India's COVID-19 tally continued to rise with the total number of confirmed cases touching 67152 on Monday, data on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website showed.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaWatch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaWatch</a> With an addition of 4,213 new cases, the total stands at 67,152. Here is the corona virus update as of 8 am today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StayHomeSaveLives?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StayHomeSaveLives</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCorona</a> <a href="https://t.co/DYl6hWwMzY">pic.twitter.com/DYl6hWwMzY</a>
— PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) <a href="https://twitter.com/PIB_India/status/1259728486643625986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Of the total cases in the country, 44029 are active cases while 20917 individuals have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. The death toll has mounted to 2206 while one person has migrated to another country, according to the data released by the Health Ministry.

India added 4,213 new Covid-19 cases over 24 hours, according to the Union Ministry’s 8:00 am update on May 11.

In India, the state of Maharashtra has emerged as the epicentre of the coronavirus spread where the number of cases witnessed a massive spike recently. According to the Health Ministry, Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with over 22,000 positive cases of infection and more than 830 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved 21 institutions for participating in a randomised controlled study to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications associated with COVID-19. The sample size of the study is 452. Once 400 patients are enrolled, no more sites will be added. The clinical trial liability insurance has been bought centrally by the ICMR, officials said.

(With inputs from agencies)

India's COVID-19 tally continued to rise with the total number of confirmed cases touching 67152 on Monday, data on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website showed.

India's COVID-19 tally continued to rise with the total number of confirmed cases touching 67152 on Monday, data on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website showed. #CoronaWatch With an addition of 4,213 new cases, the total stands at 67,152. Here is the corona virus update as of 8 am today. #StayHomeSaveLives #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/DYl6hWwMzY — PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 11, 2020 × Of the total cases in the country, 44029 are active cases while 20917 individuals have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. The death toll has mounted to 2206 while one person has migrated to another country, according to the data released by the Health Ministry. India added 4,213 new Covid-19 cases over 24 hours, according to the Union Ministry’s 8:00 am update on May 11. In India, the state of Maharashtra has emerged as the epicentre of the coronavirus spread where the number of cases witnessed a massive spike recently. According to the Health Ministry, Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with over 22,000 positive cases of infection and more than 830 deaths. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved 21 institutions for participating in a randomised controlled study to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications associated with COVID-19. The sample size of the study is 452. Once 400 patients are enrolled, no more sites will be added. The clinical trial liability insurance has been bought centrally by the ICMR, officials said. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus in India: Total COVID-19 cases top 67,000; more than 2,200 dead

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-the-time-to-end-lockdown-but-modify-measures-british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-297868">'Not the time to end lockdown, but modify measures': British Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/04/16/137074-untitled-design-8.jpg?itok=LGJXuWtE" />

In a televised address, Johnson said: "This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week. Instead, we are taking the first careful steps to modify our measures." <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-the-time-to-end-lockdown-but-modify-measures-british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-297868">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-united-states-reports-776-deaths-in-last-24-hours-lowest-since-march-297871">United States reports 776 deaths in last 24 hours; lowest since March</a> 
 
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According to a real-time tally by Johns Hopkins University, the US reported 776 deaths in the past 24 hours bringing the total death toll of the country to 80,562. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-united-states-reports-776-deaths-in-last-24-hours-lowest-since-march-297871">READ MORE</a> 
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'Not the time to end lockdown, but modify measures': British Prime Minister Boris Johnson In a televised address, Johnson said: "This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week.

'Not the time to end lockdown, but modify measures': British Prime Minister Boris Johnson In a televised address, Johnson said: "This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week. Instead, we are taking the first careful steps to modify our measures." READ MORE United States reports 776 deaths in last 24 hours; lowest since March According to a real-time tally by Johns Hopkins University, the US reported 776 deaths in the past 24 hours bringing the total death toll of the country to 80,562. READ MORE

Morning News Brief: US death toll passes 80,000, UK to begin lifting lockdown and more

India's COVID-19 tally continued to rise with the total number of confirmed cases touching 56,342 on Friday, data on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website showed.&nbsp;

Of the total cases in the country, 37,916 are active cases while 16,539 individuals have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. The death toll has mounted to 1,886 while one person has migrated to another country, according to the data released by the Health Ministry.

The total number of cases also include 111 foreign nationals.

Around the world, over 38.45 lakh coronavirus cases have been detected. The most number of COVID 19 positive cases have been detected in the US, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdon and Russia. Over 2.69 COVID 19 related deaths have been reported across the globe. The US, UK, Italy and Spain have recorded more deaths than other countries, as per the information shared by the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved 21 institutions for participating in a randomised controlled study to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications associated with COVID-19. The sample size of the study is 452. Once 400 patients are enrolled, no more sites will be added. The clinical trial liability insurance has been bought centrally by the ICMR, officials said.

(With inputs from agencies)

India's COVID-19 tally continued to rise with the total number of confirmed cases touching 56,342 on Friday, data on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website showed.

India's COVID-19 tally continued to rise with the total number of confirmed cases touching 56,342 on Friday, data on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website showed. Of the total cases in the country, 37,916 are active cases while 16,539 individuals have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. The death toll has mounted to 1,886 while one person has migrated to another country, according to the data released by the Health Ministry. The total number of cases also include 111 foreign nationals. Around the world, over 38.45 lakh coronavirus cases have been detected. The most number of COVID 19 positive cases have been detected in the US, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdon and Russia. Over 2.69 COVID 19 related deaths have been reported across the globe. The US, UK, Italy and Spain have recorded more deaths than other countries, as per the information shared by the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved 21 institutions for participating in a randomised controlled study to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications associated with COVID-19. The sample size of the study is 452. Once 400 patients are enrolled, no more sites will be added. The clinical trial liability insurance has been bought centrally by the ICMR, officials said. (With inputs from agencies)

Total COVID-19 cases in India cross 56,000-mark; 16539 patients cured

The death toll due to deadly coronavirus in India rose to 1,783 while the number of cases climbed to 52,952 on Thursday, registering an increase of 89 deaths and 3,561 cases in the last 24 hours, as per data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

According to the Union Ministry, 1783 people have died due to coronavirus. There are 35902 coronavirus active cases in the country and 15266 COVID 19 positive patients have been cured or discharged, one patient has been migrated. The total number of coronavirus cases in India is 52,952. 
 
The total number of cases also include 111 foreign nationals.

<img alt="death toll" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1878da72-672c-486b-ae2b-4bf6d98404a4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/corona-watch.jpg" /> 
 
(Picture courtesy: @COVIDNewsByMIB)

"Thus, around 28.83 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
A total of 89 deaths have been reported since Wednesday morning, of which 34 people died in Maharashtra, 28 in Gujarat, nine in Madhya Pradesh, four each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, three in Rajasthan, two each from Punjab and Tamil Nadu and one each from Delhi, Haryana and Orissa. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Of the 1,783 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 651 fatalities, Gujarat comes second with 396 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 185, West Bengal at 144, Rajasthan at 92, Delhi at 65, Uttar Pradesh at 60 and Andhra Pradesh at 36.

Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved 21 institutions for participating in a randomised controlled study to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications associated with COVID-19. The sample size of the study is 452. Once 400 patients are enrolled, no more sites will be added. The clinical trial liability insurance has been bought centrally by the ICMR, officials said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The death toll due to deadly coronavirus in India rose to 1,783 while the number of cases climbed to 52,952 on Thursday, registering an increase of 89 deaths and 3,561 cases in the last 24 hours, as per data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The death toll due to deadly coronavirus in India rose to 1,783 while the number of cases climbed to 52,952 on Thursday, registering an increase of 89 deaths and 3,561 cases in the last 24 hours, as per data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. According to the Union Ministry, 1783 people have died due to coronavirus. There are 35902 coronavirus active cases in the country and 15266 COVID 19 positive patients have been cured or discharged, one patient has been migrated. The total number of coronavirus cases in India is 52,952. The total number of cases also include 111 foreign nationals. (Picture courtesy: @COVIDNewsByMIB) "Thus, around 28.83 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said. A total of 89 deaths have been reported since Wednesday morning, of which 34 people died in Maharashtra, 28 in Gujarat, nine in Madhya Pradesh, four each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, three in Rajasthan, two each from Punjab and Tamil Nadu and one each from Delhi, Haryana and Orissa. Of the 1,783 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 651 fatalities, Gujarat comes second with 396 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 185, West Bengal at 144, Rajasthan at 92, Delhi at 65, Uttar Pradesh at 60 and Andhra Pradesh at 36. Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved 21 institutions for participating in a randomised controlled study to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications associated with COVID-19. The sample size of the study is 452. Once 400 patients are enrolled, no more sites will be added. The clinical trial liability insurance has been bought centrally by the ICMR, officials said. (With inputs from agencies)

53,000 total COVID-19 cases in India now; death toll jumps to 1783

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-the-covid-19-pandemic-deepens-virus-symptoms-multiply-297322">As the COVID-19 pandemic deepens, virus symptoms multiply</a> 
 
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Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms — ranging from disagreeable to the deadly — grows longer. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-the-covid-19-pandemic-deepens-virus-symptoms-multiply-297322">READ MORE</a>

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As the COVID-19 pandemic deepens, virus symptoms multiply Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms — ranging from disagreeable to the deadly — grows longer.

As the COVID-19 pandemic deepens, virus symptoms multiply Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms — ranging from disagreeable to the deadly — grows longer. READ MORE Kim Jong-un sends 'verbal message' to Xi Jinping for China's success on its handling of COVID-19 North Korea's Kim Jong Un has sent a "warm greetings" to Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a "verbal message", the state news agency of North Korea reported Friday, after weeks of speculation about his health. READ MORE

Morning News Brief: Coronavirus symptoms multiply, Russia reports record increase in cases and more

Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms — ranging from disagreeable to the deadly — grows longer.

What began as a familiar flu-like cluster of chills, headaches and fever has rapidly expanded over the last three months into a catalogue of syndromes affecting almost all the body's organs, from the brain to the kidneys. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-lambasts-us-for-coercing-countries-to-plant-covid-19-accusations-against-it-297110">Also Read: China&nbsp;lambasts US for coercing countries to plant COVID-19 accusations</a>&nbsp;

The new coronavirus can also push the immune system into overdrive, unleashing an indiscriminate assault -- known as a cytokine storm -- on pathogens and their human hosts alike.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-china-censors-european-unions-friendship-letter-297279">Also Read:&nbsp;Now, China censors European Union's 'friendship letter'</a>

"Most viruses can cause disease in two ways," explained Jeremy Rossman, a senior lecturer in virology at the University of Kent.

"They can damage tissue where the virus replicates, or they can cause damage as a side-effect of the immune system fighting off the disease."

Doctors suspect, for example, that COVID-19 is behind the hospitalisation in recent weeks of several dozen children in New York, London and Paris diagnosed with a rare inflammatory disorder similar to toxic shock syndrome.

Affecting mainly young children, the painful disease attacks artery walls and can cause organ failure.

Dozens of medical studies in recent weeks have detailed other potentially lethal impacts including strokes and heart damage.

Researchers from the urology department of Nanjing Medical University, writing this week in Nature Reviews, described patients developing severe urinary complications and acute kidney injury.

They also observed "dramatic changes" in male sex hormones.

'1-in-10,000 still a lot'

"After recovery from COVID-19, young men who are interested in having children should receive a consultation regarding their fertility," they concluded.

Does that mean that COVID-19 causes a uniquely broad array of symptoms? Not necessarily, virologists and other experts say.

"If it is a common disease, then even rare complications will happen frequently," Babak Javid, a consultant in infectious diseases at Cambridge University Hospitals said.

There are nearly 3.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world, but the true number of infections -- taking into account undetected and asymptomatic infection — "is going to be in the tens, possibly hundreds of millions," he said.

"So if one-in-1,000, or even one-in-10,000, get complications, that is still thousands of people."

Some of the rarer symptoms associated with COVID-19 are also known to have been triggered by influenza, which kills several hundred thousand people worldwide every year, he noted.

For the new coronavirus, frontline general practitioners across the globe have been the first to look for patterns in the unfolding pandemic.

"At the outset, we were told to watch out for headaches, fever and a light cough," recalls Sylvie Monnoye, a family doctor in central Paris for nearly three decades.

"Then they added a runny nose and a scratchy throat. After that, digestive problems, including stomach aches and severe diarrhoea."

The list kept growing: skin lesions, neurological problems, sharp chest pains, loss of taste and smell.

A feeling of confusion

"We started to think that we should suspect everything," Monnoye said, dressed from head-to-toe in protective wear.

Some patients were so terrified, she added, that they cowered in the corner of her office afraid to touch anything or get too close to her.

An internal US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report with a breakdown of symptoms for 2,591 COVID-10 patients admitted to hospital between March 1 and May 1 chimes with such anecdotal accounts.

Three-quarters of the patients experienced chills, fever and/or coughing, with nearly as many showing shortness of breath.

These are, by far, the most common COVID-19 symptoms.

Nearly a third complained of flu-like muscle aches, while 28 per cent experienced diarrhoea and a quarter nausea or vomiting, according to the internal report, leaked to the media.

Some 18 per cent had headaches, while 10 to 15 per cent were hit by chest or abdominal pain, runny nose, sore throat and/or a feeling of confusion.

Less than one per cent of the CDC cohort had other symptoms, including seizures, rashes and conjunctivitis.

Health authorities have been slow in alerting the public to this panoply of possible impacts.

Loss of smell

Until the end of April, the CDC itself only listed three on its website: coughing, fever and shortness of breath. The update included only a few more: chills, muscle pain, headaches and loss of smell or taste. France's health officials made a similar update on May 5.

A loss of smell and taste was found in only 3.5 per cent of patients included in the CDC report, but experts suspect these symptoms are -- for reasons unknown -- far more prevalent in less severe cases where people were not hospitalised.

Monnoye said it was among the most common of the symptoms she encountered, and agreed that it was "probably linked to a milder form of the disease".

"I don't have any patients with these symptoms who had serious complications," she said.

The loss of taste and smell, experts note, is extremely rare with other types of virus.

Another cluster of symptoms rarely found within flu patients appears to arise from blood clots.

Heart problems, liver thrombosis, lung embolisms and brain damage in COVID-19 patients have been traced to such clots in a flurry of recent studies. Others have described kidney failure and even gummed-up dialysis machines.

