According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 3,92,488 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in India in the last 24 hours.
Top 10 Developments:
1. India reported 3,92,488 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. A total of 3,689 lives were lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, stated the Union Health Ministry.
2. With this, the total number of cases rose up to 1,95,57,457 in India. The total death toll on Sunday morning stood at 2,15,542. Currently, there are 33,49,644 active cases in India.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet experts at 9.30 am today to review oxygen, medicine availability in the country. PM Modi will review the human resource situation in relation to the COVID-19 upsurge and ways to augment it.
4. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) tested 29,01,42,339 COVID-19 samples up to May 1. On Saturday, a total of 18,04,954 samples were tested by the ICMR.
5. On Saturday, CEO of Serum Institute of India took to Twitter and stated that he had a meeting with all the partners and stakeholders in the UK. He added, “Meanwhile, pleased to state that COVISHIELD’s production is in full swing in Pune. I look forward to reviewing operations upon my return in a few days.”
6. US Agency for International Development (USAID) said that 2 air shipments reached India and more are on the way. The agency also announced the departure of 3 additional COVID-19 relief aircraft carrying oxygen, oxygen supplies & other critical health commodities from the US to India. The additional flights will be transporting oxygen cylinders, regulators, oxygen concentrators, rapid diagnostic tests, and more than 1 million N95 masks. One of the flights will also carry a Deployable Oxygen Concentration System.
7. On Sunday, 28 tonnes of medical equipment including 8 hospital-level oxygen generators and other medical supplies arrived in the country from France. The spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed gratitude towards France and stated that the additional medical supplies would “bolster our oxygen capacities”.
Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain said, “All French companies & many people in France are moved by what is going on in India. They want to show solidarity, so we’ve raised extra funds & we’re going to charter another plane before end of the month with such equipment to bring autonomy to Indian hospitals.”
8. Taiwan’s first batch of aid to India to help it fight a surging increase in COVID-19 infections left for New Delhi on Sunday, consisting of 150 oxygen concentrators and 500 oxygen cylinders, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said.
9. Uzbekistan sends 100 oxygen concentrators, medical supplies to India.
10. India receives 120 ventilators from Germany.