Coronavirus (COVID-19): A total of 660 fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported today, the biggest single-day spike, the authorities said. The coronavirus death count in Delhi has mounted to 208. The total number of cases in the city now stands at 12,319. This is the first time in Delhi that over 600 COVID-19 cases have been reported in a day.
According to the Delhi Health Department bulletin, out of the total 12,319 cases recorded so far, at least 1,835 are admitted to various hospitals like LNJP Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) and AIIMS Jhajjhar. It said 169 patients are in intensive care unit and 27 on ventilators.
India has recorded the biggest single-day jump of 6,088 new coronavirus cases, with the total cases hitting 1,1,8447, including 3,583 deaths, Union Health Ministry figures this morning show. 148 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.
The Union health ministry on Thursday said the period of lockdown has been gainfully utilised to "ramp up the health infrastructure", with around 3,027 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and 7,013 care centers being readied across the country to fight the disease.
Here are the Live Updates on Coronavirus Outbreak:
Forty new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir today, taking the total count of cases in the union territory (UT) to 1,489.
A media bulletin from the administration of Jammu and Kashmir said that "40 new COVID19 cases (33 from Kashmir division and 7 from Jammu division) reported since yesterday."
The total number of positive cases in the union territory is 1,489 so far, news agency ANI reported.
An Air India special flight from New York carrying 100 passengers, including 60 residents of Punjab, landed at the Chandigarh international airport today afternoon, officials said.
The Air India flight AI-0102 reached Chandigarh via Delhi. Other than 60 residents of Punjab, the flight carried 12 residents of Haryana, 16 of Himachal Pradesh, 10 of Chandigarh and two of Uttarakhand.
All the returnees will reach their destinations under the supervision of the respective state government representatives, who had set up help desks at the airport, and will be quarantined for 14 days, officials said, news agency PTI reported.
An official of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been found positive for coronavirus, the first case such being detected in the federal contingency force, officials said today.
They said the sub-Inspector rank official was on leave and had gone to a doctor for some dental treatment, following which his COVID-19 test was done.
The NDRF official has been admitted to an isolation ward in a Greater Noida hospital on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.
Assam witnessed the biggest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 46 people testing positive today, taking the total tally to 256, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
All the fresh cases were reported from different quarantine centres and hospitals in Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat and Silchar, he said in a series of tweets, news agency PTI reported.
Haryana has recorded a three-fold increase in coronavirus cases in the first three weeks of May and a majority of them have come from four NCR districts.
The cases have jumped from 339 on April 30 to 1,067 on May 22, news agency PTI reported.
The Uttar Pradesh police has initiated action against 5,000 people in the state in recent days for not wearing masks or covering their faces and imposed fines on them, a senior government official said today.
"They are being warned and asked not come out without mask or face cover," Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Information, Awanish Kumar Awasthi told reporters in Lucknow, news agency PTI reported.
Kerala has reported its highest rise of COVID-19 cases in a single day with 42 new cases today of which 23 returned from other states and 17 from abroad.
There are 84,258 people under observation across the state, 83,649 are quarantined in their houses or institutional quarantine centres and 609 are isolated in hospitals.
A total of 162 people were admitted to hospitals today.
Till now, 51,310 samples have been sent for testing and 49,535 samples have been confirmed without any infection. Apart from this, as part of sentinel surveillance of high-risk groups, 7,072 samples were tested separately and out of these, 6,630 samples have been confirmed with no infection.
No new place was declared as hotspot today and there are 28 hotspots in the state, news agency ANI reported.
A man who tested positive for coronavirus had to walk around 2 kilometres to the hospital in Maharashtra's Dombivili on Thursday after he was allegedly denied an ambulance by the authorities.
The patient then walked to the hospital with help of some local residents. Read here
A 67-year old doctor has died of coronavirus infection in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.
An official told news agency PTI that the doctor had been admitted to a private hospital in the city in critical condition.
"Despite all efforts, his life could not be saved. He died on Thursday evening," he said.
The doctor ran a private clinic, but such clinics had been shut after the virus outbreak, and the source of his infection was being ascertained, the official added.
Tamil Nadu has asked the central government not to restart flights in the state until May 31 on account of a spurt in coronavirus cases.
The government has said flights will initially operate from metros, including Chennai, and will be increased gradually.
Tamil Nadu said besides the virus worries, Chennai also does not have enough public transport because of the lockdown.
