00:03 March 15
Chandigarh: A day after it declared coronavirus an epidemic, Punjab University has decided that till 31st March the teaching, including personal contact programmes in the teaching departments, regional centres, institutes, constituent colleges, affiliated colleges in Punjab as well as Chandigarh shall remain suspended.
00:02 March 15
Mumbai: Maharashtra government has issued 'The Maharashtra COVID-19 Regulations, 2020' under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897.
This Act will empower certain officers to issue order for surveillance, prevention, control and treatment of Coronavirus.
23:52 March 14
Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday advised people to avoid going to crowded places and urged them to wear a mask if they have to go out, assuring them that all necessary measures have been taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.
Khattar also said that a state-level helpline has been set up besides a help desk at the district level where people can seek information related to COVID-19.
"My dear people of Haryana, you are aware that WHO has declared coronavirus a pandemic. This is also knocking at India''s doors. I appeal to you to neither be scared of this virus nor get panicked," Khattar said in a video message that he posted on his Twitter handle.
If anyone has symptoms of fever, sneezing, sore throat, running nose, difficulty in breathing, etc. they should get it examined in a government hospital. We have not authorised any private laboratory for testing symptoms of coronavirus, he said.
Urging people to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of infection, the chief minister said, “Maintaining hygiene is very important. People should cover their mouth and nose with a handkerchief while sneezing, wash their hands, avoid going to crowded places and if one has to go then wear a mask.”
"I want to assure the people of the state that all necessary measures have been taken to prevent the spread of infection and we are committed towards your good health," he said.
He also mentioned that there is no positive case of COVID-19 so far in Haryana.
Regarding the helpline, he said, “We have established a state-level helpline desk at 8558893911 in addition to a district-level helpline desk at 108. People can contact these numbers to seek information related to coronavirus."
Meanwhile, Khattar posted pictures on Twitter where he is seen enjoying a camel ride at a livestock exhibition in Karnal.
23:49 March 14
New Delhi: In the wake of novel coronavirus, additional quarantine facility has been created by the Indian Army for around 1,000 people in Jaisalmer for more Indian citizens returning from abroad.
23:38 March 14
New Delhi: An Air India special flight on Saturday took off from Delhi airport for Milan to evacuate around 220 passengers amid coronavirus outbreak.
According to sources, the special flight that took off for Milan in Italy at 16:30 hours to evacuate Indian national will return on Sunday.
The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and expressed deep concern both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction.
23:22 March 14
Pune: As many as five more people found positive in Pimpri-Chinchwad today taking total tally of positive cases in Pune to 15. This has taken the total number of cases in in Maharashtra to 31.
According to reports, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notification declaring hand sanitisers, 2 ply and 3 ply surgical masks and N95 masks as essential commodities.
The Maharashtra FDA also warned of legal action against persons hoarding these articles for black marketing.
This comes in the wake of rising cases of COVID-19 in the country. The Health Ministry on Saturday announced that as of now 84 positive cases of COVID-19 has been reported in the country.
In the wake of coronavirus scare, the state government had on Friday ordered the closure of cinema theatres, gymnasiums, swimming pools and public parks in cities of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 30.
23:14 March 14
Bengaluru: Four journalists of two news channels have been home quarantined in Kalaburagi after they came in contact with relatives of the recently deceased coronavirus victim, medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar said here on Saturday.
"The journalists interviewed family members of the coronavirus patient who died later. So they have been home quarantined," he told reporters.
While two of the journalists worked for a Kannada TV news channel, the two cameramen worked for a local YouTube channel, sources said.
Reportedly, the 76-year-old man who died on March 10 in Karnataka while being treated for suspected coronavirus became India's first COVID-19 fatality.
23:01 March 14
New Delhi: Delhi has recorded its seventh coronavirus case, an Italian evacuee who has been kept in isolation at the Safdarjung hospital, the health department of the city government said on Saturday.
A 69-year-old woman, the sixth coronavirus case reported in the national capital, succumbed on Friday.
Her 46-year-old son has been infected by the virus, the health department said.
The man, a resident of Rajasthan, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and was kept in isolation at the Safdarjung hospital after being quarantined at an Army camp in Manesar, it said, adding that he was an evacuee from Italy.
