State plans ordinance for 10% NEET quota for govt students

State plans ordinance for 10% NEET quota for govt students

Quota Will Be A Part Of Existing Reservations

Julie.Mariappan TNN

Chennai:09.06.2020

Tamil Nadu government school students who clear NEET may get 10% horizontal reservation in medical admission from this academic year, highly placed sources told TOI. The AIADMK government may soon promulgate an ordinance on this following recommendations made by Justice P Kalaiyarasan-led commission in its report filed on Monday.

The panel was constituted by the state government last March to analyze the reason for government school students not being able to gain admission to medical colleges after it came under attack from opposition parties over the issue.

Tamil Nadu had 3,350 MBBS seats last year. In 2016, before NEET-based admissions began for MBBS, 34 students from government schools joined medical colleges in the state. In the last three years, after NEET came into effect, only 14 government school students secured admission to medical courses.

“The state government is likely to promulgate an ordinance giving effect to 10% horizontal reservation for students of government schools. It is like sportspersons, children of ex-servicemen and differently-abled getting a special reservation,” said a source. The horizontal reservation is well within the vertical reservation available to SC/ST/OBC/ general categories in education. The committee consulted a wide range of stakeholders before submitting its recommendations to reserve seats for students who studied from ‘Class VI to Class XII’ in government schools.

Panel saw justifiable grounds to provide for quota to students

Sources said the commission comprising secretaries of school education, law, and health and family welfare departments, besides educationists, took note of the cognitive gap of the students.

“In an in-depth empirical study, it was found that 85% of students come from families of daily wagers. Many factors, including environment, parental education, income, location of schools in rural areas, psychological barriers, and non-availability of private coaching centers in rural areas were considered. The panel felt there are justifiable grounds to provide reasonable quota to these students,” said a source. It also took note of the fact that 66% of the candidates who got medical seats last year were repeaters who cracked exams after failing more than once. Data from the directorate of medical education, CBSE and ICSE were used to arrive at the conclusion.

Responding to the news, G R Ravindranath, doctors’ association for social equality general secretary, said: “We welcome quota for government school students in medical admissions as it would protect government schools from shutting down besides helping the poor and downtrodden pursue medicine. The government should now focus on coaching since competitive examinations are going to determine the future of students,” he said.

While the TN government unanimously passed two bills to exempt the state from NEET,theUnion government withheld both bills after two years. A fresh petition was filed in January amid uproar in the state, challenging the amendments made to the Indian Medical Council Act and Dentists Act, making uniform entrance exam across the country mandatory. “After the introduction of NEET, the number of students of government schools getting admission in medical colleges has fallen. The government is determined not to allow such a situation in the coming years,” Palaniswami said while making a suo motu announcement to constitute the committee.

Lufthansa offers to fly in empty, take out fliers

Lufthansa offers to fly in empty, take out fliers

Saurabh . Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:09.06.2020

In a first, a major foreign airline group has sought India’s nod to operate ferry flights (without passengers) to the country and fly out passengers from here till regular services are allowed.

German major Lufthansa has requested India to allow it and group airline Swiss to fly from some metros to its hubs in Europe — Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich. At the moment, Air India’s Vande Bharat Mission flights are the only connections for flying in and out of India apart from repatriation flights organised by foreign countries. “We are willing to operate only outbound (flights with passengers) from India if we are allowed to transport all categories of persons as per the MHA order...”

‘Other carriers too willing to operate flights like Lufthansa’

We are willing to operate only outbound (flights with passengers) from India if we are allowed to transport all categories of persons as per the order of ministry of home affairs and if we can publish a schedule in advance for an entire period. We had requested this from the ministry of civil aviation,” said a Lufthansa spokesperson.

The fares on these special flights is more that the fares charged on regular schedule services. For instance, Lufthansa group’s one-way Mumbai to Zurich and Frankfurt fares start at Rs 39,743 and Rs 38,273, respectively. India has suspended schedule international services till the month-end, for now. Aviation officials say some other carriers are also willing to operate flights like the ones proposed by Lufthansa — with passengers only on outbound from India. Others say they are keen to resume flights as soon as regular services are allowed.

The Air India website witnesses millions of hits whenever the airline opens bookings for Vande Bharat Mission flights to North America.

வாடகை ரூ.4.20 லட்சம் வேண்டாம்: வியாபாரிகளுக்கு டாக்டர் இன்ப அதிர்ச்சி

வாடகை ரூ.4.20 லட்சம் வேண்டாம்: வியாபாரிகளுக்கு டாக்டர் இன்ப அதிர்ச்சி

Updated : ஜூன் 08, 2020 09:24

தஞ்சாவூர்: பட்டுக்கோட்டையில், 91 வயதாகும் டாக்டர் ஒருவர், தனக்கு சொந்தமான கட்டடத்தில், கடைகள் வைத்திருக்கும் வியாபாரிகளிடம், மூன்று மாத வாடகை பணம், 4.20 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வேண்டாம் என்று கூறி, மகிழ்ச்சி கடலில் ஆழ்த்தி உள்ளார்.

தஞ்சாவூர், பட்டுக்கோட்டையை சேர்ந்த டாக்டர் கனகரத்தினம், 91. இவரது மனைவி ராஜலட்சுமி. இவர்களுக்கு, மூன்று மகள்கள், ஒரு மகன். மகன் சுவாமிநாதன் மற்றும் மருமகள் வர்ஷாவும் டாக்டராக உள்ளனர். கனகரத்தினம், தனக்கு சொந்தமான இடத்தில், ஆறு கடைகள் கட்டி வாடகைக்கு விட்டுள்ளார்.

ஊரடங்கு காலத்தில் கடைகள் பூட்டப்பட்டிருந்தன. வியாபாரம் இல்லாத நிலையில், ஆறு கடைகளுக்கும் மாதம், 1.40 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வீதம், மார்ச், ஏப்ரல், மே ஆகிய, மூன்று மாதங்களுக்கான, ௪.20 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வாடகையை தர வேண்டாம் என தெரிவித்து, வியாபாரிகளுக்கு இன்ப அதிர்ச்சி கொடுத்தார்.இந்த மனிதநேய செயலை, அனைவரும் வெகுவாக பாராட்டி வருகின்றனர்.

டாக்டர் கனகரத்தினம் கூறுகையில், ''கொரோனா நிவாரண நிதியாக, முதல்வர் நிவாரண நிதிக்கு, 1 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வழங்கினேன். ''வியாபாரிகள் கஷ்டப்படும் போது, அதை புரிந்து கொண்டு, அவர்களுக்கு உதவி செய்வோம் என்று, மூன்று மாதங்களுக்கு வாடகை தர வேண்டாம்,'' என்றார்.

இதுகுறித்து வியாபாரிகள் கூறியதாவது: தன்னிடம் சிகிச்சைக்கு வருபவர்களிடம் இன்று வரை, 10 ரூபாய் மட்டுமே பீஸ் வாங்குகிறார். சிகிச்சை வருபவர்களை உறவாக நினைப்பவர். அதேவழியில் மகனும், மருமகளும், 50 ரூபாய் தான் பீஸ் வாங்குகின்றனர். இதுவரை அவர், 65 ஆயிரம் பிரசவம் பார்த்துள்ளார். இந்தியா, சீனா போர் நடந்த போது, போர் தளவாடங்கள் வாங்குவதற்காக, தன் மகள்களின் திருமணத்துக்காக சேமித்து வைத்திருந்த, 83 சவரன் தங்க நகையை, மத்திய அரசிடம் கொடுத்தவர். நாட்டையும், மக்களையும் நேசிக்கக் கூடியவர். அப்படிப்பட்டவர் எங்களுக்கு உதவியது, பெரும் மகிழ்ச்சியை அளிக்கிறது.இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

TN minister threatens arrest of actor for ‘false’ news on lack of hospital beds in Chennai for COVID-19 patients

TN minister threatens arrest of actor for ‘false’ news on lack of hospital beds in Chennai for COVID-19 patients

However, on Monday morning the bed status at the government’s official website stopcoronatn.in showed that general wards and ICUs in major private hospitals in the city were nearly full

Published: 08th June 2020 04:31 PM | Last Updated: 08th June 2020 04:31 PM | A+A A-

Health workers in PPE suit seen inside a Covid-19 outpatient ward at KMC Hospital in Chennai. (PHOTO | DEBADATTA MALLICK, EPS)

By Omjasvin MD

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar on Monday threatened the arrest of former Doordarshan news reader and serial actor T V Varadarajan for allegedly spreading ‘false news’ on hospital beds being unavailable.

Earlier, Varadarajan had released a video on social media alleging that an acquaintance tested positive for COVID-19 and was unable to find a hospital bed, even after making calls to top officials. He told people to stay safe at home in light of this.

Responding to this, Vijayabhaskar said the newsreader was spreading false news and threatened his arrest under the Epidemic Act.

“In Chennai alone, we have 5,000 beds in five goverment hospitals with ventilator capacity. Chennai Corporation has a capacity of 17,000 in COVID care centres. There are 75,000 beds across the state totally,’’ the Health Minister said, urging people not to spread rumours without proof.

The Minister said that the recovery rate is 56 percent and currently only six people are on ventilators in the state. “It is the doctor’s decision to admit a patient in the ICU ward. We can’t admit everyone and it is only based on conditions,’’ the Health Minister said.

He said that earlier 99 percent cases were asymptomatic and now 84 percent are asymptomatic. "Some people have ten days of symptoms and then recover. Some just recover within a few days," he said. 

However, on the contrary, when The New Indian Express on Monday morning checked the bed status at the government’s official website stopcoronatn.in, general wards and ICU in major private hospitals in the city were nearly full. But subsequently the website did not open.

Actress Kasturi Shankar tweeted about an instance of a woman unable to find a hospital bed recently while journalist Sumanth Raman too had tweeted on the unavailability of beds.

"For those who think they can buy their way to a bed, remember, even if you have money, there aren’t beds," tweeted Raman.

Delhi hospitals will treat Delhiites only: Kejriwal

Delhi hospitals will treat Delhiites only: Kejriwal

New Delhi  08.06.2020

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that the hospitals run by the Delhi government and private entities will only treat Delhiites during the coronavirus crisis while the city’s borders will be reopened from Monday. Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said hospitals run by the Centre will have no such restriction, and if people from other States come to the national capital for specific surgeries, they can get medical treatment at private hospitals.

The announcement comes a day after a five-member panel constituted by the AAP government suggested that the health infrastructure of the city should be used only for treating Delhiites in view of the raging Covid-19 crisis. “Over 90 per cent people want Delhi hospitals to treat patients from the national capital during the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, it has been decided that government and private hospitals in Delhi will only treat patients from the national capital,” Kejriwal said. The Chief Minister had last week sought views of the people in Delhi on the issue, while announcing the decision to close the city’s borders.

“Delhi’s health infrastructure is needed to tackle the coronavirus crisis at the moment,” Kejriwal said on Sunday. There are around 40 Delhi government-run hospitals in the national capital including LNJP Hospital, GTB Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.

Among the major Centre-run hospitals in the city are RML Hospital, AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital. Delhi government hospitals have around 10,000 beds while the Centre-run hospitals have almost the same beds, Kejriwal said, adding that it will strike a balance and protect the interest of those belonging to the national capital and other States as well. He said that the Centre-run hospitals will continue to treat people belonging to other States and his government has not issued any separate order for the same. “We are going to reopen Delhi’s borders tomorrow. Malls, restaurants and religious places will open but hotels and banquets will remain closed as we might need to convert them into hospitals in the coming time,” Kejriwal also said. In its report, the panel had pointed out that Delhi will need 15,000 beds by the end of June and if people of other States are allowed to get treatment, all beds here will be occupied within just three days, Kejriwal said during the online conference.

“Till March, Delhi used to treat all people of the country, but at the time of this crisis, Delhi hospitals need to be reserved for the people of Delhi,” the Delhi Chief Minister said. PTI

Srisailam temple to reopen from June 10

Srisailam temple to reopen from June 10

State Bureau

Srisailam  08.06.2020

The Brahmaramba-Mallikarjuna temple in Srisailam will open its doors for devotees from June 10 after a trial run on June 8 and 9 with temple authorities and locals. According to the temple’s Executive Officer KS Rama Rao, free darshan and other services need to be booked on the website “www.srisailamonline.com” and only the confirmed devotees would be allowed to visit the temple.

The temple will be open for visiting from 6 am to 7 pm every day. Accommodation for devotees is open only for 24 hours, with a condition that only 2 persons can stay in a room. Abhishekams inside the sanctum santorum and VIP darshans stay cancelled as of now and the temple authorities have urged devotees living in red zones of the country not to visit the temple. Services for offering hair, taking a holy dip inside Pathalaganga and other water bodies, have been prohibited.

