India’s total count of Covid 19 cases has risen by 3,722 in past 24 hours, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 78,003, death toll has risen to 2,549 after 134 deaths were regsitered in past 24 hours, showed latest figures from Health Ministry.
Here are the top 10 developments in India this Wednesday:
1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Co-chair, Bill Gates via video conference. They discussed global response to coronavirus and importance of global coordination on scientific innovation and R&D to combat pandemic, the PMO said.
Prime Minister Modi today interacted with Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation Co-chair, Bill Gates via video conference. The dignitaries discussed global response to #COVID19 & importance of global coordination on scientific innovation & R&D to combat pandemic: Prime Minister's Office pic.twitter.com/Jx8or5B9IB
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2020
2. A total 134 deaths deaths were reported since Wednesday morning, of which 54 were in Maharashtra, 29 in Gujarat, 20 in Delhi, 9 in West Bengal, seven in Madhya Pradesh, four in Rajasthan, three in Tamil Nadu, two each in Telangana and Karnataka and one each in Andhra Pradesh,Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.
3. Union minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that he was “pained” that several states weren’t giving permission for enough ‘shramik special trains’ to bring stranded people to the state.
“West Bengal first gave permission for only two trains,but after Home Minister wrote to state chief minister, then announcement was made that eight more trains will be allowed. But until today afternoon, only five out of those eight trains were allowed by West Bengal government.
4. The Railways has operated 806 Shramik Special trains since May 1, ferrying home 10 lakh migrant workers who were stranded in various parts of the country due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, officials said on Thursday. Of these, Uttar Pradesh received the maximum number of trains followed by Bihar, they said.
As on May 14, 2020, a total of 806 ‘Shramik Special’ trains have been operationalised from various states across the country. More than 10 lakh passengers have reached their home state.
5. The MHA on Thursday issued a guideline allowing hiring of special buses by States/UTs to ferry passengers arriving at railway stations, in view of restrictions of public/private transport during lockdown.
6. After a span of more than a month, Goa reported eight new cases of COVID-19, all of whom arrived in the state from outside. There’s no community transmission in the state through these 8 positive cases, Goa CM Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.
After a span of more than a month, Goa reported eight new cases of #COVID19, all of whom arrived in the state from outside. There's no community transmission in the state through these 8 positive cases: #Goa CM Chief Minister Pramod Sawant pic.twitter.com/jeJIYz8g1i
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) May 14, 2020
7. As many as 68 fresh COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Andhra Pradesh, where the total number of infections rose to 2,205 while one death due to the virus was reported, taking the toll in the state to 48, the health department said on Thursday. Meanwhile Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy discussed the strategies to be followed while exiting the ongoing lockdown to contain the virus spread and he also sought strengthening telemedicine and home delivery of medicines.
8. Online booking and wearing masks will be must for passengers boarding the Haryana Roadways buses which are to start plying on select routes in the state from Friday, said Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma. “No passenger will be allowed to board the bus if online booking has not been done. The bus services will be point-to-point on select routes and wearing masks is mandatory. Thermal screening of passengers will also be done,” Sharma told PTI over phone on Thursday.
9. Students of classes 9 and 11, who failed in the exams this year, will get a one-time opportunity to appear in school-based tests and improve their performance in view of the COVID-19 situation, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced. The board had last month announced promoting all students up to class 8, irrespective of their performance in the exams.
10. Samajwadi party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said both the Union and Uttar Pradesh governments have failed to tackle the coronavirus-triggered crisis due to their “short-sightedness and impractical decisions”. The BJP governments, both in state and the Centre, have failed to deal with the coronavirus crisis due to their short-sightedness and impractical decisions. Instead of taking positive and concrete steps, decisions are being taken only to mislead people,” Akhilesh Yadav said in a statement.