26-03-2020 At 09:10PM
India’s tally of positive cases crosses 700; death toll at 16
India enters the second day of lockdown. The number of positive cases is pouring in and the total has crossed 700. Gujarat, Srinagar, and Karnataka reported coronavirus deaths, taking India’s toll to 16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a ‘Mahabharata’-like war against the coronavirus. How will the nation overcome this challenge, and can it win the war in 21 days?
India sees highest jump of COVID-19 cases in a day
The health ministry on Thursday said that 88 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in the country in a day, which is the highest jump of infections in a single day. The total number of cases rises to 694, the statement said.
7.15 PM | TAMIL NADU
Two more reports positive in Tamil Nadu
Two more positive cases were reported in Tamil Nadu. A 24-year-old man and 65-year-old woman both returned from London have been tested positive and are admitted in isolation wards at KMC Hospital. According to Tamil Nadu Health Department both the patients are stable and the total stands now at 28.
All persons, who have arrived into India after February 15, 2020, in addition to all those, who have already been advised, should remain in strict home/institutional quarantine for a period decided by health officials.
6.40 PM
COVID-19 cases rise to 13 in Jammu and Kashmir
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday said that a total of 13 people have been tested positive for the novel coronavirus till Thursday in the union territory. 5482 people in contact with possibly infected/positive cases have till now been put under surveillance, the statement added.
6.30 PM | MAHARASHTRA
Essential services can remain open for 24 hours, says Uddhav
Maharashtra Chief Miniter, on Thursday, announced that “all grocery shops, chemists and other essential services can remain open for 24 hours.”
Mr. Thackeray further said “These shops will have to follow rules of social distancing and must take care in terms of health of customers.”
6.20 PM | KERALA
19 new COVID-19 cases reported in Kerala, 1.20 lakh under observation
Kerala reported 19 more positive cases of coronavirus on Thursday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. India has more than 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to data from the Health Ministry and State governments. The death toll stands at 17.
Kannur accounted for the highest number cases on Thursday with nine, while three cases each were from Kasaragod and Malappuram districts, followed by two from Thrissur and one each from Idukki and Wayanad, he told reporters here after a COVID-19 review meeting.
He said more than 1.20 lakh people are under observation in the state.
The Chief Minister welcomed the relief package announced by the central government to mitigate the sufferings of people in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.
5.45 PM | NEW DELHI
IAF creates nine quarantine facilities
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday said it has created nine quarantine facilities of 200-300 personnel capacity each at its nodal bases across the country to combat the outbreak of COVID-19. “To monitor the prevailing situation and provide immediate response and assistance as required, a 24×7 crisis management cell has been set up at the IAF Headquarters and various Command Headquarters,” stated an IAF press release.
5.40 PM
CRPF donates Rs 33 crore to PM relief fund
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Thursday made a donation of Rs 33 crore to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. “We are dutifully committed to stand firmly with our Nation in this challenging time of COVID-19 spread. It’s a unanimous decision and a sincere effort by our personnel. The effort was to make the immediate contribution with the noble intent to keep it unrevealed. The CRPF remains steadfast towards its motto of service and loyalty,” the statement said.
5.50PM
Jammu and Kashmir Police mark lockdown violators with indelible ink
The Jammu and Kashmir police is putting stamps reading ‘corona lockdown violator’ on the hands of people in Ranbir Singh Pura city who are violating the complete lockdown over coronavirus. Shabir Khan, SDPO, RS Pura said, “We are using a permanent ink that takes around 15 days to erase”.
5.40 PM | ANANTAPUR
First COVID19 positive case from Anantapur being treated in Bengaluru
A 64-year-old male resident of Anantapur district has tested positive for COVID19 and is currently being treated in Bengaluru Rural district. This is the first case of any patient who had gone from Anantapur, testing positive for the Corona Virus.
According to the official information given by the Government of Karnataka, he had returned from a trip to France on March 1 and later travelled again to Himachal Pradesh and returned to Puttaparthi. He travelled from Puttaparthi to Bengaluru on March 21 (Saturday) and during screening there, he tested positive.
