Coronavirus India Updates: 5,609 Cases Reported In 24 Hours, Total Cases Top 1.12 Lakh
Track all the news updates on the coronavirus situation in India here.
The Covid-19 cases continue to mount in India as the highly contagious pathogen infected more than 1.12 lakh people.
India added 5,609 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 1,12,359 in Asia’s third-largest economy, according to the health ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on May 21. That included 3,435 deaths and 45,300 patients who have recovered.
Active cases have gone beyond the 63,000-mark.
Efforts to contain the pandemic become complicated in the eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal after the authorities had to evacuate 6.5 lakh people as cyclone ‘Amphan’ struck the coastal areas.
With cases on the rise, the government last week announced a third extension of the lockdown till May 31, albeit with easing of some restrictions. India announced the world’s most stringent stay-at-home restrictions on March 25, with Modi extending it first until May 3 and then again till May 17.
Global Update
China reported two new cases of the coronavirus. Brazil loosened protocols for the use of chloroquine and reported another record day for infections.
Total cases globally topped 4.9 million; deaths exceeded 326,000.
Maharashtra Cases Cross 40,000; Mumbai Alone Over 25,000
Confirmed Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra crossed 40,000 today, according to the state’s daily bulletin.
The state had 41,642 cases as of 6 p.m. today. Mumbai alone contributes 25,500 cases. There have been 1,454 deaths in the state so far.
‘Realistic’ Fare Caps
The civil aviation ministry has divided the routes into seven sections, based on the duration of the flights. The recommended fares, in turn, will be based on these sections.
- Section 1: Where flight duration is less than 40 mins
- Section 2: Between 40-60 minutes
- Section 3: Between 60-90 minutes
- Section 4: Between 90-120 minutes
- Section 5: Between 2-2.5 hours
- Section 6: 2.5- 3 hours
- Section 7: Between 3-3.5 hours
The ministry studied the rates and have looked at corresponding rail fare, before arrive at “realistic” minimum and maximum fares, said Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. We have taken into the account that airlines operate on thin margins and their business models are based on high capital costs.
Cap for Delhi-Mumbai to be within Rs 3,500- 10,000 for 3 months; that is a journey which is between 90-120 minutes.Hardeep Singh Puri, Aviation Minister
In the case of the Delhi-Mumbai route, 40 percent of the seats will have to be sold for less than Rs 6,700, said Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola. That’s because guidelines mandate that 40 percent of the seats have to be sold at a fare less than the mid point of the recommended band.
These recommended fares exclude passenger services fees, user development fees and goods and services tax, Kharola added.
Kerala Records Highest Number Of Cybercrimes During Lockdown
The Covid-19-induced lockdown saw a spurt in crybercrimes in India with Kerala recording the highest number during the period, according to an analysis of IT security solutions provider K7 Computing.
These attacks aimed to compromise computers and mobile devices to gain access to users confidential data, banking details and cryptocurrency accounts.
The key threats seen during this period ranged from phishing attacks to rogue apps disguised as Covid-19 information apps that targeted users sensitive data.
Phishing attacks were noticed more in Tier-II and Tier-III cities while the metros fared better. Smaller cities saw over 250 attacks being blocked per 10,000 users.
In Kerala, regions like Kottayam, Kannur, Kollam, and Kochi saw the highest hits, while the state as a whole saw around 2,000 attacks during the period, the highest thus far in the country.
This was followed by Punjab with 207 attacks and Tamil Nadu with 184 attacks, the statement said.
Uttarakhand High Court Directs Government To Quarantine People From Red Zones At The Borders
The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government to quarantine people coming from red zones at the state borders for a week before allowing them to proceed to their destinations.
Hearing a PIL on the growing number of Covid-19 cases in the state with the influx of migrants, a division bench of the high court comprising Justice Ravindra Maithani and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia asked the state government Wednesday to create quarantine centres at each border point of the state and keep returnees from red zones there mandatorily for a week.
Of the quarantined persons, those who have symptoms as per the guidelines of ICMR shall be tested for RT-PCR, the high court said. They should be allowed to go further only if they test negative, it said.
"We are not against the arrival of the people. They have every right to come. Our only concern is that in these difficult times there must be a proper screening at the borders," the bench observed.
During the hearing, the government conceded that present tests being done on the borders, are only limited to thermal screening and general clinical examination. The court observed that this was not sufficient and directed that the rapid test kit be procured immediately and used for testing at entry points at the borders.
Source: PTI
Nearly 1.5 Lakh Train Tickets Booked In 2 Hours
Almost 1.5 lakh tickets were booked within two hours of opening the bookings for the 100 pairs of passenger trains that the railways will operationalise on June 1, officials said Thursday.
On Wednesday, railways issued a list of 100 pairs of trains that it will operate from June 1. This is the second slew of special passenger services that marked the Railways graded restoration of its trains which were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"At 12:00 Hours, 73 trains were available in the system for booking. 1,49,025 tickets were booked having 2,90,510 passengers," said a railway spokesperson.
Source: PTI
BMC To Acquire 100 Private Hospital Beds In Each Mumbai Ward
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has directed civic officials to acquire at least 100 beds, including 10 in ICUs, of private nursing homes and small hospitals in all 24 wards of Mumbai, in the wake of rising number of Covid-19 cases in the city.
This will facilitate availability of at least 2,400 more beds for patients in the city, the BMC said in a statement on Wednesday.
In the wake of the rising number of cases, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal directed ward and health officers to complete the process of acquiring beds in private nursing homes and hospitals soon. He also directed ward officers to file police complaints against private nursing homes, polyclinics and hospitals which have not reopened.
Ward officers were also asked to provide personal protective equipment kits to private nursing homes and hospitals, the BMC release said.
On Monday, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority handed over a make-shift facility of 1,000 beds in the Bandra-Kurla Complex to the city civic body.
Source: PTI
AAI Issues SOP For Resumption Of Domestic Flights
The Airports Authority of India issued a standard operating procedure to airport operators on Wednesday for recommencement of domestic flights from May 25, saying Aarogya Setu app is not mandatory for children below 14 years of age.
"Passengers shall compulsorily walk through screening zone for thermal screening at a designated place in the city side before entering the terminal building," AAI said in its SOP, accessed by PTI.
Airport operators must make appropriate arrangements for sanitisation of a passenger's baggage before his or her entry into the terminal building, said the guidelines.
CISF Conducts Flag March In Mumbai To Enforce Lockdown
Personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force conducted a flag march in south Mumbai on Wednesday night to enforce strict implementation of the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
"Five companies of the Central Armed Police Forces, including personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force, reached Mumbai on Monday for deployment in areas severely affected by Covid-19, including slums of Dharavi," an official said on Thursday. The central forces will assist the Mumbai Police in maintaining law and order in the city during the lockdown.
"Armed with their weapons, batons and shields, the CISF personnel conducted a flag march in Bhendi Bazaar area on Wednesday night," the official said.
Personnel of the central forces have been deployed in zones 1,3,5,6 and 9 of the city covering some areas of south and central Mumbai and parts of eastern and western suburbs, he added.
Source: PTI
Total Covid-19 Cases Rise To 1,12,359
India reported 5,609 fresh cases of coronavirus infection in 24 hours to take the total tally to 1,12,359. The country witnessed 3,002 recoveries and 132 deaths in the same period.
- Active cases: 63,624
- Cured/discharged/migrated: 45,300
- Deaths: 3,435
Source: Health Ministry (As of May 21, 8 a.m.)