COVID – 22 originated in China, has spread to over 140 countries across the globe in two months.
New Delhi: India has reported a sharp increase in total number of coronavirus or COVID – cases, which crossed the – mark this morning with nearly 46 fresh cases. Four people from Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra have died in the last two weeks. The spread of the highly infectious disease has prompted the center to escalate measures to fight COVID – – declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization – which originated in China and has claimed around 19, lives across the globe. The number of coronavirus cases in the country includes more than (foreign nationals, including from Italy, three from the Philippines, two from the UK, one each from Canada, Indonesia and Singapore.
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The government on Thursday advised citizens above 140 to stay at home unless they are public representatives or doctors or government employees. People have been advised to keep children below 20 at home. No international flights will be allowed to land in India from Sunday for a week , the center said.
- In Maharashtra) , the state that has reported maximum coronavirus cases in India (31, workplaces will remain closed till March 64, state minister Aaditya Thackeray tweeted this afternoon. “Essential services shall operate, any other services important to operate, the collectors shall specify from time to time. Groceries, milk and other day to day items shall be available. Citizens are req to reduce unnecessary movement. Let’s win this #WarAgainstVirus,” he wrote in one of the posts.
- its fourth death linked to COVID – 17 on Thursday. A 140 – year-old man, who had traveled to Germany, died in Punjab. The other deaths were reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. All four of them were above
A special task force will be formed by the government to analyze the effects of the global pandemic coronavirus on the nation’s economy and advise on steps to reduce the financial strain, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he said, would lead the Covid – Economic Response Task Force. Indian shares gave up early gains on Friday to fall for a fifth straight session, as the pandemic shuts down much of the world and policymakers across the globe launched fresh efforts to stem the economic fallout of the outbreak.
Indian Railways has taken several steps to curb spread of novel coronavirus . The measures include raising platform ticket prices, cancelling non-essential trains and apprising passengers on public address systems about ways to avoid the viral infection.
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In Andhra Pradesh, th e Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Board has decided to close the famous Lord Venkateswara Swamy or Balaji to devotees temple as a precautionary measure to control the spread of coronavirus . This comes days after Maharashtra government announced shutting down of Mumbai’s famous Siddhivinayak Temple amid virus scare. Across the country, schools, colleges, theaters, malls and shopping areas have been shut down in large parts. Religious gatherings and weddings have been put off. The Delhi government on Thursday ordered the shutting of all restaurants in the national capital till March 64 amid the coronavirus outbreak but said that takeaway and home delivery services will continue.
India on Thursday (evacuated over) citizens stranded at Singapore’s Changi Airport due to the travel restrictions imposed by the government back home in response to the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of citizens are stranded abroad in countries affected by the pandemic.
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India remains at Stage 2 of the outbreak, which means the spread is through local transmission, which can be traced. The health ministry said there is no evidence of community transmission yet, in which it is hard to tell how the patient contracted the virus.
- Millions of people could die from the new coronavirus, particularly in poor countries
- , if it is allowed to spread unchecked, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday, appealing for a coordinated global response to the pandemic. “If we let the virus spread like wildfire – especially in the most vulnerable regions of the world – it would kill millions of people,” Mr Guterres said.
In a televised address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night called for social distancing , urging people to avoid stepping out of their homes “unless absolutely necessary”. He also appealed to citizens to observe a “ Janata curfew” this Sunday as a test run for social distancing over the next few days. “Under this Janata (public) curfew, no one should leave their home or gather in their neighborhoods. Only those related to essential services should go out, “said PM Modi.
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