National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said Muslims should not be blamed for the spread of coronavirus in the country.

   

He was reacting to netizens' response to reports that several people who tested positive for COVID-19 had attended a congregation of Tabligh-e-Jamaat, a Muslim religious organisation, at Nizamuddin in Delhi earlier this month. 

"Now the #TablighiJamat will become a convenient excuse for some to vilify Muslims everywhere as if we created & spread #COVID around the world," Abdullah said in a series of tweets.

"At first glance it would appear the #TablighiJamat were nothing if not irresponsible in the way they went about things but that's not unique to them. The majority of Muslims in India have heeded government guidelines and advice the same as anyone else," he added.

Abdullah said those people who were associating the COVID-19 with the Tabligh-e-Jamaat were more dangerous than any virus.

"People tweeting stuff with hashtags like Tablighi virus are more dangerous than any virus nature could ever conjure up because their minds are sick while their bodies may very well be healthy," he said.

Over 2,000 delegates, including from Indonesia and Malaysia, attended the congregation from March 1-15, officials said. 

 

olice and paramilitary personnel cordoned off a major area in Nizamuddin West while over 200 people were kept in isolation in hospitals after several people who took part in the congregation showed symptoms of coronavirus, officials said on Monday. 

The number of deaths in the United States from coronavirus has surpassed those reported by China, where the pandemic began in December, according to a toll published on Tuesday by Johns Hopkins University.

 

There have been 3,415 deaths in the US from the virus, the Baltimore-based university said, more than the 3,309 reported by China.

There are 175,067 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US, the university said, the most of any country in the world.

The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 40,000 people worldwide with nearly three-quarters of the deaths in Europe.

  

A total of 40,057 deaths have been recorded across the world, including 29,305 in Europe, with Italy registering 12,428, followed by Spain with 8,189 and China with 3,305.

Since the virus emerged in China in December, 803,645 global infections have been confirmed, more than half of them in Europe, which has 440,928.

The United States and Canada has 172,071 cases and 3,243 deaths and Asia has 108,421 cases with 3,882 deaths.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday agreed that expert teams of the two countries would actively share information on measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus as well as about ongoing research on treatment and vaccines.

  

During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the domestic and international aspects of the crisis posed by the pandemic, and underlined the importance of global collaboration and solidarity in the present situation, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

The French president strongly agreed with Prime Minister Modi's view that the COVID-19 crisis is a turning point in modern history, and offers the world an opportunity to forge a new human-centric concept of globalisation, it said.

The two underlined the importance of not losing sight of other global concerns like climate change, which impact humanity as a whole. They also stressed on the need for devoting special attention to the needs of less-developed countries, including those in Africa, during the present crisis.

Modi expressed his condolences to Macron for the loss of lives in France due to COVID-19 pandemic.

"They agreed that the expert teams of both countries would actively share information on measures to prevent the spread of the virus, and research on treatment and vaccines," the statement said.

Macron welcomed Modi's suggestion that the practice of yoga offers a convenient means of ensuring mental and physical well-being, for people confined to their homes by the pandemic.

"He confirmed that Yoga has been winning new practitioners in France during the present health crisis," the statement said, adding the two leaders agreed that the India-France partnership could contribute to advancing a spirit of human-centric solidarity in the present difficult times. 

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, has tested positive for coronavirus.  

He is going to be fine. He's young, in good shape, strong -- not as strong as he thinks -- but he will fine. But, there is a lesson in this, Governor Cuomo said after calling the virus a great equaliser.

He's going to be quarantined in his basement at home. He's just worried about his daughter and his kids, that he hopes he didnt get them infected, Gov Cuomo said. 

The Cuomo Prime Time anchor said he had a fever, chills and shortness of breath, but he is now feeling well. He will continue to host his show on CNN. 

The governor also said he chided Chris Cuomo for having their mother visit his house two weeks ago. 

Love sometimes needs to be a little smarter than just reactive, Gov Cuomo said.

Britain reported a record daily coronavirus toll of 381 on Tuesday, more than double the number of nationwide deaths posted in the previous 24 hours.

 

"As of 5 pm (1600 GMT) on 30 March, of those hospitalised in the UK, 1,789 have sadly died," the health ministry said on its Twitter page, up from 1,408 on Monday.

The patients were aged between 19 and 98, and all but 28 had underlying health conditions, NHS England said in a statement.

The country's previous highest daily toll was 260, recorded on Saturday, with the number dropping to 180 on Monday.

