COVID-19: Russian PM Tests Positive; India’s Tally at 33,610
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Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Thursday, 30 April, he has tested positive for COVID-19, adding that he will self-isolate.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 33,610 on Thursday. According to the Health Ministry data, there are now 24,162 active cases in the country, while 1,075 people have died. As many as 8,372 patients have been cured or discharged and one has migrated.
Earlier on Thursday, the Health Ministry said that the recovery rate for coronavirus in India stands at 25.19 percent, while the doubling rate of cases has now increased to 11 days.
- Maharashtra’s COVID-19 tally crossed the 10,000-mark to stand at 10,498 with 583 new cases on Thursday
- 161 new COVID-19 cases, including 138 from Chennai, were reported in Tamil Nadu on Thursday, taking the tally in the state to 2,323
- 105 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Punjab on Thursday, in what was the biggest one-day spike. The total number of cases in the state stand at 480
- The Home Ministry told states on Thursday to ensure free movement of trucks and goods carriers
- PM Modi on Thursday held a “comprehensive” meeting to discuss strategies to attract more foreign investments as well as promote local investments
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US Reports 2,502 New Deaths
2,502 coronavirus deaths were reported in the last 24 hours in the United States, according to news agency AFP. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in the US has topped 60,000.
IMF Approves $220 MN Loan for Afghanistan Amid Coronavirus
The IMF board on Wednesday approved USD 220 million in emergency aid for Afghanistan to help the country deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, AFP reported.
"The pandemic is inflicting heavy damage on Afghanistan's economy, which is expected to contract sharply in 2020, imperilling the livelihood of a significant segment of the population," the IMF said in a statement.
35 US States Release Formal Opening Plans
As many as 35 of the 50 American states have released formal opening plans, as US President Donald Trump on Wednesday exuded confidence that much better days are ahead for the country that has seen more than 61,000 deaths over the past two months due to COVID-19, PTI reported.
"We mourn, and I have to say this so strongly we mourn every life tragically lost to the invisible enemy. And we are heartened that the worst of the pain and suffering is going to be behind us," Trump said, during a White House roundtable with industry executives on "Opening Up America Again".
Nearly Half of Global Workforce at Risk of Losing Livelihoods Due to COVID: ILO
Almost 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy, nearly half of the global workforce, face an immediate danger of losing their livelihoods due to the continued sharp decline in working hours because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Labour Organization has said, PTI reports.
More than 430 million enterprises in hard-hit sectors such as retail and manufacturing risk "serious disruption", the UN agency added.
No New Cases in Andaman & Nicobar in 4 Days
No new cases were recorded in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for four days. 8100 per million people have been tested according to Chief Secretary Chetan Sanghi, ANi reports.
Odisha Reports 3 New Cases; Total 128
Three persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha’s Jajpur, taking the total positive cases in the state to 128, according to the state government, ANI reports.
Complete Lockdown in Varanasi Till 3 May
There will be a complete lockdown in the limits of Varanasi municipal corporation till 3 May, ANI reported. “Home delivery to be done for people in case they need anything. People will be allowed to move out of the limits only on health and medical grounds,” said DM Kaushal Raj Sharma.
Trump Says He Won't Extend Social Distancing Guidelines
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the federal government will not be extending its coronavirus social distancing guidelines once they expire on Thursday, and his son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, predicted that by July the country will be “really rocking again,” AP reported.
To underscore his confidence, Trump said he plans to resume out-of-state travel after spending more than a month mostly cooped up in the White House, starting with a trip to Arizona next week.
And he said he's hoping to hold mass campaign rallies in the coming months with thousands of supporters, even though medical experts have said there is little hope of having a vaccine by then.
S Korea Reports 4 Virus Cases, Lowest Since February
South Korea has reported four more cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, the first time that its daily jump has marked below five in about two months, AP reports.
The Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement Thursday that the additional figures took the country's total to 10,765 with 247 deaths. It says 9,059 of them have recovered and been released from quarantine.
It says the four new cases are all imported ones and that there were no newly reported cases of local infections.
India Needs Rs 65,000 Cr to Feed the Poor; Can Afford it: Raghuram Rajan
India needs Rs 65,000 crore to feed the poor during the pandemic and can afford to do that, Raghuram Rajan said in a dialogue with Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi.
