Coronavirus HIGHLIGHTS | India registers first COVID-19 death; Canadian PM's wife tests positive

#WATCH US President Donald Trump: We (him&PM of Ireland) didn't shake hands today&we looked at each other&said what are we going to do?Sort of a weird feeling. We did this (joined hands). I just got back from India&I didn't shake any hands there. It was easy. #CoronaVirusPandemic pic.twitter.com/5uTSKTf7bO

— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2020

England's football club Chelsea FC has confirmed that its player Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for coronavirus. The club has also said that the personnel who had recent close contact with the player in the men's team building will now self-isolate in line with UK's health guidelines. Full men's team squad, coaching staff and a number of backroom staff are the ones who will remain in self-isolation.

 (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League club confirmed and their London Colney training center has been closed.

"Arsenal personnel who had recent close contact with Mikel will now self-isolate in line with Government health guidelines.

US President Donald Trump's coronavirus travel ban on 26 European countries has been met with anger and confusion, with EU leaders accusing him of making the decision "without consultation".

The Covid-19 pandemic is a "global crisis", said top European Union officials Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel. It "requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," they said, the BBC reported on Thursday.

MORE DETAILS ON THIS HERE

In China, new cases keep declining and the overall epidemic situation remains at a low level, Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission (NHC), told the media here. Mi's remarks came a day after the World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a "pandemic."

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife announced they were self-isolating on Thursday as she undergoes tests for the new coronavirus after returning from a speaking engagement with "mild flu-like symptoms".

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence "had almost no interactions with the individual" during Bolsonaro's trip to a Trump golf club in Florida last weekend. They "do not require being tested at this time," the White House said.

The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday said that an evacuation does not mean bringing back everybody and people who test negative for the infection will be brought back first. It also asked the citizens in other countries to stay put. The comments were made by MEA Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi who has been appointed as the nodal officer to coordinate efforts to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Addressing a press briefing, Ravi said, "Rome and Milan are two areas where India's medical team is likely to go but I don't have confirmation on it so it will be decided by ambassadors." MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said a medical team will be reaching Italy on Friday morning and they will be looking into issues faced by Indian students in getting negative (coronavirus) certificates.

(Photo| EPS)

BCCI on Wednesday declared that the remaining two ODIs of the ongoing series between India and South Africa to be played behind closed doors.

The infected person, identified as Mohammad Hussain Siddiqui had died on the way to Kalaburagi. Siddiqui was admitted to a private hospital in Kalaburagi a few days ago after he complained of breathing problems and cough. His throat swabs were collected three days ago and sent to the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute for testing.

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

A 76-year-old man from Kalburgi who passed away on Wednesday has been confirmed for COVID-19. The necessary contact tracing, isolation and other measures as per protocol are being carried out.

“In order to ensure reduction of mass gatherings and to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and as a precautionary measure, the Governor of Manipur is pleased to order that all schools, including private ones, located within Manipur shall remain closed with immediate effect till March 31, 2020 in public interest,” a notification issued by Commissioner (Education-Schools) T Ranjit Singh stated.

As the deadly coronavirus continues to spread in the country with the case count touching 78 in India on Thursday, companies - big or small - are voluntarily shutting down discretionary economic activity as part of the initial healing process. Notwithstanding the economic consequence, corporate, especially in the services sector are asking employees to work from home and restricting non-essential travel.

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A 26-year-old man with travel history to Greece has become the fifth positive case in Karnataka. He returned to Mumbai from Greece on March 6 and travelled to Bengaluru on March 8.

A smile and folded hands are the best way,
to keep #coronavirus at bay. #SafetyMatters #coronavirusindia #CoronaAlert pic.twitter.com/USg9GSYlti

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) March 10, 2020

One more person has tested positive for the coronavirus here, taking the number of confirmed patients of the disease in the city to nine, a senior official said on Thursday.

Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said that the 11 coronavirus positive patients in the state were showing only mild symptoms of the viral infection and there was no need to panic. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Naval Kishore Ram, Pune Collector: 1 more person tested positive for #Coronavirus in Pune today, taking the total to 9 positive cases in the city. The person has a travel history of the United States. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/NPE3RWFwbK

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

The management of the Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) in Raipur district has asked its students to vacate by Thursday evening the hostels located in the campus. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

There has been a drastic reduction in numbers (visitors to India) of international travellers, I was told that it has come down by 25 to 30 per cent. Because of the quarantine in every country, both (inbound and outbound) have got severe impact, Civil Aviation Joint Secretary Usha Padhee said. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Sources within the BCCI said that they will follow the government advisory for the upcoming second and third ODIs.

(READ FULL STORY HERE) 

Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Complex (RBMC) & the Change of Guard ceremony will not be open to public till further notice. Rashtrapati Bhavan will remain closed for exploratory tour visits from March 13, till further notice

Indian Super League 2019-20 final between ATK FC and Chennaiyin FC on March 14, to be played behind closed doors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.

(READ FULL STORY HERE)

The mother of a 46-year-old man, who tested positive for novel coronavirus, has also been detected with the virus, making her the sixth patient in the national capital, officials said on Thursday. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

The Kerala Assembly on Thursday passed a unanimous resolution against the Centre's circular barring the return of Indians from coronavirus-hit countries such as Italy unless they produce a certificate that proves they have tested negative for the infection. The resolution said the circular was "inhuman" and was akin to "cruelly abandoning" the expatriate Indians. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

At a time when people are advised to take all precautionary measures to keep coronavirus infection at bay, a priest of a temple here has put face masks on deities and appealed the devotees to not touch the idols. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal: All cinema halls to remain shut in Delhi till 31st March. Schools and colleges where exams are not being held will also remain closed. #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/pbuB1JNFnW

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

Investor wealth worth over Rs 11 lakh crore was wiped off on Thursday as stocks crashed amid a global equity selloff after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the effect of #coronavirus on IPL: I think it is for the organizers to decide whether to go ahead with it or not. Our advice would be to not do it at this time but if they want to go ahead, it is their decision. pic.twitter.com/qFlpsrxU0D

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

(READ FULL STORY HERE) 

Union Ministry of Civil Aviation Official: As per the Evacuation Plan of Ministry of Civil Aviation, following special flights will operate to evacuate Indians from Iran-

1. From Mumbai on 13th March, 12:30 pm
2. From Delhi on 15th March, 1:40 am #CoronaVirus

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

PM Modi has tweeted that the government is fully vigilant about the COVID-19 situation in the country and that multiple steps have been proactively taken to ensure safety of all across states. The steps include suspension of visas to augmenting healthcare capacities.

Say No to Panic, Say Yes to Precautions.

No Minister of the Central Government will travel abroad in the upcoming days. I urge our countrymen to also avoid non-essential travel.

We can break the chain of spread and ensure safety of all by avoiding large gatherings.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2020

Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry on #Coronavirus: All facts about it are still being studied. There are no confirmatory studies. It is generally expected that the virus, if it is in higher temperatures may have difficulty in surviving, but it is not confirmed. pic.twitter.com/qu07rTI0Z0

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

The BCCI kept mum but the Sports Ministry on Thursday dropped hints that the IPL could be held in empty stadiums due to the COVID-19 pandemic even as foreign players were ruled out of the glitzy event till April 15 following government-imposed travel restrictions. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

#Breaking first case of #coronavirus reported in #AndhraPradesh student from #Italy admitted in govt hospital in #Nellore tests positive @NewIndianXpress #coronavirusindia pic.twitter.com/xWmcVzTvnG

— TNIE Andhra Pradesh (@xpressandhra) March 12, 2020

Both Key indices of the Indian markets, Sensex and Nifty, fell over 8 per cent during the day's trading to close at 32778.14 points and 9590.15 points respectively. This is the biggest single-day sell off for Indian Markets.

