Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates 2020: India & All Global News in One

19 MARCH 2020- CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

12:02 (IST) Maharashtra hospital Laundry staff refuses to wash clothes from isolation ward

The isolation ward was having three coronavirus positive patients. (PTI)

11:58 (IST) 128 people are quarantined in Uttarakhand

This was done to control the spread of coronavirus, as per the Health Department, Uttarakhand. (ANI)

11:43 (IST) Japan may offer cash to households in stimulus package to battle virus fallout

The cash payouts may be worth more than $276 billion to combat the widening fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. (Reuters)

11:29 (IST) Kolkata airport Two immigration sent to 12 days home quarantine 

Two immigration officers of Kolkata Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport are sent to 12 days home quarantine. (ANI)

11:28 (IST) AIIMS doctors use self-made hand sanitisers, plastic masks 

This was done to tackle protective gear shortage amid coronavirus. (ANI)

11:23 (IST) Tamil Nadu reports 2 case

A 20-year old man who travelled by train from Delhi to the city tested positive for coronavirus becoming Tamil Nadus second COVID-19 patient.

11:17 (IST) U.S.-Canada border shuts as battle against coronavirus intensifies 

11:13 (IST) Two US members of Congress test positive for coronavirus 

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart's office said "just a short while ago, he was notified that he has tested positive for COVID-19." (AFP)

11:04 (IST) Nikki Haley joins Donald Trump for criticising China for coronavirus outbreak

Nikki Haley, the Indian-American former US ambassador to the UN, has joined President Donald Trump to criticise China for the handling of the deadly coronavirus outbreak. 

Nikki Haley

10:59 (IST) Person who returned from England tests positive in Andhra Pradesh

10:50 (IST) Passengers to get 100% refund for trains cancellation

There will be no cancellation fee charged for 155 trains that are cancelled.

10:49 (IST) In Karnataka's Kodagu One person tests positive for COVID19 

The person has travel history to Saudi Arabia and is treated in an isolated hospital. (ANI)

10:48 (IST) ICMR said, All of 826 samples tested today negative

Today, 826 samples were tested and none of them are positive.

10:42 (IST) In Noida Two new isolation wards will be set up 

Two new isolation wards will be set up at Asian Institute of Medical Science in Sector 40 and Mitra Hospital in Sector 35 in Noida. (ANI)

10:36 (IST) ICSE board 2020 postpones class 10 & 12 exams

The step is taken due to coronavirus threat. (PTI)

10:35 (IST) Mexican migrant shelters brace for coronavirus amid border uncertainty

10:31 (IST) Govt set to increase testing to atypical pneumonia patients

10:29 (IST) CBSE postpones class 10 & 12 board examinations till March 31

CBSE Secretary Anurag Tripathi said, “All ongoing evaluation work will be suspended during the period.” 

10:25 (IST) 49-year-old woman from Ulhasnagar tests positive for coronavirus 

10:17 (IST) 'Home quarantine' stamp for international passengers starts at Bengaluru Airport

The stamp indicates last day of quarantine. (ANI)

10:13 (IST) Beijing hit by record number of imported coronavirus cases

10:09 (IST) In Mumbai Two women test positive for coronavirus 

Now, total cases in Maharashtra are 47. (PTI)

10:06 (IST) coronavirus cases in India rise to 169

18 fresh cases were reported from different parts of the country, as per the Health Ministry. (PTI) 

09:59 (IST) Railways cancel 84 more trains

Total number of cancelled trains is 155. They will be cancelled from March 20-31. (PTI)

09:55 (IST) China reports no new domestic virus cases for first time

For the very first time after the deadly coronavirus broke out about three months ago in Wuhan, China on Thursday said that no new domestic cases of the COVID-19 were confirmed.
 

18 MARCH 2020- CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

16:51 (IST) Film industry can lose more than Rs 800 crore

As cinema halls are being asked to shut down due to Coronavirus outbreak, the Indian film industry is likely to suffer huge losses. 

