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Coronavirus outbreak: Maharashtra govt allows liquor shops to open in non-containment zone

Maharashtra government has decided to allow standalone shops including liquor shops to open in green, orange and red zone areas, but not in containment zones.

As per the guidelines, only five non-essential shops can be opened in each lane. However, there is no restriction on the number of shops selling essential items opening.

The government has issued a list of guidelines informing what will be allowed and not allowed in different zones of the state

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Coronavirus outbreak: Not more than 50 people can attend wedding functions amid lockdown, says Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that not more than 50 people would be allowed at wedding functions and not more than 20 people could attend the last rites of a deceased person.

"Not more than 50 people are allowed at wedding functions and not more than 20 at last rites of a deceased person," said Kejriwal during a video conference. "The Center's decision of lockdown on March 24 was very important. If we had not implemented the lockdown, then the situation in the country could have been horrific now," he added.

He further said: "That time the country was not ready to fight COVID19. We had no idea of social distancing. Neither the people nor hospitals were ready. We had no personal protective equipment kits or testing kits either." The CM said that they would not be able to sustain the lockdown for long as the economy is in peril.

"The revenue has fallen from Rs 3,500 crore in April month of the previous years to Rs 300 crore this year. How will the government function?" The Delhi government will take strict action against those found spitting at public places," he added.

As per the latest update by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of positive cases of coronavirus in Delhi is 4,122, including 1,256 recovered/migrated and 64 deaths.

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India's COVID-19 count reaches 42,533; death toll at 1,373

India's count of COVID-19 cases has reached 42,533, including 1,373 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.

2,553 more coronavirus cases were reported and 72 people succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours.

Currently, there are 29,453 active cases while 11,706 COVID-19 positive patients have been cured/discharged and one migrated.

Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with 12,974, followed by Gujarat with 5,428 cases and Delhi with 4,549 cases.

The country is under lockdown till May 17 to curb COVID-19 cases.

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Corona Warriors: Doctor treating COVID-19 patient returns home to thunderous applause and cheer

At a time when the country is reeling under the Lockdown 3.0 phase, a viral video of a doctor returning home after treating COVID-19 patients is winning hearts for all the right reasons. The video, which has gone viral now was shared by BJP Karnataka's official Twitter handle with their 3 lakh 50 thousand followers.

In the 39-seconds video clip, a woman doctor identified as Vijayashree can be seen given a standing ovation and welcomed home by her neighbours amid thunderous applause and cheers as she returns after her COVID-19 duty. While sharing the video, BJP Karnataka wrote, "This is how the residents of an Apartment in Namma Bengaluru honoured Dr Vijayashree who returned home after treating #COVID patients. Let us respect and appreciate the great services rendered by Our Doctors."

The viral video shows Dr. Viajyshree entering her society after a long time as she was equipped with COVID-19 duty and treating coronavirus patients at the hsopital. In the video, Dr. Vijayshree can be seen entering her residential apartment as her neighbours and society members throng to their balconies to welcome her amid thunderous appaluse and cheer.

M Goutham Kumar, Mayor of Bengaluru also shared the video and informed that Dr. Vijayshree is treating COVID-19 patients at MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, situated in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Since being shared online, the video has garnered over 15,000 views with hundreds of netizens lauding the doctor for her selfless commitment towards the country amid the COVID-19 crisis.

One user wrote, "May be this is the awesome moment of her life. Great work," while another user commented, "Dr. Vijayashree is the real hero for the front line of COVID-19," A third user said, "They are the real warriors...BIG SALUTE...!" While thanking the Dr. Vijayshree, a fourth user stated, "What a feeling...Goosebumps! Really awesome!"

Here's how netizens reacted to the video:

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Coronavirus outbreak: Google urges people to play 2016 doodle game peppers and ice-cream

After sharing an interactive doodle featuring the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, on Monday, Google shared throwback game from 2016 in order to urge people to stay at home and keep themselves entertained by playing these games. Scoville is part of the latest series that Google launched last week urging people to stay home and play games amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The latest doodle is in honour of celebrated pharmacist Wilbur Scoville. The doodel was first published on January 22, 2016 to celebrate the Scoville's 151st birthday. Wilbur Scoville is well known for his Organoleptic test which he invented back in 1912 while working at the Parke-Davis pharmaceutical company. The test measures the heat of several chilli peppers.


The interactive Scoville game

In the Scoville game, one has to throw ice-cream balls at the animated peppers in order to win the game. When one hovers over the final doodle, it shows the message, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Scoville (2016). Once clicked on the doodle animation, google takes the user to a game where one can play the interactive ice-cream and peppers game.

While launching its 10 game series to be played at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, Google Doodle said, "As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!"

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Coronavirus outbreak: 1,074 COVID-19 patients cured in last 24 hours, recovery rate rises to 27.52 percent

With 1,074 COVID-19 patients getting cured in the last 24 hours, India's recovery rate has further moved to 27.52 per cent, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday. Talking to media persons here, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said: "A total of 1,074 people have been cured in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of cured patient in a day. 11,706 people have been cured till to date. The recovery rate is 27.52 percent."

On April 30, 630 COVID-19 patients had recovered in the 24 hours, taking the recovery rate to 25.19 per cent in the country which was 23.3 per cent on April 28.

According to the official data, India has registered 2,553 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which have surged the total number to 44,532.

"A total of 2,553 cases have been increased in the last 24 hours which led the total number of cases to 44,532," Agarwal said.

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Coronavirus outbreak: India COVID-19 cases cross 46,433 mark, death toll over 1,500

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 46,433 on Tuesday morning, the Union Health Ministry said.

Of the total cases, 32,138 are active, 12,726 people have recovered, and 1,568 have succumbed to the disease.

Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state with the total number of cases rising to 14,541 and 583 deaths, though 2,465 people have recovered from the deadly virus.

Gujarat has reported 5,804 cases so far followed by Delhi with 4,898 cases, according to the Health Ministry data.

The other states which have seen a sharp rise in cases are Madhya Pradesh (2,942), Rajasthan (3,061), Tamil Nadu (3,550) and Uttar Pradesh (2,766).

Maharashtra has the highest number of fatalities, among all the states, followed by Gujarat with 319 deaths, Madhya Pradesh 165, Rajasthan 77 and Delhi 64.

Among other major states, Andhra Pradesh has reported 1,650 cases and 36 deaths so far, Bihar 528 cases and four deaths, Haryana 517 and six deaths, Jammu and Kashmir 726 cases and eight deaths, Karnataka 651 and 27 deaths and Kerala 500 cases with four deaths.

The states which have reported less than 10 cases are Tripura, Mizoram, Puducherry, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

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COVID-19 Outbreak: FIR registered against UP MLA, six associates for violating lockdown norms

Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday registered an FIR against independent MLA from Nautanwa Aman Mani Tripathi and his six associates for stepping out without having a valid pass during COVID-19 lockdown.

They were returning from Uttarakhand and were detained in the Nazibabad area of Bijnor district. Superintendent of Police (SP) Bijnor Sanjeev Tyagi said, "He was not authorised by Uttar Pradesh government to go to Uttarakhand. He was out unnecessarily and did not have a valid pass. Action is being taken. He will be quarantined and tested."

No weapons were recovered from the seven, added the SP. Tripathi and others were earlier arrested by the Uttarakhand Police on Sunday allegedly for violating lockdown norms and misbehaving with government officials.

After the arrest, they were served a notice and were sent back to Uttar Pradesh. The incident had occurred at Gauchar of Chamoli district where his entourage was stopped for screening by the officials on duty. Tripathi, along with 10 others, was on a trip to Badrinath and Kedarnath.

Uttarakhand DG, Law and Order, Ashok Kumar had told ANI that an FIR has been registered against Tripathi and 11 other persons under Sections 188, 269 and 270 of the Indian Penal Code, Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Disease Act.

The Uttar Pradesh government had clarified on Monday that it did not authorise Tripathi to travel to Uttarakhand.

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Coronavirus Outbreak: After Mumbai, Pune Police mourn the loss of cop who died fighting COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 epidemic has caused shock and grief to Pune Police after a 58-year-old cop lost his life in the battle against the novel coronavirus. Taking to Twitter, the Pune Police handle, which is known for its witty tweets and informative posts, on Monday announced the sad news to its followers.

In its tweet, the official handle of Pune Police said that they lost ASI Dilip Popat Londhe from Faraaskhana Police Station due to the COVID-19 crisis. While paying tribute to the cop, the Pune Police also offered condolences to the deceased's family.

As per the tweet by Pune Police, ASI Dilip Londhe, who had been fighting the novel coronavirus for the past few days succumbed to the deadly virus on Monday afternoon. While speaking to ANI, Dr. Jitendra Oswal, Deputy Medical Director of Bharati Hospital, where the cop was admitted said, "He was on the ventilator for the last 12 days. He was suffering from hypertension and obesity."