Internet connectivity is a crucial aspect of business continuity plans during a pandemic. The Principal Secretary IT held talks with service providers to ensure this. Providers have informed that they can raise network capacity by 30% to 40% to meet the surge in demand. #COVID19

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) March 12, 2020

We have managed to isolate the coronavirus, we have 11 such isolates. Vaccines will take a minimum of 1.5 to 2 years, says Indian Council of Medical Research

Right now, luckily for India we do not have any community transmission. We have only a few cases that have come from outside & they have primarily affected their close family members, says Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry.

• 52 testing facilities are located across the country. There are a total of 56 sample collection centers.
• 1 lakh testing kits available, additional testing kits have been ordered and are also in procurement.
• Mask is not always necessary, if a person maintains effective social distance, mask is not needed. There is no need to panic.

• Indian government has evacuated 900 Indian citizens along with 48 belonging to other nations like Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, US, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa, and Peru.
• Out of the 73 positive cases reported in India so far, 56 are Indians and 17 are foreigners.

Visa-free travel facility granted to Overseas Citizen Of India (OCI) cardholders are kept in abeyance till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.

Police have arrested three Beed residents, who allegedly posed as doctors and healthcare workers, to administer fake coronavirus vaccines to villagers in Maharashtra's Jalna district. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

The school has started a ‘corona class’ for students in which they are given information about the virus and the precautionary measures needed to escape being infected. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

The bloodbath on Dalal Street continues as the Sensex plunged by over 3000 points after the WHO announced that the coronavirus outbreak is a pandemic. Nifty also continued its downward trend falling by 900 points. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Putting a full stop to rumours, Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Secretary V Sumangala confirmed that the exam time table scheduled to begin from March 20 has not changed. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, in Lok Sabha: Even now, despite this being such a big task, activities are being coordinated at 51 laboratories across the country and collection centres at 56 locations. #Coronavirus https://t.co/Y47tOdkvCq

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

• Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in Lok Sabha on Thursday that the count might further come down to around 40,000 following the travel advisory issued on Wednesday.
• There are 30 international airports in the country and on an average, these aerodromes receive about 70,000 international passengers.
• Puri, who is the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said every international passenger is screened at airports.

Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation today chaired a meeting with different Govt agencies & stakeholders to review preparedness for the evacuation of Indian citizens from Iran. pic.twitter.com/UxNLvLsCcz

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

Justice Navin Chawla told the Centre that the court will not tolerate non-compliance of its direction to contact the students and said it wants a report on that aspect on March 17, the next date of hearing.

Taking cognisance of a complaint from a relative of a Pune-based patient, who tested positive for COVID-19, divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said police have been asked to monitor social media posts and take appropriate action in such matters. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

After opening around 1,200 points lower, equities continued their downward spiral, with domestic BSE Sensex plummeting 2,707.39 points to 32,990.01 in the morning session.The 30-share index was trading 2,267.21 points, or 6.35 per cent, lower at 33,430.19 at 1230 hours. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty hit a low of 9,648.65, cracking 809.75 points. It was trading 658.55 points, or 6.30 per cent, down at 9,799.85.

"I assured them that the govt would facilitate the earliest possible return of their children and I would like to share with the House that the sampling of these students has begun today. I visited Srinagar recently & took the initiative to meet the parents of some of the students who are in Iran. Their anxiety at this time is completely understandable. I shared with them in details, the ground situation & sought their understanding. Bhagwant Mann ji raised issue of 30 students of Punjab who are stuck at Italy airport. I would like to tell you that there aren't only 30 students, there are many more from different parts of the country. I need to find a way of helping them & bringing them back. We're at it. Please understand that we can only bring them back if they are tested,they've to be tested. To test them,we've started sampling today as we can't bring back untested people in very severe epidemic situation as I have responsibility of this country to worry about," the Foreign Minister said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, in Lok Sabha: Even now, despite this being such a big task, activities are being coordinated at 51 laboratories across the country and collection centres at 56 locations. #Coronavirus https://t.co/Y47tOdkvCq

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India: Total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across India (including foreign nationals) is 73. pic.twitter.com/xO803rglYT

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

The disease can cause varying degrees of illness and is especially troublesome for older adults and people with existing health problems, who are at risk of severe effects, including pneumonia. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Sports Secretary Radhey Shyam Julaniya told PTI that sporting events in the country can continue but without the presence of large number of people. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

According to the students, the HNLU in Raipur is first university in the country to have suspended the classrooms and opted for closure of the campus over coronavirus apprehension. The students have been asked to pack up and go. HNLU is a residential university and is sixth in the series of National Law Schools in India. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in Lok Sabha on #Coronavirus: But these are exceptional situations that require exceptional response. At this time, travel in itself is not recommended as it only heightens risks. https://t.co/iUxwwZWEb2

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

A spectator who attended the ICC Women's T20 World Cup final between India and Australia here on March 8 has tested positive for novel coronavirus, the Melbourne Cricket Ground said on Wednesday but insisted that the risk of him infecting others was low. (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

• Indian stock markets followed their global peers in officially wading into bear market territory on Thursday after the World Health Organisation's (WHO) officially classified the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak as a pandemic. The BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty had both crashed a staggering 7 per cent by 11.15 am, with all sector-based indices crashing from between 4-10 per cent.
• The Sensex had fallen to below 33,200 points, losing a whopping 2,500 points in just two hours of trading, while the broader Nifty hovering at around 9,700 points after having shaved off over 750 points during the day's trade so far.
• These are levels the two indices have not breached on the lower side since late 2017 and early 2018.
• The market panic stems from the sharp escalation in the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent containment measures announced by the world's major economies, including the United States, India and several European nations.
• In fact, United States President Donald Trump's decision to announce a 30-day ban on all travel from Europe to the US and India announcing the suspension of all visas until April 15 triggered investor panic as the scale of the disruption seems likely to be a lot larger than earlier expected.

InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo tumbled 10 per cent to Rs 1,039.35 apiece, a day after it said that quarterly earnings would be hit due to fall in daily bookings amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The government issued a fresh advisory with a ban on all existing foreign visas, except a few categories like diplomatic and employment, till April 15 in the wake of new positive cases of a novel coronavirus in the country.

Amid intensifying rout in global financial markets, the 30-share BSE index plummeted 1,864.02 points or 5.22 per cent to 33,833.38. The carnage on Dalal Street eroded investor wealth worth Rs 8,56,689.62 crore, taking the total m-cap to Rs 1,28,56,869.10 crore on the BSE at 1030 hours.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla: There is no proposal to adjourn Parliament sine die in the wake of #CoronavirusOutbreak. https://t.co/bGGJbpHt25

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

Petrol now costs Rs 70.14 per litre in Delhi, Rs 75.84 per litre in Mumbai, Rs 72.83 a litre in Kolkata and Rs 72.86 per litre in Chennai after the price cut. Similarly, diesel costs Rs 62.89 a litre in Delhi, Rs 65.84 a litre in Mumbai, Rs 65.22 a litre in Kolkata and 66.35 per litre in Chennai, according to Indian Oil Corporation website.

Director of Health and Family Welfare, Andhra Pradesh: Total number of 300 patients are under observation as of today; No persons have tested positive for Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/Tu70gFFORV

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

CPI MP Binoy Viswam, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy have given 'Zero Hour' notices in the upper house over the 'impact of high aviation fuel prices and coronavirus on the domestic air services.' Viswam also demands discussion on demand for free supply of masks and sanitizers.

