More than 800 people have tested positive for the coronavirus infection across the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the launch of a new fund to combat the coronavirus crisis and similar situations arising in the future, instantly drawing a flood of pledges including one of Rs 25 crore from Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar. Called the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund or PM CARES, the fund will see the Prime Minister as the chairman of the trust and its members will include the Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.
India saw the highest jump in coronavirus or COVID-19 cases today with 194 patients testing positive for the highly contagious illness in different parts of the country. The total is now 918, which includes 19 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry. Earlier, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs1.7 lakh crore package for the people, promising food security and money to buy the essentials.
India's response to COVID-19 has been "pre-emptive, pro-active and graded", the government said on Saturday, brushing aside the allegation that the 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced without any planning, triggering a major crisis for migrant workers and people who live on daily incomes.
The government has faced criticism that the lockdown, that came two months after the global outbreak, was announced abruptly and without planning, leaving millions stranded and triggering panic about access to food and basic necessities.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus:
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
BSF official in Madhya Pradesh tests positive for coronavirus
A Border Security Force (BSF) official, who was posted as a supervisory officer at a BSF quarantine centre in Madhya Pradesh's Tekanpur, has tested positive for COVID-19.
"He attended four meetings from March 15-19 where he met other ADG and IG rank officers. His wife returned from UK 15 days ago. All officers and his wife are under quarantine now," the BSF said.
Worldwide coronavirus toll passes 30,000, two thirds in Europe
More than 30,000 people have died worldwide in the coronavirus pandemic, two-thirds of them in Europe, according to an AFP tally at 1900 GMT on Saturday.
In total, 30,003 lives have been lost with 21,334 of those in Europe where Italy has the highest number of fatalities with 10,023 deaths, followed by Spain with 5,690, the tally based on official information sources found.
More Than 10,000 Killed In Italy By Coronavirus Pandemic
Italy's world-topping coronavirus death toll shot past 10,000 on Saturday and showed few sign of slowing down.
The 889 new fatalities reported by the civil protection service came a day after the nation of 60 million registered a world record 969 deaths on Friday.
3 new cases in Bhilwara, one in Ajmer takes Rajasthan tally to 54
Four new coronavirus cases -- three in the state's 'epicentre' Bhilwara and the first one in Ajmer, were reported in Rajasthan on Saturday, taking the state's total to 54, health officials said. Ajmer has now become the state's tenth district to report a Covid-19 case, confirmed health officials.
In Andhra Pradesh, a 23-year-old man of Rajasthan, has tested positive for COVID-19. Kurnool District Collector Veerapandian confirmed the news via Twitter and stated that the 23-year-old patient is stable.
Sending stranded people to home states could defeat purpose of lockdown: Nitish Kumar
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said sending stranded migrant workers to their home states would defeat the purpose of the lockdown and could increase the spread of the coronavirus.
He said a better course of action would be to provide food and shelter to such people, wherever they are, by setting up special camps.
Mr Kumar ordered officials to set up relief camps in districts in Bihar that share borders with adjoining states like Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, and also Nepal.
Amarinder Singh urges Centre to immediately release Rs 2088 Cr GST compensation for PunjabPunjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday sought immediate release of GST compensation arrears of Rs 2,088 crore as well as deferment of instalments of industrial and agricultural loans by commercial banks to help the state fight the coronavirus infection.
In a letter, that followed a telephonic conversation, the Chief Minister sought from Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman some additional urgent steps to mitigate the crisis caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Union Finance Minister had earlier called up the Chief Minister, who subsequently sent her a detailed letter listing out certain important proposals to help out the state in this critical time, according to an official spokesperson.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu appeals to members to contribute to coronavirus reliefRajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday appealed to members of the Upper House to contribute liberally from their MPLADS fund to aid measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
He urged them to contribute at least Rs 1 crore and send consent letters to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
Jhandewalan Temple provides meals to migrant workers, homeless peopleThe Jhandewalan Temple here is providing meals to the migrant workers, daily wage labourers, destitute and homeless people. This comes in the backdrop of the novel coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown.
The temple trust has been providing food since March 25 to poor people who have been suffering most due to the nationwide lockdown.
Food is being prepared two times for approximately 20-22 thousand people in the vicinity of temple. The Trust is paying great attention to hygiene and cleanliness at the premises where food is being prepared.
