Nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases rose by a single-day record of over 6,000 (Representational)
Coronavirus cases continued to see a surge in Kerala with 62 people, including 49 returnees from abroad and other states, testing positive on Saturday, while more than 91,000 are under observation.
With this addition, the COVID-19 tally in the state has climbed to 794, of whom 275 are presently undergoing treatment at various hospitals. Thirteen, including seven health workers-- three from Palakkad, two each from Kannur and Kozhikode --have been infected through contact.
While 18 of the infected came from various countries-- UAE (9), Saudi Arabia (3), Kuwait (2), Muscat, Qatar, Maldives and Singapore (one each), 31 have come from other states-- Maharashtra (13), Tamil Nadu (12), Gujarat (2), Karnataka (2), Uttar Pradesh and Delhi (one each) have been admitted to various hospitals. On Friday, Kerala had reported 42 cases.
India recorded the biggest single-day jump in the number of coronavirus cases with 6,654 new patients in the last 24 hours that takes the total to 1,25,101 cases, the Union Health Ministry said today. The country has registered 3,720 deaths linked to COVID-19 so far.
The government on Friday said the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and deaths due to it have remained confined to limited areas, most of which are urban, due to the implementation of the lockdown.
It further said the number of COVID-19 cases would have risen exponentially had the lockdown not been in place, adding that the doubling time of cases now stands at 13.3 days as against 3.4 days before the lockdown.
"Despite being such a large nation, due to lockdown, the outbreak of the infection has remained confined to limited areas," chairman of Empowered Group One and Niti Aayog member VK Paul said at a briefing.
Here are the Live Updates on Coronavirus Outbreak:
Coronavirus news: UP bans corona patients from keeping mobile phones inside isolation wards of COVID-19 hospitalsUttar Pradesh government has banned patients admitted in dedicated L-2 and L-3 COVID hospitals to take mobile phones along with them in the isolation wards so as to check the spread of coronavirus infection, ANI reported.
As per the orders, two mobile phones are required to made available with the ward in-charge of the COVID care centres so that patients and talk to their family members and administration if required. Further, the orders specify that the mobile numbers should be communicated to the family members of the patients.
Coronavirus news: Jharkhand reports one more COVID-19 death, confirmed cases rise to 350
A 39-year-old man died due to COVID-19 in Jharkhand's Koderma district, taking the total number of coronavirus fatalities in the state to four, a senior official said.
The swab samples of the man, who died on May 21, tested positive for novel coronavirus on Saturday, Koderma District Assistant Chief Medical Officer AB Prasad said.
The man had returned from Mumbai recently, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: COVID-19 can't be eliminated, we have to live with it: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said that COVID-19 cannot be eliminated and we have to accept the reality and get used to live with it by taking adequate precautions to prevent the infection, ANI reported.
"Coronavirus cannot be eliminated and we have to accept the reality and get used to living with it by taking adequate precautions to prevent the infection. Despite the numerous measures taken, the reality is that we can't really contain the virus. People should be made aware that infected by coronavirus is not a sin or crime," Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO) quoted Mr Reddy as saying.
Coronavirus news: Tourism to be promoted in a phased manner, says Karnataka Minister
Karnataka Tourism Minister CT Ravi said that coronavirus lockdown has severely marred the tourism industry in the state and the government will revive it in a phased manner, ANI reported.
"It would be beneficial if hotels are opened keeping in mind few restrictions. At present, the tourism industry has fallen flat making it very difficult to promote tourism in the state," Mr Ravi said.
Coronavirus update: Bangalore Airport all set to welcome passengers to a contactless experience
In an effort to protect passengers and staff from the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has introduced a parking-to-boarding contactless journey at the airport, news agency ANI reported.
With a greater emphasis on minimum touch and minimum exposure between passengers and airport personnel, BIAL aims to minimise all physical contact at the airport. The technology will continue to enable a seamless airport journey, with greater emphasis on health and safety.
Coronavirus news: Complete lockdown in Srinagar till May 31
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Srinagar has directed for complete lockdown in Srinagar till May 31 in wake of COVID-19, ANI reported.
