Top headlines: HC orders lockdown in 5 UP cities; ACC Q4 net rises 74%

Delhi CM announces six-day lockdown, Everyone above 18 years eligible for Covid-19 vaccine from May 1 and other top news of the day

HC orders week-long lockdown in 5 UP cities
 

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to impose a week-long lockdown in Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar, Gorakhpur and Allahabad. A two-judge bench comprising justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar passed the order on a PIL on the condition of quarantine centres in the state and treatment of coronavirus patients. Read here

ACC net profit jumps 74%
 

Cement maker ACC Ltd on Monday reported a 74.17 per cent increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 562.59 crore for the first quarter ended March 2021, helped by an increase in sales and cost efficiency. The company, which follows the January-December financial year, had posted a profit of Rs 323.02 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago, ACC said in a BSE filing. Read here
 

Delhi CM announces six-day lockdown
 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a six-day lockdown from 10 pm on Monday till 5 am on April 26 which he said was necessary to deal with the rising number of COVID-19 cases as the city's health system was stretched to its limits. The national capital's health system is stretched although it has not collapsed yet, he said, adding that despite around 25,500 cases coming up every day, Delhi's health system is still functioning. Read here
 

Everyone above 18 years eligible for Covid-19 vaccine from May 1
 

Everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 from May 1, the central government said on Monday as it liberalised the vaccination drive to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure the doses directly from manufacturers. Under the third phase of the vaccination drive commencing next month, the vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the central government and would be free to supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to state governments and in the open market. Read here