PLASMA THERAPY ONLY FOR RESEARCH, NOT FOR TREATMENT: ICMR

At his daily press briefing on the COVID-19 situation, Union Health Ministry

Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said that in the last 24 hours, 1,543 new cases

of the coronavirus were detected in the country, of which 684 cases were

cured. The recovery rate is now at 23.3 per cent with 7,027 people recovered

so far, he added.

Agarwal said the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases now stands at 10.2 days.

MumbaiÂ’s Dharavi slum recorded its highest single day jump in positive

COVID-19 cases as 42 new cases were recorded on Tuesday, taking the overall

count from the area to 330.

After a series of recent announcements by some state governments regarding

the use of convalescent plasma therapy in COVID patients, the central

government categorically said on Tuesday that it was not yet a proven or

approved therapy to treat coronavirus and its use was illegal and could even

be life threatening for patients.

“The ICMR is currently undertaking a pan India study to determine the

efficacy of plasma therapy in COVID patients and the plasma from cured

patients can only be used for trial and research purposes and not for

treatment. Such use is illegal and can have life threatening complications

for those who are administered plasma,” Agarwal made clear. He said until

ICMR published scientific evidence to approve plasma therapy as an approved

treatment therapy in COVID patients it cannot be used by anyone for

treatment.

Worldwide studies are currently underway on various therapies against COVID,

plasma being one of them. Antibody rich blood from COVID cured patients is

being currently tested for evidence of whether it can help cure or decrease

the severity of the infection.

NEW GUIDELINES FOR HOME ISOLATION OF MILD COVID-19 PATIENTS

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has revised its guidelines for

home isolation of very mild or pre-symptomatic Covid-19 patients.

All suspected and confirmed Covid-19 cases were till now being isolated and

managed in a hospitalised setting. As per the existing guidelines, cases

should first be clinically assigned as mild, moderate or severe and

accordingly be admitted either to a Covid-19 care centres, dedicated health

care centres or hospitals.

The revised guidelines allow mild or pre-symptomatic patients to opt for

self-isolation at their homes.

The following people are eligible for home isolation:

i. The person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/

pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer

ii. Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for

self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts

iii. A caregiver should be available to provide care on a 24×7 bases. A

communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for

the entire duration of home isolation

iv. The caregiver and all close contacts of such cases should take

Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the

treating medical officer

v. Patients are also required to download the Arogya Setu App on their

mobile phones

vi. The patient shall agree to monitor his health and regularly inform his

health status to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by

the surveillance teams

vii. The patient will fill in an undertaking on self-isolation and shall

follow home quarantine guidelines.

Mild or pre-symptomatic Covid-19 patients should seek medical attention if

they have difficulty in breathing, feel a persistent pressure or pain in the

chest, experience mental confusion or inability to arouse, in case they

develop bluish colouration of the lips or the face, or if advised by their

treating medical officer.

Covid-19 patients can end home isolation when their symptoms are clinically

resolved and their surveillance medical officer certifies them free of

infection after laboratory testing.

The revised guidelines also lists the DoÂ’s and donÂ’ts for Covid-19 patients

in home isolation.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: USCIRF REPORT DOWNGRADES INDIA FOR ‘VIOLATIONS’

Stressing that religious freedom conditions in India experienced a “drastic

turn downward” with religious minorities under “increasing assault” in 2019,

the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on

Tuesday asked the US government to classify India as a “country of

particular concern”, along with other countries like Pakistan, North Korea,

China and Saudi Arabia.

This is the first time since 2004 – which was in the backdrop of the Gujarat

riots of 2002 – that USCIRF has recommended that India be designated as a

“Country of Particular Concern”.

The USCIRF, an advisory body to the US Congress, released its 2020 annual

report, where it recommended that the Trump administration “impose targeted

sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe

violations of religious freedom by freezing those individualsÂ’ assets and/

or barring their entry into the United States under human rights-related

financial and visa authorities, citing specific religious freedom

violations”.

It also named Home Minister Amit Shah twice in the report, once recalling

that Shah referred to migrants as “termites” to be eradicated.

