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PM Modi strikes a balance, US woes mount: Covid-19 news today
Here is a preview of most important Covid-19 news today from India and the world.
India will have to strike a balance between “jaan” (lives) and “jahaan” (the outside world), Prime Minister Narendra Modi told chief ministers on Saturday, in a sign that restrictions to contain Covid-19 may continue in some form but there could also be relaxations to the three-week, nationwide lockdown (which began on March 25) in order to resume economic activity. Meanwhile, the US, with at least 19,833 deaths due to the coronavirus disease, became the most affected country in terms of fatalities by overtaking Italy. America, already the worst-hit nation in terms of cases, is the only country to have reported over 500,000 infections.
Jaan, Jahan: PM Modi weighs lockdown call
Three days before the national lockdown is due to end, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will have to strike a balance between “jaan” (lives) and “jahan” (the outside world) — a sign that the restrictions will continue in some form to preserve lives as it enforces social distancing, but with some relaxations to resume economic activity and preserve livelihoods.
Covid-19: How it will change individuals
When it’s over, will things go back to how they were before? And what about us, will we? If the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) had only lasted weeks, and not required a fundamental change in how we live and work, then the answer to those questions would have been in the affirmative. And so, the answer will have to be in the negative. Things will not go back to how they were before. Nor will we.
As lockdown extension possibility looms, ministers to go to office from Monday
Union ministers and all senior officials will start attending office again from Monday, government functionaries told HT, marking a step towards the resumption of normalcy in government establishment even as the lockdown is likely to be extended.
Health ministry hails timing of lockdown
Union health ministry officials defended the nationwide lockdown on Saturday and said the country would have had close to 120,000 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases by April 15 if people moved as usual, giving out data not based on any epidemiological premise, but , as the ministry put it, statistical analysis.
Several targets missed, still no sign of rapid testing kits
The rapid testing kits, which India was expecting to be delivered on April 5, and then April 8 or 9, will not be here at least until early next week, delaying the country’s efforts to use these to test widely in containment zones that have seen a lot of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases .
Donation to PM-Cares, not states’ relief fund, to count as CSR: Govt
Companies’ contributions to the chief minister’s relief fund or the state relief fund towards the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) will not count as corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending, but those to the newly established Prime Minister ‘s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) fund or to the State Disaster Management Authority will, the Centre said on Saturday.
US now has most Covid deaths, overtaking Italy
It was a day of tragic records for the US on Saturday, as the coronavirus pandemic continued to torment the country, forcing authorities to start digging up trenches for mass graves. With at least 19,833 deaths reported from the Covid-19 outbreak, the US has now become the most affected country in terms of fatalities - overtaking Italy, which has reported 19,468 deaths.
Respiratory, organ failure and heart attacks killing Covid patients: Study
People with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) may die of a heart attack, respiratory failure, multiple organ failure or septic shock, but the cause of death is irrefutably Covid-19, scientists and clinicians have said, debunking attempts by some states to attribute fatalities to other reasons.
New infections raise fear of community spread in states
The Union health ministry has dismissed speculation about community transmission, where the source of the disease is not known, but many experts have pointed to cases where authorities have failed to trace the source of the infection.
‘Unlockdown’ lessons from Ground Zero
Wuhan’s reopening, starting April 8, is being watched by other countries for lessons on how resumption of normal life after a lockdown is possible.
Plea in SC against free private testing
Burdening private laboratories to offer free Covid-19 tests will disincentivise their continued functioning posing a grave risk to people’s health, a plea filed before the Supreme Court on Friday stated seeking modification of the apex court’s April 8 order directing private laboratories to offer free coronavirus tests.
Covid-19 halts J&K’s annual ‘Darbar Move’ for the first time in 144 years
The annual “Darbar Move” in Jammu and Kashmir – the shifting of the administrative machinery from Jammu to Srinagar in the spring that has a history of 144 years – won’t be fully completed this year due to concerns related to the Covid-19 outbreak.
