TIMESOFINDIA.COM | May 19, 2020, 20: 09 IST
NEW DELHI: India has so far about 0.2 Covid-19 deaths per lakh population as against the global figure of 4.1, the Union health ministry said as the number of fatalities due to coronavirus infection in the country rose to 3,163 on Tuesday and the total cases reached 1,01,139. Referring to data from the WHO situation report-119, the ministry said 3,11,847 Covid-19 mortalities have been reported till Tuesday worldwide which is about 4.1 deaths per lakh population.
Here are the top developments:
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India
- A record number of 1,08,233 samples were tested for Covid-19 in the country. So far a total of 24,25,742 samples have been tested, the Union health ministry said.
- The Centre issued a Standard Operating Protocol for transportation of stranded migrant workers between states, which will designate nodal authorities and make necessary arrangements for receiving and sending them, amid the novel coronavirus-induced lockdown.
- The Centre has asked the states and the Union territories to operate more special trains in close coordination with the railways for transportation of migrant workers and said special attention should be given to women, children and elderly.
- The railways has operated 1,565 ‘Shramik Special’ trains since May 1 and ferried over 20 lakh migrants back home, the national transporter said.
- Spitting at workplace will be punishable with fine, the personnel ministry has said, citing the national directives for Covid-19 management.
- There is no need to close the entire office building or halt work in other areas of the office, if there are one or two cases of Covid-19 reported, stated the health ministry. The work can be resumed after disinfection as per laid down protocol.
- Five hospitals have enrolled so far for an observational study being conducted by ICMR to assess the efficacy of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medication against Covid-19 among hea