Globally, the COVID-19 virus has infected over 1.2 million people and has left nearly 65,000 dead. In the United States, which is among the worst-affected countries with 3 lakhs cases, President Donald Trump said, "There's going to be a lot of death," and added that the country faces what he called the toughest two weeks of the pandemic. Dubai imposed a two-week lockdown Saturday night and Saudi Arabia sealed off parts of the Red Sea city of Jeddah as Gulf states tightened measures in big cities to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
So far, 1,023 of the 3,072 positive cases in India have been traced to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. The cases have come from 17 states and Union Territories — Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
According to the Ministry of Health Affairs, more than 2,000 of the Tablighi Jamaat participants were foreigners. After the gathering, over 800 of them toured various parts of the country. On Thursday, the MHA blacklisted 1,320 foreigners associated with the Tablighi Jamaat for violating visa rules even as it cancelled tourist visas of all such visitors to India.
At 9 pm today, PM Modi has asked people to light candles and diyas, or switch on torches or mobile phone flashlights, for nine minutes. “Amidst the darkness spread by the Corona pandemic, we must continuously progress towards light and hope. We must continuously strive to take those of us most affected, our poor brothers and sisters, from disappointment to hope,” the Prime Minister said. “And that is why”, Modi said, “this Sunday, on the 5th of April, we must all together, challenge the darkness spread by the corona crisis, introducing it to the power of light. On this 5th of April, we must awaken the superpower of 130 crore Indians. We must take the super resolve of 130 crore Indians to even greater heights.”
Meanwhile, a group of Union Ministers are discussing the possible steps after India's 21-day lockdown ends on April 14. Directions have already been issued relaxing movement of farm labour given the necessity of farm operations and also the broad pattern so far that rural areas and smaller towns with low population densities are not reporting any significant outbreak.
READ | After two test positive at Delhi’s Ganga Ram hospital, 108 staff quarantined
READ | Modi, Trump: Use India-US partnership to jointly fight COVID-19
READ | In quarantined Bengal village, fear of stigma as big as that of corona
READ | Lokpal member tests positive for virus, admitted to AIIMS trauma centre
Here’s a quick Coronavirus guide from Express Explained to keep you updated: What can cause a COVID-19 patient to relapse after recovery? | COVID-19 lockdown has cleaned up the air, but this may not be good news. Here’s why | Can alternative medicine work against the coronavirus? | A five-minute test for COVID-19 has been readied, India may get it too | How India is building up defence during lockdown | Why only a fraction of those with coronavirus suffer acutely | How do healthcare workers protect themselves from getting infected? | What does it take to set up isolation wards?
Sixteen more Tablighi Jamaat workers who had attended the Markaz gathering at Nizamuddin in New Delhi earlier this March were traced from Gujarat on Sunday, taking the total number of people who attended the congregation to 126 in the state. Of these, eight have tested positive for COVID-19 till now.
According to police, on Sunday, 11 workers were identified in Junagadh, three in Chhota Udepur and two in Ahmedabad by the respective Special Operations Groups (SOG) of Gujarat Police. READ MORE
monthly limit of free stories.
with an Express account.
During a video-conference with religious leaders of different communities Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said lockdown would be lifted in the state in a phased manner, and sought their suggestions to maintain social distancing after that. Earlier in the day too, during an interaction with MPs and ministers from the state, he had asked for suggestions to stop sudden crowding on roads once the ‘lockdown is lifted on April 15’.
“14 tarik tak lockdown hai, 14 ke baad yani 15 april se lockdown humlog phase wise khulwayenge. Is mamle mein koi sujhav tatkalik roop se ya mere karyalaya ko bhejna chahenge to main aapke sujhav ka swagat karunga” (The lockdown is till April 14 and from April 15, it will be lifted in a phased manner. In this regard, if you have any suggestions to given at present or to my office, it would be welcomed),” Adityanath told religious leaders.
Millions of Indians across the country switched off lights at their homes and lit candles and diyas or turned on mobile phone torches on Sunday night, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to show the nation's 'collective resolve and solidarity' in its fight against coronavirus with this symbolic gesture. Much before the designated time of 9 pm, people turned off lights at their homes while lamps and candles lit up the streets as people stood in their balconies and at entrance doors in unison. Fireworks, sounds from beating of thalis, conches, whistles and police sirens were heard.
