Covid LIVE: Both Karnataka, Maharashtra see daily cases below 30,000-mark

Coronavirus live updates: India reported 276,110 fresh Covid-19 infections today, taking the caseload tally to 25,772,440. Stay tuned for corona-related news

3:30 PM

Sri Lanka suspends inbound international flights to check spread of Covid

The Sri Lankan government has suspended all inbound international passenger flights for 10 days from Friday as part of its efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic in the island nation, which reported the highest spike in infections and deaths on Wednesday.

 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) said on Wednesday the flight suspension will be in force from midnight of May 21 to midnight of May 31.

 

The CAASL said passengers who require to leave the country would be allowed to do so during this period, via other international transit flights (with a halt of less than 12 hours) and flights originating from the country.

3:22 PM

Nearly 2 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses available with states, UTs: Govt

Nearly two crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories while around 26 lakh are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

 

Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of the government of India for containment and management of the pandemic along with test, track, treat and COVID-appropriate behaviour, it said.

 

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the government has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them COVID-19 vaccines free of cost.

3:17 PM

Covid LIVE: Delhi sees 3,231 new cases in a day; positivity rate at 5.5%

3:07 PM

Delhi govt to set up dedicated centres for treatment of black fungus cases

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said dedicated centres will be set up for the treatment of black fungus or mucormycosis cases at three city government-run hospitals. He made the announcement after discussing the rise in black fungus cases with officials and specialists at a meeting here.

 

"Three important decisions were taken at the meeting. Centres will be set up at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital for treatment of black fungus," the CM tweeted.

 

The drugs used in the treatment of the fungal infection will be arranged in enough quantity and awareness will be created among people for prevention against the disease, he said.

3:06 PM

Oxygen Hoarding Case: Delhi Police has prayed for a 5-day further remand of businessman Navneet Kalra

Delhi Police has prayed for a 5-day further remand of businessman Navneet Kalra (ANI)

3:05 PM

Covid LIVE: PM's meet with CMs turned out to be super flop, says Mamata

2:53 PM

Even single dose going waste denies someone protection shield: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the strategy to deal with COVID-19 should be dynamic, innovative and constantly upgraded as he underlined the dangers posed by the virus which, he noted, is invisible and often mutates.

 

Describing the virus as "dhoort" and "bahurupia" in Hindi, Modi in an interaction with district magistrates (DM) and field officials also underlined concerns expressed in various quarters about the threats it poses to the youth and children.

 

He asked them to keep a track on it and record the spread of infection and its seriousness among them in their districts. READ MORE...

2:46 PM

Covid LIVE: Delhi HC asks big hospitals to install PSA oxygen plants

Delhi HC asks big hospitals to install PSA oxygen plants, says city had bitter experience with acute shortage of medical oxygen

2:32 PM

Second Covid wave humanitarian crisis, not economic; likely to have peaked: Report

The second wave of the pandemic in India is more of a humanitarian crisis rather than an economic one, and is likely to have peaked, a Japanese brokerage said on Thursday.

 

Nomura said it expects the overall hit to sequential growth in April-June to be much less severe than last year when there was a complete nationwide lockdown, and less than what the drop in mobility suggests. It estimated the economy to contract by only 3.8 per cent in June quarter as compared with March quarter.

 

..lockdowns are more nuanced this time and consumers and businesses have adapted, it said, adding that international experience also suggests the same.

2:29 PM

At current rate, India will vaccinate 75% population only by mid-2024

As vaccination crosses key milestones in many parts of the developed world, India is still struggling to get the basics right. Unless the many brands of vaccines available in the market are procured in record quantities, the sluggish pace of inoculation in the country may last till the middle of 2024, even if it has to fully vaccinate one billion out of 1.36 billion Indians. READ MORE...

2:20 PM

India Coronavirus Dispatch: 64% of Uttar Pradesh villages 'Covid free'

The Uttar Pradesh government has claimed that 64 per cent of its villages are completely free of Covid, based on the latest testing data, a report in The Indian Express said. With rural UP reporting more cases during the second wave, the government has claimed to have focused its efforts in rural areas to contain the spread of the virus. The state administration has also said a special sanitation campaign had started in rural areas to prevent the virus from spreading further, the report said. Read Here...

 

2:14 PM

More than 21 crore Covid vaccine doses provided to States/UTs: Centre

Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of Government of India for containment and management of the pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and Covid-19  Appropriate Behaviour. As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them Covid-19 vaccines free of cost.

 

The Government of India has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the States/UTs.

2:04 PM

Covid LIVE: Centre urges states to declare 'black fungus' an epidemic

1:56 PM

134 fresh Covid cases reported in Ladakh, one more dies

Ladakh recorded 134 fresh COVID-19 cases that took the total infection tally to 16,918 while one person died taking the number of fatalities to 171, officials said on Thursday. As many as 127 people were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the infection, pushing the total number of recoveries to 15,158 in the union territory, officials said.

 

Of the 134 new cases, 124 were reported from Leh and 10 cases from Kargil, they said. With the death of one patient from COVID reported from Kargil, the total number of deaths in Ladakh has reached 171, which includes 123 in Leh and 48 in Kargil.

 

Out of the total discharged cases, 96 patients were from Leh and 31 from Kargil, officials said. With this, the total number of active cases in Ladakh has come down to 1,589, which includes 1,328 in Leh district and 261 in Kargil district, they said.

1:29 PM

Karnataka Home Minister indicates stricter implementation of lockdown measures in days to come

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday indicated that police and the Home Department will go for stricter implementation of lockdown measures, like seizure of vehicles, in the days to come, by making them more effective, as the state battles second wave of Covid-19.

 

The Minister's statement comes, as the government is likely to take a decision on extending the lockdown in the state, in a couple of days.