Covid-19 India timeline: Looking again at pandemic-induced lockdown and the way the nation is dealing with the disaster

On March 25 final 12 months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced a nationwide lockdown in view of the rising variety of Covid-19 instances. Almost a 12 months later, India is experiencing a renewed surge in infections with many states reportedly within the grip of a second wave.
Starting from January final 12 months, when the primary case of Covid-19 was detected in India to administering over 32 lakh vaccine doses, the nation has come a good distance whereas coping with the disaster.
Here is a timeline of occasions and the place we stand now in our struggle towards the pandemic:
December 31, 2019: China alerts WHO of 27 instances of “viral pneumonia” in Wuhan. Authorities shut down a moist market in Wuhan the subsequent day, after discovering some sufferers have been distributors or sellers.
January 11, 2020: After a 61-year-old man succumbs to the an infection, lab studies cited by Chinese state media level to a brand new kind of coronavirus.
January 13: A Chinese lady is quarantined in Thailand, making it the primary detection of the virus exterior China.
January 15: Japan confirms its first case.
January 20: Five days after Japan detected the primary affected person, South Korea confirms its first case.
January 22: WHO convenes an emergency assembly. However, Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the brand new coronavirus doesn’t but represent a world emergency.
January 23: China points a lockdown for hundreds of thousands of individuals in Wuhan and Hubei province because the demise toll rises to 18.
January 24: The first instances of coronavirus in Europe are reported in France.
January 30: India’s first Covid-19 affected person — a 20-year-old medical scholar who simply got here again from Wuhan in China — reported in Kerala’s Thrissur district.
A 20-year-old medical scholar who simply got here again from Wuhan in China was India’s first Covid affected person. (Representational picture)
On the identical day, WHO says the disaster is a worldwide emergency of worldwide concern because the demise toll in China jumps to 170, with 7,711 instances reported within the nation. More than 7,500 instances have been reported in 20 nations of the world.
February 1: The second evacuation flight authorized by China. The airplane lands at 8 pm, and takes off with 323 Indians and 7 Maldives nationals at 6 am on February 2.
February 3: Kerala authorities declares coronavirus a state calamity after two extra instances have been reported in Alappuzha and Kasaragod district.
February 4: India cancels present visas for Chinese and foreigners who had visited China within the final two weeks because the demise toll in China exceeds that of the 2002-03 SARS outbreak. About 3,711 folks, together with 138 Indians, have been quarantined aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan after a passenger, who had disembarked at Hong Kong, are discovered to be contaminated with the virus.
February 11: WHO proclaims that the illness brought on by novel coronavirus will likely be known as ‘Covid-19’. The new coronavirus was named SARS-CoV-2.
February 19: Test outcomes of India’s first Covid-19 affected person come adverse and he or she is discharged from the Thrissur Medical College Hospital.
March 2: Two extra instances detected exterior Kerala reported – a 45-year-old man in Delhi who had travelled again from Italy and a 24-year-old engineer in Hyderabad who had a journey historical past from Dubai.
March 10: A complete of fifty Covid-19 instances reported in India, with infections doubling in simply 4 days. Thirteen states and UTs in India have reported a minimum of one Covid-19 case.
March 11: WHO declares Covid-19 a pandemic, which is outlined “an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, and most people do not have immunity against it”. At this level, greater than 1,21,000 folks have been contaminated and over 4,300 died globally. US blocks guests from Europe.
March 12: India studies first fatality resulting from Covid-19 after a 76-year-old man from Kalburgi, Karnataka, dies. India additionally bans entry of foreigners and suspends all visas from March 13 to April 15.
March 15: Total variety of Covid-19 instances touches 100 as Maharashtra overtakes Kerala with most infections. CDC recommends no gatherings of fifty or extra folks within the US.
March 22: Upon a name by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a 14-hour voluntary lockdown known as ‘Janata Curfew’ was noticed in India. Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposes lockdown in Britain.
March 25: A nationwide lockdown throughout India is imposed until April 14, with solely important providers saved out of its purview. Tokyo Olympics postponed for a 12 months till 2021.
A nationwide lockdown throughout India was imposed on March 25 final 12 months. (Express file)
March 26: On the second day of the lockdown, India witnesses migrant labourers strolling tons of of kilometres alongside highways to achieve their native villages.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proclaims a Rs 1.7 lakh crore bundle underneath a brand new scheme known as the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana (PMGKBY) to deal with the financial misery. The bundle consists of free meals to the “poorest of the poor”, earnings assist to farmers and unorganised sector staff.
Migrant staff walked hundreds of kilometres after the lockdown was imposed. (Express file)
March 27: RBI proclaims a three-month moratorium (March 1 to May 31) on mortgage and card repayments and slashed its essential coverage fee — repo fee by 75 foundation factors and money reserve ratio (CRR) of banks by 100 foundation factors to stabilise the monetary markets and cut back the ache on debtors hit by Covid-19 pandemic.
