India logs 60,000 Covid-19 cases and 1,647 deaths

People without masks gather at the Ganga barrage in Kanpur on Saturday. Experts have warned against breaking Covid protocol. Pic/PTI

India has recorded 60,753 new cases of Covid-19 and 1,647 fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to data released by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry. This is for the second consecutive day in the last two months that the death tally has dropped below the 2,000 mark.

Telangana lifts lockdown

The Telangana government has decided to lift the lockdown in the state. With the latest installment of lockdown set to end on Saturday, the state cabinet had been convened for an emergency meeting to decide the future course of action. The cabinet discussed the report prepared by the health department, which noted that with cases and positivity rate declining significantly, the pandemic is in control in the state.

Black fungus in J'khand

With a rise in mucormycosis or black fungus cases in Jharkhand, the state government has directed the health machinery to be on high alert and extend all possible care to the affected people, an official said on Saturday. A total of 79 confirmed and 53 suspected cases have been reported to date in 18 of the 24 districts, he said. "The state has thus far registered 26 deaths due to mucormycosis, while 50 people have recovered from it," Ravi Shankar Shukla, Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM) Jharkhand, said.

Campaign to bust rumours

The Ministry of Minority Affairs will begin a pan-India campaign "Jaan Hai To Jahan Hai" to tackle concerns and myths about the Covid-19 vaccine from June 21. Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will launch it from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district. Naqvi said the campaign will start in rural areas across the country and the positive messages of prominent people from various religious, social, cultural, educational, medical and science and other fields will be delivered through street plays.

MHA cautions as restrictions ease

As many states and Union Territories have started relaxing restrictions with the decline in number of active Covid-19 cases, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), on Saturday, advised them to ensure the opening process is done in a "carefully calibrated" manner. The Ministry suggested them to follow the fivefold strategy of Covid-appropriate behaviour, test-track-treat and vaccination, while opening up. Among the directions issued by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in a written letter to the states and UTs, they have also been asked to regularly monitor Covid-appropriate behaviour to "prevent relapse".

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2,98,23,546
Total No. of cases in the country as of Saturday

3,85,137
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India

2,86,78,390
Patients recovered and discharged in india as of Saturday

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