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More than 1,000,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been officially detected worldwide since the pandemic emerged in China late last year, according to the John Hopkins Resource Centre on Friday, 3 April.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Affairs on Thursday reported that the death toll due to COVID-19 in India has risen to 53, while the number of cases has gone up to 2,069.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi has risen to 293 on Thursday, including 182 positive cases from Markaz Nizamuddin, PTI reported, quoting the Delhi government.
“At 9 am tomorrow morning, I’ll share a small video message with my fellow Indians,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.
The health ministry, in a press conference, said that about 400 COVID-19 cases have been found “whose epidemiological linkage can be traced to the Tablighi Jamaat cluster.”
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A six-week-old infant died of the COVID0-19 in Connecticut, United States, reported AFP, quoting Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont.
United Nations 26 Climate Change summit has been postponed over the coronavirus pandemic, reported AFP, quoting the UK government.
The chief minister of Telangana on Wednesday reported three more deaths due to COVID-19, raising the death toll in the state to 9, reported PTI.
The United States of America has set a new one-day record with 884 coronavirus deaths, according to Johns Hopkins university, reported AFP news agency.
The US has begun repatriation of its stranded nationals, who want to return home, from India which is undergoing a 21-day lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus pandemic, a senior American diplomat has said, praising the Indian government for extending full support to undertake this “important mission,” reported PTI.
“We began our repatriation efforts from India yesterday with a flight that brought in some 170-some US citizens,”said Ian G. Brownlee, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, US State Department, according to ANI.
In Maharashtra, engineers at Nocca Robotics Pvt. Ltd., a start-up in Pune are developing low-cost ventilators in an attempt to fight coronavirus pandemic. Nikhil Kurele, one of the founders of NACCO Robotics said, “Our objective is to build a portable ventilator.”
He added, “ventilators that we are developing will cost less than Rs 50,000. It is not a full-fledged ventilator. It has features that are for COVID-19 patients specifically.”
Singapore has reported its fourth death due to the novel coronavirus, the Health Ministry said on Thursday, a day after 74 new COVID-19 infections, including seven Indians, were confirmed in the country, reported PTI.
“Nine more COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan (7 from Ramganj, and 1 each from Jodhpur and Jhunjhunu) taking the total number of coronavirus positive cases in the state to 129,” said Rajasthan Health Department.
“One more COVID-19 positive case in Manipur who attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz. The total number of positive cases in the state now stands at two. Some are at quarantine centres and under observation,” said N Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur, reported ANI.
A Padma Shri awardee and former 'Hazuri Raagi' at the Golden Temple died in Amrisar of coronavirus Thursday morning, a health official said. The 62-year-old 'Gurbani' exponent had recently returned from abroad and tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, the official said, reported PTI.
“Twelve more coronavirus cases in Indore. Total cases rise to 98 in MP,” reported PTI quoting an official.
“A 67-year-old man from Ambala, Haryana who had tested positive for COVID-19 has lost his life at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh,” said Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Ambala Chief Medical Officer.
“Three more COVID-19 cases reported in Maharashtra (two from Pune and one from Buldhana) taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 338,” said Maharashtra Health Department, reported ANI.
A six-week-old baby girl has died of coronavirus in the US state of Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont said on Thursday, stressing that the death is a reminder that “nobody is safe with this virus” as the COVID-19 cases there crossed 3,500.
A report in the Hartford Courant newspaper quoted officials as saying that the infant arrived at the hospital unresponsive and tested positive for the coronavirus post-mortem, reported PTI.
“A 52-year-old COVID-19 patient lost his life today morning. He had a history of travel to Sri Lanka and was admitted to SSG Hospital, Vadodara on 19 March. Four members of his family have also tested positive for the virus and are undergoing treatment,” said S Agarwal, Vadodara Collector, reported ANI.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Affairs on Thursday, reported that the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 50 in the country, while the number of cases spiked to 1,965.
Out of these, 150 have been cured/discharged, according to the ministry.
The Uttar Pradesh government has shunted out the chief medical officer (CMO) of Gautam Buddh Nagar Anurag Bhargava, according to an official order.
Bhargava is the second high-level officer to be shifted in Noida after the district magistrate was shunted out earlier this week after a meeting with chief minister Yogi Adityanath on the coronavirus situation, reported PTI.
