical supplies to India.
"The UAE is committed to extending critical support to nations seeking to bolster their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. UAE assistance to India comes in recognition of the profound and brotherly ties our two countries have shared throughout the years," said Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Albanna, UAE Ambassador to India.
Package For Small Businesses Soon: Nitin GadkariUnion Minister Nitin Gadkari today said that the government will soon announce an economic relief package for micro, small and medium enterprises.
"We have sent recommendations for a relief package to the Finance Minister and Prime Minister, and I hope it will be announced soon. We will try to give relief to the extent possible," he said while addressing a webinar FICCI.
Coronavirus: Zonal Railways To Run ''Shramik Special Trains'' As Per Demand Of States, Says Railways
The Indian Railways on Saturday said that the ''Shramik special trains'' will be run as per the demand of state administration amid the nationwide lockdown in the wake of COVID-19.
"We have taken a policy decision to run ''Shramik special trains''. Zonal railways to run these trains as per the demand of state administrations. Local DMs and DRMs are coordinating. Specific details can be obtained from the zonal CPROs," an Indian Railways official said.
Coronavirus: 38 COVID-19 Positive Cases In Indian Navy So Far, Says Navy Vice Chief
The India Navy had 38 COVID-19 positive cases in Mumbai of which 12 have recovered and have been discharged from hospital, a top Navy official said in Mumbai on Saturday, giving details of the pandemic outbreak at Indian Naval base INS Angre late last month.
"At INS Angre in Mumbai, we've had a total of 38 COVID19 positive cases. Of these, 12 have already been discharged from hospital while 26 are undergoing treatment. There have been no positive case on any of our warships and submarines," Indian Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar told ANI in an interaction.
Coronavirus Latest Update: 2,411 Cases In 24 Hours, Total Count Rises To 37,776
In a big jump in the number of Coronavirus cases in the country, as many as 2,411 people were diagnosed with highly contagious virus in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of patients to 2,411.
The total number of fatalities have gone up to 1,223, while 10,018 patients have been cured.
Coronavirus News In Dehi: 135 Troops From Security Force Test Virus Positive In Delhi
The number of COVID-positive personnel in a Delhi-based battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the country's largest paramilitary force, has risen to 135, officials said on Saturday.
The men belong to the 31st battalion of the paramilitary, based in Mayur Vihar Phase-III area of the national capital, that has been entirely sealed after the huge numbers of the COVID-19 infection started building up over the last few days.
Coronavirus News From Maharashtra: Police Can Allow Travel Inter-City Travel Except Pune, Mumbai
The Maharashtra government said on Saturday that concerned deputy commissioner of police (DCP) will have the power to allow inter-state or inter-district journey, news agency PTI has reported.
However, the movement of people will not be allowed between the areas under Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority and other parts of the state during lockdown, it said.
"However, permission has been granted (particularly to migrant workers) to travel outside Maharashtra from these two authority regions," an official statement said.
Coronavirus Update From Himachal Pradesh: Liquor Shops To Open From Monday
The liquor shops in Himachal Pradesh will be allowed to open from May 4, the day the third phase of the coronavirus lockdown begins, news agency PTI has reported.
Himachal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj told reporters that the decision was taken during a state cabinet meeting on Saturday.
Giving some relaxations, the Union government had on Friday extended the lockdown by two weeks till May 17. The second phase of the nationwide lockdown will end on Sunday.
Coronavirus News: SpiceJet Operates Maiden Goods Plane To Bahrain For Medical Supplies
SpiceJet on Saturday said it operated its maiden freighter flight to Bahrain carrying around 17 tonnes of critical medical supplies.
In a press release, the SpiceJet said its B737 aircraft departed from Mumbai to Bahrain on late Friday night.
India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of coronavirus that has infected over 37,000 people and killed more than 1,200 people in the country so far.
Coronavirus Lockdown: First Shramik Train Reaches PatnaThe first ''Shramik Special'' train carrying 1,187 stranded migrant labourers reached Bihar's Patna from Rajasthan's jaipur on Saturday afternoon.
