New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: As the country grapples with the rising menace of the deadly coronavirus, India has almost gone into a complete lockdown with 30 states and Union Territories (UTs) having announced total shutdown on to prevent the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
With 519 confirmed cases including 10 deaths so far, there is a complete lockdown in as many as 548 districts of the country affecting several hundred million people.
The new coronavirus pandemic is clearly "accelerating", the World Health Organization warned Monday, but said it was still possible to "change the trajectory" of the outbreak.
The remarks came as the number of deaths soared past 15,000, with more than 341,000 people infected worldwide, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official sources. "The pandemic is accelerating," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said as reported by news agency AFP.
Here are the LIVE Updates on coronavirus today:
7:30 pm: 36 Coronavirus positive cases have been reported in the state till now: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao
7:00 pm: Governor Anandiben Patel gives nod for the declaration of #CoronavirusPandemic as a 'disaster' in Uttar Pradesh.
6:45 pm: Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Delhi Commissioner of Police and asked him to take strict action against landlords asking doctors and nurses, treating patients, to vacate residences
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6:40 pm: Deeply anguished to see reports pouring in from Delhi, Noida,Warangal,Chennai etc that doctors¶medics are being ostracised in residential complexes & societies. Landlords are threatening to evict them fearing COVID2019 infection. Pls don’t panic!: Union Health Minister
6:34 pm: IOC President & Japan PM have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, & everybody involved in the Olympic Games. The Olympic flame will stay in Japan and the games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020: International Olympic Committee
6:32 pm: Govt of India prohibits export of sanitisers & all ventilators including any artificial respiratory apparatus or oxygen therapy apparatus or any other breathing apparatus, falling under any ITCHS Code (Indian Trade Clarification based on Harmonized System), with immediate effect.
6:30 pm: After his telephone talks with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, PM Shinzo Abe spoke to the press & explained that the two have agreed that the Tokyo Olympic Games would not be cancelled, & the games will be held by the summer of 2021: PM's Office of Japan
6:25 pm: Srinagar's first COVID19 positive case successfully treated, reports Director SKIMS (Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences): Shahid Choudhary, District Magistrate (DM), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmi
6:20 pm: 6 new cases of COVID19 have been reported in the state. Total cases positive in the state is 29 including 1 death: Department of Health, Punjab.
6:15 pm: 8 positive patients who are asymptomatic and the two consecutive reports of whom had come negative for COVID19, are getting discharged today: BMC Health Department
6:10 pm: Dr Adarsh, another doctor from Sanjay Nursing Home says, "Police are prohibiting our mess workers from bringing food from outside. We request the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to solve the problems faced by the health professionals"
6:00 pm: COVID-19 cases in India rise to 519; active cases stand at 470: Health ministry
5:55 pm: Japan has asked for one-year postponement of Olympics over #Coronavirus, reports AFP news agency quoting Japanese PM Shinzō Abe
5:50 pm: Maharashtra: Pune District Collector has instructed all petrol/diesel pumps of the district to stop providing petrol/diesel to the vehicles in the district. Only those involved in emergency/essential services should be allowed to fill fuel at petrol pumps.
5:45 pm: Delhi: Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has written to Home Minister Amit Shah requesting appropriate action against the eviction of healthcare professionals from their homes and provision of transport facility.
5:40 pm: District commissioners in Punjab has been asked to ensure door-to-door delivery of essential commodities, such as groceries, milk, fruits & vegetables, through pre-identified hawkers/distributors, wherever possible: Chief Minister's Office
5:35 pm: We've asked states to make earmarked dedicated #COVID19 hospitals. As per the info we've received so far, work has started at the state level in Gujarat, Assam, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir: Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary,Health Ministry
5:30 pm: Over 94000 NRIs and foreign returnees entered into Punjab in recent days. Most of them have been tracked & around 30,000 people have been placed under isolation. All-out efforts are being made to trace the remaining: Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's Office
5:25 pm: We will book the people and take stringent action against those who don't follow the law and come out on the street: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa
5:15 pm: This is a good news but we shouldn't be happy as the fight is still on. The numbers might spike anytime. We should remain alert: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
5:10 pm: The exit of such foreign nationals, if so requested by them during this period, will be granted without levy of overstay penalty: Ministry of Home Affairs
5:05 pm: Regular visa,e-visa or stay stipulation of all foreign nationals, which expired or would be expiring during 13 March (midnight) to 15 April (midnight),would be extended till midnight of 15 April 2020 on 'GRATIS' basis after making online application by the foreigner: MHA
5:00 pm: In last 40 hours no new patient has been tested positive for #COVID19 in Delhi. Of the 30 patients some patients have gone home. There are only 23 patients now: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
