Health

Thrissur (Ker), May 11 (PTI) Eminent novelist, actor and screenplay writer Madampu Sankaran Namboodiri alias Madampu Kunjukuttan, who had been under treatment for COVID-19, succumbed to the viral infection at a private hospital here on Tuesday.

He was 81.

He was admitted to the hospital following fever and breathing difficulties and tested positive for the virus recently, hospital sources said.

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Tech firm Hindustan Computers Ltd (HCL) on Tuesday said it is supporting the Delhi government with 12,000 oxygen cylinders and 21 oxygen plants.

In a statement, HCL said each cylinder has a capacity of 40 litres oxygen whereas 21 oxygen plants will generate 8,800 litres of oxygen per minute.

Two of these ready-to-use oxygen plants which were imported from France have already been delivered and will get installed at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in the national capital, it added.

10 May 2021; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates will bar entry to non-UAE resident travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka starting Wednesday to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Reuters reported it announcing today.

The UAE last month banned entry to travellers from India to guard against the spread of the highly contagious Indian variant.

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI) A request was made to the Delhi High Court on Monday to give an early hearing to a PIL seeking a stay on the construction of the Central Vista here amid the raging COVID pandemic.

The request was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, and the court said an early hearing application be filed first.

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI) The Guru Tegh Bahadur COVID Care Centre at the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in central Delhi is starting operations from Monday afternoon with 300 beds.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, said 100 more beds will become available on Tuesday.

"The COVID care centre is being managed by 50 doctors from the Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. They will be supported by a team of 150 nurses and ward boys," he said.

Lucknow, May 9 (PTI) Opposition Congress and Samajwadi Party on Sunday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of making false claims about controlling the COVID-19 situation in the state and "manipulating data".

They alleged that the administrative machinery and health services in the state are "completely paralysed" and the pandemic is spreading fast in villages as migrants returning home are not being tested.

Guwahati, May 9 (PTI) Assams COVID-19 tally rose to 2,92,368 on Sunday as 3,299 more people tested positive for the infection while 48 new fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,676, the National Health Mission (NHM) bulletin said.

The state, however, reported more COVID-19 recoveries than fresh cases in a single day as 4,045 patients were discharged from hospitals.

Chandigarh, May 9 (PTI) The Haryana government on Sunday announced extending the coronavirus-induced lockdown in the state by a week till May 17.

Making the announcement on Twitter, Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said, "Mahamari Alert/ Surkshit Haryana announced from 10 May to 17 May. Stringent measures will be taken to contain the spread of Corona in Haryana."

Vij later told PTI that the restrictions, which are currently in force, will continue till May 17.

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI) Hockey India on Monday mourned the death of former player George Fernandez, who was battling COVID-19 in Bengaluru.

The 67-year-old died on Sunday due to complications related to the disease.

"We at Hockey India are deeply saddened to learn about the untimely demise of George Fernandez, who represented our nation at the Junior level," HI president Gyanendro Ningombam said in a press release.

"We extend our deepest condolences to his family in this moment of grief."

Mumbai, May 9 (PTI) Veteran Bollywood actor-politician Hema Malini said her secretary Markand Mehta has died of COVID-19 related complications.

In a heartfelt note, Malini took to social media late Saturday evening to mourn the loss of Mehta, who she said was part of her family.