Indian PM warns against coronavirus ‘negligence’
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday warned Indians against lowering their guard on the COVID-19 pandemic, and announced the extension of a free food grain programme until November.
Several Indian cities prepared to extend their lockdowns to combat the spread of the infection on Tuesday, with daily new cases in the country remaining close to 20,000.
Modi announced the extension of PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till November end, which helps over 800 million people to avail 5 kilos of free food grains every month.
“Ever since (easing of restrictions) started in the country, negligence in personal and social behaviour has been increasing,” Modi said in a televised address, adding citizens were ignoring guidelines on social distancing and hand washing.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said her government would give free ration to people till June 2021.
“We will give free ration till June 2021. The quality of ration is beter than that of the Centre,” the CM said minutes ater Modi’s address to the nation in the aternoon.
The UAE Embassy in New Delhi has issued a circular for stranded Indians expats India to obtain a travel approval from the UAE Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) prior to travelling to the Emirates.
The official account of the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, India said on Twiter, “The UAE Embassy in India would like to draw the atention of the valid UAE residence permit holders currently present in India, to the necessity of obtaining necessary approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) while ensuring that all conditions set by the UAE competent authorities are observed.
“Please note that UAE will issue no objection leter to travel in some humanitarian cases only that meet all conditions and requirements.” The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced that it has conducted more than 63,000 additional COVID-19 tests, which revealed 421 new cases, bringing the total number in the UAE to 48,667.
MOHAP added that an additional 490 individuals have now fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries in the UAE to 37,566.
MOHAP also announced one fatality as a result of COVID-19 complications, taking the total number of deaths in the Emirates to 315.
The European Union will reopen its borders to travelers from 14 countries, and possibly China soon, the bloc announced Tuesday, but most Americans have been refused entry for at least another two weeks due to soaring coronavirus infections in the US.
Citizens from the following countries will be allowed into the EU’S 27 members and four other nations in Europe’s visa-free Schengen travel zone: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.
The EU said China is “subject to confirmation of reciprocity,” meaning Beijing should lit all restrictions on European citizens entering China before European countries will allow Chinese citizens back in. Millions of travelers who come from Russia, Brazil and India will miss out.
The United States cannot count on the availability of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, the government’s top infectious diseases expert said on Tuesday, and he warned that the daily surge in cases could more than double if Americans fail to take steps to get the virus under control.
The United States could see 100,000 new coronavirus cases a day, Fauci warned on Tuesday.
“We are now having 40-plus thousand new cases a day,” Fauci said in testimony to the Senate Health and Education Commitee.
“I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around,” Fauci said.
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged on Tuesday to deliver an “infrastructure revolution” to help Britain build its way out of the economic devastation of the coronavirus outbreak.
He promised £1 billion ($1.2 billion) for school repairs and a further £4 billion for “shovel-ready” projects from road maintenance to public transport in what he said was a new “infrastructure revolution” that would also build new homes.
UAE reports 421 new cases, 490 recoveries and a death; EU reopens its borders to several nations but not to US tourists; America could see 100,000 cases a day: Fauci; Boris pledges ‘infrastructure revolution.’