The novel coronavirus pandemic has spread across 187 countries and territories. Today was the 46th day of India’s nationwide lockdown, which has been extended till May 17. Restrictions have been eased, especially in non-hotspot areas.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stand at 59,662. The death toll from the outbreak in India is at 1,981. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi have reported the highest number of cases.
Globally, there have been over 39.5 lakh confirmed cases of COVID-19. At least 2.75 lakh people have died so far. The United States, Spain, Italy, UK, France and Germany are the most-affected countries.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE update | Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra surge past 20,000; death toll at 779
Maharashtra on Saturday reported 1,165 new coronavirus patients, taking the tally of COVID-19 cases in the state to 20,228.
The state also reported death of 48 patients, taking the death toll to 779, said a health department official.
Coronavirus LIVE update |
The first Air India flight from the UK, as part of the Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate Indians stranded overseas due to the coronavirus lockdown, took off from London's Heathrow Airport on Saturday with 326 passengers to Mumbai. (PTI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE update |
The country's largest paramilitary force CRPF reported 62 fresh coronavirus infections today from a single Delhi-based unit, officials said. The total number of active cases in the 3.25 lakh-strong force now stands at 231, they said.
Coronavirus in Arunachal Pradesh LIVE update | Arunachal levies 25% cess on liquor
Arunachal Pradesh has decided to levy 25 percent cess on liquor from today, an official said. The additional levy would garner Rs 70 crore per month to the state exchequer, Tax and Excise Secretary Anirudh S Singh said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE update | COVID-19 patient kills self at Mumbai hospital
A 60-year-old man who had tested positive for coronavirus committed suicide at a hospital in suburban Andheri today, police said.
The patient was found to have hanged himself with his pajamas from a steel rod on the ninth-floor terrace of the hospital, a police official said.
He might have been suffering from anxiety or depression after being diagnosed with coronavirus, leading to suicide, the official said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LIVE update |
The first patient to receive plasma therapy as an experimental treatment for coronavirus infection in Uttar Pradesh died following a heart attack today.
The patient, a 58-year-old doctor, was admitted at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow.
Read more: First patient to receive plasma therapy in Uttar Pradesh dies of heart attack
Coronavirus in Chhattisgarh LIVE update | 5 discharged, active COVID-19 cases now 16
Five people were discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raipur in Chhattisgarh today after recovering from the novel coronavirus infection, health officials told news agency PTI.
Chhattisgarh COVID-19 figures are as follows:
> Positive cases: 59;
> New cases: nil;
> Deaths :nil;
> Discharged 43;
> Active cases: 16;
> People tested so far: 23,629
Coronavirus in India LIVE update | JUST IN:
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba will hold a video conference over containing COVID-19 with all States and Union Territories tomorrow at 10 am. Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries (Health) from states to join. Member Niti Aayog, Secretary MOHFW, Secretary MHA, Secretary I&B, Member Secretary NDMA to be present as well. (ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE update |
After announcing yesterday that it was reinstating pay cuts of up to 25 percent for its senior employees, IndiGo airlines said it would take a decision on restoring original salary "closer to the end of this financial year".
The country's largest domestic airlines had yesterday announced pay cut ranging between 5 and 25 percent, in addition to its leave-without-pay programme for May, June and July, for senior employees. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu LIVE update |
526 new cases of COVID-19 and 4 deaths have been reported in Tamil Nadu today, taking the total number of cases to 6,535 and death toll to 44. Of the total cases, 1,867 cases are linked to Koyambedu market. Number of active cases stands at 4,664 in the state: State Health Department (ANI)
Coronavirus in Kerala LIVE update |
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said with the two new COVID-19 patients, the total number of cases in the state has gone up to 505 and there are currently 17 under treatment.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE update |
Head Constable Sahebrao Jhipru Khare from Police Headquarter, Nashik Rural lost his life due to COVID-19 today: Maharashtra Police
Coronavirus in Chhattisgarh LIVE update |
5 more patients will be discharged today, after making their travel arrangements. They are 2 women, 1 child from Kabirdham, 1 man from Durg and 1 man from Surajpur. We now have 16 active COVID-19 patients in Chhattisgarh and all are stable: State Health Minister TS Singh Deo(ANI)
Coronavirus in Punjab LIVE update |
Number of COVID-19 cases reaches 1,762 in Punjab, with 31 more people testing positive today. Number of active cases and fatalities due to the infection stands at 1,574 and 31, respectively: State Health Department
Coronavirus in India LIVE update | Testing capacity for COVID-19 scaled up to 95,000 per day: Health Minister
The testing capacity for COVID-19 has been scaled up to around 95,000 tests per day and a total of 15,25,631 tests have been conducted so far across 332 government and 121 private laboratories, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday.