To date, Pune has reported 2,051 positive cases of the COVID-19 infection. Amid the lockdown being extended till May 17, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has identified 69 containment zones where all shops carrying essential services shall remain open between 10 am and 2 pm.

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Coronavirus outbreak: Supreme Court junks plea for quashing 75,000 FIRs for lockdown violations

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a PIL by former Uttar Pradesh police chief Vikram Singh seeking direction to quash nearly 75,000 FIRs registered for violating orders of lockdown and petty offences during the coronavirus pandemic.

A bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B.R. Gavai questioned Singh's counsel, "You want there should be no FIR and this (Section 188 IPC) should not be invoked...then how can the lockdown be enforced?"

The bench wondered why such petitions were coming to the apex court? Singh's PIL sought quashing of nearly 75,000 FIRs registered under Section 188 of the IPC and other provisions for violation of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said this person has been on the field and also has experience. "The submission is that we cannot have rule of law, which is selective. You cannot have one rule of law for those who have to travel by chartered flights...," said the advocate.

Justice Kaul replied he "can see an agenda". The lawyer contended that if the law didn't permit registration of FIRs then the NDMA law cannot be allowed for registration of FIRs. He told the bench that cases have been registered against migrants and those withdrawing money from ATMs.

Singh filed the PIL in his capacity as the Chairman of a think-tank -- Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC). He requested the apex court to issue directions, under the Disaster Management Act 2005, to state governments to not file complaints under Section 188 of the IPC or for other petty offences during the lockdown.

"Police action on an individual who is perhaps suffering from distress and lack of information as a result of the circumstances has ramifications which can extend beyond the coronavirus lockdown, and cannot be good for a constitutional democracy. The situation needs to be handled humanely, and it will be best to avoid adding aspects of criminality, wherever possible," Singh's plea stated.

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Coronavirus outbreak: From zero, India now produces around 2 lakh PPE kits per day

India, which was not manufacturing even a single personal protective equipment (PPE) kit, has now achieved an almost unrealistic goal of producing 2.06 lakh PPE kits daily within two months after the coronavirus outbreak. The highest single-day production of PPE kits, around 2.06 lakh kits, was recorded on May 2. However, on average, domestic production is about 1.5 lakh per day.

A PPE kit consists of mask, eye shield, shoe cover, gown and gloves, which doctors and healthcare workers wear during the treatment of COVID-19 patients. "It is very comforting to us that our in-house PPE kit production is increasing fast. On May 2, the country recorded maximum production of protective gears of about 2.06 lakh manufactured in a single day," a senior Health Ministry official told ANI.

"Earlier, there was no domestic manufacturing of PPE kit in the country and almost all of them were imported. Within a short span of time, India has been able to increase the daily production of PPE kits to about 1.5 lakh," he said. "In January, there were only 2.75 lakh PPE kits (imported ones) available in the country. As of today, we have about 15.96 lakh PPE kits in the centre-state buffer stock," added the official.

The government has identified at least 110 domestic manufacturers of PPE kits in the country. However, only 52 companies are manufacturing PPE kits right now. Companies like Alok Industries, JCT Phagwara, Gokaldas Exports, Aditya Birla, etc., are some of the domestic PPE kits manufacturers. The Union Health Ministry official added: "As of now, the Central government has distributed about 21.32 lakh PPE kits to the Centre and state-run hospitals. At least 15.96 lakh PPE kits are in the Centre State buffer stock."

Recently, the Empowered Group-3 of the Central government had informed that the total projected demand of PPE kits till June 2020 would be 2.01 crore. Orders for 2.22 crore PPE kits have already been placed, of which orders to the tune of 1.42 crore have been placed with the domestic manufacturers and 80 lakh PPE kits are being imported.

Some government institutes like South India Textile Research Association (SITRA), Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) and Ordnance Factory Board are at the forefront of developing new technologies, materials, and testing facilities. DRDO has also developed new PU coated nylon/polyester for supply to domestic manufacturers/

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Coronavirus outbreak: Total number of COVID-19 cases in India stand at 46,711 with 1,583 deaths

The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India mounted to 46,711, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. In an evening update, the Health Ministry said of the total cases, 31,967 are active cases, and 1,583 have succumbed to the disease. However 13,160 people have recovered so far.

The total number of deaths suddenly saw a spike in West Bengal. The Ministry said the total toll reported from West Bengal was 133. It was 61 on Monday. Earlier at a presser, Joint Health Secretary Lav Aagarwal had said that states should report on time about the number of cases and fatalities in order to ensure better management of cases.

Maharashtra continued to top the chart with a total 14,541 cases followed by Gujarat with 5,804 cases and Delhi with 4,898 cases. Other states which saw a surge in cases are Madhya Pradesh (3,046), Tamil Nadu (3,550), Rajasthan (3,061), Rajasthan (3,061) and Uttar Pradesh (2,859). States which reported over a thousand cases are Andhra Pradesh (1,717), Punjab (1,233), Telangana (1,085) and West Bengal (1,259).

States which saw a significant number of cases are Bihar (529), Haryana (517), Jammu and Kashmir (726), Karnataka (659), Kerala (500), Odisha (170), Chandigarh (102) and Jharkhand (115).

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Coronavirus outbreak: 3,900 cases, 195 deaths in just 24 hours

As many as 3,900 new COVID-19 cases and 195 fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, the biggest spike in a single day, the health ministry said on Tuesday and asserted that "some states" were not reporting cases in a timely manner, which is now being addressed.

Addressing the daily briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country, joint secretary at the health ministry, Lav Agarwal said the total number of cases stand at 46,433 and the death toll at 1,568. "We are dealing with an infectious disease. Thus timely reporting of cases and their management is very crucial and gaps in these areas were noted in some states, which after due persuasion are being addressed," Agarwal said.

The ministry said 1,020 COVID-19 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of those cured to 12,726, a recovery rate of 27.41 per cent. "We are very comfortable in terms of managing COVID-19 as of now, but any laxity at the field level may have consequences," he said. The lockdown has yielded very positive results, doubling time of cases has improved from 3.4 days before lockdown to 12 days now, he added.

JEE, NEET exams to be held in July

Engineering entrance examination JEE will be held from July 18-23, while medical entrance exam NEET will be conducted on July 26, Union HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal announced on Tuesday. The two crucial exams were postponed due to the lockdown imposed in the country to combat COVID-19. "JEE-Mains will be held from July 18-23, while JEE-Advanced will be held in August. NEET will be conducted on July 26," he said. "A decision will soon be taken on the pending CBSE Std X, XII board exams," he added.

Vistara sends seniors on LWP for four days

Vistara CEO, Leslie Thng on Tuesday announced that senior employees will have to go on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for up to four days per month in May and June as a measure to conserve the airline's cash flow to tide over the difficulties faced by the aviation sector due to lockdowns across the world. Vistara had sent the same set of senior employees on compulsory LWP for up to six days in April.

BJP demands Mamata's resignation

After the West Bengal government released fresh data about the COVID-19 situation in the state, the BJP launched a scathing attack on it. State BJP in-charge and party General Secretary, Kailash Vijayavargiya demanded the resignation of Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee. Vijayavargiya said that Banerjee should speak in a serious manner and take responsibility. She has no right to continue in office, she should resign. He said that Mamata is only doing politics, she has nothing to do with the lives of people.

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COVID-19 cases in India reach 49,391, death toll at 1,694

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 49,391, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday morning. This includes 33,514 active cases, and 1,694 deaths due to the infection so far.

However, 14,182 persons have been cured and discharged so far, according to the Health Ministry. One patient has migrated. Maharashtra with 15,525 cases is the worst-affected state, while Gujarat with 6,245 cases is second on the list.

Delhi with 5,104 COVID-19 cases is the third most-affected by the infection.

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Coronavirus Outbreak: Cop sings 'Teri Mitti' from Akshay Kumar's 'Kesari' to pay tribute to heroes

Ever since the cases of Coronavirus outbroke in the country, the police personnel, healthcare staffs and other essential workers working on the frontline to contain the spread of the pandemic are being hailed as heroes. In a move to express gratitude, the Indian Air Force helicopters showered flower petals on hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in different parts of the country on May 3. Also, the COVID team of the Delhi Police did a sirened parikrama of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to thank the healthcare workers.

Now a video of a cop from Delhi Police singing 'Teri Mitti' from Akshay Kumar’s 2019 film Kesari to thank healthcare workers has been making rounds of social media of late. This one-minute-eight second-long video posted by Rajat Rathor on Facebook got netizens swooning over his voice and guitar skills. He sang the song wearing his uniform to express his gratitude to the corona warriors fight to contain the pandemic in the frontline.

