Covid-19: Gorakhpur doctor Kafeel Khan writes to PM Modi, offers help in fighting virus

Jailed Uttar Pradesh doctor Kafeel Khan has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offering his help in fighting the novel coronavirus that has infected 649 people in the country and killed 13 so far. Khan warned that with a fragile health system and shortage of doctors, India is staring at a catastrophe in his opinion.

‘Chinese virus’: Beijing envoy condemns Covid-19 stereotypes, says ‘we didn’t create or spread it’

China said it has neither created the novel coronavirus nor intentionally passed it on to other nations, and reiterated its strong objection to the usage of terms “China virus” or “Wuhan virus”, PTI reported on Thursday. Ji Rong, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in India, said the international community should acknowledge Beijing’s “swift response” in containing the pandemic instead of “stereotyping the Chinese people”.

Covid-19: Landlords asking doctors to leave homes warned of strict action in Karnataka

After Delhi, the Karnataka government has warned strict penal action against landlords or house-owners who have been forcing doctors and paramedics to vacate their rented residences over fears of contracting the novel coronavirus, PTI reported on Thursday. The state government directed the district deputy commissioner, commissioner and joint commissioner of the civic body in Bengaluru, commissioners of municipal corporations and district deputy commissioner of police to take action against such people.

Coronavirus lockdown: Delhi metro to remain shut till April 14

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Thursday announced that all metro services in the national Capital will be closed till April 14, in light of the 21-day countrywide lockdown imposed by the Centre to stop the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Coronavirus: Shops in Delhi selling essential items will remain open 24x7 during lockdown, says CM

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced that all shops selling essential commodities in the national Capital will remain open for 24 hours for the entire week, amid a 21-day nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus. He added that shop owners will not require any additional license or permit to operate.

Coronavirus: Plea to CJI seeks release of ‘declared’ foreigners in Assam

A plea was submitted to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, seeking the release of all those who were “declared” foreigners from the six detention centres in Assam amid the escalating crisis of the coronavirus pandemic, Live Law reported on Wednesday. The plea was submitted by Justice and Liberty Initiative, an organisation that provides legal aid to people who were unable to prove their citizenship during the National Register of Citizens exercise carried out in Assam.

Kashmir: US welcomes release of Omar and Farooq Abdullah, urges India to free other detained leaders

The United States on Wednesday welcomed the release of former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, and urged the government to release the political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir who are still in detention. It also urged the government to restore internet services in the region amid intensifying measures to combat coronavirus.

Coronavirus lockdown: Nirmala Sitharaman announces relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore for poor

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced an economic bailout package to tide over the impact of coronavirus. “The government is working so that those impacted directly like migrant workers can be helped,” said Sitharaman. “We don’t want anyone to remain hungry. The package is worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore via cash transfer and food subsidy.” She added that the Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan scheme will help 1,70,00 crore migrants and poor people.

Covid-19 lockdown: Man out to buy milk in West Bengal beaten up by police, dies, claims family

A 32-year-old man in West Bengal’s Howrah district died on Wednesday after he was allegedly beaten up by the police for violating lockdown guidelines, reported ABP Ananda. The incident occurred in Sankrail town’s Banipur locality when the man, identified as Lal Swami, went out to buy milk in the evening, his wife claimed.

Coronavirus: Sonia Gandhi pledges support to lockdown in letter to Modi, lists several suggestions

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday expressed solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to impose a 21-day countrywide lockdown in view of the coronavirus outbreak and proposed measures to blunt its impact on the economy and livelihoods of people. In a letter to the prime minister, Gandhi said the pandemic has caused serious public health concerns, anguish and apprehensions in India. “It has imperiled lives and put at risk the lives and livelihoods of millions, particularly, the most vulnerable sections of our society,” she added. “The entire nation stands as one in solidarity in the fight to halt and defeat the coronavirus pandemic.”

Coronavirus lockdown: Over 1,000 people stranded at Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border

More than 1,000 people are stranded on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border due to the nationwide lockdown that began on Wednesday to check the spread of Covid-19, reported the Hindustan Times.

They had set off from Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, to various districts in Andhra Pradesh after obtaining special travel permits from the local police. The passengers, including students and children, were stopped at Garikapadu around 3.30 pm on Wednesday.

Covid-19 lockdown: UP godwoman brandishes sword, dares police to stop religious event, arrested

A self-styled godwoman in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district on Wednesday defied lockdown guidelines to organise a religious event, and threatened the police with a sword when they asked her to call off a religious event at her ashram, reported IANS.

Covid-19: Toll rises to 13 in India, cases soar to 649, says Union health ministry

The toll in the coronavirus epidemic in India rose to 13 on Thursday, and the total number of infections increased to 649, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Of these, 593 patients are still undergoing treatment, 42 people have recovered and one person has left the country.

