Coronavirus in India April 13 highlights: Devotees flout guidelines at Kumbh; govt rethink on offline CBSE Board examination

By: Express Web Desk | Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune |
Updated: April 13, 2021 1:21:07 pm
India reported 1,61,736 new Covid-19 instances and 879 deaths within the final 24 hours ending 9 am on Tuesday, in accordance with the info by the Union Health Ministry. With this, the entire variety of coronavirus instances within the nation rose to 1,36,89,453, which incorporates 12,64,698 lively instances, 1,71,058 deaths and 1,22,53,697 recoveries.
Meanwhile, India, which turned the sixtieth nation to approve the usage of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine in an emergency state of affairs, will produce over 850 million doses of the vaccine yearly. In India, Sputnik V is the third coronavirus vaccine to get emergency use approval, after Covishield (Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (Bharat Biotech).
Also, because the nation entered the third day of ‘Tika Utsav’ on Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry stated as many as 10.85 crore individuals have been administered at the very least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to date.
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Here are the opposite Covid-19 associated developments:
India to provide over 850 million doses of Sputnik V: RDIF
Including India, 60 international locations have now accepted this two-dose vaccine, which makes use of a platform just like Covishield. (Photo: Reuters)
India will produce over 850 million doses of the vaccine yearly. This shall be adequate to vaccinate greater than 425 million individuals all over the world, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, has stated.
“We appreciate the decision of India’s regulatory bodies to grant authorization for Sputnik V. Approval of the vaccine is a major milestone as Russia and India have been developing an extensive cooperation on clinical trials of Sputnik V in India and its local production,” he stated in a press release issued on Tuesday.
The whole inhabitants of 60 international locations the place Sputnik V is accepted to be used is 3 billion individuals or about 40 per cent of the worldwide inhabitants.
Cancel CBSE exams, Kejriwal appeals to CBSE
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to cancel the year-end board exams for lessons X and XII in view of the fourth wave of the Covid instances. Kejriwal stated the town has seen 13,500 instances within the metropolis previously 24 hours, which is the very best until date.
“Around 6 lakh children will write these exams and 1 lakh teachers will be involved. These exams centres can become hotspots. The health and wellbeing of children is very important. I appeal to CBSE with folded hands that the exams be cancelled. Some other method of evaluation can be thought of – online or internal assessment perhaps. But cancelling these exams is crucial. Many countries have also cancelled exams; some Indian states have done it too. These exams should be cancelled too,” he stated.
At Kumbh, Covid guard slips: No thermal screening, few masks, 102 take a look at constructive
Devotees collect at Har Ki Pauri ghat to supply prayers throughout Kumbh Mela 2021 in Haridwar. (PTI)
Twelve days into the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar amid a Covid surge throughout the nation, the Uttarakhand authorities is struggling to maintain in place primary preventive measures reminiscent of efficient thermal screening and sporting of masks. By Monday night, over 28 lakh devotees turned up for the second shahi snan (royal bathtub) within the Ganga. And in accordance with medical division officers, over 18,169 devotees had been examined between 11.30 pm Sunday and 5 pm Monday — 102 had been discovered constructive.
Over the final 48 hours, The Indian Express walked via an space of over 10 km — from the railway station in Haridwar, the enduring Har ki Pauri and the ghats. There had been no preparations for thermal screening anyplace, and no motion towards these not sporting masks regardless of a brand new AI-enabled CCTV system in place to trace them.
Police verify automobiles close to Ellisbridge and Ashram highway as evening curfew continues in Gujarat.

No query of lockdown in Karnataka proper now, says CM Yediyurappa
Ruling out the potential for a lockdown in Karnataka proper now, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa Tuesday stated he has known as for an all-party assembly to debate the Covid-19 state of affairs. “Have called an all-party meeting on April 18 regarding COVID situation here. No question of lockdown right now. The technical advisory committee has said that positive cases will increase here till May 2 hence people must abide by COVID appropriate behaviour,” ANI quoted Yediyurappa as saying.

Amid Covid second wave, govt rethink on offline CBSE Board examination
A spike in coronavirus instances throughout the nation appears to have compelled a rethink throughout the authorities on the CBSE’s offline Board examinations, scheduled to start on May 4. Sources within the Education Ministry instructed The Indian Express that holding the examinations on time appears “difficult”, given the rise in recent infections. While the federal government now appears open to reconsidering the examination dates, officers stated it was too early to point the precise modifications to the schedule.
Tourists won’t be ‘harassed’ for COVID-19 report on Himachal Pradesh borders: Jai Ram Thakur
Tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh won’t be “harassed” for a coronavirus damaging take a look at report on the state’s borders, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur stated on Tuesday.
Days after the state authorities introduced making it necessary for individuals coming from seven worst-affected states to point out a COVID-19 damaging take a look at report on getting into the state, Thakur stated they’ve put in place a mechanism for monitoring vacationers on their arrival on the place of their keep.
“We have taken care of our tourism industry to ensure it does not suffer this session as the coronavirus pandemic affected it last year. So, in the SOP released for the industry, we have put in place a mechanism to monitor it accordingly. Tourists and other visitors will not be harassed by stopping for corona reports on the state’s borders because it causes a lot of inconvenience and difficulty to them,” PTI quoted Thakur as saying.
14 high non-public hospitals in Delhi flip Covid-only services
On a day the capital recorded a brand new excessive of 11,491 infections — and 72 deaths — the Delhi authorities issued an order to transform 14 high non-public hospitals within the metropolis into Covid-only services.
A complete 3,202 beds in wards and 1,135 ICU beds in these hospitals will now be devoted completely to the therapy of Covid-19 sufferers. The order comes into impact instantly.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday stated that residents of the state have to mentally put together themselves for an impending lockdown, and that the state would give ample time for the residents to arrange themselves earlier than the lockdown is carried out.

“There will be prior information given to people before the lockdown is implemented. At this point of time all that I would want to say to the residents of the state is that they should mentally prepare themselves for a lockdown,” Tope stated.