He captioned the video, "A tribute from my side. For all The heroes who are fighting with this pandemic. Doctors and force member salute to all of u. This song is one of My fav song" The video posted last week garnered 26,253 views on Facebook with more than 1,000 likes and was shared 670 times.

A user said in the comments, "It is a very lovely voice. I like this (sic)." Another user commented, "Totally impressed from ur art in delhi police department...... (sic)" One more user said, "Salute to all Indian policemen."

What do you think about the post?

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COVID-19: Token system introduced for purchase of liquor in Pune

Token system has been introduced for the purchase of alcohol from liquor stores in Pune, said Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar on Tuesday. He said there will be an implementation of a token system at these stores and without a token, no liquor can be purchased.

On Tuesday, Pune Police registered cases against nine liquor stores for not following the COVID-19 health guidelines.

The move comes as liquor stores witnessed huge rush across the country after the relaxation of lockdown norms by several state governments over the past few days.

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Real Heroes of Coronavirus: Railway man makes face masks, face shields at home and distributes for free

Mid-day online journalists interact with the frontline workers in a new series 'Real heroes of coronavirus'. Media photographers, reporters, railway staff and medical workers tell their stories of grit, determination and every-day challenges in times of the pandemic.

Mail Express Guard Vishal Kalage has been working with Central Railway's Miraj division in Sangli, Maharashtra for 11 years. After the Railways decided to stall passengers train services, Kalage, who studied micro-biology, decided to use the lockdown period by making masks and face shields at home with the help of his wife and mother and contribute in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.


Vishal Kalage distributes face masks to doctors, police staff and common people free of cost

We spoke to Vishal Kalage about his noble work and what it feels like to contribute to the society in the fight against coronavirus.

Here's an excerpt from the interview.

What inspired you to take up the task of making face masks?

When the lockdown was imposed, I went to buy medicines for my mother, who is an heart patient and I inquired about the cost of a disposable face mask. I was surprised when the shopkeeper told me that the face mask would cost Rs 30 and had to be thrown away after six hours of use. That is when I decided that I should make face masks.

When I pitched the idea to my wife (Rohini) and mother (Menakshi), they immediately agreed to the plan. My wife has done a course in fashion designing, she made few sample masks before we zeroed in on the final product.

Speaking about the shortage of face mask in the market due to the sudden demand, which emerged after the outbreak of the coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, Vishal said, "Honestly, there were no sanitisers at that time; hand wash was also not available and many medical shops were selling available stock at a higher price. At the same time, due to panic buying many front line workers including doctors and police staff did not have masks. Seeing the crisis that had emerged due to the shotage in supply of masks, I decided to make face masks at home and help the country fight the coronavirus pandemic."

What challenges did you face while making face masks at home?

Due to the nationwide lockdown, the fabric required to make masks were not available in the market. After searching four to five orthopedic medical shops, I finally got the required fabric from which I could make face masks at home. I purchased 10 (2x6) bedsheets at Rs 360 per bedsheet for making the masks. Five bed-sheets were used to make the lace while the other five bed sheets were used to stitch the main bracket of the face mask (three tier/plating of the face mask).


Vishal Kalage's wife sitches face mask at home (on left) and she posing with the final mask which was made at home (on right)

When did you start making the face masks?

On Day 2 of the initial 21-day nationwide lockdown, we started making face masks at home. In the beginning, we were able to stitch 160 face masks on a daily basis. Now we stitch 200 mask everyday. To date, we have stitched over 4,500 face masks. The face masks have been distributed free of cost to the railway staff, police staff and even hospitals among others.

How did you manage the production, did you hire people or the family managed it?

Initially, we hired two women from the garment industry, who had lost their livelihood due to the lockdown. The lace work was done by them, one would do the cutting while the other woman would work on the laces. The rest of the work required for making the masks was looked after by my wife, mother and myself.

Although the women worked for a few days, Vishal said he paid them adequate sum to sustain during the crisis.

Can you take us through the process of making face mask at home?

The cloth pieces are cut from the bed sheets as per the required size, dipped into dettol for nearly two hours and left out under the sun to dry. Once the pieces are completely dry, we start the process of stitching the mask. After the stitching, the face masks are ironed at 350 degree celsius for three minutes on both sides.

Explaining why ironing the face masks was important, Kalage said, "Being a microbiology student, I realised that the face masks will have to be bacteria free and clean, which is why we decided to press it under 350 degree celsius. This way we created a sterilisation process at home only."


To date, Vishal Kalage and his family have made 4500 masks and 150 face shield which has been distributed free of cost

After the masks are ready, Vishal's daughter Nakshaytra and son Nakshayraj help him in packaging by making a bundle of 50 face masks each. The kids then arrange these bundles in a bag which Vishal Kalage distributes to the doctors, police staff and the public at free of cost.

Besides face masks, Vishal also makes face shields at home. Using lamination sheets which his school going children use, Vishal with his wife's help made face shields at home. "We use lamination sheets and teflon sheets to make simple yet protective face shieds at home," he said.

How did the idea of making face shields come up?

While buying bedsheets for the face masks, I was shocked to learn that face shields made up of a plastic layer with a fibre like headband were sold for Rs 550 in medical shops.

I came back home with the pictures of the shield and referring the pictures I made my own face shield. The final product I made at home cost me Rs 80. Moreover, the shields are reusable, scratch proof and water proof and it can protect the doctors or the police staff directly from the saliva or the droplets of the COVID-19 patients.


Vishal Kalage has been working as a mail express guard at Miraj with Central Railway's Pune division since the last 11 years

How did you manage the expenses?

My wife and my mother helped me a lot and supported me. In the beginning, we used our little savings to make masks and face shields at home. But as the good word spread, our friends and family came together and contributed and soon I had Rs 14,500. This amount was used to make more face masks and face shields at home. The Railways also helped us by providing 10 linen blankets free of cost.

What precautions do you undertake to stay protected against COVID-19?

Whenever I come back home after distributing masks or have been out for personal work, I ensure to take bath. Before entering the house, I sanitise my bike and my shoes as I have small children and elderly mother, who is a heart patient. I take all these measure to make sure that no one should get contaminated and my family is safe and protected against COVID-19. I would request people to follow the hygiene instructions given by the government, stay home and be safe."


Vishal made the face shield at home at a nominal cost of Rs 80 

How do you feel now that you are able to contribute for a noble cause during such a crisis?

The feeling of helping people and the country during the coronavirus crisis cannot be expressed in words. All I know is that at night, I sleep with deep satisfaction and happiness.

Rs 80
The cost of face shield which Vishal Kalage made at home

4,500
The number of face masks the Kalage family stitched and distributed free of cost

150
The number of face shield he made at home

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Coronavirus outbreak: Punjab Excise Dept issues new guidelines for home delivery of liquor

The Excise Department of Punjab on Tuesday released new guidelines for home delivery of liquor in a bid to ensure that social distancing norms are not violated amid curfew and COVID-19 lockdown. Now, only two people in a group with an official pass are allowed to make home delivery of liquor.

One household will not receive more than two litres of booze. The delivery person is restricted to visit in the vehicle authorised by the department. Moreover, social distancing norms should be followed at liquor shops and not more than five people are allowed to gather outside the shops.

Proper sanitisation will be done at liquor stores, which are allowed to open only if relaxation is given by the district administration in their area.

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Maharashtra govt appeals to Central govt depts to make available their hospitals for COVID-19 patients

The Maharashtra government has appealed to all central government departments to make available their hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the state. "Anticipating higher numbers of patients in the coming days, Maharashtra govt has appealed to all Central govt departments like Railways, Port Trust, Army, Navy etc to make available their hospitals for treatment of COVID patients in Maharashtra," said a statement from Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

According to the Maharashtra CMO, "Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is himself in talks at the highest level in central govt." A CMO press note confirmed that the Maharashtra government has set up several quarantine and isolation centers at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Nehru Planetarium, Bombay Exhibition center, Richardson and Cruddas company and at various other places in the state.

But as the Center has warmed about a spike in cases during May, Maharashtra wants additional ICU beds and other medical facilities. So it has requested the central government departments which have hospitals in Maharashtra to make them available for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

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Maharashtra's COVID-19 situation matter of concern, will hold talks with Chief Minister, says Dr Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said that he will hold a meeting with the Maharashtra Chief Minister to discuss the worsening COVID-19 situation in the state, as 34 out of its 36 districts are affected by the infection.

"The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by COVID-19. I will hold a meeting with the Chief Minister as well to discuss further course of action to control spread of the virus in the state," the Minister said at a press conference here.

"Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur, among the 34 districts are a cause of concern for us," he added. The Union Health Minister further said the Centre's aim was to ensure that no new cases come up from districts in Maharashtra and assured all help to the state in the coming days.