March 30: Nizamuddin Markaz, which is the worldwide headquarters of Tabilghi Jamaat, emerges as a Covid-19 hotspot, with authorities saying round 5,000 are being traced throughout the nation.
Nizamuddin Markaz, which is the worldwide headquarters of Tabilghi Jamaat, emerged as a Covid-19 hotspot. (Express file)
April 5: Upon PM Modi’s name, residents gentle diyas, candles, torches and flashlights to indicate solidarity with Covid-19 frontline healthcare staff.
April 6: The demise toll in India crosses the 100-mark.
April 14: Prime Minister Modi extends the 21-day lockdown to May 3. 10,000 confirmed instances are recorded.  MHA points “National Directives” for COVID-19 administration, makes sporting a face cowl necessary in work and public areas.
April 29: India information 1,000 confirmed deaths.
May 1: Home Ministry extends lockdown for 2 weeks beginning May 4 with zone-wise restrictions. Divides districts into crimson, orange and inexperienced zones on the premise of instances. Shramik Special trains began for stranded migrant staff.
May 7: Phase 1 of Vande Bharat mission to evacuate almost 15,000 Indians stranded overseas begins. 50,000 confirmed instances reported in India.
May 12: PM Narendra Modi proclaims Rs 20 lakh crore Atmanirbhar bundle, says dimension is 10% of GDP, together with bulletins made by RBI earlier.
May 13: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proclaims Tranche 1 of Atmanirbhar bundle of Rs 5.94 lakh crore (2.97% of GDP). It consists of collateral free computerized loans to MSMEs, 100% credit score assure cowl to banks, NBFCs price Rs 3 lakh crore, subordinate debt to confused MSMEs price Rs 20,000 crore, fairness infusion for MSMEs price Rs 50,000 crore and EPF assist for 3 months price Rs 2,500 crore.
May 14: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proclaims Tranche 2 of Atmanirbhar bundle of Rs 3.10 lakh crore (1.55% of GDP). It consists of free meals grain provide to migrants for two months price Rs 3,500 crore and particular liquidity scheme to offer Rs 10,000 working capital to 50 lakh road distributors at Rs 5,000 crore.
On May 14, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Tranche 2 of Atmanirbhar bundle of Rs 3.10 lakh crore. (PTI picture)
May 15: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proclaims Tranche 3 of Atmanirbhar bundle of Rs 1.5 lakh crore (0.75% of GDP). It consists of financing facility for agri infra tasks price Rs 1,00,000 crore. Besides, govt decides to formulate a central regulation that won’t bind farmers to promote crop solely to licensed merchants within the APMC mandis.
May 16: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proclaims Tranche 4 of Atmanirbhar bundle of Rs 8,100 crore (0.04% of GDP). Major insurance policies embrace mountaineering of defence FDI to 74% from 49% and viability hole funding (VGP) for social infrastructure.
May 17: MHA extends lockdown until May 31, permits inter-state motion of passenger autos, buses with mutual consent of states. With almost 86,000 instances, India overtakes China when it comes to the entire variety of instances reported.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proclaims Tranche 5 of Atmanirbhar bundle of Rs 40,000 crore (0.2% of GDP). Limit of state borrowings elevated to five% from 3% of GSDP, MGNREGA will get extra Rs 40,000 crore.
May 19: Total Covid-19 instances in India cross 1 lakh.
May 25: Domestic flight providers resume in a calibrated method, with solely 30% of standard schedules.
June 5: WHO adjustments its tips on utilizing face masks, advising that face masks ought to be worn in public to cease the unfold of Covid-19.
June 8: Phased reopening begins, with Unlock 1.0 tips coming into drive, as India information greater than 2,50,000 COVID-19 instances and 7200 deaths. Centre permits re-opening of malls, resorts, eating places and locations of worship.
June 12: India overtakes UK to change into 4th worst coronavirus-hit nation, with over 3 lakh instances.
June 13: Health Ministry consists of lack of the sense of scent and style among the many signs of Covid-19.
June 27: Total instances cross 5 lakh. After reporting 100,000 instances on May 19, India provides 100,000 instances in 15, 10, 8 and 5 days respectively to convey the entire variety of instances to half 1,000,000.
July 1: Unlock 2.0 tips come into drive, with relaxations in night time curfew, provision for extra home flights and trains, and clearance for greater than 5 folks in a store.
July 6: India overtakes Russia to change into third worst coronavirus-hit nation, with 6.97 lakh instances. The US had greater than 28 lakh instances, whereas Brazil had near 16 lakh.
July 8: WHO acknowledges “evidence emerging” of the airborne unfold of the novel coronavirus in addition to transmission by respiratory droplets.