See more photos here
People from across Maharashtra responded enthusiastically to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to defeat coronavirus by switching off lights in their premises for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday amid the national lockdown. People lit landles, diyas and flashed lights of their mobile phones by standing in balconies of their houses. Prominent personalities such as NCP chief Sharad Pawar, family of renowned singer Lata Mangeshkar, actor Amitabh Bachchan as well asseveral oher actors and celebrities too responded to the PM's call.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who appealed to the people of India to light diyas and candles today, took to Twitter to share his photo lighting diya.
Millions of Indians across the country switched off lights at their homes and lit candles, diyas or turned on mobile phone torches on Sunday night, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to show the nation's "collective resolve and solidarity" in its fight against coronavirus. As the clock struck 9, lights went out in most houses and people gathered in balconies and at doors, flashing mobile lights while many lit candles and diyas. Fireworks, thalis, whistles and police sirens were heard. At some places, Hindu devotional songs, mantras and national anthem were also played.
At 9 pm on Sunday, the country participated in the nine-minutes ‘lights-off’ exercise as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to display the country’s “collective resolve” to defeat coronavirus. Earlier in the day, PM Modi had reminded people to light up lamps on Sunday night. “#9pm9minute”, the PM tweeted to remind people of the exercise. While Diyas and candles were lit in most houses, many people also burst crackers.
At 9 pm on Sunday, the country is set to participate in the nine-minutes ‘lights-off’ exercise as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to display the country’s “collective resolve” to defeat coronavirus. Earlier in the day, PM Modi had reminded people to light up lamps on Sunday night. “#9pm9minute”, the PM tweeted to remind people of the exercise. Meanwhile, grid operators across states have planned an elaborate set of contingency measures to avert any crisis caused by the sudden massive load reduction due to the exercise quickly followed by a sharp increase.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has undertaken an initiative to provide monthly ration to 1 lakh daily wage workers, whose livelihood has been severely hit by the nationwide lockdown following the coronavirus outbreak. Bachchan is the latest Bollywood celebrity to lend support to daily wage workers. The initiative is supported by Sony Pictures Networks India and Kalyan Jewellers.
A 50-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman, both residents of Indore, died of the coronavirus disease on Sunday taking the total death toll in Madhya Pradesh to 13. The man tested positive on Thursday and was under treatment at a designated COVID hospital where he died early in the morning. The woman who was under treatment at a government hospital since March 29 died soon after noon. She tested positive on Wednesday. MP had reported three deaths on Saturday, including two from Indore and one from Chhindwara. Indore, the state's biggest city, has reported maximum number of positive cases. In a video bulletin on Sunday, Madhya Pradesh's principal secretary (health) Pallavi Jain Govil said the state has so far reported 193 positive cases.
Andhra Pradesh reported 62 new Covid-19 positive cases Sunday, all of them related to the Tablighi Jamaat meeting held in Nizamuddin in Delhi mid-March. The number of cases rose to 252 Sunday even as results of more than 600 samples are awaited. Officials said that those who tested positive were all those who attended the meeting or those who came in close contact with them. The AP Government started random sampling in the worst affected districts of Kurnool, Nellore and Guntur, and Visakhapatnam. As the state recorded a drastic rise in cases, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a high level review meeting on COVID-19 and discussed among other things the preventive measures, preparedness and testing of primary contacts. ``Almost all the new cases since last one week are of those who returned from the Jamaat meet. Afte returning they had contact with several people besides their family members. All of them are being traced and screened,’’ Health Minister A Krishna Srinivas said. The Chief Minister has asked the officials for screening in clusters in red zones and complete the testing of people who were in contact with those who returned from jamaat, Srinivas said.
With India reporting 11 new deaths Sunday from Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, the toll has reached 83 in the country. The total number of infections rose to 3,577 . Of this, 274 people have either recovered or discharged. According to the ministry, Maharashtra has reported the most coronavirus deaths at 24, followed by Gujarat 10, Telangana 7, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi 6 each and Punjab 5. Also, the government has said that over 33 per cent of the cases have been linked to a religious gathering of the Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin Markaz in the national capital last month and that such patients are spread across 17 states and Union Territories. Here is a state-wise list of the number of deaths and infections across the country
Last week, the Japanese conglomerate Fujifilm announced the start of phase III clinical trials of Avigan, an influenza antiviral drug that is being experimented with in many countries for the treatment of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). As there is still no specific cure for COVID-19, medicines used for other ailments are being repurposed around the world for it. Drugs for malaria, HIV, arthritis, among others have been administered to COVID-19 patients, with varying degrees of effectiveness. Read more here
Four more from Buldana district have tested positive for corona virus, taking the total number of corona cases in the district to nine. Incidentally, the four new cases are of those who had participated in the Tablighi Jamaat programme in Delhi last month. "We received four more positive reports on Sunday. They have history of travel to Delhi in connection with the merkaz programme there," Collector Suman Chandra told The Indian Express. Two of the new cases are from Chikhli tahsil town, one from Khamgaon and one from Deulgaon Raja, according to Buldana Civil Surgeon Premchand Pandit. Of the nine corona cases, one had died on March 28. With this, Buldana has emerged as the second biggest corona hotspot in Vidarbha after Nagpur which has 17 ceases so far with four cured ones. Yavatmal has three cured cases, while Washim and Gondia have one active positive case each.
In a bid to flatten the curve and stop the spread of coronavirus, around the world if there is one measure being adopted by all, it’s social distancing. However, for people residing at slums — cramped together in shanties, there is anything but space. Indian Express photographer Shashi Ghosh visited one such slum located in Barasat’s Kazipara in West Bengal and saw how daily wagers and their family members are struggling to survive.
The COVID-19 tally in Maharashtra mounted to 748 Sunday. The total number of fresh cases throughout Sunday increased by 113.
Here is the tally-
Mumbai - 81
Pune - 18
Aurangabad - 4
Anagar - 3
Kdmc - 2
Thane - 2
Osmanabad - 1
Vasai - 1
Others - 1
Total today - 113
The total number of confirmed cases in India rose to 3,577 on Sunday, according to Union Health Ministry data. The earlier data recorded a total of 3,374 confirmed cases. The current data has added 203 more cases, while the death toll has increased to 83 and 274 patients have recovered from coronavirus.
Essential grocery items being distributed among the locals at Beliaghata in Kolkata.
Before the nationwide lockdown to curb coronavirus, Dodla Dairy Ltd was selling around 13.5 lakh litres per day (LLPD) of pouch liquid milk, curd and butter milk, while planning to step it up to 15 LLPD during the peak April-June summer consumption period. The Hyderabad-based company, however, was struggling, with its average milk procurement at only 9 LLPD. To meet the gap, it was sourcing 2-2.5 LLPD of milk from other private as well as cooperative dairies, apart from buying skimmed milk powder (SMP) and ghee/white butter for reconstitution. But post the lockdown, the equation has completely changed
Despite Kerala being one of the worst coronavirus affected states with 309 cases, on the brighter side, it has also seen 49 people recover from the infection. Recently, a video of a man in Kerala being cheered by medical staff and patients after completely recovering from COVID-19 has gone viral on social media. The 35-second clip, which was tweeted by Minister for Co-operation Kerala Tourism and Devaswoms Kadakampally Surendran, features a patient walking out of the hospital as the medical staff cheered and bid him farewell.
A 37-year-old man hanged himself to death in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district Sunday allegedly because he was facing “social boycott” by some villagers who suspected him of having contracted COVID-19, police said. The man had tested negative for coronavirus. Mohammad Dilshad committed suicide under a shed at his residence in Una’s Bangarh village, a day after health officials dropped him at his village following his negative report, an officer said. Read more here
A Bajrang Dal worker, who had been spreading wrong information about a Tarapur family of having attended Tablighi Jamaat and a member of the family being tested COVID-19 positive, was arrested on Sunday. While the department denied any member of the Munger family being on the list of Tablighi Jamaat attendees from Bihar, the health department also dismissed social media report on anyone being tested positive from Tarapur. Munger Deputy Inspector General of Police Manu Maharaj confirmed the arrest of one Gautam Singh Kushwaha from his Bihma village under Tarapur police station. Kushwaha had on Saturday posted the wrong information on Facebook about a member of a muslim family being tested positive. Kushwaha is a district-level functionary of Bajrang Dal. His post had gone viral on social media, bringing disrepute to the family who runs a medical shop and a footwear shop in the Tarapur market.
The number of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) cases in the Union territory has now reached 106, according to the health bulletin.
With six more persons testing positive for coronavirus in Nuh and Gurugram districts, the number of cases in Haryana rose to 76 on Sunday, the state health department said. While Nuh reported five fresh infections, Gurugram reported one, it said. The total of 76 includes 15 patients who have been discharged. There are 61 active cases in the state, the health department said in its afternoon bulletin. The total also includes four Sri Lankan nationals, one Nepalese national and 20 people from other states of India, the bulletin said. Haryana has reported one death due to COVID-19 so far.