Six passengers returned from Germany''s Frankfurt on March 14 and were kept in a government quarantine facility in South district, the department said.
Till date, 1,73,814 passengers from coronavirus-hit countries have been screened at the Delhi airport and placed under surveillance. As many as 4,511 passengers from the affected countries were screened on Saturday.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal chaired a high-level meeting with the health minister and other top government officials to review the quarantine facilities in the national capital.
22:58 March 14
Pune: All 23 samples that were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in the last 24 hours have tested negative for coronavirus, said Deepak Mhaisekar, Divisional Commissioner, Pune, on Saturday.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday said that total positive coronavirus cases in the state have risen to 26.
The coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,20,000 people.
22:57 March 14
Rajgir: The Bihar government has ordered police officials training at Police Academy in Rajgir to go for leave till March 31 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The order in this regard was issued by the general administration in the Bihar government on Saturday.
According to the order, Police officials undergoing training at Bihar Police Academy in Rajgir are given leave till March 31 due to coronavirus.
22:54 March 14
New Delhi:All passenger movements through all immigration land check posts at India-Bangladesh, India-Nepal, India-Bhutan, India-Myanmar borders will be suspended from 12 AM, March 15 & at India-Pakistan border from 12 AM, March 16 till further orders, informed Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday.
22:41 March 14
Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Saturday called off its 'Gudi Padwa' celebration rally for this year amid coronavirus outbreak.
"Due to the serious situation because of coronavirus, we are cancelling the 'Gudhpadwa Melava' of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Also, municipal elections are going to take place in the coming weeks, but in view of the overall situation, the government should postpone these elections for at least six months," an MNS tweet in Marathi.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic. The coronavirus disease was first detected in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, in late December, and has since spread worldwide.
22:38 March 14
New Delhi: In view of the global pandemic Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Supreme Court on Saturday took an advisory cautioning against mass gathering(s) to avoid the spread of novel Coronovirus (COVID-19) infection.
Following precautionary measures are being put in place:
1. All cafeterias, including the Departmental Canteen, are being advised to remain closed until further orders. All the staff members shall make their own arrangements in this regard.
2. All the staff members are advised to use alcohol based sanitizer in order to keep themselves sanitized from coming into contact with any virus.
3. All staff members may be required to subject themselves to thermal-screening and persons detected with high body temperature would be denied entry and further, they may be subject to the SOP prescribed by the Government of India, Ministry of Health from time to time.
4. All staff members who may have a travel history to the affected areas/countries, as may be notified from time to time by the Government(s), or who have symptoms of fever, sore-throat, cough, running nose or difficulty in breathing are advised to self-restrain themselves from attending their duties and may avail leave, if so advised.
5. All staff members are impressed upon not to crowd at any particular place in the Supreme Court premises, except where their presence is officially required.
22:16 March 14
Hyderabad: Health authorities at various airports across the country have conducted Covid-19 virus screening for nearly 12 lakh passengers who came into India, of whom only 3,225 were referred for further tests, union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday.
Speaking at "Wings India 2020", an aviation related event being held here, he said domestic passenger traffic was down by 10 to 15 per cent owing to the killer virus.
He however, exuded confidence that the situation would become normal and the growth story of the sector would continue.
22:08 March 14
Mysore: In the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, the famous Mysore Palace will be remain closed for tourists from 15th March to 22nd March, informed, the Mysore Palace committee.
The major outbreak of Coronavirus across the world is having its effect in the Mysore Palace.
Prior to the outbreak of Corona in India, the royal Palace had 3,48,070 visitors in January and 2,15,456 in February.
21:53 March 14
Itanagar: A team of doctors on Saturday screened as many as 230 passengers and railway staff at
Naharlagun station for possible novel coronavirus infection,
officials said.
The passengers arrived at the station from New Delhi by the Arunachal Express.
21:39 March 14
Thiruvananthapuram:No fresh cornonavirus cases were reported in Kerala on Saturday, as the government decided to strengthen monitoring of people who reach the state by rail and road, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
Vijayan, who chaired the daily evaluation meet here, told reporters that a total of 302 people are in isolation wards in hospitals across the state.
21:17 March 14
New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took to Twitter to share the health ministry's guidelines on home quarantine.
