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Think too buy worried about who Imran Khan calls Shaheed!
-
Contact the PP Team
Coronavirus in India
- Thread starter MenInG
- Start date
Think too buy worried about who Imran Khan calls Shaheed!
It's the media. Our media mission is to disgrace the country at every opportunity, at the expense of scoring brownie points and getting their rating.
Global mainstream media is about protecting the image of their country. You put on BBC and CNN for an hour and wouldn't even notice that a small matter of over 150,000 people have DIED in the last three months. The same is happening in India.
Global mainstream media is about protecting the image of their country. You put on BBC and CNN for an hour and wouldn't even notice that a small matter of over 150,000 people have DIED in the last three months. The same is happening in India.
King-Misbah
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Pakistani media is dishonest and is only interested in rating and £$£$£$£. The media wings need to be clicked, they have made a toxic society in Pakistan.
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Coronavirus cases in India cross 500,000 as big cities reel from surge
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India reported over 17,000 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, pushing the country’s total above 500,000, federal health ministry data showed on Saturday, with infections surging in major cities including the capital New Delhi.
India has the world’s fourth-biggest outbreak of the virus that causes COVID-19, below only the United States, Brazil and Russia in confirmed infections, according to a Reuters tally.
Infections are expected to continue rising steadily in India. Experts advising the federal government say the authorities should now prioritise reducing mortality over containing the spread of the virus.
“Our focus should be on preventing deaths and not really getting bogged down because of the numbers. Numbers are going to increase,” said Dr Manoj Murhekar, a member of India’s main coronavirus task force and director of the National Institute of Epidemiology.
The COV-IND-19 study group, led by Bhramar Mukherjee, a biostatistics professor from the University of Michigan, forecasts that India could see between 770,000 and 925,000 cases by July 15.
As infections mount swiftly and hospitals become stretched, some cities like New Delhi are scrambling to build temporary facilities with thousands of beds to quarantine and treat COVID-19 patients.
The city of around 20 million people only has around 13,200 beds for COVID-19 patients and will add at least 20,000 in coming weeks, with some facilities manned by army and paramilitary doctors.
Staff shortages are likely to be a concern as hospitals are swamped and more temporary facilities open, experts warn, although health authorities in some Indian cities are pushing for improved risk-based categorisation of patients.
“We have to ensure those who really require treatment aren’t denied services,” said Dr Giridhar R. Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India who is advising the southern state of Karnataka.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...0-as-big-cities-reel-from-surge-idUSKBN23Y06U
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India reported over 17,000 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, pushing the country’s total above 500,000, federal health ministry data showed on Saturday, with infections surging in major cities including the capital New Delhi.
India has the world’s fourth-biggest outbreak of the virus that causes COVID-19, below only the United States, Brazil and Russia in confirmed infections, according to a Reuters tally.
Infections are expected to continue rising steadily in India. Experts advising the federal government say the authorities should now prioritise reducing mortality over containing the spread of the virus.
“Our focus should be on preventing deaths and not really getting bogged down because of the numbers. Numbers are going to increase,” said Dr Manoj Murhekar, a member of India’s main coronavirus task force and director of the National Institute of Epidemiology.
The COV-IND-19 study group, led by Bhramar Mukherjee, a biostatistics professor from the University of Michigan, forecasts that India could see between 770,000 and 925,000 cases by July 15.
As infections mount swiftly and hospitals become stretched, some cities like New Delhi are scrambling to build temporary facilities with thousands of beds to quarantine and treat COVID-19 patients.
The city of around 20 million people only has around 13,200 beds for COVID-19 patients and will add at least 20,000 in coming weeks, with some facilities manned by army and paramilitary doctors.
Staff shortages are likely to be a concern as hospitals are swamped and more temporary facilities open, experts warn, although health authorities in some Indian cities are pushing for improved risk-based categorisation of patients.
“We have to ensure those who really require treatment aren’t denied services,” said Dr Giridhar R. Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India who is advising the southern state of Karnataka.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...0-as-big-cities-reel-from-surge-idUSKBN23Y06U
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Delhi struggles to cope with Covid-19 surge
The chief minister of India's capital Delhi has said the speed at which coronavirus has spread has severely challenged its health system.
Arvind Kejriwal said a surge in cases in early June led to a shortage of hospital beds and rising fatalities.
Delhi is now the country's worst-hit area, with about 73,000 recorded cases of Covid-19 and at least 2,500 deaths.
But Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was "much better placed than many other nations" in tackling the virus.
In a virtual address, he said this was due to a strict nationwide lockdown ordered in March and various measures taken by people.
"India's recovery rate is rising," he added.
More than 500,000 Covid-19 cases have been recorded across the country. About 15,000 people have died after testing positive for the virus.
But infections in Delhi - a city of some 20 million people - have been rising much faster than in the rest of country. About of third of the total number of infections there have been reported in the past week alone.
Chief Minister Kejriwal said: "The cases increased more than we would have expected and in the first week of June we witnessed a shortage of [hospital] beds.
"We were lagging behind in testing in Delhi. And because of the shortage of beds, when some people were not getting beds, the death rate also increased."
Delhi authorities have begun mass testing to determine the extent of spread in the capital.
"The only way to put a lid on infections is early diagnosis and quarantine," Dr Sundeep Salvi, a leading researcher in respiratory care, told CBS News.
In early June - four months after its first recorded Covid-19 infection - India emerged from one of the world's harshest lockdowns. Most businesses were allowed to re-open.
Schools also re-opened in many states, although they remain closed in Delhi.
But the easing of the lockdown led to a surge in new infections. India now has the world's fourth-highest number of confirmed cases, behind Russia, Brazil and the US.
However, with a population of more than 1.3 billion it still has a low rate of infections per capita - fewer than 400 per million people.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53205718
The chief minister of India's capital Delhi has said the speed at which coronavirus has spread has severely challenged its health system.
Arvind Kejriwal said a surge in cases in early June led to a shortage of hospital beds and rising fatalities.
Delhi is now the country's worst-hit area, with about 73,000 recorded cases of Covid-19 and at least 2,500 deaths.
But Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was "much better placed than many other nations" in tackling the virus.
In a virtual address, he said this was due to a strict nationwide lockdown ordered in March and various measures taken by people.
"India's recovery rate is rising," he added.
More than 500,000 Covid-19 cases have been recorded across the country. About 15,000 people have died after testing positive for the virus.
But infections in Delhi - a city of some 20 million people - have been rising much faster than in the rest of country. About of third of the total number of infections there have been reported in the past week alone.
Chief Minister Kejriwal said: "The cases increased more than we would have expected and in the first week of June we witnessed a shortage of [hospital] beds.
"We were lagging behind in testing in Delhi. And because of the shortage of beds, when some people were not getting beds, the death rate also increased."
Delhi authorities have begun mass testing to determine the extent of spread in the capital.
"The only way to put a lid on infections is early diagnosis and quarantine," Dr Sundeep Salvi, a leading researcher in respiratory care, told CBS News.
In early June - four months after its first recorded Covid-19 infection - India emerged from one of the world's harshest lockdowns. Most businesses were allowed to re-open.
Schools also re-opened in many states, although they remain closed in Delhi.
But the easing of the lockdown led to a surge in new infections. India now has the world's fourth-highest number of confirmed cases, behind Russia, Brazil and the US.
However, with a population of more than 1.3 billion it still has a low rate of infections per capita - fewer than 400 per million people.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53205718
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With more than 77,000 cases of Covid-19, India’s capital, Delhi has become the country’s biggest hotspot. The BBC's Aparna Alluri explains how this appears to be a case of lost opportunity.
The city administration appears to have squandered the opportunity afforded by a stringent nationwide lockdown that lasted more than two months.
Lax contact tracing, excessive bureaucracy, poor or no coordination with private health services and political wrangles have all led to a surge in numbers.
Smaller Indian cities appear to have done a far better job than the capital, the seat of India’s federal government. The southern city of Bangalore has been lauded for its contact-tracing efforts which have contained the infection, and Chennai (formerly madras) has had relatively few deaths despite a surge in cases.
But much like the financial capital Mumbai which has also been hit hard by the virus, Delhi has been overrun with cases and its public hospitals, some of the best and biggest and best in the country, are struggling.
This is despite the fact that Delhi is governed by Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party, which won a thumping majority earlier this year on the back of strong public services, including healthcare.
So, what went wrong?
Delhi’s caseload has risen sharply since the beginning of June - more than 50,000 of its Covid-19 cases were confirmed this month alone. One reason could be ramped up testing with newly approved antigen kits - a rapid diagnostic test that gives results in as little as a half hour.
“Testing is not a panacea,” K Srinath Reddy, president of the Public health Foundation of India and member of the national covid-19 taskforce, told the BBC.
“Of course you must test - but test judiciously, test based on symptoms or other clear criteria.”
And that, he adds, is only possible with “early case identification and exhaustive contact tracing” - neither of which has happened.
A study on contact tracing by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that between January and April, India, on average, tested 20 contacts for every confirmed case. And there were massive discrepancies.
While some states such as Karnataka averaged 93 contacts, Delhi tested as few as nine.
In fact, earlier this month, Delhi’s health minister said that officials were tracing only immediate contacts given the high number of cases.
But some people have taken to Twitter, alleging that even family members of Covid positive patients were not being tested, and their neighbourhoods were not being contained.
“I know of several instances where families were not contacted after a family member tested positive,” says Malini Aisola, from the All India Drug Action Network, a health sector watchdog.
“In many cases testing of family members did not happen for several days, and only after heavy appeals and insistence to the government.”
Delhi has now announced an ambitious slew of measures, including door-to-door screenings of all its 29 million residents, random sampling of 26,000 people across the city, and the use of drones and police to maintain physical distancing.
On Saturday, Mr Kejriwal blamed the speed at which coronavirus has spread for the burden on Delhi's health system.
But, experts say, a lot of this should have been done earlier, during the lockdown. And if that had happened, the government would have been able to take swift, informed measures when the lockdown started to ease from the third week of May.
The government failed to build partnerships
“This whole disease is immensely stigmatised. It’s become a law and order enforcement problem rather than a public health issue,” says Dr Ambarish Satwik, a vascular surgeon at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Heavy restrictions on testing, poor communication on what happens after you test positive, and the fear of being quarantined in poorly maintained government facilities have all made people reluctant to get tested.
“If you get calls from the police, if you get calls from the district surveillance officer saying you’ll get dragged away to some quarantine facility, who would get tested?” Dr Satwik asks. “You would rather wait it out. The process is the punishment.”
Despite the huge role private healthcare plays in India, much of the onus has been on understaffed and overstretched government laboratories and public hospitals. This has meant that many people who have symptoms prefer to stay home rather than queue up in long lines at public hospitals.
And in recent weeks as stories emerge of Delhi’s hospitals running out of beds or refusing to admit Covid-19 patients, the chaos and anxiety has only risen.
“Fear and stigma drive the epidemic underground,” Prof Reddy says.
He says the government should have coordinated better with private players to be able to expand testing and hospitalisation early on, and to control prices. But Delhi’s government has spent weeks sparring with private hospitals over prices, testing criteria and hospital beds.
All of this has meant fewer options for patients, leading to what Dr Satwik calls a “systematic disincentivisaiton” for testing.
Prof Reddy says the government was also so busy chasing clinical services - tests and hospital treatment - that they ignored basic public health functions.
“They should have built a sympathetic environment - primary health teams backed by community health workers to find out who has fever and cough. These teams visiting homes should have enabled patients to be transferred to hospitals.”
He says that would have created a clear process and reassured people, without which it’s hard to beat a pandemic.
“People must have the confidence that they will get the care they need, that they will be treated with empathy,” he says.
But the reality was far from that.
Delhi has two power centres
Delhi’s unusual administrative position only adds to the confusion. Although it’s a state governed by Mr Kejriwal, the lieutenant governor, who represents the federal government, also has competing powers.
