The government has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country a "notified disaster", in a move it called "a special one-time dispensation", in order to provide compensation and aid to infected people and the families of those who killed by the virus. Funds for this and other measures will be drawn from the Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) of each state.
A 68-year-old woman has died of coronavirus in Delhi, the government said on Friday, in the second death linked to the global pandemic in the country. The woman was the sixth case of coronavirus to be reported from the capital and had other conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes. A resident of West Delhi, she had come in contact with her son who had contracted the virus after travelling to Switzerland and Italy last month.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced a national state of emergency, freeing up $50 billion in federal funds for the battle against the coronavirus pandemic as he vowed to "vastly" ramp up testing capacity. "To unleash the full power of the federal government, I'm officially declaring a national emergency," Trump told a news conference on the White House lawn.
Around 4,000 people who had come in contact with the infected people have been identified and were being tracked while 42,000 people across the country are under community surveillance, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health Lav Aggarwal said at a news conference. The World Health Organization meanwhile said that Europe was now the "epicentre" for the global coronavirus pandemic that has now killed more than 5,000 people, with cases around the world topping 1.34 lakh, according to news agency AFP.
Here are highlights on Coronavirus Outbreak:
Indian Army: Additional quarantine facility being created by the Indian Army for around 1,000 people in Jaisalmer for more Indian citizens returning from abroad. #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/pBaGKhPKbv
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): The operation of existing India-Bangladesh cross-border passengers trains & passengers buses shall remain suspended from March 15-April 15. #Coronavirus https://t.co/jOxChUvaZd
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Western Railway PRO (Public Relations Officer): Passengers should be advised to bring their own blankets in their own interest. Wide publicly should be given to this effect. Some quantity of additional bed-sheets may be kept for any exigencies. #Coronavirus https://t.co/msYKVruMGa
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
IndiGo: Owing to the suspension of visas for all foreigners with exception of diplomatic passport holders, IndiGo will be cancelling some of its flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi w.e.f. March 17, 2020 until the travel restrictions are lifted. pic.twitter.com/CzPXeYpAJq
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
US President Donald Trump: As of now, we have 50 deaths due to #Coronavirus. We want to keep that number as low as possible. It came out of China, but it is nobody's fault. Nobody expected it. We all will solve this problem well. pic.twitter.com/YrDrR57unE
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Timely action for a healthier planet.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 14, 2020
Tomorrow at 5 PM, leaders of SAARC nations will discuss, via conferencing, a roadmap to fight the challenge of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus.
I am confident that our coming together will lead to effective outcomes and benefit our citizens.
Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Spokesperson: Out of the 62 officers, samples of 4 have been sent to Haldwani, rest 58 have been kept under watch. https://t.co/QwJ9Z915OS
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope: One person who returned from a foreign country yesterday, died today at District Hospital in Buldhana today. It has not been confirmed if he died due to #Coronavirus. Sample has been sent for test. Report awaited. https://t.co/2OFHzQXDIK
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Coming together for common good!
- Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) March 14, 2020
15 March, 1700 IST
PM @narendramodi will lead India at the video conference of all SAARC member countries, to chalk out a strong common strategy to fight COVID-19 in the region. pic.twitter.com/Qa0kL9CqcI
An Air India special flight took off from Delhi at around 16:30 hours today for Milan (Italy), to evacuate around 220 passengers from there. The flight will return tomorrow morning. #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/u5GxbpZPRm
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
IIT Bombay: All students are encouraged to go home. In case a student wants to go home, he/she must inform the Hall Manager before leaving. However, students having any difficulty in traveling may stay back. International students are welcome to stay back in hostels. #Coronavirus https://t.co/23zLyyPqXx
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Noida Metro Rail Corporation is undertaking sanitization of metro stations as a precautionary measure to contain #Coronavirus. Visuals from Noida Sector 50 station. pic.twitter.com/mloxbm7gEZ
- ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 14, 2020
Himachal Pradesh government issues 'The Himachal Pradesh Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020' under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 which empowers certain officers to issue order for surveillance, prevention, control and treatment of #Coronavirus.
