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As pressure grew on the Biden administration to ship COVID-19 vaccines along with several life-saving medical supplies to India, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the administration will “rapidly” deploy additional support to the country which is reeling from a horrific COVID-19 outbreak.
On Sunday, India reported a record daily rise of 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections, taking its overall tally to 16.96 million infections.
A total of 2,767 people were reported dead on Sunday, according to health ministry data, taking total coronavirus fatalities to 1,92,311.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
Delhi
Delhi lockdown extended by one week, says CM Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday that the Delhi lockdown is being extended for one week. This means that the current restrictions will be in force till morning of May 3.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Kejriwal said: “We enforced a six-day lockdown that is ending tomorrow. This was our last weapon against coronavirus.”
We have spoken to several sections and have decided to extend the lockdown by one more week, he added.
Mr. Kejriwal said that cases continue to rise in the city, and the spread has not stopped despite the lockdown. “The positivity rate rose to 36-37% (the highest in the country) at the start of the lockdown, and is now showing signs of improvement over the past two days. It’s has come down to below 30% today. Will have to monitor this situation closely and see if it comes down further,” he said. – Jatin Anand reports.
New Delhi
Free vaccination programme of the government of India will continue: PM Modi
“India was full of self-confidence after successfully tackling first wave of COVID-19, this ‘toofan’ (2nd wave) has shaken country,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat.
“The free vaccination programme of the government of India will continue. I urge the State government to utilise this scheme and ensure that maximum people have been vaccinated,” he said.
Maharashtra
20 COVID-19 patients escape from care centre in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal
Twenty COVID-19 patients have escaped from a care centre in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district, officials said on April 25.
The incident took place on April 24 at the COVID-19 care centre set up at a students’ hostel in Ghatanji taluka, local health officer Dr. Sanjay Puram said.
Based on a complaint lodged by health officials, the Ghatanji police have registered an FIR against the 20 patients under relevant sections, he said.
Delhi
Delhi’s LNJP hospital, left with just 2 hrs of oxygen supply, receives refill
Amid an acute oxygen crisis in the national capital, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital in New Delhi received a supply of the life-saving gas in a cryogenic tanker around 10 a.m. on Sunday, officials said.
It came as a huge relief for the hospital which was running on its backup stock of oxygen.
“We had exhausted our oxygen stock and were using the backup which would have lasted for two hours only,” said LNJP Hospital’s Medical Director Dr. Suresh Kumar.
Daily numbers update
Single-day spike of over 3.49 lakh new COVID-19 cases in India, record 2,767 fatalities
India logged a record 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections in a day taking it total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,69,60,172, while active cases crossed the 26-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.
The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 a.m. showed.
Registering a steady increase, the active cases have increased to 26,82,751 comprising 15.82% of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further dropped to 83.05%.
Delhi
Delhi’s Ganga Ram Hospital receives 5 MT oxygen, highest in 3 days
After an all-night scramble for an oxygen refill, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi received five metric tonnes of the life-saving gas in the early hours of Sunday, according to officials.
The hospital had raised an alarm at 10.30 p.m. on Saturday, saying its oxygen stock would last only an hour. There were 130 patients in the ICU, including 30 on invasive ventilation, when the SOS was sent.
Around 12.20 a.m. it received a tanker, with the help of local AAP MLA Raghav Chadha, which supplied one metric tonne of oxygen.
“It should last two hours,” a hospital spokesperson said around 12.45 a.m. – PTI
Pakistan
Pakistan PM Imran Khan expresses solidarity with India over COVID-19 crisis
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India battling the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying “we must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together”.
In a tweet, Mr. Khan said: “Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood and the world”.
“I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together,” he said on Twitter.
The tweets from the Pakistani leader came amidst some signs of rapprochement in the relations between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.
(With inputs from Correspondents and Agencies)
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