Coronavirus India Updates: Total Covid-19 Cases Reach 694 Amid Lockdown, 16 Dead

In his address at a video conference of the G-20 leaders, PM Narendra Modi pitched for developing a new crisis management protocol and procedures to deal with global health crisis besides significantly boosting capability of organisations like the World Health Organization, government sources said.

Modi also said that G-20 should work together to reduce economic hardships, particularly of the poor nations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic which has killed over 21,000 people and infected more than 470,000 globally.

He said empowering the WHO was necessary for the development of effective vaccines to deal with global pandemics.

Source: PTI

As a special measure, grocery and essential supplies stores to be allowed to operate 24*7. This will help in staggering customer visits and help in maintaining social distancing norms. #IndiaFightsCorona

— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) March 26, 2020

It has been decided that scheduled international commercial passenger services shall remain closed till 18:30 hrs (GMT) of April 14, 2020. This will not apply to approved international all-cargo operations & flights: Directorate General of Civil Aviation pic.twitter.com/NKQAw89rMd

— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2020

The health ministry today said that they are noting a decline in the number of new Covid-19 infections being reported across the country. Still, they cannot be relaxed about the outbreak situation yet.

“We are seeing a stable trend in the rate at which the number of cases are increasing,” joint health secretary Luv Agarwal said in his daily press briefing. “In the last few days since we have toughened the measures. Around 64,411 have been brought into surveillance, out of which 8,300 are quarantined at the facility level.”

Agarwal continued to emphasise that they do not have enough evidence to suggest community transmission. “We are in local transmission stage currently,” he said. “If in 1-2 cases we aren’t able to do contact tracing, this doesn’t mean there is community transmission. We will notify if traces of community transmission are confirmed.”

Fifteen new cases of Covid-19 have been detected in Mumbai and adjoining areas, the BMC said in its daily update. Total number of positive cases in the state is now at 77. Ten patients have recovered and been discharged.

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Fifty people were booked for violating coronavirus lockdown stipulations in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Thursday.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police Abhishekh Yadav, 10 cases were registered against the violators on Wednesday.

"Strict action will be taken against those found wandering on the roads during the lockdown," he warned.

Yadav further said 855 vehicle owners were fined and 97 vehicles seized for lockdown violation.

Source: PTI

A 56-year old man, who suspected he had contracted the coronavirus infection, ended his life in Udupi district, police sources said.

The deceased has been identified as Gopalakrishna Madivala, a resident of Narnadu in Uppoor village of Udupi taluk.

Sources said the man had no specific symptoms of the virus infection. He was awake till 2 a.m. in the night, speaking to his family members. He was found hanging from a tree near the house when others in the house woke up at 5 a.m. on Wednesday.

A death note saying he was taking his life as he doubted he had coronavirus infection was recovered from the house. The note also asked the family members to stay safe.

Local people said the man had earlier told one of his friends that he had the infection and was scared. The fear of the disease might have driven him to take the extreme step, police said.

Madivala had been working as driver with KSRTC for several years and was recently posted as a trainer of new drivers.

Source: PTI

Source: PTI

Indian American hoteliers have come forward to the rescue of Indian students stranded in the U.S. following implementation of lockdown measures in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, by offering free accommodation and in some cases food.

With the students scrambling for a roof over their heads after being asked to vacate their hostels and India banning international flights for a week from March 22 due to the coronavirus pandemic, more than 6,000 rooms in nearly 700 hotels were offered to them by Wednesday following a call from the Indian Embassy.

The Indian Embassy have been running a round-the-clock helpline since last week for the students in the US, who number over 2,50,000.

Most of these hotels offered are in and around universities and colleges, but hotels owners from across the country have come up in large numbers to the call given by community leaders, who have roped in Asian American Hotel Owners Association for the purpose.

India's Ambassador to the U.S., Taranjit Singh Sandhu said in a tweet, "It is heartening to see that Indian; Indian American and other hotel owners are coming forward to help people with accommodation in these testing times. Together we can overcome the fight against COVID19!" "The Indian community has come together to help the student and many hotel owners have offered their rooms free of cost to them. Many of them are also offering free meals to these students," Chicago-based community leader Nirav Patel told PTI.

Source: PTI