4:55 pm: Mathematical modeling done by ICMR suggests that entry screening of travellers with symptoms suggestive of #COVID19 can delay the introduction of the virus into the community by three days to three weeks: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
4:45 pm: The empiric use of Hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis of SARS-Cov-2 infection is recommended only for asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in the care of suspected or confirmed cases of #COVID19 and asymptomatic household contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases: ICMR
4:30 pm: 118 govt laboratories included in ICMR network of #COVID19 testing. The network has capacity to test 12000 samples a day. 22 private laboratory chains, with about 15,500 collection centres, have been registered with ICMR till today: Indian Council of Medical Research
4:15 pm: We can produce 1 to 1.5 lakh tests in a week, we are trying to increase our production for the public. These kits cost 1/4th the price that the imported kits are being sold for: Ranjit Desai, Scientist at Mylab Discovery Solutions Pvt Ltd
4:00 pm: Maharashtra: Pune based Mylab Discovery Solutions Pvt Ltd has developed India's first indigenous #COVID19 testing kit that has been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A single kit costs Rs 80,000 & can test 100 patients
3:35 pm: Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to impose curfew in the whole state from 5 pm today till further orders, in wake of the outbreak of #COVID19 in the state, as well as the country: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO)
3:25 pm: Central Government has asked all State Governments to deploy fiscal resources for establishing additional medical facilities such as hospitals, clinical labs, isolation wards, expanding & upgrading existing facilities to combat the challenge posed by #COVID19: Government of India
3:15 pm: Coronavirus cases rise to 107 in Maharashtra, six more test coronavirus positive; three deaths reported in the state so far
3:10 pm: Entire West Bengal to be put under lockdown from 5 pm today till 31st March: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nabanna
3:00 pm: PM while interacting with print media heads today said that media has played praise-worthy role in disseminating information to every nook&cranny of this nation. He said that network of media is pan-India&spread across cities&villages. Media should act as link between govt&ppl.
2:35 pm: Two more persons have been tested positive for #coronavirus in Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir. One person has confirmed travel history outside India. Details about the second person is being ascertained: Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Jammu & Kashmir
2:25 pm: Work is going on and we are very close to coming up with an economic package that will be announced sooner rather than later: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi #COVID19
2:20 pm: All shops in the state to remain shut. The government will make arrangements for the distribution of essential commodities. Goa dairy will supply milk&collector will take the decision regarding grocery distribution: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant
2:15 pm: Three people test positive for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu with all having history of foreign travel. Total COVID19 cases in the state rise to 15
2:10 pm: UP govt decides to extend lockdown to entire state to check spread of coronavirus, duration to be announced shortly: Official
2:05 pm: Tamil Nadu: Huge crowd seen at a vegetable market in Coimbatore. Restrictions under section 144 of CrPC will be imposed from 6 PM today till March 31. Total 12 positive cases of #COVID2019 are in the state.
2:00 pm: Santosh Kumar Gangwar, MoS Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued an advisory to all states & UTs to transfer funds in the account of construction workers through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) mode from the cess fund collected by the Labour Welfare Boards. About Rs 52,000 crores is available as cess fund and about 3.5 crore construction workers are registered with these construction welfare boards.
1:50 pm: Keeping in view the spread of #COVID19, the epidemic and complete lockdown throughout the country the last date of accepting the June 2020 term-end examination forms without late fee has been extended up to 30th April 2020: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
1:45 pm: 3 new cases of COVID19 in Chennai. A 74-yr-old male & a 52-yr-old female returned from USA and a 25 yr-old female returned from Switzerland. They're residents of Porur, Purasaivakkam, Keelkattalai respectively. Patients in isolation&stable: Tamil Nadu Health Minister
1:40 pm: Himachal Pradesh: District Commissioner Kangra says, curfew has been imposed in the district till further orders; Two positive cases of COVID19 have been confirmed from the district
1:30 pm: Government Medical College, Jammu declared as dedicated COVID19 hospital for Jammu Province, to be readied by 25th March evening: Principal Secretary Planning Jammu&Kashmir Rohit Kansal
1:20 pm: Total number of COVID19 cases in Telangana stand at 36 including 3 new cases: Telangana Health Department
1:10 pm: Two patients who tested positive for COVID19 in Ladakh have been completely cured. Total positive cases in Ladakh is 11 now.
1:00 pm: West Bengal: Bengal Imams Association has urged all mosques to prohibit the entry of people in mosques. Only 4-5 with Imam will perform azan. People should offer prayers inside their houses. All mosques in state should follow the order till 9 April in wake of COVID19.
12:55 pm: This lockdown order has been issued for public good. The use of taxis&auto rickshaws will be limited only to procure essential commodities. Vehicles are travelling across cities for distribution of medicines, that will be exempted:Kerala Director General of Police Lokanath Behera
12:50 pm: Delhi: Special Task Force constituted by CM Arvind Kejriwal will hold a meeting today at 3:30 pm at CM's residence, to discuss the steps taken till now to control the spread of #COVID19. Top officials of the concerned departments will be also present in the meeting.