"Some important information here. Do read," he said while sharing the guidelines.
Amid rising cases of coronavirus infections and two deaths being reported in the country, the Union Health Ministry issued the set of guidelines on Saturday to be followed by those requiring home quarantine and said that it was meant "to protect you and your loved ones."
According to the guidelines, those quarantined at home should stay in a well-ventilated single-room, preferably with an attached or separate toilet. If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it's advisable to maintain a distance of at least a metre between the two.
Quarantined individuals must stay away from the elderly, pregnant women, children and persons with comorbidities within the household as their immunity may be low, it stated.
Defining who are the contacts and listing out a set of instructions to follow during the home quarantine period, the ministry said, "Home quarantine is applicable to all such contacts of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19."
The guidelines include several public health measures to be followed at all times such as thoroughly washing hands often with soap or with alcohol-based hand sanitiser, avoiding sharing of household items like dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding, or other items with other people at home.
It also calls for wearing a surgical mask at all time. The mask should be changed every six to eight hours and disposed of. Disposable masks are never to be reused, it said.
20:59 March 14
Koraput (Odisha):In view of the extra-ordinary need to prevent the possible spread of novel coronavirus and in light of the order of the Higher Education Department, Govt. of Odisha, the Competent Authority of the Central University of Odisha has announced to suspend the varsity till March 31st.
To prevent the possible spread of novel coronavirus of students residing in hostels, the authorities have advised to vacate the varsity hostel within 48 hours.
20:47 March 14
Hyderabad:Telangana Government has taken precautionary measures for preventing Corona Virus(COVID-19). It instructed to close all the educational institutions and theaters till the end of this month (31st March).
The government has ordered to conduct all the examinations to the students as per scheduled. It also announced that the state budget meetings are scheduled to end by Monday.
20:37 March 14
Kolkata:The State Election Commission on Saturday said it has the "requisite infrastructure" to useballot papers in the upcoming polls to 111 civic bodies, if stakeholders demand so instead of EVMs in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
"The Constitution has provisions and we are also capable of conducting the upcoming civic polls through ballotpapers. We also have the required infrastructure for doing so," a senior state EC official told PTI.
People touch a single device while voting through EVMs, which is not the case with ballot papers.
"If there is a demand for ballot papers (because of coronavirus outbreak), we are ready," the official said.
Currently, EVMs are used in all elections in the country, though there had a been a demand from certain political parties to return to ballot papers claiming that the machines could be programmed.
The state Election Commission has convened a pre-pollall-party meeting on Monday, where it will take opinions of the parties regarding fixing of poll dates.
The coronavirus outbreak will be taken into account before the dates of the elections are finalised, the official said.
20:35 March 14
New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat has decided to suspend issuing public gallery passes and conduct show rounds in parliament till further notice as part of precautionary measures in view of concerns about the spread of coronavirus.
The passes will not be issued and show rounds conducted till further notice. "Continuing the precautionary measures at Parliament House Estate in view of rising concerns over the spread of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus, it has been decided that the issue of public gallery passes and showground(s) in Parliament House be suspended till further notice; a Lok Sabha bulletin said on Saturday. It urged members not to recommend issue of such passes or make requests for show rounds. "Kind cooperation of members is solicited," it said.
20:18 March 14
Jaipur: A 24-year-old youth who returned from Spain, has tested positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan's Jaipur today.
The youth's health condition is being closely monitored by doctors at the hospital, informed Rajasthan Health Department.
Notably, total number of positive cases of COVID-19 stands at four.
19:53 March 14
Cuttack: A youth hailing from Odisha's Cuttack had gone to Italy for research is suspected to have been infected with coronavirus. Reportedly, the youth has returned home on March 2.
He has been admitted to the isolation ward at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack today.
After the youth suffered from cold and cough, he went to the SCB hospital for medical examination. His health condition is being closely monitored by doctors at the hospital.
19:32 March 14
Samples of four patients, one from Mumbai and three from adjoining areas, have tested positive for coronavirus, officials informed. With this, the number of confirmed cases in Maharashtra has risen to 26.
19:22 March 14
Public gallery passes and entry for show around in Parliament complex suspended as precaution in view of COVID-19 outbreak, informed the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
18:59 March 14
The Uttarakhand government today declared COVID-19 as epidemic in the state. "All Cinema halls and colleges will remain closed in the state till 31st March in view of Coronavirus. Medical colleges, however, will remain open," Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik said.