"We are yet to hear from the civil aviation ministry," a senior Officer told NDTV. Read More
The government has abandoned any pretence of being democratic, has no compassion for the poor and has embarked on a "wild adventure of so-called reforms" including a grand clearance sale of public sector units, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said today during the first online meeting of opposition parties to discuss the coronavirus crisis.
"All power is now concentrated in one office, the PMO," the Congress president said in a searing critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over its Covid response. Read
India has significantly ramped up COVID-19 testing since the first test on January 24 at Pune's National Institute of Virology, from a "one lab, one test" scenario at the start of the outbreak to one lakh tests per day in May.
There has been a steady increase in testing capacity over that period, starting with only four labs carrying out tests in the first week of February to 1,000 tests per day in March and one lakh tests daily tests this month.
Overall, according to the ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research, the nodal body in this health crisis), India has conducted over 25 lakh COVID-19 tests so far. Read
Intra-state passenger train services resumed in the Karnataka on Friday, nearly two months after being suspended due to COVID-19 lockdown, with the operation of three trains, the South Western Railway said.
"First intra-state passenger train in India after March 22 started in South Western Railway. We are back to normal," it said in a statement.
HC Arun Phadtare from Vile Parle Police Station, Mumbai lost his life to Coronavirus. May his soul rest in peace.
- Maharashtra Police (@DGPMaharashtra) May 22, 2020
DGP and all ranks of Maharashtra Police offer their condolences to the Phadtare family.
I have tested positive for Covid_19 . As I am asymptomatic I am in home quarantine for the next 10-12 days. Please don't underestimate transmission risks, we are all vulnerable.
- Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) May 22, 2020
Do take care all.
105 new #COVID19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka from 5 pm yesterday till 12 noon today; taking the total number of positive cases to 1710. There are 1080 active cases: Health Department, Karnataka pic.twitter.com/emY2V9wJgM
- ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020
Delhi reports 660 new #COVID19 positive cases and 14 deaths in last 24 hours. Total positive cases stand at 12,319 and death toll is at 208. There are 6214 active cases. pic.twitter.com/tAzKKnUxgt
- ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020
Punjab: Special repatriation flight carrying 116 passengers from Vancouver in Canada reached Amritsar today. #VandeBharatMission pic.twitter.com/N5nGWWUwj5
- ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020
#FlyAI : Good News !
- Air India (@airindiain) May 22, 2020
Our Domestic Flight Bookings will start from 1230 hrs today. To book login to https://t.co/T1SVjRD6o5 or contact authorised travel agents or visit our booking offices or call customer care . #Flythenewnormal
Heavy traffic congestion seen at ITO in Delhi. #lockdown pic.twitter.com/lsDvnPpMNH
- ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020
Congrats @DasShaktikanta for being progressive & for being a solution provider in these challenging times. Gr8 to see the Repo rate cut by 40 Bps to 4% for extending the moratorium. Now we need a one time restructuring of loans for seriously impacted sectors. This is critical.
- Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) May 22, 2020
Delhi: People gather outside the Rail Reservation Centre of New Delhi Railway Station as reservation counters and Common Service Centers to book train tickets will resume today. pic.twitter.com/V0o2mT6yRr
- ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020
Delhi: People arrive at wholesale fruit and vegetable market in Ghazipur, to make purchases amid the #CoronavirusPandemic. pic.twitter.com/kK5Ufw8u6f
- ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020
Coronavirus cases in Haryana rose to 1,031 after 38 new cases were reported on Thursday, the state Health Department data showed, reported ANI. "The total recovered /discharged patients in the state are 681. The recovery rate in the state is 66.05 per cent. There are 335 active COVID-19 patients in the state while the doubling rate here is 17 days," informed the department.
Seven people posted at the Wireless Control Room of Delhi Police's west district have tested positive for coronavirus following which the district control room was shut on Thursday night, police said, reported PTI. A staffer posted at the wireless control room of the west district tested positive four days ago, following which samples of others were taken for testing. "After seven were found coronavirus positive, we had to shut down the operations from the office concerned by 8 pm. Thirty staff members are being sent for home isolation for the next five days," a senior police officer said. Meanwhile, Mobile Control Room of the force will function as the west district control room, he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has brought home over 83,000 residents, including students, in 23 special trains, three flights and scores of buses, an official said on Thursday, reported PTI. It brought home 63,109 state residents from other states and UTs through the Lakhanpur border with Punjab, and 19,724 people in special trains to Jammu and Udhampur railway stations. Also, 501 people, including students, have been flown back from other countries in special flights, he said.
