Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday once again spoke on India, this time on the presence of Indian forces in Kalapani, comments by Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Yogi Adityanath on his country and increased influx of COVID-19 infection from the southern neighbour.&nbsp;

Nepal considers Kalapani as its territory along with Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura and last month issued a new map showing the Indian territories as its own drawing New Delhi's ire.&nbsp;

Speaking in the Nepali Parliament, PM Oli said,"The territory has been separated from us by the stationing of Indian forces and due to Indian Army's deployment, access is being denied to us."

Calling for a diplomatic solution to the border row, Nepali PM said his country has "been raising the issue with India..and based on facts and historic evidences, the area should be handed over back".

He also commented on remarks made by UP CM, who had equated Nepal with what Tibet faced in the 1950s saying the comments made by him are "condemnable" and "threatening" Nepal is unacceptable.&nbsp;

On the COVID-19 crisis, he said 85% of cases in the country is due to an increase in the number of infected people coming from India, something he has said in the past as well.&nbsp;

His comments come at a time when ties between New Delhi and Kathmandu are in a downward trajectory due to Nepal coming with a new map, which India sees as "unjustified cartographic assertion".&nbsp;

New Delhi has asked the country to "respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity" and create "positive atmosphere" for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the outstanding boundary issues.

On Tuesday, Nepal's lower house unanimously backed a constitutional amendment bill that will amend Nepal's political map in the coat of arms. Once passed by the 2/3rd majority in the lower house after 72 hours, it will go to the upper house -the national assembly where the same procedure will be followed. After passage in the upper house and assent by the Nepali President, the law or the amendment will come into force giving constitutional backing to the Nepal Map which is at the heart of diplomatic row with India. 
&nbsp;

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday once again spoke on India, this time on the presence of Indian forces in Kalapani, comments by Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Yogi Adityanath on his country and increased influx of COVID-19 infection from the southern neighbour.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday once again spoke on India, this time on the presence of Indian forces in Kalapani, comments by Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Yogi Adityanath on his country and increased influx of COVID-19 infection from the southern neighbour. Nepal considers Kalapani as its territory along with Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura and last month issued a new map showing the Indian territories as its own drawing New Delhi's ire. Speaking in the Nepali Parliament, PM Oli said,"The territory has been separated from us by the stationing of Indian forces and due to Indian Army's deployment, access is being denied to us." Calling for a diplomatic solution to the border row, Nepali PM said his country has "been raising the issue with India..and based on facts and historic evidences, the area should be handed over back". He also commented on remarks made by UP CM, who had equated Nepal with what Tibet faced in the 1950s saying the comments made by him are "condemnable" and "threatening" Nepal is unacceptable. On the COVID-19 crisis, he said 85% of cases in the country is due to an increase in the number of infected people coming from India, something he has said in the past as well. His comments come at a time when ties between New Delhi and Kathmandu are in a downward trajectory due to Nepal coming with a new map, which India sees as "unjustified cartographic assertion". New Delhi has asked the country to "respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity" and create "positive atmosphere" for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the outstanding boundary issues. On Tuesday, Nepal's lower house unanimously backed a constitutional amendment bill that will amend Nepal's political map in the coat of arms. Once passed by the 2/3rd majority in the lower house after 72 hours, it will go to the upper house -the national assembly where the same procedure will be followed. After passage in the upper house and assent by the Nepali President, the law or the amendment will come into force giving constitutional backing to the Nepal Map which is at the heart of diplomatic row with India.

Nepal PM miffed by presence of Indian forces in Kalapani, remarks by UP CM and COVID-19

Maharashtra's Covid-19 cases have climbed to 94,041 on Wednesday with 3,254 new patients, a health official said.

Total 3,438 have died so far due to the deadly coronavirus with 149 new deaths being recorded during the day.

The total number of recovered patients stands at 44,517.

Maharashtra coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 94,041, new cases 3,254, deaths 3,438, discharged 44,517, active cases 46,074, people tested so far 5,93,784.&nbsp;

Meanwhile in India, the total number of coronavirus cases have jumped to 276,583, while 7,745 people have died from the disease so far, showed data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Close to 6,000 recoveries pushed the total number of cured/discharged patients to 135,206. The count of active cases now stands at 133,632.

Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, 5,991 patients have been cured, and the recovery rate now stands at 48.88 per cent.

(With inputs from agencies)

Maharashtra's Covid-19 cases have climbed to 94,041 on Wednesday with 3,254 new patients, a health official said. Total 3,438 have died so far due to the deadly coronavirus with 149 new deaths being recorded during the day.

Maharashtra's Covid-19 cases have climbed to 94,041 on Wednesday with 3,254 new patients, a health official said. Total 3,438 have died so far due to the deadly coronavirus with 149 new deaths being recorded during the day. The total number of recovered patients stands at 44,517. Maharashtra coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 94,041, new cases 3,254, deaths 3,438, discharged 44,517, active cases 46,074, people tested so far 5,93,784. Meanwhile in India, the total number of coronavirus cases have jumped to 276,583, while 7,745 people have died from the disease so far, showed data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Close to 6,000 recoveries pushed the total number of cured/discharged patients to 135,206. The count of active cases now stands at 133,632. Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, 5,991 patients have been cured, and the recovery rate now stands at 48.88 per cent. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra inch near 1 lakh mark, death toll at 3,438

In a happy update amid COVID-19 crisis, actress Judi Evans who is famous for her work in ‘Days of Our Lives’ shared a smiling post from the hospital. The actress was admitted for a horse-riding accident that aggravated as she contracted coronavirus while in the hospital.&nbsp;

She wrote, “Thank You!! Your love and prayers and support have meant the world to me!!”

In the post, Judi Evans can be seen holding a note with the message on it. This came after fans wrote in support of her, wishing her speedy recovery.&nbsp;

Judi’s representative Howie Tiger Simon was quoted, “I spoke to Judi on Sunday and she is STILL in the hospital — 23 days now and counting. She contracted COVID-19 while there and she had what is known as the COVID blood clots in her legs and she nearly had both legs amputated on two different occasions.”

“She had mild symptoms — fever, aches, a cough and the blood clots. On top of everything, when she went into surgery on one of her legs, they forgot to numb the leg and cut into her leg while she was fully (conscious) with no numbing of the area! However speaking to her on Sunday, she was in good spirits and back to Judi “humor” despite all these spiraling turn of events. She has said she appreciates all the prayers for her and they’ve helped her mentally, physically and spiritually! She just wants to continue to test negative on COVID19 before she can go home and get the rest she so needs!!!”

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Judi Evans has been a part of ‘Days of Our Lives’ since 1986.&nbsp;

In a happy update amid COVID-19 crisis, actress Judi Evans who is famous for her work in ‘Days of Our Lives’ shared a smiling post from the hospital. The actress was admitted for a horse-riding accident that aggravated as she contracted coronavirus while in the hospital.

In a happy update amid COVID-19 crisis, actress Judi Evans who is famous for her work in ‘Days of Our Lives’ shared a smiling post from the hospital. The actress was admitted for a horse-riding accident that aggravated as she contracted coronavirus while in the hospital. She wrote, “Thank You!! Your love and prayers and support have meant the world to me!!” In the post, Judi Evans can be seen holding a note with the message on it. This came after fans wrote in support of her, wishing her speedy recovery. Judi’s representative Howie Tiger Simon was quoted, “I spoke to Judi on Sunday and she is STILL in the hospital — 23 days now and counting. She contracted COVID-19 while there and she had what is known as the COVID blood clots in her legs and she nearly had both legs amputated on two different occasions.” “She had mild symptoms — fever, aches, a cough and the blood clots. On top of everything, when she went into surgery on one of her legs, they forgot to numb the leg and cut into her leg while she was fully (conscious) with no numbing of the area! However speaking to her on Sunday, she was in good spirits and back to Judi “humor” despite all these spiraling turn of events. She has said she appreciates all the prayers for her and they’ve helped her mentally, physically and spiritually! She just wants to continue to test negative on COVID19 before she can go home and get the rest she so needs!!!” Judi Evans has been a part of ‘Days of Our Lives’ since 1986.

'Days Of Our Lives' actress Judi Evans escapes legs amputation after testing COVID-19 positive

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the Pakistan government to return to lockdown, suggesting the country implement restrictions in a cycle of two weeks on, two weeks off.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the Pakistan government to return to lockdown, suggesting the country implement restrictions in a cycle of two weeks on, two weeks off. While Pakistan has relatively low testing rates, one in four people who are tested return a positive result, the WHO said in a letter to Punjab’s provincial health minister, Yasmin Rashid. Also read - COVID 19: Pakistan crosses 68,000 mark; UK lends financial support Prime Minister Imran Khan did not announce nationwide lockdown like many other countries, saying that the country cannot afford it, and provinces have instead introduced patchwork lockdowns. Last week Khan said these would be lifted. But, with 108,317 known cases and 2,172 confirmed deaths, hospitals across the south Asian country say they are at or near capacity, with some turning Covid-19 patients away. Globally, the WHO confirmed the biggest ever one-day rise in confirmed cases this week, with 136,000 cases in 24 hours, according to director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Most were from South Asia and South America.

WHO urges Pakistan to return to lockdown as hospitals grapple with COVID-19 cases

The Meghalaya government on Tuesday withdrew its earlier order that allowed religious places to reopen doors to devotees from June 14, and said congregations of any kind would have to be avoided for the time being, given the unrelenting rise in COVID-19 cases.

The state government had earlier drafted safety protocols and said churches and other places of worship in the Christian-dominated state would be given permission to resume normal services from June 14, provided they abide by the guidelines.

"We have withdrawn our previous order allowing places of worships to open, in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the state," Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told PTI.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met the top religious leaders in the state to discuss the matter.

"Based on consultations with different religious organisations this afternoon, the Govt has decided to put on hold the reopening of religious institutions in #Meghalaya that was previously decided for the 14th of June," he tweeted.

Four new coronavirus cases have been detected in the state since Monday, increasing the tally to 40 -- three times of what it was during the second week of May.

Many churches have issued statements, contending that they were not keen on opening the doors anytime soon, as it could expose people to the risk of virus transmission.

"We will continue with online services until people feel safe to come to church," Unitarian Union of North East India president D P Pariat said.

The Meghalaya government on Tuesday withdrew its earlier order that allowed religious places to reopen doors to devotees from June 14, and said congregations of any kind would have to be avoided for the time being, given the unrelenting rise in COVID-19 cases.

The Meghalaya government on Tuesday withdrew its earlier order that allowed religious places to reopen doors to devotees from June 14, and said congregations of any kind would have to be avoided for the time being, given the unrelenting rise in COVID-19 cases. The state government had earlier drafted safety protocols and said churches and other places of worship in the Christian-dominated state would be given permission to resume normal services from June 14, provided they abide by the guidelines. "We have withdrawn our previous order allowing places of worships to open, in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the state," Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told PTI. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met the top religious leaders in the state to discuss the matter. "Based on consultations with different religious organisations this afternoon, the Govt has decided to put on hold the reopening of religious institutions in #Meghalaya that was previously decided for the 14th of June," he tweeted. Four new coronavirus cases have been detected in the state since Monday, increasing the tally to 40 -- three times of what it was during the second week of May. Many churches have issued statements, contending that they were not keen on opening the doors anytime soon, as it could expose people to the risk of virus transmission. "We will continue with online services until people feel safe to come to church," Unitarian Union of North East India president D P Pariat said.