"The direction follows a comprehensive review of the ground situation and in light of guidelines as laid down for COVID-19 containment zones. While essential services will be allowed to operate as per existing norms all other commercial and other activities will be prohibited," said District Administration Srinagar in an order said.
Coronavirus news: Central District Delhi Police takes measures to ensure minimum contact among staff
To combat COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi Police on Saturday said that the Central District Police have taken precautionary measures to ensure the least contact with one another during discharge of official duty, ANI reported.
"The duty officer room has been bifurcated with a transparent plastic sheet in which on the one side has a sitting arrangement established for duty officer writer by maintaining requisite distance. On the other side, Public Facilitation Desk has been established," said the Delhi Police in a press release.
Coronavirus news: 396 new COVID-19 cases in Gujarat, state count reaches 13,669
Gujarat reported 396 more COVID-19 cases on Saturday taking the total count of coronavirus cases to 13,669.
A state government official said coronavirus count includes 6,169 patients who have been cured and discharged and 829 deaths, ANI reported.
Coronavirus news: West Bengal reports 127 fresh COVID-19 cases, 4 more fatalities
West Bengal on Saturday recorded four more COVID-19 fatalities, raising the death toll in the state to 197, while 127 new cases of the respiratory infection were reported, a bulletin by the health department said on Saturday.
Of the four deaths, two each were reported from the city and neighbouring Howrah district, it said.
The state now has a total of 3,459 confirmed cases, out of which 1,909 are active, the bulletin said.
Till Saturday, 1,281 people recovered from the disease and were discharged from hospitals, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: 228 test positive for COVID-19 in Bihar, tally rises to 2,394
As many as 228 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,394, the health department said.
Sasaram, the headquarters of Rohtas district, reported the maximum number of fresh cases at 33, including five females -- two of them aged five and eight, PTI reported.
4 crore migrant workers in India; 75 lakh return home so far: Ministry
The Centre on Saturday said around four crore migrant labourers are engaged in various works in different parts of the country and so far 75 lakh of them have returned home in trains and buses since the nationwide lockdown was imposed.
Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry, Punya Salila Srivastava, said the railways have engaged over 2,600 ''Shramik'' special trains since May 1 for transportation of the migrant workers from different parts of the country to their destinations.
"According to the last census report, there are four crore migrant workers in the country," she said at a press conference.
Coronavirus cases in Ahmedabad cross 10,000-mark, 24 deaths
Coronavirus cases in Ahmedabad district crossed 10,000-mark and rose to 10,001 after 277 new cases were reported on Saturday, the state health department said.
As many as 24 COVID-19 patients died in Ahmedabad hospitals during the day, taking the total death toll in the district to 669.
Also, 206 patients were discharged on Saturday, taking the number of recovered patients in the district to 3,864.
There are 5,468 active cases here, the health department said.
Railways to use 50% of converted isolation coaches to operate Shramik Special trainsThe railways on Saturday said 50 per cent of its 5,213 isolation coaches meant for coronavirus patients will now be used to run Shramik Special trains.
News agency PTI had on Friday reported that the railway board in an order dated May 21 allowed 60 per cent of these modified coaches to operate the special trains to ferry migrants.
The officials said these non-AC coaches will not be reconverted into normal coaches, but will be used as "they are" for these services.
"We have so far converted 5,000 such coaches and we have 80,000 beds available. These coaches can be deployed wherever the states desire, but since they were not in use as of now, we have taken a decision to use 50 per cent of them as Shramik Special coaches," Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said on Saturday.
Tourism will revive soon in Goa, COVID-19 not a long-term threat to the industry: Satya Pal Malik
Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik said that the tourism industry will revive soon in the state and added that the coronavirus situation does not pose a long-term threat to it.
"Tourism is not a problem as Goa is Corona free so domestic tourists will come here. It will take some time for foreign tourists to return but they too will come. This is not a long-term loss to the industry," Mr Malik told news agency ANI.
Mr Malik further said that restoration of mining operations is important in the state and emphasis is being placed on agriculture by the government.
COVID-19 woman gives birth to twin boys in Indore hospital in Madhya Pradesh
A 28-year-old COVID-19 patient on Saturday gave birth to twin boys in a hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, the district worst-hit by the outbreak in the central state.
