Tuesday, 31 March 2020

Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE updates: Two people who attended Nizamuddin congregation test positive in Puducherry; MP tally jumps to 86

10:53 (IST)

Coronavirus in China Latest Update

China begins reporting on asymptomatic cases to allay fears

Chinese health authorities began reporting on asymptomatic cases of the coronavirus as part of an effort to allay public fears that people could be spreading the virus without knowing they are infected with it.

10:43 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Update

Oncologist tests positive for COVID-19 

A doctor tested positive for COVID-19 at the Delhi State Cancer Hospital in the Dilshad Garden area.

The doctor worked with the oncology department and his family and other contacts in the last few days are being traced.

10:40 (IST)

Coronavirus in Telangana Latest Updates

Government to track those under quarantine through GPS

The Telangana government will track over 25,000 people placed under home quarantine by tracking their location in real time with the help of the COVID-19 monitoring system.

Andhra Pradesh government too had started tracking icitizens in home quarantine using a tool is called "COVID Alerting Tracking System", which uses signals of mobile towers to track people's location.

10:37 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Andhra Pradesh government takes over private hospitals

The Andhra Pradesh government through an order on Sunday decided to take over facilities and manpower at private hospitals by invoking powers under the Disaster Management Act to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Chhattisgarh government had last week issued a similar order, bringing all hospitals and private nursing homes in the state under its control, but then withdrew the directive.

10:31 (IST)

Coronavirus in Karnataka Latest Update

People flout social distancing norms at Kalaburgi market

Huge crowds were seen at a vegetable market in Kalaburgi in Karnataka.

The state has reported three deaths and 101 confirmed cases.

10:04 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Tech Mahindra tweaks logo in solidarity with fight against COVID-19

IT services major Tech Mahindra has temporarily tweaked its brand logo to show solidarity with the fight against COVID-19 that has claimed thousands of lives globally.

The tweaked logo shows the "e" in Tech Mahindra as boxed inside a house for the next few weeks, and showcases how the company's over 1.3 lakh associates have adjusted to the crisis, it said in a statement on Saturday.

These employees are working towards keeping critical systems running for global clients, including governments, public-sector institutions, healthcare institutions and leading service companies, it added. 

CP Gurnani, MD and CEO of Tech Mahindra, said the company's focus continues to be on ensuring the safety and well-being of associates, partners, and customers, while continuing to keep mission-critical systems on for global clients.

Tech Mahindra said it has taken all the necessary preventive measures to ensure the wellness and well-being of its associates.

09:58 (IST)

Coronavirus in Karnataka Latest Update

Karnataka DGP threatens to seize vehicles if lockdown rules are not followed

Karnataka DGP threatens pranksters that their vehicles will be seized if they violated lockdown rules. The police officer urged citizens to strictly adhere to lockdown rules which include the ban of two/ four wheelers from use till the 14 April in view of April Fool's Day. 

09:45 (IST)

Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh Latest Update

20 new cases in MP; tally jumps to 86

Twenty more people tested positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 86, a health official said. Among the new cases, 19 were reported from Indore and one from the neighbouring Khargone district, he said.

Of the 19 new patients in Indore, nine are from one family, including three children, aged 3, 5 and 8, residing in Tanzeem Nagar area of the city, the official said. A police official from Indore is also among the new coronavirus patients.

As a precautionary measure, the police officials wife and two daughters are also kept in a separate ward of the hospital. The police station where the official was posted as in-charge has been sanitised and steps are taken to protect the other staff from the infection, Parashar said.

09:43 (IST)

Coronavirus in Puducherry Latest Update

Two test positive in Puducherry; patients had attended Nizamuddin congregation

Two persons, who had attended a religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, tested positive for coronavirus in Puducherry on Wednesday, a senior official said.

Director of Health and Family Welfare Mohan Kumar said the two had returned from Delhi after attending the congregation and were admitted to the State Government hospital.

The test of their samples conducted in the centrally administered JIPMER here found that they were infected with the virus. A source said the two persons belong to Ariyankuppam village near.

09:39 (IST)

Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Update

Free ration distribution in Kerala from 1 April

New India Express reports that Kerala will start distributing free rice through 14,250 ration shops from today (1 April). Priority card holders (yellow and pink cards) can purchase free rice and other items from ration shops from morning till noon, while the non-priority cardholders (blue and white cards) can approach the shops in the afternoon.

