Today is the fifty-fifth day of India’s nationwide lockdown, meant to curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. The lockdown has been extended till May 31. Many restrictions have been eased, especially in non-containment zones, according to the new guidelines.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stand at 96,169. The death toll from the outbreak in India is at 3,029. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi have reported the highest number of cases.
Globally, there have been over 47.2 lakh confirmed cases of COVID-19. At least 3.15 lakh people have died so far. The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Spain are the most-affected countries. Catch the latest updates here:
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Coronavirus in Puducherry LIVE updates | Chief Minister V Narayanasamy:
Cabinet meeting reconvened now and decided to impose a corona fee for liquor and to reopen the liquor shops day after tomorrow in Puducherry.
Coronavirus in Rajasthan LIVE updates:
305 COVID-19 cases and 7 deaths reported in Rajasthan today, as of 9 pm. Total number of cases in the state is now at 5,507, including 2,151 active cases and138 deaths.
Coronavirus in Goa LIVE updates | CM Pramod Sawant:
35 new COVID19 positive cases reported in the state. The total number of cases in the state is now 41.
How educational institutions can respond during the unprecedented times of COVID-19
The schools and colleges in India have been temporarily shut down as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The step, though taken as a safety measure, has come without a deadline.
The situation is crucial for the entire education sector. Board examinations, admissions to new sessions, entrance tests of different universities, as well as competitive exams have been postponed for an indefinite period.
This unprecedented situation has thrown unexpected challenges to teachers, parents, students, and administrators, all across the country. To ensure the continuity of learning for millions of learners in the country, schools and universities have shifted to online teaching methods.
Digital learning solutions should be adopted with effective and practical strategies to reach out to less developed areas of the society as well.
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Coronavirus in India LIVE updates:
Number of COVID-19 positive cases in India breaches the 1,00,000-mark, worldometer has reported.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates:
2,033 more COVID-19 cases and51 deaths reported in Maharashtra today. Total number of cases in the state is now at 35,058, including 25,392 active cases and 1249 deaths.
Coronavirus in Jharkhand LIVE updates:
Liquor shops to open in the state from tomorrow,chief ministerHemant Sorenhas said.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
We have to get the public life back on track, but now I am sure that it will still take some time for that to happen.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
We cannot let the academic year be wasted. My wish is that this crisis has to end before monsoon. We have to end it before the monsoon begins, whatever happens.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
I urge migrants to not walk on roads. Trains have started. Just be where you are. Trains are leaving everyday, you will be sent back to your home states.Till now, we have arranged the safe return of over 5 lakh migrants.
Now a lot of people have started saying learn to live with Coronavirus. After this pandemic, the world will change, but what will change? Then, we will have to say, be alert when you are out of home.
Coronavirus in Mumbai LIVE updates:
1,185 new cases in Mumbai and 23 deaths were reported today, taking the total number of cases to 21,152 and deaths to 757.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
If we lift the lockdown, what happened in countries like Italy and Brazil can happen here, and I will not allow that to happen in Maharashtra.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
Even as the patients in the state and Mumbai are rising, but there are a lot of recoveries as well. In Mumbai, today there are more than 19,000 patients, but around 5,000 patients have been cured and gone home.
The seriousness of this disease is that for critical patients there is no cure. It's not that this disease is just a flu.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
Maintaining green zone as green zone is important and converting red zone into green zone is the priority. I want to tell people of Maharashtra, just as you have listened to the government for the safety of Maharashtra, wherever there is green zone, get out with the intention that you have to re-build your state.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
Today, more than 40,000 acre of land is being allotted for businesses. For green industries, there won't be any condition. The only condition is that you won't pollute.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
50,000 businesses have been given permission to open up till now. These have opened up in actuality. I am going to announce some things for businesses today
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
We have permitted things to open up in the past in green zone and orange zones. In red zones, particularly containment zones, we cannot relax the measures.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | CM Uddhav Thackeray:
Entire nation is in lockdown till May 31. Now you will think that since I am addressing you, I am declaring lockdown. But understand, nobody has the answer to how long the lockdown will continue. In this particular war, only social distancing and taking care of yourself is helping.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | BREAKING: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray addresses public
Coronavirus in Telangana LIVE updates | Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao:
The state cabinet has decided to extend the lockdown in the state tillMay 31. All zones to be 'green zones', except containment zones.
