On Wednesday, 18 March, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India crossed 150, according to the Health Ministry data.
Delhi has so far reported 10 positive cases, out of which one has died and two have been discharged. One more coronavirus case has been confirmed in Noida, taking the total in the satellite city to four.
Here are all the updates on the coronavirus pandemic from the Delhi-NCR:
One More Tested Positive In Noida
A resident of Noida, who recently returned from Indonesia, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Gautam Buddh Nagar health officials said on Wednesday, 18 March. The total number of positive cases for COVID-19 in the district now stands at four, Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava said.
On Tuesday, 17 March, two persons – residents of Noida's Sector 78 and Sector 100 – who recently returned from France had tested positive for coronavirus, according to officials.
Delhi Offers Pay and Use Quarantine Facilities
The Delhi government has set up paid quarantine facilities at three hotels – Lemon Tree, Red Fox, IBIS – situated near the Indira Gandhi International Airport
The people showing symptoms of coronavirus and those coming from COVID-19-hit countries have to undergo compulsory quarantine for 14 days.
According to three separate orders issued by New Delhi District Magistrate Tanvi Garg, people using quarantine facilities at these three hotels will have to pay Rs 3,100, excluding taxes, per day. IBIS and Lemon Tea Premier have been asked to set aside 92 and 54 rooms respectively for paid quarantine facilities, while Red Fox Hotel has to isolate 36 rooms for the same, the order said.
Delhi Police Appeals To Avoid Protests and Other Public Gatherings
To prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Delhi Police appealed to the general public to "not assemble at any place for protest, dharna, rally, entertainment or any other purpose, whether in close space or outside" till 31 March.
"Any no objection certificate or permission in respect of such gatherings will not be issued. It is also decided that no license/permission will be issued for public entertainment activities," the police said.
Close All Delhi Govt Offices for 7 Days, Employee Association to CM Kejriwal
A Delhi government employee association on Wednesday, 18 March met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and demanded closure of all government offices for a week in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
In its memorandum, the association said, "The precaution taken by the Maharashtra government should be adopted by the Delhi government by closing."
Over 1.86 Lakh Passengers Screened at Delhi Airport
“Over 1.86 lakh passengers who have returned from the coronavirus-affected countries have been screened at the Delhi airport till date and placed under surveillance,” Delhi Health Department authorities said on Tuesday, 17 March.
According to a statement released by the Delhi Health Department. as many as 4,458 passengers from the coronavirus-hit countries were screened on Tuesday, 17 March.
DMRC Staff Demand Discontinuation of Breathe Analyser Test for Drivers
In a letter to DMRC’s Managing Director Mangu Singh, the DMRC staff council wrote, “Biometric attendance has been suspended but in no stretch of imagination breath analyser test (BA) is safe as remains of breath and droplets will remain in the BA test machine...Kindly suspend the BA test and instead self-declaration from train operators should be taken or single-use BA test kit to all train operators should be given.”
But there is no plan to discontinue the test. DMRC officials say the test is important as operators are responsible for the safety of passengers.
The staff council has also demanded a nodal officer for COVID-19.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
Jaishankar Meets Officials at Delhi Airport
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met immigration, health, security and airport officials at Delhi Airport late night on Tuesday, 17 March and lauded their efforts.
In a tweet, he thanked the officials and workers "for their exceptional effort in these difficult times. That too, with great courtesy and a warm smile."
The EAM also wrote in his tweet,"India works because countless Indians do".
Coronavirus: Interns Barred from Entering Delhi HC
The Registrar General of the High Court issued a circular on Tuesday, 17 March, stating, "In view of the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Chief Justice and judges of this court have been pleased to direct that interns attached with judges shall not be allowed to access to this court till further orders. Security agencies are hereby directed not to honour the intern passes till further orders. Registrar (general/admin) is also directed not to issue any new intern passes,"
The high court had decided on Monday to limit its functioning due to the coronavirus pandemic and hold hearing of only few benches till 20 March.
Delhi HC May Hear Cases Through Video Conference Next Week
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Delhi High Court is experimenting with video conferencing facilities to conduct proceedings. This may begin for hearing some cases next week.
All Educational Institutions Closed, Students Advised to Study At Home
A high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) on Tuesday, 17 March held a meeting for a detailed deliberation on prevention and management of coronavirus (COVID-19). The GoM chaired by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan was attended by civil aviation minister Hardeep S Puri, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, minister of state for home Nityanand Rai and minister of state for health Ashwini Choubey, among others.
The proposed measure included closure of all educational institutions. Students should be advised to stay at home and online education should be promoted, they said.
With Schools Shut & Mid-Day Meals Unavailable to Children, SC Issues Notice
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 18 March took note of the non-availability of mid-day meals to children as schools in many parts of the country have been shut due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde took suo motu cognisance of the matter and issued notices to the states and Union territories asking them how children were being provided mid-day meals amid the shutdown of schools. Schools in Delhi-NCR and many other states are closed till 31 March in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Delhi Man Flies Abroad, Test Results a Day Later Say Coronavirus Positive
The eighth person to test positive for COVID-19 in Delhi is a 44-year-old man from Saket, who left for Singapore after giving his swab sample at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, the national capital’s only collection centre. The test result came Tuesday, 17 March.
“The person has already left the country; he lives in Singapore and in India. He had also travelled to Canada this month (March). His parents are still in their Saket home and their samples have been collected. We are also monitoring eight other people he came in contact with, including his househelp and driver,” said an official from Delhi government’s health department.
Delhi Hospital Changes OPD Timing
After receiving nine suspected cases, Lok Nayak hospital, near Delhi Gate, decided to cut the registration time for out-patient clinics to 1.5 hours from the current 4 hours to reduce the number of patients visiting the clinics each day. Registrations for OPD at the hospital will only be done between 08:30am and 10:00am, authorities said.
The Lok Nayak Hospital is the biggest tertiary-care hospital run by the Delhi government and is visited by around 7,000 patients in its out-patient clinics each day. For patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, the hospital has asked doctors to prescribe medication and pharmacies to dispense drugs for an entire month instead of 15 days to reduce their exposure.
Additionally, the privately run Maharaja Agrasen Hospital will shut its OPD services from 20 March to 31 March.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Holds a Review Meeting
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan held a review meeting on the containment and management of coronavirus, directing that teams be deputed to regularly inspect and monitor quarantine facilities.
The meeting was attended by senior health ministry officials, the directors or medical superintendents of central government hospitals such as Safdurjung Hospital, RML Hospital and AIIMS-Delhi.
Vardhan reviewed the preparedness of hospitals in terms of availability of testing kits, personal protective equipment, medicines and isolation wards. He directed hospitals to ensure adequate availability of protective gear for all healthcare workers.
Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital Cancels All Leaves
Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia hospital on Tuesday, 17 March cancelled all leaves of its officials, except for medical leave, in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus in India.
(Source: Firstpost)
"Isolation Ward Not Like 2x2 Cell": Delhi Man After Coronavirus Recovery
Praising the facilities at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where he was being treated for the last two weeks, he said, "There is no need to be scared. It is just like normal flu. If a healthy person reaches the doctor, our health system is well-equipped, one of the best in the world. Isolation ward is not like a two-by-two cell without sunlight."
Skill Centres in Delhi Are Making 500 Masks a Day To Meet Demand Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Amid the ongoing spread of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, across India, eight training centres under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) have started producing cloth masks.
With a production capacity of 500 masks a day, these eight centres have been able to produce 28,000 cloth masks in the past week. The raw materials for these masks are being sourced from markets in Chandni Chowk and Gandhinagar.
(Source: The Print)
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