Non-priority cardholders will get 15 kgs of rice over and above their regular ration, as part of the Rs 20,000-crore package announced by the chief minister.

Those without ration cards can also purchase grains by giving an affidavit at the PDS shops.

09:32 (IST)

Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Update

Kerala HC to discuss Karnataka border closure issue today

The  Kerala HC to take up the issue of border closure by Karnataka again on Wednesday. The Karnataka government on Tuesday informed the Kerala High Court that it was willing to open two roads connecting both states, which it had closed following the COVID-19 outbreak.

This followed a request from the bench to the Advocate General of Karnataka on Monday, seeking the government''s views on the matter Joining the hearing conducted by Kerala High Court Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Shaji P Chali via video conferencing.

The AG said Karnataka was ready to open two roads connecting the state with Kerala''s Kannur and Wayanad districts to facilitate movement of essential goods.

During the hearing, the High Court directed both states to inform it about the easiest way connecting Kerala''s Kasaragod and Mangalore in Karnataka to facilitate the movement of people from Kasaragod seeking treatment in hospitals in Mangalore.

The Karnataka government had closed the roads connecting its border with Kasaragod in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the north Kerala district.

09:27 (IST)

Coronavirus in Kerala Latest Update

Two people from Kerala die in US

Two people from Kerala lost their lives to the coronavirus in United States on Wednesday, reported Manorama.  A 45-year-old man hailing from Elanthoor in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district died in New York, while an 85-year-old man who hailed from Ramamangalam in Ernakulam district lived in New Jersey. 

The US government raced to build hundreds of makeshift hospitals to ease the strain on overwhelmed healthcare systems as the United States marked 700 deaths in a single day from COVID-19 for the first time on Tuesday.

09:20 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Sensex up 172 points, Nifty rises 7.35 points


Benchmark indices are trading flat to positive in the pre-opening session with Nifty above 8,600-level. At 09:02 am, the Sensex was up 172.05 points or 0.58 percent at 29640.54, and the Nifty up 7.35 points or 0.09 percent at 8605.10.

Follow LIVE updates on stock market here

09:12 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update

Maharashtra reports two new deaths; state toll at 12 

Two more COVID-19 patients died in Maharashtra, taking the state toll to 12, health officials said on Wednesday. One was a 75-year-old man from Mumbai, while the other, a 50-year-old man, died in adjoining Palghar district, the officials said.

"The 75-year-old male patient died in Mumbai on Tuesday. We are finding details of his travel history and also checking if someone close to him had a travel history, an official said.

The Palghar man had no travel history, he said. This is the first death reported from Palghar, a predominantly tribal district. Maharashtra now has 320 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths. Thirty-nine coronavirus positive patients have been discharged after recovery.

09:07 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Update

Delhi Police writes to govt seeking immediate action against Nizamuddin gathering

Delhi Police on Tuesday wrote a letter to Delhi Government seeking an immediate action with regard to the persons including 157 foreign nationals associated with Tablighi Jamaat meet in Nizamuddin and presently staying at various mosques and other places in Delhi.

Meanwhile, after 24 people who attended the Markaz event in Nizamuddin were tested positive for coronavirus, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava, on Tuesday said that an FIR has been registered against Tablighi Jamaat head Maulana Saad and others under the Epidemic Disease Act 1897.

Earlier, 24 people who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event were tested positive for coronavirus

09:03 (IST)

Coronavirus in Goa Latest Update

14 samples test negative in Goa

Tests conducted on 14 coronavirus suspects in Goa have come out negative, state health minister Vishwajit Rane said on Wednesday. This was the second batch of tests conducted at the newly set up virology laboratory at the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) near Goa.

"The tests conducted on all the 14 samples at GMCH lab have come out negative," Rane said. This has come as a huge respite for residents of the tourist state.

After initial five coronavirus positive cases in the coastal state, rest all tests have come out negative so far. The GMCH has set up a virology lab which started functioning from Tuesday.

The first four tests conducted in the lab had also come out negative. 

08:55 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update

Pune Police issues notification against prankers on April Fool's Day

08:51 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update

Over 115 from Pune suspected to have attended Nizamuddin congregation

Over 115 people from Pune are suspected to have attended a religious congregation in New Delhi's Nizamuddin area, reports News18. Out of them, 30 people have been identified and sent for quarantine in Pune.  Some of them were from neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad, am official told PTI.

