LIVE! Over 2,000 COVID-19 cases in Maha for 3rd day

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Tue, 19 May 2020

Over 2,000 COVID-19 cases in Maha for 3rd day

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23:45 Over 2,000 COVID-19 cases in Maha for 3rd day

Maharashtra recorded 2,127 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the tally to 37,136,while the death toll due to the pandemic rose to 1,325 with 76 patients dying, 43 of them in Mumbai, officials said.

This was the third consecutive day when the state reported more than 2,000 coronavirus cases.

The number of deaths during the day was also the highest so far, a health department official said.

Earlier in the evening, health minister Rajesh Tope had put the number of new cases at 2,100 and total number cases at 37,158, with a record 1,202 being discharged.

Out of 76 deaths, 43 were reported in Mumbai, 15 from Thane city, six from Pune, three from Akola, two each from Navi Mumbai, Buldana and Nagpur, one each from Aurangabad, Dhule and Nashik.

With 1,202 patients discharged, the tally of recovered patients stood at 9,639, the official said.

Of the total coronavirus cases and deaths recorded so far in the state, Mumbai alone accounts for 22,746 infectionsand 800 fatalities, he said.

Pune, another coronavirus hotspot, has so far reported 3,846 cases and 202 deaths, he said, adding the entire Pune division has reported a total of 4,821 cases and 238 deaths.

The Thane division, which also consists of Mumbai city, has recorded 28,431 COVID-19 cases and 904 deaths.

The Nashik division has recorded 1,312 cases and 85 deaths followed by the Kolhapur division which has reported 248 infections and five fatalities, the official said.

The tally of coronavirus cases in Aurangabad was 1,181with 35 deaths.

The Latur division has reported 145 cases and six deaths.

The Akola division has reported 543 cases and 34deaths due to COVID-19 till now.

Nagpur's tally was 409 cases and seven deaths, the official said.

A total of 46 people from other states are currently receiving treatment in Maharashtra while 11 such patients have succumbed to the infection so far, the official said.

The state has performed 2,93,998 tests so far of which 2,56,862 samples were negative and 37,136 tested positive.

The number of active containment zones in the state stood at 1,765 and 15,178 health squads have completed surveillance of 63.29 lakh people.

3,86,192 people are currently under home quarantine and another 21,150 under institutional quarantine.

Maharashtra COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 37,136, new cases 2,127, deaths 1,325, discharged 1,202,active cases 26,164, people tested so far 2,93,998. -- PTI

Amid the coronavirus lockdown, a musical party was organised in the premises of a plush housing society in suburban Ghatkopar where samosas were served to guests, police said on Tuesday.

As the matter came to light, police arrested two members of the cooperative housing society, including its chairman, on Monday on charges of violating prohibitory orders which are in place to stem the spread of coronavirus, they said.

The arrested persons were identified as Rahul Sanghvi (chairman of the society) and Jethalal Dedhia, who had organised the party, the police said.

According to a police official, the musical party was organised in the premises of Kukreja Palace housing society in Ghatkopar (East).

The party was likely held on Monday, he said.

An offence was registered late on Monday evening after videos purportedly showing the party went viral on social media.

In the videos, around 30 people could be seen gathered in the society premises for the musical concert where samosas were served to guests.

In one of the clips, some people could be seen playing the guitar while some others eating and distributing samosas.

Following the incident, the two members of the society were arrested and booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections like 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life and 34 (common intention), the official said.

Relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, which is in force due to the coronavirus outbreak, too, were slapped on the duo, they added. -- PTI

22:38 200 non-AC trains per day from June 1: Goyal

Railway minister Piyush Goyal tweets:

'Big relief for migrant workers, today 200 Shramik trains can be run and this number will be significantly increased in the coming days.

'With in the next two days Indian Railways will double the number of Shramik Special Trains to 400 per day.

'All migrants are requested to stay where they are, Indian Railways will get them back home over the next few days.

'Besides that, Railways will also run 200 non-AC trains per day from June 1 as per time table, online booking for which will be opened soon.'

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said the Centre alone cannot take a decision on resuming passenger flights and state governments should be ready to allow these services in the spirit of cooperative federalism.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 25, when the Modi government imposed lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

'It is not up to the Ministry of Civil Aviation or the Centre alone to decide on resuming domestic flights. In the spirit of cooperative federalism, the government of states where these flights will take off & land should be ready to allow civil aviation operations,' Puri tweeted.

During the lockdown period, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights approved by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have been allowed to operate.

The first, second and third phase of lockdown was between March 25 to April 14, April 15 to May 3 and May 4 to May 17, respectively.

The fourth phase started from May 18 and would end on May 31.

The deadly virus has infected more than 1 lakh people and killed more than 3,100 people in India so far. -- PTI

Students whose plans to study abroad have been affected due to COVID-19 will get a fresh chance to apply for the Joint Entrance Examination-Main, the entrance exam for engineering colleges, the human resource development minister announced on Tuesday.

"In view of the representations received from various Indian students, who were scheduled to join colleges abroad but are now keen to pursue their studies in India due to the changed circumstances arising out of COVID-19, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided to give an opportunity," Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said.

The application window for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE-Main), which opened on Tuesday, will have to be completed by May 24.

"Students who were not able to complete their application forms due to other reasons can also make use of this opportunity," NTA Director Vineet Joshi said.

The exam, which was earlier scheduled in April and was postponed due to lockdown restrictions, will be held across the country from July 18-23.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the decision of over 48 per cent Indian students who wanted to study abroad, according to a report by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), which comes out with global rankings for educational institutions.

The significantly lower return on investment in an already expensive international higher education domain and the further reduced chances of employability in the post COVID-19 world have a key role to play in this shift, experts at QS have pointed out.

The novel coronavirus has claimed over three lakh lives with more than 48 lakh people infected across the globe.

The deadly virus has brought several countries to a standstill with many imposing international travel restrictions, delaying or disrupting the study-abroad plans of students.

Meanwhile, the HRD minister launched an artificial intelligence-powered mobile application called the 'National Test Abhyas' for mock tests for the JEE-Main and medical entrance exam NEET.

"The app has been developed by the NTA to enable the candidates to take mock tests for upcoming exams such as the JEE-Main, NEET under the NTA's purview.

"It has been launched to facilitate the candidates' access to high-quality mock tests from the safety and comfort of their homes since there was a demand for making up the loss to students due to the closure of educational institutions and NTA's test-practice centres (TPCs) because of the continuing lockdown," a senior official in the HRD ministry said.

"With this facility for students, India has taken the lead in restoring a semblance of normalcy in one more crucial area, test preparations, even as we tackle these unprecedented times that have led to significant changes around the world," he added. -- PTI

Over 31 lakh people are living in coronavirus containment zones across Gujarat, including 13 lakh in Ahmedabad and 8.4 lakh in Surat municipal corporation areas, the state government said on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had said on Monday that there will be no relaxation of restrictions in containment zones in the fourth phase of lockdown.

As per a list provided by the state government on Tuesday, 6.5 lakh families -- over 31 lakh people -- are living in such areas.

No shops selling non-essential items will be allowed to remain open in containment zones, and nobody from these zones are allowed to go out.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has identified 11containment zones, 10 of them located on the eastern bank of Sabarmati river.

In suburbs and rural parts of Ahmedabad, 10 containment zones have been identified: six in Daskroi, two in Sanand, and one each in Dholka and Viramgam talukas.

Around 15,000 people live in these areas.

In the Surat Municipal Corporation area, there are 33containment zones -- four in the central zone, eight in the east zone, four in the west zone, six in the north zone, seven in the south zone, two in the south west zone, and two in the south east zone.

Around 8.43 lakh people live in these areas.

Besides,72,000 people live in containment zones in rural parts of Surat district.

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation has identified 90 containment zones, covering around 54,000 people.

42,782 people are living in containment zones in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation area, 14,837 in Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation limits and 45,412 in Banaskantha district.

Around one lakh people live in the containment zone each in Gir Somnath and Mahisagar districts.

The state government has offered significant relaxation from restrictions outside the containment zones.

While Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodraa have been placedunder red zone, 17 districts are in orange zone and 13 in green zone, as per the government release.

Gujarat on Monday recorded 366 new COVID-19 cases and 35 deaths, including 31 from worst-hit Ahmedabad, taking the case count to 11,746 and the number of fatalities to 694. -- PTI

20:53 Lockdown: 5 CAPF companies to help Mumbai cops

Five companies of the Central Armed Police Forces have reached Mumbai to help the city police during the fourth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, an official said on Tuesday.