Indian state Meghalaya withdraws order to reopen places of worship amid rise of COVID-19 cases

Republican Senator Rick Scott of the United States has told in a television interview that he thinks China is actively working to disrupt the efforts of the US and other western countries to develop the vaccine.

"We have got to get this vaccine done. Unfortunately, we have evidence that communist China is trying to sabotage us or slow it down," he said during an interview.

"China does not want us ... to do it first, they have decided to be an adversary to Americans and I think to democracy around the world."

"This vaccine is really important to all of us getting our economy going again. What I believe is whether England does it first or we do it first, we are going to share. Communist China, they are not going to share."

Asked what evidence the United States had, Scott declined to give details but said it had come through the intelligence community.

Senator Rick Scott's warning of Chinese sabotage didn't come out of the blue.&nbsp;

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On May 13 — Two of America's premier intelligence agencies.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security released a public warning that Chinese hackers are stealing coronavirus research from the US. They said — from hospital labs to university research centres, everybody involved in finding a vaccine is under potential threat of cyber attacks. China hit back, calling it a smear campaign.

The state-run Global Times said -- China is leading vaccine research, there is no need to steal and it has access to WHO trials.

The World Health Organization is conducting global solidarity trials. 
One hundred countries are participating and America isn't one of them.&nbsp;

Trump has pulled out funding while China has moved in consolidating its position further.&nbsp;

Currently -- there are at least 10 vaccines in human trials six of those in China alone. Followed by the US which has two vaccines.

The Oxford University study in the UK is also close but, China may win the vaccine race and promises to share it with the world.

"When a Chinese vaccine is ready for application after research and development, and clinical tests, we will implement the commitment made by Chinese president Xi Jinping at the 73rd world health assembly, providing the vaccine to the world as global public goods," Wang Zhigang the science and technology minister, said at a news conference in Beijing.

The keywords are -- 'When a Chinese vaccine is ready'.

So -- until that happens, China is unlikely to allow any country to succeed in this effort. First — China exported death and over seven million people around the world infected and 400,000 people died due to coronavirus. And now, China wants a monopoly over its cure.

This statement by Wang Zhigang shows that China wants a monopoly over Covid-19 vaccine.&nbsp;

The question arises in the conclusion is that 'Can China be trusted to act generously?'

The evidence so far points to the contrary.

Republican Senator Rick Scott of the United States has told in a television interview that he thinks China is actively working to disrupt the efforts of the US and other western countries to develop the vaccine.

Republican Senator Rick Scott of the United States has told in a television interview that he thinks China is actively working to disrupt the efforts of the US and other western countries to develop the vaccine. "We have got to get this vaccine done. Unfortunately, we have evidence that communist China is trying to sabotage us or slow it down," he said during an interview. "China does not want us ... to do it first, they have decided to be an adversary to Americans and I think to democracy around the world." "This vaccine is really important to all of us getting our economy going again. What I believe is whether England does it first or we do it first, we are going to share. Communist China, they are not going to share." Asked what evidence the United States had, Scott declined to give details but said it had come through the intelligence community. Senator Rick Scott's warning of Chinese sabotage didn't come out of the blue. On May 13 — Two of America's premier intelligence agencies. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security released a public warning that Chinese hackers are stealing coronavirus research from the US. They said — from hospital labs to university research centres, everybody involved in finding a vaccine is under potential threat of cyber attacks. China hit back, calling it a smear campaign. The state-run Global Times said -- China is leading vaccine research, there is no need to steal and it has access to WHO trials. The World Health Organization is conducting global solidarity trials. One hundred countries are participating and America isn't one of them. Trump has pulled out funding while China has moved in consolidating its position further. Currently -- there are at least 10 vaccines in human trials six of those in China alone. Followed by the US which has two vaccines. The Oxford University study in the UK is also close but, China may win the vaccine race and promises to share it with the world. "When a Chinese vaccine is ready for application after research and development, and clinical tests, we will implement the commitment made by Chinese president Xi Jinping at the 73rd world health assembly, providing the vaccine to the world as global public goods," Wang Zhigang the science and technology minister, said at a news conference in Beijing. The keywords are -- 'When a Chinese vaccine is ready'. So -- until that happens, China is unlikely to allow any country to succeed in this effort. First — China exported death and over seven million people around the world infected and 400,000 people died due to coronavirus. And now, China wants a monopoly over its cure. This statement by Wang Zhigang shows that China wants a monopoly over Covid-19 vaccine. The question arises in the conclusion is that 'Can China be trusted to act generously?' The evidence so far points to the contrary.

Race for Covid-19 vaccine: China wants to act god in a world deep in pain

At least 50 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel deployed during Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19, news agency PTI report said quoting&nbsp;officials on Monday.

The report stated that more than 170 personnel have been tested till now after they returned to their base in Cuttack, Odisha, from the cyclone-affected West Bengal.

The personnel were tested on the basis of contact tracing after one of them deployed in West Bengal was found infected a few days ago. 
At least 50 personnel who were deployed for Cyclone Amphan have tested positive for coronavirus till now, a senior officer of the federal contingency force said.

Almost all of them are asymptomatic. More tests are being done, he added.

Those found positive have been admitted to hospital isolation facilities.

The force which has 12 battalions spread across the country for quick response has more than two dozen active coronavirus cases in other parts of the country.&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)&nbsp;

At least 50 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel deployed during Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19, news agency PTI report said quoting officials on Monday.

At least 50 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel deployed during Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19, news agency PTI report said quoting officials on Monday. The report stated that more than 170 personnel have been tested till now after they returned to their base in Cuttack, Odisha, from the cyclone-affected West Bengal. The personnel were tested on the basis of contact tracing after one of them deployed in West Bengal was found infected a few days ago. At least 50 personnel who were deployed for Cyclone Amphan have tested positive for coronavirus till now, a senior officer of the federal contingency force said. Almost all of them are asymptomatic. More tests are being done, he added. Those found positive have been admitted to hospital isolation facilities. The force which has 12 battalions spread across the country for quick response has more than two dozen active coronavirus cases in other parts of the country. (With PTI inputs)

50 NDRF personnel who worked during Cyclone Amphan test positive for COVID-19

Over 1,600 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and two other forces have been infected with COVID-19 till now and these combat organizations have registered an overall recovery rate of about 70 per cent, an official data said on Monday.

As per data accessed by PTI, updated till June 6, the recovery tally is led by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), then about 90,000 personnel strong force tasked to guard the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, at 87.89 per cent.

This is followed by the Border Security Force (BSF), with a strength of about 2.5 lakh personnel, with a recovery rate of about 82.94 per cent.

The report said a total of 1,668 personnel of the five CAPFs and the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been infected with the pandemic till now after the first case among these forces was detected on March 28.

"Data available till June 6 on coronavirus infections in the CAPFs and two other forces shows that recovery rate among these forces is about 70 per cent."

&nbsp;"The ITBP tops the recovery tally with 87.89 per cent followed by the BSF," an official said quoting the data. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has recorded a recovery rate of 68. 86 per cent while the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has registered a recovery rate of 58.92 per cent," the data said.

Out of the total 1,668 personnel, 1157 have recovered till June 6, it said.

A total of 511 personnel are admitted to COVID-19 designated hospitals, the data said.

Out of these active cases, 149 are in the CRPF, 82 in BSF, 26 in ITBP, 134 in CISF, 63 in SSB, 22 in NSG, and 25 in NDRF.

The data said with 10 casualties reported till June 6, the death rate in these forces is 0.59 per cent. However, deaths from coronavirus in these forces stand at 12 with two CRPF personnel succumbing to the disease since June 6, one of which was reported on Monday.

These central forces, with a combined strength of about 10 lakh personnel, render a variety of security duties, law and order management, border guarding, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations, and disaster rescue and relief.

All of them function under the command of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Over 1,600 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and two other forces have been infected with COVID-19 till now and these combat organizations have registered an overall recovery rate of about 70 per cent, an official data said on Monday.

Over 1,600 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and two other forces have been infected with COVID-19 till now and these combat organizations have registered an overall recovery rate of about 70 per cent, an official data said on Monday. As per data accessed by PTI, updated till June 6, the recovery tally is led by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), then about 90,000 personnel strong force tasked to guard the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, at 87.89 per cent. This is followed by the Border Security Force (BSF), with a strength of about 2.5 lakh personnel, with a recovery rate of about 82.94 per cent. The report said a total of 1,668 personnel of the five CAPFs and the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been infected with the pandemic till now after the first case among these forces was detected on March 28. "Data available till June 6 on coronavirus infections in the CAPFs and two other forces shows that recovery rate among these forces is about 70 per cent." "The ITBP tops the recovery tally with 87.89 per cent followed by the BSF," an official said quoting the data. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has recorded a recovery rate of 68. 86 per cent while the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has registered a recovery rate of 58.92 per cent," the data said. Out of the total 1,668 personnel, 1157 have recovered till June 6, it said. A total of 511 personnel are admitted to COVID-19 designated hospitals, the data said. Out of these active cases, 149 are in the CRPF, 82 in BSF, 26 in ITBP, 134 in CISF, 63 in SSB, 22 in NSG, and 25 in NDRF. The data said with 10 casualties reported till June 6, the death rate in these forces is 0.59 per cent. However, deaths from coronavirus in these forces stand at 12 with two CRPF personnel succumbing to the disease since June 6, one of which was reported on Monday. These central forces, with a combined strength of about 10 lakh personnel, render a variety of security duties, law and order management, border guarding, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations, and disaster rescue and relief. All of them function under the command of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Over 1,600 COVID-19 cases in CAPFs, other forces; 70 per cent recovery rate

Wide-scale lockdowns including shop and school closures have reduced COVID-19 transmission rates in Europe enough to control its spread and may have averted more than three million deaths, researchers said on Monday.

Wide-scale lockdowns including shop and school closures have reduced COVID-19 transmission rates in Europe enough to control its spread and may have averted more than three million deaths, researchers said on Monday. In a modelling study of lockdown impact in 11 nations, Imperial College London scientists said the draconian steps, imposed mostly in March, had "a substantial effect" and helped bring the infection's reproductive rate below one by early May. The reproduction rate, or R value, measures the average number of people that one infected person will pass the disease on to. An R value above 1 can lead to exponential growth. Also read: UK's situational awareness was quite poor, it cost many lives: Government scientific advisor The Imperial team estimated that by early May, between 12 and 15 million people in the 11 countries - Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland - had been infected with COVID-19. × By comparing the number of deaths counted with deaths predicted by their model if no lockdown measures had been introduced, they found some 3.1 million deaths were averted. "Measuring the effectiveness of these interventions is important, given their economic and social impacts, and may indicate which course of action is needed to maintain control," the researchers said in a summary of their findings. Also read: Britain starts mandatory self-quarantine for arrivals A second study by scientists in the United States, published alongside the Imperial-led one in the journal Nature, estimated that anti-contagion lockdown policies implemented in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France and the United States prevented or delayed around 530 million COVID-19 cases. Focusing their analysis on these six countries, the US research team compared infection growth rates before and after the implementation of more than 1,700 local, regional and national policies designed to slow or halt the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. They found that without anti-contagion policies in place, early infection rates of SARS-CoV-2 grew by 68% a day in Iran and an average of 38% a day across the other five countries. Using econometric modelling normally used in assessing economic policies, they found lockdowns had slowed the infection rate with "measurable beneficial health outcomes in most cases".

