The number of COVID-19 cases in the country crossed 2000 today - with 235 fresh cases being detected within the last 24 hours. The total number of cases across the country is 2069, of them, 53 people are dead. Much of the spike has come from the religious event held in Delhi last month.
The centre and states must have a "common exit strategy" for staggered re-entry of population after the 21-day national lockdown to fight the spread of coronavirus ends, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a video-conference with Chief Ministers today. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah were also present at the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed a 21-day lockdown that will end in mid-April in a desperate bid to stave off an epidemic among India's 130 crore people.
The Health Ministry today said that they have identified 9,000 people who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin. Nearly 1,300 are foreigners. The health ministry said that 400 coronavirus cases have links to Delhi mosque event. They are also expecting some more cases from the event.
Here are the Updates of the coronavirus cases:
Apr 02, 2020 23:23 (IST)
Coronavirus News: 24-Hour Curfew Imposed In Arunachal Pradesh's Medo After 1st Coronavirus Case
Curfew was imposed in Arunachal Pradesh's Medo on Thursday for 24-hours after a man tested positive for COVID-19, an official said.
The 24-hour curfew which has been clamped at Medo area since 12 PM on Thursday would be in force till Friday noon, Lohit Deputy Commissioner Prince Dhawan said.
The 31-year-old man is the first person in Arunachal Pradesh to test positive for coronavirus, reported PTI.
Apr 02, 2020 23:07 (IST)
Coronavirus News: 156 Tablighi Event Attendees Quarantined In Ghaziabad
The Ghaziabad health authorities have so far quarantined 156 people who had returned to the district after attending a religious congregation held by the Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi last month, an official said on Thursday.
Now, police and Health Department teams are tracing those who came in their contact after their arrival in Ghaziabad, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) NK Gupta said.
The official said 90 people have been quarantined at Sunder Deep Collage, 56 at Surya Hospital in Murad Nagar and five each at the MMG Government Hospital and the combined hospital in Sanjay Nagar, reported PTI.
Apr 02, 2020 23:05 (IST)
Coronavirus News: 2 Arrested In Delhi For Hoarding Masks, Sanitisers, Say Cops
Two men have been arrested in northeast Delhi's Seelampur area for allegedly hoarding masks and sanitizers meant for public use to prevent the spread of COVID-19, police said on Thursday.
The accused were identified as Jagan Nath and Iqbal Javed, both residents of Seelampur, they said, reported PTI.
"The arrest was made after they were found hoarding masks and sanitizers meant for use by public for prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic," Ved Prakash Surya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast), said.
Apr 02, 2020 23:04 (IST)
Cronavirus News: Only Patients, Students, People With Disabilities To Get Concessions For Now, Say Railways
Anybody can book train tickets in advance as the reservations for travel after April 14 was never suspended, Indian Railways said and clarified that IRCTC concessions can only be availed by patients, students and people with disabilities.
Sources said a March 19 order issued by the Indian Railways, suspending all concessions except the categories mentioned above till "further advice", was yet to be rescinded.
The order was issued to discourage rail travel during the coronavirus outbreak, reported PTI.
Apr 02, 2020 22:39 (IST)
Coronavirus News: Indian Students Stranded In Ukraine Request Evacuation
Indian students stranded in various universities across Ukraine have appealed for help and evacuation as coronavirus continues to spread in the country and said the Indian embassy should contact them directly.
The students told ANI that Indians studying in Dnipropetrovsk State Medical Academy and Ivano Frankivsk National Medical University Ukraine were facing various problems.
They requested the Indian embassy to directly contact them so it would be able to know the prevailing situation.
Apr 02, 2020 22:37 (IST)
Coronavirus News: Shah Rukh Khan Pledges To Donate To Coronavirus Relief Fund
Actor Shah Rukh Khan and his group of companies have pledged to donate to a number of relief funds, including the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) fund and the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund to combat the coronavirus, reported ANI.
"In these times its imp to make everyone around u working tirelessly for u.. not related to u.. perhaps even unknown to u... to feel they are not alone and by themselves. Let's just make sure we all do our little bit to look after each other. India and all Indians are One Family," the actor tweeted.
Apr 02, 2020 22:34 (IST)
Coronavirus News: Nizamuddin-Like Event, Planned For March, Averted Near, Says Maharashtra Home Minister
A congregation similar to the one held in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, now linked to COVID-19 spread, was averted near Mumbai after the previously-granted permission was withdrawn, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Thursday.
