Coronavirus news highlights: Covid variants inciting India's second surge, epidemiologists say

India on Thursday reported a record single-day rise of 2,00,739 new coronavirus infections pushing the total tally of cases to 1,40,74,564, while the active cases surpassed the 14-lakh mark. Maharashtra, the worst-affected state in the second phase, has set strict Covid-19 restrictions, including the imposition of Section 144 across the state. Delhi announced a weekend curfew and UP extended its night curfew to 10 districts. Meanwhile, over 1,500 people tested positive for the disease at the Kumbh Mela. Follow DH for live updates

UK variant detected in 70% samples sent by PGIMER

The UK variant of Covid-19 was found in 70 percent of 60 samples sent to the National Centre for Diseases Control, the PGIMER said on Thursday.

“Seventy percent of the samples had UK variant of Covid-19 and 20 percent of the samples had 681 H mutant,” said Jagat Ram, the director of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, in a statement here. The majority of the samples were from Chandigarh, he added.

Industry for extending weekend restrictions to national capital region

The industry on Thursday suggested extending the weekend restrictions to the national capital region in consultations with state governments of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as it will have a larger effect on containing Covid-19 spread.

Prepare plan to ensure there is no shortage of Remdesivir injections: Delhi CM to officials

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday asked officials to prepare a plan to ensure that there is no shortage of Remdesivir injections in Delhi and directed hospitals to provide real-time data related to Covid-19 beds on its application.

Remdesivir helps shorten recovery time for patients hospitalised with the coronavirus disease, and is being used in combination with other drugs in the treatment of Covid-19 symptoms.

Active coronavirus cases in Maharashtra to double in 15 days: Thackeray to Modi

The number of active Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra is expected to double in the next 15 days, according to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The state’s active caseload will reach 11.9 lakh by April 30, from the current 5.64 lakh, Thackeray said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Telangana adds 3,307 Covid-19 cases; situation grim, warns official

Telangana registered 3,307 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the overall infection count to over 3.38 lakh, while the toll rose to 1,788 with eight more fatalities, the government said on Thursday.

Coronavirus variants inciting India's second surge, epidemiologists say

The second surge of Covid-19 cases in India has swamped hospitals much faster than the first because mutations in the virus mean each patient is infecting many more people than before, epidemiologists and doctors say.

Declare journalists frontline workers, get them vaccinated on priority: Editors Guild to govt

The Editors Guild of India on Thursday urged the Union government to declare journalists as frontline workers and ensure priority vaccination for them amid a rise in coronavirus cases.

In a statement, the Guild said news organisations have been relentlessly covering the pandemic, elections, and other current affairs in an effort to ensure that the flow of news and information to readers continues unabated.

Odisha govt postpones all board exams after Covid surge

The Odisha government on Thursday postponed all board examinations including the Class 10 and 12 tests in the wake of spiraling Covid-19 cases in the state.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement after reviewing the coronavirus situation in Odisha, where active cases have surpassed the 14,000-mark.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to chair virtual meeting on Covid-19 situation with presiding officers on April 19. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi among other leaders of Opposition will also attend the meeting. (ANI)

Kerala Agriculture Minister tests positive for coronavirus

Kerala Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar has tested positive for Covid-19 for the second time in seven months.

In a Facebook post, the minister said that he was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital here on Wednesday evening after being infected with the virus again.

Weekend curfew in Delhi: All you need to know

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also said there was no shortage of hospital beds and over 5,000 were still available for Covid patients. Efforts to increase beds on a large scale will also be made.

Read more

UP extends night curfew in 10 districts with over 2,000 Covid-19 cases

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday announced that it will extendnight curfew from 8 pm till 7 am in 10 districts with more than 2,000 active Covid-19 cases.

Read more

1,700 test Covid-19 positive in Kumbh Mela over 5-day period

More RT-PCR test reports are awaited and the trend shows that the number of infected persons in the Kumbh Mela Kshetra is likely to climb to 2,000, said an official.

