Andhra Pradesh Reports Two New Cases
Andhra Pradesh state government on Monday confirmed that two fresh cases of coronavirus infection in the state. With this, the state count has reached 23.
With 38,442 Tests So Far, Health Ministry Says No Community Transmission; ‘Chemical’ Showers for Migrants in UP
The Centre reportedly downplayed its own wording in its Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) document released on Monday which said that there was ‘limited community transmission’.
The Union Health Ministry on Monday reiterated that there is “no community transmission as of now” of the contagious coronavirus in the country, contrary to expert opinion. The ministry said that the country is still at the stage of local transmission.
“If there will be a community transmission we will want to covey it to the community through you (media) to increase the level of alertness and management for COVID-19 at the field level,” Indian Express reported Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry, as saying.
The denial to reports of community transmission comes at a time when many health experts around the country reportedly have opined that the government has little basis to claim that there is no community transmission. According to them, with less number of tests conducted so far by the government, this could be case of ‘absence of evidence’ and not ‘evidence of absence’.
Officials of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), the country’s leading medical research body in its fight against coronavirus, apprised on Monday that 38,442 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted so far in the country. As many as 3,501 of them were conducted on Sunday.
More importantly, the centre reportedly downplayed its own ‘limited community transmission’ wording in a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) document released on the same day.
The SoP document released by the Health Ministry on Monday described the current phase of coronavirus spread in India as local and limited community transmission, according to an India Today report.
According to the report, the SoP says that it is applicable to the “current phase of Covid-19 pandemic in India - local transmission and limited transmission.”
As of Monday evening, with 92 fresh cases the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 1,071 and the number of deaths due to COVID-19 have reached 29, Union Health Ministry informed.
Meanwhile, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has demanded disciplinary and penal action against officials responsible for forcefully sanitising a group of migrants with "chemicals" in Uttar Pradesh, according to PTI.
Migrant workers who were returning to their homes in Uttar Pradesh were showered with ‘chemical’ on Sunday by a team on sanitising duty at the Bareilly Bus Stand, Times of India reported.
According to the report, the sanitising team sprayed the group with a diluted mixture of sodium hypochlorite, main ingredient in laundry bleach.
As days became grim for millions of migrant workers, after the announcement of 21-day nationwide lockdown on March 24 by PM Narendra Modi, Supreme Court on Monday took note of the hardships faced by these workers.
The top court, while hearing a petition seeking court orders to provide shelter, food and medical aid to the workers who are fleeing from urban areas across the country, sought a status report from the Centre by Tuesday on the measures taken in view of the large – scale migration of labourers from cities to their native villages amid the coronavirus – induced lockdown across the country.
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Madhya Pradesh: Rules Amended to Decongest Jails, says Report
Madhya Pradesh government on Monday amends MP Prisoner's Leave Rules, 1989, to release prisoners on parole for a maximum of 60 days to decongest jails in wake of any natural disaster or epidemic, according to Economic Times. The decision has come in the wake of coronavirus pandemic hitting the country.
Rajasthan: 41-year-old Tests Positive
A 41-year-old man tests positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan taking the total number of cases in the state to reach 60, according to news agency PTI.
Gujarat: 93 Migrant Workers Held for Defying Lockdown, Attacking Cops
At least 93 migrant labourers have been arrested in Gujarat's Surat city for allegedly defying the nationwide lockdown and attacking police, news agency PTI reported an official as saying on Monday.
Situation became tense in Ganesh Nagar and Tirupati Nagar localities late Sunday night after nearly 500 migrant workers residing there came on roads, demanding transportation facility to reach their native places, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vidhi Chaudhari said.
The police fired 30 tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, said Chaudhari, whose official car was also damaged in the incident
Supreme Hearing on Migrant Workers’ Hardships: Centre Files an Affidavit; Hearing Now Tomorrow
Supreme Court, while hearing the petition over migrant workers’ hardships amid nationwide lockdown, said the court will deal with everything, but not with what the Centre is doing already, according to news agency ANI.
The bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde was hearing a petition filed by Advocate Alakh Srivastava seeking food, water, shelter & urgent indulgence to the plight of migrant workers & their families, who are walking on foot to their villages amid coronavirus – induced lockdown.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, while filing an affidavit, informed the court that the Union of India and all state governments are taking all necessary steps to mitigate the situation. The matter will now be heard on March 31, Tuesday.
COVID-19: Health Ministry Identifying Emerging Hotspots; To Enforce Cluster Isolation, says Report
In light of certain areas in the country witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases, the health ministry is now identifying emerging hotspots for the infection to put in place a rigorous cluster isolation and containment strategy and avoid possibility of community transmission, according to Times of India.
“The process for identifying emerging hotspots where there is a high case load has begun and rigorous cluster containment strategy would be implemented at these hotspots on a war footing,” the report quoted health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal as saying at the regular press briefing on Sunday.
Automobile Manufacturers to Make Ventilators: Health Ministry
As the coronavirus cases in the country continue to surge, Union Health Ministry confirmed on Monday that the auto mobile manufacturers have been asked to make ventilators and they are working on it.
