JUNE 6, 2020
MUMBAI, INDIA MAY 27: Health workers conducting COVID-19 coronavirus testing drive inside the Dharavi slums during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, on May 27, 2020 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
India on Saturday surpassed Spain to become the fifth worst-hit nation by the coronavirus pandemic, after a record spike in cases for four consecutive days pushed total infections in the country to over 2,43,733, according to the Johns Hopkins University data.
In less than 24 hours, India surpassed Italy and then Spain to reach the grim milestone. Now, only the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK are ahead of it.
According to the Union Health Ministry, India registered a record single-day spike of 9,887 cases and 294 deaths by Saturday 8 am, pushing the tally to 2,36,657 and the death toll to 6,642. The country registered over 9,000 cases for the third day in a row.
Maharashtra, the worst-hit state in the country by the novel coronavirus, has reported 2,739 fresh Covid-19 cases, and 120 deaths, in the last 24 hours. The death toll due to coronavirus in Maharashtra has reached 2,969, while the total case tally stands at 82,968.
However, in some good news, Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum in Mumbai, also one of the Covid-19 hotbeds, is finally showing signs of flattening the curve, as the number of active coronavirus cases is now less than the number of people discharged.
Maharashtra is followed by Tamil Nadu at 28,694 Covid-19 cases, Delhi at 26,334, Gujarat at 19,094, Rajasthan at 10,084, Uttar Pradesh at 9,733, and Madhya Pradesh at 8,996.
Here are all the latest updates:
India overtakes Spain to become 5th worst-hit country by coronavirus
India on Saturday surpassed Spain to become the fifth most-affected country by the novel coronavirus outbreak. The country’s nationwide tally of confirmed cases of infection breached the 2.4 lakh mark on June 6.
As per the morning bulletin of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), there were 2,36,657 Covid-19 cases in India as of 8 AM on Saturday. Meanwhile, as per the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 dashboard, Spain has a total of 2,40,978 cases so far.
The MoHFW maintains that 1,14,073 novel coronavirus patients have recovered in India so far, pushing the recovery rate to 48.20 per cent. In addition, the minister also said that a total of 45,24,317 samples have been tested for Covid-19 in India to date.
If new cases reported from various states across India on Saturday are taken into account, the nation’s Covid-19 tally exceeds that of Spain. Now, only the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK are ahead of India.
On June 6, Maharashtra reported 2,739 new cases, Tamil Nadu 1,458 new cases, West Bengal 435 new cases and Rajasthan 253 new cases as per the daily Covid-19 bulletins put out by the health departments of the respective states.
Maharashtra reports 2,739 fresh coronavirus cases
Maharashtra has reported 2,739 fresh cases of coronavirus and 120 deaths in the last 24 hours. The death toll due to coronavirus in Maharashtra has reached 2,969, while the total cases now stand at 82,968.
Of the total cases, 37,390 coronvirus patients have been discharged from hospitals after full recovery, leaving 42,600 active cases of the virus.
Mumbai, the epicentre of the deadly virus in Maharashtra, has reported 47,354 case alone so far. The city has also reported 1,577 virus deaths till now.
However, as many as 19,977 Covid-19 patients in Mumbai have been discharged. The city now has 25,794 active cases, including the 1,274 new ones reported in the last 24 hours.
Mumbai’s Dharavi flattens the curve as region reports no death in past 6 days
Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum in Mumbai, also one of the Covid-19 hotbeds, is finally showing signs of flattening the curve, as the number of active coronavirus cases is now less than the number of people discharged. The region has reported zero deaths in the past 6 days and out of the total number of cases — 1,899– 939 people have recovered.
The total number of active cases has also come down to 889, while the death toll in the region stands at 71, according to latest data.
The number of cases also declined from June 1 (34) to June 6, i.e, today (10), according to the data released by the Maharashtra government.
Currently, the doubling rate of Dharavi is 33-34 days.
1,320 fresh Covid-19 cases in Delhi take tally to over 27,000
Delhi recorded 1,320 fresh coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the Covid-19 tally in the city to over 27,500, and the death toll due to the disease mounted to 761, authorities said.
The highest spike in fresh cases — 1,513 — was recorded on June 3.
In a bulletin issued on Saturday, the Delhi health department said the death toll from coronavirus infection has risen to 761 and the total number of cases mounted to 27,654.
A total of 53 fatalities were reported on June 5, which took place between May 25 and June 5, the bulletin said, adding that 20 of these deaths took place on June 3 and 19 on June 4.
It, however, said the cumulative death figures refer to fatalities where the primary cause of death was found to be Covid-19, as per the report of the Death Audit Committee on the basis of case sheets received from various hospitals.
