Coronavirus cases contained in 208 sealed clusters: UP govt

Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said that it has successfully identified and sealed 208 clusters in 40 districts that had reported cases of the novel coronavirus. As per the government, 481 of the 550 Covid-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh have been sealed in the 'ring-fence' which shall not allow the virus to spread beyond the cluster.

Awanish K Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, told media on Monday that the areas where 85 per cent of state's novel coronavirus cases were reported are now under cluster containment plan. As per the plan, the government has restricted the human movement in these clusters and is sanitising each and every household along with checking every resident for symptoms of Covid-19.

The identification and sealing in UP was carried out in two phases. In phase 1, 146 hotspots were identified in 15 districts. Within these hotspots which were responsible for 401 cases. Awanish K Awasthi told media that the government sanitised 1,71,232 houses in the first phase.

25 districts accross states report no new cases of coronavirus in 14 days

Nationwide lockdown may have been harsh on the economy, but it has served its purpose of controlling the spread of novel coronavirus. The impact of lockdown is evident from the fact that at least 25 districts across 15 states, which had earlier reported Covid-19 cases had no new cases in the last two weeks.

Union health ministry's senior official on Monday told media that the restrictions imposed on the movement of people during the last 20 days have helped curb the spread of the virus, which is known to transmit via direct contact with an infected person.

China Mistreating Africans

Beijing is facing a diplomatic crisis in Africa after reports of alleged coronavirus-related discrimination against African nationals in China sparked widespread anger across the continent. African students and expatriates in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou were subject to forced coronavirus testing and arbitrary 14-day self-quarantine, regardless of recent travel history, amid heightened fears of imported infections.

Large numbers of African nationals were also left homeless, after being evicted by landlords and rejected by hotels in the city. Having reportedly contained the virus within China, concerns have grown in recent weeks over a so-called second wave, brought into the country by overseas travelers. In Africa, however, governments, media outlets and citizens reacted angrily to the apparent rise in anti-foreigner sentiment, as videos of Africans being harassed by police, sleeping on the streets or being locked into their homes under quarantine circulated online.

The fallout threatens to undermine China's diplomatic efforts in Africa. In recent years, African nations have become key diplomatic and trade partners to Beijing, with China's trade with Africa worth $208 billion in 2019, according to official figures from China's General Administration of Customs.

Malaysian people having difficult time duringcoronavirus lockdown

Malaysia's movement restrictions due to the coronavirus have been particularly hard on its indigenous people who mostly reside in remote areas and live off the land. They are finding it difficult to get their agricultural produce to markets and with little cash to spare, will likely fall through the economic cracks.

Indonesian Muslims advised to limit Ramadan activities

Indonesia's top Islamic scholars urged Muslims in the country to follow government advice and limit religious activities to their homes during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

The Indonesian Ulema Council clarified the provision was not intended to curb prayers and worship during Ramadan, but was only a measure to help the country in its fight against COVID-19.

Japan's Hokkaido declares second state of emergency

Hokkaido, in northern Japan, has declared a state of emergency for a second time, after seeing double-digit increases in confirmed coronavirus cases for five consecutive days.

Germany's cases rise by 2,537 with 126 new deaths

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Germany has risen by 2,537 to 123,016, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. 

That was lower than a 2,821 increase reported on Sunday, and marked the third decline after four days of increases.

S Korea to ship 600,000 testing kits to US

South Korea plans to send 600,000 coronavirus testing kits to the United States on Tuesday in the first such shipment following a request from U.S. President Donald Trump, a Seoul official told Reuters news agency. Trump made the request for testing kits in a telephone call on March 25 with President Moon Jae-in, as the United States was grappling with fast-growing outbreaks in many states. A US Federal Emergency Management Agency cargo plane carrying the equipment is scheduled to leave at 10:30 pm (13:30 GMT) on Tuesday, the official said on condition of anonymity due to the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue.

Russia reports record daily rise of coronavirus cases

Russia reported 2,558 new cases of the novel coronavirus, a record daily rise, bringing its overall nationwide tally to 18,328. Russia's coronavirus crisis response centre said that 148 people diagnosed with the virus have died so far, an overnight rise of 18.

Iran reports 111 new deaths from coronavirus

Iran's death toll from the new coronavirus has risen to 4,585, with 111 deaths overnight, a health ministry official tweeted, adding the total number of infected cases had reached 73,303 in the most-affected Middle Eastern country. "Fortunately 45,983 of those infected with the virus have recovered ... There were 1,617 new infected cases in the past 24 hours," tweeted Alireza Vahabzadeh, an adviser to Iran's health minister.

Police collect nearly 800 bodies from Ecuador's virus epicenter

Ecuador has said police removed almost 800 bodies in recent weeks from homes in Guayaquil, the epicentre of the country's coronavirus outbreak, after COVID-19 - the disease caused by the new virus - overwhelmed emergency services, hospitals and funeral parlours. Mortuary workers in the Pacific port city have been unable to cope with a backlog, with residents posting videos on social media showing abandoned bodies in the streets.

Spain eases curbs as coronavirus toll drops

Hundreds of thousands of people were allowed to return to work for the first time since a coronavirus outbreak in Spain caused the government to impose a lockdown, according to dpa news agency. People in regions of Spain where Easter Monday is not a national holiday were allowed to leave their homes to go to work in a slight relaxation of a lockdown that has been in place since last month. Some businesses, including construction and manufacturing, were allowed to reopen, but most of the population are still confined to their homes, and shops, bars and public spaces will remain closed until at least April 26.

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GAIL shuts Pata petrochemical plant

State-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd has shut its petrochemical plant at Pata in Uttar Pradesh, joining a host of petchem makers who have been forced to shut units as the unprecedented nationwide lockdown evaporated demand and created transportation hurdles. GAIL first cut capacity of the 400,000 tonnes a year polyethylene plant at its Pata complex by half as two-thirds of trucks that used to transport finished products to users stopped operations soon after the lockdown was imposed, sources privy to the development said.

But with polymers it produces filling every inch of space in its godowns, GAIL last week shut the plant, they said, adding the company continued to operate the LPG production unit at Pata to meet the cooking fuel demand in the country.

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Cargo handling at top 12 ports marginally up at 705 MT in FY20

Cargo handling rose marginally to nearly 705 million tonnes (MT) at the country's 12 major ports 2019-20 over the previous fiscal, according to official data. These ports had handled 699.10 million tonnes (MT) cargo in 2018-19. The growth at these ports, that had handled 679.37 MT cargo in 2017-18, was driven mainly by higher handling of containers, coal and fertilisers.

The 12 major ports are -- Deendayal (erstwhile Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar, V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia). "During April 2019 to March, 2020, Container tonnage and TEUS were 146934 and 9988 thousand respectively, whereas it was 145451 and 9877 thousand during April to March, 2019. There was growth of 1.02% in Container tonnage and 1.12% in ContainerTEUs," a report said.

People’s Bank of China picks up 1.75 crore shares in HDFC

The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) purchased 1.75 crore shares in one of the largest housing finance lenders, HDFC Ltd, possibly in the March quarter. The Chinese Central Bank has bought 1,74,92,909 crore shares, or 1.01 percent of the shareholding, according to exchange data. The share purchase is likely to have happened between January and March. The timing of the share purchase is significant given that HDFC shares have been sliding in the recent weeks. Since the first week of February, the shares have fallen by 41 percent.

Six Taj hotel employees test positive for coronavirus

At least six employees working at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace and Towers hotel in south Mumbai have tested positive for coronavirus, a doctor attached to a private hospital said on Saturday. Indian Hotels Company, which runs the Taj Hotel chain, confirmed that some of its employees have been found positive for virus, but did not specify the number. The company has been hosting, at its hotels in the city, doctors and health workers from various state-run hospitals treating coronavirus cases and also those rendering other emergency services.

Bengal extends lockdown till Apr 30

The West Bengal government on Saturday announced the extension of the lockdown till April 30 and closure of all educational institutes till June 10 as the state registered six new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 122. Apart from West Bengal, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana and Punjab have announced the extension of the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Nihang Sikh chop off cop's hand

policeman's hand was chopped off and two other police officials were injured when a group of people allegedly attacked them in Punjab's Patiala district on Sunday, police said. A group of four-five 'Nihangs' (Sikhs armed with traditional weapons and dressed in loose blue top) were travelling in a vehicle and they were asked to stop at a vegetable market at around 6.15 am by the Mandi board officials, they said.