Some 25,150 people have now tested positive for the virus in Britain, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a daily increase of 3,009.

A second doctor of Mohalla Clinics in Delhi has tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Tuesday.

 

The doctor belonged to the clinic in Janata Mazdoor Colony in Babarpur area, according to a notice issued by Shahdara district authorities.  

The doctor serving at the clinic in Babarpur area has got infected with COVID-19 and all the patients and other people who visited the facility between March 12-20 are supposed to quarantine themselves for two weeks, the notice said.  

If anyone shows any symptoms of coronavirus infection, they are to report to authorities, it said.  

A few days ago, a doctor at a Mohalla Clinic in Mohanpuri area of Maujpur in northeast Delhi had contracted the disease.  

A senior official of the Delhi health department had said the doctor's wife and daughter had also tested positive for COVID-19 in the wake of the outbreak.  

About 800 people who visited the clinic or came in contact with the doctor between March 12-18 were quarantined.  

The clinic in Maujpur has been since closed and sanitised.  

At least 97 cases including two deaths from coronavirus have been reported in the national capital till Monday night.

Five more doctors have died in Italy from coronavirus, the Italian Federation of doctors said on Tuesday.

There have now been at least 66 deaths of doctors since the outbreak in Italy started. 

At least 8,956 health care workers have been infected with Covid-19. Thats an increase of more that 500 cases in the past few days.

Delhi police on Tuesday booked the cleric, who led a huge religious congregation in Nizamuddin West earlier this month, for violating government orders on not organising public gatherings and maintaining social distance to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, official said.

 

The markaz (centre) in the south Delhi neighbourhood organised a Tabligh-e-Jamaat from March 1-15 and at least 2,000 people, including foreigners and Indians from across the country, attended the gathering. On Sunday night, many residents of the centre started showing symptoms fro COVID-19 and police and paramilitary officials locked down the area but authorities fear a possible spread of the virus.

The Telangana government late Monday said six people who attended the congregation died due to the virus.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said 24 people who took part in the Jamaat have tested positive and over 440 residing at the markaz have been hospitalised after they showed symptoms for the disease.

Delhi police officials said Maulana Saad of the Nizamuddin centre has been booked under sections of Epidemic Disease Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code for violating government orders on management of the markaz in relation to social, political or religious gathering.

Markaz Nizamuddin, the international headquarters of the Jamaat for nearly 100 years, has said when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the "Janta Curfew" on March 22, they discontinued ongoing programmes but a large number of people were stuck there because of the closure of transport services.

Union minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi lashed out at the Tablighi Jamaat on Tuesday after authorities blamed a meeting organised by it for spreading coronavirus infection, saying the organisation has committed a "Talibani crime" and its "sin is unpardonable". 

  

"Talibani Crime by Tablighi Jamaat. This is not a negligence. It's a serious criminal act. When the entire country is fighting united against Corona, such a sin is unpardonable," the minority affairs minister said in a tweet. 

He has posted on his social media accounts messages by Muslim religious leaders, appealing to people to strictly follow the lockdown and other guidelines to control the virus. 

ccording to the home ministry, as many as 2100 foreigners visited India for Tablighi activities since January 1 and all of them first reported at its headquarters in Delhi's Nizamuddin.

In a statement, the ministry said while approximately 824 of them, as on March 21, were dispersed in different parts of the country, 216 people were staying at Nizamuddin Markaz, where several of them tested COVID-19 positive.

Naqvi also allocated Rs one crore from his MPLADS funds for the measures being taken to combat the coronavirus.

The BJP has asked all its MPs to allocate Rs one crore from the Rs 5 crore fund they receive annually for the development of their constituency towards fighting the pandemic. 

That's from Chef Thomas Zacharias's moving tribute to Floyd Cardoz, who passed away last week. 

You can read the full tribute here.

As many as 72 new coronavirus cases were detected in Maharashtra on Tuesday, 59 of them in Mumbai alone, taking the total number of COVID-19 patients in the state to 302, a health official said.

This is the largest increase in the number of cases within a day probably in the country, the state official said.

Besides Mumbai, Ahmednagar reported three cases, while two cases each came to light in Pune, Thane, Vasai, Virar and Kalyan-Dombivali cities, he added.  -- PTI

The NICAI, a body of chartered accountants, has now clarified further on the notification:   

Terming the hosing down of home-bound migrants with a chlorine solution in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district 'rude and indecent', Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed officials on Tuesday to initiate strict action against the guilty, a senior state government official said.