The 24-coach train departed at 10 pm on Friday from Jaipur and reached the Danapur railway station around 2 pm, railway official Rajesh Kumar told PTI.
COVID-19 Update: Functioning Of Delhi Courts Restricted Till May 17
The Delhi High Court on Saturday has restricted functioning of courts in the city till May 17, news agency PTI has reported.
High Court's administrative and general supervision committee, headed by Chief Justice D N Patel, decided that the restriction would be in place till May 17 and only urgent matters would continue to be heard via video-conferencing.
The administrative order said the progress of hearing urgent matters in the high court has been tremendous and all the courts in Delhi, including the high court, have already dealt with more than 11,427 urgent matters after the announcement of the lockdown.
Coronavirus Lockdown An Exam We Have To Pass: Venkaiah Naidu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Saturday said that coronavirus lockdown is like an exam that people have to pass.
He also said that the announcement of extension of coronavirus-induced lockdown by two more weeks from May 4, with attendant relaxations driven by economic concerns, "marks a landmark" in the nation's collective fight against COVID-19.
"In my view, this decision puts the onus of taking forward the fight against the virus more in the hands of stakeholders, including the people, state governments and concerned agencies, commercial and industrial establishments," he said in a Facebook post.
Coronavirus news: 113 new cases reported in Jharkhand
As many as 113 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Jharkhand, including two deaths, according to the state Health Department.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren had on Friday said that the first batch of Jharkhand students from Kota has left for Ranchi and thanked the Central Government and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for their assistance.
Taking to Twitter Hemant Soren wrote in Hindi, "The first batch of Jharkhand students in Kota has left for Ranchi. I thank the central government, Ashok Gehlot Ji and office bearers in the Rajasthan government for their assistance. Another train will commence its journey for Dhanbad tomorrow."
7 UP migrants who returned from Maharashtra test positive
Days after the central government cleared movement of stranded migrants, tourists and students amid a nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus, seven daily-wage labourers in Uttar Pradesh who recently returned from Maharashtra have tested positive for the highly infectious COVID-19.
The labourers in eastern UP's Basti district, about 260 km from state capital Lucknow, were quarantined at a college after their return earlier this week; they have now been shifted to a local hospital. The quarantine centre is being sanitised. All those who came in contact with these patients are being traced and isolated, according to the officials concerned. (Read full story
here)
Coronavirus India Lockdown news: 38 people stranded in Rajasthan reach their homes in Madhya Pradesh
As many as 38 people from Madhya Pradesh, who were stranded in Rajasthan due to COVID-19 lockdown, have reached their homes, news agency ANI reported.
As per the new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, citizens of Madhya Pradesh stranded in other states are being brought back to their homes amid the lockdown.
Additional Collector Dinesh Jain directed testing of all 38 people at Nehru Stadium and arranged vehicles to send them to their respective places in the state from Indore.
Coronavirus cases: 44 living in same Delhi building test positive, were tested 10 days ago
Forty four people residing in a building near Delhi's Kapashera have tested positive for coronavirus today, officials said. The residents had undergone tests nearly 10 days ago, they added.
The residents are believed to have contracted the virus from a COVID-19 patient who tested positive on April 18. (Read full story here)
Coronavirus news: Last COVID-19 patient discharged from INHS Patanjali in Karnataka
The last COVID-19 patient has been discharged from Indian Naval Hospital Ship (INHS) Patanjali in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district.
INHS Patanjali has been at the frontline in treating COVID-19 positive patients. The doctors have successfully treated the last patient, who walked out of the naval hospital in good health and spirits on April 30, read a statement.
Coronavirus news: All 11 districts in Delhi to stay in 'red zone' till May 17, says Delhi minister Satyendar Jain
All 11 districts in Delhi to stay in 'red zone' till May 17, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said today. Mr Jain added that relief measures given by centre in red zones will be applicable in these districts also.
Migrant workers eat food on special train arranged for their movement from Jaipur to Patna. The special train left Jaipur at 12:20 am with 1,187 migrant labours of Bihar.
