08:48 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Update
US announces $174 mn financial aid for 64 countries, including $2.9 million to India
The United States on Friday announced $174 million financial assistance to 64 countries including $2.9 million to India to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic. This is in addition to the $100 million aid announced by the US in February.
The newly announced assistance is part of a larger American global response package across multiple departments and agencies, including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The funding is for 64 of the most at-risk countries facing the threat of the global pandemic.
The US State Department said it is providing $2.9 million to help the Indian government prepare laboratory systems, activate case finding and event-based surveillance, and support technical experts for response and preparedness, and more.
08:38 (IST)
Coronavirus in China Latest Update
Hate speeches against Chinese surge on Twitter
The coronavirus outbreak has led to a 900 percent surge in hate speech toward China and Chinese people on Twitter, according to a report by a tech startup.
"People are spending more and more time on social networks, communication apps, chat rooms and gaming services, and the problems endemic to these platforms - hate, abuse, toxicity and bullying - have become accentuated," the Israel-based company L1ght said in its report.
"According to our data, much of this hate and abuse is being directed towards China and its population, as well as individuals of Asian origin in other parts of the world," added the startup that uses artificial intelligence to detect harmful content in social networks.
08:34 (IST)
Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Update
Woman held for spreading fake news on Beliaghata doctor contracting COVID-19
A 29-year-old woman was arrested on Friday night for allegedly posting a "fake news" on social media about a doctor in the state's ID hospital, Beliaghata, being infected with the coronavirus infection, a city police officer said.
The arrest was made on the basis of an FIR filed with the cyber crime branch of Kolkata Police by the state health department.
"Chandrima Bhowmik, daughter of Kinkar Kumar Bhowmik has been arrested in connection with posting a fake post about ID Hospital Beliaghata Doctor," Kolkata police joint commissioner (crime) Murlidhar Sharma said.
08:27 (IST)
Coronavirus in United States Latest Update
US ready to supply ventilators to countries in need: Donald Trump
The United States is ready to supply a large number of ventilators needed by its friends and allies in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump said on Friday.
Increasing the production of ventilators and other medical equipment required inside the US to treat the large number of people infected with COVID-19, Trump said his administration will be distributing those throughout the world to other countries.
Trump said when he spoke with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has tested positive for the virus, the first thing that the prime minister asked him for help was ventilators.
"Boris Johnson was asking for ventilators today. Unfortunately, he tested positive. And that's a terrible thing, but he's going to be great. I'm sure he's going to be totally great. But they want ventilators. Italy wants ventilators, Spain wants ventilators, Germany wants ventilators," he said.
"They're all calling for ventilators. Well, we're going to make a lot of ventilators and we'll take care of our needs, but we're also going to help other countries," said the President as he announced that in the next 100 days, the US will be making more than 100,000 ventilators.
08:21 (IST)
Coronavirus in Italy Latest Update
Italy sees highest daily jump of 919 deaths in 24 hrs, toll at 9,134
Italy recorded 919 deaths due to the novel coronavirus on Friday, the highest daily jump in fatalities across the world, while the number of confirmed cases eclipsed the total in China where the virus first emerged.
Italy was the first Western country to introduce severe restrictions on movement after uncovering the outbreak five weeks ago. It has tightened them week by week, banning all non-essential activities until at least next Friday.
The number of confirmed cases rose by 5,959 on Friday to 86,498, taking Italy past China, with the toll at 9,134.
08:12 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Update
COVID-19 cases reach 834, two new deaths yet to be confirmed
The number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 834 in India on Saturday with the toll rising to 19, according to the Union Health Ministry. In its updated figures, the ministry stated two fresh deaths.
However, it could not be immediately known where these two new deaths were reported from as the state-wise figures are awaited.
So far, deaths have been reported from Maharashtra (4) Gujarat (3), Karnataka (2 ) and one each from Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal, Jamnu and Kasmir and Himachal Pradesh.