As the world battles with a pandemic it hadn’t known before, there has been a proliferation of information. The dos and don’ts have been listed, but this has also led to an increase in several myths. In the book, The Coronavirus: What you Need to Know about the Global Pandemic, authored by Dr Swapneil Parikh, Maherra Desai and Dr Rajesh Parikh, among other things, these misinformation have been detailed and busted. Published by Penguin Random House India Private Limited, it is available as an ebook. Read more here
A 69-year-old COVID-19 positive woman, with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, died at a private hospital in Ludhiana on Sunday, bringing the number of coronavirus-related deaths in Punjab to six, a health official said. Ludhiana Civil Surgeon Rajesh Kumar also said the woman had no recent foreign travel history. 'She was a heart patient and had high blood pressure and sugar. She had earlier tested positive for novel coronavirus,' Kumar told PTI. Punjab has so far reported 68 coronavirus cases
Hours ahead of the nine minutes lights out event called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, power utilities in Gujarat have been sending out text messages to consumers to keep their appliances turned on during the nine minutes. However, while the private power companies have cited the grid turning unstable as a concern, government-run Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) has sent out messages dispelling fears that consumer appliances would be affected due to a sudden surge in the voltage. Private power utilities like Torrent Power Limited have issued an advisory to their consumers, requesting them to not turn off all electrical appliances as it could have a cascading effect on the grid stability. Read more here
A 29-year-old youth was shot dead outside his house in Prayagraj after he allegedly blamed members of a community and the Tablighi Jamaat for spreading coronavirus in the country, the police said on Sunday. The victim was standing outside his house in Kareli when unidentified assailants opened fire at him, they said. Two people have been detained in connection with the murder. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed authorities to charge the accused under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). The Chief Minister also announced an exgratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased.
The government is likely to allow domestic and international flight operations in India in a staggered manner after the 21-day lockdown is lifted on April 14 midnight, officials said on Sunday. The aviation sector has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, Air Deccan became the latest casualty of the crisis as it announced indefinite suspension of flight operations and asked all employees to go on sabbatical without pay. "As the virus is still spreading in India, we are thinking to permit domestic and international flight operations post April 14 in a staggered manner. Airlines are free to take bookings for any date post April 14," a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official said. "However, if the lockdown is extended post April 14, airlines will have to cancel the tickets booked for that time period," the official noted. (PTI)
A case has been registered against a cleric in Pakistan for gathering around 400 people for Friday prayers at a prominent mosque, despite a ban on such religious congregations imposed by the authorities to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, reported PTI. The deadly virus has infected more than 2,800 people and claimed over 40 lives in Pakistan. According to the Dawn newspaper, a case was registered against former Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz and six others for disobeying a government order and gathering people at the mosque for Friday prayers. Around 400 people had gathered at the mosque, the report said on Sunday, adding that police officials deployed around the mosque informed the cleric of the ban on prayer congregations and the misuse of loudspeakers, but he ignored. (PTI)
The government of Goa has collaborated with Intugine to launch COVID Locator, a GPS based location tracker, that will help in tracking suspected and asymptomatic carriers of coronavirus when they leave their quarantine zone.
Days after 10 people tested positive for coronavirus after attending a funeral feast organised by a man on his return to Madhya Pradesh from Dubai, over 26,000 of their contacts and family members have been placed under home quarantine, officials told PTI on Sunday. The man, who worked as a waiter at a hotel in Dubai, returned to Morena from Dubai on March 17 after getting information about his mother's death, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) R S Bakna was quoted as saying by PTI.
HDFC Bank Ltd has received the mandate to collect donations for the PM-Cares. Individuals can now donate conveniently from their homes using Debit Cards, Credit Cards, UPI and digital banking channels.
The CISF is "augmenting" COVID-19 protective gear and healthcare paraphernalia for its over 40,000 personnel who will begin having close physical interaction with lakhs of passengers once airports and the Delhi Metro re-start operations, a top official told PTI. The force has "spruced up" measures on anti-coronavirus protection for its troops after 11 of them in Mumbai tested positive for the viral infection that has claimed thousands of lives and infected about 10 lakh people globally.
Another person has died due to coronavirus in Indore, taking the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state to 12.