The result has been a series of conflicting orders, issued and then retracted, sometimes in as little as 24 hours - proof of what has always been a testy relationship between Mr Kejriwal and India’s federal government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We can’t keep swinging between one decision and another amid this daily drama of orders being countermanded and protests being lodged,” Prof Reddy says.
He says Delhi, being the capital, should have received the best of attention rather than “falling victim to the complexity of multiple decision-making authorities”.
But, some have argued, that it’s Delhi’s very role as a power centre that has hobbled its response - it’s bureaucracy, for instance, has made it more opaque, with crucial data often being shared grudgingly.
To be fair, this is also a numbers game. Mumbai still has some 500 more active cases than Delhi; and the latter is only slightly ahead in confirmed cases - about 5,000 - and could slip to second place again.
But either way, Delhi cannot afford to slacken its efforts.
“It’s never too late in an epidemic,” Prof Reddy says. “You have to mount a very strong effort even now to contain the infection. You have to do that.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53190500
The city administration appears to have squandered the opportunity afforded by a stringent nationwide lockdown that lasted more than two months.
Lax contact tracing, excessive bureaucracy, poor or no coordination with private health services and political wrangles have all led to a surge in numbers.
Smaller Indian cities appear to have done a far better job than the capital, the seat of India’s federal government. The southern city of Bangalore has been lauded for its contact-tracing efforts which have contained the infection, and Chennai (formerly madras) has had relatively few deaths despite a surge in cases.
But much like the financial capital Mumbai which has also been hit hard by the virus, Delhi has been overrun with cases and its public hospitals, some of the best and biggest and best in the country, are struggling.
This is despite the fact that Delhi is governed by Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party, which won a thumping majority earlier this year on the back of strong public services, including healthcare.
So, what went wrong?
Delhi’s caseload has risen sharply since the beginning of June - more than 50,000 of its Covid-19 cases were confirmed this month alone. One reason could be ramped up testing with newly approved antigen kits - a rapid diagnostic test that gives results in as little as a half hour.
“Testing is not a panacea,” K Srinath Reddy, president of the Public health Foundation of India and member of the national covid-19 taskforce, told the BBC.
“Of course you must test - but test judiciously, test based on symptoms or other clear criteria.”
And that, he adds, is only possible with “early case identification and exhaustive contact tracing” - neither of which has happened.
A study on contact tracing by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that between January and April, India, on average, tested 20 contacts for every confirmed case. And there were massive discrepancies.
While some states such as Karnataka averaged 93 contacts, Delhi tested as few as nine.
In fact, earlier this month, Delhi’s health minister said that officials were tracing only immediate contacts given the high number of cases.
But some people have taken to Twitter, alleging that even family members of Covid positive patients were not being tested, and their neighbourhoods were not being contained.
“I know of several instances where families were not contacted after a family member tested positive,” says Malini Aisola, from the All India Drug Action Network, a health sector watchdog.
“In many cases testing of family members did not happen for several days, and only after heavy appeals and insistence to the government.”
Delhi has now announced an ambitious slew of measures, including door-to-door screenings of all its 29 million residents, random sampling of 26,000 people across the city, and the use of drones and police to maintain physical distancing.
On Saturday, Mr Kejriwal blamed the speed at which coronavirus has spread for the burden on Delhi's health system.
But, experts say, a lot of this should have been done earlier, during the lockdown. And if that had happened, the government would have been able to take swift, informed measures when the lockdown started to ease from the third week of May.
The government failed to build partnerships
“This whole disease is immensely stigmatised. It’s become a law and order enforcement problem rather than a public health issue,” says Dr Ambarish Satwik, a vascular surgeon at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Heavy restrictions on testing, poor communication on what happens after you test positive, and the fear of being quarantined in poorly maintained government facilities have all made people reluctant to get tested.
“If you get calls from the police, if you get calls from the district surveillance officer saying you’ll get dragged away to some quarantine facility, who would get tested?” Dr Satwik asks. “You would rather wait it out. The process is the punishment.”
Despite the huge role private healthcare plays in India, much of the onus has been on understaffed and overstretched government laboratories and public hospitals. This has meant that many people who have symptoms prefer to stay home rather than queue up in long lines at public hospitals.
And in recent weeks as stories emerge of Delhi’s hospitals running out of beds or refusing to admit Covid-19 patients, the chaos and anxiety has only risen.
“Fear and stigma drive the epidemic underground,” Prof Reddy says.
He says the government should have coordinated better with private players to be able to expand testing and hospitalisation early on, and to control prices. But Delhi’s government has spent weeks sparring with private hospitals over prices, testing criteria and hospital beds.
All of this has meant fewer options for patients, leading to what Dr Satwik calls a “systematic disincentivisaiton” for testing.
Prof Reddy says the government was also so busy chasing clinical services - tests and hospital treatment - that they ignored basic public health functions.
“They should have built a sympathetic environment - primary health teams backed by community health workers to find out who has fever and cough. These teams visiting homes should have enabled patients to be transferred to hospitals.”
He says that would have created a clear process and reassured people, without which it’s hard to beat a pandemic.
“People must have the confidence that they will get the care they need, that they will be treated with empathy,” he says.
But the reality was far from that.
Delhi has two power centres
Delhi’s unusual administrative position only adds to the confusion. Although it’s a state governed by Mr Kejriwal, the lieutenant governor, who represents the federal government, also has competing powers.
The result has been a series of conflicting orders, issued and then retracted, sometimes in as little as 24 hours - proof of what has always been a testy relationship between Mr Kejriwal and India’s federal government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We can’t keep swinging between one decision and another amid this daily drama of orders being countermanded and protests being lodged,” Prof Reddy says.
He says Delhi, being the capital, should have received the best of attention rather than “falling victim to the complexity of multiple decision-making authorities”.
But, some have argued, that it’s Delhi’s very role as a power centre that has hobbled its response - it’s bureaucracy, for instance, has made it more opaque, with crucial data often being shared grudgingly.
To be fair, this is also a numbers game. Mumbai still has some 500 more active cases than Delhi; and the latter is only slightly ahead in confirmed cases - about 5,000 - and could slip to second place again.
But either way, Delhi cannot afford to slacken its efforts.
“It’s never too late in an epidemic,” Prof Reddy says. “You have to mount a very strong effort even now to contain the infection. You have to do that.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53190500
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AP Interview: Delhi minister says city faces virus challenge
The acting health minister of India's capital said that New Delhi is facing a shortage of “trained and experienced” health care workers, providing a major challenge in a city that is the epicenter of the country's coronavirus outbreak.
With over 77,000 cases, New Delhi has been hit harder than any other Indian city. Infections had been projected to rise to half a million by the end of July in Delhi, the territory that includes the capital.
As the rate of infections was slowing down, the number has been revised to 400,000, and Acting Health Minister Manish Sisodia said he was hopeful that it could be less.
The acting health minister of India's capital said that New Delhi is facing a shortage of “trained and experienced” health care workers, providing a major challenge in a city that is the epicenter of the country's coronavirus outbreak.
With over 77,000 cases, New Delhi has been hit harder than any other Indian city. Infections had been projected to rise to half a million by the end of July in Delhi, the territory that includes the capital.
As the rate of infections was slowing down, the number has been revised to 400,000, and Acting Health Minister Manish Sisodia said he was hopeful that it could be less.
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India has reported a new daily record of nearly 20,000 new infections as several Indian states reimpose partial or full lockdowns to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
India's health ministry recorded 548,318 COVID-19 cases as of Monday, a jump of nearly 100,000 cases in a week in the world's fourth worst-hit country after the United States, Brazil and Russia.
A healthcare worker walks in an alley of a slum during a check-up for the coronavirus disease in Mumbai [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]
The South Asian country's death toll has reached 16,475, while 321,723 patients have recovered from the disease.
India's health ministry recorded 548,318 COVID-19 cases as of Monday, a jump of nearly 100,000 cases in a week in the world's fourth worst-hit country after the United States, Brazil and Russia.
A healthcare worker walks in an alley of a slum during a check-up for the coronavirus disease in Mumbai [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]
The South Asian country's death toll has reached 16,475, while 321,723 patients have recovered from the disease.
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#UNLOCK2: Schools, colleges, educational & coaching institutions, International flights, metro rail, cinemas, gyms, pools, religious gatherings among others to remain prohibited till July 31st.
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Indian man dies after frantic hospital search
A 52-year-old man has died in the southern Indian city of Bangalore after going to 18 hospitals and calling up 32 more looking for treatment.
The man had complained of breathlessness and was running a high temperature over the weekend.
After nearly 36 hours of visiting and calling up hospitals and pleading with them to admit him, one hospital finally agreed. But before they could take him in for treatment, he died "at the doorstep of the hospital," the man's nephew told the Times of India newspaper.
Even though he was tested, his family are still waiting for the results.
"We don't know whether our uncle was infected with Covid-19 or if we lost him to an atmosphere of fear created by the virus," the nephew said.
Bangalore has been in the news recently as cases have started to climb. A big, metropolitan city, it had managed to avoid the surge of infections being seen in other cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. But this might be changing as it added nearly 1,000 new infections over the weekend.
A 52-year-old man has died in the southern Indian city of Bangalore after going to 18 hospitals and calling up 32 more looking for treatment.
The man had complained of breathlessness and was running a high temperature over the weekend.
After nearly 36 hours of visiting and calling up hospitals and pleading with them to admit him, one hospital finally agreed. But before they could take him in for treatment, he died "at the doorstep of the hospital," the man's nephew told the Times of India newspaper.
Even though he was tested, his family are still waiting for the results.
"We don't know whether our uncle was infected with Covid-19 or if we lost him to an atmosphere of fear created by the virus," the nephew said.
Bangalore has been in the news recently as cases have started to climb. A big, metropolitan city, it had managed to avoid the surge of infections being seen in other cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. But this might be changing as it added nearly 1,000 new infections over the weekend.
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India's daily coronavirus cases at about 20,000 as some cities extend lockdowns
Several Indian cities have prepared to extend their lockdowns to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, as daily cases in the country remained close to 20,000.
India reported 18,522 new cases over the previous 24 hours, according to federal health data, down slightly from Sunday’s record of 19,906.
According to a Reuters report, with more than 550,000 total infections, India lags only the United States, Brazil and Russia in total cases.
More than 16,000 people have died in India — a low figure when compared with countries with similar numbers of cases — though experts fear its hospitals will be unable to cope with a steep rise in cases.
Several Indian cities have prepared to extend their lockdowns to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, as daily cases in the country remained close to 20,000.
India reported 18,522 new cases over the previous 24 hours, according to federal health data, down slightly from Sunday’s record of 19,906.
According to a Reuters report, with more than 550,000 total infections, India lags only the United States, Brazil and Russia in total cases.
More than 16,000 people have died in India — a low figure when compared with countries with similar numbers of cases — though experts fear its hospitals will be unable to cope with a steep rise in cases.
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India's prime minister says virus's spread still critical
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a live address on Tuesday that the country's coronavirus death rate is under control, but that the country is at a "critical juncture."
Modi's sixth address since the pandemic began came as India reported nearly 560,000 infections and over 16,000 deaths.
"People are becoming careless," he said, adding, "we need to call out the violators."
In India, the world's fourth-worst affected country, cases have shot up since the end of a 10-week lockdown in early June.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a live address on Tuesday that the country's coronavirus death rate is under control, but that the country is at a "critical juncture."
Modi's sixth address since the pandemic began came as India reported nearly 560,000 infections and over 16,000 deaths.
"People are becoming careless," he said, adding, "we need to call out the violators."
In India, the world's fourth-worst affected country, cases have shot up since the end of a 10-week lockdown in early June.
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June was 'worst month of India outbreak'
A whopping majority of infections and deaths in India happened in June - more than 400,000 cases and nearly 12,000 fatalities were reported last month, according to the Times of India newspaper.
To put that into perspective, India currently has 568,092 confirmed cases and 17,400 deaths, according to figures from the health ministry.