It was a normal delivery though it was a month ahead of full term, Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar (MTH) Hospital in charge Dr Sumit Shukla told news agency PTI.
"The weight of the twins is around 1.6 kilograms each, which is lower than that of normal newborns. A team of doctors is at hand to ensure mother and newborns are fine," he added.
Couple on Shramik Special want to name newborn ''lockdown'' in Madhya Pradesh
The parents of a boy born late Friday night in Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh during a train commute amid the coronavirus outbreak said they wish to name him "lockdown".
Reena (32), traveling with her husband Udaybhan Singh Yadav on a Shramik Special from Mumbai to reach Ambedkar Nagar in UP, gave birth late Friday night in the district hospital.
"He has been born in such a situation that we want to name him Lockdown Yadav," she told reporters.
3 lakh units with 25 lakh people begin work in Gujarat amid COVID-19 lockdown
Around three lakh industrial units have resumed operations in Gujarat engaging over 25 lakh workers post lockdown relaxations announced by the state government, Ashwani Kumar, secretary to the chief minister said.
He said electricity consumption of these industrial units was around 82 per cent of the normal period, which was a "clear indication that industrial production is getting back to normalcy".
The Vijay Rupani government has allowed industrial units to operate across the state, except those located in the containment zones. Industrial units need to follow standard guidelines, including thermal screening of workers, staggered entry and exit and lunch time, as well as social distancing norms.
Coronavirus India: Aarogya Setu App users cross 2 crore mark in UP
The Aarogya Setu app is being continuously used in Uttar Pradesh with the number of people having downloaded it till date touching two crore, an official said.
"As per the information from this App, 82 persons were infected while 45 have been discharged after treatment. As many as 1,079 are in home quarantine," Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said.
He added that so far, over 2 crore people have downloaded the App and 30,994 people have been called.
The principal health secretary also said a large number of migrant workers are coming from other states with ASHA workers having surveyed 7.44 lakh of them so far.
COVID-19: Jammu and Kashmir's green zone
COVID-19 Crisis: Chennai auto drivers face problems
Manipur's COVID-19 tally stands at 27
One more person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Manipur, taking the state count of COVID-19 infection to 27.
"One more person has tested positive for COVID-19 in West Imphal district yesterday," government authorities said.
Out of the total number of infections, 25 cases are still active.
On Friday, the state government had set up two dedicated COVID-19 quarantine centers for transgenders.
Coronavirus India: Karnataka's COVID-19 count rises to 1,958
Karnataka's COVID-19 count surges to 1,958 with 216 new cases of the virus reported in the last 24 hours, said the Health Department in a bulletin on Saturday.
Out of the total number of cases, 1,307 patients are active cases and 608 patients have been discharged. The total number of fatalities due to COVID-19 in the state has risen to 42.
The bulletin also reports that the death of two COVID-19 positive patients due to a non-COVID reason.
200 Mail Express trains to be run from June 1: Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav
Two hundred Mail Express trains will be run from June 1, said Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav. "In an effort towards returning to normalcy, the Ministry of Railways will run 200 Mail Express trains starting June 1," he said.
He said that 80 per cent of the train journeys were undertaken by the migrant labourers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
"Shramik Special trains were started on May 1. Free meals and drinking water were provided to all passengers. Social distancing and hygiene protocols are being followed in trains and stations," he added.
Mauritius receives medical supplies from India
COVID-19 lockdown: 7,512 of 22.5 lakh migrants in Gujarat eligible for travel allowance
Of 22.5 lakh migrant workers in Gujarat, only 7,512 were registered under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (IMW) Act and were thus eligible for travel allowance, the state government has informed the Gujarat High Court.
In a written reply to a Public Interest Litigation, the government informed a division bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and IJ Vora on Friday that around 22.5 lakh inter-state migrant workers lived in Gujarat as per the state labour department's data. But the provisions of the IMW Act of 1979 were applicable to only 7,512 workers who were registered under the Act, it said.
PM Modi discusses coronavirus situation with Sri Lankan President, Mauritius PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday discussed the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.
Sri Lanka is fighting COVID-19 effectively under Rajapaksa's leadership, PM Modi wrote on Twitter. "India will continue to support our close maritime neighbour in dealing with the pandemic and its economic impact," he said.