In Mumbai, Sai Hospital Chembur completely sealed and Saifee Hospital, Jaslok Hospital, Bhabha Hospital and Hinduja Hospital partially affected due to exposure to COVID-19 patients. (Visuals from Dharavi).
The Gujarat government has roped in primary school teachers to trace migrant workers and provide them free ration during the unprecedented lockdown in view of the coronavirus outbreak, reported PTI.
Teachers from government-run schools were called-in on Wednesday for door-to-door survey of villages to find the migrant workers there and inform about their whereabouts to the authorities concerned.
One man was arrested and around a dozen people booked in Noida for allegedly gathering for a group namaaz in violation of lockdown restrictions imposed due to coronavirus, the Noida police said on Thursday.
The FIR was lodged under provisions including those of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Uttar Pradesh Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 after a video surfaced on social media on Wednesday evening purportedly showing the gathering on the terrace of a house for the prayer, the police said.
National Cadet Corps (NCC) issues guidelines for temporary employment of its cadets to augment relief efforts & functioning of various agencies involved in battling coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Defence stated.
Scientists in Australia said on Thursday they have begun testing two potential vaccines for COVID-19 in "milestone" lab trials, reported PTI.
The scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) said they are testing the COVID-19 vaccine candidates for efficacy.
“One person (85-year-old) from Alwar who had tested positive for COVID-19 has unfortunately died. He had a comorbid condition of brain stroke paralysis,” said Rohit Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Rajasthan Health Department, reported ANI.
“We are monitoring 362 people who had attended Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi. Out of 27 people from Bidar who had attended, 11 have tested positive for COVID-19, while results of 16 others are awaited. Total positive cases in the state are 121,” said B Sriramulu, Karnataka Health Minister, according to ANI.
“Twenty-one more COVID-19 cases reported in Andhra Pradesh, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 132,” said Arja Srikanth, State Nodal Officer.
“We meet today in midst of an unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis. The magnitude of the challenge before us is daunting but our resolve to overcome it must be greater,” said Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi at Congress Working Committee meeting (via video conferencing).
She added, “To fight COVID-19, there is no alternative to constant and reliable testing. Our doctors, nurses, and health workers need all the support. Personal Protection Equipment such as hazmat suits, N-95 masks must be provided to them on a war footing.”
Certain media reports have claimed that Railways has started reservations for the post-lockdown period. It is to clarify that reservations for journeys after 14 April were never stopped and is not related to any new announcement, the Ministry of Railways stated.
In Maharashtra, a Mumbai Police Head Constable, Bapu Saheb Dangre has donated Rs 10,000 to Chief Minister's COVID-19 relief fund. He handed over the cheque to State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
A Baramati court in Maharashtra’s Pune has awarded three-day imprisonment to three people for violating the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.
This is, perhaps, the first case of conviction for violating the lockdown order, police claimed, reported PTI.
“A man, who attended congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin, tests positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, first case in state,” said officials, reported PTI.
A man was assaulted by a group in Maharashtra's Solapur district for allegedly informing a village official about those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi, police said on Thursday.
The 56-year-old man had informed the 'gramsevak' of Pimpri village about seven locals who attended the Tablighi meet and also insisted that they be tested for coronavirus, police said, reported PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds meeting with Chief Ministers via video conferencing, on COVID-19 situation in the country. Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also present.
PM Modi said that in the next few weeks, testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine should remain focus areas. He highlighted the necessity of maintaining a supply of essential medical products and the availability of raw material for the manufacture of medicines and medical equipment, according to the Prime Minister's Office.
“A COVID-19 symptomatic man has committed suicide in quarantine ward of a hospital in Shamli district. His report is awaited. Further investigation is underway,” said District Magistrate Jasjit Kaur, reported ANI.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday urged Muslims to observe Shab-e-Barat staying inside their homes, and also suggested that the birth anniversary celebrations of Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar be postponed in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
Pawar said Ram Navami, being observed on Thursday, is celebrated with fervour every year across the country, reported PTI.
“Unfortunately, there is this threat of coronavirus this year and we have to observe some restrictions...but I am sure people must be remembering Lord Ram staying inside their homes,” he said in his address via Facebook.
Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday visited Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) in Guwahati to check the condition of a patient, with suspected symptoms of COVID-19.
After visiting the hospital, which has been turned into an exclusive COVID-19 facility, the minister said in a Twitter post that the test result of the patient is awaited.
Second COVID-19 case confirmed in Dharavi, Mumbai. “A 52-year-old BMC sanitization worker has been found positive for the virus, he resides in the Worli area but was posted at Dharavi for cleaning,” said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official.
The official added that “the 52-year-old man who tested positive had developed symptoms and was advised by BMC officials to get treatment. His condition is stable. His family members and 23 colleagues have been advised to quarantine.”
“There has been a lot of misinformation on the news of PM-CARES fund accepting foreign donations. What has been announced is that PM-CARES fund will simply accept donations and contributions from individuals and organizations that are based in foreign countries,” said government sources.
“This is consistent with India’s policy with respect to Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). PMNRF has also received foreign contributions as a public trust since 2011,” the government sources, ANI reported.
In light of the coronavirus lockdown, Chamber of Industrial and Commerce Undertakings stated, “In a representation to the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, the Minister of MSME, we have requested the govternment of India to pay 10 percent lump sum compensation to the industry, based on turnover as per GST return.”
National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has donated Rs 50,000 to the PM-CARES fund to aid the nation's fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The NGT in an office order, said the chairperson has decided to contribute a sum of Rs 50,000 and has expressed his desire that all the members of tribunal as well as the officers/officials of registry/staff should come forward and generously contribute voluntarily towards the cause, reported PTI.
Asha workers engaged to conduct coronavirus survery in certain minority dominated areas in Bengaluru were allegedly manhandled on Thursday, prompting the Karnataka government to issue a stern warning to the offenders.
The Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers along with health officials were conducting a door-to-door survey in the minority dominated areas in view of the virus spreading through those who returned to the state after attending a religious congregation in Delhi, reported PTI.
In Delhi, police personnel sanitize Nizamuddin Markaz area which emerged as a coronavirus hotspot post Tablighi Jamaat event last month. Twenty-nine of those who attended this event have tested positive till now in the national capital as per Delhi Health minister, Satyendar Jain.
“Exams of 7th and 8th standard (under Karnataka State Board) have been canceled, children will be promoted to the next standard without exams,” said Suresh Kumar, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister, reported ANI.
A 54-year-old man died of coronavirus infection in Indore on Thursday, taking the COVID-19 toll in Madhya Pradesh to eight, an official said, reported PTI.
This is second coronavirus related death reported from the state on Thursday.
The man, who was a resident of Moti Tabela area, was admitted to the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital on 29 March.
In Mumbai, one arrested on charges of attacking Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) team yesterday which had reached Dharavi to seal the building where COVID-19 positive patient was found. Case registered under various sections of IPC. Seven to eight more people are wanted in this case, reported ANI.
Kerala High Court stayed state government decision to issue special passes to tipplers, who have withdrawal symptoms and doctor's prescription to buy liquor from Excise department, reported PTI.
The Centre has extended the deployment of 100 CAPF companies in the national capital for strengthening security during the ongoing lockdown in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said on Thursday.
The Union home ministry, the official told PTI, issued an order on Wednesday extending the deployment of about 10,000 troops in these companies “for maintaining law and order during lockdown in Delhi.”
The national cyber security agency on Thursday cautioned against the cyber vulnerability of the popular video conferencing app 'Zoom', used by tens of thousands of professionals who are working from home in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and issued an advisory outlining the safety measures for both the operator and the users, reported PTI.
The National Commission for Women has received over 250 complaints since the country-wide lockdown was imposed to control the spread of coronavirus out of which 69 were cases of domestic violence, which it said has been increasing since then.
Since the lockdown was imposed, a total of 257 complaints related to various offences against women were received, out of which 69 complaints are related to domestic violence, the data released by the NCW showed, reported PTI.
Amid COVID-19 lockdown, Air India has suspended contracts with approximately 200 pilots who were re-employed after retirement, says official, reported PTI.
Bollywood couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan on Thursday announced that they will be donating money to the PM-CARES Fund and Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help combat coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Kareena posted a statement on Instagram, saying that she, along with Saif and their son Taimur, have extended support to the two relief funds.