Coronavirus LIVE updates:
Premier League says clubs to return to small group training from Tuesday. (AFP)
Coronavirus in Gujarat LIVE updates | Chief Minister Vijay Rupani:
#Schools, shopping malls, gyms, swimming pools will remain closed.
#Beauty parlours and salons allowed to operate in non-containment zones only.
#Restaurants can open but only for home delivery of food.The food delivery agents must have a health card.
# Restaurants on highways can be open but social distancing to be maintained.
Coronavirus in Rajasthan LIVE updates:
Barber shops, salons andbeauty parlours permitted to open in Rajasthan, except in containment zones. Taxis andcabs along with 2 passengers allowed to ply in orange andgreen zones of the state
Coronavirus in Karnataka LIVE updates | New lockdown guidelines released:
# Intra-state movement of passenger vehicles, trains, and buses including city bus services, moffusil bus services, sub-urban rail services and private buses are permitted.
# All shops, including barber shops, spas and salons will be allowed to function.
# Municipal parks will be opened for the public for specific time periods
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates:
Govt has evacuated 57,648 J&K residents through Lakhanpur and over 12,000 through special trains till date; 850 J&K residents arrived by special trains at Jammu Railway Station, while 518 arrived from Tamil Nadu at Udhampur Railway Station today.
Coronavirus in West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee:
The Centre has asked us to impose curfew from 7 pm to 7 am. But we will anyway be in lockdown so I don’t want to impose the 'curfew' word on people. I urge everyone to follow norms. We will not implement any curfew. Lockdown will continue.
Coronavirus in Kerala LIVE updates | Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan:
#Beverages outlet (liquor shops) can function for delivery as and when online registration is enabled
#Clubs can also function in similar manner with limited number of members
#50% staff in government offices. Remaining staff canwork from home
#Saturday shall be holiday for government officesuntil further orders
#Those staff members who haven't been able to report to their offices so far due to lockdown should reach the office in 2 days
#If they are unable to travel, they should report before the District Collector.
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates | Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal:
# Markets can open but shops will open on odd-even basis.
#Sports complexes andstadiums can open but without spectators
#Buses are allowed to run but with only 20 passengers at a time. Passengers will be screened before boardingthe bus. Transport Dept will ensure that social distancing norms are followed at all bus-stops and inside the bus.
#Carpooling or car-sharing will not be allowed for aggregators. Auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws andcycle-rickshaws will be allowed but only with 1 passenger. For two-wheelers, pillion rider will not be allowed.
# There will be no activity allowed in containment zones.
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates | Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal:
# Auto rickshaw allowed with one passenger; taxi / cabs allowed with only 2 passengers
# Bus services resume in Delhi, only 20 passengers allowed
# Private vehicles allowed with only 2 passengers
# Pvt offices allowed to be open with full strength but our advisory is work from home
#Barber shops, spas and salons to remain closed for now.
#Stepping out of homes between 7 pm to 7 am, except for essential services will be prohibited.
# Construction activity allowed , except containment zones, but workers from outside Delhi zone will not be allowed
Coronavirus in Kerala LIVE updates |
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan:29 new COVID-19 cases reported today. Total number of cases in the state is now at 630, including 130 active cases.
Coronavirus in Haryana LIVE updates:
State Government has decided to allow government schools to open their administrative offices to carry out urgent and unavoidable administrative functions while ensuring strict compliance of norms issued by Health Ministry for the containment of COVID-19
Coronavirus in West Bengal LIVE updates | CM Mamata Banerjee:
# No official night curfew in West Bengal, but people are requested not to venture out after 7 pm.
#Hawkers will be allowed to reopen shops in non-containment zones in Bengal from May 27
#Have already sought 105 additional Shramik Special trains; will soon ask for 120 more to bring back migrant workers. The state govt will pay the train fare.
#Don't want to accept Centre's anti-people conditions; entire economic package is a big zero
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates:
West Bengal extends COVID-19 lockdown till May 31,Chief Minister Mamata Banerjeehas said.
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LIVE updates:
Awanish Awasthi, Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) writes to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accepting her proposal to deploy 1000 buses for migrants. Seeks details of 1000 buses & drivers without delay.
ICMR widens testing criteria:
> Asymptomaticdirectandhigh-riskcontactsofaconfirmedcasetobetestedonce between day five and day 10 of coming into contact.
