15 staff members along with a staff member test positive in Rohini jail today. They are said to have come in contact with a positive patient found in the jail a few days back.
COVID-19: 952 patients discharged in Punjab today, active cases come down to 647
COVID-19 LIVE
20:25 May 16
20:20 May 16
Punjab: 952 patients discharged in a day; active cases come down to 647 from 1946
20:19 May 16
Two more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 79 in the state.
One person each tested positive in Hamirpur and Kangra districts, Special Secretary (Health) Nipun Jindal said.
A man from Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir has became the twelfth fatality from COVID-19 in the Union Territory, officials said on Saturday.
The person, hailing from Chadoora area of the central Kashmir district, died at SKIMS hospital in Soura area of the city here on Saturday, Medical Superintendent Farooq Jan said.
18:44 May 16
A 75-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man have tested positive for COVID-19 in Manipur, taking the total number of active cases in the state to four, officials said on Saturday.
The two persons had recently arrived from Mumbai, where one of them underwent treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital, they said.
18:44 May 16
Rising COVID-19 cases in the hill district of Wayanad and Kasaragod are causing concern to authorities and contact tracing is proving to be a herculean task amid indications thata truck driver who had recently returned from Koyambedu, a hotspot in Chennai, is suspected to have spread the infection in the hilly district.
18:42 May 16
116 people including Jail Superintendent test positive in Jaipur Jail, shifted to quarantine centre
18:41 May 16
Total 11 cases were reported in Kerala today, and 4 others were discharged after treatment.
As of now, there are 87 patients under treatment in the state.
18:40 May 16
7 more COVID-19 fatalities push West Bengal death toll to 160
Seven more COVID-19 fatalities were recorded in West Bengal, raising the death toll to 160 in the state, while 115 new cases pushed the virus count to 2,576, Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said on Saturday.
The state has so far attributed 72 other deaths to comorbid health conditions, where the novel coronavirus was incidental.
At least 115 new COVID-19 cases have been reported since Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,576, he said.
Since Friday evening, 63 people have been discharged from different hospitals after recovering from the infection, leaving 1,452 active cases in the state, the home secretary added.
18:39 May 16
With 39 fresh cases, Bihar tally soars to 1118
18:38 May 16
One more person tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the district to eight, a senior official said.
18:35 May 16
With one more case, total tally of active cases in Chhattisgarh climbs to 11
18:35 May 16
Nagaland has no case of coronavirus, but it also does not have adequate health infrastructure to deal with in an outbreak, a cause for concern for officials who believe prayers have kept the state safe from the contagion.
18:34 May 16
Nodal officer Saurabh said, "A 65-year-old male patient died of COVID-19 on Friday night. He was a resident of Noida only. He was already suffering from pneumonia. His test results showed he was COVID-19 positive."
Days after a 28-year-old inmate of Rohini jail tested positive for coronavirus, 15 others who shared a barrack with him and one head warden have also tested positive for the infection, officials said.
The Delhi Prison Department had tested for coronavirus 19 inmates from the barrack of the prisoner whose reports came back positive for the infection on Wednesday, they said.
18:34 May 16
One more person died of coronavirus in Gautam Budh Nagar, taking the total death toll in the district to 5, health officials said on Saturday.
18:34 May 16
A 24-year-old woman from Karaikal tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, pushing the tally of active cases to eight in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
15:22 May 16
Six new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Uttarakhand, taking total number of cases to 88 including 51 recoveries. Number of active cases stands at 36: Uttarakhand Health Department
15:21 May 16
16 new positive COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours. All of them are under treatment at designated COVID-19 healthcare hospitals. Most of them are asymptomatic: Border Security Force (BSF)
Since yesterday, 98 (Jodhpur-42, Tripura-31, Delhi -25) earlier tested COVID-19 positive BSF personnel have been discharged from hospitals after being tested negative. Total 135 BSF personnel have recovered till today.
15:20 May 16
The number of coronavirus cases in Goa came down to 10 on Saturday, after one of the COVID-19 patients tested negative in the final test, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said.
15:20 May 16
A 65 year old man who was also suffering from pneumonia, and had tested positive for COVID-19, lost his life yesterday: Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida
13:33 May 16
3 more CISF personnel test positive for COVID-19 in last 24 hours
Three more Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the force to 118 across the country , said the CISF on Saturday.
Among the new cases reported, one case was reported from Mumbai Airport, one from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and one from the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSEL), Kolkata.
A total of four personnel were cured and discharged on Saturday. Of the total positive cases reported, Kolkata has reported the maximum number of cases at 41, followed by Mumbai at 37 cases.
While, Delhi has reported 32 cases, Ahmedabad 5, Greater Noida 2 and Tamil Nadu one case.
13:33 May 16
Three more test positive for coronavirus in Goa
Three out of seven Vasco residents, who returned from Kolkata, have tested positive for the coronavirus, informed state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday.
Notably, these men had travelled to Gangapur in Kolkata to deliver barges and upon returning had contracted the disease.
"Three out of seven Goans from Vasco who had gone to deliver barges at Gangapur, Kolkata have tested positive for COVID-19 infection upon their arrival on Friday (yesterday)," he said while speaking to media in Panaji.
12:56 May 16
1,140 police personnel have been infected with COVID-19 across the state till now, including 862 active cases, 268 recovered, and 10 fatalities: Maharashtra Police
12:54 May 16
23 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Karnataka today, taking the total number of cases to 1079 including 36 deaths & 494 discharges. Number of active cases stands at 548: State Health Department
12:53 May 16
One dies in AP, 48 new cases reported
Forty eight fresh COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Andhra Pradesh, where the total number of infections climbed to 2,355 while one death due to the virus was reported, taking the toll in the state to 49, health department said on Saturday.
12:53 May 16
An assistant police inspector, who tested positive for COVID-19, succumbed to the infection at a civic-run hospital in Mumbai on Saturday, an official said.
The 33-year-old officer attached to Shahu Nagar police station in Dharavi was found unconscious at his home in the early hours of the day and was rushed to civic-run Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Sion, where he died, the official said.
12:52 May 16
65 persons test positive for COVID-19 in Odisha; infection tally rises to 737
Sixty-five people tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 737, officials said on Saturday.
12:52 May 16
Work for National Population Register (NPR) 2021 postponed in Uttar Pradesh in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
11:08 May 16
Indore's COVID-19 cases go up by 79 to 2,378; death toll 99
With 79 more people testing coronavirus positive in the last 24 hours, the number of patients in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh has grown to 2,378, a health official said on Saturday.
11:08 May 16
The Madhya Pradesh government has declared that nine districts in the state, which had earlier reported COVID-19 cases, were now coronavirus-free.
11:07 May 16
91 new cases reported in Rajasthan; total number of cases stand at 4838
11:06 May 16
With 47 new cases, Bihar's tally climbs to 1080
09:33 May 16
Simpler methods of saliva test being employed for coronavirus testing
Several simpler methods apart from nasopharyngeal swab technique are being used to conduct coronavirus testing that may help flatten the transmission curve in order to prevent a sharp spike in cases.
One such test is at-Home COVID-19 Saliva Test which is simpler as well as for those who may not be able to go to one of the drive-up testing sites. While the conventional testing procedure follows the procedure of nasopharyngeal swabs, the new test developed by Andrew Brooks requires the suspect to only spit inside a cup.
Unlike the conventional testing procedures, the saliva tests can be performed by people at home and sent them to Rutgers clinical genomics laboratory via mail. The results of the test can be ascertained within 48 hours.
09:33 May 16
Leh District Administration evacuates stranded people amid lockdown 3.0
Amidst nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, the district administration of Leh has evacuated stranded people.
They evacuated students, pilgrims from different parts on May 15. All the passengers were screened at Khaltsi screening point. Circles are also being made to ensure social distancing norms being followed among all the passengers.
All the vehicles were also sanitised keeping in mind the hygiene factor.
There are total 43 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ladakh. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 active cases rose to 51,401 with 2649 deaths in India.
09:32 May 16
One more policeman dies of COVID-19 in Maharashtra
A 57-year-old police officer died of coronavirus in Mumbai on Friday, informed Mumbai Police.