18:59 March 14
Moments after the Central government on Saturday notified coronavirus (Covid-19) as a 'disaster' and announced to provide ex-gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased, the government reissued a fresh "modified order" with no mention of any ex-gratia compensation. The earlier order read, "Rs 4 lakh for deceased person including those involved in relief operations or associated in response activities, subject to certification regarding the cause of death from an appropriate authority." In the updated order, which has been "partially modified", there is no mention of any such compensation.
18:51 March 14
Suspended till April 15 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 13th edition of IPL can only be a truncated one provided the situation improves, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said on Saturday. Asked if the cash-rich event could be a curtailed one, Ganguly said, "It will happen, because if it is April 15, then, in any case 15 days are gone, it has to be truncated. How truncated, how many games, I can't say at the moment."
Ganguly, a decorated former India captain, was speaking to reporters after the end of the IPL Governing Council meeting here.
17:54 March 14
The Goa government on Saturday announced closure of educational institutes and public places including casinos, swimming pools and pubs in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country till March 31. The order will come into force from Sunday (March 15) midnight.
17:47 March 14
"We are monitoring the situation and it will be reassessed every week. As much as we want to host IPL, we are also concerned about safety of the people," BCCI president Sourav Ganguly told reporters.
17:39 March 14
"After completing the requisite quarantine period and being tested negative twice in 16 days of stay, 110 evacuees from Wuhan, China have left the ITBP facility at New Delhi's Chhawla in different batches. Only two of the evacuees left at the facility," the Indo-Tibetan Border Police informed.
17:39 March 14
Two persons who had returned from Dubai have tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra's Yavatmal, district collector MD Singh informed.
17:38 March 14
A 70-year-old man who was suspected to have contracted COVID-19, died in Maharashtra's Buldhana district on Saturday.
17:09 March 14
The government today informed that the Padma Awards ceremony, originally scheduled to be held on April 3, has been postponed in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. The government said that the new date of the ceremony will be announced later.
16:46 March 14
"The number of coronavirus positive cases in India has risen to 84," Special Secretary, Ministry of Health, Sanjeeva Kumar said.
"Out of the total 84 positive cases in the country, 10 people have fully recovered and been discharged. Contact tracing of these cases has led to the identification of over 4000 contacts who have been put under surveillance," he added.
"A Mahan Air flight bringing back Indian passengers from Iran will land in Mumbai on Saturday midnight. A special Air India flight is being sent to Milan in Italy on Saturday to bring back Indian students," the official informed.
16:44 March 14
The Telangana government today ordered closure of all movie theaters and educational institutes till March 31 to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
16:31 March 14
The Board of Control for Cricket in India informed that matches of the Irani Cup, Senior Women's One-Day Knockout, Vizzy Trophy, Senior Women's One-Day Challenger, Women's Under 19 One-Day knockout, Women's Under 19 T20 League, Super League and knockout, have been put on hold till further notice.
16:28 March 14
The Bombay High Court on Saturday said the functioning of the court will be restricted only to urgent matters for a week from March 16 in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
Ad-interim and interim relief orders shall continue to operate during this period, it said.
16:27 March 14
The All India Football Federation on Saturday suspended tournaments at all levels, including the flagship I-League, till March 31 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The suspension will come into effect from Sunday.
16:23 March 14
One more person tested positive for coronavirus in Nagpur on Saturday, taking the number of such cases in the city to four and in Maharashtra to 20, officials said.
"A 43-year-old man has tested positive for coronavirus in Nagpur. He was admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in the city," officials said.
"He had travelled to the US along with the man, who is the first person to be found positive for coronavirus in the city," they said.
16:21 March 14
"Coronavirus can not spread through dead bodies. It spreads from respiratory secretion. Coughing is necessary for the spread of this virus. So there is no risk in cremating the infected bodies," Delhi AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said.
15:16 March 14
Two journalists and a cameraman of a national news channel were quarantined in North Karnataka's Kalaburagi for interviewing the coronavirus victim's son two days ago, a top official said on Saturday.
