Healthcare workers shift a Covid-19 patient in Kolkata on Friday. (PTI)Uttar Pradesh has extended its partial coronavirus curfew till May 31, a state government statement said on Saturday. Earlier, the UP government had clamped the restrictions till 7 am on May 24. “The Uttar Pradesh government is committed to safeguard the life and livelihood of people of the state. Keeping this in mind, the policy of partial coronavirus curfew was adopted,” the statement said, pointing out that the measure fetched positive results.
The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said the overall Covid case positivity has declined from 24.83 per cent on May 10 to 12.45 per cent on May 22, Health Ministry. It however said though there is an overall decline in case burden, the COVID-19 positivity rate is still over 10 per cent in 382 districts. The ministry, in its address to media, also made it clear that lactating mothers can also get vaccinated. They need not stop breastfeeding after their vaccination.
Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced a week-long complete lockdown without any relaxations. All shops will function till 9 pm today and from 6 am to 9 pm tomorrow for public to keep stock up necessary items. Public, private busses will allowed to ply today and tomorrow to other districts.
India recorded over 2.57 lakh new covid 19 cases in the last 24 hours ending 8 am Saturday, taking India’s total infections to over 2.62 crore. Out of the total cases, over 29 lakh are currently active, a number down under 30 lakh after three weeks, while over 2.30 crore people have recovered till now. With 4,194 new fatalities, the death toll is now at 2,95,525. Maharashtra’s daily count remains below 30,000. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala are top contributors.
The Kerala government on Saturday decided to conduct a medical audit of black fungus after reports emerged about the presence of the fungal disease in the state over the last one week. The decision was taken as some states have started notifying black fungus, found in patients recovering from coronavirus, as an epidemic. "A medical audit will be conducted on black fungus. The availability of medicine will be ensured. Medicines that do not have side effects are recommended to be given to the patients even if they are expensive", Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told a press conference here. --PTI
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday took cognizance of low vaccination rate in some parts of the Union Territory and ``strictly directed’’ the Deputy Commissioners to scale it up in their respective districts.
"Rate of vaccination and testing, effective management of Covid Care Centres will be the parameters for monitoring performance of the officers,’’ he maintained while chairing series of meetings with COVID Task Force, Deputy Commissioners and SPs so as to strengthen Covid containment efforts across the UT.
He directed the Deputy Commissioners to maximize testing for areas with high positivity rate, fix vaccination and testing targets for tehsildars and Block Development Officers, share good practices and take comprehensive measures to bring down the Covid positivity rate across the districts, besides tracking the trend on daily basis. The DCs were also asked to prepare a futuristic plan to contain the spread of the deadly virus, besides taking prompt action on Covid related issues and regularly brief the media providing factual and accurate information to the public.
While reviewing the district-wise status of preparations being made to contain the spread of Corona virus in rural areas, the Lt Governor set timelines for establishment of 5-bedded Covid Care Centres at Panchayat level across Jammu and Kashmir. He further directed for prioritizing far flung areas for establishing these Centres, besides ensuring availability of all requisite facilities for patients including proper ventilation, beds, oxygen support, necessary medical kits, linkage with nearest healthcare centres, referral linkage with dedicated Covid health centres & hospitals, availability of tele-medicine facilities, power backup and other basic facilities. --Arun Sharma reports from Jammu
Uttar Pradesh has extended its partial coronavirus curfew till May 31, a state government statement said on Saturday. Earlier, the UP government had clamped the restrictions till 7 am on May 24. “The Uttar Pradesh government is committed to safeguard the life and livelihood of people of the state. Keeping this in mind, the policy of partial coronavirus curfew was adopted,” the statement said, pointing out that the measure fetched positive results.
The Railways has delivered nearly 14,500 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen in over 884 tankers to various states since it started its operation, the national transporter said on Saturday. So far, 224 'Oxygen Express' trains have completed their journey and brought relief to various states, while eight others, loaded with over 563 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in 35 tankers, are currently on their way, it said. 'Oxygen Express' trains have been delivering over 800 tonnes of LMO to various states each day, the statement from the Railways said. Relief by 'Oxygen Express' trains has reached 13 states -- Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, Kerala, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. --PTI
West Bengal reports 18,863 new Covid-19 cases, 19,202 recoveries and 154 deaths in the last 24 hours. Of the total, Kolkata records 3280 fresh cases.
451 more deaths were linked to Covid-19 in Karnataka on Saturday, 200 from Bengaluru Urban.
