Coronavirus: Highest Single-Day COVID-19 Cases Reported Amid Mass Exodus Of Migrant Workers | 10 Points

Amid growing concerns about the outbreak of deadly coronavirus in India came more worrying news on Saturday – the highest single-day positive cases. Over 200 new COVID-19 cases have been reported from different parts of the country. India has 918 active cases of coronavirus as of Saturday evening. Out of them, 862 are Indians and 47 foreign nationals. Meanwhile, thousands of migrant workers have defied lockdown in a bid to return to their hometowns and villages as they are left with no money and jobs. Such incidents were reported in different parts as lockdown entered the fourth day today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown to fight coronavirus outbreak.

Here’s the top 10 development:

1. Delhi's Anand Vihar bus station witnessed an unprecedented scene on Saturday when a sea of humanity turned up after the lockdown-triggered mass migration intensified from the capital. Amid nationwide lockdown, thousands walked to the bus terminus and stood in a queue as long as 3 kilometers. Most of the migrant workers are adamant to leave the national capital as there is currently no job for them and no arrangement for food supplies.

ALSO READ | Narendra Modi Urges Nation To Contribute To PM-CARES Fund, Says It Will Strengthen Disaster Management Capacities

2. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday issued directions to officials to quarantine the approximately one lakh people who have arrived in the state from other parts of the country in the last three days. According to a statement issued by the state government, Adityanath said that in the last three days, one lakh people have come to UP from other states. Their names, addresses, and phone numbers have been made available to the district magistrates and they are being monitored.

3. The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund was constituted on Saturday to help those who are in distress due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and urged his fellow Indians to contribute to the PM-CARES Fund. He further added that the fund will also cater to similar distressing situations if they occur in the times ahead. “Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund has been constituted. This will go a long way in creating a healthier India. People from all walks of life can donate to this fund,” PM Modi said.

4. Amid continuous mass exodus of migrant workers from the national capital because of national-wide lockdown, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday urged them to stay back and follow the social distancing. “I have asked MLAs to request migrant workers to not leave Delhi as we have made arrangements for all. I will appeal that initiative of lockdown taken by PM is necessary to contain this epidemic. If people will migrate then COVID-19 cases will rise,” he said.

5. Former Congress chief and current Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi blasted the Narendra Modi government for the deplorable situation of the urban poor hit by job loss and hunger. Gandhi took to Twitter to slam the government for the mismanagement. “The government is responsible for this horrible situation. Putting citizens in such a condition is a big crime. In today’s troubled times, our brothers and sisters should get the dignity they deserve. The government must take some concrete steps to avoid this tragedy.” 

6. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda has announced that all MPs of BJP will release Rs 1 crore from their MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) fund to the Central Relief Fund in support to fight against novel coronavirus.  “All MPs and MLAs of Bhartiya Janta Party will donate their one month remuneration /salary to the Central Relief Fund to support the fight against COVID-19,” JP Nadda said.

7. In the era off OTT, web streaming and binge watching Doordarshan united India albiet from their homes on Saturday as the channel startedrerun its iconic shows including Ramayan and Mahabharat. In these gloomy times of Coronavirus pandemic, the mythological show got family members together to watch the show they cherished years back after it was aired at 9 am on DD National on Saturday. Netizens that includes Union Minister Prakash Javdekar to actress Kajal Agarwal celebrated the moment with new found hysteria.

8. Insofys has sacked one of its employees who gave a call to the public to sneeze in public to spread the coronavirus. The tech giant, which had initially believed that it could be a case of mistaken identity, confirmed later that Mujeeb Mohammad was its employee and stated that he has been terminated from service. “Infosys has completed its investigation on the social media post by one of its employees and we believe that this is not a case of mistaken identity,” the company tweeted late on Saturday night.

ALSO READ | BJP MPs, MLAs To Donate Their One Month Salary To Central Relief Fund

9. A 16-year-old in Dumka district of Jharkhand has accused ten persons of raping her on March 24. According to the girl, the whole incident happened after she had reached out to a friend asking for help to drop her home amid the lockdown due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The friend misguided her to take a shortcut through a jungle. While going through the jungle, the boy called his friends who took turns to rape her, the girl claimed. They then left the girl in the jungle in a critical condition.

10. Over 200 academics, economists, social activists and lawyers have urged the Centre to pay heed to the condition of migrant workers who are walking to their villages amid the lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. They also said that the government should use the network of anganwadis, panchayat bhavans, schools, colleges, railway stations to set up centres to provide food to them.

With Agency Inputs