09.45PM
covid19 cases in India crossed 5500
As India crosses the 5,500-mark in the total number of coronavirus positive cases, states such as Karnataka and Maharashtra hint at an extension of the 21-day lockdown imposed by the Centre. The death toll touches 170, with one more death in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi. Meanwhile, the United States reports nearly 2,000 coronavirus deaths in last 24 hours. Brazil also requests India to export Hydroxychloroquine, by invoking Lord Hanuman.
9.30 PM | ANDHRA PRADESH
19 cases reported on single day in Andhra Pradesh
Coronavirus cases continued their upward surge in Andhra Pradesh with 19 more reported on Wednesday, taking the total to 348, state government said.
9.15 PM | NEW DELHI
Twenty hotspots of coronavirus sealed in Delhi: Deputy CM Manish Sisodia
“Total there are 20 areas in Delhi now, which have been sealed. People are not allowed to enter or exit from these colonies, streets, or apartments,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told media.
“Government is distributing essentials in these areas,” he said.
8.55 PM | NEW DELHI
NGOs and charitable organisations can buy food items at open market rates: Food Ministry
In order to facilitate privately-run relief camps during the COVID-19 crisis, Food Ministry has now allowed NGOs and charitable organisations to directly buy wheat and rice from the Food Corporation of India at Open Market Sale Scheme rates without going through e-auction process. So far, only State governments and registered bulk users like roller flour mills were allowed to do so.
8.45 PM | MAHARASHTRA
Ensure basic necessities to migrant workers: High Court to Maharashtra government
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government and district legal services authorities to check if basic necessities were provided to migrant workers and daily wagers amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
8.30 PM | NEW DELHI
It’s mandatory to wear masks in Delhi
“Wearing of facial masks can reduce the spread of corona virus substantially. Therefore, it has been decided that facial masks will be compulsory for anyone stepping out of their house. Cloth mask shall be eligible too,” said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
8.10 PM | GUJARAT
Gujarat reports 186 cases
Gujarat’s total cases are 186 while 16 patients have died of COVID-19. As on Wednesday, 145 patients are stable and two are on ventilator support. So far, 25 patients have fully recovered and discharged from their hospitals, says the Health department.
8.05 PM | MAHARASHTRA
Dharavi reports two new cases
Two new cases have been reported at Dharavi on Wednesday. Also, a 64 year-old resident of Dharavi, who was tested positive for COVID-19 had died at KEM Hospital on Wednesday.
8.00 PM | NEW DELHI
SC directs approved government, private labs to conduct free of cost COVID-19 tests
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed that COVID-19 tests in approved government labs or private laboratories should be conducted free of cost and the Centre should immediately issue directions in this regard. The top court said the private hospitals including laboratories have an important role to play in containing the scale of the pandemic by extending philanthropic services in the hour of national crisis.
7.45 PM | BIHAR
Many quarantined Bihar villagers missing from centres at night
Many of Bihar’s migrant workers who have been quarantined in village schools and panchayat buildings after returning from elsewhere in the country are found missing from these centres at night with most of them likely heading home to join their families before coming back to the quarantine facilities in the morning, according to local village heads.
7.30 PM | PUNJAB
Seven more test positive in Punjab; total cases rise to 106
The number of coronavirus cases breached the 100-mark in Punjab on Wednesday with seven more people testing positive for the infection, pushing the count to 106 in the State.
7.20 PM | JAMMU AND KASHMIR
33 new cases in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir witnesses largest single day rise in COVID-19 positive cases as 33 new cases were detected, said officials.
7.10 PM| NEW DELHI
Never disclose on social media name or address of those affected by COVID-19 or under quarantine: Govt. advisory
Never spread names or identity of those affected or under quarantine or their locality on the social media, says Central government advisory on addressing social stigma relating to COVID-19 cases.
Cases have been reported of people affected with COVID-19 as well as healthcare workers, sanitary workers and police, who are in the frontline for management of the outbreak, facing discrimination on account of heightened fear and misinformation about infection. Even those who have recovered from COVID-19 face such discrimination. Further, certain communities and areas are being labeled purely based on false reports floating in social media and elsewhere.There is an urgent need to counter such prejudices and to rise as acommunity that is empowered with health literacy and responds appropriately in the face of this adversity, the Central Government advisory said.
