Indian Army Wellness facility in Jodhpur receiving 277 Indian citizens from Iran.
As India woke up on Wednesday to a 21-day lockdown, governments – both, central and state – assured people of enough stock, as panic struck many, among the 1.3 billion across the country, who rushed, formed long queues outside grocery and essential stores.
Amid this, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a statement postponing the first phase of Census 2021 and the exercise of updating the National Population Register (NPR), keeping in view the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Both were scheduled to be carried out by April 1.
Fresh cases of coronavirus infection were reported taking the cumulative figure of those who had tested positive to 606 in the country, according to Union Health Ministry. Kerala confirmed nine new cases, taking the state total of COVID-19 cases to 118; while Delhi reported five positive cases of the virus on Wednesday, taking the total in the national capital to 35.
With both Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh reporting first death due to the viral infection in respective states, India’s death tally has reached 12.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi largely remained mum in his Tuesday speech on how government plans to deal with the economic challenges that lies ahead, demands for a package poured in from various sections for a package to meet the calamity.
On Wednesday, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar held a press conference. The minister announced that:
Cabinet gave nod to Rs,1,340 cr recapitalisation of regional rural banks to improve capital to risk weighted asset ratio
Mumbai Police has announced that people will not have to step out of their homes to lodge complaints or grievances, as police teams will arrive at their doorsteps during the Coronavirus lockdown
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has asked for Rs.200 crore as interim assistance from the Centre, to meet the expenditure for taking up preventive measures against the spread of Coronavirus in the Union Territory
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that all ration card holding families will get an assistance of Rs.1,000 each to ease the hardship that the poor may face due to the 21-day lockdown,
Delhi Police to connect with e-commerce portals for "seamless delivery" of essential commodities to residents of the national capital.
A journalist who visited the Vidhan Sabha and the Raj Bhavan in Bhopal has tested positive , leading to many journalists and government officials going into quarantine.
Prince Charles, next in line to UK's throne, has tested positive for the coronavirus, ANI quoting UK media reported.
In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday postponed the 2021 Census and updation of the National Population Register exercise indefinitely. The exercise were scheduled to begin on April 1.
Four more tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the state tally to 10. According to media reports, all four were residents of Bandipore. Preliminary findings suggest they were in close contact with the Srinagar patient who was tested positive yesterday. All 5 reportedly have participated in a religious event.
in his first public engagement after the announcement of a countrywide lockdown, PM Narendra Modi spoke to the citizens of Varanasi. He said, "As the MP of Varanasi, I should have been among you in times like these. But you know the things which are going on in Delhi. Despite being busy here, I've been taking regular updates about Varanasi from my colleagues," according to a report in the Indian Express.
In the wake of many reportedly not staying at home even when they are asked to, Maharashtra government said on Wednesday that action will be taken under section 188 of Indian Penal Code (disobeying public servant's lawful order) if mandatory quarantine is violated, according to PTI.
Expressing "disappointment" over the meagre amount of Rs.15,000 crore allocated by PM Modi in his 8pm speech on Tuesday, All India Trade Union Congress demanded demanded Rs. 500,000 crore package from the central government to meet the calamity. The central trade union in a statement issued on Wednesday also said that the daily wagers, casual workers are "left in the lurch for nothing to bank upon" by the Centre.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal informed on Wednesday evening that the national capital has reported five new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours, taking the total to reach 35 in Delhi, according to news agency ANI. One of them had foreign travel history, Kejriwal added.
The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday said that 51 FIRs have been registered and 335 persons have been arrested on the first day of nationwide lockdown, over charges of violation of the lockdown, according to news agency ANI.
Madhya Pradesh reported its first death due to coronavirus infection. According to officials, the 65-year-old woman succumbed to the viral infection. With this case, the total death toll in the country now has reached 12.
A 21-year-old nurse in a private hospital has tested positive for Coronavirus in Gurgaon, on Wednesday. With this, the total number of confirmed cases in Haryana has touched 17.
The Kerala Chief Minister confirmed nine new positive cases on Wednesday in the state.
According to him, four of them had returned from Dubai, one from UK, and one from France.
With this, the total number of confirmed coronavirus infected cases has reached 118 in the state.
The Health ministry on Wednesday said that nine private laboratories with over 16,000 sample collection centres have been registered so far for testing of COVID-19, reported PTI.
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