The deceased identified as Madhukar Mane was attached to the Motor Transport Department and had been sent on leave for the last 15 days in view of the raging pandemic.
"Mumbai Police regrets to inform about the unfortunate demise of ASID Madhukar Mane, 57. Being in the high-risk age-group, Shri Mane was on leave for the past 15 days. May his soul rest in peace. Our thoughts & prayers are with his family," the Mumbai Police tweeted.
So far, the COVID-19 has claimed lives of 10 policemen in Maharashtra -- seven in Mumbai and one each in Solapur, Nashik and Pune.
09:32 May 16
4 more COVID-19 cases found in Jharkhand, state tally reaches 215
Four more people have been tested positive for COVID-19 in Jharkhand, taking the total tally of the cases to 215, informed Health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni on Saturday.
Of the new coronavirus cases found, three are from Hazaribagh and one is from East Singhbhum.
"Three more from Hazaribagh and one from East Singhbhum tested positive last night. Total 215 in Jharkhand," Kulkarni informed media.
09:31 May 16
Andhra Pradesh to soon have 10,000 YSR Health Clinics at village level
Andhra Pradesh government on Friday said it is mulling investing over Rs 16,200 crore to revamp hospitals and medical colleges across the State and set up a total of 10,000 YSR Health clinics in villages.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted a review meeting on Nadu Nedu on Hospitals here on Friday and instructed officials that the proposals to establish 10,000 YSR Health Clinics (sub-centres) at every village secretariat should be expedited.
"In order to strengthen public healthcare and Health Infrastructure, the State Government is contemplating to invest Rs 16,203 crore for revamping government hospitals and medical colleges across the State, while 10,000 YSR Clinics will be set up soon at the village level," a statement from the chief minister's office read.
The Chief Minister sought details on the development of village clinics, primary healthcare centres, community health centres, area hospitals and district-level hospitals under the Nadu-Nedu programme.
09:30 May 16
Except in 4 zones in Hyderabad, no coronavirus active cases in Telangana: KCR
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has declared that apart from four zones in Hyderabad, there are no active coronavirus cases in the state.
"Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has declared that except in four zones in Hyderabad, there are no coronavirus active cases in the State," an official release said on Friday.
The Chief Minister said that the lockdown in the state would continue as it is and based on the guidelines to be given by the Centre on May 17 after the end of the countrywide lockdown announced by the centre, a further strategy for the State would be finalised.
The Chief Minister has instructed officials concerned to take precautionary measures to prevent seasonal diseases that may break out during the rainy season while continuing the efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in the State.
The Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting on Friday at Pragathi Bhavan here.
"Coronavirus in Telangana has limited itself to four zones in Hyderabad city. LB Nagar, Malakpet, Charminar, Karawan Zones have coronavirus active cases. There are 1,442 families in these areas," he said.
"There is nothing to be scared about coronavirus. A majority of people has been recovering from the virus. In Telangana, the percentage of people who died due to Corona was only 2.38 per cent.
09:04 May 16
New Delhi: The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 85,000 on Friday with more people testing positive for the deadly virus infection from Kashmir to Kerala and from Karnataka to Bihar, even as indications emerged about greater relaxations in the fourth phase of the lockdown beginning Monday to contain economic costs of the pandemic.
Going by the numbers declared by different states and union territories, India has now surpassed China's official tally of 82,933 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Though some new cases have emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan -- the epicentre of the deadly virus -- less than 100 people are now undergoing treatment across China, which recorded 4,633 deaths due to COVID-19 but more than 78,000 have been discharged after recovery, as per their official data.
Globally, more than 3 lakh people have died and nearly 45 lakh have tested positive for the deadly virus since its emergence in Wuhan last December. While China and several other countries have begun reopening their economies, fresh concerns have begun mounting about a possible re-emergence of the virus.
India is now the 11th most affected nation in the world, but each one of the top-ten have one lakh or more cases. The US tops the charts with more than 14 lakh cases, followed by Russia, UK, Spain, Italy and Brazil with over 2 lakh cases each; and France, Germany, Turkey and Iran having over 1 lakh cases each.
