PM Narendra Modi on second wave of Covid-19: Need to do our best to avert lockdown
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address to the nation on Tuesday night, said the second wave of Covid-19 has swept the country like a "toofan" (storm), and called on citizens not to lose heart in this adversity. He requested states to use lockdown as a last resort, and focus only on micro-containment zones.
PM Modi's address was delivered as more states announced restrictions to contain the spread of the disease. On Tuesday, Telangana imposed night curfew till May 1 while Karnataka announced a weekend curfew and lockdown at night. A lockdown ordered by the Allahabad High Court in five cities of Uttar Pradesh was, meanwhile, put on hold by the Supreme Court.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the situation today was different from the first time around — there are vaccines, more medical insight into the virus and better infrastructure. He said that along with saving lives, the government’s effort is to save economic activity and ensure that there is only a minimum impact on the livelihood of people.
“Aaj ki sthiti mein hamein desh ko lockdown se bachana hai. Main raajyon se bhi anurodh karunga ki vah lockdown ko antim vikalp ke roop mein hi istemaal karen. Lockdown se bachane ki bharpur koshish karni hai. Micro-containment zone par hi dhyan kendrit karna hai,” he said. (“In today’s circumstances, we have to save the country from a lockdown. I would also request the states to use lockdown only as the last resort. We have to do our best to avoid a lockdown. We have to focus on only micro-containment zones only”.)
Work on war footing to provide oxygen, beds: Rajnath Singh to DPSUs, DRDO
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked the armed forces and other defence ministry officials to work closely in assisting the state governments in the fight against the pandemic and gave emergency powers of procurement to meet critical needs. He urged defence public sector undertakings, DRDO and Ordnance Factory Board to work on a war footing to provide oxygen cylinders and extra beds to state governments at the earliest.
State governments are free to procure anti-coronavirus vaccine doses from vaccine manufacturers as per the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.
The ministry said this while refuting some some media reports that suggested the Serum Institute of India (SII) has contracted all its production till May 25, 2021 to the Centre, and therefore, till that date the state governments will not be able to procure vaccine from SII.
"These media reports are based on incorrect facts and are without any basis," the ministry said.
In order to expand and liberalise the countrywide vaccination drive, the Union Government on April 19 announced the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy which would come into effect from May 1. (PTI)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Centre and AAP government to look into the requirement of COVID beds in the national capital and work towards enhancing the same in hospitals run by them. The high court also asked the Delhi government to explore the possibility of getting public sector undertakings (PSUs) to set up makeshift beds as was being done by some other states to enhance the availability of beds for citizens of the national capital.
A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said the number of beds have to be increased in proportion to the increase in COVID-19 cases from what it was last year at its peak.
It also asked the Delhi government to consider roping in smaller hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 patients who do not require tertiary level of care. The court asked both the Centre and Delhi government to file status reports on steps taken by them to enhance the number of beds for COVID-19 patients in the national capital and listed the matter for hearing on April 26. (PTI)
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The Karnataka government on Thursday decided to purchase 1 crore doses of Covishield vaccine at a cost of Rs 400 crore.
"The Chief Minister has approved the purchase of 1 crore doses of Covishield vaccine at a cost of Rs 400 crores, in the first phase. This will be used for vaccination of persons between 18 to 44 years," his office said in a statement.
Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is the manufacturer of Covishield vaccine. (PTI)
A COVID care centre equipped with 500 oxygen beds will be restarted in Delhi amid a surge in coronavirus cases, and border guarding force ITBP has been again entrusted to run it, officials said on Thursday.
An order issued by the Union Home Ministry said the Delhi government has "sought assistance to re-operationalise" the Sardar Patel COVID care centre (SPCCC) with 500 oxygen beds, that was first created last year at the Radha Soami Beas campus located in south Delhi's Chhattarpur area.
"Keeping in view the above request, it has been decided to provide adequate number of medical officers and para-medical staff to man 500 oxygenated beds at SPCCC."
"ITBP is designated as a nodal force for operation of the SPCCC...ITBP may draw the required medical manpower (doctors and paramedics), if needed, from other central armed police forces (CAPFs) also," the order said. (PTI)
Israel issued a travel advisory on Thursday warning Israelis, including those who have recovered from or been vaccinated against COVID-19, to refrain from travelling to India, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Turkey because of high COVID morbidity rates in the seven countries.