"When one is very sick with COVID, you can have a problem with blood clots forming, and that seems to be much, much more common than with other viral infections," added Javid.

"Compared to influenza, you are much more likely to become seriously ill, and to die."

Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms — ranging from disagreeable to the deadly — grows longer. What began as a familiar flu-like cluster of chills, headaches and fever has rapidly expanded over the last three months into a catalogue of syndromes affecting almost all the body's organs, from the brain to the kidneys.

Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms — ranging from disagreeable to the deadly — grows longer. What began as a familiar flu-like cluster of chills, headaches and fever has rapidly expanded over the last three months into a catalogue of syndromes affecting almost all the body's organs, from the brain to the kidneys. Also Read: China lambasts US for coercing countries to plant COVID-19 accusations The new coronavirus can also push the immune system into overdrive, unleashing an indiscriminate assault -- known as a cytokine storm -- on pathogens and their human hosts alike. Also Read: Now, China censors European Union's 'friendship letter' "Most viruses can cause disease in two ways," explained Jeremy Rossman, a senior lecturer in virology at the University of Kent. "They can damage tissue where the virus replicates, or they can cause damage as a side-effect of the immune system fighting off the disease." Doctors suspect, for example, that COVID-19 is behind the hospitalisation in recent weeks of several dozen children in New York, London and Paris diagnosed with a rare inflammatory disorder similar to toxic shock syndrome. Affecting mainly young children, the painful disease attacks artery walls and can cause organ failure. Dozens of medical studies in recent weeks have detailed other potentially lethal impacts including strokes and heart damage. Researchers from the urology department of Nanjing Medical University, writing this week in Nature Reviews, described patients developing severe urinary complications and acute kidney injury. They also observed "dramatic changes" in male sex hormones. '1-in-10,000 still a lot' "After recovery from COVID-19, young men who are interested in having children should receive a consultation regarding their fertility," they concluded. Does that mean that COVID-19 causes a uniquely broad array of symptoms? Not necessarily, virologists and other experts say. "If it is a common disease, then even rare complications will happen frequently," Babak Javid, a consultant in infectious diseases at Cambridge University Hospitals said. There are nearly 3.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world, but the true number of infections -- taking into account undetected and asymptomatic infection — "is going to be in the tens, possibly hundreds of millions," he said. "So if one-in-1,000, or even one-in-10,000, get complications, that is still thousands of people." Some of the rarer symptoms associated with COVID-19 are also known to have been triggered by influenza, which kills several hundred thousand people worldwide every year, he noted. For the new coronavirus, frontline general practitioners across the globe have been the first to look for patterns in the unfolding pandemic. "At the outset, we were told to watch out for headaches, fever and a light cough," recalls Sylvie Monnoye, a family doctor in central Paris for nearly three decades. "Then they added a runny nose and a scratchy throat. After that, digestive problems, including stomach aches and severe diarrhoea." The list kept growing: skin lesions, neurological problems, sharp chest pains, loss of taste and smell. A feeling of confusion "We started to think that we should suspect everything," Monnoye said, dressed from head-to-toe in protective wear. Some patients were so terrified, she added, that they cowered in the corner of her office afraid to touch anything or get too close to her. An internal US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report with a breakdown of symptoms for 2,591 COVID-10 patients admitted to hospital between March 1 and May 1 chimes with such anecdotal accounts. Three-quarters of the patients experienced chills, fever and/or coughing, with nearly as many showing shortness of breath. These are, by far, the most common COVID-19 symptoms. Nearly a third complained of flu-like muscle aches, while 28 per cent experienced diarrhoea and a quarter nausea or vomiting, according to the internal report, leaked to the media. Some 18 per cent had headaches, while 10 to 15 per cent were hit by chest or abdominal pain, runny nose, sore throat and/or a feeling of confusion. Less than one per cent of the CDC cohort had other symptoms, including seizures, rashes and conjunctivitis. Health authorities have been slow in alerting the public to this panoply of possible impacts. Loss of smell Until the end of April, the CDC itself only listed three on its website: coughing, fever and shortness of breath. The update included only a few more: chills, muscle pain, headaches and loss of smell or taste. France's health officials made a similar update on May 5. A loss of smell and taste was found in only 3.5 per cent of patients included in the CDC report, but experts suspect these symptoms are -- for reasons unknown -- far more prevalent in less severe cases where people were not hospitalised. Monnoye said it was among the most common of the symptoms she encountered, and agreed that it was "probably linked to a milder form of the disease". "I don't have any patients with these symptoms who had serious complications," she said. The loss of taste and smell, experts note, is extremely rare with other types of virus. Another cluster of symptoms rarely found within flu patients appears to arise from blood clots. Heart problems, liver thrombosis, lung embolisms and brain damage in COVID-19 patients have been traced to such clots in a flurry of recent studies. Others have described kidney failure and even gummed-up dialysis machines. "When one is very sick with COVID, you can have a problem with blood clots forming, and that seems to be much, much more common than with other viral infections," added Javid. "Compared to influenza, you are much more likely to become seriously ill, and to die."

As the COVID-19 pandemic deepens, virus symptoms multiply

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday urged the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to provide insurance cover for journalists, asserting that they are performing an important duty of providing information in times of the coronavirus crisis.

Her appeal came over the demise of Pankaj Kulshrestha, a senior journalist from Agra, due to COVID-19.

"My condolences to his family and friends in the journalist community," she said

Journalists are doing an important job of providing information to people in this crisis, the Congress general secretary said.

"Comprehensive financial assistance to Pankaj Kulshrestha ji''s family and an insurance cover for all journalists should be announced by the Uttar Pradesh government," Priyanka Gandhi said.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday urged the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to provide insurance cover for journalists, asserting that they are performing an important duty of providing information in times of the coronavirus crisis.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday urged the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to provide insurance cover for journalists, asserting that they are performing an important duty of providing information in times of the coronavirus crisis. Her appeal came over the demise of Pankaj Kulshrestha, a senior journalist from Agra, due to COVID-19. "My condolences to his family and friends in the journalist community," she said Journalists are doing an important job of providing information to people in this crisis, the Congress general secretary said. "Comprehensive financial assistance to Pankaj Kulshrestha ji''s family and an insurance cover for all journalists should be announced by the Uttar Pradesh government," Priyanka Gandhi said.

Provide insurance cover for all journalists amid COVID-19: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urges UP govt

Under lockdown and far apart, Sushen Dang and Keerti Narang went online to say their marriage vows -- and pulled off a spectacular Indian wedding complete with thousands of guests and raucous Bollywood dancing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/total-covid-19-cases-in-india-cross-56000-mark-16539-patients-cured-297349">Also read: Total COVID-19 cases in India cross 56,000-mark; 16539 patients cured</a> 
 
In a country famous for lavish weddings that last for days, the young couple are among a growing number modifying their marriage ceremonies under a virus lockdown that has limited public gatherings.

Eager to go ahead with the arranged marriage on the auspicious date selected for them by a priest, the pair turned to the internet to tie the knot.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/16-migrant-workers-mowed-down-by-goods-train-in-maharashtras-aurangabad-pm-modi-expresses-anguish-297325">Also read: 16 migrant workers mowed down by goods train in Maharashtra's Aurangabad; PM Modi expresses anguish</a>

"We never imagined that even our online wedding would be so grand," Dang, a 26-year-old data analyst who is based in Toronto, said about the April 19 event.

"A hundred guests joined in our celebration on the app. We live-streamed the ceremony on Facebook which was watched by another 16,000 people."

The nuptials spanned the country. Dang, decked out in a turban and traditional sherwani kurta, logged on from Mumbai on the coast of the Arabian Sea, while Narang -- in her red bridal finery -- joined from Bareilly in northern Uttar Pradesh state that borders Nepal.

The priest overseeing proceedings chanted hymns as he sat before a ritual fire at his home in Raipur in the central state of Chhattisgarh, with guests logging in from Delhi, Gurgaon and the southern tech hub of Bangalore.

There were minor hiccups -- some elderly family members were accidentally unmuted and pets photo-bombed screens.

But the energy levels remained high and the occasion was capped off with a fun Bollywood-style dance performance by their cousins.

The wedding video posted on Facebook has so far garnered nearly 260,000 views, making the newly-weds "feel like celebrities".

Wedding blues&nbsp;

The spread of the coronavirus and the nationwide lockdown took place as India's wedding season was in full swing.

In western Rajasthan state alone some 23,000 weddings meant to coincide with the Hindu Akshaya Tritiya festival on April 26 were called off due to the pandemic.

More than 10 million weddings are held annually in the nation of 1.3 billion people, with the marriage industry estimated to be worth some $40-$50 billion, according to advisory firm KPMG.

The sector -- like the rest of the economy -- is reeling from the impact of the virus, with planners, caterers and decorators among those who have incurred huge losses.

"We thought, 'Why don't we be the flag-bearers and drive weddings online?'," said Adhish Zaveri, marketing director at matrimonial website Shaadi.com which facilitated Dang and Narang's wedding.

"A wedding is probably the most important day of somebody's life ... and we thought we have to make it as special and close to a real wedding as possible," he said.

Online nuptials are among a string of weddings in India that have gone ahead amid the lockdown -- with some unusual variations.

One couple in Uttar Pradesh said "I do" inside a police station after more conventional venues like banquet halls, hotels and temples were all ordered closed during the lockdown.

And in Madhya Pradesh in central India, a bride and groom, their faces covered by masks, exchanged garlands -- a key ritual in a Hindu wedding -- with the help of bamboo sticks in a no-contact ceremony.

Home nuptials

Zaveri said the significantly cheaper online ceremonies could become an option for couples amid the uncertainty about how long the pandemic is going to last.

Couples are charged less than 100,000 rupees ($1,300) for the virtual services, Zaveri said, adding 12 more such weddings were in the pipeline.

To give the online ceremonies a professional touch, make-up artists and sari-draping experts are hired to help the bride, while a folk singer is engaged to serenade the guests.

All participants are sent logins and passwords so that strangers can't gatecrash the event.

Kirti Agrawal -- who married her beau Avinash Singh Bagri on April 14 on the balcony of their relative's flat as friends and family watched on a videoconferencing app -- said the digital approach appealed to her.

"Their (groom's) family had planned a guest list of 8,000 to 10,000," Agrawal said.

"I didn't say that I am not a fan of big, fat weddings. But when I heard about the wedding-from-home idea, I was very happy."

Under lockdown and far apart, Sushen Dang and Keerti Narang went online to say their marriage vows -- and pulled off a spectacular Indian wedding complete with thousands of guests and raucous Bollywood dancing.

Under lockdown and far apart, Sushen Dang and Keerti Narang went online to say their marriage vows -- and pulled off a spectacular Indian wedding complete with thousands of guests and raucous Bollywood dancing. Also read: Total COVID-19 cases in India cross 56,000-mark; 16539 patients cured In a country famous for lavish weddings that last for days, the young couple are among a growing number modifying their marriage ceremonies under a virus lockdown that has limited public gatherings. Eager to go ahead with the arranged marriage on the auspicious date selected for them by a priest, the pair turned to the internet to tie the knot. Also read: 16 migrant workers mowed down by goods train in Maharashtra's Aurangabad; PM Modi expresses anguish "We never imagined that even our online wedding would be so grand," Dang, a 26-year-old data analyst who is based in Toronto, said about the April 19 event. "A hundred guests joined in our celebration on the app. We live-streamed the ceremony on Facebook which was watched by another 16,000 people." The nuptials spanned the country. Dang, decked out in a turban and traditional sherwani kurta, logged on from Mumbai on the coast of the Arabian Sea, while Narang -- in her red bridal finery -- joined from Bareilly in northern Uttar Pradesh state that borders Nepal. The priest overseeing proceedings chanted hymns as he sat before a ritual fire at his home in Raipur in the central state of Chhattisgarh, with guests logging in from Delhi, Gurgaon and the southern tech hub of Bangalore. There were minor hiccups -- some elderly family members were accidentally unmuted and pets photo-bombed screens. But the energy levels remained high and the occasion was capped off with a fun Bollywood-style dance performance by their cousins. The wedding video posted on Facebook has so far garnered nearly 260,000 views, making the newly-weds "feel like celebrities". Wedding blues The spread of the coronavirus and the nationwide lockdown took place as India's wedding season was in full swing. In western Rajasthan state alone some 23,000 weddings meant to coincide with the Hindu Akshaya Tritiya festival on April 26 were called off due to the pandemic. More than 10 million weddings are held annually in the nation of 1.3 billion people, with the marriage industry estimated to be worth some $40-$50 billion, according to advisory firm KPMG. The sector -- like the rest of the economy -- is reeling from the impact of the virus, with planners, caterers and decorators among those who have incurred huge losses. "We thought, 'Why don't we be the flag-bearers and drive weddings online?'," said Adhish Zaveri, marketing director at matrimonial website Shaadi.com which facilitated Dang and Narang's wedding. "A wedding is probably the most important day of somebody's life ... and we thought we have to make it as special and close to a real wedding as possible," he said. Online nuptials are among a string of weddings in India that have gone ahead amid the lockdown -- with some unusual variations. One couple in Uttar Pradesh said "I do" inside a police station after more conventional venues like banquet halls, hotels and temples were all ordered closed during the lockdown. And in Madhya Pradesh in central India, a bride and groom, their faces covered by masks, exchanged garlands -- a key ritual in a Hindu wedding -- with the help of bamboo sticks in a no-contact ceremony. Home nuptials Zaveri said the significantly cheaper online ceremonies could become an option for couples amid the uncertainty about how long the pandemic is going to last. Couples are charged less than 100,000 rupees ($1,300) for the virtual services, Zaveri said, adding 12 more such weddings were in the pipeline. To give the online ceremonies a professional touch, make-up artists and sari-draping experts are hired to help the bride, while a folk singer is engaged to serenade the guests. All participants are sent logins and passwords so that strangers can't gatecrash the event. Kirti Agrawal -- who married her beau Avinash Singh Bagri on April 14 on the balcony of their relative's flat as friends and family watched on a videoconferencing app -- said the digital approach appealed to her. "Their (groom's) family had planned a guest list of 8,000 to 10,000," Agrawal said. "I didn't say that I am not a fan of big, fat weddings. But when I heard about the wedding-from-home idea, I was very happy."