“We need to be cleverer in lifting lockdown. We need to open up in a measured way as India does not have the capacity to feed people for long,” he added. “There will have to be rethinking on everything in the global economy once we are out of this pandemic.”
Rajasthan Reports 86 New Cases
86 new cases of COVID-19 and 2 new deaths have been reported in Rajasthan today, taking the total number of cases to 2524 including 57 deaths. 827 patients have recovered from the disease till date, according to the state’s health department.
Pune District Reports 127 New Cases in 12 Hours
127 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in the Pune district in the last 12 hours. Total positive cases in the district stand at 1722, the district health officer told ANI.
Maldives Reports First COVID-19 Death
Maldives has reported its first death to the new coronavirus with the total number of positive cases standing at 280, PTI reports.
Health Minister Abdulla Ameen said Thursday that the victim was an 83-year-old woman from the capital Male'.
71 New COVID-19 Cases in Nashik; District Tally Rises to 276
The number of coronavirus cases in Nashik district of Maharashtra has gone up to 276 as 71 more people have tested positive for the disease, an official from the district administration said on Thursday, PTI reports.
Most of the new cases are from the district's Malegaon town, he said. The new patients include six police personnel and three children - aged three months, 5 years and 11 years.
UP Police Orders 10,000 PPE Kits as 28 Cops Test Positive
The Uttar Pradesh police have ordered over 10,000 personal protective equipments and asked cops above the age of 55 years with a health history to stay off the frontline duty after 28 of them tested positive, according to PTI.
Director-General of Police Hitesh Chandra Awasthi also asked district police chiefs to purchase necessary safety kits at the local level wherever needed.
"Till Thursday, 28 policemen have been found coronavirus positive in different districts of the state," Awasthi told PTI.
Many Japanese Defy Appeals to Stay Home to Curb Virus
Under Japan's coronavirus state of emergency, people have been asked to stay home. Many are not. Some still have to commute to their jobs despite risks of infection, while others continue to dine out, picnic in parks and crowd into grocery stores with scant regard for social distancing, AP reported.
On Wednesday, the first day of the Golden Week holidays that run through May 5, Tokyo's leafy Shiba Park was packed with families with small children, day camping in tents.
Truck Operations Resume in AP, Owners Flag Curbs on Movement of Non-Essential Commodities
Easing of lockdown curbs, picking up of Rabi farming season and the prospects of more intra-state movement seem to have perked up the private goods transport sector in Andhra Pradesh with about 30 percent of the trucks started rolling into the roads in the last few days, PTI reported.
Truck operators, however, are unhappy that lorries carrying non-essential commodities are still not being permitted despite clear guidelines from the Centre.
Following the considerable easing of restrictions in the ongoing national lockdown, about 30 per cent of the trucks have started services and the government has pitched in with its part in providing safety kits to the drivers.
Plea in Delhi HC for Proper Supply of Meat During Lockdown
A PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the authorities here to ensure uninterrupted supply of meat as an essential item during the coronavirus lockdown period, PTI reported.
The plea, which was later withdrawn, sought direction to the Delhi government and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to take steps including opening of lone Ghazipur abattoir in a time bound manner and facilitate the supply of meat by complying social distancing norms and other guidelines issued by the Centre.
After making some submissions, the petitioner however sought to withdraw the public interest litigation which was allowed by the court.
US in Talks With India, Other 'Friends' to Restructure Global Supply Chains: Pompeo
The US is in talks with its "friends", including India, for restructuring the global supply chains, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said, as he praised New Delhi for lifting the export ban on critical medical supplies to combat the global coronavirus pandemic, AP reported.
The novel coronavirus has infected over 3,193,960 people and claimed more than 227,640 lives across the globe. The US is the worst-hit with 1,039,909 cases and 60,967 deaths -- the highest in the world.
Karnataka Reports 22 New Cases
22 new positive cases have been reported in Karnataka from 29 April, 5 pm to 30 April 12 pm. The total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 557, including 21 deaths and 223 discharges and one death due to non-COVID causes, ANI reported.
Gujarat: Russian Family Stranded in Dwarka, but Say They Feel Safe
A Russian couple and their three-year-old son, stranded at Dwarka in Gujarat since last month due to the lockdown, say they are feeling safe in the temple town, where no COVID-19 case has been found so far and would return home only when things become normal, PTI reports.
