Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Total cases of COVID-19 in India climbs to 649; relatively stable, say officials
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: The number of coronavirus cases in India continue to rise, crossing the 600 mark, with new cases reported from several states including Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: The number of coronavirus cases in India continue to rise, crossing the 600 mark, with new cases reported from several states including Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. An elderly man tested positive for the coronavirus in West Bengal, 10th case of the deadly viral disease in the state, health officials said on Thuraday. The 66-year-old from Nayabad in Kolkata had no history of travelling abroad or outside the state. The state has reported 10 COVID 19 cases so far of which one died. amil Nadu has reported three more positive cases of Coronavirus taking the total infected cases till date to 26. In Madhya Pradesh, five more people tested positive, taking the total number of cases to 10 in Indore alone. The five patients -- two women and three men -- were admitted in different hospitals of the city and tested positive on late Wednesday night
India is currently under a 21-day lockdown due to the coronavirus, during which only the delivery of essential good is allowed. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has set up a control room to monitor in real-time the status of transportation and delivery of essential commodities/ It will also monitor difficulties being faced by various stakeholders during the lockdown period from March 25 to April 14.
Latest Updates
01:20 PM - The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has directed the registered hospitals, clinics, medical professionals and chemists in the city to remain operational during the ongoing lockdown so that people have easy access to healthcare facilities during this period.
In a directive issued on Thursday, civic commissioner Vijay Singhal warned that action would be initiated against such establishments if they are found shut during the period.
01:10 PM - An IAS officer in Kerala has 'skipped' home quarantine after his return from Singapore nearly ten days ago and seems to have left for Bengaluru to be with his brother, prompting the state government to seek an explanation from him, a top district official said on Friday.
07:10 PM - Financial services major Kotak Mahindra Group on Thursday said it will reimburse its employees and their family members for COVID-19 (coronavirus) test. The group, which runs private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank, has nearly 60,000 employees.
"All employees or immediate family members that are advised to go for COVID-19 testing will have the cost of the test done through private labs reimbursed to them," it said in a statement.
06:55 PM - The coronavirus-related worries are likely to aggravate difficulties for Indian banks, ratings agency Fitch said on Thursday, revising down the operating environment score for the critical sector by a notch.
The score has been revised to BB from BB+ earlier, the agency said, pointing out that COVID-19 outbreak ups the worries for the sector, which is already reeling under weak business and consumer confidence.
06:40 PM - In remarks which may provide anxious citizens with much needed hope, Union health ministry on Thursday said that the rate of increase in the positive coronavirus cases was "relatively stable" in India. Officials said India was at the second stage as there is still no "hard evidence" to say that there has been community transmission of the fast-spreading coronavirus. So far, COVID-19 has claimed four lives and there are 43 fresh cases of the infection reported in last 24 hours, taking the tally to 649.
06:30 PM - Vodafone Idea on Thursday said it is monitoring traffic pattern and remains confident of handling surge in voice and data services demand amid country-wide lockdown to tackle the spread of coronavirus, as the company made an appeal to the telecom department to clear pending applications for spectrum allocation.
The telecom company, in an advisory, said it has activated pandemic response plan with risk mitigation protocols while ensuring continuity of mission critical processes, to ensure uptime and smooth running of telecom networks, classified as essential services.
06:15 PM - Railways is contemplating to convert its coaches and cabins in isolation wards in view of the growing number of COVID-19 patients, sources in the ministry said.
The Railways runs 13,523 trains daily, and has now suspended all passenger services till April 14 in view of the country-wide lockdown.
According to sources, the proposal to offer the empty coaches and cabins to be used as isolation wards was discussed in a meeting of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal with Chairman Railway Board V.K Yadav, General Managers of all zones and Divisional Railway Managers over video conferencing on Wednesday.
