Covid-19 Highlights: Jharkhand reports 5,041 new Covid-19 cases, 62 deaths

India continues to battle its second wave of Covid-19. France sees high single-day surge in Covid-19 cases.

India continues to fight against the spread of Covid-19 as several regions continue to report high caseloads. Capital city Delhi, financial hub Mumbai and several other cities have implemented lockdown-like measures in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked people to remain vigilant in the wake of the second wave and asked state governments to use lockdown as a last resort when it comes to controlling Covid-19 cases. Hospitals in several states of India which are experiencing high caseloads saw shortages of medical oxygen along with ICU beds. India on Wednesday recorded the highest single-day death toll since the onset of the pandemic.

Brazil which has struggled to contain the spread of coronavirus will buy another 100 million doses of Pfizer Inc's Covid-19 vaccines. Wartorn Yemen decided to begin a vaccination drive in government controlled areas. Italy approved Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine for people over the age of 60 years.

Follow all the updates here:

• Apr 21, 2021 11:47 PM IST

  Chhattisgarh reports 14,519 fresh Covid-19 cases

  Chhattisgarh reports 14,519 fresh Covid-19 cases, 15,940 discharges, and 183 deaths in the last 24 hours

  Active cases: 1,22,751

  Death toll: 6,467

• Apr 21, 2021 11:33 PM IST

  Jharkhand reports 5,041 new Covid-19 cases, 62 deaths

  Jharkhand reported 5,041 new Covid-19 cases, 62 deaths and 2331 discharges on April 20

  Total cases: 1,77,356

  Total recoveries: 1,39,921

  Active cases: 35,826

  Death toll: 1,609

• Apr 21, 2021 10:54 PM IST

  Delhi reports over 24,000 new Covid-19 cases, 249 deaths in last 24 hours

  Delhi reports 24,638 new #COVID19 cases, 24,600 recoveries and 249 deaths in the last 24 hours
  
  Total cases: 9,30,179
  Total recoveries: 8,31,928
  Death toll: 12,887
  Active cases: 85,364 pic.twitter.com/smFs09su4z

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Delhi logs 24,638 new Covid-19 cases and 249 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the capital city's tally to 930,179 cases and 12,887 deaths, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 10:18 PM IST

  Maharashtra government announces complete lockdown, SOPs issued

  Maharashtra government imposes complete lockdown in state after surge in Covid-19 cases and SOPs have been issued.

  Travel by public or private transport allowed only for essential services, medical reasons or vaccination. Maximum attendance at weddings capped at 25 people. Government and private offices allowed to function at 15 per cent attendance. Only those private offices in the essential services or exempted categories.

• Apr 21, 2021 09:20 PM IST

  Punjab reports 4,970 new Covid-19 cases, 69 deaths in last 24 hours

  Punjab reports 4,970 new #COVID19 cases, 69 deaths and 2,727 recoveries in the last 24 hours
  
  Total cases: 3,14,269
  Total recoveries: 2,67,289
  Death toll: 8,114
  Active cases: 38,866 pic.twitter.com/lyYUhTxzvu

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  With 4,970 new Covid-19 cases and 69 deaths in the last 24 hours, Punjab's cases tally reached 314,269 and death toll climbed to 8,114, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 08:20 PM IST

  Maharashtra records highest ever 568 Covid-19 fatalities, daily tally further rises to 67,468

  With 67,468 new Covid-19 cases and 568 deaths, Maharashtra's cases tally 4,027,827 and death toll climbed to 61,911.

  As many as 272,744 tests were conducted on the day and so far 24,614,480 tests have been conducted.

• Apr 21, 2021 08:05 PM IST

  Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tests positive for Covid-19

  I have been tested covid positive, requesting all who came in contact with me for last 7 days must comply with covid protocols, I will be continuing my campaign through virtual platform, I do suggest and request all to take utmost care to keep away covid from your lives.

  — Adhir Chowdhury (@adhirrcinc) April 21, 2021

  Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tested positive for Covid-19 and decided to campaign through virtual platform for the remaining phases of West Bengal Assembly election.

