Highlights: BMC to transfer 580 Covid patients due to cyclone Tauktae
Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan etc continue to be the most affected states from the pandemic across India.
India's caseload of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) climbed over 24.37 million on Saturday after 326,098 fresh cases and 3,890 more deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry's dashboard. The death toll has now climbed to 266,207 and the total recoveries are over 20.43 million and constitute 83.50 per cent of the total caseload. The active cases stand at 3,673,802....Read More
As the country is clocking high number of cases and deaths under the deadlier second wave of the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called Covid-19 an invisible enemy and urged citizens to continue following precautions such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing. Speaking on the occasion of the eight installment of the Pradhan Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, Modi pointed out that Covid-19 was spreading fast in rural areas and appealed to the farmers to not take symptoms related to the disease lightly.
Also Read| 'India's Covid-19 situation hugely concerning': WHO chief
Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan etc continue to be the most affected states from the pandemic across India.
However, Maharashtra is witnessing a decline in its daily Covid-19 tally with 39,923 new cases recorded on Friday. The state government is now focusing on districts which are still seeing high number of infections. The lockdown-like restrictions in Maharashtra, which have helped the state in controlling the spread of Covid-19, have been extended till June 1, 7am.
Kerala, meanwhile, on Friday recorded 34,696 new cases and 93 more deaths, taking the caseload and death toll to 2,055,528 and 6,243. The state government on Friday announced that the lockdown will be extended till May 23 amid the spike in daily cases and deaths. The lockdown was supposed to end on May 16 (Sunday).
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- 15 May 2021, 10:55:43 PM IST
Chhattisgarh records 7,664 fresh Covid-19 cases, 129 deaths
Chhattisgarh recorded 7,664 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, pushing the total number of cases to 9,07,589. 129 fatalities were also reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll now stands at 11,590, said the state health bulletin.
- 15 May 2021, 10:40:38 PM IST
Tamil Nadu floats global tender for Covid-19 vaccine
Tamil Nadu government floated global tender for Covid-19 vaccines on Saturday, reported PTI. The state government sought delivery within 180 days from the date of purchase order for 3.5 crore doses of Covid-19.
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- 15 May 2021, 10:06:19 PM IST
BMC to transfer 580 Covid patients due to cyclone Tauktae
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said 580 Covid patients will be transferred from jumbo centres across Mumbai to other hospitals as a precautionary measure as cyclone Tauktae approaches, reported ANI.
- 15 May 2021, 09:27:50 PM IST
Uttar Pradesh reports 12,547 new Covid-19 cases, 281 deaths
Uttar Pradesh recorded 12,547 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, taking the state-wide tally of cases to 16,09,140. 281 deaths and 28,404 recoveries were also recorded in the last 24 hours, reported ANI.
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- 15 May 2021, 09:05:49 PM IST
Maharashtra records 34,848 new Covid-19 cases, 960 deaths
Maharashtra recorded 34,848 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking the state-wide tally to 53,44,063. 960 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours, the death toll now stands at 80,512.
- 15 May 2021, 07:55:33 PM IST
Tamil Nadu records 33,658 new Covid-19 cases, 303 fatalities
Tamil Nadu recorded 33,658 fresh cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, pushing the tally to 15,65,035. 303 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours, the state-wide death toll now stands at 17,359, reported ANI.
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- 15 May 2021, 07:50:39 PM IST
Andhra Pradesh records 22,517 new Covid-19 cases, 98 deaths
Andhra Pradesh recorded 22,517 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking the total tally to 14,11,320. 98 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours, the death toll now stands at 9,271, reported ANI.
- 15 May 2021, 07:07:36 PM IST
Those without Aadhar won't be denied benefits during a pandemic, says UIAI
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI) said no one will be denied access to benefits because of not having an Aadhar card, reported news agency ANI.
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- 15 May 2021, 06:11:11 PM IST
Himachal Pradesh extends 'Corona curfew' till May 26
- 15 May 2021, 05:24:13 PM IST
Portugal will grant entry to tourists from EU countries with low infection rate, UK
Portugal has announced that tourists from the UK and EU countries with low Covid-19 infection rate will be granted entry if they can produce a negative Covid-19 test report, said Reuters.
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- 15 May 2021, 04:58:57 PM IST
Steroid usage in treating Covid-19 patients should be reduced
Medical Director of LNJP Hospital, New Delhi, Dr Suresh Kumar told news agency ANI on Saturday that steroids should not be administered to treat Covid-19 for those with oxygen level above 90, in order to reduce the risk of contracting black fungus.
- 15 May 2021, 04:28:17 PM IST
Covaxin production to be ramped up to 10 crore per months, says health ministry
Dr VK Paul, Niti Ayog member, said on Saturday that Covaxin production in the country which is currently around 1.5 crore doses a month will be ramped up to 10 crore doses a month.
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- 15 May 2021, 03:35:52 PM IST
Covid-19 positivity rate on the decline, says health ministry
Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary, Union health ministry, said positivity rate in India has fallen to 19.8%. from 21.9% recorded last week, adding that Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Daman and Diu, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have wintessed a decline in positivity rates.
- 15 May 2021, 03:19:48 PM IST
High number of active Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu a 'cause of concern', says health ministry
Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary, Union health ministry, said Saturday that Tamil Nadu which has been reporting a high number of active cases in the last week is a "cause of concern".
