23:46 (IST)
Coronavirus in Jharkhand Latest Updates
Three new COVID-19 cases reported in Jharkhand today
Three new COVID-19 cases were reported in Jharkhand on Monday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 45.
23:08 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
IMA demands law punishing violence against doctors
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday demanded a special central law on violence against doctors, nurses, health care workers, and hospitals by an ordinance. IMA to observe 'white alert' on 22nd April.
22:57 (IST)
Coronavirus in Rajasthan Latest Updates
98 new COVID-19 cases reported in Rajasthan today
The Rajasthan health department said that 98 more COVID-19 new cases were reported in the state on Monday, including 50 in Jaipur, 32 in Jodhpur, and seven in Kota.
Two more deaths, in Nagaur and Kota, were reported in Rajasthan on Monday. Total coronavirus cases in the state now at 1,576 and toll is at 25.
22:51 (IST)
Coronavirus in Haryana Latest Updates
750 rapid testing kits given to Gurgoan health department
Reports said that 750 rapid testing kits were given to the Gurgaon health department on Monday, which are likely to aid a "faster" provess.
22:37 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates
75,000 rapid tests to be conducted, says Maharashtra govt
Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that 75,000 rapid tests will be conducted soon "as the central government has given us conditional permission for it".
"We have also decided to use hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a precautionary measure in some areas, like Dharavi in Mumbai. We will take care that people with cardiac issues and those above 65 years & below 15 years of age are not given hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) tablets," he said.
22:22 (IST)
Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Updates
West Bengal govt conducts antibody tests
The West Bengal government on Monday conducted rapid antibody tests as per ICMR directives in “red zones' where containment measures are going, The Indian Express reported. "The rapid antibody tests were done in Kolkata's Belgachia urban slum area where there were reports of considerable outbreak," the report said.
22:10 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
ICMR says 201 lab operational
The ICMR on Monday said total Operational (initiated independent testing) Government Laboratories reporting to ICMR are 201 and 3 collection sites.
21:58 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates
466 new COVID-19 cases reported in Maharashtra today
The Maharashtra health department said that 466 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths were reported in the state till 6 pm on Monday, taking total number of cases to 4,666 and toll rises to 232 in the state.
With 65 patients being discharged from hospitals on Monday, number of cured patients stands at 572.
21:48 (IST)
Coronavirus in Rajasthan Latest Updates
Ashok Gehlot asks Amit Shah to facilitate return of Rajasthan migrants
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot spoke to Home Minister Amit Sha on Monday, requesting him facilitate the return of migrants from Rajasthan stuck in other states due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
21:34 (IST)
Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates
Containment areas in Delhi rise to 84
Five more areas of Delhi were added to the list of COVID-19 containment zones in the last 24 hours. The number of containment zones in the National Capital is now at 84.
Lane 24-28 of Tughlaqabad Extension, Block - G of Jahangirpuri, Flat number 265 to 500 of Sanjay Enclave, Block 34 of Trilokpuri, and Block AF of Shalimar Bagh have been added to the list of containment zones.
5 more areas of Delhi added to the list of #COVID19 containment zones in the last 24 hours. The number of containment zones in the national capital is now at 84. pic.twitter.com/xFsF2OCqVD
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2020
21:28 (IST)
Coronavirus in Odisha Latest Updates
COVID-19 testing camp organised for journalists in Bhubaneshwar
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation organised a COVID-19 rapid test camp for journalists and other frontline workers in the city on Monday.
21:20 (IST)
Coronavirus in Telangana Latest Updates
14 new COVID-19 cases reported in Telangana
The Telangana government said that 14 more COVID-19 cases and two more deaths were reported in the state, as of 8 pm on Monay. Total cases in the state currently at 872 and toll at 23.
21:04 (IST)
Coronavirus in Odisha Latest Updates
Naveen Patnaik speaks to doctors about opening 5 more COVID-19 hospitals
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik reportedly interacted with doctors and health workers during opening of five more COVID-19 hospitals having a combined capacity of 825 beds in the state
20:55 (IST)
Coroavirus in Delhi Latest Updates
Delhi Police use drones to monitor Chandhi Mahal containment area
Delhi Police on Monday used droneesfor surveillance in a COVID-19 hotspot, Chandni Mahal, which has been declared a 'containment zone'.