It cited the CAA-NRC issue, revoking of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and

Delhi riots in February this year (which took place outside the reporting

period of USCIRFÂ’s annual report) as reasons for the downgrade of India.

The Ministry of External Affairs reacted sarcastically to India being

categorised as a “country of particular concern” by saying, “We regard it as

an organisation of particular concern and will treat it accordingly.”

MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastav referred to the split in USCIRFÂ’s ranks

over downgrading India by pointing out that “it has not been able to carry

its own Commissioners in its endeavour”. He added that though its biased

comments against India are not new, on this occasion, “misrepresentation has

reached new levels”.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD – (Nos. IN INDIA / Nos. WORLDWIDE)

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 31,361 (+1,903) / 31,38,396 (+73,566)

Total Deaths 1,008 (+69) / 2,17,985 (+6,376)

Total Recovered 7,747 (+610) / 9,55,824 (+33,435)

Active Cases 22,606 (+1,224) / 19,64,587 (+33,755)

Serious / Critical Cases (Not Available) / 56,965 (+665)

Top impacted nations so far: (And some of IndiaÂ’s Neighbours)

Country / Total Cases / Deaths / Total Deaths per 1M Pop.

USA 10,35,765 / 59,266 / 179

Spain 2,32,128 / 23,822 / 510

Italy 2,01,505 / 27,359 / 453

France 1,65,911 / 23,660 / 362

UK 1,61,145 / 21,678 / 319

Germany 1,59,912 / 6,314 / 75

Turkey 1,14,653 / 2,992 / 35

Russia 93,558 / 867 / 6

Iran 92,584 / 5,877 / 70

China 82,858 / 4,633 / 3

India 31,324 / 1,008 / 0.7

Pakistan 14,612 / 312 / 1

Bangladesh 6,462 / 155 / 0.9

Sri Lanka 619 / 7 / 0.3

Top 17 impacted Indian States so far: (Total No. of Confirmed case / No. Of

Deaths)

State/UT Confirmed Deceased

Maharashtra 9,318 / 400

Gujarat 3,774 / 181

Delhi 3,314 / 54

Madhya Pradesh 2,387 / 120

Rajasthan 2,364 / 52

Tamil Nadu 2,058 / 25

Uttar Pradesh 2,053 / 34

Andhra Pradesh 1,259 / 31

Telangana 1,009 / 25

West Bengal 697 / 22

Jammu and Kashmir 565 / 8

Karnataka 523 / 20

Kerala 486 / 4

Bihar 366 / 2

Punjab 342 / 19

Haryana 308 / 3

Odisha 119 / 0

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

COVID-19: TRUMP SAYS US DOING 'VERY SERIOUS' INVESTIGATION AGAINST CHINA

The US is carrying out a "very serious" investigation against China,

President Donald Trump has said, indicating that his administration is

looking at a bigger compensation from Beijing than the USD 140 billion being

sought by Germany over the coronavirus pandemic.

The deadly contagion, which originated in China in mid-November, has so far

killed more than two lakh people and infected over three million globally.

The largest number of them is in the US: more than 56,000 deaths and over

one million infections.

Leaders of the US, the UK and Germany increasingly believe that the

unfortunate deaths of so many people and destruction of the global economy

could have been avoided, if China had shown transparency and shared the

information about the virus in its early phases.

Many countries have started talking about claiming compensation from China.

Trump, during the Rose Garden press conference on Monday, was asked about

Germany planning to send a bill to China for USD 130 billion for the

damages. "Would your administration look at doing the same?"

"Well, we can do something much easier than that. We have ways of doing

things a lot easier than that," the President replied. "We haven't

determined the final amount yet," but "it is very substantial,"

DOCTORS EXPLORE VIRUS LINK TO INFLAMMATORY CONDITION IN KIDS

Doctors in Britain, Italy, and Spain have been warned to look out for a rare

inflammatory condition in children that is possibly linked to the new

coronavirus.

Earlier this week, Britain's paediatric intensive care society issued an

alert to doctors noting that there has been an increase in the number of

children with "a multi-system inflammatory state requiring intensive care".

The group said there was "growing concern" that either a Covid-19 related

syndrome was emerging in kids or that a different, unidentified disease

might be responsible.