Coronavirus news: 122 cases at CRPF Battalion in Delhi, results of 100 others awaited
At least 122 jawans stationed at a CRPF battalion in Delhi have tested positive for Coronavirus, officials said, adding that test results of 100 others are yet to come.
The men belong to the 31st battalion of the paramilitary, based in Mayur Vihar phase-3 area of the national capital. The battalion has seen a massive spike in the number of cases in the last couple of days. A 55-year-old jawan from Assam stationed in the battalion had died last week at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital. (Read full story
here)
Migrant labourers await for screening at Misrod railway station (near Bhopal) after arriving by "Shramik Special train". All passengers will be screened by health officials before departure to their respective districts in the state.
JUST IN: India records biggest jump of 2,293 coronavirus cases in 24 hours; total cases cross 37,000-mark, 1,218 deaths
Coronavirus India Lockdown: What's Allowed And Where In Lockdown Phase 3
India will remain under lockdown till May 17, the government announced on Friday, tacking on a second extension to the full lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi originally on March 25. (Read full story
here)
2300 Siliguri students stranded in Kota return home
Hundreds of students studying in Rajasthan's Kota returned to Siliguri on Friday via buses. A total of 2300 students arrived in Asansol, Kolkata and Siliguri in West Bengal via 84 buses .
The students were stranded in Kota amid the lockdown and the guardians had appealed to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take steps to bring back those students.
Bihar reports third COVID-19 death; total number of cases rises to 466
The death toll due to COVID-19 in Bihar rose to three with one more fatality on Friday while 41 more people tested positive for the disease, taking the total number of cases to 466, officials said.
The 54-year-old patient, who was admitted to the NMCH hospital here on April 27, died due to cardiac arrest, Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar said.
He said the patient had a serious case of terminal oropharyngeal malignancy (cancer of mouth and throat) and he apparently contracted the infection in Mumbai, where he was working.
The resident of Banjaria in East Champaran had returned from the western metropolis on April 20 along with two other residents of the village. All of them tested positive for coronavirus on April 26.
Forty-one fresh cases were reported in a day in Katihar, Buxar, Rohtas, Madhubani, Kaimur and Bhojpur.
The state had reported its first couple of coronavirus cases on March 22 and the number rose at a moderate speed, taking four weeks to cross the three-digit-mark on April 19. However, it has been a steep rise since then.
East Champaran, Vaishali and Munger have accounted for one death
each. Out of the total 466 patients, 98 have been cured.
3,673 people arrested in Assam for violating lockdown, over Rs 1.62 crore fine collected
The Assam Police said on Friday that it has arrested 3,673 people across the state in the last 38 days for violating the lockdown order imposed to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and collected over Rs 1.62 crore as fine.
In its daily report on the lockdown, the police said 1,690 cases have been registered for 2,532 incidents since the beginning of the restrictions.
"A total of 3,673 people have been arrested for these cases and a collective fine of over Rs 1.62 core was collected from them for violating the lockdown norms," the statement said.
Bengal asks private hospitals to resume normal servicesThe West Bengal Health Department on Friday issued directives to private hospitals and
healthcare facilities to resume normal services in a planned manner.
Ensuring the safety, protection and comfort of the medical staff engaged in such facilities needs highest priority, it said.
"There are reports that patients in need of regular critical care related to blood transfusion, dialysis, chemotherapy, owl, obstetric care, institutional deliveries, immunisation are facing hardship due to private hospitals and healthcare facilities either remaining non-functional or
turning away patients out of fear of contracting COVID-19.
"Some hospitals are insisting on COVID-free certificates before allowing the patients in. This situation needs to be redressed immediately," the department said in a notification.
Failure to adhere to the directive shall make the health facilities concerned liable for penal action, it added.
Coronavirus: Four zones de-contained across Delhi, containment zones now at 97
Four zones have been removed from the COVID-19 containment zones list in Delhi taking the total number of containment zones in the national capital at 97.
