News Analysis India

Tag: COVID19

  • ‘Provocative, attention seeking’: Centre condemns recent New York Times article on COVID response

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The government called the recent New York Times article on India’s COVID response a “provocative, attention seeking” piece that comes at a time when the country is doing well in tackling the pandemic.

    The article claimed that the “ICMR tailored its findings to fit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s optimistic narrative despite a looming crisis”.

    Responding to a question at a press briefing, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said, “This is a provocative, attention seeking article published at a time when India is doing good and our vaccination is excellent and it is diverting attention. All the issues raised are dead ones and probably do not merit any attention.”

    Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the Union government as well as the state governments are fully emerged in fighting a pandemic and all our energies and time is devoted to that. “We greatly value journalistic and editorial freedom and at the same time we must also realise that all of us – Union government as well as the state governments – are fully emerged in fighting a pandemic and all our energies and time is devoted to that,” he said.

    “We cannot afford to be diverted by things that can be addressed at a later day which are not priority from the public health point of view,” Bhushan said.

    NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul condemned the article. “We actually condemn this type of distorted out of context reporting. This is not desirable and it should not happen,” he said.

  • Centre calls for vaccination, COVID-appropriate behaviour as festivities near

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: As the festival season approaches, the government on Thursday cautioned against a spike in coronavirus infections, and stressed that the call of the hour is vaccine acceptance, maintenance of COVID-19-appropriate behaviour, responsible travel and responsible festivities.

    “Overall there is stabilisation in COVID-19 cases and Kerala has also reported drop in cases….In the coming two-three months, we need to be cautious that there is no upsurge….It is also the period of festivities and also when flu cases rise…we request everyone to be careful and retain the gain that we have achieved (in the pandemic management),” an official said at a press briefing.

    Referring to the coming festivals, ICMR DG Balram Bhargava said, “…sudden increase in population density creates a very conducive environment for viral spread. If there is sudden increase in population density then the virus finds it very useful to spread, so the call of the hour is vaccine acceptance, maintenance of COVID-appropriate behaviour, responsible travel and responsible festivities.”

    ALSO READ| Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya calls for major push to COVID vaccine drive on PM’s birthday

    The government said that 20 per cent of India’s adult population have received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine and 62 per cent have got at least one dose. Thirty-four districts in the country are reporting a weekly positivity rate of over 10 per cent and the figure is anything between five and 10 per cent in 32 districts.

    It said Kerala reported 67.79 per cent of India’s total COVID-19 cases last week and that it is the only state with more than 1 lakh active cases. “Overall there is stabilisation and Kerala has also reported drop in cases. Mizoram is a state of concern but we hope condition will improve there by fast vaccination and pandemic response is effective,” NITI Aayog member (health) VK Paul said.

    “In the coming two-three months, we need to be cautious that there is no upsurge and it can be reduced when detected. When people estimate when vulnerability will rise then they indicate October and November as the months and it is also the period of festivities and also when flu cases rise so in coming quarter we request everyone to be careful and retain the gain that we have achieved,” he added.

    ALSO READ| Mizoram reports 1,402 new COVID-19 cases, positivity rate stands at 12.1 per cent

    With 30,570 more people testing positive for COVID-19, India’s overall infection tally has risen to 3,33,47,325, while the count of active cases has dipped to 3,42,923, according to the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.

    The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 4,43,928 with 431 daily fatalities being recorded, according to data updated by the ministry at 8 am.

  • Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya calls for major push to COVID vaccine drive on PM’s birthday

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday called for a major push to the COVID-19 vaccination drive during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on Friday, saying it would the perfect gift for him.

    ‘सबको वैक्सीन, मुफ़्त वैक्सीन’ की PM @NarendraModi जी ने देश को सौग़ात दी है!कल हम सबके प्रिय प्रधानमंत्री जी का जन्मदिन है, चलो #VaccineSeva कर जिन्होंने वैक्सीन नहीं ली है, ऐसे अपनों को, परिजनों को और समाज के सभी तबकों को टीका लगवाकर, उनको जन्मदिन का उपहार देते हैं।
    — Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 16, 2021
    He also called on people who have not taken the vaccine till now to get inoculated. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a gift of ‘vaccine for all, free vaccine’ to the country. Tomorrow is the birthday of our beloved prime minister, lets do #VaccineSeva by helping all unvaccinated people including their loved ones, family members and all sections of the society by getting them vaccinated. This would be a birthday gift for the prime minister,” he said in a tweet in Hindi on Thursday.

    The BJP has asked its units across the country to help get a large number of people vaccinated on the occasion of prime minister’s birthday. The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered so far in the country has crossed 77 crore, the Union Health Ministry said in a tweet.

  • Mizoram reports 1,402 new COVID-19 cases, positivity rate stands at 12.1 per cent

    By PTI

    AIZAWL: Mizoram on Thursday reported 1,402 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 75,470, a Health Department official said. The new cases were detected after testing 11,599 samples in the last 24 hours, registering a positivity rate of 12.10 per cent, he said.

