Coronavirus updates for May 8
Here's a roundup of YourStory's coverage today of how India and the world are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of coronavirus cases in India jumped to over 57,000, with nearly 1,900 deaths reported according to Worldometer. India now has the 14th highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, as the global count nears four million.
A freight train ran over and killed 16 migrant labourers in Maharashtra's Aurangabad. The workers had been walking towards Madhya Pradesh and slept on the tracks due to exhaustion. Migrant workers in Surat clashed with the police after learning that the Odisha government had cancelled three trains that were scheduled to depart. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government approved an ordinance exempting businesses from the purview of many labour laws for the next three years in order to boost investment.
India is looking to expand Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate stranded Indians from abroad through air and sea. A total of 64 flights carrying 15,000 returnees from 12 countries are expected to arrive by May 15.
The Supreme Court suggested that states should consider indirect sales and home delivery of liquor to avoid crowding at liquor shops. Madras High Court also allowed the Tamil Nadu government to sell liquor online, while ordering the closure of liquor shops in the state due to huge crowds that challenge social distancing guidelines.
Here's a roundup of YourStory's coverage today of how India and the world are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
In an exclusive interaction with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma, Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori, Co-founders of healthcare and wellness startup Curefit, cleared the air on the recent layoffs and the COVID-19 crisis.
In the recent DesignUp panel aptly titled ‘May The 4th Be With You,’ eight panelists shared advice on how to prepare for the era of the pandemic in the near, medium, and long term.
How Cisco Webex is not just enabling remote working but also fighting against COVID-19
Cisco is helping drive the COVID-19 response efforts in India by setting up war rooms for healthcare organisations consisting of interactive video devices and Webex. Undeterred by the shortage in the supply chain, it has also donated infrastructure from its own offices across the country.
[App Fridays] Ludo King’s sensational rise as casual board games come back during lockdown
Ludo King has smashed all mobile gaming records in India since the lockdown began, becoming the #1 gaming app across platforms. Here’s what makes it so hard to resist.
How BlackBuck is bringing India’s trucking industry back to life amidst coronavirus
B2B logistics startup BlackBuck’s new initiative Move India aims to bring the logistics industry back to its former glory by providing trip insurances, coronavirus relief, health insurance, and waiving off commissions for fleet owners.
This IIT alum’s Seattle-based startup plans to fight coronavirus with data science and AI
Seattle-based startup Mobilewalla, which started as a mobile audience measurement platform, is using cutting-edge data science to manage the coronavirus spread.
In the time of coronavirus, it’s business as usual for this angel network
Gurugram-based Inflection Point Ventures has invested $3.5 million in eight startups since January. Founding Partner Ankur Mittal reveals how the early-stage investment group is helping its startups and why good ideas will always be funded.
DRDO partners with Noida-based manufacturer to launch contactless hand sanitiser
OakMist, the touchless hand sanitising dispenser can sanitise 1,000 hands at a time. Rashtrapati Bhavan, PMO, SC and MHA have been equipped with the product.
Farm to market: Indian farmers struggle to mend losses amid coronavirus lockdown
The nationwide lockdown has resulted in severe labour shortages, transport impediments, and reduced market access, leaving thousands of farmers in the lurch.
Keen to help amid coronavirus crisis, 5-year-old from Delhi raises Rs 1 lakh to feed the poor
Aranya Dutt Bedi, 5, has raised Rs 1 lakh to help feed the underprivileged hit by the coronavirus crisis by selling her illustrated book. She has tied up with UNICEF and the Akshaya Patra Foundation to help them in their efforts.
How the sale of essentials is enabling online sellers on Flipkart to survive the lockdown
“We have been able to sustain 30 to 40 percent of the business simply by selling sanitisers on Flipkart. This is enough to provide salaries for my 20-member team,” says Sanjib Prasad, an online seller on Flipkart.
How COVID-19 is blurring the line between internal and external communications
As employee-centric corporate narratives become critical amid the coronavirus crisis, communicators find that internal messages are becoming relevant to external stakeholders.
Coronavirus: Gadkari says govt seriously considering another financial package
The Union Minister said the government was seriously considering unveiling another financial package for sectors hit by coronavirus. He also urged major industries to release outstanding dues to MSMEs within a month, and said tax refunds need to be processed faster.
Aarogya Setu app to be available on JioPhones soon: Sources
A version of Aarogya Setu will soon be available to 10 crore JioPhone users, and testing of the solution is currently underway, a senior government official said.
Jobless rate spikes to 14.7 pc, highest since Great Depression
Nearly all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month.
Uber loses $2.9B, offloads bike and scooter business
The ride-hailing giant said it is offloading Jump, its bike and scooter business, to Lime, a company in which it is investing $85 million.
Edited by Suman Singh