06:00 PM - Ace Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu on Thursday donated a sum of Rs 10 lakh to combat the spread of coronavirus. Sindhu has donated Rs 5 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister Relief Funds in fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
"I hereby donate an amount of Rs 5,00,000/- each (Rs five lakhs) towards the "Chief Ministers Relief Fund" for the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to fight against COVID-19," she tweeted.
05:45 PM - Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan has announced that he will donate a sum of Rs 2 crores to the government`s relief fund as the nation battles the COVID-19 pandemic.
The actor took to Twitter to announce that he will be donating Rs 50 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister`s relief funds and Rs 1 crore to the Prime Minister`s relief fund.
05:30PM - The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration on Thursday allowed home-delivery services, including those delivering food, medicines and groceries, and the hawkers selling fruits and vegetables to operate without any pass amid the ongoing lockdown, officials said.
The online services included in the list were Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, 24Seven, BlueDart, DTDC, Wow Express, Swiggy, Grofers, BigBasket, Milkbasket, Dunzo, Big Bazaar, Snapdeal, Licious, Medlife, PharmEasy, Urban Clap, Ninja Kart, Honasa Consumer and Healthians Diagnostic, they added.
Also Delhivery, Nutrimoo Milk Dairy, More Retail Ltd, Easy Day, Jabong, Myntra, Spencer's, Reliance Fresh, Jubilant Food works (Dominos Pizza), Food Panda, Faasos, Pizza Hut, Uber Eats, Needs Supermarket, 1mg, Dr Lal Path Labs, Max Path and Satva Cart can operate without any pass, the officials said.
05:10 PM - Sensex skyrockets! Extending its speedy recovery for the third straight session, equity benchmark Sensex surged by another 1,411 points on Thursday after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a stimulus package worth Rs 1.70 lakh crore to cushion the impact of the coronavirus lockdown in the country.
The 30-share BSE barometer rallied 1,410.99 points or 4.94 per cent to settle at 29,946.77. It surged over 1,564 points during the session.
Similarly, the NSE Nifty finished 323.60 points, or 3.89 per cent, up at 8,641.45.
04:55 PM - Mobile maker Lava has paid 20 per cent advance salary to factory workers to support their expenses during the lockdown period.
The company has around 3,500 workers in the factory.
"The move is a part of the several measures that the company has taken to ease the trouble of its employees and ensure their safety and well-being. Lava paid around 20 per cent of the salary in advance yesterday (Wednesday), almost 12 days ahead of the scheduled date," the company said in a statement.
04:30 PM - Coronavirus spreads through tears? Here is truth - It is unlikely that COVID-19 patients transmit the deadly novel coronavirus through their tears, according to a study which sheds more light on how the virus spreads via bodily fluids.
The study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, assessed tear samples collected from 17 patients with COVID-19 from the time they showed symptoms until they recovered about 20 days later. Since none of the patients had conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, the researchers, including those from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases in Singapore, said the risk of virus transmission through tears is low.
04:10 PM - Hundreds of people were left stranded at various checkpoints on the Andhra Pradesh- Telangana borders since Wednesday night as authorities refused to let them into the state in view of the coronavirus lockdown, exposing the communication gap and lack of coordination between the authorities of the two States.
After frantic SOS calls by the stranded persons, including pregnant women and children, AP authorities finally agreed to let them in, on the condition that they be shifted to a quarantine facility.
While those who accepted the government directive were allowed in, others were left at the border points.
03:50 PM - The Ranchi district administration has appealed to the people to grant leave to domestic helps without pay cut for their own safety besides helping them stay at home in view of the lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus outbreak.
In a video clip, Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Rai Mahimapat Ray said many people have provided leave to their domestic helps, but there are still some families who have not done so.
03:30 PM - 3 more people tested positive for coronavirus here, officials said on Thursday, taking the tally of identified COVID-19 cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar to 14. These are a husband-wife duo and a young woman.
One of the 14 persons has been treated and discharged, Health Department officials said.
