Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Home Blog Page 1378

Modi holds talks with Mauritius PM

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had a telephonic conversation with the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, to discuss about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its likely health and economic impacts in the region.

Prime Minister Jugnauth conveyed his condolences for the loss suffered by India due to Cyclone Amphan.  He also thanked PM Modi for sending the Indian Naval Ship ‘Kesari’ to Mauritius as part of ‘Operation Sagar’, with a consignment of medicines and a 14-member medical team to help the Mauritian health authorities fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the special people-to-people ties between India and Mauritius and said that India is duty-bound to support its friends during this time of crisis.

Modi conveyed his appreciation for the effective COVID-19 response mounted by Mauritius under his Mauritian counterpart’s leadership, which has resulted in no new cases being reported for several weeks now.

PM Modi took to twitter in this regard and said, “Thank you, Prime Minister @PKJugnauth for our warm conversation today! Congratulations for successfully controlling COVID-19 in Mauritius.”

Narendra Modi also suggested that Mauritius could document its best practices, which would be helpful for other countries, especially island countries, in dealing with similar health crises.

The two leaders discussed enhancing cooperation in various areas including measures aimed at supporting the financial sector of Mauritius, and enabling Mauritian youth to study Ayurvedic medicine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his best wishes for the health and well-being of the Mauritian people, and for the maintenance of the warm relations between the two countries.

 

PM Modi talks to Sri Lanka President

PM
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a telephonic conversation with the President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and discussed about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its likely health and economic impacts in the region.

During the conversation, PM Modi assured the Sri Lankan President that India would continue to provide all possible support to the island nation for mitigating the effects of COVID-19.

Both the leaders agreed on the need to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka.

Additionally, they also discussed the possibilities of promoting investments and value-addition in Sri Lanka by the Indian private sector.

PM Modi also conveyed his best wishes for the health and wellbeing of the Sri Lankan people.

“Hunar Haat” to restart from September with ‘Local to Global’ theme

PM Modi at ‘Hunar Haat’ (File photo)

New Delhi (NVI): After a gap of five months due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, Hunar Haat – a platform for artisans and craftsmen from across the country to showcase their art and craft – will restart from September with the theme of “Local to Global”, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs today said.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said, “Hunar Haat has provided employment opportunities to more than five lakh Indian artisans, craftsmen, culinary experts and other people associated with them in the last five years and has become popular among the masses.”

Hunar Haat provides a market and several opportunities to master artisans and craftsmen from remote areas of the country and has become a credible brand of rare exquisite indigenous handmade products, the minister added.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his instantaneous visit to “Hunar Haat” in February, 2020, organised at India Gate, had encouraged and lauded indigenous handmade products of artisans and craftsmen.

Appreciating the products in a “Mann Ki Baat” programme, PM Modi said, “A few days ago, at a small place in the Hunar Haat, I witnessed hues of our country’s diverse expanse, cultures, traditions, cuisines and warmth of emotions.”

PM Modi had said, “Hunar Haat, of course, is a platform showcasing art & craft; it is also lending wings to people’s dreams. It is a venue where it is impossible to overlook the country’s diversity.

“Besides handicrafts, it displays the diversity of India’s varied cuisine too. Whenever the opportunity arises, one should attend such events to know India, to experience India,” he added.

In the coming days, Hunar Haat will be organised in Chandigarh, Delhi, Prayagraj, Bhopal, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Goa, Dehradun, Pune, Shimla and other places.

There will be a special “Jaan Bhi, Jahaan Bhi” pavilion to create health awareness among the people with the theme of “Say no to panic, yes to precautions”.

The Minister said that, “Social distancing, hygiene, sanitisation and use of masks will be ensured at the Hunar Haat.”

By utilising the time during the nationwide lockdown; artisans and craftsmen have prepared their rare indigenous exquisite products at a large scale and will bring them for display and sale in the next Hunar Haat, Naqvi added.

“This time, people will also be able to buy Hunar Haat products through digital platforms as well. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has started the process to register these artisans and their indigenous products on Government e-Marketplace (GeM),” Naqvi said.

However, lakhs of master artisans and craftsmen from across the country are happy and excited that “Hunar Haat” is going to be organised again.