• Apr 21, 2021 07:55 PM IST

  Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tests positive for Covid-19

  After waiting two days for a test appointment and another day & a half for the results, I finally have confirmation: I’m #Covid positive. Hoping to deal with it in a “positive” frame of mind, with rest, steam & plenty of fluids. My sister& 85 year old mother are in the same boat.

  — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 21, 2021

  Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor tests positive for Covid-19.

• Apr 21, 2021 07:31 PM IST

  Kerala CM says states already burdened by Covid-19, asks centre to provide vaccines for free

  The state governments have been asked to buy vaccines. But states are already going through a financial burden because of COVID-19. Instead of pushing states to further economic crisis, the Centre should give vaccines to the states for free: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan pic.twitter.com/DngXWfg9y3

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the states have already been financially burdened because of the Covid-19 pandemic and asked for the Centre to provide free vaccines, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 07:13 PM IST

  Delhi CM thanks centre for increasing oxygen quota

  Central govt has increased Delhi’s quota of oxygen. We r very grateful to centre for this.

  — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 21, 2021

  Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked the central government for increasing the city's oxygen quota.

• Apr 21, 2021 07:10 PM IST

  Mumbai reports 7,684 new Covid-19 cases, 62 deaths in last 24 hours

  Mumbai reports 7,684 new #COVID19 cases, 6,790 recoveries and 62 deaths in the last 24 hours
  
  Total cases: 6,01,590
  Total recoveries: 5,03,053
  Death toll: 12,501
  Active cases: 84,743 pic.twitter.com/EfWDm1xo5d

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Mumbai reported 7,684 new Covid-19 cases and 62 deaths in last 24 hours. Cases tally reached 601,590 and death toll reached 12,501, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 06:57 PM IST

  Karnataka reports over 23,000 new Covid-19 cases, 116 deaths

  Today's Media Bulletin 21/04/2021
  Please click on the link below to view bulletinhttps://t.co/lwS1W2SpM2@mla_sudhakar @DVSadanandGowda @ShobhaBJP @PCMohanMP @Tejasvi_Surya @CTRavi_BJP @kiranshaw @WFRising @citizenkamran @BangaloreBuzz @RCBTweets @NammaKarnataka_ pic.twitter.com/XapOnZxaRQ

  — K'taka Health Dept (@DHFWKA) April 21, 2021

  Karnataka reported 23,558 new Covid-19 cases and 116 deaths taking the cases tally to 1,222,202 and death toll to 13,762.

• Apr 21, 2021 06:39 PM IST

  Andhra Pradesh logs 9,716 new Covid-19 cases and 38 deaths in last 24 hours

  Andhra Pradesh reports 9,716 new #COVID19 cases, 38 deaths and 3,359 recoveries in the last 24 hours
  
  Total cases: 9,86,703
  Death toll: 7,510
  Active cases: 60,208
  Total recoveries: 9,18,985 pic.twitter.com/vLxWnoPPmO

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Andhra Pradesh reported 9,716 new Covid-19 cases as the tally reached 986,703. Also, 38 new deaths pushed the death toll to 7,510, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 06:29 PM IST

  Nagpur reports 7,229 new Covid-19 cases, 98 deaths in last 24 hours

  Maharashtra: Nagpur district reports 7,229 new #COVID19 cases, 7,266 recoveries and 98 deaths in the last 24 hours
  
  Total cases: 3,43,589
  Total recoveries: 2,65,457
  Active cases: 71,557
  Death toll: 6,575

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  With 7,229 new Covid-19 cases and 98 deaths in the last 24 hours, Nagpur's cases tally reached 343,589 and death toll climbed to 6,575, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 06:17 PM IST

  Uttarakhand reports 4,807 new Covid-19 cases, 34 deaths in last 24 hours

  Uttarakhand reports 4,807 new #COVID19 cases, 894 recoveries and 34 fatalities in the last 24 hours, case tally at 1,34,012 pic.twitter.com/Qo18SanBCS

