Coronavirus news LIVE Updates India: Future actions to stimulate economy will depend on how COVID crisis pans out, says FM

Future actions to stimulate economy will depend on how COVID crisis pans out: FM

A day after the RBI projected economic contraction in 2020-21, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said future fiscal policy actions to stimulate the economy will depend on how COVID-19 pandemic pans out. The government has already announced a Rs 20.97 lakh crore economic package, which includes Reserve Bank's Rs 8.01 lakh crore worth of liquidity measures till May 17.

COVID-19 toll in Rajasthan rises to 156, cases stand at 6,657

Three deaths and 163 new coronavirus cases were reported in Rajasthan on Saturday taking the total number of fatalities due to COVID-19 to 156 and positive cases to 6,657. Two deaths were reported from Jaipur and one from Kota, the official said.

Will try to restart international flights before August: Puri

India will try to restart a good percentage of international passenger flights before August, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said, three days after announcing resumption of domestic flights from May 25. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, few states have questioned the necessity to restart domestic services from Monday, he admitted, adding that some hesitation was expected even as the Centre has been trying to meet their concerns.

Railways to operate 2,600 Shramik Special trains in next 10 days to ferry 36 lakh home

The Railways has drawn up a schedule to operate 2,600  Shramik Special trains over the next 10 days across the country to ferry around 36 lakh migrant workers, stranded due to the COVID-19 lockdown, to their home states, Chairman of the Railway Board V K Yadav said on Saturday. It has run 2,600 Shramik Special trains in the last 23 days carrying around 36 lakh stranded migrants, he said, adding 1,000 ticket counters have been opened across India and more will be opened soon.

Assam surpasses its previous biggest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases; tally now 319

Assam surpassed its previous biggest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 60 fresh cases being reported on Saturday, taking the total tally to 319, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The state had till now recorded its biggest single-day rise in COVID-19 cases on Friday, when 49 people had tested positive for coronavirus. Fifty-three fresh cases were reported on Saturday afternoon while seven people tested positive for COVID-19 in the morning, taking the total number of cases reported in the last 24 hours to 109.

COVID-19 vaccine development at early stage in India; breakthrough unlikely within a year: Experts

As Indian firms scramble to develop a vaccine for coronavirus, experts feel that research in the country is still at a nascent stage and any concrete breakthrough is not likely within a year. The Indian government and private firms have stepped up efforts to develop a vaccine to halt the spread of COVID-19 which has claimed over 3,700 lives with more than 1,25,000 cases in the country.

Several drugs under trial for COVID-19, remedesivir leading contender: Scientists

With a vaccine still a long distance away, efforts to repurpose old medications used for other ailments provide hope of an early counter to COVID-19, say scientists, placing the antiviral remdesivir on top of the list of possible contenders. As COVID-19 continues its spread -- crossing 5.2 million cases and 3,38,000 fatalities on Saturday -- several categories of drugs are under clinical trial. Of them, remdesivir, which initially went into trials for treating the deadly Ebola virus five years ago, has shown promise by modestly speeding recovery from COVID-19, experts said.

WR diverts UP-bound Shramik train via Odisha citing traffic

The Vasai Road-Gorakhpur Sharmik​ Special train to Uttar Pradesh, which left the city on May 21, was diverted to a different route via Odisha due to heavy traffic congestion. The train that left Vasai Road station in Mumbai on May 21 was diverted via Bilaspur, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Adra and Asansol stations, Western Railway PRO Ravindra Bhakar said.

India's gas output falls by one-fifth in April due to lockdown

India's natural gas production dropped by almost one-fifth in April due to lower offtake by industries during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, according to official data released on Saturday.Gas output at 2.16 billion cubic metres in April was 18.6 per cent lower than 2.65 bcm production in the same month a year back, data released by the oil ministry showed.

COVID-19 toll in Delhi rises to 231; 591 new cases

The novel coronavirus death toll in Delhi rose to 231 on Saturday, while the number of infections climbed to 12,910 with 591 new cases, authorities said. This is the fifth consecutive day when 500 or more new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were recorded in Delhi. It registered the highest spike on Friday with 660 new cases.

WB asks Railways not to send Shramik Special trains to state till May 26 in view of Cyclone Amphan

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the Railway Ministry not to send Shramik Special trains to the state till May 26 in view of Cyclone Amphan. The letter from West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha to Chairman of Railway board V K Yadav dated May 22, stated that the state has been severely impacted by Super Cyclone Amphan on May 20-21 which caused extensive damage to the infrastructure.

Uttar Pradesh: 21-yr-old recovered COVID-19 patient donates plasma at KGMU​

A 21-year-old man, who defeated COVID-19, has donated his plasma at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow to treat severally-ill coronavirus patients, a hospital official said. A total of seven people have donated their plasma at the KGMU so far, the official said, adding that they have been kept in a plasma bank and can be used anytime for the next one year.

Hockey players can visit home but will have to serve quarantine period upon returning: Hockey India SOP

"Homesick" players can go back to their natives but will have to serve a 14-day mandatory quarantine period before rejoining camp, according to the Hockey India SOP for the national teams based at SAI South Centre in Bengaluru. With an aim to provide a safe training environment for the Olympic-bound players, Hockey India has devised a detailed Standard Operating Procedure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not just the senior teams, guidelines are being laid down for the junior national sides, too.