The incident, caught on video and shared on social media, took place at Bareilly's Satellite bus station on Sunday.

A state government official has argued that such spraying of people is permitted internationally. But the authorities did not follow the right procedure, he said.

However, a fire brigade official said the migrants were sprayed with a solution containing sodium hypochlorite. It is often used to keep swimming pools sanitised.

On Tuesday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi told reporters, "The Uttar Pradesh chief minister has termed the incident as 'ashisth' (rude) and 'abhadra' (indecent).

"He instructed that actions should be initiated against the guilty persons, and said that such acts should not be repeated."

The clip showed several migrants squatting on the ground as men in protective suits hosed them down.

Someone is heard telling people to shut their eyes as the spraying begins.

Several people in the group, which included women and children, complained of a burning sensation in the eyes.

Chief Fire Officer C M Sharma said on Monday that spraying the group of migrants with sodium hypochlorite was necessary for 'disinfecting'.

He said there was a burning sensation in the eyes for 'two or three seconds, but it didn't harm them'.

As a row erupted over the incident, District magistrate Nitish Kumar blamed it on 'overzealous' civic body personnel and said action is being taken against them.

Those affected were seen by the chief medical officer, he said.  -- PTI

A resident of Ellora in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district was booked for not informing police about his foreign national tenant, an official said on Tuesday.

He identified the house owner as Shaikh Nazir (45) of Rajwada area of Ellora.

"The British national, who is here on a tourist visa, was living in Nazir's house since January 3. However, Nazir did not submit details of the tenant to the police department. We have booked the house owner under the Foreigners Act and section 188 of Indian Penal Code," Inspector Sitaram Mhetre said.

"The tenant has visited Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai," he said.  -- PTI

Amid apprehensions of substantial spread of COVID-19 after a religions congregation in Nizamuddin in the national capital left many infected with the virus, the Health Ministry on Tuesday said it was not the time to find faults but to take action.

The Delhi Police has cordoned off a major area in Nizamuddin West in New Delhi where many people showed symptoms of coronavirus after taking part in the Tabligh-e-Jamaat held earlier this month that was attended by over 2,000 people.

"With respect to the Nizamuddin area, we all need to understand and appreciate that this is not the time to do fault finding. What is important for us is to take action as per our containment process in whatever areas we find a case," Agarwal said at a press briefing.

24 people who took part in the religious congregation have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said earlier on Tuesday.

He said 700 people who attended the congregation have been quarantined while around 335 people have been admitted to hospitals, and that screening of all those who participated in the event was being conducted by the government.

Over 2,000 delegates, including from Indonesia and Malaysia, attended the congregation after the government banned social gatherings.  -- PTI

"227 new cases of COVID-19 and three deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, thus, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 1,251 and the number of deaths to 32 in the country," Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, told media.

He also said that the three deaths have been reported from Gujarat, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. "The sudden increase in the number of confirmed cases has been due to delay in informing the authorities," Aggarwal added.

"To contain the spread of coronavirus, the ministry is working with the state governments on finding the contacts of the new cases which have been confirmed," he further said. -- ANI

"Till now 1,548 people have been brought out of Markaz (Nizamuddin), 441 of them were symptomatic. They have been shifted to hospitals and their tests are being conducted. 1,107 who did not show symptoms have been sent to quarantine," Kejriwal added. 

With sources of livelihood shut, thousands of migrant workers fleeing cities for their hometowns soon after the unprecedented 21-day lockdown a week back to contain the spread of coronavirus. Migrant daily wagers have been left with no source of livelihood as the lockdown shut businesses barring those classified essential services.

"An estimated 700 people, who attended this congregation, have been quarantined while around 335 people have been admitted to hospitals," he told reporters, referring to the situation in Delhi. In Hyderabad, Telangana government late Monday said six people who attended the congregation between March 13 and 15 died due to coronavirus.

It estimates that under the baseline growth scenario, nearly 24 million fewer people will escape poverty across the region in 2020 than would have been the case in the absence of the pandemic, using a poverty line of US$5.50 a day.

And if the economic situation deteriorated further, and the lower-case scenario prevailed, then prior projections estimating nearly 35 million people would escape poverty in East Asia and Pacific in 2020, including over 25 million in China alone.