16:45 (IST) UP govt to give free treatment to COVID19 patients

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, The UP government has decided to provide free treatment to the ones who have been tested positive for coronavirus infection. 

16:34 (IST) NDMC is sanitising major temples, churches, gurudwaras in Delhi

New Delhi Municipal Council is sanitising major temples, churches and gurudwaras in national capital in due to coronavirus outbreak. (PTI)

16:19 (IST) Bihar jail inmates producing masks to protect prisoners, & prison staff from virus

Prisoners in the central jail here are working overtime to produce facemasks to prevent the deadly coronavirus striking.  

16:17 (IST) Puducherry CM V.Narayanasamy on COVID-129 counter-measures 

The CM said, all liquor bars in the state will remain closed from tomorrow. Tourist spots, shopping malls and theaters have been closed from today. (ANI)

16:15 (IST) Puducherry govt declares closure of all bars

16:10 (IST) Restaurants & café industry is facing acute danger 

16:07 (IST) Western Railway on people who were deboarded from train

4 persons suspected to have COVID19 who had flown down from Germany and were heading to Surat, were deboarded from Garib Rath train in Palghar today. They had 'home quarantine stamp' on their hands. (ANI)

16:03 (IST) All non-emergency leaves of CAPF has been cancelled

15:59 (IST) 276 Indians, which includes 255 in Iran, infected with coronavirus abroad

As many as 276 Indians are infected with coronavirus abroad. It includes 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE and 5 in Italy. (PTI)

15:50 (IST) Inmates of Maharashtra central prisons are contributing to COVID-19 counter measures

15:47 (IST) Health Minister reviews COVID-19 situation

15:47 (IST) 4 Germany-returned passengers deboard train at Mumbai's Bandra Terminus

15:44 (IST) Oman Air CEO Mark Breen has been tested positive for COVID-19

15:42 (IST) West Bengal Home Secretary, & other officials are told to stay at home

15:33 (IST) Bank of America cuts March quarter growth forecast

15:28 (IST) Health Ministry on COVID19 Diagnostic tests 

15:23 (IST) CBSE issues new guidelines for invigilators

It includes that invigilators must cover face with masks, handkerchiefs during examination (PTI) 

15:14 (IST) Asian Development Bank (ADB) announces USD 6.5 bn relief package

15:11 (IST) CBSE directs board exam centres over sitting arrangements

15:10 (IST) 276 Indians infected with coronavirus abroad

15:09 (IST) Relief on electricity bills declared in Ladakh

15:05 (IST) South African cricket team asked to do self-quarantine

14:59 (IST) MSME exports to take severe hit as buyers globally likely to cancel orders

14:49 (IST) Two more people tests positive in Bengaluru

14:47 (IST) PM Modi lauds Indian Railways' steps to sanitise trains, stations

14:42 (IST) Gold, silver jewellery stores are affected by coronavirus fears

14:36 (IST) One more positive case found in Noida

That person recently returned from Indonesia tests positive for coronavirus in Noida, says district chief medical officer. 

14:32 (IST) ISKCON Temples in Bengaluru has been closed for public

14:24 (IST) Coronavirus is a product of natural evolution, not lab made, says study

14:18 (IST) Resident doctor at Lucknow's King George Medical University tests positive

14:10 (IST) Train ticket cancellations increased by 80%

14:06 (IST) Govt asks CAPFs to axe non-essential leaves of troops, get into 'battle mode'

All non-emergency leaves of paramilitary personnel must be "cancelled" so that to minimise the risk of contracting coronavirus during travel and they should get into "battle mode" to combat the pandemic by ensuring personal and public safety, as per a government order. 

