(Contains Press releases concerning Covid-19, issued in last 24 hours, inputs from PIB Field Offices and Fact checks undertaken by PIB)

UPDATES ON COVID-19 FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELFARE; RECOVERY RATE IMPROVES TO 41.57%

A total of 57,720 people has been cured so far. In the last 24 hours, 3280 patients were found cured. The total recovery rate is 41.57%. The total number of confirmed cases is now 1,38,845. The number of cases under active medical supervision is 77,103.

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MHA issues SOPs for movement of Indian Nationals stranded outside the country, as well as, for those persons stranded in India who are desirous to travel abroad for urgent reasons

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for movement of Indian Nationals stranded outside the country and for those persons stranded in India who are desirous to travel abroad for urgent reasons. This order is in supersession of MHA order, dated 05.05.2020, on the same subject. These SOPs would also apply to passengers arriving through the land borders.

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Ensuring quality of PPEs through stringent protocols

There are some reports in a section of the media expressing concern about the quality of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) coveralls. The products under reference have no relevance to the procurement being made by the Central Government. HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL), the procuring agency of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is procuring PPE coveralls from manufacturers/suppliers only after getting their coveralls tested and approved by one of the eight labs nominated by the Ministry of Textiles for testing the same.

India has significantly ramped up its domestic production capacity of PPEs and N95 masks, and the requirements of the States/UTs are being sufficiently met. Today, the country is producing more than 3 lakh PPEs and N95 masks per day. States/UTs as well as Central Institutions have been provided with around 111.08 lakh N-95 masks and around 74.48 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

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Prices of N-95 Masks are getting reduced by the Importers/ Manufacturers/Suppliers of N-95 Masks after an Advisory issued by NPPA

The Government has notified N-95 Masks as an essential commodity under Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Thus, their hoarding, black-marketing is punishable offence. To keep check on their hoarding, black-marketing, NPPA had directed all States/ UTs to ensure sufficient availability of surgical and protective Masks, Hand Sanitizers and Gloves at prices not exceeding the Maximum Retail Price. The Government is striving to ensure uninterrupted supply of N-95 Masks in adequate quantity in the country. For this, the Government is procuring largest chunk of the N-95 Masks directly from the manufacturers/ importers/ suppliers at bulk rates. In order to ensure availability of N-95 Masks at affordable prices in the country, NPPA issued an Advisory on 21st May 2020 to all the manufacturers/ importers/ suppliers of the N-95 Masks to maintain parity in prices for non-government procurements and to make available the same at reasonable prices.

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Dr. Harsh Vardhan Visits Dedicated Covid-19 Health Centre at ChaudharyBrahmPrakashAyurvedCharakSansthan, Najafgarh

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare visited the Dedicated COVID-19 Health Centre at ChaudharyBrahmPrakashAyurvedCharakSansthan, Najafgarh, New Delhi.Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated that “Ayurveda is a traditional medicinal knowledge source from India and there is huge potential in it. Its inherent strength in holistic healing and wellbeing is being put to good use in treatment of the COVID-19 patients at this DCHC. This knowledge and experience will surely prove beneficial to people all over the world, especially in combating the battle against COVID-19”.Mentioning about the India’s response to COVID-19, he said, “We have today 422 government laboratories and 177 private laboratory chains. The testing capacity has also been ramped up, and as on date, around 1,50,000 tests can be conducted every day. Yesterday itself, we have conducted 1,10,397 tests. Till yesterday, we have conducted 29,44,874 tests.”

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Wheat procurement by government agencies surpasses last year figures

Procurement of wheat by the government agencies surpassed last year’s figures of 341.31Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) to touch 341.56LMT on 24.05.2020, surmounting all impediments created due to the spread of COVID-19 virus and the country wide lockdown. Wheat harvesting generally starts towards end of March and procurement commences in the first week of April every year. However, with the imposition of national lockdown with effect from midnight of 24.03.2020, all operations came to a standstill. The crop had ripened by then and was ready for harvesting. Considering this, Government of India gave relaxation to start agricultural and related activities during the lockdown period,and the procurement could start from 15.04.2020 in most of the procuring states. Haryana started little late on 20.04.2020.