Due to #Coronavirus outbreak, the Kerala High Court registrar has sent a notice to all district judges saying that, consider only cases of urgent importance. The notice states, ''consideration of non-essential cases should be postponed". pic.twitter.com/Um7gBWJ3Y7

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

NCP leader Nawab Malik: We have decided that we will not hold any public rallies or meetings. We appeal to everyone not to hold any large gatherings to prevent spread of #Coronavirus. We have to follow the government guidelines. pic.twitter.com/ReGT5vJDC7

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2020

• A team of four doctors -- two microbiologists and two public health specialists -- from the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will leave for Rome on Thursday night.
• The officials said the Indian Embassy in Italy has contacted Indian students in the country and asked them to reach to a designated venue where their samples would be collected. Over 300 Indian students are in Italy at present, according to an official.
• The health ministry said the Government of India is undertaking measures to ensure safety and security of its citizens in Iran after it became clear that the country was facing a COVID-19 outbreak. Indian nationals in Iran include pilgrims, students and fishermen, it said.
• On March 7, 108 samples were received from Iran. These samples are being tested at the AIIMS laboratory. Also, six scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have been stationed in Iran and they so far have collected swab samples of over 400 Indians stranded there, an official said.
• Equipments and reagents have also been dispatched to enable them to setup a lab.

• Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said the government has two options: either postpone IPL matches or limit them to TV audience only in view of the coronavirus situation in the state. Tope's statement comes on a day when two persons from Mumbai tested positive for coronavirus, taking the number of such cases in Maharashtra to seven.
• Tope said the government could either postpone the IPL matches or have the fixtures only for the televised audience.
• "One thing is sure that there will be no sale of tickets," sources in the state government said, adding a final decision will be taken soon. Speaking to reporters, Tope said the state cabinet discussed the issue of coronavirus and IPL matches.
• "After discussion we have come to two options: either to postpone matches or to have matches without selling tickets," he said. Tope said these matches will be telecast to avoid large public gathering at a place (stadium).
• He also said there are no plans of giving holiday to schools in the state as of now in view of the coronavirus situation.
• The IPL is set to begin on March 29, with the lung opener set to be played at the Wankhede Stadium here, between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
• Mumbai is the home venue of four-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians.

• The Indian Army said 16 children (six female and 10 male) and one infant are among the 83 people. "Seventy-four individuals are Indian nationals and remaining nine are foreigners of Indian origin (six Italians and three US nationals)," the officials said.
• Italy is one of the nations severely affected by coronavirus, with several parts of the country under lockdown to prevent transmission. The evacuees will be monitored for two weeks by a qualified team of doctors and staff members, to watch for any signs of infection.
• "If any individual is suspected to be infected, he/she will be shifted to an isolation facility," the officials added. Daily medical examination of all 83 people will be done at the facility, they said.
• After 14 days, persons with no symptoms will be allowed to go home with their detailed documentation sent to the district, state surveillance units for further observation, the officials said.
• Apart from playing games, watching TV and having meals together within a barrack, no one will be allowed to interact with the members of another barrack and definitely not of another sector, they said.

• Indore's Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Praveen Jadia, said that the 24-year-old man came to Delhi from Italy on March 7 and reached Indore from there.
• "He is suffering from cold and cough. Due to his suspected exposure to coronavirus infection, he has been kept under medical supervision in an isolated ward of a government hospital," he said. The samples of his blood and swab have been sent to Bhopal's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for examination.
• Meanwhile, three people admitted to different hospitals in Indore have tested negative for coronavirus infection. Indore CMHO said that these include a 34-year-old woman, who returned to India from the US and a 30-year-old man who landed here from Malaysia along with a 39-year-old man.
• Jadia said that in the last 40 days, the samples of total 15 people from Indore have been sent for examination to the laboratory. Of these, 14 people tested negative, while the investigation report of one person is awaited.
• Additional Director of the Health Department, Dr Veena Sinha, said in Bhopal that so far, 664 travellers with their travel history of coronavirus-affected countries have been identified in Madhya Pradesh.
• "Of these, 265 persons are still under the home isolation as precautionary measure while surveillance period of 356 have been completed," she said.
• The official informed that 27 samples were sent for the examination. Of these, 19 reports tested negative, while eight reports are awaited.

• InterGlobe Aviation, parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo, on Wednesday said it expects quarterly earnings to be adversely impacted as daily bookings have declined 15-20 per cent in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Besides, the sharp fall in rupee would hit the company's dollar-denominated liabilities, according to a statement.
• "Over the past few days however, week-on-week, we have seen a 15-20 per cent decline in our daily bookings. Please note that the numbers could change from here based on how the situation evolves," it said.
• Citing the situation, IndiGo said it expects "quarterly earnings to be materially impacted". In addition, the rupee has also depreciated sharply which will have an adverse impact on dollar-denominated liabilities primarily on account of capitalised operating leases, the statement said.
• Further, it said in January and February, IndiGo experienced modest impact from the coronavirus. "We cancelled our flights to China and Hong Kong and reduced frequency to certain other Southeast Asia markets. This capacity was redeployed in other markets without having a material impact on our revenues," it noted.
• The airline had a domestic market share of around 48 per cent in January, as per official data. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, many countries, including India, have imposed travel restrictions.
• There are at least 60 cases of coronavirus infections in India. Shares of InterGlobe Aviation tumbled nearly 5 per cent to close at Rs 1,155. 45 on the BSE.
• Last week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projected that the airline industry could lose up to USD 113 billion in revenue this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.
• The grouping's previous analysis, issued in February, put the lost revenues at USD 29. 3 billion. This was based on a scenario that would see the impact of Covid-19 largely being confined to markets associated with China.

The samples collected from him were sent to Kolkata- based ICMR and the results were negative, the Meghalaya government said in a statement. The man had returned to the state from Delhi on Sunday and was admitted to the isolation ward at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Institute of Health and Medical Sciences as he had fever and cough.

The Italian woman who along with her husband was found to be suffering from coronavirus has tested negative for the infection twice in the past 24 hours, a senior official said. Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said on Wednesday that her husband, who was the first patient to be tested positive for coronavirus, has also shown low viral load. "The Italian woman have tested negative for the virus two times in the past 24 hours," Singh added. The couple is admitted to Jaipur Sawai Man Singh Government Hospital.

• The airline has issued a special advisory on dos and don'ts for all ground personnel, all staff at check-in counters, those handling boarding cards and having direct contact with passengers.
• They have been advised to regularly use sanitisers.
• Also, all staff entering an aircraft are provided with Personal Protective Equipment (masks and gloves) to ensure their own personal protective measure against COVID-19 while all international flights are treated with disinfectants post disembarkation of passengers, it said in a statement.
• During night halt of aircraft, extensive deep cleaning is done.
• At the dispatch offices, the airline said, placement of hand sanitisers for in-flight crew and other staff have been provided for.
• At the same time, spraying of disinfectant before boarding is also done while the crew have been encouraged to wear mask (available on the aircraft) in case they come across a suspect case, the airline said in the statement.

• "In Chhattisgarh, a total of 47 samples have been collected and sent for testing till Wednesday, of which 44 were found negative," a government official said.
• "Besides, the samples of remaining three persons were rejected by the nodal lab as they were not falling under the criteria of suspect as per the guidelines of ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)," he said.
• The samples are being tested at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Raipur.
• So far, a total of 38 persons have been kept in home isolation and under surveillance, while nine others have completed 28 days of observation, he said. Most of these people had either recently travelled to coronavirus-affected countries or had come in contact with persons suspected to have exposed to the infection, he said.
• Health advisories, alerts and signages have been displayed at the airport and railway stations, the official said.
• Besides, continuous surveillance is being conducted to identify new passengers who have travel history of China or other affected countries, he said.

• The ban will not include travellers from the United Kingdom, which recently left the European Union, Trump said. In a primetime address from the Oval Office to a worried nation, Trump sought to rebuff critics who say his leadership has been lacking during the crisis, insisting that "the virus will not have a chance."
• "This is the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history," he said.
• He announced a series of measures designed to ease the financial burden for people having to take weeks off from work while on quarantine.
• But his most far-reaching announcement was the halt on European travel. Trump said this would go into effect from "midnight Friday."
• "I'm confident that by... continuing to take these tough measures we will significantly reduce the threat to our citizens and we'll ultimately and expeditiously defeat this virus," he said.

