Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: Maharashtra Reports 2 More Coronavirus Cases, Total Numbers Rise To 14

Coronavirus Outbreak: Government Has Set Up Helpline Number Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
The government has set up a central helpline - 011-23978046 - related to coronavirus outbreak in the country, besides 15 states and union territories using either of ''104'', ''108'' and ''102'' as their state-level helpline number, the Union Home Ministry said on Thursday.

Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep and Puducherry are using phone number 104 as helplines for tackling coronavirus outbreak, it said.

Meghalaya is using 108 and Mizoram 102 as their respective helpline for the viral outbreak, they said.

A central helpline - 011-23978046- related to coronavirus outbreak in the country has also been set up, the ministry said. The Delhi government's help line is 011-22307145, it said.

76-Year-Old Man In Karnataka, Who Died On Tuesday, Had Coronavirus
A 76-year-old man who died in Karnataka's Kalburgi district on Tuesday had been infected by the novel coronavirus, government officials said late Thursday night. He had returned from Saudi Arabia on February 29 and had been screened on arrival at Hyderabad airport. He had showed no symptoms at that time.

On March 5 he went to a private hospital in Kalburgi and was admitted the following day with asthma and hypertension. Hospital staff tested him for novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Maharashtra Reports 2 More Coronavirus Cases, Total Numbers Rise To 14
Two more cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Maharashtra today evening, one of them in Mumbai and other in neighbouring Thane, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said in Mumbai.

It took the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state to 14. The new coronavirus patient in Mumbai was a 65-year-old man who had returned from Dubai and his condition was somewhat critical, Mr Tope said. The patient had traveled to France, he said.

Earlier in the day, test of one person in Pune had come out positive. There are now nine confirmed coronavirus patients in Pune, three in Mumbai, one in Thane and another in Nagpur.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Those Testing Coronavirus Negative To Be Brought First: Centre
Amid the government's plan to evacuate Indians in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the External Affairs Ministry today said that an evacuation does not mean bringing back everybody and people who test negative for the infection will be brought back first.

It also asked the citizens in other countries to stay put.

The comments were made by MEA Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi who has been appointed as the nodal officer to coordinate efforts to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said a medical team will be reaching Italy on Friday morning and they will be looking into issues faced by Indian students in getting negative (coronavirus) certificates. Tests will be conducted and those who test negative will be issued certificates so they can board commercial flights.

"We have to be clear that evacuation does not mean that we are trying to bring everybody. We need to understand that people who are not contaminated will be first brought in," Mr Ravi said.

"We will have a sample testing medical team going there. Tomorrow a team will go and get the samples. Samples will be coming through various sources by previous flights. These are being tested in India and those who are negative cases will be brought in. In case of Italy, a medical team will go there."

"In Iran a medical team is already stationed and the samples are coming in on regular basis and being tested and then we take measures on how to bring them back and that is a situation which evolves on daily basis," he said.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Delhi Government Requests Centre For More Coronavirus Testing Laboratories
The Delhi government today requested the centre to increase the number of testing laboratories for COVID-19 in Delhi as the city reported its sixth case of coronavirus.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain wrote to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan requesting him to increase the number of testing labs for coronavirus in the city.

Talking to reporters after a high-level meeting attended by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and top officials, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra  Jain said private hospitals should also be permitted to conduct COVID-19 tests because it is important for every hospital to have a testing lab.

He also called for opening testing laboratories in four Delhi government hospitals along with the Lady Hardinge Hospital, where the testing laboratory was to become operational.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Rahul Gandhi Says PM Is “Clueless” About Coronavirus
Accusing the Narendra Modi government of not taking adequate measures to contain coronavirus, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said today, "Our Prime Minister is clueless and sleeping."

"There is no preparation. The government is sleeping. They don't realise that coronavirus is spreading in this country. It's going to have devastating consequences. We are heading to the highway for an accident as a nation," Mr Gandhi said addressing the media at the Parliament House.

"Only after when I tweeted on the COVID-19, the Prime Minister also started tweeting about it," he said.

The coronavirus had worsened the already sinking Indian economy, he said. "We have got to start taking emergency measures now. It's already too late," he added.

Coronavirus Outbreak: No Community Transmission Of Coronavirus Has Been Observed: Government
Amid rise in novel coronavirus cases in India, the government today asked people not to panic, saying no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there has only been a few cases of local transmission so far.