"An ASI's (Assistant Sub Inspector) hand was chopped off by a sword. A Station House Officer of Sadar Patiala sustained an injury on his elbow and another official suffered an injury on his arm in the attack," Sidhu said. The ASI was rushed to the Rajindra hospital where from he was referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh. The Nihangs fled the scene after the attack, the SSP said, adding efforts are on to arrest them. The incident took place when restrictions are in place in the state because of the coronavirus outbreak.

CHINA AGAIN REPORTS RISE IN CORONAVIRUS CASES

A few days after lifting the lockdown in Wuhan, China reported on Saturday a rise in new coronavirus infections, mostly in travellers arriving from abroad, as doctors in the central city of Wuhan, where the virus initially emerged, warned its behaviour was still not well-understood.

Tough curbs imposed in China since January have reined in infections sharply since the height of the pandemic in February, although it has spread worldwide to infect 1.6 million people with 100,000 deaths.

UK CORONAVIRUS DEATH TOLL NEARS 10,000

Britain's COVID-19 death toll neared 10,000 on Saturday after health officials reported another 917 hospital deaths. Britain has now reported 9,875 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, the fifth-highest national number globally. Saturday's increase was the second day running that the number of deaths had increased by more than 900.

Almost 80,000 people in Britain have tested positive for the virus, among them is Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is in the early stages of recovery on a hospital ward after spending three nights in intensive care. In other news, Boris Johnson is reportedly doing fine.

US DEATH TOLL OVERTAKES ITALY'S

The US death toll from the coronavirus eclipsed Italy's for the highest in the world Saturday, surpassing 20,000, like Chicago and other cities across the Midwest braced for a potential surge in victims and moved to snuff out smouldering hot spots of contagion before they erupt.

About half the deaths in the US are in the New York metropolitan area. New York state on Saturday reported 783 more deaths, for a total of over 8,600. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the daily number of deaths is stabilizing "but stabilizing at a horrific rate."

Coronavirus: US records world's highest death toll

Confirmed coronavirus cases across the world on Saturday surpassed 17 lakh and the death toll continued to surge as more people lost their lives from the deadly Covid-19. So far, three months later the first death from coronavirus was reported in China, a total of 108,702 people have succumbed to the disease, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

As Asia in January, Europe in March and then the United States became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, nearly half of humanity was forced into lockdown. Despite some stringent confinement measures imposed by the countries across the globe to contain/eliminate the spread of Covid-19, the number of daily deaths due to coronavirus has continued to surge.

The United States, which has become the outbreak's center of gravity after China and Italy, on Saturday eclipsed the total number of cases in Italy and Spain as the country's confirmed cases reached 527,111 and deaths surpassed 20,000, that's world's highest death toll.

51 more COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan

More cases of coronavirus have been reported from Rajasthan on Sunday, taking the state's tally to 751, the state health department said. Out of the total cases reported today, 15 patients are from Banswara, 8 from Bikaner and a single case was reported from Churu.

Moreover, Jaipur also reported 15 cases in the morning today while 8 people were also found COVID-19 positive from Jodhpur, one from Sikar and two from Haunmangarh. According to the Union Health Ministry, the tally of the country's novel coronavirus cases increased to 8356 on Sunday. Of these, 716 have been cured and discharged, and 273 have succumbed to the virus.

Chhattisgarh: 7 in contact with Tablighi Jamaat test positive

Seven persons who came in contact with 16 Tablighi Jamaat members staying at a mosque in Katghora town of Chhattisgarh, have tested positive for novel coronavirus, taking the number of Covid-19 cases in the state to 25, an official said here on Sunday. The latest cases are from the Purani Basti locality of Katghora town in Korba district, the official said.

With these cases, the number of confirmed cases in Purani Basti area of Katghora town, which has emerged as the COVID-19 hotspot in the state, has gone up to 16, he said. "All seven had come in contact with 16 Tablighi Jamaat members who were staying at a mosque in Purani Basti locality of the town, the official said. A 16-year-old boy in this Jamaat group had tested positive for coronavirus on April 4, after which another eight in the area got infected, he added.

Coronavirus: Brazil reports over 1,000 deaths

Brazil has become the first country in the southern hemisphere to surpass 1,000 deaths with coronavirus. The health ministry confirmed 1,056 deaths and 19,638 cases. The numbers are likely to be much higher as only patients at hospitals are being tested. Most states have imposed quarantine measures but President Jair Bolsonaro has challenged the restrictions, saying they needlessly harm the economy.

Correct decision to extend lockdown: Kejriwal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a correct decision to extend the nationwide lockdown, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said after a video conference of chief ministers with the PM on Saturday.
However, there has been no official announcement of the extension of the 21-day nationwide lockdown, which ends on April 14, yet.

India Ramps up Coronavirus tests

India said on Friday it ramped up coronavirus testing as documented cases there rose above 6,700 and topped 12,000 across South Asia. The epidemic has killed 206 in India, data shows, with its capital Delhi and financial hub Mumbai emerging as hotspots, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under pressure to extend a 21-day nationwide lockdown beyond Tuesday, when it is due to end. The government said on Friday it had increased daily tests for COVID-19 on Thursday to more than 16,000 people - from from a previous daily average of 5,000-6,000 - but only 320 people were found to be carrying the disease.

Woman in California Held For Licking Supermarket items

At a time when Covid 19 have thrown life out of gear with groceries and essential items becoming difficult to access, a woman in California was found licking groceries and other items at a supermarket in the northern part of the state. The woman has been arrested after she was found licking $1,800 worth of groceries and other items at a supermarket,  according to the police on Wednesday. As soon as the matter was reported to the South Lake Tahoe police department, near the border with Nevada, officers came into swift action. They reached the Safeway store to find that the suspect has also hoarded numerous jewellery pieces from the store.

COVID-19: US Marks Record Over 2,100 Coronavirus Deaths In One Day

The US has become the world's first country to have registered more than 2,000 COVID-19 deaths in a single day with 2,108 fatalities reported in the past 24 hours, while the number of infections in America has crossed 500,000, the highest in the world. President Donald Trump said the number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States will be "substantially below the 100,000" figure projected by models last week.

Corona Lockdown: India government might extend the lockdown

The number of corona virus patients in the country is constantly increasing. At present, the total number of corona patients in the country has reached 6412. According to the website of Health Ministry, this information has been given on the basis of the data found. The number of patients have been increasing in India continuously and now patients are coming out at a much faster pace. In the last 24 hours, 678 new cases of corona have been reported, while a total of 33 people have lost their lives since yesterday morning to this morning. In this video, know the reason why the government might extend the lockdown.

There is no shortage in country of hydroxychloroquine tablets claims Health Ministry

Although officials across several states insisted there is no shortage of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. But many Noida residents,  who have arthritis and take hydroxychloroquine to treat it, say local chemists have run out of its stocks.

India has said it will allow limited exports of the anti-malaria hydroxychloroquine, officials across several states insisted there is no shortage of the drug. Hydroxychloroquine has emerged as the most sought-after medicine after preliminary trials in China suggested it boosted recovery and lowered the severity of the coronavirus disease.

The limited exports were allowed after US president Donald Trump requested the supply of the drug from India in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump also warned of retaliation if India did not take up his request.

Although officials across several states insisted there is no shortage of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. But many retail medical outlets said their stocks have exhausted after people started buying in panic. Worried, the health department has asked medical shops to supply the tablets only to the people who come with prescriptions. On hearing this from many people Today's Economics correspondent himself went along to many chemist, where all refused saying it is out of stock and we ourself are waiting for the pills.

Our correspondent also visited various chemist in NCR region and could find chemists have run out of its stocks for 15 days. There were also reports of a shortage of the medicine at chemist shops from Uttarkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab.

Thane cop tests positive in Maharashtra

Police officer from Thane in Maharashtra tests positive for Covid-19 and undergoing treatment in Nashik: Official.

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Global economy in recession due to corona: IMF

Global ecponomy is in recession due to the deadly coronavirus as per International Monetary Fund. The economy is going to stagnate, says Internatinal Monetary Fund. IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said that the global economy is now in a recession due to coronavirus."It is now clear that we have entered a recession. We project a rebound in 2021, but only if we contain the virus and prevent liquidity problems from becoming a solvency issue.