Talking to reporters in Panaji on Wednesday evening, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said the music festival will have artists from five countries, which are affected by coronavirus outbreak."We have written to the chief minister today to ask the organisers to cancel the music festival and postpone it. We are advising to avoid large gatherings to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus," Rane said. He was referring to upcoming Ketevan Sacred Music Festival scheduled to be held between March 13 and 15 at Old Goa and nearby places.

• While services to Rome (Italy) are being discontinued from March 15 to March 25, flight operations to Milan (Italy) and Seoul in South Korea will remain suspended between March 14 and March 28, an airline official said.The decision came following the government suspending all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 to prevent the spread of coronavirus on Wednesday.
• "All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International organisations, employment and project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020.This will come into effect from 1200GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure," an official statement said.
• Visa-free travel facility granted to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders is also kept in abeyance till April 15, it said.
• All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15 will be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days, the statement said.

A group of residents from a housing society in Pimpri-Chinchwad township has approached the police, asking them to restrict a family, currently on a trip abroad, from entering their premises. Eight positive cases of the deadly infection have been reported in Pune so far. According to police officials, the family from the housing society is currently on a trip to Malaysia and other countries and supposed to return on Sunday.

Hanks, 63, said he and Wilson came down with a fever while in Australia, where he is reportedly filming a new movie about the life of Elvis Presley."To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive," he wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.

France now has 2,281 confirmed coronavirus infection cases -- nearly 500 more than a day before, with 48 deaths and 105 patients hospitalised in intensive care, Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Wednesday.

The Centre's decision to suspend all visas to India till April 15, barring those given to government officials due to the outbreak of coronavirus is expected to truncate airlines' international operations.

According to industry insiders, several airlines have already reduced international operations to China and Southeast Asia, further truncation is expected in the coming days.

In an unprecedented lockdown for Covid-19, India on Wednesday notified cancellation of all non-official visas to curb incoming traffic and advised against all non-essential travel abroad which also curbs outgoing travel.

The Bureau of Immigration under the Home Ministry notified the new norms hours after a high powered Group of Ministers finalised sweeping travel restrictions in the wake of growing cases of Covid-19.

MORE ON THIS HERE

The Finance Commision's meeting with all state Finance Ministers on March 13 has been cancelled.

All Air India flights to Italy and Korea cancelled till March 28 and March 25 respectively.

"They’re suffering but I guarantee you other countries will be in that situation soon," said Michael J Ryan, WHO's Executive director, who also believed there is underdiagnosis of the virus in some countries.

According to an official statement, at a review meeting held by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, it was decided that all states/UTs should be advised by the Union Health Ministry to invoke provisions of Section 2 of Epidemic Disease Act so that all advisories being issued from time to time by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare/State/UTs are enforceable. Section 2 of the 1897 Act gives the power to take special measures and prescribe regulations as to dangerous epidemic disease.

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

A 45-year-old man has tested positive for coronavirus in Nagpur. (PTI)

#COVID19 | Updates

1️⃣4️⃣ persons are under treatment

3️⃣3️⃣1️⃣3️⃣ placed under surveillance; out of which 3020 are under home isolation & 293 are admitted in designated facilities.

Till now 1179 samples of suspected cases have been sent for testing; 889 of these have been -ve.

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) March 11, 2020

• All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
• Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is kept in abeyance till April 15th 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
• Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Mission.
• All incoming travelers, including Indians, arriving from or having visited China,Italy,Iran,Republic of Korea, France, Spain & Germany after 15th Feb, 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days.
• Incoming travelers, including Indian nationals, are advised to avoid non-essential travel and are informed that they can be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days on their arrival in India.
• International traffic through land borders will be restricted to Designated check posts with robust screening facilities. These will be notified separately by M/o Home Affairs.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

"We have therefore made the assessment that #COVID19 can be characterized as a pandemic"-@DrTedros #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/JqdsM2051A

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 11, 2020

Mizoram Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) John Neihlaia said that the 11 persons were arrested on Tuesday evening after police registered a suo motu case against them. All the accused were released on bail on Wednesday, he said. A case under Section 505 (1)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm to the public) was registered against the 11 accused with Vaivakawn police station, Neihlaia said.

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Wednesday that the coronavirus could infect almost 58 million people which is up to 70 per cent of the country's population. Citing the lack of vaccines or therapies to fight the virus, she said at a news conference in Berlin, that there is a necessity of measures to slow its spread.  

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

As the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 60 on Wednesday after fresh cases were reported in India, the Health Ministry mandated 14 days of self-imposed quarantine for passengers with travel history to China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany. The Ministry directed such passengers' employers to facilitate work-from-home from the date of their arrival in India.

Karnataka govt issues regulations to tackle #COVID19 under section 2,3&4 of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. This is only regulation to tackle #coronavirusindia & not declaration of it as State Epidemic.

Karnataka hasn't declared #COVID19india as state Epidemic yet.@sriramulubjp pic.twitter.com/IF8okodVvY

— Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) March 11, 2020

A 30-year-old Coimbatorean in Rome, however, yearns to get away from the lockdown faced by residents of the city and return home. But there is a hitch.

Srinithin Jayabal, a software developer from Peelamedu in Coimbatore, has been stuck in Rome for the last 10 days amidst the coronavirus scare that has sent ripples across the globe. The lack of a COVID-19 negative certificate has left him stranded, he said. The businessman reached Rome on February 26 and had a return ticket to India on March 14.

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

The players have been given a list of Dos and Don'ts on personal hygiene and the list includes but is not limited to telling them to "avoid eating out at restaurants where hygiene standards are unknown or compromised."

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

With Mumbai recording its first cases, the number of persons in Maharashtra who have tested positive for coronavirus has gone up to seven, the health official said.

Above: Tourists wearing masks at Kovalam beach in the wake of coronavirus spread. (Photo | Vincent Pulickal, EPS)

Bottom left: Doctors deployed at Puducherry Airport to guide and counsel incoming foreigners. (Photo | G Pattabi Raman, EPS)

Bottom right: A family of three wear masks on their outing. The government has imposed restriction in tourists spots till March 31. (Photo | G Vincent Pulickal, EPS)

The Aurangabad district administration has suspended the annual 'Nath Shashti Yatra' in Paithan town this year in view of the coronavirus scare, PTI reported. Paithan in Maharashtra was the home town of noted Marathi saint Eknath. Every year, people flock his shrine during the time of the Paithan Yatra, also commonly known as the Nath Shashti Yatra.

The pilgrimage was supposed to take place between March 14 and 18 this year. Nearly five lakh pilgrims visit Paithan during the annual Nath Shashti Yatra every year.

The Aurangabad collector, by using powers under provisions of the Bombay Police Act, has suspended the pilgrimage this year in view of the coronavirus outbreak, as per a release issued by the district information office. 

Stepping up efforts to check the spread of coronavirus in Kerala, the state government has put at least 45 people who returned here from COVID-19 hit Italy under observation, official sources said on Wednesday.

Officials had referred 35 people, including two children and two pregnant women, to a government district hospital in Aluva on their arrival from Italy on Tuesday.

Ten suffering from fever and breathing problems were admitted to the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital and they will continue to remain under observation, officials said.

The 35 people were later allowed to go home. 

Railway hospitals have been provided with over 1,000 isolation beds for treating suspected coronavirus cases and more than 12,000 beds for quarantining them at different locations, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Control rooms and telephone helplines have been set up at all railway hospitals, it said.

According to the statement, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has directed the Railway Board to ensure that adequate preventive measures are put in place across the Indian Railway system, as reported by PTI. 

Goa Health minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday said government employees and staff of state-run hospitals will be equipped with masks as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus, PTI reported.