Lockdowns may have averted 3 million deaths in Europe by curbing COVID-19: Study

Government of India's defence agency DRDO's headquarters in Delhi has been closed for a day for sanitisation after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, sources said.&nbsp;

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, headquartered in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Among cities, Mumbai and Delhi are the worse affected due to the highly contagious disease. The central government has been releasing guidelines as part of its Unlocking measures. The search for coronavirus vaccine is still one with many have claimed to enter a crucial clinical trial.

Around the world, over 66 lakh people have been infected by coronavirus and so far over 3.89 lakh, people have died due to COVID 19. The US, Brazil, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy are the worse affected countries so far, as per data revealed by the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Government of India's defence agency DRDO's headquarters in Delhi has been closed for a day for sanitisation after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, sources said.

Government of India's defence agency DRDO's headquarters in Delhi has been closed for a day for sanitisation after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, sources said. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, headquartered in Delhi. Meanwhile, Among cities, Mumbai and Delhi are the worse affected due to the highly contagious disease. The central government has been releasing guidelines as part of its Unlocking measures. The search for coronavirus vaccine is still one with many have claimed to enter a crucial clinical trial. Around the world, over 66 lakh people have been infected by coronavirus and so far over 3.89 lakh, people have died due to COVID 19. The US, Brazil, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy are the worse affected countries so far, as per data revealed by the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. (With inputs from agencies)

Portion of DRDO headquarters in Delhi closed after staff tested COVID-19 positive

Maharashtra on Thursday registered the highest single-day spike of 2,933 COVID-19 cases, which took the tally of patients in the state to 77,793, the state health department said.

As 123 coronavirus positive patients died during the day, the death toll increased to 2,710, it said.

The number of discharged patients in the state rose to 33,681 as 1,352 patients were sent back home after recovery, the health department said in a statement.

Of the 123 deaths, 68 were reported in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

The department said that 30 of these deaths occurred in the last two days, while the rest were from the period between April 30 and June 1.

The number of active cases is 41,402, it said, adding that as many as 5,10,176 people have been tested so far.

There are 3,804 containment zones in the state.

As many as 5,10,176 people have been tested so far.

Currently, 5,60,303 people are in-home quarantine and 30,623 are in institutional quarantine, it said.

The state's COVID-19 recovery rate is 43.29 per cent, while the fatality rate is 3.48 per cent, it added.

Of the total positive cases recorded so far, 58,878 are in the MMR area, where 1,810 patients have succumbed to the infection.

Malegaon city in Nashik district has so far recorded 762 cases and 58 deaths, Pune city has reported 7,700 cases and 351 deaths, Solapur city 1,065 cases and 86 deaths, Aurangabad city 1,668 cases and 87 deaths, Akola city 633 cases and 27 deaths, while Nagpur city has reported 619 cases and 11 deaths.

Maharashtra's COVID tally is as follows: Positive cases: 77,793, deaths: 2,710, recovered: 33,681, active cases: 41,402, people tested so far: 5,10,176.

Maharashtra on Thursday registered the highest single-day spike of 2,933 COVID-19 cases, which took the tally of patients in the state to 77,793, the state health department said.

Maharashtra on Thursday registered the highest single-day spike of 2,933 COVID-19 cases, which took the tally of patients in the state to 77,793, the state health department said. As 123 coronavirus positive patients died during the day, the death toll increased to 2,710, it said. The number of discharged patients in the state rose to 33,681 as 1,352 patients were sent back home after recovery, the health department said in a statement. Of the 123 deaths, 68 were reported in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The department said that 30 of these deaths occurred in the last two days, while the rest were from the period between April 30 and June 1. The number of active cases is 41,402, it said, adding that as many as 5,10,176 people have been tested so far. There are 3,804 containment zones in the state. As many as 5,10,176 people have been tested so far. Currently, 5,60,303 people are in-home quarantine and 30,623 are in institutional quarantine, it said. The state's COVID-19 recovery rate is 43.29 per cent, while the fatality rate is 3.48 per cent, it added. Of the total positive cases recorded so far, 58,878 are in the MMR area, where 1,810 patients have succumbed to the infection. Malegaon city in Nashik district has so far recorded 762 cases and 58 deaths, Pune city has reported 7,700 cases and 351 deaths, Solapur city 1,065 cases and 86 deaths, Aurangabad city 1,668 cases and 87 deaths, Akola city 633 cases and 27 deaths, while Nagpur city has reported 619 cases and 11 deaths. Maharashtra's COVID tally is as follows: Positive cases: 77,793, deaths: 2,710, recovered: 33,681, active cases: 41,402, people tested so far: 5,10,176.

2,933 COVID-19 positive cases reported in Maharashtra in a day; tally 77,793

The total number of global coronavirus has increased to over 6.6 million, while the death toll has topped 390,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

As of Friday morning, the overall number of cases stood at &nbsp;6,639,228, while the death toll increased to 391,261, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The deadly coronavirus, which emerged about five months ago, has sickened more than 1.8 million people and killed at least 107,175 in the United States, according to Hopkins data.&nbsp;

While cases are slowing in hot spots such as New York state, cases are on the rise in places like Florida, Texas and Arizona that removed shelter-in-place orders much earlier.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The total number of global coronavirus has increased to over 6.6 million, while the death toll has topped 390,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. As of Friday morning, the overall number of cases stood at 6,639,228, while the death toll increased to 391,261, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The total number of global coronavirus has increased to over 6.6 million, while the death toll has topped 390,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. As of Friday morning, the overall number of cases stood at 6,639,228, while the death toll increased to 391,261, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. The deadly coronavirus, which emerged about five months ago, has sickened more than 1.8 million people and killed at least 107,175 in the United States, according to Hopkins data. While cases are slowing in hot spots such as New York state, cases are on the rise in places like Florida, Texas and Arizona that removed shelter-in-place orders much earlier. (With inputs from agencies)

Global coronavirus cases top 6.6 million, death toll soars past 390,000

India reports 9,851 new coronavirus cases and 273 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total coronavirus cases in India have increased to 2,26,770 on Friday.&nbsp;

Out of which, 110960 have been active cases. The number of people who have been cured, discharged or migrated has increased to &nbsp;1,09,461. The death toll, on the other hand, has mounted to 6348.&nbsp;

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Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have recorded the most number of covid 19 cases. Among cities, Mumbai and Delhi are the worse affected due to the highly contagious disease. The central government has been releasing guidelines as part of its Unlocking measures. The search for coronavirus vaccine is still one with many have claimed to enter a crucial clinical trial.

Around the world, over 66 lakh people have been infected by coronavirus and so far over 3.89 lakh people have died due to COVID 19. The US, Brazil, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy are the worse affected countries so far, as per data revealed by the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine.

India reports 9,851 new coronavirus cases and 273 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total coronavirus cases in India have increased to 2,26,770 on Friday. Out of which, 110960 have been active cases.

India reports 9,851 new coronavirus cases and 273 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total coronavirus cases in India have increased to 2,26,770 on Friday. Out of which, 110960 have been active cases. The number of people who have been cured, discharged or migrated has increased to 1,09,461. The death toll, on the other hand, has mounted to 6348. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have recorded the most number of covid 19 cases. Among cities, Mumbai and Delhi are the worse affected due to the highly contagious disease. The central government has been releasing guidelines as part of its Unlocking measures. The search for coronavirus vaccine is still one with many have claimed to enter a crucial clinical trial. Around the world, over 66 lakh people have been infected by coronavirus and so far over 3.89 lakh people have died due to COVID 19. The US, Brazil, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy are the worse affected countries so far, as per data revealed by the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine.

9,851 new COVID-19 cases and 273 deaths in the last 24 hours – highest ever spike

Nearly 60 per cent of Canadians do not have confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s abilities to prevent a deepening economic crisis amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, an Angus Reid poll revealed. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-still-in-the-emergency-phase-justin-trudeau-297706">Also read: We are still in the emergency phase, says Justin Trudeau</a> 
 
"Many Canadians express doubt about Trudeau’s ability to prevent worsening economic conditions. Asked how much confidence they have in Trudeau to prevent a deepening economic crisis, just over one-in-three (36 per cent) say that they feel confident with him in charge, while 58 per cent are not confident," Angus Reid said on Thursday.

The poll, however, found that a slight majority of Canadians - 52 per cent - entrust Trudeau to prevent more COVID-19-related fatalities.

Besides, Canadians are split regarding the worsening economic conditions versus health risks as 51 per cent of respondents said that they are concerned about the health risks amid the ongoing pandemic, while 49 per cent are vexed about the state of the economy in the coming months.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has had a profound effect on the Canadian economy with nearly a quarter of the labour force employed in February having had their income streams substantially affected and the unemployment rate rising to 13 per cent, according to the federal statistics agency.

Additionally, Statistics Canada announced earlier this week that the Canadian economy contracted by 8.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2020 in their Gross Domestic Product, Income and Expenditure First Quarter Report.

Nearly 60 per cent of Canadians do not have confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s abilities to prevent a deepening economic crisis amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, an Angus Reid poll revealed.

Nearly 60 per cent of Canadians do not have confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s abilities to prevent a deepening economic crisis amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, an Angus Reid poll revealed. Also read: We are still in the emergency phase, says Justin Trudeau "Many Canadians express doubt about Trudeau’s ability to prevent worsening economic conditions. Asked how much confidence they have in Trudeau to prevent a deepening economic crisis, just over one-in-three (36 per cent) say that they feel confident with him in charge, while 58 per cent are not confident," Angus Reid said on Thursday. The poll, however, found that a slight majority of Canadians - 52 per cent - entrust Trudeau to prevent more COVID-19-related fatalities. Besides, Canadians are split regarding the worsening economic conditions versus health risks as 51 per cent of respondents said that they are concerned about the health risks amid the ongoing pandemic, while 49 per cent are vexed about the state of the economy in the coming months. The novel coronavirus pandemic has had a profound effect on the Canadian economy with nearly a quarter of the labour force employed in February having had their income streams substantially affected and the unemployment rate rising to 13 per cent, according to the federal statistics agency. Additionally, Statistics Canada announced earlier this week that the Canadian economy contracted by 8.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2020 in their Gross Domestic Product, Income and Expenditure First Quarter Report.

Nearly 60% of Canadians do not have confidence in Trudeau to prevent economic crisis: Poll

With more than half a million COVID-19 cases, Brazil ranks second in the world with the number of infected people behind the United States.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-yet-again-reports-record-number-of-coronavirus-deaths-303086">Also read: Brazil yet again reports record number of coronavirus deaths</a> 
 
The number of people, who have died of COVID-19 in Brazil, has increased by record 1,473 to 34,021 within the past 24 hours, the national Health Ministry said on late Thursday.