India’s Unemployment Rate Shot Up to 23.4 %: CMIE

The rate of unemployment in India has risen to 23.4 per cent, according to the latest data released by Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) on Monday. The joblessness paints a grim picture of the economy which has been impacted due to the 21-day nation lockdown because of the outbreak of Covid 19.

Based on its previous data, CMIE has predicted that the global pandemic may drastically hamper India’s economic growth causing urban unemployment to soar 30.9 per cent while overall unemployment rose to 23.4 per cent. The latest data from CMIE predicts the joblessness for the week ended 5 April, and estimated that unemployment rate shot up from 8.7 per cent in March to the current 23 per cent.

In March 2020, the labour participation rate fell to an all-time low, the unemployment rate shot up sharply and the employment rate fell to its all-time low. “The employment rate fell to an all-time low of 38.2 per cent in March 2020. The fall since January 2020 is particularly steep - almost spectacular. It seems to have nosedived in March after having struggled to remain stable over the past two years. Then, there is a precipitous fall,” according to CMIE.

IT Dept To Issue All Pending Tax Returns Upto Rs 5 Lakh

To provide relief to corporate and individual taxpayers during the lockdown, the Income Tax department announced that all pending tax refunds up to 5 lakhs will be issued on an immediate basis. According to an official, release this move will benefit over 14 lakh taxpayers. Apart from this, the department has also decided to issue all pending GST and Custom refunds which would provide benefit to around 1 lakh business entities, including MSME. The total refund granted will be approximately Rs. 18,000 crores. The release stated-  'In the context of the COVID-19 situation and with a view to providing immediate relief to the business entities and individuals, it has been decided to issue all the pending income-tax refunds up to Rs. 5 lakhs, immediately. This would benefit around 14 lakh taxpayers.'

The cases of COVID-19 are on the rise and so far, Indian has recorded 5095 confirmed cases. The country is currently in a 21-day lockdown which started on March 24. This is having a deep impact on the economy. Recent reports also hinted at an increase in unemployment by 23 percent. Last month the government had released a stimulus package of 1.7 trillion rupees ($22.5 billion) for food security measures to help poor households and to help daily wage earners and small businesses. According to a recent report by Reuters, the government may soon announce a second stimulus package especially to help small and medium businesses.

Wuhan is the source of coronavirus: US

In United nations meeting over the deadly coronavirus, America once again said that China's Wuhan is the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus. After this statement made by the United States, China raised its objection adding that this is not the time to make someone a scapegoat. China also added that nobody will be benefitted by making others scapegoat. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for unity of the Security Council over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Covid-19: Govt Exempts Import Of Medical Equipment From Customs Duty

The government on Thursday exempted various medical equipment from levy of basic customs duty and health cess in order to allow cheaper imports of these critical devices that are required in large numbers in the country to contain coronavirus pandemic. The basic customs duty exemption will be applicable until September 30 so that enough time is available for imports. The exemption has been given for imports of ventilators, face masks, surgical masks, personal protective equipment (PPE), Covid-19 test kits and all inputs that go into the manufacturing of these devices.

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ADB assures $2.2 billion support package to India to tackle Covid-19

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa on Friday assured Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of USD 2.2 billion (about Rs 16,500 crore) support to India in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a call, Asakawa commended the Indian government's decisive response to the pandemic, including a national health emergency program, tax and other relief measures provided to businesses and a USD 23 billion (Rs 1.7 lakh crore) economic relief package announced on March 26 to provide immediate income and consumption support to the poor, women, and workers affected by the three-week nationwide lockdown.

"ADB is committed to supporting India's emergency needs. We are now preparing USD 2.2 billion in immediate assistance to the health sector and to help alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic on the poor; informal workers; micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises; and the financial sector," Asakawa said.

Saudi, Russia agree record oil cut

The cuts by OPEC and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, amount to 10 million barrels per day (bpd) or 10% of global supplies, with another 5 million bpd expected to come from other nations to help deal with the deepest oil crisis in decades. Global fuel demand has plunged by around 30 million bpd, or 30% of global supplies, as steps to fight the virus have grounded planes, cut vehicle usage and curbed economic activity.

An unprecedented 15 million bpd cut still won't remove enough crude to stop the world's storage facilities quickly filling up. And far from signalling any readiness to offer support, US President Donald Trump has threatened OPEC if it did not fix the oil market's problem of oversupply. Trump, who has said US output was already falling due to low prices, warned Riyadh it could face sanctions and tariffs on its oil if it did not cut enough to help the US oil industry, whose higher costs have left it struggling with low prices.

A White House aide said Trump held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and King Salman of Saudi Arabia, after a US official said the move by OPEC+ sent an "important signal" to the market.

Chinese Coronavirus: Global economy to witness worst fallout

The Great Depression was the worst worldwide economic downturn that lasted for 10 years from 1929, beginning in the US when the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street crashed and wiped out millions of investors. The IMF chief said that given the necessary containment measures to slow the spread of the virus, the world economy is taking a substantial hit.

This is especially true for retail, hospitality, transport, and tourism. In most countries, the majority of workers are either self-employed or employed by small and medium-sized enterprises. These businesses and workers are especially exposed, she added. Of the view that emerging markets and low-income nations -- across Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia are at high risk, Georgieva said with weaker health systems to begin with, many face the dreadful challenge of fighting the virus in densely populated cities and poverty-stricken slums, where social distancing is hardly an option. With fewer resources to begin with, they are dangerously exposed to the ongoing demand and supply shocks, drastic tightening in financial conditions, and some may face an unsustainable debt burden, she said.

ICMR suggests containment in 36 districts of 15 states

ccording to the study, a total of (104) 1.8 per cent of the 5,911 SARI patients tested were positive for Covid-19. These cases were reported from 52 districts in 20 states and union territories. "In all, 39.2 per cent COVID-19 cases did not report any history of contact with a known case or international travel," the ICMR study said. The ICMR highlighted that Covid-19 containment activities need to be targeted in districts reporting positive cases among SARI patients and stated that intensifying sentinel surveillance for coronavirus among SARI patients may be an efficient tool to effectively use resources towards containment and mitigation efforts, it said. During the study, SARI patients were detected from eight districts in Maharashtra, six in West Bengal and five each in Tamil Nadu and Delhi. In 15 states, more than one per cent of SARI patients were Covid-19 positive.

India: Death toll nears 200-mark

650 positive cases of novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, ending Friday morning, have taken India’s tally over 6,400 while the death toll is about to reach the 200-mark. According to the Union health ministry, the total number of positive Covid-19 cases in India has climbed to 6,412. These include 5,709 active cases while 504 have been either cured or discharged. In its updated figures at 9 am, the Union ministry added that India has seen an increase of 547 new Covid-19 cases and 30 deaths in the last 12 hours. On Thursday morning, India’s coronavirus tally stood at 5,734.

669 Positive Cases in Delhi, 426 From Markaz: Says Delhi Health Minister

Till now, there are 669 COVID19 positive cases including 426 cases from Markaz, in Delhi, Health Minister Satyendra Jain said. Rapid testing for COVID19 will be started as soon as the testing kits arrive. Testing will be first done in the CCovid-19 hotspots in the city, he said.

DM Seals Bengali Market Area In Delhi After 3 Corona Cases Surface

DM Tanvi Garg issued the order on April 8, after a surveillance team of NDMC and police detected three positive cases in the Bengali Market area.

Indore, Bhopal & Ujjain to be sealed completely

18 out of 52 districts in Madhya Pradesh are corona-infected. Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain to be sealed completely, said Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Hotspots of coronavirus outbreak -- Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain -- should be completely sealed to check spread of infection from and to these towns, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed the officers during a review meeting. During the review meeting on Wednesday, he said the district administration should ensure the supply of essential commodities and FIRs should be filed against those who are hiding the information about the coronavirus infection

Covid-19 to hit CV industry hard: Icra

Commercial vehicle (CV) industry weighed down significantly by the coronavirus outbreak. Near-term outlook for the commercial vehicle (CV) industry weighed down significantly by the coronavirus outbreak. The volumes likely to contract further between 8-10% in FY2021, said an Icra note on Wednesday. With cash flows of fleet operators also under pressure, replacement demand for new trucks is likely to remain muted till any meaningful pick-up in the economy and infrastructure projects fructify. An improvement in economic environment and resolution of liquidity constraints remain critical for a sustained revival in the industry, the note pointed out.