The four zones that have been removed are from the list are--Mansara Apartments, Vasundhara Enclave in the East District which was contained on March 31; E-Block (E-284 to E-294) East of Kailash in the South-East District, contained on April 12; Vardhaman Apartments, Mayur Vihar, Phase 1, Extension in East district, contained on April 2 and Mayurdhwaj Apartments, I P Extension, Patparganj, contained on April 3 in the East district.
In an order issued on Thursday, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Delhi Government had stated that screening of all residents living in containment zones will be carried out at least three times within 14 days of the issuance of the notification of the containment zone and COVID-19 tests to be done as per the protocol.
The Delhi Government has directed that the first screening of all residents within the containment zones, if not completed, should be concluded within three days of issue of this order.
Health Ministry issues guidelines on rational use of Protective Gear in non-COVID hospitals
The Union Health Ministry on Friday issued additional guidelines on rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE) used by healthcare personnel working in non-COVID hospitals.
The ministry guides on the type of personal protective equipment to be used in mild, moderate, low and high-risk areas.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a combination of protective gears designed to safeguard the health of workers by minimising the exposure to a biological agent. Components of PPE are goggles, face-shield, mask, gloves, coverall/gowns (with or without aprons), head cover and shoe cover.
Help desk/ registration counter, doctors'' chamber used for clinical management of patients and pharmacy counters among others have been marked in the mild-risk category and the ministry has recommended the use of triple layer medical mask and latex examination gloves, besides following social distancing guidelines and frequent use of hand sanitiser over gloves.
Chambers of dental/ENT doctors/ophthalmology doctors and pre- anesthetic check-up clinics have been categorised as moderate-risk areas where the usage of N-95 mask, goggles, latex examination gloves has been advised.
Returnees have to go for 14 days mandatory quarantine, says Odisha government
Odisha government has said that those who return to the state will have to go for mandatory 14 days quarantine.
"The returnees shall undergo a mandatory period of quarantine for 14 days or duration as decided by Health authorities. For urban areas, home quarantine is the preferred option. Wherever the home quarantine is not feasible, the returnee will be quarantined in an institutional quarantine facility arranged by the Urban Local Body," said a press release from the Information and Public Relations Department of state government.
It said the returnee may also opt for paid quarantine in a hotel/lodge identified for the purpose by the Quarantine Authority.
"The expenditure for such paid quarantine shall be borne by the returnee. The Quarantine Authority for the rural areas with the assistance of local health authorities will asses the health status of the returnee and direct institutional quarantine. However, in cases of pregnant and lactating women, children, students, professionals, persons of LGBT Community and physically and mentally challenged, preference will be given to home quarantine," the release said.
The government has worked out the detailed operational plan for the return of Odias stranded in other states due to lockdown for the fight against COVID-19.
Coronavirus: 326 new coronavirus cases, 22 deaths in Gujarat in 24 hours
With 326 new cases reported since previous night, the total number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat reached 4,721 on Friday, a senior official said.
During the same period, 22 patients succumbed to the infection, taking the death toll due to coronavirus to 236 in the state, said Principal Secretary, Health, Jayanti Ravi.
Sixteen patients died at various hospitals in Ahmedabad, followed by Vadodara, where four persons died since Thursday night.
One person each from Panchmahal and Surat also died due to the infection in the past 24 hours, said Ms Ravi in her video message in the evening.
Coronavirus Updates: 24 more COVID-19 cases in Karnataka
24 cases of coronavirus were detected in Karnataka on Friday, taking the State''s number of COVID-19 cases to 589.
"24 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Karnataka today, taking the total number of cases to 589," said the state health department.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has made the request to all migrant workers to stay back in the State to resume economic activities as per the Centre's directions.
"Karnataka government intends to resume economic activities soon and has held a meeting with the representatives of associations of commerce and industries in this regard. The government has appealed to the employers to protect the interest of their workers and pay salaries," said the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Andhra government not able to control coronavirus cases: TDP leader
Former minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Ayyanna Patrudu on Friday alleged that YSRC Party government has not been able to control coronavirus cases in the state and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was misleading people.
In a video message, Mr Patrudu alleged that the "situation is out of hands due to the ''useless activities" of the chief minister.