Save healthcare infra for Delhiites, else beds will fill up in 3 days: Delhi govt panel’s report
A five-member committee set up by the Delhi government has said that the healthcare infrastructure in the national capital will be used only for Delhiites, adding that all beds will be filled within three days if Delhi’s healthcare facilities are opened for “outsiders”.
“Delhi’s healthcare infrastructure to be used only for Delhi residents. If Delhi’s healthcare infrastructure is opened for outsiders, then all the beds will be filled within three days,” the committee said in its report.
A five-member committee was constituted by the Delhi government on June 3 to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure and look into overall preparedness of hospitals to battle Covid-19.
The members of the panel are Dr Mahesh Verma, the vice-chancellor of IP University; Dr Sunil Kumar, the medical director of GTB Hospital; Dr Arun Gupta, president of Delhi Medical Council; Dr R K Gupta, former president of Delhi Medical Association; and Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, the group medical director of Max Hospital.
FIR registered against Delhi’s Sir Gangaram Hospital for flouting ICMR testing norms
Delhi government on Saturday registered an FIR against Sir Gangaram Hospital for alleged violation of the novel coronavirus testing guidelines put in place by The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). The private hospital was issued an order by the Delhi government on June 3 in this regard.
In the order, the Delhi government had directed Sir Gangaram Hospital to immediately stop “RT PCR sampling for Covid-19 suspect/confirmed cases”. On the same day, the Delhi government also announced that the hospital with 675 beds must reserve 80 per cent of its capacity for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
In a press briefing he held on Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said there is no shortage of beds for coronavirus patients in Delhi. He also warned hospitals turning away patients.
States issue guidelines for first phase of Unlock 1 starting June 8
Several states have started to issue guidelines with regard to the first phase of the ‘Unlock 1’ which, according to MHA guidelines, permits religious places and places of worship for public, hotels, restaurants, other hospitality services, and shopping malls to open from June 8.
The Haryana government has decided to allow reopening of places of worship and shopping malls for public in a regulated manner across the state from June 8, except in Gurgaon and Faridabad districts worst-hit by Covid-19.
Apart from this, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services would be reopened with generic preventive measures across the state. The timing of opening for all would be between 9 am and 8 pm to ensure compliance of night curfew between 9 pm and 5 am.
The Uttar Pradesh government also announced that religious places will be opening in the state from June 8, however, devotees will not be able to make any offering of ‘prasad’ nor will be able to touch statues, idols or holy books in places of worship as and when they visit them after their opening.
In an elaborate guideline, issued on Saturday on the relaxation of Covid-19 lockdown curbs, the government said the distribution of prasad or sprinkling of holy water too will not be allowed inside religious places after their opening on June 8.
The visitors to religious places will have to use their own mats for sitting there and their managing authorities will have to ensure social distancing in shrines, said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi on Saturday while releasing elaborate guidelines on reopening of religious places, offices, malls, hotels etc outside containment zones.
Similar guidelines have been issued for hotels which have been asked to keep a track of the travel and medical history of guests, Awasthi said, adding food courts and restaurants should allow customers only up to 50 per cent of their seating capacities and e-payments have to be encouraged for monetary transactions.
The state government also said that it has to be ensured also that the CCTV cameras installed in shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and other such places are in working condition.
Maharashtra: BEST buses to resume services for those in non-essential services from June 8
Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses will resume services for all those working in the non-essential sectors from June 8. However, travelling in BEST buses will not be the same as before. The buses, which used to be overcrowded on normal days before the coronavirus crisis hit the city, will now ply whilst ensuring that social distancing is maintained among the passengers.
The BEST had suspended bus services after the nationwide lockdown was announced in March. Only dedicated services for essential workers, including those working at government and municipal offices, and hospital staff, were continued.
From June 8, BEST buses will carry other passengers and not just those working in essential services. After Mumbai’s lifeline, the local trains services were stopped as precautionary measures in view of coronavirus, it is the BEST buses that are the only public transport services available for Mumbaikars now.
Islamic Centre of India issues advisory for reopening of mosques
The Islamic Centre of India on Saturday issued an advisory for those visiting mosques in view of the Centre’s decision to allow reopening of religious places from June 8.
Islamic Centre of India chairman Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali advised people above 65 years and under 10 years of age not to visit mosques and instead offer prayers at home.
He also advised against crowding in mosques, stressing that not more than five people should be present at a time and social distancing be maintained, with the ‘namazis’ using masks and keeping a distance of six feet among themselves while offering prayers.
He added that the situation would be reviewed after 15 days and if required, another advisory would be issued.
Follow the government’s latest guidance on safeguarding yourself during the coronavirus pandemic, including travel advice within and outside the country. The World Health Organization has also busted some myths surrounding coronavirus. The Ministry of Health’s special helpline is available at +91-11-23978046, ncov2019@gmail.com and ncov2019@gov.in.
Courtesy/Source: India Today