This means that around 70% of India's caseload happened in June. Experts had earlier warned that the country's peak would occur when the monsoon began - typically between July and August.
India eased out of its lockdown in early June even as cases were rising at an alarming rate.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the second phase of "unlocking India" via a televised address. He urged citizens to not be careless and continue to enforce effective measures like social distancing, saying that many were not responsible enough in the first phase.
A whopping majority of infections and deaths in India happened in June - more than 400,000 cases and nearly 12,000 fatalities were reported last month, according to the Times of India newspaper.
To put that into perspective, India currently has 568,092 confirmed cases and 17,400 deaths, according to figures from the health ministry.
This means that around 70% of India's caseload happened in June. Experts had earlier warned that the country's peak would occur when the monsoon began - typically between July and August.
India eased out of its lockdown in early June even as cases were rising at an alarming rate.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the second phase of "unlocking India" via a televised address. He urged citizens to not be careless and continue to enforce effective measures like social distancing, saying that many were not responsible enough in the first phase.
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Officials in the south Indian state of Karnataka have apologised after footage showing officials dumping bodies of Covid -19 victims caused outrage.
The videos circulated on social media showed workers in PPE kits tossing bodies wrapped in black garbage bags into deep pits.
Officials in the state's Bellary district confirmed that the footage was genuine and apologised to families.
The bodies were of eight people who had died of Covid-19 days earlier.
Karnataka has seen more than 246 deaths due to Covid. However, it has been recognised as one of the states that has been more successful in tracing and containing the disease.
"We have issued a letter of unconditional apology to the families of the dead. We are very hurt by this and we are very sorry. We condemn the way corpses have been treated. They should have been treated more humanely," senior district official SS Nakula told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi.
"They followed all the protocols. Where they have gone wrong is not the part of the protocol but the mentality that a dead body should be handled with dignity," he added.
He said that the men in the video had been removed, adding that they would be replaced by a new team who would dispose of bodies "with sensitivity".
There has been a lot of fear and stigma surrounding Covid-19 in India. People who contract the illness are stigmatised and shunned, while their bodies are often disposed of as health workers are afraid to touch them.
With almost 600,000 confirmed cases, India has the fourth-highest number of Covid infections in the world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53246134
The videos circulated on social media showed workers in PPE kits tossing bodies wrapped in black garbage bags into deep pits.
Officials in the state's Bellary district confirmed that the footage was genuine and apologised to families.
The bodies were of eight people who had died of Covid-19 days earlier.
Karnataka has seen more than 246 deaths due to Covid. However, it has been recognised as one of the states that has been more successful in tracing and containing the disease.
"We have issued a letter of unconditional apology to the families of the dead. We are very hurt by this and we are very sorry. We condemn the way corpses have been treated. They should have been treated more humanely," senior district official SS Nakula told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi.
"They followed all the protocols. Where they have gone wrong is not the part of the protocol but the mentality that a dead body should be handled with dignity," he added.
He said that the men in the video had been removed, adding that they would be replaced by a new team who would dispose of bodies "with sensitivity".
There has been a lot of fear and stigma surrounding Covid-19 in India. People who contract the illness are stigmatised and shunned, while their bodies are often disposed of as health workers are afraid to touch them.
With almost 600,000 confirmed cases, India has the fourth-highest number of Covid infections in the world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-53246134
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
When coronavirus claimed its first victim in India's largest slum in April, many feared the disease would turn its narrow, congested streets into a graveyard, with physical distancing or contact tracing all but impossible.
But three months on, Mumbai's Dharavi offers a rare glimmer of hope as new infections shrink thanks to an aggressive strategy of "chasing the virus, instead of waiting for disaster", according to city official Kiran Dighavkar.
The sprawling slum has long been a byword for the financial capital's bitter income disparities - its estimated one million people eking out a living as factory workers or maids and chauffeurs to Mumbai's well-heeled residents.
With a dozen people typically sleeping in a single room, and hundreds using the same public toilet, authorities realised early on that standard practices would be of little use.
"Social distancing was never a possibility, home isolation was never an option, and contact tracing was a huge problem with so many people using the same toilet," Dighavkar told AFP.
An initial plan to conduct door-to-door screenings was abandoned after Mumbai's searing heat and humidity left medical workers feeling suffocated under layers of protective equipment as they combed the area's cramped alleys for cases.
But with infections rising fast and fewer than 50,000 people checked for symptoms, officials needed to move quickly and get creative.
What they came up with was coined "Mission Dharavi".
Each day, medical workers set up a "fever camp" in a different part of the slum, so residents could be screened for symptoms and tested for coronavirus if needed.
Schools, wedding halls and sports complexes were repurposed as quarantine facilities that offered free meals, vitamins and "laughter yoga" sessions.
Strict containment measures were deployed in virus hotspots that were home to 125,000 people, including the use of drones to monitor their movements and alert police, while a huge army of volunteers swung into action, distributing rations so they did not go hungry.
Bollywood stars and business tycoons paid for medical equipment as construction workers built a 200-bed field hospital at breakneck speed in a Dharavi park.
By late June, more than half the slum's population had been screened for symptoms and approximately 12,000 tested for coronavirus.
So far, Dharavi has reported just 82 deaths - a fraction of Mumbai's more than 4,500 fatalities.
Brink of victory
"We are on the brink of victory, I feel very proud," said Abhay Taware, 44, a doctor who saw about 100 patients daily in his tiny clinic at the height of the crisis.
The father-of-two had to fight his own battle against coronavirus when he contracted the disease in April, but told AFP news agency he had "no doubts" about returning to work.
"I thought I could show my patients that a positive diagnosis does not mean the end," he said.
Although doctors like Taware worked to reassure worried residents, the stigma persists.
After an isolating 25-day spell in hospital and two weeks in quarantine, Sushil - not his real name - said he now feared discrimination if people found out about his diagnosis.
The 24-year-old also struck a note of caution, warning of a potential resurgence in infections.
"People need to take as many precautions as possible. The numbers might have come down, but they can swiftly rise again," he told AFP news agency.
'No escape next time'
With Mumbai and Delhi struggling to accommodate coronavirus patients as India's cases surged past half a million, officials are also wary of celebrating too soon.
"It's a war. Everything is dynamic," said Dighavkar.
"Right now, we feel like we are on top of the situation," he said.
"The challenge will be when factories reopen," he added, referring to the billion-dollar leather and recycling industries run out of Dharavi's cramped tenements.
And some in the slum fear their community might not be as lucky next time.
On a blazing hot morning, as car salesman Vinod Kamble lined up to have his temperature taken, he recalled his terror when the virus landed in Mumbai.
"I felt like Dharavi would be destroyed, and nothing would be left," he told AFP, describing the near impossibility of avoiding infection in the slum.
"We need better infrastructure," the 32-year-old said.
"Otherwise the next time a disease like this emerges, I don't think Dharavi will be able to escape."
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...t-slum-overcame-pandemic-200701070816284.html
But three months on, Mumbai's Dharavi offers a rare glimmer of hope as new infections shrink thanks to an aggressive strategy of "chasing the virus, instead of waiting for disaster", according to city official Kiran Dighavkar.
The sprawling slum has long been a byword for the financial capital's bitter income disparities - its estimated one million people eking out a living as factory workers or maids and chauffeurs to Mumbai's well-heeled residents.
With a dozen people typically sleeping in a single room, and hundreds using the same public toilet, authorities realised early on that standard practices would be of little use.
"Social distancing was never a possibility, home isolation was never an option, and contact tracing was a huge problem with so many people using the same toilet," Dighavkar told AFP.
An initial plan to conduct door-to-door screenings was abandoned after Mumbai's searing heat and humidity left medical workers feeling suffocated under layers of protective equipment as they combed the area's cramped alleys for cases.
But with infections rising fast and fewer than 50,000 people checked for symptoms, officials needed to move quickly and get creative.
What they came up with was coined "Mission Dharavi".
Each day, medical workers set up a "fever camp" in a different part of the slum, so residents could be screened for symptoms and tested for coronavirus if needed.
Schools, wedding halls and sports complexes were repurposed as quarantine facilities that offered free meals, vitamins and "laughter yoga" sessions.
Strict containment measures were deployed in virus hotspots that were home to 125,000 people, including the use of drones to monitor their movements and alert police, while a huge army of volunteers swung into action, distributing rations so they did not go hungry.
Bollywood stars and business tycoons paid for medical equipment as construction workers built a 200-bed field hospital at breakneck speed in a Dharavi park.
By late June, more than half the slum's population had been screened for symptoms and approximately 12,000 tested for coronavirus.
So far, Dharavi has reported just 82 deaths - a fraction of Mumbai's more than 4,500 fatalities.
Brink of victory
"We are on the brink of victory, I feel very proud," said Abhay Taware, 44, a doctor who saw about 100 patients daily in his tiny clinic at the height of the crisis.
The father-of-two had to fight his own battle against coronavirus when he contracted the disease in April, but told AFP news agency he had "no doubts" about returning to work.
"I thought I could show my patients that a positive diagnosis does not mean the end," he said.
Although doctors like Taware worked to reassure worried residents, the stigma persists.
After an isolating 25-day spell in hospital and two weeks in quarantine, Sushil - not his real name - said he now feared discrimination if people found out about his diagnosis.
The 24-year-old also struck a note of caution, warning of a potential resurgence in infections.
"People need to take as many precautions as possible. The numbers might have come down, but they can swiftly rise again," he told AFP news agency.
'No escape next time'
With Mumbai and Delhi struggling to accommodate coronavirus patients as India's cases surged past half a million, officials are also wary of celebrating too soon.
"It's a war. Everything is dynamic," said Dighavkar.
"Right now, we feel like we are on top of the situation," he said.
"The challenge will be when factories reopen," he added, referring to the billion-dollar leather and recycling industries run out of Dharavi's cramped tenements.
And some in the slum fear their community might not be as lucky next time.
On a blazing hot morning, as car salesman Vinod Kamble lined up to have his temperature taken, he recalled his terror when the virus landed in Mumbai.
"I felt like Dharavi would be destroyed, and nothing would be left," he told AFP, describing the near impossibility of avoiding infection in the slum.
"We need better infrastructure," the 32-year-old said.
"Otherwise the next time a disease like this emerges, I don't think Dharavi will be able to escape."
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...t-slum-overcame-pandemic-200701070816284.html
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
India's tally of coronavirus infections crosses 600,000
India’s coronavirus infections have surpassed 600,000, with 17,834 deaths, as authorities battled to contain the pandemic while easing lockdown rules, officials and the health ministry said.
The increase presents a severe challenge for India’s strained medical capacity and overburdened health system.
India’s coronavirus infections have surpassed 600,000, with 17,834 deaths, as authorities battled to contain the pandemic while easing lockdown rules, officials and the health ministry said.
The increase presents a severe challenge for India’s strained medical capacity and overburdened health system.
BreadPakoda
First Class Captain
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2018
- Runs
- 5,373
Nice one MIG. Won’t blame Indians focusing on IK’s shaheed statement. After all you need some entertainment in these depressing times.
Any way, even here in US people are no longer talking about Corona. Its the fatigue and also I guess a lot of people have just given up.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
New Delhi has set up one of the world's largest makeshift hospitals with 10,000 beds as coronavirus cases surged passed 87,000 in the Indian capital.
The city of 25 million has emerged as India's biggest COVID-19 hotspot with 2,742 deaths. The number of infections in India passed 500,000 this weekend, with more than 17,000 deaths now recorded.
Critics have accused the city authorities of squandering the opportunities provided by the strict lockdown imposed on March 25, as not enough testing and contact tracing were done during the nearly 60-day period.
City hospitals also struggled as more than 50,000 cases appeared in the month of June alone.
The two-layer power structure in the capital - divided between the chief minister and central government-appointed Lieutenant Governor - also led to delays in decision-making, analysts say.
Ready in 10 days
Authorities have deployed 10,000 disposable beds made out of cardboard on the premises of the Radha Soami religious centre on the outskirts of the city, senior official BM Mishra said on Monday.
