03:49 March 17
Director General of Medical Services (Army), Lieutenant General RS Grewal informed that quarantine facilities have been set up in Jaisalmer, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gorakhpur, Chennai, Surat, Jhansi, Jodhpur and other places with the help of Navy & Air Force.
These facilities have been set up keeping in mind the rising number of COVID-19 patients in the country.
03:43 March 17
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is providing hand sanitizers to devotees visiting Golden Temple (Sri Harimandir Sahib).
03:38 March 17
00:46 March 17
Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake. #PIBFactCheck: There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease. pic.twitter.com/OhlhGc33xf
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 16, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake. #PIBFactCheck: There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease. pic.twitter.com/OhlhGc33xf
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 16, 2020
Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake. #PIBFactCheck: There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease. pic.twitter.com/OhlhGc33xf
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 16, 2020
New Delhi: There is no evidence that avoiding ice-creams could help in preventing the onset of coronavirus (Covid-19), the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a tweet on Monday.
The tweet was posted by PIB Fact Check, the official Twitter handle of PIB, which counters misinformation on government policies. The tweet is aimed to debunk rumours being spread through social media advising people to avoid ice-cream to prevent coronavirus.
"Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice-creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake," the PIB Fact Check tweet read.
"There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease," it added.
The clarification came after a post went viral on social media saying, "Do not eat cold foods for any reason. Avoid stuff like ice-cream."
Earlier in the day, PIB Fact Check had said that a message saying "drinking and gargling with warm water mixed with vinegar and salt cannot help ward off coronavirus" was misleading.
The viral message had claimed that before reaching the lungs of humans, coronavirus remains in the throat for four days, leading to cough and throat pain in an affected person.
"Drinking lots of water and gargling with warm water with vinegar or salt might eliminate the virus," the viral message said, asking the recipients to spread the information.
"This is fake news circulating on social media and WhatsApp," PIB Fact Check said, advising people to refer to the Health Ministry's website to obtain correct and authentic information.
00:42 March 17
The Himachal Pradesh Health & Family Welfare Department has barred entry into large places of religious worship till further orders.
"Rituals as per established practice will be performed & if possible webcasting of the same may be done by management," officials at the department said.
23:44 March 16
Federation of Trade Association of Pune has decided to close the trade market/shops for next 3 days (17,18 and 19 March), in the wake of Coronavirus. This will exclude the daily essentials and medicines shops.
23:40 March 16
Directorate of Health Services, Uttarakhand said that a total of 32 samples have been collected for COVID-19 testing till date. Result of 23 samples received, 22 are negative and 1 is positive. Result of 9 samples is awaited.
23:40 March 16
Karnataka Minister for Medical Education said that two more cases of COVID-19 confirmed in state. Two people, one in Kalburgi & another in Bengaluru tested positive. Both patients quarantined&treated at isolation facilities. Total 8 Coronavirus positive cases have been reported in the state so far
23:37 March 16
Devotees at Vaishno Devi are being checked with thermometer guns at the entry gate in Jammu & Kashmir. Shrine Board had yesterday issued an advisory to NRIs/ foreigners&other visitors to not to visit Shrine for 28 days after landing in India as a precautionary measure. #Coronavirus.
23:34 March 16
Rajesh Tope, Maharashtra Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare said that those who have undergone 100% home quarantine, should be marked with instruction on their left hand with indelible ink, so that that this person can be identified in the community.
23:00 March 16
IT company Wipro on Monday said it has advised employees to work from home, if feasible depending upon their job responsibilities, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Wipro said safety, health and wellbeing of our employees are of paramount importance and over the past several weeks, it has taken a series of preventive measures to protect our employees from the coronavirus outbreak.
"Given the evolving situation, beginning Monday, March 16, we have advised our employees to work from home wherever feasible and if their role allows them to do so. Wipro offices will remain open. Our global environment, health and safety (EHS) and crisis management teams will continue to assess the situation, review these measures after a week and decide the future course of action," Wipro said in a statement.
22:54 March 16
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Mgmt Committee (DSGMC) president said that People who are preparing Langar are advised on how to de-infect themselves before entering the premises. No foreigner is allowed who had not been in India from last 15 days. No food is allowed to be served outside the Gurudwara premises.
DSGMC pres says, "Every Sewadar has to wash hands for at least 20 sec before entering the premises, every portion of Gurudwara is de-infected especially the railings"
22:32 March 16
Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Jammu & Kashmir informed that one more case, with travel history to Saudi Arabia, confirmed positive. Had reported high viral load earlier. Total 3 positive cases now in the union territory.
22:31 March 16
The government on Monday prohibited the entry of passengers from European countries and Turkey as a precautionary measure from March 18 to 31.
The government also announced to expand the minimum quarantine for people travelling to India from UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.
Addressing a press conference here, Ministry of Health Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said, "As a precautionary measure, we are expanding compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days for passengers coming from or transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait."
He said the decision will come into effect from March 18 1200 GMT, at the port of first departure.
22:26 March 16
Public Health Department of Maharashtra said that two cases of COVID-19 found in the state today, one each at Yavatmal and Navi Mumbai. This has taken the total number of cases in the state to 39.
A 51-year-old woman from Yavatmal is mother of a Pune based COVID-19 positive IT professional who is from the Dubai travelers' group. She herself was part of that group. The second positive case today is a citizen of Philippines and had come to Navi Mumbai.
22:21 March 16
Himachal Pradesh, Health Department said that as of today, 588 persons in the state are under surveillance, who have history of travel to COVID-19 affected countries. Eight suspected COVID-19 was investigated in which seven samples were found negative and one sample is awaited.
22:17 March 16
29 passenger resulted negative, discharged
Health Department of Haryana said that 35 passengers with travel history from affected countries were admitted out of which 29 discharged as their result is negative, they're still under surveillance at home. Till date, 66 samples sent, out of which 54 found negative & result of 12 is awaited.
21:11 March 16
Prime Minister's Office said that due to COVID19, the events planned for March 17 in Bangladesh will be without any public gatherings.
PM Narendra Modi shall participate in the 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations of ‘Jatir Pita’ Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Bangladesh tomorrow via video conferencing.
21:03 March 16
Three persons have been arrested on charges of spreading misinformation on social media platforms that one person died of Coronavirus in Telangana's Yadadri. They have been sent to judicial remand. Further investigation is underway.
20:54 March 16
Ministry of Health ordered that all educational establishments (schools, universities etc), gyms, museums, cultural and social centers, swimming pools and theaters to remain closed till March 31. Students should be advised to stay at home. Online education to be promoted.
Ministry of Health suggested that non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, Trains & flights to maximize social distancing in public transport besides ensuring regular & proper disinfection of surfaces.
20:52 March 16
Dharma Productions announced that in view of the epidemic spread of the COVID-19 virus throughout the world, including India, they have suspended all administrative and production work until further notice.
20:49 March 16
The poultry industry of Pune has been badly affected by the coronavirus.
Poultry owners are being forced to sell chickens at a throwaway price, as the demand has sunk like anything with people fearing of contracting the infection
Farmers have reported that the price of a single chicken, which is used to be nearly Rs 140-150, is now being sold for Rs 15-20 each.
According to aggrieved farmers, the process of raising a baby chicken to its mature stage alone costs them around Rs 130. In this situation, selling them at such low prices is causing heavy losses.