Titan's revenue growth has been “impacted severely”

Watch and jewellery maker Titan Company on Thursday said its January-March quarter revenue growth has been “impacted severely” following disruptions on account of Covid-19. The company said its revenue from its jewellery division declined by 5 per cent due to “lost sales” in March. It had a revenue growth of 16.5 per cent in January and February.

The company further said it is working out its strategy to manage this crisis with particular focus on ensuring adequate liquidity is available till normalcy returns. “Cost will be another major focus area for the company in these trying times,” Titan said. The company said sales of jewels division was picking up till the disruption on account of Covid-19. The company had closed all stores from March 22, following a nation-wide lockdown announced by the government.

Chinese Coronavirus: U.S. deaths near 15,000

The U.S. suffered its second deadliest day in a row of the coronavirus pandemic, with nearly 2,000 deaths between Wednesday and Thursday. The death toll now stands at 14,747, according to an NBC News tally. Lockdown restrictions look set to remain in place in many European countries amid rising death tolls, as governments from Britain to France decide whether to extend lockdowns.

Indian Exporters facing order cancellations

Indian exporters’ body, the Federation of Indian Exporters, in a letter to the Prime Minister have said that the sector that employs millions of Indians is facing over 50 per cent cancellations in orders. The worst affected industries are leather, carpets, handicrafts, apparels where nearly 75 per cent of orders have been cancelled.

Such massive cancellations will impact India’s current account deficit as foreign inflows slide. The exporters are seeking a package of Rs 30,000 crore to cover for working capital expenses which includes salaries, wages, rent and electricity charges. The exporters have also sought easier lending from banks with collateral free loans. They have also sought that repayments be relaxed to 18 equal instalments and an extension of the moratorium from 3 months to 6 months. The group has urged the PM to direct RBI into implementing the relief measures announced on March 27.

200 billion $ required to compensate for loss of income: ASSOCHAM

The Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) said that a minimum stimulus of USD 200 billion is required to support the Indian economy in this time of crisis. A corpus of $50-100 billion cash needs to be infused over the next three months to arrest the loss of jobs and compensate for the loss of income.

The industry body also said that the government should consider a reduction in GST across the board by 50 per cent for at least three months and 25 per cent for the fiscal. In a recommendation letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, ASSOCHAM President Dr Niranjan Hiranandani has proposed several measures to support the country's economy through its fight with the Covid-19 pandemic. The Chamber has said that in keeping up with most economies of the world to institute stimulus measures with 10 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Indian economy would need a transfusion of over USD 200 billion with an ability to go up to USD 300 billion, over the next 12-18 months. Out of the corpus, USD 50-100 billion cash needs to be infused in the system over the next three months, to arrest job losses and compensate for the loss of income.

Is Modi govt planning to takeover private hospitals to fight coronavirus?

The fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic is largely in the hands of government hospitals, which in India are not particularly known for good infrastructure except for in the biggest cities. Government hospitals are plagued by a shortage of doctors, nurses and other support staff. On the other hand, private hospitals are better managed and are well equipped. The question is, should India take over private hospitals at least in districts where coronavirus cases are growing, until the Covid-19 outbreak is contained?

This week, the Supreme Court directed the government to ensure that Covid-19 tests, which cost Rs 4,500 at private laboratories, are done free for all suspected cases. Private hospitals offer expensive treatment. In one case, hospitalisation cost for a Covid-19 patient was reported to be Rs 12 lakh. The employer firm paid the amount. Not too many people can afford this cost of Covid-19 treatment in India.

As per many Healthcare experts and even public representative, its right time that the government must takeover all the private hospitals to fight in systemic way as it is being done in European countries. It is felt that government alone with the private participation cannot contain the pandemic and control the present situation. 

In one of the European country, Spain, as per the WHO , there are three hospital beds and 4.1 physicians for every 1,000 persons. India, in contrast, has 0.7 hospital beds and 0.8 physicians for every 1,000 persons. Still Spain and Italy's healthcare system was pushed to the breaking point due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. It prompted the both the government to unveil sweeping reforms that led to nationalisation of all private hospitals. The country took over private healthcare providers and requisition materials such as Covid-19 test kits and protective gears including face masks.

Odisha extends lockdown till April 30

Odisha government on Thursday decided to extend lockdown until April 30 to contain the spread of COVID-19, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced after the State Cabinet held a meeting through video-conferencing.

Coronavirus cases in Pakistan rise to 4,072

Pakistan's Covid-19 cases rose to 4,072 on Wednesday, as Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa directed his top commanders to provide full support to the federal and provincial governments in combating the pandemic which has killed 58 people in the country. The Ministry of National Health Services in its morning update said that 208 new COVID-19 patients were added to the list during the last 24 hours.

Is Covid-19 hurting India’s already ailing real estate sector?

With 'no face to face' meetings’ and ‘no visitors’, the real estate market has been affected.

Rapidly spreading novel coronavirus has immobilised industries, markets and economies worldwide. Globally, no business or sector has been able to insulate itself from the outbreak’s effects or withstand the onslaught that has caused havoc on macro-economic and social factors. In India, too, the tremors of the impact have intensified. Although the central and state governments have taken steps to ensure containment and prevention, the near future looks unpredictable, with the count rising every day.

With most companies and organizations proceeding to implement policies of no face to face meetings’ and no visitors’, the real estate market has been affected. Sales and marketing efforts have been paused and deal dates have been pushed to the future. Travel and visa restrictions have further lead to delay in projects being built through foreign collaboration. Construction activities have also reduced due to announced precautionary measures.

As per Aniel Shah, Owner of TGB infra in Noida, "the global economic slowdown, which has already impacted scores of markets and businesses in the country, is now resulting in further fall in property prices." Generally viewed as a need’ or investment’, the demand for residential is going to get squeezed with people trying to conserve cash at their end.

An added factor has been the possible salary cuts employees might have to face if the situation deteriorates. As on date, hiring has been stopped in the sector. Given these conditions at the employees’ end, their capacity to send money on houses will be significantly impacted, which is where residential will see a further challenge. Investors and buyers will also be unwilling to purchase real estate due to the prevailing gloomy market sentiments. Capital flows and liquidity will potentially look at going down in light of the current circumstances.

Tarun Bhardwaj, President, Federation of Noida Industries say, the commercial real estate which till now, has been the jewel in the crown’ of real estate is bound to face repercussions too due to these measures. He further says, corporate occupiers would postpone taking up spaces till the time the current scenario becomes clear and is under control.

Vishal Gupta, Managing Director, Ashiana Housing mentions the fact that "the pandemic has been brought into the country by international travellers to urban areas is a cause of worry. The entire support system of an urban area exists alongside it, especially with our density of population being one of the highest in the world; we are looking at a potentially huge problem."

It is important to strategically rethink spacing out our urban planning approach making sure that we have a well-articulated master plan which connects proper infrastructure. This kind of method will ensure that we can be selective about quarantining spaces in case the need to do so arises in future.

India: Total Covid-19 count nears 5,200

In its updated figures, the Union Health Ministry said 773 fresh cases of Covid-19 and 10 new deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours, ending Wednesday morning. As many as 25 new deaths have been reported since Tuesday. The ministry said the active Covid-19 cases in India have reached 4,643 with as many as 401 people either cured or discharged. The total count stands at 5,194, which include 70 foreign nationals.

At 1,018, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of confirmed cases in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu at 690 and Delhi with 576 cases. Telengana has reported 364 Covid-19 cases followed by Kerala at 336. Rajasthan has 328 cases, Uttar Pradesh has 326 and Andhra Pradesh reported 305 coronavirus cases. Novel coronavirus cases have risen to 229 in Madhya Pradesh, 175 in Karnataka and 165 in Gujarat.

7 people arrested for possession of illegal liquor

The Mundka Police station at Tikri Border has arrested a person named Hari Om, resident of S-block Mangol Puri riding a motorcycle and recovered 5 bottles of illegal liquor from his bag. He was also carrying a curfew pass issued from Delhi Police. The movement pass has been cancelled.

