05.05.

2020 / / TUESDAY / / 05847

BEHIND THE FACTS

STATES WITH HIGH SWINE FLU RATE RECORD MOST COVID-19 CASES

PICTURE CAPTION

Five states account for majority of

H1N1 infections

KOSHY JACOB

New Delhi
Majority of COVID-19 infections

Five states- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi,

Tamil Nadu- account for about 70% of India’s
confirmed COVID-19 cases, that on Monday stood
at 46,416. However, data from the Health Ministry’s
National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), show
that these are also states that consistently accounted
for the bulk of swine flu cases, or seasonal influenza
(H1N1) since 2015. Last year, Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Delhi and Maharashtra accounted for 15,580 cases
of confirmed infections. In 2018 again, Tamil Nadu,
Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat, made up 65%
of H1N1 cases. In 2015, which saw 42,592 cases,
the largest spike in cases since the swine flu
pandemic of 2009-10, Maharashtra, Rajasthan,
Gujarat and Delhi polled 63% of the cases.
Excluding 2016, Maharashtra and Gujarat have
either led or been among the top three in India’s
swine flu count.
Migrants take to Surat streets in protest, clash with police
POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS TO
DISPERSE PROTESTERS
Chaotic incidents involving hapless and
desperate migrant workers continue in Gujarat as
they grow impatient to return to their native
States. On Monday, in the Kadodara area of
Surat, hundreds of workers came out on the
roads demanding that they be allowed to return
their States. The mob went berserk and clashed
with policemen. The police used tear gas shells
to disperse the crowd. More than 10 tear gas
shells were lobbed. Around 70 people were
detained and released after the situation became
normal. “Now the situation is under control. The
police had to lob tear gas shells as the mob was
growing with workers pouring in on the street,”
a local official from Surat said. This is the fourth
such incident in the migrant hub. In Palanpur
Jakatnaka within Surat city, hundreds of workers
gathered with the same demand.

PICTURE CAPTION: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipiscing elit.