The statement from the Israeli health ministry also noted the presence of alarming COVID variants in the seven countries, and recommended that the public avoid all travel outside of Israel if possible, the Haaretz newspaper reported.
The Health Ministry's Director-General Chezy Levy said that unvaccinated foreign workers and students from India must quarantine in state-run quarantine hotels, it said.
Meanwhile, Israel said last week it will start allowing the limited entry of vaccinated tourist groups as of May 23. The return of foreigner tourists after Israel had closed its borders at the outset of the pandemic in March 2020 would boost the country's economy, which contracted 2.5 per cent in 2020, and battered tourism sector. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a series of meetings on Friday, including one with chief ministers of states with high burden of COVID-19 cases.
Official sources said he will review the COVID-19-related situation in an internal meeting at 9 am followed by the meeting with chief ministers an hour later via video conference. At 12:30 pm, he will hold a meeting with leading oxygen manufacturers in the country, they added.
The prime minister had earlier called off his visit to West Bengal for poll campaign on Friday due to the meetings here to review the COVID-19 situation. He will instead address the West Bengal voters virtually.
With the COVID cases rising at a rapid pace in the country, Modi has been chairing regular meetings to review the situation. He had also addressed the nation on Tuesday. (PTI)
In a first since the pandemic started last year, Punjab’s daily case count crossed 5,000-mark as the state reported 5,456 Covid cases in 24 hours.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday informed that his government will be placing an order initially for 5 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines directly from the manufacturer.
Altogether 15 lakh plus doses, he said, will be procured at a cost of over Rs 60 crores and the vaccines will be administered free of cost to people between the age group of 18-45.
The Kerala government has initiated steps to directly purchase Covid-19 vaccines from manufacturers. A high-level committee headed by the chief secretary has been constituted for talks with the manufacturers, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday.
After the daily review of the Covid-19 situation in the state, the Chief Minister told the media that Kerala is not waiting for a final decision of the Union Government regarding the distribution of the vaccine (free of cost). Read More
Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have granted conditional exemption to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting feasibility study of Covid-19 vaccine delivery using drones in collaboration with IIT Kanpur.
The permission exemption is valid for a period of one year or until further orders.
Kerala on Thursday reported the highest-ever single-day figure with 26,995 new Covid-19 cases. With 1.56 lakh active cases, the test positivity rate stands at 19.97 per cent.
Kerala on Thursday reported the highest-ever single-day figure of 26,995 new Covid-19 cases. With 1.56 lakh active cases, the test positivity rate stands at 19.97 per cent.
Punjab government on Thursday announced that it will provide Covid-19 vaccine free of cost to all, including those between the age of 18 and 45, at government hospitals across the state.
The UAE has banned travel from India for 10 days from Sunday due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country, according to media reports here on Thursday. The travel ban will come into effect from 11.59 pm on Saturday, April 24, and is subject to review after 10 days, the Gulf News reported.
Passengers who have transited through India in the last 14 days are also not permitted to board from any other point to the UAE, the report said. However, departure flights will continue to operate, it added. UAE citizens, diplomatic passport holders and official delegations are exempted from the above conditions, it said.
According to Khaleej Times, people are barred from booking flights from the UAE to Indian destinations after April 24 on the Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia websites. (PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday announced that her government will give Covid vaccines free of cost to every person of the state.
Speaking at a rally in Tapan, South Dinajpur, she said from May 5, all eligible people in Bengal can avail the vaccines free of cost. Read More
Tomorrow at 9 am, PM Modi will review the Covid-19 related situation in an internal meeting.
At 10 am, he will interact with CMs of high burden states on the Covid-19 situation.
At 12.30 pm, he will hold a meeting with leading oxygen manufacturers in the country via video conference.
Sri Balaji Action Medical institute tells court it is running out of oxygen. Delhi government tells court that nodal officer Udit Raj should he contacted. Court directs nodal officer to address concerns of the hospital. Saroj Hospital tells court that it would try and assist the hospital by providing oxygen cylinders.
"We hope and expect that central government shall look into requirement of COVID-19 beds and work to enhance the beds in central government hospitals," Delhi High Court says.
"We would like to how many more beds are being added," Court tells Centre, adding that the HC will keep the pressure on on central government.