20:33 March 16
Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu said that Arunachal has closed its door to tourists temporarily to prevent the possibility of the spread of COVID-19 in our state. Earlier the state had restricted the entry of foreigners in the state.
20:31 March 16
Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said that all the national monuments and museums under Archaeological Survey of India to remain closed till 31st March.
20:26 March 16
One more new case of COVID_19 positive reported today. COVID-19 cases in karnataka has increased to 8.
"A 32-year-old techie from Bengaluru has been tested positive for COVID19 today. He is the friend of techie who had returned from USA via London on March 8 also have corona positive. A 32-year-old techie was on home quarantine, now admitted in isolation facility," Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar said.
He further said that his wife and workman, identified as Primary Contact. Complete details willbe given tomorrow.
19:45 March 16
Three more positive cases have been reported in Kerala. The number of positive cases now reaches 24. The total positive cases toll reach 24 in the state. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that 'Break the Chain' campaign launched by State Health Minister to spread awareness & urge people to use sanitizers has been well received by the people. Sanitisers will be made available in all offices. Private offices should also implement it.
A total of 12,740 people are under observation, of which 12,470 are under home quarantine and 270 are admitted in hospital. 72 new patients today.
19:33 March 16
Govt prohibits entry of passengers from EU, Turkey, UK from Mar 18
New Delhi: With the cases of the coronavirus swelling in the country, the government on Monday prohibited entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31.
The Union health ministry also said four new coronavirus cases -- one each from Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Kerala, have been reported, taking the total number of cases to 114 on Monday. These cases, include 10 discharged, three cured and two reported deaths.
19:31 March 16
Goa pvt hospitals to get isolation wards, says Rane
Panaji: Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said isolation wards would be set up in the state's private hospitals to combat the novel coronavirus threat.
The coastal state, a tourist haven, has no Covid-19 patient as yet, and samples of 19 people tested for suspected exposure had returned negative while one report was awaited.
19:15 March 16
No plan to lock down any city: Maha CM on coronavirus scare
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the state government has no plans to enforce a lockdown of any city in view of the coronavirus situation, but asked people to avoid thronging temples, mosques, churches and other public spaces.
The government has also decided to postpone all ongoing exams in the state, Thackeray told reporters at his official residence Varsha in south Mumbai.
19:12 March 16
Coronavirus suspect flees from hospital; caught after 12 hours
Mhow (MP): Panic prevailed here in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday after a woman, admitted in a hospital for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus, fled from the facility and stayed out of surveillance for about 12 hours before being caught by the police, said officials on Monday.
The 26-year-old woman, who had gone for a vacation to Indonesia last month and returned home on February 29, was admitted to government-run Mhow Civil Hospital on Friday last after she showed symptoms similar to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), hospital in-charge H R Verma told a news agency.
19:09 March 16
HC limits its functioning, few benches to take up only urgent matters
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court decided on Monday to limit its functioning due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and hold hearing of only few benches till March 20.
The high court, which had on March 13 issued various directions restricting its functioning, held an urgent meeting on Monday and passed fresh directives.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the high court's eight-judge Administrative and General Supervision Committee headed by Chief Justice D N Patel and the president and honorary secretary of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) "to contain the spread of pandemic coronavirus".
19:08 March 16
Visiting hours at hospitals suspended
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government on Monday ordered suspension of visiting hours for friends and relatives of patients at private and government hospitals to prevent crowding as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.
Secretary in-charge of Medical, Health and Medical Education Department, Pankaj Kumar Pandey wrote to all district magistrates and chief medical officers asking them to suspend the hours earmarked for visitors to meet patients at private and government hospitals in their areas.
19:01 March 16
Kamakhya temple suspends daily 'bhog', offers sanitisers to devotees
Guwahati: As a preventive measure against the spread of novel coronavirus in Assam, the Kamakhya Temple - a Tantrik Shaktipeeth - here has started providing visitors with hand sanitiser and decided to temporarily stop the daily 'bhog' (food offering) from Tuesday.
The temple of Maa Kamakhya or Kameshwari is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths across the country and it attracts a large number of devotees every day.
18:58 March 16
Bengaluru: The Indian Institute of Science here has suspended all academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities for 15 days following the coronavirus threat.
These include classes, examinations, seminars, conferences, visits and laboratory work, according to a notice issued by the institute's Registrar.
18:57 March 16
Responding to the public health advisory issued by the government of India in the wake of the COVID-19, Isha Yoga Centre has announced suspension of all programmes at all its centers around the world until further notice.
This is one of several precautionary measures that the centre, which receives thousands of visitors daily, has taken to ensure the virus does not enter its premises.
18:55 March 16
The CPI (M) on Monday appealed to the Centre to ensure that more testing centres are made available on a war footing to contain the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected 114 people in the country and over one lakh globally.
Addressing a press conference here, CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also criticised the Centre's move to withdraw its letter permitting utilisation of State Disaster Response Funds for dealing with the virus, saying it should be "reversed immediately".
18:54 March 16
Bahraich (UP): A ten-bed isolation ward has been set up at the district hospital here in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Monday.
The Union Home Ministry had on Sunday announced that all types of passenger movement would be suspended from March 15 midnight through the Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Myanmar borders, barring a few specified border checkposts.
18:53 March 16
People undergoing home quarantine for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus will be stamped on the left hand, the Maharashtra government said on Monday.
In an official release, the state government said the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and attended by district officials through video-conferencing.
18:52 March 16
No coronavirus cases were reported in the district and eight out of the 10 people screened tested negative, District Collector K Rajamani said on Monday.
Samples of a man who returned from Thailand and a woman from Qatar have been sent for testing to Chennai and the results expected soon, Rajamani told reporters here.
18:51 March 16
Authorities in Maharashtra, which has registered the highest number of coronavirus positive cases in India, have decided to close some prominent tourist and religious attractions as a precautionary measure.
The world-famous Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad, the popular Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai and the Tuljabhawani temple in Osmanabad district would remain closed in view of the coronavirus situation in the state, officials said.
18:50 March 16
A 25-year-old woman, whose husband in Bengaluru is hospitalised with coronavirus, has tested positive for COVID-19 here, three days after she fled from a hospital without informing authorities, officials said on Monday.
So far, there have been seven positive cases in the Taj city and five of the patients have recovered from the novel virus while two, including this woman, are under treatment, the Health Department officials said.
Around 20 people related to these two patients have been quarantined for observation and in order to check the spread of the virus, they added.
18:50 March 16
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday announced closure of all educational institutions in the state till April 14 as a precautionary measure in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Informing the Jharkhand Assembly about this, Soren said the shutdown will be applicable on government as well as private educational institutions, besides coaching centres and hostels, starting March 17.
He, however, said students from the poor family background will be allowed to stay in hostels with the government looking after them.
18:48 March 16
Congress veteran and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy on Monday urged the LDF government to close down state-run liquor outlets in view of the outbreak of coronavirus in the state.
"With coronavirus spreading in the state, the outlets under the state-run Beverages Corporation and Consumerfed should be closed down to avoid gathering of large number of people," he said.
18:46 March 16
Puducherry Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao on Monday said the administration has launched coordinated steps such as associating private medical colleges and universities and Revenue Department to implement measures to prevent spread of coronavirus in the Union Territory.
18:45 March 16
Civic polls in West Bengal, including for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), have been postponed "for the time being" in the wake of the novel
coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Monday.