> All symptomatic ILI within hotspots/containment zones.
> All hospitalised patients who develop ILI symptoms.
> All symptomatic ILI among returnees and migrants within seven days of illness.
> Noemergencyprocedure(includingdeliveries)shouldbedelayedforlackoftest, ICMR has said.
Note:ILI case is defined as one with acute respiratory infection with fever ≥ 38 degree C and cough.
Note:
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revised the strategy for COVID-19 testing in the country. The latest version allows COVID-19 testing for individuals falling under these categories:
> All symptomatic (ILI symptoms) individuals with history of international travel in the last 14 days.
> All symptomatic (ILI symptoms) contacts of laboratory confirmed cases.
> All symptomatic (ILI symptoms) health care workers/frontline workers involved in containment and mitigation of COVID-19.
> All patients of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).
ILI case is defined as one with acute respiratory infection with fever ≥ 38 degree C and cough.
Australia welcomes growing support for COVID-19 inquiry at WHO meeting
Australia - which has reported only 99 deaths from the novel coronavirus - says it wants to prevent a repeat of the pandemic that has paralysed economic activity around the world, and is not looking to cast blame.
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates | Delhi government asks hospitals to stop COVID-19 tests for dead people: Report
The Delhi government has reportedly ordered all hospitals to stop taking samples of dead people who were suspected of having contracted the novel coronavirus disease, according to a report.
The revised order also mentioned that standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid down by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will be followed to dispose of the bodies of both COVID-19 patients and suspected COVID-19 patients.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates | Three COVID-19 cases reported in green zone Gadchiroli
Three persons tested positive for COVID-19 last night in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, till now a green zone as per the Centre's outbreak intensity classification.
The three had returned from Mumbai and were in institutional quarantine. (Input from PTI)
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Confirmed cases in ASEAN countries
> Brunei: 141 cases (including recoveries and deaths)
> Cambodia: 122 cases
> Indonesia: 17,514 cases
> Laos: 19 cases
> Malaysia: 6,894 cases
> Myanmar: 187 cases
> Philippines: 12,718 cases
> Singapore: 28,343 cases
> Thailand: 3,031 cases
> Vietnam: 320 cases
(Source: News reports and Johns Hopkins University CSSE, as of 3.05 pm IST on May 18)
All places the novel coronavirus lurks, or doesn't
(Image: News18 Creative)
Coronavirus in Russia LIVE updates | Russia's new cases below 10,000 for third day in a row
Russia today reported 8,926 new COVID-19 cases from last 24 hours, pushing its nationwide case tally to 2,90,678. The daily rise in cases was for the third day in a row below 10,000. Russia has the second highest number of cases in the world.
Karnataka eases lockdown rules, bars entry from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala until May 31
A day after the central government extended nationwide lockdown till May 31 and issued guidelines for the same, the Karnataka government on May 18 eased some of its lockdown norms and allowed buses to operate.
The state government said all the four state transport corporations will be allowed to operate, except in red and containment zones, from tomorrow.
Coronavirus in Bihar LIVE updates:
37 fresh positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Bihar today. Total number of positive cases in the state rise to 1,363.
First repatriation flight to Kolkata arrives with 169 people
The first repatriation flight to Kolkata, carrying 169 people from Bangladesh, arrived at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport a while back.
Passengers on the flight include 73 students, 16 elderly people, 45 stranded tourists, 16 people with medical emergencies and one pregnant woman, PTI has reported. The passengers will be placed under institutional quarantine for a stipulated period.
Coronavirus impact | Bicycle lanes and pop-up carparks
Australia's most populous state New South Wales is encouraging its residents to avoid peak-hour public transport as it began its first full week of loosened lockdown measures, which saw people heading back to offices.
To help with maintaining social distancing, extra bicycle lanes and pop-up car parking lots would be made available, Reuters has quoted officials as saying.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates | Confirmed cases in SAARC countries
> India: 96,169 confirmed cases (includes recoveries and deaths)
> Afghanistan: 6,664 cases
> Bangladesh: 22,268 cases
> Bhutan: 21 cases
> Maldives: 1,094 cases
> Nepal: 304 cases
> Pakistan: 41,363 cases
> Sri Lanka: 981 cases
(Source: News reports and Johns Hopkins University CSSE, as of 1.45 pm IST on May 18)
