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Coronavirus News Highlights: Today is the 377th day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown to help curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. India recorded an all-time high of 1,03,558 coronavirus infections in a day pushing the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,25,89,067, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The single-day rise in cases surpassed the earlier peak of 97,894 infections reported on September 17, last year, making it the highest since the pandemic began in India, while the death toll increased to 1,65,101 with 478 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. Registering a steady increase for the 26th day in row, the active cases have increased to 7,41,830 comprising 5.89 percent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 92.80 percent, the data stated. The active caseload was at its lowest at 1, 35,926 on February 12 comprising 1.25 percent of the total infections. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,16,82,136, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.31 percent, the data stated. India's regulator has also granted restricted emergency use approval for two vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin. All persons above the age of 45 are eligible to get vaccinated. Globally, more than 13.05 crore people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 29.81 lakh have died so far.
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Maharashtra's total COVID-19 cases stand at30,57,885 while the total number of patientsdischarged in the state as of April 5 stands at 25,49,075. As many as 56,033 patients have died due to the contagion while the total number of active cases remain4,51,375.
Maharashtra's chief ministerUddhav Thackeray writes to PM Modi requesting him to allow vaccination of all above the age of 25 years. CM also thanked PM Modi for accepting his proposal of allowing all persons above 45 yrs of age to be made eligible for Covid vaccination: Maharashtra CMO.
A day after imposing new curbs in the Maharshtra, the stategovernment in its new notification released on April 5 specified what comes underessential services. Employees of petrol pumps & petroleum products industries, those who provide cargo services,data centres, cloud service, critical infra IT services, government and privatesecurity services and fruit vendors are all permitted to remain open from 7 am to 8 pm.
Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple to shut entry amid rising COVID-19 cases in the city, reports Times Now.
According to the official data shared till 6 pm on April 5,the total number of COVID-19 patients that have tested postive in Mumbai in 24 hours stand at9,857. While the tally of discharged patients stand at3,357, the total number of corona positive patients in the city are 74,522.
As 3,74,985 patients recoverred, the city's recovery rate stood at 81 percent. Mumbai saw the growth ratebetween March 29 and April 4 to be1.70 percent.
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan to chair a meeting tomorrow over surge in COVID-19 cases; health ministers of 11 states and UTs to attend the meet
Nagpur district in Maharashtra on Monday reported 3,519 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 57 fatalities, taking the tally to 2,45,125 and the toll to 5,384, an official release said.
With 3,703 people being discharged in the day, the count of recoveries in Nagpur district rose to 1,98,611, it said, adding the district is now left with 41,130 active cases.
Backed by vaccinations and the experience from controlling the first wave of coronavirus pandemic, the Indian economy is well prepared to handle any downside risks posed by the second wave of COVID-19 cases, the Finance Ministry has said.
In a bid to increase the pace ofinoculation againstCOVID-19, the government has announced that one-third of the vaccination sites in all of government hospitals in Delhi will function from 9 pm to 9 am.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday opposed the imposition of new restrictions in Maharashtra alleging that the state government and the Mumbai civic body have failed to curb the rise in COVID-19 cases.
The AAP alleged "half-hearted" measures were being taken without considering their implications on the common people in Mumbai.
Alarmed by the huge rise in cases over the last few days, the state government on Sunday announced a weekend lockdown and night curfew during the weekdays from Monday to April 30, in addition to a slew of other restrictions like the closure of private offices, theatres and salons.
The weekend lockdown will start from 8 pm on Fridays and last till 7 am on Mondays. Besides, prohibitory orders will be in force during the daytime on weekdays, the Chief Minister''s Office (CMO) had said in a statement.
| Airline Officialsto CNBC-TV18
-Flights to/from Maharashtra are currently operating as scheduled
-No Plans as of yet to cancel flights to airports in Maharashtra
-Dip in demand expected due to restrictions imposed in Maharashtra
-Flights to Maharashtra allowed during weekend
-Outbound Passengers from Maharashtra airports need to factor in extra time while coming to airports
he AAP questioned the Centre for sending COVID-19 vaccines across the world instead of further accelerating the inoculation drive within the country, claiming it will take at least 15 years to vaccinate the entire population of India at this rate. Addressing a press conference here, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha questioned the reason for "exporting" vaccines and not supplying it to the people in India first.
"Vaccination doses have been exported to 84 countries. The amount exported is higher than the number of vaccine doses given to the people in India. Should we care about people from our own country or from other countries?" Chadha said. "Where has the Centre''s vaccine nationalism gone? The AAP demands an increase in the rate of vaccinations against COVID-19 so that each and every Indian can get vaccinated," he said.
He further claimed that it will take 15 years to vaccinate the entire population of India if vaccination drive continues at the current pace. "Some scientists say that to contain the virus at least 70 percent of the population has to be vaccinated. It will take 10 years to inoculate 70 per cent of the population of the country if the vaccination continues at the current pace while at the current pace, vaccinating everyone in the country will take about 15 years," he said.
In India, cumulatively, 7,91,05,163 vaccine doses have been administered through 12,31,148 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am. These include 90,09,353 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose, 53,43,493 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 97,37,850 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the 1st dose, and 41,33,961 FLWs who have taken the 2nd dose.
