India logs lowest case rise in 46 days-India News , Technomiz

As COVID-19 cases reported across the country show a declining trend, several states decided to extend lockdown and curfews to contain the virus, with Maharashtra being the latest to increase the lockdown-like curbs in the state till 15 June.

Lockdown is being extended for 15 days, shall be in place till June 15 now. Depending on the case tally of districts, certain relaxations and restrictions will be enforced: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/RRambZWnaQ

— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2021

Addressing a virtual press conference on Sunday, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that some districts, where cases are rising at a faster pace, will see additional restrictions, and those where positivity rate is less than 10 percent – like Mumbai – will get some relaxations.

While states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Goa will now be under strict restrictions, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have announced certain relaxation in the curbs.

Haryana, Odisha and Telangana were the latest among states to extend the COVID-induced lockdown.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said even though the situation has improved in the state, it has been decided to extend the “Mahamari Alert/Surkshit Haryana” lockdown till 5 am on 7 June with some more relaxations.

Telangana government on Sunday decided to extend the lockdown for another 10-days, from 31 May to 9 June. “For those who go out to purchase groceries and finish off their work by 1 pm, a grace period of one hour would be given, the state Cabinet said.

Meanwhile, with a single-day rise of 1.65 lakh COVID-19 cases, India on Sunday recorded the lowest number of infections in 46 days, pushing the overall count over 2.78 crore, as per data released by the Union health ministry.

India had registered 1,61,736 cases of infection on 13 April. The daily positivity declined to 8.02 percent, remaining below the 10 percent-mark for five straight days. The weekly positivity rate dropped to 9.36 percent.

UP, Jammu and Kashmir to begin unlocking process

Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir announced partial easing of restrictions in districts with less active cases, though night curfew and weekend shutdown will remain.

Uttar Pradesh announced easing of restrictions imposed in the state from 1 June. The restrictions will be relaxed in 55 districts that currently have less than 600 active coronavirus cases.

Uttar Pradesh chief secretary RK Tiwari said shops and markets outside containment zones will be allowed to open from 1 June onward from 7 am to 7 pm for five days (Monday to Friday). Night curfew will remain in place from 7 pm to 7 am, he said.

The state on Sunday recorded only 1,908 cases in a span of 24 hours, thereby, registering a decline of 95 percent from its peak. While active cases in the state stand at 41,000.

Government offices will be allowed to function with 50 percent attendance. Private offices can function adhering to COVID-appropriate behaviour and work-from-home mode is to be established where possible.

Restaurants can operate home delivery services. Hotels located on highways/expressways can open for dine-in services following Covid protocol.

As many as 25 people can attend weddings at a time while 20 persons are permitted in funeral processions.

Centre assures to increase vaccine supply in June by 50% from May

Nearly 12 crore doses of coronavirus vaccine will be available in June, the Union health ministry said on Sunday. This is a 50 percent jump from the allocation in May, when 7.94 crore doses were available to states and union territories.

“For the month of June, 6.09 crore (6,09,60,000) doses of COVID vaccines will be supplied to the states and UTs for vaccination of priority group of Health Care Workers (HCWs), Front-Line Workers (FLWs) and person aged 45 years and above as free supply from Government of India,” the ministry said.

“In addition, more than 5.86 crore (5,86,10,000) doses will be available for direct procurement by the state/UTs and private hospitals. Therefore, in June 2021 close to 12 crore (11,95,70,000) doses will be available for the national COVID vaccination programme,” it said.

The daily coronavirus case count in Maharashtra is on the decline, but these numbers are close to last year’s peak levels, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday.

?Restrictions in different parts of the state till 15th June 2021 to #BreakTheChain of transmission effectively? pic.twitter.com/mRzxTlZ42n

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 30, 2021

He said he was taking a district-wise review of the coronavirus situation and curbs will be made stricter where the numbers are on the rise, while some relaxation will be given where the case count is on the decline.

Expressing concern over the steep spike in infection count in rural parts of the state, the chief minister announced “My village-Corona free” initiative, and asked the people of the state not to let their guard down while bracing for the third wave of the pandemic.

SII will supply 9-10 crore Covishield vaccine doses in June

Serum Institute of India (SII) has informed the government that it will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of Covishield in June, official sources said on Sunday amid complaint by states about the shortage of anti- Coronavirus vaccine jabs.

In a recent letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, SII said its employees have been working round the clock in spite of various challenges because of the pandemic.

“We are pleased to inform that in the month of June we will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of our Covishield vaccine to the country as compared to our production capacity of 6.5 crore doses in May,” Prakash Kumar Singh, the Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at SII, said in the letter.

The government is likely to lift restrictions on the use of liquid oxygen for some priority industries in the next 2-3 days as demand for medical oxygen has come down, a top government official said on Sunday.

To make oxygen available to more people during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 , the Centre on 25 April had barred the use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purpose and asked manufacturing units to maximise its production and make it available to the government for medical use.

“Demand for medical oxygen has come down. Some priority industries will get oxygen in the next 2-3 days,” the official told PTI.

Exercising the powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla had directed the states to ensure that “use of liquid oxygen is not allowed for any non-medical purpose and all manufacturing units may maximise their production of liquid oxygen, and make it available…for medical purposes only”.

Bihar to provide Rs 1,500 per month to children orphaned during pandemic

Children who have lost their parents to COVID-19 will be provided Rs 1,500 per month under the Bal Sahayata Yojna till they attain the age of 18, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced Sunday, adding that such children will be housed in a child care centre.

“Such children will be taken care of in a child care centre. The orphaned girls will be admitted to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya,” Kumar tweeted.

The announcement comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that all children who have lost both parents or guardians due to COVID-19 will be supported under the ‘PM-CARES for Children’ scheme.

The PM CARES will contribute through a specially designed scheme to create a corpus of Rs 10 lakh for each child when he or she reaches 18 years of age.

The chief minister further stated that “boys and girls who are left with no guardian to bring them up will be provided shelter at Baal Griha (children’s homes). Priority will be accorded to get such orphaned girls admitted to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya schools”.

The state, which remained relatively less affected by the pandemic last year, has been devastated by the second wave that infected more than five lakh people and claimed over 4,000 lives.

Act against hospitals tying up with hotels for inoculation, Centre tells states

The Centre has asked states and union territories to initiate legal or administrative action against institutions which are giving a ‘vaccine package’ for in collaboration with hotels in violation of prescribed guidelines.

In a letter to all states and UTs, Additional Secretary to Health ministry Manohar Agnani said it has come to the notice of the Union health ministry that some private hospitals are conducting COVID-19 vaccination in collaboration with some hotels, which is against the guidelines issued for the National Covid Vaccination Program.

“Apart from government Covid vaccination centre and private Covid vaccination centre, workplace, near home Covid vaccination centre for elderly and differently-abled persons to be organised at group housing societies, there are no other avenues to carry out vaccination under the national Covid Vaccination Program so vaccination carried out in star hotels is contrary to the guidelines and must be stopped immediately,” Agnani was quoted as saying in the letter.

UP announces Rs 10 lakh aid for kin of journalists who died due to COVID-19

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday announced Rs v10 lakh aid for the kin of journalists who passed away due to coronavirus .

According to Chief Minister’s Yogi Adityanath’s office, the Information Department of the state government had gathered the details of the deceased journalists, and the financial assistance was released to their families on Sunday.