13:57 (IST) BMC elated over quarantined woman’s video

13:53 (IST) Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra closed from today

Operations of all interstate buses, both incoming and outgoing from J&K, are banned from today. (ANI)

17 MARCH 2020

3:20 pm: Jammu and Kashmir high court to hear only urgent matters

A circular is issued restricting functioning in both of its Jammu and Srinagar wings to urgent matters only till March 31. 

3:05 pm: PCB postponed Pakistan Super League amid coronavirus

PCB tweeted "HBL PSL 2020 postponed, to be rescheduled. More details to follow in due course." 

2:55 pm: 2nd confirmed case in Haryana, Gurgaon youth tests positive for covid-19

A youth from Sector-50 of Nirvana Country, Gurgaon has tested positive for coronavirus. 

2:45 pm: First coronavirus death in Malaysia records

A 60-year-old Pastor from Emmanuel Baptist Church Kuching has passed away at 11:00 am at Sarawak General Hospital. 

2:25 pm: Coronavirus cases in Pakistan surges to 189 

The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to 189 on Tuesday. Pakistan's Sindh province, has reported 155 COVID-19 cases. 15 reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10 cases have been in Balochistan, 5 reported in Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad, 1 in Punjab.

2:20 pm: J-K admin- The ones refusing to follow coronavirus prevention will be penalized.

All educational institutions, multiplexes, cinema halls, shopping malls, food courts, parks and gardens, clubs and roadside eateries will be closed till March 31. 

2:15 pm: Olympic 2020 torch relay - Welcome ceremonies has been cancelled

Welcome ceremonies & departure ceremonies will be closed to the public

2:10 pm: Airbus has suspended all production

Due to the covid-19 outbreak, Airbus suspends all production and assembly of aircraft at sites across France and Spain for 4 days.

2:05 pm: France declares 45-billion euro aid

France Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced a 45-billion euro ($50-billion) aid package. 

2:00 pm: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu visited Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru

He went there to check the hospital's preparedness for coronavirus treatment.

1:50 pm: Shani Shingnapur temple closed to prevent spread of covid-19

With the number of cases of covid-19 infection increasing to 39 in Maharashtra including one death, the Shani Shingnapur temple management has decided to close the temple for devotees till further notice. 

1:15 pm: 240 rooms in Maharashtra near airport to quarantine passengers 

The Uddhav Thackeray government has decided to take over 100’s of rooms from private hotels & guest houses near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to quarantine passengers. 

1:00 pm: Gurgaon woman recently travelled to Malaysia and Indonesia tested positive for coronavirus

It is the first positive case of the coronavirus in Haryana, as per state Director General of Health Suraj Bhan Kamboj.

12:55 pm: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan tests negative for COVID-19

He had kept himself in self-quarantine in Trivandrum following suspicion that he may have come in contact with a doctor in Kerala who tested positive for the coronavirus. 

12:45 pm: In McLeod Ganj, Tibetan Temple to remain closed till April 15

12:40 pm: Doctor who treated Coronovirus-infected man tests positive for Coronovirus

The health officials have placed the doctor and his family members under quarantine.

12:30 pm: Union Territory of Ladakh confirms six coronavirus cases

Ladakh Commissioner Secretary Rigzin Sampheal confirmed 2 new COVID-19 cases one from Leh, and other from Kargil district.

12:20 pm: Coronavirus- Harsh Vardhan addresses Rajya Sabha, praises doctors, pilots

12:15 pm: PM Modi praises medics, airport staff for relentless work- Covid-19

12:10 pm: Guidelines on dead body management issued.

12:05 pm: Advisory on social distancing measure in view of COVID-19 issued

11:55 am: 126 novel coronavirus cases confirmed in India

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has today confirmed 126 novel coronavirus cases in the country. Maharashtra and Kerala have reported the highest number of coronavirus cases. 39 COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, 24 from Kerala, 8 Karnataka, 13 Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi have confirmed 7 cases. 4 Telengana, 3 Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, 15 Haryana, 4 in Union Territory of Ladakh, 4 in Rajasthan and one each in Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Odisha.