News Analysis India

Tag: Coronavirus in India

  • No plan to stop train services, numbers will be increased on demand: Railway board chairman on Covid surge

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The railways on Friday said there is no plan to curtail or stop train services and assured passengers that trains will be provided on demand amidst reports of migrant workers rushing to their hometowns, reminiscent of the days following the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

    Railway Board Chairman Suneet Sharma assured the passengers that there is no dearth of trains and the railways is ready to put them into service on a short notice.

    “There is no plan to curtail or stop train services. We will run as many services as required. There is no cause for alarm. We can run trains immediately on demand if there is any rush. This rush is normal during the summer season and we have already announced trains to clear the rush,” he said at a press briefing.

    ALSO READ | Uddhav government contests Centre’s claim over Maharashtra’s vaccine wastage; inoculation drive stopped in Pune and Mumbai

    With the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise, a sudden surge in passenger movement at railway stations was reported from across the country.

    Many travellers, speaking to the media, said the fear of an imminent lockdown was the reason behind their trips.

    “There is no shortage of trains for those who want to travel. I assure everyone that trains will be provided on demand,” Sharma said.

    The Railway Board chairman also ruled out the need for a COVID-negative certificate to travel by train.

    He said the railways has not received any communique yet from Maharashtra to stop or curtail the movement of trains in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases.

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  • Over 93.45 lakh people vaccinated against Covid-19 in Maharashtra so far

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra has vaccinated 93,45,052 beneficiaries against COVID-19 so far, the state health department said on Friday.

    The statewide data for vaccination, which started on January 16 in Maharashtra as part of a nationwide drive, is till April 8, the department said in a statement.

    The statement said that 10,41,053 healthcare workers, whose vaccination started in the first phase, have got their first dose, while 5,00,899 such professionals have received the second and final shot.

    As many as 9,22,947 frontline workers have got the first dose of the vaccine and 3,00,117the second dose, it said.

    A total of 64,77,277 citizens aged above 45 have got the first dose and 1,02,759 people in the same age group have been administered the second shot, the statement said.

    On April 8 alone, as many as 3,54,027 beneficiaries across priority groups were vaccinated, the department said.

    The vaccination drive is being conductedat 3,647 centres across the state, which has recorded the maximum number of coronavirus cases in the country.

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  • Now, Noida imposes night curfew till April 17 amid rise in Covid-19 cases

    By Online Desk
    The Noida district administration has announced a night curfew from 10.00 pm to 5.00 am from Thursday night till April 17 amid rise in Covid-19 cases.

    The night curfew comes days after Delhi took similar measures to curb the COVID-19 surge in the national capital. 

    Similary, the Ghaziabad district administration has also announced night curfew from 10.00 pm to 5.00 am from starting tonight.

    However, essential goods and essential medical services will be allowed uninterrupted movement. 

    #COVID19 Noida dist administration announces night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am from tonight @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard @khogensingh1
    — Namita_TNIE (@Namita_TNIE) April 8, 2021

    Ten states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Kerala and Punjab have shown a steep rise in the daily COVID-19 cases accounting for 84.21 per cent of the 1,26,789 new infections, the health ministry said on Thursday.

    Many states including Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have imposed weekend lockdowns or restictions in public areas to limit the spread of COVID 19. 

    India’s total active caseload has increased to 9,10,319 and now comprises 7.04 per cent of the country’s total infections. 

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    (Inputs form ENS, PTI)

  • Covid-19: Fadnavis asks Maharashtra govt to procure remdesivir from other states amid shortages

    By PTI
    NAGPUR: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said to address the shortage of remdesivir, the Maharashtra government should procure the drug from states that are not witnessing a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and take action against black marketing of the injection.

    Speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Fadnavis said the state government should pay attention to the availability of remdesivir, as instances of black marketing had been reported last year.

    “The same is happening now as well. Not all states are witnessing a second wave. Hence, the government should procure remdesivir from states that are not in the second wave of the pandemic and companies that are producing the drug,” he said.

    ALSO READ | NCP slams Centre for adopting ‘lackadaisical attitude’ towards Maharashtra despite ‘vaccine shortage’

    The BJP leader further said that the state government should stop playing politics over the COVID-19 vaccine.

    Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has clearly stated the number of vaccine doses given to Maharashtra, pending doses and the quantity which will be given, he said.

    “Those criticising the Centre should see that Maharashtra has more vaccines than Uttar Pradesh, which has double the population of the state,” Fadnavis said.

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  • NCP slams Centre for adopting ‘lackadaisical attitude’ towards Maharashtra despite ‘vaccine shortage’

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The NCP on Thursday accused the Centre of adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards Maharashtra amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as the BJP could not form a government in the state.

    The allegation of the NCP, one of the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comes in the wake of the state’s claims that it was facing a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine doses.

    Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday refuted the state government’s claims, terming them as “utterly baseless” and blamed the latter for its failure to contain the pandemic.

    The state NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Thursday said, “Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan needs to be reminded that Maharashtra tops the chart in the country as far as the vaccination drive is concerned and this is purely due to the efforts taken by Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope and his team.”

    ALSO READ | Maharashtra COVID-19 crisis: State faces ventilator shortage; vaccination drive halted at Panvel, Pune

    The state is proactive on testing, tracing, isolating and vaccinating, he said in a statement.

