Coronavirus News highlights: Maharashtra sees 28,438 new COVID-19 cases, 52,898 recoveries; 679 die

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Texas Instruments to set up 86 critical care beds

Semiconductor company Texas Instruments on Tuesday said it will set up 86 critical care beds at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in the next 34 weeks. The company is assisting by providing oxygen concentrators to employees and their dependents across India, an official statement said, adding employee driven initiatives have so far helped distribute 400 oxygen concentrators, 10 ventilators, 125 cylinders and 1200 medical kits.

COVID-19: Pune sees 3,741 cases, 108 deaths; 2,892 recover

Pune district reported 3,741 COVID19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 9,76,429, while this period also saw 108 deaths and 2,892 people getting discharged, an official said on Tuesday. The toll in the district stands at 15,549, he said.

K'taka govt issues guidelines for optimal use of Remdesivir in COVID-19 hospitals

Aimed at ensuring optimal use of Remdesivir, Karnataka government on Tuesday issued guidelines directing all healthcare facilities in the state to follow it in letter and spirit. It also calls for each healthcare facility to form a Remdesivir Audit Committee and submit a report on the use to the expert committees constituted.

COVID-19: Rajasthan registers 146 deaths, 8,398 fresh cases

Rajasthan recorded 146 deaths and 8,398 positive cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 7,080 and the infection tally to 8,79,664. Jaipur reported the highest number of 35 deaths, followed by 12 each in Jodhpur and Bikaner, according to an official report.

Delhi govt will bear medical expenses of Covid-positive doctor of Raja Harishchandra Hospital: Jain

Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday said the Delhi government will take care of the medical expenses of a Covidpositive doctor battling for life in a private hospital in Gurgaon. "Have spoken to the family of Dr Amit Gupta, who contracted the infection while he was on duty Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital. The Delhi government will bear his medical expenses," the minister tweeted. "Our corona warriors are our strength and the Delhi government stands with them in these tough times," he said. Dr Gupta's sister Anna Gupta her brother worked in the Covid ward of the Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital for over a year. He first experienced Covid symptoms on April 19 and tested positive two days later.

Mumbai reports less than 1,000 COVID-19 cases after two and half months

Mumbai reported 953 new coronavirus infections and 44 fatalities on Tuesday, taking its tally of cases to 6,90,889 and death toll to 14,352, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. For the first time since March 2 the city reported less than 1,000 COVID19 cases, though the number of tests also dropped.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh dispatches COVID-related materials to J-K

Union Minister Jitendra Singh dispatched consignments of face masks, sanitiser and other COVID19related materials for Jammu and Srinagar on Tuesday, according to an official statement. He said that similar consignments had been sent to the six districts of Jammu and Kashmir falling in his Udhampur parliamentary constituency earlier.

J'khand says moving towards becoming oxygen surplus state;to cater to needs of other states

Jharkhand on Tuesday said it is moving towards becoming a medical oxygen surplus state and is gearing up to cater to the needs of other states. The state has constituted an oxygen task force to ensure uninterrupted supply of the life saving thing for patients.

COVID: Punjab sees record 231 more deaths, 7,143 new cases

Punjab on Tuesday registered a record 231 deaths due to COVID19, pushing the toll to 12,317, while 7,143 fresh cases took the tally to 5,11,652, according to a medical bulletin. The state's singleday recoveries, which were registered at 8,174, again surpassed the singleday infections of 7,143.

Over 500 prominent citizens appeal to PM to ensure COVID-19 vaccines reach vulnerable

Over 500 prominent public health practitioners, doctors, economists, workers unions and human rights groups have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the COVID19 vaccines reach the vulnerable and ramping up manufacturing to address shortages. The letter signed by organisations from 22 states and union territories has urged Modi to "remove barriers" to vaccine production through modes like a waiver of intellectual property rights to achieve universal coverage. "We call on you to take action to ensure a peoples' vaccine. For this to happen, a detailed, timebound and transparent COVID19 vaccine policy and action plan should be arrived at in consultation with the states and India's experts and citizens at large and ensure transparency in contractual agreements reached by the government with the pharma sector," the letter said.

32 people in village in Uttarakhand test positive

The second coronavirus wave is spreading fast to the villages of Uttarakhand with 32 residents of a village in Pauri Garhwal district testing positive on Tuesday. A villager said they had attended a marriage ceremony in the village on May 2, following which they began showing symptoms of COVID like fever and cough. Their samples were taken for testing on May 11.

Nagaland registers 365 fresh COVID cases, 12 deaths

Nagaland on Tuesday reported 365 fresh COVID19 cases, one less than its highest singleday spike recorded on May 13, pushing the tally to 18,714, Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom said. The death of 12 coronavirus patients took the toll to 228.

Maharashtra sees 28,438 new COVID-19 cases, 52,898 recoveries; 679 die

Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 28,438 fresh coronavirus positive cases, a drop of 1,822 compared to Monday's detections, and 679 deaths, the state health department said. The state's overall case tally now stands at 54,33,506 and the toll at 83,777, it said.

Telangana extends lockdown till May 30

The Telangana government on Tuesday extended the lockdown to contain the spread of COVID 19 till May 30, an official release said. The ongoing lockdown which began on May 12 was supposed to end by May 22, according to an earlier official communication.