Friday 24 April 2020

Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates: Positive results of plasma therapy on four COVID-19 patients, says Arvind Kejriwal; infected to be shifted to private wards

12:37 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Updates

US-Based Franklin Templeton shuts six India funds due to illiquidity 

Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund on Thursday announced it would wind up six yield-oriented, managed credit funds in India, effective April 23, citing severe market dislocation and illiquidity caused by the coronavirus.

"The decision has been taken in order to protect value for investors via a managed sale of the portfolio," the Fund said in a statement.

The decision was limited to funds which have "material direct exposure to the higher yielding, lower-rated credit securities in India that have been most impacted by the ongoing liquidity crisis in the market," the statement said.

12:27 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates

Nagpur reports 100 COVID-19 cases

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Nagpur climbed to 100 after two more individuals tested positive for COVID-19 in the district on Friday, said Civil Surgeon, Nagpur, Maharashtra. 

12:19 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates

Plasma theory to be conducted on two-three COVID-19 patients in Delhi today 

We are happy with the positive results of plasma theory in four COVID-19 patients. Blood and plasma is ready for two-three other patients that we have at LNJP hospital, we may give them the plasma therapy on FFriday, said Dr SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver & Biliary Science.

12:16 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates

Four COVID-19 patients shifted to private wards from ICU: Arvind Kejriwal 

The four COVID-19 patients who were earlier admitted in the ICU with serious conditions, have now been shifted to private wards after being treated with plasma therapy, said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal during media briefing on Friday.

Their conditions are stable now, said Kejriwal. 

12:12 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates

Plasma theory conducted on four COVID-19 patients till now: Arvind Kejriwal 

The plasma therapy has been conducted on four COVID-19 patients in the last few days at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal during media briefing on Friday. 

"Till now the results are encouraging," said Kejriwal. 

12:10 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates

Nine RPF personnel test COVID-19 positive in Bengal and Odisha

Nine Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff, part of a 26-member team that had been to New Delhi from Kharagpur division in West Bengal, have tested positive for for the noevl coronavirus.

The nine included a 32-year-old constable posted at Balasore in Odisha. He is undergoing treatment at Ashwini COVID Hospital at Cuttack.

12:00 (IST)

Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh Latest Updates

13 madrasa students, contacts of infected Tablighi Jamaat members, test positive in Kanpur

As many as 13 madrasa students, who had come in contact with Tablighi Jamaat members suffering from coronavirus, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Kanpur, a senior health official said on Friday.

So far, the city in Uttar Pradesh has reported 107 confirmed cases. 

Chief Medical Officer Dr Ashok Shukla said, "50 samples were tested on Thursday of which results of 13 have come positive. They are the students of a madrasa in Coolie Bazaar, a hotspot zone, from where about 30 people have already tested positive."

11:55 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update

Maharashtra confirms 293 COVID-19 deaths, 6,427 confirmed cases

With 778 more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Maharashtra, the total number of confirmed cases in the state rose to 6,427 on Friday. The state health department said that 14 more deaths were reported, bringing the toll to 283. 

11:48 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Centre should come out with health insurance scheme for scribes, says Union minister

Expressing concern over a large number of journalists in Mumbai testing positive for COVID-19, Union minister Pratap Sarangi on Friday urged the Centre to introduce a health insurance scheme for scribes covering the pandemic, in line with the one for frontline health workers.

In the last few weeks, several journalists in Chennai, Bhopal and other places have also tested positive, Sarangi said in a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.

"This unfortunate development has adversely affected the spirit of our fearless journalists for whom this is the worst and most dangerous kind of occupational hazard," said Sarangi, the Union minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises.

11:41 (IST)

Coronavirus in Pakistan Latest Update

Pakistan's cases rise to 11,155; 79% cases locally transmitted

About 79 percent of the total coronavirus cases in Pakistan are now locally transmitted, health authorities said on Friday as the number of people affected by the deadly virus rose to over 11,000.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, 13 more patients died due to the novel coronavirus, taking the toll to 237, and another 2,527 recovered.

In the last 24 hours, 642 new cases were reported, taking the tally to 11,155 in the country, health officials said on Friday.

Punjab reported 4,767 patients, Sindh 3,671, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 1,541, Balochistan 607, Gilgit-Baltistan 300, Islamabad 214, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 55 patients.

11:32 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Saumitra Yojana will help property issues

Prime Minister Narendra on Friday while launching the new app said that now there is no need for varied applications as the E-Gram Swaraj app will help people get the latest information on various issues at one platform, which will ensure transparency and will help record-keeping. Completion of projects will be faster, he says.

