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Thu, 15 April 2021
Ambani sends oxygen from refineries for Covid fight
Timeline Refresh
23:49 Centre asks states to ensure availability of essential supplies
Amid concerns over availability of essential items in view of rising COVID-19 cases, the Centre on Thursday directed state governments to take steps to stop panic buying by people and ensure there is no hike in prices of key supplies.
In a letter written to state governments, Additional Secretary in Union Consumer Affairs Ministry Nidhi Khare said due to sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, concerns have been raised about "availability of essential commodities to the common man at fair prices."
To maintain smooth supplies, the states have been asked to keep operations of grocery stores/warehouses and chemist shops outside the restrictions under Section 144.
"It should also be ensured that the prices of all essential supplies are not increased and they are at fair prices, unless necessitated by cost enhancement due to raw material costs and exchange rates fluctuations," she said.
States have been asked to undertake awareness activity and sensitise public at large to address their concerns so as to "mitigate panic buying" of essential supplies, she added.
That apart, states have been asked to set up joint teams of food and civil supplies, legal metrology, food safety, health and policy at state/district level for effective surveillance and enforcement in order to avoid demand-supply mismatch, hoarding and exorbitant pricing of essential supplies.
States have also been directed to set up helplines for consumers to enable them to register complaints for redressal by the public authorities on issue of maintaining essential supplies.
The states have been asked to review the situation and take appropriate action based on exigencies.
India added a record over 2 lakh new COVID-19 infections in a day pushing the total tally of cases to 1,40,74,564, while the active cases surpassed the 14-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. -- PTI
23:00 Ambani sends oxygen from refineries for Covid fight
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd is diverting oxygen produced at its refineries to supplement availability in worst-hit COVID states like Maharashtra and the trucks carrying supplies are in transit, sources said.
Reliance's twin oil refineries in Jamnagar have through minor process modification converted industrial oxygen into medical-use oxygen that can be administered to COVID-19 patients low on oxygen, people aware of the development said.
In all, 100 tonnes of oxygen will be supplied from the Jamnagar refineries, they said.
"The supplies will be free of cost since it is for a humanitarian cause," one of the persons said.
Maharashtra Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde too confirmed that the state would get 100 tonnes of oxygen from Reliance.
The person cited above said the trucks carrying oxygen cylinders are in transit.
However, another source said trucks are stuck in Jamnagar after local authorities stopped their movement.
Unable to get prompt supplies, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While Maharashtra is among the worst-hit states facing a fresh outbreak of the pandemic, Gujarat too has seen number of patients swell.
Over four dozen trucks carrying oxygen cylinders are stuck in Jamnagar, sources said.
An e-mail sent to the company for comments remained unanswered.
Facing a huge shortfall in oxygen supplies, Thackeray is believed to have dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the availability of medical oxygen.
He also wrote to Modi saying medical oxygen requirement in the state is projected to reach 2,000 tonnes per day by April-end against the present requirement of 1,200 tonnes.
Oil refineries can produce limited volumes of industrial oxygen in air-separation plants meant for nitrogen production. Scrubbing out other gases such as carbon dioxide can convert it into medical-use oxygen with 99.9 per cent purity.
Reliance operates the world's largest oil refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat. -- PTI
22:54 Time has come for appointment of woman as CJI: SC
The Supreme Court on Thursday said that time has come when a woman should be Chief Justice of India and stressed that there is no attitudinal change.
The top court said that it always has the interest of women in mind and its every collegium considers women for appointment as judges in higher judiciary.
Not a single woman judge has figured in the list of 48 Chief Justice of India including the CJI designate NV Ramana, since it came into existence on January 26, 1950.
The top court was hearing a plea of women lawyers' body seeking consideration of "meritorious" lot among them for appointment as judges in high courts.
A special bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Surya Kant said, "Why higher judiciary. We think time has come when a woman should be Chief Justice of India".
Advocate Sneha Kalita, appearing for Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA), told the bench that the percentage of representation of women in higher judiciary is "abysmally low" at 11.04 per cent.
The bench told Kalita, We try to ensure that there is adequate representation of women in appointments to higher judiciary. I must say that every collegium considers the name of women for appointment.
The CJI said, Chief Justices of High Courts have told me that there is a problem that when women lawyers are asked for appointment as judges, they often deny it saying that they have domestic responsibility or they have to take care of the studies of their children.
The bench said, We have the interest of women in mind. There is no attitudinal change in it. Hopefully, they (women) will be appointed.
Advocate Shobha Gupta, also appearing for lawyers' body, said that notice be issued in the intervention application.
However, the bench said that it will not issue notice in the matter.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who is also president of Supreme Court Bar Association said, "I am not saying lawyers are not considered for judgeship. They are indeed considered but the problem is that there is no system in place".
The bench said that lawyers are indeed considered for appointment based on various parameters for judgeship.
The intervention application also gave the chart of women judges presently posted in various high courts in the country and sought apex court's permission to be made a party in a pending matter related to filling up of vacancies in the higher judiciary. -- PTI
22:32 Poll-bound Bengal logs highest one-day Covid spike
West Bengal on Thursday recorded the highest single-day spike of 6,769 COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 6,36,885, the state health department said.
At least 22 more people succumbed to the infection, raising the toll in the state to 10,480, the department said in its bulletin.
Kolkata, too, registered its biggest one-day surge since the outbreak of the disease, with 1,615 people testing positive for coronavirus. Accordingly, the number of active cases rose to 36,981.
Of the 22 deaths, 10 were due to the comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental.
Seven fatalities were recorded in the city, six in neighbouring North 24 Parganas, five in South 24 Parganas and one each in Howrah, Birbhum, Malda, and Jalpaiguri.
Altogether 2,387 people recuperated from the disease in the past 24 hours, which took the total number of recoveries to 5,89,424.
The discharge rate stood at 92.55 per cent.
As many as 96,74,962 clinical examinations have been conducted in the state so far, including 42,121 since Wednesday, the bulletin added. -- PTI
21:55 Covid: MHA orders 50% attendance in work
In view of the "unprecedented rise" in number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi, the Union Home Ministry Thursday said its officers up to the level of Under Secretary can work from home and only 50 per cent staff need to attend office.
In an office memorandum, the home ministry said all officers who attend the office can stagger timings with entry into the office spread between 9 AM to 10 AM with corresponding office exit timings and those living in containment zones be exempted from attending office.
"In view of the unprecedented rise in the numbers of Covid-19 cases in Delhi, it has been decided to take measures to prevent its spread," the home ministry said.
The home ministry said officers of the level of Under Secretary or equivalent and below be allowed to work from home and their physical attendance in office be restricted to 50 per cent of the actual overall strength.
Rosters for their attendance will be prepared by concerned divisional or wing heads. Individual wing heads can, however, call for more than 50 per cent physical attendance of any of the categories of officials in their wings, if required on administrative grounds.
All officers of the level of Deputy Secretary, equivalent and above are to attend office on regular basis.
"All officers who attend office can stagger timings with entry into the office spread between 9 AM to 10 AM with corresponding office exit timings. This will also avoid rush in commuting, as also in lifts and corridors. Roster system by divisional or wing heads to take care of this aspect," the home ministry said.
All officials who do not attend office on a particular day are to make themselves available on telephone and other electronics means of communication at all times from their residence and work from home.
All officials residing in containment zones shall continue to be exempted from coming to office till the containment zone is denotified, it said.
All officials who attend office shall strictly follow Covid appropriate behaviour including wearing of mask, physical distancing, use of sanitizer and frequent hand washing with soap and water.
Crowding in lifts, staircases, corridors, common areas including refreshment kiosk and parking areas is to be strictly avoided and meetings, as far as possible, to be conducted through videoconferencing, the home ministry said.
Entry of outsiders or visitors to be curtailed appropriately and all employees of the age of 45 years and above are advised to get themselves vaccinated, the ministry said.
"The above instructions or guidelines shall come into effect immediately and will remain in force until April 30,2021 or further orders, whichever is earlier," it said.
Delhi recorded 16,699 fresh COVID-19 cases and 112 fatalities due to the disease on Thursday, according to data shared by the health department here.
This comes a day after the national capital registered 17,282 new infections, its highest single-day spike till date. The number of cases has been on an upward spiral in the last few days. -- PTI
21:51 COVID-19: Mumbai reports 8,217 new cases, 49 deaths
With the addition of 8,217 coronavirus cases and 49 deaths, the infection tally in Mumbai rose to 5,53,159 and death toll to 12,189 on Thursday, the data shared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation revealed.
The country's financial capital had reported 11,163 infection cases on April 4 (2021), which was the biggest one-day spike since the pandemic began.
As 45,486 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, the overall test count of the metropolis increased to 48,01,219, the BMC data said.
With 10,097 more patients getting discharge from hospitals, its recovery count jumped to 4,54,311.
The city's COVID-19 recovery rate is 82 per cent, the overall growth rate is at 1.64 per cent and the case doubling rate is 42 days.
There are 95 containment zones in Mumbai, where 1,100 buildings have been sealed to curb the spread of the virus, the BMC said. -- PTI
20:54 Hold remaining WB phases in one go: Mamata to EC
Worried over the COVID-19 surge, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday urged the Election Commission to think about conducting polls for the remaining assembly seats at one go, while also stressing that
her party had opposed the prolonged eight-phase poll schedule.
The TMC supremo, in a tweet, said that such a move should be taken in view of public interest.
"Amid an ongoing pandemic, we firmly opposed @ECISVEEP's decision to conduct WB polls in 8 phases. Now, in view of the huge surge in #COVID19 cases, I urge the ECI to consider holding the remaining phases in ONE go," the CM said.
"This will protect the people from further exposure to #COVID19," she added.
Arrangements for the fifth phase of polls, on April 17, are already nearing completion, an election official said, even as several social media users held debates on whether the poll panel should at least conduct the next three phases of Bengal elections on a single day.
Assembly polls have been held for 135 constituencies so far, and the remaining 159 seats are set go to the polls between April 17 and 29. -- PTI
20:21 Covid: ASI monuments closed for visitors till May 15
All centrally protected monuments, museums and sites under the Archaeological Survey of India have been closed with immediate effect till May 15 due to the surge in coronavirus cases in the country, the Union culture ministry said on Thursday.
An order to this effect was issued by the ASI and it was tweeted by Culture Minister Prahlad Patel this evening.
"Due to the prevailing COVID situation, it has been decided to close all centrally protected monuments, sites and museums under the ASI with immediate effect and till May 15 or until further orders," the ASI said.
Last year, too, all monuments and sites maintained by the ASI were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. -- PTI
20:15 Rare blood clotting risk more for COVID-19 than for vaccines: Oxford study
The risk of rare blood clotting known as cerebral venous thrombosis following COVID-19 infection is several times higher than post-vaccination, according to a study unveiled on Thursday.
The study led by researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK counted the number of CVT cases diagnosed in the two weeks following diagnosis of COVID-19, or after the first dose of a vaccine.
They compared these to calculated incidences of CVT following influenza, and the background level in the general population.
The team found that CVT is more common after COVID-19 than in any of the comparison groups, with 30 per cent of these cases occurring in the under 30s.
Compared to the current COVID-19 vaccines, this risk is between 8-10 times higher, and compared to the baseline, approximately 100 times higher, they said.
"There are concerns about possible associations between vaccines, and CVT, causing governments and regulators to restrict the use of certain vaccines," said Paul Harrison, Head of the Translational Neurobiology Group at the University of Oxford.
"Yet, one key question remained unknown: What is the risk of CVT following a diagnosis of COVID-19?" Harrison said.
The researchers noted that COVID-19 markedly increases the risk of CVT, adding to the list of blood clotting problems this infection causes.
The COVID-19 risk is higher than seen with the current vaccines, even for those under 30, they said.
This is something that should be taken into account when considering the balances between risks and benefits for vaccination, according to the researchers.
The researchers noted that it is important that this data should be interpreted cautiously.
