Face covers, human distancing new normal; PM says economy also important while fighting COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said ecomy needs to be given importance too while fighting COVID-19 and asked chief ministers to plan for way ahe after two phases of lockdowns end on May 3. He also cautioned that danger is far from over, while Health Ministry said a record number of 60 COVID-19 patients have died in last 24 hours.

However, a ray of hope emerged with authorities declaring that 85 districts across India have t reported a single infection in last two weeks and five rastern states have become totally free of virus. nationwide tally of coronavirus positive cases, in meantime, crossed 29,000 with at least 935 deaths, but more than 6,600 patients have been discharged, pushing recovery rate to over 22 per cent, according to figures anunced by various states and UTs.

Domestic rating ncy Crisil warned that "disastrous" lockdowns will le to losses of Rs 10 lakh crore, as it nearly halved its GDP growth estimate for current fiscal to 1.8 per cent.

"Lockdowns are showing a disastrous impact on ecomy and could le to a permanent loss of GDP, unemployment and poverty, despite relief packs,” Crisil said.

On positive side, Health Ministry said 85 districts have t reported a single positive case in last 14 days, while 16 districts have t witnessed even one case in last 28 weeks.

Separately, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said five rastern states -- Sikkim, Nagaland, Arunachal Presh, Manipur and Tripura -- are w completely coronavirus-free and or three -- Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram -- have t ded any new COVID-19 positive case in last few days.

Himachal Presh has also r reported a single positive case for four days w.

nationwide tally suggested that some large urban centres are facing brunt of dely virus much more than many or parts of country with just three of m -- Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedab -- accounting for almost one-third of total positive cases in country. se three also account for nearly 40 per cent of COVID-19 deaths.

Officials said education institutions, shopping malls, religious places and public transport are likely to remain shut beyond May 3, but limited movement of private vehicles may be allowed in green zones. But passenger train and air services are unlikely to start anytime soon, while ban on puiblic and social garings may also continue, an official said.

re is a possibility of regulated train or air services after mid-May between some designated places depending on COVID-19 situation.

A final decision on lockdown will be taken during weekend, officials said on Monday after a meeting on strategy to fight coronavirus pandemic.

At least five chief ministers out of nine who spoke during video conference interaction with prime minister are said to have strongly pitched for an extension of lockdown beyond May 3 while a few vocated a cautious relaxation in curbs with limited activities in COVID-19 free districts.

As final week of second phase of lockdown began, Modi conveyed to chief ministers that country will have to give importance to ecomy as well as continue fight against vel coronavirus.

In his fourth video conference with chief ministers over pandemic, Modi also underlined that nationwide lockdown has "yielded positive results as country has mand to save thousands of lives in past one and a half months."

" prime minister said that country has seen two lockdowns till w, both different in certain aspects, and w we have to think of way ahe. He said that as per experts, impact of coronavirus will remain visible in coming months," according to an official statement.

Modi said masks and face covers will become part of people's lives in days ahe. He emphasised on importance of use of techlogy as much as possible, and also on a need to embrace reform measures. He, however, forewarned that danger of virus is far from over and a constant vigil is of paramount importance.  first lockdown was anunced by Modi on March 24 in a bid to combat coronavirus endemic. It was later extended till May 3.

In meantime, country's apex health research body ICMR asked states to stop using COVID-19 rapid antibody test kits procured from two Chinese companies and return m to be sent back to suppliers. Some states including Rajasthan h flagged issues with results given by se kits. Opposition Congress leer Rahul Gandhi has alleged that some people were indulging in profiteering while supplying rapid test kits for COVID-19 to government.

Union Health Ministry, in its evening update, said re has been a spike of 1,463 cases since Sunday evening. number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 21,132, while 6,361 people have recovered, and one patient has migrated, ministry said. total number of cases includes 111 foreign nationals. However, a PTI tally of numbers anunced by various states and union territories, as on 10.20 PM, put total number of positive cases across India at 29,268 with at least 935 deaths. It also showed more than 6,600 having recovered.

Among major cities, Mumbai saw its tally rising to 5,589 cases with at least 219 deaths and Ahmedab w has 2,378 positive cases with at least 109 deaths. Delhi also saw its tally of positive cases rising to 3,108 with 190 new cases during day. se three major urban centres also impact a significant part of country's overall ecomic activities.

Of nationwide death toll, Maharashtra has maximum 369 fatalities, followed by Gujarat at 162, Mhya Presh at 106, Delhi at 54, Rajasthan at 50, and Andhra Presh and Uttar Presh at 31 each. Maharashtra has also reported maximum number of confirmed cases at 8,590, followed by Gujarat at 3,548, Delhi at 2,918 and Rajasthan at 2,262.

In Andhra Presh, number of cases reached 1,177, while it has crossed 1,000 in Telangana also. Andhra Presh's Chief Minister Y S Jagan Reddy asked people to take precautions to prevent infection as he warned, "We cant eliminate it, so we have to live with it." Telangana government, howver, said two fresh coronavirus cases were reported on Monday and it hoped state would become free of disease in coming days.

While interacting with prime minister, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani favoured a grual lifting of coronavirus-enforced nationwide lockdown. Chief Ministers of Himachal Presh, Goa and Meghalaya favoured extending lockdown. Mhya Presh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, after his interaction with prime minister, asked state officials to make specific plans for post May 3, when second phase of lockdown is scheduled to end.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, alleged that Centre was making contrictory statements on enforcement of lockdown, and wanted greater clarity on recent union home ministry order on reopening shops.

Claiming that many states were t allowed to speak during Modi's video conference with chief ministers owing to rotation system, Banerjee said given a chance she would have raised several questions, including need to send central teams to Bengal. Tamil Nu Chief Minister K Palaniswami sought from Centre more RT-PCR kits for COVID-19 screening to help state ramp up its testing capacity to 10,000 a day against existing 7,500.

Globally, an estimated 30 lakh have tested positive for dely virus ever since its emergence in China last December, while more than two lakh have died. Approximately 8 lakh COVID-19 patients have recovered worldwide so far. New Zealand on Monday anunced it has "won battle" against COVID-19 for w with very few new cases coming up and it lifted most of restrictions imposed to fight dely virus spre.