"A region that's been growing at steady 6 per cent overall could see, even in our baseline scenario, as much as 4 percentage points cut off the growth rate," Aaditya Mattoo, the World Bank's Chief Economist for East Asia and the Pacific, told journalists in a conference call.

"And in a lower-case scenario, you could see contraction for the first time in decades, and as many as 11 million people could be driven into poverty," he said. "And even if you see growth, thousands of tourism workers in Thailand, garment workers in Cambodia could be pushed below the poverty line. The worst suffering could be for informal workers, people who are...invisible and very hard to go identify, find, and help," he added.

One key policy recommendation from the World Bank is that countries should take an integrated view of containment and macroeconomic policy, rather than see them as separate instruments for separate goals, Mattoo said.

"Today the priority is containment, but to reach that you can rely not just on social isolation and shutdown, but fiscal measures, like sick pay and health spending, could help attain that goal more effectively," he stressed.

"This is an exceptional shock. It needs an exceptional response, in terms of bold national action, deeper international cooperation, and high levels of external assistance," the economist added. -- ANI

-- Ministry of External Affairs has identified suppliers from South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam to increase the availability of logistics items in the country. DRDO is also working with local manufacturers to increase supply of N95 masks," Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, says.

-- The Delhi government has issued an order under Epidemic Disease Act to District Magistrates, Municipal Corporations & Police, to look into the matters wherein landowners are forcing doctors&nurses to vacate their property.

-- Army advisory warns troops against concealing COVID-19 symptoms and information. 

Image: A 20-bedded quarantine facility at DPL Kishtwar, which can be replicated, elsewhere.

"The markets have gone back to operating in exactly the same way as they did before coronavirus," Washington Examiner quoted a correspondent of 'A Mail on Sunday' as saying. However, the markets are under watchful eyes of guards, who ensure no one is able to take pictures of the blood-soaked floors, slaughtering of dogs and rabbits, and scared animals cramped in cages.

Huanan Seafood Market in China's Wuhan is believed to be the epicentre of coronavirus, which swept the world, engulfing millions as far as the United States and killing nearly 38,000 people."The evidence is highly suggestive that the outbreak is associated with exposures in one seafood market in Wuhan," the World Health Organisation had said in a statement on January 12.

Four months on, the pandemic seems to be far from over even as Beijing celebrates victory over coronavirus with no vaccination insight for the pathogen, which many people worldwide call Wuhan virus or Chinese virus.

"Everyone here believes the outbreak is over and there's nothing to worry about anymore. It's just a foreign problem now as far as they are concerned," a China-based correspondent was quoted by Washington Examiner.

Several scientists, medical experts and animal rights activists have called for a ban on China's wet markets but the Asian country seems to have not leant from its mistakes. -- ANI

Image: Workers in protective suits disinfect the Huanan wet market on March 4, where the novel coronavirus is believed to have first surfaced, in Wuhan. Pic: ANI 

The 30-share BSE barometer settled 1,028.17 points or 3.62 per cent higher at 29,468.49. Similarly, the NSE Nifty rose 316.65 points, or 3.82 per cent, to close at 8,597.75. 

ITC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying over 7 per cent, followed by Reliance Industries, ONGC, Tata Steel, Tech Mahindra, Sun Pharma and SBI. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank plunged nearly 15 per cent. Maruti, Bajaj Finance and Titan were the other laggards. 

According to traders, domestic investors turned positive amid rebound in global peers as most Asian benchmarks ended higher on recovery in China's manufacturing during March as authorities relaxed anti-disease controls and allowed factories to reopen. 

An official of an OMC, who looks after the Sales division, told ANI on the condition of anonymity, "Our delivery boys are returning without delivering LPG cylinders as most of the consumers who booked in panic don't have an empty cylinder and are therefore not taking delivery of cylinder. Amidst apprehensions of domestic LPG gas cylinder stocks getting exhausted, consumers had resorted to panic booking of LPG cylinder refills in the last week.

"A double layer of 100 per cent cotton cloth is about 70 per cent as effective as a surgical mask at capturing small particles (up to five times smaller than coronavirus). This material is breathable and it is easy to find around the house. These masks can be easily reused,' the manual states. Before making the masks, the fabric should be washed well and boiled for 5 minutes. Adding salt to this water is recommended, as per the manual. It states that homemade reusable masks only reduce the chances of inhaling droplets still in the air from an infected person. "They do not give full protection. Homemade reusable masks must be washed and heated each day, as instructed. Reuse without washing should not be done,' it adds. The manual is meant to provide a simple outline of best practices to make, use and reuse masks to enable NGOs and individuals to self-create such masks and accelerate widespread adoption of masks across India, a statement said. The key criteria for proposed designs are: ease of access to materials, ease of making them at home, and ease of use and reuse. 