A two-day mega religious programme was planned in Vasai, on the outskirts of Mumbai, but the home department denied them permission after initially giving the go-ahead.
An official statement, quoting Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, said Shamim Education and Welfare Society had formally sought permission from the department for organising Tablighi Ijtema on March 14-15, reported PTI.
Apr 02, 2020 22:29 (IST)
Coronavirus News: 2 Missing Tablighi Event Attendees Arrested, Quarantined In Greater Noida
Two missing persons, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi's Nizamuddin last month, were arrested in Greater Noida and quarantined on Thursday, police said.
Two others, who had provided shelter to the Jamaat attendees, were also arrested and quarantined, they added.
The two Jamaat attendees had gone missing from Rajasthan's Alwar, reported PTI.
Apr 02, 2020 22:07 (IST)
Coronavirus News: Tamil Nadu To Give Rs 1,000 To Ration Card Holder Amid Lockdown
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar today said that all ration card holders in Tamil Nadu will be provided with Rs 1000 assistance from April 2 to 13 as people in the state are struggling to get essentials goods due to three-week nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
However, essential services are being continued.
"Each ration cardholder will be provided with Rs 1,000 due to lockdown. People are struggling. So, all the essentials provided starting from today till April 13 will be provided," Mr Jayakumar said.
"In Chennai, we have 18,32,158 ration cardholders. I thank the public for maintaining the social distance while standing in the queue," he added.
He also said that the tokens are being provided to the public to avoid the crowd in ration shops, news agency ANI reported.
Apr 02, 2020 22:04 (IST)
Coronavirus News: Delhi Police Received Over 1,000 Calls In 24 Hours Seeking Help Amid Lockdown
The Delhi Police received over 1,000 calls on their helpline number within a period of 24 hours till today, seeking assistance in resolving issues being faced by people due to the lockdown, officials said today.
A total of 1,038 calls were received from Wednesday 2 pm to Thursday 2 pm, out of which 177 were related to areas outside the national capital and those have been referred to the respective state police, the police said, news agency PTI reported.
Apr 02, 2020 22:01 (IST)
Coronavirus News: UP Chief Minister Skips Ram Navami Ritual Amid COVID-19 Lockdown
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minster Yogi Adityanath today skipped a Ram Navami ritual at his Gorakhnath 'math' due to the lockdown to contain coronavirus.
However, the "kanya pujan" was performed with a "limited gathering" of "math" employees, and the management said social distancing was maintained.
In the absence of Yogi Adityanath, who is the head of the "math", the "kanya pujan", was led by the temple's chief priest Yogi Kamalnath.
Even after becoming Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath has been leading the ritual, which reveres the girl child as a manifestation of Goddess Durga.
"Due to the coronavirus outbreak, some changes were made in the traditional kanya pujan programme this time," senior temple staffer Dwarika Tiwari said, news agency PTI reported.
Apr 02, 2020 21:15 (IST)
Coronavirus News: Delhi AIIMS Doctor's Pregnant Wife Tests Positive For COVID-19
A senior resident doctor of AIIMS, Delhi had tested positive for COVID-19, official sources confirmed today. His nine months pregnant wife has also tested positive for the coronavirus. She is also a doctor by profession.
Apr 02, 2020 20:51 (IST)
Coronavirus News: 1st COVID-19 Death In Haryana, Total Positive Cases Rise To 35
Haryana today reported first coronavirus death in the state due to COVID-19 infection as a 67-year-old, also having multiple ailments, died at a Chandigarh hospital, amid a rise in corona-positive cases to 35, a senior official said.
Six new corona-positive cases were reported in the state today, taking the total count of infection to 35.
"The man had multiple underlying health conditions including diabetes and associated kidney disease and a heart ailment. He had reported to Ambala civil hospital with acute respiratory distress and acute pneumonitis from where he was referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh," a senior medical officer told PTI over a phone call.
"He tested COVID-19 positive at PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research) around midnight Thursday and passed away around the same time," he added.
According to the doctor, the patient had no contact history.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus positive cases in Haryana increased from 29 to 35 today, as per the state health department's bulletin, news agency PTI reported.
Apr 02, 2020 20:49 (IST)
Coronavirus News: Coronavirus Cases In India Tops 2,000, Over 50 Deaths
The number of coronavirus cases in India has jumped and has crossed the 2,000 mark. The total number of cases across the country is 2069, of them, 53 people are dead. Much of the spike has come from the religious event held in Delhi last month. The government has imposed strict rules against the lockdown violators.