SENSEX FALLS OVER 2,000 POINTS

MUMBAI
The Sensex plummeted over 2,000 points taking
cues from the global markets after the U.S said it
had evidence to prove that COVID-19 originated
in a China lab. The break in the four-day rising
streak was mirrored by the rupee plunging 64
paise to 75.73 against the dollar. Market
participants attributed the drop in equity indices
to the overall weak trend in global markets
following rising tensions between the U.S and
China. On the domestic front, the 14-day
extension of the lockdown dampened in-vestor
sentiment. The 30-share Sensex lost a whopping
2,002.27 points, or 5.94%, to close at 31,715.35.
PAGE 1
05.05.2020 / / DAY / / 05847
KEYWORD
Krishnagiri moves from green zone to
orange
Two women in Shoolagiri test positive, placed in home quarantine
AUTHOR NAME
DATE
Krishnagiri moved from green zone to orange
zone after two women tested positive for COVID-
19 here in Shoolagiri. The women, 52 years and
60 years of age, both flower sellers near Shoolagiri
bus stand, are believed to have contracted the
infection from a villupuram man, who travelled to
Shoolagiri for a wedding in the family of one of
the women. Speaking to Behind The Facts, Deputy
Director of Health Govindan said the women had
shown mild symptoms of fever and cough on
Friday. Their swabs were collected on May 2 and
3 respectively and sent for testing. The tests
returned positive and the women were placed in
home quarantine. “They are in good condition, and
5 other family members of one of the women were
also isolated.” No information was forthcoming
from the health authorities on when was the
marriage were held, how the travel was allowed
and the number of attendees. Kamarajar Nagar and
Anna Nagar in Shoolagiri were cordoned off as
containment zones. It appeared that the authorities
would once again dub the testing of the women as
imported cases. “It is an “imported case” and there
are no real cases in Krishnagiri,” Dr.Govindan
said. On Friday, a 67-year-old Krishnagiri man
tested positive after a week of quarantine in his
home in a village in Krishnagiri upon his return
from Puttaparthi. However, he was stopped at the
border in Salem. So it was counted under Salem
district.
BEHIND THE
FACTS
KEYWORD
Asymptomatic patients
being shifted to
quarantine facilities
Chennai
Government hospitals in the city are continuing to
shift asymptomatic and stable patients to
quarantine facilities to accommodate the
increasing number of coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) patients. On Monday, the Rajiv
Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH)
shifted 85 asymptomatic and stable patients to the
facility at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam.
R.Jayanthi, dean of RGGGH, said the hospital at
present had a total of 377 patients, of which 363
were COVID-19 positive. The remaining were
individuals suspected to have symptoms of
COVID-19. At government Stanley Medical
College Hospital, 169 patients were shifted to a
private college and to Tondiarpet peripheral
hospital, officials said. “We took up another unit at
the peripheral hospital. We gave the option to the
patients to decide on the centres. Some of them
living nearby chose Tondiarpet. With this, we
have 147 patients at Stanley Hospital,” an official
said. He added that this move was to reserve the
beds in hospitals for patients in need of treatment.
“Patients with co-morbid conditions such as
diabetes, hypertension and lung infection should
be treated at the hospital,” he said.
P.Vasanthamani, dean of Government Kilpauk
Medical College Hospital said the Health Minister,
Chief Secretary and special Nodal Officer for
Greater Chennai Corporation inspected the
quarantine facility at NSTI, Guindy. “We are
getting ready to shift patients to the facility. Minor
works are going on at the centre, and we have also
requested the Corporation to arrange for security
and sanitation workers,” she said.
KEYWORD
New health warnings on tobacco
product packs
The Union Health Ministry on Monday
notified a new set of images with specified
health warnings for all tobacco product packs
by making an amendment to the Cigarettes
and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and
Labelling) Rules, 2008. A Ministry release
noted that all tobacco products manufactured
or imported or packaged on or after September
1 shall display the second image. “Any person
engaged directly or indirectly in the
manufacture, production, supply, import or
distribution of cigarettes or any tobacco
products shall ensure that all tobacco product
packages shall have the specified health
warnings exactly as prescribed,” said the
release. Violation of the provision is a
punishable offence with imprisonment or fine
as prescribed in section 20 of the Cigarettes
and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of
Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and
Commerce, Production, Supply and
Distribution) Act, 2003.
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05.05.2020 / / DAY / / 05847
BEHIND THE
FACTS

Covid-19: Good Samaritans join hands to extend helping hand to the

poor in Ayyappakam, Chennai

Chennai

With all kinds of business activities coming to a

standstill and auto rickshaws, taxis and rickshaws off
road and movement stopped due to Covid-19 outbreak,
thousands of labourers and daily-wage earners struggle,
looking for help in this hour of unprecedented crisis
across the state. While the government has made
arrangement for such people at different places, these
are often not enough due to the magnitude of the
problem. This has brought in some good Samaritans to
provide much needed help to the needy as part of their
social responsibility. For instance, Chennai
Ayyapakkam, Ezhil Nagar Association contributes the
rice, ration items and various food products to the needy
peoples. “The Ezhil nagar Association says about the its
truly overwhelmed to see how people join hands for a
good cause just for the sake of humanity, nothing else.

Day Temperature may rise in interior districts

‘Agni Natchathiram’ - Chennai

The city was spared of scorching heat on
the first day of the peak summer season,
popularly called as Agni Natchathiram, as
Monday’s maximum temperature was
normal. But interior places such as
Madurai and Karur may continue to sizzle
for two or more days, according to
Meteorological department officials.
Normally, the period between May 4 and
May 28 is considered to be peak summer.
On Monday, the weather stations at
Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam
recorded a maximum temperature of 36.2
degree Celsius and 36 degree Celsius.
Tiruttani recorded 40 degree Celsius. N.
Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone
Warning Centre, Chennai, said south and
southeasterly winds prevailing over the
coastal areas prevented the day
temperature from rising above the
average. If the low-pressure area over
south Andaman sea was stronger, it
would have influenced a hotter weather
over coastal places, he said. Interior areas
would experience relatively hot weather
as the cool wind would not be able to
penetrate much distance and a calm wind
continued to blow in those places, he said.
Chennai will experience a day
temperature of 37 degree Celsius.

PAGE 3
05.05.2020 / / DAY / / 05847
BEHIND THE
FACTS

KEYWORD

Trump launches campaign with a promise of vaccine

President Donald Trump launched his election “We’re going to have an incredible following year,”
campaign on Sunday with a live television event he said. To a woman who called in expressing fear of
inside the iconic Lincoln Memorial, promising an financial ruin and eviction, Mr. Trump said her job
early coronavirus vaccine and urging Americans to would come back. “You get a job where you make
put the pandemic behind them to embrace an more money,” he said. Saying Americans should start
“incredible” future. With the two-hour long Fox going back to beaches this summer and
News “town hall”, Mr. Trump sought to wrap recommending that shuttered schools need to reopen
himself in the mantle of America’s arguably greatest in September, Mr. Trump forecast good news on the
President-and to persuade a nation battered by death hunt for a vaccine. “We are very confident that we’re
and mass unemployment to look ahead. “We can’t going to have a vaccine… by the end of the year.” He
stay closed as a country, we’re not going to have a said, admitting he was getting ahead of his advisors
country left,” he said on the show, where two with the prediction. “I’ll say what I think,” he said.
moderators, as well as ordinary citizens via video,“
put questions to him in front of the monument. “

Division Style
He is doing poorly in most polls ahead of the November presidential contest
against Democratic challenger Joe Biden, who remains shuttered in his
Delaware home. Mr. Trump faces criticism for his divisive style during a
time of national calamity. He is also accused by some of botching the early
response to the COVID-19 virus. With officials saying the viral spread has
begun to taper, Mr. Trump is itching to return to the campaign trail.

HRW: bodies dumped in Syria gorge

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
BEIRUT
Human Rights Watch on Monday called for an investigation into a
spectacular gorge in northern Syria that has been used as a dumping
site for dead bodies over several years. The 50-metre –deep hole in a
desert area of Raqa province was once controlled by the Islamic State
group, when it still ruled its “caliphate” straddling swathes of Syria
and Iraq. HRW investigated the site since the area was wrested from
the jihadists by Kurdish-led forces in late 2017 and found that bodies
were dumped in the gorge. “Al-Hota gorge, once a beautiful natural
site, has become a place of horror and reckoning,” said Sara Kayyali,
Syria researcher at Human Rights Watch.

KEYWORD

Aavin milk distribution hit in several parts of north Chennai

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS
CHENNAI

Supply of Aavin milk was hit in several areas ‘We have brought in experienced staff from
including Perambur, Vyasarpadi,MKB Nagar and other dairies to work at Madhavaram. Also
parts of Anna Nagar, on Monday after a section of
employees at the Madhavaram dairy abandoned
adequate precautions are taken at all diaries,
work. This was after they got information about one which are being sanitized regularly. All staff
employee testing positive for COVID-19 on are scanned for temperature and provided
Saturday and civic body official sources. The man gloves and masks when they enter our
had gone to Koyambedu to buy vegetables. premises,” he said.
Consumers said that they received milk as late as
10 a.m. due to the delay. T.K. Pandian of Anna
Nagar said that supply was delayed on Sunday and
Monday. “As it is people are buying in bulk and
milk gets over very quickly. It is summer and
people are buying more to make curd,” he said. The
dairy supplies 3.5 lakh litres of milk a day to the
city. Aavin Managing Director M. Vallalar said that
they were taking steps to ensure timely supplies.