Maharashtra received nine companies from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) including four from the Rapid Action Force, two from the Central Reserve Police Force and three from the Central Industrial Security Force.

The Mumbai police has got the assistance of five companies, which will be deployed at severely affected areas such as Dharavi in central Mumbai as per requirement, the official said.

Over 1,100 police personnel have contracted COVID-19, of which 12, including an officer, have succumbed to the infection in the state so far.

The police departments in Mumbai and Nashik rural were the worst hit, the official said. -- PTI

20:47 50 migrants returned from Maha to UP test +ive

50 migrant labourers tested positive for COVID-19 in Basti on Tuesday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the district to 104, a senior official said.

The labourers came from Maharashtra last week. We are finding out about the places which they visited back in Maharashtra, District Magistrate Ashutosh Niranjan said.

"Fifty migrant labourers have been tested positive for coronavirus. Earlier, they were quarantined at different places but now all of them will be shifted to level-1 COVID-19 hospital in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and we will trace their contacts," Niranjan said.

According to the official, now there are 74 active COVID-19 cases in Basti. -- PTI

20:44 Assam issues 'high alert' on cyclone 'Amphan'

The Assam government on Tuesday issued a 'high alert' over cyclone 'Amphan' and directed the state disaster management authority to set up a control room to deal with the situation.

Quoting the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said there is a strong likelihood of widespread effect of the cyclone in Assam, especially in west Assam districts.

"In view of the above, you are requested to ensure that both preventive and response systems are put on high alert to avoid any loss of life and property," he said in an 'Extremely Urgent' message to all division commissioners, district deputy commissioners and state disaster management authority.

He also directed the officials concerned to keep the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) informed for their services whenever necessary.

"CEO, ASDMA may like to consider putting a control room in place for this," Krishna said.

In its latest bulletin, the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted very heavy rainfalls in the western districts of Assam on Thursday.

"Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places over the western districts of Assam and Meghalaya on 21st May," it said.

The severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal was on Tuesday afternoon hurtling towards the Indian shores in West Bengal and Odisha where lakhs of people were evacuated from vulnerable areas, officials said. -- PTI

The Congress on Tuesday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of indulging in 'petty politics' over its offer to run buses for migrant workers and warned legal action against those defaming the party.

"Labourers and workers in lakhs are waiting at the borders of the state to come back for which the Congress had made arrangement of 1000 buses. But the state government is not giving permission for the same by entangling the issue in technicalities," senior Congress leader and former MP Pramod Tiwari said.

"It has come to our notice that through social media and other means of communication, Bharatiya Janata Party members are alleging that registration numbers of buses provided by the party belong to two-wheelers... This is an attempt to defame the party," Tiwari added.

The Congress would lodge a defamation case against those indulging in such things to malign the party's image, Tiwari said further.

According to Tiwari, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had sought permission from the Yogi Adityanath government to run the buses through a letter on May 16 and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi had sought the details of the vehicles, its drivers and conductors which the party provided.

"It is most shameful that during this hour of crisis, a letter by the ACS is sent for handing over the buses to Lucknow administration by 10 in the morning and then it is told that they should be handed over to officials in Noida and Ghaziabad by 12 noon," Tiwari said.

Now when the buses are reaching these places the local administration is saying that they do not have orders to allow them to enter the state, he added.

"This is the height of autocracy. It is our demand that we should get a chance to serve the people by rising above political interests with a positive thinking," Tiwari said.

There has been a back and forth exchange of communication over plying of the buses to ferry migrants home, after the Congress made available a list of buses, but the Uttar Pradesh government sought their inspection in Lucknow and then at Gautam Budh Nagar and Noida.

The Uttar Pradesh government has also alleged that some of the bus numbers given by the Congress are of two-wheelers and three-wheelers. -- PTI

Since the novel coronavirus can easily spread among a vast pool of highly susceptible people, without control measures, seasonal and geographic climate variations alone may not slow down the pandemic, a new study says.

The findings of the research, published in the journal Science, noted that strong outbreaks are likely in more humid climates, and summer weather will not substantially limit the growth of the pandemic.

According to the researchers, including those from Princeton University in the US, a large number of people are still vulnerable to the novel coronavirus behind the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on the speed at which the pathogen spreads, they said climate conditions are only likely to "make a dent" in the current rate of infection.

"We project that warmer or more humid climates will not slow the virus at the early stage of the pandemic," said study first author Rachel Baker from Princeton University.

While climate has some influence on the size and timing of the pandemic in general, Baker said, there's enough number of susceptible people in the population for the virus to spread quickly no matter the atmospheric conditions.

She said the rapid spread of the virus in Brazil, Australia, and other nations in the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere -- where the virus began during the summer season -- provides indication that warmer conditions may not halt the pandemic.

"It doesn't seem that climate is regulating spread right now," Baker said.

However, scientists are unsure how temperature and humidity influence the virus' transmission, she said.

Based on studies of other similar viruses, the researchers said, COVID-19 may become responsive to seasonal changes only after the supply of unexposed hosts is reduced if vaccines or other control measures are not present.

"Previously circulating human coronaviruses such as the common cold depend strongly on seasonal factors, peaking in the winter outside of the tropics," said Bryan Grenfell, another co-author of the study from Princeton University.

If the novel coronavirus could be similarly seasonal, Grenfell said, it might settle down to become a winter virus as it becomes endemic in the population.

Exactly how this might happen, depends on a lot of complex factors for a given location, he added.

Grenfell explained that the pandemic's trajectory over the next several months will be influenced by "both human-induced factors -- such as non-pharmaceutical interventions to reduce contact -- as well as fundamental biological uncertainties.

These, he said, include factors like the strength and duration of immunity following infection.

"As knowledge of the immune response develops, we hope to be able to project its interaction with seasonality more accurately," Grenfell added.

In the study, the researchers ran simulations on how the pandemic would respond to various climates across the globe.

Since COVID-19's response to warmer weather is not well known, the researchers ran three scenarios based on the behaviour of similar viruses under varying seasons.

In the first scenario, they assumed that the novel coronavirus has the same climate sensitivity as influenza, based on earlier models from laboratory studies that highlighted the importance of low humidity to promote spread. -- PTI

18:55 Dharavi COVID-19 cases rise by 26 to 1,353

Dharavi slum sprawl in Mumbai on Tuesday recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases, taking the overall tally to 1,353, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.

As no new COVID-19 death has been reported in the last 24 hours, the number of fatalities stood at 56 so far, an official said.

At 8, the highest number of the new cases were reported from Matunga Labour Camp, which is a worst-hit area in the densely-populated slum colony, he added. -- PTI

Filmmaker Boney Kapoor on Tuesday said his house help has tested positive for coronavirus.

In a statement, the producer said 23-year-old Charan Sahu, a member of his staff at his residence in suburban Andheri, told them that he was feeling unwell on Saturday evening and after that, the filmmaker sent him for tests.

After his COVID-19 test result came positive, Kapoor informed the society authorities, who in turn apprised the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation about the case.

The BMC is now in the process of getting Sahu into a quarantine centre.

"Myself, my children and the other staff at home are all fine and none of us are showing any symptoms. In fact we haven't left our home since the lockdown started," Kapoor said in the statement.

The producer expressed his gratitude to the Maharashtra government and the BMC for their swift response for their house help.

"We shall be diligently following the instructions and advice given to us by BMC and their medical team. We are sure that Charan would soon recover and be back at home with us," he added.

Earlier this month, the office building of music label T-Series was sealed by the BMC after one caretaker tested positive for COVID-19.

In April, a member of jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali's in-house staff had tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the health ministry, death toll due to coronavirus rises to 3,163; cases climb to 1,01,139. -- PTI

The Federation of Western India Cinema Employees has written to Maharshtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to allow the Mumbai film industry to resume partial work.

The letter asked the CM to allow post-production work to resume.

"If permissions are given to carry out such post-production activitieswhich can be done in closed studios with minimum workforce it would be great relief .they (producers) shall be ready to release their projects immediately after the lockdown is lifted," the letter read.

The FWICEs chief adviser Ashoke Pandit, who is one of the undersigned in the letter, says, "The film industry like the rest of the economy is reeling under an unprecedented economic crisis. We need to get back to work slowly because we can't wait for the virus to go away. I don't think it's going away anytime in the near future. We have to work our way around it."

