Coronavirus India Updates: India Unveils Plan To Reopen Economy In Phases As Cases Cross 1.73 Lakh
Track all the news updates on the coronavirus situation in India here.
India continued to see a surge in new Covid-19 cases on a day the government announced that it will reopen the economy in phases.
Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world’s second-most populous nation rose past the 1.73-lakh mark with the largest fresh cases spike seen in the country, at a time when India is nearing the end of an over two-month lockdown.
Total number of cases now stand at 1,73,763 including 82,370 who have recovered and 4,971 deaths. The number of active cases is at 86,422.
India reported its biggest single-day spike in new Covid-19 cases, recoveries and deaths. Authorities reported 7,964 new cases, 11,264 recoveries and 265 deaths in the 24 hours preceding the Health Ministry’s update at 8 a.m. on May 30.
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 be allowed to open. This will not be applicable for containment zones which will remain under lockdown till June 30.
States and union territories will have the liberty to restrict activities based on their assessment. West Bengal has already announced some relaxations to the lockdown. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab have extended the lockdown with some relaxations.
Globally, cases crossed 5.9 million while deaths crossed 3,65,000.
Brazil overtook Spain to rank fifth in the world in coronavirus deaths, with no sign of easing in Latin America’s biggest economy. The U.S. will quit the World Health Organization after President Donald Trump faulted its actions with China and the virus.
Track all the news updates on the coronavirus situation in India here.
The Indian government has issued guidelines for a phased reopening of its economy from June 8.
The reopening will be done in three phases after which all activities, barring a few, will be permitted outside containment areas in red, green and orange zones, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement today. Containment zones will remain under lockdown till at least June 30 where only essential services will be allowed.
Even after reopening, though, movement of individuals will remain prohibited between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. There shall be no restriction on inter-state movement of persons and goods.
Here’s what will open in each phase.
Phase 1:
From June 8, religious places, hotels, restaurants and shopping malls will be allowed to open.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will issue standard operating guidelines for all above activities after consultation with ministries, states and stakeholders.
Phase 2:
In the second phase, schools, colleges and educational institutes will be opened after consultation with states and union territories. Based on the feedback, a decision will be taken in July.
Phase 3:
In the third phase, international air travel, metro rails, cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums will be opened.
Social, political, sports, academic, religious and cultural functions will also be allowed from the third phase.
The date for this has not been specified.
States and union territories will be allowed to restrict certain activities, even outside containment areas, based on their assessment of the situation.
The order can be accessed here.
Madhya Pradesh Extends Lockdown
Madhya Pradesh will extend the lockdown till June 15, ANI reported citing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
BMC Says Covid-19 Cases Growing At 4.5% In Mumbai
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said that Covid-19 cases are currently growing at an average rate of 4.52% in the city.
Areas around Dahisar, Powai, Ghatkopar have seen the biggest rise in cases over last week, while the G-North ward around Dharavi, Mahim and Dadar continues to have the most cases.
Over 21 lakh Migrant Workers Returned To Uttar Pradesh
More than 21 lakh migrant labourers have returned to Uttar Pradesh from different parts of the country on over 1,500 special trains so far, a senior state government official said on Saturday.
"So far, over 21 lakh migrant labourers have come back to the state on as many as 1,550 trains. The maximum number of trains -- 257 -- has arrived in Gorakhpur on which 3.31 lakh migrant labourers returned," Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information) Awanish Awasthi said.
He said 109 trains arrived in Lucknow, 125 in Jaunpur, 111 in Varanasi and 99 in Deoria.
Source: PTI
Nearly A Third Of Cases Asymptomatic, Says ICMR Study
At least 28% of the 40,184 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 between till April 30 in India were asymptomatic, a study found, raising concerns about the novel coronavirus being spread by those who show mild to no symptoms.
A large proportion of both those tested and those positive were asymptomatic contacts, according to the study by the Indian Council of Medical Research scientists along with other collaborators
According to the study, of the 28.1% asymptomatic patients, 25.3% were direct and high-risk contacts of the cases, while 2.8% were healthcare workers in contact with confirmed the case without adequate protection.
Several Steps Ahead Of Virus, Says Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that his government was “several steps ahead” of the novel coronavirus and was more than prepared to deal with the situation.
Kejriwal underlined that the aim of the government was to ensure that the number of deaths from the Covid-19 should not rise even if the count of patients were rising.
“I want to assure Delhi residents that your government is several steps ahead of the coronavirus,” the chief minister said at an online press conference. “We are making of plenty arrangements that are much more than the requirements. We are more than prepared to tackle it.”
Kejriwal added that the government was also developing an app to give people information about the availability of beds in hospitals.
Source: PTI
Sunday Curfew Relaxed In Karnataka
The Karnataka government on Saturday eased the norm of curfew on Sundays while retaining the order of lockdown from 7 pm to 7 am in view of coronavirus.
In the beginning of the fourth phase of lockdown from May 19, the state government had ordered that total lockdown would be enforced throughout the day on Sundays to contain Covid-19 in the state. Last Sunday, a day prior to Eid-ul-Fitr, it was implemented across the state. In the state capital, the curfew was imposed from Saturday evening itself.
In his order, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar said there would not be complete lockdown on Sundays from 7 am to 7 pm following public request. However, the lockdown during nights will continue, he said in the order.
Source: PTI
West Bengal Covid-19 Death Toll Crosses 300-mark With 7 more Fatalities; Total Cases 4,813
West Bengal reported seven more Covid-19 fatalities on Friday, pushing the death toll due to the disease in the state beyond the 300-mark, while 277 new cases were registered during the day, according to a health department bulletin. Of the total 302 deaths, 72 were due to comorbidities and the novel coronavirus was "incidental" in these cases, it said.
West Bengal has a total of 4,813 confirmed Covid-19 cases so far, of which 2,736 are active.
Source: PTI