Basar set to reopen

The ancient Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam of Basar will be open for devotees from Monday. The temple was closed as part of the lockdown on March 20. Authorities of Basar said that arrangements have been made to resume darshans for devotees at the temple after a gap of 78 days.

They informed that sanitisers would be kept in the shrine for cleaning hands of devotees, besides checking temperature of visitors using thermal screening equipment. Premises of the temple will be cleaned by sodium hypochlorite solution every day

The authorities said that the temple will be open for darshan from 7 am to 6 pm. They sought cooperation from the devotees in keeping the premises clean and in preventing the spread of novel coronavirus.

Varsities in a fix over examsWith deferment of SSC exams, they are awaiting government decision

Varsities in a fix over examsWith deferment of SSC exams, they are awaiting government decision

Yuvraj Akula

Hyderabad  08.06.2020

Following the postponement of SSC Public Examinations across the State, uncertainty is looming large over the conduct of other exams particularly the ones of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of the universities. The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University-Hyderabad (JNTU-H) which has issued the schedule for semester examinations for various programmes would now review the same on the basis of the government’s further decision on the SSC Public Exams.

As per the schedule, the JNTU-H has planned to conduct final semester examinations for the BTech/BPharmacy and MBA/MCA students from June 20.

“We did wait for the High Court ruling on the SSC Public Exams. Now that the government has postponed the Class X exams across the State, we are looking for the further decision of the government on the exams. On the basis of the government’s decision, we will have a review on the exams,” said a JNTU-H senior official. While the Osmania University has not issued the exam schedule, it decided not to hold any exams in June in view of the increasing number of Covid-19 positive cases. The varsity officials are exploring various options including the conduct of the exams for all undergraduate students at once or only for undergraduate final year students followed by semester exams for postgraduate final year students.

“We are exploring options i.e., either to conduct UG exams for all or only for final year students followed by PG final semester exams. If the situation is not conducive, we are exploring the option of declaring results of PG final semester students by taking an average of Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of earlier semesters or such students can appear for the exams as done by the University of Hyderabad. This system cannot be implemented for the university UG students as most students fail to get required CGPA in the intermediate semesters. The exams schedule will be released after State government’s approval and students will be informed at least 10 days before,” said a senior official of OU.

143 MBBS Students Of Defunct SIMSR Transferred To Other Medical Colleges: Karnataka DME Order

143 MBBS Students Of Defunct SIMSR Transferred To Other Medical Colleges: Karnataka DME Order 

By Garima Published On 7 Jun 2020 1:05 PM | Updated On 7 Jun 2020 1:05 PM 

Bengaluru: 143 MBBS students of defunct Sambhram Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SIMSR), who alleged gross deficiencies at the institute and urged for transfer so their studies don't get affected, have been shifted to other medical colleges in Karnataka. The confirmation to this effect comes recently with a notice uploaded by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) on its official website clearly mentioning the Director of Medical Education's order to the medical colleges to admit these students and allow them to attend their classes. 

Via the notice, the medical colleges are issued the following directions: 

The colleges are hereby directed to admit the candidates as per the orders of the Directorate of Medical Education and allow the students to attend the classes as mentioned (in the list attached) Further, as the university has already approved the admissions of these candidates, the candidates need not submit the original documents at the time of reporting to transferred colleges. However, the candidates shall fulfil the minimum attendance criteria and internal assessment criteria before appearing for the next examination. 

Stating the aforesaid in accordance with the letter of the Director at DME, the term of the students transferred from SIMSR to other private medical colleges are fixed as per the document attached below: To view the fixation of the term of students transferred from the SIMSR to the private medical colleges in the state of Karnataka and the official notice issued by the RGUHS to this effect, click on the link mentioned below: 

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/pdf_upload-129959.pdf 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the case of the medical college which was shut down after gross deficiencies were found at the institute. The 2016-17 batch became an orphan batch after the Medical Council of India (MCI) came up with an advisory denying permission to admit MBBS students for the academic year 2017-18 and 2018-19 in the medical college due to the lack of infrastructure and faculty facilities. 

A plea was moved by these MBBS students with the High Court of Karnataka seeking a declaration of the Sambhram Medical College, KGF, as a 'defunct institution' and seeking relocation to other recognised medical colleges. In their petition, the medicos stated; "..there is a severe shortage of faculty in the college and almost nil footfall of patients in the attached hospital, in which the petitioners are unable to receive any clinical training. It is further submitted that no classes are being held from the start of third year and prior to two days of the inspection visits by the Medical Council of India, the College garners destitute, orphans from orphanages and elderly from the old age homes who are portrayed as patients. It is urged that the college also hires practicing doctors to play the role of lecturers during the inspection." The petitioners further added that they are "forced to remain in the college which are rendered defunct." Taking up the issue seriously, the State Government in a meeting held with the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister and the Minister for Medical Education Dr CN Ashwath Narayan decided to shift the medical students to government colleges as per availability of seats. 

https://medicaldialogues.in/state-news/karnataka/143-mbbs-students-of-defunct-simsr-transferred-to-other-medical-colleges-karnataka-dme-order-66478

Maharashtra Gov Approves MUHS Exams From July 15, Medicos Get 45 Days To Prepare

Maharashtra Gov Approves MUHS Exams From July 15, Medicos Get 45 Days To Prepare 

By GarimaPublished On 6 Jun 2020 2:51 PM | Updated On 6 Jun 2020 2:51 PM 

Mumbai: Finally eliminating the confusion over the UG and PG medical examinations due to the coronavirus lockdown, the Maharashtra Governor has granted permission to conduct all these exams from July 15 onwards as proposed by the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS). The approval was given after the Maharashtra State Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh approached the Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who is also Chancellor of state universities, recently regarding the matter and met him at Raj Bhavan 

However, the medicos are not happy with the exams being held this soon. The PG medical students who are constantly on COVID 19 duty, have come forward demanding cancellation of the exams. According to them, they do not have time to prepare for them. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the MCI order whereby all medical colleges varsities were directed to complete the University Examinations for PG Board Specialities by 30th June 2020. 

Accordingly, Minister Deshmukh had asked the varsity to inform about its impending examinations dates and schedule of all branches of health sciences at the earliest. A statement from the minister's office had mentioned students and parents are clueless, given the confusion over the examinations due to the lockdown. 