-- Subhash K Jha reports.

China on Tuesday said the Kalapani border issue is between India and Nepal as it hoped that the two neighbours could refrain from "unilateral actions" and properly resolve their disputes through friendly consultations.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a media briefing in Beijing while replying to questions on India-Nepal differences over the border and Indian Army chief Gen. MM Naravane's remarks that Kathmandu was objecting to the newly built road by India at the behest of "someone else".

"Kalapani is an issue between Nepal and India, and we hope the two countries properly solve their disputes through friendly consultations," Zhao said.

Zhao also said Nepal and India also should "refrain from unilateral actions that might complicate the situation.

Gen Naravane said on Friday that there were reasons to believe that Nepal objected to India's newly-inaugurated road linking Lipulekh Pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand at the behest of "someone else", in an apparent reference to a possible role by China on the matter.

He said there was no dispute whatsoever between India and Nepal in the area and road laid was very much within the Indian side.

The 80-km-long strategically crucial road at a height of 17,000 KM along the border with China in Uttarakhand was thrown open by defence minister Rajnath Singh earlier this month.

Nepal has raised objection to the inauguration of the road, saying the "unilateral act" was against the understanding reached between the two countries on resolving the border issues. -- PTI

17:49 India has 0.2 Covid deaths per lakh population

India has so far about 0.2 COVID-19 deaths per lakh population as against the global figure of 4.1, the Union health ministry said as the number of fatalities due to coronavirus infection in the country rose to 3,163 on Tuesday and the total cases reached 1,01,139.

Also, a record number of 1,08,233 samples were tested for COVID-19 on Monday in the country.

So far a total of 24,25,742 samples have been tested, the ministry said.

Referring to data from WHO situation report-119, the ministry said 3,11,847 COVID-19 mortalities have been reported till Tuesday worldwide which is about 4.1 deaths per lakh population.

Among the countries with high COVID-19 casualties, the United States with 87,180 fatalities has 26.6 deaths per lakh population.

The United Kingdom has reported 34,636 deaths and has approximately 52.1 deaths per lakh population, it said.

Italy with 31,908 instances of coronavirus fatalities so far has around 52.8 deaths per lakh population.

France has so far reported 28,059 casualties which is about 41.9 deaths per lakh population while Spain with 27, 650 fatalities has about 59.2 deaths per lakh.

Germany, Iran, Canada, Netherlands and Mexico with 7,935 deaths, 6,988 deaths, 5,702 deaths, 5,680 deaths and 5,045 fatalities have a mortality of around 9.6, 8.5, 15.4, 33.0 and 4.0 per lakh population respectively.

China, which so far has recorded 4,645 casualties due to COVID-19 so far has approximately 0.3 deaths per lakh population.

"The relatively low death figures represent timely case identification and clinical management of the cases," the ministry said.

On testing, it said from one laboratory conducting COVID-19 test in January, India has very rapidly increased its capacity by adding over 385 government laboratories and 158 private laboratories.

"Duly forging partnerships with all central government labs, state medical colleges, private medical colleges and private sector, the testing capacity in the country has been expanded," the ministry said. -- PTI

People taken ill by coronavirus infection may experience psychiatric problems such as delirium and post-traumatic stress disorder while hospitalised and potentially even after they recover, according to a study.

The research, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal, compiled results from short- and long-term studies of people hospitalised by coronaviruses that cause COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and Middle East respiratory syndrome.

The researchers from the University College London in the United Kingdom found that one in four people hospitalised with COVID-19 may experience delirium during their illness, a known problem among hospital patients, which can increase risk of death or extend time in hospital.

The post-recovery effects of COVID-19 are not yet known, so long-term risks such as post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue, depression, and anxiety are based on SARS and MERS studies, which may or may not apply to COVID-19 as well.

"Most people with COVID-19 will not develop any mental health problems, even among those with severe cases requiring hospitalisation, but given the huge numbers of people getting sick, the global impact on mental health could be considerable," said study co-lead author Jonathan Rogers from UCL.

"Our analysis focuses on potential mental health risks of being hospitalised with a coronavirus infection, and how psychiatric conditions could worsen the prognosis or hold people back from returning to their normal lives after recovering," Rogers said.

The research analysed 65 peer-reviewed studies and seven recent pre-prints that are awaiting peer review, which included data from over 3,500 people who have had one of the three related illnesses.

The review only included results from people who were hospitalised, and not people with more mild cases.

The findings cover both acute symptoms during the illness, and long-term outcomes from two months to 12 years.

Almost one in three people hospitalised with SARS or MERS went on to develop PTSD, at an average follow-up time of almost three years, especially if they had ongoing physical health problems, the researchers said.

Rates of depression and anxiety were also high, at roughly 15 per cent one year or longer after the illness, with a further 15 per cent also experiencing some symptoms of depression and anxiety without a clinical diagnosis, they said.

The study found that over 15 per cent infected also experienced chronic fatigue, mood swings, sleep disorder or impaired concentration and memory.

In hospital, a significant minority of people with coronavirus infections experienced delirium symptoms such as confusion, agitation and altered consciousness, it found.

Almost 28 per cent of people hospitalised for SARS and MERS experienced confusion, and early evidence from the ongoing pandemic suggests that delirium could be similarly common in COVID-19 patients, the researchers said.

They found some preliminary evidence that delirium may have been associated with raised mortality during the MERS outbreak. -- PTI

The Congress has called a meeting of like-minded opposition parties on Friday to discuss the plight of migrant workers and the changes in labour laws by some states, sources said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will chair the meeting of leaders of opposition parties, the sources said on Tuesday.

Around 17 opposition parties have agreed to participate in the meeting which will be held via videoconferencing. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have not yet confirmed their participation, they said.

Rendered jobless due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, which began on March 25, and desperate to get home, thousands of migrant workers across the country are undertaking long and arduous journeys to their native places on foot, on bicycles or packed into trucks.

Many of them have been killed in accidents in different parts of the country.

The Opposition has criticised the government over its handling of the migrant crisis.

The Congress and other opposition parties have also attacked the Centre for allowing BJP-ruled states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to amend labour laws to lure foreign investors and "to strip workers of their basic rights".

These changes include exempting industrial units from labour welfare statutes, allowing them to take steps such as increasing daily and weekly working hours of workers, and depriving workers of their right to move court. -- PTI

16:57 US to donate 200 ventilators to India

The United States government is planning to "donate" 200 ventilators to India with the first tranche of 50 expected to arrive soon as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, an American official said on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump had announced last week that the US will donate ventilators to India to treat the COVID-19 patients and help it fight the "invisible enemy".

Asked about reports that the ventilators may come at a cost for India, USAID Acting Director Ramona El Hamzaoui, during a tele-briefing with the media, asserted that it was a "donation".

"The US government is planning to donate 200 ventilators to India. We expect the first tranche of 50 to arrive soon," she said.

The USAID on behalf of the US and through the generosity of the American people and the innovation of the American private industry is providing access to medical supplies and ventilators to India and other countries, Hamzaoui said.

"We are working closely with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Indian Red Cross Society and other relevant stakeholders in India and the US to assist in the delivery, transportation and placement of these donated ventilators," she said.

These ventilators will complement India's ongoing efforts to make the best of care immediately available to those most in need, she added.

Asked if the ventilators were being provided as part of some sort of a deal after India supplied hydroxychloroquine to the US, Hamzaoui, "I do not think it is a quid pro quo. It is a partnership."

The US is providing ventilators to countries based on what is available and supporting partner countries.

Asked about American financial aid to countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamzaoui said the USAID and the US Department of State has made available USD 900 million to combat the deadly virus globally. -- PTI

NDRF Chief SN Pradhan

16:52 Amphan: 41 NDRF teams deployed for WB, Odisha

A total of 41 teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in West Bengal and Odisha to deal with any emergency situation arising out of cyclone 'Amphan', NDRF chief S N Pradhan said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Pradhan said cyclone 'Amphan' is a second disaster coming in the time of already prevailing COVID-19 and it requires continuous monitoring.

"A total of 41 NDRF teams including reserves are deployed in two Amphan-affected states of Odisha and West Bengal," he said.

The NDRF Director General said Amphan will be extremely severe cyclonic storm when it makes a landfall on May 20 and its hit potential remains strong.