The staff of Mundka at Tikri Border also apprehended another person named Shiv Pujan for violation of movement pass issued from South Delhi Municipal Corporation for sanitation purpose, while he was found with a person who was carrying illegal liquor in his vehicle. A letter has been sent to South Delhi Municipal Corporation for cancellation of their movement passes.

Mumbai set to extend coronavirus lockdown beyond April 14

Financial hub Mumbai is set to extend lockdown measures until at least April 30 as authorities race to expand testing to stem the spread of coronavirus cases in the city, three senior officials told Reuters. A 21-day nationwide lockdown that Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in late March to fight the epidemic is officially set to end on April 14.

But Mumbai, with a population of more than 20 million, has become India's coronavirus epicentre. The metropolis and its suburbs have reported 782 positive cases and 50 deaths, the latest health bulletin said on Wednesday. "In Mumbai cases are rising too fast. In just 24 hours 100 cases were reported on Tuesday," said a senior state government official, adding that the trend was alarming and an extension of the lockdown for at least another two weeks was necessary to stop the virus from spreading in one of the world's most densely populated cities. The Mumbai municipal authority and the state government in the western state of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, both declined to comment.

High Court rejects ex-Fortis promoter Shivinder Singh's bail plea

Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of ex-Fortis promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh, arrested for alleged misappropriation of funds from Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL). Singh had cited Covid-19 infection risk as a reason for seeking the relief. Justice Mukta Gupta denied him the relief, saying Singh was allegedly involved in offences punishable with more than 7-year sentence and that too in more than one case and "hence does not qualify to be released" as per criteria laid down by a high powered committee.

Indian rupee surged by 49 paise to 75.64 against the US dollar

Indian rupee surged by 49 paise to 75.64 (provisional) against the US dollar on Tuesday, taking cues from positive equity market sentiment. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 75.92 and gained further ground to touch the day's high of 75.60. The Indian unit finally settled for the day at 75.64, registering a rise of 49 paise over its previous close. On Friday, the rupee had settled at 76.13 against the US dollar.

UNEMPLOYMENT in India RISING

Beyond delayed payments, Indian exports have also been hit by the pandemic, and companies have faced over 50 per cent cancellations in orders, said Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), nearly half of whose members are small businesses. Small businesses account for nearly one-quarter of India’s $2.9 trillion economy and employ more than 500 million workers, according to government estimates.

India’s unemployment rate rose to 10.4 per cent this week from 7.2 per cent in early February, according to estimates by Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a Mumbai-based private think-tank. Even workers who were able to access some government relief this week faced delays at banks. On Tuesday, outside a Punjab National Bank branch in Agra, more than 100 people, mainly women, were queuing for a 500 rupee ($6.60) subsidy granted by the government during the lockdown.

Lockdown: Small businesses in India struggle to pay wages

All India Manufacturers Organisation (AIMO)- an industry body representing some 100,000 small manufacturers - said more than two-thirds of its members faced problems in paying salaries on Tuesday, the usual day for paying monthly wages. "Our first priority is to pay electricity bills, rent, bank loans and social security contributions of employees," he said, adding that they faced delays in payments from clients, including the government.

Chinese Coronavirus: France’s central bank estimates major first-quarter shock

France’s economy likely contracted 6 per cent in the first quarter from the previous three months as a nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak shut down vast swathes of the economy, the central bank estimated on Wednesday. That would be the biggest contraction on a quarterly basis since World War II, surpassing the previous record of -5.3 per cent in the second quarter of 1968 when France was gripped by civil unrest, mass student protests and general strikes.

France has been subject to stay-at-home orders since March 17 that officially end on April 15, although the government has warned they could very well be extended if judged prudent. A typical week of confinement in March saw economic activity reduced by nearly a third, the central bank said in an analysis of the economic fallout from the outbreak.

Jack Dorsey pledges $1 billion to fight against Chinese coronavirus

Twitter Inc Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey on Tuesday pledged $1 billion of his stake in Square Inc, the payments processor that he co-founded and heads, to help fund relief efforts related to the coronavirus pandemic. In a series of tweets, Dorsey said the amount, representing about 28% of his wealth, will be donated to his charity fund, Start Small LLC, which would later focus its attention to universal basic income and girls' health and education. 

India: Over 750 cases in 24 hours

Number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in India is nearing 5,200 while the death toll has climbed to 149 on Wednesday. In its updated figures, the Union Health Ministry said 773 fresh cases of Covid-19 and 10 new deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours, ending Wednesday morning. As many as 25 new deaths have been reported since Tuesday. The ministry said the active Covid-19 cases in India have reached 4,643 with as many as 401 people either cured or discharged. The total count stands at 5,194, which include 70 foreign nationals. At 1,018, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of confirmed cases in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu at 690 and Delhi with 576 cases.

Essential Commodities Act to curb black marketing: Home Secretary

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to all State Chief Secretaries on Wednesday to ensure the availability of essential goods by invoking the provisions of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act 1955.

Offences under the EC Act are criminal offences and may result in imprisonment of seven years or fine or both. The State and Union Territory governments may also consider detention of offenders under the Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. “I would urge you to personally take urgent steps to ensure availability of these commodities at fair prices for public at large,” Mr. Bhalla said in his letter.

Farmers hit by sharp decline in pepper prices

A drastic fall in the price of black pepper and low production owing to climate vagaries are the major concerns of farmers in Kerala and Karnataka, the two major pepper producing States in the country. Black pepper prices have crashed from ₹760 a kg in 2017 to ₹490 a kg and then to ₹290 a kg. The spot price of pepper in Kerala’s Wayanad and Karnataka’s Coorg markets on Wednesday was ₹285 a kg as against ₹390 a kg during the corresponding period last year.

Virus to affect more than 1 Lakh retail jobs

More than 1 Lakh jobs are expected to be cut by retailers due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey. An Association had conducted a surveyto gauge their view on the impact of COVID-19 on their business and manpower. “Small retailers are expecting to lay off 30% of their manpower going forward, this number falls to 12% for medium (sized) retailers and 5% for large retailers. On the whole, retailers who were surveyed expect lay-offs of about 20% of their manpower.

According to the industry body, small retailers featured in the survey employ less than 100 persons and accounted for 65% of the respondents. Medium retailers have 100—1,000 employees making up for 24% of respondents, while large retailers employ over 1,000 people and accounted for 11% of the respondents.

Ever since the lockdown was imposed on March 25, more than 95% of non-food retailers have closed their outlets and are looking at practically no revenues during the period and expect to earn only about 40% of last year’s revenue in the next six months, the survey said. As for food retailers, in the next six months they expect to earn 56% as compared to last year’s revenues. With most of food retailers also selling non-essential goods in the same or different stores, the non-food business in the stores has come to a standstill during the lockdown, leading to revenue loss, it added.

Loss of smell is an early warning for a COVID-19 infection?

Can a loss of smell be an early warning for a COVID-19 infection? Multiple reports have surfaced, primarily from Europe and the United States, from physicians and ear, nose and throat specialists, of COVID-19 patients complaining of an inability to smell — or anosomia. However, it is not clear whether neurons in the brain that are responsible for recognising various odours are damaged, or whether other cells may be involved. While research on this aspect of the disease is emerging, studies say the loss of smell is different from diminished smell or a lack of perceiving flavour in food when one is afflicted with a cold or stuffy nose.

Health Ministry announces insurance cover for medical workers

The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said medical professionals losing lives due to coronavirus or while treating such patients will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance scheme.

Under the scheme, 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers and community health workers will get an insurance cover of  ₹50 lakh. The insurance cover will also include private hospital staff, retired staff, volunteers, contract workers, daily wagers and even outsourced staff hired by the Central and State governments and autonomous healthcare institutions, the Ministry said. The insurance will provide a “comprehensive personal accident cover of  ₹50 lakh to a total of around 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care of patients suffering from coronavirus infection and at the risk of being impacted by this.”

World Health Organization accused of becoming China-centric

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would put a hold on America’s funding to the World Health Organization, accusing it of becoming China-centric during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. We’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it and we’re going to see. It’s a great thing if it works. But when they call every shot wrong, that’s no good,” Mr. Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference. Geneva-headquartered World Health Organization receives vast amounts of money from the United States.

Chinese Coronavirus: Lakhs would leave Wuhan as China lifts travel ban

Lakhs of Chinese travellers flocked to catch trains leaving coronavirus-ravaged Wuhan as authorities lifted a more than two-month ban on outbound travel from the city where the global pandemic first emerged.