In its morning 8 AM update, the Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 across India has risen to 2,649 and the number of cases has climbed to 81,970, registering an increase of 100 deaths and 3,967 cases in the last 24 hours since Thursday morning. There are more than 51,000 active cases, while nearly 28,000 have recovered, giving a recovery rate of over 34 per cent.
However, a tally of numbers reported by states and UTs, as of 9 PM, put the total number of confirmed cases across the country much higher at 85,538. This also showed at least 2,679 deaths and nearly 30,000 recoveries.
Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar and Karnataka breached the 1,000-mark in terms of the number of people having tested positive, while testing and containment measures were ramped up in places like, Kerala, Goa and Manipur that were being seen as being mostly virus-free till a few days back. Even a quarantine centre had to be sealed in Manipur.
On the other hand, large numbers of cases continued to get detected in big urban clusters. Maharashtra, the most-affected state, reported 1,576 new cases to take its tally to 29,100, while its death toll rose to 1,068. Tamil Nadu crossed the 10,000 mark with 434 new cases, while Gujarat saw 340 more people testing positive to push its tally to 9,932.
According to the Union Health Ministry, 30 municipal areas account for 79 per cent of India's coronavirus infection caseload.
At a meeting of a group of ministers chaired by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, it was stressed that the focus of COVID-19 management strategy needs to be on the states with the highest number of confirmed cases and fatalities. Also, focus is needed on treatment and case fatality management, for which timely detection and contact tracing were the best way forward.
The Finance Ministry in the meantime unveiled the third booster dose, mainly consisting of measures aimed at helping farmers and for reforms in agriculture and allied sectors, of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ₹20 lakh crore 'special package' for making India self-reliant in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Modi said the third tranche will help the rural economy and boost farmers' income.
India has been under a lockdown since March 25, which was initially scheduled to end on April 14 but has got extended twice -- first till May 3 and then till May 17 with some relaxations.
A final decision on the fourth phase is expected soon, but officials said there could be greater relaxations and more flexibility for states and union territories while measures being explored include gradual reopening of the railways and domestic airlines.
Schools, colleges, malls and cinema halls may not be allowed to open anywhere in the country, but salons, barber shops and optical shops may be allowed everywhere barring COVID-19 containment areas. E-retailers may be allowed to deliver non-essential items too.
Final guidelines will be issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after going through the suggestions of various state governments. During his last interaction with chief ministers, Modi had asked them to submit their suggestions by May 15.
According to officials, Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam and Telangana want the lockdown to continue, while some states have sought powers to decide the zoning of districts -- green, orange and red -- as per the COVID-19 situation.
This request of the state governments may be accepted so that they can restrict or allow movement of people or economic activities in a particular place depending on the ground situation, an official said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Tuesday, had said that the lockdown 4.0 will have a "completely different form", with new rules.
"No state wants complete withdrawal of lockdown but all want gradual resumption of economic activities," the official said.
Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka are among some states which are not in favour of complete resumption of train and air services, at least till May-end.
The railways have already started special trains to 15 destinations from Delhi and have been running several hundred 'Shramik Special' trains from different parts of the country to various places for transportation of migrant workers stranded due to the lockdown. Air India is also engaged in evacuation of thousands of Indians stranded abroad during the lockdown under the 'Vande Bharat Mission'.
However, there have been cases of people testing positive after reaching their native places using these trains and flights.
Officials said local trains, buses and metro services may start running with limited capacity in non-containment areas of red zones. Autos and taxis are also expected to be allowed in all zones with restrictions on the number of passengers, barring areas identified as 'containment zones'.
Maharashtra has favoured strict lockdown measures in Mumbai, its suburbs and Pune, and a complete ban on inter-state and inter-district transport.
However, Gujarat wants resumption of economic activities in major urban centres. Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have also favoured opening up of economic activities.
Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, which have seen a spike in the COVID-19 cases after arrival of migrant workers, want the lockdown to continue with strict curbs on movement of people.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Modi not to open state boundaries for the next few months, except for migrants or essential services.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the state has written to the Centre urging extension of the lockdown by two more weeks.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the Centre may announce many relaxations in the lockdown after May 17.
The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to resume state transport bus service to various destinations from May 18, while the Haryana Roadways has already resumed bus services on select routes within the state.
