India’s Covid-19 cases crossed 60,000 and fatalities rose above 2,000 with 3,172 new infections and 117 deaths on Saturday. According to officials, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may meet chief ministers as early as Tuesday to discuss the next stage in the exit from the nationwide lockdown. The focus of the meeting will be on further resuming economic activities.
India’s coronavirus cases hit 60,000, fatalities exceed 2,000
The number of fatalities due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crossed 2,000 and total infections rose above 60,000 on Saturday, doubling in roughly 11 days, as the country prepares to resume more economic activity while bracing for a spike in infections because of increased movement. Read more
Injustice with migrants in West Bengal, says Amit Shah
Union home minister Amit Shah has written to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee that the Centre was not receiving the “expected support” from her government in helping migrant workers reach home, an allegation the Trinamool Congress (TMC) rubbished as “outright lies”. Read more
Covid-19: What you need to know today
How do you coexist with a virus? How do life, work, and play go on when a highly infective and potentially fatal disease is still extant. It is unlikely the Covid-19 disease will be wiped off the face of the Earth, like small pox was. It is unlikely that there will be a tipping point, a safe-after date, beyond which the virus will not pose a threat to humanity. Read more
{{/usCountry}}How do you coexist with a virus? How do life, work, and play go on when a highly infective and potentially fatal disease is still extant. It is unlikely the Covid-19 disease will be wiped off the face of the Earth, like small pox was. It is unlikely that there will be a tipping point, a safe-after date, beyond which the virus will not pose a threat to humanity. Read more
{{/usCountry}}Covid-19 cases surge in 4 states after returning migrants test positive
A spurt in Covid-19 cases in Bihar, Odisha, Rajasthan and Jharkhand since May 1,has been linked to migrant workers who have returned from various cities across the country, state officials said, confirming the fear that rural India is no longer safe from the coronavirus pandemic that has affected 62750 people nationally so far. Read more
55 arrested after police, migrants clash in Gujarat’s Surat
Police in Gujarat’s Surat fired tear gas shells on Saturday to disperse angry migrant workers, who had taken to the streets at Mora demanding that trains be arranged for their return to their homes in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar. Read more
Indian Covid-19 test kit production scaled up to lower imports
Pune-based MylabDiscovery Solutions has increased its manufacturing capacity from 20,000 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) tests a day in early April to 200,000 tests now, after tying up with Serum Institute of India (SII) Ltd, ensuring that just one domestic manufacturer can meet India’s current testing needs, which are projected to cross 100,000 by the end of the month. Read more
ICMR will develop indigenous vaccine to treat Covid-19
India has taken the first step in developing the first make-in-India vaccine against coronavirus disease (Covid-19), with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech partnering to develop a vaccine candidate, the research body announced on Saturday. Read more
Privatise MGNREGS to revive aggregate demand
The impact of the ongoing lockdown is evident in the manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index number for April that came out on Monday (a contraction after 32 months of expansion; and the lowest since the index began, 27.4). Read more
Second White House Covid-19 infection raises questions about workplace safety
US vice-president’s press secretary became Friday the second White House official to test positive for Covid-19 in recent days raising questions about protection from the virus at the country’s safest workplace as American businesses seek to reopen and pick up from where they left off before the lockdown. Read more
US FDA gives emergency use approval to Covid-19 antigen tests
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday issued an emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Covid-19 antigen tests. It is a new type of test that is easy to carry out and can help with early detection of the virus, right at the doctor’s clinic itself. Read more