The cases were also reported to have features of toxic shock syndrome or

Kawasaki disease, a rare blood vessel disorder. Only some of the children

tested positive for Covid-19, so scientists are unsure if these symptoms are

caused by the new coronavirus or by something else.

Kawasaki symptoms include a high temperature that lasts for 5 days or more,

a rash and swollen glands in the neck.

Spain's Association of Pediatrics recently made a similar warning, telling

doctors that a number of children are suffering from "an unusual picture of

abdominal pain, accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms" that could lead to

shock, low BP and heart problems. In Italy, a note was sent to 10,000

doctors with related concerns.

THE REST

========

CONG ALLEGES GOVT WROTE OFF RS 68,607-CR BANK LOANS OF DEFAULTERS

Citing a Right to Information (RTI) reply from the RBI, the Congress party

stated Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government

waived off Rs 68,607 crore worth of loans for a list of top 50 defaulters,

which includes Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya.

The opposition party also alleged that the Centre has waived off loans worth

Rs 6.66 lakh crore from 2014 till September 2019.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also released the list of the

top loan defaulters in the country, as per the RTI reply, and demanded

answers from PM Modi about the reasons behind waiving off the loans of the

tycoons.“This is a classic case of promoting ‘dupe, deceive and depart’

policy of the Modi government, which can no longer be accepted and the prime

minister has to answer,” he told reporters through video conference. He

further added that the entire nation is battling the coronavirus outbreak

and the government has no money to pay to states but has the funds to

condone and write off Rs 68,307 crore of bank loan defaulters.

Responding to the allegations, Sitharaman said the duo was attempting to

mislead people “in a brazen manner”. She said it was the Modi government

that was pursuing wilful defaulters, and that the total value of attachment

and seizures in the cases of Nirav Modi, Choksi and Mallya was Rs 18,332.7

crore. “Congress and Rahul Gandhi should introspect why they fail to play a

constructive role in cleaning up the system. Neither while in power, nor

while in the opposition has the Congress shown any commitment or inclination

to stop corruption and cronyism,” she said.

USE HOTELS FOR QUARANTINE: TOP PANEL ON COVID

In a proposal aimed at addressing complaints about quarantine facilities and

kickstarting the hospitality sector, one of the CentreÂ’s empowered groups on

COVID-19 has recommended that hotels be used to quarantine asymptomatic or

mild cases.

The Health Ministry, meanwhile, has notified new guidelines to let patients,

who have been medically assessed as “very mild case/pre-symptomatic case by

the treating medical officer”, undergo home quarantine.

In the hotel proposal, which was sent on April 15, the empowered group on

hospitals, isolation beds, quarantine facilities, etc., has urged the

Ministry to lay down SOPs and start the process of certification of hotels

that can be used as COVID facilities.

The idea, officials say, is that patients pay for the rooms and other

expenses, such as food, while hotels follow laid-down SOPs, including having

a doctor on call and nurses in charge of rooms.

“There have been multiple complaints about the quality of quarantine

facilities, especially toiletsÂ… For the hotels, it makes sense to abide by

the SOPs and conditions for certification because they will get business.

These quarantine facilities can have single-occupancy rooms with attached

HC STAYS KERALA ORDER TO DEDUCT 1-MONTH SALARY OF EMPLOYEES

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed for two months the governmentÂ’s

order to deduct one-month salary of employees in five instalments in the

wake of the financial crisis stemming from COVID-19.

A bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas observed that it was the right of

every individual to receive salary for work. “Financial difficulty is not a

ground for the state government to defer the payment of salary. Prima facie,

the deferment of salary amounts to denial of property,” said the judge.

The court was acting upon petitions filed by pro-Congress state employeesÂ’

organisations, challenging the order which had evoked sharp protest from a

section of employees and teachers.

The court said payment of salary is not a matter of bounty and it is a right

vested in every individual to receive the salary. Article 300A of the

Constitution confers a right to property and salary, and prima facie comes

within the purview of property.

UDDHAV THACKERAY GETS EVEN WITH YOGI ADITYANATH

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray spoke to his Uttar Pradesh

counterpart Yogi Adityanath over phone on Tuesday and expressed concern over

the killing of two priests in Bulandshahr district, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay

Raut said on Tuesday.

