As the country is grappling with the massive spike in COVID-19 cases, the government on Friday permitted the import of oxygen concentrators for personal use, through post, courier or e-commerce portals under the gift category. However, this exemption for personal use is only allowed for a period till July 31, 2021, according to a notification of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

India for the first time has reported more than 4 lakh new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. A total of 4,01,993 fresh COVID-19 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours taking the cumulative count of the cases to 1,91,64,969, the Union Health Ministry reported on Saturday.

With 3,523 people succumbing to the infection in the last 24 hours, the death toll has mounted to 2,11,853.

On the 400th Prakash Purab (birth anniversary) of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to the nation saying his sacrifice gives strength and motivation to many. PM Modi visited Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi in the morning and offered prayers on the 400th Prakash Purab of Guru Teg Bahadur. He visited the Gurudwara without a security route and any special security arrangement.

At least 18 coronavirus (Covid-19) patients died after a fire broke out at a hospital in Gujarat's Bharuch in the early hours on Saturday.

There were around 50 other patients at the four- storeyed Welfare Hospital when the fire broke out in the Covid-19 ward at 1 am. They were rescued by locals and firefighters, an official said.

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd, or RIL, reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 13,227 crore for the quarter ended March 2021 (Q4), more than double the Rs 6,348 crore reported in the year-ago quarter.

While the jump should be seen in the light of last year’s low base, when profit was lower on account of an exceptional loss of Rs 4,267 crore, the performance for Q4FY21 is largely in line with analysts’ expectations.

India saw 3,86,452 new coronavirus infections in a span of 24 hours, the highest single-day rise so far, pushing the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,87,62,976, while active cases crossed the 31-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll increased to 2,08,330 with 3,498 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Retail giant Walmart on Friday announced that it will donate up to 20 oxygen-generating plants and 20 cryogenic containers for oxygen storage and transportation to India, as well as more than 3,000 oxygen concentrators and 500 oxygen cylinders for delivering oxygen therapy to patients at home or in hospital.

These are being sourced globally and will be donated to hospitals and NGOs in India for distribution as the country gasps for oxygen amid the lethal second Covid wave.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said he has tested negative for COVID-19.

The chief minister had isolated himself on April 13 after some officials he came in contact with tested positive for coronavirus. He tested positive the next day.

Amid the second COVID-19 wave, officials of the Tihar Jail in Delhi have written to the Delhi government requesting emergency parole for some prisoners.

Four prisioners died recently due to the coronavirus.

We wrote the to the government a few days back. It is under the consideration of the government. In this second COVID-19 wave, four prisoners have died so far, an official said.

Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested five people from Uttarakhand for allegedly manufacturing fake Remdesivir injections.

Raids were conducted in Haridwar, Roorkee and Kotdwar of Uttarakhand. We busted an illegal factory being used for manufacturing fake Remdesivir injections, the police said.

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