Till now, 8 police personnel from Chandni Mahal Police Station have tested positive for COVID-19.
20:46 (IST)
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
COVID-19 positive doctor in UP's Moradabad passes away
The head of a government health centre in the district, who had tested positive for COVID-19, and a 72-year-old man suspected to have contracted coronavirus have died, PTI reported. Both of them were at a quarantine centre in the TMU Hospital in the district and died on Sunday night.
Reportedly, the doctor was part of the team that conducted a survey regarding the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi's Nizammudin area in March.
20:43 (IST)
Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu Latest Updates
43 new COVID-19 cases reported in Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu government on Monday said that 43 new coronavirus cases were reported in the state on Monday, taking the total number of cases to 1,520 in the state. Meanwhile, 46 COVID-19 patients were discharged on Monday.
20:26 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates
30 new COVID-19 cases reported in Dharavi today
Reports said that 30 new COVID-19 cases were reported from Mumbai's Dharavi on Monday. The total tally of cases in the densely-populated area rose to 168 with 11 deaths so far.
20:21 (IST)
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates
84 new COVID-19 cases reported in Uttar Pradesh today
The Uttar Pradesh health department on Monday said that 84 n new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the state rose to 1,184, including 1,026 active cases, 140 discharged, and 18 deaths.
20:15 (IST)
Coronavirus Pandemic Latest Updates
Global COVID-19 toll crosses 1,65,000
The worldwide toll of the coronavirus pandemic rose to 1,65,216 on Monday, according to the tally by AFP.
"More than 24,03,410 declared cases have been registered in 193 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these cases, at least 5, 37,700 are now considered recovered," India Today reported.
20:05 (IST)
Coronavirus in Jharkhand Latest Updates
Four COVID-19 recover in Jharkhand, says CM
India Today quoted Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren as saying that four coronavirus patients in the state have recovered. "This is first set of recoveries in the state which now has 38 active cases," the report said.
19:53 (IST)
Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Updates
Kerala govt says no conflict with Centre over lockdown guidelines
Kerala cheif minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that there "has been no confrontation between state government and Centre. Kerala is following directions issued by Centre. A decision was taken earlier to open barber shops during the lockdown, but many experts pointed out against it. So, the Kerala Government is withdrawing the decision."
19:36 (IST)
Coronavirus in Manipur Latest Updates
Manipur is COVID-19-free state, says CM
Manipur chief minister Biren Singh said that the state has become COVID-19-free. "We have decided to relax coronavirus lockdown in rural areas but it will continue in Imphal till further orders. Shops of essential goods will open between 8 am and 2 pm in urban areas," he said.
19:34 (IST)
Coronavirus in Chhattisgarh Latest Updates
Only one red zones in Chhattisgarh currently, says CM
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghesh on Monday said that there is only one red zone district in the state.
"For the last 72 hours, no COVID-19 positive patient has been found even in that red zone district. I am hoping that whole of Chhattisgarh will be green zone soon," he said.
19:30 (IST)
Coronavirus in Punjab Latest Updates
Only one case reported in Punjab today
The Punjab health department was quoted by ANI as saying that only one person has been tested positive for COVID-19 in the state on Monday. The person is contact of a COVID-19 patient, the statement said.
The statement added, "Number of COVID-19 cases reaches 245 in Punjab including 38 cured and 16 deaths. 61 cases have been reported in SAS Nagar, 48 in Jalandhar and 26 in Patiala."
Only one person has been tested positive for #COVID19 in Punjab today. The person is contact of a COVID-19 patient: State Health Department https://t.co/edWinM7QGn pic.twitter.com/abKLmY80gW
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2020
19:21 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates
283 new COVID-19 cases reported in Maharashtra today
Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Monday said that 283 more COVID-19 cases were reported in the state as of 11 am, taking total positive cases in the state to 4,483. He said that of the 283 new cases, Mumbai has recorded 187.
19:10 (IST)
Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Updates
Mamata slams Centre for 'unilateral' decision to review lockdown violations in state
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the Central government for "unilaterally" deciding which districts in the state have to be reviewed for lockdown violations and said that the Centre's decision was based on "a figment of imagination".
Listing the COVID-19 situation in some districts in a letter to Narendra Modi, Mamata said, "It shows that selection of districts and observations made are nothing but a figment of imagination and unfortunate."
