Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Government of India (GoI) is pursuing its pre-emptive and pro-active approach for prevention, containment, and management of COVID-19. COVID-19 management efforts are being regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level. India currently has 56,316 active cases. So far, a total of 36,824 people have been cured of COVID-19. In last 24 hours, a total of 2,715 patients were reported cured, the recovery rate being 38.29%.
In terms of confirmed cases per lakh population, India has so far about 7.1 cases per lakh population vis a vis approx. 60 cases per lakh population for the world as a whole.
The status of cases per lakh population for countries having the highest number of confirmed cases, vide WHO situation report 118, is as follows:
| Countries | Total Confirmed Cases | Approx. cases per lakh population |
| World | 45,25,497 | 60 |
| United States of America | 1,409,452 | 431 |
| Russian Federation | 281,752 | 195 |
| The United Kingdom | 240,165 | 361 |
| Spain | 230,698 | 494 |
| Italy | 224,760 | 372 |
| Brazil | 218,223 | 104 |
| Germany | 174,355 | 210 |
| Turkey | 148,067 | 180 |
| France | 140,008 | 209 |
| Iran | 118,392 | 145 |
| India | 96,169* | 7.1 |
Karnataka: 84 new cases reported till 12pm on May 18, 2020, taking the total to 1231; Deaths 37; Recovered 521; Active cases 672. State announces relaxation in lockdown norms : All KSRTC and BMTC buses to ply form May 19, 2020, with 30% capacity, auto and cabs will also be allowed with two passengers, salons to open and parks will open from 7 to 9 in the morning and 5 to 7 in the evening. Restrictions for malls and public gathering, and night curfew to continue.
Maharashtra: Maharashtra reported a new single day high of 2,347 Covid-19 positive cases, taking state’s tally to 33,053. While 24,161 active cases are there in the state presently, 7,688 patients have recovered till date, as per the latest report. The BEST Employees Action Committee has gone on agitation protesting insufficient facilities for its drivers, ferrying essential services workforce. The BEST administration has claimed that this agitation will not affect road transport as the state transport buses are still plying. Meanwhile, the APMC market in Navi Mumbai reopened today, after it had to be closed last Monday owing to spike in COVID-19 positive cases.
Punjab: The Punjab Government has advised private schools not to increase any school fees in 2020-21 over those charged in 2019-20. In this regard, a letter has been written to the Management/ Principals of all the Private Un-Aided Schools of the State, according to a PIB release.
Union Ministry of Health issued new guidelines on May 17, 2020, to the States for categorisation of red/orange/green zones. As per these guidelines, states have been asked to categorise districts/ municipal corporations, or if warranted subdivision/ ward or any other administrative unit as red/orange/green zone as per their field assessment.
This has to be done based on multifactorial analysis on the combination of the parameters shared by MoHFW, which are namely, total active cases, active cases per lakh population, doubling rate (calculated over 7 days period), case fatality rate, testing ratio and test confirmation rate.
In terms of field action, States have been asked to meticulously delineate the containment and buffer zones. States have been told to ensure stringent implementation of the containment plans in these containment zones. In the containment zones, active search for cases through the house to house surveillance by special teams, testing of all cases as per sampling guidelines, contact tracing, clinical management of all confirmed cases are the priority tasks.