Night curfew in Mumbai on UK virus strain fears

The Indian state of Maharashtra has imposed a night curfew on cities including the country’s financial hub Mumbai because of fears about the new coronavirus strain from Britain, the local government said.

In addition, Mumbai airport said Tuesday that all air passengers from anywhere in Europe or the Middle East will have to go into institutional quarantine upon arrival and then be tested.

The announcements come even though daily numbers of new coronavirus infections has fallen sharply in India in recent weeks, including in Maharashtra, whose capital Mumbai is home to one of Asia’s biggest slums.

India is yet to confirm any cases of the new strain.

The Maharashtra government said that the night curfew beginning on Tuesday would last until January 5.

The restrictions will put a dampener on New Year’s celebrations in Mumbai and elsewhere in the western state of around 120 million people, which has seen the most COVID-19 cases and deaths in India.

On Monday, India joined other countries in suspending all flights from Britain home to a large Indian diaspora starting from Tuesday night until December 31.

India has reported the world’s second-largest number of coronavirus infections after the United States and crossed the 10-million caseload mark last week. It has registered more than 145,000 deaths.

The Indian government hopes to start vaccinating the population early next year, including an initial 300 million people from high-risk groups and healthcare workers.India has yet to approve any vaccines but several drugmakers have applied for authorization, including AstraZeneca, which has partnered with India’s Serum Institute, the world’s largest vaccine maker. - AFP  Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/

Read More........ → December 23, 2020

Now, 'Smart Helmets' confront corona headlong in Mumbai, Pune

For the first time in the country, 'Smart Helmets' have been deployed for mass screening of suspect COVID-19 cases in Mumbai and Pune, the country's two worst-hit metro regions, officials said here on Friday.

The deployment in Mumbai's northern suburbs is part of the recent public-private-partnership initiative of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after the success achieved in Dharavi.

Imported from South Korea, the Smart Helmets have been provided by an NGO Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS), each costing Rs 6,00,000, taking the COVID-19 combat strategy to a new high-tech dimension, said BJS managing committee member Dr Neelu Jain.

"Each helmet is equipped with two cameras, an image camera in the front and a thermal camera on the side which can simultaneously screen 13 persons per minute," Dr Jain told IANS.

Earlier, the health teams used infrared thermal guns to check peoples' temperatures but it had limitations as it could screen around 200 persons in one hour.

However, the new portable Smart Helmets can screen up to 6,000 people per hour, provided they stand in a queue, making the process simpler and quicker, she said.

India's commercial and entertainment capital accounts for the country's highest 105,923 COVID-19 cases and 5,930 deaths till date. Source: https://southasiamonitor.org/:

Read More........ → August 25, 2020

No total lifting of lockdown after June 30: Maharashtra CM

Besides Covid-19, he said people must protect themselves from other monsoon diseases like malaria and dengue

Mumbai: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday indicated that the ongoing lockdown restrictions will go beyond June 30, though the Unlockdown process is being gradually implemented to put the economy back on track.

"Don't think that the lockdown restrictions will cease after June 30...The threat of Covid-19 still looms over the state and all precautions need to be taken," Thackeray asserted, addressing the state this afternoon.

Besides Covid-19, he said people must protect themselves from other monsoon diseases like malaria and dengue.

The CM again appealed to all doctors and private hospitals to start their services in view of the ongoing pandemic.

Simultaneously, the Mumbai Police on Sunday announced a series of measures under the #MissionBeginAgain by appealing to people to strictly adhere to the guidelines.

Outdoor movements continue to be restricted for essential activities like buying food, vegetables, visits to markets, salons, barber shops, with a radius of 2 kms only, said Deputy Commissioner of Police and Mumbai Police Spokesperson Pranaya Ashok.

Night curfew for people and vehicles will be implemented strictly from 9 p.m.- 5a.m., barring essential or medical requirements, besides all other norms like wearing masks in public, following physical distancing rules at all places, etc. Source: https://ummid.com

Read More........ → July 05, 2020