One more death was reported from Mumbai earlier in the day after a 63-year-old man, admitted in HN Reliance hospital on March 19 with suspected symptoms of flu passed away late on Saturday night. (File Photo)
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued a statement saying that the positive coronavirus cases in the country rose to 396 by 6 pm on Sunday, even as the Ministry of Health has confirmed 360 cases so far. Meanwhile, three more cases were reported from West Bengal today.
The Centre issued an advisory to all states directing them to lockdown 75 districts where coronavirus cases have been reported. Meanwhile, the death toll rose to seven after three deaths were reported today from Gujarat, Bihar and Mumbai, respectively.
Meanwhile, various states have been put under lockdown, including the national capital. In a joint presser with Governor Anil Baijal, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that Delhi will be under lockdown from 6 am on March 23 till March 31 midnight. The government’s advisory notes all trains, metro services and inter-state passenger travel to be shut till March 31. The Health Ministry denied community transmission of coronavirus yet, and said, strategy to combat the spread of Covid-19 was working.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked people for their participation in the 5 pm gratitude exercise towards medical officers, nurses, doctors and people engaged in essential services. “Janata curfew is the start of a long struggle ahead against coronavirus,” Modi tweeted. He also appealed to people against venturing out of their homes after 9 pm and continue ensuring social distancing.
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In view of the coronavirus scare, district authorities across the state have been distributing ukala, or kadhah, a potion made by brewing local herbs, berries and spices as immunity booster. Since March 10, around 20 lakh people in the state have taken the concoction, which is being distributed along with phials containing the homeopathic Arsenic Album 30 pills. According to authorities 12 lakh have taken the pills. Ahmedabad tops the list of beneficiaries among 33 districts with around 2 lakh people taking the concoction and over 95,000 taking the homeopathic pills. Read more
Meghalaya introduced a model of “one day open, two days closure” for effective social distancing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. A notice from the state Chief Secretary said, “For the period of March 23-25, the open day will be March 23.” On Mar 23, shops, stalls, godowns dealing with essential items including pharmacies, grocery shops, take-away food outlets will be open, with restricted movement of public transport. On the days of closure, i.e. March 24 and 25, all commercial business establishments, all public transport, gathering of five or people will be prohibited. Essential services like pharmacies, banks and ATMs, Telegraph & IT services, food & civil supply etc are exempt from closure. The order also said that all essential government offices will function with a capacity of 50 per cent till Mar 31. All non-essential offices will be closed till March 31. Entry of tourists in the state has also been prohibited.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has gone into quarantine after being informed that a doctor who administered a vaccine to her has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, news agency AP reported the Chancellor's spokesperson as saying..
Guwahati airport started stamping all incoming passengers from March 22. The other airports in Assam will start this exercise from Monday. The stamp will bear the time period for mandatory home quarantine period of the individual.
The Assam government has also prohibited the movement of interstate passenger vehicles (contract carriages, stage carriages, maxi cabs and taxi cabs) till March 31. The order is not applicable to goods vehicle and those used for personal travel and emergency.
In all 59 samples have been tested in Assam, and all have been found negative.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued a statement saying that 396 positive coronavirus cases were detected in India by Sunday 6 pm.
Nagaland has ordered a slew of partial lockdown advisories, restrictions and orders applicable from March 22 until further notice. The order, signed by Nagaland Chief Secretary Temjen Toy, stated that all inter-state entry border points are to be sealed, except for movement of essential commodities, security forces , medical supplies etc.
Arunachal Pradesh has ordered a set of “safety restrictions” till March 31 to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state. An order, signed by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, has stipulated a set of restrictions. This includes restriction on public transport (auto, taxis) — the exception being transport to and from hospitals, airports, railway stations, bus stand and good carriers carrying essential commodities. The order also notified all shops, offices, factories and workshops to be shut. Any congregation of more than 10 people are prohibited. Essential services and commodities, courts, health services, electricity and water services, banks etc are excluded from the restrictions.
In the wake of coronavirus, Supreme Court will hear matters tomorrow i.e. March 23 and on March 25 this week. Only court 1 will function and hearings in all other courts stand adjourned.
After three more tested positive for coronavirus in West Bengal today, the total number of cases in the state touch 7.
Anticipating large number of people coming out on the streets after the end of the 'Janta curfew' today evening after 9 pm, police authorities have decided to impose an actual curfew in the twin cities of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad from 9 pm till 5 am on Monday morning. Executive Orders in this regard were issued by Commissionerates of Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad, and District Collector for their respective jurisdictions.
After Bihar government announced a lockdown till March 31 with no commercial vehicles being allowed to ply, the state recorded its third positive case today.
Nepal union cabinet has decided to seal Nepal-India and Nepal-China borders for a week, starting 10 am on March 23 until further notice.
Roads, tourist points, beaches and all public facilities including the iconic Mapusa and Panjim Markets remained deserted with Goa staying indoors for Junta Curfew. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was mulling if “it made sense to extend it by two to three more days”, according to CMO sources. "It has been extended by three days by the Chief Minister. A decision to extend it further will be taken by the CM at the end of the three day period," Health minister Vishwajit Rane told reporters.
Sealing its borders on Sunday in view of the lockdown, Kejriwal said that essential services will be provided and people will not face diffiulties "During the lockdown, no document or proof will be sought from a person if they say they are out on streets to provide or avail any essential service," he said, adding that six locally transmitted cases have been reported in the national capital. Kejriwal added that all private offices will remain closed but the employees— permanent and contractual— will be considered on-duty and would have to be provided salary for the duration.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal holding a joint conference with Governor Anil Baijal announced a complete lockdown in Delhi starting 6 am on March 23, tomorrow, till March 31 in the wake of coronavirus. Diaries, grocery shops, chemists and petrol pumps will remain open, he added. "All domestic flights into Delhi have been banned till March 31. No public transport services including private buses, autos, e-rickshaws will be allowed during the lockdown period in Delhi. 25 per cent of the DTC bus fleet will continue to ply on roads of Delhi to carry people involved in essential services," Kejriwal said.
Iran says novel coronavirus has killed another 129 people, raising death toll to 1,685 amid 21,638 confirmed cases, news agency AP reported. Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader refused US assistance to fight the new coronavirus, citing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be man-made by America.
After people stepped out to exercise gratitude by clapping and beating plates today as part of Janata curfew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to thank people for their paticipation and said it is the start to a long struggle against coronavirus.
The Centre on Sunday advised state governments to enforce a lockdown in the 75 districts that have reported such cases. However, essential services will be allowed to operate in the 75 districts. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister with chief secretaries of all the states. Check out the full list here