A 55-year-old constable of the Mumbai police died of the novel coronavirus infection on Thursday, an official said, reported PTI. The constable was posted at Mumbai's Vile Parle police station and had tested positive for the virus earlier this month, he said. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital since May 9 and died on Thursday, he said. 11 policemen have died of coronavirus infection from Mumbai and 17 have died in the Maharashtra police force, the official said. Earlier on Thursday, a 43-year-old police constable died of coronavirus in Pune, while a woman constable died in Thane, the official said.
Health ministry has said that the period of lockdown has been gainfully utilised to "ramp up the health infrastructure", with around 3,027 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and 7,013 care centers being readied across the country to fight the disease.
"There are reports in a section of the media about some decisions of the government regarding the lockdown implementation and response to COVID-19 management. The period of the lockdown has been gainfully utilised to ramp up the health infrastructure in the country," the ministry said.
The Indian Railways will open its reservation counters at select stations for booking of only reserved tickets from tomorrow, the Railway Board said in an order today.
The zonal railways have been instructed to decide and notify opening of reservation counters according to local needs and conditions, the order stated.
These booking counters as well as the CSCs were shut since March 25 when a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus began.
Earlier in the day, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said booking of train tickets will resume at around 1.7 lakh CSCs across the country from tomorrow (Friday), making the service accessible to those in remote locations where the availability of computers and internet is negligible or absent. Read
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bengal and Odisha tomorrow to survey the ground situation after yesterday's havoc by cyclone Amphan. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked the Prime Minister to visit the state and inspect the damage, which she said was in the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister, in a series of tweets, said the entire county stands with Bengal and "no stone will be left unturned" to help those affected. Read
The health ministry has said that the birth dose vaccinations at health facilities would continue irrespective of the categorisation of zones.
According to the "Guidance note for immunisation services during and post COVID outbreak" released by the Union Health Ministry, an area exiting a containment or a buffer zone category can start facility-based and outreach immunization activities only after a minimum gap of 14 days.
For flights with duration between 40 and 60 minutes, there will be a lower and upper fare limit of Rs 2,500 and Rs 7,500, the agency said.
Flights between 90 and 120 minutes, like the Delhi-Mumbai route, will have a lower and upper fare limit of Rs 3,500 and Rs 10,000, the DGCA said. Read More
Rajasthan reported 131 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking its the total count to 6,146, as per the Health Department''s latest bulletin issued on Thursday.
There are 2,574 active COVID-19 cases, while 3,422 patients have been discharged.
Three new deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in the state on Thursday, taking the number of deaths to 150.
Health Ministry has said the period of lockdown has been gainfully utilised to "ramp up the health infrastructure".
The Ministry added that around 3,027 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and 7,013 care centers being readied across the country to fight the disease.
"There are reports in a section of the media about some decisions of the government regarding the lockdown implementation and response to COVID-19 management. The period of the lockdown has been gainfully utilised to ramp up the health infrastructure in the country," the ministry said.
Twenty-seven people have tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh. The total number of cases in the state so far now stands at 138, officials said on Thursday.
At least 15 of them returned either from Mumbai or West Bengal recently, they said.
Yogi Adityanath has asked officials in Uttar Pradesh to increase the number of beds in COVID-19 hospitals to one lakh by the end of this month.
According to a press release, "the UP CM expressed satisfaction over the availability of 78,033 beds in L1, L2 and L3 COVID hospitals in the state and directed to increase the number of beds to 1 lakh by the end of this month."
As many as 24 more people have tested positive of coronavirus on Thursday. "With 24 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of active cases in the state has mounted to 177 and a total of 510 people have recovered," read an official statement issued by the State Health Department.
A migrant from Delhi, who died in Bihar's Begusarai a couple of days ago, is state's 10th COVID 19 casualty, officials said here on Thursday.
The health department said the total count of coronavirus positive cases has risen to 1872 in the state.
According to a state official, the man belonged to Khagaria district and he had died at a hospital in Begusarai on May 17 where he was admitted upon a deterioration in his health.
"His test reports came out late Wednesday night, confirming that he was infected with the coronavirus," an official told PTI-Bhasha.
A senior official at Delhi's Mandoli Jail has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.
