Coronavirus Breaking March 13
India reported its first death due to coronavirus on Thursday as the number of positive cases soared to 74. The deadly virus that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 4,600 lives and infected more than 124,330 people worldwide. Declaring the coronavirus as 'epidemic', the Delhi govt has announced that all cinema halls would remain shut till March 31. Schools and colleges where exams are not being held will also remain closed. With the WHO declaring COVID-19 outbreak a "pandemic", India has taken the unprecedented decision to suspend all visas, barring select categories, till April 15.
The Indian Embassy in the US has set up a 24-hour helpline to address questions on the recent travel restrictions implemented by New Delhi in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Coronavirus pandemic: Highlights
05:40 pm: 42,000 people across India are under community surveillance, says Health Ministry official
05:25 pm: Gyms, Swimming pools, theatres remain closed in Mumbai, Pune, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur: CM Uddhav Thackeray. He said that schools in Pipri-Chinchwad will remain closed except for examinations.
05:24 pm: Air India would be taking flight to Milan (Italy) to bring back Indians stranded there. The flight would take off tomorrow afternoon and would be landing on Sunday morning at Delhi Airport.
05:21 pm: "Indo-Bangladesh passenger buses/trains to remain suspended till 15th April. Along Indo-Nepal border 4 check posts will remain operational. For Bhutan and Nepal nationals visa-free entry to continue," says Health Ministry.
05:19 pm: Total number of Coronavirus positive cases in India rises to 81. The number includes 16 Italians.
03:52 PM: Two more people test positive in Nagpur. Total of three cases in the city.
03:43 PM: Senior cabinet ministers hold a press meet
03:34 PM: All public libraries, gyms, swimming pools, water parks in urban areas and aanganwadis will remain closed till March 31 in
03:32 PM: To avoid fake news regarding coronavirus, Delhi government has issued a notice saying, "No person/institution/organisation shall issue any information regarding Coronavirus in print or electronic media without the permission of the Ministry of Health, Delhi govt. If any person/organisation is found to be doing this, it will be considered a punishable offense."
03:08 PM: Man employed at an Italian restaurant, tested positive at Manesar's ITBP camp.
02:55 PM: Karnataka shuts cinema halls, colleges, schools.
02:52 PM: 6 Districts of Haryana shut down amid coronavirus fear.
02:44 PM: Rajiv Chowk Metro Station to get sanitization at 4 pm.
02:15 PM: 46 people placed under quarantine in Kalaburagi after coronavirus claims man's life. Read More...
02:11 PM: An Iran Air flight carrying Indians stranded in coronavirus-hit Iran, landed at the airport in Mumbai
02:06 PM: The Delhi government's refusal to allow any IPL matches in the city owing to the COVID-19 pandemic adds to the BCCI's woes with the Board now looking for alternate venues in "willing" states.
02:00 PM: After JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia suspends classes with immediate effect till March 31 and advised students to avoid large gathering in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. Read More...
01:58 PM: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Museum will remain closed for public viewing for the month of March 2020 as a preventive measure to counter Coronavirus. Read More...
01:56 PM: Odisha declares coronavirus as 'disaster', orders closure of schools, cinemas. Read More...
12:17 PM: Registrar, Jawaharlal Nehru University: All lectures, class presentations and examinations at JNU are suspended till 31st March. Conducting any event, such as seminars, conferences&workshops, in the campus during this period should be postponed.
11: 26 AM: China reports 7 more deaths, 8 new cases as coronavirus continues to decline
China on Friday reported seven more fatalities due to the novel coronavirus infection, taking the death toll to 3,176, while the new confirmed cases were just eight, as the disease continued to abate across the country, including in its epicentre Wuhan. China's National Health Commission (NHC) said it received reports of the seven deaths from the Chinese mainland on Thursday. While six people died in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, one died in Shandong province.
11:10 AM: All public swimming pools to be closed in Delhi
The Delhi government has ordered the shutting of all public swimming pools in the city with immediate effect till March 31 in wake of coronavirus outbreak.
The health department of the Delhi government had issued an order in this regard on Thursday, the official said, adding swimming pools of all hotels and other entities, where people use the facilities, will be closed.
11: 00 AM: CRPF cancels anniversary celebrations due to coronavirus threat
The CRPF on Friday postponed its raising day celebrations planned to be held next week in view of the coronavirus outbreak. The 3.25 lakh central force was supposed to hold the main ceremonial parade and display of martial skills with the involvement of thousands of troops at its officers academy campus in Gurgaon on March 19 to mark its 81st raising day.
10:49 AM: Government is in stupor, economy will be destroyed if strong action not taken: Rahul Gandhi on coronavirus
10:41 AM: Pvt airports for levying fee on each ticket to tackle corona crisis
Private airport operators have asked the government to allow levying a fee on each flight ticket to cover expenses made by them to screen arriving passengers for coronavirus symptoms.
10:02 AM: Nepal suspends all Everest expeditions due to coronavirus, news agency AFP news agency reported.
9:47 AM: Indian rupee hits record low amid coronavirus scare
The Indian rupee dropped to a record low on Friday, weighed down by worries over the coronavirus pandemic that has prompted investors to dump riskier assets and move towards safe havens. The partially convertible rupee dropped to a record low of 74.5075 against the dollar before recovering slightly to trade at 74.4445 by 0355 GMT.
9:45 AM: Kamal Nath govt may postpone Madhya Pradesh Assembly session
Amid coronavirus scare, the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh may postpone the assembly session which is scheduled to begin from March 16.
9:25 AM: Techie at Google's Bengaluru office tests positive
In a statement, Google said one of its employees in Bangalore office has been diagnosed with Covid-19. "They were in one of our Bangalore offices for a few hours before developing any symptoms. The employee has been on quarantine since then."
Google: We can confirm that an employee from our Bengaluru office has been diagnosed with COVID-19. He was in one of our Bengaluru offices for a few hours before developing any symptoms. The employee has been on quarantine since then.
9:00 AM: All 112 people admitted to ITBP facility in Delhi test negative for coronavirus
After 14 days of quarantine at the ITBP facility in Delhi, 112 Wuhan evacuees including 36 foreign nationals have been tested negative for COVID-19. They will start leaving the facility from 11 am onwards today.
8:30 AM: Asian shares plunge after Wall Street’s worst day since ’87
Shares have plunged in Asia, with Japan’s benchmark sinking 10% after Wall Street suffered its biggest drop since the Black Monday crash of 1987. Markets worldwide have retreated as fears of economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis deepen and the meltdown in the U.S., the world’s biggest economy, batters confidence around the globe.
8:00 AM: Canada's Trudeau to be in isolation after wife tests positive for coronavirus
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is self-isolating over coronavirus fears after his wife, who returned from London, tested COVID 19 positive as she showed mild-fly symptoms. Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, who returned from London on Wednesday, began to show mild flu-like symptoms including a low fever.
