25 Covid-19 Related Deaths In Maha, Delhi Started Operation “SHIELD”
NEW DELHI/ MUMBAI : With 549 cases recorded in last 24 hours, India’s count on Thursday rose to 5,865 coronavirus cases and 169 deaths, the Health Ministry said. While 5,218 cases are active now, 477 patients are cured and been discharged so far.
Earlier today, the government announced significant investments to the tune of Rs 15,000 crores for ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’. The funds will be utilised for immediate COVID-19 Emergency Response (amount of Rs 7774 crores) and rest for medium-term support (1-4 years) to be provided under mission mode approach.
Delhi government has come up with a term for its strategy to contain the spread of novel coronavirus – Operation Shield. As per the government strategy, SHIELD stands for sealing, home quarantine, isolation and tracing, essential supply, local sanitation and door-to-door checks.
The Operation Shield will be implemented in 21 localities identified as containment zones in Delhi. “I appeal to all living in the containment areas to cooperate with the Delhi govt’s Operation SHIELD. These are strict measures but are necessary to protect you and others from COVID-19,” Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said on Twitter on Thursday.
Maharashtra today reported 25 COVID-19 deaths, taking its total tally to 97. The administration said 229 new cases were reported today in the state, taking the numbers to 1,364. Of the 25 deaths today, 14 were recorded in Pune, nine in Mumbai and one each in Malegaon and Ratnagiri.
The number of coronavirus cases in the state reached 1,364, a health official said, which is the highest in the country. “Both the number of new patients and that of deaths are highest for a single day so far,” the official said.
Nine deaths and 162 of the new cases this evening were reported in Mumbai. With the highest number of cases at 876, the city is gearing up for an extended battle against COVID-19. Pune recorded 14 of the new deaths.The final decision will be announced by the state’s cabinet after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video-conference with state Chief Ministers on Friday.
The worst affected areas of Mumbai are places like Worli and Prabhadevi. G South Ward alone reporting 184 cases in total. Mumbai now has 381 containment areas with strict curfew measures being implemented in these places.
Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) updates its testing strategy for coronavirus. he revised strategy also states ‘asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between day 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact’.
While, At least 11 Indians have died of Covid-19 in the United States with another 16 testing positive for the infection which has claimed more than 14,000 lives and afflicted more than four lakh people in the US. All Indian citizens who have succumbed to the deadly infection in the US are male, with ten of them from New York and New Jersey area. Four of the victims are said to be taxi drivers in New York City.
New York City has emerged as the US epicentre for COVID-19 spurt, accounting for more than 6,000 deaths and over 1,38,000 cases of infections. New Jersey accounts for 1,500 fatalities and nearly 48,000 infections. One Indian national reportedly died in Florida because of coronavirus. Authorities are also ascertaining the nationality of some other Indian origin people in the States of California and Texas.
Because of the strict travel restrictions and regulations to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, local city officials have been performing the last rites of the deceased and in many cases are not allowing even their immediate family members to attend their cremations, officials said. The number of infections across the world rose to over 1.5 million and the global death toll exceeded 88,000.
(Bureau Report With Agency Inputs ).