While 2,000 beds were already staffed by the requisite doctors and nurses, the facility will be fully operational by July 5.
"The beds are light but sturdy, have a two-year warranty and can hold up to a 300-kilogramme (660-pound) load. They are waterproof and cost-effective, at about 1,200 rupees ($16) each."
"The beds are easy to assemble and were manufactured in no time.
Because of this, we were able to get this facility started in 10 days' time, whereas other manufacturers would take at least twice the time," Mishra told DPA news agency.
The manufacturers claim the most important thing about the bed is that the virus only stays on the surface of the cardboard for 24 hours, media reports said.
India's largest COVID-19 care facility, reportedly the size of 22 football fields, will treat "mild to moderate" coronavirus patients and will be operated by the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Force, which guards the India-China border.
"This centre's air-conditioning totalling 18,000 tonnes is unique in that it will use 20 percent fresh air and its flow and ventilation has been worked out to reduce ambient viral load," Mishra said.
In another move to alleviate the city's overwhelmed healthcare system, 500 railway coaches were being refitted to serve as hospital wards and provide an additional 8,000 beds.
The Supreme Court recently pulled up authorities after media reports of people being turned away from hospitals and crematoria and improper treatment of patients.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said facilities had been increased on a war footing and there were no longer any shortages of hospital beds after authorities held emergency meetings on dealing with the outbreak.
Delhi is carrying out a huge survey for the coronavirus, in which officials were visiting households to record every resident's health details and prescribe virus tests to those who show or report symptoms.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...spital-coronavirus-surge-200701071242621.html
The city of 25 million has emerged as India's biggest COVID-19 hotspot with 2,742 deaths. The number of infections in India passed 500,000 this weekend, with more than 17,000 deaths now recorded.
Critics have accused the city authorities of squandering the opportunities provided by the strict lockdown imposed on March 25, as not enough testing and contact tracing were done during the nearly 60-day period.
City hospitals also struggled as more than 50,000 cases appeared in the month of June alone.
The two-layer power structure in the capital - divided between the chief minister and central government-appointed Lieutenant Governor - also led to delays in decision-making, analysts say.
Ready in 10 days
Authorities have deployed 10,000 disposable beds made out of cardboard on the premises of the Radha Soami religious centre on the outskirts of the city, senior official BM Mishra said on Monday.
While 2,000 beds were already staffed by the requisite doctors and nurses, the facility will be fully operational by July 5.
"The beds are light but sturdy, have a two-year warranty and can hold up to a 300-kilogramme (660-pound) load. They are waterproof and cost-effective, at about 1,200 rupees ($16) each."
"The beds are easy to assemble and were manufactured in no time.
Because of this, we were able to get this facility started in 10 days' time, whereas other manufacturers would take at least twice the time," Mishra told DPA news agency.
The manufacturers claim the most important thing about the bed is that the virus only stays on the surface of the cardboard for 24 hours, media reports said.
India's largest COVID-19 care facility, reportedly the size of 22 football fields, will treat "mild to moderate" coronavirus patients and will be operated by the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Force, which guards the India-China border.
"This centre's air-conditioning totalling 18,000 tonnes is unique in that it will use 20 percent fresh air and its flow and ventilation has been worked out to reduce ambient viral load," Mishra said.
In another move to alleviate the city's overwhelmed healthcare system, 500 railway coaches were being refitted to serve as hospital wards and provide an additional 8,000 beds.
The Supreme Court recently pulled up authorities after media reports of people being turned away from hospitals and crematoria and improper treatment of patients.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said facilities had been increased on a war footing and there were no longer any shortages of hospital beds after authorities held emergency meetings on dealing with the outbreak.
Delhi is carrying out a huge survey for the coronavirus, in which officials were visiting households to record every resident's health details and prescribe virus tests to those who show or report symptoms.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...spital-coronavirus-surge-200701071242621.html
Slog
Senior Test Player
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2015
- Runs
- 28,984
- Post of the Week
- 1
where's [MENTION=133135]kaayal[/MENTION] these days?
her state kerala seemed to have done very well eventhough start there looked bad
her state kerala seemed to have done very well eventhough start there looked bad
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2015
- Runs
- 15,745
Concern as India cases threaten to overtake Russia
India has reached a new record number of daily infections, with more than 20,000 cases reported for the first time since the pandemic reached the country.
The southern states of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are among the worst-affected areas in India, which has recorded more than 18,000 deaths and around 625,000 cases nationwide.
If this trend continues, the country could soon overtake Russia to have the third highest number of infections in the world.
Although India enforced a strict lockdown, many measures are now being eased, with restrictions remaining in hotspots.
India has reached a new record number of daily infections, with more than 20,000 cases reported for the first time since the pandemic reached the country.
The southern states of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are among the worst-affected areas in India, which has recorded more than 18,000 deaths and around 625,000 cases nationwide.
If this trend continues, the country could soon overtake Russia to have the third highest number of infections in the world.
Although India enforced a strict lockdown, many measures are now being eased, with restrictions remaining in hotspots.
finalfantasy7
First Class Player
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2011
- Runs
- 3,180
not a good day for india over 22k new cases and around 450 deaths- you will overtake russia by this sunday in new cases
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
New highest daily jump in India with 22,772 cases
India reported its biggest single-day spike of 22,772 coronavirus cases and 442 deaths, according to the country's Ministry of Health.
The coronavirus positive cases now stand at 648,315, while 18,655 people have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
India reported its biggest single-day spike of 22,772 coronavirus cases and 442 deaths, according to the country's Ministry of Health.
The coronavirus positive cases now stand at 648,315, while 18,655 people have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
https://m.rediff.com/news/report/covid-vaccine-by-aug-15-scientists-advise-caution/20200704.htm
India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the Indian Council of Medical Research announced it envisaged a preventive by next month.
There was hope but caution too as the Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday said it aims to launch the world's first COVID-19 vaccine by August 15.
The same day, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila announced it has got the Drugs Controller General of India's nod for human clinical trials for a potential vaccine.
“Fast tracking a vaccine trial in four weeks for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy is just not possible if things are to be done correctly,” Shahid Jameel, virologist and CEO of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, said.
Immunogenicity is the ability of a foreign substance, such as an antigen, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal, he explained.
Virologist Upasana Ray added that an accelerated launch or promise for launch of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus deserves applause but it is important to ask whether “we are rushing too much”.
India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the Indian Council of Medical Research announced it envisaged a preventive by next month.
There was hope but caution too as the Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday said it aims to launch the world's first COVID-19 vaccine by August 15.
The same day, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila announced it has got the Drugs Controller General of India's nod for human clinical trials for a potential vaccine.
“Fast tracking a vaccine trial in four weeks for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy is just not possible if things are to be done correctly,” Shahid Jameel, virologist and CEO of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, said.
Immunogenicity is the ability of a foreign substance, such as an antigen, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal, he explained.
Virologist Upasana Ray added that an accelerated launch or promise for launch of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus deserves applause but it is important to ask whether “we are rushing too much”.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
Bajaj Auto unions demand factory halt after 250 workers catch COVID-19
Workers at Bajaj Auto, India's biggest exporter of motorbikes, have demanded the temporary closure of one of its plants after 250 employees there tested positive for coronavirus, its unions said.
The Bajaj Auto factory affected is located in western Maharashtra, the state with the highest number of cases of COVID-19. The company said in a letter to employees this week that those who do not show up for work will not be paid.
The company went on to say that 140 of the roughly 8,000 staff at the factory had caught the virus and two had died. It also said work there would not be stopped, however, as the company wanted to learn to "live with the virus".
Workers at Bajaj Auto, India's biggest exporter of motorbikes, have demanded the temporary closure of one of its plants after 250 employees there tested positive for coronavirus, its unions said.
The Bajaj Auto factory affected is located in western Maharashtra, the state with the highest number of cases of COVID-19. The company said in a letter to employees this week that those who do not show up for work will not be paid.
The company went on to say that 140 of the roughly 8,000 staff at the factory had caught the virus and two had died. It also said work there would not be stopped, however, as the company wanted to learn to "live with the virus".
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
An Indian businessman from the state of Pune had shelled out $4,000 for a bespoke gold face mask to protect him from the coronavirus.
The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams (two ounces) and took craftsmen eight days to make, said businessman Shankar Kurhade, from the western city of Pune.
"It is a thin mask and has tiny pores that is helping me to breathe," Shankar told AFP.
"I am not sure if it will be effective to protect me from a coronavirus infection but I am taking other precautions," he added.
When going out, the 49-year-old said he likes to adorn himself with gold jewellery weighing a kilogramme, including a bracelet, necklace and rings on each finger of his right hand.
Kurhade — whose company makes industrial sheds — said he got the idea for the gold face mask after seeing a media report about a man wearing one made from silver.
"People are asking me for selfies," he said.
"They are awestruck when they see me wearing the gold mask in markets."
India has made face masks mandatory in public places in a bid to control the spread of the virus in the country, which has around 650,000 confirmed cases and more than 18,600 fatalities.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/296408-in...00-for-gold-face-mask-to-ward-off-coronavirus
The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams (two ounces) and took craftsmen eight days to make, said businessman Shankar Kurhade, from the western city of Pune.
"It is a thin mask and has tiny pores that is helping me to breathe," Shankar told AFP.
"I am not sure if it will be effective to protect me from a coronavirus infection but I am taking other precautions," he added.
When going out, the 49-year-old said he likes to adorn himself with gold jewellery weighing a kilogramme, including a bracelet, necklace and rings on each finger of his right hand.
Kurhade — whose company makes industrial sheds — said he got the idea for the gold face mask after seeing a media report about a man wearing one made from silver.
"People are asking me for selfies," he said.
"They are awestruck when they see me wearing the gold mask in markets."
India has made face masks mandatory in public places in a bid to control the spread of the virus in the country, which has around 650,000 confirmed cases and more than 18,600 fatalities.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/296408-in...00-for-gold-face-mask-to-ward-off-coronavirus
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
Nearly 25,000 virus cases in India in record daily jump
India saw its biggest surge in COVID-19 cases, with 24,850 new cases and 613 deaths in the last 24 hours.
The country’s tally of infections rose to 673,165 as the death toll zoomed to 19,268, according to the Health Ministry data.
India saw its biggest surge in COVID-19 cases, with 24,850 new cases and 613 deaths in the last 24 hours.
The country’s tally of infections rose to 673,165 as the death toll zoomed to 19,268, according to the Health Ministry data.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
Reuters are reporting on India’s plans to reopen the Taj Mahal. Visitors will have to wear masks at all times, keep their distance, and not touch its glistening marble surfaces when the 17th-century monument to love reopens on Monday after a three-month shutdown.
Only 5,000 tourists will be allowed in a day, split into two groups, which is a far cry from the peak levels of 80,000 a day you could expect to see at the mausoleum built in the northern city of Agra by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife.
“All centrally protected monuments & sites shall be bound by the protocols like sanitization, social distancing and other health protocols,” the federal tourism ministry said in .
The move is not without controversy though. Authorities are reopening the Taj and other monuments, such as New Delhi’s historic Red Fort, just as India’s coronavirus infections are rising at the fastest pace in three months.
On Sunday, the health ministry reported a record single-day spike of 24,850 new cases and more than 600 deaths, pushing the overall case tally to 673,165.
The government has been lifting a vast lockdown of India’s 1.3 billion people that has left tens of thousands without work and shuttered businesses.
Agra, one of India’s first big clusters of the virus, remains the worst-affected city in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state.
“All around the Taj are containment zones,” a local district administration official told Reuters’ Neha Arora, requesting anonymity, ahead of the monument’s planned reopening.
Containment zones, areas identified as most affected by the virus, remain under strict lockdown, with restricted access and movement of only essential goods and services.
“We don’t expect visitors here because clusters around the Taj, including shops and hotels, are closed,” the official said.
