Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has extended the lockdown in the city by another week, making the restrictions stricter. Even the metro services have been suspended this time. The lockdown will be on till 5 am on May 17.
Mr Kejriwal said the extension is meant to ensure that the city does not let its guard down even though the Covid numbers have dropped marginally. "The positivity rate has gone down but still we can't afford leniency. We need to extend to lockdown," Mr Kejriwal said.
India recorded 4,03,738 fresh Covid cases and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the overall caseload to 2.22 crore. This is the fifth time in a week that the country has reported over 4 lakh daily infections.
The number of deaths climbed to 2,42,362 with 4,092 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Registering a steady increase, the active cases have increased to 37,36,648, comprising 16.76 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 82.15 per cent.
The government on Saturday said it has revised the national policy for admission of Covid patients as it told the hospitals that "no patient will be refused on any count". A coronavirus test report is no longer needed for hospitalisation. Hospitals can't also refuse patients from another city.
Here are the Highlights on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered across the country has exceeded 17 crore, the Union health ministry said on Sunday.
It said 2,43,958 beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group received their first dose of the vaccine on Sunday and cumulatively 20,29,395 people across 30 states and union territories.
The total number of doses administered across the country so far stands at 17,01,53,432, the ministry said.
A DRDO lab and Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories developed the anti-Covid therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG).
A 12-member National Task Force has been set up by the Supreme Court to assess availability and distribution of medical oxygen - on scientific, rational and equitable basis - across the country. The task force will also suggest measures to ensure availability of medicines needed to treat COVID-19.