"YSRCP led Andhra Pradesh government is unable to control coronavirus cases in Andhra Pradesh. The situation is out of hands, now due to the useless activities of CM Reddy. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is speaking out of ignorance on coronavirus and misleading public," said Mr Patrudu.
He alleged that MP Vijayasai Reddy was "blackmailing" the contractors and businessmen for money in the name of the corona fund.
COVID-19: 115 new coronavirus cases in Pune, seven deaths
115 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Pune district since Thursday night, taking the total number of cases to 1,815, a health official said on Friday.
With seven deaths of COVID-19 patients reported on Friday, the death toll has now reached 99 in the district.
"In Pune municipal limits, a total of 102 new cases of infection were reported, taking the city's total to 1,607.
"In Pimpri Chinchwad, with no new cases, number of COVID-19 cases stood at 113," the official added.
In rural Pune and Pune Cantonment area the number has gone up to 95 with 13 more cases, the official said.
Odisha allows home quarantine for urban returneesAs a large number of stranded people are set to return to Odisha following the Centre facilitating their movement by trains and buses, the state government on Friday decided to allow home quarantine for returnees who live in urban pockets and, in specific cases, in rural areas after stamping on their hands.
Chief Secrtetary A K Tripathy said quarantine for 14 days is a must for every one returning to the state.
Though the Odisha government has readied 2.60 lakh beds in quarantine centres in gram panchayat levels, it has decided to allow all returnees in urban areas to remain quarantined at their homes or hotels, he said.
In rural areas, the government will allow home quarantine in specific cases like pregnant women, lactating mothers, physically challenged persons and third genders.
However, all the returnees will remain under surveillance of the health department personnel who will record their conditions on a daily basis, the chief secretary said.
PM Modi Welcomes Armed Forces' Thank You Gesture For "COVID-19 Warriors"Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday welcomed the decision of the armed forces to plan a series of events to thank doctors, paramedics and policemen engaged in the country's fight against the coronavirus pandemic. (Read more
here)
Trinamool Asks Centre For Exact Reasons For Extending COVID-19 LockdownThe Trinamool Congress on Friday criticised the BJP-led central government for extending the lockdown by two weeks from May 4 without giving an account of the prevailing coronavirus situation and "failing" to chalk out a roadmap for revival of the economy reeling under the COVID-19 outbreak.
Delhi Plans To Categorise COVID-19 Cases By Wards To Ease Restrictions: ReportWith the Delhi government planning to categorise COVID-19 cases by wards instead of districts, parts of the national capital are likely to be out of the ''red zone'' classification and expect lockdown relaxations after May 3, sources said on Friday.
Currently, the Union Health Ministry has designated the entire national capital, which has 11 districts, a ''red zone'' in its new classification. The city has 272 wards.
The sources said Lt Governor Anil Baijal has directed the authorities to come up with a detailed plan on ward-wise mapping of red, orange and green zones.
According to an official, an area with three or more cases of COVID-19 is declared a red zone while those with one or two cases are identified as orange zone, news agency PTI reported.
Special trains are being planned for nominated people identified & registered by state governments. No one under any circumstances should come to railway stations looking for trains. Tickets will not be issued to any individual, no requests will be entertained: Central Railway
24 New Cases, One Death In Karnataka, Total COVID-19 Cases At 589Twenty-four new cases and one COVID-19 death were reported in Karnataka on Friday, the health department said, even as the Bengaluru corporation made wearing of face masks in public and work spaces compulsory in the city besides banning spitting, urinating and littering in
public areas.
Cumulatively 589 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state andit includes 23 deaths and 251 discharges,a department bulletin said.
A 69-year-old man from Davangere who was undergoing treatment for coronavirus infection has died, taking the death count in the state to 23, health department officials said, news agency PTI reported.
No New COVID-19 Case In Himachal Pradesh In Last 8 DaysHimachal Pradesh has not reported any fresh COVID-19 case in the past eight days, a senior state government official said on Friday. So far, 41 coronavirus cases have been reported and the number of active cases in the state is five now, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) RD Dhiman said.