The minister, who reviewed the status of COVID-19 in the northeastern states along with the measures taken for its containment and management, also stressed on the need to take concrete action to check the use of non-smoking tobacco and prohibiting spitting in public places which shall help in preventing the spread of the infection, according to a statement. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Sikkim LIVE update |
The Prem Singh Tamang government in Sikkim has decided to reduce the salaries of the chief minister and ministers by 35 percent for the next one year to mitigate the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the state's economy.
As per decisions taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by the chief minister yesterday, utilisation of discretionary funds of the ministers have also been put on hold. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LIVE update | Accused of being coronavirus carrier, man thrashed in UP's Aligarh; six booked
A 25-year-old man was thrashed and left unconscious with serious injuries on suspicionof being a 'coronavirus carrier' in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh.
The incident took place last evening outside a chemist shop in the Shivpuri locality of Aligarh.
Police have booked six people in this regard. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE update |
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal visited the Dharavi area today and took stock of COVID-19 situation and the preventive measures being taken. (ANI)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE update |
25 new COVID-19 positive cases, 1 death reported in Mumbai's Dharavi today; till now 833 positive cases and 27 deaths have been reported. 222 people discharged today: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (ANI)
Coronavirus LIVE update |
224 fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported in Delhi. The total number of cases stands at 6,542 including 2,020 recoveries and 68 deaths. There are 4,454 active cases: Delhi Health Department
Coronavirus in India LIVE update |
Five special trains will start journey from three states today to bring back 5,000 stranded Odia people, a day after the Supreme Court allowed the return of migrants to Odisha, officials told news agency PTI.
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed an interim order of the Orissa High Court which had asked the state government to ensure that only those tested negative for COVID-19 were allowed to return to Odisha.
Three trains will come from Gujarat and one each from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the officials said, adding that about 5,000 people will return to Odisha by these five trains.
Coronavirus in Karnataka LIVE update |
41 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Karnataka today, taking the total number of cases to 794 including 30 deaths and 386 discharges. Number of active cases stands at 377: State Health Department
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LIVE update |
A 62-year-old man died due to coronavirus in Noida, becoming the second COVID-19 fatality in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district, officials told news agency PTI.
The resident of Sector 66 was among the two people who tested positive for coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the officials said.
"He expired yesterday (Friday) evening. The cause of the death was cardio-respiratory failure," District Surveillance Officer Sunil Dohare said in a statement. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir LIVE update |
13 new positive cases have been reported since yesterday. The total number of COVID-19 cases is now 836: Government of UT of Jammu and Kashmir (ANI)
Coronavirus in Telangana LIVE update |
The Telangana Police will soon roll out an Artificial Intelligence (AI)- based system through CCTVs to check face mask norm violations.
Describing it as a first such initiative in the country, State DGP M Mahendar Reddy has tweeted that the system shall be enabled shortly across the three police commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda which cover Hyderabad and its suburbs.