18:59 (IST)
Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Updates
Kerala govt says Malayali nurses are getting infected in Delhi, Mumbai
The Kerala government was quoted by India Today as saying that malayali nurses were gettting infected in Delhi and Mumbai. "In some other states, the COVID-19 spread seems to be going out of control. We need to be cautious about this even after the restrictions are lifted," the statement said.
18:53 (IST)
Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Updates
142 of 169 COVID-19 patients recover in Kerala's Kasaragod
India Today reported that 142 of the total 169 patients in Kerala's Kasargod district have been cured and discharged.
18:46 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
Rahul Gandhi says soaps, sanitisers, masks should be made GST-free
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that essential item like PPEs against coronavirus should be made GST-free. "It is wrong to acquire GST from people, who are already fighting poverty, through sale of soaps, sanitisers, masks," he said.
#Covid19 के इस मुश्किल वक्त में हम लगातार सरकार से माँग कर रहे हैं कि इस महामारी के उपचार से जुड़े सभी छोटे-बड़े उपकरण GST मुक्त किए जाएँ।बीमारी और ग़रीबी से जूझती जनता से सैनीटाईज़र, साबुन, मास्क, दस्ताने आदि पर GST वसूलना ग़लत है। #GSTFreeCorona माँग पर हम डटे रहेंगे। pic.twitter.com/iXLkw7lMxM
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 20, 2020
18:35 (IST)
Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Updates
Mamata Banerjee opposes Centre's review of lockdown violations in Bengal hotspots
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday opposed the Centre's decision to send 'inter-ministerial central teams' (IMCT) to districts calssified as hotspots in the state, and said that the purpose of the plan was "unclear" and questioned the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah over the criteria to warrant such a review.
I urge both Honb’le Prime Minister @NarendraModi Ji & Home Minister @AmitShah Ji to share the criterion used for this. Until then I am afraid, we would not be able to move ahead on this as without valid reasons this might not be consistent with the spirit of federalism. (2/2)
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 20, 2020
18:29 (IST)
Coronavirus in Arunachal Pradesh Latest Updates
Arunachal govt says Rs 5.20 cr given to 14,000 natives stranded outside
Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu said that on Monday, the government released about Rs 5.20 crores as financial assistance for 14,859 Arunachalis stranded outside the state.
"Each Arunachali will receive Rs. 3,500 as one-time financial aid as per recent cabinet decision," he said.
18:23 (IST)
Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Updates
6 new cases reported in Kerala today
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that six people tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, all from the Kannur district. He added that five were with travel history from abroad. Meanwhile, 21 people have recovered on Monday.
The total number of cases are at 408 of which 114 are active cases.
18:11 (IST)
Coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh Latest Updates
23 COVID-19 active cases in Himachal Pradesh
The Himachal Pradesh government said that there were 23 active COVID-19 cases in the state as on Monday. Of these, 11 patients have recovered, four migrated out of the state and one person succumbed to the disease. A total of 2,902 people have been tested for COVID-19 so far.
18:05 (IST)
Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Updates
54 new COVID-19 cases reported in Bengal
West Bengal chief secretary Rajiv Sinha said that 54 more COVID-19 cases were reported in the state in the last 24 hours.
17:52 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates
53 Mumbai journalists test positive for COVID-19
The BMC on Monday said that 53 journalists in Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19 and all are under isolation. Samples of 171 journalists reporting from field, including photographers, video journalists and Reporters were collected. Most of the positive journalists were asymptomatic.
17:44 (IST)
Coronavirus in Karnataka Latest Updates
18 new COVID-19 cases reported in Karnataka in 24 hours
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka rose to 408 on Monday after 18 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The total tally includes 16 casualties and 112 recoveries.
The new cases include five from Kalaburgi and 11 from Vijaypura.
17:34 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
Journalists testing positive for COVID-19 is unfortunate, says Centre
Lav Aggarwal, health ministry joint secretary on Monday said, "Journalists testing positive for COVID-19 is very unfortunate news. When you (journalists) attend your call of duty, kindly take the required precautions, follow the norms of social distancing and wear face masks."