Delhi contests the number given by Centre, says the number includes isolation beds and not all are hospital beds. "2,900 is the figure of hospital beds. We need at least 7K beds," Delhi government tells court. "Hospital beds today are only meant for Covid-19. You're keeping 80 percent beds for other purposes when people are scared even to come out of their homes. Who wants to go to hospitals?" says Delhi government.
In the hearing at Delhi HC, Justice Vipin Sanghi says, "It's a four-fold increase (in cases). People are not getting beds. Forget about the ordinary man, if I were to ask for bed even I would not get it." Centre informs the court that it has it has dedicated 4,499 beds for COVID-19 patients in the hospitals run by it in Delhi.
East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir states that anyone from the consituency can collect Fabiflu free of cost from MP office.
PM cancels campaigning in Bengal tomorrow citing Covid review meet
Advocate Shyel Trehan informs court about this scarcity of oxygen at Fortis Hospital, Haryana. "This is what exactly we wanted to highlight. These are competing interests. We will have to take holistic national picture," says Tushar Mehta. "Officials are always in contact," says Mehta.
'Your Officer from MHA is here. We expect him to look into this, kindly,' says Delhi HC.
Fortis Hospital, Haryana, says it has only 45 minutes of oxygen left and calls out for help from Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, Piyush Goyal, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar.
Railways would be willing to transport liquid oxygen from different parts within country. however, the concerned state would have to provide us tankers, Indian Railways tells court. The Delhi HC then says it shall be open to Delhi to take steps to arrange tankers if they are not available with the producer LINDE
A record single-day spike of 34,379 COVID-19 cases and 195 fatalities pushed Uttar Pradesh's infection tally to 9,76,765 and the death toll due to the disease to 10,541, the state government said on Thursday. As many as 16,514 patients recovered from the disease in the state in a span of 24 hours, taking the total count of recoveries to 7,06,414, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said here. On Wednesday, the state registered 33,214 cases of the viral disease and 187 deaths. --PTI
Representatives from the medical community also spoke about the need for judicious use of oxygen and how an audit in some states has decreased oxygen demand without affecting the condition of patients.
PM also stressed that the states should come down heavily on hoarding.
The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to PM, Home Secretary, Health Secretary & Officials from Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Minstry of Road Transport, Pharmaceuticals, NiTi Aayog.
Various measures are being undertaken to rapidly increase the availability of cyrogenic tankers through conversion of nitrogen and argon tankers, import and airlifting of tankers as well as manufacturing them.
PM stressed on the need to ensure faster transportation of oxygen to the states. It was discussed that Railways is being used for rapid and non-stop long distance transport of tankers. First rake has reached from Mumbai to Vizag to transport 105 MT of LMO. Similarly, empty oxygen tankers are also being air-lifted to Oxygen suppliers to reduce one way journey time in oxygen supply.
It was noted that in the last few days, availability of Liquid Medical Oxygen has been increased by about 3,300 MT/ day with contributions from private and public steel plants, industries, oxygen manufacturers as well as through prohibition of supply of oxygen for non-essential industries.
Officers informed the PM that they are working together with the states to operationalize the sanctioned PSA oxygen plants as soon as possible.
PM directed the officials to ensure that oxygen supply to various states happen in a smooth, unhindered manner. He spoke about the need to fix responsibility with the local administration in cases of obstruction. He also asked ministries to explore various innovative ways to increase production & supply of oxygen.
PM Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the oxygen supply across the country and discuss ways and means to boost its availability. The officials briefed him on the efforts undertaken in the last few weeks to improve the supply of oxygen. PM spoke about the need to work rapidly on multiple aspects: increasing production of oxygen, increasing the speed of distribution & using innovative ways to provide oxygen support to health facilities.
PM was informed that an elaborate exercise is being done in co-ordination with the states to identify their demand for oxygen and ensure adequate supply accordingly. PM was briefed on how oxygen supply to states is steadily increasing. Against the present demand from 20 states of 6,785 MT/ day of Liquid Medical Oxygen, Government of India has from 21st April, allocated 6,822 MT/ day to these states.
Delhi HC observed that the number of RT-PCR tests has been falling in Delhi since April 19. "This is despite fact that cases are rising. It is settled that aggressive testing is an important tool," it remarked
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said the state is being allocated 26,000 Remdesivir injections per day by the Centre as against the requirement of 50,000 vials of the anti-COVID-19 drug.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Tope said he will write to the Centre to increase the allocation of Remdesivir to Maharashtra, the worst COVID-19-hit state in the country.
“The state government’s daily requirement is 50,000 Remdesivir injections, but the Centre’s allocation is 26,000 injections per day. This is for the next 10 days, which is very serious as timely use of the injections to treat co-morbid and serious COVID-19 patients can save lives,” he said. Read more
As it stands, we all know this country is being run by God, says Delhi HC
Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds high-level meeting on oxygen supply and availability across India.
"If the government wants, they can make heaven and earth meet," Delhi High Court says as it asks Centre to asks Centre to implement its order strictly.
Court also told SG Tushar Mehta to not wait for th order but to ask Khattar to allow oxygen to be transported across border. "Mr Mehta, you don't have to wait for this order. Your one word to Mr Khattar will do the job." said the court.
"We direct Centre to ensure strict compliance of the allocation order dated 21 April and its own order under Disaster Management Act. We also direct all concerned authorities to ensure its strict compliance. Non-compliance of orders would he viewed seriously since non-compliance is likely to result in grave loss of lives and we put everyone to notice that non-compliance to invite criminal action. We direct central government to ensure all supplies are made as per allocation order. Direct Central government to ensure that adequate security is provided to vehicles transporting oxygen," the HC said in the order, while directing that a special corridor be created for transportation of oxygen.
The court directed that the allocation order with today's order of MHA should be immediately implemented by all states and non-compliance will be strictly viewed by the court itself. "If you have corridor, it will be faster," it said while noting that the Centre had passed allocation order but "did not seem to implement it seriously".
As Delhi Higfh Court resumes hearing Delhi's oxygen supply, Joint Secretary Piyush Goyal from MHA tells the court that there is smooth movement of oxygen now. But Advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing on behalf of Delhi, argues, "Today we have not lifted even one MT."
The management of Saroj Super Speciality Hospital, Rohini on Thursday approached the Delhi High Court seeking urgent directions to facilitate oxygen supply to it. The hospital has 180 bed capacity with the attached facility of Seven Seas Hotel.
The hospital currently has 130 patients, of which 70 are critical and in intensive care and 48 patients are on invasive and non-invasive ventilator support and need high flow oxygen. The waiting list has at least 172 patients with 64 of them critical with high oxygen support requirements, according to the petition. The hospital also requires a daily supply of Liquid Medical Oxygen of 3000 Cu/M.
“As on 10.00 am in the morning of 22.04.2021, Saroj Super Specialty hospital had only an LMO/Liquid medical oxygen supply of 60 minutes left, after which it has taken the desperate, back-up measure of using oxygen cylinders support which will last another few hours at the most and is likely to run out in the afternoon. Today morning, i.e. 22.04.2021, as of 8:30 am, INOX, pleaded helplessness to supply oxygen when the last supply was at its brink,” Ganesh Das Chawla Charitable Trust, which runs the hospital, said in the petition. Read Sofi Ahsan's report
No restriction shall be imposed on the movement of Medical Oxygen between the states and transport authorities shall be instructed to accordingly allow free inter-state movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles, says MHA
SG Mehta tells Delhi High Court that officials have been told there will be action against them if they block oxygen supplies.
"We are telling you that your allocation is not being respected by states, local administration is causing obstructions. Central government has to immediately resolve this," Delhi HC tells Centre
--Sofi Ahsan reports
"Delhi Chief Secretary today morning has shared satisfaction with allocation. We have given priority to Delhi," Sumita Dawra, Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, tells court.
Delhi shares with court a tweet which says the Haryana government is not letting oxygen out of the state. SG Mehta opposes sharing of tweet. The tweet is as follows:
"You should ensure supplies are released to Delhi from plants which are nearby," the court tells Centre, as Delhi government informs it that administration in Haryana is creating hurdles in transport of medical oxygen to Delhi.
Delhi seeks airlifting of oxygen to cater to the demand in the national capital. Court says it's dangerous and it has to be either by rail or by road.