Talking to reporters here, Rane also said the use of hand sanitizers is important and should be encouraged in schools and colleges. "Masks will be provided to government employees and hospital staff. Every department is advised to make use of masks and sterillium," he said. People who visit hospitals need to take extra precautions, he added. 

There is no positive case of Coronavirus in Telangana now. The person who came from Dubai and had tested positive, tested negative on Tuesday. As per the protocol, we have done the second test and the results have come back negative. The patient might be discharged in the next two to three days, says Telangana health minister Etela Rajender 

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray today chaired a high-level meeting over preventive measures and preparations for Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/FtmLYKmVdI

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020

Government has decided that all public and private educational institutions will suspend their teaching and class work till March 31. However, board & competitive examinations will take place as per schedule: Bhupinder Kumar, director of National Health Mission in Jammu and Kashmir 

Yeddyurappa government issues temporary regulation 'Karnataka Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020' which aims to prevent spread of the disease. According to the regulation, no person/institution/organisation shall use print or electronic media to spread misinformation on COVID19. If a person is found indulging in any such activity, they will be punished.  

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: 3 suspected #coronavirus cases are under observation in a hospital. Their test results are awaited. pic.twitter.com/BPC9fbrsH8

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020

Indian Open golf tournament postponed due to global novel coronavirus outbreak. Organisers to reschedule the event at "some point" later this year.  

An Air India pilots' grouping has urged civil aviation regulator DGCA to exempt pilots from the mandatory pre and post-flight alcohol tests, amid the coronavirus scare.

In a letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation chief Arun Kumar, the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) said the virus is "highly dangerous" for the airline's crew involved in international flight operations as it poses an "elevated risk" of exposure to the cockpit crew.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

The government is focusing on bringing back Indians stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy and Iran after screening them, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. He said a medical team will leave for Italy tomorrow for screening Indians. Making a suo moto statement on the Indians stranded in Iran due to coronavirus, Jaishankar said the situation in Italy and Iran is "a cause of great concern" and the government is making all efforts to bring back Indians after appropriate testing and screening.

READ FULL STORY HERE

A prison superintendent in Kasargod believes there was a possible breach of COVID-19 protocol when police brought a child-abuse accused who returned from Malaysia to Kasargod from Chennai. The police first took a flight to Mangaluru and then brought the accused back by road.

READ FULL STORY HERE 

Jammu: Cinema halls in the 5 districts- Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur closed till March 31. #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/CaQ0kC1nxQ

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020

States/UTs asked to ensure sanitation of public transport vehicles as part of coronavirus control and containment measures, as well as asked to step up hygiene and sanitation at all bus terminals and stops: Govt 

Eighty-four individuals, who arrived from Italy on Air India flight on March 11, have been quarantined at Army facility at Manesar. Out of 84 people, 74 are Indian, six are Italian and rest three are from the United States: Indian Army 

The shutdown of factories in China due to the coronavirus outbreak may affect Indian industries like pharmaceutical, electronics and automobile which import components and raw materials from the neighbouring country, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

The Dell employee had returned from the US, including a visit to Texas while the Mindtree employee also had a travel history abroad, the two companies said in separate statements.

READ FULL REPORT HERE 

 India Open badminton to go as per schedule but without fans at stadium due to coronavirus outbreak.

We have a team of doctors with us who are advising us on dos and don'ts on Coronavirus and today we have a meeting with them, if they will advise us to not use saliva on the ball then we will follow it: India cricketer Bhuvneshwar Kumar

READ FULL REPORT HERE 

Delhi: A meeting of a group of Union Ministers underway at Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/KgbGIcqepA

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020

• Health Minister KK Shailaja told the Assembly that she can't assure that no death due to Covid-19 might take place in the state.The minister said no lapse occurred from the part of the heath department in the incident in which three air passengers with a travel history of Italy arrived at the Cochin International Airport and skipped the screening process.
• According to her, the family might have produced wrong details in their self declaration forms and getaway from the screening process.
• A student who recently arrived at her home in Kollam from Italy has been kept under the supervision of the Health Department. After arriving in Delhi by flight she has taken the train route to reach Kollam. Her swab samples has been sent for testing.
• Depending on the result, the health officials will track down the fellow passengers who travelled in the same train. With COVID outbreak, notices have been served to temples in Malabar region to stop all mass gathering functions.

Delhi: 14 days of quarantine of 112 Wuhan (China) evacuees including 36 foreign nationals, has completed at ITBP Quarantine Facility in Chhawla. Sampling being done for their final test by doctors. Reports awaited. #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/IcJ4k1zNs6

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020

• Kerala Assembly likely to pass a resolution against the travel advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry that stipulates compulsory COVID-19 negative certification for Indian passengers, travelling from COVID-19 affected countries to enter India.
• The resolution likely to come up on Thursday.
• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the travel advisory stipulating compulsory certification.
• The state government has raised the concerns of Non Resident Keralites regarding possible job loss, with the External Affairs Minister, said the Chief Minister.
• In the case of Keralites stranded at Italy, the need to evacuate them has been brought to the notice of the Prime Minister, said the Chief minister in the Assembly.

• A 27-year-old man from Goa, who travelled to Italy and Finland last month and came in contact with a coronavirus patient, has been kept at an isolation ward of a state-run hospital here after he complained of cough and fever, Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Wednesday.
• The man, a native of Vasco town in South Goa, was working on a ship and returned to the coastal state two days back, Rane said.
• "He had come in contact with a coronavirus patient mid-February while he was working on a ship," the minister said in a statement issued in Panaji.

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has convened a meeting on Wednesday to review steps to be taken to check the spread of coronavirus in the state.
• Health Minister Rajesh Tope has submitteda proposal that viewing of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches be restricted to television only, according to sources.
• "There will be a discussion on how to curb gathering of crowds at marriages and social events," a source said. The meeting is scheduled at Vidhan Bhavan later in the afternoon, the sources said.

Delhi: Air India AI-138 from Milan to Delhi came without COVID-19 screening. The flight had 80 passengers on board. Indian Customs has completed all formalities of screening the passengers and their goods at the isolation bay at Delhi airport. #CoronaVirus https://t.co/CUh2mYZAko pic.twitter.com/xO9LURgBJ7

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020

• The Delhi High Court Wednesday sought the stand of the Centre and the Delhi government on a PIL seeking proper and adequate measures to combat coronavirus.
• A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Ministry of Health and the Delhi government seeking their replies on the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by an advocate.
• The petition, by lawyer Triveni Potekar, seeks directions to the Centre and the Delhi government to make available important and relevant information on access to and availability of medical facilities for testing and treatment for the coronavirus disease. According to the Union health ministry, there are 50 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.

Tamil Nadu: A plea has been filed in Madras High Court, seeking direction to the Central Government to not allow Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to conduct IPL matches from March 29-May 24, in view of #CoronaVirus. pic.twitter.com/XTcXAqOcPi

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020

• All incoming international passengers returning to India should self-monitor their health and follow required Do’s and Dont’s as detailed by Government.
• Further, all passengers having travel history to China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany are advised to undergo self-imposed quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of their arrival.
• If such passengers are working in some organizations/institutions, their respective employers are advised to facilitate work from home during this period. iWith respect to restrictions on visa, besides the already issued instructions, all regular Visas (including e Visas) which have been granted to nationals of France, Germany and Spain on or before 11.03.2020 and where these foreigners have not yet entered India stands suspended.
• Regular visas (including e Visas) granted to all foreign nationals who have travel history to these countries on or after 1.2.2020 and who have not yet entered India also stands suspended.
• Visas of all foreigners already in India remain valid and they may contact the nearest FRRO/FRO through e-FRRO module for extension/conversion etc of their visa or grant of any consular service, if they choose to do so.