The signals that COVID-19 is linked to CVT, as well as portal vein thrombosis -- a clotting disorder of the liver -- is clear, and one we should take note of, they said.
An important factor that requires further research is whether COVID-19 and vaccines lead to CVT by the same or different mechanisms, according to the researchers.
There may also be under-reporting or mis-coding of CVT in medical records, and therefore uncertainty as to the precision of the results, they added. -- PTI
20:11 Ram temple donation: About 15k cheques bounce
About 15,000 bank cheques with a face value of Rs 22 crore, collected by the Vishva Hindu Parishad for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, have bounced.
According to an audit report of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, a trust set up by the Centre for the construction of the temple, said the cheques bounced due to lack of funds in bank accounts or some technical error.
Trust member Dr Anil Mishra said banks are working to solve the issue of technical errors and they are asking people to make donations again.
Among the cheques, around 2,000 were collected from Ayodhya.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad had collected donations during a countrywide campaign between January 15 and February 17.
Around Rs 5,000 crore was collected during the drive though the final figures are yet to be declared by the trust. -- PTI
19:52 24-hr campaign ban on Bengal BJP chief
The Election Commission Thursday evening imposed a 24-hour campaign ban on the BJP's West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh for his "there will be Sitalkuchi in several places" remarks.
The order said the Commission "sternly warns" Ghosh and advises him to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force.
The ban will in effect from 7 pm April 15 to 7 pm April 16, during which Ghosh will not be allowed to campaign.
The commission had on Tuesday issued a notice to Ghosh for his alleged remarks after four people were killed when central forces opened fire during polling at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district.
The Trinamool Congress had approached the Commission against Ghosh.
The notice cited Ghosh's alleged remarks that "if someone crosses his limits then you have seen what happened in Sitalkuchi. There will be Sitalkuchi in several places." -- PTI
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19:45 NEET postponed in view of Covid surge
In view of a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases, the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance test (NEET), which was scheduled to be held on April 18, has been postponed, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday.
"In light of the surge in #COVID19 cases, GoI has decided to postpone #NEETPG2021 exam which was earlier scheduled to be held on Apr 18. Next date to be decided later. Decision has been taken keeping wellbeing of our young medical students in mind," he said in a tweet.
19:42 Umar Khalid gets bail in Delhi riots case
Delhi court grants bail to former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid.
Court noted that he can't be made to incarcerate in jail for infinity merely on account that others who were part of the mob have to be identified and arrested in the matter.
19:26 Citibank to exit India
American banking major Citibank on Thursday announced that it will exit from the consumer banking business in India as part of a global strategy.
The business comprises credit cards, retail banking, home loans and wealth management.
The bank has 35 branches in the country and employs approximately 4,000 people in the consumer banking business.
On Thursday, the bank announced exiting from the consumer banking businesses in 13 countries, with its global CEO Jane Fraser attributing the decision to an absence of scale to compete in these geographies.
Contours of the exit were not immediately known and the proposed exit from the consumer banking business will also need regulatory nods.
"There is no immediate change to our operations and no immediate impact to our colleagues as a result of this announcement. In the interim, we will continue to serve our clients with the same care, empathy and dedication that we do today," Citi India's Chief Executive Ashu Khullar said.
"The sharpened strategy announced today will strengthen our ability to bring the full global power of Citi to our institutional clients, reinforcing our leading positions across corporate, commercial and investment banking, treasury and trade solutions, as well as markets and securities services," he added.
Citi had entered India in 1902 and started the consumer banking business in 1985.
Apart from the institutional banking business, it will continue to focus on offshoring or global business support rendered from centres in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Gurugram.
Khullar said India is a strategic talent pool for Citi and it will continue to grow the five 'Citi Solution Centers'.
At present, there are postings for 4,000 jobs at the solution centres posted on its hiring website, officials said.
Citi had reported a post-tax net of Rs 4,912 crore for FY20 as against Rs 4,185 crore in the previous fiscal.
Its retail bank serves people across the spectrum, including the salaried and the high net worth individuals, through dedicated offerings. -- PTI
18:31 Editors Guild seeks frontline worker status for journalists
The Editors Guild of India on Thursday urged the Union government to declare journalists as frontline workers and ensure priority vaccination for them amid a rise in coronavirus cases.
In a statement, the Guild said news organisations have been relentlessly covering the pandemic, elections, and other current affairs in an effort to ensure that the flow of news and information to readers continues unabated.
"News media is included in essential services. Therefore, it will only be fair that journalists be given this cover of protection, especially in the face of the number of infected rising to astronomical levels," the statement said.
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) urges the Union government to declare journalists as frontline workers and they be allowed priority vaccination against coronavirus, along with other frontline workers, it said.
Without the protection of vaccination, media persons are finding it very difficult to discharge their professional responsibilities, the Guild pointed out. The EGI said therefore, it calls upon the Union government to immediately get all journalists, regardless of age, vaccinated so that there is no disruption in their work during this critical time.
India saw its highest single-day rise of 2,00,739 Covid-19 infections, pushing the country' tally of cases to 1,40,74,564, according to official data released Thursday.
18:27 Petrol price cut by 16 paise, diesel 14 paise
Petrol price on Thursday was cut by 16 paise per litre and diesel by 14 paise -- the fourth minor reduction in rates in three weeks that followed six months of relentless price increases.
Petrol now costs Rs 90.40 per litre in Delhi, down from Rs 90.56, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.
A litre of diesel comes for Rs 80.73 per litre as against Rs 80.87 previously.
Rates have been reduced across the country and vary from state to state depending on the local incidence of taxation (VAT).
Fuel prices were reduced for the first time in six months on March 24 after international oil prices fell on the prospect of speedy recovery in consumption getting clouded by the second wave of Covid-19 cases.
In all, rates were reduced on three occasions, the last being on March 30.
They had remained on freeze thereafter as global rates edged up.
In three reductions, petrol price has come down by 61 paise per litre and diesel by 60 paise.