India's lavish weddings go online amid coronavirus lockdown

At least 22 migrant labourers, who had returned from Andhra Pradesh, escaped from a COVID-19 quarantine centre in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said on Friday.

The labourers escaped from a quarantine facility in Dantewada late on Thursday evening and a search was launched to trace them, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.

As many as 47 migrant labourers, who had travelled to their home districts from the neighbouring state, were quarantined at a facility in Aranpur police station area, he said.

Of these, 22 labourers, who hail from Nahadi village, fled from the centre, he added.

"They were examined for primary coronavirus symptoms on Thursday and all of them were found to be asymptomatic," Pallava said.

The district administration has informed the sarpanch and secretary of the concerned village panchayat, Pallava said, adding that the police have launched a manhunt to track them down.

So far, no case of COVID-19 has been reported from the Bastar division, which comprises Bastar, Kanker, Sukma Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur districts.

Chhattisgarh has so far reported 59 COVID-19 cases, of which 38 patients recovered from the infection, while 21 are undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Raipur.

At least 22 migrant labourers, who had returned from Andhra Pradesh, escaped from a COVID-19 quarantine centre in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said on Friday.

At least 22 migrant labourers, who had returned from Andhra Pradesh, escaped from a COVID-19 quarantine centre in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said on Friday. The labourers escaped from a quarantine facility in Dantewada late on Thursday evening and a search was launched to trace them, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said. As many as 47 migrant labourers, who had travelled to their home districts from the neighbouring state, were quarantined at a facility in Aranpur police station area, he said. Of these, 22 labourers, who hail from Nahadi village, fled from the centre, he added. "They were examined for primary coronavirus symptoms on Thursday and all of them were found to be asymptomatic," Pallava said. The district administration has informed the sarpanch and secretary of the concerned village panchayat, Pallava said, adding that the police have launched a manhunt to track them down. So far, no case of COVID-19 has been reported from the Bastar division, which comprises Bastar, Kanker, Sukma Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur districts. Chhattisgarh has so far reported 59 COVID-19 cases, of which 38 patients recovered from the infection, while 21 are undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Raipur.

COVID-19: 22 migrants escape from quarantine centre in Chhattisgarh

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-worse-than-pearl-harbor-911-for-us-says-trump-297102">Coronavirus 'worse' than Pearl Harbor, 9/11 for US, says Trump</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/04/30/138688-trump-reuters.jpg?itok=YZZiy1Tk" />Renewing his criticism of China on Wednesday over the global coronavirus pandemic and said it has been worse for the United States than Pearl Harbor and 9/11. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-worse-than-pearl-harbor-911-for-us-says-trump-297102">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-one-out-of-five-children-in-us-left-hungry-since-virus-crisis-study-297103">Nearly one out of five children in US left hungry since virus crisis: Study</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/04/30/138687-usa-corona-reuters.jpg?itok=7_Lr0eXU" />

Nearly a fifth of young children in the United States are not getting enough to eat since the coronavirus pandemic erupted, according to research out Wednesday highlighting the broader health impact of the crisis. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-one-out-of-five-children-in-us-left-hungry-since-virus-crisis-study-297103">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-lambasts-us-for-coercing-countries-to-plant-covid-19-accusations-against-it-297110">China lambasts US for coercing countries to plant COVID-19 accusations against it</a> 
 
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The United States is pressuring its allies and trying to coerce other countries to help it plant accusations against China on issues concerning COVID-19 responsibility, said a spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-lambasts-us-for-coercing-countries-to-plant-covid-19-accusations-against-it-297110">READ MORE</a> 
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Coronavirus 'worse' than Pearl Harbor, 9/11 for US, says Trump Renewing his criticism of China on Wednesday over the global coronavirus pandemic and said it has been worse for the United States than Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

Coronavirus 'worse' than Pearl Harbor, 9/11 for US, says Trump Renewing his criticism of China on Wednesday over the global coronavirus pandemic and said it has been worse for the United States than Pearl Harbor and 9/11. READ MORE Nearly one out of five children in US left hungry since virus crisis: Study Nearly a fifth of young children in the United States are not getting enough to eat since the coronavirus pandemic erupted, according to research out Wednesday highlighting the broader health impact of the crisis. READ MORE China lambasts US for coercing countries to plant COVID-19 accusations against it The United States is pressuring its allies and trying to coerce other countries to help it plant accusations against China on issues concerning COVID-19 responsibility, said a spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. READ MORE

Morning News Brief: China lambasts US, Covid-19 'worse' than 9/11 and more

India's mega repatriation plan to bring back thousands of thousands of its stranded nationals from abroad has started with the first flight to land in Kerala in the night.&nbsp;

1st flight with 175 stranded Indians from abroad will land in Kochi from Abu Dhabi at around 2140 hrs. The Air India Express flight will leave UAE at 1615 local time. The second flight will also be to Kerala, having 175 stranded Indians. It will come from Dubai and land in Kozhikode at around 2230 hr. 
&nbsp; 
India will be bringing back around 14600 of its citizens in 64 flights in the first week of the repatriation process.

Flights will get back stranded Indians from 12 countries—6 from the Gulf, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, 3 from ASEAN--Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, 1 from the neighbourhood which is Bangladesh and US, UK.&nbsp;

Maximum flights will be to Kerala at 15, followed by Tamil Nadu &amp; NCR at 11, Maharashtra and Telangana at 7, Gujarat at 5, Karnataka and J&amp;K at 3 and Punjab and UP at 1.

Focus remains on the gulf where 3 lakh people have registered for repatriation. Of the 64, 25 flights will be coming from the gulf, and of the gulf, 10 flights will come from UAE, which hosts the largest number of Indians globally, many of them blue-collared workers.

The first flight from Saudi Arabia is scheduled to operate from Riyadh to Kozhikode on May 08, 2020, and the other 4 flights would operate on Riyadh-Delhi; Dammam-Kochi; Jeddah-Kochi and Jeddah-Delhi sectors. 
&nbsp; 
7 flights will come each from Bangladesh, UK, Malaysia, US, 5 from Singapore, Philipines, Saudi Arabia, 4 from Kuwait, 2 each from Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Indian Navy's Operation Samudra Setu to evacuate Indians from the Maldives will begin from tomorrow and ahead of that INS Jalashwa has entered Male port.

Indian envoy to Maldives Sunjay Sudhir speaking to WION exclusively on the operation said, "Around midday of 8th of May, the first group of about 700 Indians will set sail back home, back to Kochi, that will be the first lot. After that, we are planning a few other evacuations though Navy ship."

INS Jalashwa Indian Navy's largest Amphibious platform (Landing Platform Dock) can carry 1000 troops. With the current social distancing, norms can carry 500-700 people. The repatriation will be in 2 phases via 2 ships with the first group being taken to Kochi, then Tuticorin. Priority will be given to medical cases, women and those who lost jobs.

The French embassy in a statement said, "During this period of a public health crisis, the Indian and the French navies are fully engaged in the Samudra Setu and Resilience operations respectively to aid people facing the ordeal of the COVID-19 epidemic." 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Last year the 17th edition of Varuna, the Indo-French naval exercise saw both the Navies reaching a decisive phase in interoperability.

This is Independent India's largest repatriation mission to bring back its citizens stranded abroad due to COVID-19 pandemic. India will be getting back 1,92,000 people in the first phase of the mammoth exercise with the focus on the Gulf.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
On Monday India's envoy to UAE Pavan Kapoor speaking exclusively to WION said, "I am glad that we are starting this process of repatriation for those who urgently need to return to India. We look forward to working closely with the UAE authorities to make this process as smooth and efficient as we can."

The largest-ever evacuation carried out by India was the 1990 airlift of Indians from Kuwait during the Gulf War in which 170,000 Indian expatriates were from the west Asian country.

Around 11,000 stranded Indians have registered with Indian mission in Moscow, 1200 in New Zealand, 390 Indian nationals with High Commission of Nairobi, 265 at the Indian mission in Mexico, 2000 at India's mission in Canada and five Indians in Somalia have also registered so that they can get back home. Only asymptomatic passengers would be allowed to travel and Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for the process had been prepared in this regard. 
&nbsp; 
"State Governments are being advised to make arrangements, including for testing, quarantine and onward movement of the returning Indians in their respective States.", MHA in a statement said.

The facilitation will only be on "compelling grounds" and will be done via planes and naval ships on payment basis and non-scheduled commercial flights would be arranged for air travel. During the process of getting back, all health protocols like social distancing norms will have to be followed.

The evacuees after reaching the destination would have to register on the Indian government's Aarogya Setu app which has been developed to alert about COVID-19 crisis and alerts regarding it.&nbsp;

After being medically screened, they will be quarantined for 14 days in a hospital or an institutional quarantine on payment-basis by the State governments which will be followed by COVID test at the end of the given period.

Earlier this year, India brought back approximately 2500 of its citizens and 48 foreign nationals from China, Japan, Iran and Italy.

2015 Operation Raahat saw India bringing back around 4600 of its citizens while Operation Sankat Mochan of 2016 saw India bringing back 600 of its nationals from South Sudan. 2011 Operation Safe Homecoming to bring back Indians from war-torn Libya saw 15000 Indian nationals being brought back.

The first decade of the century saw Operation Sukoon in which Indian Navy got back 1764 Indians and was the largest evacuation operations conducted by the Navy since World War II.

India's mega repatriation plan to bring back thousands of thousands of its stranded nationals from abroad has started with the first flight to land in Kerala in the night.

India's mega repatriation plan to bring back thousands of thousands of its stranded nationals from abroad has started with the first flight to land in Kerala in the night. 1st flight with 175 stranded Indians from abroad will land in Kochi from Abu Dhabi at around 2140 hrs. The Air India Express flight will leave UAE at 1615 local time. The second flight will also be to Kerala, having 175 stranded Indians. It will come from Dubai and land in Kozhikode at around 2230 hr. India will be bringing back around 14600 of its citizens in 64 flights in the first week of the repatriation process. Flights will get back stranded Indians from 12 countries—6 from the Gulf, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, 3 from ASEAN--Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, 1 from the neighbourhood which is Bangladesh and US, UK. Maximum flights will be to Kerala at 15, followed by Tamil Nadu & NCR at 11, Maharashtra and Telangana at 7, Gujarat at 5, Karnataka and J&K at 3 and Punjab and UP at 1. Focus remains on the gulf where 3 lakh people have registered for repatriation. Of the 64, 25 flights will be coming from the gulf, and of the gulf, 10 flights will come from UAE, which hosts the largest number of Indians globally, many of them blue-collared workers. The first flight from Saudi Arabia is scheduled to operate from Riyadh to Kozhikode on May 08, 2020, and the other 4 flights would operate on Riyadh-Delhi; Dammam-Kochi; Jeddah-Kochi and Jeddah-Delhi sectors. 7 flights will come each from Bangladesh, UK, Malaysia, US, 5 from Singapore, Philipines, Saudi Arabia, 4 from Kuwait, 2 each from Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Meanwhile, Indian Navy's Operation Samudra Setu to evacuate Indians from the Maldives will begin from tomorrow and ahead of that INS Jalashwa has entered Male port. Indian envoy to Maldives Sunjay Sudhir speaking to WION exclusively on the operation said, "Around midday of 8th of May, the first group of about 700 Indians will set sail back home, back to Kochi, that will be the first lot. After that, we are planning a few other evacuations though Navy ship." INS Jalashwa Indian Navy's largest Amphibious platform (Landing Platform Dock) can carry 1000 troops. With the current social distancing, norms can carry 500-700 people. The repatriation will be in 2 phases via 2 ships with the first group being taken to Kochi, then Tuticorin. Priority will be given to medical cases, women and those who lost jobs. The French embassy in a statement said, "During this period of a public health crisis, the Indian and the French navies are fully engaged in the Samudra Setu and Resilience operations respectively to aid people facing the ordeal of the COVID-19 epidemic." Last year the 17th edition of Varuna, the Indo-French naval exercise saw both the Navies reaching a decisive phase in interoperability. This is Independent India's largest repatriation mission to bring back its citizens stranded abroad due to COVID-19 pandemic. India will be getting back 1,92,000 people in the first phase of the mammoth exercise with the focus on the Gulf. On Monday India's envoy to UAE Pavan Kapoor speaking exclusively to WION said, "I am glad that we are starting this process of repatriation for those who urgently need to return to India. We look forward to working closely with the UAE authorities to make this process as smooth and efficient as we can." The largest-ever evacuation carried out by India was the 1990 airlift of Indians from Kuwait during the Gulf War in which 170,000 Indian expatriates were from the west Asian country. Around 11,000 stranded Indians have registered with Indian mission in Moscow, 1200 in New Zealand, 390 Indian nationals with High Commission of Nairobi, 265 at the Indian mission in Mexico, 2000 at India's mission in Canada and five Indians in Somalia have also registered so that they can get back home. Only asymptomatic passengers would be allowed to travel and Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for the process had been prepared in this regard. "State Governments are being advised to make arrangements, including for testing, quarantine and onward movement of the returning Indians in their respective States.", MHA in a statement said. The facilitation will only be on "compelling grounds" and will be done via planes and naval ships on payment basis and non-scheduled commercial flights would be arranged for air travel. During the process of getting back, all health protocols like social distancing norms will have to be followed. The evacuees after reaching the destination would have to register on the Indian government's Aarogya Setu app which has been developed to alert about COVID-19 crisis and alerts regarding it. After being medically screened, they will be quarantined for 14 days in a hospital or an institutional quarantine on payment-basis by the State governments which will be followed by COVID test at the end of the given period. Earlier this year, India brought back approximately 2500 of its citizens and 48 foreign nationals from China, Japan, Iran and Italy. 2015 Operation Raahat saw India bringing back around 4600 of its citizens while Operation Sankat Mochan of 2016 saw India bringing back 600 of its nationals from South Sudan. 2011 Operation Safe Homecoming to bring back Indians from war-torn Libya saw 15000 Indian nationals being brought back. The first decade of the century saw Operation Sukoon in which Indian Navy got back 1764 Indians and was the largest evacuation operations conducted by the Navy since World War II.

