Featured image: Students wear masks as they arrive to appear for SSC public examinations at Secunderabad in Hyderabad, March 19, 2020. Photo: PTI
COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 169 on Thursday after fresh cases were reported, including from Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh, while most of the states and UT’s imposed restrictions, inching towards partial shutdown in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has claimed four lives in the country.
Globally, there are over 218,000 confirmed cases in 158 countries/regions. On Wednesday, China reported no new domestic cases of the infection.
India bars international commercial flights
Following a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the health ministry issued fresh directives and made announcements on the situation and how to combat it.
No scheduled international commercial passenger flights shall be allowed to land in India from March 22 for one week. Besides, the railways and civil aviation shall suspend all concessional travel except for students, patients and the disabled.
In order to protect the most vulnerable of our population, all states shall issue appropriate instructions wherein all citizens above 65 years except for public representatives/government servants/medical professionals should be advised to remain at home…
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 19, 2020
India reports fourth coronavirus death
A 72-year-old man who had returned from Germany via Italy a fortnight ago and died at a hospital in Punjab’s Nawanshahr district after severe chest pain has tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection, senior officials said on Thursday.
One Indian who tested positive for coronavirus has died in Iran, said a Ministry of External Affairs official.
This is India’s fourth confirmed COVID-19 death in India.
The septuagenarian, who had diabetes and hypertension, tested positive after he died at the Banga community health centre on Wednesday, according to news agency PTI.
The man had arrived from Germany via Italy on March 7. A resident of Banga, he came to the health centre with severe chest pain on Wednesday and immediately collapsed. He died later that day.
Punjab had earlier reported a confirmed case of coronavirus.
A 24-year-old woman, who had recently returned to Raipur from London, has tested positive, making her the first confirmed case in Chhattisgarh.
Delhi closes restaurants, bars gatherings of more than 20
The government of Delhi has announced the closure of all restaurants. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced, however, that takeaway and food delivery services will continue. Gatherings of more than 20 people have now been prohibited in Delhi, in a review of the earlier number, which was 50.
The Delhi Police on Thursday said it will not conduct drink driving tests unless someone is visibly drunk and driving recklessly.
According to a PTI report, police said no drink driving checks will be conducted unless someone is visibly drunk and driving so recklessly as to endanger his or her, or others’ life.
Punjab govt suspends transport services
The Punjab government on Thursday announced suspension of public transport services from Friday midnight, besides restricting public gatherings to less than 20, in the state.
It has also decided to shut marriage palaces, hotels, restaurants, banquets and dining places, except home delivery services and takeaways in the entire state.
Public transport buses, tempos and auto rickshaws will be suspended from the midnight of Friday, Local Bodies minister Brahm Mohindra here.
Tamil Nadu reports third case
A 21-year-old student who arrived in Chennai two days ago from Ireland has tested positive for the coronavirus infection, taking the number of cases in Tamil Nadu to three, health minister C. Vijayabaskar said on Thursday.
The minister said the man is stable and being treated at the isolation ward of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH). The student was screened and then put under home quarantine.
On Wednesday, the state had recorded its second positive COVID-19 case, a 20-year-old who travelled from Delhi to Chennai in a train. He was also placed in the isolation ward of the RGGGH
#Coronaupdate: #RGGH, Chennai reports the 2nd positive case for #Covid19. The Pt hails from Delhi, is in isolation & stable is under the observation of the expert team treating #Covid19. #TNHealth @MoHFW_INDIA #Vijayabaskar
— Dr C Vijayabaskar (@Vijayabaskarofl) March 18, 2020
Health officials told the media that the man is a resident of Uttar Pradesh and worked in a salon. He had reached Chennai on March 12 and was staying with a friend in the city.
On March 16, he visited the RGGGH with symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat and was admitted to the isolation ward. His nasal, throat swabs and blood samples were lifted and sent for testing to the King Institute of Preventive Medicine, Guindy and returned positive.
Meanwhile, the state’s first patient has been discharged after he recovered from the illness. He will remain in home quarantine for two weeks.