Read more

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announces weekend curfew in the national capital to curb the spread of Covid-19

According to the latest data, more than 5,000 beds are available: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Covid-19 situation.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Ministers Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi take their doses of Covid-19 vaccine, in Patna

Mumbai hotels to function as extension of private hospitals as Covid-19 cases see sharp spike

According to a notification issued by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, major private hospitals will jointly identify closely located 4 and 5-star hotels and initiate linkage for setting up of step-down facilities for Covid-19 patients.

Covid-19 deaths overwhelm Bengaluru crematoriums as daily cases, toll surge

Vehicles ferrying the bodies of Covid-19 victims are being forced to parkin queues for several hours waiting for their turn to cremate the bodies as per the Covid protocol.

Read more

India's daily Covid cases jump from 1 lakh to 2 lakh in just 10 days

India also added 1,038 deaths in the past day, taking the total to almost 175,000, the health ministry data showed, although on a per capita basis India is far behind many other countries.

Read more

Maharashtra govt notifies all aviation-related services and forestry-related operations as emergency services with respect to the ongoing 'Break the Chain' campaign against Covid-19 in the state.

India reports 2,00,739 new Covid-19 cases, 93,528 discharges and 1,038 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry Total cases: 1,40,74,564 Total recoveries: 1,24,29,564 Active cases: 14,71,877 Death toll: 1,73,123

Amid surgingCovidcases, devotees gather in large numbers during the third 'Shahi Snan' of the Kumbh Mela 2021, at Har ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar on Wednesday. Credit: PTI Photo

Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Health) issues directions on quarantine of migrant workers returning to the state

Workers to be screened by district administration. Those showing symptoms, but are not infected, will be sent to 14-day home quarantine, 7-day home quarantine for the asymptomatic ones.

Compulsory Rapid Antigen Test will be conducted at no cost on all incoming passengers at Andaman and Nicobar Islands' Port Blair airport from tomorrow.

-Passengers arriving at VSI airport, Port Blair will continue to have valid negative RT-PCR report.

-If a passenger found positive during the testing he/she will be sent to institutional quarantine as per the SOPs.

Credit: AFP File Photo

284 active cases of Covid-19 currently in prisons across Maharashtra, including 198 inmates and 86 members of jail staff. 15 deaths reported, comprising 7 prisoners and 8 jail staff. 1326 prisoners and 3112 jail staff vaccinated so far.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to hold a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal today over increasing Covid-19 cases in the national capital.

(ANI)

26,20,03,415 samples tested for Covid-19 up to 14th April 2021, including 13,84,549 samples that were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

Health workers take swab samples of passengers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station, amid spike in Covid-19 cases, in Mumbai, Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Credit: PTI Photo

For the first time, India sees over 2 lakh single-day Covid-19 cases

The death toll increased to 1,73,123 with 1,038 daily new fatalities, the highest this year, the data updated at 9 am showed.

Read more

Varanasi district administration has made it mandatory for devotees to produce negative RT-PCR test report not older than 3 days to enter Vishwanath temple, Sankatmochan temple, & Annapurna temple. We'll implement it for hotels also: Divisional Commission

(ANI)

Daily Covid-19 deaths cross 1,000 after six months, Madhya Pradesh among the top five states

Out of 1,027 Covid-19 deaths reported in the previous 24 hours, Maharashtra accounted for 281 fatalities followed by Chhattisgarh (156) and Uttar Pradesh (85).

Read more

Lockdown-type Covid-19 measures enforced for two weeks in Maharashtra

Aimed to 'Break-the-Chain' of coronavirus, the government has asked people not to step out of their houses unless absolutely necessary.

Read more

Maharashtra government's 15-day restrictions comes into force. Section 144 imposed across the state. Visuals from Mumbai:

Karnataka Deputy CM Narayan, D K Shivakumar join chorus against lockdown

Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan and Congress president D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said no to a lockdown amid fears that the B S Yediyurappa administration would look to impose stricter curbs to contain the fresh wave of Covid-19 cases.

Read more

Over 1,000 test positive for Covid-19 at Kumbh Mela

Hundreds of people have tested positive for coronavirus in India at the site of the world's biggest religious festival, officials said Wednesday, as huge crowds of mostly maskless Hindu devotees descended on the Ganga.

Read more