July 15: Phase-1 scientific trials of India’s first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, developed by Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology and Indian Council of Medical Research, begins throughout the nation.
Covaxin was developed by Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology and Indian Council of Medical Research
July 17: International business flights resume as India establishes particular person bilateral bubbles with France and the US. India’s whole Covid-19 instances cross 10 lakh. Death toll stands at 25,600.
July 25: BCCI proclaims Indian Premier League to begin on September 19 within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the ultimate slated on November 8.
August 1: Phase 3.0 of Unlock comes into drive, with govt permitting gymnasiums and yoga centres to operate, and revoking the night time curfew order.
August 11: Russia turns into first nation to grant regulatory approval to a Covid-19 vaccine, dubbed “Sputnik V”, for civilian use, claims President Vladimir Putin. Development raises doubts amongst international scientific group as approval comes earlier than Phase III trials.
August 22: The Indian Council of Medical Research studies multiple million diagnostic checks for Covid-19, with India overtaking Russia when it comes to whole variety of samples examined until now. With 34.5 million checks having performed until now, India ranks third on the planet. Only China (90.4 million) and the United States (74.7 million) examined extra.
August 26: Serum Institute of India begins India trials of Covishield, the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate, with two volunteers in Pune’s Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College receiving the primary pictures.
August 11: Russia turns into first nation to grant regulatory approval to a Covid-19 vaccine, dubbed “Sputnik V”, for civilian use, claims President Vladimir Putin. Development raises doubts amongst international scientific group as approval comes earlier than Phase III trials.
August 22: The Indian Council of Medical Research studies multiple million diagnostic checks for Covid-19, with India overtaking Russia when it comes to whole variety of samples examined until now.
August 26: Serum Institute of India begins India trials of Covishield, the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate, with two volunteers in Pune’s Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College receiving the primary pictures.
September 7: India overtakes Brazil to emerge because the nation with the second largest variety of folks contaminated with novel coronavirus, recording 41.13 lakh confirmed infections.
Metro providers resume in a graded method throughout the nation as per Union Home Ministry’s Unlock-4 tips. Commercial metro providers had stopped on March 24.
September 10: Serum Institute of India halts scientific trials of the Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by University of Oxford as AstraZeneca pauses international trials after one participant develops a “potentially unexplained illness”.
Serum Institute of India halted scientific trials of the Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by University of Oxford as AstraZeneca pauses international trials after one participant developed a “potentially unexplained illness”.
September 12: India breaks its personal file in recent Covid-19 instances, information one other highest single-day spike in infections, with 97,570 folks discovered coronavirus optimistic in 24 hours.
September 14: The 18-day monsoon session of Parliament kicks off underneath the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members occupying seats in each Houses to make sure social distancing. More than two dozen MPs belonging to numerous events examined optimistic, sources confirmed.
September 16: The variety of confirmed instances of novel coronavirus crossed the 5 million (50 lakh) mark on Tuesday, with the addition of greater than 90,123 new detections. The final a million instances have been added in simply 11 days. India closes hole with the US, which has 6.8 million instances (68.77 lakh) to date.
Hyderabad-headquartered drugmaker Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) enters into an settlement to assist conduct Phase III human trials of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in India. Firm to distribute as much as 100 million doses for “mass vaccination” within the nation.
September 17: The variety of lively instances of novel coronavirus within the nation crossed the a million (ten lakh) mark on Wednesday. These are the people who find themselves but to recuperate from the illness, and thus require medical consideration, and are additionally those who can unfold the an infection.
September 19: DGCI approves nation’s first Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic (CRISPR) Covid-19 check for business launch. Jointly developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Tata Group, the check has been named ‘Feluda’.
September 21: After remaining shut for the previous six months, colleges partially reopened in a number of states to allow college students finding out in Classes 9 to 12 to go to their establishments on a voluntary foundation for taking steering from their academics.
September 22: India studies over 1 lakh coronavirus recoveries in a single-day for the primary time, enhancing the restoration fee to 80.86 per cent. Heath Ministry knowledge reveals 1,01,468 Covid-19 sufferers recuperated.
September 23: Minister of State for Railways Suresh Chanabasappa Angadi grew to become the primary Union minister to succumb to the coronavirus. Angadi, 65, handed away lower than two weeks after he was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on September 11 with signs of Covid-19.
September 27: India’s Covid-19 tally goes previous 60 lakh, with whole recoveries crossing the 50 lakh milestone. The rise within the variety of whole recovered instances from 1 lakh in June 2020 has been steep and the final 10 lakh recoveries have been added in simply 11 days, the Health Ministry mentioned.
India’s Covid-19 tally went previous the 60 lakh-mark on September 25 final 12 months. (PTI picture)
September 28: The international demise depend from Covid-19 crosses a million, taking simply three months to double from half 1,000,000. The whole variety of Covid-19 instances internationally has crossed 33 million, whereas almost 23 million folks have recovered.