"Analyses show that if 50 per cent of the population were to wear masks, only 50 per cent of the population would be infected by the virus. Once 80 per cent of the population wears a mask, the outbreak can be stopped immediately," it states.

AAP MLA Atishi on Tuesday sought strong action against the Nizamuddin Markaz authorities for organising a three-day congregation, which later led to a spurt in coronavirus cases in the area, and asked why the Delhi Police did not take any step despite the government prohibiting such gathering to check the spread of the virus. 

 Delhi's Nizamuddin area has been identified as one of the hotspots of COVID-19 in India after several people tested positive for the virus in the past few days. 

More than 2,000 delegates from countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin West from March 13-15. At least 24 people who were at the headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat have been diagnosed with COVID-19, prompting the authorities to cordon off the area and increase testing.

The health department has started screening of all the people residing in one kilometre area around their house, he added. The number of positive cases in the state is now 101, a health official said. -- PTI 

Markaz Nizamuddin, the place in Delhi where a religious congregation left several people affected with coronavirus, on Tuesday said it has not violated any provision of the law and offered its premises for setting up a quarantine facility. Markaz Nizamuddin, which is the international headquarters of Tabilghi Jamaat for close to 100 years, will cooperate with the authorities, it said in a statement. 

Image: People from the Markaz building await a bus ride to hospital. Pic: ANI

The Maharashtra government has released 601 inmates from 37 prisons in the last three days to reduce crowding in view of the coronavirus outbreak,

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and also comprising of Justice L Nageswar Rao continued hearing the petition filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava through video conferencing today.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, filed a detailed status report pertaining to the case and said that food is being provided to over 22 lakh 88 thousand people, including the needy, migrant and daily wage workers.

CJI Bobde asked Mehta to set up an expert committee within 24 hours to effectively deal with the situation.Mehta told the apex court that there were about 4.14 crore people in the country who have migrated for work according to the last census.

"Now the migration is happening due to corona fears. When the entire country was required to be locked, it was so that people don't mix and can't meet. We are trying to ensure that no migration is permissible," he said.

He said that the migration will be risky for them and for the village populations and added that so far rural India is unaffected by COVID-19. Mehta said that the country has fortunately taken pre-emptive and preventive steps to deal with COVID-19 pandemic.

Mehta said that the information about the new virus came out on January 5, 2020, and added that the Central government started its preparations to deal with it from January 17. -- PTI

The entire world is facing a truly unprecedented situation arising out of coronavirus and it is a constant endeavour to ensure the wellbeing of tourists, especially the ones that travel from foreign countries, it said. 

"The portal strandedinindia.com consists of comprehensive information on COVID-19 helpline numbers or call-centres that the foreign tourists can reach out to for help,' the statement said. 

It also has information on the Ministry of External Affairs control centers along with their contact information and information around state-based/regional tourism support infrastructure. 

It also has a help and support section to extend help to the ones in need of further information and connect foreign tourists to authorities concerned. The website will be featured on the Tourism Website and prominent Ministry of Tourism channels, it said. -- PTI

The decision has been taken after a detailed deliberation with various unions of employees, Pawar said. "I hope the public representatives will cooperate with the state finance department as a strong financial support is required for the state in this ongoing fight against coronavirus," he said. Pawar said the state's economy has been affected due to the coronavirus crisis and reduction of resources following the lockdown.

The Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare Services in an advisory said a person is suppose to wear mask only when he or she has symptoms of cold or cough or fever or any other respiratory problem. It said a person who is caring for COVID-19 suspect or confirmed patient should wear mask. 

Also, a health worker who is attending to a patient with respiratory symptoms should wear a mask. The advisory also noted that those treating or handling COVID-19 suspects or patients need to wear N95 mask, while others can wear triple layer surgical mask. -- PTI

The speed at which the economic shockwaves from the pandemic has hit developing countries is dramatic, even in comparison to the 2008 global financial crisis, said a report published on Monday by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

"The economic fallout from the shock is ongoing and increasingly difficult to predict, but there are clear indications that things will get much worse for developing economies before they get better," said UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi.

The report shows that in the two months since the virus began spreading beyond China, developing countries have taken an enormous hit in terms of capital outflows, growing bond spreads, currency depreciation and lost export earnings, including from falling commodity prices and declining tourist revenues.

