(TibetanReview.net, Apr18’20) – The total number of people infected by the deadly Covid-29 global pandemic is now well over 2.233 million and it has killed more than 151,000 people as of Apr 18, with both the numbers continuing to spike upward daily. In India, the total number of infections has reached 14,378 and the deaths 480 as of Apr 18 at 8AM, according to the country’s Ministry of Health. The number of active cases stood at 11,906.
The country reported 991 new infections and 28 deaths over the past 24 hours. Gujarat has become the sixth state with more than 1,000 infections.
Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state with 3,323 (+118) infections, followed by Delhi with 1,707 (+67) infections, Tamil Nadu with 1,323 (+56) infections, Madhya Pradesh with 1,310 (+190) infections, Rajasthan with 1,229 (+98) infections, Gujarat with 1,099 (+169) infections, Uttar Pradesh with 849 (+44) infections, Telangana with 766 (+66) infections, Andhra Pradesh with 572 (+38) infections, Kerala with 396 (+1) infections, Karnataka with 359 (+44) infections, Jammu & Kashmir with 328 (+14) infections, West Bengal with 287 (+32) infections, Haryana with 225 (+20) infections, and Punjab with 202 (+16) infections.
Other badly hit states/Union Territories were Bihar, 83 (+3); Odisha, 60 (+0); Uttarakhand, 40 (+3); Himachal Pradesh, 36 (+1); Chattisgarh, 36 (+3), Assam, 35 (+0); Jharkhand, 33 (+5), Chandigarh, 21 (+0); Ladakh, 18 (+0); Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 12 (+1).
Besides, Meghalaya (9), Puducherry (7), Goa (7), Manipur (2), Tripura (2), Mizoram (1), and Arunachal Pradesh (1) and had reported cases.
Maharashtra also had the most number of deaths at 201 (+7), followed by Madhya Pradesh, 69 (+16); Gujarat, 41 (+5); Delhi, 42 (+4); Telangana, 18 (+0); Tamil Nadu 15 (+1); Andhra Pradesh, 14 (+0); Punjab, 13 (+0); Karnataka, 13 (+1); Uttar Pradesh, 14 (+1); West Bengal, 10 (+0); Jammu & Kashmir, 5 (+1); Haryana, 3 (+0), Rajasthan, 11 (+8); Kerala, 3 (+0); Jharkhand, 2 (+0); and Bihar 2 (+1). Besides Odisha, HP, Meghalaya, and Assam had 1 death each. (Source: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/)
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The 170 districts in 20 states and five Union Territories identified as Covid-19 hot spots across the country are home to about 37% (453 million) of India’s population (of 1.21 billion), with Tamil Nadu accounting for the most number of “red zones” – 22 of its 37 districts – among the states, reported Hindustantimes.com Apr 17, citing government’s data.
The centre has said there were no hot spot districts in 11 states and UTs.
Ten of Delhi’s 11 districts feature in the hotspot list sent to the district authorities by Union health secretary Preeti Sudan, the report said, adding, 87% (or about 14.5 million people) of Delhi’s population resided in these hotspot districts. The net of Covid-19 red zone covered eight more areas on Apr 17 and the capital now has 68 containment pockets.
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In Himachal Pradesh, Hamirpur became the sixth of the 12 districts to report an infection. Solan and Una have 9 cases each, Sirmaur 7, Kangra and Chamba 5 each, and Hamirpur 1.
Kangra and Una districts have been classified under Red zone-II, and the problems of thousands of Himachal residents stuck in other states are multiplying, reported tribuneindia.com Apr 18. The report cited Kangra police as saying on its Facebook page that anyone returning to the district without their prior permission would be booked under the IPC (Indian Penal Code).
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A Covid-19 vaccine may be the only thing that can bring back “normalcy,” the AFP Apr 16 quoted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as saying Apr 15, hoping for just that before the end of the year.
“A safe and effective vaccine may be the only tool that can return the world to a sense of ‘normalcy, saving millions of lives and countless trillions of dollars,” he has added during a video conference with the 50 or so African countries that are members of the United Nations.
