Coronavirus India Updates: Biggest Single-Day Spike In Nationwide Count; Maharashtra Eases Curbs

Maharashtra, the state with the highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases, will ease some restrictions even as it extended the lockdown till midnight of June 30.

The curbs will be eased in phases till June 30, according to an order by the state government. Restrictions remain in containment zones though.

Starting June 3, the state allowed certain activities in addition to what is already permitted in municipal corporations of Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Malegaon, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur. This includes cycling, jogging by individuals, not groups, in public spaces and open areas.

Self-employed workers such as plumbers, carpenters, and technicians allowed to work by following social distancing norms. Garages and workshops allowed to open, and government offices can resume operations with 15% strength to start with. Shops are allowed to open on alternate days on each side of the road. This relaxation is not applicable to malls.

Schools, colleges, educational and training institutions, international air travel of passengers, except as permitted by the Union Home Ministry, and metro rail will remain closed.

Here are the new guidelines:

Outdoor Physical Activities

From June 3, individual physical exercises like cycling, jogging/running/walking permitted in public open spaces, including beaches, public and private playgrounds, grounds in societies, institutions, gardens and promenades with following conditions. No activities permitted in indoor stadiums.

• This will be allowed between 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• No group activity will be permitted. Children should be accompanied by an adult.
• People are advised to stay outdoors only for the purposes of physical activities for limited duration.
• No other activity is permitted.
• Such activities are allowed in nearby/neighbourhood open spaces. Long-distance travel not permitted.
• Avoid crowded open spaces.

Government Offices, Self-Employed People

• Self-employed people like plumbers, electricians, pest-control personnel and technicians allowed to while following social distancing and sanitisation, and wearing masks.
• Garages to mend vehicles and workshops can operate with prior appointments.
• All government offices will function at 15% strength or minimum 15 employees whichever is more. This excludes emergency, health and medical, treasuries, disaster management, police, NIC, food and civil supply, FCI, NYK., and municipal services that can operate as required.

Shops And Markets

From June 5, all markets, market areas and shops, except malls and market complexes, are allowed to function on PI-P2 basis—shops on one side of the road, lane or passage to be opened on odd dates while shops on the other side on even dates—from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with following conditions.

• The use of trial rooms in the shops will not be permitted for clothes, apparel and similar items to prevent spread of infection. Similarly, exchange policy and return policy will not be permitted.
• Shopkeepers will be responsible for ensuring social distancing norms and are encouraged to take measures such as foot markings on the floor, token system, home delivery, etc.
• People are advised to walk/ use cycles for shopping purposes and to use nearby/neighbourhood markets as far as possible. Long-distance travel for non- essential items will not be permitted. Use of motorised vehicles for shopping will be strictly discouraged.
• If any failure of social distancing is found, then authorities will immediately close down such shops and markets.

Travel

• From June 5, movement of people is allowed with following conditions:
• Taxis, four-wheelers and rickshaws: Only for essential services, three people allowed (1+2).
• Two-wheelers: Only essential, one ride allowed.

Private Offices

From June 8, all private offices can operate with up to 10% strength as per requirement, with the rest working from home. All the employers will conduct sensitisation programmes to educate employees to take adequate precautions on returning home so that vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, are not infected.

Not Allowed

• Schools, colleges, educational, training, coaching institutions.
• International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Metro rail.
• Passenger movement by trains and domestic air travel unless specifically allowed through separate orders and standard operating procedure.
• Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
• Social, political, sports/entertainment, academic/cultural, religious functions and large congregations.
• Religious places or places of worship for public
• Barber Shops, spas, saloons, beauty parlours.
• Shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services.

Tamil Nadu on Sunday announced extension of the ongoing lockdown till June 30, albeit with more relaxations that included partially opening public transport and allowing more employees at the workplace.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami said the curbs on religious places, inter-state bus transport, and metro and suburban rails would continue. Pubic transport will resume with reduced services from June 1, but buses will not be operated in Chennai, Kancheepurm, Tiruvallur and Chengalpet districts having the highest concentration of Covid-19 cases in the state, he said. Private stage carriers will be allowed to operate in authorised routes, Palaniswami said.

Tamil Nadu is among the states worst affected by the new coronavirus pandemic with total infections of more than 21,000.

Source: PTI

Total confirmed coronavrius cases in India rose to 1,82,143 as of 8 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Health Ministry update.

• Active cases: 89,995
• Cured/discharged/migrated: 86,984
• Deaths: 5,164

Source: Health Ministry (As of May 31, 8 a.m.)

The confirmed cases of the new coronavirus jumped by 8,380 in the last 24 hours in the biggest single-day spike even as India plans to lift the lockdown in a staggered manner.

That takes the total count to 1,82,143 in Asia’s third-largest economy, according to the Health Ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on May 31. This includes 5,164 deaths and 86,984 patients who have recovered.

Over the last 24 hours, India has seen 193 deaths and 4,614 recoveries. The total number of active cases now stands at 89,995.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, a total of 37,37,027 samples have been tested, of which 1,25,428 were in the last 24 hours.

More people have died in India than anywhere else in Asia, excluding Iran, despite enforcing the largest lockdown in the world. The lockdown will start lifting in phases from June 8 when malls, restaurants and religious places will allowed to be opened.

States and union territories will still have a say in curbing certain activities if they feel necessary. West Bengal has already announced some relaxations. Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, however, have extended the stay-at-homes restrictions with some relaxations.

Global Update

Globally, cases crossed 6 million, with more than 369,000 deaths.

Brazil reported a 3.4% rise in new deaths on Saturday, to 28,834. It surpassed France and now has the fourth-most fatalities worldwide. The Latin American nation’s toll trails the U.S., U.K. and Italy. France has 28,774 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins data. New cases increased 7.2% to 498,440, trailing only the U.S.

The U.S. will quit the World Health Organization after President Donald Trump faulted its actions with China and the virus.

Cases in the U.S. increased 1.7% from the same time Friday, to 1.76 million, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. The national increase exceeded the average daily increase of 1.3% for the past week and was the biggest percentage rise since May 22. Deaths climbed 1.2% to 103,389.

Track all the news updates on the new coronavirus situation in India here.