Community Radio network to be expanded in India: Prakash Javadekar

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

New Delhi (NVI): Community Radio networks are ‘agents of change’ and the Central Government is working on a plan to increase the number of such stations in the country as they can play a pro-active role in creating awareness, the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar said.

The minister also called upon Community Radio (CR) stations to spread awareness and information about Covid 19 in the remotest parts of the country.

Addressing nearly 300 community radio stations as part of a special outreach initiative, Prakash Javadekar said, “The Government is also eager to raise the air time for advertisements on community radios to make their operations self-sustaining.”

He further added, “Community Radios are allowed air time of 7 minutes per hour for advertisements while the same is 12 minutes for TV channels. We are eager to give equal time to all the radio stations so that there would be no need for them to seek funds.”

There are currently 290 Community Radio stations operating in the country.  Of these, 130 are run by educational institutions, 143 by Civil Society Organizations and 17 by Krishi Vigyan Kendras.  These low power FM radio stations with broadcast reach of 10-15kms radius often play a significant role in grass root level communication.

Javadekar said 75 per cent of the expenditure during setting-up of Community Radio stations is borne by the Ministry, which constitutes majority of the fixed expenditure. The revision of advertising time is expected to help these stations meet their operational expenditure to a large extent.

To support Community Radios, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is implementing an ongoing scheme namely “Supporting Community Radio Movement in India” with an allocation of Rs 25 crore.

The Minister also touched upon the key demand of community radio for permission to broadcast news. He assured that he will consider allowing news broadcast on community radio the same way it is done on FM channels.

However, the minister prodded stations to play a key role in combating fake news menace by verifying it through local sources. He invited stations to share it with All India Radio so that the reach of the truth can be amplified.

ICMR revises advisory on use of HCQ

New Delhi: In a revised advisory, the ICMR, has allowed use of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as prophylaxis, preventive treatment medication for healthcare and other front line workers deployed in non-COVID and COVID areas.

The advisory said the use of HCQ can be expanded to all healthcare workers in containment zones and non-COVID hospitals; the front-line workers; for police, security forces working in containment areas and household contacts of confirmed cases.

The drug is not recommended for children under 15 years of age and in pregnancy and lactation, it said.

However, the advisory cautioned that the intake of the medicine should not instill a sense of false security.

The review team comprised top professionals from AIIMS, ICMR, NCDC, NDMA, WHO and includes experts from central government hospitals under the chairmanship of DGHS.

An earlier advisory said the drug against the infection is also recommended for all asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in containment and treatment of COVID-19 and household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases.

The drug has to be taken only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner and it is advised to consult with a physician for any adverse event or potential drug interaction before initiation of medication, the advisory added.

The advisory also issued a list of key considerations to be noted, are as follows :

1) The drug has to be given under strict medical supervision with an informed consent.

2) It has to be given only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner.

3) Advised to consult with a physician for any adverse event or potential drug interaction before initiation of medication. The contraindications mentioned in the recommendations should strictly be followed.

4) Health care workers and other frontline workers on HCQ should be advised to use PPE.

5) They should be advised to consult their physician (within their hospital/surveillance team) for any adverse event or potential drug interaction before initiation of medication.

6) If anyone becomes symptomatic while on prophylaxis, he/she should immediately contact the health facility, get tested as per national guidelines and follow the standard treatment protocol.

7) All asymptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases should remain in home quarantine as per the National guidelines, even if they are on prophylactic therapy.

8) Simultaneously, proof of concept and pharmacokinetics studies should be continued/ taken up expeditiously.

9) They should follow all prescribed public health measures such as frequent washing of hands, respiratory etiquettes, keeping a distance of minimum 1meter and use of personal protective gear.

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): Coronavirus cases in India continue to surge with Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat being the worst affected states in the country.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases in India has reached 1,25,101 while a total of 3,720 deaths have been reported so far, according to Union Health Ministry tally.

Maharashtra has reported over 44,000 confirmed cases today, with its capital Mumbai recording over 25,000 COVID-19 cases so far.