Not enough passes for staff of medicine shop owners: Delhi Drug Trader AssociationMedicines shops in Delhi are facing a shortage of staff due to the ''non-availability'' of the passes for them, said Ashish Grover, General Secretary of Delhi Drug Trader Association said on Saturday.
"We have passes for medicine shop owners but not for staff due to which there is a shortage of staff. The stock is enough but we don''t have transportation to move it. The government should buy this stock and distribute it," Ashish Grover, General Secretary, Delhi Drug Trader Association told news agency ANI.
Six coronavirus patients discharged from hospital in HaryanaA total of six coronavirus patients were discharged from hospital after receiving treatment, officials said on Saturday.
"A total of Six coronavirus patients were discharged from the hospital. Five coronavirus patients from Gurugram and one from Faridabad" said, officials.
A bulletin issued by the health department of the Haryana government said so far a total of 20 cases have been reported positive (Gurugram 10, Faridabad 3, Panipat 4, Panchkula 1, Palwal 1 and Sonepat 1).
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said people have been left at the mercy of God on the streets of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Anand Vihar, who are trying to get back to their hometown amid the lockdown.
"A human tragedy is spreading its legs on the streets of Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Anand Vihar. Women, children, and senior citizens have been left at God's mercy..." she tweeted in Hindi.
COVID-19: Hundreds of women stitch masks for poor in PunjabWomen in villages of Punjab are doing their bit by stitching masks and distributing them free of cost among the poor in the state. Hundreds of women who were trained by the Nanhi Chaan Trust in sewing and embroidery stitching are making the masks to help people protect themselves from the virus, according to the trust''s coordinator Rajni Sachdeva.
"We reached out to our individual members as well as self help groups to make face masks for free distribution. Our members responded enthusiastically to the appeal made by our patron Harsimrat Kaur Badal (a Union minister), and have already started distributing face masks in their respective areas," she said.
Calcutta High Court to hear urgent matter via SkypeThe Calcutta High Court will be hearing petitions via Skype in view of the inconvenience faced by lawyers and litigants in physically attending court proceedings due to the nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus outbreak, it said in a notification on Saturday.
The notification said that only extremely urgent matters will be taken up for hearing through Skype.
Advocates will be required to file the petitions through e-mail, it said
Qatar confirms first coronavirus deathQatar on Saturday recorded its first death from the coronavirus, a Bangladeshi resident, and 28 more cases to take its total to 590 infections, the health ministry said.
The 57-year-old Bangladeshi national was suffering from a previous chronic disease, state news agency QNA reported.The majority of cases in Qatar have been diagnosed among migrant labourers, and authorities have locked down a large section of an industrial zone where many live and work
Chennai cop uses "Corona helmet" to dissuade lockdown defiersIn a bid to spread awareness about the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, Chennai police inspector Rajesh Babu in collaboration with a a local artist has made a unique ''Corona'' helmet to dissuade commuters from coming out on the streets during the nationwide lockdown.
Gowtham, the artist, who designed the helmet told news agency ANI, "The public at large is not treating the COVID-19 situation seriously, whereas, the police personnel are working round the clock to ensure people stay at home and do not venture out so that further spread of the disease can be stopped."
Coronavirus death toll in Italy's Lombardy rises by around 542 in a dayThe death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in the northern region of Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of Italy's contagion, has risen by around 542 in a day to some 5,944, a source familiar with the data said on Saturday.
The fatalities are broadly in line with Friday's tally of 541, which was the second highest since the outbreak emerged on Feb
21.The number of cases in the region, which includes Italy's financial capital Milan, increased by some 2,117 to roughly 39,415 the source said.On Friday there were 2,409 new cases.The nationwide tally will be released at around 6.00 p.m
25-year-old man tests positive for coronavirus in Tamil NaduA 25-year-old man from West Mambalam in Chennai tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday.
"A 25-year-old male from West Mambalam, Chennai has tested positive for COVID1-19. The patient is undergoing treatment in isolation at a private hospital. His condition is stable," said Dr C Vijayabaskar, Tamil Nadu Health Minister.
The Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department have detected two more positive COVID-19 cases in the state on Saturday.
Assam-based couple stranded in Mumbai, forced to sleep under flyover amid lockdownAn Assam-based couple has been stranded in Mumbai and are forced to stay under a flyover near Lokmaiya Tilak Terminal here.
The couple who work in Goa, reached Mumbai to board a train for Assam but the lockdown was imposed across the country in view of the coronavirus outbreak, afterwards they got stuck in Mumbai.