#WATCH Journalists testing positive for #COVID19 is very unfortunate news. When you (journalists) attend your call of duty, kindly take the required precautions, follow the norms of social distancing & wear face masks: Lav Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/0Xu9vP9xLw
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2020
17:25 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
India's doubling rate improved to 7.5 days, says Centre
"India's doubling rate before the lockdown was 3.4 days, it has now improved to 7.5 days. As per data on 19 April, in 18 states, the rate is better than the national average," said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry.
17:19 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
MGNREGA wages increased by Rs 20, says Centre
The Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj said that the Centre has hiked wages of workers under Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. The average increase is Rs 20.
17:08 (IST)
Coronavirus in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
One more COVID-19 case reported in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Andaman and Nicobar Islands chief secretary said that one more person has tested positive for COVID-19 in the union territory. "He came in contact with one of the present four positive patients. So, the total number of positive cases now stands at five," said Chetan Sanghi, Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
16:57 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
No cases in 3 Puducherry, Karnataka, Uttarakhand districts in 28 days, says Centre
Health ministry joint secretary Lav Aggarwal said that Mahe in Puducherry, Kodagu in Karnataka and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand have not reported any COVID-19 case in last 28 days.
The number of districts where no case has been reported in last 14 days has increased to 59. Goa is now COVID-19 free, he added.
16:52 (IST)
Coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir Latest Updates
14 new COVID-19 reports reported in Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir principal secretary Rohit Kansal said that 14 new COVID1-9 cases were reported in the union territory on Monday, all of which are from Kashmir.
Total number of cases now stands at 368, 55 reported in Jammu and 313 reported in Kashmir.
16:45 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
ICMR takes note of Bengal's complaint regarding RTPCR kits
"We have received a grievance that In West Bengal, RTPCR kits are not working properly. These kits are US FDA approved & have good standards, only thing is they should be stored under 20 degrees temperature, otherwise, results may not be correct," said R Gangakhedkar, ICMR.
#WATCH "We have received a grievance that In West Bengal, RTPCR kits are not working properly. These kits are US FDA approved & have good standards, only thing is they should be stored under 20 degrees temperature, otherwise, results may not be correct": R Gangakhedkar, ICMR pic.twitter.com/wQponrqUXy
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2020
16:37 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
1,553 new COVID-19 cases reported across India, says Centre
The Union health ministry, in its daily briefing, on Monday said that since Sunday there have been 1,553 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 17,265. 36 more deaths also reported in the last 24 hours.
16:32 (IST)
Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Updates
MHA says Kerala's modified guidelines violate ministry's instructions on lockdown
MHA's PS Srivastava on Monday said that the ministry has written to the Kerala government "expressing concerns over modified guidelines regarding lockdown issued by the latter. Kerala has allowed some activities that violate the ministry's instructions issued under Disaster Management Act," she said.
16:23 (IST)
Coronavirus in Odisha Latest Updates
Six new COVID-19 cases reported in Odisha
Reports said that six new coronavirus cases were reported in Odisha on Monday, taking the total cases to 74 in the state. The total number of active cases stand at 49.
16:18 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Updates
Sown area of summer crops increased by 36% this year, says Centre
The Union ministry of agriculture on Monday said that despite restrictions imposed as part of the COVID-19 lockdown, the sown area of summer crops has increased "significantly", "registering an increase of 36 percent over the previous year, pushed up mainly by rice cultivation".
16:10 (IST)
Coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh Latest Updates
Badrinath temple to open on 15 May
News18 reported that the Badrinath temple in the Himalayas, which was scheduled to open on 30 April, will be opened on 15 May. "The decision to reschedule the opening of the temple gates was taken in view of circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic," the report said.
16:00 (IST)
Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates
Thermal screening of visitors conducted at Parliament
Thermal screening of visitors was conducted at the Parliament on Monday. Cars of all the visitors were being sanitised in the Parliament House Complex.
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariat resumed work from Monday after they were shut on 24 March in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.
Delhi: Thermal screening of visitors being conducted at Parliament. Also, cars of all the visitors are being sanitised in the Parliament House Complex.
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2020
Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Secretariat resumed work from today after they were shut on March 24 in the wake of #COVID19 outbreak. pic.twitter.com/sHJ9LZ6txs
15:49 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates
List of economic activities to be allowed in Maharashtra from today:
The Maharashtra government has decided to bring in some easing of restrictions on some business activities, starting from Monday, in a bid to minimise the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on the state economy.
