Coronavirus India Updates: India Extends Lockdown Till May 31, Some Curbs Eased

India ordered the extension of the lockdown to contain the Covid-19 pandemic till May 31 with fresh guidelines.

States and union territories will now categorise red, green and orange zones taking into consideration the parameters shared by the Health Ministry, according to the new guidelines released by the Ministry of Home Affairs. All activities are permitted except which are specifically prohibited. However in containment zones, only essential services are allowed.

States may prohibit and impose restrictions on certain activities in zones based on their assessment.

The new guidelines came after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-headed National Disaster Management Authority ordered to continue to restrictions till the end of this month.

Earlier, the National Disaster Management Authority asked the central and state governments to extend the lockdown to contain Covid-19 pandemic till May 31.

The authority, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also asked its National Executive Committee, comprising secretaries of different departments, should issue modifications in the guidelines keeping in view the need to resume economic activities, according to its order.

The ongoing third phase of the lockdown ended today. Some states including Maharashtra have already extended the restrictions till May 31 while relaxing some curbs.

The total confirmed new coronavrius cases in India have risen to 90,927 as of 8 a.m. today, according to the data by the Health Ministry. Of these, 4,987 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours.

The Covid-19 infection rate in India shows no signs of abating as the nation reported the biggest ever spike in fresh cases.

India added 4,987 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 90,927 in Asia’s third-largest economy, according to the health ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on May 17. This includes 2,872 deaths and 34,109 patients who have recovered. And that’s a day after India surpassed China’s total tally.

Over the last 24 hours, India has seen 120 deaths and 3,956 recoveries.

With cases on the rise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said there would be a third extension of the lockdown, albeit with easing of some restrictions. The revised lockdown guidelines are expected before May 18. India announced the world’s stringent stay-at-home restrictions on March 25, with Modi extending it first until May 3 and then again till May 17.

Meanwhile, through the week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several measures under the Prime Minister’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’, a post-pandemic financial package to help revive the economy—that’s headed for its first full-year contraction in more than four decades.

Global Update

There have been more than 4.6 million coronavirus cases across the world, including 311,000 deaths.

U.S. cases increased 1.8 percent from the same time Friday, to 1.46 million, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. The rise in cases was above the average daily increase of 1.7 percent over the past week. Deaths rose 1.7 percent to 88,211.

New York reported 2,419 new cases, a number that has remained stable for two weeks, raising the total to 348,232. The state had 157 new deaths, up from 132 on Friday, with total fatalities at more than 22,478.

Italy is taking a “calculated risk,” the premier said, in speeding up the reopening of the nation. China reported five new cases, South Korea added another 13 and New Zealand reported one new case.

Track all the news updates on the coronavirus situation in India here:

Total confirmed coronavrius cases in India rose to 90,927 as of 8 a.m. today, according to the data made available by the Health Ministry. Of these, 4,987 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours.

• Active cases: 53,946
• Cured/discharged/migrated: 34,109
• Deaths: 2,872

Authorities reported 3,956 recoveries and 120 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Source: Health Ministry (As on May 17, 8 a.m.)

In her fifth press conference, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address the media to give out further details of the Rs 20-lakh-crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12.

So far, she had announced measures for MSMEs, non-bank lenders, salaried employees, power distribution companies, street vendors, real estate developers, middle-income homebuyers, agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, food processing and allied activities and migrant workers, coal, minerals, defence production, civil aviation, power distribution, social infrastructure, space and atomic energy, among others.

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• Covid-19 Economic Package: Government Announces Structural Reforms In Eight Sectors

There are seven focus areas in Sunday’s announcements, says Sitharaman.

1. MGNREGA
2. Heath and education
3. Businesses
4. Decriminalisation of Companies Act
5. Ease of doing business and related matters
6. Public sector enterprises
7. State government and their resources

Catch all the details from Sunday’s announcements here.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Saturday ordered extension of Covid-19 financial assistance of Rs 2,000 to all hairdressers irrespective of whether they were members of a state board for their welfare or not.

While the government has already been disbursing Rs 2,000 in two installments to 14,667 members of the state welfare board for hairdressers, those who are not part of it have requested that they be also provided the relief, a government release said.

As part of lockdown curbs to prevent spread of coronavirus, hairdressing salons are not allowed to open.

(Source: PTI)

Maharashtra and Gujarat reported more than 1,000 confirmed coronavirus cases each, in the last 24 hours.

Maharashtra has extended the lockdown in the entire state till midnight of May 31, according to a notification. The state has the highest tally of confirmed cases in India at more than 29,000.

The order said a “calibrated phase-wise relaxation/lifting of lockdown orders will be notified in due course.”

The green and orange zones will get more relaxations, in terms of starting more services, PTI reported quoting a state official.

Tamil Nadu extended till lockdown till May 31 while allowing relaxations from the strict conditions, PTI reported quoting Chief Minister K Palaniswami. Public transportation will resume in 25 districts after nearly two months, while 12 will see no change in curbs, The bar on the functioning of educational institutions, public entry into religious places and relaxations already in force will continue throughout the state.

• All domestic and international air travel of passenger, except for domestic medical services, domestic air ambulance and for security purposes as directed by home ministry.
• Metro rail services.
• Schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions to remain prohibited.
• Hotel/restaurants and other hospitality services except meant for housing health/police/govt officials/ healthcare workers/stranded persons.
• Restaurants only permitted to operate kitchen for home delivery of food items.
• All cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks and similar places to remain prohibited.
• All social/political/sports/entertainment and other gatherings and large congregations.
• All religious places/places of worship shall be closed for public.
• Movement of individuals to remain prohibited between 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., except for essential activities.

• Among the activities permitted with restrictions, except in containment zones, include:
• Sports complexes will be permitted to open but no spectators will be allowed.
• Inter state movement of passenger vehicles and buses allowed with mutual consent of the states and union territories.
• Intra-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses as per states and union territories.

The guidelines reiterated the standard operating procedure released on May 11 for travel by trains. Indian Railways started some special trains from May 12 to gradually restart passenger services. This is in addition to the special Shramik trains for stranded migrants.

• Local authorities to ensure that shops and markets open with staggered timings, to ensure social distancing.
• All shops to ensure six feet distance among customers and also not allow more than 5 persons at one time.

• The practice of work from home should be followed to the extent possible.
• Staggering of work hours should be adopted in respect of all offices and other establishments.
• There should be provisions for thermal scanning, hand wash and sanitisers at all entry and exit points and common areas.
• All workplaces and other sensitive locations to be sanitised regularly, besides ensuring social distancing between workers.
• There should be adequate gaps between shifts and lunch breaks should be staggered.

Employers on best-effort basis should ensure that the Aarogya Setu application is installed by all employees, and district administrations may advise individuals to install the app on compatible phones, the ministry said in its order.

The contact-tracing and status-check app developed at the behest of the government has triggered privacy and surveillance concerns.

• Spitting to be punishable and social distancing to be followed by all persons in public places and in transport.
• Marriage-related gatherings to not have more than 50 guests.
• For funerals and last rites, the maximum number of persons allowed kept at 20.
• Consumption of liquor, paan, gutkha and tobacco, etc is not allowed in public places.

The home ministry yet to clarify on the status of delivery of non-essential items by e-commerce platforms in red zones.

Under the previous guideline, e-commerce services allowed only essential services in red zones. Delivery of essential and non-essential services is allowed in orange and green zones.