The Election Commission of India has banned all victory processions on the day of counting of votes (May 2) polled -- or even after -- to the five states in the past few weeks after amid COVID-19 surge.
Coming amid a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the poll panel had laid down protocol for the contesting parties and leaders to follow to minimise the spread of infections. The rules were mostly observed only breach by most political outfits and their contestants, with huge rallies and marches giving social distancing a toss.
Meanwhile, with 3,23,144 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases has climbed to 1,76,36,307, while the national recovery rate has further dropped to 82.54 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The death count increased to 1,97,894 with 2,771 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
There has been a slight dip in the daily cases as compared to the number of new infections reported in the past few days.
The active cases have increased to 28,82,204 comprising 16.34 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further dropped to 82.54 per cent.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,45,56,209 while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.12 per cent, the data stated.
Here are the Highlights:
Sixty-two people were arrested in the last 10-12 days across Uttar Pradesh for black marketing of oxygen cylinders and life-saving drugs, police said. Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said raids were conducted in different parts of the state on black marketeers of oxygen cylinders and life-saving drugs over the last 10-12 days.
Amid a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, the Haryana government on Tuesday said that prohibitory orders will be imposed throughout the state.
West Bengal on Tuesday logged 16,403 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest-single spike recorded in the state so far, pushing the tally to 7,76,345, a bulletin issued by the state health department said. The death count climbed to 11,082 with 73 more fatalities, it said.
The United States is sending a whole series of help that India needs in its battle against COVID-19, US President Joe Biden said, reiterating that New Delhi had done the same when his country was in need last year.
Assam's COVID-19 tally surged to 2,43,802 as 3,132 more people tested positive for the infection while 18 new fatalities pushed the coronavirus death count to 1,233, according to the bulletin issued by the state National Health Mission. The 18 new fatalities were reported from Kamrup Metropolitan district, 5, two each from Cachar, Goalpara, Nalbari and one each from Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup Rural, Karimganj and Sivasagar districts, it said.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday came to the aid of a woman, showing symptoms of COVID-19 and finding it difficult to get an ICU bed at government hospitals, by directing the AAP government to arrange a bed for her.
Amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the city, the Delhi government on Tuesday allowed hospitals to engage retired nursing and para-medical staff to handle the situation, reported news agency PTI.
"In view of the surge of the COVID pandemic and to meet the demand of increased manpower, the medical directors/medical superintendents/directors of all COVID Hospitals of the Delhi government are authorised to engage nursing and para-medical staff who have either retired as on March 31, 2021 or are retiring soon on contractual basis for a period of six months or up to September 30 whichever is earlier," an official order said.
The Madras High Court on Tuesday asked the Tamil Nadu government if it had not learnt a lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic that one cannot fight against nature.
Maharashtra today reported 895 Covid deaths in 24 hours, the biggest single-day spike in fatalities. The state logged 66,358 fresh infection in 24 hours, a day after its daily case count dropped to 48,700.
Mumbai reported 4,014 new cases of coronavirus today - marginally more than on Monday - with 59 deaths, the civic body's official data showed. The positivity rate in the metropolis continues to remain over 13 per cent.
Jammu and Kashmir administration has imposed prohibitory orders in Srinagar on a day when the Union Territory registered its biggest single-day jump in Covid cases with 3,164 fresh infections. Srinagar alone logged 1,144 cases of the virus.
The Delhi High Court today said that millions of vials of Remdesivir, used to treat coronavirus, may have been exported by India, but its own citizens are "suffering due to an acute shortage of the drug".
Karnataka today reported over 31,000 cases of coronavirus with 180 deaths as a deadly second wave of the virus sweeps through the country. The state's positivity rate now stands at 18.71 per cent, official data showed.
Images of a woman giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to her husband in an auto and an officer shouting at frantic relatives fighting for Oxygen have gone viral in the nationwide Covid crisis. Both the incidents are from Agra in Uttar Pradesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are directly monitoring oxygen supply across the country on war footing, the centre told the Supreme Court in an affidavit on the Covid situation.
Doctors at a Delhi hospital were attacked Tuesday morning by the attendants of a woman, 67, who died in the emergency ward after her admission to the ICU was delayed due to a lack of beds.
The Delhi High Court today said it had never asked for Covid facilities at a five-star hotel and told the city government that its order assigning a prominent hotel in the capital exclusively for judges was "wrong". Yesterday, an order had said 100 rooms at the hotel Ashoka had been booked for High Court judges and their families.
"When did we ask for a 100-bed facility at a five-star hotel? We had only said if a judicial officer or a judge or their family is infected, they should get hospital admission," the High Court sternly told the Delhi Government.
Germany will "in the coming days" deliver medical equipment to India to help contain a surge in coronavirus infections, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
Kerala Deputy Leader of the Opposition, MK Muneer, has filed a petition before the High Court challenging the Centre's new phase 3 vaccination policy which is to become effective from May 1. The court has asked for a response before May 4 on the matter from, among others, the Union government.
The Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy "violates Article 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India, as well as being contrary to the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005 and consequent National Disaster Management Plan, 2019 (NDMP)," Mr Muneer has claimed.
Students appearing for their Class 10 examination in Kerala have three more papers to write even as the practical exams for students of Class 12, who appeared for their last exam on Monday, have been postponed amid a raging pandemic." itemprop="description
Amid rising cases of coronavirus, Assam today imposed a night curfew across the state from 8 pm till 5 am on May 1, reported news agency ANI.
"The situation of COVID-19 in Assam has been reviewed and it has been observed that there has been a rapid increase in the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state and therefore, night curfew needs to be imposed in all the districts of Assam, except for essential and emergency activities/services as an emergency measure for the well being and safety of the people.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Union of India (UoI) to explain the basis and rationale adopted with respect to the pricing of Coronavirus vaccines and other necessary items.
Justice DY Chandrahud also said that the UoI shall also clarify in its affidavit the basis and rationale adopted in regard to the pricing of vaccines.
India was there for the American people in their hour of need and the United States will be there for the country as it meets its worst-ever public health crisis, US President Joe Biden said after his phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.