    It was expected that Harsh Vardhan would respond positively to the call given by Tope, he said.

    “It is the BJP’s policy to use cheap media tricks to divert attention from core issues. It is the Modi government, which has a lackadaisical approach towards Maharashtra only because the BJP could not form a government here,” he alleged.

    The data on the number of vaccine doses received and administered is available if the Union health minister wishes to see, Tapase said.

    The party spokesperson further said some state BJP leaders who have been opposing Maharashtra government’s “break the chain” directive need to be reminded that the Gujarat High Court had to tell the Gujarat government to implement a lockdown, as it was unable to check the viral spread.

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  • No dine-in at restaurants as Covid-19 restrictions tightened in Pune

    By ANI
    PUNE: Amid the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, restaurants in Pune are only providing only takeaways and home delivery services from Saturday. Dine-in will not be allowed at eateries in Pune for the next seven days.

    Swapna, a Pune local said, “The government has done the right thing. This will help to control the rising caseload of coronavirus. The decision is good for all, we should be in support of it. There will be a bit of discomfort but this is for good of all.”

    “Today when I was out of my house, the traffic was less on the roads,” she added.

    Another local said, “Takeaway is also a good option. For the businesses, there will be a slight loss. Within seven days, I expect COVID-19 to be in control.”

    ALSO READ | Eight states witness steep rise in COVID cases, account for 81.42 per cent of single-day infections

    All religious places in Pune will also remain completely closed till April 9.

    Maharashtra Health Department on Friday said that Pune has 70,851 active COVID-19 cases. The city has reported 8,373 deaths and 4,74,141 recoveries till now.

    Maharashtra reported 23,306 new COVID-19 cases and 481 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total active case count in the state has reached 3,91, 203 and fatalities are at 55,379, including 481 new deaths in the last 24 hours.

    India reported 89,129 new COVID-19 cases and 714 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the union health ministry on Saturday. 

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  • At all public and private sector centres: Covid vaccination throughout April, including gazetted holidays

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Seeking to exponentially expand the countrywide anti-coronavirus inoculation drive, the Centre has decided to keep all public and private sector COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) operational throughout April, including on gazetted holidays.

    The Centre wrote to all states and union territories on Thursday and asked them to make necessary arrangements for this, the Union Health Ministry said.

    “This step has been taken after detailed deliberations with the states and UTs on March 31 to optimally utilise all COVID-19 Vaccination Centres across the public and private sectors to ensure rapid increase in the pace and coverage of COVID vaccination. This decision is in line with the graded and pro-active approach employed by the government of India along with the states and UTs for COVID-19 vaccination,” the ministry said.

    The vaccination exercise continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, it highlighted.

    ​ALSO READ | Two positive tests at interval of 102 days with one negative defined as SARS-CoV-2 re-infection: ICMR study

    The government opened up the COVID-19 vaccination drive to include everybody above 45 years of age on April 1 based on a recommendation of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC).

    A countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated first, and vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2.

    The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 to cover people above 60 and those in the age group of 45-59 but with specified co-morbid conditions.

    More than 6.5 crore (6,51,17,896) vaccine doses have been administered through 10,86,241 sessions across the country so far, as per the provisional report till 7 am, according to the ministry.

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  • COVID-19: Visitors from Nepal to be subjected to rapid antigen tests in Uttarakhand

    By PTI
    PITHORAGARH: Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, the district administration has started rapid antigen tests of people coming from Nepal to India through the two main border bridges at Jhoolaghat and Dharchula besides other entry points.

    “We have instructed medical teams at the two international bridges not to allow any foreigner into Indian soil if they are found positive in the rapid antigen test,” Pithoragarh Chief Medical Officer MC Pant said.

    Besides the two international bridges, rapid antigen tests have also been started at Udiyari bend, Panar bridge and Aincholi village which are the other entry points for people from Nepal.

    “We have sent all test reports to our laboratory. The results are expected in one or two days. Only after that the actual situation of corona cases amongst the persons entering into the district from Nepal will be known,” Pithoragarh District Magistrate Anand Swaroop said.

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  • Six states reporting surge in Covid daily cases; account for 79.57 per cent of new infections: Centre

    Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab cumulatively account for 73 per cent of the total active cases in the country.

  • COVID-19: People found without mask in Srinagar will undergo Rapid Antigen Test, says DC

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: The Srinagar district administration on Saturday decided to impose a fine and conduct a rapid antigen test on all persons found without a mask in public places amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

    Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Aijaz Asad chaired a meeting of administrative and medical officers of the district regarding the containment of coronavirus here.

    While emphasising strict implementation of COVID appropriate SOPs, Asad, who took over as deputy commissioner earlier this week, said those found roaming at public places without masks shall be fined and subject to Rapid Antigen Testing in the interest of the community at large.

    The directive has come in the wake of Srinagar topping the daily new COVID cases in Jammu and Kashmir for nearly a month now.

    The district has been contributing almost 50 per cent of the daily cases in the Union Territory.

    Asad said while the daily new cases in the district was around 30 per day earlier, it has now gone up to 70 per day now.

    He said the recent spike in the positive cases is a matter of serious concern and adequate administrative as well as medical measures are required to remind the public that the deadly virus has not vanished yet instead various strands of the virus have emerged all over the world.