The announcement has come in the wake of centre scrambling to prepare for exponential rise in the number of coronavirus positive cases in which case ventilators, an appliance for artificial respiration, will be required.
According to media reports, in the coming days India would need 110,000 to 220,000 ventilators. Currently, according to an estimate by the Brookings Institution, a non-profit public-policy organisation, the country has only 17,850 to 25,556 ventilators.
Health Ministry Informs Indian Hospitals Stocked With 11.95 Lakh N95 Masks, 3.34 Lakh PPEs
Hospitals in India have 11.95 lakh N95 masks in stock, Health ministry informed on Monday, according to news agency ANI. Additional 5 lakhs were distributed during last 2 days & 1.40 lakhs being distributed today.
Further, the ministry informed 3.34 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) coveralls are available with hospitals in the country. Another 3 lakh donated coveralls being received from abroad by 4th April. 11 domestic producers of PPE coveralls have qualified so far and orders for 21 lakh have been placed on them, ANI reported the health ministry as saying on Monday.
Virology Lab in Goa Receives Certification for Coronavirus Testing
The Goa government on Monday commissioned a virology lab at a state-run facility to test samples for coronavirus infection, news agency PTI reported on Monday.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said they received a certification from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to start the virology laboratory at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
Medical professionals from GMCH underwent training at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, Rane said, adding that Goa has enough stock of reagent kits and rapid testing kits which are required for the virus testing.
Delhi HC Hears PIL Seeking Medical Benefit for Journalists, Says ‘No Urgency’
A PIL has been moved in Delhi HC seeking direction to Centre to Provide medical benefit & LIC facility of at least Rs 50,000 each to every journalist, reporter & other media personnel, according to news agency ANI.
According to ANI, the court on hearing the petition said that there is “no urgency” on this and the petition can be heard when the lock down rules are relaxed.
What Will Be Life After COVID-19?
While the world projects the number of deaths, how to flatten the curve and how to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, new official terms confront us today, each being made more familiar through newspapers and social media.
Rukmini Sen, professor of sociology, explores how the society will emerge at the end of this all since ‘social distancing’ is not the same thing for everyone—the worker, the student, the migrant. Nor is ‘home’ the same for all.
Delhi: 85 Suspected COVID-19 Cases Admitted to Hospital, says Report
In what may turn into a grave news for the national capital, at least 85 possible cases of coronavirus infection were admitted at Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, according to a Times of India report.
Delhi has so far confirmed 72 positive cases of the contagious virus, including six getting recovered and two of them being deceased
52-year-old COVID-19 Patient Dies in Pune; Ninth Death in Maharashtra
A 52-year-old COVID-19 patient dies in Pune, according to health officials on Monday. With this, the death toll in the state has reached nine.
Goa State Human Rights Commission Issues Notice to Govt on Deployment of CISF: Report
Goa State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) on Monday issued notice to State government responding to the petition filed by a group of social activists against the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the state during lockdown period.
According to Goa News Hub, state government has posted two battalions of CISF to man the law and order situation during the lockdown period.
In another news, terming it as “inhumane”, Goa People’s Voice COVID-19 Response member Albertina Almeida has protested in a letter to Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant against deployment CISF for violating the lockdown.
Tamil Nadu Records 17 Fresh Cases
Tamil Nadu records 17 new cases of coronavirus infection in the state. With this, the state tally now has reached 67, including 62 active cases and four recovered. So far, the state has reported one death.
Four New Cases in Kashmir
Kashmir reported four new cases of coronavirus infection, taking the total number of COVID-19 patients in Jammu and Kashmir to 45, officials informed on Monday.
Uttar Pradesh: Migrant Workers Showered with Disinfectant, says Report
Migrant workers who were returning to their homes in Uttar Pradesh were showered with ‘chemical’ on Sunday by a team on sanitising duty at the Bareilly Bus Stand, Times of India reported.
According to the report, the sanitizing team sprayed the group with a diluted mixture of sodium hypochlorite, main ingredient in laundry bleach.
Anyone Found Roaming Without E-pass or Valid Reason to be Sent to District Shelters: Delhi LG
Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Monday directed district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police that if anyone found roaming without e-pass or valid reason during the lockdown, imposed to check the spread of coronavirus, would be sent to district shelters set up by the administration, according to news agency PTI.
The lieutenant governor also gave directions for strict action against DMs and DCPs for any violation of the ongoing 21-day lockdown in their respective areas, officials said.
So far, 72 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the national capital.
UP: Apex Child Rights Body Seeks Action Against Officials for Spraying Migrants with Chemical
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has demanded disciplinary and penal action against officials responsible for forcefully sanitising a group of migrants with "chemicals" in Uttar Pradesh, according to news agency PTI.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked the Bareilly District Magistrate to submit a report in the matter within three days.
Around 39,000 COVID-19 Tests Conducted So Far: ICMR
Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), country’s leading medical body in its fight against coronavirus, apprised on Monday that 38,442 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted so far. As many as 3,501 of them were conducted on Sunday.
In a media briefing, the Union Health Ministry’s joint secretary Luv Aggarwal, had said that India took 12 days to reach 1000-mark from 100-mark of coronavirus infected cases.
As on Monday evening, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 1,071.
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