When people start taking treatment in private hospitals in future, would their expenses be covered? To address these concerns, the insurance regulator IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority) has issued a set of guidelines. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

After the three-member family who returned from Italy and a few of their relatives were tested positive, the town in Pathanamthitta district is moving closer to a shutdown. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

With the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announcing the closure of theatres in the backdrop of new cases of coronavirus being reported from the state, Mollywood is looking at a loss to the tune of hundreds of crores. However, the movies that will be feeling the heat immediately are the ones running in the theatres. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

The state administration has directed the hotels in Iduki and Munnar not to take bookings and close this month. The state adminstration has suspended all eco-tourism activity in Idukki. A circular, issued by Deputy Director Periyar Tiger Reserve, Shilpa V Kumar, said that the "state government has given strict instruction due to fear of the spread of Covid-19". (READ FULL STORY HERE)

According to an official release, seven locations — three of them under Bengaluru Division — have been identified to be converted as quarantine wards. These are the wards created: Multi Discipline Training Centre at Ashokapuram in Mysuru, Diesel Training Centre at Hubballi, Women Barrakcs of Railway Protection Force in Hubballi, Supervisors Training Centre in Bengaluru, Divisional PWay Training Centre near Bengaluru Cantonment and Indian Railway Institute for Disaster Management, Hejjala, at Ramanagara. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

As many as 75 tourists who returned to the State from Italy since February 29 in four phases have been told to quarantine themselves for 14 days as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Health, Medical and Family Welfare department said on Tuesday. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan writes to PM Narendra Modi saying, we are receiving information that many Indians are stranded in airports in Italy as they are not able to board flights to India without the certificates of having tested negative for COVID 19. https://t.co/jSVNNGQg2I pic.twitter.com/LVO4hf1keI

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

• Two more persons were on Tuesday admitted to an isolation ward in a state-run hospital in Kolkata with fever and cough -- symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus -- a senior health department official said. Both have travel histories to coronavirus-hit countries -- Indonesia and Malaysia -- and were admitted to Beliaghata ID Hospital, he said.
• Blood samples and throat swabs of the latest suspects have been collected and test reports are expected by evening, the official said.
• He said three out of four other patients admitted at the isolation ward of the hospital tested negative for the novel coronavirus, while a re-examination would be conducted on the fourth patient, he said.
• Another person, who had returned from Saudia Arabia on Saturday and admitted at the Beliaghata ID hospital on Sunday, "tested positive for swine flu". "He has been kept under observation," he said.

• An 85-year-old Jaipur native, who returned from Dubai on February 28, has been found "presumptive positive" for coronavirus in the first test here, an official said on Tuesday.
• "His first test is positive. But his subsequent confirmatory test has remained inconclusive, so we are repeating the confirmatory test with a fresh sample here," said Additional Chief Secretary (Medical & Health) Rohit Kumar Singh. He has been kept in isolation at the SMS Hospital in Jaipur.
• "The man came to the hospital on Monday with symptoms of the virus. After the first test, his wife and son too have been kept in isolation at the hospital.The two, however do not have coronavirus affliction symptoms," he said. Singh said 235 persons, who came in contact with octogenarian and his family, too have been traced and are being watched.
• An Italian couple, who was found corona-positive last week, are also admitted in the hospital but their condition is improving, he said.
• While the Italian man is still positive, his wife was tested negative on Monday, he said.
• A repeat test, however, was done on Tuesday on the Italian woman for confirmation and the report is awaited, said the official. If both tests are negative, she would be declared negative for coronavirus, he said.

The coronavirus outbreak could cost the global economy up to USD 2 trillion this year, the UN's trade and development agency said, warning that shock from the epidemic will cause a recession in some countries and depress global annual growth to below 2 trillion.

The Indian government has announced strict guidelines for international cruise ships to call on a port in the country to curb the Covid-19 outbreak.

The advisory follows the case of several cruise ships like Diamond Princess which became infestations of the virus and are stuck at the ports.

Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on Monday, epidemiologists from Johns Hopkins University and Stanford University said the failings had contributed to the virus taking root in communities across the country. More than 800 cases and 28 deaths have been detected in the US, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

Two suspected coronavirus patients, who had returned from Indonesia and Malaysia recently, were on Tuesday admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in northeast Kolkata's Beliaghata, hospital sources said.

⚡️ “Movie releases hit as Kerala theatres shut down due to coronavirus”https://t.co/6U8ZXQwjmw

— Express Lite (@xpresslite) March 10, 2020

Italy reports 977 new cases of coronavirus and 168 new deaths, raising total to 10,149 cases and 631 dead.

Three schools in Pune's Sinhgad area to remain closed for next two-three days. (PTI)

(Photo| EPS/ P Jawahar)

Over 300 passengers, majority of them from Kerala, stuck at Milan International Airport on Tuesday after the Italian officials denied them boarding the flights to India citing health ministry's advisory to furnish a certificate from authorized laboratories that they are COVID-19 negative.

Despite the panic calls to the Indian Embassy, the Indian officials are yet to respond, they told TNIE over the phone. “Since the virus is rapidly spreading across Italy, it is not safe to be here. The basic needs like food and travel are getting limited and hence we are returning home," said Muhammed Ashiq T, a Ph.D. student in Italy. He said he booked a ticket for a Tuesday night flight to Delhi.

#Corona update: a good news for Our state, the Pt undergoing treatment at #RGGH is tested negative for Corona,this speedy recovery is possible only because of the meticulous treatment & expertise of #TNHealth to handle exigencies. As of now, #TN is CORONA FREE. #CVB @MoHFW_INDIA

— Dr C Vijayabaskar (@Vijayabaskarofl) March 10, 2020

The Telangana health department has been permitted to set up a second coronavirus testing lab at Osmania General Hospital. Two extra standing thermal screeners and 200 extra personnel to screen all passengers at the Hyderabad airport.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja: Two more cases of #Coronavirus have tested positive in the state. Parents of the 3-year-old child have tested positive. pic.twitter.com/2vYnFzbyAj

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

Wonderla has temporarily shut its Kochi Amusement Park. It will be closed between March 11-20. @NewIndianXpress @xpresskerala pic.twitter.com/TWeRdA0Og6

— Sesa Sen (@sesa_sen) March 10, 2020

A 23-year-old woman and her 54- year-old mother were admitted in an isolation ward in the district civil hospital in Nashik in Maharashtra on Tuesday for suspected exposure to novel coronavirus, health officials said. The woman had gone to Dubai on February 27 and returned to Nashik on March 3 and was quarantined after she complained of throat pain, cold and cough, while her mother was admitted as the two were together at home over the past one week, PTI reported.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir: The status of surveillance of #Coronavirus in the Union Territory; one sample tested positive till now. pic.twitter.com/rhlV9bMIl4

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

All airlines operating on international sector are advised again to ensure availability of sufficient number of self-declaration form(s) and get them filled in duplicate before disembarkation. Also to have in-flight announcements in flights coming to India: DGCA  

 Manipur has shut its border with Myanmar indefinitely amid the novel coronavirus scare, officials said on Tuesday. Neighbouring Mizoram had on Monday also sealed its borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, and banned the entry of foreigners to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Large scale cancellation of flight ticket were witnessed from Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts following Coronavirus scare, an official said on Tuesday. According to statistics, about 40 lakh Keralites are residing in foreign countries, of which 1.5 lakh people hail from Pathanamthitta and two lakh from Kottayam. New flight bookings have also dropped immensely according to travel agencies.

Fifty-four people died from coronavirus in Iran in the past 24 hours, surging the death toll from the infection to 291 -- the highest in Asia outside of China, while a total of 7,161 people have been infected with the disease. Tuesday's figure recorded the highest surge in fatalities.