As the ban was lifted on schedule at midnight (9.30 p.m. IST on April 7), many passengers expressed joy and relief as they filed into Wuhan's Wuchang station, leaping at the chance to board overnight trains heading out of town.

Chinese Corona Virus: Schools, colleges may remain closed till May 15

Amid calls from the States on the need for a calibrated lifting of the lockdown, a meeting of the Group of Ministers on COVID-19, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, recommended that the closure of all educational institutions and restrictions on all religious activities having public participation be extended till May 15, irrespective of the government decision, official sources said.

The Corona War- Are the Indian Armed Forces Ready for this Challenge: a Perspective

The ‘Corona War’ as we may call it has now entered its fourth month. Its initial epicentre was Hubai province border but thereafter has engulfed the entire World with more than 190 countries affected now. We could surely categorise this as the”Third World War”. The only difference is that we have an unseen enemy and do not have any weaponry (vaccine) in our armoury to neutralise it. At best we are putting up a defensive mechanism in place akin to hiding in bunkers till the air strikes are over; unfortunately no air force jets to counter this strike.

            In the coming months, the war against the ‘Wuhan Virus” is going to escalate with no ‘cease-fire’ in the offing. The casualties are mounting day by day with over 50000 people having succumbed to it across the globe. Countries like Italy, Iran, Spain and the USA are fast getting infected at an astonishing pace. The consequences will be a catastrophe of the highest magnitude. The casualties may even surpass taking into account all the World Wars combined.

            The Indian Govt has been proactive and has initiated measures such as lockdown, social distancing, streamlining the public distribution system, economic package for the poor etc. The media has also played a very important role. Will these measures be adequate to contain the spread of the virus or more is required to be done is the question in everyone’s mind today. It is indeed a piquant situation, wherein, the following question needs definite answers.

            # How much of the population is likely to get affected?

# Do we have adequate medical resources to treat the infected population?

# How long would the virus last? Any definite timeline envisaged?

# Do we have a damage control mechanism in place in case of escalation?

# When will the counter vaccine be ready?

Before trying to analyse the above aspects, it may be pertinent to outline a plausible ‘Corona Strategy’ to fight this war.

Taking a leaf out of executing a successful military campaign let us try templating it to this situation. The key ingredients of a successful military campaign may involve the following:-

• In terms of capability building both human as well as material.

2  Exemplary leadership on a team-based approach with quick decision making capability.

• Both at the tactical, operational and strategic level.


• In terms of information of the adversary and counter measures.

Therefore in general terms the essentials could be summarised as planning, executing, controlling and concluding. The manner in which the operation would be terminated would often influence the public perception of its success.

Presently, the strategy of the Govt has encompassed all the above ingredients, with variation in the degree of success. Let us study this. The Govt delayed its response to the outbreak of the virus by at least two months. The major factors incorporated in its planning process were the medical establishments and the law enforcing agencies. The private sector got involved at a later stage. However, the Indian Armed Forces with its capabilities, equipment and trained manpower has not yet been incorporated in joining the ‘Carona War’. Will it be a case of “too late too little”, when the situation goes out of hand.

            It would be going without saying that there is no better organisation than the Indian Armed Forces, to be a part of the Govt machinery to combat this virus. As with any other machinery, whether its food or pandemic, the usual response is to call the military as the most reliable and efficient organisation in times of crisis. During the Ebola crisis in 2014, the US Army deployed more than 400 personnel to Africa to deal with the outbreak. The force was lead by 101^st Airborne HQ and built 17 hospitals, delivered aid to the local authorities and helped the medical organisations with logistics and transportation.

            Let us now see how many militaries the World over have responded to this global spread of ‘Wuhan Virus’. Let’s start with China where the virus originated. The response of People Liberation Army (PLA) was extremely prompt in fact within one month of the outbreak of the virus. Currently, 10000 medical personnel of PLA are providing support to the provinces of Hubai and Wuhan by setting up two make shift hospitals and giving the necessary logistics support. The US Army has contingency plans in place to erect field hospitals and move the infected persons in isolation pods in cargo planes. Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei has called the Armed Forces to join the health ministry in the fight against the ‘Wuhan Virus’. The Iranian Army has mobilised 3,00,000 soldiers and volunteers. In France, four out of the eight Armed forces hospitals have been mobilised. France has a specialised Army Unit dedicated to combating nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical threats.

3 Based at Marie-et-Loire, the 2^nd Dragons Regiment is currently on standby. This unit was also deployed in Guinee in 2015 to deal with the Ebola crisis.

            It is now time for the Indian Govt to take a call with regard to the mobilisation of the Indian Army for the ‘Corana War’. There is no better trained and equipped force in the country to deal with this situation. The Indian Army has CBRN(Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) units especially trained and equipped with special equipment for de-contamination of the infected areas and set up isolation camps. The Indian Army also has CBRN monitoring reconnaissance vehicles developed by DRDO. Further, the highly specialised medical infrastructure of the Indian Army can be utilised with the field hospitals being mobilised. Another important area where the Indian Army could play a key role could be in terms of logistics and supply chain management. Distribution centres can be set up in each locality to augment the existing public distribution system.

            The Govt therefore needs to adopt a multi-pronged strategy which should have its verticals as Medical, Law Enforcement, NDMA, Indian Army and Private Sector. Joint Operation Rooms(JOR), need to be set up in each largely infected cities. Specialised ‘Carona’ sub-hospitals to come up in these areas manned by Govt and Army doctors with private hospitals augmenting the infrastructure. The logistics chain to be built up with the support of the Indian Army. Distribution centres set up in each of these population areas stocking all essential dry rations, vegetables and dairy products. System be geared up to deliver these items to poor households. Fast track orders for medical supplies and protective equipment to be processed on priority, especially ventilators.

            The Indian Army has always risen to the call of the Nation, during natural calamities as well as aid to civil authorities. The Govt needs to give this ‘Clarion Call’ now. The Carona War has to be won at all costs. Jai Hind.

Maj Gen Rajan Kochhar, VSM, retired from the Indian Army, as Major General Army Ordnance Corps, Central Command, after 37 years of meritorious service to the Nation. Alumni of Defence Services Staff College and College of Defence Management, he holds a doctorate in Emotional Intelligence and is a reputed expert on logistics and supply chain management. Gen Kochhar, a prolific writer and defence analyst, has authored four books and invited as an expert commentator by various news TV channels. He is an Arbitrator with the Ministry of Defence.

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Emaar Properties slashes salaries to half

Emaar Properties, Dubai’s largest listed developer, announced pay cut for its staff. The company’s chairman has taken a 100 per cent salary cut from April 1. The company has announced salary cut of 50 per cent for the senior management, 40 per cent for middle management and 30 per cent for junior employees. Emaar operates in the country. It has corporate office in Gurugram and residential properties in Agra, Lucknow, Delhi, Chennai and others .Earlier, the company had a joint venture with Delhi-based MGF.

Lockdown: Bajaj Finance loses 350K customers

Bajaj Finance’s management team, led by its Managing Director Rajeev Jain, said that over the past 10 days, the company had lost nearly 350,000 customers, impacting its assets under management (AUM) by Rs 4,750 crore (3.22 per cent of total AUM as of March 31).This explained why the 27 per cent AUM growth in the March 2020 quarter (Q4) compared weakly against its 7-quarter average growth of 37 per cent. Had the company not lost these customers, AUM for Q4 would have grown 31.5 per cent year-on-year (YoY).

Covid-19: Boris Johnson shifted to intensive care unit

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was in hospital due to persistent coronavirus symptoms, has been shifted to the intensive care unit after his coronavirus symptoms "worsened", Downing Street has said.

Johnson, 55, asked UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab to deputise for him as he was moved on Monday to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at St Thomas' Hospital in London, a move Downing Street said was a precaution should he require ventilation to aid his recovery.

Covid-19: India partially lifts ban on export of HCQ

With coronavirus (Covid-19) spreading at a rapid pace in the country and the neighbourhood, India has partially eased restrictions on export of paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine. It has decided to licence paracetamol & Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on India's capabilities, the Ministry of External Affairs announced. HCQ is the same drug that US President Donald Trump had sought from India and warned of retaliation if India did not supply the drug. MEA said, "We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. We would, therefore, discourage any speculation in this regard or any attempts to politicise the matter".

