1. 437 New COVID-19 Cases, 6 Deaths in India in 24 Hours
437 new coronavirus cases were reported in India on Wednesday, 1 April, the highest increase in COVID-19 positive patients in a day so far, taking the total number of cases in the country to 1,834.
The data released by the health ministry on Wednesday also showed 41 deaths related to COVID-19, an increase in six since Tuesday. According to the health ministry, 20 people recovered from coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the total of those who have recovered till now to 144.
(Source: NDTV)
2. Trace All Jamaat Attendees on War Footing: Centre to States
Keeping in view the urgent need to check migrant workers who left cities for their homes in the hinterland for COVID-19, the government is modifying its testing strategy to test all symptomatic cases in high risk zones or 'hotspots' reporting large number of cases.
The decision was taken by the empowered group, one of 11 formed to consider various aspects of the COVID-19 crisis, that is looking at disease surveillance, testing and availability of hospitals and isolation beds on Wednesday, 1 April, and a notification is likely to be issued on Thursday. “The details of the modifications in the testing protocol are being worked out and we will probably notify it tomorrow,” an official said.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. ‘No Exceptions to Lockdown’: MHA Order After Kerala’s ‘Liquor on Doc Advice’ Rule
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Wednesday, 1 April, ordered all state governments to stop making exemptions to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown ordered by him under the Disaster Management Law. Bhalla told them that they had to stick to the script outlined by the Centre and enforce the lockdown in “letter and spirit”.
Bhalla had invoked his powers under the disaster management law to order the nationwide lockdown on 24 March, shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke the news to the country in a televised address to the nation.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Wimbledon 2020 Cancelled Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Wimbledon organisers on Wednesday, 1 April, scrapped the grasscourt Grand Slam for the first time since World War II as the coronavirus wreaks further havoc on the global sporting calendar.
The cancellation of the only grasscourt major at the All England Club leaves the season in disarray, with no tennis due to be played until mid-July. "Devastated," tweeted eight-time champion Roger Federer. Wimbledon was due to run for two weeks from June 29, with Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep set to defend their singles titles.
But tournament chiefs bowed to the inevitable on Wednesday, saying in a statement that they had made the decision with "great regret".
(Source: NDTV)
5. Six-Week-Old Baby Dies of Coronavirus in US
A six-week-old infant has died of complications relating to COVID-19, the governor of the US state of Connecticut said Wednesday, 1 April, in one of the youngest recorded deaths from the virus.
Governor Ned Lamont tweeted that the newborn was "brought unresponsive to a hospital late last week and could not be revived."
"Testing confirmed last night that the newborn was COVID-19 positive," Lamont said.
(Source: NDTV)
6. Delhi Police Launch Coronavirus Patrol Squad
Authorities are tracking mobile phones of people under quarantine to check their movement in a heightened effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Wednesday, 1 April.
Addressing a press conference, the chief minister warned that strict action would be taken against those not adhering to the government's order on home quarantine.
The government gave 14,345 phone numbers to the Delhi Police on Wednesday to track them, in addition to 11,084 numbers it had shared on Tuesday, he said.
He said some countries have been using such technology to check the movement of those put under quarantine.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. TN Traces 110 New Cases to Tabligh Congregation
As states and Union territories across the country continued their efforts to trace and quarantine people who attended a Tablighi Jamaat congregation in the capital last month, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, 1 April, reported 110 new COVID-19 cases, all linked to the gathering.
According to Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh, of the total 234 cases in the state, 190 are now directly or indirectly linked to the Tablighi Jamaat gathering.
(Source: The Indian Express)
8. 10-Year-Old Among 3 New COVID-19 Cases in Mohali District
Three more COVID-19 cases were discovered in the district on Wednesday, 1 April, taking the number to 10. The new positive cases are a 10-year-old girl, her 74-year-old female relative in Phase IX and a 55-year-old man of Jagatpura who was a close contact of a Chandigarh-based man who tested positive for the disease.
All three found positive for the novel coronavirus disease are stated to be close contacts of Chandigarh positive cases. The three new postive cases were immediately put in quarantine and tracing of their contacts is on.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9. 2 COVID-19 Patients Assault Doctor After Kin Dies, Booked
Two COVID-19 patients, undergoing treatment at the isolation ward of Hyderabad’s Gandhi hospital, allegedly assaulted a junior doctor after their relative passed away in the same ward on Wednesday, 1 April. The Hyderabad police registered a case against the two patients and they are being shifted out to another COVID-19 treatment facility.
Health Minister Eatala Rajender condemned the attack on the doctor and DGP M Mahendar Reddy assured strong action against the accused.
The incident happened after a 49-year-old COVID-19 patient with multiple co-morbidities succumbed to his illness after undergoing treatment for a week at Gandhi Hospital. Since the admission, doctors say, his condition was critical and the attendants were regularly updated about his health.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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