7.05 PM| WEST BENGAL
Two more test positive in Bengal; total cases rise to 92
Two more persons from West Bengal tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of cases in the state to 92, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.
Out of these cases, 61 are from 11 families and it proves that they did not maintain social distancing norms, she said.
6.55 PM| KERALA
Kerala records 9 new COVID-19 cases, total rises to 345
At least 345 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala so far, with nine fresh cases being reported on Wednesday.
Of the new cases, four had come from abroad, two had attended the Tablighi Jammat meet in Delhi last month and the remaining three contracted the virus through contacts, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here
6.45 PM| LONDON
Boris Johnson clinically stable, responding to treatment in ICU
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains clinically stable and is responding to treatment after spending his second night in intensive care at a London hospital with COVID-19, Downing Street said in its latest health update on Wednesday.
The statement reiterated that the U.K. Prime Minister remains in good spirits as it was indicated that while he is not actively working, he remains in contact with his ministers and officials.
6.35 PM | BEIJING
India, China can cooperate in developing COVID-19 vaccine: Indian envoy
India and China should pool in their scientific and technological resources to develop a vaccine to contain the deadly novel coronavirus, Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri has said.
“We could cooperate on the development of vaccine for this virus…It will be of great value for the world at large at the end of day, we do have a very large scientific and technological manpower in our two countries,” Mr. Misri said in an interview to state-run CGTN here.
He said there should be global cooperation to contain the COVID-19.
“The enemy is not an individual, a country or a group of countries. It is a virus that doesn’t discriminate. It is not only important for the countries to put aside their differences but also rise above those differences. We have to realise that we are all in this together,” he said.
6.30 PM | MAHARASHTRA
COVID-19 deaths rise to 72 in Maharashtra
The number of Covid-19-related deaths continued to surge at an alarming rate in Pune as eight deaths were reported from the city on Wednesday, taking the district’s death toll to 16 even as Maharashtra’s death toll soared to 72.
6.15 PM | TAMIL NADU
Tamil Nadu reports 48 new cases
As many as 48 persons test positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu. Total tally in the State is now at 738, says Health Secretary Beela Rajesh.
6.00 PM | PARIS
Coronavirus cases recorded in Europe pass 750,000
More than 750,000 coronavirus cases have been recorded across Europe, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources.
With at least 750,276 cases and 58,627 recorded, Europe Europe remains the continent hit hardest by the pandemic.
5.55 PM | TAMIL NADU
Over 1,300 foreigners flown to home country by special flight
A total of 1,304 foreign nationals left for their home through special flights operated from the airport here during the ongoing 21-day national lockdown to check spread of coronavirus, Customs officials said.
Eight special relief flights were operated till Monday to Malaysia, France, Frankfurt and Muscat and the Customs department faciliated the journey of the overseas passegners, they said.
5.50 PM | NEW DELHI
30 doctors, nurses in AIIMS Delhi advised quarantine after coming in contact with COVID-19 patient
Around 30 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses and technicians at the Cardio-Neuro Centre in AIIMS here have been advised to undergo quarantine after a 72-year-old man who visited the facility with neurological problem tested positive for COVID-19, sources said on Wednesday.
5.40 PM | JAMMU AND KASHMIR
14 new cases in Jammu and Kashmir
“14 news cases detected on Wednesday, 11 in Kashmir, 3 in Jammu. A total of 139 cases in all J&K”,says Jammu and Kashmir government spokesman Rohit Kansal.
5.30 PM | MAHARASHTRA
Six coronavirus patients die in Pune
Eight coronavirus patients died in Pune since Tuesday night, taking the COVID-19 death toll in the district to 16, a senior official said here on Wednesday.
5.15 PM | RAJASTHAN
15 new cases in Rajasthan; State COVID-19 tally rises to 363
“With 15 more persons found infected with novel coronavirus, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Rajasthan increases to 363 on Wednesday afternoon. Of the total 20 cases detected today, 12 are from Jaipur, 6 from Bikaner and 1 each from Jodhpur and Banswara. Thirty-six of the 363 positive cases are those of evacuees from Iran staying in Army’s facilities in Rajasthan,” says the Medical & Health Department.