After Thursday's price cut, the total reduction comes to 67 paise in case of petrol and 74 paise on diesel.
Despite bouts of rate freeze, prices had gone up by a record Rs 21.58 per litre on petrol since the government raised excise duty in March last year. Diesel prices had increased by Rs 19.18 a litre.
In Mumbai, petrol price was cut to Rs 96.83 a litre on Thursday from Rs 99.98, while diesel rates were reduced to Rs 87.81 from Rs 87.96, the price notification showed.
18:05 WB poll phases won't be clubbed: EC
There are no plans to club the remaining phases of the West Bengal Assembly elections together, the Election Commission of India (ECI) clarified on Thursday, amid speculations in light of the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.
Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) West Bengal called for an all-party meeting asking all political parties to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines.
"A meeting has been called by CEO West Bengal to ask all political parties to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for strict compliance," an ECI Official said.
Earlier last week, the Election Commission had written to all national and state parties asking them to follow all COVID-related guidelines during public meetings, rallies and other activities. The Commission also took a 'serious view of the laxity in maintaining norms, particularly not wearing masks by political leaders on stage.
'The high-decibel campaigning for the fifth of the eight phases of the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections concluded at 6 pm on Wednesday as the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic continued to rage on.
Leaders of the political parties took part in the high-stakes polls across the state, leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters of the state.The fifth phase of polling will be held on Saturday.
India on Thursday reported its highest-ever single-day spike in COVID-19 with over 2 lakh cases, according to the Union Health Ministry. With 2,00,739 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the country's total number of cases now stands at 1,40,74,564, including 14,71,877 active cases.
17:40 Gainers and losers in the Sensex pack
After gyrating 877 points during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex ended 259.62 points or 0.53 per cent higher at 48,803.68 on Thursday.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 76.65 points or 0.53 per cent to 14,581.45.
TCS topped the Sensex gainers' chart, climbing 3.67 per cent, followed by ONGC, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Dr Reddy's, HDFC, Axis Bank and HCL Tech.
On the other hand, Infosys was the biggest loser, dropping 2.65 per cent after its March 2021 quarter earnings missed market expectations.
The IT services major had on Wednesday posted a 17.5 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 5,076 crore for the March quarter, and announced up to Rs 9,200 crore buyback offer at a maximum price of Rs 1,750 per share.
IndusInd Bank, Maruti, Nestle India, Bajaj Finance and UltraTech Cement were among the other laggards, shedding up to 2.54 per cent.
17:14 Covid cases will double in Maha in 15 days: CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to the Centre, saying the number of active caseload of COVID-19 in the state is expected to double in the next 15 days.
Maharashtra is expecting its active caseload to reach 11.9 lakh by April 30, compared to the current active caseload of 5.64 lakh, Thackeray said on Wednesday in the letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also said the medical oxygen requirement in the state is projected to reach 2,000 metric tonnes per day by April-end from the present consumption of 1,200 MT per day. Citing logistical hurdles in the transportation of liquid medical oxygen from neighbouring states, Thackeray also sought permission under the National Disaster Management Act to airlift oxygen from steel plants in eastern and southern parts of the country.
Medical-grade oxygen is used for the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients and in other cases of respiratory diseases. Maharashtra has approached neighbouring states for medical oxygen supply amid the COVID-19 surge, but they have expressed their inability due to its high demand there, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday.
Thackeray on Tuesday said there is a shortage of medical oxygen and the Centre should help supply it for coronavirus patients in the state by using Air Force planes. In his letter to Modi, the CM welcomed the Centre's decision to ban the export of Remdesivir and demanded that authorities grant compulsory license, as per the section 92 of the Indian Patents Act 1970, to facilitate approval to the exporting units to produce and sell the key anti-viral drug in the domestic market without any legal hurdle.
He also asked the Centre to consider the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural calamity, so that the Maharashtra government can use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide financial assistance to the affected people.
All State Disaster Management Acts have been formed as part of the central disaster management law; hence the state needs the Union government's permission to use the SDRF for helping the pandemic-hit people, a government official said.
As of now, flood, lightning incidents, heavy rainfall where there is loss of property or livelihood fall under the category of natural calamity and monetary compensation is provided to the affected people. The chief minister wants to use the SDRF for the similar purpose as the coronavirus outbreak has affected the earnings of thousands of people in the state.
We need a legal provision to do so, hence the state government has written to the Centre," the official said. Thackeray also said that notifying the pandemic as natural calamity would allow the state to pay a gratuitous relief of Rs 100 per adult per day and Rs 60 per child per day during the period of the lockdown to those registered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Household ration card holders. He also said the first installment of the central share of the SDRF may be released to the state to tide over the financial situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
17:07 Markets extend gains to 2nd day as banks
The Sensex and Nifty closed in the green after a volatile session on Thursday as investors accumulated banking, finance and select IT counters despite an unabated rise in COVID-19 cases.
A recovering rupee and positive global cues also propped up the bourses, traders said. After gyrating 877 points during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex ended 259.62 points or 0.53 per cent higher at 48,803.68.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 76.65 points or 0.53 per cent to 14,581.45. TCS topped the Sensex gainers' chart, climbing 3.67 per cent, followed by ONGC, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Dr Reddy's, HDFC, Axis Bank and HCL Tech.
On the other hand, Infosys was the biggest loser, dropping 2.65 per cent after its March 2021 quarter earnings missed market expectations. The IT services major had on Wednesday posted a 17.5 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 5,076 crore for the March quarter, and announced up to Rs 9,200 crore buyback offer at a maximum price of Rs 1,750 per share.
IndusInd Bank, Maruti, Nestle India, Bajaj Finance and UltraTech Cement were among the other laggards, shedding up to 2.54 per cent.
16:57 Kerala Health Minister denies CM violated COVID-19 norms
Reacting to Union Minister V Muraleedharan's 'Covidiot' remark on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, state Health Minister KK Shailaja on Thursday said the allegations are baseless and those holding positions should refrain from making such remarks.