Chinese Corona Virus: Cases rise sharply

China, according to its official stance, is now on a road to recovery, even as the situation continues to deteriorate in the US. At this important juncture, a new investigation has revealed that the US might have been slow in reacting and closing its borders effectively. According to the New York Times, 430,000 people arrived in the US on direct flights from China after Chinese officials first disclosed the virus outbreak on January 3. Of them, tens of thousands flew directly from Wuhan, and about 40,000 after US President Donald Trump ordered a travel restriction on February 2 — all in 279 flights.

Lockdown: Areas with low infection risk may be opened up first

New Delhi: The government could consider a phased exit from the national lockdown and is studying a proposal to partially lift restrictions in low-risk states and districts while continuing with stringent curbs in areas with the maximum number of cases. The high-risk states and districts could see the lockdown continue for 28 days more, according to the draft plan submitted by the Medical Emergency Management Plan, a Niti Aayog group.

India ready to supply Hydroxychloroquine, the Donald Trump wants

India will partially lift the ban on exports of the anti-malaria drug Hydrochloroquine seen as crucial for protection of healthcare workers treating Covid-19 patients. The decision comes in the wake of US President Donald Trump's threat of retaliation in the event India declines Trump's request for the supply of the drug. The US President had called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday and urged him to release the anti-malaria drug that he sees as a Covid game changer. India has eased restrictions on exports of the anti-malaria drug Hydroxycholoroquine and pain reliever paracetamol on case-by-case basis. According to MEA, India will licence the two drugs in appropriate quantities to all neighbouring countries and also the ones that are worst-affected by the new coronavirus pandemic.

 

Battle against Chinese Corona Virus to be long: Modi

ndia's battle against the coronavirus pandemic will be a long one, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday while asking people to feel neither tired nor defeated, expressing confidence the country will emerge victorious in its fight. Addressing BJP workers on the party's 40th foundation day, Modi also responded to the Opposition's criticism about his government's measures against COVID-19, asserting that India's efforts have set an example for the world and drawn praise from the World Health Organisation and leaders abroad. India is among the countries which understood the seriousness of COVID-19 and launched a comprehensive and timely exercise to combat it, he said, adding that the country took one decision after another and worked to implement them on the ground.

1,445 out of 4,067 Covid-19 cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat

1,445 cases out of a total of 4,067 cases are related to Tablighi Jamaat gathering, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said on Monday. “693 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number to 4,067 in India out of which 1,445 cases are related to Tablighi Jamaat,” Agarwal said at the daily press briefing here.

COVID-19: Maoists in Andhra call for ceasefire

The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has announced a unilateral ceasefire and announced that they would not attack security forces because of the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak across the country. CPI (Maoist) Malkangiri-Koraput-Visakha Border (MKVB) division’s committee secretary Kailasam released on Sunday a hand-written statement in Telugu to the Andhra Pradesh media that stated the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, was creating havoc across the world. “Our party, People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (an armed wing of the CPI-Maoist), and various frontal organisations of the party have decided against carrying out any kind of attack on the security forces during this period,” the statement said.

Covid-19 suspect dies while trying to escape from hospital

A 55-year-old man in Haryana’s Panipat, a suspected patient of coronavirus disease, died after reportedly falling from the sixth floor of Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital building on Monday morning.

Delhi: Urge Muslims to stay at home on Shab-e-Barat

The Delhi Police on Sunday urged Muslims to stay indoors on the upcoming Shab-e-Barat in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. hab-e-Barat, also known as the night of forgiveness, will be observed on April 8. On Twitter, the Delhi Police shared a poster urging people to support them in the fight against Covid-19 by staying indoors.

Odisha witnesses spike in new cases

Odisha witnessed the highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases on April 5 with 18 new people testing positive. Now, the State’s cases have jumped to 39 from April 4’s tally of 21. The capital city of Bhubaneswar is the hotspot in Odisha as all Sunday’s 18 cases were reported from here. Of the 39 total cases, 32 are from Bhubaneswar. Moreover, 15 of Sunday’s cases belonged to Bomikhal area which has been sealed. Earlier, three siblings had tested positive. The government had said that the siblings’ father, who lived in Bhopal, had also tested positive.

Irish PM returns to work as a doctor to help in coronavirus crisis

It’s back to his scrubs for Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. The former doctor re-registered as a medical practitioner last month to help the country's healthcare system as it deals with the coronavirus epidemic, his office said Sunday.

Varadkar will work for the health service for one session a week “in areas that are within his scope of practice,” a statement from his office said. 

"He wanted to help out even in a small way," the statement added. According to a report in the Irish Times, Varadkar is helping out with phone assessments of coronavirus patients. 

Chinese Corona Virus: Japan to declare a state of emergency

Japan’s prime minister said Monday he could declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday, but not on the scale seen overseas, as the number or coronavirus cases continues to rise. 

Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he will not close cities “as we have seen overseas,” citing experts saying Japan will not have to adopt such measures. Public transportation will continue to operate and supermarkets will stay open, but the public will be asked to avoid crowded areas and close contact, he said. 

On Monday, the chairman of the Tokyo Medical Association, an independent body representing the city's doctors, said the capital, which has more than 1,000 cases, is in a “critical situation,” prompting them to declare their own medical state of emergency.

US: Hospitals face severe shortages of medical gear

Hospitals across the country face dire shortages of vital medical equipment amid the coronavirus outbreak — including testing kits and thermometers — and fear they can't ensure the safety of health care workers needed to treat patients with COVID-19, according to an internal government watchdog report released Monday.

The alarming findings, based on interviews conducted from March 23 to March 27, represent the first government assessment of how the country's hospitals are coping with the outbreak and confirm previous media reports and warnings from health workers that the medical system is under unprecedented strain.

Hospital administrators also said conflicting guidance from federal, state and local governments on how to use personal protective gear and other issues has led to "a greater sense of confusion, fear and distrust among staff that they can rely on hospital procedures to protect them," according to the report from the inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS.

U.N. chief warns of 'horrifying' surge in domestic violence amid lockdowns

The U.N. chief appealed to all governments to put women’s safety first as they respond to the coronavirus pandemic amid a "horrifying global surge" in domestic violence. "For many women and girls, the threat looms largest where they should be safest — in their own homes," Antonio Guterres said in a tweeted video Monday, asking for increased investment in online services for victims, declaring shelters as essential services and ensuring judicial systems continue to prosecute abusers. 

Chinese Corona Virus: U.S. set for difficult week as death toll nears 10,000

The number of deaths in the U.S. inched toward 10,000 on Monday, with more than 9,600 recorded, according to NBC News' tally. The rising toll comes as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious diseases expert, said Sunday that the U.S. is "struggling" the get the coronavirus outbreak under control. The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. has passed 337,000. Globally, the number of deaths is nearing 70,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, an internal government watchdog report released Monday said that hospitals across the country face dire shortages of vital medical equipment amid the coronavirus outbreak — including testing kits and thermometers.

Trump to Send 1,000 Military Medical Personnel to New York City

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP on Saturday said that the federal government is deploying additional military personnel to New York City to respond to a rising number of coronavirus cases, even as he strongly reiterated his desire to see the country reopen.

Trump said at a White House press conference that an additional 1,000 military medical personnel will report to the city, which is struggling to keep up with the surge of COVID-19 cases. The additional personnel will include doctors, nurses and other health care workers.

New York state has more than 113,700 cases and 3,565 deaths. Officials report more than 63,300 cases in New York City, with 2,624 deaths. More than 11,730 people are hospitalized across the five boroughs.

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South Korea reports 93 new cases

South Korea has given an update on its numbers, with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying there were 93 new cases on Wednesday, bringing total infections to 8,413. While slightly higher than the 84 recorded on Tuesday, this is still the fourth day in a row that the country has reported fewer than 100 new infections.

India's poor testing rate may mask coronavirus

Indian authorities have said they will not expand coronavirus testing, as most affected nations are doing, despite criticism that limited testing could leave COVID-19 cases undetected in the world's second-most populous country. The WHO has urged countries to test as widely as possible to curb the pandemic, but India has only been testing those who have travelled from affected countries or come in contact with a confirmed case and shown symptoms after two weeks of quarantine.

