% /)00&))( 23)+4536'00&))( 0&789(6536'00&))( RNI Regn. No. MPENG/2004/13703, Regd. No. L-2/BPLON/41/2006-2008 # $%&' 3#4#34 5 73& 8 /3 '6 ,+07)'>(6 < << ; ?< < < > ; < ; ; <<@> < ; ; ? ; <?A<< B; ? < :8);08 !-" ! : 0(<,(3(9)8(02 03+) ( )* +,*+-+. +!,- Q R R ! #$% fresh challenge has Aemerged in the war against and Union Territories, which coronavirus with the Health include 736 samples that were Ministry on Wednesday dis- he Covid-19 fatality rate is positive for viruses of the UK closing that a new “double Thighest in patients in age (B.1.1.7) lineage. mutant variant” of the deadly group of 45 and above, the Till now, no linkage has ! virus has been found in 18 Union Health Ministry said on been established to show that States. Many other variants of Wednesday, a day after the the surge being witnessed in concern (VOCs) have also Government opened up vacci- some States is directly because been detected, the Ministry nations for all those in that age of only virus mutants. There are he Uttarakhand High Court said. bracket from April 1. various reasons behind a Ton Wednesday made it clear However, the Government The Union Government surge.States having a larger pool that a negative report of RT PCR said it would be premature at also said that the Covishield of susceptible population are test would be required for pil- this stage to say that the new vaccine is safe and there is “no prone to witness rise in cases. grims participating in the “shahi variant was behind the second signal of concern” regarding it Whenever the susceptible pop- snans” at the Kumbh Mela in wave of cases across India. as of now. The Centre asserted ulation will lower their guard Haridwar. The report should “Though VOCs and a new this on Wednesday amid and not follow Covid-19-appro- not be older than 72 hours. double mutant variant have reports of possible side-effects priate behaviour, they will get Confirming the order of been found in India, these have of the Oxford-AstraZeneca’s the infection, be it the normal HC, Uttarakhand Chief not been detected in numbers Covid-19 vaccine and its sus- virus or the mutants, he said. Secretary Om Prakash said sufficient to either establish or pension in some European There are only three vari- that the Uttarakhand High direct relationship or explain countries. ants of concern, detected in the Court (HC) has said those vis- the rapid increase in cases in Placing the fatality figure in UK, South Africa and Brazil. In iting Haridwar during Kumbh some States. Genomic sequenc- that age group to 88 per cent of addition to these, some other should bring a negative report ing and epidemiological stud- the Health Ministry said. est State to ban public celebra- all Covid-19 deaths in India, variants of interest have also which should not be older ies are continuing to further States like Maharashtra, tions of Holi. Haryana Home Health Secretary Rajesh been found in some States, than 72 hours or they should analyse the situation,” the Punjab, Madhya Pradesh are Minister Anil Vij tweeted, “In Bhushan told the media the including Maharashtra and bring the report of their vacci- Ministry said in a statement. reporting a high number of the light of the Covid-19 situ- case fatality rate in the age Delhi, which need to be further nation done against the disease. The analysis of samples cases. National capital Delhi is ation, public celebration of group is 2.85 per cent as against analysed and investigated, he However, despite the from Maharashtra has revealed also witnessing a spike in cases Holi will not be allowed in the an overall national average of added. restrictions, the new Uttrakhand that compared to December after a brief downward trend. State.” 1.37 per cent. He said 20 States and CM Teerath Singh Rawat had 2020, there has been an Meanwhile, Health On Tuesday, public cele- “About 88 per cent of all Union Territories, including invited “everyone” to the increase in the fraction of sam- Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said bration and gatherings for Covid-19 deaths in the coun- Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Kumbh without RT PCR report. recent statement underlined the State is witnessing a surge ples with the E484Q and L452R on Wednesday that the situa- upcoming festivals, including try are taking place in the age Chhattisgath, Rajasthan and Soon after taking over as that the Government will in infections. mutations. Such mutations tion in Maharashtra and Holi, were prohibited in Delhi group of 45 years and above, Bihar, have administered the Chief Minister, Tirath Singh adhere to the SOP and court Haridwar reported the confer immune escape and Punjab are of grave concern. and Mumbai amid a renewed making them the most vul- first dose of Covid-19 vaccine Rawat had said it was not directives and has made the highest number of 71 new increased infectivity. These Maharashtra reported more surge in Covid-19 cases across nerable group that needs to