"The officer was on leave since May 11 as he had fever. He got himself tested for COVID-19 at Ganga Ram Hospital and the report came positive on Wednesday," a senior jail official said.
A policeman, 37, died of coronavirus in Hyderabad on Wednesday, news agency PTI has reported. The constable was undergoing treatment at a government hospital. The constable is survived by wife and two children. Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahendar Reddy expressed condolences over the death of the police personnel.
The DGP tweeted "#PoliceConstableOfficer a #Covid19FrontLineWarrior of @hydcitypolice died of #CoronaVirus last night @ GandhiHospital. My Heartfelt Condolences to the bereaved family members. The Govt & #TSPolice will standby & support the family in #TheHourOfDistress by all means."
More than 5 million or 50 lakh people have been infected by the novel Coronavirus now, with more than 3 lakh deaths, said Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday.
The United States is the worst-hit country from COVID-19, which was declared as a pandemic by the WHO on March 11.
At least 93,439 people have died in the US from the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University's latest tally.
दिल्ली मेट्रो की सेवाओं को पुनः संचालित करने की तैयारियों की समीक्षा करने और इस कार्य में नियोजित कर्मचारियों के मनोबल को बढ़ाने हेतु, डीएमआरसी के प्रबंध निदेशक डॉ मंगु सिंह ने आज खैबर पास और शास्त्री पार्क डिपो का निरीक्षण किया। pic.twitter.com/oyhNIIIs4K
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) May 21, 2020
All domestic scheduled flight operations will resume in a graded manner from 25th May 2020 & international scheduled flight operations to remain suspended at #DelhiAirport till 31st May 2020. For more details visit: https://t.co/ch9P0R4bMp.#StaySafe @MoCA_GoI @HardeepSPuri pic.twitter.com/YgnzGAXKjJ
- Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) May 21, 2020
#IndiaFightsCorona
- Ministry of Health 🇮🇳 #StayHome #StaySafe (@MoHFW_INDIA) May 21, 2020
Refrain from consuming smokeless tobacco products & spitting in public places. This will not only improve the level of basic hygiene but will also prevent the spread of #COVID19.#ThuknaVarjitSwasthArjit #SwasthaBharat #CoronaOutbreak #Lockdown4 pic.twitter.com/y7hlB91108
Ministry of Civil Aviation issues general instructions for domestic travellers. Only those passengers with confirmed web check-in will be allowed to enter the airport. Passengers will be required to wear protective gear (face mask). Only one check-in bag will be allowed. pic.twitter.com/EVFrOnLgzs
- ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2020
उप्र में कोरोना के संबंध में हज़ारों FIR हो रही हैं जिससे ऐसा लगने लगा है कि ये कोई चिकित्सीय नहीं बल्कि कोई 'आपराधिक समस्या' है. क्वारेंटाइन सेंटर्स की बदहाली व उनके प्रति भाजपा सरकार की भेदभावपूर्ण नीति की वजह से लोग यहाँ जाने से डर रहे हैं.
- Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 21, 2020
भाजपाई अपना संकीर्ण चश्मा बदलें!
Alert ~ One new #COVID19 positive case confirmed at Barpeta Medical College, where the tests were done. The patient is at Kokrajhar Quarantine Centre.
- Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 21, 2020
↗️Total cases 189
↗️Recovered 48
↗️Active cases 134
↗️Deaths 04
↗️Migrated 03
Update 9:20 am / May 21#AssamCovidCount pic.twitter.com/73lMMxIuDC
#IndiaFightsCorona:
- #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) May 21, 2020
📢List of 200 (100 pairs) Mail/Express Trains to be run by @RailMinIndia w.e.f. 01/06/2020
⏰Timings, stoppages, frequency as per regular trains
🚉Trains to be fully reserved with AC/Non-AC coaches
📲Only online ticket booking @IRCTCofficial from 10 AM today pic.twitter.com/risgOp5ZTY
Where does India stand in its fight against #COVID19? @soniandtv speaks to some of the top experts and policymakers. pic.twitter.com/Nxo7tnN655
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 21, 2020
Delhi: Migrant workers who want to go home are stranded at Delhi-Ghazipur border amid the lockdown. One of them, Pooja who belongs to Ghaziabad says, "I'm 7 months pregnant&have a 1.5-year-old child.I want to go home but police are not allowing us to move towards our home state". pic.twitter.com/Oz40t02eJH
- ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2020