"I do not know he made the allegations on what basis. Kerala CM has not violated any COVID-19 protocol. People holding positions should not make such remarks," Shailaja said. "As per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Centre's guidelines, asymptomatic patients can be discharged after three to four days and can be treated at home. But in Kerala we are following a 10-day discharge policy to make sure everyone is safe," she added.
She further said Kerala CM was asymptomatic and was shifted to the hospital to carry out tests.
"He was shifted to carry out tests, before which he was in home quarantine. During the process of the test, he turned COVID negative and is now in home quarantine. Where is any COVID-19 protocol violation in all this?" she questioned.
Vijayan was on Wednesday discharged from Kozhikode Medical College after treatment. He was admitted to medical college on April 8 after being diagnosed with COVID-19. After seven days, he got tested negative and was subsequently discharged.
Upon his discharge, Muraleedharan had slammed him by calling him 'Covidiot'.
"Covidiot, you know what it means. There is no other word that can be used for a chief minister who continuously violates COVID-19 protocols. As per doctors of Calicut Medical College, the Kerala CM tested positive on April 4 and on April 6 he voted without following the protocols," the Minister had said on Thursday. -- ANI
16:34 Covid rampage! Delhi worst-hit city in India
Battling the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Delhi recorded over 17,000 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday to become the worst-affected city in the country, leaving financial capital Mumbai far behind in the daily tally. Mumbai's single day peak so far is 11,163, registered on April 4, according to officials figures.
On Wednesday, Bengaluru recorded 8,155 cases, Chennai 2,564, their highest daily surge. Pune's highest single-day since the pandemic began was 12,494 cases, recorded on April 4. Delhi recorded 17,282 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest single-day surge in the national capital since the onset of the pandemic, while over 100 fatalities were reported, according to data shared by the health department.
Thus, Delhi has eclipsed Mumbai in the daily infection tally by a huge margin. The unprecedented surge in cases, especially in the last few days, has also left doctors and medical experts baffled, with some conjecturing that the virus has mutated and assumed so many different strains, some of which are far more transmissible than others.
"It is an absolute rampage in the city, young and old, vaccinated or not vaccinated, the virus is just hitting everyone. Delhi's situation is grim," said Suranjit Chatterjee, a senior consultant at Apollo Hospitals.
According to the Wednesday bulletin, 104 new fatalities were recorded, pushing the death toll to 11,540. These new positive cases came out of record 1.08 lakh tests conducted on Tuesday, the bulletin said, adding, the positivity rate mounted to 15.92 per cent, also the highest so far. The highest single-day spike in Delhi till the third wave of the pandemic -- 8,593 cases -- was reported on November 11 in 2020, while on November 18, the city had recorded 131 COVID-19 deaths, the highest single-day fatality count till date.
The positivity rate on November 14 last year had stood at 15.33 per cent, according to official data. Delhi had recorded 10,774 cases on April 11, overtaking the highest daily surge here till the third wave, registered on November 11 -- 8,593 cases -- was reported on November 11, while on November 18, the city had recorded 131 COVID-19 deaths, the highest single-day fatality count till date. The cases in Delhi have since April 11 been on an upward spiral, 13,468 cases on Tuesday, and eventually 17,282 cases on Wednesday.
Mumbai in April till Wednesday has recorded 1,30,228 cases and 464 deaths. In March, 88,710 cases in total and 216 fatalities have been recorded in that month in the financial capital of the country, according to official data. In March, Delhi registered 23,141 cases in total and 117 deaths, according to official figures. -- PTI
15:56 It's new year for Bengal, but Hindu new year for BJP
TMC MP Mahua Moitra: "Woke up to see @BJP wishing people "Happy Hindu New Year'. Radicalisation is complete. Its Poila Baisakh for us. Celebrated as New Year in WB AND Bangladesh. You will NEVER win Bengal. Never, you flea-brained haters."
People protest over lack of Remdesivir in Pune
15:19 Allow use of Remdesivir stock not exported: Maha
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said they have requested the Centre to allow the Remdesivir stock, which has not been exported after a ban on it, to be distributed in the domestic market to bridge the gap in its demand and supply.
In view of a sudden spike in demand due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, India on Sunday banned the export of Remdesivir injections till the situation improves.
Remdesivir is listed for use in serious COVID-19 patients in the Clinical Management Protocols for COVID-19 as an investigational therapy. "We have requested the Centre to allow the exportable Remdesivir stock to be distributed in the domestic market. It will help in bridging the gap between the demand and supply of the medicine," Tope told reporters.
According to officials in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), around 40,000 injections of the medicine are currently being supplied in the state, but it is not adequate and there is a need of another 10,000 vials. Tope said they have asked all the doctors treating COVID-19 patients to use Remdesivir judiciously.
"The state COVID-19 task force has given clear instructions on the use of Remdesivir, but we have still noticed its over-usage. It is one of the reasons for the shortage of the medicine in the state, he said. The minister said it takes about 15 days for the production of one batch of the drug doses (depending upon a company's production capacity), and he was hopeful that the supply would increase in the next seven days. - PTI
PMs Imran Khan and Narendra Modi
14:45 UAE mediating between India-Pakistan, says envoy
Has India agreed to 3rd party mediation with Pakistan?
Reuters has reported that the United Arab Emirates' envoy to Washington, DC, has confirmed that the USA is 'mediating' between India and Pakistan to help them have a 'healthy and functional relationship.
'Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba said in a virtual discussion with Stanford University's Hoover Institution on Wednesday that the UAE played a role "in bringing Kashmir escalation down and created a ceasefire, hopefully ultimately leading to restoring diplomats and getting the relationship back to a healthy level",' Reuters has reported.
So far there has been no official word from India on the UAE envoy's claim.
You can read the Reuters report here.
14:38 Maha asks Centre to declare Covid 'natural calamity'
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to the Centre, urging to consider the COVID-19 pandemic as natural calamity, so that the government can use the state disaster response fund (SDRF) to provide financial assistance to the affected people.
All State Disaster Management Acts have been formed as part of the central disaster management law; hence the state needs the Union government's permission to use the SDRF for helping the pandemic-hit people, a government official said on Thursday.