"There are 1,026 containment zones in Maharashtra right now, as per my knowledge. The team from Centre and doctors are stationed there and we will give further help to Maharashtra as per the need," the Minister said.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra had 15,525 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday morning, including 617 deaths. However, 2,819 patients have been cured and discharged after receiving treatment for the disease.

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Visakhapatnam gas leak: Chances of long-term impact are less, says AIIMS Director

A gas leak at a chemical plant in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam on Thursday left 11 people dead and several hundred hospitalised. Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited hospitals where the victims have been admitted and he announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the deceased in the Visakhapatnam gas leak.

The chief minister also announced Rs 10 lakh each to those undergoing treatment on ventilator support, Rs 1 lakh for those who have been hospitalised due to the incident and Rs 25,000 to those who took treatment as out-patients after developing health complications due to inhalation of the styrene vapour.

The chief minister also announced a committee to probe into the mishap and said the government would talk to the LG Polymers management seeking job for the kin of the deceased in any of its businesses.

At the review meeting, the Collector informed the Chief Minister that the gas spread was limited to a 1.5 to 2 km area from the epicentre of the leak and that the locals were evacuated to safety.

After the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting where he discussed at length the measures being taken for the safety of the affected people as well as for securing the site affected by the disaster at Vizag. After chairing the high-level meeting on the Vizag gas leak tragedy, PM Modi also spoke to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and assured all the required aid and assistance from the Centre to tackle the situation.

While addressing a press conference, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that the chances of the long-term impact of styrene gas, which leaked from a gas plant in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam are less. Clearing the air about the impact of the gas leak, Dr Randeep said, The chances of long-term impact are less because this compound metabolises and leaves the body quickly. This is an acute exposure rather than a chronic exposure. But we will have to follow up and see. As of now, the data doesn't suggest a significant long-term effect," reports ANI.

Para-tertiary butyl catechol or PTBC, a chemical made in Gujarat's Vapi, is currently being used in Visakhapatnam to neutralise the effect of the gas leak, said an official from the Gujarat government. Ashwani Kumar, secretary in the Gujarat chief minister's office, said that the chemical will be sent to Visakhapatnam on an urgent basis.

A press release from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the official machinery swung into action immediately after the incident and evacuated people from the area after rushing those who fell ill to nearby hospitals where they are being treated for respiratory and other ailments.

Smokes rise from an LG Polymers plant following a gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam on May 7, 2020. At least eight people have been killed and several hundred hospitalised after a gas leak at a chemicals plant on the east coast of India, police said on May 7. Pic: AFP

Panic-stricken people rushed out of their homes, only to collapse. Several cattle and livestock also succumbed to the poisonous gas pervading the air. In scenes reminiscent of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, the streets and hospitals of Visakhapatnam were filled with people in panic, scared to breathe and unable to fathom the silent tragedy that struck them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter to say that he spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA about the situation.

Home Minister Amit Shah took to the micro-blogging site to say the incident is disturbing. He wrote, "The incident in Vizag is disturbing. Have spoken to the NDMA officials and concerned authorities. We are continuously and closely monitoring the situation. I pray for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam."

Chandrababu Naidu also expressed his condolences to the ones affected in the tragedy.

"Chief Minister is closely monitoring the situation and has instructed the district machinery to take immediate steps and provide all help," said Andhra Pradesh CMO.

The Chief Minister enquired about the gas leak incident and directed the district officials to take every possible step to save lives and bring the situation under control.

The gas leakage took place at LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village here on Thursday, said Tirupathi Rao, District Medical & Health Officer (DMHO).

(with inputs from agencies)

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COVID-19: 106-year-old defeats virus, doctor says 'he sets an example'

106-year-old Mukhtar Ahmed, a resident of Central Delhi's Nawabganj, has recovered from coronavirus and been discharged from Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital. The centenarian was admitted in Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital on April 14 after been infected with the coronavirus. He was discharged on May 1. Dr BL Sherwal, Medical Director, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, a designated COVID-19 hospital said, "Whenever a patient recovers it is a proud moment for us. However, this case, due to the age of Ahmed, is inspiring news for all of us."

"Our doctors who were treating him had noticed his stern will to fight against the virus. It is the will that is important in the battle against coronavirus. Ahmed fought with the disease as bravely." On being asked about Ahmed's immunity, Dr Sherwal said, "The recovery depends on whether one's body has a mild or severe coronavirus infection."

"He has set an example that even people above hundred years can too fight coronavirus and emerge victoriously," he added.

Ahmed got the infection from his son who is still undergoing treatment. However, Ahmed is now fit and is maintaining social distance from his family members, thus, obeying the prescribed instructions.

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COVID-19 cases reach 52,952 in India, death toll 1,783

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country mounted to 52,952 on Thursday evening, with 3,561 new cases and 89 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry stated. Of the total cases, 35902 are the active cases, 15266 people have recovered, and 1,783 people have succumbed to the disease.

Maharashtra remained the worst hit state with a total number of cases rising to 16,758, followed by Gujarat which reported 6,625 cases and Delhi with 5,532 cases, according to the Health Ministry data.

Maharashtra has also recorded 651 deaths, the highest number of casualties among all the states.

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Coronavirus outbreak: 58-year-old cop dies in Solapur, fifth death in Maharashtra police force

A 58-year-old assistant sub- inspector of police has died of coronavirus in Maharashtras Solapur district, an official said on Thursday. With this, five police personnel from the state have so far succumbed to the viral infection. The assistant sub-inspector, posted at Solapur MIDC police station, was admitted to the civil hospital there on Tuesday after he tested positive for coronavirus. He died while undergoing treatment at the hospital on Wednesday, the official said.

The victim, who was set to retire after four months, was on duty till last week, he said. Maharashtra Police expressed grief over the personnel's demise. "DGP and all ranks of Maharashtra Police offer their condolences to the bereaved family, the state police said in a tweet.

Last month, three personnel of Mumbai Police and one of Pune Police died of COVID-19. So far, 456 police personnel, including 42 officers, have tested positive for coronavirus in the state.

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Vizag Gas Leak: Political leaders condemn 'disturbing' incident on Twitter

A gas leak in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizag district in the wee hours of Thursday has left eight people, including a child and over 120 people hospitalized. According to ANI, Styrene gas leakage had occurred at the LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village in Vizag early this morning.

Residents in the area complained of irritation in eyes, breathlessness, nausea and rashes on their bodies following the gas leak. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have rushed to the spot and reports say that the gas leak has been contained.

Many politicians have taken to Twitter to condemn the incident and are urging their local party members to provide help to people who have been affected by the gas leak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted saying that he monitoring the situation in Vizag closely and is praying for the wellbeing of the people.

President Ram Nath Kovind offered his condolence to the victims of the gas leak and said that he is saddened by the incident.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed shock over the gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam and prayed for the speedy recovery of those hospitalised. He also urged Congress workers in the area to provide all necessary support to those affected by the gas leak.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed the incident as disturbing and  is praying for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam

Many other political leaders have taken to the micro-blogging site and expressed their shock over the incident.

MP Suresh Prabhu reacted to the incident, calling it discomforting. "I am contacting Administration and our local unit to address the problems of those who are affected and to provide medical help and other necessary relief," he tweeted.

Several police personnel, who came for the rescue operation, also suffered symptoms like breathlessness, irritation in eyes and fell unconscious. Sources said the vapour leak occurred in the early hours of Thursday when some workers of the plant were making preparations for the re-opening of the unit following easing of the ongoing lockdown restrictions.

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Coronavirus Lockdown: Smriti Irani pays poetic tribute to Gulzar on Twitter for making lives 'gulzar'

Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday penned down a poem paying tribute to the legendary lyricist and poet Gulzar thanking him for making lives happier with his magical work even during the lockdown.

Irani took to Twitter to share that she had a conversation with the poet and also posted the poem.

The poem ended with Smriti thanking Gulzar for making everybody's lives 'Gulzar' or a beautiful garden.

Irani who is also a former actor incorporated Gulzar's famous works like the iconic songs 'chappa chappa charkha chale' and 'chhaiya chhaiya.'

"Jinki kalam se gilehri key jhoothe matar ka swaad aajaye muh mei, jinhone chappe chappe mei charkha chalvaaya shabdo ka," read the minister's post.

"Jinki ek lakeer pe bade se bada sitaara chhaiya chhaiya karta hua, rail ki raftaar ki tarah dil se dil ko chhoo jaaye, unko salaam," her post further read.

She ended the post by saying that it is due to the senior poet's art that lives of many is still full of happiness even during the testing times of coronavirus crisis. "Kyunki unki kalam se corona mei bhi, zindagi kahi na kahi gulzar hai," Irani's poem further read.

The Amethi MP further complemented the 'Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi' lyricist in her caption and shared the details of her conversation with him.