 

"So far none of them has any coronavirus symptoms," said the senior police official on the condition of anonymity.

08:46 (IST)

Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Update

Delhi's confirmed cases at 120

The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi climbed to 120 on Tuesday after 23 new cases of the pandemic was reported in the past 24 hours, the Health Department said.

These 120 cases include 24 people who took part in a religious congregation at Nizamuddin West area earlier this month. Till Monday night, the number of cases of the deadly COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) stood at 97, including two deaths.

According to the Delhi Health Department, out of the total 120 cases recorded so far, about 90 are admitted at various hospitals like the LNJP Hospital, GTB Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.  Five have been discharged, two have had died and one has migrated out of the country, it said.

Twenty-four people, who took part in the congregation in Nizamuddin West earlier this month, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday.

08:38 (IST)

Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update

18 new cases reported in Maharashtra; tally at 320

18 new positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in Maharashtra, taking the total count to 320. 16 new cases are reported in Mumbai, while two were reported in Pune. The toll in Maharashtra climbs to 12 after the death of two more coronavirus positive patients, said Health official on Wednesday.

08:32 (IST)

Coronavirus in Andaman & Nicobar Latest Update

Andaman district DC orders FIR against two for misleading contract tracking 

Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman District has ordered to register FIR against two people who have been tested positive for COVID-19 for continuously misleading contact tracking in tracking their contacts. The two people tested positive have been identified as Farzand Ali and S Rehman. 

These people have been giving wrong information about the places they visited during the home quarantine period apart from violating the terms and conditions of home quarantine.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director Heath and Nodal Officer in Andaman and Nicobar, COVID-19 Abhijit Roy, on Tuesday informed that nine out of the 10 people who tested positive for coronavirus in the Islands had attended a Tablighi Jamaat event at the Jamaat's headquarters in Delhi's Nizamuddin.

08:29 (IST)

Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh Latest Update

15 traced in AP who attended Markaz gathering

Health department officials in Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh have identified 15 persons who had attended the Markaz gathering in Nizamuddin in Delhi. These individual have been shifted them from Srikalahasti to Ruia Hospital in Tirupati, reports ANI.

08:21 (IST)

Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh Latest Update

Yogi Adityanath directs nine district officials to ensure supply of food grains to poor

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed nine district officials, including from Meerut and Saharanpur, to ensure an adequate supply of food grains to the poor, an official said. The official said the meeting was held via a video link.

Free ration should be distributed to Antyodaya card holders, MGNREGS labourers, registered labourers of the labour department and daily wage labourers of the urban development department. Social distancing should be adhered to during the distribution of food grains at e-POS shops.

Adequate arrangement of sanitisers, soaps, and water should be maintained at every shop, and only after washing hands, the ePOS machines should be used. No crowding should take place at the ration shops and social distancing must be adhered to.

08:18 (IST)

Coronavirus in US Latest Update

US records 700 coronavirus deaths in a single day for first time

The US government raced to build hundreds of makeshift hospitals to ease the strain on overwhelmed healthcare systems as the United States marked 700 deaths in a single day from COVID-19 for the first time on Tuesday. That is the equivalent of a person dying every two minutes.

Nearly half those deaths were in New York state, still, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pleaded for reinforcements from the Trump administration, saying the worst may still be weeks away.

08:10 (IST)

Coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh Latest Update

Three cases found so far in Himachal Pradesh

A total of 229 suspected COVID-19 cases were investigated in which 222 samples have been found negative and 3 samples were positive, Himachal Pradesh Health Department said on Tuesday. The total number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 1397 on Tuesday after 146 new infections were reported in the past 24 hours across the country.

08:06 (IST)

Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh Latest Update

Four test positive in Vishakhapatnam; AP cases climb to 44

Four more fresh coronavirus positive cases were reported from Vishakhapatnam on Tuesday. This takes the total number of those infected with the deadly virus in Andhra Pradesh to 44.

The district administration said the COVID-19 positive tested persons attended the Markaz meeting in New Delhi. The total number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 1397 on Tuesday after 146 new infections were reported in the past 24 hours across the country.

08:02 (IST)

Coronavirus Latest Update

UN chief says COVID-19 is worst crisis since World War II

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the world faces the most challenging crisis since World War II, confronting a pandemic threatening people in every country, one that will bring a recession "that probably has no parallel in the recent past."