Only 5,000 tourists will be allowed in a day, split into two groups, which is a far cry from the peak levels of 80,000 a day you could expect to see at the mausoleum built in the northern city of Agra by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife.
“All centrally protected monuments & sites shall be bound by the protocols like sanitization, social distancing and other health protocols,” the federal tourism ministry said in .
The move is not without controversy though. Authorities are reopening the Taj and other monuments, such as New Delhi’s historic Red Fort, just as India’s coronavirus infections are rising at the fastest pace in three months.
On Sunday, the health ministry reported a record single-day spike of 24,850 new cases and more than 600 deaths, pushing the overall case tally to 673,165.
The government has been lifting a vast lockdown of India’s 1.3 billion people that has left tens of thousands without work and shuttered businesses.
Agra, one of India’s first big clusters of the virus, remains the worst-affected city in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state.
“All around the Taj are containment zones,” a local district administration official told Reuters’ Neha Arora, requesting anonymity, ahead of the monument’s planned reopening.
Containment zones, areas identified as most affected by the virus, remain under strict lockdown, with restricted access and movement of only essential goods and services.
“We don’t expect visitors here because clusters around the Taj, including shops and hotels, are closed,” the official said.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
India’s tally of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) reached 673,165 with the biggest single-day increase of 24,850 new cases and 613 deaths, data from the Union health ministry on Sunday showed.
The country’s death toll due to the disease has reached 19,268 and there are 244,4814 active cases of Covid-19 in the country, according to the health ministry’s dashboard.
The number of recoveries stands at 409,082 with 14,856 people cured of the viral disease in the last 24 hours. The recovery rate is now 60.76%, slightly down from Saturday’s 60.80%.
This is the third consecutive day when coronavirus disease cases have increased by more than 20,000.
There are 14 states in the country which have reported more than 10,000 Covid-19 cases and Maharashtra remained the worst-hit on Sunday.
Maharashtra has 200,064 Covid-19 cases and a death toll of 8,671. The state’s first lakh cases took 96 days, while the second took just 22 days.
Amit Deshmukh, medical education minister, has said the state’s health infrastructure is ready to tackle the rising number of cases. Deshmukh has also said that July and August are crucial and the government expects the decline in cases to begin in a month.
Tamil Nadu has crossed the 100,000-mark with 10,7001 infections and 1,450 deaths as the state government announced relaxations for Chennai while extending curbs for Madurai and nearby regions till July 12 after 17 days of intense lockdown in the state capital and suburban areas.
The state capital of Chennai, which is under tightened restrictions from June 19 to help fight mounting Covid-19 cases, would see an easing of curbs from Monday.
In Delhi, the number of Covid-19 cases is inching towards the 100,000-mark. The Union health ministry dashboard showed there were 97,200 cases and 3,004 deaths in the national capital so far.
In the northeast region of the country, Assam’s Covid-19 tally crossed the 11,000-mark on Saturday with the detection of 1,202 new cases, the single biggest spike in a day.
State data showed that the figure jumped from 9,777 cases to 11,001 with Guwahati, which along with the rest of Kamrup Metro district is under a 14-day total lockdown since June 28, registering 777 infections—the biggest daily spike for the state’s largest city.
However, according to the Union health ministry, there are 10,668 cases of the coronavirus disease for the state.
India has the fourth-highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world after the United States, Brazil and Russia.
The number of coronavirus cases worldwide is 11,240,943, according to Johns Hopkins University’s tracker. And, 530,137 people have died globally due to the infection, according to the data compiled by the American university.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...-613-deaths/story-lkKezDUWH9pOlTcYYus4hO.html
The country’s death toll due to the disease has reached 19,268 and there are 244,4814 active cases of Covid-19 in the country, according to the health ministry’s dashboard.
The number of recoveries stands at 409,082 with 14,856 people cured of the viral disease in the last 24 hours. The recovery rate is now 60.76%, slightly down from Saturday’s 60.80%.
This is the third consecutive day when coronavirus disease cases have increased by more than 20,000.
There are 14 states in the country which have reported more than 10,000 Covid-19 cases and Maharashtra remained the worst-hit on Sunday.
Maharashtra has 200,064 Covid-19 cases and a death toll of 8,671. The state’s first lakh cases took 96 days, while the second took just 22 days.
Amit Deshmukh, medical education minister, has said the state’s health infrastructure is ready to tackle the rising number of cases. Deshmukh has also said that July and August are crucial and the government expects the decline in cases to begin in a month.
Tamil Nadu has crossed the 100,000-mark with 10,7001 infections and 1,450 deaths as the state government announced relaxations for Chennai while extending curbs for Madurai and nearby regions till July 12 after 17 days of intense lockdown in the state capital and suburban areas.
The state capital of Chennai, which is under tightened restrictions from June 19 to help fight mounting Covid-19 cases, would see an easing of curbs from Monday.
In Delhi, the number of Covid-19 cases is inching towards the 100,000-mark. The Union health ministry dashboard showed there were 97,200 cases and 3,004 deaths in the national capital so far.
In the northeast region of the country, Assam’s Covid-19 tally crossed the 11,000-mark on Saturday with the detection of 1,202 new cases, the single biggest spike in a day.
State data showed that the figure jumped from 9,777 cases to 11,001 with Guwahati, which along with the rest of Kamrup Metro district is under a 14-day total lockdown since June 28, registering 777 infections—the biggest daily spike for the state’s largest city.
However, according to the Union health ministry, there are 10,668 cases of the coronavirus disease for the state.
India has the fourth-highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world after the United States, Brazil and Russia.
The number of coronavirus cases worldwide is 11,240,943, according to Johns Hopkins University’s tracker. And, 530,137 people have died globally due to the infection, according to the data compiled by the American university.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...-613-deaths/story-lkKezDUWH9pOlTcYYus4hO.html
Bhaag Viru Bhaag
Senior Test Player
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Corruption at its best. Well done BMC.
The Viper
T20I Debutant
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- 6,865
The opening of India's Taj Mahal has been postponed due to a rise in coronavirus cases in the area.
India reported a record single-day spike on Sunday, with 24,850 cases and more than 600 deaths.
Agra, home of the famous landmark, remains the worst-affected city in Uttar Pradesh - the country's most populous state.
Authorities there decided to pause plans to reopen the Taj Mahal and other monuments until further notice.
"Opening of those monuments might enhance the unfold of Covid-19,” a notice from the district magistrate said.
It had been hoped protected monuments would open to the public on 6 July.
India reported a record single-day spike on Sunday, with 24,850 cases and more than 600 deaths.
Agra, home of the famous landmark, remains the worst-affected city in Uttar Pradesh - the country's most populous state.
Authorities there decided to pause plans to reopen the Taj Mahal and other monuments until further notice.
"Opening of those monuments might enhance the unfold of Covid-19,” a notice from the district magistrate said.
It had been hoped protected monuments would open to the public on 6 July.
Bhaijaan
Hall of Famer
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Starting to take a mental toll.
I have been stuck at home since mid of March. How much work from home. An yoy do before feeling kind of crazy.
I have been stuck at home since mid of March. How much work from home. An yoy do before feeling kind of crazy.
King-Misbah
First Class Player
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I feel the same and I live in the UK. We are meant to back in office in January :s
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- 217,860
India overtakes Russia in Covid-19 cases
India has recorded more than 24,000 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking its total above that of Russia.
The country now has the third-largest number of confirmed cases in the world at 697,413. There have been 19,693 deaths.
The latest surge in numbers has also been powered by a rise in cases from a handful of southern states, including Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
India reopened shopping centres, places of worship and offices a month ago.
For the last three days, India's caseload has galloped at an alarming rate, adding more than 20,000 daily infections per day.
Although India has the third highest number of cases, it is eighth in fatalities, according to statistics from Johns Hopkins University.
India has recorded more than 24,000 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking its total above that of Russia.
The country now has the third-largest number of confirmed cases in the world at 697,413. There have been 19,693 deaths.
The latest surge in numbers has also been powered by a rise in cases from a handful of southern states, including Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
India reopened shopping centres, places of worship and offices a month ago.
For the last three days, India's caseload has galloped at an alarming rate, adding more than 20,000 daily infections per day.
Although India has the third highest number of cases, it is eighth in fatalities, according to statistics from Johns Hopkins University.
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India now has third-most confirmed cases
State governments in India confirmed almost 25,000 cases on Sunday, taking the national total to 697,887 since the outbreak began.
That means it has overtaken Russia as the third most-affected country in terms of confirmed infections:
1. USA (2,888,885 cases)
2. Brazil (1,603,055)
3. India (697,887)
4. Russia (680,203)
5. Peru (302,718)
6. Chile (295,532)
7. UK (286,931)
8. Mexico (256,848)
9. Spain (250,545)
10. Italy (241,611)
(Source: Johns Hopkins University / Indian state data)
State governments in India confirmed almost 25,000 cases on Sunday, taking the national total to 697,887 since the outbreak began.
That means it has overtaken Russia as the third most-affected country in terms of confirmed infections:
1. USA (2,888,885 cases)
2. Brazil (1,603,055)
3. India (697,887)
4. Russia (680,203)
5. Peru (302,718)
6. Chile (295,532)
7. UK (286,931)
8. Mexico (256,848)
9. Spain (250,545)
10. Italy (241,611)
(Source: Johns Hopkins University / Indian state data)
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On Friday, July 3, a resident of Hanumanthanagar in Bengaluru who was suffering from fever and breathing difficulties collapsed in the middle of the road even as his family ran from pillar to post across seven different private and government hospitals to get him admitted, but to no avail. Eventually, the man died and his body lay prone on the road as it took four hours for an ambulance to finally arrive, only to eventually cart away the man’s body. His case is not alone. After an initial bout of success, the Karnataka government seems to have lost the plot on containing the rising Covid-19 cases especially in state capital Bengaluru .
On Sunday, when Medical Education minister Dr K Sudhakar visited the Jayanagar General Hospital, patients there poured out a litany of woes. From availability of ambulances to arrive at the hospital, hygiene, quality of food to time taken for Covid-19 reports to be provided, they highlighted numerous problems. Sudhakar admitted that there were issues and promised that 400 additional ambulances (at the rate of two per ward for the 200 wards in Bengaluru ) would be provided and complained that as cases mounted private hospitals which had promised to provide 2,734 beds had in fact provided only 116. Expressing his frustration the minister warned of initiating criminal cases against hospitals which did not provide treatment or turned away Covid-19 patients.
A day earlier on Saturday Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy, daughter of Congress heavyweight Ramalinga Reddy, tweeted her anger at the government’s mismanagement of the situation after trying to help a constituent get a bed saying, “On the phone calling hospital after hospital. They don’t respond/switched off, if they do they say no beds with oxygen/ICU. So angry...pathetic state of our healthcare.”
Pointing out that inspite of being an MLA, this was her experience and said, “Imagine the plight of people who don’t have connections or strings to pull.” Reddy also said a 30-year-old and not just people with co-morbidities had died unable to get a hospital bed.
The state government’s response has been a mixture of denial and passing the buck.
Ever since the first case was detected on March 8 – that of a software engineer who had returned from the US – the government had been declaring its ‘success’ in containing the spread as well as the ‘low mortality’ rate in the state compared to other states with a similar size of population.
As recently as a month back – on June 6 to be precise – Bengaluru had a mere 162 cases of the 3,184 active Covid-19 cases in the state and did not even figure in the top three districts with most cases in the state. It then accounted for a mere 5 per cent of the total cases in Karnataka. However, as of Sunday it has 8,167 active Covid-19 cases and accounted for more than 60 per cent of all active cases in Karnataka.
How did things spin out of control so quickly? If opposition parties are to be believed it is gross incompetence and lack of coordination between various ministries. In the cabinet, the health and welfare minister is B Sriramulu and the Medical Education minister is Dr K Sudhakar. However, after some ego clashes, the Chief Minister was forced to nominate the primary and secondary education minister and one of the government’s most articulate spokespersons Suresh Kumar to brief the media and give daily updates on the statewide situation.