The confirmation came last night along with three other cases. This is the 54th case out of 55 positive cases recorded by Karnataka State. Out of the 55 positive cases 3 persons have been discharged after treatment and two had died till 8 a.m. on Thursday in Karnataka.
About the Anantapur patient it said: “He has been isolated and being treated in the designated hospital in Bengaluru Rural District,” the communique said.
Meanwhile, the Anantapur district administration and District Medical and Health officials are in the process of finding out where exactly he was living, the condition of people whom he met in Puttaparthi, his own family members, if they live here.
5.40 PM
Delhi Police distributes food in Majnu ka Tila, Najafgarh
The Delhi Police on Thursday distributed food to people in the Najafgarh and Majnu ka Tila areas of the National Capital, ANI reported.
4.00 PM | DELHI
Wholesale medical suppliers in Bhagirath Palace to open from tom.: Delhi CM
“There are many wholesale suppliers of medical consumables, equipments and medicines in Bhagirath Palace. These had been closed due to lockdown. These will open from tomorrow,” tweets Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
5.30 PM | TAMIL NADU
TN issues order to extend lockdown
The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday announced extending the ongoing lockdown of the State to stem the spread of coronavirus till April 14, coinciding with the 21-day national lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The lockdown, announced by Chief Minister K Palainswami on Monday as part of the government’s measures to tackle COVID-19, was originally scheduled to be in force till March 31, 2020.
“The lockdown and related orders announced till March 31 are being extended till April 14,” an official release in Chennai said.
The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister with various department heads and district collectors to discuss the steps taken to tackle the spread of the virus, it said.
To implement the lockdown, the section 144 of Cr.Pc. was issued. It prohibits assembly of more than five persons.
5.18 PM | NEW DELHI
Order released on online delivery withdrawn
The order which allowed online delivery services to operate in the Capital has been withdrawn by Delhi Police within hours of issuing.
In an order dated March 26, which was released by police on Thursday morning, read that online delivery services like Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, Swiggy, Myntra among others are allowed to operate in Delhi. However, the order was later withdrawn.
The order shared around 4pm read “This message may please be treated as withdrawn with immediate effect. Revised instructions shall follow”.
5.05 PM | NEW DELHI
The Central government has capped the price of 3-ply meltblown face masks at Rs. 16/piece till June 30.
4.40 PM
Mahindra group teams produce ventilators for COVID-19 patients
Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra on Thursday congratulated two teams of the company for producing various renditions of a ventilator for coronavirus patients.
5.00 PM | NEW DELHI
Army looks at additional infrastructure for quarantine centres
The Army has started the process of identifying additional infrastructure for setting up quarantine centres in each station for its personnel to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, senior officials said on Thursday.
The force is also preparing a plan to “sidestep” medical personnel from lesser virus-affected areas to those severely affected by the outbreak, the officials noted.
4.50 PM | CHENNAI
Tamil Nadu CM orders banks to stop collecting interest
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami orders private banks/small finance institutions and SHGs to stop collecting daily/weekly/monthly interest from parties until further orders. Criminal action will be initiated against violators.
4.30 PM | ODISHA
Odisha plans biggest COVID-19 hospitals in the country
The Odisha government has planned to set up the biggest COVID-19 hospitals in the country. Tripartite agreements have been signed between the State, corporates and two medical colleges in Bhubaneswar – SUM and KIIMS Medical Colleges – to set up State-level hospitals with a capacity of 1,000 beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients.
4.10 PM | NEW DELHI
Rate of increase in cases has slowed: Health Ministry
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, in a press briefing says any person who doesn’t support the Centre in social distancing and lockdown would make the government’s efforts infructuous. “We request those who have come from abroad to follow quarantining,” he adds. There’s a containment strategy being followed aggressively.
