India, a day after recording the world’s highest daily surge, logged 4.01 lakh cases today, taking the active caseload to 37,23,446.
For the first time since the pandemic reached the country, Indian saw more than 4,000 deaths linked to Covid on Friday. The country also recorded 4 lakh daily cases for the fourth time in a week. A third Covid wave may not happen if strong measures are taken, the government said yesterday.
India, a day after recording the world’s highest daily surge, logged 4.01 lakh cases today, taking the active caseload to 37,23,446. 4,187 people died in the last 24 hours, taking total deaths to 2.38 lakh.
To break the chain of transmission, many states in the last few days have announced lockdowns and curfews. The latest states to announce the curbs are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Manipur. A two-week lockdown has been announced in Karnataka from Monday till May 24. Tamil Nadu has also announced a two-week curfew. In Manipur, curfew will be enforced till May 17.
Just a few days after the centre said that the third wave of infection was inevitable, it repositioned itself and said the country may be able to dodge the third wave if strong measures are taken.
The Supreme Court, while hearing about the issue of oxygen shortage in the national capital, told the centre that it “must” provide 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi every day. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reacted to the order saying the capital’s crippling shortage of oxygen has been resolved.
Children may be hit hard if a third wave happens, said Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope. The western state, which has been the worst-hit across the country by this pandemic, has started preparing Covid centres for children. India doesn’t have a vaccine for children.
The central government yesterday lost its case in the Supreme Court against a Karnataka High Court order asking it to increase its supply of medical oxygen to the state for covid patients. “We cannot leave the people of Karnataka in the lurch,” the Supreme Court said.
“The Karnataka High Court order is a careful, calibrated exercise and we see no reason to entertain the Centre’s appeal,” the judges ruled.
Earlier, the Modi government had asked the apex court to “urgently” put on hold the ruling asking it to increase the daily liquid medical oxygen allocation for Karnataka to 1,200 MT.
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