Mahim church in Mumbai displays a message to promote Corona awareness on Thursday. (Express photo: Prashant Nadka)
PM Narendra Modi coronavirus address: In his address to the nation on novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked citizens to exercise restraint and urged social distancing. “For the last few days, it looks like if we are safe from coronavirus. This belief is not right. Hence, it is very important for every Indian to remain aware and alert,” PM Modi said. PM Modi, who has held several review meetings since last month, has stressed on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organisations to check COVID-19.
A 70-year-old man hailing from Punjab died due to the COVID-19, taking the toll to four in India, the Health Ministry confirmed Thursday. The patient had co-morbid health conditions including diabetes and cardiac issues, the ministry said. The number of positive cases in India has jumped to 173.
In an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the Central government barred all scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft to land in India from March 22 for one week. Further, it asked the state governments to issue directions that citizens above the age of 65, except for public representatives, govt servants, medical professionals, and children below age 10 should remain indoors.
For the first time since the coronavirus crisis began, China — the epicenter of the infection — on Thursday reported no new local cases. It, however, registered 34 cases imported from abroad, the biggest daily increase in two weeks, according to the National Health Commission. Globally, coronavirus has spread to 140 countries, infecting 2.22 lakh and killing over 9,000 people, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. (Follow our full coverage on coronavirus pandemic here)
Two more people tested positive for coronavirus in Jaipur on Thursday. The total cases in Rajasthan now stand at nine, three of whom are now coronavirus negative.
Italy on Thursday overtook China's coronavirus death toll, with 427 new fatalities taking its total since the first case was registered in February to 3,405, news agency AFP reported. China has officially reported 3,245 deaths since registering the first infection at the end of last year.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Thursday requested people to avail metro services "only when it is essential and unavoidable". Issuing an eight-point advisory, the DRMC laid emphasis on the need for commuters to maintain at least one-meter gap among each other inside the trains and at the stations. It also said that random thermal scanning of passengers will be carried out at all metro stations.
More than 227,700 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus across the world and 9,263 have died, with cases and deaths outside China far exceeding those in the country where the outbreak began, news agency Reuters.
Two people in Telangana have been tested positive for the coronavirus. Both patients have an international travel history to London.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi have risen to 14, the state health department has said, according to PTI. The Health Ministry has cited 11 cases so far.
The United Nations has cautioned millions of people could die from the coronacirus, particularly in poor countries, if it is allowed to spread unchecked, appealing for a coordinated global response to contain it.
"If we let the virus spread like wildfire -- especially in the most vulnerable regions of the world -- it would kill millions of people," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. "Global solidarity is not only a moral imperative, it is in everyone's interests," he said.
The Tamil Nadu government has ordered the closure of important places of worship for darshan including famous Madurai-based Meenakshi shrine, curtails interstate services by buses, trains.
The District Magistrate of Srinagar has imposed strict restrictions across Jammu and Kashmir's capital to contain the spread of coronavirus. "No public movement or activity will be allowed anywhere in the district.
Only government officials with valid IDs will be allowed to move," the officials said. "Strict action will be taken against violators of the order. Government officials have been asked to ensure no one is found ferried in their vehicles," the officials added.
The government has banned the export of all ventilators, surgical and disposable masks, textile raw material for masks with immediate effect.
The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a closure of all national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has ordered the closure of all weekly markets in the state till March 31. Centrally air-conditioned textile and jewelry shops will be shut in the state from Friday and shops will create a single passage to deliver pre-ordered items alone. The state government has suspended entry of visitors has been suspended in all major temples.
An Indian who tested positive for the coronavirus has died in Iran, the MEA informed. The other citizens infected with the disease are being provided with treatment and taken care of by the Iranian government. The deceased was an elderly person fitting in the bracket of the vulnerable age group and had health-related complications, a senior MEA official said.
"We have evacuated 590 people from Iran where the situation is very severe. The Indians infected with coronavirus in Iran have been segregated and taken care of very well by the government there. We believe they will recover and we will bring them back," the MEA official said, adding that 201 Indians were evacuated from Iran on Wednesday.
BJP president J P Nadda appealed to all party workers to help implement PM Modi's suggestions and stand with the people in the fight against coronavirus. "I appeal to all party workers to help in implementing suggestions made by PM Narendra Modi in fighting coronavirus. I want to assure PM that party workers will play a positive role and stand with people in the fight against coronavirus," Nadda said.
In Gujarat, two people have tested positive for COVID-19, the health department officials informed. One of the Covid-19 patient is from Rajkot, while the other is from Surat, said the officials of the Health and Family Welfare department. This is the first time Gujarat has reported confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
Two persons in Dehradun have tested positive for the coronavirus, totalling to three cases in Uttarakhand. All three patients are trainee officer of Indian Forests Service.
PM Modi declares that the government will constitute a COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force under Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, which will remain in regular touch with all stakeholders, take their feedback and make decisions accordingly.
"For the last two months, millions are working day and night in hospitals and airports and those serving others by not taking care of themselves. On March 22 at 5 pm, we should stand on our doorways, balconies, in our windows and keep clapping hands and ringing the bells for 5 minutes to salute and encourage them," Modi says.
Urging people to avoid visiting hospitals for routine check-ups, PM Modi asks them to postpone any appointment for any non-essential surgery for a month. "We should keep in mind that pressure should not come on hospitals," Modi says.
"I appeal to all not to go into panic buying to store essential commodities. Steps being taken to ensure that there is no scarcity of essential commodities," Modi says.
Imposing 'Janata curfew' on March 22 during 7 am to 9 pm, PM Modi says all citizens should follow the curfew and requests people to leave their houses only when it becomes necessary. "Try and do all work from home," PM Modi says.
PM Modi urges people to strengthen their resolve to follow the advisories issues by state and central governments to fight the coronavirus. "Resolution and restraint is very important in combat against this global epidemic," he says.
"Restrain is compulsory to protect ourselves and remain healthy. I request that for the coming weeks people should go out of their homes only if essential," Modi says.