On most of these measures, the impact has cut deeper than in 2008. And with domestic economic activity now feeling the effects of the crisis, UNCTAD is not optimistic about the kind of rapid rebound witnessed in many developing countries between 2009 and 2010.

Portfolio outflows from main emerging economies surged to 59 billion dollars in a month between February and March, calculations show. This is more than double the outflows experienced by the same countries in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis (26.7 billion dollars).

The values of their currencies against the dollar have fallen between 5 per cent and 25 per cent since the beginning of this year -- faster than the early months of the global financial crisis.

The prices of commodities, on which many developing countries heavily depend for their foreign exchange, have also dropped precipitously since the crisis began. The overall price decline has been 37 per cent this year, according to the report. -- PTI

Image: A son accompanies his specially-abled father in Agartala. Pic: ANI 

About 30 of those who attended the Nizamuddin event in mid-March tested positive and at least three have succumbed to the infection in last few days. "Those who came on tourist visa but attended the Nizamuddin event stands being in our blacklist as they have violated the visa conditions. Tourist visa holders can't attend religious function," a Union Home ministry official said. 

If a foreigner is put in the Home ministry's blacklist, he or she can't travel to India in future. 

A total of 281 foreigners were found by the police at the Nizamuddin campus in the last two days. They include 19 people from Nepal, 20 people from Malaysia, one from Afghanistan, 33 from Myanmar, one from Algeria, one from Djibouti, 28 from Kyrgystan, 72 from Indonesia, 7 from Thailand, 34 from Sri Lanka, 19 from Bangladesh, three from England, one from Singapore, four from Fiji, one from France and one from Kuwait. Most of these foreigners came on a tourist visa, an official said. -- PTI

Image: Men wait to board a bus for a hospital amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease at Nizamuddin Area in New Delhi. Pic: ANI

A 43-year-old male with travel history to Trivandrum, a 28-year-old male coworker of an earlier positive patient at Tiruvannamalai, three male patients at Vilupuram with travel history to history to Delhi, two male patients at Madurai Rajaji, travel history to Delhi. All patients are in isolation and stable," NHM Tamil Nadu tweeted. India has recorded 1,117 active COVID-19 positive cases so far. -- ANI

Image: Police inspector Rajesh Babu wearing a coronavirus-themed helmet makes people aware about Covid-19. Pic: ANI 

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, include masks, goggles, gloves and face shields, is a mandatory requirement for all health workers screening, testing or treating people for the virus. Both doctors and manufacturers have flagged the issue of dwindling PPE supplies.

Doctors and healthcare workers, the first line of defense to battle coronavirus are risking their lives due to a critical shortage of PPE. The procurement has been delayed in policymaking and red tape raising concerns about an imminent shortage of personal protective equipment for them.

Worldwide, governments are looking to procure more PPE, and imports will be hard to pull off. WHO has so far shipped nearly half a million sets of personal protective equipment to 47 countries but supplies are rapidly running out everywhere. 

Based on WHO estimates, the world needs about 89 million medical masks and 76 million examination gloves for Covid-19 response every month.

Four new coronavirus cases had earlier been reported today in the State including a 44-year-old man from Jhunjhunu with travel history to Dubai, a 17-year-old girl from Ajmer and a 65-year-old man from Dungarpur, both are contacts of an earlier positive case and a 60-year-old man from Jaipur, according to the Rajasthan Health Department.

India has recorded 1,117 active COVID-19 positive cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. -- ANI

Read the tribute by Chef Thomas Zacharias here 

A Government Order in this regard was issued on Monday night, despite objection from doctors' association, to supply liquor to tipplers under prescription during the 21-day lockdown initiated to counter the spread of Covid-19. 

"Following the lockdown and the closure of liquor outlets in the state, there were many instances of social issues including the frustration and suicide tendencies shown by those who used to consume liquor regularly and the state government has decided to initiate steps to resolve the matter," the order read. 

The order said that those who have physical and mental issues due to withdrawal symptoms could be given liquor in a "controlled" and "prescribed" manner. It also says that such persons with withdrawal symptoms should approach the Public Health Centres, Taluk hospitals, district hospitals, general hospitals or the medical college hospitals and get themselves examined by the doctor. 

"If such a person gets a prescription from the doctors saying he has withdrawal symptoms, he could be provided with liquor in a controlled manner," the order read. 