5.00 PM | WEST BENGAL
West Bengal reports two new cases
Total number of active cases in West Bengal stands at 71, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a press meet in Kolkata adding that two fresh cases have been reported today, she added.
177 people participated in the Nizamuddin event have been identified, she said. Of them, 108 are foreigners. All of them have been quarantined.
4.25 PM | NEW DELHI
HCQ available sufficiently: Health Ministry
On HCQ availability, Luv Agarwal says the whole situation is being monitored, there would be no shortage of the medicine. It will be used only on doctor’s prescription. It is sufficiently available right now, and also for the days to come.
We have been implementing a two-pronged approach – lockdown and containment measures. We will have to see its impact. “When we are dealing with infectious disease, it is an every day battle,” he says adding that major focus is now on hospitals and temporary structures for treatment.4.20 PM | NEW DELHI
Community leaders being involved for spreading awareness, says Home Ministry spokesperson. Availability of essential commodities satisfactory… to prevent hoarding of essential goods, States have been asked to take action under Essential Commodities Act, he says.
4.15 PM | NEW DELHI
‘About 80% cases related to mild or very mild symptoms’
The Health Ministry has classified COVID-19 centres for treatments. “About 80% cases related to mild or very mild symptoms,” says Luv Agarwal.
Under the containment plan, at the district level initiatives are taken to manage the situation. Pune region, for instance is conducting door-to-door survey.Persons with co-morbidity are being checked. Similar exercise is being carried out in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta too, he says.
4.10 PM | NEW DELHI
Breaking the chain of transmission
Ministry of HRD has launched training module on Covid-19 for capacity building of frontline health care personnel, including volunteers.
Health Ministry has issued training modules prepared by AIIMS on COVID-19 infected pregnant women. The details were given by ministry official Luv Agarwal.
Central and State governments taking measures to break the chain of transmission, Mr. Agarwal said in his daily briefing.
3.50 PM| NEW DELHI
Lockdown unlikely to be lifted post April 14, PM tells political parties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with parliamentary floor leaders of both Houses on April 8 said it didn’t seem possible that the countrywide lockdown can be lifted as per the original schedule of April 14, but added that he will consult the Chief Ministers before deciding the exit strategy.
Speaking to The Hindu, senior Biju Janata Dal Pinaki Misra, “PM told us that it doesn’t seem likely to lift the lock down for now. He didn’t give a deadline, but said that he will be consulting the Chief Ministers.”
The meeting went on for nearly three and a half hours. The Prime Minister heard out every one’s concerns, and at the end, speaking about the ongoing lockdown said that as per the advice and information that he has been receiving, it looks difficult to end it on April 14. –
3.45 PM | MAHARASHTRA
It’s mandatory to wear masks in Mumbai
Citing studies that show that wearing masks can reduce the spread of Coronavirus substantially, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has made it mandatory for everyone, including officers on COVID-19 duty, to wear a mask in public places.
Municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi issued these orders on Wednesday.
3.10 PM | UTTAR PRADESH
Hotspots to be sealed in UP
Uttar Pradesh government has decided to seal COVID-19 hotspots in 15 districts till the end of the lockdown period.
A government spokesperson said these districts have reported more than six positive cases.
Number of hotspots to be sealed in 15 UP districts are as follows:
Agra 22, Ghaziabad 13, Noida 12, Kanpur 12, Shamli 3, Meerut 7 including some rural areas, Varanasi 4, Bareilly 1, Bulandshahr 3, Basti 3, Firozabad 3, Saharanpur 4, Maharajganj 4, Lucknow 12 including 8 major ones and Sitapur 1. – Omar Rashid3.00 PM | NEW DELHI
India will remove its suspension of domestic and international commercial passenger flights once it is confident that the spread of coronavirus has come under control, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said.
2.50 PM | MAHARASHTRA
‘Four stage special structure’ in Maharashtra to treat COVID-19
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced a ‘four stage special structure’ to treat COVID-19.
“There will be three types of hospitals to treat these patients. Those with no coronavirus symptoms, those with mild symptoms and those with severe stage and facing other health issues,” he said adding that coronavirus affected patients will be treated only in specialised hospitals to reduce the risk to other patients.
All citizens with fever, cough and cold will now have to approach special ‘fever clinics’ for the treatment.
Mr. Thackeray appealed to former medical professionals, including ex-servemen to come forward to join the fight against the pandemic.