The decision was taken at an all-party meeting called to decide the dates for the elections, State Election Commissioner Sourav Das said.
18:44 March 16
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said a round-the-clock vigil is on with help of the control room set up to monitor coronavirus threat in the state.
"The surveillance team is maintaining round-the-clock vigil and creating awareness through helpline numbers in the state to effectively deal with the spread of the virus," the UP chief minister, who inspected the state control room set up at the office of Directorate General (Health) here said.
"Corona is in stage II in the state and a detailed review would be done on March 20 after which necessary decisions will be taken," he said, adding proper attention is being paid on the advisory issued by the Centre.
18:43 March 16
The Maharashtra Raj Bhavan tour for citizens has been suspended till March 31 due to the novel coronavirus threat, an official said on Monday.
The tour of the sprawling complex, the residence of the state governor, is well patronised and 20 people are let in every day after prior booking, the official informed.
"The tour booking for April is full but we will try to adjust those who missed out on it this month," he added. It was introduced in 2015.
18:02 March 16
Former RSS ideologue K N Gonvindacharya moved the Supreme Court on Monday seeking live streaming of proceedings in view of pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19).
Govindacharya, who had earlier filed a separate petition for live streaming of day-to-day proceedings in the Ayodhya land dispute case, filed a fresh interim application in the pending petition seeking live streaming of court proceedings in view of coronavirus scare.
17:43 March 16
The domestic air passenger traffic may de-grow as much as 50 per cent up to at least June amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to a report.
With global travel bans due to the pandemic, many airlines across the world are staring at massive losses and fear going bust.
India has put a blanket ban on the entry of foreign nationals to its territory and, on March 12, suspended visas of all foreign nationals till April 15. Earlier, such a measure was limited only to the nations most affected by coronavirus.
17:43 March 16
The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) said it will hear only urgent matters and restricted courtroom access till March 27 in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The tribunal said it will sit from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm.
17:41 March 16
West Bengal to have Rs 200 crore fund to tackle coronavirus, says Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the state government will create a Rs 200 crore fund to tackle the coronavirus
outbreak, and extended the closure of all educational institutions till April 15.
17:35 March 16
8 out of 10 test negative for coronavirus, two reports awaited
Coimbatore: No coronavirus cases were reported in the district and eight out of the 10 people screened tested negative, District Collector K Rajamani said on Monday.
Results of samples of a man who returned from Thailand and a woman from Qatar have been send for testing to Chennai and expected soon, Rajamani told reporters here.
17:33 March 16
Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple has been closed for devotees due to coronavirus outbreak.
17:24 March 16
Hotels closed in popular Patnitop hill resort in J-K
As part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, the Udhampur district authorities in Jammu and Kashmir ordered immediate closure of all hotels till March 31 at the popular Patnitop hill resort.
District Magistrate Piyush Singla asked the Hotel Management Authorities of Patnitop to ensure compliance of the directive in letter and spirit.
17:22 March 16
Jubilant FoodWorks launches zero-contact delivery for Domino's Pizza
Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd (JFL), the licensee for Domino's Pizza in India, on Monday said that it has launched zero-contact delivery in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The zero-contact delivery has been introduced across all 1,325 restaurants of Domino's Pizza in India, the company said in a regulatory filing.
17:20 March 16
Closing of Kartarpur corridor due to Covid-19 temporary measure, says Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday described the suspension of the pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan as a "temporary measure" in the wake of the coronavirus scare.
Barely weeks after slashing state employees' retirement age from 60 to 58, the Punjab government on Monday extended the services of retiring government doctors and paramedical staffers till September 30 this year amid the global outbreak of coronavirus.
A formal ex-post facto approval of the decision, taken earlier by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, was given in a Cabinet meeting chaired by him. Singh also took stock of the state-wide preparedness and measures to tackle the outbreak of the deadly virus, said an official statement.
17:18 March 16
Coronavirus hits hard businesses at Varanasi 'ghats'
The poor footfall at the 'ghats' due to coronavirus scare has hit small businesses hard, leaving nearly 50,000 families in the lurch.
"Coronavirus has a major impact on the footfall at the ghats. There is a drastic decline in the visit of devotees. Due to the fear of coronavirus, only a few hundred people are visiting the ghats these days," said Brahmanand Rai, a local trader.
17:10 March 16
Westlife Development launches contactless delivery for McDonald's
Westlife Development, owner and operator of of McDonald's restaurants in west and southern India, on Monday said it has launched contactless delivery keeping in mind the coronavirus outbreak.
McDonald's India is ensuring that food reaches customers without being touched by bare hands and delivered safe with adequate social distancing measures, Westlife Development said in a regulatory filing.
17:08 March 16
Combination of two anti-HIV drugs proved crucial in Coronavirus treatment, Rajasthan official
A combination of two anti-HIV drugs has proved crucial in the treatment of coronavirus positive cases, a senior official of the Rajasthan government said.
Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said the patients' condition improved after they were administered the anti-HIV drugs.
Three of the four patients in the state have now been declared coronavirus-free.
17:00 March 16
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "All schools and colleges across West Bengal will remain closed till April 15, 2020. Cinema theatres across the state will remain shut till March 31st as precaution towards CoVID-19."
16:41 March 16
The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus rises to 114 in India.
16:37 March 16
Couple locked up in home over suspicion of coronavirus infection
Four people have been arrested for allegedly locking up a couple, who were in self-quarantine following the COVID-19 scare, in their flat in an apartment complex here, police said on Monday.
The elderly couple, who had returned from Saudi Arabia on Sunday, had undergone screening at the airport and did not have any symptoms of coronavirus, they said.
16:33 March 16
Pune cops file case for spread of false info
Pune: An unidentified person was booked on Monday by the Pune Police under various sections of the IPC and the Disaster Management Act for allegedly spreading false information regarding novel coronavirus infection.
Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad township have reported 16 cases as on Sunday, the highest in Maharashtra.
16:31 March 16
PIL in HC to list cases on appointment basis
A PIL was moved in the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking direction to the Registrar General to take steps in scheduling court hearings through appointments or distributing the case list in time slots, to prevent overcrowding in the premises in view of coronavirus pandemic.
The plea said the normal functioning of courts in Delhi commences at 10 AM and litigants and lawyers often reach the court premises around this time, leading to crowding at various points, including gate pass windows, parking, entries to the court buildings and court rooms.
16:27 March 16
Kolkata boy kept under isolation after showing coronavirus-like symptoms
Kolkata: A 19-year-old boy, who returned from Thailand on Monday, was admitted to the isolation ward of a government hospital with novel coronavirus-like symptoms, a senior official of the state health department said.
With this, the total number of patients admitted at the isolation ward of the Beliaghata ID and BG Hospital, rose to 12, he said.
16:26 March 16
Foreign tourists hit hurdles in Kerala due to coronavirus
With Kerala on high alert for coronavirus, foreign tourists visiting God's Own Country are finding it difficult to get accommodation and move around,
prompting the government to disapprove of such acts and ask people not to see every foreigner as a COVID-19 carrier.
With two people, including a UK national, testing positive for coronavirus on Sunday, the number of those affected in the state has risen to 21 as the government began a "break the chain" initiative to prevent spread of the virus.
16:22 March 16
Govt medical colleges-hospitals to act as 'war-rooms' to fight Covid-19 in Karnataka
The Karnataka government on Monday decided to create "war-rooms" in state-run medical colleges-district hospitals in its fight against COVID-19.
Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K noted that there are a total of 17 districts where there are government medical colleges attached with hospitals.
Such medical colleges-government hospitals would themselves act as "war-rooms" to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, he told reporters.
16:22 March 16
Meghalaya govt shuts schools and colleges till March 31
The Meghalaya government has ordered shutdown of schools and colleges and cancellation or postponement of major sports events till March 31 to avoid mass gatherings in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior minister said.
The order will be effective from Tuesday, he said.
Health Minister A L Hek made the announcement in a suo-motu statement in the Assembly during the Budget Session on Monday.
16:08 March 16
25 doctors among 75 SCTIMST employees placed under isolation
At least 25 doctors are among 75 employees of a premier health institute in Thiruvananthapuram, who have been kept under isolation in the wake of a Spain returned doctor testing positive for coronavirus.
Though there is no shut down, only emergency surgeries are being held at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology institute.
The Radiology department has been disinfected according to state protocol.
16:05 March 16
Exporters hit hard by coronavirus impact on global trade, seek relief
Indian exporters have urged the central government to come up with urgent relief to help the sector tide over the coronavirus-related business shutdown as trade in the country's top destinations gets paralysed.
In a submission, the Engineering Export Promotion Council has said that the Indian exporters find themselves in a state of turmoil.
The US, UAE, Germany, UK, Singapore, Italy, and China, among others, fall into the top destinations for Indian engineering exports, the largest contributors to the country's basket of merchandise exports.
16:02 March 16
CM attending large-scale wedding raises eyebrows
Belagavi: Despite his own government's order banning large gatherings in the wake of the COVID-19 scare, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa attended large-scale wedding celebrations of the daughter of a BJP MLC here.
The state government had advised putting off weddings, among other events, till the virus is contained or restricting the number of guests below 100 for a week from last Saturday.
Police sources said hundreds of guests attended the wedding event of the daughter of Mahantesh Kavatagimath, also the Government's chief whip in the Legislative Council, in this district headquarters town on Sunday.
16:02 March 16
Bengal Assembly budget session cut short over COVID-19
The Budget Session of the West Bengal Assembly will be cut short over the coronavirus scare and the House will not meet after Tuesday, Speaker Biman Banerjee said on Monday.
At an all-party meeting in the Assembly premises that was attended by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee and floor leaders of opposition parties, the speaker said the second part of the session, which commenced on Friday, will be truncated as part of the precautionary
measures being taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
15:08 March 16
BMC asks hoarding owners to display COVID-19 messages
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked all licenced hoarding owners in Mumbai to display messages till March 25, starting from Monday, on fighting the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The directive was issued by BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
Those disobeying the directive will have their hoarding licences cancelled, the directive warned. Mumbai has around 1,200 licences.
14:52 March 16
Thermal screening in Parliament complex
Thermal screening of people visiting the Parliament complex was carried out on Monday in view of the threat of coronavirus.
Staff and journalists visiting the complex were subjected to thermal screening.
Authorities have already stopped issuing passes for people interested in witnessing proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Only MPs, staff and journalists are allowed to enter Parliament from Monday.
However, it is not immediately known whether MPs were also subjected to thermal screening.
The second part of the budget session is scheduled to end on April 3.
14:46 March 16
Belur Math Stops Food Distribution For Devotees
The Belur Math, the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, from Monday stopped distribution of 'bhog' among devotees for an indefinite period as part of its precautionary steps to prevent spread of novel coronavirus.
'Bhog' is food served to devotees after prayers at a temple.
14:43 March 16
All Parks and Gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated.
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) March 16, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">All Parks and Gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated.
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) March 16, 2020
All Parks and Gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated.
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) March 16, 2020
Parks, gardens closed in Srinagar
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday announced closure of all parks and gardens in Srinagar till further orders even as a person who had recently travelled to Saudi Arabia has been put in isolation on suspicion of having contracted the coronavirus.
"All parks and gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated," Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary said in a tweet.
14:42 March 16
Assam orders shutting of protected areas in the view of coronavirus outbreak
The Assam government on Monday ordered shutting of protected areas in the state in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said.
A notification issued by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden M K Yadava said that mass gatherings in protected areas like tiger reserves, national parks and sanctuaries may be avoided till COVID-19 is contained.
The tiger reserves, national parks and sanctuaries shall remain closed from March 17 to March 29 while the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden in Guwahati will remain out of bounds for visitors with immediate effect till March 29, the order said.
14:26 March 16
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, "All gyms, night clubs, spas to be closed till March 31st. Any gathering with more than 50 persons excluding weddings will not be allowed. For weddings also, we request if they can be postponed then please do so."
14:04 March 16
CPI-M MP asks airlines, rail not to levy cancellation charges
A Rajya Sabha MP on Monday asked the government to instruct airlines and Indian Railways not to levy cancellation charges on tickets as people alter travel plans due to spread of coronavirus.
During Zero Hour, several MPs also suggested people should follow simple preventive measures like washing of hands to check the spread of the virus.
AIADMK MP S SR Balasubramaniam also suggested that the ongoing Budget session of Parliament could be curtailed.
Raising the issue in the Upper House, Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M) said several states have closed educational institutions and other places to check the spread of coronavirus.
13:59 March 16
Senior Coaching Depot Officer Jitendra Rai said, "Blankets and curtains from trains are being removed by the Indian Railways for sanitization. Blanket sanitizer sanitizes 1200 blankets per day at 40-degree temp using naphthalene balls."
13:56 March 16
Supreme Court issued notice to all chief secretaries and jail superintendents and asked them to respond to why orders should not be passed to deal with COVID-19 in prisons.
The Apex Court observed that as there is a lot of overcrowding in jails, it wants to know about the present situation in jails.
13:51 March 16
No perceptible dip in footfall at Alipur Zoological Gardens
Although there has not been any perceptible drop in footfall at the Alipore Zoological Gardens here due to concerns about novel coronavirus, precautionary measures are being taken at the zoo to prevent transmission of the disease, a senior official said.
An estimated 90,000 people visited the zoo in February while several thousand visitors came on Sunday, Director Asis Kumar Samanta said on Monday.
When asked if there has been a decline in the number of visitors to the zoo, one of the prime attractions in the city, Samanta said, "We have not seen any dip."
13:32 March 16
COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES
Mumbai: With five new cases detected on Monday, the number of coronavirus patients touched 38 in Maharashtra -- the highest in India.
Three members of a family in Mumbai have tested positive. One person from Navi Mumbai who returned from a foreign trip, while one from Yavatmal who came from a visit to Dubai, have also tested Covid-19 positive.
With these new cases, the breakup of affected patients spread across the state is -- Mumbai (eight cases), Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad (16), Nagpur (4), Navi Mumbai (2), Yavatmal (3), plus Thane, Kalyan, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Raigad (1 each).
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday ordered a partial shutdown of the state including all schools, colleges, malls, theatres, cinemas, swimming pools, gyms, etc till March 31 as a precautionary measure.
Besides, all public, private, religious or social events, functions, gatherings have been cancelled or curtailed as a preventive measure to avoid overcrowding and spread the pandemic.
Maharashtra now has the highest number of Covid-19 positive cases, but health officials have assured that the condition of all under treatment is stable.
03:49 March 17
Director General of Medical Services (Army), Lieutenant General RS Grewal informed that quarantine facilities have been set up in Jaisalmer, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gorakhpur, Chennai, Surat, Jhansi, Jodhpur and other places with the help of Navy & Air Force.