The list of activities that will be allowed in Maharashtra from Monday include "work at infrastructure projects and wedding events, only if these are outside designated containment zones and follow strict safety procedures against coronavirus."
The BMC also said that "fisheries and related work, cable services, DTH and call centres can resume work in non-containment areas, with minimum staff."
Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: Five more areas of Delhi were added to the list of COVID-19 containment zones in the last 24 hours. The number of containment zones in the National Capital is now at 84.
Lane 24-28 of Tughlaqabad Extension, Block - G of Jahangirpuri, Flat number 265 to 500 of Sanjay Enclave, Block 34 of Trilokpuri, and Block AF of Shalimar Bagh have been added to the list of containment zones.
The Centre on Monday said that India's COVID-19 doubling rate has improved to 7.5 days from 3.4 days before the lockdown was enforced to check the spread of the coronavirus.
"India's doubling rate before the lockdown was 3.4 days. It has now improved to 7.5 days. As per data on April 19, in 18 States, the rate is better than the national average," said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, at a daily briefing.
"The number of districts where no case has been reported in the last 14 days has increased to 59 in 23 States and UTs. Goa is now COVID-19 free," he said.
India's total number of coronavirus positive cases has risen to 17,656 including 14,255 active cases, 2,842 cured/discharged/migrated and 559 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
"Mahe in Puducherry, Kodagu in Karnataka and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand have not reported any COVID-19 case in last 28 days," said Agarwal.
The head of a government health centre in the district, who had tested positive for COVID-19, and a 72-year-old man suspected to have contracted coronavirus have died, PTI reported. Both of them were at a quarantine centre in the TMU Hospital in the district and died on Sunday night.
Reportedly, the doctor was part of the team that conducted a survey regarding the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi's Nizammudin area in March.
Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Monday said that 283 more COVID-19 cases were reported in the state as of 11 am, taking total positive cases in the state to 4,483. He said that of the 283 new cases, Mumbai has recorded 187.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday opposed the Centre's decision to send 'inter-ministerial central teams' (IMCT) to districts calssified as hotspots in the state, and said that the purpose of the plan was "unclear" and questioned the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah over the criteria to warrant such a review.
The BMC on Monday said that 53 journalists in Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19 and all are under isolation. Samples of 171 journalists reporting from field, including photographers, video journalists and Reporters were collected. Most of the positive journalists were asymptomatic.
Health ministry joint secretary Lav Aggarwal said that Mahe in Puducherry, Kodagu in Karnataka and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand have not reported any COVID-19 case in last 28 days.
The number of districts where no case has been reported in last 14 days has increased to 59. Goa is now COVID-19 free, he added.
The Union health ministry, in its daily briefing, on Monday said that since Sunday there have been 1,553 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 17,265. 36 more deaths also reported in the last 24 hours.
The Union ministry of agriculture on Monday said that despite restrictions imposed as part of the COVID-19 lockdown, the sown area of summer crops has increased "significantly", "registering an increase of 36 percent over the previous year, pushed up mainly by rice cultivation".
No one should think that lockdown has been lifted in Maharashtra, we have just tried to revolve the wheel of economy a bit, said chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
"I've heard that some people are treating relaxations as lifting of lockdown. If they continue to behave like this we'll take strict measures," said Thackeray.
While the frontline workers are putting their lives at risk in the fight against coronavirus pandemic, many are not being valued for their immense efforts.
In the wake of assaults on doctors, Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday said that it will observe 'Black Day' on 23 April if the government does not enact Central Law on violence against healthcare workers.
On Thursday, all the doctors across the nation will work with black badges as a mark of protest.
With 42 more people testing positive for COVID-19 in Pune on Sunday, the total number of positive cases in the city climbed to 586. As many as 18 COVID-19 patients have recovered from the infectious disease.
With the increase in the total number of COVID-19 cases in some districts of Uttar Pradesh, the administration in Lucknow, Agra and Firozabad have decided against giving any kind of relaxation during the continued lockdown. Reports from other districts in the state on giving relaxation were awaited.
With three more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Indore, the overall toll in the city climbed to 52 on Monday. The total number of confirmed positive cases has stood at 897.
The recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in the city was at 8 percent after 71 individuals were cured.