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Bihar Postal Circle of Department of Posts to deliver "ShahiLichi"and "Zardalu Mango" at doorsteps of people

Because of lockdown to contain the spread of corona virus, Litchi & Mangoes cultivators have been finding it difficult to carry/transport their fruits to the markets for sale. Its supply amongst people has become big challenge and so to meet the demand of public and for giving market space directly to farmers to sell their fruits without any middlemen, the Department of Horticulture, Govt.of Bihar & Department of Posts, Govt of India have joined hands for this initiative.

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INPUTS FROM PIB FIELD OFFICES

• Punjab: Chief Minister has directed all Deputy Commissioners and District Police Chiefs to ensure that no migrant is forced to walk home to any other state in the country, or to remain hungry while in Punjab. Any migrant found walking on the road should be transported by bus by the police to the nearest place from where he can board a train or bus to his native State. Urging the migrants not to panic, the Chief Minister assured that the state government would make sure that every single migrant who is keen to return home is assisted by the State, with arrangements for their free travel and food.
• Haryana: Chief Minister said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Government daily runs Special Shramik Trains from the various railway stations of the state to help migrant labourers return to their home states. In the same series, five Special Shramik Trains departed from Haryana on 24.05.2020. Haryana Government has started sending labourers stranded in lockdown and labourers who were willing to return to their home states free of cost.
• Maharashtra: A total of 3,041 new COVID-19 cases and 58 deaths were reported in Maharashtra on Sunday. With this, the state has recorded 50,231 cases and 1,635 deaths so far. Mumbai reported 39 deaths and 1,725 new cases, while the slum cluster of Dharavi reported 27 new cases taking its tally of Covid positive cases to 1,541. Domestic commercial flight operations started from Mumbai this morning in a calibrated manner amid the easing of lockdown restrictions. 45 flights have been listed to be operated on Day 1, of which 10 flights would be on the otherwise busy Delhi- Mumbai route.
• Gujarat: With 394 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, Gujarat's novel coronavirus cases surpassed 14,000-mark taking the state's Covid-19 count to 14,063. Along with that, the death toll in the state increased to 858.
• Rajasthan: Rajasthan on Monday reported 145 new Covid-19 positive cases taking the state’s coronavirus tally to 7,173, the State Health Department said. At least 163 patients have succumbed to the deadly coronavirus infection so far. However, no deaths were reported in the state in the last 24 hours.More than a million locusts swarmed over Jaipur city today.  More than half of Rajasthan’s 33 districts are affected by invasion by these insects, which have destroyed crops spread over 5 lakh hectares of land.
• Madhya Pradesh: The total number of cases in Madhya Pradesh is 6,371. While 3,267 people have been cured, 281 deaths have been reported so far. Nearly half of the state's total cases are reported in Indore at 3,064, while 1,241 positive cases have been reported from Bhopal.
• Chhattisgarh: With 36 new COVID-19 cases -mostly migrant workers returning from other states - the number of positive cases in Chhattisgarh has mounted to 252. The number of active cases is 185, even as there are no fatalities reported from the state.
• Assam:  All the passengers arriving at LGBI airport in Guwahati will be screened for COVID19. People from Assam will be segregated and sent to respective districts, said Assam Health Minister.
• Meghalaya: 139 returnees reached Meghalaya from Haryana. After being tested, depending on the results, they will either be sent for home quarantine or a Corona care centre. Pastoral centre Shillong currently hosts 22 returnees.Another person, who had travelled from Chennai along with the 14th case, tests COVID19 positive. The person was in isolation since the day of arrival, presently under institutional isolation and medical observation.Special trains from Rajasthan & Andhra will start tomorrow while trains from Delhi and Kerala will start day after tomorrow for stranded people of Meghalaya.
• Manipur: Revised SOP for air travellers to Manipur issued; screening at airport, testing as per assessment and quarantine made mandatory.
• Mizoram: Mizoram to start pooling method for RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 at Zoram Medical College lab.100 swab samples will be tested for COVID19 everyday.
• Nagaland: Three COVID-19 cases, 2 males and 1 female, detected in Nagaland. All are returnees from Chennai.A group of 40 SSA teachers in Mon district helped set up a quarantine centre at ITI, Mon town in Nagaland.

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