India's mega repatriation plan to bring back stranded citizens begins; first flight to reach Kerala in night

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-accuses-beijing-of-aggressive-behaviour-in-south-china-sea-296896">US accuses Beijing of aggressive behaviour in South China Sea</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/05/06/139411-south-china-sea-reuters.jpg?itok=EcgVyXm1" />

The novel coronavirus that broke out in China's Wuhan in December, 2019 has infected more that 3.5 million in the world, and killed 2,50,000. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-accuses-beijing-of-aggressive-behaviour-in-south-china-sea-296896">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-makes-significant-breakthrough-in-developing-antibodies-for-covid-19-296897">Israel makes 'significant breakthrough' in developing antibodies for COVID-19</a> 
 
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The researchers have wrapped up the development phase and moved to patent and mass produce the potential treatment. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-makes-significant-breakthrough-in-developing-antibodies-for-covid-19-296897">READ MORE</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/women-hail-victory-as-sudan-moves-to-ban-genital-cutting-296915">Women hail victory as Sudan moves to ban genital cutting</a> 
 
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The practice has long been viewed, especially in rural communities, as a "rite of passage" for girls and a way to preserve their chastity. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/women-hail-victory-as-sudan-moves-to-ban-genital-cutting-296915">READ MORE</a> 
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US accuses Beijing of aggressive behaviour in South China Sea The novel coronavirus that broke out in China's Wuhan in December, 2019 has infected more that 3.5 million in the world, and killed 2,50,000.

US accuses Beijing of aggressive behaviour in South China Sea The novel coronavirus that broke out in China's Wuhan in December, 2019 has infected more that 3.5 million in the world, and killed 2,50,000. READ MORE Israel makes 'significant breakthrough' in developing antibodies for COVID-19 The researchers have wrapped up the development phase and moved to patent and mass produce the potential treatment. READ MORE Women hail victory as Sudan moves to ban genital cutting The practice has long been viewed, especially in rural communities, as a "rite of passage" for girls and a way to preserve their chastity. READ MORE

Morning News Brief: Israel develops key Covid antibody, Sudan bans female genital mutilation and more

A day after a driver from the Border Security Force (BSF), South Bengal Frontier headquartered in Kolkata attached to the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) convoy tested positive, five more BSF personnel tested positive on Tuesday. 
&nbsp; 
“The five personnel were escorted to the Central team. They were tested Coronavirus positive today. They have been admitted in MR Bangur Hospital,” said a senior official of BSF South Bengal Frontier. 
&nbsp; 
A day ago, the BSF driver tested positive, later as many as 50 personnel from the unit had been quarantined. Of those 50, 18 personnel were tested. Their reports arrived on Tuesday which revealed that five of them have tested positive. 
&nbsp; 
The driver had reported fever and was immediately removed on April 30, 2020, and sent into quarantine. Later, he tested positive for Covid-19. 
&nbsp; 
Sources reveal that the other remaining personnel will also undergo tests.

The BSF pilot car and personnel were attached to the convoy of Inter-Ministerial Central Team which had been camping in Kolkata for two weeks for on-spot assessment of lockdown violations, violence against frontline healthcare workers and state government’s preparedness to tackle Covid-19.

A day after a driver from the Border Security Force (BSF), South Bengal Frontier headquartered in Kolkata attached to the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) convoy tested positive, five more BSF personnel tested positive on Tuesday.

A day after a driver from the Border Security Force (BSF), South Bengal Frontier headquartered in Kolkata attached to the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) convoy tested positive, five more BSF personnel tested positive on Tuesday. “The five personnel were escorted to the Central team. They were tested Coronavirus positive today. They have been admitted in MR Bangur Hospital,” said a senior official of BSF South Bengal Frontier. A day ago, the BSF driver tested positive, later as many as 50 personnel from the unit had been quarantined. Of those 50, 18 personnel were tested. Their reports arrived on Tuesday which revealed that five of them have tested positive. The driver had reported fever and was immediately removed on April 30, 2020, and sent into quarantine. Later, he tested positive for Covid-19. Sources reveal that the other remaining personnel will also undergo tests. The BSF pilot car and personnel were attached to the convoy of Inter-Ministerial Central Team which had been camping in Kolkata for two weeks for on-spot assessment of lockdown violations, violence against frontline healthcare workers and state government’s preparedness to tackle Covid-19.

Five BSF jawans attached to IMCT convoy in Kolkata test positive for Covid-19

A Civilian staff working in the kitchen at the Indian Army Officer’s Training Academy(OTA) in Chennai has tested positive for Coronavirus and the individual’s contacts have been quarantined said a statement from the Academy.&nbsp;

The individual was admitted to a government hospital on May 3rd after complaining of chest congestion and the individual tested positive on Monday. People who came in contact with the said individual have been placed under quarantine as a precaution. WION has learnt that that said staffer who tested positive had been reporting for work for nearly all of last month.

The statement from the Academy said that the Academy has been functioning with minimal staff and that adequate precautionary measures are in place.

A source from the Academy revealed to WION that there are no cadets presently in the Academy as one batch had completed their 11-month training and passed out in the second week of March, while the present batch had gone on their term break just after the passing out parade. So the cadets haven’t returned to the academy on account of the lockdown that has been effective since the last week of March.&nbsp;

During the routine functioning of the academy, there are over 200 cadets in the academy and also several serving Officers of the Army and large teams of support staff.&nbsp;

The passing out parade at the academy is a grand event that takes place twice a year- in March and September. About 200 cadets(including foreign cadets) pass out of the Academy as Officers. The event is open to family members, media fraternity and veteran and serving Officers from the Armed forces.

There were 136 Gentlemen cadets and 31 Lady cadets who passed out of the Academy this March, in addition to 11 cadets from friendly foreign countries such as Bhutan, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The parade was reviewed by Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff. The 11-month training at the Academy is offered to candidates aged 21-18 who clear the SSB exam and related interviews. The Academy trains cadets to join the Army as Commissioned Officers under the Short Service Commission(SSC).

A Civilian staff working in the kitchen at the Indian Army Officer’s Training Academy(OTA) in Chennai has tested positive for Coronavirus and the individual’s contacts have been quarantined said a statement from the Academy.

A Civilian staff working in the kitchen at the Indian Army Officer’s Training Academy(OTA) in Chennai has tested positive for Coronavirus and the individual’s contacts have been quarantined said a statement from the Academy. The individual was admitted to a government hospital on May 3rd after complaining of chest congestion and the individual tested positive on Monday. People who came in contact with the said individual have been placed under quarantine as a precaution. WION has learnt that that said staffer who tested positive had been reporting for work for nearly all of last month. The statement from the Academy said that the Academy has been functioning with minimal staff and that adequate precautionary measures are in place. A source from the Academy revealed to WION that there are no cadets presently in the Academy as one batch had completed their 11-month training and passed out in the second week of March, while the present batch had gone on their term break just after the passing out parade. So the cadets haven’t returned to the academy on account of the lockdown that has been effective since the last week of March. During the routine functioning of the academy, there are over 200 cadets in the academy and also several serving Officers of the Army and large teams of support staff. The passing out parade at the academy is a grand event that takes place twice a year- in March and September. About 200 cadets(including foreign cadets) pass out of the Academy as Officers. The event is open to family members, media fraternity and veteran and serving Officers from the Armed forces. There were 136 Gentlemen cadets and 31 Lady cadets who passed out of the Academy this March, in addition to 11 cadets from friendly foreign countries such as Bhutan, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The parade was reviewed by Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff. The 11-month training at the Academy is offered to candidates aged 21-18 who clear the SSB exam and related interviews. The Academy trains cadets to join the Army as Commissioned Officers under the Short Service Commission(SSC).

Civilian staff at Army Officer’s Training Academy in Chennai tests Covid-19 positive

India's coronavirus count crept closer to 50,000 mark with 2,958 new cases and 126 new fatalities till Wednesday morning.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India stood at 49,391, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in its May 6 health bulletin. Of the total cases, 33,514 are active cases while 14,182 individuals have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. The death toll has mounted to 1694 while one person has migrated to another country, according to the data released by the Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, Coronavirus has infected around 548 doctors, nurses and paramedics across the country so far, according to data maintained by the Centre, official sources said.

The figure does not include field workers, ward boys, sanitation workers, security guards, lab attendants, peons, laundry and kitchen staff among others.

According to an official source, it has not been ascertained from where these doctors, nurses and paramedic staff have acquired the infection.&nbsp;

The figure includes doctors, nurses and paramedics from Centre-run and state government-run facilities across states and union territories. 
 
(With inputs from PTI)

India's coronavirus count crept closer to 50,000 mark with 2,958 new cases and 126 new fatalities till Wednesday morning. The total number of coronavirus cases in India stood at 49,391, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in its May 6 health bulletin.

India's coronavirus count crept closer to 50,000 mark with 2,958 new cases and 126 new fatalities till Wednesday morning. The total number of coronavirus cases in India stood at 49,391, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in its May 6 health bulletin. Of the total cases, 33,514 are active cases while 14,182 individuals have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. The death toll has mounted to 1694 while one person has migrated to another country, according to the data released by the Health Ministry. Meanwhile, Coronavirus has infected around 548 doctors, nurses and paramedics across the country so far, according to data maintained by the Centre, official sources said. The figure does not include field workers, ward boys, sanitation workers, security guards, lab attendants, peons, laundry and kitchen staff among others. According to an official source, it has not been ascertained from where these doctors, nurses and paramedic staff have acquired the infection. The figure includes doctors, nurses and paramedics from Centre-run and state government-run facilities across states and union territories. (With inputs from PTI)

India's COVID-19 count rises to 49,391, death toll mounts to 1,694

The total number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 46,433 on Tuesday with 3,900 people testing positive for COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-250000-die-of-coronavirus-worldwide-confirmed-recoveries-near-12-lakh-296685">Also read: More than 250,000 die of coronavirus worldwide; confirmed recoveries near 12 lakh</a> 
 
The country has recorded 195 new fatalities in the last 24 hours. This is the biggest single-day spike in the number of positive cases and deaths.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-records-deadliest-day-of-outbreak-296731/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the data published by the ministry on its portal, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rises to 46433 including 32134 active cases, 12727 cured/discharged/migrated and 1568 deaths.

According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra (14,541), followed by Gujarat (5,804), Delhi (4,898), Tamil Nadu (3,550), Rajasthan (3,061), Madhya Pradesh (2,942) and Uttar Pradesh (2,766).

The number of confirmed cases has gone up to 1,650 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,259 in West Bengal.

It has risen to 1,233 in Punjab, 1,085 in Telangana, 726 in Jammu and Kashmir, 651 in Karnataka, 528 in Bihar and 517 in Haryana.

(With inputs from agencies)

The total number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 46,433 on Tuesday with 3,900 people testing positive for COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 46,433 on Tuesday with 3,900 people testing positive for COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Also read: More than 250,000 die of coronavirus worldwide; confirmed recoveries near 12 lakh The country has recorded 195 new fatalities in the last 24 hours. This is the biggest single-day spike in the number of positive cases and deaths. According to the data published by the ministry on its portal, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rises to 46433 including 32134 active cases, 12727 cured/discharged/migrated and 1568 deaths. According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra (14,541), followed by Gujarat (5,804), Delhi (4,898), Tamil Nadu (3,550), Rajasthan (3,061), Madhya Pradesh (2,942) and Uttar Pradesh (2,766). The number of confirmed cases has gone up to 1,650 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,259 in West Bengal. It has risen to 1,233 in Punjab, 1,085 in Telangana, 726 in Jammu and Kashmir, 651 in Karnataka, 528 in Bihar and 517 in Haryana. (With inputs from agencies)

195 die and 3,900 test positive for coronavirus in India in last 24 hours; sharpest single-day spike

The BJP said on Monday the railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run to transport migrant workers and the state government has to pay the remaining 15 per cent, soon after the Congress attacked the central government over the issue.

The state government concerned can also pay for the tickets, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

He said the Madhya Pradesh government is doing so and asked Rahul Gandhi to tell the Congress-ruled states to follow suit.

He was responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's attack on the railways for charging poor migrant labourers ticket fare, even as it donated over Rs 151 crore to the PM-CARES Fund.

"Rahul Gandhi ji, I have attached guidelines of MHA which clearly states that ''No tickets to be sold at any station''. Railways has subsidised 85% &amp; state govt to pay 15%. The state govt can pay for the tickets (Madhya Pradesh's BJP govt is paying). Ask Cong state govts to follow suit," Patra tweeted.

The BJP leader further clarified that for each ''Shramik Express'', special trains being run for migrants, about 1,200 tickets to the destination are handed by the railways to the state government concerned.

State governments are supposed to clear the ticket price and hand over the tickets to workers, he said.

Seeking to corner the central government, the Congress on Monday said its state units will bear the cost of rail travel of needy migrant workers and labourers stranded at their workplaces due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a statement announced the party's decision and said this would be the Congress' humble contribution in standing shoulder to shoulder with these workers.

In a tweet, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy claimed that migrant workers returning home will not have to pay money as the rail travel will be free from now onwards.

Mr Swamy, in a tweet, said, "Talked to Piyush Goel office. Govt will pay 85% and the State Govt 15%. Migrant labour will go free. The Ministry will clarify with an official statement."

The BJP said on Monday the railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run to transport migrant workers and the state government has to pay the remaining 15 per cent, soon after the Congress attacked the central government over the issue.

The BJP said on Monday the railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run to transport migrant workers and the state government has to pay the remaining 15 per cent, soon after the Congress attacked the central government over the issue. The state government concerned can also pay for the tickets, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said. He said the Madhya Pradesh government is doing so and asked Rahul Gandhi to tell the Congress-ruled states to follow suit. He was responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's attack on the railways for charging poor migrant labourers ticket fare, even as it donated over Rs 151 crore to the PM-CARES Fund. "Rahul Gandhi ji, I have attached guidelines of MHA which clearly states that ''No tickets to be sold at any station''. Railways has subsidised 85% & state govt to pay 15%. The state govt can pay for the tickets (Madhya Pradesh's BJP govt is paying). Ask Cong state govts to follow suit," Patra tweeted. The BJP leader further clarified that for each ''Shramik Express'', special trains being run for migrants, about 1,200 tickets to the destination are handed by the railways to the state government concerned. State governments are supposed to clear the ticket price and hand over the tickets to workers, he said. Seeking to corner the central government, the Congress on Monday said its state units will bear the cost of rail travel of needy migrant workers and labourers stranded at their workplaces due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus. Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a statement announced the party's decision and said this would be the Congress' humble contribution in standing shoulder to shoulder with these workers. In a tweet, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy claimed that migrant workers returning home will not have to pay money as the rail travel will be free from now onwards. Mr Swamy, in a tweet, said, "Talked to Piyush Goel office. Govt will pay 85% and the State Govt 15%. Migrant labour will go free. The Ministry will clarify with an official statement."