It said the prescription could be produced at the nearby Excise office along with a government issued identity card of the person carrying the prescription and receive a liquor pass. The pass can be produced before the Beverages Cooperation Managing Director, who will take necessary steps to distribute liquor, the order said. It also said that the liquor outlets need not be kept opened for this purpose. PTI

"All of them are being screened. We are not certain of the number but it is estimated that 1500-1700 people had assembled at the Markaz building. 1033 people have been evacuated so far - 334 of them have been sent to the hospital and 700 sent to quarantine centre. Total 24 positive cases have been found so far," he said while speaking to reporters.

The minister also slammed the organisers of the religious event saying that they have committed a grave crime."The event's organisers committed a grave crime. Disaster Act and Contagious Diseases Act was enforced in Delhi, no assembly of more than 5 people was allowed. Still, they did this. I have written to Lieutenant Governor to take strict action against them. Delhi government has given an order to file an FIR against the organisers," the Health Minister said.Earlier, the Delhi government had said: "It has come to our knowledge that administrators of Nizammuddin Markaz violated coronavirus lockdown conditions and now several positive cases have been found. Strong action would be taken against those in charge of this establishment. Delhi government will ask the police to register an FIR against Maulana of Markaz, Nizamuddin." -- ANI

Adil Khan is a hairdresser at a small ladies salon in Mumbai. Ten days ago, the salon sent a WhatsApp to its clients that it was shutting down till the government lifts the lockdown. Adil, along with the 10-member staff, were asked to stay home and be safe.

It is the month-end and they do not know as yet whether their boss will pay them their full salaries.

"The rent has to be paid, irrespective of the salon being shut or open and you know how steep Mumbai rents are," Kamiya, the manager of the salon, tells Archana Masih/Rediff.com. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the toughest challenges that the world has been faced with, he said. "At such a time, it is imperative for businesses to join hands with the governments, civil society, as well as healthcare institutions to support the communities we live and serve in," Parekh was quoted as saying in a statement of Infosys Foundation, the Bengaluru-headquartered company's philanthropic and CSR arm. Infosys Foundations, both in India and in the USA, are extending their resources and technological capabilities to help people who are most impacted by this pandemic, he said. 

Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murty added: "These are unprecedented times that require every section of the society to rise up to the challenge." Infosys Foundation on Monday announced that it is committing Rs 100 crore to support efforts towards fighting COVID-19 in India. -- PTI

Out of the five fresh cases, one has been reported from Mumbai, two from Pune and two from Buldhana.

Meanwhile, given the infectious nature of coronavirus, the BMC on Monday said that if a COVID-19 patient dies, the body will be cremated irrespective of religion.

India has recorded 1,117 active COVID-19 positive cases. So far, 32 people have died of COVID-19. -- ANI

Mallya, who is wanted in India on alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crore, also said all his companies have effectively ceased operations and manufacturing following the lockdown in India. 

After hitting a high of 29,316.80, the 30-share BSE barometer was trading 505.20 points or 1.78 per cent higher at 28,945.52. Similarly, the NSE Nifty rose 199.85 points, or 2.41 per cent, to 8,480.95. Tata Steel, HDFC, Axis Bank, M&M, Reliance Industries, ONGC, ITC, HCL Tech and Titan rallied up to 3 per cent. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank plunged up to 15 per cent. Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Auto and Maruti were also among the laggards. -- PTI

The man had been on a ventilator for the past five days.The Medical Superintendent, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, said, 

"A man who had been tested positive for coronavirus passed away early morning today. He suffered kidney failure."

Kerala with 202 confirmed cases as of Monday evening, has the highest number of COVID-19 patients among all states and union territories in the country.There are over 1200 confirmed cases of the disease in India with the number of active cases being upwards of the 1100 mark as of Monday evening. -- ANI

"The person died on Monday night before test results came. His test results confirmed that he was infected with the coronavirus," the official said. There were four new cases of coronavirus reported in West Bengal, taking the total number to 26 in the state, he added. PTI 

"Our pilots and cabin crew are given substandard ill-fitting PPE that tear easily on rescue flights. Sanitizers aren't given in sufficient quantities and disinfection processes are short of industry best practices," the Executive Pilots Association, Air India in a letter to Civil Aviation Ministry.

The Indian Pilots' Guild too in a letter to Chairman and MD of Air India said that during the rescue flights, the protective equipment being provided to the flight crew has been failing with an "alarming frequency."

