Coronavirus India Updates: Total Covid-19 Cases Cross 96,000 As Lockdown 4.0 Begins

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 5,242‬ new cases of coronavirus in 24 hours, taking the total tally to 96,169 in Asia’s third-largest economy, according to the health ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on May 18. This includes 3,029 deaths and 36,824 patients who have recovered. And that’s just days day after India surpassed China’s total tally.

Authorities also reported 2,715 recoveries and 157 deaths in the last 24 hours.

With cases on the rise, the government has 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 seven new coronavirus infections, with three of them locally transmitted in Jilin province and Shanghai, while four are imported cases in Inner Mongolia. South Africa reported a third straight day of higher infections, with 1,160 new cases -- the most in one day. U.S. cases increased 1.5 percent from the same time Saturday to 1.48 million, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. The rise was below the average daily increase of 1.6 percent for the past seven days. Deaths rose 1.1 percent to 89,207.

Globally, total cases crossed the 4.7-million mark while deaths topped 3,15,000, according to data from John Hopkins.

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

India is expected to join over 60 countries at a two-day crucial conference of the World Health Organisation in Geneva in pushing for an "impartial, independent and comprehensive" evaluation of the global response mechanism to the Covid-19 crisis as well as to find out the "zoonotic source" of the deadly infection.

A draft resolution pushed by the European Union and supported by a large number of countries for deliberations at the WHA called for a stepwise process of impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation of the WHO-coordinated international response to Covid-19.

Besides India, the countries which supported the draft resolution included Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Maldives and Mexico.

Source: PTI

The World Health Organization will on Monday kick off its first ever virtual assembly, but fears abound that US..-China tensions could derail the strong action needed to address the Covid-19 crisis.

The World Health Assembly, which has been trimmed from the usual three weeks to just two days, Monday and Tuesday, is expected to focus almost solely on Covid-19, which in a matter of months has killed more than 315,000 globally, and infected nearly 4.7 million.

Critically ill Covid-19 patients face a high risk of developing kidney failure, stroke, and other complications associated with blood clot formation, according to a study which suggests that early tests may help save those severely affected by the disease.

The study, published in the Journal of American College of Surgeons, builds on growing evidence that Covid-19-infected patients are highly predisposed to developing blood clots.

In the study, the scientists, including those from the University of Colorado in the U.S., linked blood clotting measurements with actual patient outcomes.

The researchers said they are also currently conducting a randomised clinical trial of a drug that breaks down blood clots in Covid-19-infected patients.

"This is an early step on the road to discovering treatments to prevent some of the complications that come with this disease," said Franklin Wright, lead author of the study from the University of Colorado.

According to the study, patients who are critically ill, regardless of cause, can develop a condition known as disseminated intravascular coagulation. In this condition, the blood of these patients initially forms many clots in small blood vessels, the scientists said. The body's natural clotting factors can form too much clot, or eventually not be able to effectively form any clot, leading to issues of both excessive clotting and excessive bleeding, they explained.

However, in patients with Covid-19, the researchers said, the clotting appears to be particularly severe. Citing Covid-19 case studies in China and from different parts of the world, they said the clots in these patients do not appear to dissipate.

Source: PTI

There are four states with more than 10,000 cases.

• Tamil Nadu - 11,224
• Delhi - 10,054
• Gujarat - 11,379
• Maharashtra - 33,053

Together, they account for more than 68 percent of India’s total Covid-19 cases.

Fresh Coronavirus additions have spiked for two days now, with the country adding 5,242 cases in the last 24 hours alone. This takes the tally to 96,169, according to the health Ministry’s update today morning.

• Active cases: 56316
• Cured/discharged/migrated: 36824
• Deaths: 3029

Authorities also reported 2,715 recoveries and 157 deaths in the last 24 hours.

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The Assam government on Sunday decided to allow offices to function with full strength and opening of standalone shops on all days in the fourth phase of the coronavirus lockdown.

Addressing a late night press conference, Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said the night curfew will be in place from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. instead of earlier 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

"We had earlier allowed 50 percent presence in government and private offices. We will now allow all offices to operate with 100 percent capacity from tomorrow," he added.

People will have to maintain social distancing norms and wear masks, otherwise action will be taken, the official said.

From May 4, offices in government and private sectors opened with 50 percent employees with relaxation to women employees having children below the age of five.

"Regarding the shops also, we have decided to withdraw our earlier restriction. We have decided to allow the standalone shops to open on all days," Krishna said.

The necessary orders for these relaxations will be issued on Monday, he informed.

Source: PTI