Covid-19

Indian capital Delhi, with a single-day spike of 17,282 cases, on April 14 has surpassed Mumbai to become the worst affected city in India. Delhi also recorded over 100 COVID-19 deaths in the same period. Reportedly, the city has witnessed a 234% increment in new cases from April 4-13. Delhi will currently undergo a weekend lockdown from 10 pm on April 16 to 5 am on April 19. 

Following the death of Nirwani akhada's Mahamandaleshwar Kapil Dev Das, who died at the age of 65 due to COVID-19 on April 13, Niranjani akhada announced to exit the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, from April 17. The decision was made after the drastic increase in COVID-19 cases among the saints in Haridwar. According to a health official, 68 top seers of Haridwar have tested positive for Coronavirus between April 5 and 14.

Evaluating huge surge in COVID-19 cases in Telangana, the Director for Public Health Dr. Srinivas Rao on April 14 made a consequential caution to the state people. He urged people to wear masks and follow COVID-19 protocols. "The situation might get worsened in the next four to six weeks, despite the government’s complete efforts. If the same situation prevails, it would be difficult to accommodate beds (for COVID-19 patients) in the… read-more

Former Uttar Pradesh CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on April 14, through Twitter, announced that he has contracted COVID-19. Self-isolating himself at his home, Akhilesh urged to all who came in contact with him to get tested. Notably, Akhilesh, during his recent Haridwar Kumbh visit, met Akhila Bhartiya Akhada Parishad’s president Narendra Giri Maharaj on April 11, who had contracted the virus a week before. 

The Indian government has approved the use of foreign vaccines following a huge surge in the COVID-19 cases. The National Expert Committee on Vaccine Administration's chairman, VK Paul said, "We hope and we invite the vaccine makers such as Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and others...as early as possible." However, the aim of this move is to speed up the vaccination drive and help states to tackle pandemic.