He said the NDRF has learnt from its experience of handling cyclone Fani' and has deployed tree-pole cutters in the areas which are expected to be hit.

"Wireless sets, satellite phones and other communication equipment are also with our teams. Our preparation is on par with facing a super cyclone like the one that hit the Odisha coast in 1999," he said.

Cyclone 'Amphan' has developed into a super cyclone over the Bay of Bengal on Monday and has the potential to cause extensive damage in the coastal districts of West Bengal when it makes landfall, the government had said.

This is the second super cyclone over the Bay of Bengal in two decades.

16:23 Maharashtra govt guidelines for lockdown 4.0

The Maharashtra government issues revised guidelines for lockdown 4.0. Please the see the list alongside. The guidelines are for three zones -- red zone, remaining areas and the containment zone.

There will be no metro, train, or air travel allowed in all the three zones;inter-state road movement is also barred. Educational institutions, hotels, shopping malls, places of worship, all remain firmly closed.

Sport complexes, stadia and other public open spaces will remain open for individual exercises in non-red zones; spectators and groups activities will not allowed.

Intra district bus service with max 50% capacity/bus allowed in non-red zones.

E-commerce activity for essential as well as non-essential items and material permitted in red zones. All industrial units/construction sites are permitted to operate in the red zones.

The West Bengal government has evacuated one lakh people from the coastal districts and is in the process of shifting 1.5 lakh more as super-cyclone Amphan nears the shores of the state, a minister said on Tuesday. The state has put the coastal districts of East Midnapore, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas, including the Sundarbans -- home to the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger -- on high alert, Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan said.

"We have already evacuated around one lakh people, mostly from the low-lying areas, and set a target of evacuating 1.5 lakh more by Tuesday night. "The evacuees have been put up at cyclone shelters, schools and colleges. Our experience in tackling cyclones Fani and Bulbul last year will be put to good use," he said.

The government, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, has distributed more than two lakh masks among the evacuees and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits have been handed out to the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) personnel deployed in the vulnerable areas, a senior official said.

"Around 4,000 SDRF personnel are monitoring the evacuation operation. The entire fishermen community has been asked not to venture out to the sea for the next two days and those who were at sea have been asked to return," the official of the Disaster Management department said.

Relief materials, dry food and tarpaulin have been dispatched to the coastal areas, he added. "We are taking all possible measures to tackle contingencies, if any. Special control rooms have been set up to monitor the situation. We are giving the necessary instructions through public address systems," the official said.

Quick response teams comprising trained civil defence volunteers and vehicles with safety gears have already reached the districts. The State Emergency Operation Centre, functioning at the secretariat, is in constant touch with the exigency units set up at the districts, the official said.

Along with the NDRF and SDRF personnel, fire service teams have also been positioned in the vulnerable areas. For the post-cyclone restoration work, engineers of the Public Works Department and officials of the Rural Development and Water Resources departments have been asked to kept teams ready for an immediate repair of the damaged roads, the Disaster Management department official said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier said the NDRF and SDRF personnel were prepared to deal with eventualities and rescue those hit by the cyclone. -- PTI

A screenshot of the migrants at Bandra station

15:59 Huge numbers of migrants outside Mumbai's Bandra railway station

A huge crowd of migrant workers gathered outside the Bandra railway station here on Tuesday to board a Shramik special train to Bihar amid the COVID-19 lockdown. The crowd was later completely cleared by the police. Only people who had registered themselves -- about 1,000 -- were allowed to board the train.

The government has allowed operation of Shramik special trains for the purpose of repatriation of people stranded due to the lockdown, which has been extended till May 31.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Monday said that over five lakh migrants have been safely sent back to their native states by trains and buses and appealed to them to not walk on foot as 'trains and buses are being arranged for them' by his government.

"Till now, we have arranged the safe return of over 5 lakh migrants. I appeal to them to not travel on foot. We are arranging trains and buses for them. It is just a matter of some time. Please do not be restless, have some patience," Thackeray said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 1,01,139. As many as 134 deaths were reported due to the disease in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 3,163. Out of the total confirmed cases, 39,174 have been cured/discharged/migrated so far. -- ANI

The derailed engine is replaced

15:53 Shramik train derails

A Shramik special train on the Tirur to Jaipur route derailed at Padil, Mangaluru at around 2 am today. No injuries reported. Train resumed its journey after the derailed engine was replaced, track restoration work underway.

File pic

15:46 Hardline separatist's son among two terrorists killed in encounter in Srinagar

Junai Sehrai, son of separatist conglomerate Tehreek-e-Hurriyat's chairman Ashraf Sehrai, was among the two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in downtown Srinagar, police said. Junai Sehrai went missing in March 2018 and later his picture, brandishing an AK-47, went viral on social media. The joining of Sehrai, who completed his MBA degree from the Kashmir University, was the first such case where a son of a separatist leader of Jammu and Kashmir had joined a terror group. -- PTI

Casa Everz Gmbh, the owner of Germany-based healthy footwear brand Von Wellx, will be shifting its entire shoe production of over three million pairs annually in China to India with an initial investment of Rs 110 crore, according to a top official of the company's licensee Iatric Industries Pvt Ltd. A new manufacturing unit will be set up with a production capacity of over three million pairs in Uttar Pradesh through a collaboration with Iatric Industries Pvt Ltd as part of an understanding with the state government.

"Yes, after multiple rounds of discussions, Casa Everz Gmbh has decided to shift its entire production from China to India," Iatric Industries Pvt Ltd Director and CEO Ashish Jain told PTI in an e-mailed response. Casa Everz Gmbh had two manufacturing units in China with an annual capacity of over 3 million pairs. Iatric Industries already has a capacity of 5 lakh pairs for Casa Everz Gmbh specifically under which it produces Von Wellx Germany -- 5 Zones Men's and Women's shoes apart from its other product capacities of another 5 lakh pairs, he added.

"Now a new unit will be set up with a production capacity of over 3 million pairs. We have a 2-year time horizon to reach that capacity after all the necessary cooperation with the UP government," Jain said. When asked about investments, he said, "The investment in Phase 1 of the project will be about Rs 110 crore over two years." "We also have a plan for phase 2, where ancillary industries will be set up for availability of high-quality raw materials like outsoles, special fabrics and chemicals which are not available in India right now and which will reduce raw material and footwear imports and improve the quality of Indian made footwear, attracting more investment," he added.

Explaining the reasons for Casa Everz Gmbh relocating its production to India from China, Jain said footwear being one of the top labour intensive industries in the world with raw material and labour availability also driving its economic advantage, India offered advantage on both the aspects. -- PTI

The railways on Tuesday said the consent of the destination states is not required to operate Shramik Special trains, hours after the Home Ministry issued a standard operating procedure for the national transporter to run these trains to ferry migrants to their native places.

"Consent of terminating state not necessary to run Shramik Special trains," railway spokesperson Rajesh Bajpai said. "After the new SoP, the implication is that no consent of receiving state is mandatory," he said. Earlier, a political storm had broken out when Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were being laggard in approving these trains. Since May 1, the railways has run 1,565 migrant trains and ferried over 20 lakh migrants. PTI ASG RDM

15:24 Nurse who recovered from Covid tests +ve again

In the first case of relapse of Covid-19 infection in Kerala, a nine-month pregnant nurse, who returned from Kuwait recently after recovering from the disease, has tested positive once again. The 34-year-old Alappuzha native had returned to India on May 13 after she managed to get a ticket on board one of the special flights arranged by the central government under the 'Vande Bharat mission " to bring back stranded Indians from the gulf and other countries.

On disclosing her history of coronavirus and recovery from the disease in Kuwait, the health authorities had shifted her to the isolation ward at the Government medical college in Manjeri. District health authorities said thewoman had returned to India after recovering from the viral infection, but before a repeat test prescribed after 14 days.

"We appreciate the fact that she disclosed the facts of her infection history. She tested negative in Kuwait, but got her ticket to India before undergoing a second test," the District Medical Officer Dr K Sakeena told PTI.

Though the case of a relapse is a first in the state, there have been cases of complications of the coronavirus recovered persons as their immune systems became weak, sources pointed out. There have been cases of relapse of the infection from some other places in the country, they said. With one more person testing positive on Monday, the total number of positive cases in Malappuram district has gone up to 22. As many as 22 of those who had tested positive earlier have recovered and have been discharged. -- PTI

The Indian Railways has operated 1,565 'Shramik Special' trains since May 1 and ferried over 20 lakh migrants back home, the national transporter said on Tuesday. While Uttar Pradesh has allowed 837 trains, Bihar has permitted 428 and Madhya Pradesh more than 100, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said in a tweet. As of Monday night, 162 trains were in transit and 1,252 had reached their destinations. Around 116 more are currently in the pipeline, it said.