"There are many in our lives who impact us unknowingly... their lives, their works inspire millions & touch many a chords," she wrote.

"today I asked one such person "sab khairiyat Sir?". I've had the privilege of being inspired by his craft over the years. Say thank you to those who help us get over our corona blues ... jinki wajah se aapki zindagi Gulzar hai," her post further read.

One of the most senior songwriters of the Indian cinema, Gulzar has given several marvels to music and poetry lovers.

A national award-winning lyricist, Gulzar has penned down songs for many iconic films like 'Dil Se,' 'Saathiya,' 'Masoom', and others.

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Coronavirus outbreak: Online booking, home delivery of liquor to begin in West Bengal amid lockdown

To avoid crowding and minimise footfall at liquor stores, the West Bengal State Beverages Corporation (WBSBCL) has launched an eRetail portal for online booking and home delivery.

According to the website of the WBSBCL, any person, who is older or of 21 years of age, can register as a buyer on the portal for getting home delivery of liquor. "For ensuring social distancing and minimising footfall at retail outlets, WBSBCL has launched eRetail for online booking and home delivery of liquor," notification on the website read.

The interested persons can fill in their details, full name, mobile number, address, email, among others to register as a buyer and get liquor delivered at their doorsteps. Prior to this, the Chhattisgarh and Punjab governments too had allowed home delivery of liquor in their respective states with certain conditions.

Liquor stores around the country have been allowed to reopen by the Centre during phase three of the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Long queues, with people flouting social distancing norms, were seen on liquor stores around the country as enthusiasts lined up to get their hands on their favourite drink.

With people at these outlets failing to follow social distancing norms, apprehensions were expressed regarding the spread of COVID-19.

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Coronavirus Lockdown: Nagpur Police steps in as orphan bride's family, wins hearts on Twitter

In a heartwarming gesture, Nagpur Police stepped up to stand in as a orphan bride’s family on her wedding day after her relatives could not attend the ceremony due to the restrictions imposed as part of the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The officers of the police department showed up for the wedding to bless the couple so that the bride does not miss her family on her special day. They shared a post about the moment on Twitter with the photo of the newlyweds with officers. The post said that the bride’s parents had died and her relatives could not attend the wedding due moment restrictions.

“The bride's parents had passed away. There was no one from her family to attend her marriage due to movement restrictions. #NagpurPolice tried to fulfill this absence.PI and staff were present to bless the newly wedded couple at #Nagpur,” said the tweet by the police, with the hashtag #alwaysthereforyou.

The post that went viral on Wednesday garnered 757 likes and was retweeted 81 times and counting. Users commenting on the post praised the Nagpur police for their noble deed.

What do you think about the post?

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Coronavirus outbreak: COVID-19 is likely to peak in June-July, says AIIMS-Delhi Director

As per the modeling data and the way India's COVID-19 cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July, said AIIMS-Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Thursday. "According to modeling data and the way our cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July. But there are many variables. With time only, we will know how much they are effective and the effect of extending the lockdown," said Dr Guleria.

India's count of COVID-19 cases reached 52,952, including 1,783 deaths on Thursday, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Currently, there are 35,902 active cases while 15,266 patients have been cured or discharged and one is migrated.

Maharashtra has the highest number of cases -- 16,758 -- followed by Gujarat 6,625 cases and Delhi 5,532 cases.

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Entrepreneur Akash Pillay does a noble deed amid the COVID-19 lockdown; check out!

Currently, the entire Nation affected by the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus. In these hard times, many families are finally financially affected and have no means to earn for the livelihood. Some can't buy a meal for their family, while others are struggling to buy sanitary products like gloves, masks, antiseptics, etc.

Akash Pillay, a 23 years old Pune based entrepreneur came forward to help these needy families by donating 10000 masks for two consecutive days. During this hard time, various shopkeepers are selling masks and other necessary products at an exorbitant price, and this was the major reason why Akash Pillay thought of doing this noble deed.

Talking about the same Akash Pillay says, "We have seen some people taking COVID-19 as a business opportunity, safety masks which cost 7 to 10 rupees are now costing 35 to 40 rupees per mask for no reason. People who work on daily wages cannot afford them during this lockdown period. They are forced to think about whether they should buy the safety stuff or a meal for the day. Which is why I decided to donate masks along with my friends and help them in whatever way I can."

The young lad is a BSC Graduate in Zoology and started working at an MNC right after he completed his graduation. He continued to work as an employee for about 2 years until he decided to start his own business.

Akash has a huge fondness towards anchoring and hosting which made him quit his job and start his agency named Storror Nightlife in Pune.

Right after establishing his own agency, Akash started receiving offers from brands for shoots and endorsements and within no time, Akash was one of the most successful event managers in Pune city. He is quite popular on social media a testimony of which is seen on his Instagram handle.

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Visakhapatnam: CISF plays vital role in controlling gas leakage

New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Thursday said it played a vital role in controlling the gas leakage and rescue operations during the styrene gas leakage in LG Polymers in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam.

The central paramilitary force, in a statement, said the CISF Fire Service Wing of VSP Vishakapatnam along with one foam tender immediately rushed to the spot and joined the operation with local authorities and the state fire service.

"On Thursday, styrene gas leakage occurred in LG Polymers plant, Gopalapatnam, Visakhapatnam (AP). On receiving information from local police, personnel of CISF Fire Service Wing of VSP Vishakapatnam rushed to the spot and joined the operation," the CISF said in a statement.

It said gas affected 20 people were rescued and rushed to hospital.

"Additional Breathing Apparatus Sets, spare cylinders were sent to the spot for rescue operations by CISF Unit VSP Visakhapatnam. Later at about 9.45 a.m. as per the request of local authorities, the hydraulic platform with additional CISF Fire Service Wing personnel was sent to the spot to join the operation to stop the gas leakage."

It said the CISF Fire Service Wing personnel with foam tender actively participated in the joint operation with local authorities and state fire service to stop the gas leakage.

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Coronavirus outbreak: Indian Navy designed PPE gets nod for mass production

The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits developed by the Indian Navy has obtained clearance certification for mass production, a top naval officer said on Thursday.

The PPE kits designed and produced by the Indian Navy were tested by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences based in Delhi, a DRDO organisation tasked with testing and certification of PPE. They have now been certified to be mass produced and used in clinical Covid-19 situations.

Shortage of PPE kits during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is of serious concern as it imperils the well-being and availability of the healthcare workforce, apart from adversely impacting their security and morale.

The PPE is required to meet stringent criteria on testing and the benchmarks of the same are set by the ICMR and the Union Health Ministry.

A team formed by the Innovation Cell, Institute of Naval Medicine, Mumbai, and the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, collaborated to design and produce the PPE kits.

"The PPE passed with 6/6 synthetic blood penetration resistance test pressure (GoI mandates minimum 3/6 and above level as per ISO 16603 standard). It is thus certified to be mass produced and used in clinical Covid-19 situations," the force said in a statement.

The force also said that the cost for this PPE is significantly lower than the commercially available ones.

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Coronavirus outbreak: India's COVID-19 fatality rate 3.3 percent, total cases rise to 52,952

India's fatality rate of COVID-19 patients is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate 28.83 per cent but the number of cases rose by a steep 3561 taking the total count beyond the 50,000 mark to 52,952. Of the total number of cases, 35,902 are active cases, 15,266 cured or discharged and 1,783 persons have died. While 3561 new confirmed cases have been added since yesterday, 1084 patients have been cured.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday held a meeting today with Health Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, and senior officials from both Centre and the states to review the situation, actions being taken and preparedness for management of COVID-19.

He said that as on May 7, a total of 52,952 cases have been reported from the country. He noted that in comparison to other countries, India is in a better condition as the fatality rate is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate is 28.83 per cent.

The minister said that 4.8 per cent patients in ICU, 1.1 per cent on ventilators and 3.3 per cent on oxygen support of the active cases. The testing capacity has increased in the country and it is 95,000 tests per day. Cumulatively, 13,57,442 tests have been done so far for COVID 19. There are 180 districts with no new cases in less than 7 days, 180 districts with no new cases in 7-13 days, 164 districts which have not had any new case in 14- 20 days and 136 districts with no new cases since the last 21-28 days.

In view of the increase in the number of migrant labour expected to reach their native states in the days to come, Harsh Vardhan noted that robust strategy and mechanism need to be drawn up for their testing, quarantine, and treatment of the positive cases.

States were also informed that helpline number 104 in addition to 1075 can be used for grievance redress for non-COVID essential services. They were advised to take adequate measures for prevention of vector diseases. AIIMS-Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that as per the modeling data and the way India's COVID-19 cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July. Maharashtra continues to have the highest number of cases in the country at 16,758 followed by Gujarat (6,625) and Delhi (5,532)

No new case of COVID-19 has been reported in Kerala on Thursday and the total number of active cases stands at 25. The Union Health Minister and Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik jointly launched clinical research studies on Ayurveda interventions as an add-on to standard care to COVID 19 situation and AyushSanjivani application.