Considering the confusing state of exams, Deshmukh had instructed MUHS vice-chancellor Dr Dilip Mhaisekar over the phone to end the uncertainty by taking a decision in this regard which apparently depends on the central councils and directed him to contact the concerned on order to clear the position of exams conduction as per a report by PTI. Accordingly, Deshmukh submitted a detailed report to the governor about holding the exams from July 15 in the state. He said the decision to conduct these exams was taken after detailed discussions with the apex medical bodies. 

In a letter to the Governor, Deshmukh stated that the university has unanimously decided to conduct all its summer examinations as per three alternative plans, depending on the situation, from July 15 onwards. According to the first plan, the theory examinations will be held between July 15 and August 15 in a staggered manner if the situation is conducive. 

As per the second plan, if the examinations could not be held as per the first plan due to the COVID19 situation, the same will be held between August 16 and September 15. According to the third plan, if the examinations are not held as per the aforementioned plans, then the university will take guidance from the Central Medical Council regarding their conduct online, the statement said. The minister told the Governor he had discussed the issue of conducting examinations with all the stakeholders and regulatory authorities besides some of the former Vice-Chancellors and Pro Vice-Chancellors. The minister apprised the Governor that the university had held consultations with the Indian Nursing Council, the Medical Council of India and other central bodies before preparing the examination plans. The said proposal was passed by the Governor and he granted his permission to conduct all under-graduate and post-graduate examinations of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), as proposed by the University. 

The Governor's approval to the proposal of the University has been conveyed to the Vice-Chancellor of the MUHS who had already submitted the proposal to the Governor's Office separately, the statement announcing the approval said. 

Meanwhile, the PG medicos are upset with the decision and said that they don't have enough time to prepare for the examinations. According to Resident Doctors, who are appearing for Post Graduate (PG) examinations, they are constantly doing duties in the Covid-19 wards and hardly got any rest should and hence should not be forced to appear in the examination. Former Central MARD President, now a noted Psychiatrist Dr Sagar Mundhada stated, "The Residents are contributing a lot in the treatment of Covid-19 patients in various Government hospitals. I firmly believe, this year the doctors should be promoted without forcing them to appear in examination in appreciation of the outstanding work they performed in the hospitals. While talking to The Hitavada Padmashri Dr Tatyarao Lahane informed, "With apex bodies like MCI, DCI, CCIM and others asked us to conduct examinations we have to abide by them. Secondly, we are giving them a complete time of 45 days to prepare which is enough. They have been in the study of medical education for the last three years and it is expected they must have prepared from the examination point of view." Moreover, Dr Dileep Mhaisekar, Vice-Chancellor of MUHS made it clear that the decision of holding examinations could not be cancelled.

https://medicaldialogues.in/news/education/medical-universities/maharashtra-gov-approves-muhs-exams-from-july-15-medicos-get-45-days-to-prepare-66454

Error 404: Job not found

The lockdown has hit IT/ITES industries hard, with many employees losing jobs and facing pay-cuts; the worst hit are those working in companies that have not even paid for months they worked from home

Published: 07th June 2020 02:17 AM | Last Updated: 07th June 2020 02:20 AM |

Express illustration

By SV Krishna Chaitanya

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The lockdown may not have killed the raging virus, but it sure did kill hundreds of jobs. Crossing sectoral barriers, it has hurt employees in manufacturing and services industries. The IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors are witnessing a bloodbath right now, thanks to the pay cuts and job losses.

Industry sources tell us that hundreds of workers are being asked to go on unpaid leaves till July, or, even worse, being fired. The threat is accentuated for those on the bench — who are not handling any projects currently. Daniel* an employee of the Cognizant Technology Solutions for the last eight years, was asked leave on May 22. 

“They gave me two options — either take a severance pay equal to my three-month salary and leave, or wait for one month on the bench for new projects. The catch is that if we do not get any new projects in that one month, I will have to leave without a compensation. They did not give me much time to think it through. I had to make up my mind by May 31.” Daniel decided to take the money and leave. “When I went to the Thoraipakkam office to handover my equipment, I was told that 700 other employees were asked to resign in similar fashion, all between May 31 and June 2.

The actual number could be much higher,” claims Daniel. While losing a job at these turbulent times is troublesome enough, a few other companies have even refused to pay up pending salaries. Hexaware Technologies has given just a verbal communication to its bench employees, that they won’t be paid for the months of May, June, and July.

Those who continue to be on the bench after July would be terminated. “We were informed about this over phone in the first week of April. Many of us received the May salary, but some are being asked to quit immediately,” says Ram*, an associate consultant. While many of these actions are a blatant violation of labour laws, the practices continue unabated. 

Safety or job security? 

Arun* a resident of Chennai working for Capgemini in Bengaluru, says his company is forcing him to exhaust his leaves and later go on loss of pay. “I stay in a PG accommodation in Bengaluru. When the lockdown started, I moved back to Chennai before the inter-State borders could be closed. My manager has been insisting that I return to Bengaluru, at my own personal risk, to collect my computer for work.”

Arun says till April 17, his company allowed him to work on his personal laptop, with client approval. “The permission was revoked on April 20.

Now, I have not been assigned a laptop or desktop even though I am ready to work. I have been forced to apply leave and once my leaves are exhausted, I will have to go on loss-of-pay.” Several IT firms in Chennai are resorting to lay-offs, says AJ Vinod of the All India Forum for IT Employees (AIFITE). “But the numbers are not too big, yet.” Employees from CTS, Hexaware, and other firms have contacted the AIFITE. “We have written to these individual companies, Tamil Nadu labour commissioner, and the Union government to take appropriate action.” 

Violating government norms

The Central government, as early as on March 29, issued strict orders to all employers to pay wages to workers without any deduction for the period when their establishment was closed down due to the lockdown. Despite that, and despite the fact that most techies continued to work from home during the lockdown, the issue of non-payment of salaries has arisen. 

The Secretary (Labour & Employment) had written to chief secretaries of all States to advise employers not to terminate employees from their job, or reduce their wages amid the challenging situation of the pandemic. Compared to other sectors, IT industry has largely been unaffected by the lockdown. Some firms have even registered an increase in productivity. 

Shreeranganath Kulkarni, Chief Delivery Officer, Birlasoft, says, “We have been able to meet all milestones and service levels, with 96% of our employees in WfH mode.” Meanwhile, to help laid-off employees quickly find another job, employment portals are offering special features and assistance. 

Naukri has introduced a new feature in its portal called ‘Step-up’. Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri.com, told Express that the initiative will highlight and boost profiles of these jobseekers to recruiters, thereby improving the chances of getting shortlisted.

“One of the initiatives under ‘Step-Up’ is the live tracker highlighting companies and industries that are currently hiring along with active jobs to apply to. Close to 5500+ unique companies have posted jobs on the Naukri platform to hire relevant candidates.” Aditya Narayan Mishra, Director and CEO of CIEL HR, says Chennai is the worst among all other metros in terms of recovery, witnessing a slump of 70 per cent.

“As the lockdown is being relaxed and businesses are resuming, other metros have shown some recovery including Mumbai, which is worst affected by coronavirus. But, Chennai is not showing great progress in terms of recruitment, the reason being its overdependence on auto, manufacturing and IT service sectors. It would take at least another 4-5 months for normalcy to return.” 

(Names of employees have been changed to protect their identity)

Centre’s order

The Central government, as early as on March 29, issued strict orders to all employers to pay wages to workers without any deduction for the period when their establishment was closed down due to the lockdown.

With no social distancing, is Madhavaram another Koyambedu in the making?

With no social distancing, is Madhavaram another Koyambedu in the making?

When the wholesale market was moved out of Koyambedu, around 250 shops shifted to Thirumazhisai, and were spread out on a 25-acre plot.

Published: 06th June 2020 06:50 AM | Last Updated: 06th June 2020 12:11 PM |

Most of the cases in Tamil Nadu have been linked to Chennai's Koyambedu vegetable market. (Photo | EPS)

By C Shivakumar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Lack of social distancing at the Koyambedu market was the major reason for a spike in COVID-19 cases in the entire State. But, nothing seems to have been learnt from the mistake.

When the wholesale market was moved out of Koyambedu, around 250 shops shifted to Thirumazhisai, and were spread out on a 25-acre plot. In contrast, 250 wholesalers trading fruits have been accommodated in Madhavaram on a seven-acre plot, making social distancing impossible here. 

Sources say initially, the plan was to set up only a 100 shops in Madhavaram. However, officials slowly increased the number and it now stands at 250. Around 250 trucks come to the market everyday, carrying tonnes of fruits.

Alarmed by the situation there, the municipal administration and the water supply department submitted a report to the government, highlighting a lack of social distancing norms. Some officials even blamed the CMDA for the rise in cases in and around Madhavaram.

It’s learnt that the issue became so serious that the Chief Secretary intervened and pulled up officials, including the CMDA member secretary, for allowing crowding to happen.

Now, the CMDA officials have to convince the fruit merchants here to relocate to the first floor of bus terminus in Madhavaram.

Earlier, all the shops were functioning in the ground floor of the bus terminus. Now for the fresh shifting, new rates will have to be worked out for the traders, for which contractors will have to be appointed. 

Sources say big shops in the market pay a rent of Rs 3,000 per day and smaller ones Rs 1,500. Several traders have also refused the relocation to the first floor, making the matters worse for the CMDA.

It is learned that while the city corporation suggested an alternative 20-acre site for the fruit market, the idea was dismissed by the CMDA, allegedly because it wanted to “control” the market.

Traders, meanwhile, are seeking action against the chief planner and superintendent engineer of the CMDA for the mess.

SHRC tells govt to pay Rs 5 lakh to family of custodial death victim

SHRC tells govt to pay Rs 5 lakh to family of custodial death victim

The Commission stated the doctors, to help the police, had falsely created a postmortem certificate and a final report and suppressed the real fact which would amount to dereliction of their duty.

Published: 06th June 2020 06:50 AM | Last Updated: 06th June 2020 06:50 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has recommended the State to pay Rs 5 lakh to the family of a person who allegedly died in the custody of Tiruppur police in 2015. The Commission has also asked the government to take disciplinary action against Special Sub-Inspector N Krishnan; DSP S Shanmugaiah of NIB CID, Coimbatore; HOD of Forensic Medicine in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital T Jayasingh; Assistant Jailor V Chandrasekar of Tirupur Sub Jail and also a witness P Pandeeswaran, Tutor in Forensic Medicine.

According to the complaint by S Sathya of Theni, her late husband Sanjeevi owned a car, which he had let out for hire. On December 28, 2014, two personnel from Velampalayam police station in Tirupur district inquired about her husband stating that he was involved in a theft case. Sathya left for her parents’ house after the incident. Four days later Sanjeevi died in the custody of police. 

The commission observed, “It is established that the police had assaulted Sanjeevi during the custody and he died due to the injuries sustained by him. But it was suppressed with the help of the Assistant Jailor and the doctors who conducted postmortem.”

The Commission stated the doctors, to help the police, had falsely created a postmortem certificate and a final report and suppressed the real fact which would amount to dereliction of their duty.

AU ranked fourth in academics and research

IN BRIEF

07/06/2020

AU ranked fourth in academics and research

Andhra University has been ranked fourth by Natureindex ranking group in academics and research. Expressing happiness, Vice- Chancellor P.V.G.D. Prasada Reddy said that it was the effort of the teaching and supporting staff. IIT-Bhubaneswar and IIT Bombay has secured first and second ranks.

AU students vacate hostels

AU students vacate hostels

‘Hostels to be turned into quarantine centres’

07/06/2020, STAFF REPORTER,VISAKHAPATNAM

Caught unawares: Many hostellers and parents alleged that there was no proper information from the varsity officials.K.R. DeepakK.R. Deepak

Chaos prevailed at a few hostels in Andhra University, as a number of students reached the campus to take back their luggage as the hostels are going to be turned into COVID-19 quarantine centres shortly.

Many hostellers as well as parents were furious alleging that there was no proper information from the varsity. A few students were seen taking out belongings of their friends who were not able to come being residents of containment zones or from other districts.

“No one has informed us neither did the department heads cared to call us. When we called one of our professors, he admitted that hostels are going to be turned into quarantine centres and asked us to take our luggage back,” said a student who had come to pick up luggage from Narsipatnam. AU officials could not be contacted.

Slot booking for pharmacy degree registrations soon

Slot booking for pharmacy degree registrations soon

Talks on with National Science Centre officials, says Registrar

07/06/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,VIJAYAWADA

The Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council has said that online slot booking facility will be made available soon to candidates who have completed their degree in Pharmacy.

Registrar Ramamurthy said talks were in progress with the National Science Centre officials and candidates would have to upload their certificates in online mode and mention them in details in their job applications. Mr. Ramamurthy said the registration process had to be stopped due to the lockdown but in emergency cases, candidates can directly approach for registration.

The online slot booking facility may become available from June 10, Mr. Ramamurthy added.

Country is still at risk, says WHO expert

Country is still at risk, says WHO expert

07/06/2020

He stressed that as the disease generated and gained a foothold in communities, it could accelerate at any time as had been seen in a number of settings.

Mr. Ryan noted that measures taken in India, like the nationwide lockdown, had helped to slow transmission, but the risk of an increase in cases loomed as the country opened up. “The measures taken in India certainly had an impact in dampening transmission and as India, as in other large countries, opens up and as people begin to move again, there’s always a risk of the disease bouncing back up.”

He added that there were specific issues in India regarding the large amount of migration, the dense populations in the urban environment and the fact that many workers had no choice but to go to work every day.

WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the over 2,00,000 current novel coronavirus cases in India, a country of over 1.3 billion people, “look big but for a country of this size, it’s still modest.” She stressed that it was important for India to keep track of the growth rate and the doubling time of the cases and make sure that the number did not get worse.

She said India is a heterogeneous and huge country with very densely populated cities and a much lower density in some rural areas and varying health systems in different States, and these factors posed challenges to the control of COVID-19.

Ms. Swaminathan added that as the lockdown and restrictions were lifted, it must be ensured that people took all precautions. “We’ve been making this point repeatedly that really if you want behaviour change at a large level, people need to understand the rationale for asking them to do certain things [such as] wearing masks,” she said.

Many booked for spreading ‘false news’ on TTD

Many booked for spreading ‘false news’ on TTD

Police register cases based on a complaint filed by temple officials

07/06/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,TIRUMALA

Tirumala police registered cases against individuals, administrators of news apps, and social media users allegedly for spreading fallacious information against the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

The cases were registered based on a complaint lodged by TTD officials.

Tirumala Two Town police, who had earlier booked a case against an individual for claiming that TTD member trustee Sudha Narayana Murthy resigned from her trusteeship, also registered a complaint against Tamil actor Sivakumar based on a complaint lodged by a person named Tamilmaniyan.

“Mr. Sivakumar is spreading false information against the temple administration, and is urging the public not to visit Tirumala, on the grounds that anti-social activities are going on in the town,” Mr. Tamilmaniyan said in an email to the TTD.

Perturbed at the gravity of the allegations in Mr. Tamilmaniyan’s email, TTD officials lodged a complaint with the police.

A complaint was also lodged against Macharla Srinivasulu, Prashanth, and Mungara Sivaraju, administrators of ‘way2news’ app, and Tirupati Vaartha, for spreading false information that devotees will not be allowed for darshan at the temple till June 30.

False information posted on a WhatsApp group called ‘Godavari News’ allegedly caused a lot of chaos and confusion among devotees, prompting the police to register a case under the A.P. Epidemic Diseases Act.

A case was registered against a Facebook user who posted objectionable content on his page on May 7.

Maharashtra to buy remdesivir at ₹12 crore

Maharashtra to buy remdesivir at ₹12 crore

It will procure 10,000 vials from Bangladesh if Indian companies do not have the required stock

07/06/2020, JYOTI SHELAR,MUMBAI

Checks widen: A health worker collecting samples for COVID-19 at Dharavi in Mumbai on Saturday. Vijay BateVijay Bate

Maharashtra is planning to procure 10,000 vials of remdesivir, an anti-viral drug that is being tried globally on patients with severe COVID-19. Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday said the drug would be procured with nearly ₹12 crore in CSR funds.

Remdesivir, a broad-spectrum anti-viral injection, was earlier tried for Ebola. It was approved by the Drug Controller-General of India early this week for “restricted emergency use”. Currently, its safety and efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19 are being tested in phase-three clinical trials. “We are reaching out to all the companies that have received the licence to make the drug. We will be procuring it from the company that offers it at the lowest rates,” said T.P. Lahane, head of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research.

The U.S.-based Gilead Sciences that has made the drug has signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with five generic pharmaceutical manufacturers — Cipla Ltd., Ferozsons Laboratories, Hetero Labs Ltd., Jubilant Lifesciences and Mylan — based in India and Pakistan to expand supply of the drug. The company hopes to make it available in July. Two Bangladesh companies have announced production of the generic version of the drug under World Trade Organisation provisions that allow waiver of licences for the least developed countries. Gilead has maintained that it cannot verify the authenticity or effectiveness of a product not manufactured by itself or its licensed partners.

Mr. Tope, however, said the State might consider getting the drug from Bangladesh if Indian companies do not have the required stock.

The COVID-19 task force has made four important recommendations to reduce mortality. The recommendations include making remdesivir and another anti-viral drug favipiravir available for patients. While remdesivir has been procured for over 15 patients on compassionate grounds, fast-track trials for favipiravir are under way at many hospitals. The task force has also pushed for wider availability of re-purposed arthritis drug tocilizumab and psoriasis drug itolizumab, which have shown efficacy in reducing cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients. “Additionally, convalescent plasma therapy should be made available widely,” said task force member Dr. Shashank Joshi.

BCU reduces affiliation fee by 10%

BCU reduces affiliation fee by 10%

07/06/2020, STAFF REPORTER, ,BENGALURU

Bengaluru Central University has decided to reduce the affiliation fee for colleges under its jurisdiction by 10% for the academic year 2020-21.

The annual affiliation fee is usually increased by 10% every year.

However, considering the prevailing situation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university has decided not to increase the fee this year.

Instead, it has planned to reduce the amount to ease the burden on colleges.

Fraud of ₹57 lakh detected in JNU

Fraud of ₹57 lakh detected in JNU

Officials claimed travel concession and phone bill reimbursement during 2017-18

07/06/2020, STAFF REPORTER,NEW DELHI

A central expenditure audit team has detected a fraud of ₹57 lakh by over 100 officials of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in claiming leave travel concession and reimbursement of phone bills during the 2017-18 period.

Executive Council

While the varsity did not respond to queries pertaining to the same, a senior official, who did not wish to be named, said that the matter was put forth before the Executive Council (EC) meeting.

“The EC is apprised of the matter and is looking into it. As per the EC decision, the defaulters will be asked to pay,” the official said.

Following the audit, the Director General of Audit (Central Expenditure) had also recommended suspending the varsity employees involved in the alleged fraud on the basis of fictitious bills.

The matter came to light following an RTI query filed by Kota-based activist Sujeet Swami seeking details of complete audit and inspection reports of JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia for 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20.

In the 2017-18 audit report for JNU, the DGCAE found that 34 JNU officials had availed their LTCs on the basis of fraudulent bills while 70 employees had claimed phone reimbursements worth ₹5.05 lakh, despite not being entitled to them.

(With PTI inputs)

As States prepare to unlock, 10 die in Telangana

As States prepare to unlock, 10 die in Telangana

Fatalities in Karnataka and Kerala point to challenge of managing the disease; many travellers continue to test positive

07/06/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The COVID-19 trajectory in Telangana took a sharp turn on Saturday with the death of ten people. The State recorded a total of 3,496 cases, of which active cases were 1,663, and death toll rose to 123.

Kerala on Saturday crossed the milestone of 1,000 active COVID-19 cases, as 108 more cases were confirmed. There was one fatality from infection.

In Karnataka, two more persons from containment zones in Bidar and Vijayapura succumbed to the disease.

Kerala had 1,029 active cases, out of a total case tally of 1,805. Fifty more patients were put on the recovery list, taking the total of those who recovered to 762.

Of the 108 new cases, 98 were imported, diagnosed among those who had returned from abroad or other States. Ten persons were infected by local transmission by other infected persons.

A 61-year-old seriously ill patient, a Mumbai-returnee, at Manjeri Medical College, Malappuram, who was the first recipient of convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients in the State, died on Saturday, raising the death toll to 15.

Senior Health officials said no hospitals in Kerala had been chosen to be part of the PLACID clinical trial of ICMR, and the State had to draw up guidelines for administering convalescent plasma therapy on compassionate grounds or when there were no other treatment options left.

Clearance for the therapy was given on Friday night and plasma from two prior patients at Manjeri MCH was administered to the patient early on Saturday.

Doctors said that the patient was on ventilator and had deteriorated too much to be saved.

The number of people on institutional or home quarantine in the State was 1,81,482, while another 1,615 persons with suspected COVID-19 symptoms were isolated in hospitals.

Three days after clocking over 4,000 cases, Karnataka’s tally touched 5,213 on Saturday, with 378 new cases. Of these, 333 were inter-State and eight international travellers; 329 travellers were from Maharashtra.

With two more deaths, the toll in the State was 59, apart from two non-COVID deaths.

One of the fatalities was that of a 55-year-old womanfrom Bidar with severe acute respiratory illness and the other an 82-year-old woman from Vijayapura with co-morbidities.

Also, 280 persons recovered and were discharged; with 1,968 discharges, the State had 3,184 active cases.

More Maharashtra returnees tested positive in Udupi. With 121 cases, this district recorded the highest cases for the third day, totalling 785 active ones. Yadgir followed with 103 new cases. While Kalaburagi recorded 69 cases, Dakshina Kannada had 24, and Bengaluru Urban 18 cases.

With 96% of all active cases being asymptomatic, the Health Department submitted a proposal to the State Task Force that even asymptomatic persons from Maharashtra should be tested.

Andhra Pradesh saw the highest single-day spike in fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday. A whopping 210 fresh cases, including a record 161 cases of locals were detected after 12,771 samples were tested, the Health Department said.

The tally rose to 4,460 and the number of active cases to 1,786. The number of patients discharged was 2,601 and the toll stood at 73, with no new deaths reported.

(With inputs from Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada bureaus)

Pvt. school ‘blocks’ students from online classes

Pvt. school ‘blocks’ students from online classes

07/06/2020, STAFF REPORTER

A private school in Coimbatore has blocked 15 students from its online classes as a punitive measure for the alleged derogatory messages posted by their parents against the school.

M. Aruna, mother of two Class IV students at the school in Vadavalli, said that her children were unable to log in from June 3 for the online classes, which is being conducted for students of Classes I to V from June 1. In a letter addressed to District Collector K. Rajamani, a copy of which she shared with The Hindu, she alleged that the class teacher also removed her from a WhatsApp group meant for communication of “academic details to the parents” by the school.

An official from the school reportedly told her, “The management instructed me to remove list of parents from the group and also not to permit their kids to attend online classes because those parents have posted message in social media against the school (sic),” she said in the letter. However, Ms. Aruna denied posting anything derogatory against the school on social media platforms. “I was added to a parents association group which was a discussion forum among the parents (sic),” she claimed in the letter, adding that she shared a media report regarding online classes in the group.

When contacted, a senior official from the school said that 10 parents were allegedly circulating messages in WhatsApp group against online classes conducted by the school.

Once the school management came to know about these messages, they instructed the teachers to not allow the children of these 10 parents, he said.

“We are not against the children,” the official said, claiming that missing these classes will not affect their academic performance as it is not mandatory.

The 10 parents must write a letter explaining the situation to the school principal, following which the students will be allowed to participate in the online classes again, according to the official.

Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer P. Usha said that the issue has come to her notice and an inquiry is under way.

84 discharged in Salem

84 discharged in Salem

07/06/2020, STAFF REPORTER,SALEM

As many as 84 patients, who were undergoing treatment for COVID-19, at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital were discharged on Saturday.

According to doctors, the patients had travelled to Salem from places like Maharashtra, Chennai and others.

Mr. Raman said, “strict checking is being carried out at check posts and swab samples are collected. We have also started a survey of persons above 60 years of age in the district and they are provided with medicines for lifestyle diseases for two months. To ensure they do not venture out, volunteers have been arranged to get them essentials.”

Three new cases

Three COVID-19 positive cases were reported in Salem on Saturday. According to health officials, two of the patients have travelled from Chennai and Maharashtra to the district.

Outrage over body being thrown into pit

Outrage over body being thrown into pit

Clip captures callousness of workers

07/06/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,PUDUCHERRY

A video of front line workers in Puducherry hurriedly dumping the body of a COVID-19 patient from Chennai in a pit triggered outrage on Saturday.

The 45-year-old Chennai resident had come to Puducherry on Wednesday to visit his wife. The next day, he developed chest pain and was taken to the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

He was tested for COVID-19 and and the results returned positive, said a doctor. Following this, staff deputed by the Villianur commune panchayat took the body in an ambulance to a burial ground.

The clip showed the workers taking the body in a stretcher and then throwing it into the pit dug for his burial.

When contacted, S. Mohan Kumar, Director of Health and Family Welfare Services, said that based on the clip, the department had sought a report.

The body, as per protocol, was packed in a polythene bag and handed over for burial. “We made sure all protocols mandated for the burial of COVID-19 patients were followed. The video is shocking as it is a clear case of insensitivity shown to the dead. The staff may have panicked as they were handling the burial of a COVID-19 patient for the first time,” he said.

Doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and patients in the critical care unit of the hospital have been isolated.

Heavy rains likely in a few districts today

Heavy rains likely in a few districts today

07/06/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

As Southwest monsoon advances in Tamil Nadu, the Meteorological Department has forecast that some districts in the State are likely to get heavy rains on Sunday.

Officials of the Meteorological Department said that the Southwest monsoon has advanced upto Puducherry.

During the past 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Saturday, some places in the State had received rains due to convective activity and the influence of southwesterlies.

Eraniel in Kanniyakumari district received the highest rainfall of 9 cm and Nagercoil recorded 8 cm.

S. Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, said one or two places in districts, including Kanniyakumari, Theni, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Dindigul are likely to get heavy rains on Sunday.

Thunderstorm activity may increase over the State around June 10 and many places are likely to get rains.

A low pressure area is likely to develop over Bay of Bengal and westerlies may strengthen under its influence.

This may bring thundershowers over the State. The weather system is being monitored and rainfall activity will depend on the movement of the weather system, S. Balachandran said.

HC Bench to hear cases only through video conferencing

HC Bench to hear cases only through video conferencing

It will hear urgent and emergent matters only

07/06/2020, B. TILAK CHANDAR,MADURAI

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court which had only recently resumed staggered open court functioning will now hear urgent and emergent matters only via video conferencing from Monday, after three of its judges in the Principal seat in Chennai and one judge in the High Court’s Madurai Bench tested positive for COVID-19.

According to a High Court notification, in the High Court Bench, one Division Bench and three Single Judges will hear cases through video conferencing from their residences for the time being till June 30. The working of the court staff will also be minimum.

In view of the decision taken by the Administrative Committee of the Madras High Court, filing of cases will be made through e-mail only. Requests for urgent motion shall be made through e-mail thamilj1968@gmail.com to the Registrar (Judicial), High Court Bench, who in turn will place the matter before the portfolio judges concerned and the matter will be listed subject to the convenience of the judges.

Apart from the High Court Judge in the Madurai Bench, the judge’s personal security officer has also tested positive for COVID-19. Following this, the High Court Bench campus was sanitised and disinfected. The advocate chambers on the court campus have also been closed.

Thoothukudi GH gets new COVID-19 equipment

Thoothukudi GH gets new COVID-19 equipment

07/06/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Minister for Information ‘Kadambur’ C. Raju on Saturday inaugurated fully automated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analyser (EIA) at Government Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital for COVID-19 management.

The hospital is the first in a southern district to get the ₹25-lakh facility, which was introduced in Chennai.

The analyser provides the result of a parameter (IL 6), which analyses the risk of progression of COVID-19 patients to a more serious disorder at an early stage. This helps in initiation of specific treatment at an early stage and helps reduce mortality rate.

Due to faster analysis, test results are provided in just 18 to 27 minutes and can be used to estimate four other parameters (ferritin, Trop T, Procalcitonin, Vitamin D) that are essential for management of COVID-19. It can also be used for other parameters such as hormones, tumour markers and for diagnosis of HIV and hepatitis infection.

India’s COVID tally fifth highest in world

India’s COVID tally fifth highest in world

Country overtakes Spain in numbers even as study finds that infectivity rose from lockdown 1.0 to 3.0

07/06/2020, JACOB KOSHY,NEW DELHI

Registering a new high in the number of daily cases detected — 10,313 — India on Saturday overtook Spain to become the country with the fifth highest confirmed COVID-19 infections (2,46,520). The rise in cases comes despite the fact that 1,37,938 samples were tested on Saturday, down from 1,43,661 on Friday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The death toll increased by 294 to 6,941, even as the recovery rate remained at close to 48%. Cases have steadily risen, doubling every 17 days, among the fastest in countries with the most infections.

The surge in infections is reflected in a study led by officials at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), a Union Health Ministry body, tasked with disease surveillance.

The study found that India’s reproduction number (R0), or the average number of people a single COVID-positive patient infects, has increased between lockdown 1.0 and the beginning of lockdown 3.0. Moreover, India needs 621 million ‘recoveries’ to achieve ‘herd immunity’ at current rates of disease transmission, said the study that appeared online on June 2 in the peer-reviewed Indian Journal of Public Health (IJPH).

India reported its first 100 cases on March 15, and its effective transmission rate then was 2.51. That means, on average, every two infected persons are infecting five others. However, not everyone spreads the virus equally. Some may have a higher viral load, some a reduced load and yet others may be more mobile and spread it wider than more sedentary persons.

To factor these varying rates of spread, epidemiologists compute reproduction rates in a population as an average. For a pandemic to end, this number must dip below 1.

The initiation of the lockdown reduced the R0, the authors said. “On April 2, eight days after Phase 1 lockdown, the estimated Rt (the R0 at a particular period) decreased to 1.91. At the end of Phase 1 (April 14) and Phase 2 (May 3) of lockdown, Rt was 1.28 and 1.83. As of May 4, 2020, latest Rt of 2.04 was estimated,” the authors said. May 4, or the beginning of lockdown 3.0, saw easing of restrictions in public activity. Since May 4, India’s COVID count has multiplied five-fold as have deaths.

‘We must be prepared to live with the virus for a long time’

‘We must be prepared to live with the virus for a long time’

07/06/2020, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,TEHRAN

Hassan Rouhani.AFP-

President Hassan Rouhani warned Iranians on Saturday to prepare to live with the novel coronavirus “for a long time”, as the country gradually rolls back restrictions imposed to curb the outbreak.

People should not assume that “this disease will be eliminated in 15 days or a month: we must therefore follow the instructions for a long time,” Mr. Rouhani said during a weekly meeting of the coronavirus taskforce.

“We must end all gatherings, be it marriage, mourning, or family visits, until told otherwise by the Health Minister,” he added.

Authorities have progressively lifted restrictions imposed to tackle the virus, and activity has almost returned to normal in most of the country’s 31 provinces.

The rising trajectory of infection figures since a low in early May and the lack of observance of physical distancing measures have authorities worried. According to Mr. Rouhani, there is no “second path” for Iran and economic activity across the country must continue.