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05.05.2020 / / DAY / / 05847
KEYWORD
Meenakshi Sundareshwarar celestial wedding goes digital
MADURAI
Thousands of people logged into their mobile phones and laptops to watch the
first ever fully-digital celestial wedding of the famed Meenakshi
Sundareshwarar temple in Madurai on Monday. In the wake of COVID-19,
members of the temple administration said that devotees, who usually throng
the temple in large crowds, praised them for moving towards live telecasting
the function through the internet. Meenakshi temple’s joint commissioner N.
Natarajan said that people in Canada and the U.S., who would usually wait for
the event to be telecasted and watch on a later date, were happy about being
able to watch the ceremony in its entirety. The celestial wedding began at 8.15
a.m. as per usual and concluded by around 10.30 a.m. at the Sethi Mandapam
near the Swami Sannithi. Lord Sundareshwarar and Piriyavidai were brought
to the Mandapam first.
BEHIND THE
FACTS
This was followed by the entrance of Goddess Meenakshi. All the deities were
dressed in bright and festive colours with elaborate floral decoration. Only four
priests, a handful of temple staff, a videographer, an oodhuvar and a tavil
musician were present during the ceremony. Police personnel manned all the
entrances of the temple to ensure that the general public did not enter. “We
took all the essential precautions and made sure that physical distancing was in
place,” the Joint commissioner said. He added that they recorded around
45,000 views on YouTube and 8,500 views on Facebook where the event was
aired live. The Joint Commissioner said that in the coming years, steps will be
taken to continue the temple’s foray into the digital world.
PAGE 5
05.05.2020 / / DAY / / 05847
BEHIND THE
FACTS

Women’s squad raises Rs.20 lakh

Hockey
UTHIRA SUBASH

The Indian women’s hockey team’s efforts to

crowd-fund support for poor and migrant
workers has raised Rs.20,01,130 through an 18-
day online challenge. The effort was launched
on April 17 with an initial target of Rs.15 lakh to
feed 1,000 families. The fitness challenge that
ended on May 3 involved team members posting
a new challenge everyday and tagging 10 people
on the social media, who had to accept it and
donate Rs.100 each besides forwarding the
challenge to others. It also encouraged people to
adopt an active lifestyle. “The response has been
overwhelming and I would like to thank
everyone who took part in this initiative,”
captain Rani Rampal said. “We saw people’s
support grow everyday. We would also like to
thank Hockey India, coach (Sjoerd) Marijne and
entire support staff for backing us in this
initiative,” vice-captain Savita Punia added.
Producing champions a Team Effort
Several current and former India players-
including S.V.Sunil, Dhanraj Pillay, Gagan Ajit
Singh, Yuvraj Walmiki- and Haryana Sports Sindhu emphasizes the role played by
Minister Sandeep Singh also contributed to the parents in an athlete’s success
cause besides State associations and team
BADMINTON
officials like scientific advisor Wayne Lombard.
V.V.SUBRAHMANYAM
The rations will be distributed through Delhi- HYDERABAD
based NGO Uday Foundation.. Champions are produced not by individuals Parents are the most important part of an athlete’s
but by a team, feels P.V.Sindhu. The success as they understand the psyche of a child
team,according to her, includes parents, better than the others. I spend a lot of time with
coaches, support staff and administrators, my father watching matches of myself and other
with each of them having a role to play. In players to analyse and plan my strategy against
an online chat with the newly appointed them,” said the 24-year old. “Initially, the biggest
Assistant Directors of the Sports Authority challenge was travelling around 120km daily (to
of India(SAI) on Monday, the World the Academy and back to her home in
champion shared her remarkable jouney: Secunderabad). My father taking long leave from
from learning the basics with coach Railway service was important as he guided me
Mehboob Ali at the IRISET Stadium to on the areas of improvement,” she said. Sindhu
training under the watchful eyes of felt that the relationship between an athlete and a
Dronacharya S.M. Arif at the Fateh and coach was crucial. “There should be a continuity
finally joining the Gopi Chand Academy in in coaches. Unfortunately, most of the senior
2005 on the suggestion of the then coach coaches have left even before their contracts
Tom John and SAAP coach Govardhan ended. This should be looked into carefully as it
Reddy. “I am not saying this (team effort) affects the performances of the players”.
just because my parents had a sports
background (P.V.Ramana and P.Vijaya had
represented India in Volleyball).

PAGE 6