2.40 PM | MADHYA PRADESH
COVID-19 deaths rise to 16 in Indore
The number of deaths due to coronavirus infection has risen to 16 in Indore in Madhya Pradesh with a 49-year-old man becoming the latest fatality.
The man, who was tested positive for COVID-19 on March 24, succumbed to the infection while undergoing treatment at a private hospital on Tuesday evening, an official said. Indore, the commercial capital of Madhya Prdesh, has so far reported 173 COVID-19 cases.
Six people, including a television journalist have tested positive for coronavirus in Bhopal.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed the officials concerned to completely seal the borders of Bhopal and Indore.
2.30 PM | ODISHA
Police bans all religious gatherings in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack
The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate of Police has banned all religious gatherings in the twin cities in view of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Religious leaders have also come forward and appealed to people against any gathering in mosques and kabarstan in connection with Sab-e-Barat on April 9.
Meanwhile, the state government has banned large gathering in crematorium in the event of death of any person belonging to any religion. Maximum 20 people are allowed to attend the funeral and they should maintain social distancing, an official said.
1.45 PM | NEW DELHI
PM interacts with floor leaders of political parties on coronavirus
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with floor leaders of various parties, including opposition, in Parliament to discuss the situation arising out of the spread of coronavirus.
The interaction was held through video conferencing and those participated, included Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, and Nationalist Congress Party head Sharad Pawar.
Mr. Modi interacted with leaders of those parties whose combined strength of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adds up to five.
1.40 PM | KARNATAKA
Karnataka records fifth death
Karnataka recorded its fifth COVID-19 death on Wednesday, with a 65-year-old resident of Kalaburagi succumbing to the infection.
In addition to this, there have been five more COVID 19 positive cases recorded in the State on Wednesday. This takes the total number of positive cases to 181. 12.55 PM | UTTARAKHAND
One more tests positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand
One more person tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand on Wednesday.
A Health Department spokesman said the latest case has been reported from Haridwar and it takes the number of coronavirus patients in the state to 32.
Five people suffering from COVID-19 have been cured and discharged in the state so far.
12.45 PM | MAHARASHTRA
Aggressive testing attributed to more number of cases
Mumbai’s G South municipal ward now has 133 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This ward includes COVID-19 hotspots such as Worli Koliwada, Janata Colony, Adarsh Nagar, and Jijamata Nagar.
This is highest in the city and is being attributed to aggressive testing.
Meanwhile, two fresh cases have been reported in Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum.
12.30 PM | ANDHRA PRADESH
15 new cases in AP
Fifteen new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Andhra Pradesh since last night. The State’s tally is now 329.
Of the 15 cases, six each from SPS Nellore and Krishna districts while three were reported in Chittoor district.
In all, six patients had recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals while four have died so far, according to the latest bullettin.
The Health Department stated that 48% of the total Covid-19 patients are of the 21-40 years age group and 36% of them are of 41-60 age group while 8% each are those above 60 years and below 20 years.
12.20 PM | NEW DELHI
About 400 million workers in India may sink into poverty: UN report
Migrant labourers and their families at Kasan village in Haryana.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) in its report titled ‘ILO Monitor 2nd edition: COVID-19 and the world of work’, says about 400 million people working in the informal economy in India are at risk of falling deeper into poverty due to the coronavirus crisis which is having “catastrophic consequences”, and is expected to wipe out 195 million full-time jobs or 6.7% of working hours globally in the second quarter of this year.
12.00PM | NEW DELHI
Ensure availability of essential goods: Home Ministry to States
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has written to all State Chief Secretaries to take urgent steps to ensure availability of essential goods, by invoking provisions of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act 1955.
There are reports of loss of production due to various factors, it may lead to hoarding, black marketing, profiteering. Invoke provisions of EC Act, fix stock limits, cap prices, and enhance production of essential commodities, the letter states.
11.40 AM | TAMIL NADU
Police personnel made people visiting vegetable markets without masks to garland each other with ‘curry leaves mala’ and present a ‘cauliflower bouquet’, in Chennai’s Broadway bus stand on Wednesday.
11.30 AM | DELHI
Kejriwal to hold meeting with Delhi MPs on coronavirus
A vendor offers tea to police personnel at Ghazipur Mandi in East Delhi on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a meeting with all Delhi MPs on the issue of coronavirus via video conference on Wednesday.
