Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday while interacting with the people of Varanasi on the coronavirus lockdown said that the war of "Mahabharata was won in 18 days, the war against coronavirus would take 21 days."
PM Modi was addressing a Q and A session a day after he announced a 21-day total lockdown in the country to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus, which has infected over 560 in India.
He also expressed "pain" at people targeting doctors, nurses and other staff handling coronavirus patients.
As the lockdown came into force, many shelves in the megacities of New Delhi and Mumbai were stripped bare of staples like lentils and rice as the world's second most populous country lurched into a shutdown aimed at slowing the spread of the new coronavirus.
Amid a scramble for supplies, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged residents not to panic and said e-passes would be issued to vegetable-sellers and grocers among others to ensure essential supplies during the lockdown.
There is "absolutely no need to panic", centre and states are working to ensure that essential supplies are not disrupted, he said, adding that his government had set aside Rs 15,000 crore to strengthen the health infrastructure to tackle coronavirus.
According to the latest Union Health ministry update, the number of coronavirus cases in the country rose to 606 including 553 active cases, 42 cured/discharged people and 10 deaths
Here are the highlights on Coronavirus Outbreak:
Mar 25, 2020 22:44:37 (IST)
One COVID-19 positive patient, 85-year-old, died in Ahmedabad today. She has travelled abroad and after developing symptoms of COVID-19, she was admitted at Civil Hospital Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 22. She was suffering from many complications: Ministry Of Health
Mar 25, 2020 22:42:47 (IST)
Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo has tested positive for coronavirus, the Spanish government said on Wednesday, news agency Reuters reported.
Mar 25, 2020 22:41:29 (IST)
A 75-year-old woman who was found positive for the new coronavirus in an initial test died early Wednesday but doctors at a Karnataka hospital said a final confirmation was awaited about whether she was infected by COVID-19.
The exact cause of her death would be known after the final report comes, two state ministers said. If confirmed, this will be second coronavirus fatality in the state.
The woman, who returned from Mecca in Saudi Arabia recently, was said to be from Gauribidanur in Chikkaballapura and undergoing treatment at Bowring hospital in Bengaluru, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 22:33:44 (IST)
A staff nurse at the Medanta-The Medicity tested positive for coronavirus, an official said.
The nurse was deployed in the isolation ward of hospital where 14 Italian tourists, infected with COVID-19, were admitted for a month. Of the 14, 13 recuperated and discharged, news agency IANS reported.
Mar 25, 2020 22:32:09 (IST)
A Chinese businessman admitted in a government hosptial in Nagpur, Maharashtra amid the coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday tested negative for the viral disease, a hospital official said.
The Chinese, a chilli trader who is in India since December 2019 on a business visa, was admitted to the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital (IGGMCH) on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 22:20:34 (IST)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday said that the government has zero tolerance against sale of any item in the black market and asked officials to take stringent action against any person indulging in such practices.
In a tweet, Mr Soren asked all district Deputy Commissioners and other officials across the state to curb sale of commodities in black market as such problems from some districts were still coming in through the 24x7 state-level control room, introduced at Suchana Bhavan in Jharkhand.
The officials should follow zero tolerance in initiating action against such people, he added, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 22:17:23 (IST)
Over 5,500 In Surat Asked To Observe Home Isolation
Over 5,500 persons, mostly textile traders and their employees, were asked to stay in home quarantine on Wednesday after a 62-year-old man who worked in a textile market tested positive for coronavirus.
All those who came in contact with the COVID-19 patient could have been infected, and therefore they were asked to isolate themselves at home for 14 days, said Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani.
The person who tested positive on Wednesday worked for a trader who had his shop at the Radha Krishna Textile Market, one of the largest wholesale textile hubs in the city, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 22:13 (IST)
Contending that the Centre and the state government are working in tandem to contain the spread of COVID-19, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar on Wednesday appealed to everyone to keep aside political differences and put up a united fight against the pandemic.
Mr Dhankar said that Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has apprised him about the adequacy of COVID-19 testing laboratories and kits in West Bengal and hailed the central government for being "even-handed in such matters."
The governor also said that Dr Vardhan, in his letter, told him that four laboratories are currently functional in the state -- two in Kolkata, one in Midnapore and the other in Siliguri, North Bengal -- and around 2,500 testing kits have been made available, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 21:55:32 (IST)
Andhra Pradesh: CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held review meeting today with officials of state govt on implementation of lockdown & availability of essential items. He instructed officials to stagger 'Rythu Bazar' to avoid rush and permit shops to operate from 6 am to 1 pm.
Mar 25, 2020 21:46:16 (IST)
The Assam government said on Wednesday that there are enough food items in the stock to sustain the state for the 21-day lockdown imposed in the wake of the coronaVirus outbreak.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Phani Bhusan Choudhury said the state will sail through the lockdown period with its food stock without considering the FCI's stock under National Food Security Act.
