Coronavirus India Updates: Covid-19 Cases At 42,836; Death Toll At 1,389
Track all the news updates on the coronavirus situation in India here.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in India climbed closer to the 43,000-mark on Monday as eased restrictions in some areas after an extension of the lockdown for the third time.
The country reported 2,573 new cases over the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 42,836, according to the health ministry’s 5 p.m. update. This includes 11,762 patients who’ve been discharged and 1,389 who’ve died.
Over the last 24 hours, India has seen 875 recoveries and 83 deaths. This marks the third straight day where India recorded over 2,000 new cases.
Total cases globally crossed 3.5 million with deaths topping 247,000, according to data with John Hopkins. President Donald Trump raised the expected U.S. death toll from the virus to as many as 100,000 and promised more help for those put out of work. Russia reported more than 10,000 new cases, the highest number of the outbreak.
Track all the news updates on the coronavirus situation in India here:
Ten States With More Than 1,000 Cases
There are now ten Indian states with over 1,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases. Maharashtra has the most number of cases at nearly 13,000—almost a fourth of the total cases in India.
India Adds 2,573 New Cases
India added 2,573 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours taking the total tally to 42,836 cases.
- Active cases: 29,685
- Cured/discharged/migrated: 11,762
- Deaths: 1,389
Bengal Has Highest Covid-19 Mortality Rate, Central Team Tells Chief Secretary
West Bengal has the highest mortality rate in the country at 12.8 percent, Inter Ministerial Central Team leader Apoorva Chandra wrote in his final observations to state Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, before leaving for Delhi on Monday.
"This extremely high mortality rate is a clear indication of low testing, weak surveillance and tracking," Chandra said in the letter.
A discrepancy has been brought to the fore in the number of COVID-19 cases reported by the state in its medical bulletins and its communication with the Union government, Chandra noted in the letter.
The team, led by Chandra, returned to the national capital after having completed two weeks of stay in the city.
Source: PTI
Nearly 4,800 Indians Are Covid-19 Positive But With Mild Conditions In Singapore: Envoy
Nearly 4,800 Indian nationals, most of whom are living in dormitories for foreign workers, have been tested positive with the novel coronavirus in Singapore till the end of April, the Indian High Commissioner here said on Monday.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Singapore are 18,205 with 18 deaths, according to the figures released by Singapore Health Ministry on Sunday.
"Almost all of the infection among Indian workers is mild and their conditions are improving, Jawed Ashraf, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, told PTI.
Over 3,500 Indian nationals, including students, have also registered with the High Commission to return home or to seek assistance for accommodation and food due to their unexpectedly long stay here, he said.
Over 90 percent of the 4,800 Indians infected by the virus are workers, most of whom are living in dormitories for foreign workers, he said.
In April, over 90 percent of the Covid-19 cases emerging in Singapore were in dormitories, where authorities are conducting aggressive medical testing and taking quick steps to contain the spread of the virus.
By the last week of April, however, the average daily number of new cases in the dormitories and in the broader community outside, as also the number of unlinked cases, were coming down compared to previous weeks, according to the High Commissioner.
Bengal To Decide On Lockdown Relaxations In Green, Orange
Despite the Centre allowing the functioning of certain shops and services to give some respite during the third phase of the lockdown that began on Monday, large parts of West Bengal wore a deserted look as the state government is yet to decide on the relaxations in the green and orange zones.
Shops, barring those selling essential commodities, remained closed and vehicles were off the roads in most parts of the state in the morning.
In the afternoon, a task force led by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha will decide on the relaxations, including which shops and establishments will be allowed to reopen in the two zones, an official said.
"However, the complete lockdown will continue in the containment zones," he said.
There are four red, eight green and 11 orange zones in the state.
"We are waiting for the state government notification before deciding on opening business establishments," Confederation of West Bengal Trade Unions president Sushil Poddar said.
The association has a membership base of around 10 lakh in the state.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had last week announced a few relaxations and allowed intra-district plying of buses in green and orange zones, with a maximum of 20 passengers in each vehicle. Bus operators, however, refused to commence services stating it would be economically unviable for them to run vehicles with only 20 passengers.
Meanwhile, liquor outlets have been allowed to reopen only in the green zones in the state from Monday, an official said. The state government has not allowed reopening of liquor outlets in the red zones and is still undecided on those in the orange ones, officials said.