Coronavirus in Kerala LIVE update |
Two foreign returnees have tested positive for COVID-19 in Kerala today, taking the total number of active cases to 17 in the state: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (ANI)
Coronavirus in West Bengal LIVE update | 11 more die of COVID-19 in West Bengal; toll rises to 99
Eleven more COVID-19 fatalities have been recorded in West Bengal, raising the death toll in the state to 99, Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay told news agency PTI.
At least 108 more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the state, taking the number of confirmed cases to 1,786, he said.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE update |
In a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus in a more effective manner, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has put additional commissioners in charge of seven zones in the city.
As per the order, seven additional commissioners will work towards improving the double rate of positive cases from 10 days to 20 days by May 17.
Read more: 7 officials to work on reducing COVID-19 doubling rate in Mumbai
Coronavirus LIVE update | UK plans 14-day compulsory quarantine for all airport arrivals
The UK is planning to bring in compulsory 14-day quarantine for all travellers arriving in the country from any part of the world, except the Republic of Ireland, as part of measures to track the spread of coronavirus, according to UK media reports.
The new restriction, which means travellers including Britons arriving in the UK would have to self-isolate at a private residence and fined up to 1,000 pounds or deported for flouting the rules, is expected to take effect at the end of this month.
According to 'The Times', the quarantine will form part of the announcements when British Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a televised address to the nation tomorrow in relation to the COVID-19 lockdown. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh LIVE update | AP reports three COVID-19 deaths,43 cases; tally now 1,930
The number of active COVID-19 cases slid below the 1,000 mark to 999 in Andhra Pradesh today though the overall tally rose to 1,930 with the addition of 43 in the last 24 hours ending 9 am.
The COVID-19 toll in the state also increased by three to 44 while 45 more patients were discharged from hospitals, according to the latest bulletin. (PTI)
A six-week-old baby has become the youngest victim of coronavirus in England as the official death toll across hospitals and the wider community linked to COVID-19 hit 31,241 in the UK.
The baby's death on Friday comes as Britain prepares for some easing in the strict lockdown measures in place to curb the spread of the deadly virus as it is believed that Britain is past the peak of the pandemic.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to make a televised address on Sunday, during which he will lay out a comprehensive plan to start unlocking the economy.
The Goa government may allow holding of music classes and reopening of some state-run libraries in a phased manner on the condition of maintaining strict social distancing norms, Art and Culture Minister Govind Gawade said on Saturday. However, resumption of dramas and other entertainment events will be allowed only after monsoon gets over.
Muslim theologists in Sri Lanka have urged the government to reconsider its decision on cremating the Muslims who died due to the coronavirus, saying the revised rule goes against the Islamic tradition.
Sri Lanka has made cremations compulsory for coronavirus victims, ignoring protests from the country's Muslims, who make up 10 per cent of the 21 million population.
Mounting a strong defence of the ruling Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping has said the COVID-19 fight has once again shown that the CPC leadership and the country's socialist political system can overcome any challenge.
Xi's comments came as China faced global criticism for its initial inaction to act against the novel coronavirus, which according to Chinese officials emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year.
Over one lakh cases of lockdown violations were registered and 19,297 persons were arrested ever since prohibitory orders were enforced in Maharashtra in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, police said on Saturday.
At least 1.02 lakh cases were registered under section 188 (disobeying an order passed by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, an official said.
As many as 714 personnel, including 81 officers, of Maharashtra police contracted COVID-19, and of these 61 had recovered from the infection, he said.
Migrant workers returning from Rajkot to Ballia on a special train on Saturday claimed that Gujarat Police charged them Rs 725 fare. Authorities here, however, said they had no information about it.
The train carrying 1,170 migrant workers from parts of UP reached Ballia in the morning, following which they were screened and provided food packets, District Magistrate Hari Pratap Shahi said.
Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh LIVE update |
A 55-year-old woman died of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district today, taking the toll in the region to 87, an official said. The woman was already suffering from high blood pressure, sepsis and other ailments, he added.