With 108 more individuals testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Gujarat, the overall count in the state climbed to 1,851 on Monday. Of the fresh cases, 91 were reported in Ahmedabad.
Sixty seven patients have succumbed to the infectious disease in the state while, 106 have recovered so far.
The Kerala government on Monday said there was some "misunderstanding", due to which the Centre had objected to dilution of the lockdown guidelines after the state had allowed opening of restaurants and MSME industries in municipal areas among others.
The Union Home Ministry has taken strong objection to Kerala government's decision to allow opening of restaurants, bus travel in cities and opening of MSME industries in municipal areas, saying it amounts to dilution of its lockdown guidelines.
The West Bengal government has announced several easing of lockdown regulations in the state. The flower markets, vegetable and fruits markets continue to remain open.
Apart from the essentials, the government offices have also resumed operation with a basic workforce of 25 percent. The IT companies have also been allowed to function from Monday with an employee attendance of 25 percent.
After 110 more individuals tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Delhi on Sunday, the total number of confirmed cases in the National Capital climbed to 2,003 on Monday, said health minister Satyendra Jain.
As many as 45 people have succumbed to the infectious disease while 38 of them have suffered from serious ailments, said Jain.
Rapid tests are most likely to start in Delhi from Monday.
The Centre will allow certain relaxations on the nationwide lockdown, effective from Monday, in select areas without hotspots. In the wake of extension of national lockdown till 3 May, a series of directives have been put in place to ensure a strict compliance of lockdown.
However, keeping in mind the current financial situation of low-income earners and farmers, the Centre had said that it will be permitting a few more services to function in areas that are not COVID-19 containment zones from Monday.
Objecting to relaxation of some measures in Kerala adopted during the nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, the home ministry sent a letter to the state government stating the violation of the 15 April order. Meanwhile, India's toll rose to 543 and the number of confirmed cases stood at 17,265.
A nine-day-old girl tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bhopal on Sunday, taking the overall count in the city to 214 in the city.
She was born in Sultania Hospital, where two hospital nurses earlier tested positive for the infectious disease, said the state health department. The parents of the infant have been tested for the novel coronavirus, and their reports are awaited.
The number of positive COVID-19 cases has increased to 1,407 in Madhya Pradesh including 72 deaths, while 131 patients have recovered.
The Heath Department in West Bengal, in a series of tweets on 19 April, alleged defective test kits supplied by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as one of the reasons behind delays in COVID-19 sample testing.
"The testing kits supplied by ICMR-NICED about two weeks ago have started to throw up a large number of 'inconclusive' results, necessitating a repeat/confirmatory test run, thereby causing a delay in the generation of the final test report," said the health department.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao has announced extension of the lockdown imposed in view of the novel coronavirus in the state till 7 May. He said the lockdown will be enforced in a stringent manner. Food delivery mobile applications will not be allowed starting Monday.
"The cabinet has decided to extend the lockdown in the state till 7 May. The cabinet will take stock of the situation on 5 May," he said.
The Union health ministry on Sunday said that at least 519 people had died due to coronavirus so far and the number of positive cases have climbed to 16,116 in India, registering an increase of 31 deaths and 1,324 cases since Saturday evening.
The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 13,295 while 2,301 people have been cured and discharged, and one patient has migrated, the ministry said.
While Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that some industries will be allowed to resume operations in certain areas from Monday, Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao has announced an extension of the lockdown till 7 May.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a LinkedIn post, urged unity and brotherhood in the face of COVID-19.
COVID-19 does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or borders before striking.
Our response and conduct thereafter should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood.
We are in this together: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 19, 2020
State-wise data
Of the 519 deaths, the highest number of 211 was reported from Maharashtra, followed by Madhya Pradesh (70), Gujarat (58), Delhi (43) and Telangana (18).
The death toll reached 17 and 16 in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab respectively. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have reported 15 deaths each.
Karnataka has reported 14 deaths, West Bengal 12, while Rajasthan has registered 11 fatalities.
The disease has claimed five lives in Jammu and Kashmir, while Kerala and Haryana have recorded three COVID-19 deaths each.
Jharkhand and Bihar have reported two deaths each, while Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Assam have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data.
According to the health ministry's data updated in the evening, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country is from Maharashtra (3,651), followed by Delhi (1,893), Gujarat (1,604), Madhya Pradesh (1,407) and Tamil Nadu (1,372).