The killing of priests in Uttar Pradesh should not be communalised like the

Palghar incident in Maharashtra, Raut said, in an apparent taunt at the BJP.

Earlier, Raut in a tweet termed the killing of the two priests in

Bulandshahr as “inhuman and brutal”. “Terrible ! killing of two saints,

sadhus at a temple in Bulandshahar,UP, but I appeal to all concerned to not

make it communal the way they tried to make Palghar, Maharashtra incidence,”

he tweeted.

Reports suggest that the killings in Bulanshahr were a regular law and order

issue and had no communal agnle to it.

In Palghar, a mob lynched three men – two seers and their driver – on April

16 when they were going from Mumbai in a car towards Surat in Gujarat to

attend a funeral. Their vehicle was stopped near a village in Palghar

district where the three were dragged out of the car and beaten to death

with sticks by a mob on suspicion that they were child-lifters.

Yogi Adityanath had then called up Uddhav Thackeray to express concern and

had called for swift action.

BJP ISSUES SHOW-CAUSE NOTICES TO MLA FOR ‘TARGETING MUSLIMS’

The BJP on Tuesday issued show-cause notices to an Uttar Pradesh MLA —

Suresh Tiwari, who allegedly asked people not to buy vegetables from Muslim

vendors.

Party sources said its central leadership found Tiwari’s remarks “highly

irresponsible”, and its national president J P Nadda “pulled up” the state

brass for not taking quick action.

Expressing his displeasure over the comments, Nadda stated that the BJP will

not “tolerate” such remarks and said party leaders should not make

statements like this. The sources said Nadda admonished Uttar Pradesh BJP

chief Swatantra Dev Singh and asked him to take action against Tiwari.

Tiwari, who represents Barhaj constituency in Deoria district in the state

assembly, was seen in a video clip purportedly telling people: “I am saying

this openly: donÂ’t purchase vegetables from Muslims (Ek cheez dhayan mein

rakhiyega, main bol raha hoon openly, koi bhi miyan ke hathon sabzi nahi

lega).”

MOODY'S SLASHES INDIA'S GROWTH ESTIMATE TO 0.2% FOR 2020 FROM 2.5%

MoodyÂ’s Investors Service on Tuesday slashed India growth forecast for

calendar year 2020 to 0.2 per cent, from 2.5 per cent projected in March.

For 2021, the rating agency expects IndiaÂ’s growth to rebound to 6.2 per

cent.

China is projected to grow 1 per cent in 2020 and 7.1 per cent in 2021.

Only China, India, and Indonesia are projected to witness economic growth in

2020 by MoodyÂ’s. It expects G20 advanced economies as a bloc to see a fall

in its GDP by 4 per cent in 2020.

Japanese brokerage Nomura has predicted IndiaÂ’s economy to contract 0.5 per

cent, while the Confederation of Indian Industry said the economy may

contract by 0.9 per cent.

India Ratings & Research believed the contraction may be far steeper at 2.1

per cent if the lockdown is extended beyond May 3.

ACTOR IRRFAN KHAN HOSPITALISED

Actor Irrfan Khan has been hospitalised in Mumbai. (Photo: Irrfan

Khan/Instagram)

Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan has been admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani

Hospital in Mumbai.

Irrfan’s spokesperson said, “Yes, it is true that Irrfan Khan is admitted to

ICU at Kokilaben in Mumbai because of a colon infection. We would keep

everyone updated. He is under doctorÂ’s observation. His strength and courage

have helped him battle and fight so far. We are sure with his tremendous

willpower and prayers of all his well wishers, he will recover soon.”

Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in 2018, and has been

travelling to London for his treatment since then.

INDICATORS

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53.79, Aus$- Rs. 48.82

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4,615, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 42,210

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Fear is a disease; hope is its only cure. - Jedi Proverb

OFF TRACK

A Polish immigrant in New York goes to the Department of Motor Vehicles to

apply for a driver's license. He has to take an eye test.

They show him a card with the letters C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.

"Can you read this?" the optician asks.

"Read it?" the Polish guy replies, "Heck, I know this guy."