The first confirmed coronavirus case in India was reported in the state of Kerala on January 30. Since then, the virus has tightened its grip across the country.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 33

Andhra Pradesh- 2,709

Arunachal Pradesh- 1

Assam- 259

Bihar- 2,177

Chandigarh- 218

Chhattisgarh- 172

Dadar Nagar Haveli- 1

Delhi- 11,319

Gujarat- 13,268

Goa- 54

Haryana– 1,067

Himachal Pradesh- 168

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,489

Jharkhand- 308

Karnataka- 1,743

Kerala- 732

Ladakh- 44

Madhya Pradesh- 6,170

Maharashtra- 44,582

Manipur- 26

Meghalaya- 14

Mizoram- 1

Odisha- 1,189

Puducherry- 26

Punjab- 2,029

Rajasthan- 6,494

Tamil Nadu- 14,753

Telangana- 1,761

Tripura- 175

Uttarakhand- 153

Uttar Pradesh- 5,735

West Bengal – 3,332

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andhra Pradesh- 55

Assam- 4

Bihar- 11

Chandigarh- 3

Delhi- 208

Gujarat- 802

Haryana- 16

Himachal Pradesh- 3

Jammu and Kashmir- 20

Jharkhand- 3

Karnataka- 41

Kerala- 4

Madhya Pradesh- 272

Maharashtra- 1,517

Meghalaya- 1

Odisha- 7

Puducherry- 1

Punjab- 39

Rajasthan- 153

Tamil Nadu- 98

Telangana- 45

Uttar Pradesh- 152

Uttarakhand- 1

West Bengal- 265

A total of 51,784 people have been cured or discharged from hospitals in India. There are around 69,597 active cases currently, according to the Health Ministry.

Global corona cases surpass 5.2 million

Global Covid-19 cases cross 62 mn mark
Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): The number of coronavirus cases globally has gone beyond 5.2 million, with the death toll rising to 3,38,000, according to Johns Hopkins University tally.

Over 1.9 million patients have recovered from the deadly disease worldwide.

Brazil confirmed a total of 330,890 coronavirus cases so far, overtaking Russia to become the world’s second hotspot for COVID-19 infections.

Likewise, Peru reported 1,11,698 coronavirus cases, the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Latin America, behind Brazil.

In the US, around 1.6 million positive cases of coronavirus have been reported with more than 96,000 deaths.

Apart from this, Spain, which was one of the worst-affected nations, further eased its lockdown restrictions and allowed outdoor dining and gatherings of up to 10 people.

Britain will introduce a 14-day quarantine for almost all international travellers from June 8.

China, on the other hand, reported zero new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, for the first time since it started reporting data in January, as per media reports.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, South America has become an epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic with Brazil the hardest hit country.

India’s COVID tally crosses 1.25 lakh; death toll 3,700

New Delhi (NVI): At least 6,654 new cases of coronavirus and 137 deaths have been reported in India in the last 24 hours.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India now stands at 1,25,101, with 3,720 deaths due to the pandemic, Union Health Ministry said.

In the worst-hit Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases climbed to 44,582, followed by Tamil Nadu with 14,753 cases, and Gujarat with 13,268 cases.

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities at 1,517, followed by 802 in Gujarat and 272 in Madhya Pradesh.

The coronavirus cases in national capital have increased to 12,319 with 208 deaths reported so far, according to the Health Ministry data.

Other states with high virus cases are Rajasthan (6,494), Madhya Pradesh (6,170), and Uttar Pradesh (5,735).

The coronavirus fatality rate has dropped from 3.13 per cent to 3.02 per cent, ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Centre has revised the advisory on the use of hydroxychloroquine for coronavirus, allowing asymptomatic healthcare and frontline workers to take the medicine.

80 mn infants at risk as COVID disrupts immunisation services

The UNICEF supported Adam Darmal Clinic in Kandahar, in the Southern region of Afghanistan, has WASH, NUTRITION, EDUCATION and HEALTH programs. For every child, the chance to a good start in life.

New Delhi (NVI): About 80 million infants across the world are at risk of having diseases like diphtheria, measles and polio as the vaccination services have been disrupted due to coronavirus pandemic, global health organisations warned today.

According to data collected by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, GAVI, the vaccine alliance and the Sabin Vaccine Institute, the provision of routine immunization services is substantially hindered in at least 68 countries and is likely to affect approximately 80 million children under the age of 1 living in these countries.

Since March 2020, routine childhood immunization services have been disrupted on a global scale that may be unprecedented since the inception of expanded programs on immunization (EPI) in the 1970s.

