Coronavirus May 12 Highlights: Lockdown 4.0 to be announced before May 18, says PM Modi in his address to nation

A Mumbai Police officer passed away late on Tuesday night after battling COVID-19. He is the fifth casualty to the pandemic in the city police force. 

The deceased, Assistant Sub Inspector Murlidhar Shankar Waghmare (55), was posted at Sewri police station. He lived in Navi Mumbai and was admitted in a government hospital there. Waghmare's death comes days after ASI Sunil Kalgutkar, who was posted at the Vinoba Bhave Nagar police station in Kurla West, passed away.

All five Mumbai Police personnel who have died so far after contracting the virus were in the final years of their service. As of Monday, 1007 police personnel in Maharashtra were COVID-19 positive, of whom 887 had active infections while 113 had recovered. In addition to the death of five policemen in Mumbai, two other policemen posted in Pune and Solapur have also succumbed to COVID-19.  

The Maharashtra State Home Department has announced a compensation of Rs 50 lakh and a government job to a family member of the police personnel who have died of COVID-19. ENS

Following the rising number of Covid-19 cases in its surrounding areas, Sanand town on the outskirts of Ahmedabad will see a complete lockdown from Wednesday till May 17. The Prant Officer of Sanand has passed an order to this effect.

In view of the order, no shop will be allowed to operate in the town between May 13 and May 17, with the exception of shops selling milk and medicines. Read more here

The agrarian state of Punjab, often referred to as the ‘food bowl’ of India, has emerged as a frontrunner in the nation’s fight against Covid-19, with 41 manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) coveralls based in the state getting clearance from the South India Textiles Research Association (SITRA).

Of the 41 manufacturers cleared for production of PPEs, 18 have orders of more than 25 lakh PPE coveralls worth Rs 256 crore from Hindustan Latex Limited. The orders are at different stages. Some manufacturers have already delivered a major chunk of the orders, others are in the process of manufacture, while the ones given orders recently are setting up manufacturing lines to start production. Read More

As a precautionary measure amid the pandemic, nearly 23,000 Maharashtra police personnel, aged between 50 to 55 years, are being given low-risk police station tasks, while 12,000, who are above 55, have been asked to stay home, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Tuesday.

The number of Covid-19 cases among the 2.2 lakh-strong Maharashtra Police force had, by Monday, crossed 1,000.

Officials have said a majority of cases from Maharashtra Police are among local police personnel from Mumbai, Thane, Malegaon, or personnel of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) who were deployed in these high-risk areas. Read more here

On Tuesday, Meghalaya reported that it currently has one active COVID-19 case. After a popular Shillong doctor had tested positive (and subsequently died) on April 15, 12 of his primary contacts tested positive in the subsequent weeks. “The 11th case was tested again after 24 hours. Her test has come out negative again. Based on protocols, the patient has recovered. Meghalaya as of now has only one active case,” confirmed CM Conrad Sangma on Twitter

The Government of India has started to ease the lockdown restrictions, which has been in place since March due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The government may also start domestic air travel for people stuck in various parts of the country. According to a PTI report, the government is looking to “make it mandatory for people to have Aarogya Setu mobile application installed in their phones while taking a flight post-lockdown.”

“Preliminary discussions regarding making this app mandatory for air passengers have been done with the airlines,” government officials told PTI.

The report adds, that if the proposal gets approved by the Aviation ministry, passengers will be required to have the app installed and completely functional on their smartphones before being allowed to travel.

The State government has decided to temporarily release 17,000 inmates, 50 per cent of the pre-lockdown population in jails across the state, in the wake of more than 180 positive cases of Covid-19 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai and to avoid the spread of the infection inside jails in future.

A high-powered committee (HPC), formed as per Supreme Court directives to lay down steps to decongest prisons in the backdrop of the pandemic, held a meeting on Monday after 185 positive cases surfaced at Arthur Road Jail: 158 inmates and 26 jail staff have tested positive, along with one case in Byculla Jail. The committee has made further recommendations to the government, based on which the state prisons department has increased the number of prisoners slated to be released temporarily.

Janmoni Gogoi, 20, who sells vegetables on a bicycle to support her parents financially during the ongoing lockdown, has been gifted a two-wheeler by the Assam Police.