The two, the prime minister said, agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka and also strengthen investment links.
PM Modi congratulated Prime Minister Jugnauth for successfully controlling COVID-19 in Mauritius. "Our people share warm and special ties, based on shared culture and values. Indians will stand by their Mauritian brothers and sisters at this difficult time," he said.
Delhi Airport authorities make special arrangements to resume operations from May 25
As domestic flight operations are set to resume from May 25, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) authorities have made several arrangements to ensure the safety of passengers in view of coronavirus pandemic.
All the flights will be operating from Terminal 3 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport. It has also been made mandatory for all the flyers to download Aarogya Setu App on their phones prior to reaching the airport.
The provision of the thermal screening of the people before entering the aerodrome has been made as a precautionary measure to check the spread of the virus.
"In order to avoid close contact and crowding at the counters, passengers will be encouraged to check-in at home or use self-service facilities such as self-check-in facility, self-bag tag facility, scan and fly," said the DIAL in a statement.
Chennai returnee tests positive in Manipur; active cases now 25
A 26-year-old man, who returned to Manipur from Chennai recently by a special train, tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 25, an official said on Saturday.
The man from Imphal West district had been under quarantine since his return, and he was admitted at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here, they said. He is among 1,140 people who returned to the state by a Shramik Special train on May 13.
Several drugs under trial for COVID-19, remedesivir leading contender: Scientists
With a vaccine still a long distance away, efforts to repurpose old medications used for other ailments provide hope of an early counter to COVID-19, say scientists, placing the antiviral remdesivir on top of the list of possible contenders.
As COVID-19 continues its spread -- crossing 5.2 million cases and 3,38,000 fatalities on Saturday -- several categories of drugs are under clinical trial. Of them, remdesivir, which initially went into trials for treating the deadly Ebola virus five years ago, has shown promise by modestly speeding recovery from COVID-19, experts said.
More than 130 drugs are under experimentation to treat COVID-19, some may have the potential to stop the virus while others may help calm overactive immune responses that damage organs, according to a tracker maintained by the Milken Institute, an independent economic think tank in the US
UK To Introduce 14-Day Quarantine For International ArrivalsTravellers arriving in Britain will face 14 days in quarantine from next month to prevent a second coronavirus outbreak, the government announced on Friday, warning that anyone breaking the rules faced a fine or prosecution.
The new rules will apply to all international arrivals except Ireland from June 8 and come after weeks of calls for tougher restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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COVID-19: 20 New Cases In Uttarakhand, One More Dies
Twenty more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand on Saturday in the highest single day spike in cases so far taking the state's coronavirus tally to 173 while one more person infected with the deadly virus died at AIIMS, Rishikesh.
The latest cases were reported from Almora, Champawat, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pithoragarh and Uttarkashi, a state health department bulletin said.
Coronavirus News: Virus-Hit Hertz Declares Bankruptcy In US And Canada
Global car rental company Hertz became the latest economic casualty of the coronavirus pandemic Friday, filing for bankruptcy in the US and Canada after more than a century in business.
"The impact of COVID-19 on travel demand was sudden and dramatic, causing an abrupt decline in the Company's revenue and future bookings," Hertz said in a press release.
Hertz said it took "immediate action" to prioritize the health and safety of employees and customers and eliminate "all non-essential spending".
A Bed That Converts Into Coffin As Coronavirus Body Count RisesDisturbing images of bodies of dozens of coronavirus victims awaiting burial on the streets of Ecuador's largest city Guayaquil has motivated a businessman in neighboring Colombia to design something he hopes would prevent a similar scenario in other countries: hospital beds that can be converted to coffins.
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New York Chef Turns Michelin-Starred Eatery Into Charity KitchenChef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, who is used to being paid for fine dining with exclusive black credit cards, says his richest reward during the COVID-19 crisis is the grateful smiles of poor New Yorkers fed by the Michelin three-starred restaurant he has turned into a charity kitchen.
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Combating COVID-19: Novak Djokovic Foundation Donates Ventilators To Hospital
As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus pandemic, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic's foundation has donated five ventilators and clinical monitors to a general hospital in Krusevac, Serbia.
