After Punjab's Moga became the first zero COVID-19 district in India, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that nearly 20 percent COVID-19 patients have recovered so far in the country. While 522 new confirmed cases of the infectious disease were reported in Mumbai along with six deaths, 778 cases were reported in Maharashtra (All photos/Satej Shinde, Shadab Khan, Ashish Raje, Bipin Kokate, Sameer Abedi)
Updated On: 2020-04-24 09:30 AM IST
On Day 9 of the extended lockdown, Maharashtra reported 778 fresh cases of coronavirus positive, the highest single-day jump so far the state has witnessed with 19 deaths taking place due to COVID-19. Mumbai reported 522 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry on Thursday said that nearly 20 per cent COVID-19 patients have recovered so far in the country as the total number of coronavirus positive cases soared to 21,700. Agarwal also said that there are 78 districts in 23 States/UTs, which have not reported any fresh cases of COVID-19 during the last 14 days across the country.
With 5,652 cases, Maharashtra remains to be one of the worse affected state in the country followed by Gujarat (2407) and Delhi (2248). On the other hand, Rajasthan's tally stands at 1,890 cases followed by 1695 cases in Madhya Pradesh and 1629.
In photo: A Mumbai Police personnel stops a man on morning walk at Thakur Village in Kandivali amid lockdown.
On Thursday, the The Indian Council of Medical Research said that the growth curve of the novel coronavirus has been flattened but it is difficult to tell when it will reach its peak. While addressing a press conference, Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR said the positivity rate has been 4.5 per cent throughout, one can say we have been able to flatten the curve.
In a heartwarming development, the Centre said that India has been able to cut transmission, minimise the spread of COVID-19 and has consistently ramp up COVID-19 testing in the last 30 days of lockdown. CK Mishra, Environment Secretary said that in the last 30 days, the number of hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 rose by 3.5 times while isolation beds increased by 3.6 times.
In photo: Raw mangoes hanging on a tree during a nationwide lockdown at Dattani Park, Kandivli.
By the end of Day 9 of the extended lockdown, a total of 25 new coronavirus positive cases and a death were reported from Dharavi, Asia's largest slum. With this, the total number of cases in Dharavi rose to 214 while the death toll stood at 13 in the locality. On the other hand, a 41-year-old man who had tested positive for COVID-19 passed away on Thursday at an hospital in Pune, thereby taking the death toll to 61 in the district.
In an unprecedented move, MNS chief Raj Thackeray wrote a letter to his cousin and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray urging him to keep wine shops open. Raj Thaceray said that the wine shops are not intended to cater to the needs of the alcohol consumers but to start generating income for the government as the excise duty generated for the state via liquor amounts to Rs 14,000 crore yearly.
In photo: A milk trader waits for delivery to small vendors at Thakur Complex in Kandivli amid lockdown in the city.
AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria made an appeal to people across the country to not stigmatise patients who have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that people should look at ways on how COVID-19 patients and their families can be supported and accepted in the society.
In a heartening development, the Haryana government on Thursday announced an insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh each for journalists who are reporting in the state during the coronavirus pandemic.
In photo: A man wearing face mask snapped at Western Express Highway in Kandivli.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated first of its kind mobile lab named Mobile Virology Research and Diagnostics Laboratory (MVRDL) developed by Defence Research and Development Organization). The mobile lab, which has the screening capacity of more than 1000 samples daily will help to speed up COVID-19 screening and R&D activities.
In a noble move, IndiGo airlines has decided to pay full salary for the month of April to the majority of its employees. This comes after the company had asked the employees to take 10 to 20 percent salary cuts nearly a week ago. In a letter to its employees, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said that the company has decided not to implement the previously announced pay cuts during the month of April.
In photo: A vegetable vendor dumps vegetables in a garbage drum after one of the vendors at Matunga tested positive for COVID-19.
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar felicitated frontline COVID-19 warriors by giving them letters of appreciation and said that the country will triumph over the virus. Javadekar also said that attacks on frontline workers such as doctors, nurses, sanitation workers, police among others will not be tolerated.
The West Bengal government directed private hospitals, which have been requisitioned by the government for COVID-19 treatment, to provide free treatment to coronavirus patients. According to the official statement, the government will reimburse charges to the hospitals for treatment of patients. With 58 new positive cases, the total number of coronavirus in the state stands at 334.
Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas said that she will be donating 10,000 pairs of footwear to healthcare workers in India who are fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with a leading footwear company, Priyanka will give the footwear to public and governments hospitals in Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Karnataka.