Inputs from PTI, ANI, IANS
20:25 May 16
15 staff members along with a staff member test positive in Rohini jail today. They are said to have come in contact with a positive patient found in the jail a few days back.
20:20 May 16
Punjab: 952 patients discharged in a day; active cases come down to 647 from 1946
20:19 May 16
Two more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 79 in the state.
One person each tested positive in Hamirpur and Kangra districts, Special Secretary (Health) Nipun Jindal said.
A man from Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir has became the twelfth fatality from COVID-19 in the Union Territory, officials said on Saturday.
The person, hailing from Chadoora area of the central Kashmir district, died at SKIMS hospital in Soura area of the city here on Saturday, Medical Superintendent Farooq Jan said.
18:44 May 16
A 75-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man have tested positive for COVID-19 in Manipur, taking the total number of active cases in the state to four, officials said on Saturday.
The two persons had recently arrived from Mumbai, where one of them underwent treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital, they said.
18:44 May 16
Rising COVID-19 cases in the hill district of Wayanad and Kasaragod are causing concern to authorities and contact tracing is proving to be a herculean task amid indications thata truck driver who had recently returned from Koyambedu, a hotspot in Chennai, is suspected to have spread the infection in the hilly district.
18:42 May 16
116 people including Jail Superintendent test positive in Jaipur Jail, shifted to quarantine centre
18:41 May 16
Total 11 cases were reported in Kerala today, and 4 others were discharged after treatment.
As of now, there are 87 patients under treatment in the state.
18:40 May 16
7 more COVID-19 fatalities push West Bengal death toll to 160
Seven more COVID-19 fatalities were recorded in West Bengal, raising the death toll to 160 in the state, while 115 new cases pushed the virus count to 2,576, Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said on Saturday.
The state has so far attributed 72 other deaths to comorbid health conditions, where the novel coronavirus was incidental.
At least 115 new COVID-19 cases have been reported since Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,576, he said.
Since Friday evening, 63 people have been discharged from different hospitals after recovering from the infection, leaving 1,452 active cases in the state, the home secretary added.
18:39 May 16
With 39 fresh cases, Bihar tally soars to 1118
18:38 May 16
One more person tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the district to eight, a senior official said.
18:35 May 16
With one more case, total tally of active cases in Chhattisgarh climbs to 11
18:35 May 16
Nagaland has no case of coronavirus, but it also does not have adequate health infrastructure to deal with in an outbreak, a cause for concern for officials who believe prayers have kept the state safe from the contagion.
18:34 May 16
Nodal officer Saurabh said, "A 65-year-old male patient died of COVID-19 on Friday night. He was a resident of Noida only. He was already suffering from pneumonia. His test results showed he was COVID-19 positive."
Days after a 28-year-old inmate of Rohini jail tested positive for coronavirus, 15 others who shared a barrack with him and one head warden have also tested positive for the infection, officials said.
The Delhi Prison Department had tested for coronavirus 19 inmates from the barrack of the prisoner whose reports came back positive for the infection on Wednesday, they said.
18:34 May 16
One more person died of coronavirus in Gautam Budh Nagar, taking the total death toll in the district to 5, health officials said on Saturday.
18:34 May 16
A 24-year-old woman from Karaikal tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, pushing the tally of active cases to eight in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
15:22 May 16
Six new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Uttarakhand, taking total number of cases to 88 including 51 recoveries. Number of active cases stands at 36: Uttarakhand Health Department
15:21 May 16
16 new positive COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours. All of them are under treatment at designated COVID-19 healthcare hospitals. Most of them are asymptomatic: Border Security Force (BSF)
Since yesterday, 98 (Jodhpur-42, Tripura-31, Delhi -25) earlier tested COVID-19 positive BSF personnel have been discharged from hospitals after being tested negative. Total 135 BSF personnel have recovered till today.
15:20 May 16
The number of coronavirus cases in Goa came down to 10 on Saturday, after one of the COVID-19 patients tested negative in the final test, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said.
15:20 May 16
A 65 year old man who was also suffering from pneumonia, and had tested positive for COVID-19, lost his life yesterday: Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida
13:33 May 16
3 more CISF personnel test positive for COVID-19 in last 24 hours
Three more Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the force to 118 across the country , said the CISF on Saturday.
