Covid-19: India’s export of medical equipment to Serbia does not include items on ‘prohibited list’

India’s export of 90 tonnes of medical equipment to Serbia despite concerns over the lack of proper protective gear for healthcare professionals in India itself has sparked a row. However, the shipment has not jeopardised the medical community’s requirements to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, as reports pointed out.

Coronavirus outbreak: Azim Premji Foundation, Wipro to donate Rs 1,125 crore to tackle health crisis

Wipro Limited, Wipro Enterprises and the Azim Premji Foundation have pledged to donate Rs 1,125 crore to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisations announced on Wednesday.

Covid-19: Delhi CM promises Rs 1 crore aid to families in case of death of health workers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that healthcare professionals and sanitation workers were no less than “soldiers” in India’s fight against the coronavirus, and announced that his administration will give Rs 1 crore to their families if their death is caused by Covid-19. The compensation will be provided to the families of both private and government healthcare workers, Kejriwal said.

Coronavirus: RBI extends period for realisation of export proceeds amid fears of economic fallout

The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday extended the period for realisation and repatriation of export proceeds to cushion the impact of an economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, as business activities across the world have come to a staggering halt amid the global health crisis.

Coronavirus: States trace, quarantine people linked to Delhi’s Nizamuddin event

Several states on Wednesday continued to identify and trace people linked to a religious event held at the Nizamuddin Markaz in the national Capital last month, after dozens of them began testing positive for Covid-19 in parts of the country in recent days. As many as seven people – one from Kashmir and six from Telangana – died of Covid-19 in the days following the congregation.

Covid-19: ‘Treat migrant workers with compassion, give psycho-social support’, says Health ministry

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday proposed ways in which migrant workers can be provided “psycho-social” support amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in the country. This came a day after the Supreme Court directed the Centre to ensure the well-being of migrant workers struggling to return home amid the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus.

Covid-19 lockdown: Centre promulgates ordinance to give effect to relaxed tax deadlines

The Centre on Tuesday promulgated an ordinance to extend the last date for filing income tax, goods and services tax, customs and central excise returns amid the coronavirus pandemic and the countrywide lockdown imposed to contain it. President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation of Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020, on Tuesday.

Coronavirus: Price of non-subsidised LPG cylinder slashed by up to Rs 65 in metros

The prices of non-subsidised liquefied petroleum gas were slashed by amounts ranging between Rs 61.50 and Rs 65 per cylinder in four metropolitan cities on Wednesday.

Covid-19: Healthcare workers, police to get salaries on priority, says Maharashtra CM Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that healthcare professionals, sanitation workers and the police – who are at the forefront of the fight against the deadly coronavirus – will be prioritised during disbursal of salaries, reported News18. The chief minister also reiterated that his administration will not cut salaries of government employees, adding that it will be paid in instalments to keep the state’s financial situation in control.

Coronavirus: 240 new cases reported in last 12 hours as total rises to 1,637, says health ministry

India has reported 240 new Covid-19 cases in the last 12 hours, with the number rising to 1,637 on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. The toll rose to 38, while 133 patients have been cured or discharged.

Covid-19: Gita Ramjee, virologist of Indian origin, dies in South Africa

Gita Ramjee, a virologist of Indian origin, has died of the coronavirus in South Africa, PTI reported on Tuesday. So far, five people have died of Covid-19 in South Africa.

Coronavirus: UP confirms first death, authorities fear he may have infected others in hospital

A 25-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh who died on Monday became the state’s first death from Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, after his samples tested positive, NDTV reported on Tuesday. His death has sparked concerns about the spread of infection after it was revealed that he likely hid his travel history from authorities.

Sensex, Nifty fall sharply intra-day as investor fears over coronavirus pandemic continue

The Indian markets plunged again in morning trade on Wednesday, after making significant gains on Tuesday. The BSE Sensex was trading 1,076.54 points down at 28,391.95 at 12.12 pm, while the National Stock Exchange Nifty had shed 311.75 points to trade at 8,286, amid the continuing rise of cases of coronavirus in India and globally.

Coronavirus: Delhi government cancer hospital shuts after doctor tests positive

A Delhi government-run hospital was shut down on Wednesday after a doctor tested positive for the coronavirus, NDTV reported. The Out Patient Department, laboratories and offices of the Delhi State Cancer Institute in Dilshad Garden have been shut and are being sanitised, government officials said. Those who came in contact with the doctor are also being quarantined.

Coronavirus: 2,361 evacuated from Nizamuddin Markaz after 36-hour exercise, says Manish Sisodia

The Delhi government on Wednesday evacuated 2,361 people found in the Nizamuddin Markaz and the premises were vacated after a 36-hour effort by medical staff, the administration, police and transport staff, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. Of these, 617 have been sent to hospitals and the rest have been put in quarantine.

Coronavirus: Centre announces cuts in interest rates on PPF, other small savings schemes

The government on Tuesday cut interest rates on small savings, to counter the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Mint reported. The Public Provident Fund will now fetch 7.1% returns, after an 80 basis points cut in its interest rate. Earlier, the rate was 7.9%.

Elgar Parishad case: Bail pleas of activists Varavara Rao, Shoma Sen rejected by Mumbai court

A special court in Mumbai on Tuesday rejected the temporary bail plea of activists Varavara Rao and Shoma Sen accused in the Elgar Parishad Case, who sought to be released from jail in view of the coronavirus pandemic, The Indian Express reported.

J&K: Those living for more than 15 years now eligible for domicile under new rule, says Centre

The Centre on Tuesday introduced a new definition of domicile for Jammu and Kashmir and said a person residing there for at least 15 years will now be eligible to be a permanent resident of the Union Territory, The Indian Express reported. The new rule also grants domicile to those who have studied in Jammu and Kashmir for a period of seven years and have appeared for their Class 10 or 12 examinations from a school there.

Coronavirus: Police register FIR against Tablighi Jamaat preacher; Centre declares Markaz a hotspot

The Delhi Police on Tuesday registered a first information report against Tablighi Jamaat preacher Maulana Saad and others members of the outfit under Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, for organising a congregation at Nizamuddin West Markaz earlier this month amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Covid-19: Maharashtra cases rise to 320, sixty from Pune who visited Delhi mosque quarantined

As many as 60 people from Pune who visited the event in a mosque in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin area were quarantined on Tuesday. District Collector Naval Kishore Ram said the total number of people from Pune who attended the event is over 130, but many of them are untraceable.

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Covid-19: Centre urges SC to bar media from publishing information not confirmed by government

The Centre on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to bar media outlets from printing, publishing or telecasting any information about Covid-19 without ascertaining facts with the government. The top court refused to interfere with “free discussion” about the pandemic, but directed the media to “refer to and publish” the official version about the developments.

Core industry growth reached an 11-month high of 5.5% in February, shows Centre’s data

The output of the eight core sectors of the Indian industry – coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity – grew 5.5% in February as compared to the same month last year. The growth was the best in 11 months.

Covid-19: States begin search for people linked to Delhi’s Nizamuddin event, plan to quarantine them

Several states on Tuesday began to look for those linked with a religious gathering held in Delhi’s Nizamuddin locality earlier this month after dozens of them began testing positive for Covid-19 in parts of the country in recent days.

Coronavirus: All 10 cases in Andamans linked to Nizamuddin gathering in Delhi, 1,800 quarantined

Nearly 1,800 people in Andaman and Nicobar Islands were quarantined, including 75 passengers of two flights that had carried nine people who tested positive for the coronavirus, NDTV reported on Tuesday. The nine patients had been a part of the religious gathering in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area where several Covid-19 cases may have originated.

Nizamuddin Covid-19 case: Arvind Kejriwal calls event ‘irresponsible act’, says 441 are symptomatic

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday described the religious gathering at a mosque in Nizamuddin area as “irresponsible” and said such an event should not have been organised amid the coronavirus pandemic. The event had been held between March 8 and March 10.