Two people have died of COVID-19 in the state. The fatalities include a 70-year-old Delhi resident who had stayed at a guest house of a factory in Solan's Baddi and died at the PGIMER, Chandigarh, on April 2, news agency PTI reported.
Ensure Virus Doesn't Spread To Municipalities-Villages: Gujarat Chief MinisterGujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday said municipalities in semi-urban areas as well as villages must be on guard to ensure novel coronavirus infection does not break out in these parts.
Gujarat has 4,721 COVID-19 cases as on Friday evening, with the vast majority, or 89 per cent, being in urban centres like Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara.
He held video conference meets with office bearers of 162 municipalities and village heads and asked them to take all efforts to ensure areas under them are "coronavirus free".
"You must ensure your municipalities remain free of coronavirus. You need to regularly sanitize all the areas in your municipalities. Those municipalities which border cities having a high number of cases must be very alert. It must be ensured that people from red zones do not enter your areas and spread the infection," he told them, news agency PTI reported.
Clash Breaks Out Between Police And Locals While Sealing Containment Zone In GujaratA clash broke out between police and locals at Panchmahal in Godhra on Thursday night when the police were barricading the containment zone as a measure to curtail the coronavirus.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Leena Patil said, "The barricading of the containment area was being done by the civic authorities and the police. Some locals protested and pelted stones at them."
In a measure to control the situation, the authorities resorted to the use of tear gas. "We used tear gas as a measure to control the situation. At the moment, the situation is under control," added Mr Patil, news agency ANI reported.
82 more persons have tested positive for COVID 19 in Rajasthan taking the total number of cases to 2666; 62 deaths due to the virus recorded in state till date: Rajasthan Health department
223 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths reported in Delhi today; the total number of positive cases is now 3,738: Delhi Health Department
The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Madhya Pradesh is now 2,715, death count at 145: Madhya Pradesh Health Department
1,008 new coronavirus cases detected in Maharashtra on Friday, highest in single day, taking tally to 11,506. Death count rises to 485 with 26 deaths: state health department, news agency PTI reported.
54-year-old man from East Champaran district dies due to COVID-19, death count reaches 3 in Bihar, news agency PTI reported quoting official
With 267 new patients, number of coronavirus cases in Ahmedabad rises to 3,293, death count at 165 with 16 deaths, news agency PTI reported quoting health official
16 more COVID-19 positive cases reported in Bihar taking the total number of cases to 466 in the state: Bihar Principal Secretary (Health) Sanjay Kumar
With 326 new patients, number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat rises to 4,721, death count reaches 236, news agency PTI reported quoting health official.
Special Efforts Being Taken To Ensure COVID-19 Is Contained In Red Zone Districts: Rajasthan MinisterRajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Friday said special efforts were being taken to make sure coronavirus is contained in eight red zone districts in the state.
Eight districts of Rajasthan have been kept in red zone, 19 in orange zone and six in green zone by the central government, he said.
"A special action plan is being worked out for the eight districts which have been put in the red zone by the Centre," Sharma said.
"Coronavirus infection rate in the state had once reached 75 per cent but due to planned efforts of the Rajasthan government, it has now come down to 4.84 per cent," the health minister said.
Sharma said strict legal action will be taken if any private hospital in the state does not provide necessary medical facilities to the patients in OPD, IPD or emergency.
"It has come to our notice that private hospitals are not following the rules. Hospitals are recovering money from patients covered under the Ayushman Bharat Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Health Insurance scheme and the National Food Security scheme. This will certainly not be tolerated," he added, news agency PTI reported.
Movement of individuals in all zones, for all non-essential activities, shall remain strictly prohibited between 7 pm to 7 am: Ministry of Home Affairs
What Centre's New Lockdown Guidelines Say: 10 PointsThe centre on Friday extended the nationwide coronavirus lockdown - which was scheduled to end on May 4 - by two weeks. In a press statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the lockdown led to "significant gains in the COVID-19 situation in the country". It issued a fresh set of guidelines to regulate the lockdown, and said it has permitted considerable relaxations in the districts falling in the low-risk Green and Orange zones.
