At 90K a day, skyrocketing Covid-19 cases in India could eclipse US

Six months after the start of the pandemic-as the developed world tries to restore some semblance of normalcy-the virus is arriving with a vengeance in India’s vast hinterland

Current Affairs: The novel coronavirus seemed like a distant problem in Boisar, a small factory town about two hours from Mumbai, until Daniel Tribhuvan died. The 35-year-old tutor started feeling feverish in April, while bringing his father home from a chemotherapy appointment in the Indian financial capital. When a test confirmed Tribhuvan was infected, the local health system’s reaction was shambolic. After he checked into a public hospital, the first thing they did was try to pawn him off to a private facility in Mumbai.

The ambulance turned around halfway when they discovered he couldn’t pay. Back at the public hospital, a doctor didn’t see him for three days, and when an elderly man occupying a bed nearby died, his body wasn’t collected for 12 hours. After a week, Tribhuvan’s blood-oxygen levels were dangerously low. He died on May 17, becoming Boisar’s first confirmed fatality from Covid-19.

“I think he would have survived if the system was good,” Samuel Tribhuvan, Daniel’s older brother, said in a recent interview at Boisar’s local administrative office, inside a rundown building that also houses a liquor store and a portrait studio. “This is the worst place where we could get the coronavirus.”..

Covid-19 Factoid: India doubled case count in 29 days, fastest in the world

Total number of cases cross the 1 million mark in Russia while Jharkhand sees a fresh surge in new cases

The global confirmed case count is now at 25.7 million, with 6.8 active cases. More than 856,000 people have lost their lives in the pandemic globally. Roughly 5 per cent of all closed cases in the world have ended up as a fatality. In India, there are now over 3.7 million cases, with 785,996 cases, or roughly 21.2 per cent of the total count. Recovery rate is now at 76.9 per cent. At more than 65,000 deaths, the country’s death rate is now at 1.7 per cent, a marginal decline from 1.8 last week. India’s daily new cases are the biggest contributor to the global tally of confirmed cases.

Here are some data points on the outbreak:

1. India is the worst-performing country in the world

India took just 29 days to double its confirmed cases tally, becoming the fastest country to attain this unfortunate feat in the world. It is followed by Colombia and South Africa. Among the top 10 countries that took the shortest time to double its case count, four -Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Chile- are located in South America.

2. Russia is the latest country to cross 1 million cases

Russia is now the fourth country in the world to report over 1 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. However, it took a significantly higher amount of time to reach this milestone, trailing behind India by 46 days. The US was the fastest country to witness its case count rise to 1 million, at just 98 days…Read More

Unlock 4 guidelines: Schools, colleges in UP to remain closed till Sep 30

All schools, colleges and educational institutes in Uttar Pradesh will remain closed till September 30, the state government said on Sunday

All schools, colleges and educational institutes in Uttar Pradesh will remain closed till September 30, the state government said on Sunday, a day after the Union home ministry issued the Unlock 4 guidelines. Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said online and distant learning will be encouraged. Metro trains will be allowed to resume from September 7 in a phased manner, an official order said. For this, the standard operating procedure will be issued separately. Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatre, auditorium and similar places will remain closed. However, open-air theatres will be allowed to open from September 21.

The coronavirus induced country-wide lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from March 25 and it was extended in phases till May 31. The Unlock process of the country had begun on June 1 with the graded reopening of commercial, social, religious and other activities. Unlock 4 will come into effect from September 1 and will continue till September 30.

The lockdown in containment zones in the state will remain in place till September 30, the order said, adding that the district magistrate cannot impose lockdown at the local level. There will be no restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement, it said. From September 21 onwards, 50 per cent of the teaching and non-teaching staff can be called for online education work. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will issue the standard operating procedure for this…

Centre provides over 3 cr masks, 1.28 cr PPEs, 10 cr HCQs to states, UTs

Along with augmenting the Covid-19 facilities, the Centre is also providing medical supplies to the states and Union territories for free

The government has distributed more than 3.04 crore N95 masks and over 1.28 crore personal protection equipment (PPE) kits among the states, Union territories and central institutions for free since March 11, the health ministry said on Thursday. Also, more than 10.83 crore hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) tablets have been distributed among them, it added.

In addition, 22,533 “Make in India” ventilators have been delivered to various states, Union territories and central institutions, the ministry said, adding that the Centre is also ensuring the installation and commissioning of the machines. The central role of the government has been in strengthening the health infrastructure of the states and Union territories to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and ensure its effective management, the ministry underlined.