There is also a risk that the combination of the disease and its economic impact will contribute to "enhanced instability, enhanced unrest, and enhanced conflict," the UN chief said at the launch of a report on the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Guterres called for a much stronger and more effective global response to the coronavirus pandemic and to the social and economic devastation that COVID-19 is causing.

He stressed that this will only be possible if everybody comes together and if we forget political games and understand that it is humankind that is at stake.

07:58 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

Lakshmi Mittal announces contribution of Rs 100 cr to PM CARES Fund

NRI billionaire Lakshmi N Mittal on Tuesday announced a contribution of Rs 100 crore to the PM CARES Fund to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus in India.

"ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), a joint venture between (L N Mittal's) ArcelorMittal and Japan's Nippon Steel, and HMEL, a partnership between Hindustan Petroleum and Mittal Energy Investments, today announce a package of support to strengthen India's capacity to protect families and communities impacted by the virus.

"Both our operations in India commit equally to a total of Rs 100 crore to PM-CARES for the ongoing relief efforts countrywide," Mittal said in a statement.

"Citizens across India have shown extraordinary dedication, bravery and compassion in this moment of singular crisis and they deserve our support and the gratitude of the nation," the steel magnate said.

COVID-19 is having significant repercussions for people in every continent, Mittal said. No country will be immune to it and for nations like India which have a vast population, the impact could be very serious, he added. Collaboration in times like these is critical, the industrialist asserted.

Governments, companies and citizens must therefore work together to pool their resources, to ensure every action is taken to combat the pandemic as swiftly as possible, he said. Mittal also said his companies are providing daily meals to over 5,000 people and food kits to more than 30,000.

07:56 (IST)

Coronavirus in South Africa Latest Update

Prominent Indian-origin virologist in South Africa dies from COVID-19

World-renowned virologist Gita Ramjee has become the first Indian-origin South African to have died after contracting the novel coronavirus that has killed five people in the country.

Ramjee, a stellar vaccine scientist and an HIV prevention research leader, had returned from London a week ago but reportedly showed no symptoms of COVID-19.

Ramjee, aged nearly 50 years, was the Clinical Trials Unit Principal Investigator and Unit Director of the HIV Prevention Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) offices in Durban.

07:48 (IST)

Coronavirus in US Latest Update

Donald Trump says US headed for 'tough, painful' two weeks

The US is headed for a "tough two weeks", President Donald Trump has warned, advising people to be prepared for the "hard days" ahead, as the country fights the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic that the White House projects could claim one to two lakh lives in the coming weeks.

Trump's remarks came as Deborah Bix, a member of White House Task Force on coronavirus, based on a model from actual data from the ground, said the death toll in the US could be between 100,000 to 200,000, with the strict implementation of the existing mitigation measures including social distancing till 30 April.

If no steps were to be taken, the death toll could range between 1.5 million and 2.2 million, Brix said on a day when the confirmed number of coronavirus infections in the US, according to the Worldometer website, skyrocketed to over 188,000, adding more than 24,000 new cases in a single day and the fatalities rose to 3,867.

07:38 (IST)

Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh Latest Update

50 quarantined in UP's Jaunpur for attending Nizamuddin congregation

The Jaunpur administration has quarantined about 50 people who attended a Tabligh-e-Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area and returned to the district recently.

"People who returned two days ago from Delhi and Noida on buses were scanned. Of this, there were around 50 persons who returned after attending the Tabligh-e-Jamaat. These people have been quarantined at Shia College, and their health check-up is being done," District Magistrate Dinesh Kumar Singh said.

He said their addresses and the places they visited after attending the religious congregation are being ascertained. Nizamuddin area in Delhi has turned into a new hotspot after a number of people who attended the Jamaat's gathering tested positive for coronavirus.

07:34 (IST)

Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Update

Toll rises to 4 in Bengal, total confirmed cases at 32

The death toll due to the coronavirus pandemic climbed to four in West Bengal on Tuesday after two patients succumbed to the contagion, while 10 new cases were reported, the highest single-day rise in the state so far.

Five people did not have any travel history, while the rest either came in contact with a positive patient or had a travel history outside the state. The two persons who died were among the 10 new cases, officials said.

A total of 1,03,391 people are under home isolation in various parts of the state as on Tuesday, while the total number of positive cases stands at 32. Two persons have earlier died due to the disease.

The state government so far had identified 70 people, who had attended a religious gathering in Delhi's Nizamuddin earlier this month.