These facilities have been set up keeping in mind the rising number of COVID-19 patients in the country.
03:43 March 17
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is providing hand sanitizers to devotees visiting Golden Temple (Sri Harimandir Sahib).
03:38 March 17
00:46 March 17
Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake. #PIBFactCheck: There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease. pic.twitter.com/OhlhGc33xf
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 16, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake. #PIBFactCheck: There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease. pic.twitter.com/OhlhGc33xf
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 16, 2020
Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake. #PIBFactCheck: There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease. pic.twitter.com/OhlhGc33xf
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 16, 2020
New Delhi: There is no evidence that avoiding ice-creams could help in preventing the onset of coronavirus (Covid-19), the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a tweet on Monday.
The tweet was posted by PIB Fact Check, the official Twitter handle of PIB, which counters misinformation on government policies. The tweet is aimed to debunk rumours being spread through social media advising people to avoid ice-cream to prevent coronavirus.
"Another misinformation urging people to avoid ice-creams to prevent #Coronavirus is #Fake," the PIB Fact Check tweet read.
"There is no evidence from the current #CoronavirusOutbreak which states that avoiding ice cream can help prevent the onset of the disease," it added.
The clarification came after a post went viral on social media saying, "Do not eat cold foods for any reason. Avoid stuff like ice-cream."
Earlier in the day, PIB Fact Check had said that a message saying "drinking and gargling with warm water mixed with vinegar and salt cannot help ward off coronavirus" was misleading.
The viral message had claimed that before reaching the lungs of humans, coronavirus remains in the throat for four days, leading to cough and throat pain in an affected person.
"Drinking lots of water and gargling with warm water with vinegar or salt might eliminate the virus," the viral message said, asking the recipients to spread the information.
"This is fake news circulating on social media and WhatsApp," PIB Fact Check said, advising people to refer to the Health Ministry's website to obtain correct and authentic information.
00:42 March 17
The Himachal Pradesh Health & Family Welfare Department has barred entry into large places of religious worship till further orders.
"Rituals as per established practice will be performed & if possible webcasting of the same may be done by management," officials at the department said.
23:44 March 16
Federation of Trade Association of Pune has decided to close the trade market/shops for next 3 days (17,18 and 19 March), in the wake of Coronavirus. This will exclude the daily essentials and medicines shops.
23:40 March 16
Directorate of Health Services, Uttarakhand said that a total of 32 samples have been collected for COVID-19 testing till date. Result of 23 samples received, 22 are negative and 1 is positive. Result of 9 samples is awaited.
23:40 March 16
Karnataka Minister for Medical Education said that two more cases of COVID-19 confirmed in state. Two people, one in Kalburgi & another in Bengaluru tested positive. Both patients quarantined&treated at isolation facilities. Total 8 Coronavirus positive cases have been reported in the state so far
23:37 March 16
Devotees at Vaishno Devi are being checked with thermometer guns at the entry gate in Jammu & Kashmir. Shrine Board had yesterday issued an advisory to NRIs/ foreigners&other visitors to not to visit Shrine for 28 days after landing in India as a precautionary measure. #Coronavirus.
23:34 March 16
Rajesh Tope, Maharashtra Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare said that those who have undergone 100% home quarantine, should be marked with instruction on their left hand with indelible ink, so that that this person can be identified in the community.
23:00 March 16
IT company Wipro on Monday said it has advised employees to work from home, if feasible depending upon their job responsibilities, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Wipro said safety, health and wellbeing of our employees are of paramount importance and over the past several weeks, it has taken a series of preventive measures to protect our employees from the coronavirus outbreak.
"Given the evolving situation, beginning Monday, March 16, we have advised our employees to work from home wherever feasible and if their role allows them to do so. Wipro offices will remain open. Our global environment, health and safety (EHS) and crisis management teams will continue to assess the situation, review these measures after a week and decide the future course of action," Wipro said in a statement.
22:54 March 16
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Mgmt Committee (DSGMC) president said that People who are preparing Langar are advised on how to de-infect themselves before entering the premises. No foreigner is allowed who had not been in India from last 15 days. No food is allowed to be served outside the Gurudwara premises.
DSGMC pres says, "Every Sewadar has to wash hands for at least 20 sec before entering the premises, every portion of Gurudwara is de-infected especially the railings"
22:32 March 16
Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Planning, Jammu & Kashmir informed that one more case, with travel history to Saudi Arabia, confirmed positive. Had reported high viral load earlier. Total 3 positive cases now in the union territory.
22:31 March 16
The government on Monday prohibited the entry of passengers from European countries and Turkey as a precautionary measure from March 18 to 31.
The government also announced to expand the minimum quarantine for people travelling to India from UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.
Addressing a press conference here, Ministry of Health Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said, "As a precautionary measure, we are expanding compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days for passengers coming from or transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait."
He said the decision will come into effect from March 18 1200 GMT, at the port of first departure.
22:26 March 16
Public Health Department of Maharashtra said that two cases of COVID-19 found in the state today, one each at Yavatmal and Navi Mumbai. This has taken the total number of cases in the state to 39.
A 51-year-old woman from Yavatmal is mother of a Pune based COVID-19 positive IT professional who is from the Dubai travelers' group. She herself was part of that group. The second positive case today is a citizen of Philippines and had come to Navi Mumbai.
22:21 March 16
Himachal Pradesh, Health Department said that as of today, 588 persons in the state are under surveillance, who have history of travel to COVID-19 affected countries. Eight suspected COVID-19 was investigated in which seven samples were found negative and one sample is awaited.
22:17 March 16
29 passenger resulted negative, discharged
Health Department of Haryana said that 35 passengers with travel history from affected countries were admitted out of which 29 discharged as their result is negative, they're still under surveillance at home. Till date, 66 samples sent, out of which 54 found negative & result of 12 is awaited.
21:11 March 16
Prime Minister's Office said that due to COVID19, the events planned for March 17 in Bangladesh will be without any public gatherings.
PM Narendra Modi shall participate in the 100th Birth Anniversary celebrations of ‘Jatir Pita’ Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Bangladesh tomorrow via video conferencing.
21:03 March 16
Three persons have been arrested on charges of spreading misinformation on social media platforms that one person died of Coronavirus in Telangana's Yadadri. They have been sent to judicial remand. Further investigation is underway.
20:54 March 16
Ministry of Health ordered that all educational establishments (schools, universities etc), gyms, museums, cultural and social centers, swimming pools and theaters to remain closed till March 31. Students should be advised to stay at home. Online education to be promoted.
Ministry of Health suggested that non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, Trains & flights to maximize social distancing in public transport besides ensuring regular & proper disinfection of surfaces.
20:52 March 16
Dharma Productions announced that in view of the epidemic spread of the COVID-19 virus throughout the world, including India, they have suspended all administrative and production work until further notice.
20:49 March 16
The poultry industry of Pune has been badly affected by the coronavirus.
Poultry owners are being forced to sell chickens at a throwaway price, as the demand has sunk like anything with people fearing of contracting the infection
Farmers have reported that the price of a single chicken, which is used to be nearly Rs 140-150, is now being sold for Rs 15-20 each.
According to aggrieved farmers, the process of raising a baby chicken to its mature stage alone costs them around Rs 130. In this situation, selling them at such low prices is causing heavy losses.