Sourabh Deka and his wife Renu Deka work in a Goa-based restaurant and they have urged the Maharashtra government to provide them with a safe shelter to stay.
"I request Maharashtra government to give us a safe place to live in Mumbai. We cannot afford to live in a hotel as we are poor. In Assam, my one and a half-year-old daughter is staying with her grandmother. I and my wife are stuck here and we are facing major problems here," said Sourabh Deka.
Over 22 Lakh Public Healthcare Providers To Get Rs 50 Lakh Insurance Cover
The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers, including community health workers, will get Rs 50 lakh insurance cover under a national scheme for them.
They will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19, which was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26.
13 More Coronavirus Cases In Jammu Kashmir, Highest In A Day
Thirteen people tested positive for coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, taking the total number of cases to 33.
Of these, 24 cases have been reported from Valley while nine are from Jammu region.
"Hardly do I finish my press briefing - 28 cases- that I get more unpleasant news -5 new positive cases- 2 in Srinagar, 3 in Jammu- all contacts of previously positive ones; All Jammu cases asymptomatic. We are at 33 now," government spokesman Rohit Kansal said in a tweet.
Truck Drivers Leave Migrant Workers Midway As They Fail To Pay MoneyA group of migrant workers on Saturday alleged that truck drivers are charging them Rs 100 per head for dropping them to their native villages in Madhya Pradesh from Maharashtra.
"First they committed to take us for free but in midway they asked for money," a migrant labourer said.
Tihar Releases 400 Prisoners To Decongest Prisons Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
The Tihar Jail authority has released over 400 inmates to reduce overcrowding in prisons to prevent the spread of coronavirus, officials said on Saturday.
According to a senior jail official, 356 inmates were released on bail, while 63 inmates were released on emergency parole.
The interim bail is for 45 days and emergency parole is for eight weeks, the official said.
Truck Drivers Leave Migrant Workers Midway As They Fail To Pay Money
A group of migrant workers on Saturday alleged that truck drivers are charging them Rs 100 per head for dropping them to their native villages in Madhya Prades from Maharashtra.
"First they committed to take us for free but in midway they asked for money," a migrant labourer said.
"They said that they will drop us to Lakhnadon in Madhya Pradesh without any charges but they stopped their truck midway and asked us to pay Rs 100 per head. They are taking almost 80 people in a truck. We don't have the money and are stranded here," a migrant labourer told ANI.
Mumbai hospital units sealed after doctor dies of coronavirus
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has sealed the intensive care unit, CT scan and some other facilities in Mumbai's Saifee Hospital after a 85-year-old retired urologist died of COVID-19 and his 50-year-old son tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said on Saturday.
Akshay Kumar donates Rs 25 crore to PM-CARES Fund
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar on Saturday announced that he will be donating Rs 25 crore towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi''s PM-CARES fund to help the government in its fight against coronavirus pandemic.
PM Modi had earlier on Saturday announced the creation of the Prime Minister''s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES) where people can contribute and help the government in the fight.
Taking to Twitter, Akshay said that safeguarding the lives of the people is of paramount importance right now.
"This is that time when all that matters is the lives of our people. And we need to do anything and everything it takes. I pledge to contribute Rs 25 crores from my savings to @narendramodi ji''s PM-CARES Fund. Let's save lives, Jaan hai toh jahaan hai," Akshay wrote in tweet on Saturday.
Centre Committed To Support Migrant Workers During Lockdown: Amit Shah
Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the central government has committed all support to migrant workers during the 21-day lockdown announced to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Tata Sons Pledges ₹ 500 Crore For The Fight Against Coronavirus
One of India's largest business houses, Tata Sons has announced a big contribution to help in the fight against COVID-19 or novel coronavirus. Ratan Tata the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons has announced that Tata Trusts will pledge ₹ 500 crore for various measures the group will take up to fight the pandemic.
According to Mr Tata, in this exceptionally difficult period, urgent emergency resources need to be deployed to cope with the needs of fighting COVID-19 crisis describing it as one the toughest challenges humans will face.
JNU Staff To Donate Its One-Day Salary For COVID-19 PandemicAll the teaching and non-teaching staff of Jawaharlal Nehru University has decided to donate its one day salary to fight the Coronavirus epidemic.