Three persons, including one from Chhindwara, had died due to coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. A 42-year-old man who tested positive on March 30 died on Saturday morning. He was admitted to Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital for fever and shortness of breath and cough. After he tested positive for coronavirus, the man was shifted to MRTB Hospital, Indore. A 36-year-old man died in Chhindwara on Saturday. A government employee posted in Indore, a hot spot in the state, he had returned to Chhindwara on March 20. He and his father had tested positive for coronavirus. The man’s father is undergoing treatment.
"PPEs were initially imported so there was some shortage initially, now domestic manufacturers have started producing; procuring them from whichever country has them. We have already sent PPEs to states on the basis of case load", said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry.
"Our doubling rate (in how many days the number of COVID-19 cases gets double) at present is 4.1 days. But if additional cases reported due to the Tablighi Jamaat event, had not taken place, then the doubling rate would have been 7.4 days", said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry.
While replying to a question, Dr R R Gangakhetkar of ICMR, said that if coronavirus was an airborne infection not droplet infection, every person in a family would be infected, same would apply for other patients in a hospital.
Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Home Ministry, further said that all the state governments are following the guidelines under lockdown. "The situation of essential goods and services is satisfactory", she added.
'Total 3,374 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in India till now; an additional 472 news cases reported since Saturday. Total 79 deaths reported; 11 additional deaths have been reported since yesterday. 267 persons have recovered', Joint Secretary to the ministry Lav Aggarwal said.
In their evening press briefing, the Health Ministry said 274 districts across the country have been affected due to coronavirus till date.
With a rise in number of coronavirus cases in the national capital, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has directed the health department to identify private hospitals which can be taken over by the government, official sources told PTI on Sunday. They said the government has limited resources and hence ICU wards, beds and other facilities of private hospitals can be used to deal with the increasing numbers of coronavirus cases.
With the country entering its 12th day of lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, the unprecedented nature of the restrictions meant that pollution levels — air and water — have started to drop. Recent pictures from New Delhi of Yamuna river, which has been plagued by pollution for years, show that the water quality is improving. Take a look here
The government will take a decision on reopening of schools and colleges on April 14 after reviewing the coronavirus situation in the country, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said on Sunday. In an interview to PTI, he said the safety of students and teachers is of utmost importance to the government and his ministry is prepared to ensure there is no academic loss to students if schools and colleges needed to remain shut beyond April 14. "It is difficult to take a decision at the moment. We will review the situation on April 14 and depending upon the circumstances, a decision will be taken on whether schools and colleges can be reopened now or have to be closed for more time," Pokhriyal said when asked about his Ministry's post-lockdown plan.
"There are 34 crore students in the country, more than America's population. They are our biggest treasure. Safety of students and teachers is of utmost importance to the government," he added.
The 21-day nationwide lockdown ends on April 14. There have been indications from the government that the lockdown may not be extended. However, classes in schools and colleges were already suspended before the lockdown was announced.
US president Donald Trump said he requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Hydroxychloroquine required by the United States to fight the coronavirus pandemic. This comes after India last month banned the export of drugs. “I called Prime Minister Modi of India this morning. They make large amounts of Hydroxychloroquine. India is giving it a serious consideration,” Trump said while addressing the media at the White House Saturday. Follow coronavirus Latest Global Update here
With a volunteer testing positive for COVID-19 in Vadodara, a week after the last case was reported in the city, authorities Sunday prohibited volunteers and police officials from distributing food to those stranded in the lockdown to avoid community transmission of the virus. This was the city’s 10th positive case. Officer on Special duty Vinod Rao said the government will appoint a professional agency to distribute the food kits so as to maintain hygiene and social distancing, which is not seen during distribution of food by individuals albeit with good intentions. Read more here
Pandurang Shastri NGO gave away 21 disinfectant spraying machines to the municipal corporations of Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Rajkot, as part of its contribution to fight against the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
People of all age groups are susceptible to the coronavirus as cases among infants, pregnant women and people of most other age groups have shown. But it has not been clear if pregnant women infected with COVID-19 face severe consequences if they can transmit the infection to their child while it is in their womb and if the disease leads to any complications during or after pregnancy. Now, a review article published in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology states that by altering the maternal immune responses, the disease may affect the well-being of mothers and infants. What is the advice for pregnant women till now?