12:45 pm: Class 10 exams which were scheduled to start on 31st March have been postponed for two weeks, due to Coronavirus. New dates will be announced after taking stock of the situation after 31st March: Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh.
12:40 pm: While we were clearing the protest sites in Jamia, Shaheen Bagh&other areas today, some people have been arrested&detained as we faced a little difficulty. However, I am happy to tell that there was no resistance shown by people: Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastav
12:30 am: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan: National Centre for Disease Control has been keeping an eye on all potential Coronavirus patients. Today, more than 1,87,000 people in the country are being monitored by the way of community surveillanc
12:25 pm: Maharashtra: A 65-year-old Coronavirus patient from UAE passed away in Mumbai yesterday. He was admitted in Kasturba Hospital.
12:15 pm: Milk, medicine and vegetable shops to opened for public would between 4pm to 6pm today. From tomorrow onwards until further orders, the milk, medicine and vegetable shops to remain open from 6-9am: Gagneet Singh Aujla APRO Mohali, Punjab
12:10 pm: Kolkata: Doctors and staff of AMRI Hospital at Eastern Railways, those were looking after the 57-year-old #COVID19 patient who died of the disease yesterday, have been home quarantined. #WestBengal
12:05 pm: Jammu and Kashmir government to convert 11 major hospitals into #COVID-19 sanatorium to treat suspected patients. Govt to convert SKIMS Medical College, Bemina, CD Hospital Srinagar, JLNM Hospital, Srinagar and Police Hospital, Srinagar entirely for isolation purposes.
12:00 pm: Maharashtra Home Min Anil Deshmukh: Police have seized 25 lakh masks from godowns in Andheri&Bhiwandi including 3 lakh N95 masks with total worth Rs 15 crore. 4 men have been arrested under the Essential Commodity Act, while 2 are absconding. Masks were stored for black marketing
11:55 am: Separate lane at Noida Border to facilitate emergency services' vehicles: Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) East Delhi
11:50 am: In last 24 hours, no new case of #COVID19 reported in Delhi. 5 ppl have been discharged after treatment. Biggest challenge right now is that we don't have to let the situation turn uncontrollable, under any circumstance. Contribution of all is needed in achieving this: Delhi CM
11:40 am: West Bengal: Police took stern action against lockdown violators in Cooch Behar. West Bengal government has imposed lockdown in the state including rural and urban areas to control the spread of COVID19.
11:35 am: Tamil Nadu Assembly members at the assembly today clapped for a minute expressing gratitude towards health department, police and all other departments working amid Coronavirus pandemic.
11:30 am: 32 States/Union Territories announce complete lockdown in the entire state/UT covering 560 districts: Government of India.
11:25 am: China’s Hubei province, the epicentre of COVID-19, to ease travel restrictions from March 25, reports regional media
11:20 am: Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Modi on COVID-19. The letter states, "I request you to consider advising the State Building&Other Construction Worker's Welfare Boards to roll out emergency welfare measures, particularity wage support to construction workers."
11:15 am: Election Commission of India (ECI) has deferred the Rajya Sabha Elections.
11:10 am: Odisha Government has decided to lockdown the entire state (all 30 districts) from today midnight till March 29: Subroto Bagchi, Spokesperson, Odisha Government.
11:05 am: Evacuees from abroad have been brought in into the country using both civil and military flights: Army spokesperson Col Aman Anand
11:00 am: Will address the nation at 8 PM today, on vital aspects relating to the menace of COVID-19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
10:50 am: We are surveying 27,000 people in the state who have recent travel history: Gujarat Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Rav
10:45 am: Only 2 positive cases have come till now&they are being managed at civil hospitals along with 2 more persons with some symptoms.All others released after full protocol observed.More evacuees are expected soon,armed forces are geared up to absorb them in our care:Army spokesperson
10:40 am: The armed forces have evacuated 1186 (these include medical staff and air crew) from foreign countries. At present, there are 796 people in quarantine under military supervision: Indian Army spokesperson Col Aman Anand
10:35 am: Maharashtra:Work of sanitisation of Municipal Hospital is underway by a team of Mumbai Fire Services. An officer says,"We're using Quick Response Vehicle to spray disinfectant Sodium Hydrochloride Solution diluted in water. Priority to be given to quarantine facilities."
10:30 am: 2 new positive cases of Coronavirus in Gujarat. Total, number of Coronavirus patients in the state rise to 33: Gujarat Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi
10:25 am: Delhi: Locals gather near the anti-CAA protest site in Shaheen Bagh which was cleared by police today morning, amid complete lockdown in the national capital to prevent the spread of Coronavirus
10:20 am: A 23-year-old woman in Manipur tests positive for Coronavirus. She has recent travel history to the UK.
10:10 am: Dehradun: Uttarakhand government has imposed lockdown till March 31 due to Coronavirus; CO City Dehradun says, "A 3 hour relaxation was given today during the lockdown. The situation is under control."
10:05 am: Total number of positive Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rises to 101 including 3 new cases in Pune and 1 in Satara: Health Department, Maharashtra.
10:00 am: Maharashtra: Rush of transport vehicles and locals at Pune's Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market amid statewide curfew imposed by the state government.
9:50 am: Tamil Nadu: Out of the 113 passengers who were brought back from Malaysia on board Air Asia flight to Chennai last night, 9 symptomatic passengers were referred to hospital, while the remaining 104 were taken to Air Force quarantine facility in Tambaram yesterday
9:40 am: Delhi: Police clears the protest site outside Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), amid complete lockdown in the national capital. JMI had temporarily suspended the protest on March 21 at Gate no. 7, in view of CoronaVirus.
9:30 am: Total number of active COVID19 cases so far in the country is 446, as on 24th March. 37 cured/discharged/migrated cases & 9 deaths: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
9:20 am: Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava:Appeal to people to stay at home. No movement or gathering of people is allowed, prohibitory orders issued in this regard.People associated with essential services exempted.Strict action to be taken against those who defy orders.
9:10 am: Karnataka: A group of Kashmiri students held protest at Bengaluru Airport y'day after suspension of operations of domestic airlines. A student says, "We've booked tickets to Kashmir for flights scheduled on 27&28 March;now this order has been issued.What will we do now?"
9:05 am: People in large numbers at a wholesale market in Moradabad, even as the district has been placed under lockdown due to rising cases of Coronavirus in the country.
9:00 am: Maharashtra: People come out for morning walk in Nagpur, even after Maharashtra government has announced a statewide curfew, in wake of Coronavirus Pandemic.
8:50 am: Kerala: Quiet streets in Thiruvananthapuram amid lockdown in the city in wake of Coronavirus.
8:40 am: Delhi: Hanuman Temple near Connaught Place remains closed as complete lockdown has been imposed in the national capital, in wake of Coronavirus.
8:30 am: Gujarat: People restrict their movement on roads as the entire state is under lockdown till 31st March; visuals from Ahmedabad. State borders have also been sealed.
8:20 am: DCP South East:People at the protest site in Shaheen Bagh were requested today to clear the site as lockdown has been imposed. But after they refused, action was taken against violators as the assembly was unlawful. Protest site has been cleared.Some protestors have been detained
8:00 am: Delhi: Delhi Police clears the protest site in Shaheen Bagh area, amid complete lockdown in the national capital, in wake of COVID19.
7:50 am: Delhi: Security tightened at the protest site in Shaheen Bagh, after a prohibitory order under section 144 Cr PC has been promulgated in Delhi, in the light of the COVID19 pandemic
7:40 am: UK-returned person tests positive for COVID-19 in Andhra Pradesh; total cases reach 7 in state
7:35 am: The Andhra Pradesh government has started door-to-door campaigns to track foreign returnees as a measure to contain COVID-19 in the state. The state deployed over 2.5 lakh volunteers each with the responsibility of screening 50 households. A total of 1,38,58,747 households have been screened by the volunteer network by now out of the registered 1,43,91,654 households in the state.
7:30 am: Delhi: Barriers placed near Delhi-Kapashera border to check movement of traffic amid complete lockdown in the city in wake of Coronavirus.
7:25 am: Punjab: People come out of their homes to buy essential goods in Amritsar, amid lockdown in the state. A buyer at a milk shop says,"Govt has taken the right step to control the spread of #COVID19. But govt must specify the time when shops selling essential goods will remain open"
7:20 am: 96 FIRs (first information reports) were registered and 1995 vehicles were challaned in Noida for violating the lockdown and section 144 in the district, yesterday: Noida Police
7:15 am: All private medical colleges and hospitals in Uttarakhand that have a capacity of 100 or more beds are directed to reserve 25% of their beds for COVID19 positive or possibly infected cases: State Government
7:10 am: All 16 samples from Ladakh whose reports came yesterday (22nd March) tested negative for #COVID19. 12 were from Kargil and 4 from Leh: Rigzin Samphel, Commissioner Secretary, Ladakh
7:05 am: Inter-state borders of Delhi have been sealed by Police except for the movement of essential goods and services. Visuals from Delhi-Gurugram Expressway that has been barricaded to regulate the movement of people.
7:00 am: Strictly implementing social distancing measures like home quarantine will reduce overall expected number of cases by 62% & peak number of cases by 89%, thus 'flattening' the curve & providing more opportunities for interventions: Indian Council of Medical Research study.