More than half (53%) of the 129 countries where data were available reported moderate-to-severe disruptions or a total suspension of vaccination services during March-April 2020, said a joint press statement issued by these organizations.

“Immunization is one of the most powerful and fundamental disease prevention tools in the history of public health,” said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

”Disruption to immunization programmes from the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to unwind decades of progress against vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, ” he added.

UNICEF has reported a substantial delay in planned vaccine deliveries due to the lockdown measures and the ensuing decline in commercial flights and limited availability of charters.

To help mitigate this, UNICEF is appealing to governments, the private sector, the airline industry, and others, to free up freight space at an affordable cost for these life-saving vaccines.

UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said, ”We cannot let our fight against one disease come at the expense of long-term progress in our fight against other diseases.”

Fore added, ”We have effective vaccines against measles, polio and cholera. While circumstances may require us to temporarily pause some immunization efforts, these immunizations must restart as soon as possible, or we risk exchanging one deadly outbreak for another.”

Gavi CEO Dr Seth Berkley said that on June 4 at the Global Vaccine Summit in London, donors will pledge their support to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to sustain and accelerate this lifesaving work in some of the most vulnerable countries.

The reasons for disrupted services vary. Some parents are reluctant to leave home because of restrictions on movement, lack of information or because they fear infection with the COVID-19 virus. And many health workers are unavailable because of restrictions on travel, or redeployment to COVID response duties, as well as a lack of protective equipment.

“More children in more countries are now protected against more vaccine-preventable diseases than at any point in history,” Gavi CEO added.

Covid-19: Ahead of Eid, 3 bakers, mutton seller among 40 new cases in J&K

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, three bakers and a mutton seller were among 40 new Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the tally in the Union Territory to 1,489.

Despite lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, people were seen thronging bakery and mutton shops in the Valley, ahead of the festival which marks the ending of Ramzan, the holy fasting month for Muslims across the world.

This year, Eid-ul-Fitr is scheduled for either Sunday or Monday, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon. In Kashmir, as per the age-old tradition, people buy mutton in bulk to cook various mutton dishes on the eve of Eid while bakery items including sweets are also purchased in large quantities.

Officials said that among the 40 new cases, 33 belong to Kashmir division while seven are from the Jammu division. “650 people have recovered so far while there have been 18 deaths in Kashmir and two in Jammu region. In Jammu region, the number of positive cases has reached 218 with 70 recoveries,” they said.

Cases tested positive in J&K today include two from Anantnag, 1 from Kulgam, 2 from Srinagar, 1 from Budgam, 3 from Kupwara, 18 from Shopian, 3 from Baramulla and 2 from Pulwama in Kashmir division.

“Eight cases were reported from Jammu including 4 from Samba district, 2 from Rajouri and one from Poonch,” officials said.

As per officials figures, 266 positive cases including four deaths and 109 recoveries are from Anantnag, 193 including six deaths and 99 recoveries are from Srinagar, 193 including one death and 12 recoveries are from Kulgam, 138 including one death and 129 recoveries are from Bandipora, 132 including 91 recoveries and four deaths are from Baramulla, 127 including 102 recoveries are from Shopian, 128 including 49 recoveries are from Kupwara, 63 including 35 recoveries and two deaths are from Budgam, 27 including 15 recoveries are from Ganderbal and 21 including 9 recoveries are from Pulwama.

In Jammu division, 68 including 31 recoveries and one death are from Jammu district, 40 including 4 recoveries are from Kathua, 33 including 1 death and 21 recoveries are from Udhampur, 30 including 1 recovery is from Ramban, 20 including 7 recoveries from Samba, 10 including 4 recoveries from Rajouri, 5 from Poonch and 4 with 1 recovery in Reasi, 7 from Kishtwar including 1 recovery and 1 from Doda.

As per the daily information bulletin, 1,28,517 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 32,077 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Apart from that, 749 persons are in hospital isolation while 73 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 70,466 persons have completed surveillance period and 25,132 persons are under home surveillance.

So far, results of 1,14,859 samples are available. Out of these, 113,370 have tested negative, while 1,489 have been tested positive. Among the positive cases, 749 are active, 720 persons have recovered while 20 have died.

1...1,3771,3781,379...1,724Page 1,378 of 1,724

MUST READ