With Noida reporting the highest number of Coronavirus cases in UP, the district administration has extended section 144 in Gautam Buddh Nagar till April 30th. The fresh order will prohibit the gathering of more than four people in a public space in order to prevent the further spread of virus. "Keeping in mind the present coronavirus situation in the district and in an effort to contain it's spread, section 144 has been extended in the district till April 30. Even after the lockdown is lifted, no political, religious, social, sports, cultural gatherings will be allowed to take place. Rallies, processions are also prohibited till the given time frame. Legal action will be taken in case of non- compliance" said Suhas LY, DM Gautam Buddh Nagar. According to officials, action under section 188 (disobeying official order) in the event any person is found flouting the order. In a video conferencing meeting with the state's MLAs and MPs, Yogi Adityanath discussed measures to ensure that crowds do not gather following the lifting of lockdown on April 15th. Till Saturday evening, 58 positive cases of coronavirus were reported in Gautam Buddh Nagar alone as the state tally stood at 264.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday called up two former Presidents Pranab Mukherjee and Pratibha Patil to hold a discussion on COVID-19. He also spoke to former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Deve Gowda. Among the opposition leaders, the prime minister spoke to Sonia Gandhi, Mulayam Singh, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamta Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik, KCR, Stalin, Parkash Singh Badal. Before this on Friday, he had spoken to sports personalities via video call.
Britain will have to further restrict rules allowing outdoor exercise if people flout lockdown rules designed to combat the coronavirus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday. "I don't want to have to take away exercise as a reason to leave home ... if too many people are not following the rules," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr program. "At the moment the vast majority of people are. But we should not break the rules because that would mean that the virus spreads more and we then might have to take further action."
Vadodara authorities today prohibited volunteers and police officials from distributing food to needy persons during #Covid19 lockdown to avoid transmission of the virus. The officer on Special duty Vinod Rao says that the government will appoint a professional agency to do it. "Social distancing becomes a problem in such times and the persons could get infected unknowingly or become carriers of the virus," Rao said, adding that the decision was taken as the government is aware that the country has "entered into the stage where COVID-19 cases could see a surge". The Vadodara district administration will also shift the Covid19 isolation ward to the GMERS hospital in Gotri, which has been designated as a special facility for #Covid19 treatment. Two new cases admitted to SSG today to be shifted to GMERS
Another positive case was reported in Mumbai's Dharavi slum. A 21-year-old man is the fifth person who has been infected
One person died after two groups of villagers clashed with each other and hurled crude bombs over setting up of a quarantine centre at Talibpur village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district. Seven people have been arrested by Panrui police. “There was a clash between two groups in the village last night. One person succumbed to bomb injury. We have arrested seven persons in connection to the incident. A contingent of policemen has been posted in the village,” said Shyam Singh, police superintendent of Birbhum district
A 29-year-old youth was shot dead outside his house in Prayagraj after he allegedly blamed members of a community and the Tablighi Jamaat for spreading coronavirus in the country, the police said on Sunday. Two people have been detained in connection with the murder. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed authorities to charge the accused under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). The Chief Minister also announced an exgratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased.
The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to 2,880, on Sunday, officials said. According to the Ministry of National Health Services, 45 people have died so far due to the viral infection in the country and 130 have recovered.
While Punjab recorded 1,163 cases, Sindh reported 864, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 372, Balochistan 185, Gilgit-Baltistan 206, Islamabad 78 and 12 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The ministry made a slight adjustment in the data from the KP province. Yesterday the ministry had said that there were 383 coronavirus cases in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. However, it revised the number to 372 in the latest update. (PTI)
A third coronavirus case has been reported from Bokaro's Chandrapur block in Jharkhand. Details on travel history and contact tracing awaited.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for the handling of coronavirus situation in the state. "UddhavThackeray has been a revelation," Abdullah tweeted.
The Maharashtra chief minister, the first Thackeray to rule the state, has been lauded on various social media platforms for the way he is handling the COVID-19 situation despite the state having high number of positive cases. Maharashtra has recorded 32 coronavirus deaths so far and 661 cases of the virus.
People purchase diyas for 'light-off' exercise this evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to people to light candles and diyas, or switch on torches or mobile phone flashlights, for nine minutes at 9 pm today, to “illuminate the common purpose we are all fighting for”. “The light from the lamps will show that we are together in this battle,” he said.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer a scientific explanation over his call to light candles and lamps for nine minutes at 9 pm, and suspected there is some “hidden agenda” behind it.
The Janata Dal (Secular) leader tweeted, “Has the PM slyly asked the nation to observe a candle light vigil on the eve of foundation day of BJP? April 6 being its foundation day, what else can explain the choice of date & time for this event? I challenge the PM to offer a credible scientific and rational explanation.”