07:22 (IST)

Coronavirus in Nagaland Latest Update

Total shutdown in Dimapur from Wednesday morning

At the end of the first week of 21-day nationwide lockdown, the district administration of Dimapur has ordered total closure of all shops, commercial, private establishments, and imposed restriction on movement of public and vehicles for 66 hours with effect from 6 am on Wednesday.

In exercise of powers under Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the state government order to initiate effective and immediate measures needed to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus, the total closure will be imposed from 6 am on April 1 to Midnight of April 3, 2020, an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi, said on Tuesday.

The containment measure will remain in force in all parts of the district, he said.

07:17 (IST)

Coronavirus in US Latest Update

US death toll eclipses China's as reinforcements head to NYC

The US death toll from the coronavirus has climbed past 3,600, eclipsing China's official count, as hard-hit New York City rushed to bring in more medical professionals and ambulances and parked refrigerated morgue trucks on the streets to collect the dead.

The crisis hit close to home for Governor Andrew Cuomo, who reported teary-eyed that his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, was infected.

The governor pronounced on Tuesday the disaster unlike any other the city has weathered: "This is ongoing and the duration itself is debilitating and exhausting and depressing."

New York was the nation's deadliest hot spot, with about 1,550 deaths statewide, most of them in New York City, which braced for things to get much worse in the coming weeks.

A 1,000-bed emergency hospital set up at the mammoth Javits Convention Center began taking non-coronavirus patients to help relieve the city's overwhelmed health system. A Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds that arrived on Monday was expected to begin accepting patients on Tuesday.

07:15 (IST)

Coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir Latest Update

Man reaches home in Poonch amid lockdown by faking his death

A man faked his death to reach home in an ambulance in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district during the nationwide lockdown, according to officials.

Hakam Din was admitted to Government Medical College hospital last week due to an injury.

After he was discharged, he conspired with three others and forged a certificate of his death to travel in a private ambulance, officials said. A police team intercepted the ambulance and found the man alive and subsequently arrested all the four accused. Police sent them to a quarantine facility.

07:12 (IST)

Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh Latest Update

AP govt defers salaries of CM, govt staff

The Andhra Pradesh government late on Tuesday night announced deferment of payment of full salaries to the chief minister, officers, and employees, saying its revenue streams have "totally dried up" in view of the ongoing lockdown to combat coronavirus.

The deferments will range from 10 to 100 percent for different categories of employees, it said. In an order issued around midnight, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney said the deferment will continue to be in force till further orders.

"While the revenue streams have totally dried up due to the lockdown, the demand on state resources has increased tremendously for contact tracing, quarantining, providing personal protection equipment, drugs, health facilities, etc. and for providing financial assistance to the poor people, most affected by the lockdown," he said.

07:11 (IST)

Coronavirus in India Latest Update

146 new cases reported in last 24 hours

The Centre on Tuesday said that there has been an increase of 146 novel coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 positive cases to 1,397 in India.

The total number includes 1,238 active cases, and 124 people who have been cured/discharged/migrated and 35 deaths. Three deaths — two in Punjab and one in Maharashtra — were reported on Tuesday.

Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST updates: Twenty more people tested positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 86, a health official said. Among the new cases, 19 were reported from Indore and one from the neighbouring Khargone district, he said.

Two more COVID-19 patients died in Maharashtra, taking the state toll to 12, health officials said on Wednesday. One was a 75-year-old man from Mumbai, while the other, a 50-year-old man, died in adjoining Palghar district, the officials said.

Eighteen new positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in Maharashtra, taking the total count to 320. 16 new cases are reported in Mumbai, while two were reported in Pune. The toll in Maharashtra climbs to 12 after the death of two more coronavirus positive patients, said Health official on Wednesday.

Four more fresh coronavirus positive cases were reported from Vishakhapatnam on Tuesday. This takes the total number of those infected with the deadly virus in Andhra Pradesh to 44.

The Centre on Tuesday said that there has been an increase of 146 novel coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 positive cases to 1,397 in India.

The total number includes 1,238 active cases, and 124 people who have been cured/discharged/migrated and 35 deaths. Three deaths — two in Punjab and one in Maharashtra — were reported on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court asked the Centre on Tuesday to prevent migration of people due to coronavirus and set up within 24 hours a portal for disseminating real-time information on the pandemic to counter the panic being spread through fake news.