The chief minister will discuss the measures with the Members of Parliament (MPs) to deal with COVID-19 in the national capital, an official said.
11.25 AM | MAHARASHTRA
60 new cases in Maharashtra; State COVID-19 tally jumps to 1,078
Sixty new coronavirus cases were reported in Maharashtra on Wednesday, taking the toll number of such cases in the state to 1,078.
Among the new cases, 44 have been found in Mumbai, nine in Pune, four in Nagpur, and one each in Ahmednagar, Akola and Buldhana.
11.00 AM | UTTAR PRADESH
Delhi nurse tests positive in Noida
A Delhi nurse working with a private hospital in Noida’s Sector 62 tested positive on Tuesday evening. The 20-year-old woman worked with a lab technician, who was tested positive for COVID-19 in Delhi, officials said.
A health department official said the woman was staying at a paying guest facility in Noida’s Sector 62 after the lockdown.
The premises of the rented accommodation and the area around it has been sealed and was sanitised. Also, the wing of the hospital where she worked has been sealed and sanitisation of the hospital premises was carried out.
10.40 AM | RAJASTHAN
Five more cases in Rajasthan
Rajasthan’s total COVID-19 positive cases increases to 348 with five more cases detected today.
Three of them are from Jaipur and one each from Bikaner and Banswara. All of them came in contact with the persons previously identified as positive, Medical & Health Department bulletin said.
The figure includes 36 evacuees from Iran staying in Army’s facilities in the State. – Mohammed Iqbal10.30 AM | GUJARAT
Gujarat’s total COVID-19 positive cases jump to 179 with four more cases reported from the State on Wednesday morning.
10.20 AM | MAHARASHTRA
Two more deaths in Pune as district’s toll rises to 10
Two more COVID-19-related deaths were reported from Pune district on Wednesday morning as the district’s death toll rose to 10 while Maharashtra’s death toll soared to 66.
A 44-year-old man who was kept on a ventilator in the city’s Naidu Hospital, and another patient at the Sassoon Hospital passed away.
The district has recorded 157 Covid-19 positive cases so far, with 136 of these being from urban and rural Pune and the remaining 21 being from Pimpri-Chinchwad.
8.30 AM | U.S.
Acting U.S. Navy secretary resigns
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned on Tuesday after he faced mounting backlash for firing and ridiculing the commander of a U.S. aircraft carrier who pleaded for help stemming a Coronavirus outbreak onboard. Mr. Modly’s resignation highlighted the U.S. military’s struggle to meet increasingly competing priorities: maintaining readiness for conflict and safeguarding service members as the virus spreads globally.
8.00 AM | U.S.
New York deaths exceeds 4,000
New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus rose past 4,000 on Tuesday, eclipsing the number killed at the terrorist attack on World Trade Center on 9/11. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson lay in intensive care, believed to be the first major world leader hospitalised with the virus.
7.45 AM | ASSAM
Another positive case, count rises to 28
A new COVID-19 case related to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was reported in Assam on Tuesday, taking the number to 28, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The 65-year old man, who has a travel history to Saudi Arabia, tested positive, the minister tweeted on Tuesday night. The patient, from Hailakandi, is also linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin’s Nizamuddin area, he tweeted.
7.30 AM | U.S.
Trump accuses WHO of being China-centric, threatens to cut funding
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would put a hold on America’s funding to the World Health Organization, accusing it of becoming China-centric during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it and we’re going to see. It’s a great thing if it works. But when they call every shot wrong, that’s no good,” Mr. Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference.
4.00 AM | PUNJAB
Punjab registers a death, eight new cases
Another Covid -19 death was reported in Punjab on Tuesday, taking the death toll in the State to eight, according to an official statement.
According to the health department, a patient from Amritsar died on April 7, while eight fresh cases of Covid-19 were reported, taking the tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases to 99, it added.
Government mulls lockdown extension amid requests from the States
The Union government on Tuesday indicated that it was actively considering an extension of the 21-day nationwide lockdown that began on March 25 and due to end on April 14 as many States have openly appealed for its continuation in the face of rise in COVID-19 cases. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said he would request the Centre to extend the lockdown.