Source: PTI
Liquor Shops Can Open In Red Zones But Outside Containment Areas: Maharashtra Government
In Maharashtra, apart from green and orange zone, liquor shops can remain open in red zones too but only as long as they are outside the containment area as per the guidelines of state and central government
- In the red zone (outside the containment area) only 5 non essential shops can remain open on a particular road/lane.
- Liquor shops come under non-essential shops.
- District/local authorities will decide which shops can remain open at a time depending on the demand
- The shops can’t remain open before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m.
- All the guidelines of social distancing, sanitisation will have to be strictly followed
- With regards to opening up of the liquor shops, every district authority will take the decision as per state and central government guidelines and it is expected that at district level guidelines shall not be diluted.
Source: Maharashtra State Excise Department
Congress To Bear Cost Of Rail Travel Of Every Needy Migrant Worker: Sonia Gandhi
The Congress on Monday said its state units will bear the cost of rail travel of needy migrant workers and labourers stranded at their workplaces due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown and seeking to return home.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a statement announced the party's decision and said this would be the Congress' humble contribution in standing shoulder to shoulder with these workers, who are the backbone of the country's economy.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also said in a tweet in Hindi, "On the one hand, the Railways is charging ticket fares from labourers stranded in other states, while on the other hand, the Railway Ministry is donating Rs 151 crore to the PM-Cares Fund. Just resolve this puzzle."
Sonia Gandhi also accused the central government and the Railways of completely ignoring the demands made by the Congress for ensuring the safe and free travel of migrant workers and labourers to their homes.
"There needs to be provisions for the safe and free rail travel of migrant workers and labourers to their home-towns. However, despite our repeated demands, the central government and the Rail Ministry have chosen to completely ignore the same.
"The Indian National Congress has, therefore, taken a decision that every Pradesh Congress Committee shall bear the cost for the rail travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer and shall take necessary steps in this regard," she said in a statement.
She said this will be the Congress' humble contribution in service of the compatriots and to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with them.
Source: PTI
Five Maharashtra Districts Not To Allow Liquor Sale
A day after the Maharashtra government said shops selling non-essential commodities, including liquor, will be allowed to open from Monday in the Covid-19 non-containment zones, five districts in the state have decided not to permit liquor sale.
Administrations of Solapur, Aurangabad, Jalna, Buldhana and Amravati districts have issued instructions that liquor shops will not be allowed to open.
"The decision is taken in adherence to the Disaster Management Act, and to prevent any further spread of the coronavirus infection," a collector from one of these districts told PTI on Monday.
The Buldhana and Amravati administrations have also decided to continue with prohibition on liquor sale till May 17 and only allow sale of essential commodities, sources said.
Besides, several liquor manufacturing and bottling units located in Aurangabad can resume production, but the district administration has prohibited its sale.
The Nagpur civic body has also decided not to allow liquor sale in the city municipal limits, a senior district official said.
It is the civic body's decision and there are "no such instructions from the Nagpur district collector, which would mean liquor sale is prohibited in the city limits but allowed in rural areas," he said.
Liquor is a major source of revenue for Maharashtra, which earned about Rs 45,000 crore in the form of taxes on it in 2019-20, an official from state excise department said.
Source: PTI
State-Wise Breakup
- Maharashtra - the state with the highest number of infection in India - as now close to the 13,000 mark.
- Delhi has crossed 4,500 cases while Gujarat has crossed 5,400 cases.
- Tamil Nadu has crossed the 3,000-mark while Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are close to it.
- Uttar Pradesh has more than 2,600 cases.
- Punjab and Telengana have more than 1,000 cases, with West Bengal close to joining the club.
Rising Fresh Cases
For three days now, India has seen more than 2,000 fresh cases reported in the 24 hours leading up to the Health Ministry’s 8 a.m. updated.
India Reports More Than 2,500 Cases In 24 Hours
The total coronavirus confirmed cases in India rose to 42,533 on Monday morning, according to data made available by the Health Ministry, of which 2,553 were reported in the last 24 hours alone.
- Active cases: 29453
- Cured/discharged/migrated: 11707
- Deaths: 1373
The country saw 1,074 recoveries and 72 deaths in the 24 hours leading to the Health Ministry update at 8 a.m. That took the total tally to 11,707 recoveries and 1,373 people who succumbed to the illness.