Zyuzin Vitaly, the Russian man, said his wife is pregnant and he is grateful to the local administration for the care and support provided by them.
Andhra Pradesh Records 71 New COVID-19 Cases
COVID-19 cases rise to 1,403 in Andhra Pradesh after detection of 71 more infections, including 43 in Kurnool, 10 in Krishna and 4 in Guntur districts. Total active cases are 1,051, ANI reports.
Bengaluru Police to Start Returning Over 6,852 Vehicles Seized During Lockdown
Bengaluru police will start returning more than 6,852 vehicles seized during COVID-19 lockdown from Friday onwards, a top police official said on Thursday, ANi reported.
SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Financial Assistance for Lawyers During Lockdown
Supreme Court today refused to pass any order and disposed of a petition filed by a lawyer, seeking appropriate directions to the Bar Council of India (BCI) to assist and help those lawyers facing difficulty, especially financial help, during the nationwide COVID lockdown.
COVID-19 Death Toll in Indore Rises to 68
The death toll due to coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh's worst-hit Indore rose to 68 after three more people succumbed to the disease, a health official said on Thursday.
Three men, aged 40, 64 and 69, died of complications due to COVID19 in different hospitals of the district in last 12 days, Indore's Chief Medical and Health Officer Praveen Jadia said while confirming their deaths on Thursday.
He also said that the number of coronavirus cases in the district has gone up to 1,485 after 19 more people tested positive for the infection in the last 24 hours.
Karnataka to Allow Interstate Movement for Students, Migrant Workers
“We've decided to allow interstate movement, especially for students and migrant workers. They'll have to bear the transport charges. We'll allow inter-district movement for once. It'll happen according to guidelines,” Karnataka Minister JC Madhuswamy said after a state cabinet meeting.
9 of 10 Urban Indians Consider Banking as Most Essential Service During Lockdown: Survey
Majority of urban Indians consider banking and online home repairs as important essential service during the lockdown, even as nearly three-quarter of respondents said they are satisfied with the available essential services, says a survey.
According to a survey by market research and data company YouGov, nine in 10 urban Indians (89 percent) picked banks as the most essential service during the lockdown from a list of businesses providing non-essential goods and services.
Banking was followed by the online home repairs, which was considered to be crucial during this time by around three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents. The onset of summer and the need for AC and fridge servicing could be the reason for placing greater importance on this need, the survey noted.
Special Liquidity Facility for Mutual Friends to be Extended to All Banks, Says RBI
Regulatory benefits announced under Special Liquidity Facility For Mutual Funds (SLF-MF) Scheme will be extended to all banks, irrespective of whether they avail funding from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) or deploy their own resources under the scheme, RBI has said.
SC Refuses to Pass Directions for Changing Guidelines on COVID-19 Treatment
The Supreme Court Thursday refused to pass any direction on changing treatment guidelines for seriously ill COVID-19 patients who are receiving a combination of antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and antibiotic azithromycin (AZM) saying that it is not an expert on the matter.
A bench of Justices N V Ramana, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B R Gavai asked the plea filed by an NGO, 'People for Better Treatment' (PBT), to be considered as representation to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Maharashtra to Allow Movement of Stranded People as per SOP
“Due to the lockdown, migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons are stranded at different places. They would be allowed to move as per the conditions in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP),” Ajoy Mehta, Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, said.
Haryana Records 18 New Cases
18 new positive cases were reported in the Haryana today, taking the total number of cases to 329. A total of 227 patients have been recovered/discharged. 3 people in the state have died so far, according to the health department.
'Will Bring Back Delhi Students From Kota Soon': Kejriwal
The Delhi government is making arrangements to bring students back home from Rajasthan’s Kota soon, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday.
118 New Cases Take Rajasthan's COVID-19 Tally to 2,556
As many as 118 positive cases have been reported in Rajasthan on Thursday, taking the tally in the state to 2,556, including 58 deaths and 836 patients who have recovered.
23 New COVID-19 Cases Reported in Thane City
As many as 23 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra's Thane city, taking the tally here to 279, an official said on Thursday, reported PTI.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Kalyan Dombivli Municipal limits recorded 18 and 13 new cases respectively, while no fresh cases were reported from Mira- Bhayandar area in 24 hours, the official said.
Truncated Trading Hours for Debt, Currency Markets Extended Till Further Notice: RBI
Amid uncertainty over the lockdown period, the Reserve Bank on Thursday extended the truncated trading hours of debt as well as currency markets till further notice, reported PTI.
In order to minimise risks arising due to the unprecedented situation created by COVID-19 outbreak, the trading hours for various RBI regulated markets were earlier amended as 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, effective from 7 April till the close of business hours on 30 April.
Gurugram Administration Restricts Movement Across Borders
The Gurugram district administration has issued a notification for enforcing stricter measures on movement across all borders of the district from 10 am on 1 May.
'Migrant Workers Shouldn't Travel on Foot, We're Making Arrangements': UP Govt Official
Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi on Thursday said that the state government is making arrangements to bring back migrant workers.
"CM Yogi Adityanath has appealed to migrant workers not to travel back to UP on foot... The chief secretary and the Home Department will hold discussions with states to bring workers in a staggered manner," he said.
Recovery Rate at 25.19%, Doubling Rate Rises to 11 Days: Health Ministry
The Health Ministry said on Thursday that the recovery rate for coronavirus in India stands at 25.19 percent, while the doubling rate of cases has now increased to 11 days.
"The recovery rate of COVID-19 cases stands at 25.19 percent, which was 13.06 percent 14 days ago... A progressive recovery rate has been observed," said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry.
“The fatality rate is 3.2 percent. Co-morbidities were found in COVID-19 patients in 78 percent of the deaths... As far as testing and treatment protocol are concerned, we have to use RTP-CR test only,” he added.
'Directives Are to Use Buses': MHA Official on Transport of Migrants, Students
Asked if the Centre is considering the proposal by many state governments for running special trains to transport those who are stranded, Home Ministry official Punya Salila Srivastava on Thursday said, "As of now, the directives are to use buses."
COVID-19: India’s Case Tally Rises to 33,610; Death Toll at 1,075
The number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 33,610 on Thursday. According to the Health Ministry data, there are now 24,162 active cases in the country, while 1,075 people have died. As many as 8,372 patients have been cured or discharged and one has migrated.
30 New COVID-19 Cases in Karnataka; Tally Rises to 565
As many as 30 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Karnataka in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the state to 565, the state Health Department said.
161 New COVID-19 Cases in TN; Tally Rises to 2,323
As many as 161 new COVID-19 cases, including 138 from Chennai, were reported in Tamil Nadu on Thursday, taking the tally in the state to 2,323.
COVID-19 Death Toll in West Bengal Rises to 33
Eleven new COVID-19-related deaths were reported in West Bengal on Thursday, taking the death toll in the state to 33, state Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said.
PM Holds Meet to Discuss Strategy to Attract Investment Amid Pandemic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a "comprehensive" meeting to discuss strategies to attract more foreign investments into India as well as promote local investments to boost the economy against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An official statement said various strategies to bring investments into India on a fast-track mode and to promote Indian domestic sectors were discussed in the meeting, reported PTI.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, besides others, attended the meeting.
Detailed discussions were also held on guiding states to evolve their strategies and to be more proactive in attracting investments, the statement said.
105 COVID-19 Cases Reported in Punjab in Biggest Spike; Tally Rises to 480
As many as 105 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Punjab on Thursday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 480, out of which 356 cases are active. Twenty people have died in the state.
Ensure Free Movement of Trucks/Goods Carriers: MHA to States
The Home Ministry told states on Thursday to ensure free movement of trucks and goods carriers, including empty ones.
"Local authorities must not insist on separate passes at inter-state borders across the country. This is essential to maintain the supply chain of goods and services in the country," the MHA spokesperson said.
2 New COVID-19 Cases in Kerala
Only two COVID-19 cases were reported in Kerala on Thursday, while 14 patients were discharged.
25 New COVID-19 Cases in Mumbai's Dharavi
As many as 25 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Mumbai's Dharavi on Thursday, taking the area's tally to 369, the BMC said.
77 New COVID-19 Cases in UP; Tally Rises to 2,211
As many as 77 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, taking the tally in the state to 2,211. Forty deaths have been reported in the state.
Punjab CM Urges PM Modi for Special Trains for Migrant Labourers
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday directed officials to prepare data on migrant labourers stranded in the state due to the lockdown, and urged PM Modi to arrange special trains for their return, reported PTI.
313 New COVID-19 Cases in Gujarat
As many as 313 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Gujarat on Thursday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 4,395.
Only 7 Districts Have More Than 100 Coronavirus Cases: Rajasthan Health Minister
Rajasthan Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma on Thursday said there are only seven districts in the state where the number of coronavirus infected patients are around 100 or more.
There is now no new coronavirus positive case in three districts of the state —Pratapgarh, Bikaner and Churu — while four districts are coronavirus-free in the state, the minister said, reported PTI.
Maharashtra Crosses 10,000-Mark With 583 New Cases
“Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally soars to 10,498 with 583 new cases; 27 fresh deaths take toll to 459,” PTI reports quoting a Health official.
PM Modi Prepared People Mentally for Lockdown Through Janata Curfew: Vardhan
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for mentally preparing people for the lockdown by giving a call to observe the Janata Curfew before imposing nationwide curbs three days later on 25 March to contain the spread of coronavirus.
He also said the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in the country has been showing regular improvement and now stands at 12.5 days when seen over a period of three days which is an indicator of the positive effects of the lockdown, reports PTI.
Mumbai's Count of Cases Jumps to 6875; Death Toll 290
With the addition of 417 new coronavirus positive cases on Thursday, the number of COVID-19 patients in Mumbai city rose to 6,875, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
The death toll in the metroplis went up to 290 as 20 more persons died due to the infection, it said.
(Source: PTI)
Ahmedabad Reports 249 Fresh Cases; Tally at 3,021
“With 249 new cases, Ahmedabad's COVID-19 tally rises to 3,021; 12 more deaths take toll up to 149.” PTI reports quoting a Health official.
No New Case in Vardhaman Apartment: Delhi CM
“We had implemented Operation Shield to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the Vardhaman apartment. In the last four weeks, no new case has been reported and today the apartment is being de-contained,” says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, reported ANI.
PM Holds Meeting for Economic Reforms in Mine & Coal Sector
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a detailed meeting to deliberate the potential economic reforms in Mines and Coal Sectors to give a boost to the economy in the backdrop of COVID-19,” the Prime Minister's Office said.
PMO added, “The discussions involved ensuring easy and abundant availability of mineral resources from domestic sources, upscaling exploration, attracting investment and modern technology, to generate large scale employment through transparent and efficient processes.”
Pregnant Woman Tests Positive; Gautam Buddh Nagar Cases at 138
A nine-month pregnant woman tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Thursday, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the district to 138, officials said, PTI reported.
On the brighter side, seven more patients were discharged from hospitals following their treatment for COVID-19, even as the number of active cases came down to 50, the officials said.
Collector, 7 Doctors, Two Senior IPS Officers Quarantined; 2 Fresh Cases in Kerala
A district collector, two senior IPS officers and seven doctors were among those who have been quarantined on a day when two fresh cases were reported, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases to 497, even as Kerala made masks mandatory in public places and booked over 900 people on Thursday
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said cases were registered against 954 people on the first day for failing to wear masks, reported PTI.
65 New Cases Take MP's COVID-19 Count to 2,625; 7 More Die
With 65 more people testing positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh, the number of cases increased to 2,625 on Thursday, while seven patients succumbed to the disease - three of them in Indore - raising the toll to 137, health officials said, reports PTI.
The fresh positive cases and fatalities were recorded since Wednesday night, they said
Over 300 Held in Rajasthan so Far for Misbehaving With Frontline Workers
Over 300 people have been arrested in Rajasthan so far for allegedly misbehaving with people who are at the frontline of the battle against coronavirus, an official said on Thursday, according to PTI.
Additional Director General of Police (Crime) BL Soni said the incidents of assault on frontline workers are being dealt with strictly.
Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin Tests COVID-19 Positive
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says he has tested positive for coronavirus, reports AFP news agency.
313 New COVID-19 Cases Detected in Gujarat; 17 More Die
The coronavirus tally in Gujarat rose to 4,395 on Thursday after 313 new cases were recorded during the last 24 hours, while 17 more patients died - 12 of them in Ahmedabad - said health department officials, reported PTI.