Vice President and Chairman Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and discussed the situation regarding COVID19 disease in the country and role being played by members of Parliament. Naidu and Birla also discussed the issue of feasibility of various committees of Parliament holding their meetings at the earliest in the prevailing situation. They felt that if the situation does not allow regular conventional meetings of the committees in the near future, alternative means of enabling such meetings may be explored.

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Another gas leakage at LG Polymers in Vizag triggers panic

Another gas leakage from LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam late Thursday triggered panic in areas near the plant and forced people to move to safe places.

Fumes were seen billowing out of the chemical plant, where the gas leakage in the early hours of the day claimed 11 lives and affected over 300 others.

People from Gopalpatnam, Simhachalam and Pinagadi areas, which are four km away from the plant, were seen moving to safe places.

The gas smell sent panic in certain areas late Thursday night. Many people rushed out of their houses and were seen heading to safer places by their vehicles.

Local police at few places advised people to move to safe places as a precautionary measure.

Officials, however, said the gas emission was continuing since the major leakage around 3.45 a.m. on Thursday.

Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner R K Meena said there was no need for panic. "Efforts are going on to neutralize the gas leak. There is no danger," he said.

The police commissioner hoped that the work to plug the emissions will be completed in a couple of hours.

About 12,000 people from RR Venkatapuram and four other villages were evacuated after the leakage early Thursday.

Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer Sandeep Anand said 10 fire engines and two foam fighters were kept ready in the plant. He said some ambulances were also on standby as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, a cargo flight carrying a team of experts and PTBC inhibitor, an antidote for styrene, landed in Visakhapatnam late Thursday.

The experts in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) disaster are likely to begin the operation to plug the emissions after assessing the situation at the plant.

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Indians arrive from Abu Dhabi, Dubai amid COVID-19

Late on Thursday evening, nearly 350 Keralites from Abu Dhabi and Dubai arrived at Kochi and Calicut International Airport, in the first batch of repatriated stranded Indians in UAE.

Three special Air India Express flights left for Abu Dhabi and Dubai to bring them back. "As per the state health department directives, all passengers will be screened and have to undergo compulsory quarantine / isolation for 14 days, a regular check up and a swab test. If someone has COVID-19 and shows symptoms within the first seven days, they will be shifted to the district (Ernakulam) Medical College for treatment. Those who show negative results will be allowed to go home, but must complete remaining seven days of quarantine at home and health officials will contact them regularly to check on symptoms," explained a senior health officer from State Health Ministry.

Hari Krishna Namboothiri, CEO, Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs, (NORKA) informed mid-day, "We are anticipating around 3,000 Indians to return to Kerala. Early Friday morning we are expecting another Air India Express flight to get around similar number of (177) passengers excluding crew to arrive from Riyadh to Calicut."

When asked about the three warships which have headed to the Maldives and Dubai, Hari Krishna said, "The Naval warship will leave from the Maldives by Friday and we are expecting them to reach Kochi within two days. We haven't got the entire list of passengers coming by ship, so far we have 500 peoples' names, and the number might go further up, which will be clear by Friday. Passengers repatriated through both the air and water ways mode of transport, will be quarantined and so far we have got around 4.50 lakh requests registered on our portal.

Dr Prasanna Kumari, Superintendent Aluva Government Hospital said, "We are a 227-bedded hospital but not a COVID-19 designated hospital. We have made arrangements for suspected cases, for which nine single bed isolation rooms are ready, also in case any of the suspects require hospital support, we will shift them to Ernakulam Medical College, which is a COVID-19 designated hospital in the district."

" We can easily arrange for 350 beds, and have 30 to 40 isolation rooms for suspected cases, and a similar number of beds in the ICU, with nearly 30 ventilator support facilities. Only those passengers who show COVID-19 symptoms will be transferred to our medical college for further line of treatment," said Dr Peter Vazhyail, medical superintendent at Ernakulam Medical College.

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India's COVID-19 tally at 56,342, 103 deaths in 24 hours

With a surge of 3,390 new cases and 103 new fatalities, the total tally of novel Coronavirus cases in India stood at 56,342 on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said. Of the total cases, 37,916 are active while 1,886 people have lost their lives. A total of 16,593 though have recovered as India undergoes the third-phase of the nation-wide lockdown. The total tally also includes 111 foreign nationals and one migrated patient, said the Health Ministry.

Maharashtra continues at the top of the tally with 17,974 cases and 694 fatalities, while 3,301 people were cured in the state. It is followed by Gujarat with 7,012 cases and 425 deaths and 1,709 recovered. There are at least 5,980 cases in the national capital with 1,931 recoveries and 66 deaths. Other states which saw an increased number of cases are Tamil Nadu (5,409), Rajasthan (3,427), Madhya Pradesh (3,252) and Uttar Pradesh (3,071).

States which have reported more than thousand cases are Andhra Pradesh (1,847), Punjab (1,644), West Bengal (1,548) and Telangana (1,123).

While Goa conyinues to be Corona-free, in the Northeast it is Tripura that surpassed Assam and now has 65 cases as Assam reported 54 cases. Other NE states that have reported COVID-19 cases are Meghalaya (12) Manipur (2), Mizoram (1) and Arunachal Pradesh (1).

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Vizag gas leak: NDRF refutes reports of second gas leakage

New Delhi: Director-General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SN Pradhan, on Friday refuted reports of a second gas leak at LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam district and clarified that it was some fumes which released during the neutralisation process.

"There are rumours in some section of media about a second gas leakage, let me categorically place on record that there is no such second leakage in Vizag. Some fumes get released during the process of neutralising. It happens during the neutralisation process. It is a technical process. That process will continue," Pradhan told ANI.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responded to reports of another gas leak at LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam and clarified that it was a "minuscule technical leak" and the situation is under control.

"There are media reports that there was another leak. This is clarified that this was a minuscule technical leak. It is required to bring the container in control. It is been controlled and the process of neutralisation is already in process. The situation is under control," the MHA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Pradhan said, "Few fumes get released during the neutralisation process. These fumes do not go out and mostly remain in the vicinity of the company only, but that does not mean that it's secondary leakage happened there. The smell of this gas can passes through the air little bit outside, but assessing it as a second leak is utterly wrong."

The NDRF DG appealed to the media to not to run fake news on the gas leak without cross-checking so that people do not get panic.

"The neutraliser chemical has reached the spot in good quantity and it is being used in the process. Rumour mongering must be avoided in the interest of people," he said.

Pradhan informed that experts from Pune and Nagpur, including scientists are monitoring the situation on the ground since last night.

"We are preparing a roadmap with the local administration. This work is being done jointly by the state, Centre and local administration. Tourism minister of the state also visited the spot. We are also present at the spot. Since last night, the experts from Pune and Nagpur including scientists are monitoring the situation on the ground. At the moment, our two commandants and three scientists are camping there," he explained.

"Two teams of 5th battalion of NDRF are on the ground. The situation is under control. The NDRF teams will stay back in the area until the situation is absolutely under control," Pradhan said.

On Thursday, styrene gas had leaked in the gas plant of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district on Thursday morning, which claimed 11 lives.

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Coronavirus Lockdown: Pune civic body to distribute ration kits at containment zones

Pune: In a bid to limit the movement of people in containment zones, the civic body in Maharashtra's Pune city will distribute ration kits to 70,000 families in the hotspot areas from Friday onwards, an official said.

As of Thursday, the Pune Municipal Corporation has over 2,140 COVID-19 cases, of which 1,600 were reported from Bhavani Peth, Dhole Patil Road, Kasba-Vishrambaug, parts of Shivajinagar and Yerwada areas.

"We want people in the containment zones to stay indoors and not venture out even to buy essentials. We will distribute 1 lakh ration kits to 70,000 families in these areas," municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

These kits will contain five kg of flour, three kg of rice, pulses, oil and other essential items that can last up to 15 days, he said. "Community workers and civic employees will distribute these kits from Friday onwards," he added.

Apart from ration kits, the PMC also plans to provide sanitisers and one lakh masks to residents of containment zones.

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Vizag gas leak: NGT sends notice to LG Polymers, directs company to deposit Rs 50 crores

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday issued notices to LG Polymers, Union Environment Ministry, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and others regarding the Vizag gas leak incident.

The NGT has directed LG Polymers, India, at whose plant the gas leakage occurred, to forthwith deposit an initial amount of Rs 50 crore taking note of damages caused due to the incident.

Further hearing in the matter is scheduled for May 18.

On Thursday, a styrene gas leak at the plant of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh had claimed 11 lives.