Sriramulu and Sudhakar themselves were accused of violating quarantine norms and later when the medical education minister had to go on home quarantine after family members tested Covid-19 positive, the CM nominated former Deputy CM and current revenue minister, the ambitious R Ashoka as the new Covid-19 spokesperson for the government.
After announcing various relief packages, the CM who saw that the treasury was empty decided to go full throttle on opening up of Bengaluru. Even as some migrant labourers wanted to go back to their native places, initially the state government refused permission and tied to dissuade them. After backlash by civil society and the opposition, the government reluctantly agreed but continued its plan to open up the city for business as it was the main revenue driver. A medical advisor to the Covid-19 taskforce who did not want to be identified said: “The pace at which the opening up of the city took place was probably too fast but the government had made up its mind.”
Former Bellary MP and Congress spokesperson V S Ugrappa says lack of co-ordination and one-upmanship between various ministers is one of the key reasons for things spinning out of control. “What was the government doing for the last three months? Were they sleeping? Why was infrastructure not put in place? Why are people dying waiting for ambulances and why are patients being turned away without treatment?”
However, a senior official of the health and family welfare department who did not want to be identified – as he is not authorized to speak to the media – said, “I think given the circumstances we have done a good job. The scale of the challenge is humongous. Yes, there might have been some lacunae which we are addressing but remember this is a situation without a precedent. Also, numbers went up as people also did not follow social distancing norms plus the testing has gone up, which all have led to the current situation. Things are under control and it is incorrect to paint a picture of it being otherwise.”
On Saturday, as thousands jammed the highways leading out of Bengaluru hoping to escape the city and the deadly spread of the virus, Vignesh Gowda an auto driver who originally hails from Chennapatna told HT, “I have a 3-year-old son and a wife. My younger brother tills some family land in Byrapatna. Instead of dying here, I would rather go back and take up agriculture until things improve.”
A worried CM on Monday appealed to people not to leave Bengaluru . “There is no need to panic. Please cooperate with the government. We have added 10,000 more beds as well as 450 more ambulances and if required will add more. Unfortunately, we have to co-exist with this situation as there is no solution for now. Your lives are important and the government is taking all measures to protect you.”
For now, though people of Bengaluru are apprehensive and worried about the evolving situation.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...id-19-cases/story-Stx8Jw5a66dqdXye0cygoM.html
On Sunday, when Medical Education minister Dr K Sudhakar visited the Jayanagar General Hospital, patients there poured out a litany of woes. From availability of ambulances to arrive at the hospital, hygiene, quality of food to time taken for Covid-19 reports to be provided, they highlighted numerous problems. Sudhakar admitted that there were issues and promised that 400 additional ambulances (at the rate of two per ward for the 200 wards in Bengaluru ) would be provided and complained that as cases mounted private hospitals which had promised to provide 2,734 beds had in fact provided only 116. Expressing his frustration the minister warned of initiating criminal cases against hospitals which did not provide treatment or turned away Covid-19 patients.
A day earlier on Saturday Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy, daughter of Congress heavyweight Ramalinga Reddy, tweeted her anger at the government’s mismanagement of the situation after trying to help a constituent get a bed saying, “On the phone calling hospital after hospital. They don’t respond/switched off, if they do they say no beds with oxygen/ICU. So angry...pathetic state of our healthcare.”
Pointing out that inspite of being an MLA, this was her experience and said, “Imagine the plight of people who don’t have connections or strings to pull.” Reddy also said a 30-year-old and not just people with co-morbidities had died unable to get a hospital bed.
The state government’s response has been a mixture of denial and passing the buck.
Ever since the first case was detected on March 8 – that of a software engineer who had returned from the US – the government had been declaring its ‘success’ in containing the spread as well as the ‘low mortality’ rate in the state compared to other states with a similar size of population.
As recently as a month back – on June 6 to be precise – Bengaluru had a mere 162 cases of the 3,184 active Covid-19 cases in the state and did not even figure in the top three districts with most cases in the state. It then accounted for a mere 5 per cent of the total cases in Karnataka. However, as of Sunday it has 8,167 active Covid-19 cases and accounted for more than 60 per cent of all active cases in Karnataka.
How did things spin out of control so quickly? If opposition parties are to be believed it is gross incompetence and lack of coordination between various ministries. In the cabinet, the health and welfare minister is B Sriramulu and the Medical Education minister is Dr K Sudhakar. However, after some ego clashes, the Chief Minister was forced to nominate the primary and secondary education minister and one of the government’s most articulate spokespersons Suresh Kumar to brief the media and give daily updates on the statewide situation.
Sriramulu and Sudhakar themselves were accused of violating quarantine norms and later when the medical education minister had to go on home quarantine after family members tested Covid-19 positive, the CM nominated former Deputy CM and current revenue minister, the ambitious R Ashoka as the new Covid-19 spokesperson for the government.
After announcing various relief packages, the CM who saw that the treasury was empty decided to go full throttle on opening up of Bengaluru. Even as some migrant labourers wanted to go back to their native places, initially the state government refused permission and tied to dissuade them. After backlash by civil society and the opposition, the government reluctantly agreed but continued its plan to open up the city for business as it was the main revenue driver. A medical advisor to the Covid-19 taskforce who did not want to be identified said: “The pace at which the opening up of the city took place was probably too fast but the government had made up its mind.”
Former Bellary MP and Congress spokesperson V S Ugrappa says lack of co-ordination and one-upmanship between various ministers is one of the key reasons for things spinning out of control. “What was the government doing for the last three months? Were they sleeping? Why was infrastructure not put in place? Why are people dying waiting for ambulances and why are patients being turned away without treatment?”
However, a senior official of the health and family welfare department who did not want to be identified – as he is not authorized to speak to the media – said, “I think given the circumstances we have done a good job. The scale of the challenge is humongous. Yes, there might have been some lacunae which we are addressing but remember this is a situation without a precedent. Also, numbers went up as people also did not follow social distancing norms plus the testing has gone up, which all have led to the current situation. Things are under control and it is incorrect to paint a picture of it being otherwise.”
On Saturday, as thousands jammed the highways leading out of Bengaluru hoping to escape the city and the deadly spread of the virus, Vignesh Gowda an auto driver who originally hails from Chennapatna told HT, “I have a 3-year-old son and a wife. My younger brother tills some family land in Byrapatna. Instead of dying here, I would rather go back and take up agriculture until things improve.”
A worried CM on Monday appealed to people not to leave Bengaluru . “There is no need to panic. Please cooperate with the government. We have added 10,000 more beds as well as 450 more ambulances and if required will add more. Unfortunately, we have to co-exist with this situation as there is no solution for now. Your lives are important and the government is taking all measures to protect you.”
For now, though people of Bengaluru are apprehensive and worried about the evolving situation.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...id-19-cases/story-Stx8Jw5a66dqdXye0cygoM.html
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,860
Mumbai, one of India's biggest coronavirus hotspots, has become the country's first city to open up testing to everyone.
Until now, complex rules have meant that testing was mostly restricted to those who have symptoms or are high-risk, and required a doctor's prescription.
But Mumbai - which has some 86,500 confirmed cases - has done away with that. It's also allowing all labs, including private ones, to do the test. The government has already fixed prices.
The move comes as India ramps up testing - case numbers have already surged in recent weeks as a result.
It now has more than 740,000 confirmed cases, the world's third largest tally.
Until now, complex rules have meant that testing was mostly restricted to those who have symptoms or are high-risk, and required a doctor's prescription.
But Mumbai - which has some 86,500 confirmed cases - has done away with that. It's also allowing all labs, including private ones, to do the test. The government has already fixed prices.
The move comes as India ramps up testing - case numbers have already surged in recent weeks as a result.
It now has more than 740,000 confirmed cases, the world's third largest tally.
Bhaag Viru Bhaag
Senior Test Player
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- Aug 20, 2013
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- 27,966
But we are doing better than other countries.
Syed1
ODI Captain
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- Post of the Week
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I wish the people of India well, specially the poor people who have suffered the most due to mismanagement of Modi government. However, I have no sympathy for people who were celebrating when cases had accelerated in Pakistan initially "ab corona se marayga Pakistan".
Well jokes on them all studies showing we are on course to "fade out" and active cases are dropping everyday. We are beyond the peak and inshallah the trend will continue. As for "corona se marayga Pakistan", we don't have 5,000 deaths yet while India has over 20,000.
Karma has a weird way of coming back and biting you in the a....
Well jokes on them all studies showing we are on course to "fade out" and active cases are dropping everyday. We are beyond the peak and inshallah the trend will continue. As for "corona se marayga Pakistan", we don't have 5,000 deaths yet while India has over 20,000.
Karma has a weird way of coming back and biting you in the a....
Bhaag Viru Bhaag
Senior Test Player
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Exactly. This country has gone to mad and jaahil dogs. Some of them were also celebrating when PIA plane crashed.
Lol, that's illiterate being illiterate. The bigot was even felicitating Bisht by citing UP numbers against 4 European nations combined, completely oblivious of the fact, what percentage of their populations have undergone tests vis-a-vis UP residents. At that time, that was just about 0.5% of total UP population. So there you go.But we are doing better than other countries.
That's why it pays to be literate. We should have minimum qualification for people occupying high offices, people having fake degrees should be jailed immediately.
Bhaag Viru Bhaag
Senior Test Player
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- Aug 20, 2013
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Yes.
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- Mar 19, 2015
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- 15,745
India could have 2.87 lakh Covid-19 cases per day by 2021 winter if no cure found: MIT study
In the absence of an effective vaccine and improved health infrastructure across states, India could record about 2.87 lakh projected cases of coronavirus per day by the end of winter 2021, according to a study by scientists and researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
MIT professors Hazhir Rahmandad and John Sterman, and PhD candidate Tse Yang Lim, indicated that the top ten countries by projected daily infection rates at the end of winter 2021 are India with 2.87 lakh infections per day, followed by the United States, South Africa, Iran, Indonesia, the UK, Nigeria, Turkey, France, and Germany.
The study used data from about 84 countries spanning an estimated 4.75 billion people. With the help of the global data, the researchers developed a dynamic epidemiological model for projected coronavirus infections.
Adding a note of caution, the researchers said that the projections for the spread of the disease are very sensitive to assumed testing of samples, behavioural, and policy responses, and they should be interpreted as indicators of potential risk and not a precise forecast of future cases in several countries.
Aggressive testing by nations and reductions in contacts in response to risk perception will significantly reduce future Covid-19 cases while laxer response, negligence and normalisation of risks can lead to outbreaks which could overwhelm existing health infrastructure of countries..
By making additional assumptions on future testing and responses, the researchers said the model can inform future trajectories of the disease.
“We have explored a few projections out to spring 2021 that exclude vaccine and treatment availability,” the MIT researchers said.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...1-mit-study/story-2AMY2H1kSOragvPqJNiueK.html
In the absence of an effective vaccine and improved health infrastructure across states, India could record about 2.87 lakh projected cases of coronavirus per day by the end of winter 2021, according to a study by scientists and researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
MIT professors Hazhir Rahmandad and John Sterman, and PhD candidate Tse Yang Lim, indicated that the top ten countries by projected daily infection rates at the end of winter 2021 are India with 2.87 lakh infections per day, followed by the United States, South Africa, Iran, Indonesia, the UK, Nigeria, Turkey, France, and Germany.
The study used data from about 84 countries spanning an estimated 4.75 billion people. With the help of the global data, the researchers developed a dynamic epidemiological model for projected coronavirus infections.
Adding a note of caution, the researchers said that the projections for the spread of the disease are very sensitive to assumed testing of samples, behavioural, and policy responses, and they should be interpreted as indicators of potential risk and not a precise forecast of future cases in several countries.
Aggressive testing by nations and reductions in contacts in response to risk perception will significantly reduce future Covid-19 cases while laxer response, negligence and normalisation of risks can lead to outbreaks which could overwhelm existing health infrastructure of countries..