Railways has subsidised 85% fare of special trains for migrants: BJP

Vietnam has appreciated the scale of action taken in India on lockdown and social distancing norms, India's Envoy to Vietnam Pranay Verma said. Speaking exclusively to Our Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Hanoi, Pranay Verma said both the countries have had similar approaches in dealing with the crisis and currently both "have among the lowest per capita incidents of infections" in the world. He also talked about how the mission is reaching out to Indians stranded in the country, many of the tourist and short term visitors.

WION: How is the Indian mission reaching to stranded Indians in the country?

Pranay Verma: COVID pandemic has impacted lives and travel all over the world. Our Embassy and consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City have actively been reaching out to Indian nationals who are held up in Vietnam in the wake of travel restrictions. Most people who are stranded in Vietnam are tourists and business travellers or short term visitors who could not return to India before the travel restrictions came up. We have extensively used social media tools to inform all our Indian nationals in Vietnam including community members who live in Vietnam as well as those who are visiting Vietnam and are held up about our 24*7 emergency coordinates. We have launched an online drive to register Indian Nationals in Vietnam. We are encouraging them to contact us for any assistance from Visa extension, any logistics or subsistence needs that are required to make their extended stay in Vietnam manageable. At the same time, the Indian community in Vietnam and the community organisation like the Indian business chamber have been extremely helpful in playing a proactive role in establishing contacts through social media networks within the larger community to ensure that any person in need is quickly identified and reached out to. We are also in touch with the Vietnamese authorities to seek assistance in making sure those currently held back in Vietnam do not face any undue hardships. Thankfully, we have had no cases of Indian nationals in Vietnam catching the COVID virus infection. In short, other than return to India, which is not something which we can control from here, we stand ready to extend and are extending all possible assistance to make the stay of our stranded citizens in Vietnam as convenient as practically possible.

WION: How are India and Vietnam cooperating on COVID pandemic? Are we sending HCQ or importing kits or anything?

Pranay Verma: India and Vietnam have maintained close contact during the fight against COVID 19. PM Modi spoke telephonically to Vietnamese PM on April 13th and discussed the situation arising out of the pandemic and the steps our two countries are taking to address the challenge. We are also engaged via diplomatic channels, exchanging information on best practices. India traditionally plays the role of a major provider of pharmaceuticals to Vietnam and this engagement has continued during COVID 19 outbreak. If you look at the way both India and Vietnam have approached the COVID 19 pandemic, there are many similarities in terms of early and precise actions taken, including travel restrictions, containment strategies- quarantine and social distancing enforcements, contact tracing etc. while ensuring at the same time significant ramping up of medical preparedness. Largely as a result of these actions, one can say, both countries have been able to witness among the lowest per capita incidence of infections.&nbsp;

WION: Have we shared any Indian containment model or anything to learn from Vietnam's containment model?

Pranay Verma: As I said, we are closely engaged with Vietnam, by exchanging information and best practices and prevention and containment strategies. We are providing detailed briefings to the Vietnamese side on actions India is taking. The Vietnamese side has appreciated the enormity and scale of action taken in India to enforce social distancing through the lockdown. Similarly, we are also regularly updating authorities in India about developments in Vietnam, their best practices, achievements including indigenous development of testing kits, use of technology in contact tracing, enforcing social distancing and the overall success in managing the pandemic.

WION: How has the ground situation in Vietnam changed, how are Indian diplomats faring?

Pranay Verma: As of date, COVID situation in Vietnam appears to have been largely contained. Vietnam has reported 271 total positive cases since the first case was reported in late January. Vietnam has not seen any case of community transmission since around the middle of April. Thanks for inquiring about the well being of our diplomats and our officials. &nbsp;Throughout social distancing restrictions that were put in place in Vietnam since April 1, the embassy and our consulate general has remained open, though with reduced staff strength. We have been particularly alert that our consular services are not disrupted and that we are actively able to extend consular assistance to Indian nationals throughout this period. With social distancing norms now relaxed since April 22nd, life seems to be gradually coming back to normal, schools have reopened from this week and we are also back to work in full strength and all our diplomats, officials and local staffs are in good spirits.

Vietnam has appreciated the scale of action taken in India on lockdown and social distancing norms, India's Envoy to Vietnam Pranay Verma said. Speaking exclusively to Our Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Hanoi, Pranay Verma said both the countries have had similar approaches in dealing with the crisis and currently both "have among the lowest per capita incidents of infections" in the world.

Vietnam has appreciated the scale of action taken in India on lockdown and social distancing norms, India's Envoy to Vietnam Pranay Verma said. Speaking exclusively to Our Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Hanoi, Pranay Verma said both the countries have had similar approaches in dealing with the crisis and currently both "have among the lowest per capita incidents of infections" in the world. He also talked about how the mission is reaching out to Indians stranded in the country, many of the tourist and short term visitors. WION: How is the Indian mission reaching to stranded Indians in the country? Pranay Verma: COVID pandemic has impacted lives and travel all over the world. Our Embassy and consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City have actively been reaching out to Indian nationals who are held up in Vietnam in the wake of travel restrictions. Most people who are stranded in Vietnam are tourists and business travellers or short term visitors who could not return to India before the travel restrictions came up. We have extensively used social media tools to inform all our Indian nationals in Vietnam including community members who live in Vietnam as well as those who are visiting Vietnam and are held up about our 24*7 emergency coordinates. We have launched an online drive to register Indian Nationals in Vietnam. We are encouraging them to contact us for any assistance from Visa extension, any logistics or subsistence needs that are required to make their extended stay in Vietnam manageable. At the same time, the Indian community in Vietnam and the community organisation like the Indian business chamber have been extremely helpful in playing a proactive role in establishing contacts through social media networks within the larger community to ensure that any person in need is quickly identified and reached out to. We are also in touch with the Vietnamese authorities to seek assistance in making sure those currently held back in Vietnam do not face any undue hardships. Thankfully, we have had no cases of Indian nationals in Vietnam catching the COVID virus infection. In short, other than return to India, which is not something which we can control from here, we stand ready to extend and are extending all possible assistance to make the stay of our stranded citizens in Vietnam as convenient as practically possible. WION: How are India and Vietnam cooperating on COVID pandemic? Are we sending HCQ or importing kits or anything? Pranay Verma: India and Vietnam have maintained close contact during the fight against COVID 19. PM Modi spoke telephonically to Vietnamese PM on April 13th and discussed the situation arising out of the pandemic and the steps our two countries are taking to address the challenge. We are also engaged via diplomatic channels, exchanging information on best practices. India traditionally plays the role of a major provider of pharmaceuticals to Vietnam and this engagement has continued during COVID 19 outbreak. If you look at the way both India and Vietnam have approached the COVID 19 pandemic, there are many similarities in terms of early and precise actions taken, including travel restrictions, containment strategies- quarantine and social distancing enforcements, contact tracing etc. while ensuring at the same time significant ramping up of medical preparedness. Largely as a result of these actions, one can say, both countries have been able to witness among the lowest per capita incidence of infections. WION: Have we shared any Indian containment model or anything to learn from Vietnam's containment model? Pranay Verma: As I said, we are closely engaged with Vietnam, by exchanging information and best practices and prevention and containment strategies. We are providing detailed briefings to the Vietnamese side on actions India is taking. The Vietnamese side has appreciated the enormity and scale of action taken in India to enforce social distancing through the lockdown. Similarly, we are also regularly updating authorities in India about developments in Vietnam, their best practices, achievements including indigenous development of testing kits, use of technology in contact tracing, enforcing social distancing and the overall success in managing the pandemic. WION: How has the ground situation in Vietnam changed, how are Indian diplomats faring? Pranay Verma: As of date, COVID situation in Vietnam appears to have been largely contained. Vietnam has reported 271 total positive cases since the first case was reported in late January. Vietnam has not seen any case of community transmission since around the middle of April. Thanks for inquiring about the well being of our diplomats and our officials. Throughout social distancing restrictions that were put in place in Vietnam since April 1, the embassy and our consulate general has remained open, though with reduced staff strength. We have been particularly alert that our consular services are not disrupted and that we are actively able to extend consular assistance to Indian nationals throughout this period. With social distancing norms now relaxed since April 22nd, life seems to be gradually coming back to normal, schools have reopened from this week and we are also back to work in full strength and all our diplomats, officials and local staffs are in good spirits.

India's scale of action on COVID-19 containment appreciated by Hanoi: Indian envoy to Vietnam

Electricians, plumbers, part-time house helps and other workers took tentative steps back to work on Monday as large parts of India, including the national capital, entered the third phase of the lockdown with curbs eased in some places.

As spring slipped into summer and the lockdown, which began on March 25, continued, people waited eagerly for electricians to service air-conditioners, plumbers to repair washing machines and broken taps, domestics to get back for the deep cleaning that never did get done and a host of other urgent jobs.

On the other end of the spectrum were the band of workers, trained in myriad necessary jobs that keep the household machine going smoothly, who found themselves without jobs and money.

Many of them, like Manoj Koli, an electrician for over 20 years, said they were reduced to scrambling for food and the lifting of some lockdown restrictions will hopefully mean a semblance of normalcy.

"I haven't earned a single rupee since March 21. It will be difficult to get back to work until electrical shops selling spare parts like wires and sockets also open. It is still too early to tell," Mr Manoj told PTI.

"With some electrical shops now open, that problem should hopefully be resolved. But I should get some work before all of that," the electrician, who lives in south Delhi's Dakshinpuri locality with his parents, wife and children, added.

The lockdown, to curtail the spread of coronavirus, has been extended for two weeks till at least May 17. Several restrictions have been lifted and several remain.

Declaring that the time had come to reopen Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday evening, "Self-employed people like technicians, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, sanitation workers, domestic helps, and people involved with laundry and ironing are allowed to work."

Navigating the coronavirus crisis, which has pushed Indians into the four walls of their homes, has been traumatic for everybody, but most of all perhaps for those like Manoj who depend on their everyday work to make a living.

He said the pandemic could not have come at a worse time.

Every April, he would be flooded with calls for AC servicing and repairs from his clients and could manage to make as much as Rs 40,000 a month.

This year, the calls didn't come and neither did the money.

There are lakhs of people like Mr Manoj.

According to Rajesh Kumar of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), the Delhi government does not have any official records of the numbers of unorganised skilled labour, including plumbers, electricians and carpenters. But it could be as high as six-seven lakh.

"The government should have created a record of these people before announcing a lockdown. It is understandable that the lockdown has been extended, but the government should have also been prepared with solutions for the problems of all kinds of people in the state," the IFTU general secretary said.

Subhash Mohanty, a plumber, said he is grateful he could procure the Delhi government's rations soon after the lockdown was announced.

"There has been no work for the last one month. I got some calls for work in the last few days, but I had to turn them down because there is a coronavirus case in my area, and I cannot step out of here," Mohanty, who stays in Tughlakabad Extension with his wife and two children, said.

Bikram Kumar, who works as a carpenter in south Delhi localities, said surviving the lockdown is getting more difficult each day and he can't wait to get back to work.

On a good month, he would make between Rs 10-20,000 a month, a part of which he would send to his home in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district where his wife and four children live. Since the lockdown, he has barely managed to make enough to feed himself and said he has been surviving on biscuits and water.

"Had there been public transport, I would have gone back home. At least, we have produce from farms. Now crops are also getting spoilt because nobody is there to harvest them," Bikram, who lives with his nephew in Lal Kuan area near Okhla industrial estate, said.

The last few weeks have been an emotional and financial drain for those like Kobita who came back to work on Monday to clean and cook in homes.

"During the lockdown period, I tried to go to some of my employers' houses to collect my salary but was stopped by police. Today, many junctions opened up, and it was a relief. I was getting worried that many of my employers won't call me back at all," said Kobita, who works in Chittaranjan Park in south Delhi.

With no public transport, she now has to walk about 30 minutes from her home but is not complaining.

"At least I have work," she said.

If Kobita, Manoj, Subhash and Bikram are desperate to get back to work, homemakers like Lata Srinivasan are equally anxious for them to attend to long pending jobs.

Almost every house is in need of an electrician who can service their ACs, but most are wary about inviting any outsider into their homes for fear of contracting the disease that has infected over 42,000 people in India and killed at least 1,373.

The total number of cases in Delhi has crossed 4,500 with 64 fatalities.

Srinivasan (68), is stuck with two unserviced ACs and a broken refrigerator in this heat and could not do anything about it because her society was not letting any service personnel in.

Her 10 year-old fridge finally gave up three days into the lockdown, and since then she has been figuring out ways to prevent her perishable food from going bad.

"I was buying vegetables once in two days, and keeping them in the open under the fan," Ms Srinivasan, who lives in an apartment complex in IP Extension in east Delhi, said.

Her society allowed electricians and plumbers to work from Monday but with strict instructions.

"We need to buy masks, gloves, and sanitisers for the technicians. They need to fill up a form giving their personal details at the society office, where their tools will be sanitised, and then the employers need to escort them to and from their houses so they don't go anywhere else," she said.

With the lockdown being relaxed somewhat, she is hoping day-to-day life will become smoother.&nbsp;

Electricians, plumbers, part-time house helps and other workers took tentative steps back to work on Monday as large parts of India, including the national capital, entered the third phase of the lockdown with curbs eased in some places.

Electricians, plumbers, part-time house helps and other workers took tentative steps back to work on Monday as large parts of India, including the national capital, entered the third phase of the lockdown with curbs eased in some places. As spring slipped into summer and the lockdown, which began on March 25, continued, people waited eagerly for electricians to service air-conditioners, plumbers to repair washing machines and broken taps, domestics to get back for the deep cleaning that never did get done and a host of other urgent jobs. On the other end of the spectrum were the band of workers, trained in myriad necessary jobs that keep the household machine going smoothly, who found themselves without jobs and money. Many of them, like Manoj Koli, an electrician for over 20 years, said they were reduced to scrambling for food and the lifting of some lockdown restrictions will hopefully mean a semblance of normalcy. "I haven't earned a single rupee since March 21. It will be difficult to get back to work until electrical shops selling spare parts like wires and sockets also open. It is still too early to tell," Mr Manoj told PTI. "With some electrical shops now open, that problem should hopefully be resolved. But I should get some work before all of that," the electrician, who lives in south Delhi's Dakshinpuri locality with his parents, wife and children, added. The lockdown, to curtail the spread of coronavirus, has been extended for two weeks till at least May 17. Several restrictions have been lifted and several remain. Declaring that the time had come to reopen Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday evening, "Self-employed people like technicians, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, sanitation workers, domestic helps, and people involved with laundry and ironing are allowed to work." Navigating the coronavirus crisis, which has pushed Indians into the four walls of their homes, has been traumatic for everybody, but most of all perhaps for those like Manoj who depend on their everyday work to make a living. He said the pandemic could not have come at a worse time. Every April, he would be flooded with calls for AC servicing and repairs from his clients and could manage to make as much as Rs 40,000 a month. This year, the calls didn't come and neither did the money. There are lakhs of people like Mr Manoj. According to Rajesh Kumar of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), the Delhi government does not have any official records of the numbers of unorganised skilled labour, including plumbers, electricians and carpenters. But it could be as high as six-seven lakh. "The government should have created a record of these people before announcing a lockdown. It is understandable that the lockdown has been extended, but the government should have also been prepared with solutions for the problems of all kinds of people in the state," the IFTU general secretary said. Subhash Mohanty, a plumber, said he is grateful he could procure the Delhi government's rations soon after the lockdown was announced. "There has been no work for the last one month. I got some calls for work in the last few days, but I had to turn them down because there is a coronavirus case in my area, and I cannot step out of here," Mohanty, who stays in Tughlakabad Extension with his wife and two children, said. Bikram Kumar, who works as a carpenter in south Delhi localities, said surviving the lockdown is getting more difficult each day and he can't wait to get back to work. On a good month, he would make between Rs 10-20,000 a month, a part of which he would send to his home in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district where his wife and four children live. Since the lockdown, he has barely managed to make enough to feed himself and said he has been surviving on biscuits and water. "Had there been public transport, I would have gone back home. At least, we have produce from farms. Now crops are also getting spoilt because nobody is there to harvest them," Bikram, who lives with his nephew in Lal Kuan area near Okhla industrial estate, said. The last few weeks have been an emotional and financial drain for those like Kobita who came back to work on Monday to clean and cook in homes. "During the lockdown period, I tried to go to some of my employers' houses to collect my salary but was stopped by police. Today, many junctions opened up, and it was a relief. I was getting worried that many of my employers won't call me back at all," said Kobita, who works in Chittaranjan Park in south Delhi. With no public transport, she now has to walk about 30 minutes from her home but is not complaining. "At least I have work," she said. If Kobita, Manoj, Subhash and Bikram are desperate to get back to work, homemakers like Lata Srinivasan are equally anxious for them to attend to long pending jobs. Almost every house is in need of an electrician who can service their ACs, but most are wary about inviting any outsider into their homes for fear of contracting the disease that has infected over 42,000 people in India and killed at least 1,373. The total number of cases in Delhi has crossed 4,500 with 64 fatalities. Srinivasan (68), is stuck with two unserviced ACs and a broken refrigerator in this heat and could not do anything about it because her society was not letting any service personnel in. Her 10 year-old fridge finally gave up three days into the lockdown, and since then she has been figuring out ways to prevent her perishable food from going bad. "I was buying vegetables once in two days, and keeping them in the open under the fan," Ms Srinivasan, who lives in an apartment complex in IP Extension in east Delhi, said. Her society allowed electricians and plumbers to work from Monday but with strict instructions. "We need to buy masks, gloves, and sanitisers for the technicians. They need to fill up a form giving their personal details at the society office, where their tools will be sanitised, and then the employers need to escort them to and from their houses so they don't go anywhere else," she said. With the lockdown being relaxed somewhat, she is hoping day-to-day life will become smoother.

Lockdown restrictions eased, electricians, house helps take steps back to work

In a bid to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the Bengal’s capital city of Kolkata, Police have formulated guidelines to prevent people from spitting at public places. 
&nbsp; 
According to sources in the Kolkata Police, a person who is caught spitting might invite arrest with a case being registered against him and can be charged a fine between Rs.2,000-Rs.5,000 as per the West Bengal Prohibition of Smoking &amp; Spitting &amp; Protection of Health of Non-Smokers &amp; Minors Act. 
&nbsp; 
Sources reveal top brass of Kolkata Police have asked the field officers to prosecute those who are caught spitting in place of public work or use as per the West Bengal Prohibition of Smoking &amp; Spitting &amp; Protection of Health of Non-Smokers &amp; Minors Act. 
&nbsp; 
“This Act allows a person to be prosecuted who spits in place of public work or use like - auditoriums, hospital buildings, health institutions, educational institutions, libraries, court buildings, public offices and public conveyances including Railways,” said a senior official of Kolkata Police. 
&nbsp; 
He further added, “In case of a person is caught spitting in thoroughfares or open maidan, he will be prosecuted under the Calcutta Police Act or the Disaster Management Act.” 
&nbsp; 
Kolkata Police on Wednesday registered the first case under the West Bengal Prohibition of Smoking &amp; Spitting &amp; Protection of Health of Non-Smokers &amp; Minors Act in the lockdown period. 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;A 55-year-old Kumar Gourisaria was prosecuted by New Alipore Police Station on Wednesday for spitting in a public place.

In a bid to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the Bengal’s capital city of Kolkata, Police have formulated guidelines to prevent people from spitting at public places.

In a bid to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the Bengal’s capital city of Kolkata, Police have formulated guidelines to prevent people from spitting at public places. According to sources in the Kolkata Police, a person who is caught spitting might invite arrest with a case being registered against him and can be charged a fine between Rs.2,000-Rs.5,000 as per the West Bengal Prohibition of Smoking & Spitting & Protection of Health of Non-Smokers & Minors Act. Sources reveal top brass of Kolkata Police have asked the field officers to prosecute those who are caught spitting in place of public work or use as per the West Bengal Prohibition of Smoking & Spitting & Protection of Health of Non-Smokers & Minors Act. “This Act allows a person to be prosecuted who spits in place of public work or use like - auditoriums, hospital buildings, health institutions, educational institutions, libraries, court buildings, public offices and public conveyances including Railways,” said a senior official of Kolkata Police. He further added, “In case of a person is caught spitting in thoroughfares or open maidan, he will be prosecuted under the Calcutta Police Act or the Disaster Management Act.” Kolkata Police on Wednesday registered the first case under the West Bengal Prohibition of Smoking & Spitting & Protection of Health of Non-Smokers & Minors Act in the lockdown period. A 55-year-old Kumar Gourisaria was prosecuted by New Alipore Police Station on Wednesday for spitting in a public place.

Coronavirus: Spitting in public places in Kolkata might invite arrest by police

Two days after cops were attacked in Howrah’s Tikiapara area, the main instigators were arrested on Thursday. 
&nbsp; 
Two main instigators were identified and arrested by Howrah City Police, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 12. 
&nbsp; 
On Tuesday evening, police officers from Howrah City Police got information that some people were were violating the lockdown and were out on the streets. 
&nbsp; 
Immediately a team of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and other officers from Tikiapara Police Out Post were rushed to the spot. However, suddenly the gathering grew bigger with people stepping out of their homes. 
&nbsp; 
Immediately the RAF team and other officers were pushed to a cornered and the locals began chasing them. In no time, the locals started pelting stones and hurled bottles at them. Two police vehicles were vandalised, ransacked and the Tikipara Police Out Post was attacked too. 
&nbsp; 
As many as three police officials suffered injuries. 
&nbsp; 
Three FIRs were registered and ten persons involved in the attack on cops were arrested on Wednesday.

Two days after cops were attacked in Howrah’s Tikiapara area, the main instigators were arrested on Thursday. Two main instigators were identified and arrested by Howrah City Police, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 12.

Two days after cops were attacked in Howrah’s Tikiapara area, the main instigators were arrested on Thursday. Two main instigators were identified and arrested by Howrah City Police, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 12. On Tuesday evening, police officers from Howrah City Police got information that some people were were violating the lockdown and were out on the streets. Immediately a team of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and other officers from Tikiapara Police Out Post were rushed to the spot. However, suddenly the gathering grew bigger with people stepping out of their homes. Immediately the RAF team and other officers were pushed to a cornered and the locals began chasing them. In no time, the locals started pelting stones and hurled bottles at them. Two police vehicles were vandalised, ransacked and the Tikipara Police Out Post was attacked too. As many as three police officials suffered injuries. Three FIRs were registered and ten persons involved in the attack on cops were arrested on Wednesday.

Attack on police in Bengal's COVID hotspot Howrah: Main instigators nabbed

As the lockdown 2.0 is coming close to its end date, people are wondering if the lockdown will be lifted this time, or will it be extended for a lockdown 3.0. While it is being believed that the lockdown has helped India get control of the situation, the number of positive cases that are on a rise tell a scary story.

According to official figures released, 73 people have died in the last 24 hours, recording the biggest jump in the number of deaths in a day. The number of positive coronavirus cases as well as the death count has doubled in the past 10 days.

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According to the latest figures from the Union Health Ministry, as much as 1,007 people have died of coronavirus in the country and 31,332 cases have been reported so far.&nbsp;

While the plasma therapy is giving some hope to the citizens, ICMR has said that currently there are no approved, definitive therapies for coronavirus. The government has also announced plasma therapy is still in an experimental stage and can even prove life-threatening for a patient.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-activates-currency-swap-to-help-the-maldives-amid-covid-19-295380">Also read: India activates currency swap to help the Maldives amid COVID-19</a>

In India, Maharashtra is still the worst-affected state as more than 729 new cases were reported taking the total toll to 9,318, and the death toll to nearly 400 as the state reported its highest single-day death count of 31.

Delhi has recorded a total of 3,108 positive cases as a CRPF battalion in Delhi has reported 47 cases of coronavirus, including one jawan who died yesterday. Following this news, the entire battalion of nearly 1,000 personnel has been quarantined.

Tamil Nadu, too, has been fighting its battle by implementing a four-day intense lockdown in Chennai and Coimbatore, and a three-day lockdown in &nbsp;Salem and Tirupur, which ended last night. Coronavirus cases in the state crossed the 2,000-mark, with 25 reported deaths.

As people wait for a decision on the extension or lifting up of the lockdown, there has been no official word from the government yet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the Chief Ministers on a video meeting. It is being speculated that the lockdown could continue beyond May 3 in parts of the country which have been worst affected by the pandemic.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, on Tuesday, said that the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases has slowed to 10.9, with a recovery rate of 24.56 per cent.

As the lockdown 2.0 is coming close to its end date, people are wondering if the lockdown will be lifted this time, or will it be extended for a lockdown 3.0. While it is being believed that the lockdown has helped India get control of the situation, the number of positive cases that are on a rise tell a scary story.

As the lockdown 2.0 is coming close to its end date, people are wondering if the lockdown will be lifted this time, or will it be extended for a lockdown 3.0. While it is being believed that the lockdown has helped India get control of the situation, the number of positive cases that are on a rise tell a scary story. According to official figures released, 73 people have died in the last 24 hours, recording the biggest jump in the number of deaths in a day. The number of positive coronavirus cases as well as the death count has doubled in the past 10 days. Also read: India slams US body for accusing it of violating religious freedom According to the latest figures from the Union Health Ministry, as much as 1,007 people have died of coronavirus in the country and 31,332 cases have been reported so far. While the plasma therapy is giving some hope to the citizens, ICMR has said that currently there are no approved, definitive therapies for coronavirus. The government has also announced plasma therapy is still in an experimental stage and can even prove life-threatening for a patient. Also read: India activates currency swap to help the Maldives amid COVID-19 In India, Maharashtra is still the worst-affected state as more than 729 new cases were reported taking the total toll to 9,318, and the death toll to nearly 400 as the state reported its highest single-day death count of 31. Delhi has recorded a total of 3,108 positive cases as a CRPF battalion in Delhi has reported 47 cases of coronavirus, including one jawan who died yesterday. Following this news, the entire battalion of nearly 1,000 personnel has been quarantined. Tamil Nadu, too, has been fighting its battle by implementing a four-day intense lockdown in Chennai and Coimbatore, and a three-day lockdown in Salem and Tirupur, which ended last night. Coronavirus cases in the state crossed the 2,000-mark, with 25 reported deaths. As people wait for a decision on the extension or lifting up of the lockdown, there has been no official word from the government yet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the Chief Ministers on a video meeting. It is being speculated that the lockdown could continue beyond May 3 in parts of the country which have been worst affected by the pandemic. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, on Tuesday, said that the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases has slowed to 10.9, with a recovery rate of 24.56 per cent.

Coronavirus deaths cross the 1,000 mark in India, biggest jump in last 24 hours

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India rose to 29,435 on Tuesday with 62 deaths and 1543 new cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.&nbsp;

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday reported that the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rises to 29435 including 21632 active cases, 6868 cured/discharged, 934 deaths and 1 migrated.

Maharashtra continued to be the worst-hit state with the total number of COVID-19 cases at 8,590.

Meanwhile, the overall number of COVID-19 cases worldwide increased to 2,878,196 and the death count reached 198,668. There are 1,359,380 confirmed cases and 124,525 deaths in Europe. The number of cases in the Americas total 1,140,520, with 58,492 deaths.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India rose to 29,435 on Tuesday with 62 deaths and 1543 new cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India rose to 29,435 on Tuesday with 62 deaths and 1543 new cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday reported that the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rises to 29435 including 21632 active cases, 6868 cured/discharged, 934 deaths and 1 migrated. Maharashtra continued to be the worst-hit state with the total number of COVID-19 cases at 8,590. Meanwhile, the overall number of COVID-19 cases worldwide increased to 2,878,196 and the death count reached 198,668. There are 1,359,380 confirmed cases and 124,525 deaths in Europe. The number of cases in the Americas total 1,140,520, with 58,492 deaths.

India sees sharpest death count rise; total Covid-19 cases 29,435

The inter-ministerial central teams on COVID-19 assessment in West Bengal on Monday toured several areas of East Midnapore and Jalpaiguri districts to take stock of the situation at hospitals and oversee the implementation of lockdown norms.

The team in Kolkata, led by senior bureaucrat Apurba Chandra, went to Tamluk, Haldia and Paskura in East Midnapore district. It visited the Baroma Covid Hospital, Paskura, District Hospital in Tamluk and S D Hospital in Haldia.

“At all the three hospitals, the team met senior officials and hospital superintendents. They took stock of the situation, inquired about minute details and data of the patients,” a state government official said.

In Jalpaiguri district, the central team led by senior official Vineet Joshi visited various hospitals and quarantine centres.

“They visited COVID-19 hospitals at Rajganj and Biswa Bangla Sports Centre and a few quarantine centres,” another official said.

Joshi, while speaking to reporters, later, said in several areas, people were not adhering to lockdown norms.

There has been a war of words between the West Bengal government and the Centre over the arrival of the two central teams in the state to assess the coronavirus situation. The teams have visited several hospitals and hotspot areas in the past couple of days to look into the state’s preparedness for tackling the COVID-19 outbreak.

The inter-ministerial central teams on COVID-19 assessment in West Bengal on Monday toured several areas of East Midnapore and Jalpaiguri districts to take stock of the situation at hospitals and oversee the implementation of lockdown norms.

The inter-ministerial central teams on COVID-19 assessment in West Bengal on Monday toured several areas of East Midnapore and Jalpaiguri districts to take stock of the situation at hospitals and oversee the implementation of lockdown norms. The team in Kolkata, led by senior bureaucrat Apurba Chandra, went to Tamluk, Haldia and Paskura in East Midnapore district. It visited the Baroma Covid Hospital, Paskura, District Hospital in Tamluk and S D Hospital in Haldia. “At all the three hospitals, the team met senior officials and hospital superintendents. They took stock of the situation, inquired about minute details and data of the patients,” a state government official said. In Jalpaiguri district, the central team led by senior official Vineet Joshi visited various hospitals and quarantine centres. “They visited COVID-19 hospitals at Rajganj and Biswa Bangla Sports Centre and a few quarantine centres,” another official said. Joshi, while speaking to reporters, later, said in several areas, people were not adhering to lockdown norms. There has been a war of words between the West Bengal government and the Centre over the arrival of the two central teams in the state to assess the coronavirus situation. The teams have visited several hospitals and hotspot areas in the past couple of days to look into the state’s preparedness for tackling the COVID-19 outbreak.

COVID-19: Central teams visit East Midnapore, Jalpaiguri to asses situation

The Kerala BJP on Monday criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not participating in the video conference called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation arising due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country.&nbsp;

BJP state chief K Surendran said while the whole country was fighting the pandemic together, it was “inappropriate” on part of the Kerala chief minister to miss the meeting.

“Kerala chief minister said he had attended the last meeting and hence he did not attend today’s meeting. However, most of the chief ministers, who attended the last meeting, had attended Monday’s meeting. While the whole country is fighting the pandemic together, his absence cannot be justified,” Surendran said in a statement.

However, Vijayan, in his daily COVID-19 evaluation press meet, said the Union cabinet secretary had on Sunday informed that only a few chief ministers will have a chance to speak at the video conference.

“We were asked to share the topics which we would like to share in the video conference. We had informed the cabinet secretary about it on Sunday itself. The cabinet secretary had informed us that only a few chief ministers will get a chance to speak during the conference,” Vijayan said.

Only nine chief ministers got the chance to speak during the video conference called by the prime minister. Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose participated in the conference.

Kerala had informed the cabinet secretary about the concerns of the state government on Sunday itself. Vijayan said the state government had said that the lockdown could be extended partially till May 15.

The Kerala BJP on Monday criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not participating in the video conference called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation arising due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The Kerala BJP on Monday criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not participating in the video conference called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation arising due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country. BJP state chief K Surendran said while the whole country was fighting the pandemic together, it was “inappropriate” on part of the Kerala chief minister to miss the meeting. “Kerala chief minister said he had attended the last meeting and hence he did not attend today’s meeting. However, most of the chief ministers, who attended the last meeting, had attended Monday’s meeting. While the whole country is fighting the pandemic together, his absence cannot be justified,” Surendran said in a statement. However, Vijayan, in his daily COVID-19 evaluation press meet, said the Union cabinet secretary had on Sunday informed that only a few chief ministers will have a chance to speak at the video conference. “We were asked to share the topics which we would like to share in the video conference. We had informed the cabinet secretary about it on Sunday itself. The cabinet secretary had informed us that only a few chief ministers will get a chance to speak during the conference,” Vijayan said. Only nine chief ministers got the chance to speak during the video conference called by the prime minister. Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose participated in the conference. Kerala had informed the cabinet secretary about the concerns of the state government on Sunday itself. Vijayan said the state government had said that the lockdown could be extended partially till May 15.

‘Cannot be justified’: BJP slams Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for skipping PM Modi’s COVID-19 meet with chief ministers

The extension of lockdown in the country was discussed in the video-conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of nine states on Monday. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/coronavirus-cases-in-india-rise-to-27892-with-872-deaths-click-for-state-wise-status-294960">Coronavirus cases in India rise to 27,892 with 872 deaths | click for state-wise status</a> 
 
PM Modi assured the states that the economy is in good shape and there is no need to worry.

The chief ministers who attended the meeting included Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra), E K Palaniswami (Tamil Nadu), Conrad Sangma (Meghalaya) Trivendra Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand) and Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh).

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-to-cms-in-video-conference-nationwide-lockdown-in-india-helping-alot-to-contain-coronavirus-spread-295038/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the reports more than seven states have asked for lockdown extension. Few CMs wanted lockdown should be eased in non-corona zones and economic activities be allowed.

Odisha has requested for one more month of lockdown and Bihar has asked more PPE kits.

"I have demanded that lockdown should continue otherwise we can't face these things in Odisha. Let it be one month more, then, we will see what is going on," Odisha Health Minister Naba Das, who was present along with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the video conference, said. 
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 
This was the fourth such interaction since March 22 when he first spoke to them on the pandemic, Modi also highlighted the importance for states to enforce prescribed guidelines strictly in the coronavirus hotspots zones, the government said in a statement.

What PM Modi said in the meeting?

<ul>
	<li>Lockdown has yielded positive results, the country has managed to save thousands of lives in the past 1.5 months.</li>
	<li>Our aim must be the rapid response, need to follow the mantra of ‘do gaz doori’.</li>
	<li>PM said that efforts of states should be directed towards converting the red zones into orange and thereafter to green zones.</li>
	<li>We have to be brave and bring in reforms that touch the lives of common citizens.</li>
	<li>We have to give importance to the economy as well as continue the fight against covid-19.</li>
	<li>Impact of coronavirus will remain visible in the coming months, masks and face covers will be part of our life.</li>
	<li>CMs provide feedback, suggest measures to meet economic challenges and boost health infrastructure.</li>
</ul>

 
Today's meeting comes just a week ahead of the scheduled ending of the nationwide lockdown. On March 24, the Prime Minister had announced a 21-day lockdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. The lockdown was later extended till May 3.

(With inputs from agencies)

The extension of lockdown in the country was discussed in the video-conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of nine states on Monday.

The extension of lockdown in the country was discussed in the video-conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of nine states on Monday. Coronavirus cases in India rise to 27,892 with 872 deaths | click for state-wise status PM Modi assured the states that the economy is in good shape and there is no need to worry. The chief ministers who attended the meeting included Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra), E K Palaniswami (Tamil Nadu), Conrad Sangma (Meghalaya) Trivendra Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand) and Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh). According to the reports more than seven states have asked for lockdown extension. Few CMs wanted lockdown should be eased in non-corona zones and economic activities be allowed. Odisha has requested for one more month of lockdown and Bihar has asked more PPE kits. "I have demanded that lockdown should continue otherwise we can't face these things in Odisha. Let it be one month more, then, we will see what is going on," Odisha Health Minister Naba Das, who was present along with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the video conference, said. This was the fourth such interaction since March 22 when he first spoke to them on the pandemic, Modi also highlighted the importance for states to enforce prescribed guidelines strictly in the coronavirus hotspots zones, the government said in a statement. What PM Modi said in the meeting? Lockdown has yielded positive results, the country has managed to save thousands of lives in the past 1.5 months. Our aim must be the rapid response, need to follow the mantra of ‘do gaz doori’. PM said that efforts of states should be directed towards converting the red zones into orange and thereafter to green zones. We have to be brave and bring in reforms that touch the lives of common citizens. We have to give importance to the economy as well as continue the fight against covid-19. Impact of coronavirus will remain visible in the coming months, masks and face covers will be part of our life. CMs provide feedback, suggest measures to meet economic challenges and boost health infrastructure. Today's meeting comes just a week ahead of the scheduled ending of the nationwide lockdown. On March 24, the Prime Minister had announced a 21-day lockdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. The lockdown was later extended till May 3. (With inputs from agencies)

Lockdown has yielded positive results, says PM; States want extension with relaxations

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday reported that countrywide COVID-19 death toll has reached 872 while the number of cases climbed to 27892.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-positive-cases-near-3-million-mark-globally-death-toll-passes-2-lacs-294998">Also read: COVID-19 positive cases near 3-million mark globally; death toll passes 2 lacs</a> 
 
​​​​​​​According to the available data, the total cases in the country reached 27892, including 6184 cured/discharged/migrated and 872 deaths. In the past 24 hours, 1,396 new cases of coronavirus and 48 deaths were reported. The total number of cases in Maharashtra, the worst affected state by Covid-19, has risen to 8068 with 342 deaths.

Through a graded, pre-emptive and pro-active approach, the Government of India is taking several steps along with the states/UTs for prevention, containment and management of COVID-19. These are being regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has said that a total of 280 government laboratories in the country are conducting tests for Covid-19. ICMR also released a list of 90 private labs which will conduct the testing.

Here is the total coronavirus cases in India, state-wise

Andaman and Nicobar Islands - 33

Andhra Pradesh - 1097

Arunachal Pradesh - 1

Assam - 36

Bihar - 274

Chandigarh - 30

Chhattisgarh - 37

Delhi - 2918

Goa - 7

Gujarat - 3301

Haryana - 289

Himachal Pradesh - 40

Jammu and Kashmir - 523

Jharkhand -82

Karnataka - 503

Kerala - 458

Ladakh - 20

Madhya Pradesh - 2096

Maharashtra - 8068

Manipur - 2

Meghalaya - 12

Mizoram - 1

Odisha - 103

Puducherry - 7

Punjab - 7

Rajasthan - 2185

Tamil Nadu - 1885

Telangana - 1002

Tripura - 2

Uttarakhand - 50

Uttar Pradesh - 1868

West Bengal - 649

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with the Chief Ministers of all states today amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Meanwhile, the Indian government is planning to evacuate the countrymen stranded in different countries after the nationwide lockdown is lifted. Indian missions in different countries are laying the groundwork for the same and holding consultations with authorities.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, India's Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a video conference with chief secretaries of all states and union territories on the situation on lockdown in the country and resumption of economic activities.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday reported that countrywide COVID-19 death toll has reached 872 while the number of cases climbed to 27892. Also read: COVID-19 positive cases near 3-million mark globally; death toll passes 2 lacs According to the available data, the total cases in the country reached 27892, including 6184 cured/discharged/migrated and 872 deaths.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday reported that countrywide COVID-19 death toll has reached 872 while the number of cases climbed to 27892. Also read: COVID-19 positive cases near 3-million mark globally; death toll passes 2 lacs According to the available data, the total cases in the country reached 27892, including 6184 cured/discharged/migrated and 872 deaths. In the past 24 hours, 1,396 new cases of coronavirus and 48 deaths were reported. The total number of cases in Maharashtra, the worst affected state by Covid-19, has risen to 8068 with 342 deaths. Through a graded, pre-emptive and pro-active approach, the Government of India is taking several steps along with the states/UTs for prevention, containment and management of COVID-19. These are being regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said. The Indian Council of Medical Research has said that a total of 280 government laboratories in the country are conducting tests for Covid-19. ICMR also released a list of 90 private labs which will conduct the testing. Here is the total coronavirus cases in India, state-wise Andaman and Nicobar Islands - 33 Andhra Pradesh - 1097 Arunachal Pradesh - 1 Assam - 36 Bihar - 274 Chandigarh - 30 Chhattisgarh - 37 Delhi - 2918 Goa - 7 Gujarat - 3301 Haryana - 289 Himachal Pradesh - 40 Jammu and Kashmir - 523 Jharkhand -82 Karnataka - 503 Kerala - 458 Ladakh - 20 Madhya Pradesh - 2096 Maharashtra - 8068 Manipur - 2 Meghalaya - 12 Mizoram - 1 Odisha - 103 Puducherry - 7 Punjab - 7 Rajasthan - 2185 Tamil Nadu - 1885 Telangana - 1002 Tripura - 2 Uttarakhand - 50 Uttar Pradesh - 1868 West Bengal - 649 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with the Chief Ministers of all states today amid the coronavirus lockdown. Meanwhile, the Indian government is planning to evacuate the countrymen stranded in different countries after the nationwide lockdown is lifted. Indian missions in different countries are laying the groundwork for the same and holding consultations with authorities. Earlier this week, India's Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a video conference with chief secretaries of all states and union territories on the situation on lockdown in the country and resumption of economic activities.

Coronavirus cases in India rise to 27,892 with 872 deaths | click for state-wise status

Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that 1490 new cases and 56 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours.

India's total number of coronavirus positive cases has crossed 24,942 (including 18,953 active cases, 5210 cured/discharged/migrated and 779 deaths), according to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.&nbsp;

Seven new cases of coronavirus were reported from Kerala on Saturday taking the total number of infected persons in the state to 457 and seven people were cured, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Meanwhile, four more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Ranchi on Saturday, said Ranchi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) director Dr DK Singh.

Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that 1490 new cases and 56 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours. India's total number of coronavirus positive cases has crossed 24,942 (including 18,953 active cases, 5210 cured/discharged/migrated and 779 deaths), according to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that 1490 new cases and 56 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours. India's total number of coronavirus positive cases has crossed 24,942 (including 18,953 active cases, 5210 cured/discharged/migrated and 779 deaths), according to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Seven new cases of coronavirus were reported from Kerala on Saturday taking the total number of infected persons in the state to 457 and seven people were cured, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. Meanwhile, four more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Ranchi on Saturday, said Ranchi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) director Dr DK Singh.