08:07 (IST)
Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Update
Five of family, including 9-month-old, test positive in Nadia district
West Bengal on Friday reported five new cases of COVID-19 including that of an infant, the highest number of confirmed cases on a single day in the state, taking the tally to 15.
Of the five fresh cases which were reported from Nadia district in South Bengal, four did not have any recent travel history.
The five of family include a nine-month-old baby, a six-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and two women aged 27 and 45, a health official said.
The 27-year-old woman had visited Delhi, where she came in contact with a person from the UK who recently tested positive, the official said.
"We tracked the entire family and tested eight of them. Five were found positive," the official said, adding that they are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nadia district.
08:00 (IST)
Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Update
In Images: Delhi Police conducts checking on non-essential movement of people
Delhi: Police are conducting checks on the non-essential movement of people, at the borders of the state amid #CoronavirusLockdown. Visuals from Delhi-Noida border. pic.twitter.com/PgfwQKuMIA
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2020
07:35 (IST)
Coronavirus in United States Latest Update
Total deaths exceed 1,500 in America
The United States has become the first country to exceed 100,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. The US reached the grim milestone late Friday afternoon, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University. Deaths in the US topped 1,500 on Friday.
07:30 (IST)
Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Update
Total COVID-19 cases in Delhi climb to 40
The total number of coronavirus cases in the National Capital on Friday increased to 40, according to the Delhi Health Department. Of these cases, 30 are travel-related and 10 contracted the disease through contact, it said.
07:28 (IST)
Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu Latest Update
Nine more cases emerge in Tamil Nadu, total rises to 38
Nine more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Friday, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 38 in the state as Chief Minister K Palaniswami briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the action being taken to tackle the contagion.
While six cases were reported earlier in the day, three were reported on Friday night, as the state recorded the highest number of cases in a single day.
07:21 (IST)
Coronavirus in Bihar Latest Update
Bihar Board Class 10 exam results expected
As the nation continues its battle against the novel coronavirus, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) may announce the Class 10 2020 result on Saturday. This, however, has not been confirmed by the board officials.
Earlier, several media reports had said the results would be declared in April due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in view of COVID-19.
07:15 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Update
Supreme Court's Offices of Registry to remain closed till 15 April
The Supreme Court's Offices of Registry will remain shut till 15 April as a preventive measure in view of the novel coronavirus. However, there are some exemptions as protocol, caretaking section, computer and judicial sections dealing with filing and listing of matters and court masters will continue to function as usual.
Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: The United States on Friday announced $174 million financial assistance to 64 countries including $2.9 million to India to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic. This is in addition to the $100 million aid announced by the US in February.
The newly announced assistance is part of a larger American global response package across multiple departments and agencies, including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The funding is for 64 of the most at-risk countries facing the threat of the global pandemic.
The US State Department said it is providing $2.9 million to help the Indian government prepare laboratory systems, activate case finding and event-based surveillance, and support technical experts for response and preparedness, and more
West Bengal on Friday reported five new cases of COVID-19 including that of an infant, the highest number of confirmed cases on a single day in the state, taking the tally to 15.
Of the five fresh cases which were reported from Nadia district in South Bengal, four did not have any recent travel history.
The five of family include a nine-month-old baby, a six-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and two women aged 27 and 45, a health official said.
The 27-year-old woman had visited Delhi, where she came in contact with a person from the UK who recently tested positive, the official said.
"We tracked the entire family and tested eight of them. Five were found positive," the official said, adding that they are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nadia district.
Nine more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Friday, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 38 in the state as Chief Minister K Palaniswami briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the action being taken to tackle the contagion.
While six cases were reported earlier in the day, three were reported on Friday night, as the state recorded the highest number of cases in a single day.
Health officials maintained on Friday that India is still in Phase II of the coronavirus pandemic even as the tally of confirmed cases rose to 724. Officially, 17 people have lost their lives in India due the novel coronavirus while 66 patients have been discharged after being cured of the virus that has killed over 25,000 globally and infected over 5.4 lakh persons.
On Friday, India also announced unprecedented measures to cushion the impact of a 21-day-long nationwide shutdown and the threat the pandemic has caused.
The RBI on Friday announced its steepest interest rate cut in more than 11 years in a bid to counter the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the government stepped up efforts to battle the fast-spreading virus, amid warnings from health experts that there could be a risk of community transmission if people violated the lockdown.
Representational image. PTI
The health ministry continued to maintain that there was no case of community transmission yet.
"There is not enough evidence to show that community transmission has started," Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, Head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases at ICMR, said on Friday during the health ministry's daily briefing.
Gangakhedkar also denounced prediction models for India, saying they often "go wrong".
"There are many doomsday predictors," he added.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has asked states to immediately strengthen the surveillance of international travellers, who entered the country before the lockdown as there appeared to be a "gap" between the actual monitoring for COVID-19 and the total arrivals.
In a letter to chief secretaries of all States and Union Territories, Gauba said the gap in the monitoring of international passengers for coronavirus "may seriously jeopardise the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19", given that many amongst the persons who have tested positive so far in India have a history of international travel.
Apart from announcing the rate cut, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months as it slashed the cost of fresh borrowing by cutting policy interest rate, a move which was dubbed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "giant steps" to safeguard the economy from the impact of coronavirus.
"The announcements will improve liquidity, reduce cost of funds, help middle class and businesses," Modi tweeted.
On its part, the Delhi government assured people that medical staff in the National Capital were ready to tackle the situation even if the cases go up at a rate of 100 per day and that it has the adequate number of medicines and testing kits.
While Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane launched an initiative christened 'Operation Namaste' to extend all possible assistance to the government in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, NDRF chief SN Pradhan said the force is getting battle-ready should its services be required amid rising cases.
"We have prepared 84 small core teams per battalion. The force is trying to cover 600 personnel in each battalion with personal protection equipment (PPE). We have informed the chief secretaries of all the states that we are on standby and can be called in, as and when required...," Pradhan told PTI in a telephonic interview.
While the numbers — both the toll and the total number of coronavirus cases — may not paint a grim picture compared to other countries, including the developed nations like the US and the UK, concern is growing among healthcare experts who believe that if people do not follow the lockdown or social distancing seriously, the situation can quickly go out of control.
Dr Arvind Kumar, lung surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) in Delhi, said "the only way" to slow down the virus' transmission is to follow the lockdown diligently.
Dr Kumar, also founder trustee of Lung Care Foundation, cautioned that "one infected person can spread the contagion to three more persons, which then increases in a geometric progression".
"So, you can imagine the threat India is facing if people violate lockdown and roam around, especially in the affected ones. It will be so difficult to trace contacts then," he added.
Kumar also warned that sometimes a COVID-19-positive person may not have a fever but regular flu symptoms with breathlessness, and it is important for such people to be self-isolated.
Asked about the cases from clusters, Health Ministry's Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal, at the press conference, said contact tracing of all the cases is being done diligently as per defined protocols and in areas where more than one case has been reported, special teams have been deployed for house-to-house surveys.
India is under a complete lockdown for 21 days since Wednesday, in a desperate measure to contain the spread of the virus. Globally, the death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 25,000 with more than 5.4 lakh cases reported in over 170 countries and territories.
Cases in states
As per the health ministry, four deaths have been reported from Maharashtra while Gujarat had registered three deaths.
Karnataka has reported two deaths so far, while Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have reported one death each.
According to the data, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 640, while 66 people were either cured or discharged and one had migrated.
The total number of 724 cases included 47 foreign nationals, the ministry said.
Agarwal said, "Seventy-five new cases of coronavirus and four deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours and that the Centre is working in tandem with states to ensure that social distancing is followed and the lockdown is implemented effectively."
In Shillong, the Catholic Church has written to its parishes across the Khasi Jaintia Hills region to open the facilities as centres for quarantine, if needed, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Shillong Archdiocese administrator John Madur in a letter said, "I understand we are in difficult times. But I am sure we can be of some services to humanity."
The Catholic Church is one of the biggest churches in the state with over three lakh members.
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3as4CIf
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