15:14 March 14
Personnel of Crime Branch seize sub-standard sanitizers worth Rs 1 lakh from a shop in Pune.
Pune Crime Branch DCP said:"Case registered against 3 persons. Further investigation underway. We are keeping a watch on black marketing of essential commodities".
15:05 March 14
Special medical help desk setup at Hubballi railway station to spread awareness on Coronavirus; As of now, no positive case of Coronavirus has been reported in Hubballi-Dharwad division.
15:03 March 14
All educational institutions in West Bengal will remain shut till March 31 in the wake of coronavirus threat, officials said on Saturday.
Board examinations will, however, continue as per schedule, they said.
Internal examinations of these institutions will also remain suspended during this period, the officials said.
There will be a review of the situation on March 30, following which further decision will be taken, they added.
15:01 March 14
Agra district authorities have managed to trace back a suspected case of coronavirus who fled from her Bengaluru home.
The 25-year-old woman from Bangaluru was traced at her home in railway colony here on Friday.
Her father had told health officials that she had taken a train to New Delhi.
Her disappearance caused panic, but under pressure from senior district officials, the truth was out. She was immediately taken to the isolation ward of the SN Medical College, where she is under treatment.
Police officials said the woman had fled from Bangaluru, a few days ago, after her husband, working for the Google, tested positive for COVID-19.
The couple had returned from Italy after a honeymoon, it is learnt.
Meanwhile, railway authorities have asked her father and sister, not to report for duty for 14 days. The family of eight members is under strict watch.
15:00 March 14
The central government has decided to treat COVID-19 as a notified disaster for the purpose of providing assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
14:59 March 14
Goa CM Pramod Sawant said: "All schools, colleges, casinos, boat cruises, and disco clubs closed till 31st March in the state. However, Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) & Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) exams will be conducted as per schedule."
All malls, restaurants, and hotels will remain open.
14:57 March 14
Six people are in isolation in hospital while 1,977 are under home surveillance among the 2,56,682 people screened in West Bengal since the global outbreak of coronavirus. No one has tested positive for the fatal disease in the state so far, according to a health department official.
Of the half-a-dozen patients hospitalised with suspected coronavirus symptoms, four -- three Indians and a Peru national -- have been kept at the state's referral health facility for infectious diseases ID Hospital Beliaghata.
An Italian couple and a Thai national were released from hospital on Friday after their samples tested negative, a hospital official said.
A total of 68,761 persons have been screened at Kolkata and Bagdogra airports, while 184,153 others underwent screening at seven Land Border Check Points along Nepal and Bangladesh, the official said.
Also 3,768 crew members of ships have been screened in three ports.
14:56 March 14
Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said COVID-19 is not just a health crisis but is going to cause the most dangerous economic crisis in the world, urging the GST Council to discuss and take steps to avoid system failure.
"Corona is not only a health crisis. It's going to be (the) most dangerous economic crisis (the) world is going to face. The crisis would result in job losses at large scale and revenue deficits in government. I demanded (the) GST council should discuss this and act in advance before the systems fail," Sisodia tweeted.
The 39th GST Council meeting was scheduled to be held on Saturday.
14:55 March 14
The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Saturday suspended all classes, including sessional tests, till March 22 as a precautionary measure in view of novel coronavirus threat.
"During a special meeting of top university officials presided over by Vice Chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor, it was decided today that all conferences, workshops, educational tours and sports programmes have been postponed till March 31," AMU spokesperson Omar Peerzada told media.
The spokesperson, however, announced that "all examinations of the university and schools will be held as per schedule".
He said students may consult teachers via e-mail for help (if required).
Off-campus centres of AMU in West Bengal, Bihar and Kerala will follow directives of the respective state, the spokesperson said.
13:30 March 14
A woman was tested positive of coronavirus in Indra Nagar of Lucknow. She earlier came in contact with COVID-19 female doctor patient.
The patient has been kept in isolation ward.
13:29 March 14
Another case of coronavirus was confirmed in Telangana on Saturday taking the total number of those infected to two, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said here.
The patient with travel history to Italy has been admitted to the state-run Gandhi hospital in the city for quarantine purpose, Rao told the assembly.
The samples of two others with suspected symptoms of the virus have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, he said.