According to data till Monday night, more than 496 trains have originated from Gujarat and 17 more are in the pipeline, while over 266 trains have already started from Maharashtra, with 37 more in the pipeline.

Among other originating states, 188 trains have started from Punjab, 89 from Karnataka, 61 from Tamil Nadu, 58 from Telangana, 54 from Rajasthan, 41 from Haryana and 38 from Uttar Pradesh. Out of the trains that have terminated so far, the maximum has been in Uttar Pradesh at 641, while 73 more are in transit, followed by Bihar with 310 and 53 more on the way.

The operation of these trains has, however, led to a political mud-slinging, with the opposition accusing the Centre of charging fares from migrants and then the Centre accusing some states having non-BJP governments of not providing permission for the migrant trains to run.

Goyal, in a series of tweets on Monday, said he had spoken to the Odisha, Bihar and the Uttar Pradesh governments, and they assured him of permitting more trains.

A 'Shramik Special' train carries around 1,700 passengers, instead of the earlier 1,200, to ferry as many workers home as possible. Initially, these trains had no scheduled stoppages during the journey, but the Railways now allows up to three stoppages in the destination states.

While the transporter is yet to announce the cost incurred on these special services, officials indicated that the national transporter is spending around Rs 80 lakh per service. -- PTI

Considering the daily rise in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has handed over 11 building to the BMC for setting up quarantine centres, an official said on Tuesday. At least 11 SRA buildings, with 2080 rooms, will be used as quarantine facilities, the SRA official said. These building are located in both western and eastern wards of the BMC, he added.

The SRA was working on a war-footing for the last 20 days in coordination with various developers to hand over these buildings to the civic body, chief executive officer of SRA Deepak Kapoor said.

"The SRA has so far handed over 11 new buildings in various suburban areas to the BMC," the official said, adding that more such structures will also be made available as and when the need arises during the pandemic. Apart from this, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority on Monday handed over a 1,000- bed COVID-19 hospital to the civic body.

The BMC is also in the process of setting up COVID-19 care facilities at NSCI in Worli, Goregaon-based NESCO exhibition centre, Mahalaxmi Race Course and some other locations. -- PTI

Rahul Gandhi met migrants in Delhi last week

14:42 Sonia to hold oppn meet on PM, Covid crisis

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will chair a meeting of 28 opposition political parties across India on May 22 at 3 pm. On the agenda is the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting will talk about holding PM Narendra Modi accountable for his failure to control the crisis. The issue of migrants and the gross mishandling of the situation will also be discussed.

Ahmed Patel will be coordinating the attendance. Keeping with the new normal, Sonia Gandhi will helm the meeting from 10 Janpath via video conference.

Our sources tell us that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK chief MK Stalin and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren have confirmed their participation.

Watch this space, folks.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called on China to immediately make public the Panchen Lama's whereabouts and uphold its international commitments to promote religious freedom, saying he is one of the most important figures in the Tibetan Buddhism with spiritual authority second only to the Dalai Lama.

His remarks came on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama. The Department of State has made the promotion and protection of religious freedom a priority, especially in China, where people of all faiths face severe repression and discrimination, Pompeo said.

"As part of that mission on May 17, we marked the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who has not appeared in public since the PRC (People's Republic of China) government abducted him in 1995 at age six," he said in a statement.

"The Panchen Lama is one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism with spiritual authority second only to the Dalai Lama. But China's persecution of the Panchen Lama is not unusual," Pompeo said.

He called on the Chinese government to immediately make public the Panchen Lama's whereabouts and to uphold its own constitution and international commitments to promote religious freedom for all persons.

The United States, he said, remains deeply concerned about PRC's ongoing campaign to eliminate the religious, linguistic and cultural identity of Tibetans, including through the ongoing destruction of communities of worship and learning, such as the Larung Gar and Yachen Gar Buddhist Institutes.

Tibetan Buddhists, like members of all faith communities, must be able to select, educate and venerate their religious leaders according to their traditions and without government interference, he said. -- PTI

14:32 That's what super cyclone Amphan looks like

Super Cyclone Amphan is likely to make landfall between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans with maximum sustained wind 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph during afternoon to evening of tomorrow: IMD. Read the report here.

Representational image

14:20 Fresh chance for students to apply for JEE-MAINS

Students whose plans to study abroad have been affected due to COVID-19 will get a fresh chance to apply for JEE-Mains, the entrance exam for engineering colleges, the HRD Minister announced on Tuesday. "In view of representations received from various Indian students who were scheduled to join colleges abroad but are now keen to pursue their studies in India due to changed circumstances arising out of COVID-19, the National Testing Agency has decided to give an opportunity," HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said.

The application window for Joint Entrance Exam (JEE-Mains), which opened today, will have to be completed by May 24.

"Students who were not able to complete their application form due to other reasons can also make use of this opportunity,' NTA Director Vineet Joshi said. The exam will be held across the country from July 18-23. -- PTI

As many as 88 Nobel laureates including Kailash Satyarthi along with global leaders such as the Dalai Lama have come together to call for the governments to spend $1 trillion on marginalised children during the lockdowns and the post COVID-19 world.

A statement, signed among others by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Gordon Brown and Kerry Kennedy, highlights how COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated pre-existing inequalities.

Noting that the coronavirus, restrictions placed on the majority of the world's population, and the aftermath will have a devastating impact on the most vulnerable, the statement, issued at the initiative of India's 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate Satyarthi, calls for the governments to invest 20 per cent of their COVID-19 response to the poorest 20 per cent of humanity.

The $1 trillion amount would fund all the outstanding UN and charity COVID-19 appeals, cancel two years of all debt repayments from low-income countries, and fund two years of the global gap to meet the Sustainable Development Goals on health, water and sanitation, and education, it said.

More than 10 million lives would be saved, it said.

"We call on the leaders of the G20 to take additional action beyond their own borders for those who urgently need coordinated international aid. We also call on all the G20 leaders to honour existing global health commitments," the statement added.

-- PTI

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday alleged that the list of buses submitted by the Congress to ferry migrant workers has registration numbers of scooters, three-wheelers and goods carriers. The Congress has no sympathy for the migrants and just wanted to politicise the their issue, state minister Sidharth Nath Singh said.

"In the preliminary checking of the numbers, it has been found that the numbers mentioned in the list as that of buses are actually of scooters, three-wheelers and goods carriers," the minister said.

Alleging that the Congress has become the 'farzivada' of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi, Singh said they were only interested in political gains and losses. Congress president Sonia Gandhi needs to give a reply on this, he added.

Meanwhile, Sandeep Singh, Personal Secretary to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has written to to UP Additional Chief Secy-Home, saying, "As requested by you buses will reach Noida and Ghaziabad border at 5 pm today, please keep a list of passengers and route map ready to ensure smooth coordination."

Spitting at workplace will be punishable with a fine, the Personnel Ministry has said, citing the national directives for COVID-19 management. In an order issued to all central government departments, it has asked their heads to ensure strict compliance of this and other directives in this regard.

This order is likely to bring about changes in and around government and private work places, where one can easily spot stains of 'pan' and 'gutka' spitted at some of the corners of walls or areas not frequented by many employees/public.

"Spitting in public and work places shall be punishable with fine, as may be prescribed in accordance with its laws, rules and regulations by the state/union territory local authority," said the national directives issued by the Home Ministry and shared by the Personnel Ministry with all central government departments. It said wearing 'face cover' is compulsory in all public and work places.

In additional directives for the work places, the ministry said as far as possible, the practice from work from home should be followed. "Staggering of work/business hours shall be followed in offices, work places, shops, markets and industrial and commercial establishments. Provision for thermal scanning, hand wash and sanitiser will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas," the directives said.

Frequent sanitization of the entire workplace, common facilities and all points which come into human contact e.g. door handles etc., shall be ensured, including between shifts, it said.

"All persons in charge of work places shall ensure social distancing through adequate distance between workers, adequate gaps between shifts, staggering the lunch breaks of staff, etc," the directive said.