A man from Kargil has tested positive for coronavirus and efforts are being made to trace all his contacts, a senior official said on Thursday.
“The test of one person has arrived. He is positive. The person belongs to Sanjak area of Chitan belt of Kargil” Commissioner (Health) Rigzin Samphel told reporters.
The city's metro rail service has ground to a halt but some of its staff members are still at work, cooking food for those left without jobs after the lockdown to halt coronavirus.
“There are a number of people, especially migrant labourers who have been left stranded in the state capital because of the lockdown,” Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director, Kumar Keshav said.
An Indian-origin Singaporean was sentenced to two months' jail on Thursday for shouting “corona, corona” and spitting on a hotel floor at the Changi Airport, the first conviction of its kind in the country related to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a media report, reported PTI.
Jasvinder Singh Mehar Singh, 52, pleaded guilty to one count each of committing a rash act and being a public nuisance on 3 March 2020, The Straits Times reported.
Employees of the Uttar Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) on Thursday contributed one day's salary to the COVID-19 relief fund under the chief minister's office, reported PTI.
“A resident doctor of the Physiology Department of All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi has tested positive for COVID-19. He is admitted to the new private ward for further evaluation and multiple testing. His family will also be screened,” said AIIMS Sources, reported ANI.
Eleven more people have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of cases to 131 in Rajasthan, including two Italian nationals and 14 attendees of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi, according to the state health department.
“Over 1,400 people from Maharashtra attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, out of which around 1,300 have been traced and are being quarantined. Their samples will be collected for COVID-19 testing,” state health minister Rajesh Tope told ANI.
Spain has recorded 950 deaths related to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, AFP reported on Thursday. At least 10,000 people have now died from the virus in the country.
The Centre has allowed Maharashtra to conduct rapid COVID-19 tests to expedite detection, according to state health minister Rajesh Tope.
According to the West Bengal government, all students of classes 1 to 8 will automatically be promoted to the next class, reports PTI.
The health ministry, in a press conference on Thursday, 2 April, said that about 400 COVID-19 cases have been found “whose epidemiological linkage can be traced to the Tablighi Jamaat cluster.”
328 new cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths have been reported in India since Wednesday, it said, adding that the PM has urged states to manage the crisis at the district level.
Contact tracing has been initiated and surveillance strengthened in connection with Mumbai's Dharavi case, according to the ministry.
A CRPF Doctor who is a Chief Medical Officer residing in the officers mess in Saket, Delhi, has tested positive for COVID-19, ANI reports.
Staff and guests there have been placed under quarantine and the officer has been sent to an isolation ward. He is attached with ADG Medical, CRPF.
The Home Ministry has identified 9000 Tablighi Jamat workers and their contacts and placed them in quarantine, according to an official. Out of these, 1306 are foreigners and the rest are Indians.
The first COVID-19 patient has recovered in Kashmir and has been discharged from the hospital, officials told PTI.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a press conference on Thursday, 2 April, said that four people have died due to COVID-19 including two who had attended Nizamuddin Markaz.
208 active cases have been reported in the city, including 108 people from Markaz Nizamuddin, he added.
Around 50 members of medical staff (including doctors, nurses and paramedics) across the country have tested positive for COVID-19, reports ANI, quoting a health ministry official.
Delhi Police have filed an FIR after 225 migrants were found staying in Majnu Ka Tila Gurudwara without informing the local administration, ANI reports.
Kerala reports 21 new COVID-19 cases, including 8 from the worst-hit Kasaragod, ANI reports, quoting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
“At 9 am tomorrow morning, I’ll share a small video message with my fellow Indians,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, 2 April.
75 more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, of which 74 are those who participated in the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi. The total tally has risen to 309, PTI reports.
“46 Tablighi Jamaat attendees have been identified and quarantined in Goa. They are from other states. We don't know why they have come to Goa. Their reports will come tomorrow. Search for more attendees is still on,” Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the media.
Mumbai Police have arrested one person on the charges of hoarding over 1 lakh 3-ply face masks worth Rs 35.84 lakh in Santacruz west area, ANI reports. The arrested person has been sent to police custody by a court.
Maharashtra COVID-19 tally now 416 as 81 more test coronavirus positive on Thursday, PTI reports, quoting health officials. The death toll has risen to 19, as two more people have died.