Through the Saumitra Yojana, drone mapping of each property in a village will be done and property papers will also be made available to the residents, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. This will help solve disputes and aid loan-taking, he added.

11:25 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Pandemic calls for self-dependency, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday while interacting with sarpanches said that the coronavirus pandemic has given the world a new message — "Coronavirus's biggest message is making people learn the path of self-dependency. We cannot fight such epidemics without being self-reliant. Villages should at their level become self-reliant, so should zillas."

11:21 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Ensure non-COVID-19 patients get proper medical care, says Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court has said it is imperative that the Union government and the authorities in Maharashtra find an "effective solution" to ensure 'non-COVID- 19' patients are not denied medical treatment at a time when the focus is on fighting the coronavirus outbreak.

Justice KR Sriram made the observation on Thursday while hearing three different petitions highlighting the plight of people suffering from several chronic or serious ailments, who the pleas said, are being turned away from clinics and hospitals.

The petitions also highlight issues such as lack of adequate facilities and medical infrastructure in the state, municipal-run, and private hospitals in current times.

The judge said the authorities must take a serious note of the issues and directed the Maharashtra government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file a reply to the pleas by 29 April.

11:15 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Narendra Modi inaugurates e-GramSwaraj portal 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates e-GramSwaraj portal and a mobile application, on the occasion of "Panchayati Raj Diwas'

11:12 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

JUST IN: Narendra Modi begins meeting with sarpanchs on coronavirus 

11:03 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update

Mumbai estimated to have 70,000 cases by 15 May, warns BMC

After the Union Health Ministry's projections that Mumbai would have 6.50 lakh, COVID-19 patients, by 15 May, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) own estimates say that positive cases could reach 60,000 to 70,000 by mid-May, reports Mid-day.

Keeping in mind these projections, BMC is on an overdrive to set up at least 3,000 COVID-care beds for patients with moderate to severe symptoms of the viral infection, which is about 5 percent of the projected caseload, reports Times of India.

10:49 (IST)

Coronavirus in Gujarat Latest Update

Surat hospital shuts down after 14 staffers test positive

After 14 staff members including a resident medical officer, 12 nurses, and a computer operator tested positive for COVID-19 in the last few days, the 550-bed Kiran Super Multispeciality Hospital in Surat has been temporarily shut down till 1 May, reports Indian Express.

 Surat is the second worst-hit city in Gujarat by COVID-19 after Ahmedabad. Vadodara follows Surat in the list of highly-affected COVID-19 cities in the state. 

10:44 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Sensex tumbles over 500 pts in early trade; Nifty slips below 9,200

Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled over 500 points in early trade on Friday dragged by losses in banking and IT stocks amid weak cues from global markets. After hitting a low of 31,278.27, the 30-share index was trading 534.23 points or 1.68 percent down at 31,328.85.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty declined 129.35 points, or 1.39 percent, to 9,184.55.

Bajaj Finance was the top laggard in the Sensex pack, shedding up to 5 per cent, followed by ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC twins, SBI, Infosys and TCS. On the other hand, Hero MotoCorp, Sun Pharma, L&T, ONGC and HCL Tech were among the gainers.

Follow LIVE Updates on Stock Market here

10:38 (IST)

Coronavirus in US Latest Update

COVID-19 has pushed US unemployment toward highest since Depression

Unemployment in the US is swelling to levels last seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s, with 1 in 6 American workers thrown out of a job by the coronavirus, according to new data released Thursday.

In response to the deepening economic crisis, the House passed a nearly USD 500 billion spending package to help buckled businesses and hospitals.

More than 4.4 million laid-off Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, the government reported. In all, roughly 26 million people the population of the 10 biggest US cities combined have now filed for jobless aid in five weeks, an epic collapse that has raised the stakes in the debate over how and when to ease the shutdowns of factories and other businesses.

In the hardest-hit corner of the US, evidence emerged that perhaps 2.7 million New York state residents have been infected by the virus 10 times the number confirmed by lab tests.

10:37 (IST)

Coronavirus in Assam Latest Updates

Assam govt sends officials to evacuate 350 stranded students in Kota

The Assam government has sent a team of officials and police personnel to evacuate over 350 students stranded in Kota after requests from families in the state and the government of Rajasthan, NDTV reported.