With novel coronavirus being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), health ministry officials said even though the virus is difficult to isolate, scientists at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, have been successful in finding about 11 isolates, but developing a vaccine will take at least one-and-a-half to two years.

The number of COVID-19 patients in India rose to 74 today, which includes 16 Italians and one Canadian. The figure also includes three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month following recovery.

The government has stepped up vigil and following a strong contact tracing system to ensure anyone who has come in touch with the infected are not missed out.

Coronavirus Outbreak: 2 Special Flights To Evacuate Indians Stranded In Coronavirus-Hit Iran
ndia will operate two special flights from Mumbai and Delhi to evacuate Indians stranded in coronavirus hit Iran, informed Union Ministry of Civil Aviation today.

"As per the evacuation plan of Ministry of Civil Aviation, following special flights will operate to evacuate Indians from Iran-from Mumbai on March 13 at 12:30 pm and from Delhi on March 15 at 1:40 am," said Union Ministry of Civil Aviation official.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that over 6000 Indian nationals are stranded in different provinces of coronavirus-hit Iran and the Indian government is making focused efforts for their safe return to India.

"Given a large number of Indians in Iran, it was natural that we should seek to sequence their return, taking into account their location and exposure. The initial focus is on visiting pilgrims. Many of them are in Qom, where Coronavirus incidence has been strong," S Jaishankar said.

The minister informed that a team of six Indian health officials has been deputed to Iran in order to set up testing and sampling facilities there.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Traffic Reduced By 50% At Bangalore Airport Amid Coronavirus
Bangalore Airport has seen a 50% dip in international traffic in March amid travel restrictions by a host of countries and subsequent flight cancellations due to coronavirus concerns.

Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), in a statement today also said domestic passengers volume has also been squeezed by 2-4 per cent and it may dip further if the number of coronavirus cases go up further.

"Traffic at Bangalore Airport has been affected by the Coronavirus, like most other airports globally. International traffic has dropped by 20 per cent from normal levels (before COVID19 was detected) in February and almost by 50 per cent from normal levels in March," BIAL said in a statement.

Against an average daily international passenger volume of around 14,000-15,000, only around 6,000-7,000 international passengers are arriving at Bangalore airport per day, the statement added.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Received Requests From Neighbouring Countries For Coronavirus Assistance: Centre
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) today said that MEA has received requests from some of the neighbouring countries to provide them assistance for protective gear in the wake of coronavirus scare, which is under process.

"We have received requests from some of the countries in the neighborhood in terms of providing them assistance for protective gear.

Requests are under process. In February we had sent a consignment to China," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"We have received requests (for protective gear) from Bhutan, Maldives, Iran, and Italy. In China, it has already been dispatched," he added.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Andhra Pradesh Man Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Total Cases Rise To 74
The number of coronavirus patients in India rose to 74 with 14 fresh cases, including nine from Maharashtra and one each from Delhi, Ladakh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh as well as one foreign national, the Union Health Ministry said today.

As the contagious disease with flu-like symptoms spreads across the globe and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, the cabinet secretary has said states and Union Territories should invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 so all advisories issued by the Union Health Ministry and state governments are enforceable.

The ministry said the government is undertaking measures to ensure safety and security of its citizens in Iran after it became clear that the country was facing a COVID-19 outbreak.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Mumbai Railway Staffs Trained To Detect People With Coronavirus Symptoms
Railway authorities in Mumbai have trained their staffs to identify commuters with symptoms of the coronavirus and help them reach the hospital where such patients are being treated, an official said today.

Local trains of the Central railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) ferry around 80 lakh commuters every day, which account for nearly half of the total number of passengers who travel by trains in the country daily. On average over 5,000 people travel by a local train in Mumbai during peak hour.

"Station masters have been trained to spot symptoms of the coronavirus. They have been instructed to approach the passengers showing coronavirus-like symptoms and assist them reach the nearest hospital," a senior official said.

The staff at Emergency Medical Rooms at railway stations have been sensitized about the virus, he added.

If the staff spot a suspected coronavirus patient at a station, they have been asked to inform the district collector.

"Passengers too can approach the station master or call the railway helpline to report such suspected patients," he added. Special helplines have been set up for this purpose, he stated.

The authorities are also trying to create awareness among the commuters through posters about DOs & DON'Ts and audio and video messages.

