The country is facing an extraordinary situation wherein a number of COVID-19 cases and consequential deaths have been on the rise in many States and UTs in the recent past. Dumping of dead bodies/ partially burnt or decomposed corpses in the river Ganga and its tributaries have recently been reported.

New Delhi [India], May 16 (ANI): National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Union Ministry of Jal Shakti officials reviewed the status and action on prevention of dumping of dead bodies in Ganga with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar governments.

New Delhi [India], May 16 (ANI): Kerala on Sunday received its first Oxygen Express at Ernakulam with 118 metric tonnes (MT) of liquid medical oxygen (LMO), the Ministry of Railways informed on Sunday.

The Haryana government on Sunday extended COVID-119 lockdown in the state for one more week till May 24 to contain the rise in COVID-19. The announcement in this regard was made by state health minister Anil Vij. The Haryana minister said that stringent measures would be taken to implement the COVID-19 restrictions.

New Delhi [India], May 16 (ANI): A petition has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored independent inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or National Investigation Agency (NIA) into alleged killings of inmates at Chitrakoot jail in Uttar Pradesh.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], May 16 (ANI): Amid a shortage of oxygen in several states due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country, 777 tankers/containers carrying 14294.141 metric tonnes (MT) of medical oxygen have been dispatched under escort/supervision of Odisha Police in the last 24 days to 13 deficit states of the country.

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 16 (ANI): More bodies were found buried in the sand on the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj district.

New Delhi [India] May 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on the Chief Ministers of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry to discuss the COVID situation with them.

Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 16 (ANI): Locals in Gorakhpur's Amtaura village are facing problems in getting themselves registered for COVID-19 vaccination.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], May 16 (ANI): Around 1,000 children below 9 years of age contracted coronavirus infection in Uttarakhand in the last ten days, informed the state health department.