COVID-19 Cases Cross 900-Mark In India And Other Top Stories

India on Saturday recorded 135 new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), one of the highest single-day spikes, as the number of cases crossed 1,000, Hindustan Times reported. Thousands of migrant workers flooded the interstate Anand Vihar bus terminal on Saturday to board buses back home from across the border in Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh. Hindustan Times

The pandemic has not only stirred India's humongous healthcare network into action but also sharply brought into focus its severe shortcomings. With the According to the National Health Profile-2019, released by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, India has 7,13,986 beds spread across 25,778 government hospitals, Deccan Herald reported. Karnataka on Saturday reported 12 new cases, the highest in a single day so far, taking the tally in the state to 76. Deccan Herald

On Saturday, the Centre asked states to utilise the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide food and shelter to the returning migrants, The Indian Express reported. A week before migrant workers took to the streets to walk back to their villages in faraway Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in defiance of the lockdown, the Centre had all the indications about a surge in demand from migrant workers to go back home from cities locked down to contain the spread of COVID-19.

At least 1,000 UP Roadways buses, backed up by 2,000 private buses, trucks, trolleys, tractors, goods carriers and any other vehicle that the authorities managed to deploy thousands of people who gathered at the sealed borders, imploring to be allowed to pass. The day's average air quality index was in the top category ("good") in as many as 35 cities out of 101 monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board on Saturday, The Times Of India reported. The Times Of India