20:33 March 16
Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu said that Arunachal has closed its door to tourists temporarily to prevent the possibility of the spread of COVID-19 in our state. Earlier the state had restricted the entry of foreigners in the state.
20:31 March 16
Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said that all the national monuments and museums under Archaeological Survey of India to remain closed till 31st March.
20:26 March 16
One more new case of COVID_19 positive reported today. COVID-19 cases in karnataka has increased to 8.
"A 32-year-old techie from Bengaluru has been tested positive for COVID19 today. He is the friend of techie who had returned from USA via London on March 8 also have corona positive. A 32-year-old techie was on home quarantine, now admitted in isolation facility," Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar said.
He further said that his wife and workman, identified as Primary Contact. Complete details willbe given tomorrow.
19:45 March 16
Three more positive cases have been reported in Kerala. The number of positive cases now reaches 24. The total positive cases toll reach 24 in the state. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that 'Break the Chain' campaign launched by State Health Minister to spread awareness & urge people to use sanitizers has been well received by the people. Sanitisers will be made available in all offices. Private offices should also implement it.
A total of 12,740 people are under observation, of which 12,470 are under home quarantine and 270 are admitted in hospital. 72 new patients today.
19:33 March 16
Govt prohibits entry of passengers from EU, Turkey, UK from Mar 18
New Delhi: With the cases of the coronavirus swelling in the country, the government on Monday prohibited entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31.
The Union health ministry also said four new coronavirus cases -- one each from Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Kerala, have been reported, taking the total number of cases to 114 on Monday. These cases, include 10 discharged, three cured and two reported deaths.
19:31 March 16
Goa pvt hospitals to get isolation wards, says Rane
Panaji: Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said isolation wards would be set up in the state's private hospitals to combat the novel coronavirus threat.
The coastal state, a tourist haven, has no Covid-19 patient as yet, and samples of 19 people tested for suspected exposure had returned negative while one report was awaited.
19:15 March 16
No plan to lock down any city: Maha CM on coronavirus scare
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the state government has no plans to enforce a lockdown of any city in view of the coronavirus situation, but asked people to avoid thronging temples, mosques, churches and other public spaces.
The government has also decided to postpone all ongoing exams in the state, Thackeray told reporters at his official residence Varsha in south Mumbai.
19:12 March 16
Coronavirus suspect flees from hospital; caught after 12 hours
Mhow (MP): Panic prevailed here in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday after a woman, admitted in a hospital for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus, fled from the facility and stayed out of surveillance for about 12 hours before being caught by the police, said officials on Monday.
The 26-year-old woman, who had gone for a vacation to Indonesia last month and returned home on February 29, was admitted to government-run Mhow Civil Hospital on Friday last after she showed symptoms similar to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), hospital in-charge H R Verma told a news agency.
19:09 March 16
HC limits its functioning, few benches to take up only urgent matters
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court decided on Monday to limit its functioning due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and hold hearing of only few benches till March 20.
The high court, which had on March 13 issued various directions restricting its functioning, held an urgent meeting on Monday and passed fresh directives.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the high court's eight-judge Administrative and General Supervision Committee headed by Chief Justice D N Patel and the president and honorary secretary of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) "to contain the spread of pandemic coronavirus".
19:08 March 16
Visiting hours at hospitals suspended
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government on Monday ordered suspension of visiting hours for friends and relatives of patients at private and government hospitals to prevent crowding as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.
Secretary in-charge of Medical, Health and Medical Education Department, Pankaj Kumar Pandey wrote to all district magistrates and chief medical officers asking them to suspend the hours earmarked for visitors to meet patients at private and government hospitals in their areas.
19:01 March 16
Kamakhya temple suspends daily 'bhog', offers sanitisers to devotees
Guwahati: As a preventive measure against the spread of novel coronavirus in Assam, the Kamakhya Temple - a Tantrik Shaktipeeth - here has started providing visitors with hand sanitiser and decided to temporarily stop the daily 'bhog' (food offering) from Tuesday.
The temple of Maa Kamakhya or Kameshwari is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths across the country and it attracts a large number of devotees every day.
18:58 March 16
Bengaluru: The Indian Institute of Science here has suspended all academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities for 15 days following the coronavirus threat.
These include classes, examinations, seminars, conferences, visits and laboratory work, according to a notice issued by the institute's Registrar.
18:57 March 16
Responding to the public health advisory issued by the government of India in the wake of the COVID-19, Isha Yoga Centre has announced suspension of all programmes at all its centers around the world until further notice.
This is one of several precautionary measures that the centre, which receives thousands of visitors daily, has taken to ensure the virus does not enter its premises.
18:55 March 16
The CPI (M) on Monday appealed to the Centre to ensure that more testing centres are made available on a war footing to contain the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected 114 people in the country and over one lakh globally.
Addressing a press conference here, CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also criticised the Centre's move to withdraw its letter permitting utilisation of State Disaster Response Funds for dealing with the virus, saying it should be "reversed immediately".
18:54 March 16
Bahraich (UP): A ten-bed isolation ward has been set up at the district hospital here in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Monday.
The Union Home Ministry had on Sunday announced that all types of passenger movement would be suspended from March 15 midnight through the Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Myanmar borders, barring a few specified border checkposts.
18:53 March 16
People undergoing home quarantine for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus will be stamped on the left hand, the Maharashtra government said on Monday.
In an official release, the state government said the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and attended by district officials through video-conferencing.
18:52 March 16
No coronavirus cases were reported in the district and eight out of the 10 people screened tested negative, District Collector K Rajamani said on Monday.
Samples of a man who returned from Thailand and a woman from Qatar have been sent for testing to Chennai and the results expected soon, Rajamani told reporters here.
18:51 March 16
Authorities in Maharashtra, which has registered the highest number of coronavirus positive cases in India, have decided to close some prominent tourist and religious attractions as a precautionary measure.
The world-famous Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad, the popular Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai and the Tuljabhawani temple in Osmanabad district would remain closed in view of the coronavirus situation in the state, officials said.
18:50 March 16
A 25-year-old woman, whose husband in Bengaluru is hospitalised with coronavirus, has tested positive for COVID-19 here, three days after she fled from a hospital without informing authorities, officials said on Monday.
So far, there have been seven positive cases in the Taj city and five of the patients have recovered from the novel virus while two, including this woman, are under treatment, the Health Department officials said.
Around 20 people related to these two patients have been quarantined for observation and in order to check the spread of the virus, they added.
18:50 March 16
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday announced closure of all educational institutions in the state till April 14 as a precautionary measure in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Informing the Jharkhand Assembly about this, Soren said the shutdown will be applicable on government as well as private educational institutions, besides coaching centres and hostels, starting March 17.
He, however, said students from the poor family background will be allowed to stay in hostels with the government looking after them.
18:48 March 16
Congress veteran and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy on Monday urged the LDF government to close down state-run liquor outlets in view of the outbreak of coronavirus in the state.
"With coronavirus spreading in the state, the outlets under the state-run Beverages Corporation and Consumerfed should be closed down to avoid gathering of large number of people," he said.
18:46 March 16
Puducherry Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao on Monday said the administration has launched coordinated steps such as associating private medical colleges and universities and Revenue Department to implement measures to prevent spread of coronavirus in the Union Territory.
18:45 March 16
Civic polls in West Bengal, including for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), have been postponed "for the time being" in the wake of the novel
coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Monday.