13:26 March 14
The son of 68-year-old woman who died yesterday due to coronavirus, is in critical condition.
He is admitted in isolation ward of Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.
He recently returned Italy and was earlier tested positive.
13:15 March 14
One-year-old child reportedly suspected of coronavirus is kept in isolation ward of a hospital in Fatehabad.
The child showcased symptoms of cough and cold.
The kid had a travel history of visiting Italy with her parents.
13:09 March 14
Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur said: "All government, private colleges & schools, Anganwadi centers and play-way schools in the State to be closed till March 31, due to Coronavirus."
13:08 March 14
Statewide celebrations that were scheduled to be held in Uttarakhand on March 18 to mark the completion of BJP government's three years in office have been postponed in view of the coronavirus threat.
As coronavirus has become a pandemic and gradually acquiring proportions of a global crisis, celebrations planned to be held in all assembly constituencies of the state on March 18 are being postponed till further orders, Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said in a letter to all district magistrates on Friday.
However, there has been no confirmed case of novel coronavirus in Uttarakhand so far.
13:07 March 14
After ordering closure of all educational institutions in the state till March 31, the Punjab government is likely to shut down cinema halls, restaurants and clubs till the end of this month amid coronavirus scare.
Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the government is contemplating to take this step keeping public health in view.
"Keeping public health in view, we are contemplating closure of cinemas, restaurants, gyms, clubs till March 31. Besides, we are also thinking to impose ban till the end of this month on all such public functions which attract big crowds," Sidhu told PTI over phone.
In the wake of coronavirus scare, the Punjab government on Friday ordered closure of all universities, colleges and school till March 31.
13:05 March 14
Spain will be in a state of emergency for the next 15 days.
Italy, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Bulgaria also declared a state of emergency over coronavirus.
13:02 March 14
The West Bengal government has sealed the state's border with Bhutan in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Saturday.
The West Bengal Police, which mans the border gate on the Indian side in Jaigaon in Alipurduar district, stopped the movement of goods and travellers from India to Bhutan on Friday evening, the official said.
The move comes after Bhutan recently issued a notification to the Alipurduar district administration informing it about a halt in tourist and business activities in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, he said.
The Himalayan kingdom had earlier this month banned the entry of foreigners after an American tourist tested positive for the coronavirus.
12:29 March 14
Malls in Bengaluru have been closed amid COVID-19 pandemic.
All malls, theaters, night clubs, pubs, and swimming pools will remain closed for the next week in the state.
12:06 March 14
Twenty one passengers, who were stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy, were brought here on Saturday following which they were shifted to Aluva hospital for investigation, airport sources said.
Several Indian passengers have been stuck in the European nation, despite having confirmed tickets.
This was after Italian authorities and Emirates airlines refused to take them following a ciruclar issued by the DGCA stipulating that people travelling from Italy or South Korea and desirous of entering India should obtain certificates of having tested negative for COVID-19 from those countries.
"Where are we supposed to go?," a woman, stranded at an airport in Italy, after having booked tickets to Kerala was heard asking in a video that has gone viral.
Many passengers like her were heard making desperate pleas for being airlifted to their home state- Kerala.
".. we have come from Kerala to work here in Italy. We are expatriates... we have left our jobs and homes... You tell us what we are supposed to do? Where will we go other than our state?" another woman passenger asked in the video.
12:05 March 14
Special isolation ward has been set up in railway hospital at Karbighiya end of Patna junction as precautionary measure for Coronavirus.
Dr Shyamal Das says,"It is 10-bedded ward with all necessary medical equipment.A nodal officer has been appointed&a control room set up".
11:32 March 14
The Infosys in Bengaluru has evacuated one of its satellite office buildings following reports of its employee coming in contact with a suspected coronavirus patient.
The development comes after the Karnataka government advised IT and other professionals working in air-conditioned places to work from home for time being, for about a week, to prevent the spread of the virus.
An internal communication from the office here read, "We have received information about a situation of a team member from the IIPM building, who may have been in proximity to an individual with suspected COVID-19."
"We have evacuated the IIPM building as a precautionary measure," a company official told media on Saturday adding the place was being sanitised.
The Infosys management has requested its employees to stay calm as it was only to ensure that they were "cautious and better prepared."
