17 Indians abroad have been infected, 16 from a cruise ship in Japan and one from the United Arab Emirates (Photo Credit: Reuters File)
New Delhi:
The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has risen to 30 with one more case of infection reported in Ghaziabad on Thursday. The patient is a middle-aged man with a recent travel history to Iran, official sources said. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday asked states to form rapid response teams at district, block and village levels, stating cases of community transmission have been observed. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases includes 16 Italian tourists. These case include one patient from Delhi, who had recently returned from Italy, his six relatives from Agra, another person from Telangana, one PayTM employee in Gurugram, 16 Italian tourists in Rajasthan and their Indian driver in Rajasthan. The figure includes the first three cases reported from Kerala last month who have already been discharged following recovery.
Meanwhile, India has imposed additional visa restrictions on people travelling from or having visited Italy and South Korea, making it mandatory for them to submit certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from laboratories authorised by the health authorities of their countries, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. This will come into effect from midnight of March 10 and is a temporary measure till cases of novel coronavirus subside, the ministry said in a travel advisory. The government has already suspended all regular visas/e-visas granted on or before March 3 to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan who have not yet entered India in view of the emerging global scenarios regarding COVID19 disease. According to the advisory, the government has also suspended visa on arrival (VoA) issued on or before March 3 to Japanese and South Korean nationals who have not yet entered India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said they would not celebrate the festival of colours or hold any Holi Milan gathering. President Ram Nath Kovind's office also said Rashtrapati Bhavan will not hold any Holi gathering. Seventeen Indians abroad have been infected, 16 from a cruise ship in Japan, being treated at onshore medical facilities and one from the United Arab Emirates, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
There are more than 93,000 cases around the world now with number of deaths crossing 3,200. So far 82 countries have been affected by the virus which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. (With Agency Inputs)
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Thursday:
Greece confirms 21 new coronavirus cases detected among travellers who had recently returned from a pilgrimage to religious sites in Israel and Egypt: Reuters
Truck drivers from Pakistan being scanned at Attari for COVID-19. The government is ensuring constant vigilance and continuous monitoring to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
There are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the State.
The govt. is closely monitoring the coronavirus situation and taking up all precautionary measures. I appeal to the people of the State not to panic.Biometric attendance is temporarily suspended for one month in the State. pic.twitter.com/x25ylnC7Ty
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) March 5, 2020
The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has risen to 30 with one more case of infection reported in Ghaziabad on Thursday. The patient is a middle-aged man with a recent travel history to Iran, official sources said.
India has imposed additional visa restrictions on people travelling from or having visited Italy and South Korea, making it mandatory for them to submit certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from laboratories authorised by the health authorities of their countries, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. This will come into effect from 0000 hrs of March 10 and is a temporary measure till cases of novel coronavirus subside, the ministry said in a travel advisory. As of now, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country stand at 30, including 16 Italian tourists. The figure includes the first three cases in the country from Kerala last month who have been discharged following recovery.
The government has already suspended all regular visas/e-visas granted on or before March 3 to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan who have not yet entered India in view of the emerging global scenarios regarding COVID19 disease.
Health authorities in Kashmir have kept five persons with a recent history of travelling to coronavirus-affected countries in the isolation ward of the SKIMS hospital here after they showed symptoms of the disease, officials said on Thursday.
"We have kept the five persons in the isolation ward at the SKIMS hospital in Soura," they said.
The officials added that samples of the suspects were collected and sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
Of the five, one had travelled to Thailand while two had been to Iran, they said, adding that the remaining two had a recent travel history to the epicentre of COVID-19 in China's Wuhan.
Five people who came in contact with a coronavirus patient who works in Gurgaon and lives in west Delhi have been tested and quarantined till their results come in, Delhi government health officials said on Thursday. The Paytm employee, who tested positive for the contagious disease with flu like symptoms on Wednesday, came in touch with 91 people in Gurgaon, an official said, citing his counterpart in the suburban town. Delhi government health officials are also coordinating with their counterparts in Noida to ascertain the number of people he came in contact with.
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The makers of new James Bond film, "No Time To Die", have postponed the release of the much-awaited Daniel Craig-starrer to November this year in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, former US president Barack Obama calls for people to take "common sense precautions" over the coronavirus outbreak -- advising them to follow hand-washing guidelines but not to wear masks.
Singapore, which has reported 112 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, on Wednesday stepped up efforts to contain its spread at Changi Airport after a passenger from Turkey tested positive for COVID-19.
UN economists announced a likely USD 50 billion drop in the worldwide manufacturing exports in February alone as the extent of the damage to the global economy caused by the coronavirus moved further into focus. The trade impact of the coronavirus epidemic for India is estimated to be about 348 million dollars and the country figures among the top 15 economies most affected as slowdown of manufacturing in China disrupts world trade, according to a UN report.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is sensitising its contracted players, including the six who will play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), about preventive measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says India is in touch with Iran on possible evacuation of Indian pilgrims and students stuck in the coronavirus-hit nation.