They will be brought back by road to Guwahati from Kota via Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

10:31 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates

Kejriwal to address media on results of plasma therapy used in Delhi at 12 pm 

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will address media at 12 pm regarding the initial positive results of the use of plasma therapy to treat coronavirus patients, ANI reported.

Plasma therapy has been applied in the treatment of a COVID-19 positive patient, admitted to a Delhi hospital on Tuesday for the first time in India.

The patient, who underwent convalescent plasma therapy at Max Hospital in Delhi’s Saket, has responded well to the treatment, the hospital had said in a statement.

10:25 (IST)

Coronavirus in Bihar Latest Updates

Bihar reports 176 COVID-19 cases, two deaths

Six new coronavirus cases were reported in Bihar, according to data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. This brings the total reported cases of coronavirus in Bihar to 176, said Sanjay Kumar, State Health Principal Secretary. 

Among the total people infected, 46 have recovered while two lives were claimed by the infectious disease. 

10:06 (IST)

Coronavirus in Rajasthan Latest Updates

36 new COVID-19 cases emerge in Rajasthan taking confirmed cases to 2,000

Rajasthan reported 36 fresh coronavirus cases taking the total number confirmed cases in the state to 2,000, ANI reported. Of the new cases, 18 were reported in Kota, 13 in Jaipur, four in Jhalawar and one in Bharatpur, said the Rajasthan Health Department.

09:50 (IST)

Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Updates

Recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in Kerala at 70.48%

With an additional 10 COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday, the total positive cases in Kerala stood at 447, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The state reported three coronavirus-related deaths so far. 

While the recovery rate in the state was at 70.48% with 324 COVID-19 patients being cured. 

09:38 (IST)

Coronavirus in Karnataka Latest Updates

Two of 121 held for attack against health workers contract COVID-19 in Padrayanpura 

Of the 121 people arrested for violence against health workers in Bengaluru, two have contracted the novel coronavirus in Padrayanpura ward in the city on Friday. Both of them who were lodged at Ramanagara jail have now been shifted to Victoria hospital in Bengaluru.

The remaining 119 accused have been shifted to the city, ANI reported. 

09:31 (IST)

Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Updates

Four-month-old dies of COVID-19 in Malappuram 

A four-month-old died of the novel coronavirus in Kerala's Malappuram city after he tested positive for the infectious disease on Thursday. The infant succumbed to the virus on Friday morning at Kozhikode medical college.

"The child was undergoing treatment for heart-related problems for past three months and had pneumonia," said the Malappuram District Medical Officer. 

09:25 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Updates

Modi to interact with sarpanchs at 11 am 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with sarpanchs from across the nation via video conferencing at 11 am on Friday. All of them will be able to join this interaction through Doordarshan, from their respective homes adhering to social distancing norms.

Those sarpanchs who will be sharing their views with Modi will be doing so by joining the interaction at a Common Service Centre close to them.

09:07 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Updates

India confirms 23,077 COVID-19 cases with 718 deaths, recovery rate at 20.58%

India's coronavirus cases rose to 23,077 with 1,684 fresh cases, and the overall toll reached 718 with 37 new deaths on Thursday, according to the recent Union Health Ministry data. 

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 17,610  as 4,749 people were cured and discharged, and one patient migrated, the ministry said. Thus, about 20.58 percent of the cases have recovered so far. 

08:56 (IST)

Coronavirus in Karnataka Latest Updates

Bengaluru lakes appear clearer as dumping of industrial wastage stops

Staying indoors and decreased industrial activities have led to the visible difference in the amount of garbage thrown in the lakes of Bengaluru. Bellandur lake, known for frothing and foaming, showed a slight change in terms of garbage dumping and the water looked clearer. 

However, the lake marshalls contradicted because the damage to the water bodies has been done over several years.

08:47 (IST)

Coronavirus in United States Latest Updates

US registers over 3,000 deaths in past 24 hrs

The novel coronavirus has killed nearly 50,000 people in the United States, after one of the deadliest days of the pandemic on Thursday which saw 3,176 deaths in 24 hours, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The deaths were recorded in the 24 hours up to 8.30 pm on Thursday, bringing the overall coronavirus toll in the US to 49,759, according to the Baltimore-based university.

The US, the worst-hit country in the world, now has 866,646 confirmed cases of coronavirus. 

08:39 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Updates

Kamakhya temple to call off Ambubachi Mela in view of COVID-19 

The management committee of Maa Kamakhya Devalaya has, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, decided not to hold the annual Ambubachi Mela in June this year.

"Only traditional rituals associated with the festival will be performed. Pilgrims will not be allowed to visit the Kamakhya temple or stay on the temple premises," a statement by the temple management committee issued in Guwahati on Thursday, said.

The committee has also notified residents of the areas near the temple atop Nilachal Hills not to let out their houses for the festival to visitors and pilgrims.

08:34 (IST)

Coronavirus in United States Latest Updates

Donald Trump calls for phased reopening of US economy 

US President Donald Trump has favoured safe and phased reopening of the American economy, which has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 50,000 people and infected over eight lakh in a matter of few months.

More than 95 percent of the country's 330 million people are under stay-at-home order as a result of the social mitigation measures including social distancing being enforced till 1 May. 

08:14 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates

Maharashtra cabinet minister Jitendra Awhad tests positive for COVID-19 

Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The senior NCP leader and prominent Maharashtra cabinet minister had admitted himself to a private hospital in Thane for a precautionary check-up.

The minister had recently gone into self-isolation after some aides and security personnel were found to be COVID-19 positive. He had quarantined himself from 13 April, after 16 people close to him came positive including bodyguards and cook.

08:06 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Updates

In Photos: People at Byculla vegtable market buy supplies 

08:04 (IST)

Coronavirus in Tripura Latest Updates

Tripura becomes COVID-19 free after second patient tests negative: CM

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday said the state has become coronavirus- free after its second COVID-19 patient tested negative for the virus.

"UPDATE! The second coronavirus patient of Tripura has been found negative after consecutive tests. Hence our state has become COVID-free. I request everyone to maintain social distancing and follow government guidelines. Stay home stay safe,” the chief minister tweeted.

Tripura now has 111 coronavirus suspected cases under surveillance and 227 others have been placed under home quarantine.

07:59 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Updates

Customers gather at Okhla vegetable market to buy supplies for Ramzan 

In view of Ramzan, which begins on Saturday, many gather at Okhla vegetable market in Delhi on Friday to buy supplies to avoid venturing out during Islam's holiest month without further spreading the coronavirus outbreak.

A customer at the market said, "I've come here to buy one week's supply of vegetables as Ramzan begins from Saturday. It's advised not to venture out to the markets many times due to coronavirus."

07:50 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates

Sunlight, temp above 35 degrees can kill COVID-19 in 30 seconds: US Official

Sun light, heat and humidity can create conditions that are less favourable for the spread of coronavirus, a public health official of the Trump Administration has said.

The results of a just concluded scientific study conducted by the Science and Technology Directorate of the US Department of Homeland Security, announced during a White House news conference on coronavirus, could be good news for India in its fight against COVID-19.

"Coronavirus dies at a much more rapid pace when exposed to sunlight and humidity. The virus dies the quickest in direct sunlight. Isopropyl alcohol will kill the virus in 30 seconds," Bill Bryan, the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology told White House reporters in the presence of President Donald Trump.

07:44 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates 

ICJ to function during COVID-19 pandemic, will hold meets via video conference

The  International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, on Thursday released a press release saying that it would continue to function despite the containment measures put in place around the world to curb the fast-spreading coronavirus. 

With the help of modern technologies, the world court has made the necessary arrangements to hold virtual meetings via video conference during the pandemic. On Wednesday, it held the first virtual plenary meeting in its history. 

07:29 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Updates

India registers 21,700 COVID-19 cases, toll nears 700

India's coronavirus cases rose to 21,700 with 1,229 fresh cases, and the overall toll neared 700 with 34 new deaths on Thursday. The Union health ministry, meanwhile, said that it has been able to "cut coronavirus transmission", minimise its spread and increase the doubling time of cases in the duration of the nationwide lockdown.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 16,689 as 4,324 people were cured and discharged, and one patient migrated, the ministry said. Thus, about 19.93 percent of the cases have recovered so far. The total number of cases include 77 foreign nationals.

Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates:  The four COVID-19 patients who were earlier admitted in the ICU with serious conditions, have now been shifted to private wards after being treated with plasma therapy, said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal during media briefing on Friday.

Their conditions are stable now, said Kejriwal.

With 778 more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Maharashtra, the total number of confirmed cases in the state rose to 6,427 on Friday. The state health department said that 14 more deaths were reported, bringing the toll to 283.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday while interacting with sarpanches said that the coronavirus pandemic has given the world a new message: 'Coronavirus's biggest message is making people learn the path of self-dependency. We cannot fight such epidemics without being self-reliant. Villages should at their level become self-reliant, so should zillas.'

