COVID-19 Crisis : Highlights on March 26

COVID-19 positive cases are nearing 500,000 globally, as the death toll breached the 22,000-mark on Thursday. In India, 694 people have been infected with the virus and 16 have succumbed to the disease. 

Coronavirus Outbreak Highlights

• The total number of positive cases in India has risen to 694, with 16 deaths so far, according to latest figures from the Union Health Ministry.
• G-20 virtual summit on COVID-19 has begun and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, who is the chair of the summit, has made his opening remarks. Here is the full text of his remarks. 

• The total number of cases in Punjab rise to 33, after 2 more people test positive for Coronavirus. Of the two, one person is from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and is a contact of another positive patient and the second case is from Jalandhar and the patient has a travel history
• COVID-19 cases in Europe have crossed 250,000. Italy, Spain and Germany have been the worst affected European countries.
• While the numbers of COVID-19 cases are increasing, the rate at which they are increasing appears to be relatively stabilizing. However, this is only the initial trend: Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health & Family Welfare Ministry
• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to 18 Chief Ministers in connection with the people from West Bengal that are stuck in various parts of the country, amid the lockdown. In the letter, she has appealed to the CMs to provide basic amenities to them.
• Odisha to set up the largest COVID19 hospital in the country. It will be a 1000 bed hospital and will be functional in a fortnight.
• China's active COVID-19 cases have dropped below 4,000. Here are 12 countries which have more coronavirus cases than China.
• Indian Army issues fresh instructions reiterating enhanced measures to fight coronavirus 

• 73-year-old man who tested positive for coronavirus dies due to co-morbidity in Bhilwara in Rajasthan
• Rajasthan reports two new positive coronavirus cases; the total number rises to 40
• Delhi Metro services closure period extended till April 14
• Coronavirus deaths in Australia increase to 12; infected cases nearly 2,800
• Andhra Pradesh: People at vegetable markets in Tirupati follow social distancing

• An audio clip is circulating on social media claiming that Nagpur has tested 59 positive coronavirus cases including 3 doctors. The assertion made in the audio is fake: Press Information Bureau
• AIIMS constitutes task force to develop management protocols for coronavirus pandemic
• Mumbai's Juhu beach wears a deserted look as nationwide lockdown enters Day 2

• Mohalla clinics in Delhi will continue to operate, says Kejriwal after a doctor at one of the clinics tested positive for COVID-19
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to announce economic package soon to deal with COVID-19 impact
• All officers of Gurugram Police have been directed that exemption of services of technical hands required for essential services/maintenance of households/buildings shall be allowed free movement

• Noida: Ace Golfshire apartments in Sector 150 and Hotel Sandal Suit Sector in Sector 135 have been sealed till 10 am 28th March after tracing of earlier reported Coronavirus positive cases in the area
• South Delhi Municipal Corporation conducts sanitisation in Lajpat Nagar, in wake of Coronavirus spread

• Sri Lanka starts program to deliver essential goods to homes
• 3,700 arrested for violating curfew in Sri Lanka
• 70-year-old COVID-19 patient dies in Guj; state toll rises to 3
• Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Narendra Modi, voices support to lockdown
• Housing sales dip 42 pc in Jan-Mar at 45,200 units amid coronavirus concerns
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath holds meeting with senior officials over coronavirus

• Gujarat reports total 43 positive cases of coronavirus 
• Restrictions intensified in Kashmir following the detection of 4 more COVID-19 cases; total no. 11
• Coronavirus suspect dies at Indore hospital
• SpiceJet's special flight to take 142 Iran-returned Indians to quarantine facility in Jodhpur
• Extending closures in Wuhan may prevent a second wave of COVID-19: Study 
• Coronavirus cases rise to 6 in Chhattisgarh
• Majority of 1,022 coronavirus cases in Pakistan constitute young adults falling in the age bracket of 21-30 years
• Total number of COVID-19 positive cases rise to 649 in India: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Death toll due to COVID-19 rises to 13 in India
• Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan announces to donate Rs 1 crore to Prime Minister's National Relief Fund & Rs 50 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister's Relief Fund in fight against coronavirus
• A 21-year-old woman (whose parents tested positive), a 32-year-old man with travel history to Dubai, a 33 year-old woman and a 39 year-old man have been tested positive for Coronavirus
• Shimla: People outside a shop stand at a distance from each other

• Resident Doctor's Association of Delhi AIIMS writes to the Haryana Health Secretary, seeking intervention for suspension of the classes at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak amid nationwide lockdown
• Kamal Haasan offers to convert his residence into hospital
• Over 74,000 COVID-19 cases in Italy, toll reaches 7,503
• Coronavirus cases in US cross 65,000 with more than 1,000 fatalities
• Madhya Pradesh COVID-19 tally 20; five more test positive
• West Bengal: A 66-year-old man in Nayabad tests positive for coronavirus
• Haryana Government to provide an extension in service to medical and para-medical staff and those engaged in essential services who are due for retirement this month
• Gautam Budh Nagar: People at a Mother Dairy booth in Sector 19 stand at a distance from each other as they practice social distancing

• BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to donate Rs 50 lakh worth rice to the underprivileged amid lockdown
• Amid complete lockdown, people in large numbers throng to Hubballi's Gandhi market

• West Bengal: Buses, trams, and metros in Kolkata have stopped plying as the city remains under lockdown

• Three people test positive for coronavirus in Goa
• Services rendered by doctors and media fall under the 'Essential Services' category and their movement amid the lockdown is allowed

Also Read | COVID-19 in Gujarat: 85-year-old coronavirus positive woman dies in Ahmedabad​

Also Read | Spain's deputy PM Carmen Calvo tests positive for coronavirus after testing negative​

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