Within the same period, the number of confirmed cases has risen by 30,925 to 614,941.

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A day earlier, Brazil reported about 28,633 new cases of the coronavirus disease and 1,349 new fatalities.

President Jair Bolsonaro has fiercely criticized coronavirus stay-at-home measures, even as the number of infections and deaths continues to soar.

The far-right leader has urged businesses to wage “war” on state governors who order business closures, arguing they are needlessly hurting Latin America’s biggest economy.

(With inputs from agencies)

With more than half a million COVID-19 cases, Brazil ranks second in the world with the number of infected people behind the United States. Also read: Brazil yet again reports record number of coronavirus deaths The number of people, who have died of COVID-19 in Brazil, has increased by record 1,473 to 34,021 within the past 24 hours, the national Health Ministry said on late Thursday.

With more than half a million COVID-19 cases, Brazil ranks second in the world with the number of infected people behind the United States. Also read: Brazil yet again reports record number of coronavirus deaths The number of people, who have died of COVID-19 in Brazil, has increased by record 1,473 to 34,021 within the past 24 hours, the national Health Ministry said on late Thursday. Within the same period, the number of confirmed cases has risen by 30,925 to 614,941. A day earlier, Brazil reported about 28,633 new cases of the coronavirus disease and 1,349 new fatalities. President Jair Bolsonaro has fiercely criticized coronavirus stay-at-home measures, even as the number of infections and deaths continues to soar. The far-right leader has urged businesses to wage “war” on state governors who order business closures, arguing they are needlessly hurting Latin America’s biggest economy. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazil cases surge past 600,000 as country's death toll passes Italy

The BJP on Wednesday rejected the allegation that starvation was behind the death of passengers on 'Shramik Special' trains and said the manner in which the issue was being "politicised" was unprecedented.

"None of the deaths in Shramik trains has been caused by hunger or starvation as per postmortem reports.

Natural deaths have occurred on trains earlier too but the manner in which unfortunate deaths of shramiks (labourers) have been politicised is unprecedented without (critics) waiting to know about the exact cause of deaths," the BJP said in a statement.

Its spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain cited details of postmortem reports and comments of some of the deceased's family members to claim that they suffered from pre-existing conditions.

Dashrath Prajapati (30) suffered from chronic kidney disease, the health of Ram Ratan Ground (63) had been deteriorating, Ibrar Ahmed's postmortem report found brain stroke as cause of death and not dehydration while Arbina Khatoon suffered from pre-existing mental ailment, Hussain said, referring to some of those who died during their journey.

"We are not here to do petty politics. Government believes in tackling the problems head-on, and addressing it," he said.

The BJP's statement came after Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi hit out at the central government, saying this has been "admitted" that at least 81 deaths have happened and there are allegations that more fatalities occurred but were not being declared by the railways.

The opposition party demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, accusing the government of distorting facts on payments for these train services.

The Congress said the central government has not spent a single penny on running special trains for migrant workers returning home as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has made it clear before the Supreme Court that state governments receiving or sending migrants were to pay for them.

Hussain reiterated that the Railways bore 85 per cent of the total cost of getting the migrants back to their home states, while the remaining 15 per cent was charged from the states.

The solicitor general also said the same in the Supreme Court when asked who will pay the fare which is covered by the state, Hussain said.

'Shramik Special' trains are being supplied with multiple meals and adequate drinking water, with over 1. 5 crore meals and two crore packaged water bottles having been provided by the railways free of cost, he said.

As many as 4197 of these special trains have carried 58 lakh passengers to their home states between May 1 and June 3, the BJP leader said.

The BJP on Wednesday rejected the allegation that starvation was behind the death of passengers on 'Shramik Special' trains and said the manner in which the issue was being "politicised" was unprecedented.

The BJP on Wednesday rejected the allegation that starvation was behind the death of passengers on 'Shramik Special' trains and said the manner in which the issue was being "politicised" was unprecedented. "None of the deaths in Shramik trains has been caused by hunger or starvation as per postmortem reports. Natural deaths have occurred on trains earlier too but the manner in which unfortunate deaths of shramiks (labourers) have been politicised is unprecedented without (critics) waiting to know about the exact cause of deaths," the BJP said in a statement. Its spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain cited details of postmortem reports and comments of some of the deceased's family members to claim that they suffered from pre-existing conditions. Dashrath Prajapati (30) suffered from chronic kidney disease, the health of Ram Ratan Ground (63) had been deteriorating, Ibrar Ahmed's postmortem report found brain stroke as cause of death and not dehydration while Arbina Khatoon suffered from pre-existing mental ailment, Hussain said, referring to some of those who died during their journey. "We are not here to do petty politics. Government believes in tackling the problems head-on, and addressing it," he said. The BJP's statement came after Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi hit out at the central government, saying this has been "admitted" that at least 81 deaths have happened and there are allegations that more fatalities occurred but were not being declared by the railways. The opposition party demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, accusing the government of distorting facts on payments for these train services. The Congress said the central government has not spent a single penny on running special trains for migrant workers returning home as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has made it clear before the Supreme Court that state governments receiving or sending migrants were to pay for them. Hussain reiterated that the Railways bore 85 per cent of the total cost of getting the migrants back to their home states, while the remaining 15 per cent was charged from the states. The solicitor general also said the same in the Supreme Court when asked who will pay the fare which is covered by the state, Hussain said. 'Shramik Special' trains are being supplied with multiple meals and adequate drinking water, with over 1. 5 crore meals and two crore packaged water bottles having been provided by the railways free of cost, he said. As many as 4197 of these special trains have carried 58 lakh passengers to their home states between May 1 and June 3, the BJP leader said.

'Issue being politicised': BJP says no death in Shramik trains due to starvation

COVID-19 fatalities in Maharashtra spiked by 122 on Wednesday, the highest in a single day, including 49 from worst-hit Mumbai, taking the death toll to 2,587, Health department said.

The number of cases shot up by 2,560 to 74,860, it said.

A total of 996 patients were discharged from hospitals in the day, taking the tally of the recovered cases to 32,329 so far, a statement said.

The number of active cases in the state now stands at 39,935, it said, adding that a total of 4,97,276 samples have been tested so far.

"Of the 122 deaths, 60 fatalities were reported from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including 49 from Mumbai alone," the statement said.

Pune city, another major hotspot, reported 19 more deaths in a day, it added.

Mumbai on Wednesday reported 1,276 new COVID-19 cases and 49 deaths, taking the case count to 43,262 and the number of fatalities to 1,417, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

A total of 259 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours from various COVID facilities, taking the tally of recovered cases to 17,472, it said.

The number of active cases now stands at 24,373.

"27 of the 49 deceased had pre-existing underlying health conditions," the BMC said in a release.

A total of 795 new suspected patients have been admitted in various hospitals.

Meanwhile, as rains lashed parts of Mumbai and suburbs earlier in the day, the civic body has issued an advisory fearing a rise in monsoon-related diseases in addition to the coronavirus infections.

"All citizens are requested not to ignore any fever and not to self-medicate," it said.

The civic body also asked citizens to visit nearby clinics or inform community health volunteers if they experience symptoms like fever with chills, joint pains, rashes, cough, breathlessness, diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, and jaundice.

"All high-risk citizens having co-morbidities should continue to take their prescribed medicines and senior citizens take special care and not to go out of house," it said.

The civic body appealed to citizens to maintain premises of their residential buildings and surrounding areas clean to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes in any disposed articles.

It also asked people to void outside food and to follow personal hygiene.

The MMR accounts for 56,794 coronavirus cases and 1,742 deaths, it stated.

The total number of cases in Pune Municipal Corporation limits now stands at 7,390 with 343 deaths, while the Aurangabad city has reported 1,609 cases and 83 fatalities, it said.

The case count for Solapur city stood at 973 and fatalities at 80.

Malegaon, a hotspot in Nashik district, did not report any fresh case or death on Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, it had reported 762 cases and 58 deaths, it said.

The tally of cases in Nagpur city is 596 with 11 deaths.

601 cases with 27 fatalities have been recorded in Akola city till date.

The number of containment zones in Maharashtra now stands at 3,661.

The COVID 19 tally in Maharashtra: total cases 74,860, recoveries 32,329, deaths 2,587, active cases 39,935 and people tested 4,97,276.

COVID-19 fatalities in Maharashtra spiked by 122 on Wednesday, the highest in a single day, including 49 from worst-hit Mumbai, taking the death toll to 2,587, Health department said.

COVID-19 fatalities in Maharashtra spiked by 122 on Wednesday, the highest in a single day, including 49 from worst-hit Mumbai, taking the death toll to 2,587, Health department said. The number of cases shot up by 2,560 to 74,860, it said. A total of 996 patients were discharged from hospitals in the day, taking the tally of the recovered cases to 32,329 so far, a statement said. The number of active cases in the state now stands at 39,935, it said, adding that a total of 4,97,276 samples have been tested so far. "Of the 122 deaths, 60 fatalities were reported from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including 49 from Mumbai alone," the statement said. Pune city, another major hotspot, reported 19 more deaths in a day, it added. Mumbai on Wednesday reported 1,276 new COVID-19 cases and 49 deaths, taking the case count to 43,262 and the number of fatalities to 1,417, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. A total of 259 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours from various COVID facilities, taking the tally of recovered cases to 17,472, it said. The number of active cases now stands at 24,373. "27 of the 49 deceased had pre-existing underlying health conditions," the BMC said in a release. A total of 795 new suspected patients have been admitted in various hospitals. Meanwhile, as rains lashed parts of Mumbai and suburbs earlier in the day, the civic body has issued an advisory fearing a rise in monsoon-related diseases in addition to the coronavirus infections. "All citizens are requested not to ignore any fever and not to self-medicate," it said. The civic body also asked citizens to visit nearby clinics or inform community health volunteers if they experience symptoms like fever with chills, joint pains, rashes, cough, breathlessness, diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, and jaundice. "All high-risk citizens having co-morbidities should continue to take their prescribed medicines and senior citizens take special care and not to go out of house," it said. The civic body appealed to citizens to maintain premises of their residential buildings and surrounding areas clean to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes in any disposed articles. It also asked people to void outside food and to follow personal hygiene. The MMR accounts for 56,794 coronavirus cases and 1,742 deaths, it stated. The total number of cases in Pune Municipal Corporation limits now stands at 7,390 with 343 deaths, while the Aurangabad city has reported 1,609 cases and 83 fatalities, it said. The case count for Solapur city stood at 973 and fatalities at 80. Malegaon, a hotspot in Nashik district, did not report any fresh case or death on Wednesday. As of Tuesday, it had reported 762 cases and 58 deaths, it said. The tally of cases in Nagpur city is 596 with 11 deaths. 601 cases with 27 fatalities have been recorded in Akola city till date. The number of containment zones in Maharashtra now stands at 3,661. The COVID 19 tally in Maharashtra: total cases 74,860, recoveries 32,329, deaths 2,587, active cases 39,935 and people tested 4,97,276.