"At present, we have 2 lakh quintals of rice, 89,794 quintals of different dals, 75,552 quintals of sugar, 12,879 quintals of atta, 1,35,997 quintals of salt, 20,410 quintals of potato and 14,380 quintals of onion across the districts," he added, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 21:29:18 (IST)
Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi had a telephone conversation with President Putin today. Both leaders exchanged views on the situation regarding COVID-19 pandemic. @MEAIndia @PMOIndia @IndianDiplomacy @KremlinRussia_E @mfa_russia @RusEmbIndia
Link -> kremlin.ru/events/preside…
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Mar 25, 2020 21:27:38 (IST)
Coronavirus pandemic desolated vast swathes of West Bengal on Wednesday, the first day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown, with streets empty and markets closed, but some frenzied panic buying at local departmental stores prompted police to use force to disperse customers.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sought a Rs 1,500 crore package from the Centre to supplement the state government's efforts to deal with the situation.
While most of the state was deserted, people in parts of Kolkata were seen jostling and squabbling in shops to buy essential goods, in violation of the lockdown guidelines against large gatherings, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 21:24:16 (IST)
Delivery From Online Grocery Platforms Comes To Halt In Kolkata Amid Lockdown
Leading online grocery platforms have temporarily suspended their services in and around the city, following a sudden surge in demand amid the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.
They alleged that delivery executives were stopped by local authorities to perform their duties even though essential services were kept out of the purview of the 21-day lockdown.
In a notice to its customers, BigBasket said, "We are not operational due to restrictions imposed by local authorities on the movement of goods in spite of clear guidelines provided by central authorities to enable essential services. We are working with the relevant authorities to be
back soon," news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 20:54:33 (IST)
Chandigarh Administration released the list of chemist shops that will provide home delivery of medicines. The administration also clarified that no individual will be allowed to visit any Chemist shop for direct purchase of medicines. The residents can only place order telephonically on the nearest chemist shop for delivery of medicines at their doorstep.
To ensure that medicines are available to residents, steps have been taken to facilitate the process of Home delivery of medicines. Here's the first list of Chemist shops that will provide home delivery of medicines; list is also uploaded on our website: Chandigarh Administration
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Mar 25, 2020 20:48:11 (IST)
The Private Schools' Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) on Wednesday said it has offered its resources, including buildings, transport and trained manpower, to the government in its fight against coronavirus.
"We have been discussing all possible ways in which we could help government in controlling the deadly disease. We have felt that there may be a need for our resources like buildings, vehicles or trained manpower and we have offered it to the government," said PSAJK president G N Var.
He said the association has also made a list of the buildings to be offered for government's use, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 20:46:20 (IST)
Shops Selling Essential Items To Be Open From 6 am To 11 pm In Ghaziabad
The Ghaziabad district administration on Wednesday gave assurances to the public that essential commodities will be available at retail outlets from 6 am to 11 pm, amid the nationwide lockdown to break the transmission chain of coronavirus.
"There is no scarcity of flour, sugar and other daily need items in the district. All supplies from wholesalers to retail shopkeepers have been regularised. Some of the commodities were stuck on the borders but now movement has been restored," District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey told PTI.
He said the shops selling essential items will remain open from 6 am to 11 pm.
People are advised not to hoard groceries unnecessarily and shopkeepers have been instructed not to sell the goods higher than MRP. Stringent action will be initiated in case of any complaints, Mr Pandey added, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 20:26:41 (IST)
Adequate Water Supply Will Be Ensured For Public In Tamil Nadu: Municipal Administration Minister
With people using more water for washing hands to prevent the coronavirus infection, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered its adequate supply, state Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani said on Wednesday.
The required quantity of water will be supplied through normal pipelines or from borewells, he told reporters in Coimbatore.
As a key preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, people have been advised to wash their hands frequently, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 20:18:51 (IST)
The number of coronavirus cases increased to 122 in Maharashtra on Wednesday, registering an increase of 15, while two COVID-19 patients were declared as cured of the deadly infection, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 20:05:25 (IST)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took suo moto cognisance of the lockdown announced to prevent the spread of coronavirus and deferred all matters pending before it and all the district courts in the national capital till May 15 or until further orders, news agency ANI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 20:00:35 (IST)
United Nations says 'whole of humanity' at risk from coronavirus pandemic, news agency AFP reported.
Mar 25, 2020 19:58:58 (IST)
Centre looking for doctors, including retired, to work as volunteers to fight the COVID-19 outbreak: Official statement, news agency PTI reported.
Mar 25, 2020 19:58:03 (IST)
The entry of journalists in media gallery of Chhattisgarh state Assembly has been prohibited to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. The information of the proceedings of the House will be given to them through a press release, news agency ANI reported.