The chief minister wrote the letter to the Centre on Wednesday to seek its permission, he said. As of now, flood, lightning incidents, heavy rainfall where there is loss of property or livelihood fall under the category of natural calamity and monetary compensation is provided to the affected people.
The chief minister wants to use the SDRF for the similar purpose as the coronavirus outbreak has affected the earnings of thousands of people in the state. We need a legal provision to do so, hence the state government has written to the Centre," the official said.
On Wednesday, Maharashtra reported 58,952 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 35,78,160, while 278 new fatalities pushed the toll to 58,804, the state health department said.
14:19 MP gets 200 boxes of Remdesivir
The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday roped in its aircraft to rush Remdesivir injections from Indore to various other districts in the state for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, an official said.
Two hundred boxes containing 9,264 Remdesivir injections (a key anti-viral drug) have arrived at the Indore airport, an official from the Chief Minister's Office said.
Out of these, 42 boxes will be airlifted to Bhopal, 39 to Jabalpur, 19 to Gwalior, 18 to Rewa, he said. Besides, 57 boxes of the Remdesivir injections would be kept for Indore, the worst coronavirus-hit district in the state, and some stock will also be sent to Sagar, Ratlam and Khandwa, the official said.
In the wake of a rise in COVID-19 cases, the drug is in high demand as it is used especially in adult patients with severe complications. The state government is trying to ramp up its health infrastructure in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the second wave of the pandemic.
On Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh recorded 9,720 fresh cases of coronavirus, the biggest single-day spike so far, pushing the infection count to 3,63,352. The fatality tally rose to 4,312 with 51 more deaths, also the highest one-day count so far. This month, the state has so far reported 67,841 new COVID-19 cases and 326 fatalities, as per official data.
14:08 Over 1,700 test positive for COVID-19 in Kumbh Mela over 5-day period
A total of 1,701 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Haridwar Kumbh Mela area from April 10 to 14 confirming fears that one of the world's largest religious gatherings may contribute further to the rapid rise in coronavirus cases.
The numbers include both RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Test reports of devotees and seers of different akharas (ascetic groups) over the five-day period in the entire Mela Kshetra extending from Haridwar to Devprayag, Haridwar Chief Medical Officer Shambhu Kumar Jha said on Thursday.
More RT-PCR test reports are awaited and the trend shows that the number of infected persons in the Kumbh Mela Kshetra is likely to climb to 2,000, he said. The Kumbh Mela area is spread over 670 hectares covering parts of Haridwar, Tehri and Dehradun districts, including Rishikesh. A majority of the 48.51 lakh people who took part in the last two royal baths (Shahi Snan) held on the occasion of Somwati Amavasya on April 12 and Mesh Sankranti on April14 were seen openly violating COVID norms like wearing of face masks and social distancing.
Despite their best efforts, the police could not impose the standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the seers of akharas and the ash-smeared ascetics thronging Har Ki Pairi ghat on the two major bathing days due to severe time constraints.
As the 13 akharas had to take their holy dip at Har ki Pairi in accordance with their allotted time slots before sunset, the police and paramilitary personnel were hard-pressed to ensure each of them vacated the ghat before the arrival of the next akhara in line to prevent chaos.
14:05 K'taka govt asks Kumbh Mela returnees to isolate themselves and undergo COVID test
The Karnataka government has asked those returning from Kumbh Mela at Haridwar to get themselves quarantined and get tested for coronavirus infection. "Pilgrims returning to the state after taking part in the holy Kumbh Mela at Haridwar must isolate themselves at home and undergo tests for coronavirus. I urge pilgrims to continue with their regular activities only after their COVID negative test report," Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted. The Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Services K V Thrilok Chandra too issued a circular to this effect. -- PTI
14:01 French advised to leave Pak
The French embassy in Pakistan on Thursday advised all French nationals and companies to temporarily leave the country, after violent anti-France protests paralysed large parts of the country this week: Pakistan media.
13:47 Council reconsidering ICSE exams; decision today
After the government has cancelled the CBSE class 10 and 12 board exams amid the rising cases of COVID-19 across the country, it is expected to take a similar decision for CISCEs ISC and ICSE exams.
While the class 10 exams for CISCE-affiliated schools are yet to begin, two exams for class 12 have been held already.
After the meeting between the Education Minister and Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, it was decided to put off CBSE class 12 exams and cancel exams for class 10 students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CISCE is the second national board that holds board exams for about three lakh students every year including both 10th and 12th classes.
CISCE chief had said, The Board will take a decision regarding class 10 and 12 CISCE Board exams 2021, and will inform all concerned at the earliest. The same will be announced today.
Meanwhile, the International Baccalaureate has decided to cancel the board exams in India. Students, however, will be promoted to the next class or be eligible to receive the school passing certificate based on a special assessment system. Students will be marked based on their coursework and predicted grades.
Representational image
13:29 62 Indian journalists have died from Covid so far
'The Switzerland-based media rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) has noted that India is the fourth most affected country as far as media-persons' death on account of Covid-19 is concerned. According to Blaise Lempen, secretary-general of PEC, the global tally of casualties among media persons in the Covid-19 pandemic has reached 1,036 journalists in 73 countries till date,' reports Counterview.net.
Quoting Lempen, the report said, 'The most affected countries include Brazil (170 dead), Peru (138), Mexico (93), India (62), Italy (51), Bangladesh (47), USA (46), Ecuador (45), Colombia (40), United Kingdom (28), Dominican Republic (27), Pakistan (25), Turkey (22), Panama (16), Russia (15), Spain (15), Bolivia (14).'
You can read the report here.
13:27 COVID-19: Weekend curfew imposed in Delhi
Delhi government has imposed a weekend curfew in a view of the grim situation due to the coronavirus pandemic in the national capital.
"To control the spread of COVID19, it has been decided to impose weekend curfew in Delhi," the Chief Minister said on Thursday after a high-level meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
The city registered the highest single-day spike of 17,282 fresh COVID-19 infections and 104 related deaths on Wednesday.