Pakistan PM: 'Cannot afford' to shut down cities

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called upon his countrymen "not to panic" amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the country, warning that the spread of COVID-19 was inevitable and that Pakistan cannot currently afford the economic cost of shutting down its cities.

Iran reports spike in deaths

Iran reported its single biggest jump in deaths from the new coronavirus, confirming that another 147 people died in a nearly 15 percent spike that raises the death toll to 1,135 people nationwide.

Pakistan PM: 'Cannot afford' to shut down cities

Imran Khan has called upon his countrymen 'not to panic'

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called upon his countrymen "not to panic" amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the country, warning that the spread of COVID-19 was inevitable and that Pakistan cannot currently afford the economic cost of shutting down its cities.

As of Wednesday, Pakistan has recorded at least 243 cases of the highly contagious coronavirus, most linked to travellers who have returned home from neighbouring Iran, according to government data. It is the highest number of confirmed cases in South Asia, compared with 147 in India, 44 in Sri Lanka, and 22 in Afghanistan.

Citing an ongoing economic slowdown that has seen GDP growth projections drop to less than 3 percent, Khan said enforcing a shutdown of cities could create an unmanageable economic shock. "We thought that if we shut down our cities, then people are already suffering, if we save them from corona[virus] on the one side, on the other side they'll die of hunger," he said in a televised address to the nation late on Tuesday. "We did consider shutting down cities when we were at 20 cases ... but I want to tell you all that Pakistan does not have the conditions that are in the United States or Europe. Our country has poverty."

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Lt. General Dhillon appointed DG, DIA

Lt. General KJS Dhillon has been appointed DG, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). This deptt. comes under Chief of The Defence Staff. Lt. Gen. Dhillon belongs 1983 batch, IMA.

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Coronavirus cases rise to 16 in Pakistan

Pakistan witnessed a sudden increase in coronavirus cases as the number of patients rose to 16, officials said on Tuesday. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza confirmed that nine new cases were identified in Karachi, capital of Sindh province.

MP: Another Congress MLA quits, number rises to 20

The number of MLAs who have resigned from the Congress in Madhya Pradesh climbed to 20 on Tuesday afternoon with another legislator quitting the ruling party, sources said. While 19 MLAs, most of them believed to be loyal to expelled party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, have sent their resignation letters via e-mail to Raj Bhavan, Bisahulal Singh submitted his resignation letter as an MLA to the Assembly speaker.

"We have received resignations of 19 MLAs through e-mails with attachments," a Raj Bhawan official told PTI. Sources in Congress produced a copy of Bisahulal Singh's resignation letter which he submitted to the speaker.

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Alibaba's Jack Ma is richest Asian now

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, the founder of e-commerce major Alibaba Group has toppled Ambani to get the top spot in Asia.

Mukesh Ambani loses $5.8 billion

The persistent concerns of the severe impact of the coronavirus epidemic coupled with the recent carnage in the oil markets have erased $5.8 billion from the RIL chief's net worth.

Corona Effect: India’s manufacturing PMI goes down in Feb

The country’s manufacturing sector activity eased in February from a near eight-year high in the previous month and business sentiment took a hit amid impact of coronavirus outbreak on exports and supply chains, a monthly survey said on March 2.

At 54.5 in February, the headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) held close to January’s near eight-year high of 55.3, signalling improvement in operating conditions across the sector.

Banks’ merger will come into effect from Apr 1

inance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the exercise of consolidation of 10 public sector banks (PSBs) into four is on course and the merger will come into effect from April 1, 2020. The Union Cabinet, she said, has given a go-ahead for the merger proposal and the government has been in regular touch with these banks.

Govt approves amendments to Companies Act

Claiming that the proposed amendments were aimed at improving the ease of doing business, Ms. Sitharaman explained: "Out of 66 compoundable offences under the Act, 23 will get recategorised so that they can be dealt with through in-house adjudication framework, seven have been omitted altogether, 11 will have limited punishment in the form of fines alone by removing imprisonment provision, five will be dealt with under different alternative frameworks, six which had earlier been decriminalised will now have reduced quantum of penalties."

The proposed amendments will ensure that companies which have an obligation to spend Rs. 50 lakh per annum or less on corporate social responsibity (CSR) are no longer required to have a CSR committee. Companies which spend over the obligated 2% on CSR in a particular year can carry it forward as credit for fulfilment of CSR obligations for the next few years as well.

Oil cos cut petrol and diesel prices

State-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) have reduced the prices of sensitive petroleum products such as petrol and diesel by 30 paise and 25 paise a litre respectively across major cities as the price of international crude oil fell.

The sixth consecutive cut in petrol and diesel prices comes after the OMCs reduced the price of petrol and diesel prices by quarter of a rupee on Monday and are likely to maintain the declining trend this week.

8 Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs held in hotel: Congress

The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh seems to be headed for trouble as the party claimed that eight lawmakers from the State were being kept in a five-star hotel in Gurugram. In an overnight drama, two Ministers of the Kamal Nath government — Jitu Patwari and Jaivardhan Singh — are reported to have taken at least four legislators out of the hotel. Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh had alleged that the BJP was trying to bribe some of the Congress legislators by offering between ₹25-30 crore, a charge denied by BJP leader Shivraj Singh.

Congress expels Scindia

Moments after rebel Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia drove down to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Tuesday morning, Congress president Sonia Gandhi summoned general secretary K.C. Venugopal to her residence and asked him to announce Mr. Scindia’s expulsion.

By then, Mr. Scindia had posted his resignation letter on his Twitter handle. In it, he said it was time for him to “move on and make a fresh start”. “The Congress president has approved the expulsion of Sh. Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Indian National Congress with immediate effect for anti-party activities,” Mr. Venugopal issued a statement.

Coronavirus: Theatres in Kerala to be shut down until March 16

After Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requested earlier today that all movie theaters be shut down in the state till March 31, keeping in mind the larger public good, the producers and distributors in the industry have decided to honour his request by shutting down cinemas till March 16.

Due to the coronavirus scare and the latest development of six new cases of COVID-19 being reported in Kerala, the decision has been welcomed. The state has reported 12 positive cases now totally.

42 passengers from Italy quarantined in Kochi hospitals

In the wake of COVID-19 cases being widely reported, nine out of the 42 people who arrived from Italy on Wednesday morning have been referred to the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, while the remaining 33 people have been isolated at the Aluva district hospital.

Coronavirus: Total cases in India rise to 61

Fourteen more people have tested positive for COVID-19— eight in Kerala and three each in Karnataka and Maharashtra, State authorities said on March 10, as the total cases in the country went up to 61. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has said that it has, for the first time, used a combination of two drugs primarily brought in for HIV treatment. These drugs have been used for treating the elderly Italian couple at a Jaipur hospital.

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People should take to the streets against Kamalnath govt.: Scindia

Tusle between Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath came to the fore yet again with the latter saying that the former was free to take to the streets to force the government to fulfil its farm loan waiver promises. The statement of Mr. Scindia is seen as a move against the central leadership (Sonia and Rahul).  

Responding to the media over Jyotiraditya Scindia's threat to protest if the state government fails to fulfil its promise to waive off the farm loans, the party had promised in its election manifesto, Kamal Nath said "to utar jayein [do it]".

Societies to provide list of Chinese Nationals

Residential societies of Noida and Greater Noida are providing a list of people who have returned from China in the month of January as well Chinese nationals living in the neighbourhood to the health department, after they were asked to conduct a survey to identify potential carriers of coronavirus.

On Wednesday, residents of Grand Omaxe in Sector 93B provided a list of 22 Chinese nationals who are residing in their society so that the health department can ascertain if any of them are showing symptoms of the highly contagious disease that originated in Wuhan, China, and has claimed over 1,300 lives so far.

Can't bar students from taking exams due to non- payment of fees: Jharkhand CM

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday directed all the school managements in the state not to prevent any student from appearing in Class 10 and 12 board examinations due to non-payment of fees, an official release issued here said. His directive came after several such incidents, where students defaulting on payment of fees were not allowed to sit for the exams, were reported from across the state in the past.

Chairing a meeting of the Education and Literacy department, Soren asked the officials to ensure that such incidents are not repeated during the upcoming board examinations, it said. The chief minister said the rule applies to all public, private and Coal India Limited-run schools, the release added.