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Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting to review the situation at 8 pm on Saturday, 17 April.
India reported 2,34,692 fresh COVID cases in the last 24 hours – the highest single-day spike ever – pushing the country’s overall COVID tally to 1,45,26,609, according to the Health Ministry data released on Saturday.
On Satuday evening, PM Modi spoke to Swami Avdheshanand Giri over the telephone and requested that the ongoing Kumbh Mela be only "symbolic" now. This comes after shahi snans have already taken place amid a health crisis.
27,357 new coronavirus cases reported in Uttar Pradesh.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju says that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Maharashtra reports 67,123 new COVID cases in a single-day spike. The state recorded 419 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of active cases in the state stand at 6,47,933.
Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja has said that the number of COVID cases in the state are expected to rise in the coming days because they have ramped up testing.
“We are expecting the number of positive cases to go up as around 2.30 lakh tests are expected to take place. Since our health system is quite fine-tuned to handle the positive cases, there is no need to worry as the hospitals are fully equipped,” Shailaja said.
She also said that the state needs another 50 lakh doses of vaccine as they are left with around 5.50 lakh doses only.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy has been admitted to Apollo Hospital in Bengaluru. He has tested positive for COVID-19 earlier today.
Madhya Pradesh government has directed all district collectors to quarantine people returning from the Kumbh Mela, reports ANI.
Kerala reported 13, 835 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The total number of active cases in the state stand at 80,019 and the death toll is at 4904.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting at 8 pm to review the COVID-19 and vaccination situation in the country.
Goa government has announced a ban on export of oxygen cylinders amid the rise in the cases of COVID-19, reports PTI.
Sonia Gandhi chaired a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting today and held a detailed discussion with Chief Ministers of States ruled by Congress and where Congress is in alliance govt, to take stock of the COVID situation.
Gandhi said in a tweet, “What transpired was, gross unpreparedness and avoidable adhocism on part of Modi government in foreseeing and managing COVID crisis.”
She also stated, “As Central and State governments resort to partial curfews, travel restrictions, lockdowns; we will again be restricting economic activity that'll hit many including the poor and needy.”
She stress that it was, “Imperative to provide monthly income support and transfer Rs 6,000 in every eligible citizen’s account.”
Indian Railways on Saturday announced that a fine of Rs 500 will be imposed on those who are not wearing a mask inside trains or at railway premises.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said that the police is strictly enforcing the weekend curfew. People who are out of their house unnecessarily are being prosecuted and cases are being registered against them. Shrivastava has requested people to stay at home and not face any trouble.
Hours after the weekend curfew began in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday appealed to the citizens to follow the guidelines imposed by the state government to win the war against Covid-19.
The weekend lockdown came into force from 10 pm on Friday. This is for the first time this year the national capital will witness strict prohibition on weekend and is likely to be extended if cases continue to rise.
"In view of the Covid-19, a curfew has been imposed in Delhi on Saturday and Sunday. Please follow it. We all have to defeat the pandemic together," Kejriwal tweeted.
India has reported 2,34,692 fresh Covid cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike ever, pushing the country's overall Covid tally to 1,45,26,609, according to the Health Ministry data released on Saturday, 17 April.
Meanwhile, as many as 1,341 people died of Covid in the last 24 hours, taking the country's death toll to 1,75,649 so far. The daily active cases tally on Friday rose to 16,79,740.
Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who on Friday held a meeting with Chief Secretary Vijay Dev and the municipal commissioners to review the COVID preparedness in the national capital, directed the Delhi government to provide multiple sources of information about the availability of beds for COVID-infected persons in each government-run hospital.
Baijal also directed the state government to set up a 'help desk' to assist people coming to the hospitals for COVID test.
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