"During our recent rescue flights, the protective equipment being provided to the flight crew has been failing with an alarming frequency or has been plagued with other issues," said IPG in a letter to Chairman and MD of Air India.India has recorded 1,117 active COVID-19 positive cases. -- ANI

His remarks came a day after he extended the "social distancing" guidelines until April 30, expecting the peak death rate from COVID-19 to hit the country in two weeks. 

"Challenging times are ahead for the next 30 days, and this is a very vital 30 days," Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference on Monday, his second consecutive one in the Rose Garden. 

More than 250 million of America's 330 million population are in stay at home order and more than two dozen states have been notified as major disaster declaration, in addition to declaration of national emergency. 

The Army has been roped in to build makeshift hospitals at convention centers, racetracks, public parks across the country. Auto companies have stopped manufacturing cars and instead manufacturing ventilators and other equipment to be used in the treatment of hundreds and thousands of Americans who are expected to fall ill due to COVID-19; something which was seen only during a war time. 

"We are sort of putting it all on the line this 30 days, so important because we have to get back, but the more we dedicate ourselves today, the more quickly we will emerge on the other side of the crisis, and that is the time we're waiting for," Trump told reporters, reflecting upon the seriousness of the pandemic that has hit the US hardest among all the countries. 

So far more than a million Americans have been tested for coronavirus, which is the highest for any country and its testing rate has now increased to 100,000 per day. The President said that he will announce tightening of the guidelines, which he argued is having a big impact. Manufacturing of testing kits and medical equipment including ventilators, face masks have been ramped up, he said, adding that there will be no shortage in the coming weeks. -- PTI

"So far, the accused has sold 70,000 masks at a cost of Rs 1.05 crore," police said in a statement. The warehouse in Kalyan Nagar was raided on Monday night and 12,300 fake N95 masks worth Rs 20 lakh were seized, it said. There is a shortage of these masks in the market. Complaints have also been received by authorities that masks are being sold at exorbitant prices. -- PTI

A 68-year-old man died of the novel coronavirus in Thiruvananthapuram, taking the number of COVID-19 deaths in Kerala to two, the government said on Tuesday.

 

The condition of the man was "extremely critical", a press release from the state-run Thiruvananthapuram Medical College and Hospital said.    

This is the second coronavirus death in the state.

The patient was on ventilator support for the past five days and was suffering from high blood pressure. He was also on dialysis, it said.

The first death in the state from COVID-19 was reported from Chullickal in Kochi. -- PTI 

"Today, we reached a historic milestone in our war against coronavirus. Over 1 million Americans have now been tested, more than any other country by far, not even close," Trump said during a press briefing.

US health secretary Alex Azar said that approximately 100,000 samples are tested for coronavirus daily.

The number of novel coronavirus cases within the United States surpassed 150,000 and the death toll has reached 2828, according to Johns Hopkins University. -- ANI

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been tested negative for the novel coronavirus after an adviser and her husband diagnosed with the infection a day earlier. 

However, Netanyahu will remain in quarantine.

Netanyahu's family and other close advisers also tested negative for the virus, the prime minister's spokesperson said Monday evening, The Times of Israel reported.

In an address to the nation from self-quarantine shortly before receiving the results of his tests, Netanyahu said he was voluntarily isolating as a "personal example" to Israelis. 

"The cameraman is six meters away, and I did my own make-up and hair, which is why it looks like this," he said.

Israeli health ministry on Monday said that the number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 4,695. -- ANI

France on Monday reported its highest daily number of deaths from COVID-19 since the coronavirus epidemic began, saying 418 more people had died in hospital to bring the toll to 3,024.

 

There are now 20,946 people hospitalised in France with COVID-19, with 5,056 of them in intensive care, the government said in its daily update.

The French death toll includes only those who died in hospital and not those who died at home or in old people's homes.

France has been in lockdown since March 17 in a bid to slow the spread of the epidemic and officials have repeatedly warned it will take time for the measures to bear fruit.

Top French health official Jerome Salomon told reporters that the figures "are in no way going down, we are in the midst of the epidemic".

He noted that the growth in infections in neighbouring Italy had seen a "relative slowing" in the last days and expressed hope that the figures in France could show signs of improvement at the end of this week.

"The aim of the confinement is to massively reduce the contacts between people," he said.

He said that 44,450 people had been tested positive as being infected in France, while the actual number could be much higher as only those deemed at high risk are currently being tested.