2020 could witness the worst global economic fallout since the Great Depression of the 1930s, with over 170 countries likely to experience negative per capita income growth due to the raging coronavirus pandemic, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday.
“Today, the world is confronted with a crisis like no other. COVID-19 has disrupted our social and economic order at lightning speed and on a scale that we have not seen in living memory,” she said.
The virus is causing a tragic loss of life, and the lockdown needed to fight it has affected billions of people. What was normal just a few weeks ago — going to school, going to work, being with family and friends — is now a huge risk, she said.
Meanwhile, the number of active coronavirus cases in hospitals has jumped to 5,218 from a total confirmed cases of 5,865, among whom 477 have been cured, according to Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as on 5:00 PM of Thursday.
17 deaths have been registered in last 24 hours due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, taking the toll in India to 169 now.
In its regular press briefing, an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) official confirmed on Thursday that 1,30,000 samples have been tested so far for the virus infection, of which 13,143 samples were tested on Wednesday.
The positivity rate – number of positive cases out of total samples tested – has remained between three to five per cent in the last one month, added the official.
In another news, in an attempt to enforce lockdown rules strictly, Odisha state government has promulgated an ordinance with provision of imprisonment up to two years for those who violate the epidemic regulations, news agency PTI quoted official sources as saying.
The development comes after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik earlier on Thursday noon confirmed that the lockdown period in the state will be extended till April 30. Becoming the first state to do so, CM Patnaik also directed the educational institutes in the state to remain closed till June 17.
As many as 162 new cases of coronavirus have been registered in Maharashtra, Health officials informed on Thursday. With this, the state count of confirmed infection has jumped to 1,297.
Meanwhile, cases of virus infection also continued to surge in Gujarat. With 55 fresh cases, the state tally has risen to 241, according to government officials.
Cats can become infected with the new coronavirus, but dogs appear not to be vulnerable, according to a study published on Wednesday, reported news agency Reuters. The study, published on the website of the journal Science, found that ferrets can also become infected with the COVID-19 disease.
According to the report, the researchers, however, found dogs, chickens, pigs and ducks not likely to catch the virus.
Maharashtra Cyber Police on Thursday noted increase in fake news, hate and communal content over coronavirus on social media in last few days. According to officials, 132 cases registered so far.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday declared 381 areas as containment zones, to prevent COVID19 transmission, ANI reported.
As many as 162 new cases of coronavirus were registered in Maharashtra, taking the state count to jump to 1,297.
Karnataka Health Department confirms 191 COVID-19 positive cases as on Thursday morning, which included 6 deaths and 28 others who have been discharged. Since Wednesday evening at 5:00 PM, 10 new positive cases have been reported.
A private medical practitioner in Indore died of coronavirus disease on Thursday taking the the toll to 22 in Madhya Pradesh, reported Indian Express.
According to the report, Indore’s doctor had tested positive three days ago. He suffered from hyper tension and was a diabetic patient.
The Centre has approved a centrally funded ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’ aimed at boosting national and state health systems to support procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs, and strengthening surveillance activities, according to PTI.
In a letter to the additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and health commissioner of all states and UTs, the Health Ministry said that the 100 per cent centrally funded package will be implemented in three phases from January 2020 to March 2024.
Officials on Thursday confirmed 12 fresh cases of coronavirus infection reported in Bihar, taking the total number of afflicted in the state to reach 51.
Officials on Thursday confirmed 12 fresh cases of coronavirus infections n Bihar, taking the total number of cases in the state to 51.
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre, states and Union Territories to nationalise all healthcare facilities and related entities till COVID-19 pandemic is contained in the country, according to PTI.
The petition, filed by Delhi-based lawyer Amit Dwivedi, claimed that India does not have sufficient public healthcare infrastructure to combat the pandemic, and has also sought a direction to all healthcare facilities, institutes, companies and related entities to provide free of cost tests and treatment for coronavirus.
The apex court had on Wednesday directed that private labs should conduct coronavirus tests free of cost, observing they need to be philanthropic in the hour of national crisis.
The GB Pant Hospital, a designated COVID-19 facility, will not be so anymore because of the problems being faced by general patients, according to a Delhi government order issued on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.
The order issued by the health department said GB Pant Hospital will continue to function as it was before being made a designated facility.
The decision to remove GB Pant Hospital from the list has been taken in view of the problems faced by general patients who are receiving treatment in the super-speciality stream, the order said.
Five hospitals, including LNJP Hospital combined with GB Pant Hospital, were recently designated as COVID-19 facilities.
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) urged the Union Labour Ministry to send out a stronger directive to the industries and commercial establishments “to stop forthwith all the act of gross illegality of terminating employees and mandate withdrawal of all termination orders.”
In a letter to Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Labour and Employment, the trade union has made a particular reference to a Gurugram unit of US firm, namely, Fareportal, that has terminated 500 employees and another 200 from its Pune office.
A migrant woman died three days later after being sexually abused in a hospital in Bihar’s Gaya where she was kept in an isolation ward, according to Deccan Herald.
According to the report, the 25-year old victim, who had returned to Gaya district from Punjab’s Ludhiana along with her husband on March 25, was allegedly sexually abused by the doctor attending to her overnight in an isolation ward, where she was kept after being suspected of carrying infectious coronavirus.
An FIR was lodged against a pastry shop owner in Delhi’s Bengali Market after 35 workers were found living in “unhygienic conditions” and not adhering to social distancing norms to contain the spread of coronavirus, news agency PTI quoted police as saying on Thursday.
An FIR was registered at the Barakhamba road police station under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act against the shop owner, police said, adding an investigation is underway.
The Bengali Market, along with 20 other COVID-19 hotspots in Delhi, was sealed after three members of a family tested positive for the deadly virus there.
The year 2020 could see the worst global economic fallout since the Great Depression in the 1930s with over 170 countries likely to experience negative per capita income growth due to the raging coronavirus pandemic, news agency PTI quoted IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva as saying on Thursday.
“Today, the world is confronted with a crisis like no other. COVID-19 has disrupted our social and economic order at lightning speed and on a scale that we have not seen in living memory,” she said.
The virus is causing a tragic loss of life, and the lockdown needed to fight it has affected billions of people. What was normal just a few weeks ago — going to school, going to work, being with family and friends — is now a huge risk, she said.
Officials on Thursday confirmed two fresh coronavirus positive patients detected in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida and one in Greater Noida, taking total cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar district to jump to 63.
Officials on Thursday confirmed 50 new cases of novel coronavirus in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. With this, the total count in the district is now at 133.
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