Maharashtra COVID-19 cases up by 2,560 to 74,860; 122 die in one day

India reported 9,304 new COVID-19 cases and 260 deaths in the last 24 hours. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data released on Thursday, a total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,16,919 including 1,06,737 active cases.

As many as 1,04,107 people have been cured/discharged/migrated. The death toll has now reached 6,075.

The Coronavirus outbreak (officially known as Covid-19), which started in China, has so far killed over 382,479 people across the globe and infected 6,451,966 (as on June 3, 2020). The virus has spread to 187 countries. 
 
Of the total 42,42,718 COVID-19 samples tested so far, 1,39,485 samples have been tested in the past 24 hours, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Of the total 2,16,919 &nbsp;COVID-19 cases across the nation as many as 1,04,107 patients were cured of the viral disease, said the health ministry on Thursday. This took India's COVID-19 recovery rate to 47.99 per cent.&nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Health Ministry issues guidelines for ENT (ear, nose, and throat) &nbsp;practice during the pandemic and informed that COVID-19 patients having symptoms suggestive of either ENT or respiratory symptoms, should be seen in separate screening clinic and not in ENT OPD, the health ministry issued the guideline.

(With inputs from agencies)

India reported 9,304 new COVID-19 cases and 260 deaths in the last 24 hours. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data released on Thursday, a total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,16,919 including 1,06,737 active cases.

India reported 9,304 new COVID-19 cases and 260 deaths in the last 24 hours. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data released on Thursday, a total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,16,919 including 1,06,737 active cases. As many as 1,04,107 people have been cured/discharged/migrated. The death toll has now reached 6,075. The Coronavirus outbreak (officially known as Covid-19), which started in China, has so far killed over 382,479 people across the globe and infected 6,451,966 (as on June 3, 2020). The virus has spread to 187 countries. Of the total 42,42,718 COVID-19 samples tested so far, 1,39,485 samples have been tested in the past 24 hours, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Of the total 2,16,919 COVID-19 cases across the nation as many as 1,04,107 patients were cured of the viral disease, said the health ministry on Thursday. This took India's COVID-19 recovery rate to 47.99 per cent. Meanwhile, Health Ministry issues guidelines for ENT (ear, nose, and throat) practice during the pandemic and informed that COVID-19 patients having symptoms suggestive of either ENT or respiratory symptoms, should be seen in separate screening clinic and not in ENT OPD, the health ministry issued the guideline. (With inputs from agencies)

9,304 new COVID-19 cases and 260 deaths in the last 24 hours – highest ever spike

Coronavirus cases have crossed 6.5 million mark worldwide, taking positive patients toll to &nbsp;6,513,301 with 386,091 deaths while &nbsp;2,808,183 have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University's report.

United States, Spain, Russia, India, UK, Germany, Brazil, Italy, France are among the worst-hit countries having maximum cases of coronavirus and the numbers are increasing every day.

The US has the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths. It recorded 107,148 deaths and 1,851,530 cases so far. In the US, New York alone counted 30,019 deaths till date.

Meanwhile, WHO on Wednesday resumed the trial of hydroxychloroquine after a temporary halt of research over safety concerns.

"Based on available data, the COVID-19 Solidarity Trial Data Safety and Monitoring Committee recommended there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol. The Executive Group endorsed the continuation of all arms of the trial, including the use of hydroxychloroquine," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic on March 11.

(With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus cases have crossed 6.5 million mark worldwide, taking positive patients toll to 6,513,301 with 386,091 deaths while 2,808,183 have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University's report.

Coronavirus cases have crossed 6.5 million mark worldwide, taking positive patients toll to 6,513,301 with 386,091 deaths while 2,808,183 have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University's report. United States, Spain, Russia, India, UK, Germany, Brazil, Italy, France are among the worst-hit countries having maximum cases of coronavirus and the numbers are increasing every day. The US has the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths. It recorded 107,148 deaths and 1,851,530 cases so far. In the US, New York alone counted 30,019 deaths till date. Meanwhile, WHO on Wednesday resumed the trial of hydroxychloroquine after a temporary halt of research over safety concerns. "Based on available data, the COVID-19 Solidarity Trial Data Safety and Monitoring Committee recommended there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol. The Executive Group endorsed the continuation of all arms of the trial, including the use of hydroxychloroquine," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic on March 11. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus cases worldwide cross 6.5 million mark; death toll at 386,091

With the biggest single-day spike at 8,909 cases in the last 24 hours India now has the fourth-highest number of active cases in the world.

The country reported 8,908 cases in the last 24 hours, the total number of coronavirus infections in India crossed the 2 lakh-mark to reach 2,07,614 on Wednesday. This includes including 5,815 deaths and 1,00,302 cured/ discharged.

As many as 217 people have died in the last 24 hours across the country.

Authorities, however, said the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients was improving consistently in India and it was in a much better position in handling the pandemic, which has seen more than 63 lakh people testing positive for this virus since its emergence in China last December and over 3.7 lakh having lost their lives globally.

With the biggest single-day spike at 8,909 cases in the last 24 hours India now has the fourth-highest number of active cases in the world. The country reported 8,908 cases in the last 24 hours, the total number of coronavirus infections in India crossed the 2 lakh-mark to reach 2,07,614 on Wednesday.

With the biggest single-day spike at 8,909 cases in the last 24 hours India now has the fourth-highest number of active cases in the world. The country reported 8,908 cases in the last 24 hours, the total number of coronavirus infections in India crossed the 2 lakh-mark to reach 2,07,614 on Wednesday. This includes including 5,815 deaths and 1,00,302 cured/ discharged. As many as 217 people have died in the last 24 hours across the country. Authorities, however, said the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients was improving consistently in India and it was in a much better position in handling the pandemic, which has seen more than 63 lakh people testing positive for this virus since its emergence in China last December and over 3.7 lakh having lost their lives globally.

India COVID-19 tally crosses 2.07 lakh, death toll at 5,815

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India has now left the lockdown behind and has entered unlock phase 1.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-cases-cross-198-lakh-mark-in-india-death-toll-at-5598-302533">Also read: COVID-19 cases cross 1.98 lakh-mark in India; death toll at 5,598</a> 
 
“While it is true that coronavirus has slowed down our growth, India has now left the lockdown behind and has entered unlock phase 1. So in a way, we have already started getting our growth back. I have confidence in India’s capabilities, crisis management,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi was attending the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Session 2020- “Getting Growth Back” where he addressed the issue of economic slowdown due to coronavirus and how to revive it as alarm bells ring for Indian economy.

Here are the highlights of PM Modi's speech:&nbsp;

1: Coronavirus is an unprecedented crisis where we have several priorities as we handle the situation — we have to revive the economy while keeping the welfare of the poor in mind. 
&nbsp; 
2: Getting growth back is what we also have our motto as we reopen the economy. I have full faith in India's crisis management, talent, technology, innovation, and intellect. 
&nbsp; 
3: I have faith in India's farmers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders. Therefore, yes, we will get our growth back. India will get its growth back. Friends, coronavirus may have impeded our speed, but the reality today is that we have left the lockdown phase behind and now we are in the Unlock 1.0 phase. 
&nbsp; 
4: A large part of the economy has reopened. The rest will reopen on June 8.&nbsp;

5: We were able to do all this because even as the rest of the world was struggling in the grips of coronavirus, we took the right steps at the right time. 
 
6:&nbsp;To bring India back on track for fast-paced growth five things are very important: Intent, Inclusion, Investment, Infrastructure, Innovation. 
 
7: Under PM Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, Rs 53,000 crore worth of financial assistance has already been provided to the poor. 
&nbsp; 
8: During the lockdown, the govt provided 80 million LPG cylinders right at the doorstep of the poor.

9: We have made decisions to make our economy and sectors future-ready. Our reforms are not scattered; rather, our reforms are planned, futuristic. For us, reforms mean taking it to the logical conclusion.

10: The private sector's participation across sectors of the economy are now truly a reality.

11: If a country like ours, which is the biggest storehouse of coal, had to import coal for its requirements, there were policy bottlenecks that needed reform.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India has now left the lockdown behind and has entered unlock phase 1. Also read: COVID-19 cases cross 1.98 lakh-mark in India; death toll at 5,598 “While it is true that coronavirus has slowed down our growth, India has now left the lockdown behind and has entered unlock phase 1.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India has now left the lockdown behind and has entered unlock phase 1. Also read: COVID-19 cases cross 1.98 lakh-mark in India; death toll at 5,598 “While it is true that coronavirus has slowed down our growth, India has now left the lockdown behind and has entered unlock phase 1. So in a way, we have already started getting our growth back. I have confidence in India’s capabilities, crisis management,” PM Modi said. PM Modi was attending the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Session 2020- “Getting Growth Back” where he addressed the issue of economic slowdown due to coronavirus and how to revive it as alarm bells ring for Indian economy. Here are the highlights of PM Modi's speech: 1: Coronavirus is an unprecedented crisis where we have several priorities as we handle the situation — we have to revive the economy while keeping the welfare of the poor in mind. 2: Getting growth back is what we also have our motto as we reopen the economy. I have full faith in India's crisis management, talent, technology, innovation, and intellect. 3: I have faith in India's farmers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders. Therefore, yes, we will get our growth back. India will get its growth back. Friends, coronavirus may have impeded our speed, but the reality today is that we have left the lockdown phase behind and now we are in the Unlock 1.0 phase. 4: A large part of the economy has reopened. The rest will reopen on June 8. 5: We were able to do all this because even as the rest of the world was struggling in the grips of coronavirus, we took the right steps at the right time. 6: To bring India back on track for fast-paced growth five things are very important: Intent, Inclusion, Investment, Infrastructure, Innovation. 7: Under PM Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, Rs 53,000 crore worth of financial assistance has already been provided to the poor. 8: During the lockdown, the govt provided 80 million LPG cylinders right at the doorstep of the poor. 9: We have made decisions to make our economy and sectors future-ready. Our reforms are not scattered; rather, our reforms are planned, futuristic. For us, reforms mean taking it to the logical conclusion. 10: The private sector's participation across sectors of the economy are now truly a reality. 11: If a country like ours, which is the biggest storehouse of coal, had to import coal for its requirements, there were policy bottlenecks that needed reform.

India has left lockdown behind, will get our growth back, says PM Modi

Coronavirus cases in India inched closer to the 2 lakh mark on Tuesday and country reported 8,171 new COVID-19 cases and 204 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The total number of cases in the country now at 1,98,706 including 97,581 active cases, 95,526 cured/discharged/migrated and 5,598 deaths, as per the latest government data. 
 
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As per the latest government guidelines, religious places and places of worship for the public; hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services; and shopping malls; will be opened from June 8 across the country.

Coronavirus cases in India inched closer to the 2 lakh mark on Tuesday and country reported 8,171 new COVID-19 cases and 204 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country now at 1,98,706 including 97,581 active cases, 95,526 cured/discharged/migrated and 5,598 deaths, as per the latest government data.

Coronavirus cases in India inched closer to the 2 lakh mark on Tuesday and country reported 8,171 new COVID-19 cases and 204 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country now at 1,98,706 including 97,581 active cases, 95,526 cured/discharged/migrated and 5,598 deaths, as per the latest government data. As per the latest government guidelines, religious places and places of worship for the public; hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services; and shopping malls; will be opened from June 8 across the country.