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Uttarakhand reported 4,807 and 34 fatalities in the last 24 hours as the cases tally reached 134,012, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 06:06 PM IST

  Night curfew between 10pm and 6am imposed in Goa

  Night curfew imposed in Goa from 10pm (to 6am) tonight
  
  Casinos, restaurants and bars, cinema halls allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity pic.twitter.com/4YfWR5fCPJ

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Goa government imposes night curfew between 10pm and 6am with casinos, restaurants and bars, cinema halls allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 05:22 PM IST

  Not more than 4 per 10,000 people get re-infected with Covid-19 after taking vaccine dose

  #IndiaFightsCorona:
  
  📍Post Vaccination break through infection (As on 20th April, 2021).
  
  - DG, @ICMRDELHI #We4Vaccine #LargestVaccinationDrive #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/xMNpyfxyBb

  — #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) April 21, 2021

  The Union health ministry said that the breakthrough infection rate after vaccination for Covid-19 in India remained low for both the vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin - approved in India.

• Apr 21, 2021 04:09 PM IST

  Tripura government imposes 10pm to 5am night curfew in Agartala municipal corporation area

  Tripura govt imposes night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am in #Agartala Municipal Corporation area from tomorrow for indefinite period: notification. #COVID19

  — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 21, 2021

  Tripura government imposes 10pm to 5am night curfew in Agartala municipal corporation starting April 22 for an indefinite period, reports PTI.

• Apr 21, 2021 04:02 PM IST

  Chhattisgarh government to bear cost of Covid-19 vaccination in state, asks centre to ensure supplies

  #COVID19 | Expenses, to vaccinate all aged above 18 years in Chhattisgarh, will be borne by state govt. We will take all possible steps to protect our citizens' lives. Request central govt to ensure availability of adequate number of vaccines: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel pic.twitter.com/ByhXVDaPwS

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has said that his government would bear the cost of the Covid-19 vaccination for people in the state and asked the centre to ensure availability of supplies, reports ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 01:55 PM IST

  Tope asks doctors to use Remdesivir wisely

  As per today's demand, we have sufficient Remdesivir, only challenge is that of distribution. So I appeal to doctors to use Oxygen & Remdesivir properly. Maharashtra is currently producing 1250 tons of liquid oxygen, it'll be used for 100% medical use only: Maharashtra Health Min pic.twitter.com/FsriZtt1oW

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Maharashtra health minister Tope while assuring that the state has enough stock of Remdesivir advised doctors to use the drug wisely.

• Apr 21, 2021 01:32 PM IST

  Haryana minister says Delhi govt looting its oxygen quota

  We are being forced to give our oxygen to Delhi. First, we’ll complete our needs, then give to others. Yesterday, one of our O2 tankers was looted by Delhi Govt that was going to Faridabad. From now, I've ordered police protection for all tankers: Haryana Health Min Anil Vij pic.twitter.com/mJ7GPmGTqm

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Haryana health minister Anil Vij said that Haryana will fulfil its own needs and then look towards addressing Delhi's needs. He alleges Delhi government is looting oxygen allotted for the state.

• Apr 21, 2021 01:17 PM IST

  Aurangabad sees 1,337 new cases and 37 deaths

  Maharashtra's Auranagabad district reported 1,337 fresh Covid-19 cases pushing the state's tally to 111,830. The death toll in the district is 2,217.

• Apr 21, 2021 12:41 PM IST

  Covishield to cost ₹400 at govt hospitals

  SII said that Covishield will cost ₹400 per dose in govt hospitals and ₹600 per dose in private hospitals. The Pune-based pharmaceutical company in a release

• Apr 21, 2021 12:02 PM IST

  Japanese PM calls off India visit

  Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has called off a planned visit to India and the Philippines, government sources said Wednesday, apparently due to a resurgence of coronavirus infections in Japan: Japanese media
  
  (File photo) pic.twitter.com/O2heIyPLMU

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Yoshihide Suga called off his visit due to Covid-19 resurgence in Japan, people familiar with the development told news agency ANI.