"It's Shameful...": Rahul Gandhi On Stranded Labourers In Anand Vihar
"Out of work & facing an uncertain future, millions of our brothers & sisters across India are struggling to find their way back home. It's shameful that we've allowed any Indian citizen to be treated this way & that the Govt had no contingency plans in place for this exodus," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
Speaker Asks MPs To Us Minimum Rs 1 Crore In Coronavirus Battle
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has asked all members of the house to use atleast Rs 1 crore in the battle against Coronavirus epidemic.
Telangana reports first death, total cases surge to 65
A 74-year-old man died in Telangana today, making him the first casualty in the southern state. The total number of cases in Telangana has surged to 65.
Yediyurappa convenes all-party meet on COVID-19
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has convened an all-party meeting on Sunday to discuss measures that need to be taken in coming days to control the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Pointing out that several people in the state have been affected by the virus, Yediyurappa in a letter to leaders of the parties on Saturday said, his government was taking all necessary measures to control its spread, and there was lockdown in place.
Newspaper vendors be allowed to distribute papers from 4-9 am: Delhi Police
The Delhi Police on Saturday said newspaper vendors would be allowed to distribute papers from 4 am to 9 am.
The order by Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava comes in the wake of reports that newspaper agents and distributors were being stopped amid the lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
The order was sent to all deputy commissioners of police in the city.
India saw the highest jump in coronavirus or COVID-19 cases today with 194 patients testing positive for the highly contagious illness in different parts of the country. The total is now 918, which includes 19 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry.
Government committed to provide all support to migrant workers during lockdown period, says Home Minister Amit Shah
Isha Foundation offers its buildings in Coimbatore to be used for medical purposesThe Isha Foundation has offered its buildings and premises in Coimbatore to be used for medical purposes to extend support to the Tamil Nadu government's efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. If needed Isha volunteers will also provide support in government hospitals, the Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said in a release.
He stressed the fact that hunger and starvation has the potential to cause a civil unrest and lack of employment would lead to starvation of daily wage earners and their families.
Over 3,800 arrested for defying lockdown in Gujarat
As many as 3,857 persons have been arrested and 2,653 FIRs lodged so far in Gujarat against persons flouting government notifications as well as home quarantine protocol, with police using drones and checking CCTV footages to maintain law and order, a senior official said on Saturday.
Gujarat Director General of Police Shivanand Jha said over 1,000 FIRs were registered against 1,595 persons in the last 24 hours.
PM Modi Asks For Donation To Fight Virus
PM Narendra Modi has urged people to donate to fight the Coronavirus epidemic.
"The PM-CARES Fund accepts micro-donations too. It will strengthen disaster management capacities and encourage research on protecting citizens.
Let us leave no stone unturned to make India healthier and more prosperous for our future generations," PM Narendra Modi tweeted.
"It is my appeal to my fellow Indians, Kindly contribute to the PM-CARES Fund. This Fund will also cater to similar distressing situations, if they occur in the times ahead. This link has all important details about the fund," he said in another tweet.
Coronavirus News: Had Fruitful Interaction With City Leaders From Aaround World, Says Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that in an interaction with "the city leaders from around the world", he discussed strategies to deal with COVID-19, reported ANI.
"Last evening, I had a fruitful interaction with the city leaders from around the world about strategies to deal with Covid-19. Shared Delhi's approach and also learned a lot from experiences of other countries," said Mr Kejriwal in a tweet.
Coronavirus News: CRPF, Army distribute masks, food items, rice to locals in J&K's Shopian
Jawans of the 14th Battalion Central Reserve Police Force on Saturday distributed masks to locals in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian amid the 21-day lockdown. Meanwhile, 62 Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army distributed rice and other food items among the needy in Shopian earlier today, reported ANI.
Coronavirus News: 74 Cases Of Coronavirus In Karnataka
Karnataka has reported 10 new positive cases of COVID-19 between 5 pm yesterday and 8 am today, taking the tally to 74 in the state, reported ANI.
Spain counts 832 deaths in 24 hours as toll surges to 5,690: Centre
The death toll in Spain surged over 5,600 on Saturday after a record 832 people died in 24 hours, and the number of infections soared over 72,000, the government said.
Spain has the world's second-highest coronavirus death toll after Italy with 5,690 fatalities. The number of cases have jumped to 72,248 as the country moves to significantly increase testing.
481 Evacuees From Italy, China Kept At ITBP Chhawla Quarantine Facility
Total 481 Indian evacuees from Coronavirus-hit Italy and China are being looked after at ITBP Chhawla Quarantine Facility, New Delhi.
No fresh symptoms of Corona Virus seen among these evacuees till now.