The Centre on Monday asked 50 per cent of its junior employees, below the level of deputy secretary, to join work in office. Till now, only 33 per cent of such employees were asked to attend office due to the novel coronavirus lockdown. Central government employees were asked to work from home due to the lockdown that came into force from March 25. All officers of the level of deputy secretary and above have already been asked to attend office on all working days. -- PTI

"Modi confounds normal political analysis because his appeal isn't merely political. The appeal of Modi is quasi-religious, that of a messianic figure. Like M.K. Gandhi, Modi represents what political scientist Morris Jones referred to as the 'saintly idiom' of Indian politics. He is the self-described 'fakir', unattached to family and material possessions, who is here to lead India not just politically, but also socially, morally and spiritually. This is why he generates not mere following, but devotion. And this devotion is immune to the performance of the government he leads."

Read the column here.

Image: Migrants pass a water packet as they travel in trucks on the Lucknow- Kanpur national highway. Pic: ANI

The Supreme Court Tuesday refused to transfer to CBI the criminal cases lodged against Republic TV Editor in-Chief Arnab Goswami for alleged defamatory news show telecast on April 21 in connection with the Palghar mob-lynching case. Observing that journalistic freedom lies at the core of freedom of speech and expression, the top court quashed all other FIRs except the initial one, which was registered at Nagpur and subsequently transferred to Mumbai for joint investigation with the complaint of the journalist regarding the alleged assault on him.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah Goswami asked Goswami to seek quashing of FIR before competent court and protected him from coercive action for next 3-weeks. -- PTI

Migrants sit inside a bus on their way t Delhi station

12:36 After 2 long months public transport back in Delhi

Public transport resumed in Delhi on Tuesday with buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis plying on the road, albeit with a limited number of passengers, after a gap of nearly two months due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The Delhi Transport Corporation and Cluster buses resumed services with social-distancing norms and safety measures in place like use of sanitisers and masks to check the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

"We are trying to run as many buses as possible. But, many buses are under special hire and also some of our drivers and conductors living in the NCR cities are finding it difficult to join the duty. The situation will improve in coming days," a senior transport officer said.

He said no major issues have been reported since the bus services resumed in the morning, except in some areas where people had to wait for a bit longer, he said.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday announced relaxations in curbs, including reopening of public transport with social-distancing norms, during the extended lockdown that is slated to end on May 31.

"In a bus, only 20 passengers will be allowed to travel. The Transport Department will have the responsibility to maintain social distancing during travel and at bus stops," he had said.

The chief minister had said drivers of taxis, auto rickshaws and cabs will have to disinfect the sitting area of passengers after every trip. Maxi cabs can ply with five passengers and RTVs with 11, he had added. The bus and other public transport services were shut in the last week of March. -- PTI

Nepal's Cabinet has endorsed a new political map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura under its territory, amidst a border dispute with India. The move announced by Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali came weeks after he said that efforts were on to resolve the border issue with India through diplomatic initiatives.

Nepal's ruling Nepal Communist Party lawmakers have also tabled a special resolution in Parliament demanding return of Nepal's territory in Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh.

The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani, a disputed border area between Nepal and India. Both India and Nepal claim Kalapani as an integral part of their territory - India as part of Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district and Nepal as part of Dharchula district.

Gyawali said that the official map of Nepal will soon be made public by the Ministry of Land Management. "Decision of the Council of Ministers to publish the map of Nepal in 7 provinces, 77 districts and 753 local level administrative divisions including Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani," he Tweeted on Monday.

Gyawali last week summoned the Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and handed over a diplomatic note to him to protest against the construction of a key road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand. India has said that the recently-inaugurated road section in Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand lies completely within its territory.

Nepal's Finance minister and government spokesperson Yuvaraj Khatiwada on Monday said that the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has approved the new political map of the country. -- PTI

12:26 1,328 Maha police test positive for COVID-19

At least 55 more personnel of the Maharashtra Police have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, and with that the total number of coronavirus affected policemen in the state has reached 1,328 on Tuesday, said the Maharashtra Police.

The total number of positive cases include 136 police officers and 1,192 police personnel.

So far, 12 policemen have succumbed to the infection in the state while 324 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged from hospitals.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra has reported 35,058 confirmed COVID-19 cases which include 8,437 cured or discharged and 1,249 deaths. -- ANI

Image: Police instruct migrant workers to take a bus to CST station on Monday. Pic: ANI

12:11 'Life will go on, so will our grief'

"The loss of my son is like a thorn piercing through my heart. Life will go on, but I will carry this pain with me as long as I live," retired Subedar Godhan Singh tells Archana Masih/Rediff.com over the phone from his home in the Almora district of Uttarakhand. Read the interview here.

Image: Indian Army officers and Jammu and Kashmir police officers pay homage to the four soldiers and J&K police officer killed in an encounter with terrorists in Handwara, north Kashmir, on May 2-3, 2020. Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com

12:07 Cyclone: HM assures Mamata, Navin of all help

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday spoke to chief ministers of West Bengal and Odisha -- Mamata Banerjee and Navin Patnaik respectively -- and assured them of all possible help to deal with the situation arising out of the super cyclone 'Amphan', officials said.

During the telephonic conversation with Banerjee, Shah took stock of the situation in West Bengal, where the cyclone is expected to make landfall on Wednesday. The home minister assured the chief minister of all possible help to deal with the situation arising due to the cyclone 'Amphan', a home ministry official said.

In his phone call with Patnaik, Shah reviewed the situation in Odisha and assured him of the necessary assistance from the central government to tide over the situation. Cyclone "Amphan" developed into a super cyclone over the Bay of Bengal on Monday and has the potential to cause extensive damage in the coastal districts of West Bengal when it makes landfall, the government had said.

This is the second super cyclone over the Bay of Bengal in two decades.

The cyclone is expected to make landfall on the West Bengal coast in the afternoon of May 20 between Digha in West Bengal and Hatia island in Bangladesh as an extremely severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds ranging up to 195 kmph. It has the potential to cause extensive damage in the coastal districts of West Bengal, the government said.

"Amphan will cause heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal," it added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the home minister, on Monday had reviewed the situation arising from the cyclone and assured of all possible assistance from the central government. - PTI

Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with MHA and National Disaster Management Authority officials yesterday on super cyclone Amphan. Pic: ANI

India's COVID-19 cases climbed from 100 to 1 lakh in 64 days, which is more than twice the number of days when compared to the United States and Spain, as per statistics by Worldometers. Worldometers, run by an international team of developers, researchers, and volunteers, gives live world statistics on population and disease count, among others. India's COVID-19 count breached the 1 lakh mark on Tuesday but the spread of infection is slower when compared to other countries taken into consideration by Worldometers.

Countries like Germany, France, United Kingdom, among others, which have more advanced healthcare facilities, saw the jump from 100 to 1 lakh cases in fewer days when compared with India.

According to the comparison table by Worldometers, USA, Spain, and Germany took 25, 30 and 35 days, respectively, for crossing the one-lakh tally. Even Italy (36), France (39) and United Kingdom (42) lose out to India when it comes to slowing down the spread of infection in the country.

The feat is remarkable considering India's population is the second-largest in the world, next only to China, and it edges out to the USA, which has the third-highest population by over a billion men and women. India also has one of the lowest mortality rates due to the infection at 3.2 per cent, Union Health Dr Harsh Vardhan had said on May 12.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total COVID-19 cases in the country reached 1,01,139 today with a single-day jump of 4,970 cases. As many as 134 deaths were reported due to the disease in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 3,163. -- ANI

Image: A 88-year-old woman has recovered and is discharged from Aurobindo Hospital in Indore on Monday. Pic: ANI

The bakery business in Mumbai has been badly hit as a number of migrant labourers have gone back to their native places amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Some of those in the business fear that if this situation continues for some more time, there may be shortage of bakery products in the city.

During a visit to 'Metro Bakery' in Kurla area, its owner Habib Ansari was found busy making toast and khari (a fluffy baked snack) along with his son-in-law and two labourers. "I have completely shut one of my bakery outlets while I am running this unit with only four people, including myself. I am in this business since last four decades but never saw such a situation in my life," Ansari told PTI.

He said their output has been reduced to just a few kilograms from 400 to 500 kilo of products which they used to make earlier in a day. "We requested our labourers not to leave, but they did not listen and fled by paying double the amount to a truckdriver," he claimed.