By making additional assumptions on future testing and responses, the researchers said the model can inform future trajectories of the disease.
“We have explored a few projections out to spring 2021 that exclude vaccine and treatment availability,” the MIT researchers said.
Projections under three scenarios were taken into account as part of the study:
1. Using the current country-specific testing rates and response functions moving forward.
2. If enhanced testing -- of 0.1 per cent a day -- is adopted on July 1.
3. If sensitivity of contact rate to perceived risk is set to 8, leaving testing at current levels.
The first two scenarios project a very large burden of new coronavirus cases by the latter half of 2020, with hundreds of millions of cases concentrated in a few countries estimated to have insufficient responses given the high risks, primarily India, but also Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the United States.
The United States currently leads the world with the highest concentration of Covid-19 cases and a record number of deaths. India, however, is not too far behind, occupying the third spot, preceded only by Brazil. Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, India on Tuesday said the total number of coronavirus infections and fatalities per million population in the country are among the lowest in the world.
“Our model simulates the progression and spread of Covid-19, including how people interact, how many get sick, how many get tested, how many are hospitalized, how many die -- and how people change their behaviour in response to the risk they perceive,” Rahmandad, one of the researchers said.
“We then use a wide range of data to estimate the parameters of the model -- say, what fraction of infections are asymptomatic, and how contagious the virus is -- to give the best match to the real world data,” they said.
On the flip side, the magnitude of the Covid-19 pandemic is widely underreported, the researchers have warned.
They estimated that Covid-19 cases and deaths as of June 18 are, respectively, 11.8 and 1.48 times higher than official reports across the 84 nations considered for the study.
The authors also cautioned that despite the increasing numbers no country is remotely close to establishing herd immunity to combat the virus.
“Actual coronavirus cases are far greater than official reports suggest, the majority of people remain susceptible. Waiting for herd immunity is not a viable path out of the current pandemic,” Rahmandad said.
On Wednesday, India reported a spike of 22,752 Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s coronavirus tally to 7,42,417, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
1. Using the current country-specific testing rates and response functions moving forward.
2. If enhanced testing -- of 0.1 per cent a day -- is adopted on July 1.
3. If sensitivity of contact rate to perceived risk is set to 8, leaving testing at current levels.
The first two scenarios project a very large burden of new coronavirus cases by the latter half of 2020, with hundreds of millions of cases concentrated in a few countries estimated to have insufficient responses given the high risks, primarily India, but also Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the United States.
The United States currently leads the world with the highest concentration of Covid-19 cases and a record number of deaths. India, however, is not too far behind, occupying the third spot, preceded only by Brazil. Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, India on Tuesday said the total number of coronavirus infections and fatalities per million population in the country are among the lowest in the world.
“Our model simulates the progression and spread of Covid-19, including how people interact, how many get sick, how many get tested, how many are hospitalized, how many die -- and how people change their behaviour in response to the risk they perceive,” Rahmandad, one of the researchers said.
“We then use a wide range of data to estimate the parameters of the model -- say, what fraction of infections are asymptomatic, and how contagious the virus is -- to give the best match to the real world data,” they said.
On the flip side, the magnitude of the Covid-19 pandemic is widely underreported, the researchers have warned.
They estimated that Covid-19 cases and deaths as of June 18 are, respectively, 11.8 and 1.48 times higher than official reports across the 84 nations considered for the study.
The authors also cautioned that despite the increasing numbers no country is remotely close to establishing herd immunity to combat the virus.
“Actual coronavirus cases are far greater than official reports suggest, the majority of people remain susceptible. Waiting for herd immunity is not a viable path out of the current pandemic,” Rahmandad said.
On Wednesday, India reported a spike of 22,752 Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s coronavirus tally to 7,42,417, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
finalfantasy7
First Class Player
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- 3,180
ive asked this question in the pakistan corona thread - waiting for a reply.
I do want to know if india is doing any antigen test to see if anyone has had the corona virus, as the throbb test isnt the most accurate for many reasons
I do want to know if india is doing any antigen test to see if anyone has had the corona virus, as the throbb test isnt the most accurate for many reasons
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There is a shortage of the experimental antiviral drug Remdesivir across India, but especially in Delhi, with many scrambling to source it from other cities or buying it at exorbitant prices.
Doctors blame increased demand and limited supply of the medicine for its shortage since the Union health ministry on June 13 allowed its emergency use for treating Covid-19 patients with moderate symptoms. An increase in cases around the country has seen more doctors prescribing the drug , but supply hasn’t increased proportionately. Patients prescribed the drug are typically given six doses (each is an injection).
The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) on June 1 allowed Gilead Sciences, which holds the patent for Remdesivir, to start importing the medicine. Three Indian manufacturers – Hetero, Cipla, and Mylan-- have since been allowed to manufacture the drug in India. Several other companies, including Jubilant and Zydus are awaiting approvals from the regulator. All of them have signed agreements with patent holder Gilead.
The medicine was earlier available at only a few hospitals across the country as part of the World Health Organisation’s solidarity trial to study the efficacy of various therapies for Covid-19.
Currently, the generic (off patent) drug manufactured by Hetero is available in Delhi. The company has priced the product at Rs 5,400 a vial. Media reports say it has thus far manufactured and supplied 20,000 vials.
“The generics manufactured by two other companies are likely to enter the market over the next couple of days and resolve the shortages. For now, we have been asked to monitor the situation. There is a Bangladeshi variant of the drug available in India that is being sold to desperate patients,” said an official from Delhi’s drug control departmentwho asked not to be named.
Cipla is expected to launch its product before the end of the week. Several state governments are also in line to buy the drug; some have already placed orders with Hetero.
DCGI wrote to drug controllers of the states on Monday asking them to keep a check on black marketeering.
The medicine is unavailable at pharmacies for personal use and is sold for institutional use to hospitals treating Covid-19 patients directly.
Abhay Shrivastav, a Delhi resident, said he has been looking for six vials of the Remdesivir injection prescribed to the 84-year-old mother of a family friend. “Our patient is admitted to one of the biggest hospitals in the city. The doctor there prescribed the medicine and said that there was a shortage in the hospital and the family would have to arrange for it. If the drug is not supposed to be sold in the pharmacies, where can we get it from?” Shrivastav has been assured the medicine for Rs 65,000 a vial after he posted a message on social media . His brother has been able to find four vials of the medicine in Mumbai and is sending them via a courier.
Journalist Samarth Bansal said he received quotations of Rs 30,000 per vial when he started looking for the medicine for his grandmother. “The hospital prescribed the medicine to her on Sunday but did not have it available in their pharmacy. They asked us to wait till Tuesday as an order had been placed. We tried to get in touch with the company and bulk drug dealers. Someone I knew got me in touch with a person at Bhagirath Palace [Delhi’s largest wholesale medicine market] who quoted the price,” he said. He is getting the medicine from Kolkata.
After receiving several complaints of drug shortage, India’s drugs controller on Tuesday directed state authorities to ensure there is no black marketing or over pricing of Remdesivir that it has allowed under emergency use authorisation for severely ill patients of Covid-19. “The states have been directed to take strict action against the defaulters” said a senior official in the drugs controllers office.
Both private and government hospitals in Delhi have reported depleting stock of the medicine. “There is a shortage of Remdesivir to some extent since the drug is now approved as a first-line treatment for moderate to severe [patients]... and demand has increased. We are currently managing through the inter-unit transfer of available stocks within the hospitals based on requirements. We have received support and assurance of fresh supplies from the manufacturer. We understand that other manufacturers are also entering the market shortly, and hopefully, that will ease out the supply shortage to some extent,” said Fortis Healthcare in a statement.
Max Hospital, Saket, one of the first private hospitals in Delhi to start treating Covid-19 patients, also reported a shortage of the drug over the last three days.
“We have not received any fresh stocks of this important drug since the beginning of this month. This could be because of having only one manufacturer across the country as of now. We are hopeful that the scenario may change by the end of this week with some more drug manufacturers joining in,” the hospital said in a statement
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...ement-soars/story-cv4fUobatUbo9ufMUACWII.html
Doctors blame increased demand and limited supply of the medicine for its shortage since the Union health ministry on June 13 allowed its emergency use for treating Covid-19 patients with moderate symptoms. An increase in cases around the country has seen more doctors prescribing the drug , but supply hasn’t increased proportionately. Patients prescribed the drug are typically given six doses (each is an injection).
The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) on June 1 allowed Gilead Sciences, which holds the patent for Remdesivir, to start importing the medicine. Three Indian manufacturers – Hetero, Cipla, and Mylan-- have since been allowed to manufacture the drug in India. Several other companies, including Jubilant and Zydus are awaiting approvals from the regulator. All of them have signed agreements with patent holder Gilead.
The medicine was earlier available at only a few hospitals across the country as part of the World Health Organisation’s solidarity trial to study the efficacy of various therapies for Covid-19.
Currently, the generic (off patent) drug manufactured by Hetero is available in Delhi. The company has priced the product at Rs 5,400 a vial. Media reports say it has thus far manufactured and supplied 20,000 vials.
“The generics manufactured by two other companies are likely to enter the market over the next couple of days and resolve the shortages. For now, we have been asked to monitor the situation. There is a Bangladeshi variant of the drug available in India that is being sold to desperate patients,” said an official from Delhi’s drug control departmentwho asked not to be named.
Cipla is expected to launch its product before the end of the week. Several state governments are also in line to buy the drug; some have already placed orders with Hetero.
DCGI wrote to drug controllers of the states on Monday asking them to keep a check on black marketeering.
The medicine is unavailable at pharmacies for personal use and is sold for institutional use to hospitals treating Covid-19 patients directly.
Abhay Shrivastav, a Delhi resident, said he has been looking for six vials of the Remdesivir injection prescribed to the 84-year-old mother of a family friend. “Our patient is admitted to one of the biggest hospitals in the city. The doctor there prescribed the medicine and said that there was a shortage in the hospital and the family would have to arrange for it. If the drug is not supposed to be sold in the pharmacies, where can we get it from?” Shrivastav has been assured the medicine for Rs 65,000 a vial after he posted a message on social media . His brother has been able to find four vials of the medicine in Mumbai and is sending them via a courier.
Journalist Samarth Bansal said he received quotations of Rs 30,000 per vial when he started looking for the medicine for his grandmother. “The hospital prescribed the medicine to her on Sunday but did not have it available in their pharmacy. They asked us to wait till Tuesday as an order had been placed. We tried to get in touch with the company and bulk drug dealers. Someone I knew got me in touch with a person at Bhagirath Palace [Delhi’s largest wholesale medicine market] who quoted the price,” he said. He is getting the medicine from Kolkata.
After receiving several complaints of drug shortage, India’s drugs controller on Tuesday directed state authorities to ensure there is no black marketing or over pricing of Remdesivir that it has allowed under emergency use authorisation for severely ill patients of Covid-19. “The states have been directed to take strict action against the defaulters” said a senior official in the drugs controllers office.
Both private and government hospitals in Delhi have reported depleting stock of the medicine. “There is a shortage of Remdesivir to some extent since the drug is now approved as a first-line treatment for moderate to severe [patients]... and demand has increased. We are currently managing through the inter-unit transfer of available stocks within the hospitals based on requirements. We have received support and assurance of fresh supplies from the manufacturer. We understand that other manufacturers are also entering the market shortly, and hopefully, that will ease out the supply shortage to some extent,” said Fortis Healthcare in a statement.
Max Hospital, Saket, one of the first private hospitals in Delhi to start treating Covid-19 patients, also reported a shortage of the drug over the last three days.
“We have not received any fresh stocks of this important drug since the beginning of this month. This could be because of having only one manufacturer across the country as of now. We are hopeful that the scenario may change by the end of this week with some more drug manufacturers joining in,” the hospital said in a statement
https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...ement-soars/story-cv4fUobatUbo9ufMUACWII.html
Itachi
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Kayal or CJ could have answered this question as they are working on the field but most Indian posters avoid this thread because of noise from the usual suspects.