"Solidarity and responsibility are so important when it comes to fighting with #coronavirus.Today, together with @Henkel we donated 5 ventilators and 5 clinical monitors to the General Hospital in Krusevac! We are in this together," Novak Djokovic foundation tweeted.
Migrants Sprayed With Disinfectant In Delhi, Civic Body Says A "Mistake"A group of migrants, waiting outside a school in south Delhi's Lajpat Nagar for coronavirus screening, were sprayed with a disinfectant by the civic agency on Friday. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) later said it was a "mistake" as the worker who was handling the spray could not handle the pressure of the machine and the recoil changed the direction of the spray.
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COVID-19: UP Cancer Survivor Defeats Coronavirus; Discharged From Hospital In 7 Days
What can be termed as a "ray of hope" in the battle against COVID-19, a 66-year-old cancer survivor in Lucknow recovered from the virus within a week after being admitted to the KGMU hospital and has been discharged from the hospital.
According to MLB Bhatt, Vice-Chancellor, King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow, the person, who was cured of COVID-19, was treated for cancer in their hospital from May 2019 to August 2019.
"A 66-yr-old cancer survivor recovered from COVID-19 within a week and was discharged from our hospital," Mr Bhatt said in a video.
Coronavirus updates: National Green Tribunal Officer Tests COVID-19 Positive; Office Sealed
An officer posted in the General Administration section of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) office in Delhi has tested COVID-19 positive.
Ashu Garg, Registrar General, NGT, confirmed on Friday about the officer testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
The official had last attended office on May 19 and is presently hospitalized, he said.
COVID-19 Vaccine Developed In China Shows Promising Results In Early Trials: Report
Days after US drugmaker Moderna announced Phase one trial of its COVID-19 vaccine has shown positive results, researchers on Friday reported that a vaccine developed in China appears to be safe and may protect people from the deadly virus.
According to a report in The New York Times, citing early-stage trial, published in online journal Lancet, those who received a single dose of the vaccine produced certain immune cells, called T cells, within two weeks while the antibodies needed for immunity peaked at 28 days after the inoculation.
Coronavirus news: Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport Readies For Resuming Domestic Flights From May 25
Preparations are at full swing in Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport to resume domestic flight services from May 25 amid the lockdown in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry to contain COVID-19 spread.
All arrangements have been made for air operations at Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport from May 25, Jolly Grant Airport Director P K Gautam told ANI.
Coronavirus news: ICMR Issues Revised Advisory On Use Of Hydroxychloroquine
A revised government advisory on Friday recommended use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medication for asymptomatic healthcare workers working in non-COVID-19 hospitals, frontline staff on surveillance duty in containment zones and paramilitary/police personnel involved in coronavirus infection related activities.
As was mentioned in the earlier advisory, the drug against the infection is also recommended for all asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in containment and treatment of COVID-19 and household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases.
Coronavirus update: Brazil jumps to world No 2 in coronavirus cases, behind the US
Brazil became the world No 2 hotspot for coronavirus cases on Friday, second only to the United States, after it confirmed that 330,890 people had been infected by the virus, overtaking Russia, the Health Ministry said.
Brazil registered 1,001 daily coronavirus deaths on Friday, taking total deaths to 21,048, according to the Health Ministry.
In Sao Paulo, the worst-hit city, aerial video showed rows of open plots at the Formosa Cemetery as it rushed to keep up with demand, Reuters reported.
Coronavirus news: Sikkim to reopen schools, colleges from June 15
Schools and colleges in the state will reopen from June 15, Sikkim Education Minister KN Lepcha announced on Friday.
"We will be reopening all schools and colleges from 15th June. We will start with classes 9th to 12th while classes for Nursery to VIII will not be held. Morning assemblies will not be allowed in the schools to ensure social distancing," said Lepcha.
The Schools and colleges were closed in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic, ANI reported.
Coronavirus update: MSRTC resumes bus operations after two months in Maharashtra
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation resumed bus services after two months on Friday following the lockdown relaxations.
"Over 11,000 passengers travelled on 457 selected routes in the state excluding Red Zones and Containment Zones," according to the MSRTC.
The nationwide lockdown was first imposed in March to curb the spread of coronavirus, ANI reported.