After the Union Health Ministry's projections that Mumbai would have 6.50 lakh, COVID-19 patients, by 15 May, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) own estimates say that positive cases could reach 60,000 to 70,000 by mid-May.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will address media at 12 pm regarding the initial positive results of the use of plasma therapy to treat coronavirus patients, ANI reported.

Plasma therapy has been applied in the treatment of a COVID-19 positive patient, admitted to a Delhi hospital on Tuesday for the first time in India.

With an additional 10 COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday, the total positive cases in Kerala stood at 447, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The state reported three coronavirus-related deaths so far.

While the recovery rate in the state was at 70.48% with 324 COVID-19 patients being cured.

A four-month-old died of the novel coronavirus in Kerala's Malappuram city after he tested positive for the infectious disease on Thursday. The infant succumbed to the virus on Friday morning at Kozhikode medical college.

"The child was undergoing treatment for heart-related problems for past three months and had pneumonia," said the Malappuram District Medical Officer.

India's coronavirus cases rose to 23,077 with 1,684 fresh cases, and the overall toll reached 718 with 37 new deaths on Thursday, according to the recent Union Health Ministry data.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 17,610 as 4,749 people were cured and discharged, and one patient migrated, the ministry said. Thus, about 20.58 percent of the cases have recovered so far.

Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday said the state has become coronavirus- free after its second COVID-19 patient tested negative for the virus.

"UPDATE! The second coronavirus patient of Tripura has been found negative after consecutive tests. Hence our state has become COVID-free. I request everyone to maintain social distancing and follow government guidelines. Stay home stay safe,” the chief minister tweeted.

Tripura now has 111 coronavirus suspected cases under surveillance and 227 others have been placed under home quarantine.

India's coronavirus cases rose to 21,700 with 1,229 fresh cases, and the overall toll neared 700 with 34 new deaths on Thursday. The Union health ministry, meanwhile, said that it has been able to "cut coronavirus transmission", minimise its spread and increase the doubling time of cases in the duration of the nationwide lockdown.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 16,689 as 4,324 people were cured and discharged, and one patient migrated, the ministry said. Thus, about 19.93 percent of the cases have recovered so far. The total number of cases include 77 foreign nationals.

AIIMS director Randeep Guleria on Thursday said that it was "important to reach out to patients who are missing out of treatment because of the stigma and panic", adding, "It is important to encourage more and more people to get tested, get treated."

"...It (stigma) is actually causing increase in morbidity and mortality. Because of the stigma that is happening many patients who have COVID-19 or flu like symptoms are not coming to health care facilities," he added.

Representational image. AP

Representational image. AP

He also said that at various centres, "we've started using convalescent plasma that is the blood of COVID-19 patients who have recovered. A large number of patients who have become alright have come forward and volunteered to donate their blood."

Centre says no exponential growth in COVID-19 cases so far

In its press briefing on Thursday, the Union health ministry asserted that the growth of coronavirus cases in the country has been more or less linear and not exponential, and added that testing has been ramped up consistently.

CK Mishra, the chairman of Empowered Group Two, said, "One crucial weapon we employed during the 30-day lockdown period is RT-PCR test to ascertain if one has contracted the disease or not."

As on 23 March, nearly 15,000 tests were done across the country and by 22 April more than 5 lakh tests were conducted, which is about "33 times in 30 days", he said, adding, "But we are conscious of the fact that this is not enough and we have to continuously ramp up testing in the country and we will do that."

Of the empowered groups formed to suggest measures to ramp up healthcare, put the economy back on track and reduce misery of people once the lockdown is lifted, Mishra is the chairman of Empowered Group Two tasked with coordinating availability of hospitals, isolation and quarantine facilities, disease surveillance, testing and critical care training.

"The growth of COVID-19 cases has been more or less linear, not exponential; this indicates that the strategies we adopted have succeeded in containing the infection to a particular level. Post imposition of lockdown, while the number of new positive cases has increased by 16 times, testing increased by 24 times," Mishra said in his presentation.

Mishra also said that in the last month, the number of dedicated hospitals for treating coronavirus patients has been increased 3.5 times and the number of isolation beds rose by 3.6 times.

"Despite a 24-fold increase in testing, the percentage of positive cases is not rising. The percentage of positive cases as a ratio of testing is more or less the same as that a month ago," he said.

Mishra also claimed that India has done better than a majority of developed countries with respect to the percentage of test cases yielding positive results.

Maharashtra, Gujarat worst-affected states

Coronavirus cases have spiked in Gujarat, and the rising infections in the state have become a new cause for major concern. Just five days ago, Gujarat was at number six, with Delhi, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh — apart from Maharashtra — having more confirmed cases.