    Four more people died in the state, pushing the toll to 250, he said. Aizawl registered the highest number of new cases at 779, followed by Siaha (265) and Serchhip (78), he said.

    At least 242 children were among the newly-infected people, the official said. There are 13,973 active cases in the state at present, while 61,247 people have recovered, including 950 people on Wednesday. The recovery rate is 81.50 per cent. Total 3.36 lakh of the state’s over 11 lakh population have received both doses of the COVID vaccines.

  • Uttarakhand HC gives nod to Chardham Yatra, sets limit on daily number of devotees visiting shrines

    By PTI

    NAINITAL: The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday vacated its stay on the Chardham Yatra and directed the state government to conduct the pilgrimage with strict adherence to COVID-19 norms.

    Lifting the ban on the yatra, a division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma said the pilgrimage will start with restrictions like a daily limit on the number of devotees visiting the temples.

    The court said that carrying a negative COVID test report and a vaccination certificate will also be mandatory for the visitors.

    Putting a daily cap on the number of devotees visiting the famous Himalayan temples also known as the chardham, the high court said 800 pilgrims will be allowed in Kedarnath Dham, 1200 in Badrinath Dham, 600 in Gangotri and 400 in Yamunotri every day.

    Pilgrims will not be allowed to take a bath in any of the springs around the temples, it said. Police force will be deployed as per requirements during the Char Dham Yatra in Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts.

    The court order comes as a big relief to the state government which was under pressure from various quarters to start the pilgrimage with which the livelihoods of lakhs of people including travel agents and pilgrimage priests are linked.

    With the COVID situation being uncertain, the court had on June 28 put a stay on the state Cabinet’s decision to start the Chardham Yatra in a limited way for the residents of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts where the temples are located.

    It had plans to open up the yatra in a phased manner for pilgrims from outside the state depending on the COVID situation. The state government then approached the Supreme Court to vacate the high court’s stay on the yatra.

    As the matter was pending in the apex court, the high court was not in a position to hear the state government’s plea seeking lifting of the ban. However, it recently withdrew its SLP in the Supreme Court paving the way for the high court to hear its plea.

    Advocate General SN Babulkar and Chief Standing Advocate CS Rawat, appearing for the government, demanded that the ban be removed to restore the livelihood of the local people. The advocate general said there is an earning period of the Chardham Yatra and if the season passes, many families will suffer huge losses.

    The advocate general further pleaded that the initial worry of the Court while imposing the ban has been addressed and there has been a significant improvement in health services. The government also assured the Court that there will be a strict adherence to the COVID-19 SOP for the Yatra.

    In June, the high court had stayed the Chardham Yatra till further orders, while hearing public interest litigations (PIL) related to increase in Covid cases, lack of health facilities and other factors. Against this order, the state government had filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, which could not be heard.

    Advocate General SN Babulkar and CSC Chandrashekhar Rawat had recently requested a bench headed by Chief Justice RS Chauhan to lift the ban on travel, but the court refused to consider it, citing the SLP pending before the Supreme Court.

    The government withdrew the SLP from the Supreme Court and apprised the high court, after which the high court heard the matter.

  • CPM’s Tripura unit secretary Goutam Das dies at 70 during COVID treatment

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: CPM’s Tripura unit secretary Goutam Das died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Thursday while undergoing treatment for COVID-19, party sources said. Das (70) is survived by wife Tapati Sen and daughter Swagata.

    He had tested positive for COVID-19 in August-end and was admitted to a private hospital in Agartala. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to a private hospital in Kolkata on September 6 where he died at 7:20 am.

    সিপিআইএম দলের রাজ্য সম্পাদক গৌতম দাশের প্রয়াণে আমি গভীরভাবে মর্মাহত।আমি প্রয়াতের বিদেহী আত্মার সদগতি কামনা করছি । ঈশ্বরের কাছে আমার প্রার্থণা শোকসন্তপ্ত পরিবার ও প্রিয়জনদের এই দুঃখ সহ্য করার শক্তি প্রদান করুন।ওঁম শান্তি… pic.twitter.com/AyoO7TRXo0
    — Biplab Kumar Deb (@BjpBiplab) September 16, 2021
    Das joined the party in 1968 and became Tripura state committee member in 1986. He was elected to the state secretariat in 1994 and became the party secretary in 2018. He became a member of CPM central committee at the 21st Party Congress in 2015.

    He was the editor of the party’s state unit mouthpiece ‘Daily Desher Katha’ from 1979 to 2015. He was also one of the founding members of the Agartala Press Club. The CPM’s Polit Buro expressed shock and grief over Das’ demise and conveyed condolences to his family members.

    Trinamool Congress’s West Bengal general secretary Kunal Ghosh visited the hospital in Kolkata where Das died.

    Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb also condoled the death of Das. “I am deeply mourned at demise of CPM state secretary Goutam Das. I pray for the departed soul to rest in peace. I pray to God to give strength to the bereaved family to endure the pain,” he tweeted.

  • COVID-19: Gujarat government extends night curfew in eight cities till September 25

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government on Tuesday extended the night curfew, which is in place in eight cities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, till September 25. The curfew is currently in place from 11 pm to 6 am in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar and Gandhinagar.

    After reviewing the present situation, the state government has decided to extend the night curfew till September 25, a government release stated.

    All other restrictions imposed in the last order issued on July 29 will remain in place till September 25, including permitting eateries to function till 10 pm and capping of the attendance at public functions to 400.

    The previous order had also allowed Ganesh Chaturthi festivities in public places with the height of idols kept at a maximum of nine feet. Gujarat had reported only 12 new COVID-19 cases and zero casualties on Monday.

  • More than 72.77 crore COVID vaccine doses provided to states, UTs so far: Government

    More than 4.49 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered.

  • Himachal Pradesh government vows to vaccinate whole adult population with 2nd dose by November

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court constituting district level committees to monitor COVID-19 situation in the state which recently became the first state to vaccinate 100 per cent of its 18 plus population with first dose and has vowed to vaccinate its entire adult population with the second dose by November end.

    The top court stayed the orders of high court dated July 7 and 14 by which it had constituted district level committees comprising of deputy commissioner, secretary of district legal service authority and president of district bar association for monitoring COVID-19 situation, after the state government said that it is having demoralising effect on officials.

    A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna, which issued notice on the plea filed by the state government challenging the orders of the High Court, said that pendency of the plea will not preclude the High Court from passing any order under Article 226 with regard to COVID-19 situation.

    “When we had constituted a National Task Force on COVID-19, it comprised doctors and experts from across the country but this district level committee comprises people who are secretary, district legal service authority and President of District Bar Association. What are they expected to do,” the bench said.

    At the outset, Additional Advocate General Abhinav Mukerji, appearing for the state government said, “We have recently achieved a rare distinction of becoming the first state to vaccinate 100 per cent of our adult population with first dose for COVID-19 and by November end; we will be able to vaccinate entire population with second dose. We have a positivity rate of 0.7 per cent only.”

    He said that these committees are having a demoralising effect on the officials, who are working very hard to vaccinate the population as they have to appear before the court on every Wednesday, where many allegations are made against them.

    Mukerji said that they had to face a difficult situation in a village called Malana in Kullu district, where people believe themselves to be the original descendants of Aryans and they do not like to be vaccinated. “They were persuaded to take vaccines after much deliberation. This was the reason for the delay in achieving the target of 100 per cent otherwise we would have achieved much earlier,” Mukerji said.

    Justice Chandrachud said, “I have been to that village. The villagers are famous for something else also.”

    Mukerji said that the state is already doing everything possible to contain the COVID-19 situation and have a number of committees in place like ambulance committee, Oxygen committee, CSIR committee, village level committees consisting of Sarpanch and Asha workers and district level committees.

    He said that what the High Court has done is already being done by the State. The bench said that the committees which have been constituted by the High Court are not expert committees and prima facie the constitution of such committee requires consideration.

  • How many mentally ill homeless people vaccinated against COVID? HC asks Maharashtra government

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government on Monday to file an affidavit, giving details of how many mentally ill people, who were homeless or without legal guardians, have been identified and registered for vaccination against COVID-19.

    A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni directed the state government to file the affidavit within three weeks.

    The bench also directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file an affidavit, informing the court about the number of such people registered for vaccination and those who already vaccinated in the city.

    The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), seeking better access to vaccination against COVID-19 for citizens, including those who were mentally ill or not in a position to give a consent for the inoculation.

    On Monday, the Union government’s counsel, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, told the bench that while the Centre had issued an SoP (standard operating procedure) for vaccinating the homeless and mentally ill people, it was the state police’s responsibility to identify them, locate their relatives, or to take them to a shelter home so that they could be registered for vaccination.

    Singh also said that over 21,000 urban homeless people across the country had been registered for vaccination and more than 8,000 of them were inoculated against COVID-19. The Maharashtra government’s counsel, Gita Shastri, submitted an affidavit stating that a total of 1,761 mentally ill people across the state had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

    However, the bench noted that the state’s affidavit was “silent” on the number of mentally ill people who were homeless, without legal guardians, and not in a position to give their informed consent for vaccination.

    Such people posed a greater risk of spreading the coronavirus and therefore, must be identified and vaccinated by the state authorities at the earliest, the court said. “Every citizen, no matter in which condition, needs to be taken care of by the state,” the HC said.

    “File an affidavit stating how many mentally ill people who are homeless or found wandering in the community, and what steps are being taken to vaccinate them?” the court said to the state government. The court suggested that the state and the BMC could jointly set up a mechanism to identify and vaccinate such homeless and mentally ill people.