The Sikkim government says that over 4.06 lakh passengers arriving in the state have been screened so far for coronavirus, but no positive case has been detected.
A buffer stock of personal protective equipment and N95 masks is maintained by the states as well as the union government. To ensure availability of critical items like personal protective equipment and N95 masks, the exports of the same have been restricted: Dr Harsh Vardhan
Screening of passengers has also been initiated in 12 major sea ports and 65 minor ports in the country: Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Govt has issued directions for universal screening of all international passengers coming into the country, says Dr. Harsh Vardhan in Rajya Sabha.
Centre has taken several measures to control the risk of coronavirus. Our first travel advisory was issued on January 17 and as situation is evolving the travel advisories are accordingly getting revised: Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan says government has initiated a series of actions in view of the coronavirus outbreak. he calls for concerted efforts from all wings of the government, adding "I am reviewing the situation daily".
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan confrims 29 positive cases of coronavirus in India till March 4. Of these 29 cases, 3 in Kerala have recovered and discharged already.
On coronavirus outbreak, India initiated required preparedness and action since 17th January, much before advice of the WHO: Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan is making a statement on Coronavirus in Rajya Sabha.
The death toll of coronavirus in China has crossed 3,000 with 31 new fatalities and the total number of confirmed cases jumped to over 80,400. China's National Health Commission said on Thursday that it received reports of 139 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection and 31 deaths on Wednesday on the Chinese mainland.
All the deaths were in the epicentre of the virus, Hubei Province and its capital Wuhan, which continued to be ground zero of the COVID-19. Also on Wednesday, 143 new suspected cases were reported while the number of severe cases decreased by 464 to 5,952, the NHC said, adding that 522 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.
The fourteen Italians, who have tested positive for coronavirus, have been shifted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon from an ITBP quarantine centre, reported PTI. The hospital issued a statement on Thursday morning, saying these patients are housed on a completely separate floor, which has been quarantined and has no contact with the rest of the hospital.
The death toll in the United States from the new coronavirus rose to 11 on Wednesday, as lawmakers in Congress agreed to provide more than USD 8 billion to fight the rapidly spreading disease.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency as he reported the state's first fatality from the COVID-19 illness - an elderly person who had taken a cruise to Mexico - while health officials in nearby Washington state said a 10th person had died there.
In Italy, all professional football matches and other big sporting events will take place without fans present until April 3 said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. According to media reports, the measure is part of a new decree issued by the government hoping to prevent the spread of the virus which has caused 3,089 infected cases and 107 fatalities in the country.
The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday issued an advisory to all schools asking them to avoid any large gathering of students in premises. The ministry advised that any student or staff with travel history to any COVID-19 affected country or in contact with such persons in the last 28 days should be monitored and quarantined at home for 14 days. Class teachers have been asked to remain alert of any possible signs and symptoms among students like coughing, fever or difficulty in breathing and immediately inform the parents to get them tested.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has formed two rapid response teams for screening of residents who had visited coronavirus-affected countries after January 15 and has already screened 56 houses.
"Two rapid response teams consisting of doctor, paramedical staff and public health specialist have been formed for awareness generation and screening of persons who visited coronavirus-affected countries after January 15 belonging to NDMC area," a senior official of NDMC''s Health Department said.
"The Delhi government's health department has given a list of 56 persons residing in NDMC area, who had visited the coronavirus-affected countries. The rapid response team has visited and screened 56 houses and none of the residents had signs and symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The status report has been shared with integrated disease surveillance programme unit of New Delhi district," the official added.
Students appearing for class 10 and 12 board examination will be allowed to carry masks and hand sanitiser in the exam centre in view of coronavirus scare, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announces.
Italy's death toll from the new coronavirus passes 100 and the number of cases is over 3,000, the government says.
Many schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) said they were fumigating and sanitising their premises. Three schools in Delhi and its adjoining suburbs announced holidays for students and staff as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of the disease while two schools advanced their spring break and others sent out advisories to parents.
As the coronavirus came perilously close to home and dos and don'ts about the disease were circulated, some advocated that the Indian way of greeting, the Namaste, was the way to go. Many people went into panic mode and started stocking up on hand sanitisers and masks.
PayTM has said the infected employee had recently returned from a vacation in Italy, one of the worst-hit countries from coronavirus and advised its employees to work from home for the next couple of days.
The government also intends to set up a laboratory in Iran so Indians there can be tested for possible exposure to the virus before being brought back, he said. An estimated 1,200 Indians, mostly students and pilgrims, are in Iran.
The Indian government has adopted a cluster approach, as part of which health authorities will check and sensitise every household within a three kilometre radius of the house of the infected person, said the Union Home Minister.
Union Home Minister Harsh Vardhan said all international passengers will henceforth be screened at airports. Earlier, travellers from only 12 countries were screened at airports for the contagious disease that has claimed over 3,000 lives and infected more than 90,000 worldwide.