Motor Vehicle Department, Kerala, officers giving guidelines to bus conductors on guarding against the spread of #coronavirus. They have been asked to clean hands in an antiseptic solution every 5 minutes after interacting with passengers. @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/fQEbRS9WI0

— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) March 10, 2020

Up until now, 1048 people have been identified for observation. Out of which 446 samples have been sent for testing. 389 samples have tested negative, 4 positive, while reports of the rest are awaited: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa 

About 26 passengers from #Italy arrived at the Kochi airport and 3 among them were sent to the isolation ward of Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery. 11 were advised for home quarantine and others were released at the airport.#coronavirus #CoronavirusOutbreak @xpresskerala pic.twitter.com/Dpmnr2j2Yd

— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) March 10, 2020

Pathanamthitta's Ranni town wears a deserted look after a family from the town tested positive for #Coronavirus. Currently, there are 12 active #COVID19 cases in Kerala.
Express video by @sanesh_TNIE.
READ: https://t.co/6qmP6Dm8nC pic.twitter.com/faRs9xiNnu

— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) March 10, 2020

I appeal to all devotees to avoid visiting the Sabarimala temple. Also, I request all the temples to cancel festivals that involve public gatherings: Travancore Devaswom Board President N Vasu

Malayalam cinema organisations have decided to shut down movie theatres in Kerala from tomorrow till March 31 due to coronavirus outbreak.

Two techies and one of their wife and daughter are Corona affected in Bengaluru. @XpressBengaluru @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/bZXdLK3pnh

— Ranjani (@ranjanikanth_) March 10, 2020

The Karnataka government is mulling providing additional health insurance coverage to doctors and paramedics treating the COVID-19 cases and working in the laboratories besides existing schemes, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Tuesday.

READ FULL REPORT HERE 

Plus two students of Govt High School Parambil in Kozhikode doing their last-minute revision before appearing for their exam in Kerala.  (Photo | Manu R Mavelil, EPS)

READ FULL STORY HERE

A day after two patients tested positive for novel coronavirus in Pune, district authorities on Tuesday said their family members have been admitted in Naidu Hospital here and their samples sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology.

READ FULL STORY HERE 

The samples belong to those who travelled with the affected man, currently undergoing treatment at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and his family members. READ FULL STORY HERE

The man was among those who had interacted with the three-member family who returned from Italy and have tested positive for the virus. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Six new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported from Kerala on Tuesday, taking the total number of people presently infected with the virus to 12, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.

Of the six new cases, four are from Kottayam and two are from Pathanamthitta. On Monday, six people were confirmed to have been infected with the virus.

As per latest figures,1,116 people with COVID -19 symptoms are in observation in various hospitals across Kerala. While 967 people are in quarantine in their homes, 149 are in hospitals.

A total of 807 samples have been sent for tests of which 717 results have been negative.

Earlier, three people who were infected with the virus were cured, the CM told reporters after chairing a special meeting of the state cabinet.

Dr Shinu, who has a huge number of followers on social media, said she never revealed either the name of the patient or the clinic in her Facebook post. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

"In Karnataka, four positive cases have been confirmed.Their family members have been isolated separately and we are monitoring them. I urge citizens to take precautionary measures and cooperate in preventing the spread of infection," said Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu. The first case had been announced on Monday. Three more new cases were confirmed on Tuesday.

There would be no change in the examinations scheduled for the students in the Classes of VIII, IX and X. The Cabinet has also decided to cancel all the public programmes of the state government in the month of March in its fight against coronavirus.

Indian Air Force: IAF C-17 returned from Iran to Hindon airbase this morning with 58 Indian citizens onboard. The passengers included 25 men, 31 women and 2 children. The aircraft also carried 529 samples for investigation. https://t.co/dw5684tDSV

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

Vendors of the many pharmaceutical companies said that the demand for masks spiked by five-times in the past few days. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

“Yes, ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has taken approval for use of second line HIV drugs on COVID patients, but this Lopinavir/Ritonavir combination therapy has been approved for emergency use among COVID-19 patients with moderate degree of severity with laid down protocols. Till now, this combination therapy has been given to two Italian patients hospitalised in Jaipur,” Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told The Indian Express.

The first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims deboard from IAF C-17 Globemaster aircraft which landed at Hindon air force station in Ghaziabad from Tehran, Iran. #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/IXYOu0sSkq

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a weather advisory on the outbreak of malaria and dengue in parts of Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, Kerala, Bihar, Gujarat and other north Indian states from March 6-19 based on weather and health department data. But, the weatherman is unable to issue advisories on cholera or other vector or non-vector borne diseases, because of paucity of information given from state health departments. The IMD is also unable to issue an advisory on COVID-19, as it is a relatively new disease. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Many of the producers and distributors in the tinsel town have been banking heavily on their Vishu releases, which are now facing an uncertain fate due to the outbreak scare. If things do not go as planned and the spread is not contained, many releases planned for the vacation season — including Mohanlal-Priyadarshan team’s big budget film ‘Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham’ — will have to be rescheduled. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

#WATCH IAF C-17 Globemaster carrying the first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims, lands at Hindon air force station in Ghaziabad from Tehran, Iran. #CoronaVirus https://t.co/soTRjNkYl9 pic.twitter.com/kXvDMzcAtY

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Roopesh after holding a high-level meeting with health officials and airport officials said that the samples of the passenger have been collected and sent for examination. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

IAF C-17 Globemaster carrying the first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims, lands at Hindon air force station in Ghaziabad from Tehran, Iran. #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/MA0iaJIr2l

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

External Affairs Ministers S Jaishankar: First batch of 58 Indian pilgrims being brought back from Iran. IAF C-17 Globemaster has taken off from Tehran & is expected to land soon in Hindon Air Force Station (in Ghaziabad). pic.twitter.com/Wcvms70fmU

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

Hyderabad: Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender yesterday visited the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and inspected the thermal screening of passengers at the Airport. #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/vKmYupzDqn

— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2020

• Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Monday said his government has intensified their screening at all entry points of the UT. He also said his government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to ensure that Puducherry yields no space to coronavirus, spreading across the country as well now.
• The chief minister earlier chaired a Health Department meeting to review the measures taken to insulate Puducherry against the deadly virus. After the meeting, he told reporters that various health agencies including the Health Department, the centrally-administered JIPMER, besides the government and private medical colleges and hospitals are working under a common action plan to prevent the spread of the disease.
• He said that Puducherry, being a former French colony, receives a large number of foreign tourists, besides domestic ones, and steps were being taken to screen them all.
• "Foreigners account for 70 percent of the total tourists visiting Puducherry and we are taking specific care to screen them at the airport, railway stations and bus terminals," said Narayanasamy, adding those coming in private vehicles too are being screened.
• The chief minister said 14 of the 16 persons examined so far for suspected coronavirus affliction have tested negative while the test results for other four persons were awaited. He said the centrally-administered JIPMER had a testing lab and blood samples are regularly being sent to the lab. Both the Puducherry government's general hospital and JIPMER have set up separate isolation wards, the former with ten beds, which would be used in case any patient testing positive for the disease needed to be quarantined, he said.
• "There were reports on paucity of masks. We would procure them immediately to meet the shortfall," he said. "Nothing would be left to chance. Awareness drive through TV, AIR, special campaigns and distribution of pamphlets on do's and don'ts would be launched on a war footing to ensure that people protect themselves against the onslaught of the disease," the chief minister said.
• Workers attached to the ASHA programme, health staff and volunteers too have been pressed into service for intensive checking of people at vulnerable places, he said, adding that awareness drives are being taken to apprise people in villages as well of various preventive measures.
• The meeting was attended among others by Puducherry Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar and health secretary besides the officials of the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare service and JIPMER.