Khurshid Ansari, who has a bakery at Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district, said seven to eight bakeries have closed in the area in a week's time since labourers started leaving for their native places in Uttar Pradesh.

"Earlier, there were nearly 35 workers in my bakery, but now it is closed," he said. Businessman Haroon Siddique said earlier he used to supply yeast (a leavening agent used in baking) to about 70 bakeries in Mumbai. "But, in the last one week, 61 bakeries have stopped production and the units closed after labourers left the city," he said. -- PTI

Autos parked at New Delhi station during lockdown 3.0

11:01 Auto drivers happy to be back, don't want limit on passengers

While the COVID-19 crisis continues, the relaxations in restrictions announced by the government during the phase four of lockdown have given a new lease of life to the auto-rickshaw drivers in the national capital, Delhi.

Auto-drivers, who arrived at the New Delhi Railway station early morning on Tuesday, expressed happiness over the decision by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, they, however, also lamented over the restriction of being allowed to carry just one passenger.

"It is a great decision by the government and it will help us in to earn some money after close to two months of the shutdown of services. However, the decision to allow just one passenger at a time should be reconsidered. Suppose a family of two wants a mode of transport, can they take an auto? This rule should be tweaked," Anil Prasad, an auto driver, told ANI.

The General Secretary of Delhi Auto-Rickshaw Union, Rajinder Soni too thanked the Centre and Delhi government for their decision. Soni said that the most auto and taxi drivers in the country had faced a lot of hardships and they were staring at starvation during the COVID-19 induced lockdown.

He also demanded a relief package for them, along with tweaking of the guidelines to enable the drivers to ferry more passengers on each ride. According to data, there are about 95,000 auto-rickshaws, 10,000 taxis (black and yellow), 27,000 cabs attached with cab services, and around 70,000 tourist taxis in Delhi.

As the Centre has extended the nationwide lockdown till May 31 to contain COVID-19 spread, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a detailed set of restrictions and relaxations in the national capital. -- PTI

Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has issued a fatwa asking Muslims to offer their Eid prayers this time at home, instead of congregating at mosques. The directive comes amid a nationwide lockdown to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Despite the relaxations announced in the lockdown, religious and other large gatherings are still banned.

The fatwa was issued in response to a query put to the seminary, its spokesman Ashraf Usmani told PTI. The fatwa said the Eid namaz can be offered in the same manner that the Friday prayers are now being read at home. It said not holding the namaz in the usual manner is pardonable in circumstances such as these. Eid falls on May 24 or 25 this year. -- PTI

File pic

10:48 Pak violates ceasefire in J-K's Rajouri

Pakistan on Tuesday violated ceasefire along the Line of Control in Sunderbani sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. At about 7:30 am, Pak initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars.

The Indian Army retaliated befittingly. Over the past few days, Pakistan has been repeatedly violating ceasefire in the region. Pakistan on Monday violated ceasefire by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars in Gulpur sector of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Sunday, Pakistan had violated ceasefire in Degwar sector of Poonch district. -- ANI

The number of coronavirus cases crossed the one lakh mark in the country on Tuesday, while the death toll due to the infection touched 3,163, according to the Union Health Ministry.

A total of 134 deaths and 4,970 COVID-19 cases were reported in the country in the past 24 hours since 8 pm on Monday, it said. Of the 134 deaths reported since Monday morning, 51 were in Maharashtra, 35 in Gujarat, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, eight in Delhi, seven in Rajasthan, six in West Bengal, four in Madhya Pradesh, three in Tamil Nadu, two each in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, and one each in Bihar and Telangana.

Of the 3,163 fatalities, Maharashtra tops tally with 1,249 deaths. Gujarat comes second with 694 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 252, West Bengal at 244, Delhi at 168, Rajasthan at 138, Uttar Pradesh at 118, Tamil Nadu at 81 and Andhra Pradesh at 50. The death toll reached 37 each in Karnataka and Punjab and 35 in Telangana. Jammu and Kashmir has reported 15 fatalities due to the disease, Haryana has 14 deaths while Bihar has registered nine and Kerala and Odisha each have reported four deaths. Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh each have recorded three COVID-19 fatalities, while Assam has reported two deaths. Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Puducherry have reported one fatality each, according to the data provided by the ministry. According to the ministry's website, more than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to comorbidities, the existence of multiple disorders in the same person.

According to the health ministry's data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 35,058, followed by Tamil Nadu at 11,760, Gujarat at 11,745, Delhi at 10,054, Rajasthan at 5,507, Madhya Pradesh at 5,236 and Uttar Pradesh at 4,605. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 2,825 in West Bengal, 2,474 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,980 in Punjab. It has risen to 1,597 in Telangana, 1,391 in Bihar, 1,289 in Jammu and Kashmir, 1,246 in Karnataka and 928 in Haryana. Odisha has reported 876 coronavirus infection cases so far, while Kerala has 630 cases. A total of 223 people have been infected with the virus in Jharkhand and 196 in Chandigarh. Tripura has reported 167 cases, Assam has 107, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh have 93 cases each, Himachal Pradesh has 90 and Ladakh has registered 43 cases so far. Goa has reported 38 COVID-19 cases, while the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has registered 33 infections. Puducherry has registered 18 cases, Meghalaya has 13 and Manipur has seven cases. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Dadar and Nagar Haveli have reported a case each till how.

"814 cases are being reassigned to states," the ministry said on its website, adding "our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR". State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said. PTI

10:10 Sensex rallies amid Covid vaccine hopes

Equity benchmark Sensex surged over 400 points in opening session on Tuesday led by gains in HDFC twins, Bharti Airtel and Kotak Bank amid positive cues from global markets. After starting at 30,450.74, the 30-share index was trading at 394 points or 1.31 per cent higher at 30,422.98.

Similarly, NSE Nifty jumped 91.10 points, or 1.03 per cent, to 8,914.35. ONGC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying around 6 per cent, followed by Bharti Airtel, HDFC, Maruti, Bajaj Auto, Kotak Bank, Hero MotoCorp and PowerGrid.

On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, SBI, Asian Paints and Axis Bank were trading with losses. In the previous session, the BSE barometer settled 1,068.75 points or 3.44 per cent lower at 30,028.98, while the broader NSE Nifty plunged 313.60 points or 3.43 per cent to 8,823.25. Foreign portfolio investors offloaded equities worth Rs 2,512.82 crore in the capital market on Monday, provisional exchange data showed.

According to traders, hopes of a vaccine for COVID-19 enthused global investor sentiment. In a significant development, an American biotechnology company Moderna has said its initial vaccine tests in people have shown promising results and can stimulate an immune response against the coronavirus.

However, the rising number of cases in the country kept market participants cautious, they said.

10:05 Sensex rallies amid Covid vaccine hopes

However, the rising number of cases in the country kept market participants cautious, they said.

A truck carrying migrant labourers overturned on the Jhansi-Mirzapur highway, leaving three women dead and 17 others injured, police said on Tuesday. The accident took place late on Monday night at Mahuva crossing in Mahoba district, SP, Mahoba, Mani Lal Patidar, said on Tuesday. The labourers had come on foot from Delhi and had boarded the truck near Harpalpur along the UP-MP border, the SP said.

The truck overturned into a roadside ditch after a tyre burst, killing three women on the spot, the SP said. The deceased were aged between 30 and 38 years. The injured have been admitted to a government hospital. The truck has been seized and investigations are on, the SP added.-- PTI

Image: In Bihar, at least 9 labourers were killed and several injured after a truck and bus collided in Naugachhia, Bhagalpur. The truck in which the labourers were travelling, fell off the road after the collision. Pic: ANI

A quarantine centre in Mumbai

09:37 FIR against journalist for report on mismanagement at quarantine centre

In the latest instance of harassment of the media for critical reporting, the Uttar Pradesh administration has lodged an FIR against Ravindra Saxena, a journalist at Today-24 news portal for reporting on the mismanagement and negligence at a quarantine centre in Sitapur district.In a video report, Saxena spoke to people at a quarantine centre in Maholi tehsil of Sitapur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, who alleged that they were served rotten rice. Read the report here.

09:15 WHO a puppet of China: Trump

US President Donald Trump once again on Monday attacked the WHO, saying the UN health body was a 'puppet' of China. Trump claimed that more people would have died from coronavirus in the country had he not imposed a ban on travel from China, which was 'opposed' by the health agency.

