India to add 40,000 ventilators by June to battle virus
As the ICMR on Friday confirmed 75 fresh cases and 17 deaths in the COVID-19 outbreak, the Union Health Ministry announced that it was scaling up measures to combat the virus by bringing in 40,000 more ventilators in the next three months.
Coronavirus | States told to track 15 lakh international travellers
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has asked the States to effectively monitor 15 lakh international air passengers who came from January 18 to March 23 as there appeared to be a “gap” between the actual monitoring that “may seriously jeopardise the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.”
Kerala man was among Kabul gurdwara attackers
A man from Kasaragod in Kerala is said to be one of the three terrorists who stormed a gurdwara in Kabul on March 25 and killed around 25 Sikh worshippers, a senior government official told The Hindu.
Coronavirus | India to join WHO’s COVID-19 trials
India is all set to join World Health Organisation’s “Solidarity trial” aimed at rapid global search for drugs to treat COVID-19.
India coronavirus lockdown | Finance Ministry pulls up banks on shut branches
The Union Finance Ministry has asked banks to explain why several branches are closed. “In view of the novel coronavirus lockdown, the government is monitoring the functioning of bank branches across the country. Accordingly, the daily data on the number of bank branches (of all scheduled commercial banks in the country), which are open and functioning is being collected by Indian Banks Association (IBA), and monitored by Department of Financial Services,” the Ministry said in the communication to banks.
Coronavirus | Banks to provide only essential services
The Ministry cited the data and asked public sector banks to submit reasons on “why large number of branches are not functioning across the country”. On private banks, it has asked the IBA to compile reasons.
Coronavirus | Kollam sub-collector jumps quarantine
Kollam sub-collector Anupam Mishra, a 2016-batch IAS officer, has been suspended by the Kerala government for violating the COVID-19 quarantine norms.
Ground Zero | Named, shamed, and living in fear: On Lucknow anti-CAA protests and the accused
In early March, the U.P. police put up several hoardings in Lucknow identifying those accused of violence during anti-CAA protests in December 2019. Omar Rashid reports on the accused who are struggling to fight the stigma of being featured on the hoardings though they have not been convicted.
Indian scientists join the battle against COVID-19
Several Indian scientists have come together to form a Google group to address some of the concerns that the COVID-19 outbreak has thrown up.
Experts speak on tackling COVID-19 | Fighting a virus with dedicated health cadre
With a dedicated public health cadre and infrastructure, Tamil Nadu is well-armed and prepared for the past 100 years. But, is this enough for what the future is about to bring? Dr. P. Kuganantham (left) and Dr. Hamsadvani Anand speak on the issue.
Wall Street tumbles as U.S. virus cases pass 100,000
Wall Street stocks tumbled on Friday, ending a massive three-day surge after doubts about the fate of the U.S. economy resurfaced and the number of coronavirus cases in the country climbed.
