1. The COVID-19 crisis in India is indeed very serious, the Biden Administration said on Friday, noting that the cases have not peaked yet

2.Maharashtra would have seen nine to ten lakh active coronavirus cases if the state government had not imposed new lockdown-like restrictions, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday.

3.Seventy lakh devotees participated in Haridwar's Kumbh Mela, the mammoth religious congregation which ended Friday after triggering a scare that it might have acted as a coronavirus "super-spreader".

4.India reported more than 66 lakh coronavirus cases in April, making it the worst month of the pandemic ever. Last year, it had taken six months for the caseload to increase by 66 lakh.

5.The Rajasthan government on Friday extended the lockdown till May 17 due to the soaring coronavirus infections. 

6.The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered across the country has surpassed 15.48 crore with over 26 lakh shots being given till 8 pm on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said.

7.Mauritius has joined an international initiative in extending support to India in its fight against a severe second wave of coronavirus pandemic that has swept through the country.

8.To ensure second dose of vaccine to people aged 45 years and above, the Odisha government on Friday asked the Centre to urgently supply at least 25 lakh doses of Covishield in a single lot.

9.The Supreme Court Friday said doctors, nurses and other frontline health care workers are playing a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic and it was high time to express gratitude to them as also the may Centre consider compensating them.

10.The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted eight oxygen tankers from Singapore to the Panagarh airbase in West Bengal on Friday, said an official statement.

11.Coming down heavily on states that had ordered registration of FIRs against individuals appealing for help or sharing grievances on social media or elsewhere during the ongoing Covid pandemic, the Supreme Court on Friday warned that any such action will be treated as a contempt of court.

12.The rate of infection is so widespread that it is difficult to prevent it. In view of all this, the Biden government has been tough. Indian travel will be curtailed from May 4. This means that no Indian can travel here.

13.In Maharashtra, 62,919 coronas have been detected in the last 24 hours. In addition, 829 people were killed. The total death toll in Maharashtra has risen to 68,813.

14.The third wave of the virus could hit Maharashtra in July or August, said state health minister Rajesh Tope. Everyone needs to be prepared for this. Maharashtra is the most affected state in the country in the first and second waves.

15.India on Friday extended the suspension on international commercial flight operations till May 31, 2021.

16.At least 18 coronavirus patients died after a fire broke out at a hospital in Gujarat's Bharuch in the early hours on Saturday.

17.The first instalment of the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) of Rs 8873.6 crore for the year 2021-22 has been released to all the states, said the Ministry of Finance on Saturday.

18.The Indian Air Force (IAF) has ordered round-the-clock readiness of the entire heavy-lift fleet and substantial numbers of medium-lift fleets to operate in a hub and spoke model.

19.In the last 24 hours, 11 more COVID-19 patients succumbed to the virus in the state. With this, the state’s toll surged to 2054.

20.The Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha is closed for tourists for three months with effect from today.With onset of breeding season of estuarine crocodiles, the wildlife sanctuary will remain shut for visitors from May 1 till July 31.