• Apr 21, 2021 11:45 AM IST

  Hero Motocorps halts production temporarily

  Hero MotoCorp has halted production at all its plants temporarily due to surge in Covid-19 cases.

• Apr 21, 2021 11:37 AM IST

  Singapore to check entry of Indians

  Singapore as a precautionary measure against Covid-19 mutant variants will grant fewer entry approvals from India. Read more here.

• Apr 21, 2021 11:35 AM IST

  Former Indian captain MS Dhoni's parents test positive for Covid-19

  Parents of cricketer MS Dhoni have been admitted here at the hospital after testing positive for #COVID19. Their oxygen level is stable: Pulse Superspeciality Hospital, Ranchi, Jharkhand

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni's parents tested positive for Covid-19.

• Apr 21, 2021 11:33 AM IST

  Oxygen cylinders stolen in Madhya Pradesh

  MP: Oxygen cylinders looted by some people at Damoh District Hospital last night. District Collector says, "We've been told that as soon as Oxygen truck came, people looted cylinders even when the hospital has adequate Oxygen supply. We're identifying these people & filing cases" pic.twitter.com/K0D2wh6UwC

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Miscreants in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh stole oxygen cylinders from a truck, news agency ANI reported.

• Apr 21, 2021 09:56 AM IST

  India records 2,023 deaths in last 24 hours

  

  India March 21 Covid-19 data (MoHFW)

  India recorded 295,041 fresh cases in the last 24 hours and reported a record-high death toll of 2023 fresh fatalities.

• Apr 21, 2021 09:21 AM IST

  Priyanka Gandhi targets UP govt over rise in cases, tests

  Why did they not ramp up? Why the antigen tests? To lower their numbers? Even today reports are coming that private labs are being told to stop the testing. Why? What is important - people's lives or your numbers and the image of your govt?: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra pic.twitter.com/OJsxcjA2qf

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Priyanka Gandhi in an interview to ANI targeted the government in Uttar Pradesh and said that the government should not have depended on antigen tests. She said the govt in UP failed to give importance to people's lives. Read more here.

• Apr 21, 2021 09:00 AM IST

  Apex court adjourns regular hearing matters on Thursday

  Regular Courts and Registrars Courts shall not sit from 22nd April onwards till further orders and a separate circular is being issued with respect to the sitting of courts: Supreme Court of India

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that due to Covid-19 lists of miscellaneous matters and regular hearing matters will be adjourned.

• Apr 21, 2021 08:05 AM IST

  Delhi Police ensure strict enforcement of Covid lockdown

  Delhi: Police personnel check vehicles and IDs of people who are commuting amid the 6-day lockdown imposed in the national capital in the wake of the #COVID19 pandemic. Visuals from Connaught Place.
  
  The lockdown will continue till 5 am of 26th April. pic.twitter.com/AxqRWUExkP

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  Delhi Police officials were seen strictly enforcing curfew restrictions as they checked cars and people's IDs.

• Apr 21, 2021 07:28 AM IST

  Valley officials gear up to battle Covid-19 second wave

  Officials in Jammu and Kashmir expressed concern as the Union Territory recorded a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in the second wave. Financial commissioner of health and medical education of Jammu and Kashmir Atal Duloo said that the administration has set up three Cobas Machines to speed up the testing process.

• Apr 21, 2021 06:36 AM IST

  Pune's medical services report increase in Covid-19 related calls

  Amid a surge in COVID cases, call flow increases at Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services in Pune
  
  We take 9,000-10,000 calls per day, including COVID emergencies & others. Panic has increased now. Call flow revolves more around COVID: Control Room Manager (20.04)#Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/nDuMvODhPo

  — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021

  A control room manager from Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services says that they receive 9,000-10,000 calls per day but the number of Covid-19 related calls have increased lately. Pune remains one of the worst-affected districts.