be to more than 92 per cent of compulsory to bring a negative negative Covid-19 report com- cases, followed by Dehradun mutations have been found in than 28,000 cases in the last 24 the country. protected,” he said, adding that healthcare workers, and 14 RT-PCR test report to attend pulsory for Kumbh. with 63, Nainital 22, Udham about 15-20 per cent of samples hours and Punjab is recoding The Uttar Pradesh this is the reason behind allow- States and UTs have given the Kumbh. It is a religious event Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Singh Nagar 14, eight each in and do not match any previ- disproportionately high num- Government, on the other ing their vaccination from second dose to more than 85 that comes once in 12 years and reported 200 new Covid-19 Pauri, Rudraprayag and Tehri, ously catalogued VOCs,” the ber of cases compared to its hand, has issued a set of guide- April 1. per cent of eligible healthcare devotees can attend it freely, he cases on Wednesday, a chunk five in Pithoragarh and one in statement said. population. lines asking senior citizens and Speaking about the new workers. had said. of them from Haridwar, which Almora, a COVID-19 control India recorded 47,262 fresh Bhushan added that situa- vulnerable groups to stay away SARS-CoV-2 variants, National Bhushan said Telangana, However, Rawat later is in the final stages of prepa- room bulletin said. coronavirus cases in a day, the tion of Gujarat and Madhya from celebrations and said no Centre for Disease Control Chandigarh, Nagaland and ordered strict compliance with rations to host the Kumbh However, no fresh cases highest single-day rise so far Pradesh is also worrisome. processions or gatherings will Director SK Singh said 771 Punjab have low vaccination the guidelines issued by the Mela from April 1. were detected in Bageshwar, this year, taking the nationwide With Covid cases on the be allowed without prior variants of concern (VOCs) coverage of healthcare Centre in view of Covid-19. While no fatality due to the Chamoli, Champawat and Covid-19 tally to 1,17,34,058. rise, Haryana became the lat- administrative permission. have been detected in 18 States workers. The Chief Secretary in the disease was reported in a day, Uttarkashi districts. (## ( "# $ !%& &' ( P ) '()$ * + - * state capital recorded 385 cases while Jabalpur had 143 fresh * * ,-. cases. Other cities put under weekly lockdown had 63 documents as genuine besides ith the humanitarian / (Khargone), Ratlam (60), 55 criminal misconduct by public Wapproach of Chief Minister (Betul) and 27 (Chhindwara) servant under the Prevention of major political controver- Shivraj Singh Chouhan, two cases to report on Wednesday. he CBI has detected a mas- Corruption Act. Asy has erupted over the journalists facing permanent These districts with adjoin- Tsive scam in home loan dis- The case was registered alleged harassment of nuns disability would be able to get s Covid-19 fresh cases con- ing Maharashtra border are at bursement by Dewan Housing on March 15 on the basis of belonging to a Kerala-based monthly pension of 10,000. Atinue to surge, Madhya a higher risk as the neighbur- Finance Corporation (DHFL) source information and the congregation in Jhansi in Uttar The State Cabinet on Pradesh government on under lockdown prohibitions ing state has taken alarming under the Pradhan Mantri alleged crime was committed in Pradesh. With political tem- Wednesday sanctioned pension Wednesday announced Sunday starting from 10pm on proportions in terms of fresh Awas Yojana (PMAY) to the Delhi, Mumbai and other perature already soaring in the to two journalists Sunil Tiwari weekly lockdown for four more Saturday to 6am on Monday. COvid19 spread. tune of 1,887.20 crore. places. poll-bound Kerala, Chief and Narendra Kulshreshth by cities, including Khargone, Essential services will be All public functions have The agency has registered The PMAY is a scheme of Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took relaxing the age limit of 60 Betul, Chhindwara and Ratlam, exempted from these orders. been disallowed on Holi, decid- a case against DHFL directors the Union Ministry of Housing up the issue with the Centre years.The issue was not in the with first three sharing borders The state on Wednesday ed the review meeting on Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan and Urban Development. and Home Minister Amit Shah in Odisha. agenda of the Cabinet, but Chief with Maharashtra which is in reported total 1712 fresh cases Wednesday. Cities with more for allegedly creating 2.60 lakh Under the Scheme, loans are promised strong action. On his visit to Kerala for Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan the midst of a massive Covid19 of infections, a new high for than 20 daily cases of infections “fake and fictitious” home loan granted to Economically According to officials in poll campaign, Shah said, “I raised the issue that these two crisis.