With 53 persons testing positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the count in the district has reached 1,780, of which 732 patients have recovered from the infection, the official said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE update | Delhi government issues 4.75 lakh e-tokens to buy liquor
The Delhi government has so far issued around 4.75 lakh e-tokens to buy liquor in the national capital, an official told news agency PTI.
Under the e-token system, customers are given specific time for purchasing alcohol so that there is no violation of social distancing norms by people queuing up outside liquor stores.
The e-token is sent on mobile phones of registered people. The new system was introduced on Thursday in the wake of long queues outside liquor vends and people not following social distancing norms there.
Coronavirus in Goa LIVE update |
Number of criminal cases has gone down drastically in Goa, there has been as much as 67 percent reduction in the number of cases. During the lockdown period, drug seizure has also gone down completely as tourists have gone out and there is no demand: Shobit Saxena, SP Special Branch (ANI)
Coronavirus LIVE update |
Elderly people or those with comorbidities are at higher risk of getting a severe infection of COVID-19. If you have elderly people at home, you need to be extra cautious. Get health checkup done immediately after observing mild symptoms: Dr Randeep Guleria, AIIMS Director, in Ahmedabad (ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE update |
A stigma is still attached to COVID-19. Many people fear to come to the hospital and get a test done. An issue that this causes is that if a person is positive and there is a delay in his admission to a hospital, then it increases mortality: Dr Randeep Guleria, AIIMS Director, in Ahmedabad(ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE update |
The Central Industrial Security Force reported 13 fresh cases of COVID-19 among its personnel today with the maximum being in its Delhi Metro protection unit, officials told news agency PTI.
The 1.62 lakh personnel strong force has a total of 48 active cases of coronavirus with the addition of the new numbers.
Two of its personnel have succumbed to the disease over the last two days.
Coronavirus in Punjab LIVE update |
Restaurants and eateries opened in Ludhiana today after district magistrate allowed the opening of restaurants, eateries, ice cream shops, sweet shops and juice shops in the district from 7 am to 7 pm only for home delivery. (ANI)
Coronavirus in Pakistan LIVE update |
According to the Ministry of National Health Services, Pakistan reported a total of 27,474 coronavirus cases after 1,637 new patients were diagnosed in one day. Another 24 patients died taking the death toll to 618.
The Punjab province reported 10,471 cases, Sindh 9,691, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 4,327, Balochistan 1,876, Islamabad 609, Gilgit-Baltistan 421 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 79 cases.
So far 7,756 patients have recovered. The authorities have conducted 270,025 tests including 12,982 in the last 24 hours, according to news agency PTI.
Coronavirus in Pakistan LIVE update | Pakistan eases nationwide lockdown even as COVID-19 cases rise
Pakistan today began easing the month-long lockdown despite a steady rise in the number of the coronavirus cases which rose to 27,474 after health authorities reported a big jump of 1,637 infections and 24 deaths in a single day, according to news agency PTI.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 7 said that Pakistan would begin easing its nationwide lockdown in a phase-wise manner by allowing various businesses to open up from May 9, citing the economic crisis due to the shutdown, which was enforced in the country in March end.
The first phase of easing lockdown began as the government announced removing restrictions by allowing more businesses to open and operate from dawn to 5 pm.
Coronavirus in Uttarakhand LIVE update |
4 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Uttarakhand today; taking the total number of positive cases to 67: State Health Department (ANI)
Coronavirus LIVE update | Centre is 'lying', planned 8 trains to ferry migrants: TMC
The TMC has accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of "lying" about the West Bengal government not allowing trains to reach the state, and said they have already planned eight trains to ferry migrants from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Telangana. The first train will be leaving on Saturday from Hyderabad to Malda, the TMC said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE update |
13 more Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel tested positive for COVID-19 in last 24 hours; 48 CISF personnel have tested COVID-19 positive till date: CISF (ANI)
Read more: How women entrepreneurs are riding out the COVID-19 lockdown in India
We speak to five women across sectors to understand the lockdown’s impact on their business. For sure there is loss, but could there be a course-correction and opportunity too in this crisis?