"They (WHO) are a puppet of China. They're China-centric, to put it nicer. But they're a puppet of China," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think they have done a very sad job. The United States pays them USD 450 million a year. China pays them USD 38 million a year," Trump said in response to a question. Trump said the World Health Organization was against the imposition of a ban on travel from China in late January.

"The World Health Organization was against it. They were against me doing the ban. They said you don't need it, it's too much, it's too severe, and they turned out to be wrong," he said.

Trump said Democratic Party's presidential nominee and former vice-president Joe Biden was too against the ban. "Sleepy Joe Biden said the same thing. He said I was xenophobic. I was xenophobic because I said you can't come in if you come from China. You can't come into our country, very early. And Biden said I was xenophobic," he said. "If I didn't do that ban, you would have lost hundreds of thousands of more people in this country. It was a very important ban. People don't like talking about the ban, but it was very important," the US president said, claiming that it was only he who wanted it. "We did it and saved thousands of lives, hundreds of thousands of lives probably," he said. -- PTI

Migrants await screening in Lucknow

09:05 Covid cases in India cross 1 lakh; death toll 3163

COVID-19 cases in India cross the 1 lakh mark with a single-day jump of 4,970 cases and 134 deaths. The total cases are 1,01,139 and the death toll is 3,163, says the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Experts attribute the increase to the easing of the lockdown, movement of migrant workers, higher testing and better reporting of cases.

Dr Jacob John, virologist and former chairman of the Indian Council of Medical Research, says, "The epidemic is growing beyond what we have ever seen in the past. The number of cases would not increase in an additional manner but double every few days... Every expert knew this."

An influential US lawmaker has introduced a legislation in Congress to provide incentives to American companies to move back their manufacturing units from China in view of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 90,000 people in the country. The Bring American Companies Home Act, introduced by Congressman Mark Green, seeks to cover the 100 per cent of their moving costs with the tariffs President Donald Trump has levied on the Chinese imports.

"Attracting investment in America is essential to reigniting our economy. But one of the big disincentives for American companies moving back to our soil is the cost. For many companies, it's too expensive and too risky to undertake an international move at a time of such global economic uncertainty," Green said.

"China has made clear it is not a reliable partner. To get America growing again, and to reduce our dependence on China, let's open the doors of opportunity and incentivise investment right here in our country. My bill is a pro-growth, common-sense policy to do just that," he said.

Green has also introduced the "Secure Our Systems Against China's Tactics Act' which prevents China's strategic acquisitions during the pandemic by incentivising American investors to back vulnerable companies that are critical to the US national security.

Congressmen Ron Wright and Marc Veasey have introduced the bipartisan Airport Infrastructure Resources Security Act to protect critical US transportation infrastructure from China's espionage and IP theft.

The legislation prohibits the federal airport improvement funds from being used to purchase passenger boarding bridges from companies that have violated the IP rights and threaten the national security of the United States. From day one of this pandemic, Communist China has been reckless and negligent in their COVID-19 response.

They failed to communicate the disease's seriousness to the rest of the global community, leading to the death of thousands of Americans, not to mention their own people. Make no mistake, the Communist Party of China will stop at nothing to gain power and control, Wright said, adding that "we cannot afford to give them inroads to our most critical systems'.

"The national security threat China and other adversaries pose to our transportation industry cannot be underestimated," Senator John Cornyn said. Meanwhile, Congressman Jim Banks, a member of the House China Task Force, and Congressmen Dan Crenshaw and Lance Gooden, sent a letter urging Secretaries Mike Pompeo and Steven Mnuchin to impose Magnitsky Sanctions on seven CPC officials for gross human rights abuse, and negligent and hostile behavior that greatly increased the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Chinese regime's open threat to interfere in American elections is just the latest of many aggressive, hostile actions. It is desperate to avoid responsibility, so it has reverted to desperate tactics. I'm neither surprised nor intimidated -- I'm encouraged," Banks added.

The US and China signed the phase one of their trade deal on January 16 to end the 22-month-long trade war during which the two countries slapped tit-for-tat tariff hikes over products worth nearly half-a-trillion dollars.

More than 300,000 people have died due to the coronavirus pandemic and over 4.8 million people infected around the world. The US is the worst-hit country with over 90,000 deaths and over 1.5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. -- PTI

Cyclone Amphan stood about 600 km south of Paradip (Odisha) and 750 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) at 11.30 pm on Monday. "The Super Cyclonic Amphan at 23:30 hrs of May 18, 2020, lies near latitude 14.9N and longitude 86.5E over Westcentral Bay of Bengal about 600 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha), 750 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal)," India Meteorological Department (IMD) tweeted.

Earlier yesterday, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla spoke to Chief Secretaries of West Bengal and Odisha - Rajiva Sinha and Asit Tripathy - in view of arrangements and preparedness against Cyclone Amphan. The Ministry of Earth Sciences had said that the storm is very likely to move nearly northwards for some more time and then north-northeastwards across the northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans during the afternoon or evening of May 20 as an extremely severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 165-175 Kmph gusting to 185 Kmph. -- ANI

08:28 Covid new normal: Can't lick stamps anymore

Delhi's Tis Hazari Court, in a circular, directed lawyers, Court staff and others not to use saliva while affixing court fee stamps on the applications and petitions and on envelopes containing summons, notices, etc in view of COVID-19 outbreak so as to prevent the spread of infection.

"Lawyers/Munshis/Litigants/Naib Courts/Police Officials may be asked through court staff not to use saliva while affixing court fee stamps on the application/petition and envelopes containing summons/notices etc," read a circular issued by District and Sessions Judge Girish Kathpalia on Monday.

As per the circular, officials have also been directed not to use saliva while doing the pagination of files, etc. The decision was taken for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Delhi District Court. The circular further recommended the court staff to advise the lawyers to use plastic sponge damper pad while inspecting the judicial file. -- ANI

07:50 Taking anti-malaria drug against virus: Trump

US President Donald Trump said he has been taking anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure against coronavirus.

"I have been taking it (hydroxychloroquine) for about a week and a half," Trump told reporters at the White House, asserting that he has zero symptoms of the deadly COVID-19, which has killed over 90,000 Americans in the past three months.

Trump said he consulted his doctors in this regard but was not explicitly recommended by White House physicians.

"White House doctor didn't recommend. I asked him, what do you think? He said well, if you'd like it. I said yeah, I'd like it. I'd like to take it," he said.

Trump said he has been taking a pill of the anti-malaria drug a day.

"I take a pill every day. At some point, I'll stop. What I'd like to do is I'd like to have the cure and/or the vaccine, and that will happen, I think, very soon," he asserted.

Soon after Trump revealed to the world that he has been taking the medicine, the White House doctor said the US president is in good health.

-- PTI

00:32 28 employees of Zee Media test Covid positive

As many as 28 employees of a media house tested positive for coronavirus in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday, officials said.

Of the 28 employees of Noida Sector 16A-located Zee Media who have tested positive for COVID-19, 15 reside in Gautam Buddh Nagar while 13 are in Delhi, Faridabad and Gurgaon, according to officials.

The Zee Media said in a statement it initiated 'mass testing' after one of its employee was detected with the COVID-19 infection last Friday.

Referring to the spread of COVID-19 from a 39-year-old man in Zee Media, Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Suhas L Y said, 'The man lives in Delhi's Laxmi Nagar but works at Zee Media office in Sector 16A Noida.'

'He was found COVID-19 positive on May 15. His 51 contacts were tested at Max Lab in Delhi. His 15 contacts, who are employees in the same organisation, residing in Gautam Buddh Nagar have tested positive,' he added.

Another 13 contacts of the man who reside in Delhi, Faridabad and Gurgaon have tested positive for coronavirus and the administrations of their respective districts were doing the needful, as per protocols.

In a statement shared on Twitter, Zee Media said last Friday one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.

'As a responsible organisation, we initiated mass testing of all those who could have been in direct or indirect contact with the said individual,' it said.

'So far, 28 of our team mates have tested positive. Fortunately, most of them are asymptomatic and not complaining of any discomfort. We believe this is because of early diagnosis and pro-active intervention,' it added in the statement.

'We are following the best practices to break the cycle and contain the infection, in coordination with all government and health authorities. All health protocols and official guidelines are being followed. Our office, newsroom and studios have been sealed for sanitisation. The Zee News team has been shifted to an alternative facility for the time being,' Zee Media said. -- PTI

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