British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
Boris Johnson developed "mild sympotoms and tested positive for coronavirus". However, on the micro-blogging app, he said that he will "continue to lead the government's response via video-conference".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a get-well-soon to his British counterpart.
"Dear PM @BorisJohnson You're a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well. Prayers for your good health and best wishes in ensuring a healthy UK," PM Modi tweeted.
On Friday, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a cut of 75 basis points in the repo rate to 4.4 per cent, after an unscheduled meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee. The announcement came as India entered the third day of a 21-day countrywide lockdown to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that RBI has taken a giant steps in safeguarding the economy from the impact of coronavirus.
More than 700 people have tested positive for the coronavirus infection across the country.
The WHO has praised India's efforts to contain the coronavirus. Mike Ryan, the WHO's top emergencies expert, told a Geneva news conference that with the lockdown in place, India had a window of opportunity to expand testing, surveillance and quarantine facilities and said its success in eliminating polio was an example of how it could work.
Coronavirus has infected over 5 lakh globally and killed over 20,000.
Here are the updates on Coronavirus:
Mar 28, 2020 04:39 (IST)
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.
Mar 28, 2020 04:38 (IST)
Many Chief Ministers requested to look after people from their states, will take care of them: Uddhav Thackeray
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that that the state government will take care of people who are fleeing to their native places amid nationwide lockdown and requested them to stay at their place.
"We have seen people who were hiding in milk tankers while trying to go to their native states getting caught. Many CMs have requested me to take care of people from their states. We request people to stay at their place, we will take care of them," Mr Thackeray said.
The development comes after several migrant labourers were reportedly forced to walk all the way to their native places following the announcement of a 21-day nationwide lockdown.
Mar 28, 2020 04:37 (IST)
78 COVID-19 cases confirmed among UN staff globally
78 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among the United Nations (UN) staff worldwide as of now, a UN official said.
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, gave the figure during a virtual press briefing here on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Due to the unprecedented challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to the work of the United Nations, the bi-weekly UN briefings in Geneva have been conducted virtually using the video-conference systems.
During the past weeks, the UN headquarters in Geneva, the International Labor Organization as well as the World Trade Organization have all reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among their staff members.
Mar 28, 2020 04:36 (IST)
All Odisha Assembly staff quarantined after employee contacted COVID-19+ patient
The entire staff of the state Assembly have been quarantined and the Assembly building is being sanitized after an employee at Odisha Legislative Assembly was found to have contacted a COVID-19 positive person.
"After an employee at Odisha Legislative Assembly was found to have contacted a COVID-19 positive person, the entire staff of the Assembly have been quarantined & Assembly building is being sanitized," SN Patra, Odisha Assembly Speaker said.
"The Assembly session that is scheduled to start from 30th March will be shifted to Loka Seva Bhawan. I request all political parties to attend the session with 1/3rd of their MLAs," he said.
A total of 724 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday.
Mar 28, 2020 04:33 (IST)
1,383 arrested, 923 vehicles seized for lockdown violation in Kerala
1,383 people were arrested and 923 vehicles were seized across the state for violating lockdown on Friday.
7091 cases have been registered so far in Kerala for violation of lockdown, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.
Kerala reported 39 new positive cases of COVID-19 on Friday, taking the tally to 176 in the state.
Mar 28, 2020 04:32 (IST)
Covid-19 positive man from Tamil Nadu recovers
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar on Friday said that a 21-year-old man with travel history to Dublin and Ireland has been completely recovered from COVID-19 and discharged from hospital.
However, the man has been quarantined for the next 14 days.
"Update: The 21 Y M who traveled from Dublin, Ireland has completely recovered from #COVID2019 & discharged from #RGGH after 2 subsequent mandatory tests proved -ve. He will continue to b home quarantined for d next 14 days. Appreciate d team who took care of this young man," Vijayabaskar tweeted.
Mar 28, 2020 02:49 (IST)
6 out of 9 COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar have no travel history
Six out of the nine total COVID-19 confirmed cases in Bihar have no travel history, state Health Department said on Friday.
Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Thursday requested Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to open more testing labs for coronavirus. Pandey, who held a meeting with Dr Harsh Vardhan via video conferencing, told ANI: "I informed him about the quarantine and isolation facilities across the State."
"I also told him about Nalanda Medical College and Hospital that has been made a dedicated COVID-19 hospital with 800 beds. I have requested him to open testing labs at PMCH and GMCH with the help of ICMR," he said.
The minister said that he also stressed the need for logistic support and ventilator beds in the state. "Dr Vardhan has assured me that he will look into my request on priority," he added.
Mar 28, 2020 02:49 (IST)
Nearly 1 lakh new corona cases in 24 hours globally, US leads
The new coronavirus cases surged by nearly one lakh in a single day to reach almost six lakh COVID-19 positive patients globally on Thursday, with the US on the top of the list with nearly one lakh cases alone.
Italy jumped to second place with over 86,000 cases, followed by China and Spain, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre data.
Italy recorded a sudden spike in coronavirus deaths, with 969 new victims which is the worst daily record for any country.
Globally, over 26,000 people have died as the novel coronavirus reaches 176 countries.
The US now has more COVID-19 cases than any other country after more than 16,000 COVID-19 infections were reported in a single day, mostly in the New York City.
Mar 28, 2020 02:16 (IST)
Four men in Madhya Pradesh, one in Chandigarh test positive for COVID-19
Five people including four in Madhya Pradesh and one in Chandigarh were tested positive for COVID-19.
Among four in Madhya Pradesh include three from Indore and one from Ujjain.
Men from Indore are of ages- 60 years, 42 years and 23 years and the man from Ujjain is 23-year-old, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore said.
Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Administration said that a 22-year-old male residing in Sector-30, Chandigarh with a history of travel to Dubai has been diagnosed as the eighth COVID-19 positive cases in the Union Territory, as per report received from Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER).
Mar 28, 2020 02:09 (IST)
PM expresses satisfaction on Kerala's steps to tackle COVID-19: Pinarayi Vijayan
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took stock of the situation in Kerala and expressed his satisfaction on the steps taken by the state government in tackling the coronavirus outbreak.
Addressing a press conference, the Kerala Chief Minister said that the state government has also asked for support from the Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan in distributing food grains and provision kits to all households in the state.
"We welcome the Rs 1.7 lakh crore comprehensive COVID 19 relief package announced by the central government while making few suggestions and requests in its implementation. We request the Centre to include the healthcare workers from the private sector also in the insurance scheme. They are playing an important role in battling this virus and we cannot belittle their valuable contribution," he said.