COVID-19 cases cross 1.98 lakh-mark in India; death toll at 5,598

The Indian Ambassador to North Korea (DPRK) Atul Malhari Gotsurve speaking on the COVID situation in the country has said life has been normal in the country's capital Pyongyang. North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Speaking exclusively to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Pyongyang, Ambassador Gotsurve describing the situation in the country said "shops, services, universities, schools, factories and offices" are open in the country and few Indians left the country on 9th March to Vladivostok on a flight specially arranged for foreigners by DPRK. This is the first time any Indian Ambassador to DPRK has spoken to any India based channel in past few years.

WION: How has been the ground situation in DPRK? How are Indian diplomats faring?

Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: According to the local authorities, there is no Covid- 19 case in DPRK. As per the local office of WHO, the country has carried out hundreds of tests for Covid-19 and none of them has been found to be positive. I find that life in Pyongyang is normal. Shops and services are open and so are the universities, schools, factories and offices. Public transport for locals too is functioning smoothly. Despite some difficulties created by the extraordinary Covid-19 pandemic around the world as also in DPRK, the morale of all of us at the Embassy is high.

WION: Anything about the measures taken by the DPRK Government to contain the spread?

Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: DPRK had moved very early to combat Covid-19 with several anti-pandemic measures which continue till date. The Government here took the first step of snapping all international air links with the outside world as early as 1 st February 2020. Similarly, the international land borders with China and Russia were also sealed with no one allowed to either enter or exit the country. Everyone, including diplomats who went to China in January 2020, was quarantined for a month. Any person, if allowed at all, to enter DPRK, has to undergo a 30-day quarantine at a special place designated by the local authorities. Use of face mask is compulsory for everyone, including diplomats, at all public places. Shops, restaurants, offices, factories, hospitals, etc. have the protocol to go through thermal screening and to use hand-sanitizers before entering the building. These steps seem to have shown good results in combating Covid-19.

WION: How is the Indian Mission reaching to stranded Indians, if there are any?

Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: There are no stranded Indians in DPRK. The number of the Indian diasporas is small and most of them work for UN Agencies and International Aid Organisations. The Mission is in constant touch with them at a personal level and also through social media platform on a regular basis. A few Indians left Pyongyang by a flight specially arranged for foreigners by DPRK to Vladivostok on 9 March 2020 and have reached India safely.

WION: Any plans for repatriation? 
 
Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: As of now, there is no request for repatriation from any Indian. If required, we will assist the Indian community suitably in co-ordination with the local authorities and MEA, New Delhi.

The Indian Ambassador to North Korea (DPRK) Atul Malhari Gotsurve speaking on the COVID situation in the country has said life has been normal in the country's capital Pyongyang.

The Indian Ambassador to North Korea (DPRK) Atul Malhari Gotsurve speaking on the COVID situation in the country has said life has been normal in the country's capital Pyongyang. North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Speaking exclusively to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Pyongyang, Ambassador Gotsurve describing the situation in the country said "shops, services, universities, schools, factories and offices" are open in the country and few Indians left the country on 9th March to Vladivostok on a flight specially arranged for foreigners by DPRK. This is the first time any Indian Ambassador to DPRK has spoken to any India based channel in past few years. WION: How has been the ground situation in DPRK? How are Indian diplomats faring? Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: According to the local authorities, there is no Covid- 19 case in DPRK. As per the local office of WHO, the country has carried out hundreds of tests for Covid-19 and none of them has been found to be positive. I find that life in Pyongyang is normal. Shops and services are open and so are the universities, schools, factories and offices. Public transport for locals too is functioning smoothly. Despite some difficulties created by the extraordinary Covid-19 pandemic around the world as also in DPRK, the morale of all of us at the Embassy is high. WION: Anything about the measures taken by the DPRK Government to contain the spread? Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: DPRK had moved very early to combat Covid-19 with several anti-pandemic measures which continue till date. The Government here took the first step of snapping all international air links with the outside world as early as 1 st February 2020. Similarly, the international land borders with China and Russia were also sealed with no one allowed to either enter or exit the country. Everyone, including diplomats who went to China in January 2020, was quarantined for a month. Any person, if allowed at all, to enter DPRK, has to undergo a 30-day quarantine at a special place designated by the local authorities. Use of face mask is compulsory for everyone, including diplomats, at all public places. Shops, restaurants, offices, factories, hospitals, etc. have the protocol to go through thermal screening and to use hand-sanitizers before entering the building. These steps seem to have shown good results in combating Covid-19. WION: How is the Indian Mission reaching to stranded Indians, if there are any? Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: There are no stranded Indians in DPRK. The number of the Indian diasporas is small and most of them work for UN Agencies and International Aid Organisations. The Mission is in constant touch with them at a personal level and also through social media platform on a regular basis. A few Indians left Pyongyang by a flight specially arranged for foreigners by DPRK to Vladivostok on 9 March 2020 and have reached India safely. WION: Any plans for repatriation? Ambassador Atul Malhari Gotsurve: As of now, there is no request for repatriation from any Indian. If required, we will assist the Indian community suitably in co-ordination with the local authorities and MEA, New Delhi.

Amid Covid- 19 crisis, life in Pyongyang normal says India's envoy to North Korea

By Johannes Lohse

With coronavirus infection rates falling – and the predicted economic and welfare costs of lockdown so high – governments across the world have tentatively started lifting restrictions and reopening their economies.

But to do this safely and prevent the second wave of infections, policymakers need to understand the effects that lockdown measures such as closing schools or businesses – known as non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) – are having on containing the virus. This will help predict the effects of rules being eased, and also show which interventions are most effective.

At the moment, though, we don’t know which lockdown measures work, and testing their effectiveness is difficult. So we need to get inventive. One overlooked way of assessing them is to use randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

The unique power of randomisation 
 
When it comes to testing new medicines, there’s a broad consensus that RCTs are the gold standard. These trials compare the outcomes of randomly selected groups of people that do and do not get a treatment. Researchers can use RCTs to be confident that a new medical procedure works. The same rules should apply when testing the effectiveness of NPIs.

By introducing or loosening an individual control measure in some randomly selected regions but not in others, the RCT method would offer the unique opportunity to show whether or not that intervention (and not some other common factor) causes a reduction in the disease transmission. What’s more, this method gives policymakers and researchers full control over implementing changes and directly measuring outcomes, reducing the scope for errors. These are advantages not shared with many other methods.

And although RCTs have not gathered much attention for studying NPIs during the current pandemic, economists and other social scientists have already shown that they can be used outside of clinical medicine. For example, over the past two decades RCTs have become a popular method among behavioural and developmental economists testing which interventions are most effective in alleviating poverty.

How an RCT would work in practice

As an example, consider the question of reopening schools.

In many countries, schools are all scheduled to reopen at the same time (and at the same time as other lockdown measures are being lifted). Changing several policies all at once will make it hard to attribute any subsequent rise in infections to the removal of a specific measure.

Researchers in Norway have floated an alternative plan. Why not randomly split districts where opening schools is generally considered as safe into two groups? Schools in the “treatment” group would be allowed to open two or three weeks earlier than those in the “control” group (what’s known as a “phase-in” &nbsp;approach). By closely monitoring and comparing infection numbers across districts, policymakers would gain a much clearer picture of whether opening schools causes cases to rise more rapidly, and by how much.

This example illustrates a broader principle. RCTs could be used to answer a large spectrum of policy questions about easing or introducing new lockdown restrictions. These could range from the number of students per classroom, to the requirement to wear masks in public, to the opening of parks and beaches.

However, as discussed in a recent study, there are several things needed to make RCTs a successful tool for evaluating NPIs. Foremost is the ability to accurately measure and model the effects of an NPI on virus transmission, as well as the economic and psychological costs associated with either lifting or maintaining the intervention.

RCTs can fix current errors in thinking 
 
Now that several countries are beginning to lift some restrictions, political commentators are quickly giving in to the temptation of comparing infection or fatality rates between places with and without certain rules in place. However, such comparisons are easily misleading because they lack the random assignment that would show whether or not a particular measure has caused a reduction in disease transmission.

We would not trust a medical study that selectively treats patients based on their prior health status. And similarly, we should not place our trust in comparing fatality rates between states that have chosen to lift rules early and those that still have rules in place. Using the RCT method and lifting regulations randomly where it is safe would avoid falling into this trap.

Understanding which lockdown measures work is essential if we want to deal with a potential second wave of COVID-19 with more fine-grained policies that do not grind whole economies to a standstill. RCTs are the best way to identify such measures, and can help us optimally balance costs and benefits.

So why are policymakers reluctant to implement them more widely during this pandemic?

First, it would require them to admit that they do not yet know which policies work. Second, policymakers may worry that the public could perceive lifting rules randomly as unethical.

But in the current situation, where the optimal timing and extent of lifting or introducing different measures is unknown, such concerns may be largely unwarranted. Policymakers wouldn’t be knowingly withholding a beneficial intervention or introducing a harmful one if there are no existing reasons to believe that one policy is better than another.

Furthermore, if they follow a “phase-in” strategy, an intervention considered as safe would ultimately be applied to the whole population, first to the treatment group and then, after a short delay, to the control group too.

 
(Johannes Lohse is Lecturer in Economics, University of Birmingham)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. <a href="https://theconversation.com/lockdown-we-need-to-experiment-with-reopenings-now-to-prevent-a-second-wave-138741">Read the original article) &nbsp;</a>

By Johannes Lohse With coronavirus infection rates falling – and the predicted economic and welfare costs of lockdown so high – governments across the world have tentatively started lifting restrictions and reopening their economies.

