Coronavirus updates for May 6
Here's a roundup of YourStory's coverage today of how India and the world are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
As the number of coronavirus cases in India inches towards the 50,000-mark, the number of reported deaths crossed 1,700, according to Worldometer. Maharashtra saw a record 1,233 new cases, while Telangana extended the nationwide lockdown till May 29.
Karnataka announced a Rs 1,610 crore package to benefit those in distress due to coronavirus-induced lockdown. The measures are aimed to bring relief to farmers, MSMEs, autorickshaw and taxi drivers, large industries, weavers, barbers, etc.
Many European countries including Italy, France, and Germany continue to ease restrictions due to decreasing number of cases. New Zealand reported zero new cases for the second consecutive day — seven weeks after it reported its first. German top-division football league Bundesliga has also received approval to resume matches by the second-half of May.
However, many companies are facing the economic ramifications of the lockdown. Airbnb laid off 25 percent of its staff due to the tourism industry coming to a standstill. Ride-hailing aggregator Uber is reportedly planning to lay off 14 percent of its staffers, including 500 employees from India.
Here's a roundup of YourStory's coverage today of how India and the world are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus: Cure.fit founders write open letter to employees to 'set the record straight'
A day after downsizing and announcing salary cuts citing the coronavirus impact, Founders Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori have written to their employees to ensure 'accurate information about how the health and fitness startup is managing this crisis'.
, the B2B startup focussed on the packaging industry, undertook rapid reorientation to enable its digital platform to source and supply critical personal protective equipment to various hospitals across the country which are battling the coronavirus pandemic.
Biotech startup Biomoneta is using decontamination tech to prevent spread of coronavirus
Bengaluru-based biotech startup ’s air decontamination technology deviceZeBox traps and kills microbes that can cause diseases. The co-founders aim to deploy the apparatus at hospitals to quell the spread of coronavirus.
How COVID-19 changed the behaviour of consumers and retailers in India
Data gathered by SaaS startup shows how Indians consumed food during the coronavirus lockdown, and how consumers and retailers from across the country reacted to the situation.
In an exclusive interaction with SMBStory, Aditi Puri Batra bats for boosting financial literacy through technology solutions, and explains how QuickBooks is enabling small businesses to adopt such solutions.
Over 200 women from a village in Andhra Pradesh join the fight against COVID-19 by stitching PPEs
At a time when many healthcare centres are dealing with a deficit of personal protective equipment, a tailoring unit at Lakkavaram in Andhra Pradesh is making and supplying masks, shoe covers, and lab coats to the state government with the help of the 1M1B NGO.
's Nikhil and Nithin Kamath pledged Rs 25 crore across initiatives to fight coronavirus, including providing 11,000 meals a day to migrant workers.
Women are finding it difficult to access abortion care, an essential service during lockdown
The closure of private clinics, lack of mobility, and lockdown rules are restricting women from having access to abortion care.
Coronavirus: This Bengaluru doctor received the most heart-warming welcome by her neighbours
Dr Vijayashree, who works at the MS Ramaiah Hospital in Bengaluru, received thunderous applause as a token of gratitude for her tireless work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Why the nutraceutical industry is important amid the coronavirus pandemic
Building immunity is crucial to fighting the coronavirus, and nutraceutical supplements can offer vital nutritional benefits to keep people’s immune systems at their best.
Lockdown 3.0: Mobile phones, gas stoves, trimmers see spike in searches on Flipkart
The Walmart-owned company said it saw an increase in searches for consumer electronic products, including personal grooming equipment such as trimmers.
Location tracking not allowed in apps using APIs jointly built by Apple, Google
The development is unlikely to have an impact on apps like Aarogya Setu.
PepsiCo India-funded COVID-19 testing kits start reaching laboratories
These COVID-19 kits are being procured and distributed by Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) with funding from PepsiCo India, and have been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
COVID-19 crisis has accelerated importance of AI, hybrid cloud: IBM CEO
IBM has announced a broad range of AI-powered capabilities and services that are designed to help chief information officers automate their IT infrastructure to be more resilient to future disruptions and to help reduce costs.
The app is the government's mobile application for contact tracing and disseminating medical advisories to users in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Lockdown extended in Telangana till May 29
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday announced the extension of the lockdown in the state till May 29 but with relaxations in rural and municipal areas.
Coronavirus: Karnataka govt announces Rs 1,610 Cr relief package
The measures announced by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa would bring relief to farmers, flower-growers, washermen, autorickshaw and taxi drivers, MSMEs, large industries, weavers, building workers, and barbers.
PNB Housing Fin signs pact with IIT-D to develop PPE kits for healthcare workers
Under the agreement, PNBHFL will support R&D of a unique prototype material to be used in manufacturing sustainable PPE surgical gowns and masks.