As of Thursday night, 217 more cases were reported in Gujarat, taking the total number to 2,624 in the state, and Maharashtra reported a jump of 778 new cases, taking the total to 6,427.

A total of 34 deaths were reported since Wednesday evening of which 18 fatalities were reported from Maharashtra, eight from Gujarat, three from Andhra Pradesh, two from Rajasthan and one each from Delhi, Telengana and Madhya Pradesh.

Of the 686 deaths, Maharashtra tops the tally with 269 fatalities, followed by Gujarat at 103, Madhya Pradesh at 81, Delhi at 48, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh at 27 each and Telengana at 24.

The death toll reached 21 in Uttar Pradesh, 18 in Tamil Nadu while Karantaka has reported 17 cases. Punjab has registered 16 deaths while West Bengal has reported 15 fatalities. The disease has claimed five lives in Jammu and Kashmir, while Kerala, Jharkhand and Haryana have recorded three COVID-19 deaths each.

Bihar has reported two deaths, while Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Assam have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data.

However, a PTI tally of the figures reported by various states as on Thursday showed 21,673 cases and 689 deaths in the country.

There has been a lag in the Union Health Ministry figures, compared to the number of deaths announced by different states, which officials attribute to procedural delays in assigning the cases to individual states.

According to the 5 pm update on the health ministry's official website, Delhi recorded 2,248 cases, Rajasthan was at 1,890, Madhya Pradesh at 1,695 and Tamil Nadu at 1,629.

The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,509 in Uttar Pradesh, 960 in Telangana and 895 in Andhra Pradesh. The number of cases has risen to 456 in West Bengal, 443 in Karnataka, 438 in Kerala, 407 in Jammu and Kashmir, 277 in Punjab and 262 in Haryana.

Bihar has reported 148 coronavirus cases, while Odisha has 83 cases. Forty-nine people have been infected with the virus in Jharkhand and 46 in Uttarakhand. Himachal Pradesh has 40 cases, Chhattisgarh has 36, while Assam has registered 35 infections so far.

Chandigarh has 27 COVID-19 cases, Ladakh 18, while 17 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Meghalaya has reported 12 cases, and Goa and Puducherry have seven COVID-19 cases 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. States wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said.

Uddhav Thackeray says govt's focus is to reduce mortality rate

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said that his government's focus was to reduce the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients and increase the period during which the number of positive cases double.

He made the remarks during his video-conference interaction with the members of two central teams that toured Mumbai and Pune cities, the two coronavirus hotspots in the state.

The teams took a review of the medical machinery, implementation of the lockdown measures and social distancing, safety of health workers and situation of labourers in shelter camps, supply of essential goods, among other things.

A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said that Thackeray told the teams that reducing the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients and increasing the period of doubling of positive cases were his government's focus.

At present, the period of doubling of patients in the state is seven days, which has to be increased to more than 10 days, Thackeray told the teams. He asked the state administration to take into consideration all the suggestions made by the central teams.

US sees record levels of unemployment

Unemployment in the US swelled to levels last seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s, with one in six American workers thrown out of a job because of the coronavirus.

More than 4.4 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, the US government said on Thursday.

In all, roughly 26 million people — more than the population of the six biggest US cities combined — have now filed for jobless aid in five weeks, an epic collapse that has raised the stakes in the debate over how and when to lift the state-ordered stay-at-home restrictions that have closed factories and other businesses from coast to coast.

Meanwhile, some countries — including Greece, Bangladesh and Malaysia — announced extensions of their lockdowns. Vietnam, New Zealand and Croatia were among those moving to end or ease such measures.

In Africa, COVID-19 cases rose 43 percent in the past week, up from 16,000 to 26,000 cases, according to John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figures underscored a recent warning from the World Health Organization that the virus could kill more than 3,00,000 people in Africa and push 30 million into desperate poverty.

Huge lines have formed at food banks from El Paso, Texas, to the Paris suburbs, and food shortages are hitting Africa especially hard.

The European Union has pledged 20 billion euros to help vulnerable communities globally. EU leaders scheduled a virtual summit on Thursday to take stock of the damage the crisis has inflicted on the bloc’s own citizens and to work out an economic rescue plan.

The coronavirus has killed over 1,84,000 people worldwide, including about 47,000 in the United States, according to a tally compiled by John Hopkins University from official government figures. The true numbers are almost certainly far higher.

With inputs from agencies



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