NGT's principal bench headed by its Chairperson AK Goel also issued notice to Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (PCB) and District Magistrate of Vishakhapatnam.

The Tribunal has also sought a report from a 5-member committee comprising former Judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice B Seshasayana Reddy, Former Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Professor Ch V Rama Chandra Murthy, Head of Chemical Engineering Department of Andhra University, Professor Pulipati King, CPCB Member Secretary and Director of CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology.

NGT said that the committee may visit and inspect the site at the earliest and give its report before the next date via email and site visit may be initially conducted by members available locally in consideration with outside members online.

It said that the committee may specifically report on the sequence of events, causes of failure, the extent of damage to life, human and environment, steps to be taken for compensation of victims and restitution of the damaged property among others.

The bench has directed the District Magistrate of Vishakhapatnam and Regional Office of Andhra Pradesh PCB to provide logistic support to the Committee to enable their fact-finding and reporting.

It took suo-motu cognisance on the basis of media reports on the leakage of hazardous gas, Styrene from a chemical factory owned by the South Korean company LG Polymers. The incident has caused damage to the environment and habitat.

Styrene gas is a hazardous chemical and as per rules, it requires on-site and off-site emergency plans to ensure prevention of damage.

NGT noted that there appears to be a failure to comply with the rules and other statutory provisions and leakage of hazardous gas at such a scale adversely affecting public health and environment clearly attracts the principle of 'Strict Liability' against the enterprise engaged in a hazardous or inherently dangerous industry.

"Such an entity is liable to restore the damage caused under the Environment Law, apart from other statutory liability. The statutory authorities responsible for authorizing and regulating such activities may also be accountable for their lapses, if any, in dealing with the matter," the NGT said.

Stressing that it is necessary to ascertain the facts relating to the extent of damage, the extent of the failure and consider remedial measures, the bench listed the matter for May 18 for further hearing.

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No COVID-19 cases in 216 districts till now

As many as 216 districts in the country have not reported any COVID-19 cases till now, 42 districts have not registered any infections in the last 28 days and 29 districts have not recorded any case in the last 21 days, the Union health ministry said on Friday. The ministry asserted that if dos and don'ts are followed, the peak in number of COVID-19 cases can be avoided. Addressing a press conference, joint secretary in the health ministry Lav Agarwal said India's recovery rate stands at 29.36 per cent with 16,540 COVID-19 patients cured till now, including 1,273 who recovered in the last 24 hours.

A total of 3,390 COVID-19 cases and 103 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours till Friday 8 am, taking the total number of cases to 56,342 and death toll to 1,886, according to the ministry.

Giving a district-wise situation, Agarwal said there are 216 districts in which no COVID-19 case has been reported till date. Forty-two districts have had no fresh cases in the last 28 days, there are 29 districts with no fresh cases in the last 21 days, 36 districts with no fresh cases in the last 14 days and 46 districts with no fresh cases in the last seven days, he said.

Asked about AIIMS Delhi Director, Dr Randeep Guleria's remarks citing data that the peak of the disease in India may be reached in June or July, Agarwal said, "If we follow dos and don'ts, we may not reach the peak in number of COVID-19 cases and our curve may remain flat."

Agarwal also said that that the ICMR will conduct clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in 21 hospitals. The hospitals where the trials will be conducted comprise five from Maharashtra, four from Gujarat, two each from Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, UP and one each from Karnataka, Chandigarh, Punjab, Telangana.

He said 3.2 per cent of total active COVID-19 cases are on oxygen support, 4.2 per cent in ICU and 1.1 per cent on ventilator. During the briefing, Agarwal also said the railways has converted 5,231 coaches into COVID Care Centres which will be placed at 215 identified railway stations and will be used for treatment of very mild and mild COVID19 patients.

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India inches towards 60,000 COVID-19 cases

Total number of Covid-19 cases in the country mounted to 59,662 on Saturday, with 3,320 cases and 95 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said. Of the total, 39,834 are active cases, 17,846 people have recovered, and 1,981 people have succumbed to the disease. Maharashtra remained the worst hit state with a total number of cases rising to 19,063, followed by Gujarat which has reported 7,402 cases. Delhi has reported 6,318 cases and Tamil Nadu 6,009 cases, according to the Health Ministry data.

Maharashtra has also recorded 731 deaths so far, the highest number of casualties among all the states. Other states which have jumped the 3,000 mark are Madhya Pradesh (3,341), Rajasthan (3,579), Tamil Nadu (6,009) and Uttar Pradesh (3,214). Among other major cities, Andhra Pradesh has reported 1,887 and 41 deaths, Bihar stood at 571 cases and five deaths, Haryana at 647 and eight deaths, Jammu and Kashmir at 823 cases and nine deaths, Karnataka at 753 and 30 deaths and Kerala was docked at 503 and four deaths.

States which have reported less than 10 cases are -- Tripura, Mizoram, Puducherry, Manipur, Goa and Arunanchal Pradesh.

On the global front, the total number of cases are about to touch four million mark and over two lakh people have died due to coronavirus till now.

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Coronavirus Outbreak: UP Police's message of hope wins hearts online!

At a time when the world is in despair due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, hope is the only thing one can cling on to. Amid the pandemic that has infected millions of people across the globe and claimed scores of lives, people are hoping for a healthy and safe world and a better tomorrow.

The police department is trying hard to keep the spirits of the people high. From witty posts from the Mumbai Police’s social media pages to viral photos of police dressed as Yamraj, the god of death and some cops wearing helmets with spikes resembling the virus, the police department is pulling all stops to make sure you follow the necessary precautions to keep the illness at bay.

The 112 emergency service wing of the UP Police has garnered praises from netizens for spreading the message of hope amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The police department posted a picture on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, of their Police Response Vehicles of the wing arranged in formation of the word, ‘HOPE’ at Rumi Gate in Lucknow. They spell HOPE as Hold On. Pain Ends as an extended version of the acronym.

The caption written in Hindi reads, The world rests on hope, and we stand to our determination. HOPE keeps us going!

The netizens have praised the police department for their message of hope. Their post shared on Wednesday, has garnered more than 893 likes on Facebook and was shared 113 times. In the comments, users have posted praising their drill. Excellent drill, said a user. Another user said, Desh sewa ke liye abhinandan.

What do you think about the post?

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Comedian-actor Tim Brooke-Taylor passes away due to coronavirus

Comedian-actor Tim Brooke-Taylor has died after contracting coronavirus, his agent said. He was 79 years old. Brooke-Taylor was a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" for over 40 years and became popular with "The Goodies" on TV in the 1970s.

Brooke-Taylor began his acting career at Cambridge University. He was even part of the TV show "At Last The 1948 Show", where he starred alongside John Cleese and Graham Chapman.

"It has come as devastating news to hear that Tim has succumbed to this dreadful virus a" especially when we all thought he was recovering. Tim was a delightful man and never anything but great company," said comedian Jack Dee, who hosts "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue", reports thesun.co.uk.

"It has always been one of the great joys of my career to work with someone who was part of the comedy landscape of my childhood. "I can't bear the thought of introducing 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' without being able to say 'And on my right, Tim Brooke-Taylor'. Tim brought a unique quality to Clue. He was a proper team player, very generous as a performer, never egotistical and always more than delighted to set himself up as the b**t of the joke. For me, his great comedy gift was playing the injured innocent and he did it with brilliance and a characteristic lightness of touch."

"It's always heartbreaking to lose a loved one, but these times have created the cruellest of circumstances for that to happen in and my thoughts are with his wife Christine and all his family," Dee said.

Comedy writer Simon Blackwell tweeted: "Heartbreaking news about Tim Brooke-Taylor. Filled so many people's childhoods with massive laughs, and then kept doing so for decades afterwards. Condolences to his family and friends."

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Matthew McConaughey, wife donate 80,000 face masks to COVID-19 first responders in Texas

American actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife, Camila, donated approximately 80,000 face masks to COVID-19 first responders in Texas and Louisiana, officials said. The couple gave away the masks at the Austin Fire Department on Friday, Fox News said quoting KEYE.

Expressing its gratitude, the Austin Fire Department tweeted on Saturday, "The C-shift at Station 32 got a surprise yesterday, when McConaughey and @iamcamilaalves stopped by to let us know we're getting several 1,000 N-95 masks soon, part of their donation of 80K to healthcare workers, FFs, and police officers in #ATX and #NOLA! DC T.

Smith, AFD" Earlier on Sunday, the COVID-19 death toll in Texas reached 270, following a rise of nearly 1,000 more positive tests for the disease in the state. Overall, roughly 13,500 cases have been reported so far, according to Fox News. Camila wrote on Instagram about the donations. She wrote, "Our mission is to protect those who protect us, by providing healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers and others with approximately 80,000 masks needed to battle the #COVID19 virus."