September 29: Global deaths resulting from Covid-19 exceed 1 million.
September 30: MHA points Unlock 5.0 tips, permits cinemas and multiplexes to open with 50 per cent capability from October 15. It says states and Union Territories can take a call on whether or not to open colleges; removes limits on out of doors gatherings whereas permitting indoors gatherings with 50 per cent capability.
December 2: UK turns into the primary nation to offer emergency use authorisation to Pfizer-Biontech’s coronavirus vaccine for public use. December 19, 2020: India’s coronavirus numbers cross 1 crore-mark.
December 19: India’s coronavirus numbers cross 1 crore-mark.
December 7, 2020: SII and Bharat Biotech utilized for emergency use authorisation for his or her respective vaccines.
December 19, 2020: India’s Covid-19 tally crosses 1 crore-mark.
UK proclaims {that a} new variant pressure of the virus has been detected that may unfold extra rapidly. The new pressure could possibly be as much as 70% extra transmissible and is driving the fast unfold of infections, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says.
December 28: Centre conducts a dry-run throughout 4 states – Punjab, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat, earlier than the vaccination train can begin.
2021
January 2, 2021: India conducts first nationwide dry run for all states and Union Territories.
India performed a nationwide vaccine dry run on January 2. (Express file)
January 3: DCGI approves Bharat Biotech’s vaccine candidate Covaxin for restricted utilization in emergency conditions in India, a day after Serum Institute of India’s vaccine candidate obtained the approval for emergency use.
January 8: India conducts second nationwide dry run in all states and UTs.
January 11: The authorities locations a purchase order order with Serum Institute of India (SII) for 11 million doses of Oxford Covid-19 vaccine, Covishield.
January 12: The first consignment of Covishield leaves for Delhi, 4 days forward of the nationwide inoculation drive launch.
January 13: First consignment of Covaxin dispatched from Hyderabad.
January 16: India begins one of many world’s greatest coronavirus vaccination programmes.
January 20: India begins exporting Covid vaccines with the primary cargo to the neighbouring Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.
January 21: India palms over 2 million doses of vaccines to Bangladesh underneath grant help.
January 22: Two flights, every carrying two million doses of Covishiel, depart from the Mumbai airport for Brazil and Morocco. Sri Lanka approves the emergency use of Covishield. By this time, India is sending vaccines underneath grant help to the Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles.
January 28: The Ministry of External Affairs says that India has gifted over 55 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines to its neighbouring nations.
February 5: A complete of seven,580 opposed occasions following immunisation reported until January 31, says Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
February 7: With over 53 lakh folks getting the jab, India third on record of most vaccine doses administered. US and UK stay forward of India.
February 13: The second dose of vaccination begins for individuals who had accomplished 28 days since receiving their first dose of the shot.
February 19: India completes one crore vaccinations in 34 days, turning into the second-fastest on the planet after the United States.
February 23: The Union well being ministry reveals that two new strains of Covid-19 have been detected in India. The Centre says 187 folks have examined optimistic for the UK pressure, six folks detected with the South African pressure and one with Brazilian pressure in India. It provides that after a short lull, the variant strains could also be pushing up the variety of infections as soon as once more.
March 1: Second part of vaccination drive begins. All folks above the age of 60 and people between 45 and 59 with particular comorbidities are eligible. People can now register on the Co-Win 2.0 portal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes his first dose of the vaccine.
PM Narendra Modi after receiving the primary dose of the Covid vaccine. (PTI picture)
March 6: Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and NITI Aayog member Dr V Ok Paul, who heads the nationwide activity drive on Covid-19, holds a video-conference with officers of Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Union Territories of Delhi and Chandigarh amid studies of a surge within the variety of infections.
March 15: India crosses the milestone of three.15 crore vaccinations.
March 17: Amid studies of rising variety of Covid instances, Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a gathering with chief ministers by video-conferencing and known as for fast and decisive steps to curb the unfold of the virus.
Modi mentioned the rising second peak of Coronavirus ought to be stopped instantly. He additional requested the CMs to take the difficulty of wastage of vaccine doses severely.
Even because the vaccination programme is underway, India has been witnessing a surge within the variety of Covid-19 instances. (Express picture by Deepak Joshi)
March 21: Maharashtra studies 30,535 instances in a single day.
March 22: India studies 46,951 instances in a single day — the best spike since November.
More than 32.53 lakh vaccine doses administered, the best single-day vaccination to date, taking the entire variety of folks inoculated to over 4.8 crore.
March 23: Government proclaims that everyone above the age of 45 will likely be eligible for vaccination from April 1.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh says 81 per cent of the newest 401 samples despatched by the state for genome sequencing have turned up optimistic for the brand new UK Covid variant.