#WATCH Mumbai: An effigy based on the theme of #CoronaVirus that was put up in Worli was burned as a part of Holika Dahan, a ritual that takes on the eve of #Holi festival. (09.03.2020) pic.twitter.com/1qUKvl1erd

— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2020

Manipur CM N. Biren Singh: In view of the possible threat of transmission of #Coronavirus / COVID-19, the international border with Myanmar has been closed including gate no 1 and 2 in Moreh until further orders. pic.twitter.com/KTNm69mTyp

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

• A state health department officail also said there was no confirmed case of coronavirus in the state, adding that a slew of measures are being taken to tackle the virus threat.
• "In Chhattisgarh, 42 samples were sent for coronavirus testing till Monday. Of these 37 were found to be negative, while reports of five people are awaited. The samples are being tested at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raipur," the official said.
• Of the 42 whose samples were sent for testing, 33 people have been kept under home observation, while nine others have completed their 28-day observation period, the official informed.
• An appeal has been made to people to report to authorities in case they had visited China, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, or any other affected nations after February 1, he said.
• Continuous surveillance is being maintained to identify new passengers who have travelled to China or other affected countries, namely Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran and Italy after February 1 this year, he said.

Speaking on the ban on entry of cruise vessels into Mormugao Port till March 31, MPT Deputy Chairperson GP Rai said, "In view of the coronavirus threat, the Union government has decided that no cruise ship from foreign destinations will be allowed to call on Indian ports with immediate effect till March 31, 2020."

• The foreigners, who were kept under observation at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), were discharged from the facility. No positive case of novel coronavirus infection has been reported in Goa so far, according to a statement issued by the Directorate of Health Services (DHS).
• "Both the patients who were admitted in the isolation ward (of the GMCH) were discharged after they tested negative to novel coronavirus," an official said, adding that no patient is currently quarantined at any of the state-run facilities.
• The Health department has kept 19 patients under home observation.

• The fourth patient had apparently come in touch with the Paytm employee at a public gathering, Delhi Health Department officials added.
• The fourth patient is currently at the isolation ward in Safdarjung Hospital.
• According to the health department officials, the woman had no travel history and contracted the virus since she came in contact with a patient at a public gathering.
• The patient had tested positive for the virus in the initial reports and had been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday.
• Her final reports confirmed that she was affected by the novel coronavirus.

• District Development Commissioner (DDC), Budgam, Tariq Hussain Ganai, said 41 residents of Budgam, in central Kashmir, who arrived from Iran and China will be quarantined at 76-bed facilities established at nine isolation wards in the district. The DDC said this while chairing a meeting to review preparedness for coronavirus threat.
• Ganai said while 31 residents have returned from Iran, 10 have come from China.
• "They will be admitted to isolation wards for their quarantine to ensure proper care and treatment to infected, if any, to control the spread of the disease to others," he said.
• The DDC instructed Budgam chief medical officer to establish a control room with a landline phone facility at his office immediately and ensure all quarantine facilities are available and ready for suspected persons. During the meeting, the DDC was informed that all those who were admitted to quarantine isolation wards in the district have tested negative.
• Five groups comprising 160 pilgrims from the district are expected to return from various countries in a few days and would also be quarantined.
• Students who are returning from Iran and China would also be taken to isolation wards for proper check-up, he was informed.

• The budget carrier's statement comes after Qatar temporarily banned entry of people coming from India and 13 other countries in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, which has infected thousands of people.
• In a statement, the airline said it would be cancelling flights to Doha till March 17.
• "We will be monitoring the situation closely and will share further updates once the ban is lifted," it said.
• "Owing to the travel ban for people of multiple nationalities, including Indian nationals, IndiGo will be cancelling its flights to Doha till March 17, 2020," the Gurugram-based airline said in the statement.

Italy's civil protection agency reported 97 new deaths, bringing the country's toll to 463, as the country takes a series of stringent measures to battle the spread of the virus.

The number of Europeans killed by the virus now stands at 511, including 21 in France, 16 in Spain, four in Britain, three in the Netherlands, two in Switzerland and two in Germany, AFP figures show. The number of people infected in Italy rose to 9,172 -- an increase of 1,797 on Sunday's figures.

Two people from Pune test positive for novel coronavirus infection, according to a health official, taking the number of total cases up to 47 now. A new case each has been reported from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Ernakulam in Kerala, Jammu, Bengaluru in Karnataka, and Punjab, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday, adding that no deaths due to the coronavirus had been reported yet in the country.

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he World Health Organization warned Monday there was now a "very real" threat that the global outbreak of the new deadly coronavirus will become a pandemic, but stressed the virus could still be controlled. "The threat of a pandemic has become very real," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters, while stressing that "it would be the first pandemic in history that can be controlled... we are not at the mercy of the virus".

The impact of coronavirus hit the Chennai airport severely with international passenger arrivals dropping by 22 to 26 per cent as flights are being cancelled, according to officials. The international terminal of the airport wore a deserted look as many flights have been cancelled due to stringent visa restrictions. The international sector took a hit as the demand for flights have fallen drastically due to government curbs on travel. Airport sources said that the domestic sector is also not doing well with three to four per cent reduction in passenger arrivals.

The Mormugao Port Trust in Goa has banned entry of cruise vessels till March 31 amid coronavirus outbreak.

As coronavirus has become a global epidemic spreading rapidly, so has the misinformation spreading across social media platforms claiming to provide health advises like do's and don'ts, home remedies, and even a cure for the virus, when no known medication has been found. Many of these messages are unscientific, while some less harmful and some, very dangerous.

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A 40-year-old techie has tested positive for coronavirus and has been admitted in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases. His wife and daughter have also been admitted as they are symptomatic, Minister of Medical Education, Sudhakar, revealed at a press conference on Monday.

His driver, driver’s wife and two kids are asymptomatic and have been home quarantined. 266 primary and secondary contacts of the people he worked with, interacted and travelled with are being traced. 60 of them travelled with him on the flight.

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Woman and Child Welfare Ministry announces 7-days holiday for Anganwadis in Karnataka. (ANI)

(Photo| EPS/ D Hemanth)

Man who returned from Italy confirmed positive for coronavirus in Punjab, first case in state, according to an official statement.  

We plan to depart Hindon Air Force Station at 8:30pm and land in Tehran at about 2 am.We will depart Tehran at about 4:30 am and land back here at about 09:30 am. Facilities to quarantine the passengers have been set up at Hindon, says Wing Commander Karan Kapoor, Captain of C-17 Globemaster. 

#Bengaluru reports its first #Coronavirus positive case @NewIndianXpress @XpressBengaluru @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/Bbr0LtOxXH

— Pearl Dsouza (@pearl_tnie) March 9, 2020

A Bengaluru resident tests positive for Coronavirus. The person has travel history to the USA. All primary schools in Bengaluru to remain closed from tomorrow till further orders: Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar 

There are scrolls on channels that a flight from Kochi bound to Saudi had to land at Bahrain and the passengers were stranded at Manama airport. It is totally false. There was a Gulf air flight from Kochi to Baharain. It completed its journey as scheduled. There were some passengers in that flight who were suppossed to go to Saudi from Bahrain. They missed the connection flight. And they are stranded at Bahrain (Manama) airport: Kochi Airport 

• Union minister Sadananda Gowda says there is sufficient stock of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for next 3 months.

• Haryana govt exempts employees from marking attendance through biometric system till March 31 as precautionary measure.

• No coronavirus case reported in Karnataka, precautionary measures taken by govt is main reason for it. No reason for anyone to panic, but there's a need to take precautions: State medical education minister

• COVID19-infected man claims informing Kochi airport about travel from Italy and no screening directive was given; Kerala govt reiterates that trio didn't follow protocol.

Unlike previous audio release events for Vijay's films, where huge stadiums were booked to accommodate fans, the makers have decided to hold the audio launch of Master at a plush hotel in Chennai.

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Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft to leave for Iran today to bring back Indians citizens stuck there amid coronavirus outbreak, reports ANI.