"Isolation wards and high-contact surfaces are being sanitized regularly with disinfectants," said a WR release. Health inspectors are conducting awareness drives in Railway colonies, offices and stations to prevent panic.

Passengers arriving in Mumbai by long-distance trains should be screened, he said. But according to railway officials, screening of passengers at railway stations is practically impossible, looking at sheer numbers.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Defense Ministry Sets Up 7 More Quarantine Facilities Amid Coronavirus
The Ministry of Defense has set up seven more quarantine facilities for COVID-19 patients, especially for Indian citizens being brought to back from coronavirus-hit countries, an official said today.

The facilities have been set up at Jaisalmer, Suratgadh, Jhansi, Jodhpur, Deolali, Kolkata and Chennai.

"We are expecting more civilians to be brought back to India. We are ready with our facilities," Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said.

The army is already operating a quarantine facility in Manesar while the one in Hindon, near Ghaziabad, is being operated by the air force.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Passengers From 7 Countries Under Strict Watch Amid Coronavirus In Pune
Passengers arriving in Pune by Dubai-Pune flights would be placed under quarantine at hospital if they have visited, after February 15, any of the seven "high-risk" countries which have seen major coronavirus outbreaks.

Eight Pune residents, including a couple who returned from Dubai, have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Passengers from seven high-risk countries will be straightway sent to quarantine irrespective of whether they have any symptoms, said divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar.

A Spice Jet flight from Dubai is scheduled to land at the Pune airport on Friday and another on Saturday.

"As per the Union government's guidelines, if passengers on these flights have travel history to China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15, they will be kept under institutional quarantine (in hospital) in the city," said Mr Mhaisekar.

"We are trying to obtain travel history post-February 15 of the passengers on these two flights," he added.

A "containment program" has been launched in three-km radius in four areas of the city where the patients who have tested positive for the virus live.

"We are conducting house-to-house surveys in these areas and screening people," said a senior official.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Iran's Death Count From Coronavirus Reaches To 429: Health Official
Iran today reported 75 new deaths from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said, bringing the death count to 429 in the worst-hit country in the Middle East.

"We have identified 1,075 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, meaning that there are 10,075 infected people in the country. The death toll is 429," Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told state television.

The outbreak has infected a host of senior officials, politicians, clerics and members of the elite Revolutionary Guards in Iran, the fourth worst-affected nation after China, South Korea and Italy.

At least seven officials and politicians have died since February 19, when Iran announced first infections and two deaths from the virus.

Iranian officials have repeatedly urged people to avoid unnecessary trips and stay at home.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Bombay Bar Association Urges Members To Avoid Handshakes Amid Coronavirus
The Bombay Bar Association (BBA) today urged its members to avoid handshakes and asked litigants not to visit its premises in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The BBA issued a notice asking members to use hand sanitizers, wear mask or cover their mouth and nose with handkerchief while sneezing. Handshakes should also be avoided, it added.

As per suggestions made by the BBA, the Bombay high court administration has agreed to provide temperature guns at security gates to screen entrants and issue directions to litigants to not attend proceedings unless asked by the court.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Air India To Suspend Flights To Italy, South Korea Amid Coronavirus: Sources
Air India has decided to immediately suspend its flights to Italy and South Korea, two of the worst affected countries, sources said today.

According to sources, Air India's Delhi-Seoul, Delhi-Rome and -Milan flights stand suspended till March 25 and 28 respectively.

"Flight services have been suspended due to the outbreak of coronavirus in these two countries," the sources told news agency IANS. The flight suspension is effective from today onwards."

The airline said on March 9 that in accordance with the circular of Director General of Civil Aviation, in addition to visa restrictions already in place, passengers travelling from or having visited Italy or the Republic of Korea and entering India will need a certificate of negative test for COVID-19 from labs authorized by these countries.

Maharashtra CM Holds Meeting With All District Collectors Via Video Conferencing Amid Virus Scare

Health Ministry Issues Guidelines For Home Quarantine As Virus Spreads
As the number of coronavirus cases in the country soared to 73, the Health Ministry has prepared a draft set of guidelines to be followed by those quarantined at home. The guidelines also include tips for the use of masks. Read here.

6000 Indians Stranded In Coronavirus-Hit Iran, Initial Focus On Evacuation Of Pilgrims: S Jaishankar