Among the new cases reported, one case was reported from Mumbai Airport, one from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and one from the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSEL), Kolkata.
A total of four personnel were cured and discharged on Saturday. Of the total positive cases reported, Kolkata has reported the maximum number of cases at 41, followed by Mumbai at 37 cases.
While, Delhi has reported 32 cases, Ahmedabad 5, Greater Noida 2 and Tamil Nadu one case.
13:33 May 16
Three more test positive for coronavirus in Goa
Three out of seven Vasco residents, who returned from Kolkata, have tested positive for the coronavirus, informed state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday.
Notably, these men had travelled to Gangapur in Kolkata to deliver barges and upon returning had contracted the disease.
"Three out of seven Goans from Vasco who had gone to deliver barges at Gangapur, Kolkata have tested positive for COVID-19 infection upon their arrival on Friday (yesterday)," he said while speaking to media in Panaji.
12:56 May 16
1,140 police personnel have been infected with COVID-19 across the state till now, including 862 active cases, 268 recovered, and 10 fatalities: Maharashtra Police
12:54 May 16
23 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Karnataka today, taking the total number of cases to 1079 including 36 deaths & 494 discharges. Number of active cases stands at 548: State Health Department
12:53 May 16
One dies in AP, 48 new cases reported
Forty eight fresh COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Andhra Pradesh, where the total number of infections climbed to 2,355 while one death due to the virus was reported, taking the toll in the state to 49, health department said on Saturday.
12:53 May 16
An assistant police inspector, who tested positive for COVID-19, succumbed to the infection at a civic-run hospital in Mumbai on Saturday, an official said.
The 33-year-old officer attached to Shahu Nagar police station in Dharavi was found unconscious at his home in the early hours of the day and was rushed to civic-run Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Sion, where he died, the official said.
12:52 May 16
65 persons test positive for COVID-19 in Odisha; infection tally rises to 737
Sixty-five people tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 737, officials said on Saturday.
12:52 May 16
Work for National Population Register (NPR) 2021 postponed in Uttar Pradesh in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
11:08 May 16
Indore's COVID-19 cases go up by 79 to 2,378; death toll 99
With 79 more people testing coronavirus positive in the last 24 hours, the number of patients in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh has grown to 2,378, a health official said on Saturday.
11:08 May 16
The Madhya Pradesh government has declared that nine districts in the state, which had earlier reported COVID-19 cases, were now coronavirus-free.
11:07 May 16
91 new cases reported in Rajasthan; total number of cases stand at 4838
11:06 May 16
With 47 new cases, Bihar's tally climbs to 1080
09:33 May 16
Simpler methods of saliva test being employed for coronavirus testing
Several simpler methods apart from nasopharyngeal swab technique are being used to conduct coronavirus testing that may help flatten the transmission curve in order to prevent a sharp spike in cases.
One such test is at-Home COVID-19 Saliva Test which is simpler as well as for those who may not be able to go to one of the drive-up testing sites. While the conventional testing procedure follows the procedure of nasopharyngeal swabs, the new test developed by Andrew Brooks requires the suspect to only spit inside a cup.
Unlike the conventional testing procedures, the saliva tests can be performed by people at home and sent them to Rutgers clinical genomics laboratory via mail. The results of the test can be ascertained within 48 hours.
09:33 May 16
Leh District Administration evacuates stranded people amid lockdown 3.0
Amidst nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, the district administration of Leh has evacuated stranded people.
They evacuated students, pilgrims from different parts on May 15. All the passengers were screened at Khaltsi screening point. Circles are also being made to ensure social distancing norms being followed among all the passengers.
All the vehicles were also sanitised keeping in mind the hygiene factor.
There are total 43 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ladakh. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 active cases rose to 51,401 with 2649 deaths in India.
09:32 May 16
One more policeman dies of COVID-19 in Maharashtra
A 57-year-old police officer died of coronavirus in Mumbai on Friday, informed Mumbai Police.
The deceased identified as Madhukar Mane was attached to the Motor Transport Department and had been sent on leave for the last 15 days in view of the raging pandemic.