The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,351 in Rajasthan and 1,084 in Uttar Pradesh.
Telangana has 844 cases, Andhra Pradesh 603 and Kerala 400.
The number of cases has risen to 384 in Karnataka, 341 in Jammu and Kashmir, 310 in West Bengal, 233 in Haryana and 219 in Punjab.
Bihar has reported 86 coronavirus cases, while Odisha has 61 such cases.
Forty-two people have been infected with the virus in Uttarakhand, while Himachal Pradesh has 39 cases.
Chhattisgarh has 36 cases, Assam and Jharkhand have registered 35 cases each. Chandigarh has 23 COVID-19 cases, Ladakh 18, while 14 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Meghalaya has reported 11 cases, while Goa and Puducherry have seven COVID-19 patients each.
Manipur and Tripura have two cases each, while Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have reported a case each.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said on its website. The website also mentioned that the patient from Nagaland was shifted to Assam.
'Need to start economic wheels again': Uddhav Thackeray
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray told a news conference on Sunday that some activity would be permitted in the least-affected parts of the state while observing a strict lockdown in the red zones that have the maximum number of cases.
“We need to start the economic wheels again. We are giving selective permissions from tomorrow, especially in orange zones and green zones,” he said, referring to areas with lower levels of infection.
Industries ready to provide accommodation to their workers during the lockdown will be given food grain supply and permission for raw material from the state, he said.
"The state government is allowing the industries from green and orange zones to start production and processing activities in a restricted manner. The industries will have to arrange the accommodation for their workers. They would not travel long distance for work," he said.
The green zones are those which have not reported any coronavirus case, while orange zones are the ones where only a few cases have been reported.
The chief minister also said that except for movement of essential services, all the district borders would remained sealed.
But Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said his government has decided not to relax lockdown restrictions which is in force till May 3 as of now since coronavirus appears to be spreading at a "faster pace" in the national capital. The government will assess the situation again after one week, he said.
The Telangana government has decided to extend lockdwon in the state till 7 May. During this period, food delivery services will not be permitted to function and no religious congregation will be allowed in any place.
Govt bars e-commerce companies from selling non-essential products
Four days after e-commerce companies were allowed to sell products like mobile phones, refrigerators and ready-made garments, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla issued an order excluding non-essential items from their business. The April 15 order had said e-commerce platforms were allowed to sell such items from April 20.
Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) officials had earlier said televison sets and laptops could also be sold online after which a few e-commerce companies had starting accepting orders.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla also wrote a letter to the chief secretaries of all States and Union Territories giving a clarification.
"...I would like to clarify that while operations of e-commerce companies for non-essential goods stands prohibited, however they will continue to operate for essential goods as has been allowed earlier and continue to be allowed," he said.
Bhalla also said labourers, who are stranded in different parts of the country due to the lockdown, will be allowed to go to their respective places of work within a state with certain conditions.
He, however, made it clear there will be no inter-state movement of workers during the lockdown.
Since additional activities, outside the containment zones, have been permitted in the 'consolidated revised guidelines' with effect from April 20, these workers could be engaged in industrial, manufacturing, construction, farming and MNREGA works, he said.
Agriculture, construction, Information Technology(IT), industrial units in the SEZs and rural areas and e-commerce operations were among the select sectors where the coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions are to be lifted from April 20 in a bid to also reduce the distress caused to millions of people.
The announcement to ease the curbs to allow some “select necessary activities” in areas which are not COVID-19 hotspots was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14 while declaring the extension of the three-week nationwide lockdown for another 19 days till May 3 to battle the pandemic. The next day, the MHA unveiled the guidelines with some conditions.
The relaxations lay strict emphasis on social distancing with a warning by the Centre it will be withdrawn if there is any violation of lockdown norms. Wearing of masks is also being mandatory besides making spitting a punishable offence with a fine of at least Rs.1,000.
The permitted activities from April 20 are aimed at ensuring agricultural and related activities remain fully functional, rural economy functions with maximum efficiency, employment opportunities are created for daily wage earners and other members of labour force, select industrial activities are allowed to resume their operations, with safeguards and mandatory standard operating protocols and digital economy, the MHA said.
With inputs from agencies
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2Vpuqjm
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