Health

Lucknow, Apr 24 (PTI) An Oxygen Express train carrying three tankers of liquid medical oxygen arrived in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday morning via a green corridor as the state battled a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The train arrived from Bokaro in Jharkhand.

In view of the high demand for oxygen in the country following a record spike in coronavirus cases, the Railways has decided to run Oxygen Express trains to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country.

Chandigarh, Apr 24 (PTI) Union minister Som Parkash, who had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, is on oxygen support in an ICU of a private hospital in Mohali where doctors were closely monitoring his condition.

Parkash (72), Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and BJP MP from Hoshiarpur, had tweeted earlier this week, stating that he tested positive for the infection.

New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI) Supreme Court judge Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar died at a private hospital in Gurgaon, sources said on Sunday. He was 62.

The mortal remains of the judge will be taken to his Rajaji Nagar residence in Bengaluru, where last rites will be conducted.

Justice Shantanagoudar was admitted to the Medanta Hospital due to a lung infection and was in the ICU. His condition was stated to be stable till late Saturday evening, but deteriorated later, sources said.

New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced extension of the ongoing lockdown in the national capital for another week, saying the severity of COVID 19 was unabated and positivity rate has been as high as 36 percent in last few days.

The lockdown imposed on April 19 night will now continue till 5 AM on May 3, he said.

"We will have to watch the situation for a few more days, whether the cases decrease or increase," he said.

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the populous country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors.

For the fourth straight day, India on Sunday set a global daily record of new infections, spurred by an insidious, new variant that emerged here, undermining the government’s premature claims of victory over the pandemic.

ISLAMABAD — India’s rival Pakistan is offering to send essential medical supplies to its neighbor that’s in the grip of a devastating coronavirus surge that has depleted oxygen stocks and other hospital needs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that as a gesture of solidarity with the people of India, Pakistan has offered to provide relief support including ventilators, oxygen supply kits, digital X-ray machines, PPEs and and related items.

Tokyo, Apr 23 (AP-PTI) Japan is set to issue a third state of emergency for Tokyo and three western urban prefectures amid skepticism it will be enough to curb a rapid coronavirus resurgence ahead of the Olympics in July.

Health and economy ministers in charge of the virus measures were meeting with experts on a government taskforce to obtain their preliminary endorsement for the plan.

Ahmedabad, Apr 23 (PTI) A 950-bed facility for coronavirus patients at the GMDC ground here will be functional from Saturday, while another temporary hospital with 1,200 beds will come up in Gandhinagar soon, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced here on Friday.

Shah held a high-level review meeting with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, deputy CM Nitin Patel and top government officials on the coronavirus situation in Gujarat.

Bengaluru, Apr 23 (PTI) With demand shooting up for Remdesivir following the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases in the state, Karnataka is contemplating importing two lakh vials of the anti-viral drug.

The state is also in touch with private manufacturers to supply Remdesivir.

The state is getting 10,000 to 20,000 vials of Remdesivir on a daily basis and the Centre has allocated additional 25,000 vials, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar told reporters here.

New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday said Health Minister Harsh Vardhan should resign for the callous negligence of not taking earlier the steps that are now being taken in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

"Despite warnings in April 2020 (by the Empowered Group) and in Oct-Nov 2020 (by the Parliamentary Committee), why did the government not take the steps it is taking since yesterday?