The total infection caseload of Delhi has reached 7,67,438. There are 50,736 active cases so far. With 104 additional deaths in the last 24 hours, the overall COVID-19 death toll of the national capital now stands at 11,540.
Furthermore, a total of 9,952 people recovered from the virus in the said period, taking the total number of recoveries to 7,05,162.The COVID-19 positivity rate of Delhi also jumped to 15.92 per cent on Wednesday. -- PTI
12:55 Families of patients on hartal for Remdesivir
Relatives and families of COVID-19 patients in Pune sit on protest outside the Collector's office demanding Remdesivir. A woman says "My father is hospitalised for last 6 days, his medications haven't begun completely. He's in ICU. I've looked for Remdesivir in all cities."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday asked officials to closely monitor COVID-19-appropriate behaviour among shop owners, who have been allowed to operate during the new restrictions, as well as customers, and penalise the violators.
The state's COVID-19 task force members stressed on avoiding indiscriminate use of Remdesivir medicine which is causing its shortage. There should be sensible approach towards the use of Remdesivir, a key COVID-19 drug, and medical oxygen.
Remdesivir is in acute shortage in the country.
12:05 198 inmates, 86 jail staff test positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra prisons
As many as 198 inmates and 86 members of jail staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra prisons, the State Prison Department said on Thursday.
Seven prisoners and eight jail staff have succumbed to the coronavirus infection in Maharashtra.
The State Prison Department also said that a total number of 1,326 prisoners and 3,112 jail staff have been vaccinated so far.
Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 58,952 new Covid-19 cases and 278 deaths over a span of 24 hours.
12:00 Covid vaccine festival a sham: Rahul
As always, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi makes a valid point.
Rahul attacked the government over the handling of the COVID-19 situation and alleged that it is only indulging in a "sham" of a 'vaccine festival'.
He also alleged that there is no testing, no beds in hospitals, neither ventilators or oxygen and vaccine is also not available.
Gandhi also took a jibe asking what PM-CARES is doing, as huge donations were given to the fund for handling COVID-19 situation.
"There are no tests or beds in hospitals. There are no ventilators or oxygen. The vaccine is also not there. But there is a sham of a festival. PM-CARES?" he asked.
His attack came after the government celebrated the 'Tika Utsav' (vaccine festival) from April 11 to 14.
India saw its highest single-day rise of 2,00,739 COVID-19 infections and 1,038 fatalities pushing the country' tally of cases to 1,40,74,564 and the total death toll to 1,73,123, according to official data. The total number of active COVID-19 cases in the country were recorded at 14,71,877 cases. PTI
Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand
11:56 Viswanathan Anand's father dies
Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand's father, K Viswanathan, died in Chennai on Thursday following brief illness. He was 92 and breathed his last at a city hospital, family sources said.
A former General Manager of the Southern Railway, Viswanathan is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Anand's wife Aruna described him as a great support to the celebrated chess player. "He was a great support to Anand. He witnessed all of Anand's world championship victories," Aruna said. "A simple man, he made sure his son had the right values. He took great pride in his achievements," she added. PTI
11:45 Section 144 imposed, Mumbai streets deserted
Streets wore a deserted look in Mumbai and Nagpur following the imposition of Section 144 in the entire state by the Maharashtra government in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
No person was allowed in a public place without a valid reason.
Shops remained closed and streets remained empty in Mumbai.
The Dadar area in the city witnessed low footfall.
Meanwhile, in Nagpur, the curfew-like restrictions minimised the presence of people on the roads and streets.To prevent the COVID-19 surge in the state, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday imposed Section 144 starting from 14 April.
The prohibitory order will be effective from 8 pm on Wednesday at 7 am on 1 May. During this period, only essential services will be allowed, the chief minister announced.
Under the new guidelines, all establishments, public places, activities will remain closed in the state. Only essential services will be exempted, and their operations to be unrestricted.
The guidelines stated that cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes will remain closed till Section 144 is imposed in the state. Local train and bus services will be allowed for essential services only and hotels and restaurants will allow only take-away home deliveries.
11:37 MP minister on Covid deaths: Old people will die
MP Minister Prem Singh Patel speaks on deaths due to COVID19. He says, "Nobody can stop these deaths. Everyone is talking about cooperation for protection from Corona...You said that many people are dying every day. People get old and they have to die."
India added 2,00,739 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, an unprecedented figure, to take its toll to 1,40,74,564. With 1,038 people dying in the same time span, the total fatalities rose to 1,73,123.
11:05 Covid bodies transported in garbage truck
In Chhattisgarh, four Covid patients died in Dongargaon block of Rajnandgaon district yesterday allegedly due to non-availability of oxygen. Three of them died at a COVID Care Centre while the 4th died at a Community Health Centre. They were taken for cremation allegedly in a garbage vehicle.
"We've arranged 10-15 oxygen beds at every COVID care centre in district. Three of them had died last night, they were given oxygen support while being treated, yet to gather information on the fourth. As far as the vehicle's concerned, it's up to Nagar Panchayat to make such arrangements," the Chief Medical officer said.
Dr Reddy's was one of the gainers
10:59 Sensex drops over 200 pts in early trade; Nifty tests 14,450
Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled over 200 points in early trade on Thursday, tracking losses in index majors Infosys, ICICI Bank and M&M amid negative cues from domestic and global markets. After opening over 200 points higher, the 30-share BSE index reversed all its gains to trade 216.73 points or 0.45 per cent lower at 48,327.33.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty slipped 62.55 points or 0.43 per cent to 14,442.25. Infosys was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 3 per cent, followed by M&M, IndusInd Bank, Maruti, Bajaj Finance, UltraTech Cement and ICICI Bank.
On the other hand, ONGC, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy's and Kotak Bank were among the gainers.
In the previous session on Tuesday, Sensex closed 660.68 points or 1.38 per cent higher at 48,544.06, and Nifty surged 194 points or 1.36 per cent to finish at 14,504.80.
