ICMR has widened the scope of testing to include some asymptomatic individuals as well.
Source: Economic Times
As the tally for the number of positive coronavirus cases in the country nears the dreaded 300-mark, India prepares for a nation-wide ‘Janata Curfew’ on March 22nd. According to the latest data released by Union Health Ministry, 283 individuals have been confirmed positive among suspected cases and contacts of known positive cases.
ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has widened the scope of testing to include some asymptomatic individuals as well. Before Indian airspace closes off for international flights on Sunday, Air India sent an aircraft to Rome today to evacuate students, other travellers or any Indians stranded there.
The Indian Railways have also relaxed its refund policy. Now, if a train is cancelled between the journey period March 21-April 15, refund across counter can be taken on submission of ticket up to 45 days from the date of journey instead of the present three hours.
In an effort to curb panic buying and over-charging of essential items, the government also capped the MRP of 200ml hand sanitizer at Rs 100 till June.
Here is full account of all that happened today — new cases and the changes in restrictions that happened in different states:
- Woman with recent travel history to Scotland tests positive in West Bengal; total now 3
- Six fresh cases of the new coronavirus have surfaced in Rajasthan, total 23
- Cases in Maharashtra rise to 63; 11 more cases found since Friday; Woman with no foreign tour history tests positive in Pune
- Six new positive cases in Gujarat; total rises to 13
- One person tests positive in Noida, 2 in Haryana
- Three new cases in Karnataka, total now 18
Maharashtra
- Cafes, restaurants in Mumbai to operate with precaution
- 10th paper for SSC board cancelled
- Navi Mumbai heads for the partial shutdown
- Over 800 under home quarantine in Aurangabad
- State govt asks employers to not retrench workers or reduce their wages
Delhi-NCR
- AIIMS to perform only emergency surgeries for now, to suspend walk-in OPD registration from March 23
- State government to pay salaries to all contractual, daily wage workers, guest teachers
- No bus from Haryana to enter Delhi during Janata Curfew
- All state govt press conferences will be conducted digitally
- IGI airport bars all international flights for one week from Mar 22
- No gathering with more than 5 people allowed in Delhi
- Ration per person in Delhi increased by 50%
Rajasthan
- Restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in Jhunjhunu
- 4 MPs go under self-isolation for coming in contact with Dushyant Singh
West Bengal
- Higher Secondary Examination postponed
- Potato prices jump at least 20%
Goa
- Goa govt invokes Section 144
- Goa launches a self-assessment interactive app on Coronavirus
- No passenger vehicles to be allowed from Karnataka and Maharashtra into Goa from midnight
Uttar Pradesh
- UP govt announces Rs 1000 to 15 lakh daily wage labourers and 20.37 lakh construction workers
- All UP ministers to work from home
- Varanasi’s Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple to be closed for devotees till March 25
- Gorakhnath temple in UP closed for public
- Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor booked for negligence
Jammu and Kashmir
- Farooq Abdullah releases Rs 1 cr from MPLAD funds
- Strict restrictions on movement and assembly of people, markets shut
-J&K admimistration warns of strict action for not declaring travel history
-J&K Waqf board suspends gatherings on eve of Mehraj-ul-Alam
Northeast
- Assam invokes Epidemic Act
- Rural, urban local body polls put on hold in Arunachal Pradesh
- 12 airports fall under the essential services category, will be functional during Janata Curfew
Odisha
- BMC announces odd-even formula for public transportation
- Govt requests RBI to ensure availability of sufficient cash in banks, ATMs in view of COVID-19
Kerala
- Govt employees to work part-time for 2 weeks
Karnataka
- Karnataka hires ‘Corona warriors’ to provide real-time information, avoid fake news menace
Business
- Tata Group to fully compensate temporary staff
- SBI opens emergency credit line for borrowers
- Alibaba founder Jack Ma to donate emergency supplies to South Asian countries
- CII suggests Rs 5,000 cash transfer to 20 cr people
- IKEA closes its Hyderabad store
Around the World
- New York bans gatherings, nonessential workers to stay home
- White House staffer tests positive for coronavirus
- Italy tightens lockdown as toll tops 4,000
- Singapore reports two deaths from coronavirus, first fatalities in country
- Uber suspends taxi booking option in Saudi Arabia
- Google launches coronavirus website in US
- Pakistan suspends international flights for two weeks
- No new local cases for the third day in a row in China