Three of the six confirmed coronavirus patients in Karnataka are working in the IT sector.
11:32 March 14
The Rajasthan government on Saturday ordered educational institutions, coaching centers, gyms and cinema halls to remain closed till 30th March, as a precautionary measure amid coronavirus pandemic.
And the Board examinations that are already underway in the state will be held as per schedule informed the chief minister's office on Saturday.
The development comes after 82 confirmed cases of coronavirus and two deaths related to the lethal infection have been reported in the country.
Several states, including Delhi, Chhatisgarh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, have already shut down schools amid the COVID-19 threat.
Coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,20,000 people.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic and Europe as its epicentre with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.
11:29 March 14
10:55 March 14
COVID-19 suspects escaped from isolation ward of Mayo Hospital of Nagpur.
Nagpur police station Sub-Inspector S Suryavanshi said: "One of them had tested negative, reports of other 4 were awaited. We have traced them and they will be brought back to hospital by the administration"
10:50 March 14
he number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 83 on Saturday, which includes one death each from Delhi and Karnataka, the Union Health Ministry said.
While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia died on Thursday, a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for coronavirus passed away at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Friday night.
The woman, whose son with a travel history abroad had tested positive, died because of co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), the health ministry said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19.
Delhi has reported seven positive cases and Uttar Pradesh 11 so far. Karnataka has six coronavirus patients while Maharashtra 14 and Ladakh three.
Besides, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each.
Kerala has recorded 19 cases, including three patients who were discharged last month after they recovered from the contagious infection with flu-like symptoms.
The total number of 83 confirmed cases includes 17 foreigners -- 16 Italian tourists and a Canadian, the ministry officials said.
10:49 March 14
Tihar Jail official said: "An isolation ward has been set up at the jail. All inmates have been checked & not displayed symptoms, new inmates are being screened & will be kept in different wards for 3 days. Around 17,500 inmates are lodged at the jail currently."
10:45 March 14
With two more persons testing positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, the number of infected individuals in the state has gone up to 19, a health
department official said on Saturday.
One of the two new patients is from Ahmednagar city, the official said. However, he did not specify the location of the other patient.
"Till Friday evening, the number of persons who tested positive for coronavirus was 17. The test reports of two more persons came late at night. As they were found positive, the count of infected persons in the state now stands at 19," the official told reporter.
"One of them is from Ahmednagar city. He had recently returned from Dubai and shown symptoms similar to coronavirus infection," he said.
"His blood sample was sent for testing, which confirmed the infection late last night," he added.
Ten of the coronavirus positive cases in the state are in Pune, three each in Mumbai and Nagpur, and one in Thane.
10:45 March 14
The annual meet of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the highest decision making body of RSS, which was scheduled to start from Sunday was cancelled in view of the coronavirus scare.
Around 1,500 members were supposed to attend the meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from March 15 to 17.
"In viewof the seriousness of the pandemic COVID19 and in the light of instructions and advisories issued by the union government and the state governments, the ABPS meeting scheduled in Benglauru has been suspended," RSS Sarkaryavah Suresh Joshi said in a statement on Saturday.
He asked the RSS workers to cooperate with the administration to create awareness among public and to face the challenge successfully.
BJP national president J P Nadda, presidents and other state office bearers of 35 parivar organisations like VHP, ABVP and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh were to participate in the meet, which RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Suresh Joshi were to address.
10:36 March 14
All movie theaters, gyms, swimming pools and public gardens in Nagpur are closed till 30th March, as a preventive measure against coronavirus.
07:55 March 14
New Delhi: The government will send an Air India flight to Milan on Saturday to bring back around 200-250 Indians stranded in the Italian city due to the coronavirus outbreak there, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said.
"GoI will send an Air India flight tomorrow afternoon to evacuate Indians stuck in Milan due to #Covid19. We expect to bring back around 200-250 passengers by this flight," Muraleedharan said in a tweet on Friday.
A senior Civil Aviation official said the flight would take off around noon or 1 pm and it will land on Sunday morning at 7.45 am at the Delhi airport.
The coronavirus outbreak, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday, has led to more than 4,000 deaths globally.
The government on Wednesday suspended all visas, barring a few categories like diplomatic and employment, in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus. COVID-19 cases across India have risen to more than 80.
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