(TibetanReview.net, Apr25’20) – The number of deaths from the Covid-19 pandemic in the USA has crossed 50,000 on Apr 25, double the number 10 days earlier, averaging about 2000 deaths each day of this month. Across the world there have been 95,825 new infections and 6,278 deaths as of Apr 25 at 4:01:20 PM (GMT-4), according to the Dashboard maintained by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. The global cumulative total of infections now stands at 2,815,347 and the deaths at 197,506.
The countries with the most number of infections thus far are US (905,333), Spain (219,764), Italy (192,994), France (159,952), Germany (155,054), UK (144,640), Turkey (104,912), Iran (88,194) and China (83,899).
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India, the country with the 16th most number of infections, reported 1429 new infections and 57 new deaths in the past 24 hours as of Apr 25 at 8AM (GMT+5:30), according to the tally of the country’s Ministry of Health. The total number of infections in the country stood at 24,506 and the deaths 775. A total of 5063 had recovered, leaving a total of 18,668 cases active.
Maharashtra, the worst hit state by a wide margin, had a total of 6817 (+387) cases, followed by Gujarat with 2815 (+191) cases, Delhi with 2514 (+138) cases, Rajasthan with 2034 (+70) cases, Madhya Pradesh with 1852 (+153) infections, Tamil Nadu with 1755 (+72) infections, Uttar Pradesh with 1621 (+111) cases, Telangana with 984 (+24) cases, Andhra Pradesh with 955 (+60) cases, West Bengal with 571 (+57) cases, Kerala with 474 (+29) cases, Karnataka with 454 (+27) cases, Jammu & Kashmir with 450 (+3) cases, Punjab with 298 (+21) cases, Haryana with 272 (+0) cases, and Bihar with 223 (+70) cases.
Other badly hit states/Union Territories were Odisha, 94 (+4); Jharkhand, 57 (+4),Uttarakhand, 48 (+1); Himachal Pradesh, 40 (+0); Assam, 36 (+1); Chattisgarh, 36 (+0), Chandigarh, 27 (+0); Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 27 (+5); Ladakh, 20 (+2); and Meghalaya 12 (+0).
Besides, Puducherry (7), Goa (7), Manipur (2), Tripura (2), Mizoram (1), and Arunachal Pradesh (1) and had reported cases. One case in Nagaland was transferred to Assam.
Maharashtra also had the most number of deaths at 301 (+18), followed by Gujarat, 127 (+15); Madhya Pradesh, 92 (+9); Delhi, 53 (+3); Andhra Pradesh, 29 (+2); Rajasthan, 27 (+0); Telangana, 26 (+2); Uttar Pradesh, 25 (+1); Tamil Nadu 22 (+2); West Bengal, 18 (+3); Karnataka, 18 (+1); Punjab, 17 (+1); Jammu & Kashmir, 5 (+0); Haryana, 3 (+0), Kerala, 3 (+0); Jharkhand, 3 (+0); and Bihar 2 (+0). Besides Odisha, HP, Meghalaya, and Assam had 1 death each. (Source: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/)
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The country’s rate of doubling of Covid-19 cases stood at 10 days, livemint.com Apr 24 cited Dr VK Paul, Niti Aayog member and Chairman of Empowered Group 1, as saying.
The report said no new cases were reported from 80 districts in the past 14 days.
The number of recoveries rose to 4,813 and now “stands at 20.57%,” Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, was quoted as saying.
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In the night of Apr 24-25, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs issued a new order, permitting shops providing non-essential goods and services to open from Apr 25 onwards, subject to conditions designed to ensure maintenance of social distance and protection measures. However state governments are free to maintain the original lockdown restrictions.
Besides, lockdown will continue to remain in force with regard to shops in marketplaces, multi-brand, and single-brand malls located in municipality areas, coronavirus hotspots and containment areas.
Those allowed to open are shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State/Union Territory, including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, outside the municipal corporations and municipalities. Neighbourhood shops, standalone shops, and shops in residential complexes, within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, will also be allowed to open.
However, it has been made clear that barber shops and hair salons as well as liquor shops will continue to remain closed. The former does not sell goods while the latter is not covered by the Shops & Establishment Act, it was stated.
The Delhi government has made it clear that it was not inclined to implement the home ministry’s midnight order immediately. Rather it intends to make a comprehensive assessment on Apr 27 before taking a final decision on the Home Ministry order.
The national capital currently had 92 hotspots spread across all its 11 districts, noted ndtv.com Apr 25.