Police officers came to know about Gogoi after her photograph selling vegetables, with large bags hanging from the handle of her bicycle and a basket on its carrier, went viral on social media. “Her self-respect prevented her from taking monetary help. So we came up with the idea of gifting her a two-wheeler so that she can carry her vegetables more comfortably and in larger quantities,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Pallavi Mazumder told news agency PTI. Here is a curated list of some interesting stories from across the country on Day 49 of India’s coronavirus lockdown.

On May 10, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a set of considerations that countries may refer to when deciding whether to reopen schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to UNESCO, over 1.57 billion students have been affected by school closures in more than 190 countries during the pandemic.

Some countries in Europe have started lifting restrictions on their residents. On Tuesday, over a million children are scheduled to go to school in France, and in Germany, schools have been partially reopened for younger children. In Spain, schools are shut till September with the exception of classes for some students. In the UK, only two per cent of children are attending school at the moment and the government has urged schools and authorities to encourage more children to come to school.

As the first passenger trains from Delhi are scheduled to arrive in the state on Wednesday, the Assam government has announced that only those showing symptoms will be tested.

The first batch of passengers — over 800 people — will be arriving in Assam on the special trains, starting Wednesday. This number includes a vast majority from the neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh, who would be getting down at the last stop of Dibrugarh. The Arunachal Pradesh government will be responsible for ferrying them back home. These trains are expected to run through the week.

Financial package should have been announced earlier. It is not clear what is in the package for laborers, farmers, traders, and MSMEs. Tomorrow Finance Minister will clarify it then only it will be clear which sector is getting what: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel (ANI)

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Tuesday announced financial assistance of Rs 2,000 each to jeep safari and elephant safari operators engaged inside Kaziranga National Park, whose services were badly hit due to COVID-19. CM Sonowal visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for the Asian one-horned rhinos on Tuesday to take stock flood preparedness in view of the imminent monsoons. With African swine fever infection reported from many parts of the state, the CM also directed officials to constitute a skilled task force comprising veterinary doctors and forest officials to contain the spread of the infection, and monitor the health of the animals in general.

In the second phase of the repatriation mission by the Indian navy, more than 200 Indian citizens stranded in Maldives due to the COVID-19 pandemic arrived here by a Naval ship on Tuesday evening, officials said.

"The second Indian Navy ship under 'Operation Samudra Setu' - INS Magar with 202 evacuees from Maldives arrived at Cochin Port on Tuesday at 5:45 pm," a Cochin Port Trust statement said here.

There are 91 repatriates of Kerala, 83 of Tamil Nadu and 28 belonging to 15 other states and Union Territories, it said.

The vessel is berthed at BTP Jetty and the disembarkation procedures, including examination and clearance by PHO, Customs and Immigration, are being carried out inside the Terminal. (PTI)

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, BJP president J P Nadda said, "In the times of COVID 19, Hon PM @narendramodi is leading the country from the front. The 21st century will be defined by India, Hon PM’s message today has laid foundation stone for implementing this. #AatmanirbharBharat is our Mantra for driving country towards this new change."

"Today, our Honble PM has declared the world’s largest holistic relief package. The Modi govt has given financial packages of Rs 20 Lakh Crore to support every section of the society. It is around 10% of Indian GDP. Hon PM’s proactive approach will build a #AatmanirbharBharat."

In the times of COVID 19, Hon PM @narendramodi is leading the country from the front. The 21st century will be defined by India, Hon PM’s message today has laid foundation stone for implementing this. #AatmanirbharBharat is our Mantra for driving country towards this new change.

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) May 12, 2020

"Self-reliance is the panecea to fight COVID-19. I thank PM Shri @narendramodi ji for announcing holistic package of 20 lakh crore to address land, labor, liquidity & laws. Rooted in our ethos of 'vasudhaiv kutumbkam', self-reliance will not only benefit us but the whole world."

In his fifth address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an economic package totaling Rs 20 lakh crore to tide over the Covid-19 crisis under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’. The Rs 20 lakh crore package includes the government’s recent announcements on supporting key sectors and measures by Reserve Bank of India.

The prime minister said the goal of the country would be to become self-reliant, and identified economy and infrastructure as key drivers for it. He said making the country self-reliant was only way to make 21st century belong to India.

“India’s self-reliance will be based on five pillars — economy, infrastructure, technology driven system, vibrant demography and demand. When India speaks of self-reliance, it does not advocate for a self-centered system. In India’s self-reliance there is a concern for the whole world’s happiness, cooperation and peace,” PM Modi said.

India's self-reliance will be based on five pillars -- economy, infrastructure, technology driven system, vibrant demography and demand: PM Modi

Top points from PM Modi's address to nation

IIT Delhi's low-cost COVID-19 testing kit will be produced by a Bengaluru-based biotechnology firm and is expected to be available by the first week of June, according to officials.

The large scale assembly and manufacturing of the kits by Genei Laboratories will be carried out at a facility exclusively set up for COVID-19 testing kits at the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) in Visakhapatnam.

"Genei Laboratories is one of the companies which has received the non exclusive license from IIT Delhi for the Probe free RT-PCR based COVID-19 low cost test kit," Indian Institute of Technology Delhi Director V Ramgopal Rao said.

IIT Delhi, which has become the first academic institute to develop a COVID-19 testing method, is planning to give non-exclusive open licence to companies for commercialising the test, but with a price rider. While the institute has kept a price rider of Rs 500 per kit, Genei Laboratories has not announced the price yet. (PTI)

Two major takeaways. Rs 20 lakh crore package which will cater to every section will be announced in the coming days to make india self reliant, lockdown 4 will be in new form ans details will be announced by May 18.

Two major takeaways. RS 20 lakh crore package which will cater to every section will be announced in the coming days to make india self reliant, lockdown 4 will be in new form ans details will be announced by May 18 #PMModi @IndianExpress

— Liz Mathew (@MathewLiz) May 12, 2020

PM Modi's address to the nation

#Special economic package will have emphasis on land, labour, liquidity and laws. Special economic package is for our labourers, farmers, honest tax payers, MSMEs and cottage industry.

#Beginning Wednesday, finance minister will announce details of special economic package.

#Lockdown 4.0 to be annoucned before May 18. This lockdown will be different from the lockdowns imposed in past. We need to maintain social distancing but also have to keep our goals alive.

PM Modi's address to the nation

#Rs 20 lakh crore special financial package for self-reliant India, which is equivalent to nearly 10 per cent of India's GDP. This package will aid India's MSME sector, which employs a majority of India's population.

#When India talks of self-dependence, its focus is not on a capital-centric world order, but on the welfare of humanity at large, based on Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

#I remember the devastation in Kutch after the earthquake. But Kutch got back on its feet. This shows our resolve. And today, we have both resolve and resources.

#In a world that is fighting life & death, India's medicines today bring a new hope. With these steps, when India is being praised everywhere in the world, every Indian feels proud

PM Modi's address to nation

#We had never seen or heard about such a crisis ever before. This is definitely unimaginable for mankind. This was unprecedented. But humanity will not accept defeat from this virus. We have to not only protect ourselves but also move forward: PM Narendra Modi

More than 42 lakh people from different countries have been infected by #COVID19, more than 2.75 lakh people have lost their lives due to the virus. In India too many families have lost their dear ones, I express my condolences to them.

#Self-sufficiency need of the hour. When the crisis started then not even a single PPE kit was manufactured in India, only a few N95 masks were available. Today 2 Lakh PPE kits and 2 Lakh N95 masks are manufactured in India daily.

Air India Express flight from Dubai to Kannur in Kerala landed at Kannur Airport at 7:24 pm today. The flight brought back 182 Indian nationals which included 5 infants.

Migrants with family reached for medical screening at Guru Nanak Dev Stadium in Ludhiana. Following this, they shall be taken to railway station to board Shramik Special train to their native places.

The Trump administration is pressing a board charged with overseeing billions in federal retirement dollars to halt plans to invest in Chinese companies that Washington suspects of abusing human rights or threatening US security.

At issue is whether administrators of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a retirement savings fund similar to a 401(k) for federal employees and members of the military, should allow its $50 billion international fund to track an index that includes some China-based stocks of companies under scrutiny in Washington.

The TSP's administrators, known as the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, decided in 2017 to make the investment shift in the second half of 2020 to boost returns and have begun opening custodial accounts abroad to channel the investments.

But China hardliners in Washington have pushed back, arguing that US federal employee pension dollars should not fund companies like aircraft and avionics company Aviation Industry Corp of China, that fuel China's military build-up. (Reuters)

Dharavi slum sprawl in Mumbai reports 46 new COVID-19 cases and one death; total cases 962 and fatalities 31, says BMC. (PTI)

In Jammy and Kashmir today, 55 new Covid-19 cases were recorded, taking the total cases to 934. While Kashmir region reported 42 cases, Jammu reported 13 cases. 28 patients were discharged from various hospitals in Kashmir today.

Fresh COVID-19 cases in J&K today: 55 Kashmir(42) Jammu (13). Total cases in J&K now: 934. 28 patients discharged from various hospitals in Kashmir today. @IndianExpress

— Adil Akhzer (@adilakhzer) May 12, 2020

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday told officials to increase bed strength in corona care centres in migration prone districts as large number of migrant workers are returning to the state from across the country.

Patnaik issued this direction while presiding over a review meeting on the corona situation in the state. He said the beds should be increased in at least six migration prone districts - Ganjam, Balasore, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Bolangir - where a large number of people are returning from their workplaces.

The CM also stressed on strengthening the rural economy which has been severely hit due to nationwide lockdown. The meeting resolved to promulgate three ordinances to reboot the agriculture sector and at the same time ensure the protection of people from the COVID-19 pandemic, an official statement said.

"This is going to be a long fight against coronavirus. That is why the community and panchayati raj institutions must be energized," Patnaik said, adding that migrant handling and rebooting economy needs full attention.

"I expect a completely professional response with a human face to the problems created out of the COVID-19 pandemic," Patnaik told senior officers, adding that quarantine centres should be the focus of the state governments management strategy. (PTI)

16 cases of COVID-19 have emerged in Gurgaon today, including 3 vegetable vendors, an office boy in DLF Ph.1, 2 healthcare staff at Civil Hospital, & a trainee at an automobile manufacturing company. Total cases now 161, of which 67 have recovered.

16 cases of COVID-19 have emerged in Gurgaon today, including 3 vegetable vendors, an office boy in DLF Ph.1, 2 healthcare staff at Civil Hospital, & a trainee at an automobile manufacturing company. Total cases now 161, of which 67 have recovered. @IndianExpress

— Sakshi Dayal (@sakshi_dayal) May 12, 2020

As the flow of Keralites returning home from other countries and states continued, five people, including four who came from abroad, tested positive for COVID-19 in the state on Tuesday, talking the total number of those under treatment to 32. The other infected person had returned from Chennai, the state government said.

Of the total 32 people presently under treatment for the infection, as many as 23 had come from outside Kerala, including 11 from abroad.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said 70 per cent of the positive cases were those who had come from outside the state and the remaining infected through contact.

Giving details, he told reporters that there were 32 cases at present. "Of this, six people had come from Chennai, four from Maharashtra, two from Nizamuddin, besides 11 foreign returnees".

Nine were infected through contact. Six of them are from Wayanad district where a truck driver, who had returned from Koyambedu market in Chennai, tested positive and had infected his close relatives and two of his contacts.

The total COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 524 and 31,600 people were under observation, including 473 in various hospitals. (PTI)

PM Narendra Modi has approved ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to next of kin of the 16 migrant labourers run over by a goods train near Aurangabad.

PM Narendra Modi has approved ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to next of kin of the 16 migrant labourers run over by a goods train near Aurangabad. @IndianExpress

— Avishek Dastidar (@avishekgd) May 12, 2020

To avoid spread of Covid-19 inside jails in Maharashtra, the state prison department has decided to temporarily release around 17,000 prisoners, which is around half of the pre-lockdown the population in jails in Maharashtra, the state government said on Tuesday.

A Supreme Court-mandated high powered committee (HPC) held meeting on Monday following detection of 185 positive coronavirus cases in Arthur Road Jail, which included 158 inmates and remaining staff, and one case in Byculla Jail. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the government has has increased number of prisoners who are slated to be released temporarily.

On March 26, the Maharashtra government had announced that nearly 11,000 inmates — both undertrials and convicts — would be released either on provisional bail or parole. After the process of release started on March 28, over 5,200 prisoners have been released on conditional bail. The process of release of convicts began on May 8 in which around 500 inmates have been released on emergency parole by the state prison department. The proposed number of inmates to be releases has now increased to 17,000.

Karnataka reported 63 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. With this, the total number of positive persons in the state has gone up to 925. It includes 31 deaths and 433 discharges.

Karnataka reported 63 new #COVID19 cases on Tuesday. With this, the total number of positive persons in the state has gone up to 925. It includes 31 deaths and 433 discharges. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/P23H8noxKJ

— Darshan Devaiah B P (@DarshanDevaiahB) May 12, 2020

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said the state will act against those involved in communal clashes during lockdown. She also said she raised several issues during video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday but gained nothing out of it as always.

"Red zones will be further broken into three categories - a,b,c. Police will figure it out. No change in containment zones," she further said.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said that managing a large number of returnees is likely to pose another major challenge to his government as evacuation to bring back Manipuris stranded in different parts of the country begins.

An official statement of IPR department said the chief minister stated this during the video conference held on Monday held between the chief ministers of different States and with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Singh thanked the central government and different states for taking care of stranded Manipuris and extending co-operation to make their return to the state possible, the statement said.

The first train carrying around 1,200 Manipuris from Chennai will arrive at the Jiribam railway station on Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 pm. The district authority of Jiribam has said that all necessary arrangements are in place to receive the passengers.

W Malemnganba Chenglei, deputy commissioner Jiribam said 12 screening counters have been set up at the railway station. In addition, he said around three community quarantine centres having the capacity to accommodate 600 people were also identified.

To ferry the returnees from the station to Imphal the transport department of Manipur has arranged 150 buses. While the train is yet to arrive, the state has already run into hurdle due to the mass evacuation plan.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held his first virtual joint commission on Tuesday with Denmark Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod and reviewed bilateral ties.

Jaishankar said discussions strengthened focus on clean technology, urbanisation, renewable energy, green solutions and food processing.

"Did my first virtual Joint Commission today. Couldn't be with a better counterpart - FM @JeppeKofod of #Denmark," Jaishankar tweeted. "Would encourage colleagues in other countries to follow suit."

"A productive review of our ties. Strengthened focus on cleantech, urbanisation, renewable energy, green solutions and food processing. And an even stronger political partnership," he added.

New countries from where flights will operate: France, Germany, Italy, Ireland Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Belarus Canada Australia Japan Bahrain Armenia Nepal Nigeria.

New countries from where flights will operate:
France, Germany, Italy, Ireland
Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Belarus
Canada
Australia
Japan
Bahrain
Armenia
Nepal
Nigeria @IndianExpress

— Shubhajit Roy (@ShubhajitRoy) May 12, 2020

Just In: Second phase of repatriation flights will be launched from May 16 to 22. It will bring back Indians from 31 countries. 149 flights to be deployed. Bigger than first phase, where 64 flights from 12 countries are operating.

Just In: 2nd phase of repatriation flights will be launched from May 16 to 22. It will bring back Indians from 31 countries. 149 flights to be deployed.

Bigger than first phase, where 64 flights from 12 countries are operating.#VandeBharatMission @IndianExpress

— Shubhajit Roy (@ShubhajitRoy) May 12, 2020

As the government arranges trains and buses to get migrant workers stranded across the country, many of them working in Tripura feels otherwise. A large group of worker from Bihar, who came to work as loaders here years back, said they are getting some work, albeit less, as lockdown restrictions are gradually lifted. They want to stay back till the pandemic is resolved. Back home, they would be jobless, penniless and helpless, they say.

Babloo Kumar Yadav, a labour sardaar or labourer handler working with several trading concerns of Agartala as loader for last 20 years. Hailing from Khagadiya district of Bihar, Babloo said he faced some problems of work due to lockdown but some government assistance was given.

“If we keep getting work, we shall stay back. 14-15 of us stay together at an accommodation provide by our employers. We are wearing masks, face covers and are maintaining social distancing. But we shall prefer to stay back till everything is alright about the coronavirus outbreak”, Babloo told indianexpress.com.

Restaurant Brands International Inc., the owner of Burger King and Tim Hortons, says the food-service industry needs to change “for the foreseeable future and possibly forever” after Covid-19.

In an open letter Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer Jose Cil said his company is preparing to welcome diners back as some governments start to reopen their economies. One option being considered is “more comfortable and reusable masks that may become part of our standard uniforms.”

Restaurant Brands is increasing its digital ordering capabilities by adding its restaurants to smartphone apps, Cil said. He also noted that the company is making unspecified improvements to its drive thrus and adding curbside pickup service. Inside restaurants, it’s making sure customers are spaced out in all locations, regardless of local regulations. (Bloomberg)

The first Shramik Special train operated by the Mysuru division left Kabakaputtur in Karnataka for Motihari in Bihar at 2.38 pm today. At least 1,428 passengers are on board. All 27 trains before this were operated by Bengaluru division.

The first #ShramikSpecial operated by the Mysuru division of @SWRRLY left Kabakaputtur (#Karnataka) for Motihari (#Bihar) at 2.38 pm. 1428 passengers on board. All 27 trains before this was operated by Bengaluru division. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/kalLlWQUk1

— Ralph Alex Arakal (@ralpharakal) May 12, 2020

The union government’s new guidelines on discharging asymptomatic Covid-19 patients without another round of testing is still under consideration of the Punjab government.

The state government has found that 13 of the asymptomatic patients — all pilgrims who had returned from Hazur Sahib, Nanded — are still testing positive and remain asymptomatic, after more than 10 days of treatment at the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital of Government Medical College, Amritsar.

“Very mild, mild and pre-symptomatic cases can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for three days. No test is required before discharge from Covid-19 care centres,” say the Union government guidelines.

Members of Madari (juggler) community have begun dance practice with their monkeys as they hope to restart their work under new lockdown relaxations.

Members of Madari (juggler) community have begun dance practice with their monkeys as they hope to restart their work under new lockdown relaxations. The extended #lockdown has severely impacted the community's livelihood.
More on https://t.co/XYlZoV4nRk pic.twitter.com/kHoJ8k5qkh

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) May 12, 2020

Nepal on Tuesday reported 57 new cases of coronavirus, the highest in a single day, taking the total infections in the country to 191, the health ministry said. Nepal, which has entered the 50th day of its nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, is among the nations that has the least number of cases of the deadly COVID-19 with no deaths.

"Among the infected, eight persons are from Kapilvastu district, nine from Rupandehi, 39 from Parsa, and one from Bara. All of them are males. This was the highest number of coronavirus cases reported in a day," PTI reported.

Nobel laureate and economist Abhijit Banerjee has said there is no certainty that India will gain in case big corporates shift their businesses from China in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

His comments come amid reports of multinational corporations preparing the ground to shift base to nearby countries which have cheap labour — like Taiwan, Indonesia and India — due to their distrust in China for hiding the extent of the Covid-19 crisis before it engulfed most of the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had also asked states to utilise the opportunities thrown up by the coronavirus crisis in the world to their advantage.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that a mass vaccine for the novel coronavirus may be over a year away and, in the worst-case scenario, may in fact never be found.

In his foreword to the government's new 50-page guidance on a step by step easing of the lockdown measures in place to control the spread of the deadly virus, the UK prime minister lays out plans for businesses to gradually start reopening with "COVID-19 Secure" measures of social distancing and for the public to use "good solid British common sense" as the economy is unlocked.

"A mass vaccine or treatment may be more than a year away," said Johnson, highlighting the work being done in the UK by scientists at Oxford University and Imperial College London towards this mission.

"Indeed, in a worst-case scenario, we may never find a vaccine. So our plan must countenance a situation where we are in this, together, for the long haul, even while doing all we can to avoid that outcome," he said.

Admitting that a vaccine or drug-based treatment is the only "feasible long-term solution", he said the UK has accelerated this with "promising" vaccine development programmes and a collaboration between Oxford University and pharma major AstraZeneca was a vital step that could help rapidly advance the manufacture of a COVID-19 vaccine when it is ready. (PTI)

Passengers waiting to boarding Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani Express at Mumbai Central after being screened at entry points. 'Maintain social distancing' is announced at the station.

Passengers waiting to boarding Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani Express at Mumbai Central after being screened at entry points. 'Maintain social distancing' is announced at the station. @IndianExpress @ie_mumbai #COVID19India pic.twitter.com/wLO44SQqEk

— Iram Siddique (@Scribbly_Scribe) May 12, 2020

Businesses and industries in Gujarat's Rajkot city will be given permission to reopen from May 14, says a govt official; order will not be applicable to containment zones within the city.

Businesses and industries in Rajkot city of Gujarat will be given permission to reopen from May 14, Gujarat govt official; order will not be applicable to containment zones within the city @IndianExpress

— Avinash Nair (@Avinashgnair) May 12, 2020

The Thane Municipal Corporation on Tuesday ordered shutting down of all activities at Lokmanya-Savarkar Nagar locality, citing rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the area in Maharashtra's Thane city.

Only milk shops and medical stores will be allowed to function in the area, the order stated.

The civic body directed the police to ensure complete lockdown in Lokmanya-Savarkar Nagar, where it was found that citizens were defying the lockdown and were not practising social distancing, an official said.

Of the 752 cases reported in Thane so far, 178 were from Lokmanya-Savarkar Nagar locality, he added. (PTI)

The day Tulu Basfor became Facebook famous, among the scores of congratulatory messages was one panicky call. “People at the market are saying you have tested positive,” came his mother’s harrowed voice from the other end. Quarantined at a hotel in Assam’s Goalpara district, Basfor hadn’t seen her in two weeks. “I am quarantined, that does not mean I am positive,” he had said, “Don’t listen to others. I am fine. You don’t take tension.” ‘Don’t take tension’ — it was something the 31-year-old Basfor had been telling himself too.

Nearly two months after the Railways resumed its operations, the first Shramik train carrying nearly 1,000 people arrived at Udhampur railway station on Tuesday from Bengaluru at 11.30 am.

The passengers included students, labourers, businessmen among others who hailed from the Union Territory and were stranded in Karnataka due to countrywide lockdown in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the train stopped and they started coming out of the train one by one, civil, police and railway officials swung into action to ensure that they maintain social distancing while getting themselves registered.

Sources said that the administration had made arrangements collection of their details on specially made mobile App at the platform itself. They were also provided cooked food packets and water bottles.

Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Piyush Singla told media persons that these people were from various districts of both the Jammu and the Kashmir divisions. After their registration, they will be sent in buses to their respective districts where health officials will take their samples for medical tests and put them in administrative quarantine until they are tested negative.

Faridabad DM has today directed that all medical professionals, paramedical, nurses, sanitation personnel and associated medical professionals "will be allowed movement across interstate borders after showing "official ID cards" & will not require "movement passes".

Faridabad DM has today directed that all medical professionals,para medical,nurses,sanitation personnel & associated medical professionals "will be allowed movement across interstate borders after showing "official ID cards" & will not require "movement passes". @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/JztbIsQZek

— Sakshi Dayal (@sakshi_dayal) May 12, 2020

The railways has operated 542 "Shramik Special" trains since May 1 and ferried home 6.48 lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown, officials said on Tuesday. On Monday, a statement issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the railways will now run 100 "Shramik Special" trains on a daily basis to facilitate a faster movement of workers. Of the 542 trains run so far, 448 have reached their destinations and 94 are in transit. The 448 trains were terminated in various states, including Uttar Pradesh (221), Bihar (117), Madhya Pradesh (38), Odisha (29), Jharkhand (27), Rajasthan (four), Maharashtra (three), Telangana and West Bengal (two each), and Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (one each). -- PTI

Singapore on Tuesday said it would temporarily suspend the aviation operations at Changi Airport's Terminal 4 due to the reduced number of flights triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision came weeks after Singapore's aviation operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) had decided to shut the operations for the airport's Terminal 2 to cut costs during the coronavirus pandemic. Airlines currently based in T4 will operate out of Terminals 1 (T1) or 3 (T3) instead, an statement from CAG said. The timing of resuming operations at T4 will depend on when air travel demand picks up and on the requirements of airlines seeking to re-launch flights at Changi Airport, CAG said. Singapore reported 884 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the total number to 24,671 with 21 deaths so far.

Being a current smoker or having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with an increased risk of severe complications and higher death risk from COVID-19 infection, according to a study. COPD is a common, persistent dysfunction of the lung associated with a limitation in airflow. The researchers from the University College London in the UK noted that an estimated 251 million people worldwide are affected by COPD. Given the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus on respiratory function, they sought to understand the prevalence and the effects of COPD in COVID-19 patients.

Being a current smoker or having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with an increased risk of severe complications and higher death risk from COVID-19 infection, according to a study. COPD is a common, persistent dysfunction of the lung associated with a limitation in airflow. The researchers from the University College London in the UK noted that an estimated 251 million people worldwide are affected by COPD. Given the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus on respiratory function, they sought to understand the prevalence and the effects of COPD in COVID-19 patients.

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said services being rendered by nurses in the battle against coronavirus will be recorded in human history in golden words. Praising nurses on the occasion of International Nurses Day, Pawar said they have been working as the "messengers of God" and giving courage to COVID-19 patients besides treating them. "The services of nurses --who have been working shoulder to shoulder, rather going a step ahead risking their lives while treating patients -- will be recorded in the human history in golden words," Pawar said in a statement. Terming nurses as "main soldiers", Pawar said they played a very crucial role in the fight against the pandemic.