She hoped that the move would "inspire you to pick a lane to help others whatever that lane is even if your lane is helping your neighbour, calling people, emotional support, donations, volunteer... pick a lane and do it well! Stay strong this too shall pass..." Last month, McConaughey urged students at the University of Texas in Austin to stay at their homes after dozens tested positive following an ill-fated spring-break trip to Mexico.

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Pitbull releases new song, proceeds to go to COVID-19 relief

Rapper Pitbull has dropped his latest song, "I believe that we will win". Proceeds from the song will be donated to coronavirus relief efforts across the globe.

He has released the song along with a lyric video showcasing the song's inspiring message, reports etonline.com. "You know what spreads faster than any virus? Fear/And when it comes to fear, you can either forget everything and run, or you can face everything and rise," Pitbull raps in the track.

"Let me tell you what I believe/ I believe we will face everything and rise." Pitbull had asked healthcare workers, parents and more to be a part of his new music video, which is yet to drop, last week.

"We believe that we can overcome. We are calling all students, medical workers, first responders, parents, grandparents, everyone from all over the world to be a part of Pitbull's video anthem. Proceeds will be going to various charities around that world," read a notice asking fans to submit videos of themselves dancing to the song.

Pitbull has been encouraging fans to maintain hope amid the coronavirus outbreak. "Let's show the world, how powerful it is when we come together to fight for one cause - that's called life," he had posted on Instagram on March 28.

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Eli, The Ritual: Horror movies you can watch on Netflix to stay occupied during the extended lockdown

For many, social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine is the new horror. The prime minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi, has already asked people to stay indoors for some more time. As the lockdown has been extended until May 3, 2020, T&C applied, we are here to save you from some boredom and anxiety.

We are sure you must have already binged-watched every other show, but what we have for you right now is a list of horror films you can watch and get frightened instead of fearing the virus. The more you keep yourself occupied and busy, the less you'll feel anxious and worried due to the lockdown. So, let's take a look at the Netflix list right away!

Eli

Well, well, well! This one will test your patience, and the climax of the movie is worth it! Why, you ask? This obscure story shares a rare tale of a little boy named Eli, and his struggle to fight disease. As he and his parents decide to self-isolate (relatable much?) to fight against what has struck the kid, Eli unravels his truth, unknown and unwitnessed for so many years! 

The Ritual

Starring Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier and others, this one will make your heart skip a beat. It has scares, hidden truths, an unknown religious rite that takes the four friends, who have been exploring the woods of Sweden, down. Fair warning, not for the faint-hearted!

Apostle

Just like the Ritual, Apostle also has a history connected to the characters. In 1905, Thomas Richardson travels to a remote Welsh island to rescue his sister, Jennifer, who has been kidnapped and held for ransom by a mysterious cult. His journey unravels many realities but leaves him with the sacrifice of his own life as the only option to save everyone. Interesting, huh?

I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House

This one got me for real! If you are alone at home, the suggestion would be to skip this one. If you are with your quarantine special, I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House will make a good watch. A nurse, who must take care of the house and its owner, a writer, ends up witnessing the reality of the haunted house. End? Well, we will leave it up to you to figure out what happens to the one who lives with an infected house.

Satanic

Satan's followers are scary, and if this entire plot of people worshipping Satan sends chills down your spine, abort mission! Right away! This too isn't for the ones who think Conjuring and Annabelle are scary. If that's what you think horror is, Satanic is surely not your cup of tea.

Scared already? Wait until you watch them all in a day, and share your experience with us! Also, stay tuned for the hidden gems on OTT platforms.

P.S: Stay tuned for our list of shows you can binge on this quarantine season, and don't let the boredom hit you even for a second!

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'Game of Thrones' star Kristofer Hivju recovers from coronavirus, says he is in good health

Actor Kristofer Hivju who tested positive for coronavirus in March, revealed on Tuesday that he has now 'fully recovered' and is in 'good health.

Sharing a picture along with his wife on Instagram, the 41-year-old wrote that: "After several weeks in quarantine, and also a couple more indoors after being free of all symptoms, we are finally safe and sound." The star, popularly known for his role of Tormund in 'Game of Thrones', also added that they were ''lucky'' to have only "mild symptoms of COVID-19.'' "We send our love and thoughts to all of the people where the virus has hit much harder, and to everyone who has lost their loved ones due to the Coronavirus," he added.

 
 
 
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Hi! We are fully recovered and in good health after I was infected by the Cororonavirus, and most likely my wife @grymolvaerhivju After several weeks inn quarantine, and also a couple more indoors after beeing free of all symptoms, we are finally safe and sound. We were lucky to only have mild symptoms of the Covid 19. We send our love and thoughts to all of the people where the virus has hit much harder, and to everyone who has lost their loved ones due to the Cornonavirus. Thank you for all of your support, and please remember to stay vigilant and keep your distance, wash your hands, and most of all ; take care of each other in this strange time. Lots of love from us❤ï¸ÂðŸ™ŒðŸ» #takecare @panoramaagency

A post shared by Kristofer Hivju (@khivju) onApr 13, 2020 at 1:26pm PDT

The actor wrapped up the post by thanking everyone for their support and also urged them to "stay vigilant and keep your distance, wash your hands, and most of all; take care of each other in this strange time. Lots of love from us #takecare @panoramaagency" Earlier on March 17, the actor through an Instagram post revealed that he has tested positive for coronavirus and is self -quarantining with his family in Norway.

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Release of 'Soul' rescheduled due to coronavirus

The release date of Disney's 'Soul' has been moved from June 19 to November 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the release of Disney's animation feature 'Raya and the Last Dragon' has also been relocated from November 25 to March 12, 2021.

The animated film 'Soul' revolves around the story of a middle school teacher, who had a dream of pursuing a career in jazz music. The story takes a turn when he gets an opportunity to feature at the opening act at the Half Note Club and a life-threatening accident leads to separation of his soul from his body.

'Soul' joins many other Hollywood films that have their releases delayed due to the coronavirus. According to the World Health Organisation, COVID-19 has affected over 18,12,734 people globally and has claimed the lives of 1,13,675 people.

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Coronavirus Outbreak: Harry Potter studio tour buses provide free transport to NHS workers

Branded Harry Potter buses that generally take fans to Warner Bros.' The Making of Harry Potter studio tour in the UK are now being used to transport key National Health Service (NHS) workers for free between hospitals battling coronavirus.

The buses have been provided by Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and bus operator Golden Tours to transport key workers between West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust's three sites, reported Variety.

"Our workforce has been depleted due to sickness or self-isolation and so it's really important that those staff who are well but have transport issues can come back," Variety quoted Paul da Gama, chief people officer at West Herts Hospitals as saying.

"A special shuttle bus, which will have strict social distancing rules, is the perfect solution and we are so grateful to Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and Golden Tours for making this happen. Our staff might not be travelling to exotic locations or seeing behind the scenes of a major movie, but they will be making magic happen in their own way," he added.

The free service runs its first journey just after 6 a.m. and its last drop-off at 10:40 p.m. (local time) between the Trust's three sites.

"We couldn't think of a better way to use the buses at this time. We are delighted to play a part in supporting our local NHS in its time of need," Variety quoted a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden as saying.

The UK has reported more than 90,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus while the toll due to the coronavirus has surged past 12,000.

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Rihanna sent ventilator to dad Robert Fenty after he tested positive for coronavirus

Singer Rihanna's father Ronald Fenty tested positive for coronavirus in his home country of Barbados but has now beat COVID-19 thanks to the superstar's help.

According to Page Six, Rihanna's father recently shared with The Sun, "My daughter Robyn was checking in on me every day. I thought I was going to die to be honest. I have to say, I love you so much, Robyn. She did so much for me. I appreciate everything she has done."

The 32-year-old songstress sent a ventilator to his Caribbean home and gave him "more than enough" to battle the illness that left him feeling weak and frightened for his life.

"I got a fever up inside of my nose. I had a fever across my lips. It was just a lot of fever," Fenty revealed. "I feared the worst. I thought I was going to die, honestly."

The Fenty Beauty founder's father was quarantined for two weeks after at the Paragon Isolation Center, after which he was declared virus-free. He is now resting in his St. James home.

Fenty asked of the public to stay at home and said, "I want everybody to stay home. This is a serious situation. More serious than people realize. Please stay home."

The 'Work' songstress is also using her time and money to help those globally affected by COVID-19, and she has donated 5 million USD to the cause via her Clara Lionel Foundation. She and Jay-Z also teamed up to donate 1 million USD each to those affected in Los Angeles and New York.

Twitter boss Jack Dorsey is also collaborating with Rihanna to help domestic abuse survivors who may have been displaced during the coronavirus pandemic.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever