Covid-19 infections are still gathering pace in India.
Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India rose past the 1.65-lakh mark with the largest fresh cases spike seen in the country, at a time when India is emerging from a two-month-long nation-wide lockdown.
Total number of cases now stand at 1,65,799 including 71,105 who have recovered and 4,706 deaths. The number of active cases is at 89,987.
India added nearly 7,500 fresh cases of infections over one day. Authorities reported 7,466 new cases, 3,414 recoveries and 175 deaths in the 24 hours preceding the Health Ministry’s update at 8 a.m. on May 29.
India’s total deaths reported so far have climbed past the 4,638 fatalities from Covid-19 in China. The nation of 1.3 billion people now has the highest number of fatalities in Asia, excluding Iran, despite the largest lockdown in the world.
Johns Hopkins has reported 4,711 deaths in India so far.
Global Update
Brazil’s cases hit another daily record as hot spots shift to developing countries ill-equipped to contain its spread. Latin America now accounts for 40% of daily virus deaths as cases surge in countries from Mexico to Peru. South Korea reported 58 more cases as it tries to control an outbreak tied to a distribution center.
Total cases topped 5.8 million with over 359,000 dead.
Track latest news and updates on the coronavirus situation in India, here:
Maharashtra To Release Economic Package: Deputy Chief Minister
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said that the state government will soon announce a financial package to steer the state out of the present economic crisis caused due to the Covid-19 situation.
Talking to reporters in Pimpri Chinchwad township near Pune, Pawar said that as a result of the pandemic and the lockdown, all financial activities have come to a standstill, and businesses as well as jobs have been adversely impacted.
“In a nutshell, we are facing an economic crisis and we want to find a way out. The state government will soon announce a financial package and a decision in that regard will be taken in the cabinet,” Pawar said.
Source: PTI
Goa Chief Ministry Bats For Lockdown Extension; Wants Malls, Gyms To Open
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the current phase of lockdown, slated to end on May 31, should be extended till June 15 considering the overall Covid-19 scenario in the country, where the case count has crossed the 1.6 lakh-mark.
Sawant, who spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the phone on Thursday, said during the conversation he suggested lockdown extension for another 15 days, but sought relaxations for Goa during the period.
The chief minister said Goa will pitch for relaxations like allowing reopening of malls, restaurants and gyms in the state during the lockdown period.
He said all these sectors (gym, mall and restaurant) can open with 50% of their staff capacity and by strictly adhering to social distancing norms and other protocols related to curbing the coronavirus spread.
Sawant said the state government is waiting for fresh lockdown guidelines from the Union home ministry, which are expected to be announced on Saturday.
Only after understanding those guidelines, we will come to know whether Goa is allowed to give certain relaxations, he said.
Source: PTI
State-Wise Breakup
To be sure, the daily jumps reported by states depends on multiple factors such as population, effectiveness of the lockdown, and most directly, the pace of testing. States which are conducting more tests are likely to report more cases compared to those which are conducting fewer tests.
The Indian Council of Medical Research’s website shows that a total of 34,83,838 tests have been done with 1,21,702 of them done just in the last 24 hours.
However, state-wise testing data is only released by a handful of states on a regular basis.
Here’s the data available for May 28:
- Maharashtra - 15,453
- Delhi - 7,615
- Tamil Nadu - 30,613
- Gujarat - 4,549
- West Bengal - 9,256
India's Total Cases Surpass Turkey
Days after surpassing Iran, the subcontinent now has more cases than Turkey too, putting India on the ninth position on the list of countries with the most cases.
At the same time, here’s where the country stands in its deaths and recovery figures.
India Total Virus Cases Top 1.65 Lakh
Total Coronavirus cases in India rose to 1,65,799 according to the Health Ministry’s 8 a.m. update on Thursday, with 7,466 of these added in just the last 24 hours.
- Active cases: 89,987
- Cured/discharged/migrated: 71,106
- Deaths: 4706
Students In West Bengal Likely To Attend Classes On Alternate Days After Schools Reopen: Minister
Students of state-run schools in West Bengal are likely to attend classes on alternate days after they reopen, in order to observe social distancing norms. The schools will be asked to follow an "alternate model" and the department will ensure that classes take place adhering to social distancing nor.ms, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters on Thursday.
Asked to elaborate on the "alternate model", he said details of it would be informed later. The alternate model envisages one set of students of a particular class will attend school on every alternate day, a source in the education department explained. To a question, Chatterjee said state-run schools are slated to reopen after June 30.
Private educational institutes are free to follow this schedule or they may go by their own timetable, he said. However, the minister hinted that he expects private schools will follow the governments decision. "If a state-run school and a private school are situated in the same locality, the same yardstick should be applied to both, as students of the same locality will face similar situation," Chatterjee said.
Source: PTI
Several Shramik Special Trains Reach Bengal From Other States, Passengers To Be Quarantined
Several Shramik Special trains on Thursday arrived in West Bengal from different states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, two of the most affected states with the Covid-19 disease, officials said here.
One Shramik Special arrived at Burdwan from Bandra, a railway official said.
Two other specials reached Malda from Mumbai and Surat, the official said.
Another special was on its way to New Jalpaiguri from Nagpur in Maharashtra, he said.
Two more Shramik Specials were scheduled to arrive at Howrah later in the night, the railway official said.
Special trains on way to destinations in north Bengal had stoppages at Dankuni near Howrah, at Burdwan and Rampurhat, with hundreds of passengers getting down at these places on way to their homes.
Some special trains bringing in migrant labourers from different states were scheduled to reach various destinations in West Bengal later in the night, the official said.
Medical screening facilities for passengers detraining were set up at all the stations where the special trains had stoppages or at the terminal stations, state officials said.
The West Bengal government has set up quarantine facilities for passengers coming from the states which have been affected the most by the coronavirus pandemic.
Source: PTI
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
POPULAR