"Those who have tested positive on Thursday include a married couple, both in their 30s, from Sector 150 and a 21-year-old woman from Sector 137. All three have been admitted to the Government Institute of Medical Science (GIMS) in Greater Noida," a senior official03:10 PM - Good news for healthcare workers! Govt today announced a Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for healthcare workers who are at the forefront of dealing with coronavirus pandemic.
It was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman said the government has finalised an economic stimulus package to deal with the impact of 21-day countrywide lockdown to prevent its spread.02:50 PM - Sensex soars over 1,000 points higher in afternoon session on Thursday after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a stimulus package worth Rs 1.70 lakh crore to cushion the impact of the lockdown in wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
02:35 PM- The Indian rupee appreciated further by 84 paise to 75.10 against the US dollar in intra-day trade on Thursday after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced various welfare measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Gold price futures on Thursday fell 1.39 per cent to Rs 41,630 per 10 gram as participants offloaded their holdings on weak spot demand. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold prices for April delivery fell by Rs 587, or 1.39 per cent, to Rs 41,630 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 1,296 lots.02:15 PM - Economic stimulus finalised to deal with impact of corona lockdown, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman.
Rs 50 lakh per person insurance cover for doctors, paramedic, healthcare workers dealing with coronavirus outbreak, says FM.
FM announces Rs 1.70 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan scheme to help the needy.
Govt to front-load Rs 2,000 paid to farmers in first week of April under existing PM Kishan Yojana to benefit 8.69 cr farmers: FM.
FM announces increase in MNREGA wage to Rs 202 a day from Rs 182 to benefit 5 crore families.
20 cr women Jan Dhan Account holders to get Rs 500 per month for next three months to help them run their households: FM.
Ujjwala beneficiaries to get free cooking gas (LPG) cylinders in next three months; this will benefit 8.3 crore BPL families: FM.
Collateral-free loan doubled to Rs 20 lakh to 63 lakh women self-help groups; to impact 7 crore households: FM
02:00 PM - Coronavirus patients in Goa is stable and the state government is making all efforts to contain the spread of the deadly viral infection, officials said on Thursday.
Three persons, all with foreign travel history, tested positive for coronavirus in Goa on Wednesday, as the tourist haven joined the states which have reported COVID-19 cases.
"All the three are men, aged 25, 29 and 55. They returned to Goa from Spain, Australia and USA. They are undergoing treatment at the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital and their condition is stable," a senior health department official said.01:40 PM - Total number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 649, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Thursday. While 593 are active cases, 42 have been cured or discharged, 1 migrated patient while 13 have died, the data released by the Ministry said. According to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Maharshtra has reported the maximum number of cases with a total of 128 cases of which 121 are Indians, three are foriegn national, one has been cured and three others have died.
Followed by Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka have reported maximum cases with a total of 122, 48 and 45 cases respectively including deaths.The national capital too has seen a rise taking the total to 41 including one death and six others who have been cured.
01:20 PM: With five more people testing positive for coronavirus in Indore, the total number of cases in the city has risen to 10, health officials said on Thursday.
The five patients -- two women and three men -- were admitted in different hospitals of the city and tested positive on late Wednesday night, a spokesperson of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College said.On Wednesday, five people with no history of foreign travel had tested positive for coronavirus. They included three men, aged 48, 65 and 68, and two women, aged 50 and 65. The 65-year-old woman from neighbouring Ujjain died at the government-run MY Hospital in Indore on Wednesday. Earlier, six positive coronavirus cases were reported from Jabalpur and one each from Bhopal, Gwalior and Shivpuri. Meanwhile, a curfew has been imposed in Indore and Ujjain to contain the spread of the virus.
Latest Breaking News on Coronavirus:
12:34 p.M.
A total of 36 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Delhi so far, CM Arvind Kejriwal says.12:24 p.M.
Steel companies are considering to cut production amid coronavirus lockdown, sources say.12:17 p.M.
Shortage of thermal scanners in two inter-state check gates of Nagaland, official says12:16 p.M.
Warm, humid climate linked to slower COVID-19 transmission, MIT study says.12:01 p.M.
Forty eight people who came in contact with COVID-19 patient in Srinagar are put in quarantine.11:56 a.M.
Housing sales fell by 42 per cent during January-March period at 45,200 units across seven major cities over spread of coronavirus, housing brokerage firm Anarock says.11:52 a.M.
China's ruling Communist Party poses a "substantial threat" to Americans' health and their way of life, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says.11: 44 a.M.
US President Donald Trump says that the WHO has "very much" sided with China on coronavirus crisis.11:43 a.M.
Mobile maker Lava pays 20 per cent advance salary to factory workers to support their expenses during the lockdown period.11:42 a.M.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says strict social distancing and density control measures are paying off.11:26 a.M.
Five more people test positive for coronavirus in Indore, taking total cases in the city rise to 10.11:20 a.M.
The number of coronavirus cases in India rises to 649, with a death toll of 13, Health Ministry says.11:18 a.M.
Karan Johar, Taapsee Pannu and others pledge to help daily wage workers amid the coronavirus crisis.11:07 a.M.
SpiceJet says its special flight will take 142 Iran-returned Indians to quarantine facility in Jodhpur.
12:50 PM - The number of coronavirus cases climbed to 649 in India on Thursday and the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 13, with one death reported each from Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, according to the Health Ministry. Goa featured for the first time in the chart prepared by the ministry, reporting 33 coronavirus cases.
In its updated figures at 10.15 am, the ministry stated that 13 COVID-19 deaths were reported so far in the country. Maharashtra reported three deaths, Gujarat two, while Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Karnataka, Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh reported one death each. According to the data, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 593, while 42 people were either cured or discharged and one had migrated.
The total number of 649 cases included 47 foreign nationals, the ministry said.
12:30 PM - A 47-year-old man, admitted at the government hospital as a coronavirus suspect, died on Thursday, health officials said. His test reports are awaited, the officials said.
The man was earlier treated at the Ujjain civil hospital and was admitted to the Indore hospital on Wednesday with symptoms of breathlessness, the official said.
The patient did not have a travel history, he added.
12:10 PM - The restrictions on the movement and assembly of people to contain the spread of the coronavirus were intensified in Kashmir on Thursday, in the wake of four more positive cases detected in the valley on Wednesday, taking the total number of affected persons to 11, officials said.
The district administrations have put in place a mechanism to ensure uninterrupted supplies and delivery of essential services to the public. Essential commodities will be home-delivered to the residents as part of the mechanism.
11:40 AM - The total number of COVID-19 Cases in Maharashtra has gone up to 124 as two more persons tested coronavirus positive on Thursday, health officials said. "Both are from Mumbai city. We are finding out if they have any travel history," an official said.
Till Tuesday, 2,988 people were admitted to isolation wards of hospitals since January 18, while 932 persons were in hospital quarantine for suspected exposure to the virus. As many as 14,502 people were put under home quarantine, officials said.
11:12 AM - A 56-year old man, who Suspected he had contracted the coronavirus infection, ended his life in Udupi district, police sources said. The deceased has been identified as Gopalakrishna Madivala, a resident of Narnadu in Uppoor village of Udupi taluk. Sources said the man had no specific symptoms of the virus infection. He was awake till 2 am in the night, speaking to his family members. He was found hanging from a tree near the house when others in the house woke up at 5 am on Wednesday.
A death note saying he was taking his life as he doubted he had coronavirus infection was recovered from the house. The note also asked the family members to stay safe. Local people said the man had earlier told one of his friends that he had the infection and was scared. The fear of the disease might have driven him to take the extreme step, police said. Madivala had been working as driver with KSRTC for several years and was recently posted as a trainer of new drivers.
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