ALSO READ: LIVE updates: PM Modi unveils ‘fundamental reforms’ for taxpayers

Along with augmenting the Covid-19 facilities, the Centre is also providing medical supplies to the states and Union territories for free. “Most of the products supplied by the Government of India were not being manufactured in the country in the beginning. The rising global demand due to the pandemic resulted in their scarce availability in the foreign markets,” the ministry said…Read More

Customs department asked to dispose of hazardous goods after Beirut blasts

Revenue department sends letter after report last week 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was lying in storage near Chennai.

The Customs department must ensure “hazardous, explosive” goods lying in stores are disposed of safely, the revenue department has said after a devastating explosion on Friday killed more than a 100 people in Lebanon’s capital Beirut.

The department started a safety campaign Tuesday to dispose of “un-claimed/un-cleared/seized/confiscated goods” by August l. It was launched after reports last week that 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate—the explosive material in the Beirut blasts–were stored in a Container Freight Station (CFS) near Chennai. Customs seized the material in 2015 after the company importing it failed to show a licence. A letter signed by Kevin Boban, Officer on Special Duty (Customs) at the Central Board of Indirect Taxes, was sent to all the Principal Chief Commissioner of Customs/ Custom (Preventive, Cental Tax and Customs on Monday.

“Expeditious disposal of goods that are of hazardous or explosive nature is especially necessary to prevent any damage to life and property that may arise. Needless to state, till the un-claimed/un-cleared/seized/confiscated goods are disposed as per law, they need to be kept securely and safely in accordance with all extant instructions,” said the letter. The revenue department asked the Commissioner of Customs to work with the Pollution Control Board or fire safety departments to ensure safe storage and handling of hazardous and explosive materials in a Customs area.

Covid-19 has claimed lives of 45 Maharashtra cops so far: State govt

“3,820 police personnel have tested positive for Covid-19. Of these 2,754 have recovered and 45 have tragically succumbed,” Anil Deshmukh’s tweeted

Forty-Five police personnel have lost their lives due to Covid-19 in Maharashtra till Thursday out of the 3,820 who tested positive for the infection so far. This information was shared by Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh through his official Twitter handle.

“3,820 police personnel have tested positive for Covid-19. Of these 2,754 have recovered and 45 have tragically succumbed,” Deshmukh’s tweet read. In a series of tweets, Deshmukh informed that “There’s been a steady rise in the number of Covid-19 calls on the police helpline 100. As many as 1,03,707 such calls have been received. 268 instances of assaults on policemen have seen 851 arrests.”

Over six lakh people have been quarantined so far in the state and the Maharashtra government is running 122 relief camps, where 4,138 workers from other states, have been provided refuge and other necessities, according to the Home Minister. As per the Public Health Department, Maharashtra has 1,16,752 confirmed COVID-19 cases. This includes 59,166 cured and discharged patients, while the death toll due to the infection stands at 5,651 as of today…

Covid-19 Factoid: India’s recovery rate now better than world average

Among the worst-affected countries, Germany has the best recovery rate for coronavirus

The global count of coronavirus cases is now at 8,299,389, with 446,929 deaths. More than 4 million people have now recovered from the virus. The US continues to have the highest death toll in the world, followed by Brazil and Russia. In India, there are now 155,227 active cases, while 186,934 patients have now been cured. The death toll stands at 11,903 at present, with more than 2,000 in just one day because of reclassification of deaths. India now has the eighth highest number of deaths in the world.

Here are some data points on the coronavirus pandemic:

#1. Germany has the best recovery rate among worst-affected nations

Among the worst-affected countries, Germany has the best recovery rate, with over 90 per cent of its cases having recovered. It is followed by Iran and Italy, which had been some of the earliest epicentres when the outbreak began. India’s recovery rate has managed to be above the world average of 52.4 per cent by a sliver. In the US, which has the highest number of cases globally, the recovery rate is around 40 per cent.

2. India witnesses substantial rise in its death rate

India’s death rate has jumped significantly this month. It jumped 2.9 per cent to 3.4 per cent on June 17 because of reclassification of deaths that caused that 2,000 plus jump in fatalities in a single day. Until June 11, death rate had been static at 2.8 per cent, before increasing incrementally…

Covid-19 Factoid: Over two-thirds of India’s death toll in just 3 states

Chhattisgarh, which hadn’t seen any major growth in cases so far, is now seeing a sudden spike. It recorded its highest-ever single-day rise of 104 cases on June 4

The global count of confirmed coronavirus cases is now at 6.6 million, deaths at 388,573, and recoveries over 3 million. Brazil and Russia now have half as many confirmed cases as in the United States. In a positive trend, June 3 saw daily new recoveries surpassing daily new cases by a wide margin, in a first in this pandemic.

At over 200,000, India has the seventh-highest number of confirmed cases of coronavirus. When it comes to active cases, the country has the fourth-highest count globally. So far, 104,106 patients have been cured of the infection, and 6,075 have succumbed to the infection. India saw more than 9,000 new cases in a single day on June 4.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India cases jump to 226,713; global tally nears 6.7 mn

Here are some graphs on the spread of the pandemic:

#1. India took just four days to add the last 1,000 to its death toll

The number of deaths in India is increasing at a much faster pace. While it had taken 49 days to register its first 1,000 deaths, the metric has progressively decreased. In fact, the latest 1,000 fatalities were registered in just four days. Out of the 6,000-odd deaths in the country so far, more than two-thirds have been reported from just three states – Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi…Read More

WHO reports biggest single-day jump in Covid cases; over 100,000 infected

 The global tally of cases is nearing five million, with more than 324,000 deaths, according to figures collected by Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Centre

Coronavirus has infected 106,000 people in the last 24 hours, the largest number of cases since its outbreak, the WHO said on Wednesday. Revealing the alarming numbers at his daily briefing, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that two-thirds of those cases came from just four countries, the BBC reported. The global tally of cases is nearing five million, with more than 324,000 deaths, according to figures collected by Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Centre. The US currently has the most cases, with 1.5 million, followed by Russia, Brazil and the UK.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: More than 2 million have recovered from virus globally

Meanwhile, a senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against using hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, the drugs for malaria and other diseases, in the treatment of Covid-19, saying these drugs should be reserved for use “within clinical trials”.

“Warnings have been issued by many authorities regarding the potential side effects of the drug and many countries have limited its use to that of clinical trials or during clinical trials or under the supervision of clinicians in a hospital setting that’s specifically for Covid-19, because of a number of potential side effects that have occurred and could occur,” Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said.

Centre reverses stance, allows domestic flights to resume on May 25

Aviation minister’s tweet caught airlines and airports off guard as they were preparing for a resumption from June 1

Reversing its recent stance, the government on Wednesday announced that domestic airline operations would resume on May 25, more than two months after all flights were halted. Earlier this week, the Union home ministry, while announcing the extension of lockdown, had prohibited air transport till May 31.

“Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday, May 25. All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from May 25,” Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced in a Twitter message, adding that the final SOP (standard operating procedure) on resumption was being framed by his ministry. Passengers will have to web check-in and will not be allowed to carry luggage inside the aircraft cabin except for a laptop or a purse. Also, airlines will have to provide a mask, face shield and sanitizers to passengers at the time of boarding, it is learnt.

ALSO READ: Ola follows Uber, lays off 1,400 staff as Covid-19 hits ride-hailing biz

Although discussed earlier, the new norms don’t talk about keeping the middle seat vacant to ensure social distancing. India grounded domestic air transport starting March 24, a day before the lockdown came into effect, to curb the spread of the coronavirus. International flights, which were stopped on March 22, remain shut. Puri’s tweet caught airlines and airports off guard as they were preparing to resume operations from June 1. But, later in the evening civil aviation secretary held a meeting with chief executive officers of airlines to discuss service resumption plans.

Lockdown 4.0: Do new govt rules pave the way for decision on IPL 2020?

I do not know why many literate people are thinking we are immune to the virus. This approach is depressing, says Dr Chatterjee

As India's cumulative figure for confirmed Covid-19 cases reached 96,169 on Monday with states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi witnessing a constant surge, medical experts have asserted that there is no point saying India has developed "herd immunity".

Dr Prasun Chatterjee, Associate Professor, Department of Geriatric Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) told ANI: "This pandemic cannot be overcome by thinking that tomorrow we will have herd immunity. Herd immunity has failed in the UK. There is no point in saying that India has developed herd immunity. We have tried to contain the virus through the lockdown."

"Mostly, we try to develop herd immunity through children because their immunity is very fresh. I do not know why many literate people are thinking we are immune to the virus. This approach is depressing," added Dr Chatterjee.He further said: "Herd immunity has a multiplier effect. If we develop it, we can protect many people but it is not so simple in the case of Covid-19. However, most importantly herd immunity can work only when there is some vaccination also."

While talking about immunity Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director, LNJP Hospital said, "When more people are exposed to any particular virus, some manifest it clinically whereas others sub-clinically and thus community starts building immunity at large."

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Plasma therapy worked on my body in 3 days, says recovered Covid-19 patient

I had received plasma from a doctor named Dr Izhar Munshi who had recovered from coronavirus, said the patient

As plasma therapy is still in experimental stage and several states continue the trial of it for Covid-19, a doctor who donated his plasma after recovering from coronavirus and a plasma recipient who has recovered now have shared their experiences. Kapil Dev Bhalla, a plasma therapy recipient, said, “I was admitted in Aurobindo Hospital wherein during my treatment for coronavirus the congestion in my chest was not getting cured despite several efforts. On April 26, I was told by Dr Ravi Dhosi that they are planning to administer plasma therapy on me. I gave them a thumbs up and within three days it worked on my body. I had received plasma from a doctor named Dr Izhar Munshi who had recovered from coronavirus.”

ALSO READ: First Covid-19 patient to receive plasma therapy in UP dies of heart attack

He further said, “The congestion which earlier was getting cured in the extremely slow process got cleared within three days of getting plasma. I was taken off oxygen and then got discharged on May 6.”

“I have already told the doctors at Aurobindo Hospital that I am ready to donate plasma whenever they want,” he added. Dr Iqbal Qureshi, a plasma donor, told ANI: “I was admitted in Aurobindo after I was tested Covid-19 positive. After I was discharged and completed 14 days of home quarantine, I received a call from Aurobindo Medical College, Indore asking me to donate plasma therapy. I immediately agreed.” “From my body, about 400 ml plasma was taken and it benefitted two patients. Hence, I urge people who have recovered from coronavirus to donate plasma,” he added.

Covid-19 Factoid: India is taking just 3 days to add 10,000 new cases

Among 10 most affected Indian states, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have been doubling their count of cases at the fastest face; the UK has taken 26 more days than the US to reach 200,000 cases

The global tally of coronavirus infections currently stands at 3.8 million, and 265,660 people have succumbed to the infection so far. A little over 1.3 million of all reported cases have now recovered. Daily new additions seem to have peaked but there still have not been definitive signs of a decline. The number of daily new deaths has seen a marginal decline when compared with mid-April. In India, now there are 53,045 confirmed cases of infection, and 1,787 fatalities. Roughly a quarter of all reported cases have now recovered. Rising cases in Maharashtra and Gujarat continue to be a cause for concern in the country.

Here are some data points on the current extent of the pandemic:

1. India took just three days to add 10,000 cases to its tally

In a worrying trend, India is now taking just three days to add 10,000 new cases to its tally. In contrast, the first 10,000 cases had come in 75 days. After the first 10,000, every block of 10,000 cases has come in under 10 days, despite two very stringent lockdowns being in force...

2. Punjab and Tamil Nadu quickest to double their total case count

Among India’s 10 most affected states, Punjab and Tamil Nadu are doubling their number of confirmed cases at the quickest pace at present – in just seven days. By comparison, Maharashtra, the state with most number of cases, is doubling its count in 11 days. The national average for doubling stands at 12 days…

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Covid-19: Stranded migrants can work during lockdown, but conditions apply

No interstate movement allowed; registration with local authorities must

The Union government on Sunday said that workers stranded in relief camps could go to work within the states they were in but didn’t give permission to let them go back to their home states or allow any interstate movement. The home ministry issued a “standard operating system for movement of stranded labour” to allow workers to resume work from April 20 when additional economic activities will begin in areas not
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designated as “containment zones”.

The government has said that migrant workers residing in relief camps in various states should be registered with the local authorities “and their skill-mapping be carried out to find out their suitability for various kinds of work”. “In the event…migrants wish to return to their place of work, within the state where they are presently located, they would be screened and those asymptomatic would be transported to their respective places of work,” the guidelines said.

However, many states in India have witnessed a surge in coronavirus disease cases that reported asymptomatic symptoms or in other words, without any symptoms associated with the disease. Also, the government did not elaborate on the procedure to screen such workers. For instance, in Maharashtra, 70-75 per cent of over 3,000 Covid-19 positive cases were asymptomatic. In Karnataka, this ratio stood at around 60 per cent. In Delhi, all 186 Covid-19 cases reported on Sunday were asymptomatic…

Covid-19 Factoid: France and Iran face similar fight, Germany stands out

Around 20 cases are being registered and at least two people are losing their lives almost every minute due to coronavirus across the globe.

The number of Covid-19 positive cases in India stands at 1,071, and globally the tally has crossed 735,000. The US registered more than 20,000 cases in a day, taking the tally to over 140,000. The US is followed by Italy, a tad below 100,000-cases mark. Spain has overtaken China to become the third most affected country from coronavirus, going by the number of cases registered.

On an average, around 20 cases are being registered and at least two people are losing their lives almost every minute due to coronavirus across the globe. There is a rapid dissemination of information flowing around the Covid-19 pandemic.

1. Challenging time ahead for France and Iran

Both France and Iran have more than 40,000 Covid-19 cases registered so far. While around 30,000 cases in France are still active, out of which more than 12 per cent of the cases are in critical condition, highest among all countries. Similarly, 8 per cent of the active cases in Iran are critically ill. Both these countries have this far witnessed a higher death rate and might witness more fatalities in coming days. On the other hand, the US, which has the most number of cases tested positive for Covid-19, has much lower share of critical cases, and it also has a low death rate. Italy, Spain and the UK have a death rate on the higher side but few cases are in critical condition as on date…Read Full Source