Arsal_AK
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We are no saints too. I have seen quite a few of such characters around this side of the border.
Take the moon landing failure as an example. The joy we expressed, as if it was a race where only one could survive and we won.
It's the same with the pandemic. Long way to go for both countries.
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India's West Bengal state tightens lockdown
Amid a surge in new cases, the government of West Bengal state has begun implementing a strict lockdown in areas with high infection rates.
All offices in these areas will be shut, transportation has been halted, and no marketing, industrial or trading activities will be allowed.
The whole state, which borders Bangladesh, has a population of 90 million.
The new restrictions, which came into effect this morning, will be in place for a week to start with.
With 24,823 cases, West Bengal is now one of India's worst-affected states. It reported more than 800 new infections on Tuesday alone.
Amid a surge in new cases, the government of West Bengal state has begun implementing a strict lockdown in areas with high infection rates.
All offices in these areas will be shut, transportation has been halted, and no marketing, industrial or trading activities will be allowed.
The whole state, which borders Bangladesh, has a population of 90 million.
The new restrictions, which came into effect this morning, will be in place for a week to start with.
With 24,823 cases, West Bengal is now one of India's worst-affected states. It reported more than 800 new infections on Tuesday alone.
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globalcitizen
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India is seeing one of the highest recovery rates in world. And the death rates is starting to decline. the indian authorities have to keep testing more and find the active cases especially in hotspots. It will start coming down as long the lockdown and social distancing is maintained.
globalcitizen
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There is absolutely no one bothering to even comment on Pakistan coronavirus thread, leaving alone wishing harm and death against another country. It’s more of you and some other guys always posting and highlighting negative things in this thread. Stop this buffoon attitude of yours and act responsibly.
Remember everyone is together in this fight against a pandemic in words and action. No country can claim victory at this point.
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India reports highest daily cases with nearly 25,000 infections
India reported the biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases with 24,879 new infections in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said.
The total tally of COVID-19 cases stands at 767,296 and death toll rose to 21,129 with 487 new fatalities, according to the ministry data.
India reported the biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases with 24,879 new infections in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said.
The total tally of COVID-19 cases stands at 767,296 and death toll rose to 21,129 with 487 new fatalities, according to the ministry data.
Slog
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India (and for that reason Pakistan’s) death rate isn’t as high as UK, US, Spain, Italy etc despite increasing cases because our populations are so young. Younger people are more likely to be able to fight it. However what people aren’t realizing is that Coronavirus isn’t a zero sum game. The outcomes are simply death or no death. Many people who are coming out of it apparently fine are still coming out with damage to lungs etc which may impact their quality of life in the future.
The low death rate isn’t due to proper handling or good policy. It’s just consequence of younger population.
Syed1
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Yesterday a 105 year Pakistani recovered.
finalfantasy7
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great to hear, hope the delhite has many more happy years to live
finalfantasy7
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Interesting article by bbc on india corona virus
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-53284144
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-53284144
finalfantasy7
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What an achievement congrats Modiji
yes i know, i posted the link, however i dont believe the numbers reported by india and pakistan when it comes to deaths. I do believe it is higher than reported - but that doesn't mean its as bad as italy /spain / uk and so on.
I can remember that around 3/4 weeks ago india reported 2000 deaths in one day - they stated that a few hospitals didn't report thr deaths in the days before and that was the reason why that one day was so high - i was the first member to report that on this thread - now lets be honest both countries had had top doctors and journalists saying the above.
Both countries are under reporting
Slog
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What an achievement congrats Modiji
Lol how is modi responsible.
Firstly the coronavirus situation isn’t great by any means.
But one of the reasons why we have avoided many deaths in per capita terms is because of a combination of younger population and a less fatal strain of the virus.
India did well with the early lockdown but it wasn’t managed super well and a few hundred people died consequently in the migrant crisis. However since the reopening cases have definitely accelerated.
Slog
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There’s definitely under reporting in Pakistan and India etc but it cannot be to a level where it would significantly change the data conclusions. You can underreport to some extent but if the death rate was similar levels to Europe or USA then it would have been very evident in anecdotal stories and the piling bodies. You cannot hide deaths at such a large scale.
Slog
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That’s great but one or 2 anecdotes cannot be means of making a conclusion. Very likely it could be a one-off. Besides the consensus is that the strain in Pak is weaker so mayeb thats also helping
Slog
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Essentially in my opinion. A good response to the coronavirus from authorities would mean the flattening of the curve and then the daily positive cases going down which is what Italy, Spain, Korea etc achieved. Pakistan and definitely India aren’t doing that right now. Just because the strain of the virus may be weak and not killing as many people as other regions doesn’t mean that the government is doing a good job of containing. That’s just plain dumb luck.
will be a bit unsuitable to say butvyou have to know how much effort we doctors have been putting here. We have many 80 and 75 years old recovering. We are doing great and govt response has been brilliant in Peshwar atleast. [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] may not agree but I am impressed with kpk govt response here in Tertiary care hispitals atleast. Another thing we need to atleast give some financial allowances to young doctors in order to encourage and recognise the services they have been providing . I have personally joined the COvid managemnt team on my own choice and enjoyed every bit of work I did with my patients.
cricketjoshila
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Few hundred died due to migrant crisis? Really? Any source to this claim?
Slog
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Almost 200 migrant workers died due to road accidents (https://m.hindustantimes.com/india-...down-report/story-hTWzAWMYn0kyycKw1dyKqL.html)
Others were killed due to starvation, suicides etc too (https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/ind...r-starvation-suicide-and-more-1.1586956637547)
Some high profile cases such as the 20 or so when they were sleeping and run over by oncoming train. I remember some video where a little child was over or next to her dead migrant mother who collapsed like walking.
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India's case-load surpasses 800,000
India's coronavirus cases passed 800,000 with the biggest spike of 27,114 cases in the past 24 hours, causing nearly a dozen states to impose a partial lockdown in high-risk areas.
The new confirmed cases took the national total to 820,916. The Ministry of Health also reported another 519 more deaths, taking the total to 22,123. A surge in infections saw the cases jumping from 600,000 to more than 800,000 in nine days.
Eight of India's 28 states, including the worst-hit Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, account for nearly 90 percent of all infections.
Source Al Jazeera
India's coronavirus cases passed 800,000 with the biggest spike of 27,114 cases in the past 24 hours, causing nearly a dozen states to impose a partial lockdown in high-risk areas.
The new confirmed cases took the national total to 820,916. The Ministry of Health also reported another 519 more deaths, taking the total to 22,123. A surge in infections saw the cases jumping from 600,000 to more than 800,000 in nine days.
Eight of India's 28 states, including the worst-hit Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, account for nearly 90 percent of all infections.
Source Al Jazeera
globalcitizen
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I don’t understand why the confirmed cases are reported on this thread.The active cases is what matters and it’s 300k.
globalcitizen
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In last 3 days, the new cases are about 75k and recovered cases are about 65k. The planned lockdowns in the next few days in hotspot will be important
thelandofthebravepeople
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Amitabh Bachchan tested Covid 19 positive. He is 77 years old. In the danger zone. Wish him all the best.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bjp...avirus-response-2260831?pfrom=home-topstories
New Delhi: The Public Accounts Committee or PAC, one of the most important parliamentary panels which scrutinises key reports by the auditor general and has taken up issues like the 2G spectrum scandal in the past, failed to arrive at a consensus on Friday on examining the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic or the new PM CARES fund set up to tackle the crisis.
The chairman of the committee, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is also the leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, appealed to members to think of the nation and act with their conscience and find a consensus on the important subject.
Members of the ruling BJP, however, came in full strength with a clear directive to the meeting of the panel to stall Mr Chowdhury's proposal of examining the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis, sources said.
The biggest support for the BJP came from Biju Janata Dal leader Bhartuhari Mahtani. The opposition was outnumbered with DMK leader TR Balu being one of the few to support the proposal, those present in the meeting told NDTV.
Some opposition leaders claimed that the reason for denying the scrutiny of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government's response is because the BJP is afraid of a closer look into the PM CARES fund which is not under the audit of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India or CAG.
The ruling party, which enjoys a majority in the panel and is led by senior leader Bhupender Yadav, blocked Mr Chowdhury's attempt to select the PM CARES Fund for examination saying its funding was not sanctioned by parliament and therefore it cannot be taken up by the committee.
The government has said the PM CARES Fund, set up as a war chest for national emergencies to draw individual and private sector donations, will not be looked into by the government's auditor but by "independent" auditors.
This was the first time that the PAC met after the nationwide lockdown was lifted and unlike other committees where the presence of members were minimal, the BJP ensured there was nearly full attendance.
With this decision, the key parliamentary committee will be unable to scrutinise and analyse one of the world's biggest lockdowns, the government's response and how it is handling the crisis for now.
The PAC, however, agreed to review the construction of border roads at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and procurement of high-altitude clothing for the armed forces in the wake of the recent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.
New Delhi: The Public Accounts Committee or PAC, one of the most important parliamentary panels which scrutinises key reports by the auditor general and has taken up issues like the 2G spectrum scandal in the past, failed to arrive at a consensus on Friday on examining the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic or the new PM CARES fund set up to tackle the crisis.
The chairman of the committee, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is also the leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, appealed to members to think of the nation and act with their conscience and find a consensus on the important subject.
Members of the ruling BJP, however, came in full strength with a clear directive to the meeting of the panel to stall Mr Chowdhury's proposal of examining the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis, sources said.
The biggest support for the BJP came from Biju Janata Dal leader Bhartuhari Mahtani. The opposition was outnumbered with DMK leader TR Balu being one of the few to support the proposal, those present in the meeting told NDTV.
Some opposition leaders claimed that the reason for denying the scrutiny of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government's response is because the BJP is afraid of a closer look into the PM CARES fund which is not under the audit of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India or CAG.
The ruling party, which enjoys a majority in the panel and is led by senior leader Bhupender Yadav, blocked Mr Chowdhury's attempt to select the PM CARES Fund for examination saying its funding was not sanctioned by parliament and therefore it cannot be taken up by the committee.
The government has said the PM CARES Fund, set up as a war chest for national emergencies to draw individual and private sector donations, will not be looked into by the government's auditor but by "independent" auditors.
This was the first time that the PAC met after the nationwide lockdown was lifted and unlike other committees where the presence of members were minimal, the BJP ensured there was nearly full attendance.
With this decision, the key parliamentary committee will be unable to scrutinise and analyse one of the world's biggest lockdowns, the government's response and how it is handling the crisis for now.
The PAC, however, agreed to review the construction of border roads at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and procurement of high-altitude clothing for the armed forces in the wake of the recent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.
andy0204
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Bachchan sahab is a very fit and discipline man,I believe he will recover.
Deewana Mastana
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Amitabh Bachchan, one of India's best known film actors, has tested positive for Covid-19, he told his millions of Twitter followers.
"I have tested Covid positive, shifted to hospital, hospital informing authorities, family and staff undergone tests, results awaited," he wrote.
His son, Abhishek, later tweeted he had also tested positive.
Bachchan, 77, has been involved in 200 films since becoming a star five decades ago.
He, and Abhishek, 44, have been taken to Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai, and his son described them both as having mild symptoms. A hospital official told The Indian Express newspaper that he was in a stable condition.
Amitabh urged anyone who had been close to him in the past 10 days to get tested.
"I have tested Covid positive, shifted to hospital, hospital informing authorities, family and staff undergone tests, results awaited," he wrote.
His son, Abhishek, later tweeted he had also tested positive.
Bachchan, 77, has been involved in 200 films since becoming a star five decades ago.
He, and Abhishek, 44, have been taken to Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai, and his son described them both as having mild symptoms. A hospital official told The Indian Express newspaper that he was in a stable condition.
Amitabh urged anyone who had been close to him in the past 10 days to get tested.
Bhaag Viru Bhaag
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PM Cares Fund sounded fishy right from the start. This money will be used in upcoming elections and to give lollipops to bhakhts.
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