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- 15 May 2021, 02:43:22 PM IST
Delhi records 6430 new Covid-19 cases as testing continues to decline, 337 deaths
Delhi recorded 6,430 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, witnessing a decline in the daily tally for the fourth consecutive day this month. The daily tally of tests continued to fall, with just 56,811 tests conducted in the last 24 hours. 337 deaths were also reported in the national capital.
- 15 May 2021, 01:55:24 PM IST
Puducherry adds 1,598 new Covid-19 cases; tally nearing 83,000
Puducherry on Saturday recorded 1,598 new Covid-19 cases and 20 more deaths, taking the caseload and death toll to 82,545 and 1,119 respectively, director of the health and family welfare department S Mohan Kumar told news agency PTI on Saturday. The active cases in the Union Territory stand at 17,228 while 64,198 patients have recovered till now, Kumar added.
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- 15 May 2021, 01:01:44 PM IST
West Bengal to go into complete lockdown from May 16-30 amid surge in Covid-19 cases
The West Bengal government announced on Saturday that the state will enter into a complete lockdown from May 16-30 amid a rise in Covid-19 disease cases. Addressing a press conference, state chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said retail shops will remain open from 7am to 10am. All kinds of gatherings including cultural, administrative, political and religious will be prohibited. Schools will remain closed.
Weddings will be allowed but no more than 50 people are allowed to attend, Bandyopadhyay said. Government and private offices will be closed from tomorrow except emergency services. Read more
- 15 May 2021, 12:27:53 PM IST
Delhi govt announces oxygen concentrator bank, 200 such banks to be set up in every district: Kejriwal
Chief minister Kejriwal also announced that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government will be starting an oxygen concentrator bank today adding it is essential to provide the life saving gas to the infected patients on time. "200 such banks set up in every dist. Our team will provide the concentrator at doorstep of patients in home isolation, if needed," the chief minister added.
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- 15 May 2021, 12:09:41 PM IST
Only 6,500 new Covid cases seen in Delhi, positivity rate dips to 11 %: CM
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that only 6,500 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the national capital in the last 24 hours and the positivity rate has further dropped to 11%. "So Covid-19's impact is going down in Delhi. 1000 ICU beds have been set up within 15 days, our doctors and engineers have set an example. I thank them," Kejriwal said while addressing a press conference.
- 15 May 2021, 11:41:54 AM IST
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's younger brother Ashim dies due to Covid-19
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's younger brother Ashim succumbed to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) today, according to news agency ANI. He was undergoing treatment at the Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Kolkata, Dr Alok Roy, chairman of the hospital told ANI.
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- 15 May 2021, 11:27:36 AM IST
Mizoram adds 123 new Covid-19 cases, tally climbs to 8,499
Mizoram's tally of the Covid-19 disease climbed to 8,499 after 123 new cases were reported on Saturday. The fresh infections include four police officials who returned to Mizoram from West Bengal after election duty.
- 15 May 2021, 10:45:40 AM IST
PM Modi to hold meeting on Covid situation, vaccination
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting today to review the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation in the country along with the vaccination process, news agency ANI reported. On Wednesday, Modi had chaired a meeting to review availability of oxygen supplies and essential medicines. The Prime Minister has also spoken to the chief ministers of several states and Union Territories (UTs) to review the Covid situation in their respective areas.
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- 15 May 2021, 09:37:42 AM IST
India adds 326,098 new Covid cases, 3,890 more deaths; tally over 24.37 million
India on Saturday recorded 326,098 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases and 3,890 more deaths, taking the caseload and the death toll to 24,372,907 and 266,207 respectively, according to the Union health ministry’s dashboard. As many as 353,299 people recovered in the last 24 hours and the total recoveries have climbed to 20,432,898 and constitute 83.50% of the caseload. The active cases stand at 3,673,802. Read more
- 15 May 2021, 08:55:19 AM IST
Germany adds 7,894 new Covid-19 cases; tally over 3.58 million
Germany's caseload of the Covid-19 disease climbed to 3,584,934 after 7,894 new cases were registered on Saturday, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. As many as 177 people succumbed to the disease on Saturday, taking the country's death toll to 86,025.
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- 15 May 2021, 07:55:34 AM IST
Delhi has no space to bury the young who succumb to Covid-19
On Thursday, when 59-year-old Jitender Singh Shunty, a former legislator who has been helping with Covid-19 cremations at the Seemapuri crematorium, held the lifeless body of nine-month-old Krishu, his hands trembled. Read more
- 15 May 2021, 07:20:33 AM IST
Covid-19 pandemic to be far more deadlier this time, says WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday that the second year of the Covid-19 disease pandemic will be far more deadlier than the first one. Addressing a press conference, WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also urged rich countries to stop vaccinating children and adolescents and donate the vaccine doses to Covax. Read more
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- 15 May 2021, 06:30:19 AM IST
Brazil reports 85,536 new Covid-19 cases, 2,211 more deaths
Brazil on Friday recorded 85,536 new Covid-19 disease cases and 2,211 more deaths, taking the caseload and death toll to over 15.5 million and 432,628 respectively, according to the health ministry's data.