1. India reported over 2,000 deaths in day for the first time on Wednesday. With 2,003 deaths, the toll from the disease rose to 11,903. The huge increase in the number of deaths reportedly came after several states, including Delhi and Maharashtra, took account of pending data. India’s overall coronavirus count reached 3,54,065 after 10,974 new cases were reported in 24 hours.
  2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his second video conference with chief ministers of 15 most-affected states to discuss the coronavirus crisis. He said that India has been able to control the coronavirus because of its timely efforts and asked the chief ministers to make full use of their state’s existing testing capacity and also work to augment health infrastructure.
  3. The total number of coronavirus infections in Tamil Nadu crossed the 50,000-mark on Wednesday and went up to 50,193. With 48 deaths, the toll stood at 576. Meanwhile, Maharashtra reported 3,307 new coronavirus cases and 114 deaths. The total tally of cases in the worst-hit state increased to 1,16,752 and the toll was at 5,651. Delhi recorded 2,414 new cases and 67 deaths in a day, taking its total count to 47,102, while the toll rose to 1,904.
  4. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Atishi and the party’s media panelist Akshay Marathe tested positive for the coronavirus. Testing rates in Delhi, meanwhile, were capped at Rs 2,400. From Thursday, tests will be carried out using the new rapid antigen methodology approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research. The test kits will be given to Delhi with priority.
  5. The Supreme Court ordered the Centre to issue directions regarding the quarantine protocol for doctors engaged in coronavirus fight and the salaries of healthcare workers by Thursday. The court was hearing a petition seeking separate residential facilities for doctors by acquiring hotels and guest houses close to the hospitals. The top court also pulled up the Delhi government for targeting doctors who have flagged the government’s shortcomings.
  6. In another case, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre in a public interest litigation seeking transfer of all funds from the PM CARES Fund to the National Disaster Relief Fund to help the fight against the novel coronavirus.
  7. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia wrote to Union Minister of Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal, saying that the plan to conduct CBSE board examinations in July would be extremely difficult due to the rising number of coronavirus cases. “Subjecting them [students] to take exam in such an uncertain and anxiety prone situation would not be fair to them,” he said.
  8. Airports in Beijing cancelled more than 1,200 flights amid fears over a new wave of coronavirus infections. Beijing recorded 31 new cases on Wednesday. The new cases have sparked concern because China had managed to largely control the outbreak.
  9. A report released by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that people with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes died 12 times as often as healthy individuals infected with the coronavirus.
  10. The global coronavirus tally reached 82,17,627, while the toll rose to 4,45,012, according to the Johns Hopkins University. Over 39.85 lakh people have recovered so far.