Relaxations For Some Districts After 3 May, India Cases Go Past 33,000: Corona Updates You Must Track

With India slowly approaching the 3 May deadline for the nationwide lockdown, which has been in place since 24 March midnight, the central and state administrations are now working out an effective exit plan. While red zones are unlikely to see any relaxations, the Ministry of Home Affairs has indicated that there could be “considerable relaxations” in many districts.

As the nation awaits fresh guidelines post 3 May lockdown, India’s confirmed COVID-19 cases are now at 33,050, with Maharashtra leading the surge.

Find all the important coronavirus-related developments here:

India cases and toll: The number of coronavirus cases in India continues to rise, with 23,651 active cases, 8,324 recoveries and 1,074 deaths. Between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, the number of active COVID-19 cases has gone up by 669. According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at 33,050.

Punjab, West Bengal to extend lockdown: Punjab became the first state to announce an extension of the lockdown until 17 May. Restrictions, however, will be eased in non-containment zones from 7 am to 11 am, reported The Indian Express.Shops will be allowed to open in some areas on a rotational basis, with reduced staff strength. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too said that lockdown will continue in the state till May-end, but small shops in neighbourhoods will be allowed to function in green zones.

Migrant workers can return home: In a key decision, the central government on Wednesday said that interstate movement of stranded migrant workers, tourists and students through road transport will be allowed from 4 May so that they can go back to their homes. According to the fresh guidelines, the stranded people,after reaching their home states, will be screened and kept in home quarantine for a mandated period.

Maharashtra remains ground zero for COVID-19:The state has been the worst affected by the coronavirus. With 728 fresh cases and 32 deaths in the past 24 hours, Maharashtra’s confirmed COVID-19 cases have climbed to 9,915. The death toll—432 as of Thursday morning—is the highest in the country. Maharashtra alone accounts for 30 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases in India.

Pending samples for test in Delhi: According to a report in The Times of India, the national capital has 3,295 swab samples pending for COVID-19 tests despite having 20 COVID-19 testing labs. This can cause a delay in identifying COVID-19 positive patients and tracing their contacts.

Of the total 3,439 confirmed coronavirus cases in Delhi so far, 1,092 have recovered, while 56 have succumbed to the illness. Meanwhile, Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday said the national capital’s doubling rate for COVID-19 cases is 13 days. In comparison, Mumbai’s doubling rate is 10 days while the national average is 10.2 days.

Global corona update: Globally, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 32,20,969, according to worldometer, a website providing real-time data on coronavirus.In a positive development, the number of recoveries has breached the 10 lakh-mark. The COVID-19 global toll stands at 2,28,251. While the numbers in the US continue to surge (10.64 lakh and counting), Russia is showing an alarming spike in cases, with the country just short of a lakh confirmed cases (99,399). Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked state officials to get ready for a “complex and extraordinary” scenario, reported The Guardian.

Is remdesivir the magic bullet? In a trial run by the US’ National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, remdesivir, an antiviral treatment developed for Ebola, has shown promising results in reducing the recovery time for COVID-19 patients. The drug, medical experts and researchers quoted by various journals said, is not yet a magic bullet against coronavirus. 

Story of hope: While migrant workers stranded in different parts of the country continue to face hardship, this story from Haryana’s Ambala district will to bring a smile to your face. A group of stranded migrant workers, who were provided shelter by the administration at a government school, arecarrying out minor repairs and painting the school—to express their gratitude for the help they received.