The cases are increasing, but the rate of increase has slowed. However, nothing can be taken for granted yet. The Cabinet secretary had a meeting with chief secretaries of States on preparedness. Online training has been initiated across country for doctors with AIIMS. Behavioural health modules have been introduced with NIMHANS to educate people about mental health, along with training and orientation for Asha health care workers, says Mr. Agarwal.
Essential good and services, health services should be unrestricted, says a health ministry official.
There are special charters for the northeast regions for supplying medicines. We implore people to stay where they are and avail required care locally.
Rejecting a claim made by actor Amitabh Bachchan recently that houseflies can spread the COVID-19, the official says that the disease is an infectious disease and doesn’t spread through flies.
As many as 64,411 people are under suveillance, he adds.
All patients with SARI (severe pulmonary) can be tested, says an ICMR official. However, all healthcare workers need not be tested.
We are not seeing any unusual mortality among the elderly, says the ICMR, adding that nonetheless the elderly are more vulnerable.
A meeting of a GoM (Group of Ministers) is on to take further decisions regarding travel.
There is no evidence yet of community transmission. If we are unable to trace the contact history of one or two positive patients, it’s not an instance of community transmission, says the ICMR official.
“Only when it is happening in large numbers and we are unable to verify it, we will let you know. In fact that might necessitate further steps,” he adds.
4.10 PM
‘Media should not report isolated incidents’
Media should not report isolated instances of untraceable contacts as it could spread fear, says Raman Gangakhedkar, chief scientist at ICMR.
As many as 25 private labs are providing testing services. They have nearly 20,000 collection centres. However, testing has not been expanded majorly as several have not got their tests yet.
If we implement the steps that we have imposed, then all the modelling that predict lakhs and millions of cases in India will be proved wrong. We should all strive for that, says Mr. Agarwal.
4.00 PM | HYDERABAD
Three more test positive in Telangana
Three more COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Telangana till Thursday afternoon, including a doctor couple from Domalguda in the city. Till now, the total number of cases in the State stands at 44, including one person who was discharged.
3.50 PM | CHENNAI
Migrant labourers from Andhra Pradesh walking towards the TN – AP border on Thursday. | Photo Credit: M. Vedhan
3.45 PM | BIHAR
The test result of suspected COVID-19 patient from Bettiah in West Champaran of Bihar who died today has come negative, RMRI director Dr. Pradeep Kumar Das in Patna told The Hindu.3.40 PM | NEW DELHI
Christian Michel moves Delhi HC
Christian Michel James, alleged middleman arrested in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, moved the Delhi High Court on Thursday seeking interim bail citing risk of contracting COVID-19 in Tihar Jail, where he is currently lodged.
Coronavirus | Christian Michel moves Delhi HC seeking interim bail in AgustaWestland case citing risk in jail3.30 PM | NAGPUR
One more patient has tested positive in Nagpur. With this, the total number of positive cases in Maharashtra touched 125.
2.40 PM | RAJASTHAN
Rajasthan reports two new cases
Two new COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in Rajasthan. One is a 45-year-old man from Jaipur, and the other a 35-year-old man from Jhunjhunu. Both have travel history to the Middle East. The total number of confirmed patients in Rajasthan is now 40.
Meanwhile, a 73-year-old man died in Bhilwara today. He was admitted in a state of coma from March 3 to 11 at a private hospital where some doctors were later found COVID-19 positive. Rajasthan Health Department says the man has died in coma because of kidney failure and brain stroke, and not due to COVID-19.
2.35 PM | HYDERABAD
Apollo Hospitals launches ‘ Project Kavach’ to tackle COVID-19
Apollo Hospitals has launched ‘ Project Kavach’, a comprehensive approach to tackle COVID-19. This includes online self assessment for risk, testing, preventive measures, isolation rooms, engaging with and managing the patient.
Group Chairman Prathap C. Reddy in a virtual press conference said the healthcare chain will launch its first set of isolation rooms with medical supervision on Saturday.
They have idenfied 250 beds across India for COVID-19 patients, which can be scaled up.