#Coronaupdate: the first #Covid19 positive patient has been discharged from #RGGH,Chennai. He has completely recovered from the illness & back home.He will be home quarantined for 2 weeks. @MoHFW_INDIA #TNHealth #Vijayabaskar #TN_Together_AgainstCorona
— Dr C Vijayabaskar (@Vijayabaskarofl) March 18, 2020
Alwar: Notice to doctor couple who ignored advisory
Health authorities in Rajasthan’s Alwar district have issued a notice to a doctor couple, who are suspected to have been infected by the novel coronavirus, for travelling abroad without approval and resuming work after their return, ignoring the advisory and protocol.
The couple, an eye surgeon and his gynaecologist wife, work at the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Alwar and were on leave from March 2-12 for “urgent work”.
“The couple did not inform that they travelled abroad during the leave duration. A notice has been served to give explanation,” said Sunil Chauhan, the principal medical officer of the hospital.
Chidambaram calls for lockdown of all towns
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Thursday called for an immediate lockdown of all towns and cities for 2-4 weeks to contain the spread of coronavirus.
In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said since the ICMR’s random sample testing has revealed that there is no community transmission of coronavirus (Stage 3) so far, this is the moment to announce a temporary lockdown and contain the disease at Stage 2.
ICSE postpones board exams
The ICSE board on Thursday postponed Class X and XII examinations due to the novel coronavirus threat, officials said. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) Chief Executive Gerry Arathoon said the exams have been postponed until March 31.
The CBSE has also announced that it has postponed exams until March 31.
Eight new cases in Telangana, including 7 Indonesians
Telangana reported eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, including seven Indonesians who were in the country for ‘religious activity’. With this, the state has now reported 13 cases of the disease.
The other person who tested positive on Wednesday is a 22-year-old man who returned to Hyderabad from Scotland early on March 16.
According to The Hindu, the seven Indonesians who tested positive for COVID-19 were are part of a 10-member team that travelled from New Delhi to Ramagundam in Karimnagar district of the state on AP Sampark Kranti Express on March 13. They reached Ramagundam on March 14. Another person of the entourage, also an Indonesian, has already tested positive on Tuesday.
Reports said that 82 people travelled in the non-air conditioned sleeper coach, including the Indonesians. Telangana health minister Etela Rajender claimed that all the people who came in contact with the patients at Ramagundam and Karimnagar have been traced.
The 10-member team stayed in a mosque in Karimnagar for two days.
Gurgaon resident tests positive
A 44-year-old Gurgaon resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Haryana. The state has 17 confirmed cases, including 14 foreigners, according to the Union health ministry’s data.
44-year-old Gurgaon resident tests positive for novel #coronavirus: Official
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 18, 2020
“A resident of Gurgaon has tested positive for the coronavirus,” said state director general of health Suraj Bhan Kamboj on Wednesday evening, according to news agency PTI.
The man’s samples were collected at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi and were found positive for the coronavirus infection. The patient was admitted at the hospital on March 9, he said.
First confirmed case in Kodagu
A new novel coronavirus case was reported in Karnataka on Thursday, taking the total number of infections in the state to 15, health minister B. Sriramulu said.
This is the first COVID-19 infection confirmed in Kodagu. “This person had returned from Saudi Arabia after a trip. He has been admitted in a designated isolated hospital for treatment and observation,” the minister tweeted.
Soon after the announcement was made, Kodagu deputy commissioner Annies Joy said Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has been imposed. According to The News Minute, hotels, lodges, dormitories and home-stays in the district will remain closed. Tourist spots were already closed last week and will continue to remain so.
China reports zero new domestic cases on March 18
China, where the coronavirus pandemic originated, reported zero new domestic cases on Wednesday.
According to the South China Morning Post, this was the first time since the outbreak began. The country’s National Health Commission also said that for the first time, the Hubei province – where the disease emerged – recorded no new cases, either domestically or from abroad. Across China, 34 new infections were reported, but all of them were ‘imported’ or from overseas.
The country’s reported new deaths were also down to single digits, at eight. The total death toll in the country stands at 3,245, with the total number of infections at 80,928. A total of 70,420 patients have recovered.