"Mumbai Police regrets to inform about the unfortunate demise of ASID Madhukar Mane, 57. Being in the high-risk age-group, Shri Mane was on leave for the past 15 days. May his soul rest in peace. Our thoughts & prayers are with his family," the Mumbai Police tweeted.
So far, the COVID-19 has claimed lives of 10 policemen in Maharashtra -- seven in Mumbai and one each in Solapur, Nashik and Pune.
09:32 May 16
4 more COVID-19 cases found in Jharkhand, state tally reaches 215
Four more people have been tested positive for COVID-19 in Jharkhand, taking the total tally of the cases to 215, informed Health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni on Saturday.
Of the new coronavirus cases found, three are from Hazaribagh and one is from East Singhbhum.
"Three more from Hazaribagh and one from East Singhbhum tested positive last night. Total 215 in Jharkhand," Kulkarni informed media.
09:31 May 16
Andhra Pradesh to soon have 10,000 YSR Health Clinics at village level
Andhra Pradesh government on Friday said it is mulling investing over Rs 16,200 crore to revamp hospitals and medical colleges across the State and set up a total of 10,000 YSR Health clinics in villages.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted a review meeting on Nadu Nedu on Hospitals here on Friday and instructed officials that the proposals to establish 10,000 YSR Health Clinics (sub-centres) at every village secretariat should be expedited.
"In order to strengthen public healthcare and Health Infrastructure, the State Government is contemplating to invest Rs 16,203 crore for revamping government hospitals and medical colleges across the State, while 10,000 YSR Clinics will be set up soon at the village level," a statement from the chief minister's office read.
The Chief Minister sought details on the development of village clinics, primary healthcare centres, community health centres, area hospitals and district-level hospitals under the Nadu-Nedu programme.
09:30 May 16
Except in 4 zones in Hyderabad, no coronavirus active cases in Telangana: KCR
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has declared that apart from four zones in Hyderabad, there are no active coronavirus cases in the state.
"Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has declared that except in four zones in Hyderabad, there are no coronavirus active cases in the State," an official release said on Friday.
The Chief Minister said that the lockdown in the state would continue as it is and based on the guidelines to be given by the Centre on May 17 after the end of the countrywide lockdown announced by the centre, a further strategy for the State would be finalised.
The Chief Minister has instructed officials concerned to take precautionary measures to prevent seasonal diseases that may break out during the rainy season while continuing the efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in the State.
The Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting on Friday at Pragathi Bhavan here.
"Coronavirus in Telangana has limited itself to four zones in Hyderabad city. LB Nagar, Malakpet, Charminar, Karawan Zones have coronavirus active cases. There are 1,442 families in these areas," he said.
"There is nothing to be scared about coronavirus. A majority of people has been recovering from the virus. In Telangana, the percentage of people who died due to Corona was only 2.38 per cent.
09:04 May 16
New Delhi: The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 85,000 on Friday with more people testing positive for the deadly virus infection from Kashmir to Kerala and from Karnataka to Bihar, even as indications emerged about greater relaxations in the fourth phase of the lockdown beginning Monday to contain economic costs of the pandemic.
Going by the numbers declared by different states and union territories, India has now surpassed China's official tally of 82,933 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Though some new cases have emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan -- the epicentre of the deadly virus -- less than 100 people are now undergoing treatment across China, which recorded 4,633 deaths due to COVID-19 but more than 78,000 have been discharged after recovery, as per their official data.
Globally, more than 3 lakh people have died and nearly 45 lakh have tested positive for the deadly virus since its emergence in Wuhan last December. While China and several other countries have begun reopening their economies, fresh concerns have begun mounting about a possible re-emergence of the virus.
India is now the 11th most affected nation in the world, but each one of the top-ten have one lakh or more cases. The US tops the charts with more than 14 lakh cases, followed by Russia, UK, Spain, Italy and Brazil with over 2 lakh cases each; and France, Germany, Turkey and Iran having over 1 lakh cases each.
In its morning 8 AM update, the Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 across India has risen to 2,649 and the number of cases has climbed to 81,970, registering an increase of 100 deaths and 3,967 cases in the last 24 hours since Thursday morning. There are more than 51,000 active cases, while nearly 28,000 have recovered, giving a recovery rate of over 34 per cent.