Delhi government appoints 10 nodal officers to coordinate with different states for movement of stranded persons, following Home Ministry order, news agency ANI reported.
Coronavirus: Full List Of Red, Orange, Green Districts In IndiaThe number of coronavirus or COVID-19 hotspots, or "red zones", across India witnessed a drop of around 23 per cent in 15 days, from 170 on April 15 to 130 on April 30. All four major metropolitans - Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai - have been classified as red zones.
However, in the same period, the number of "green zones", or districts reporting no new case linked to Coronavirus, dropped from 356 to 319, while the number of "orange zones" increased - from 207 to 284, as per a letter from the Union Health Ministry to the chief secretaries of all states and union territories, following a video conference yesterday.
83 percent of COVID-19 patients in Maharashtra are asymptomatic, 20 percent of patients cured, mortality rate has come down to 3.5 per cent: Health Minister Rajesh Tope
2 More Weeks Of Lockdown Starting May 4The nationwide coronavirus lockdown will be extended by two weeks after May 4, the government has said.
The home ministry has also issued new guidelines to regulate different activities in this period, based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into red (hotspot), green and orange zones.
Navy helicopters to shower flower petals on hospitals treating COVID-19 patients: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat
The Army on its part will conduct mountain band displays along some of the COVID hospitals in almost every district of our country. The armed forces will also lay wreathe at the police memorial on May 3 in support of our police forces: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat
There has been a spike of 1,755 new COVID-19 positive cases and 77 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rises to 35,365 including 9,064 cured/discharged and 1,152 deaths: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Coronavirus India Lockdown: COVID-19-Infected Woman Dies In Uttarakhand, First Such Case In StateA COVID-19 positive woman died at AIIMS in Rishikesh on Friday, the first death of an infected person in Uttarakhand.
While confirming that the woman had tested positive for coronavirus, the state health department maintained that it was not the cause of death. So far, 57 coronavirus cases have been detected in the hill state.
The 56-year-old woman from Nainital was admitted at AIIMS on April 22 after suffering a brain stroke and tested positive for COVID-19 on April 28, said Madhur Uniyal, nodal officer for coronavirus cases at the facility.
"The woman died of ventricular tachycardia secondary to ACS (acute coronary syndrome). In simple terms, it means sudden reduced blood flow to the heart," a state health department bulletin later said, news agency PTI reported.
Postal Department Ferries 6 Tonnes Of Medicine In Uttar Pradesh During LockdownThe Department of Posts has transported over six tonnes of medicines from one place to another in Uttar Pradesh during the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, a senior official said here on Friday.
"Big companies like Cipla and Torent had problems in distribution of medicines. They contacted us after which we ran intra-circle vehicles and connected with big cities and then other places," UP's Chief Post Master General,Kaushlendra Kumar Sinha told PTI-Bhasha.
"We booked over six tonnes of medicines through speed post and transported them. We also booked around 12,000 parcels and delivered them," he added.
"During the lockdown, many persons needed medicines and we never stopped delivering them. We get a number of queries. We have helpline numbers and website. We never stopped delivering medicines," said Mr Sinha.
He said the department also delivered more than four lakh articles during the lockdown.
"We tried our best to ensure that the postal department becomes a corona warrior and deliver things to people," he added, news agency PTI reported.
Jammu and Kashmir reports 25 new COVID-19 cases, total rises to 639, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.
Uttar Pradesh Reports 70 New COVID-19 Cases, Total Rises To 2,281Uttar Pradesh reported 70 fresh coronavirus cases on Friday, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 2,281, a senior official said.
So far, 2,281 cases have been reported in the state from 63 districts, Principal Secretary, Medical Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said.
Fourty-one deaths have so far been reported while the number of active cases is 1,685, he said.
As many as 555 patients have been treated and discharged, he added. Mr Prasad said pool testing has started in the state which was the first one in the country to do so, news agency PTI reported.
More than 4 lakh oxygen cylinders are available; orders for more than 1 lakh oxygen cylinders have been placed. Industrial oxygen also being converted into medical oxygen: PD Vaghela, Chairman, Empowered Group-3