Meanwhile, a religious congregation of the Tablighi Jamaat held from 1 to 15 March in Delhi's Nizamuddin West has become a point of concern for authorities after several people showed symptoms of coronavirus after taking part in the congregation. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered the registration of an FIR against a cleric for leading the congregation

State-wise figures

The cases of coronavirus in Maharashtra, which is one of the worst-affected states by the pandemic, have gone up substantially, reports said on Tuesday adding that there are now 302 positive cases in the state. News18 reported that there are 59 cases in Mumbai, two each in Pune, Thane, KDMC and Navi Mumbai.

Representational image. PTI

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that seven positive cases have been reported in the state, two each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod. He said that additionally, one each was reported in Kollam, Thrissur, and Kannur. The total active cases are now 215 in the state.

Thirteen new cases of coronavirus were reported in Karnataka in the last 21 hours, reports said. The total number of positive cases in the state rose to 101, including three deaths and eight discharged/cured cases.

Additionally, reports said that 88 COVID-19 patients (including one pregnant woman) are in isolation at
designated hospitals and are stable, while two are in the ICU.

In Assam, a 52-year-old person has been found positive for coronavirus, state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Sarma said that it is Assam's first COVID-19 patient. He is undergoing treatment at Silchar Medical College and his condition is stable, the minister said.

In Madhya Pradesh, the total number of coronavirus positive cases on Tuesday rose to 66 in the state, of which 44 positive cases have been reported in Indore. Five people have died due to the infection till now in the state.

However, in what comes as a positive development, several patients have been successfully cured of the disease across the country. News18 India reported that in Rajasthan's Bhilwara, 13 out of 26 positive cases have been cured.

The first three COVID-19 patients in West Bengal have recovered, reports said, adding that they will remain in quarantine for the time being. Meanwhile, two new cases were confirmed for the infection in the state on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 27.

Row over Tablighi Jamaat event

At least 24 members of the Tablighi Jamaat tested positive in Delhi and another six died in Telangana due to the virus, nearly two weeks after attending a congregation in its Nizamuddin West centre.

Following this, the Centre has asked all states and Union territories to immediately trace and quarantine the estimated 2,000 foreign workers of the organisation present in India.

The Home Ministry in a letter to all chief secretaries and police heads told them to deport all foreign Jamaat followers who test negative for the deadly virus to their countries "by the first available flights".

"Presently, it is estimated that about 2,000 foreigners, on tourist visa, from over 70 countries are spread all over the country for Tabligh work. Majority of these foreign nationals belong to Bangladesh (493), Indonesia (472), Malaysia (150) and Thailand (142) and their period of stay in the country is up to six months," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in the letter.

Some Jamaat members in Erode district of Tamil Nadu and eight Indonesian nationals, part of a Jamaat team in Hyderabad in Telangana, tested positive for the virus recently.

Kejriwal said that the congregation at the Nizammudin markaz (centre) in Delhi, which was attended by around 2,000 people, was "highly irresponsible".

Prevent migration, SC tells Centre

The Supreme Court asked the Centre to prevent migration of people due to coronavirus and set up within 24 hours a portal for disseminating real-time information on the pandemic to counter the panic being spread through fake news.

"Panic will destroy more lives than the virus", the top court said and asked the Centre to get trained counsellors and community leaders of all faiths to calm down the migrants, who are kept in shelter homes across the country.

It said these shelters should be run by volunteers and not the police, and there should be no use of force and intimidation.

It asked the Centre to prevent migration of people and take care of their needs of food, shelter, nourishment and medical aid.

The Centre told the apex court that the suggestion by a petitioner to sprinkle water and chemicals on migrants to sanitise them does not work scientifically and is not the right way.

Meanwhile, the Centre, in an affidavit, also sought a direction from the Supreme Court on Tuesday that no media outlet print, publish or telecast anything on coronavirus without first ascertaining facts from the mechanism provided by the government.

It said that in an unprecedented situation of this nature, any deliberate or unintended fake or inaccurate reporting either in electronic, print, social media or web portals has a serious and inevitable potential of causing panic in large sections of the society.

Considering the very nature of the infectious disease which the world is struggling to deal with, any panic reaction by any section of the society based upon such reporting would not only be harmful for such situation but would harm the entire nation," it said.

The government said that though an act of creating panic is a criminal offence under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, appropriate direction from the top court would protect the country from any potential and inevitable consequence resulting from a false alarm having the potential of creating panic in a section of the society .

With inputs from PTI



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/39zV4K7
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)