COVID-19 death toll touches 779 as number of cases rises to 24,942 in India

Hundreds of officials in Nanjangud, Mysuru are working round the clock. Quarantined persons are receiving calls twice a day, teams are dispatched to check on their status, samples being collected of close to 800 people and the region has been put on complete lockdown, there is no movement into or out of the zone except for essential supplies.&nbsp;

Mysuru is one of the COVID-19 hotspots identified by the Union Health Ministry after one employee of a pharmaceutical company in Nanjangud tested positive on March 26. The patient, P52, is the third positive case from the district and has no travel history or contact history with a positive case. &nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-trump-agree-to-deploy-full-strength-of-india-us-partnership-to-fight-covid-19-290605">Modi, Trump agree to deploy full strength of India-US partnership to fight COVID-19</a>

From one case in Nanjangud on March 26, the number has risen to 21 in the cluster(as of April 4) - with most of the infected persons being employees of Jubilant Generics, the company that is engaged in manufacturing ingredients for pharmaceutical companies. The source of the infection continues to evade authorities. The state government has now termed this a "Cluster Containment Area".&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-cases-in-india-rise-to-3113-death-toll-nears-100-mark-290625">COVID-19 cases in India rise to 3,113, &nbsp;death toll nears 100-mark</a>

"We have made Nanjangud and surrounding areas a Cluster Containment Area. We don’t call it a red zone. We call it a Cluster Containment area, that is the term we use as per the guidelines of the Department of Health and Family Welfare. The Cluster Containment protocol says that the city has to be sealed, entry and exit should be completely barred except for basic essentials like groceries, medicines which go to the city. Nobody leaves, nobody comes in."&nbsp;says Abhiram Shankar, District Commissioner, Mysuru. &nbsp;

The Nanjangud cluster case revolves around Jubilant Generics. P52, is an employee in the quality control section. He was displaying pneumonia-like symptoms and had been admitted to a private hospital. According to the district DC, the private hospital sent his samples to the government lab in Mysore Medical College and the samples tested positive for the virus setting alarm bells ringing.&nbsp;

Watch: PM Modi's call to switch off lights on Sunday creates panic

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The district administration moved quickly screening all 1000+ employees in the company. So far close to 800 of them have been home quarantined. In all 1623 people have been identified and quarantined in Mysuru district. While a majority of them are in Nanjangud city, the rest are scattered in Mysuru city, HD Kote, parts of rural Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and a few other neighbouring districts.&nbsp;

The region spread across Nanjangud city limits and adjoining residential areas have been put on complete lockdown. Only one highway is open for essential goods with separate entry and exit points.

"The interstate highway that connects Karnataka with Tamil Nadu and Kerala passes through Nanjangud. That is the only highway we have kept open for entry and exits for these essential services. So any vehicle that is travelling from the city to Tamil Nadu has to take a roundabout route of an extra 35kms, circumnavigate the city and exit without entering the city. These measures have been in place since March 27."&nbsp;says Abhiram. &nbsp;

Before the Nanjangud cluster came to light, Mysuru had developed a system to track over 1400 foreign returnees.

The district had set up a call centre with 15 callers, who call each of those under home quarantine twice a day to check on them. If any of the persons fail to answer the call, then a team is dispatched to physically check on them.&nbsp;

‘The same system has been replicated for Nanjangud as almost 800 people are quarantined in the region. We have a call centre opened in Nanjangud with trained persons, who call the isolated persons twice and day and whoever does not respond then a team is dispatched to check on them. The neighbourhood residents have also been told to inform officials if the quarantined persons are seen outside their homes.The district superintendent has also allotted 10-15 quarantined houses to each police constable. The constables are given the responsibility to check on each of the houses every day.’ says the Mysuru DC.

When asked how many officials are working on ground to contain the spread, the DC tells WION that it is hard to put a number to it as the mechanism has been decentralised. Taluk level officials have been decentralised and a Taluk level response team of 5 persons has been formed. The five officials are free to delegate and take any official from any department to carry out the duty. ‘We have hundreds of officers working on the field.’ says Abhiram. &nbsp;

The screening centre and Covid-19 hospital are both based in Mysuru city. Any symptomatic patient is shifted to Mysuru, if found positive they continue to be treated there, if found negative they are shifted back to their homes. The system has worked well so far in containing the spread, and also ensuring that fewer healthcare workers are in need of protective gear like PPE suits.

Another challenge that officials are facing is that of crowd control. Despite the national lockdown and the region sealing off, residents in Mysuru continue to step out every day to visit the vegetable markets. While the awareness is increasing with each passing day, police are often forced to dispatch teams to disperse crowds that gather in the evenings.

But what about the source of the infection? Can this be classified as a case of community transfer? The DC and Commissioner of the Department of Health and Family Welfare continue to assert that this is not a case of community transfer, however the source of the virus is yet to be found. The packaging material of a consignment that had arrived from China to Jubilant Generics has also been tested, but no sign of contamination was found.&nbsp;

But there are also reasons to cheer. The lockdown of the cluster has restricted the positive cases to those under observation, escaping community transfer by just a whisker. ‘People who are already in quarantine are turning positive. It is a good sign that only the primary and secondary contacts of P52 are turning positive. People whom we expect to turn positive are turning positive. There is nothing out of the blue that is happening.’ says the DC.&nbsp;

Hundreds of officials in Nanjangud, Mysuru are working round the clock. Quarantined persons are receiving calls twice a day, teams are dispatched to check on their status, samples being collected of close to 800 people and the region has been put on complete lockdown, there is no movement into or out of the zone except for essential supplies.

Hundreds of officials in Nanjangud, Mysuru are working round the clock. Quarantined persons are receiving calls twice a day, teams are dispatched to check on their status, samples being collected of close to 800 people and the region has been put on complete lockdown, there is no movement into or out of the zone except for essential supplies. Mysuru is one of the COVID-19 hotspots identified by the Union Health Ministry after one employee of a pharmaceutical company in Nanjangud tested positive on March 26. The patient, P52, is the third positive case from the district and has no travel history or contact history with a positive case. Also read: Modi, Trump agree to deploy full strength of India-US partnership to fight COVID-19 From one case in Nanjangud on March 26, the number has risen to 21 in the cluster(as of April 4) - with most of the infected persons being employees of Jubilant Generics, the company that is engaged in manufacturing ingredients for pharmaceutical companies. The source of the infection continues to evade authorities. The state government has now termed this a "Cluster Containment Area". Also read: COVID-19 cases in India rise to 3,113, death toll nears 100-mark "We have made Nanjangud and surrounding areas a Cluster Containment Area. We don’t call it a red zone. We call it a Cluster Containment area, that is the term we use as per the guidelines of the Department of Health and Family Welfare. The Cluster Containment protocol says that the city has to be sealed, entry and exit should be completely barred except for basic essentials like groceries, medicines which go to the city. Nobody leaves, nobody comes in." says Abhiram Shankar, District Commissioner, Mysuru. The Nanjangud cluster case revolves around Jubilant Generics. P52, is an employee in the quality control section. He was displaying pneumonia-like symptoms and had been admitted to a private hospital. According to the district DC, the private hospital sent his samples to the government lab in Mysore Medical College and the samples tested positive for the virus setting alarm bells ringing. Watch: PM Modi's call to switch off lights on Sunday creates panic × The district administration moved quickly screening all 1000+ employees in the company. So far close to 800 of them have been home quarantined. In all 1623 people have been identified and quarantined in Mysuru district. While a majority of them are in Nanjangud city, the rest are scattered in Mysuru city, HD Kote, parts of rural Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and a few other neighbouring districts. The region spread across Nanjangud city limits and adjoining residential areas have been put on complete lockdown. Only one highway is open for essential goods with separate entry and exit points. "The interstate highway that connects Karnataka with Tamil Nadu and Kerala passes through Nanjangud. That is the only highway we have kept open for entry and exits for these essential services. So any vehicle that is travelling from the city to Tamil Nadu has to take a roundabout route of an extra 35kms, circumnavigate the city and exit without entering the city. These measures have been in place since March 27." says Abhiram. Before the Nanjangud cluster came to light, Mysuru had developed a system to track over 1400 foreign returnees. The district had set up a call centre with 15 callers, who call each of those under home quarantine twice a day to check on them. If any of the persons fail to answer the call, then a team is dispatched to physically check on them. ‘The same system has been replicated for Nanjangud as almost 800 people are quarantined in the region. We have a call centre opened in Nanjangud with trained persons, who call the isolated persons twice and day and whoever does not respond then a team is dispatched to check on them. The neighbourhood residents have also been told to inform officials if the quarantined persons are seen outside their homes.The district superintendent has also allotted 10-15 quarantined houses to each police constable. The constables are given the responsibility to check on each of the houses every day.’ says the Mysuru DC. When asked how many officials are working on ground to contain the spread, the DC tells WION that it is hard to put a number to it as the mechanism has been decentralised. Taluk level officials have been decentralised and a Taluk level response team of 5 persons has been formed. The five officials are free to delegate and take any official from any department to carry out the duty. ‘We have hundreds of officers working on the field.’ says Abhiram. The screening centre and Covid-19 hospital are both based in Mysuru city. Any symptomatic patient is shifted to Mysuru, if found positive they continue to be treated there, if found negative they are shifted back to their homes. The system has worked well so far in containing the spread, and also ensuring that fewer healthcare workers are in need of protective gear like PPE suits. Another challenge that officials are facing is that of crowd control. Despite the national lockdown and the region sealing off, residents in Mysuru continue to step out every day to visit the vegetable markets. While the awareness is increasing with each passing day, police are often forced to dispatch teams to disperse crowds that gather in the evenings. But what about the source of the infection? Can this be classified as a case of community transfer? The DC and Commissioner of the Department of Health and Family Welfare continue to assert that this is not a case of community transfer, however the source of the virus is yet to be found. The packaging material of a consignment that had arrived from China to Jubilant Generics has also been tested, but no sign of contamination was found. But there are also reasons to cheer. The lockdown of the cluster has restricted the positive cases to those under observation, escaping community transfer by just a whisker. ‘People who are already in quarantine are turning positive. It is a good sign that only the primary and secondary contacts of P52 are turning positive. People whom we expect to turn positive are turning positive. There is nothing out of the blue that is happening.’ says the DC.

Nanjangud- Inside Karnataka's red zone

The Union Health Ministry today said that bats cannot be ruled out as the primary source of Nipah outbreak, nearly two weeks after a central medical team told it that samples collected from bats in two Kerala districts, where 17 people have died of Nipah infection, tested negative.

The need for new tests to determine the source of Nipah outbreak deepens the mystery behind the spread of the virus.

On May 26, the medical team in its report to the ministry said samples collected from insectivorous bats in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts tested negative.

But Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey said today new samples of 55 fruit bats were collected two days ago and sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

The test results of the fresh samples are awaited.

R R Gangakhedkar, head of Division of Epidemiology Communicable Diseases, Indian Council for Medical Research, said the previous samples were from insectivorous bats, which are not known to be Nipah carriers,&nbsp; 
and not from fruit bats.

Gangakhedkar said an NIV team has collected samples of 55 fruit bats two days ago.

The Nipah virus stays for a short duration in the body of fruit bats as their system is quite capable of fighting it. So even if a bat has been infected by virus earlier, their samples may test negative later.

"Thus, there is a need for a larger sample for testing," he explained. 
The Indian Council of Medical Research has suggested that samples of excreta of fruit bats be collected for testing.

MoS Choubey urged people not to panic as the infection has been contained.

The central medical team is examining the travel history of Mohammad Sabith, 26, the first person to die in the Moosa family that lost four members to the virus infection.

He had travelled to Saudi Arabia, where he worked as a helper and returned to India sometime back.

The central medical team in its report last month had also ruled out pigs to be the primary source of the virus.

A total of 21 samples, including from seven species of bats, two species of pigs, one bovine, and one caprine, were sent to National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and National Institute of Virology in Pune.

These included samples of bats found in the well near a house in Kerala's Perambra from where the initial death was reported.

Seventeen people - 14 in Kozhikode and 3 in Malappuram - have died due to Nipah virus so far.

The need for new tests to determine the source of Nipah outbreak deepens the mystery behind the spread of the virus

The Union Health Ministry today said that bats cannot be ruled out as the primary source of Nipah outbreak, nearly two weeks after a central medical team told it that samples collected from bats in two Kerala districts, where 17 people have died of Nipah infection, tested negative. The need for new tests to determine the source of Nipah outbreak deepens the mystery behind the spread of the virus. On May 26, the medical team in its report to the ministry said samples collected from insectivorous bats in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts tested negative. But Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey said today new samples of 55 fruit bats were collected two days ago and sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. The test results of the fresh samples are awaited. R R Gangakhedkar, head of Division of Epidemiology Communicable Diseases, Indian Council for Medical Research, said the previous samples were from insectivorous bats, which are not known to be Nipah carriers, and not from fruit bats. Gangakhedkar said an NIV team has collected samples of 55 fruit bats two days ago. The Nipah virus stays for a short duration in the body of fruit bats as their system is quite capable of fighting it. So even if a bat has been infected by virus earlier, their samples may test negative later. "Thus, there is a need for a larger sample for testing," he explained. The Indian Council of Medical Research has suggested that samples of excreta of fruit bats be collected for testing. MoS Choubey urged people not to panic as the infection has been contained. The central medical team is examining the travel history of Mohammad Sabith, 26, the first person to die in the Moosa family that lost four members to the virus infection. He had travelled to Saudi Arabia, where he worked as a helper and returned to India sometime back. The central medical team in its report last month had also ruled out pigs to be the primary source of the virus. A total of 21 samples, including from seven species of bats, two species of pigs, one bovine, and one caprine, were sent to National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and National Institute of Virology in Pune. These included samples of bats found in the well near a house in Kerala's Perambra from where the initial death was reported. Seventeen people - 14 in Kozhikode and 3 in Malappuram - have died due to Nipah virus so far.

Bats not ruled out as primary source of Nipah outbreak: Health Ministry