However, a tally of numbers reported by states and UTs, as of 9 PM, put the total number of confirmed cases across the country much higher at 85,538. This also showed at least 2,679 deaths and nearly 30,000 recoveries.
Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar and Karnataka breached the 1,000-mark in terms of the number of people having tested positive, while testing and containment measures were ramped up in places like, Kerala, Goa and Manipur that were being seen as being mostly virus-free till a few days back. Even a quarantine centre had to be sealed in Manipur.
On the other hand, large numbers of cases continued to get detected in big urban clusters. Maharashtra, the most-affected state, reported 1,576 new cases to take its tally to 29,100, while its death toll rose to 1,068. Tamil Nadu crossed the 10,000 mark with 434 new cases, while Gujarat saw 340 more people testing positive to push its tally to 9,932.
According to the Union Health Ministry, 30 municipal areas account for 79 per cent of India's coronavirus infection caseload.
At a meeting of a group of ministers chaired by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, it was stressed that the focus of COVID-19 management strategy needs to be on the states with the highest number of confirmed cases and fatalities. Also, focus is needed on treatment and case fatality management, for which timely detection and contact tracing were the best way forward.
The Finance Ministry in the meantime unveiled the third booster dose, mainly consisting of measures aimed at helping farmers and for reforms in agriculture and allied sectors, of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ₹20 lakh crore 'special package' for making India self-reliant in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Modi said the third tranche will help the rural economy and boost farmers' income.
India has been under a lockdown since March 25, which was initially scheduled to end on April 14 but has got extended twice -- first till May 3 and then till May 17 with some relaxations.
A final decision on the fourth phase is expected soon, but officials said there could be greater relaxations and more flexibility for states and union territories while measures being explored include gradual reopening of the railways and domestic airlines.
Schools, colleges, malls and cinema halls may not be allowed to open anywhere in the country, but salons, barber shops and optical shops may be allowed everywhere barring COVID-19 containment areas. E-retailers may be allowed to deliver non-essential items too.
Final guidelines will be issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after going through the suggestions of various state governments. During his last interaction with chief ministers, Modi had asked them to submit their suggestions by May 15.
According to officials, Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam and Telangana want the lockdown to continue, while some states have sought powers to decide the zoning of districts -- green, orange and red -- as per the COVID-19 situation.
This request of the state governments may be accepted so that they can restrict or allow movement of people or economic activities in a particular place depending on the ground situation, an official said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Tuesday, had said that the lockdown 4.0 will have a "completely different form", with new rules.
"No state wants complete withdrawal of lockdown but all want gradual resumption of economic activities," the official said.
Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka are among some states which are not in favour of complete resumption of train and air services, at least till May-end.
The railways have already started special trains to 15 destinations from Delhi and have been running several hundred 'Shramik Special' trains from different parts of the country to various places for transportation of migrant workers stranded due to the lockdown. Air India is also engaged in evacuation of thousands of Indians stranded abroad during the lockdown under the 'Vande Bharat Mission'.
However, there have been cases of people testing positive after reaching their native places using these trains and flights.
Officials said local trains, buses and metro services may start running with limited capacity in non-containment areas of red zones. Autos and taxis are also expected to be allowed in all zones with restrictions on the number of passengers, barring areas identified as 'containment zones'.
Maharashtra has favoured strict lockdown measures in Mumbai, its suburbs and Pune, and a complete ban on inter-state and inter-district transport.
However, Gujarat wants resumption of economic activities in major urban centres. Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have also favoured opening up of economic activities.
Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, which have seen a spike in the COVID-19 cases after arrival of migrant workers, want the lockdown to continue with strict curbs on movement of people.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Modi not to open state boundaries for the next few months, except for migrants or essential services.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the state has written to the Centre urging extension of the lockdown by two more weeks.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the Centre may announce many relaxations in the lockdown after May 17.
The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to resume state transport bus service to various destinations from May 18, while the Haryana Roadways has already resumed bus services on select routes within the state.
Inputs from PTI, ANI, IANS
Last Updated : May 16, 2020, 8:27 PM IST
