PM congratulates Mamata Banerjee ,Vijayan & Stalin

Madhya Pradesh government has extended 'corona curfew' in capital Bhopal till May 10. State reported 12,662 new cases on Sunday, while 13,890 patients recovered from infection. With 94 deaths, the fatality count rose to 5,812. AIR correspondent reports, the curfew, in force since April 12 with extensions on April 19 and 26, was to end at 6 am on Monday. The corona curfew was extended in Bhopal and Berasia town till 6 am on May 10. As per an order essential services and emergency travel are exempted from the curfew.The number of active cases in the state now stands at 87,189. Indore and Bhopal both have more than 11,000 active cases.The percentage of recovery has been higher than the new positive cases in 26 districts of the state. The overall recovery rate has increased to 84.19 percent.

-Bihar government has declared working journalists as Frontline Covid Warriors, recognising the risks they undertake to cover the pandemic. They will be vaccinated against Covid on priority basis. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said working journalists are doing a great service to the state by providing seamless news feed, making people aware on Covid-related issues and they are a great support for the war against Covid.Meanwhile, fresh Corona cases in the state continue to rise rapidly. A record number of 13 thousand 534 fresh cases were reported in the state yesterday.  97 deaths were also reported. With this, casualties due to the pandemic has gone up to two thousand 739. The positivity rate has gone over 14 percent. Patna reported  two thousand 748 positive cases, the highest in the state, followed by 805 in Gaya.

-Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated TMC President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her party's win in the state assembly elections. In a series of tweets, Modi said the Centre will continue to extend all possible support to the West Bengal Government to fulfill people’s aspirations and also to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. He also thanked people of the state who have blessed BJP saying BJP’s presence has significantly increased from a negligible presence earlier. The Prime Minister added that his party will keep serving the people and applauded each and every BJP worker for their spirited effort in the polls. Modi also congratulated Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF for winning the assembly elections. He said they will continue working together on a wide range of subjects and to ensure India mitigates the COVID-19 global pandemic. He expressed gratitude to the people of Kerala who supported BJP in these elections. He also congratulated DMK chief M K Stalin for the victory in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections saying they will work together for enhancing national progress, fulfilling regional aspirations and defeating the COVID-19 pandemic.The Prime Minister also thanked the people of Tamil Nadu who supported NDA and assured the people of the state that they will keep working towards the state’s welfare and to further popularise the glorious Tamil culture. He applauded party workers for their hardwork.

-As the United States continues to deliver vital medical supplies to India to support its fight against COVID-19, a flight from America carrying 1.25 lakh vials of an anti-viral drug Remdesivir landed in India. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted that fourth flight from US arrives carrying 1.25 lakh vials of Remdesivir. He welcomed this support from the United States. On Saturday night, a flight from the US, carrying 1,000 oxygen cylinders, regulators and other medical equipment landed in India. Earlier on Friday, the US deployed its first two planes carrying the initial emergency relief supplies including oxygen cylinders, regulators, and pulse oximeters donated by California, and rapid diagnostic tests and N95 masks. Under the immediate emergency COVID-19 Assistance, Washington is providing 1700 oxygen concentrators, an initial delivery of 1,100 cylinders, multiple large-scale Oxygen Generation Units to support up to 20 patients each, to India. The Biden administration has also redirected its own order of AstraZeneca manufacturing supplies to India, which will allow it to make over 20 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

-World Press Freedom Day is being observed Monday. This day is celebrated on the 3rd of May every year. This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme “Information as a Public Good” serves as a call to affirm the importance of cherishing information as a public good.In his message, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged all governments to do everything in their power to support a free, independent and diverse media.  He said, in many countries, journalists and media workers face censorship, abuse, harassment,  detention and even death simply for doing their jobs.