The decision was taken at an all-party meeting called to decide the dates for the elections, State Election Commissioner Sourav Das said.
18:44 March 16
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said a round-the-clock vigil is on with help of the control room set up to monitor coronavirus threat in the state.
"The surveillance team is maintaining round-the-clock vigil and creating awareness through helpline numbers in the state to effectively deal with the spread of the virus," the UP chief minister, who inspected the state control room set up at the office of Directorate General (Health) here said.
"Corona is in stage II in the state and a detailed review would be done on March 20 after which necessary decisions will be taken," he said, adding proper attention is being paid on the advisory issued by the Centre.
18:43 March 16
The Maharashtra Raj Bhavan tour for citizens has been suspended till March 31 due to the novel coronavirus threat, an official said on Monday.
The tour of the sprawling complex, the residence of the state governor, is well patronised and 20 people are let in every day after prior booking, the official informed.
"The tour booking for April is full but we will try to adjust those who missed out on it this month," he added. It was introduced in 2015.
18:02 March 16
Former RSS ideologue K N Gonvindacharya moved the Supreme Court on Monday seeking live streaming of proceedings in view of pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19).
Govindacharya, who had earlier filed a separate petition for live streaming of day-to-day proceedings in the Ayodhya land dispute case, filed a fresh interim application in the pending petition seeking live streaming of court proceedings in view of coronavirus scare.
17:43 March 16
The domestic air passenger traffic may de-grow as much as 50 per cent up to at least June amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to a report.
With global travel bans due to the pandemic, many airlines across the world are staring at massive losses and fear going bust.
India has put a blanket ban on the entry of foreign nationals to its territory and, on March 12, suspended visas of all foreign nationals till April 15. Earlier, such a measure was limited only to the nations most affected by coronavirus.
17:43 March 16
The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) said it will hear only urgent matters and restricted courtroom access till March 27 in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The tribunal said it will sit from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm.
17:41 March 16
West Bengal to have Rs 200 crore fund to tackle coronavirus, says Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the state government will create a Rs 200 crore fund to tackle the coronavirus
outbreak, and extended the closure of all educational institutions till April 15.
17:35 March 16
8 out of 10 test negative for coronavirus, two reports awaited
Coimbatore: No coronavirus cases were reported in the district and eight out of the 10 people screened tested negative, District Collector K Rajamani said on Monday.
Results of samples of a man who returned from Thailand and a woman from Qatar have been send for testing to Chennai and expected soon, Rajamani told reporters here.
17:33 March 16
Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple has been closed for devotees due to coronavirus outbreak.
17:24 March 16
Hotels closed in popular Patnitop hill resort in J-K
As part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, the Udhampur district authorities in Jammu and Kashmir ordered immediate closure of all hotels till March 31 at the popular Patnitop hill resort.
District Magistrate Piyush Singla asked the Hotel Management Authorities of Patnitop to ensure compliance of the directive in letter and spirit.
17:22 March 16
Jubilant FoodWorks launches zero-contact delivery for Domino's Pizza
Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd (JFL), the licensee for Domino's Pizza in India, on Monday said that it has launched zero-contact delivery in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The zero-contact delivery has been introduced across all 1,325 restaurants of Domino's Pizza in India, the company said in a regulatory filing.
17:20 March 16
Closing of Kartarpur corridor due to Covid-19 temporary measure, says Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday described the suspension of the pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan as a "temporary measure" in the wake of the coronavirus scare.
Barely weeks after slashing state employees' retirement age from 60 to 58, the Punjab government on Monday extended the services of retiring government doctors and paramedical staffers till September 30 this year amid the global outbreak of coronavirus.
A formal ex-post facto approval of the decision, taken earlier by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, was given in a Cabinet meeting chaired by him. Singh also took stock of the state-wide preparedness and measures to tackle the outbreak of the deadly virus, said an official statement.
17:18 March 16
Coronavirus hits hard businesses at Varanasi 'ghats'
The poor footfall at the 'ghats' due to coronavirus scare has hit small businesses hard, leaving nearly 50,000 families in the lurch.
"Coronavirus has a major impact on the footfall at the ghats. There is a drastic decline in the visit of devotees. Due to the fear of coronavirus, only a few hundred people are visiting the ghats these days," said Brahmanand Rai, a local trader.
17:10 March 16
Westlife Development launches contactless delivery for McDonald's
Westlife Development, owner and operator of of McDonald's restaurants in west and southern India, on Monday said it has launched contactless delivery keeping in mind the coronavirus outbreak.
McDonald's India is ensuring that food reaches customers without being touched by bare hands and delivered safe with adequate social distancing measures, Westlife Development said in a regulatory filing.
17:08 March 16
Combination of two anti-HIV drugs proved crucial in Coronavirus treatment, Rajasthan official
A combination of two anti-HIV drugs has proved crucial in the treatment of coronavirus positive cases, a senior official of the Rajasthan government said.
Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said the patients' condition improved after they were administered the anti-HIV drugs.
Three of the four patients in the state have now been declared coronavirus-free.
17:00 March 16
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "All schools and colleges across West Bengal will remain closed till April 15, 2020. Cinema theatres across the state will remain shut till March 31st as precaution towards CoVID-19."
16:41 March 16
The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus rises to 114 in India.
16:37 March 16
Couple locked up in home over suspicion of coronavirus infection
Four people have been arrested for allegedly locking up a couple, who were in self-quarantine following the COVID-19 scare, in their flat in an apartment complex here, police said on Monday.
The elderly couple, who had returned from Saudi Arabia on Sunday, had undergone screening at the airport and did not have any symptoms of coronavirus, they said.
16:33 March 16
Pune cops file case for spread of false info
Pune: An unidentified person was booked on Monday by the Pune Police under various sections of the IPC and the Disaster Management Act for allegedly spreading false information regarding novel coronavirus infection.
Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad township have reported 16 cases as on Sunday, the highest in Maharashtra.
16:31 March 16
PIL in HC to list cases on appointment basis
A PIL was moved in the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking direction to the Registrar General to take steps in scheduling court hearings through appointments or distributing the case list in time slots, to prevent overcrowding in the premises in view of coronavirus pandemic.
The plea said the normal functioning of courts in Delhi commences at 10 AM and litigants and lawyers often reach the court premises around this time, leading to crowding at various points, including gate pass windows, parking, entries to the court buildings and court rooms.
16:27 March 16
Kolkata boy kept under isolation after showing coronavirus-like symptoms
Kolkata: A 19-year-old boy, who returned from Thailand on Monday, was admitted to the isolation ward of a government hospital with novel coronavirus-like symptoms, a senior official of the state health department said.
With this, the total number of patients admitted at the isolation ward of the Beliaghata ID and BG Hospital, rose to 12, he said.
16:26 March 16
Foreign tourists hit hurdles in Kerala due to coronavirus
With Kerala on high alert for coronavirus, foreign tourists visiting God's Own Country are finding it difficult to get accommodation and move around,
prompting the government to disapprove of such acts and ask people not to see every foreigner as a COVID-19 carrier.
With two people, including a UK national, testing positive for coronavirus on Sunday, the number of those affected in the state has risen to 21 as the government began a "break the chain" initiative to prevent spread of the virus.
16:22 March 16
Govt medical colleges-hospitals to act as 'war-rooms' to fight Covid-19 in Karnataka
The Karnataka government on Monday decided to create "war-rooms" in state-run medical colleges-district hospitals in its fight against COVID-19.
Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K noted that there are a total of 17 districts where there are government medical colleges attached with hospitals.
Such medical colleges-government hospitals would themselves act as "war-rooms" to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, he told reporters.
16:22 March 16
Meghalaya govt shuts schools and colleges till March 31
The Meghalaya government has ordered shutdown of schools and colleges and cancellation or postponement of major sports events till March 31 to avoid mass gatherings in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior minister said.
The order will be effective from Tuesday, he said.
Health Minister A L Hek made the announcement in a suo-motu statement in the Assembly during the Budget Session on Monday.
16:08 March 16
25 doctors among 75 SCTIMST employees placed under isolation
At least 25 doctors are among 75 employees of a premier health institute in Thiruvananthapuram, who have been kept under isolation in the wake of a Spain returned doctor testing positive for coronavirus.
Though there is no shut down, only emergency surgeries are being held at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology institute.
The Radiology department has been disinfected according to state protocol.
16:05 March 16
Exporters hit hard by coronavirus impact on global trade, seek relief
Indian exporters have urged the central government to come up with urgent relief to help the sector tide over the coronavirus-related business shutdown as trade in the country's top destinations gets paralysed.
In a submission, the Engineering Export Promotion Council has said that the Indian exporters find themselves in a state of turmoil.
The US, UAE, Germany, UK, Singapore, Italy, and China, among others, fall into the top destinations for Indian engineering exports, the largest contributors to the country's basket of merchandise exports.
16:02 March 16
CM attending large-scale wedding raises eyebrows
Belagavi: Despite his own government's order banning large gatherings in the wake of the COVID-19 scare, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa attended large-scale wedding celebrations of the daughter of a BJP MLC here.
The state government had advised putting off weddings, among other events, till the virus is contained or restricting the number of guests below 100 for a week from last Saturday.
Police sources said hundreds of guests attended the wedding event of the daughter of Mahantesh Kavatagimath, also the Government's chief whip in the Legislative Council, in this district headquarters town on Sunday.
16:02 March 16
Bengal Assembly budget session cut short over COVID-19
The Budget Session of the West Bengal Assembly will be cut short over the coronavirus scare and the House will not meet after Tuesday, Speaker Biman Banerjee said on Monday.
At an all-party meeting in the Assembly premises that was attended by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee and floor leaders of opposition parties, the speaker said the second part of the session, which commenced on Friday, will be truncated as part of the precautionary
measures being taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
15:08 March 16
BMC asks hoarding owners to display COVID-19 messages
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked all licenced hoarding owners in Mumbai to display messages till March 25, starting from Monday, on fighting the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The directive was issued by BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
Those disobeying the directive will have their hoarding licences cancelled, the directive warned. Mumbai has around 1,200 licences.
14:52 March 16
Thermal screening in Parliament complex
Thermal screening of people visiting the Parliament complex was carried out on Monday in view of the threat of coronavirus.
Staff and journalists visiting the complex were subjected to thermal screening.
Authorities have already stopped issuing passes for people interested in witnessing proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Only MPs, staff and journalists are allowed to enter Parliament from Monday.
However, it is not immediately known whether MPs were also subjected to thermal screening.
The second part of the budget session is scheduled to end on April 3.
14:46 March 16
Belur Math Stops Food Distribution For Devotees
The Belur Math, the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, from Monday stopped distribution of 'bhog' among devotees for an indefinite period as part of its precautionary steps to prevent spread of novel coronavirus.
'Bhog' is food served to devotees after prayers at a temple.
14:43 March 16
All Parks and Gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated.
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) March 16, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">All Parks and Gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated.
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) March 16, 2020
All Parks and Gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated.
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) March 16, 2020
Parks, gardens closed in Srinagar
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday announced closure of all parks and gardens in Srinagar till further orders even as a person who had recently travelled to Saudi Arabia has been put in isolation on suspicion of having contracted the coronavirus.
"All parks and gardens in #Srinagar will remain closed till further notice. Cooperation of people in implementing precautionary measures is appreciated," Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary said in a tweet.
14:42 March 16
Assam orders shutting of protected areas in the view of coronavirus outbreak
The Assam government on Monday ordered shutting of protected areas in the state in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said.
A notification issued by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden M K Yadava said that mass gatherings in protected areas like tiger reserves, national parks and sanctuaries may be avoided till COVID-19 is contained.
The tiger reserves, national parks and sanctuaries shall remain closed from March 17 to March 29 while the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden in Guwahati will remain out of bounds for visitors with immediate effect till March 29, the order said.
14:26 March 16
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, "All gyms, night clubs, spas to be closed till March 31st. Any gathering with more than 50 persons excluding weddings will not be allowed. For weddings also, we request if they can be postponed then please do so."
14:04 March 16
CPI-M MP asks airlines, rail not to levy cancellation charges
A Rajya Sabha MP on Monday asked the government to instruct airlines and Indian Railways not to levy cancellation charges on tickets as people alter travel plans due to spread of coronavirus.
During Zero Hour, several MPs also suggested people should follow simple preventive measures like washing of hands to check the spread of the virus.
AIADMK MP S SR Balasubramaniam also suggested that the ongoing Budget session of Parliament could be curtailed.
Raising the issue in the Upper House, Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M) said several states have closed educational institutions and other places to check the spread of coronavirus.
13:59 March 16
Senior Coaching Depot Officer Jitendra Rai said, "Blankets and curtains from trains are being removed by the Indian Railways for sanitization. Blanket sanitizer sanitizes 1200 blankets per day at 40-degree temp using naphthalene balls."
13:56 March 16
Supreme Court issued notice to all chief secretaries and jail superintendents and asked them to respond to why orders should not be passed to deal with COVID-19 in prisons.
The Apex Court observed that as there is a lot of overcrowding in jails, it wants to know about the present situation in jails.
13:51 March 16
No perceptible dip in footfall at Alipur Zoological Gardens
Although there has not been any perceptible drop in footfall at the Alipore Zoological Gardens here due to concerns about novel coronavirus, precautionary measures are being taken at the zoo to prevent transmission of the disease, a senior official said.
An estimated 90,000 people visited the zoo in February while several thousand visitors came on Sunday, Director Asis Kumar Samanta said on Monday.
When asked if there has been a decline in the number of visitors to the zoo, one of the prime attractions in the city, Samanta said, "We have not seen any dip."
13:32 March 16
COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES
Mumbai: With five new cases detected on Monday, the number of coronavirus patients touched 38 in Maharashtra -- the highest in India.
Three members of a family in Mumbai have tested positive. One person from Navi Mumbai who returned from a foreign trip, while one from Yavatmal who came from a visit to Dubai, have also tested Covid-19 positive.
With these new cases, the breakup of affected patients spread across the state is -- Mumbai (eight cases), Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad (16), Nagpur (4), Navi Mumbai (2), Yavatmal (3), plus Thane, Kalyan, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Raigad (1 each).
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday ordered a partial shutdown of the state including all schools, colleges, malls, theatres, cinemas, swimming pools, gyms, etc till March 31 as a precautionary measure.
Besides, all public, private, religious or social events, functions, gatherings have been cancelled or curtailed as a preventive measure to avoid overcrowding and spread the pandemic.
Maharashtra now has the highest number of Covid-19 positive cases, but health officials have assured that the condition of all under treatment is stable.
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