By Johannes Lohse With coronavirus infection rates falling – and the predicted economic and welfare costs of lockdown so high – governments across the world have tentatively started lifting restrictions and reopening their economies. But to do this safely and prevent the second wave of infections, policymakers need to understand the effects that lockdown measures such as closing schools or businesses – known as non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) – are having on containing the virus. This will help predict the effects of rules being eased, and also show which interventions are most effective. At the moment, though, we don’t know which lockdown measures work, and testing their effectiveness is difficult. So we need to get inventive. One overlooked way of assessing them is to use randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The unique power of randomisation When it comes to testing new medicines, there’s a broad consensus that RCTs are the gold standard. These trials compare the outcomes of randomly selected groups of people that do and do not get a treatment. Researchers can use RCTs to be confident that a new medical procedure works. The same rules should apply when testing the effectiveness of NPIs. By introducing or loosening an individual control measure in some randomly selected regions but not in others, the RCT method would offer the unique opportunity to show whether or not that intervention (and not some other common factor) causes a reduction in the disease transmission. What’s more, this method gives policymakers and researchers full control over implementing changes and directly measuring outcomes, reducing the scope for errors. These are advantages not shared with many other methods. And although RCTs have not gathered much attention for studying NPIs during the current pandemic, economists and other social scientists have already shown that they can be used outside of clinical medicine. For example, over the past two decades RCTs have become a popular method among behavioural and developmental economists testing which interventions are most effective in alleviating poverty. How an RCT would work in practice As an example, consider the question of reopening schools. In many countries, schools are all scheduled to reopen at the same time (and at the same time as other lockdown measures are being lifted). Changing several policies all at once will make it hard to attribute any subsequent rise in infections to the removal of a specific measure. Researchers in Norway have floated an alternative plan. Why not randomly split districts where opening schools is generally considered as safe into two groups? Schools in the “treatment” group would be allowed to open two or three weeks earlier than those in the “control” group (what’s known as a “phase-in” approach). By closely monitoring and comparing infection numbers across districts, policymakers would gain a much clearer picture of whether opening schools causes cases to rise more rapidly, and by how much. This example illustrates a broader principle. RCTs could be used to answer a large spectrum of policy questions about easing or introducing new lockdown restrictions. These could range from the number of students per classroom, to the requirement to wear masks in public, to the opening of parks and beaches. However, as discussed in a recent study, there are several things needed to make RCTs a successful tool for evaluating NPIs. Foremost is the ability to accurately measure and model the effects of an NPI on virus transmission, as well as the economic and psychological costs associated with either lifting or maintaining the intervention. RCTs can fix current errors in thinking Now that several countries are beginning to lift some restrictions, political commentators are quickly giving in to the temptation of comparing infection or fatality rates between places with and without certain rules in place. However, such comparisons are easily misleading because they lack the random assignment that would show whether or not a particular measure has caused a reduction in disease transmission. We would not trust a medical study that selectively treats patients based on their prior health status. And similarly, we should not place our trust in comparing fatality rates between states that have chosen to lift rules early and those that still have rules in place. Using the RCT method and lifting regulations randomly where it is safe would avoid falling into this trap. Understanding which lockdown measures work is essential if we want to deal with a potential second wave of COVID-19 with more fine-grained policies that do not grind whole economies to a standstill. RCTs are the best way to identify such measures, and can help us optimally balance costs and benefits. So why are policymakers reluctant to implement them more widely during this pandemic? First, it would require them to admit that they do not yet know which policies work. Second, policymakers may worry that the public could perceive lifting rules randomly as unethical. But in the current situation, where the optimal timing and extent of lifting or introducing different measures is unknown, such concerns may be largely unwarranted. Policymakers wouldn’t be knowingly withholding a beneficial intervention or introducing a harmful one if there are no existing reasons to believe that one policy is better than another. Furthermore, if they follow a “phase-in” strategy, an intervention considered as safe would ultimately be applied to the whole population, first to the treatment group and then, after a short delay, to the control group too. (Johannes Lohse is Lecturer in Economics, University of Birmingham) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Lockdowns: We need to experiment with reopenings now to prevent a second wave

Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Sunday said a 100 members medical team of doctors and nurses have left the state to assist Mumbai doctors in the battle against COVID-19.

"A 100 member medical team of doctors and nurses from Kerala led by Santhosh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College volunteers, to assist Mumbai doctors in the battle against Covid-19. Advance team has already reached Seven Hills Hospital. Doctors without borders!" Isaac said in a tweet.

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A 100 member medical team of doctors and nurses from Kerala led by Santhosh Kumar Dy. Superintendent of TVM Medical College volunteers to assist Mumbai doctors in the battle against Covid19.Advance team has already reached Seven Hills Hospital.Doctors without borders!
— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) <a href="https://twitter.com/drthomasisaac/status/1267091937988718593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The development comes after Maharashtra requested Kerala to send doctors and healthcare workers to help the state in fighting COVID-19.

On May 25, Maharashtra Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) had written to Kerala government, urging them to send a team of doctors and nurses to Maharashtra on a temporary basis in fight against COVID-19.

This formal request came after the Kerala government offered to help Maharashtra in the battle against coronavirus by sending its medical team to Maharashtra.

"The cases of COVID-19 are continuously on a surge and this has put huge pressure on the health infrastructure of the state especially in terms of manpower crunch," DMER Dr TP Lahane had told.

Worst hit Maharashtra has so far reported 65,168 cases of coronavirus including 34,890 active cases. 28,081 people have been cured or discharged, while 2,197 people succumbed to the virus in the State.

(With inputs from ANI)

Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Sunday said a 100 members medical team of doctors and nurses have left the state to assist Mumbai doctors in the battle against COVID-19.

Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Sunday said a 100 members medical team of doctors and nurses have left the state to assist Mumbai doctors in the battle against COVID-19. "A 100 member medical team of doctors and nurses from Kerala led by Santhosh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College volunteers, to assist Mumbai doctors in the battle against Covid-19. Advance team has already reached Seven Hills Hospital. Doctors without borders!" Isaac said in a tweet. A 100 member medical team of doctors and nurses from Kerala led by Santhosh Kumar Dy. Superintendent of TVM Medical College volunteers to assist Mumbai doctors in the battle against Covid19.Advance team has already reached Seven Hills Hospital.Doctors without borders! — Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) May 31, 2020 × The development comes after Maharashtra requested Kerala to send doctors and healthcare workers to help the state in fighting COVID-19. On May 25, Maharashtra Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) had written to Kerala government, urging them to send a team of doctors and nurses to Maharashtra on a temporary basis in fight against COVID-19. This formal request came after the Kerala government offered to help Maharashtra in the battle against coronavirus by sending its medical team to Maharashtra. "The cases of COVID-19 are continuously on a surge and this has put huge pressure on the health infrastructure of the state especially in terms of manpower crunch," DMER Dr TP Lahane had told. Worst hit Maharashtra has so far reported 65,168 cases of coronavirus including 34,890 active cases. 28,081 people have been cured or discharged, while 2,197 people succumbed to the virus in the State. (With inputs from ANI)

Team of Kerala doctors, nurses reach Mumbai to assist doctors to fight COVID-19

A troop of monkeys in India attacked a medical official and snatched away blood samples of patients who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, authorities said on Friday.

The attack occurred this week when a laboratory technician was walking in the campus of a state-run medical college in Meerut, 460 km (285 miles) north of Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh state.

“Monkeys grabbed and fled with the blood samples of four COVID-19 patients who are undergoing treatment ... we had to take their blood samples again,” said Dr S. K. Garg, a top official at the college.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-stands-9th-on-covid-19-worst-hit-nations-list-surpassing-china-301706">Also read:&nbsp;India stands 9th on Covid-19 worst-hit nations' list, surpassing China</a>

Authorities said they were not clear if the monkeys had spilled the blood samples, but people living near the leafy campus feared further spread of the virus if the monkeys carried the samples into residential areas.

Garg said it was not clear if the monkeys could contract the coronavirus if they came into contact with infected blood.

“No evidence has been found that monkeys can contract the infection,” Garg told Reuters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/centre-likely-to-retain-limited-role-and-allow-states-have-more-say-after-lockdown-40-301870">Also read:&nbsp;Centre likely to retain limited role and allow states have more say after Lockdown 4.0</a>

The virus is believed to have jumped from animals into people in a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

India has had 165,799 cases of the coronavirus and 4,706 deaths.

Monkeys have been increasingly straying into human settlements in India and causing disturbances, even attacking people. Environmentalists say the destruction of natural habitat is the main reason the animals move into urban areas in search of food.

A troop of monkeys in India attacked a medical official and snatched away blood samples of patients who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, authorities said on Friday.

A troop of monkeys in India attacked a medical official and snatched away blood samples of patients who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, authorities said on Friday. The attack occurred this week when a laboratory technician was walking in the campus of a state-run medical college in Meerut, 460 km (285 miles) north of Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh state. “Monkeys grabbed and fled with the blood samples of four COVID-19 patients who are undergoing treatment ... we had to take their blood samples again,” said Dr S. K. Garg, a top official at the college. Also read: India stands 9th on Covid-19 worst-hit nations' list, surpassing China Authorities said they were not clear if the monkeys had spilled the blood samples, but people living near the leafy campus feared further spread of the virus if the monkeys carried the samples into residential areas. Garg said it was not clear if the monkeys could contract the coronavirus if they came into contact with infected blood. “No evidence has been found that monkeys can contract the infection,” Garg told Reuters. Also read: Centre likely to retain limited role and allow states have more say after Lockdown 4.0 The virus is believed to have jumped from animals into people in a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. India has had 165,799 cases of the coronavirus and 4,706 deaths. Monkeys have been increasingly straying into human settlements in India and causing disturbances, even attacking people. Environmentalists say the destruction of natural habitat is the main reason the animals move into urban areas in search of food.

Only in India: Monkey steals COVID-19 samples from lab

Data by America’s Johns Hopkins University showed that India has overtaken China in terms of deaths related to Coronavirus and is now placed ninth in the world in the list of the most-affected nations.

Highest spike of 7,466 new COVID-19 cases and 175 deaths in the last 24 hours have been reported in the country.&nbsp;

Total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 1,65,799 including 89,987 active cases, 71,105 cured/discharged/migrated.&nbsp;

The total death toll has now reached 4,706 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in its latest update on Friday.&nbsp;

Of the total 4,167 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 1,982 deaths followed by Gujarat with 960 deaths, Madhya Pradesh with 321, Delhi with 316, West Bengal with 295, Rajasthan with 180, Uttar Pradesh with 197, Tamil Nadu with 145, Telangana with 67 deaths and Andhra Pradesh 59.

India's count of recoveries is the tenth-largest now after the US, Brazil, Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Iran and China.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs agencies)

Data by America’s Johns Hopkins University showed that India has overtaken China in terms of deaths related to Coronavirus and is now placed ninth in the world in the list of the most-affected nations.

Data by America’s Johns Hopkins University showed that India has overtaken China in terms of deaths related to Coronavirus and is now placed ninth in the world in the list of the most-affected nations. Highest spike of 7,466 new COVID-19 cases and 175 deaths in the last 24 hours have been reported in the country. Total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 1,65,799 including 89,987 active cases, 71,105 cured/discharged/migrated. The total death toll has now reached 4,706 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in its latest update on Friday. Of the total 4,167 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 1,982 deaths followed by Gujarat with 960 deaths, Madhya Pradesh with 321, Delhi with 316, West Bengal with 295, Rajasthan with 180, Uttar Pradesh with 197, Tamil Nadu with 145, Telangana with 67 deaths and Andhra Pradesh 59. India's count of recoveries is the tenth-largest now after the US, Brazil, Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Iran and China. (With inputs agencies)

India stands 9th on Covid-19 worst-hit nations' list, surpassing China

With countries all over the world affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the US has emerged as a global hotspot.&nbsp;

The US currently leads the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The United States of America recorded 1,297 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, bringing its total to 101,573 since the global pandemic began

It’s important to point out that the actual death toll is believed to be far higher than the tally compiled from government figures.

On Thursday, the US surpassed the "sad milestone" of over one lakh coronavirus-linked deaths, the highest in the world. 
 
<a href="http://cms.wionews.com/world/100000-deaths-very-sad-milestone-says-trump-on-coronavirus-fatalities-301661">Also read: 100,000 deaths very sad milestone, says Trump on coronavirus fatalities</a> 
 
"We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000," Trump tweeted, hours after the country registered the grim figure in an election year.&nbsp;

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We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000. To all of the families &amp; friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy &amp; love for everything that these great people stood for &amp; represent. God be with you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266000762057953284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Trump administration has been criticized for being slower to act than other countries.&nbsp;

Four months after the first novel coronavirus infection was confirmed in the United States, the virus has killed people in every state. It has found victims in dense cities and rural towns. Some of the victims were well-known; many were unsung.

