COVID-19: India ministers back at work, Modi to address nation on Tuesday

Dubai: Almost all federal ministers and senior bureaucrats in India resumed work yesterday after a 19-day break as part of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The move follows instructions that a proper mechanism should be in place before the three-week nationwide lockdown ends on April 14. About one-third of the essential staff in every ministry was present in order to maintain social distancing norms, agencies reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Tuesday morning at 10am. He is likely to announce the extension of the ongoing nationwide lockdown and exemptions, if any, during the address, IANS reported.

Earlier, there were indications that the Prime Minister's Office was contemplating a graded lifting of lockdown measures, and marking the country into red, yellow and green zones, depending on the severity of the coronavirus spread.

Government sources say, areas under yellow and green zones may get some exemptions, IANS reported. Moreover, the government is considering giving more reprieve to the agricultural sector, in the face of an extension of the current shutdown.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus pandemic rose to 308 on Monday after 35 new fatalities were reported, while the number of cases climbed to 9,152, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The number of active coronavirus cases stood at 7,987, as many as 856 people have been cured and discharged, while one has migrated. The total number of cases include 72 foreign nationals, according to the ministry data.

Here’s a look at what is happening in states around the country.

With one more death reported from the congested Dharavi area in central Mumbai, Maharashtra’s death toll due to coronavirus touched 150 on Monday, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of such casualties in India.

Simultaneously, the number of positive cases in the state have shot up from 1,982 to 2,064, while 217 people have been fully cured and discharged till date.

Mumbai has now recorded 93 deaths till date, besides 1,357 positive cases.

Kerala to wait for Centre’s decision on lockdown

In a special state cabinet meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, the government has decided to take a call on extending the lockdown in the state only after the decision of the Centre.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took stock of the current situation and the steps taken to combat the spread of Covid-19, which have so far been done well in the state. The Vijayan cabinet will now meet on Wednesday, as by then the guidelines of the Centre will be out.

At present, there are 194 COVID-19 positive cases in Kerala, besides 179 who have been cured. There are 1,16,125 under observation at homes and 816 are in various hospitals in the state.

The West Bengal government has made it mandatory to cover nose and mouth with facial masks or any other piece of cloth, especially at public places, to prevent transmission of coronavirus, IANS reported.

“Mouth and nose should be covered by facial masks or any other available piece of cloth which may even include a properly folded or rolled dupatta (long scarf), gamcha (cotton towel), handkerchief or any such material that acts as a protective cover,” the state chief secretary said in an order.

Till Sunday there were above 130 cases reported from the state.

In a silver lining to the ongoing war against the novel coronavirus, 44 Indians, including 24 women - who were evacuated from Iran on March 13 - have been fully cured and have returned home, an Indian Navy official said on Monday, IANS reported.

The evacuees - all from Kashmir, were flown to Srinagar by an IAF flight in a C-130 aircraft on Sunday. Each was given a complimentary packet of food, refreshments, and two hand-made masks, courtesy the Navy Wives Welfare Association, Ghatkopar. This ended the ordeal for the 44 - who were airlifted from Iran to Mumbai, and then shunted to IN Quarantine Facility in Ghatkopar, where they spent 30 days in total isolation.

COVID-19 cases continued to climb in Andhra Pradesh, with 12 new people testing positive on Monday morning. With the latest update, Andhra Pradesh’s tally stands at 432, IANS reported.

The lion’s share of eight cases were reported from Guntur district, while Chittoor district reported 2 cases. Krishna and West Godavari districts reported one case each.

Currently, 413 affected people are receiving treatment in the state.

The Uttar Pradesh government will now deliver khadi masks at the doorsteps of people as their demand has been steadily rising due to increase in positive cases, IANS reported.

The move is expected to help create women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and give them employment at the local level.

Cloth weavers as well as women from the villages making masks would be provided a source of income as part of the scheme. There are about 2,000 self-help groups of women in the state at present, with nearly 2 million women beneficiaries.

Karnataka’s Chikkaballapura government hospital staff celebrated the recovery of four Covid-19 patients with bouquets and applause, Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said on Monday.

The minister shared a video showing a woman, followed by three mask-wearing men walking in line to receive their discharge farewell in the hospital. The burqa-clad woman and the men, all of them young, were presented a sapling and another package as they walked out.

During the farewell, many hospital workers stood on either side to celebrate their recovery by clapping their hands.

With two more coronavirus positive cases reported in Assam on Monday, the total number of such cases in the northeast reached 37, including Assam’s 31 cases, Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

In Manipur, a 23-year-old woman, who had returned from the United Kingdom last month and become the first positive case in the northeastern region, has now been declared negative and discharged from the hospital on Sunday, agencies reported.