Delhi High Court begins hearing an urgent petition filed by Max Hospital highlighting acute oxygen deficiency in the national capital. Delhi government tells court it's practically impossible to bring oxygen quickly to Delhi from distant places. "Since morning we have been getting SOS calls from hospitals; at some places, we are not in hours but minutes," the government told the court. (Sofi Ahsan reports)
Read highlights from yesterday's hearing
The Delhi government is looking to transport oxygen from Odisha to Delhi by air to cut travel time, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday. Hospitals in the city, treating hundreds of Covid patients, have only a few hours’ worth of oxygen in storage.
In the afternoon, Kejriwal tweeted that he had spoken to the Haryana Chief Minister as well. "I spoke to Hon’ble CM of Haryana Sh Manohar Lal Khattar ji. Sought his support in facilitating transport of oxygen trucks from Haryana to Delhi. He has assured full support."
Kerala stopped spot registration for Covid-19 vaccination amidst dwindling stock of vaccines in the state, where a large number of people continued to jostle at vaccination centres to get the vaccine shots.
The surge in daily Covid-19 cases has suddenly triggered a higher demand for vaccination in Kerala, where until a week back people had been by and large reluctant to get the shots administered. Although spot registration for the vaccines was stopped, hundreds queued up in major hospitals looking for their turn to get the shots.
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat are among 10 states that account for over 75 per cent of the 3,14,835 new COVID-19 cases registered in a day, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. The other states in the list of 10 are Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan.
Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 67,468. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 33,106 while Delhi reported 24,638 new cases.
The Supreme Court Thursday asked to see a "national plan" on oxygen supply, essential drugs, and method of vaccination and issued notice to the Centre amid the ongoing second wave of the pandemic in the country.
The apex court has stepped into the case at a time six High Courts across the country are hearing related petitions involving the crisis of oxygen, beds, and the anti-viral drug Remdesivir in hospitals. It also appointed senior advocate Harish Salve as amicus curiae to assist it in suo motu case on COVID-19 management.
Mamata Banerjee slams Centre over Covid-19 vaccine price disparity. "One nation, one party, one leader shouts BJP all the time but to save lives they can’t have one price for vaccine," she tweeted.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today reiterated that the national capital is facing an oxygen crisis. "Centre fixes Oxygen quota for all states. As per the Delhi govt's estimate, the UT needs 700 tons/day, Centre had fixed it to 378 tons earlier & increased it to 480 tons yesterday. We need more but we're thankful to them for this. The Centre also allots companies that will supply oxygen to a particular state. Delhi doesn't produce Oxygen, supply here is done by other states...Some of the Govts, in whose states these companies are, had stopped the supply that was to come to Delhi from these companies. Govts said that they'll use Oxygen in their states first, use Delhi's quota too & that they'll not let trucks come to Delhi. But I would like to thank Centre & Delhi High Court that they helped us a lot in last 2-3 days. Due to this, Oxygen has started reaching Delhi."
Amid the battle against Covid-19, healthcare experts are encouraging the use of two face masks, a practice popularly called “double masking”. This, they say, could create a stronger barrier against the deadly disease. Double masking, with cloth and surgical masks, can prevent leakage of air and fit the contours of the face better, studies by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found. So, how do you double mask? Here’s are the dos and don’ts.
Around 300 air passengers who landed at Assam’s Silchar airport on Wednesday skipped the mandatory Covid-19 testing and fled from the testing centre, authorities said.
As per the Assam government’s revised rules on account of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, all incoming passengers are meant to undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and RT-PCR tests on arrival. Since Silchar airport is small in size, testing is conducted at the Tikol model hospital located nearby. Another officer, who did not wish to be named, said that the passengers “did not want to get tested so they did not cooperate.” He added: “They literally ran away from the centre.” Read more
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is under home isolation after testing positive for coronavirus, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his address to the nation on Tuesday, calling it a "hollow speech". "I am quarantined at home and I continue to see tragic stories being reported from across the country. India has not just been hit by the coronavirus crisis but has been battered by the anti-people policies of the government. The country doesn't need hollow speeches and useless festivals.... India is in dire need of a solution," the Congress leader wrote in a tweet in Hindi.
Having taken credit for “victory” over the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, both the BJP and the Centre are scrambling to respond politically to the fierce second wave that’s hit the country like a “toofan,” as Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it Tuesday. For the party, too, it has hit home. Over the last few days, many BJP leaders — including MPs and party office-bearers in several states — told The Indian Express they have been inundated with calls for help from families, friends and their constituencies but they can do little. Ravish Tiwari report