Three new deaths were reported from Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Kashmir, too reported one death – its first coronavirus fatality – on Thursday after a 65-year-old man from Hyderpora village died in Srinagar. A 65-year-old woman from Mumbai, who tested positive for coronavirus, also died. The cause of death is yet to be ascertained, said the Maharashtra health department. However, the Union ministry is yet to confirm these two deaths.

Sensex soars 1,000 points, Nifty hovers near 8,700 as bank stocks make gains

Indian markets on Thursday morning were buoyed by gains made by bank stocks. This came a day after benchmark indices rallied nearly 7% to register their biggest single-day recovery since 2009 as markets shed concerns over coronavirus. The BSE Sensex rose more than 1,400 points or 5.22% than the previous day’s close while the Nifty50 hovered around 8,700 – trading 4.51% higher as of 10.30 am.

Coronavirus lockdown: Over 1,000 people stranded at Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border

More than 1,000 people are stranded on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border due to the nationwide lockdown that began on Wednesday to check the spread of Covid-19, reported the Hindustan Times. They had set off from Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, to various districts in Andhra Pradesh after obtaining special travel permits from the local police. The passengers, including students and children, were stopped at Garikapadu around 3.30 pm on Wednesday.

Covid-19 lockdown: UP godwoman brandishes sword, dares police to stop religious event, arrested

A self-styled godwoman in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district on Wednesday defied lockdown guidelines to organise a religious event, and threatened the police with a sword when they asked her to call off a religious event at her ashram, reported IANS.

Covid-19: Toll rises to 13 in India, cases soar to 649, says Union health ministry

The toll in the coronavirus epidemic in India rose to 13 on Thursday, and the total number of infections increased to 649, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Of these, 593 patients are still undergoing treatment, 42 people have recovered and one person has left the country.

Covid-19: Delhi mohalla clinic doctor, wife and daughter test positive, visitors asked to quarantine

Health officials on Wednesday said a doctor at North East Delhi’s mohalla clinic has tested positive for the coronavirus, NDTV reported. The Shahdara sub-divisional magistrate ordered all the patients who had visited the Maujpur clinic run by the doctor between March 12 and 18 to home quarantine and contact a doctor if they exhibit any symptoms of the disease.

The doctor’s wife and daughter, who also tested positive for Covid-19, have been admitted to a hospital. However, it is not yet clear if the doctor had a history of foreign travel or came in contact with somebody who did.

Coronavirus: Kashmir reports first death after 65-year-old man dies in Srinagar, says mayor

Kashmir reported its first coronavirus death on Thursday after a 65-year-old man from Hyderpora village died in Srinagar, said the mayor.

Over 3 billion people across the world have been told to stay home to break the chain of infection in the Covid-19 pandemic. India began its 21-day lockdown on Wednesday, when its number of cases rose to 606. Of these, 553 are active cases, 42 patients have recovered, 10 have died and one has left the country. On Wednesday, deaths were also reported from Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh by state officials but they are yet to be confirmed by the health ministry.

Coronavirus: Lockdowns are a ‘second window of opportunity’ for countries to halt spread, says WHO

The World Health Organisation on Wednesday urged countries that have locked down their populations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus to find new cases and do everything they can to “suppress and stop” the transmission of Covid-19.

India began a 21-day lockdown on Wednesday, with the aim to break the chain of infection. The lockdown will be in effect till April 14. There are over 600 cases of coronavirus in the country. Of these, 10 people have died.

Delhi: Man arrested for allegedly spitting at woman from Manipur, calling her ‘corona’

A 40-year-old man has been arrested in Delhi for allegedly spitting on a Manipuri woman and calling her “corona” last week, PTI reported, quoting police. The accused was identified as Gaurav Vohra, a resident of Model Town locality.

There have been reports about Asians around the world, and people from the Northeast in India, having to contend with racial attacks, as they have been linked with the novel coronavirus outbreak that originated in China last year.

Covid-19: Flipkart, Grofers, BigBasket resume limited deliveries after assurance from authorities

Indian online supermarkets BigBasket and Grofers resumed services in some parts of the country on Wednesday after their activities were interrupted due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed in light of the coronavirus pandemic. E-commerce company Flipkart also resumed services of essential products, Reuters reported.

Covid-19 lockdown: 2,000 migrant workers in Gujarat walk for hours to return home in Rajasthan

Over 2,000 daily wage workers and migrant labourers in Gujarat travelled on foot for several hours to reach Rajasthan’s Bichhiwara tehsil on Tuesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, The Indian Express reported. Men, women and children began their journey from several parts of Ahmedabad between 7 pm and 9 pm to reach Rajasthan’s Dungarpur village, the nearest border.

Covid-19: ‘Mahabharata was won in 18 days, war against coronavirus will take 21 days,’ says PM Modi

A day after announcing a nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the fight against the pandemic is a war that Indians will fight for 21 days and emerge victorious. Modi said the 130 crore people of India will play the role that Krishna played in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, guiding the Pandavas to victory in war.