The Home Ministry on Thursday said that 960 foreigners, allegedly found to be involved in Tablighi Jamaat activities, have been blacklisted, with their tourist visas cancelled.
The MHA also directed Delhi Police and DGPs of other concerned states to take necessary legal action against these 960 foreigners for allegedly violating the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Disaster Management Act, 2005, Home Minister Amit Shah's office said.
The government on Thursday directed states and Union territories to book under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, 2005, people who violate lockdown rules or make false claims.
In a letter to all chief secretaries of the states and Union territories, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said the lockdown measures issued on 24 March clearly mention that "any person violating these containment measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC", reported PTI.
It is requested that for the attention of the public authorities and citizens, the penal provisions under the DM Act and IPC should be widely circulated, and for violation of lockdown measures, action under relevant provisions shall be taken by the law enforcement authorities, he said.
Putin has extended the non-working period for Russians to end of April in measure against COVID-19, AFP reports.
Haryana government has banned the sale of chewing gum till 30 June to check the spread of COVID-19, according to PTI.
The total number of cases has risen to 2069 (including 1860 active cases, 155 cured/discharged/migrated people and 53 deaths), according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The death toll has touched 53.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi has risen to 293, including 182 positive cases from Markaz Nizamuddin, PTI reported, quoting the Delhi government.
Home ministry has given an exemption from lockdown transit arrangement of stranded foreign nationals in India, PTI reported, quoting officials.
An exemption has also been made for the departure of foreigners who came to India post 15 February, after the end of quarantine period and tested negative.
The 9-month pregnant wife of a resident doctor of AIIMS, who had tested positive for COVID19 earlier today, has also tested positive. She has been isolated and her delivery will take place at AIIMS, reports ANI.
Twenty-seven more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Telangana, taking the total number of cases to 154 including 17 discharged and 9 deaths, PTI reports, quoting the state’s health department.
One more COVID-19 patient has died in Maharashtra, taking the death toll to 21, PTI reports, quoting a health official.
Four members of Tablighi Jamaat, including three foreign nationals, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhopal, PTI reports, quoting a health official.
FIve more COVID-19 positive cases have been recorded in Bihar, taking the total to 29. Two of these are from Gopalganj, one from Saran and two from Gaya.
The Supreme Court has registered a suo moto case on the basis of a letter sent by MP Mahua Moitra to the CJI highlighting the plight of migrant workers amid the lockdown imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta will consider the case on Friday. Moitra has said that she will be appearing in person in the case.
In the letter, the TMC MP from Krishnanagar (WB) stated that she has personally received over 300 requests of help from stranded migrant workers belonging to her area from far away places in Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Delhi, Gurgaon etc.
A 67-year-old COVID-19 patient died in Palghar, Maharashtra on Thursday, raising the death toll in the state to 21, reported ANI, quoting the District Collector.
The patient was also suffering from tuberculosis.
Jharkhand on Thursday reported its second case of COVID-19 has been reported in a man who worked as a labourer in Asansol, West Bengal.
After the nationwide lockdown was imposed, the patient walked to his house in Vishngarh in Jharkhand. His health had detonated on his way and his family admitted him to Vishnugarh Health Centre, where he was tested positive.
Two new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur district, raising the total number of cases in the state to 115. Both patient had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, reported ANI, quoting Dinesh Kumar Singh, District Magistrate.
The Odisha government on Thursday sealed the Surya Nagar area in Bhubaneswar after 60-year-old man with no recent domestic or international travel history tested positive for COVID-19, reported PTI.
Four attendees of Tablighi event in Delhi tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra on Thursday, reported PTI, quoting a state health official.
Three more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand, raising the total number of cases in the state to 10, reported PTI.
The global death toll from COVID-19 crossed 50,000 on Thursday, according to John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.
The highest number of deaths come from Italy, where over 13,000 patients have died and 115, 242 are infected.
US President Donald Trump has tested negative in his second test for coronavirus and is "healthy" and without any symptoms for the deadly disease, the White House physician on Thursday, reported PTI.
"The President tested negative for COVID-19," Sean P Conley, physician to the President Trump said on Thursday in a memorandum to the White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham.