Coronavirus India News Live, Covid-19 Cases in India State-Wise April 28 Highlights: The Aarogya Setu and CoWIN paltforms experienced a major surge in traffic that led to short-term glitches and downtime when the registration for phase 3 of Covid-19 vaccination for ages above 18 began at 4 pm on Wednesday. Acknowledging the minor hiccup, the official Aarogya Setu Twitter handle tweeted that a minor glitch was fixed and the platform was up and running after a short downtime.
Cowin Portal is working. There was a minor glitch at 4 PM that was fixed. 18 plus can register. pic.twitter.com/c94fpoURcT
— Aarogya Setu (@SetuAarogya) April 28, 2021
The Covid-19 situation in India has turned grim with the country has been reporting over 3 lakh cases of coronavirus infections daily for almost a week now. Several states/UTs, including the national capital Delhi, have been facing a shortage of medical Oxygen, hospital beds for Coronavirus patients, and medicine. The positivity rate and deaths related to complications of Covid-19 have gone up sharply. In order to limit the spread of the second wave of coronavirus infections, strict regulations like curfew and lockdown are back. States/UTs have also adopted many tighter measures such as heavy fines against mask indiscipline, curbs on social gatherings, etc.
As India battles its worst enemy in recent history, the Union government from May 1, 2021, will launch its ambitious and most crucial phase of the coronavirus vaccination, touted as one of the largest in the world. Under this phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive, all above 18 years of age bracket will be covered.
Registration for 18 plus to begin on https://t.co/S3pUooMbXX, Aarogya Setu App & UMANG App at 4 PM on 28th April. Appointments at State Govt centers & Private centers depending on how many vaccination centers are ready on 1st May for Vaccination of 18 plus. #LargestVaccineDrive
— Aarogya Setu (@SetuAarogya) April 28, 2021
Also read: Vaccine registration opens for all adults at 4 PM on Co-Win app: What to expect from May 1?
From May 1st, every single Indian adult i.e. above 18 years of age would be eligible for the Covid jab. There will be no walk-ins for vaccination under this phase as the government is expecting a huge number due to the size of the age bracket to be covered under this phase. To get a vaccination, one needs to register on the Cowin Portal. Though there was some confusion over the date of the registration process initially, the Centre has clarified that the CoWin registration for the 18+ individuals will begin from April 28.
Even though some states/UTs have been complaining about vaccine shortage ahead of the beginning of the next vaccination from May 1, the Union governments on Tuesday said more than 1 crore doses of vaccines are available with the state/UTs governments and the government will distribute another 86 lakh doses of vaccines in the next three days.
So far, more than 20 states/UTs, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, have announced to provide free vaccines to their people. However, states like Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan have said earlier they are unlikely to start the vaccination programme from May 1.
As India begins registration for vaccination for its biggest age group (all above 18 years) even though it has been reporting new peaks in the single-day spike of Covid-19 cases and states announced new curbs, night curfews, and lockdowns to contain the spread of coronavirus, here’s FE Online blog covering every single development – virus, vaccine, Covid-19 guidelines, curbs, night curfew, and lockdown, etc. We bring you developments from across the country and the world. Follow our live blog and get instant, verified updates on the coronavirus pandemic:
Highlights
Reliance Foundation is setting up 1,000 bedded Covid Care facilities with oxygen supply in Jamnagar. All services will be provided free of cost to the citizens and the entire cost of setting up and running the facilities will be borne by Reliance: Reliance Foundation
12,444 new positive cases, 95 deaths and 7,618 recoveries recorded in Haryana today; case tally reaches 4,60,198
Haryana Government has issued directions for restricted sale, distribution of experimental drugs like injection Remdesivir and Injection Tociluzimab used to treat patients with severe COVID-19 infection
13,374 COVID19 cases were reported in Bihar on 27th April; total active cases at 98,747: State Health Department
Mumbai reports 4,966 fresh cases and 78 deaths; total cases reach 6,40,507, total recoveries 5,60,401
Due to insufficient vaccine stock, 40 private vaccination centers will be closed on April 29, while the remaining 33 private vaccination centers will also be limited for the second dose only with limited stock: Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation
Switzerland through Swiss humanitarian aid will send medical supplies to India. This will include oxygen concentrators, ventilators & other medical equipment. Switzerland stands in solidarity with India in these challenging times: Swiss Embassy in India
Bihar COVID19 restrictions; shops to close at 4pm, night curfew from 6 pm to 6am, only 50 people allowed at weddings and 20 at funerals
6,472 fresh cases, 142 deaths and 5,272 discharges recorded in Punjab today; case tally at 3,58,186
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot under self-isolation after wife tests COVID19 positive
6,054 fresh positive cases, 108 deaths and 3,485 recoveries recorded in Uttarakhand today; case tally reaches 1,68,616 – ANI
Karnataka records 39,047 fresh COVID-19 cases, 11,833 discharges, and 229 deaths in the last 24 hours
Active cases: 3,28,884
Total discharges: 10,95,883
Death toll: 15,036 – ANI
COVID-19 Vaccination Phase 3: Confusion, server glitches…more confusion, failure to receive OTP…some more confusion: these were just some of the challenges Indians faced today, as the central government officially kickstarted country’s largest vaccination drive against the novel coronavirus. To be completely fair, server glitches due to peak rise in traffic at around 4PM (as per government’s own record) were expected. And in its defence, the government also managed to fix these issues in time (again, as per its own record). But the real issue, that most Indians were probably not expecting to deal with in the middle of this life and death situation, was confusion. | Read More
Tamil Nadu reports 16,665 fresh cases, 98 deaths and 15,114 recoveries; case tally at 11,30,167 including 1,10,308 active cases (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday recorded the highest single-day rise in its COVID-19 death toll with 266 more people succumbing to disease, while 29,824 new cases pushed the tally to 11,82,848. The death toll in the state now stands at 11,943. A total of 35,903 COVID-19 patients were discharged after recovery in the past 24 hours. | Read More
Rajasthan records 16,613 fresh cases, 120 deaths and 8,303 recoveries; case tally rises to 5,63,577 (ANI)
Kerala’s COVID-19 tally climbs to 14,95,377 with the biggest daily jump of 35,013 cases; death toll mounts to 5,211 as 41 more people succumb to the disease: State government | Read More
Serum Institute of India (SII) — the maker of the most used COVID-19 vaccine in the country — on Wednesday announced a cut in price of the jab it plans to sell to states to Rs 300 per dose from the earlier Rs 400. This follows widespread criticism of its pricing policy as it had sold the initial doses of Covishield to the central government at Rs 150 per dose. | Read More
All vaccination sessions will remain suspended in Madhya Pradesh on April 29 & April 30 so that planning, training & dry run can be conducted for the inoculation drive for people between 18 years & 44 years of age: Vaccination in-charge, Madhya Pradesh (ANI)
Maharashtra: A 105-year-old man and his 95-year-old wife beat COVID-19. “The couple was hospitalised for 10 days in Vilasrao Deshmukh Institute of Medical Sciences in Latur. They were put on oxygen support and also given doses of the antiviral,” says Doctor. (ANI)
The Mumbai civic body will set up 227 new COVID-19 vaccination centres, one in each electoral ward across the city for inoculation of citizens above 18 years of age, municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said on Wednesday. Currently there are 135 vaccination centres in the metropolis. Chahal said that of these, existing 63 government and civic-run vaccination centres will be meant for those above 45 years of age only. “Presently, 73 vaccination centres in Mumbai are operating in private hospitals. This figure would be increased to 100 plus facilities, which shall cater to vaccination of all citizens in above-18 age category,” he said. (PTI)
Defence Research and Development Organisation will set up two 500-bed COVID hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar: Officials (PTI)
As a philanthropic gesture on behalf of Serum Institute of India, I hereby reduce the price to the states from Rs.400 to Rs.300 per dose, effective immediately: Adar Poonawalla
35,013 new COVID19 cases, 41 deaths and 15,505 recoveries recorded in Kerala today. The total number of recoveries is 12,23,185 so far: CM Pinarayi Vijayan (ANI)
The government will procure one lakh portable oxygen concentrators and install 500 more pressure swing adsorption oxygen plants from the PM Cares Fund, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, asserting this will help improve access to oxygen, especially in district headquarters and tier-2 cities. The PMO said in a statement that the oxygen concentrators and the new PSA plants will greatly augment the supply of oxygen near the demand clusters. | Read More
The Finance Ministry has waived permissions required from any government departments for customs clearance of COVID-related relief material imported by the Indian Red Cross Society. In instruction to field offices, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said in the wake of the extraordinary situation arising out of the COVID pandemic, the issue of providing seamless clearance to such relief material received from foreign governments and imported by the Indian Red Cross Society was discussed in a meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary on April 27. | Read More
‘Corona curfew’ to be imposed from 6pm, 29th April (till 5am) every day until further orders. All shops, malls, multiplexes etc. to close by 5pm every day. All non-essential activities prohibited during the night curfew. Weekend curfew to be imposed from 5am on Saturday to 5am on Monday. Only essential activities will be allowed during weekend curfew. All educational institutions, school, colleges, coaching institutions, libraries etc. will remain closed till 15th May: Chandigarh Administration (ANI)
Vaccine registration for 18-44 age group begins, users experience glitch in CoWIN portal. High user traffic has led to glitches in both CoWIN and Aarogya Setu with users struggling to get OTPs to register.
West Bengal: Nandita Sinha, wife of TMC candidate from Khardaha Kajal Sinha who died of COVID-19, lodges police complaint against Deputy Election Commissioner Sudip Jain & other officials for allegedly not ensuring ‘safety of candidates or general public during ongoing pandemic’. (ANI)
Jharkhand: Military Hospital, Namkum has opened a 50 bed COVID care facility for civilian patients (ANI)
The COVID-19 vaccination drive beginning May 1 cannot be launched in Maharashtra because of the unavailabily of sufficient doses of vaccines even as the state on Wednesday extended the current lockdown-like restrictions till May 15 given the rise in the COVID-19 cases. State Health Minister Rajesh Tope also said the people in the age group of 18 to 44 years will receive free vaccines at state-run centres but citizens will have to pay for the jabs at private facilities. The free vaccination decision was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray here. The move will put a burden of Rs 6,500 crore on the state’s coffers, Tope said. (PTI)
Budget carrier SpiceJet’s dedicated freighter arm SpiceXpress on Wednesday said it has airlifted 1,000 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to Delhi amid a nationwide shortage of medical oxygen in the country. Ordered by SpiceHealth for emergency use and distribution across India, the oxygen concentrators will reach Delhi via Kolkata, SpiceJet said in a release. | Read More
Govt says 500 new PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen plants sanctioned under PM CARES Fund, in addition to 713 plants sanctioned earlier. (PTI)
The Supreme Court has allowed Vedanta to operate its closed oxygen plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu in view of “national requirement” amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat directed the Tamil Nadu government to form an oversight committee to oversee the functioning of the plant. It was closed in May 2018 after 13 people in the area were killed in police firing during protests over pollution concerns related to the company’s copper smelting operations. | Read More
PM has sanctioned the procurement of 1 lakh Portable Oxygen Concentrators from PM Cares Fund. He instructed that these Oxygen Concentrators should be procured at the earliest & provided in states with high case burden: PMO (ANI)