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik: All Cinema halls and colleges will remain closed in the state till 31st March in view of #Coronavirus. Medical colleges, however, will remain open. (File Pic) https://t.co/pCAHczzyh8 pic.twitter.com/L6FpFN6IVm
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Maharashtra govt: All schools in urban areas of Maharashtra (all govt & pvt schools in jurisdiction of Nagar Panchayat, Nagar Palika, Mahanagar palika) to remain closed till 31st March. Only exams for class 10th, 12th, & University exams will be held as per schedule #coronavirus
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Indo-Tibetan Border Police: After completing the requisite quarantine period&being tested negative twice in 16 days of stay, 110 evacuees from Wuhan, China have left the ITBP facility at New Delhi's Chhawla in different batches. Only two of the evacuees left at the facility. pic.twitter.com/c8m63tChZj
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu Municipal Corporation in collaboration with the Department of Health is spraying disinfectant in various parts of the city as a precautionary measure to contain #Coronavirus. Visuals from Sarwal area of Jammu. pic.twitter.com/mUyZ1Aewyj
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
K Gopalakrishnan, District Collector, Trivandrum: Malls, beaches and other public gathering spots to remain closed in Trivandrum till further notice, in view of #COVID2019. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/ACCYEeylci
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Special Secretary, Ministry of Health: Out of the total 84 positive cases in the country, 10 people have fully recovered & been discharged. Contact tracing of these cases has led to the identification of over 4000 contacts who have been put under surveillance. #Coronavirus https://t.co/Y1TPJFKYBY pic.twitter.com/2CvteWVd6f
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
#Maharashtra Deepak Mhaisekar, Divisional Commissioner Pune region: All 23 samples that were sent to the National Institute of Virology in the last 24 hours have tested negative for #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/zYaXRPCRry
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Delhi AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria: #Coronavirus can not spread through dead bodies. It spreads from respiratory secretion. Coughing is necessary for the spread of this virus. So there is no risk in cremating the infected bodies. pic.twitter.com/a76ZChWpB4
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
All India Football Federation (AIFF): All Hero I-League matches have been suspended from March 15 onwards. Furthermore, all Hero 2nd division, Hero Youth Leagues, Golden Baby Leagues as well as National Competitions also stay suspended with immediate effect. #CoronaVirus https://t.co/tDCm4bQLsX
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Some important information here.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 14, 2020
Do read👇🏼. https://t.co/sZrLgHFTH8
Karnataka: Special medical help desk setup at Hubballi railway station to spread awareness on Coronavirus; As of now, no positive case of Coronavirus has been reported in Hubballi-Dharwad division pic.twitter.com/WChSaGxxWX
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Goa CM Pramod Sawant: All schools, colleges, casinos, boat cruises, and disco clubs closed till 31st March in the state. However, Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) & Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) exams will be conducted as per schedule. #COVID19 (file pic) pic.twitter.com/zbUCf3Clyr
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Government of West Bengal: All govt, govt aided, private educational institutions - schools, colleges, universities, madarsahs, Sishu Shiksha Kendra & Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra will remain closed from 16th to 31st March. Board examinations will be held as per schedule. #COVID19
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Was a busy day at the Embassy yesterday with a large number of Indian students and families coming in for testing for COVID19.@DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia @harshvshringla pic.twitter.com/7xlHUsOK2H
- India in Italy (@IndiainItaly) March 14, 2020
Bengaluru: Malls in the city have been closed amid #COVID19 pandemic. All malls, theaters, night clubs, pubs, and swimming pools will remain closed for the next week in the state. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/BS56pMuxbF
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Delhi: Some pharmacies have stopped selling N95 masks due to increase in prices amid #COVID19 pandemic.A pharmacist in Connaught Place says,"We've stopped selling N95 masks as wholesellers are selling it to us at high prices&if we ask customers for more money they fight with us". pic.twitter.com/XLJs3tyUZk
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Bihar:Special isolation ward has been set up in railway hospital at Karbighiya end of Patna junction as precautionary measure for #Coronavirus.Dr Shyamal Das says,"It is 10-bedded ward with all necessary medical equipment.A nodal officer has been appointed&a control room set up". pic.twitter.com/cGpQoO6R3R
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
China reported 11 new infections of the coronavirus on Saturday, and for the first time since the start of the epidemic the majority of them were imported cases from overseas.
Nagpur: 5 #COVID19 suspects escaped from isolation ward of Mayo Hospital. S Suryavanshi, Sub-Inspector Nagpur police station says, "One of them had tested negative, reports of other 4 were awaited. We have traced them & they will be brought back to hospital by the administration" pic.twitter.com/GOsOLfzrcs
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020
Maharashtra: All movie theaters, gyms, swimming pools and public gardens in Nagpur are closed till 30th March, as a preventive measure against #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/53r5swM81h
- ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2020