Delhi

Delhi; 21 April 2021 (UMMN): On 20 Apr 2021; PTI reported 259,170 new cases and 1,761 fatalities in a day but ground witnesses tell a very different situation.

According to the official data the number of daily cases and deaths has risen sharply in the second wave that started at the beginning of March 2021. New corona cases and deaths have risen exponentially since then.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Tuesday said sufficient oxygen was not being supplied to COVID-19 patients in the national capital and asked the Centre if it can be diverted from industries which can wait for now.

"Industries can wait. Patients cannot. Human lives are at stake," a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said to the central government.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Tuesday itself the plea of the Uttar Pradesh government against the Allahabad High Court order directing it to impose strict restrictions till April 26 in five cities amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde.

Mehta, while referring to the high court's order passed on Monday, said that a virtual lockdown is declared by a judicial order for a week .

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) As India reels under a massive spike in coronavirus cases, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked the Army to extend assistance to state administrations to deal with the pandemic, including by offering help in creation of additional capacities to treat COVID-19 patients.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Looking to ramp up supplies ahead of the opening of Covid-19 vaccination to all citizens over 18 years of age, the government has approved a payment of about Rs 4,500 crore as advance to vaccine makers like Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech against future supplies, sources said.

SII will supply 200 million doses and Bharat Biotech is to supply another 90 million doses to the government by July at a pre-agreed rate of Rs 150 per dose.

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) With the government opening the COVID-19 vaccination drive to everyone above 18 years of age, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting with vaccine manufacturers on Tuesday, sources said.

During the meeting, scheduled to be held through video conference at 6 pm on Tuesday, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will make a presentation and also coordinate with all the participants, sources added.

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) The Congress on Monday asked the government not to internationalise India-Pakistan affairs and adhere to the tested policy of no mediation, after claims by a UAE diplomat about brokering talks between Delhi and Islamabad.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said it has been the success of Indian diplomacy to deal with Pakistan bilaterally without any mediation under the Simla Agreement.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) To ensure social distancing, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Tuesday temporarily closed entry points of several metro stations.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced a six-day lockdown in Delhi to deal with the rising number of COVID-19 cases as the city's health system was stretched to its limits.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the government over its vaccine policy, alleging it is discriminatory and that there is no vaccine guarantee for the weaker sections.

He also said that there will be no free vaccines for those between the age of 18 and 45 years.

"No free vaccines for 18-45 yr olds. Middlemen brought in without price controls. No vaccine guarantee for weaker sections. GOI's Vaccine Discrimination- Not Distribution- Strategy," he said in a tweet.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) India's total tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 15,321,089 with 259,170 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, while active cases surpassed the 20-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday

The death toll increased to 180,530 with a record 1,761 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed