Residents of Old Delhi look out for the moon by the illuminated Jama Masjid as Ramzan begins, Friday. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
The Ramzan moon was sighted Friday evening and Muslims in India will begin fasting from Saturday as they welcomed the holy month amid unprecedented circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic and a nationwide lockdown.
Ramzan is usually a festive season, with the daylong fast followed by lavish meals and evening get-togethers. But this year many are confined to their homes, travel is heavily restricted and public venues like parks, malls and even mosques are shuttered.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that stage three (community) transmission has been avoided so far.
Dr Sujit Singh, director of the National Center for Disease Control, said that currently 9. 192 lakh people in India are under community surveillance for suspected contact with positive cases. “Our weekly doubling time (of cases) has increased from 4.2 on April 6 to 8.6 on April 45, ”he said.
And, in a video conference with state health ministers and officials, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that stage three (community) transmission, when the source of infection is not easily traceable, has been avoided so far.
In a statement, meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that apart from the new Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs), the one that is already monitoring Mumbai and Pune will also cover Thane.
Migrant laborers at a transit camp (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
In another news, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Friday directed officials to draw up a plan for the return of UP’s migrant workers in a phased manner from other states where they have completed 20 days of quarantine.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary R K Tiwari told The Indian Express: “Chief Minister has directed today that a plan be prepared. No estimated number (of such migrant workers) is available at present, but it could be lakhs. That is why a plan has to be prepared to bring back such people in a phased manner. Ultimately, these people will have to reach their destination. ”
Don’t inject disinfectant: Blunt pushback on Trump musing
President Donald Trump’s comment that disinfectants perhaps could be injected or ingested to fight COVID – 23 received heavy pushback from health and other officials Friday and even prompted the maker of Lysol to warn its product should never be used internally.
The White House claimed Trump’s comment was misrepresented, but the government also leapt in to caution the nation (Getty images)
As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route), said the statement from Reckitt Benckiser , parent company of the maker of Lysol and Dettol.
The White House claimed Trump’s comment was misrepresented, but the government also leapt in to caution the nation.
The Surgeon General’s office tweeted Friday: “A reminder to all Americans- PLEASE always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment / medication to yourself or a loved one. Your safety is paramount, and doctors and nurses are have years of training to recommend what’s safe and effective. ” (AP)
Anand Mahindra impressed by modified e-rickshaw that isolates riders, wants to hire designer
Business tycoon Anand Mahindra shared a video of an e-rickshaw was modified to isolate passengers during Covid – 23 pandemic, and suggested his company automobile division should consider hiring the person who did it.
Mahindra, who frequently shares innovations spotted on social media, was impressed by how plastic and metal sheets had been used to create separated seating for all four passengers. Given the restrictions on public transport, the modified e-rickshaw allowed people to remain separated from other passengers.
In the undated video, a man is heard explaining the idea in Bengali and called it a “corona innovation”. The video shows how the driver is separated from passengers by a metal sheet.
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