Tests done: 1,28,761
Positivity rate: 24.21%
New cases in: 31,183 (8214 in BLR)
Recoveries: 61,766 (36,030 in BLR)
Active cases: 4,83,204 (2,61,115 in BLR)
People vaccinated: 1,04,251
Delhi recorded 2,260 fresh COVID-19 cases and 182 fatalities on Saturday, with the positivity rate in the city slipping to 3.58 per cent, data shared by the health department showed. This is the lowest daily spike in cases recorded since March 31 (1,819) and the first time that the count has gone below the 3,000-mark since April 1, when 2,790 people tested positive for the viral disease. As per the latest health bulletin, these new fatalities pushed the death toll due to COVID-19 in the national capital to 23,013. --PTI
Two doses from either the Oxford/AstraZeneca or the Pfizer vaccine are over 80 per cent effective in preventing infection from the B1.617.2 variant of COVID-19, first discovered in India, a new UK government study has reportedly found. The Oxford/AstraZeneca two-dose vaccine is also being produced by the Serum Institute of India as Covishield and being administered among the adult population in India to protect against the deadly virus. The UK findings are said to be based on data from Public Health England (PHE) and have also revealed that the two doses provide 87 per cent protection from the B.117 variant, first discovered in Kent region of England and also considered highly transmissible. --PTI
With black fungus cases rising in Uttarakhand, it was declared a notifiable disease in the state under the Epidemic Act, 1897 on Saturday. So far, 64 people have been infected with black fungus in the state and of them, four have died. Black fungus or mucormycosis has been declared a notifiable disease for its co-ordinated treatment as a growing number of people are contracting the infection post COVID-19, Health Secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey said. The state government also issued an SOP on Saturday for the judicious distribution of Amphotericin B, a drug used in treating black fungus patients. Amphotericin B should be provided to only government medical colleges, institutions and Covid-dedicated hospitals on payment after they formally requisition for its supply on the prescribed format giving details of the patients and nature of infection. Rashmi Pant and Kailash Gunjyal have been appointed as the nodal officers for scrutinising the requisitions for Kumaon and Garhwal regions respectively, the SOP said. The current SOP supersedes an earlier order issued on May 18 for the judicious use of the drug, it said. --PTI
A British Airways cargo flight carrying 18 tonnes of medical aid mainly comprising oxygen concentrators landed at the Delhi airport on Saturday morning, a statement said. The cargo flight from London landed in Delhi at 5.45 am on Saturday. "The total weight of the medical aid was 18 tonnes, made up of five thousand pieces. Among the medical equipment were hundreds of oxygen concentrators from charities, including Oxfam, Khalsa Aid, Christian Aid and LPSUK," the British Airways said. This is the airline's second relief flight to India in the last two weeks, it mentioned. --PTI
Though there is overall decline in case burden but COVID-19 positivity rate is still over 10 pc in 382 districts, the health ministry said. "Covishield wastage reduced from 8 pc on March 1 to 1 pc now, while Covaxin wastage decreased from 17 pc to 4 pc in same period," the minitry said.
COVID-19 positivity rate has declined from 24.83 pc on May 10 to 12.45 pc on May 22, Health Ministry. "Eight states have more than 1 lakh active COVID-19 cases while 18 states have over 15 pc positivity rate," it said
Pointers from Health Ministry presser
Overall new cases are declining since past 15 days, says Health Ministry
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain asks people to be watchful and not resort to self-medication, particularly steroids, says 15 hospitals in city are treating mucormycosis patients.
"Amphotericin B was available in the country in limited supply. Its availability & supply is now being increased. Ministry of Pharma is coordinating with Ministry of Health for providing license to 5 additional manufacturers," said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secy, Union Health Ministry
Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced a week-long complete lockdown without any relaxations. All shops will function till 9 pm today and from 6 am to 9 pm tomorrow for public to keep stock up necessary items. Public, private busses will allowed to ply today and tomorrow to other districts.
he Madhya Pradesh government has declared black fungus or mucormycosis a notified disease in the state. The state Public Health and Family Welfare Department on Friday issued an order, in which it notified black fungus under the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Madhya Pradesh Public Health Act.
A notifiable disease is required by law to be reported to the government authorities. The collection of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. The order came after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a meeting on Friday evening, an official statement said.
Covid-19 vaccination for adults between the ages of 18 to 44 has halted in Delhi from Saturday due to no more doses available in Delhi’s stock, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced. Due to this, vaccination centres have been closed and only a few available doses will be administered at some centres today.
The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that over 2.67 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be supplied across the country in the next 3 days. In its health briefing today, the ministry also said that over 1.60 crore doses are still available with states and union territories.