Cargo flights with essential supplies to land in Northeast today
Cargo flights with essential supplies and medical equipments will land in the Northeast today. Amid aviation ban, the centre has decided to run cargo operation for northeast and other remote areas.
Kerala's Kasaragod Turns Into New Coronavirus Hotspot With 34 Cases In A Day
Thirty nine people tested positive for Coronavirus in Kerala on Friday, the highest number of cases reported in a single day. Of these, Kasaragod, a district at the northern tip of Kerala, reported 34 cases, while two were reported at Kannur and one each in Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kollam, taking the total of those who tested positive in the coastal state to 164."
Labourers are country's backbone, please help them: Priyanka Gandhi
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday said labourers are country's backbone and they should be helped as mass exodus of migrants started with the lockdown in the country.
Gandhi shared a tweet from Uttar Pradesh Congress which showed migrants walking back home even in night.
"Do not do this to helpless and poor Indians. We should be ashamed that we have left them in this condition. These are our own. Labourers are the backbone of the country. Please help them," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
US Announces $2.9 Million Aid For India To Fight COVID-19The newly announced assistance is part of a larger American global response package across multiple departments and agencies, including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The funding is for 64 of the most at-risk countries facing the threat of the global pandemic."
Niramala Sitharaman holds discussion on coronavirus
Finance minister Niramala Sitharaman held discussions with various chambers regarding industry's inputs and impacts on the Indian economy during coronavirus lockdown.
6 new coronavirus positive cases found in the state today - 5 in Mumbai and 1 in Nagpur. The total number of positive cases in the state rises to 159: Maharashtra Health Ministry
Ramayana, Mahabharat to be Re-telecasted on public demand
Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana will be re-telecast on television from today following public demand during nationwide lockdown. Two episodes of the iconic mythological serial of the 80s will be broadcast - one in the morning from 9am to 10am and another in evening from 9pm to 10pm, said Prakash Javdekar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
Donald Trump signs $2 trillion recovery plan as US virus cases skyrocket
President Donald Trump signed into law Friday the $2 trillion rescue plan to salvage a US economy crippled by the novel coronavirus, on a day the nation recorded more than 100,000 confirmed cases of virus infections. Hours earlier, the House of Representatives passed the package, with lawmakers uniting to greenlight the mega-plan as the world-topping number of US COVID-19 infections surged past 104,000, including 1,693 deaths. Trump's signature brings an end to the dramatic, weeklong legislative saga on Capitol Hill, and triggers the distribution of millions of relief checks of up to $3,400 for an average American family of four.
Delhi people exercise social distancing while making purchases at vegetable and fruit stores and dairies.
Kerala Municipality officials distribute food material amid coronavirus lockdown
Kerala Municipality officials distribute food material among the migrant labourers and other needy people in Kottakkal town of Malappuram district, amid Coronavirus lockdown
Delhi streets continue to remain deserted
Delhi streets continue to remain deserted, shops closed as the 21 days lockdown remains imposed across India.
Large number of migrant workers had gathered at Kaushambi Bus Station in Ghaziabad
A large number of migrant workers had gathered at Kaushambi Bus Station in Ghaziabad yesterday to take buses to their respective hometowns within the state, amid the nationwide coronavirus lockdown
Mamata Banerjee distributes essential commodities to people amid lockdown
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday distributed essential commodities to people at Kalighat night shelter amid nationwide lockdown. She was spotted wearing a mask and following social distancing to avoid getting infected with the novel coronavirus. Earlier, Ms Banerjee had written to Chief Ministers of 18 states requesting them to provide basic amenities such as shelter, food and medical support to the workers of West Bengal stranded in their states due to the lockdown.
Coronavirus: 9-Month-Old Among 3 Children Of Family Who Tested COVID-19+ In Bengal
Five members of a family, including three children, tested positive for COVID-19 in West Bengal on Friday, taking the number of such cases in the state to 15, a senior health official said."
US Announces $2.9 Million Aid For India To Fight COVID-19
The newly announced assistance is part of a larger American global response package across multiple departments and agencies, including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The funding is for 64 of the most at-risk countries facing the threat of global pandemic."
Coronavirus count over 800 in India
The number of coronavirus cases in the country has crossed 800-mark, with a big jump of 110 new cases reported within the last 24 hours. Four days into the 21-day lockdown, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced an Rs1.7 lakh crore package for the people, promising food security and money to buy the essentials.
Conrad Sangma directs people to practice social distancing in Shillong.