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Coronavirus India News Highlights: As many as 3,68,147 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative caseload to 1,99,25,604, said the Union health ministry on Monday morning. This marks a minimal decline in new infections as the country had passed the grim milestone of recording over 4 lakh cases on Saturday. The fatality count of the country went up in the same duration as 3,417 more people succumbed to the disease. The cumulative death toll now stands at 2,18,959. In addition to this, 3,00,732 were discharged from various hospitals, taking the total number of recoveries in India to 16,29,3003. The active tally saw a further spike to reach 34,13,642 in the last 24 hours.
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Maharashtra reports 48,621 new COVID19 positive cases, 59,500 discharges, and 567 deaths. Total active cases in the state stand at6,56,870 while tally of total deaths climb to70,851.
No shortage of oxygen in the country, use it judiciously, says govt
The Centre on Monday said medical oxygen being given to COVID-19 patients, especially in hospitals, should be used "judiciously" and claimed that there was "shortage" of the life-giving gas in the country.
At a routine briefing on steps taken by the government to battle the COVID-19 crisis, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Piyush Goyal told reporters that multiple efforts were being undertaken to enhance production and quickly transport oxygen to the hospitals and patients. (PTI)
We're increasing beds in Patna as well as in other medical college hospitals. We've a continuous supply of oxygen & we're allotting oxygen to hospitals as per their need. We're also working on increasing the availability of oxygen.
Black marketing of critical COVID-19 drugs and oxygen is a condemnable attempt to exploit peoples'' misery, the Supreme Court has said, directing the Centre to consider constituting a special team to identify and prosecute offenders.
The apex court also said that a protocol must be evolved for ambulances to avoid extraction of unconscionable charges from citizens and the Centre can consider creating a platform for easy reporting and redressal of such cases.
A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud noted that several critical drugs such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, are being sold at significantly inflated prices or in fake form.
Complete lockdown ruled out in the state, but strict measures to be taken if people don't comply with restrictions. All takeaway deliveries from restaurants to be disallowed, only home delivery permitted.
Some states are showing increasing trends in COVID cases, these states should take required precautionary measures. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Haryana, Karnataka Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya are among those states.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, NEET PG 2021 has been postponed for at least 4 months and the exam will not be held before August 31, 2021.
"Students will also be given atleast one month of time after announcement of exam before it is conducted. This will make a large number of qualified doctors available for Covid duties," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
The Health Ministry on Monday said that 100 per cent advance of Rs 1732.50 crore was released to the Serum Institute of India on April 28 for 11 crore doses of Covishield vaccine during May, June and July. The amount, which after TDS was Rs 1699.50 crore, was received by the SII on April 28 itself, it said. As on date, against the last order of 10 crore doses for supplies of Covishield vaccine, 8.744 crore doses have been delivered till May 3, the ministry said, adding, media reports alleging that the Centre has not placed any fresh order for COVID-19 vaccines are "incorrect and not based on facts".
Additionally, 100 per cent advance of Rs 787.50 crore (after TDS Rs 772.50 crore) was released on April 28 to Bharat Biotech India Ltd (BBIL) for five crore Covaxin doses during May, June and July. The amount was received by them on April 28. As on date against the last order of two crore doses for supplies of Covaxin vaccine, 0.8813 crore doses have been delivered till May 3, the ministry said.
The country's largest lender SBI on Monday announced allocating Rs 71 crore towards the fight against COVID-19, a part of which will be used to set up a makeshift 1,000-bed hospital for the treatment of patients in some of the worst-affected states. State Bank of India (SBI) has allocated Rs 71 crore to undertake various support initiatives to combat the second wave of COVID-19, SBI said in a release.
The state-owned lender has allocated Rs 30 crore for a makeshift hospital while Rs 21 crore will be used to support initiatives such as procurement of life-saving healthcare equipment, oxygen supply to hospitals, Covid-care centres, ambulances, PPE kits, masks as well as food relief efforts.
India has begun vaccinating all individuals above the age of 18 from May 1. In addition to the government-run COVID-19 centres, vaccines are also available at private hospitals and clinics.
Fortis Healthcare
Fortis Healthcare has participated in the COVID-19 immunisation drive. Potential beneficiaries can book an appointment via the Co-Win app.
Apollo Hospitals
Apollo Hospitals has said that registration for the COVID-19 vaccine is open for everyone above 18 years. It has said that the vaccine drive will be further ramped up in the coming weeks.
Max Healthcare
Max Healthcare chain is also participating in the next phase of the India's vaccination drive. COVID-19 vaccines are available at select Max Hospitals for citizens above 18 years from May 1.
Medanta
COVID-19 vaccination for age 18-44 is available in Medanta Gurgaon and Medanta CyberCity, as per the hospital's website. People can book appointments via the Co-Win app.
Though the Union government has allowed the extension of the COVID-19 vaccination coverage to the 18-45 age group from May 1, many states have announced that they are not in a position to do so anytime soon. States have earlier assured people that they would provide the jabs free of cost for the 18-45 age group, after the Centre said it would reserve its quota exclusively for people above 45 years, healthcare and frontline workers.
A few states like Maharashtra and Gujarat started inoculating lower age groups on May 1, but in very limited numbers. They did this by diverting some stocks, from the Centre, meant for those aged 45 years and above. Large private hospital chains have announced rolling out COVID-19 vaccination, but it will come at a price.
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi are among 10 states that account for 73.78 per cent of the new 3,68,147 COVID-19 cases registered in a day, while the daily positivity rate has increased to 21.19 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 56,647. It is followed by Karnataka with 37,733 while Kerala reported 31,959 new cases, the ministry said.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan are the other states on the list of 10. India's total active caseload has reached 4,13,642 and now comprises 17.13 per cent of the country's total infections. A net increase of 63,998 cases has been recorded in the total active caseload in a day.
