Consensus Amongst States on Extension of Lockdown by Another Two Weeks: PMO

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there seems to be a consensus amongst states on extension of by another two weeks, according to a statement by his office released following his interaction with chief ministers of all states/UTs to strategize ahead for tackling COVID-19.

In addition, the chief ministers also sought “financial and fiscal assistance” from the Centre to boost their state’sresources in the fight against the pandemic, the statement added.

With many state governments – prompted by the spike in cases – deciding to extend the restrictions on movement in the state, the difficulties faced by people seems to getting increasing acute, especially of migrant workers, many of whom are stuck in urban slums, away from their natives places, in the wake of a badly planned lockdown.

Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday admits that 47 officials and workers of the state’s health department have been infected by COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus. The admission by the recently formed BJP – led state government came following the state’s human rights commission served a notice to the state government, seeking details of the staffers who contracted the disease.

A letter forwarded by district collector to the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) on Friday claimed that 47 staffers including senior officials of MP Directorate of Health Services have been tested positive and were hospitalised and kept in isolation, reported News18.

According to the report, it was alleged that infected health officers were not hospitalised immediately. MP government, while admitting the number of infected staffers, denied evidence of negligence.

Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday informed that it is yet to receive the delivery of rapid testing kits ordered earlier.

As many as 500,000 rapid testing kits – also known as antibody testing kits – were supposed to be delivered by the suppliers “by April 8 or 9”, Hindustan Times quoted Raman R Gangakhedkar, Chief, Epidemiology and Communicable Disease, ICMR.

In its regular press briefing on Saturday – April 11 – however, Gangakhedkar informed it will take another 2-3 days for the delivery.

According to an ICMR advisory, rapid testing kits (for antibody tests or blood tests) need to be deployed in areas where mass testing is required, such as evacuation camps, large cluster areas, and camps for migrant workers.

As on Saturday morning till 5, health ministry registered 6,634 “active cases” of the total 7,529 confirmed positive cases of the novel coronavirus in the country. As many as 652 among these have been cured.

The toll due to COVID-19, disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has now jumped to 242.