Foreign institutional investors were net sellers in the capital market as they offloaded shares worth Rs 730.81 crore on Tuesday, according to provisional exchange data. Stock exchanges remained closed on Tuesday on account of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Jayanti. -- PTI
10:26 Mumbai to use hotels to treat Covid patients
Mumbai hospitals will use five-star hotels to treat COVID-19 patients with milder infection, the city's administration said today.
Two hotels will start functioning as extensions of private hospitals from today.
Private hospitals will tie up with four star or five star hotels to accommodate more patients and those not needing critical care are likely to be moved from private hospitals to hotels. The treating doctor has to approve such transfers.
The hotels, which will be "step down facilities" where minimum medical intervention is required for Covid patients, will act as extensions of major private hospitals. The hotels will need a minimum of 20 rooms for Covid cases and will have round the clock medical services including doctor consultations, nurses, medicines and ambulance transfer.
Hospitals can charge up to ₹ 4,000 for these facilities and ₹ 6,000 for a room if anyone is staying with the patient.
Covid positive people who are asymptomatic can also use the "step-down facilities".
This has been done to ensure more hospital beds for patients who really need it.
The order comes as Mumbai and other cities in Maharashtra face a massive number of Covid cases.
09:38 India sees over 2 L Covid cases in record high
India added 2,00,739 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, an unprecedented figure, to take its toll to 1,40,74,564.
With 1,038 people dying in the same time span, the total fatalities rose to 1,73,123.
In terms of the total caseload, Maharashtra is followed by the southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
09:24 Denmark becomes 1st European country to cut AstraZeneca Covid vaccine
Denmark announced it would stop using the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine altogether, becoming the first European country to do so over suspected rare but serious side effects.
Denmarks vaccination campaign will go ahead without the AstraZeneca vaccine, Danish Health Authority director Soren Brostrom told journalists, despite recommendations from the World Health Organization and Europes medicines watchdog to keep using it.
There is a potential cross-reaction between the vaccine and a low platelet count. We also know that there is a temporal connection. It occurs one week to ten days after the vaccination with AstraZeneca, Brostrom said.
The decision is contextual, said Brostrom. In Denmark, the majority of the population at risk has been vaccinated and the epidemic is under control.
09:04 Kumbh mela will not be cut short, say officials
The mega Kumbh Mela at Haridwar will continue till April 30 and there has been no discussion to close it early on account of surging Covid infections, officials said as they denied any move to wrap up the event two weeks early.
"The Kumbh Mela used to begin in January, but looking at the Covid situation, the state government decided to start it in April this time. The centre's SOP said because of the situation, the duration would be reduced. I have no information of it being curtailed," said Deepak Rawat, District Magistrate, Haridwar, and Kumbh Mela officer.
Hundreds of thousands of devotees have been gathering for the annual event on the banks of the river Ganga for a holy dip, escalating concerns about an exponential rise in Covid cases amid a countrywide spike in infections.
There has been nationwide criticism of the decision not to call off the religious gathering this year; the event usually sees record crowds and critics see it as a potential super-spreader. The powerful akhadas or seer groups have, however, refused to call off the Kumbh Mela.
08:31 UP panchayat election: Phase 1 begins today
The first phase of the panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh has begun today amidst an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath down with Covid-19 himself.
Many leaders had urged for postponement of the panchayat elections in the wake of rapid Covid-19 spread but the state Election Commission said all preventive measures have been taken.
Panchayat polls in the first phase entail 18 districts. Agra, Ayodhya, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Jaunpur, Jhansi, Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Bareilly, Rampur, Mahoba, Raebareli, Shravasti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Saharanpur, Hardoi and Hathras will go to the polls.
Polling will take place to elect the district council, block panchayat, village council and ward members with over three lakh candidates in the fray for over two lakh posts. The candidates will contest on 'free symbols' given by the Election Commission.
08:03 Tihar hunts for inmates who are on Covid parole
Of the 6,740 prisoners at Tihar Jail who were released on parole last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, 3,468 have gone missing. Jail authorities have now approached the Delhi Police to help trace them.
Most of the convicts and undertrial prisoners suffering illnesses such as HIV, cancer, kidney dysfunction requiring dialysis, Hepatitis B or C, asthma and TB were released last year to decongest the prison as Covid cases rose. Tihar, with a cumulative capacity of holding 10,026 inmates, is one of the largest prison complexes in South Asia.
Sources said that of those released, 1,184 were convicted inmates let out of Delhis three jails, at Tihar, Mandoli, Rohini. They were initially released for eight weeks, which was later extended from time to time. They were finally supposed to surrender between February 7 and March 6. But out of 1,184, 112 are missing. When jail officials approached their family members, they were told that they were not present at their homes, jail sources said.
00:36 Kejriwal to discuss Delhi Covid crisis with LG
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will discuss the coronavirus situation in the city with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal during a meeting Thursday, the CM's office said.
The city recorded 17,282 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest single-day surge here till date, and over 100 fatalities, according to data shared by the health department.
"In view of the spread of Covid-19 infection, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will discuss the situation with Lieutenant Governor at 11 am on Wednesday," the Chief Minister's Office tweeted.
It said that Kejriwal will also hold a meeting with Health Minister Satyendar Jain, Chief Secretary and other senior officials on the coronavirus situation in Delhi at 12 noon.
As per the latest bulletin, 104 new fatalities were recorded, pushing the death toll to 11,540.
These new positive cases came out of record 1.08 akh tests conducted the previous day, the bulletin said, adding, the positivity rate mounted to 15.92 per cent.
The highest single-day spike in Delhi till the third wave of the pandemic -- 8,593 cases -- was reported on November 11 in 2020, while on November 18, the city had recorded 131 COVID-19 deaths, the highest single-day fatality count till date.
The positivity rate mid-November last year had stood above 15 per cent.
Reeling under the fourth wave of COVID-19, the national capital on Tuesday had recorded 13,468 cases and 81 deaths due to the infection, giving it the dubious distinction of being the worst-affected city in the county.
On Tuesday, the positivity rate rose to 13.14 percent from 12.44 percent a day ago. -- PTI
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