(With inputs from agencies)

With countries all over the world affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the US has emerged as a global hotspot. The US currently leads the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.

With countries all over the world affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the US has emerged as a global hotspot. The US currently leads the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The United States of America recorded 1,297 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, bringing its total to 101,573 since the global pandemic began It’s important to point out that the actual death toll is believed to be far higher than the tally compiled from government figures. On Thursday, the US surpassed the "sad milestone" of over one lakh coronavirus-linked deaths, the highest in the world. Also read: 100,000 deaths very sad milestone, says Trump on coronavirus fatalities "We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000," Trump tweeted, hours after the country registered the grim figure in an election year. We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000. To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020 × The Trump administration has been criticized for being slower to act than other countries. Four months after the first novel coronavirus infection was confirmed in the United States, the virus has killed people in every state. It has found victims in dense cities and rural towns. Some of the victims were well-known; many were unsung. (With inputs from agencies)

More than 1,200 coronavirus deaths in the US in the last 24 hours: Report 

Around 5.8 million cases of the new coronavirus have been officially declared in the world, more than two-thirds of them in Europe and the United States, according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

On Friday, the cases stood at &nbsp;5,814,885, according to Johns Hopkins University. So far, the virus has killed 360,412 people worldwide. Coronavirus cases, first reported in China in December last year, peaked in mid-March. The virus is currently affecting more than 200 countries around the world.

United States, Spain, Russia, UK, Germany, Brazil, Italy, France are among the worst-hit countries having maximum cases of coronavirus and the numbers are increasing every day.

The US currently leads the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The United States of America recorded 1,297 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, bringing its total to 101,573 since the global pandemic began.

It’s important to point out that the actual death toll is believed to be far higher than the tally compiled from government figures.

The number of declared cases in the world has doubled in a month, and more than one million new cases of COVID-19 have been registered in the last 10 days.

The number of diagnosed cases, however, reflects only a fraction of the actual number of infections as many countries test only serious cases or lack testing capacity.

(With inputs from agencies)

Around 5.8 million cases of the new coronavirus have been officially declared in the world, more than two-thirds of them in Europe and the United States, according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Around 5.8 million cases of the new coronavirus have been officially declared in the world, more than two-thirds of them in Europe and the United States, according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University. On Friday, the cases stood at 5,814,885, according to Johns Hopkins University. So far, the virus has killed 360,412 people worldwide. Coronavirus cases, first reported in China in December last year, peaked in mid-March. The virus is currently affecting more than 200 countries around the world. United States, Spain, Russia, UK, Germany, Brazil, Italy, France are among the worst-hit countries having maximum cases of coronavirus and the numbers are increasing every day. The US currently leads the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The United States of America recorded 1,297 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, bringing its total to 101,573 since the global pandemic began. It’s important to point out that the actual death toll is believed to be far higher than the tally compiled from government figures. The number of declared cases in the world has doubled in a month, and more than one million new cases of COVID-19 have been registered in the last 10 days. The number of diagnosed cases, however, reflects only a fraction of the actual number of infections as many countries test only serious cases or lack testing capacity. (With inputs from agencies)

Global coronavirus cases near 5.8 million, death toll rises to  360,412

India on Thursday morning reported a spike of 6,566 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 1,58,333. India also reported 194 deaths since Wednesday morning.&nbsp;

Currently, there are 86,110 active coronavirus cases in the country, while 67,691 have recovered from the disease so far. One patient migrated to another country.&nbsp;

States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi and Rajasthan have reported the maximum number of coronavirus infection cases.

Meanwhile, the government is reportedly reviewing the 60-day lockdown period to chalk out strategy after May 310 – the day when the lockdown 4.0 is scheduled to end.

According to reports, the Prime Minister’s Office is concerned about the rapidly increasing coronavirus cases as well as the number of people under quarantine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a complete lockdown on March 25 which has been extended thrice so far.

(With inputs from agencies)

India on Thursday morning reported a spike of 6,566 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 1,58,333.

India on Thursday morning reported a spike of 6,566 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 1,58,333. India also reported 194 deaths since Wednesday morning. Currently, there are 86,110 active coronavirus cases in the country, while 67,691 have recovered from the disease so far. One patient migrated to another country. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi and Rajasthan have reported the maximum number of coronavirus infection cases. Meanwhile, the government is reportedly reviewing the 60-day lockdown period to chalk out strategy after May 310 – the day when the lockdown 4.0 is scheduled to end. According to reports, the Prime Minister’s Office is concerned about the rapidly increasing coronavirus cases as well as the number of people under quarantine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a complete lockdown on March 25 which has been extended thrice so far. (With inputs from agencies)

6,566 new cases, 194 deaths in last 24 hours; India COVID-19 tally reaches 1,58,333

After staunchly denying the US allegations of coronavirus originating from a bio-lab in its first epicentre Wuhan, Chinese researchers have debunked widely reported view that the deadly virus emanated from a wet market in the city selling live animals.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/border-closures-pre-travel-tests-largely-ineffective-against-covid-19-spread-eu-health-agency-301331">Also read — Border closures, pre-travel tests largely ineffective against COVID-19 spread: EU health agency</a> 
 
A leading Chinese virologist, whose mysterious disappearance sparked speculation about the novel coronavirus emanating from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), was for the first time interviewed on Tuesday on China's state television where she warned that such viruses are just the "tip of the iceberg" and expressed regret over science being "politicised".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whistleblower-accuses-un-human-rights-office-of-helping-china-keep-an-eye-on-dissidents-301414">Also read: Whistleblower accuses UN human rights office of helping China keep an eye on dissidents</a> 
 
Shi Zhengli, known as the "Bat Woman" for her passionate research about bats and the viruses associated with them, had early this month refuted "rumours" of her defection to the West on her Chinese social media WeChat account. She also posted nine photos of her recent life.

On Wednesday, Chinese scientists dismissed the reports that the deadly virus which struck Wuhan and later turned into a pandemic paralysing the world originated in the seafood market in Wuhan.

Recent Shanghai-based research targeting locally confirmed cases of coronavirus once again proved the attacks on a seafood market in central China's Hubei province for originating the virus are nonsense, state-run Global Times daily reported.

The results of the study, being published on the website of top academic journal Nature on May 20, implied the Huanan Seafood Market in Hubei's capital Wuhan may not be the birthplace of COVID-19, although the virus outbreak emerged in Wuhan had a strong link to contacts with the market.

Based on the analysis of 112 quality samples from 326 confirmed cases reported in Shanghai between January 20 and February 25, researchers found two major lineages (clade I and clade II) with differential exposure history during the early phase of the outbreak in Wuhan, it said.

There has been no direct evidence that the cross-species COVID-19 transmission originally occurred in the Huanan market in Wuhan, although it was a probable place for human-to-human transmission of the virus because of its relatively high crowd density, a researcher of the team, who preferred to be anonymous, told state-run Global Times.

"The origin of the virus remains unknown based on current published data," she told the daily. "It still needs scientists' continuous effort in determining the intermediate host of coronavirus, and carrying out comprehensive and detailed virus-tracing studies."

The research team consisted of members from Shanghai''s scientific research and medical institutions including the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre, Ruijin Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the Shanghai Institute of Haematology.

China is resisting mounting pressure from the US and the leaders of many countries for an inquiry into the origin of the virus, which was initially stated to have emerged from the wet market in Wuhan. 
Besides US President Donald Trump, who stepped up demand for an investigation into the origin of the virus and whether it escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Britain, Australia and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for more transparency from Beijing on COVID-19 origins.

China's new narrative followed as the World Health Assembly, a decision-making body of the Geneva-based World Health Organisation, recently passed a unanimous resolution to probe the origin of the virus.

China, which also backed the resolution, called for a comprehensive evaluation of the global COVID-19 response, to sum up, experiences and address shortcomings after the pandemic is brought under control.

After staunchly denying the US allegations of coronavirus originating from a bio-lab in its first epicentre Wuhan, Chinese researchers have debunked widely reported view that the deadly virus emanated from a wet market in the city selling live animals.

After staunchly denying the US allegations of coronavirus originating from a bio-lab in its first epicentre Wuhan, Chinese researchers have debunked widely reported view that the deadly virus emanated from a wet market in the city selling live animals. Also read — Border closures, pre-travel tests largely ineffective against COVID-19 spread: EU health agency A leading Chinese virologist, whose mysterious disappearance sparked speculation about the novel coronavirus emanating from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), was for the first time interviewed on Tuesday on China's state television where she warned that such viruses are just the "tip of the iceberg" and expressed regret over science being "politicised". Also read: Whistleblower accuses UN human rights office of helping China keep an eye on dissidents Shi Zhengli, known as the "Bat Woman" for her passionate research about bats and the viruses associated with them, had early this month refuted "rumours" of her defection to the West on her Chinese social media WeChat account. She also posted nine photos of her recent life. On Wednesday, Chinese scientists dismissed the reports that the deadly virus which struck Wuhan and later turned into a pandemic paralysing the world originated in the seafood market in Wuhan. Recent Shanghai-based research targeting locally confirmed cases of coronavirus once again proved the attacks on a seafood market in central China's Hubei province for originating the virus are nonsense, state-run Global Times daily reported. The results of the study, being published on the website of top academic journal Nature on May 20, implied the Huanan Seafood Market in Hubei's capital Wuhan may not be the birthplace of COVID-19, although the virus outbreak emerged in Wuhan had a strong link to contacts with the market. Based on the analysis of 112 quality samples from 326 confirmed cases reported in Shanghai between January 20 and February 25, researchers found two major lineages (clade I and clade II) with differential exposure history during the early phase of the outbreak in Wuhan, it said. There has been no direct evidence that the cross-species COVID-19 transmission originally occurred in the Huanan market in Wuhan, although it was a probable place for human-to-human transmission of the virus because of its relatively high crowd density, a researcher of the team, who preferred to be anonymous, told state-run Global Times. "The origin of the virus remains unknown based on current published data," she told the daily. "It still needs scientists' continuous effort in determining the intermediate host of coronavirus, and carrying out comprehensive and detailed virus-tracing studies." The research team consisted of members from Shanghai''s scientific research and medical institutions including the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre, Ruijin Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the Shanghai Institute of Haematology. China is resisting mounting pressure from the US and the leaders of many countries for an inquiry into the origin of the virus, which was initially stated to have emerged from the wet market in Wuhan. Besides US President Donald Trump, who stepped up demand for an investigation into the origin of the virus and whether it escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Britain, Australia and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for more transparency from Beijing on COVID-19 origins. China's new narrative followed as the World Health Assembly, a decision-making body of the Geneva-based World Health Organisation, recently passed a unanimous resolution to probe the origin of the virus. China, which also backed the resolution, called for a comprehensive evaluation of the global COVID-19 response, to sum up, experiences and address shortcomings after the pandemic is brought under control.

Covid-19 did not originate from Wuhan wet market, claim Chinese scientists

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