Coronavirus reaches Gujarat, first two positive cases found

The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus rose to 173 on Thursday. The death toll reached 4 after a patient in Punjab passed away. 

The pandemic has claimed over 9,000 lives globally while more than 2 lakh cases have been reported so far.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19 and also discussed ways to further strengthen India’s preparedness. He emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organizations in chalking out mechanisms to fight the COVID-19.

He also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next.

Here are the live updates on Coronavirus in India: 

23:24 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Health Department, Odisha: Today 14 samples were tested at RMRC Bhubaneswar out of which one is positive for COVID19. This is the second positive case in Odisha. The second confirmed case has also a travel history to a COVID19 affected country. Contact tracing underway.

23:05 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel: Two people have tested positive for #Coronavirus in Rajkot and Surat. Both the patients returned from abroad recently. They are admitted to an isolation ward. Family and contacts of Rajkot patient have not been infected.

20:58 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel: Section 144 to be enforced in all the urban areas, but it should also be taken care that especially those below the poverty line, have access to sufficient supply of ration and medicines.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel: Schools will remain closed till further orders in the state. Earlier, order was issued to close the schools till March 31. The students of these schools will get dry pulse and rice for 40 days during the closure. 

19:54 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Two positive cases of coronavirus found in Gujarat, first infections reported from state: Health department

19:49 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Kerala: One person tests positive for coronavirus in  Kasargod district. He has travel history to Dubai. Number of active cases rise to 28 in the state.

19:14 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Andhra Pradesh: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam has decided to close the Balaji temple for devotees. Arrangements are being made to complete prayers of the devotees who are already at the temple. However, all ritual services will be performed by temple priests as usual.

19:10 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Indian High Commission in Singapore: Over 90 Indian transit passengers stranded in Singapore due to travel restrictions in India are on their way home. Quick response from Indian Government to permit them to return; High Commission officers at airport to assist them.

19:01 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry: N-95 masks are available in adequate quantity in the country

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry: Today, there is a need for awareness in the community that preventive measures need to be taken. There is no need to panic. Request people to visit the Ministry of Health's website for do's and don'ts.

18:50 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

West Bengal Government has announced to provide Rs 5 lakh insurance each to 10 lakh government medical staff across the state till 15th April. 

West Bengal Government will provide mid-day meal of the school children at their houses.

18:30 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Government of Himachal Pradesh: Entry of both domestic and foreign tourists in the state is banned till further orders

18:10 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Number of positive coronavirus cases in India reach 173, 4 dead

Total number of Active COVID 2019 cases across India: 149

Total number of Discharged/Cured COVID 2019 cases across India: 19

Total number of Migrated COVID-19 Patient: 1

Total number of Deaths due to COVID 2019 across India: 4

(including foreign nationals, as on 19.03.2020 at 05:00 PM)

(Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

S. No.	Name of State / UT	Total Confirmed cases (Indian National)	Total Confirmed cases ( Foreign National )	Cured/ Discharged/Migrated	Death
1	Andhra Pradesh	2	0	0	0
2	Chattisgarh	1	0	0	0
3	Delhi	11	1	3	1
4	Haryana	3	14	0	0
5	Karnataka	14	0	0	1
6	Kerala	25	2	3	0
7	Maharashtra	44	3	0	1
8	Odisha	1	0	0	0
9	Pondicherry	1	0	0	0
10	Punjab	2	0	0	1
11	Rajasthan	5	2	3	0
12	Tamil Nadu	2	0	1	0
13	Telengana	4	2	1	0
14	Union Territory of Chandigarh	1	0	0	0
15	Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir	4	0	0	0
16	Union Territory of Ladakh	8	0	0	0
17	Uttar Pradesh	18	1	9	0
18	Uttarakhand	1	0	0	0
19	West Bengal	1	0	0	0
Total number of confirmed cases in India		148	25	20	4

18:00 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

A total of 10 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in Delhi so far. Out of the total number, one died, three people have recovered and rest six are in good condition: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

All state buses, Inter State Bus Terminals and metro trains are being disinfected on a daily basis. Private transport vehicles will also be disinfected at every bus depots from 10 am to 6 pm daily free of cost: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

We have started stamping people who have been asked to remain in home quarantine upon their arrival in India. There are instances of such people fleeing home. If such persons don't keep themselves in quarantine, govt will be forced lodge FIR and to arrest them: Kejriwal

20 or more people will not be allowed to gather at any place for social, cultural, religious, academics, seminars, conferences purposes in the state. Earlier, 50 or more people were not allowed to gather: Arvind Kejriwal

17:43 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal: We have decided to close restaurants in Delhi till March 31. Eating at restaurants will be prohibited but take away of foods or delivery of food will continue.

Rubina Ali, Ministry of Civil Aviation: On 21st March, Air India will be mounting a 787-Dreamliner to Rome to evacuate our students, other travellers or any Indians stranded there. We are in close touch with our mission there.

17:41 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Bihar Health Department: All public places like tourist spots, airports, spas, playgrounds, parks, gyms, etc have been closed till 31st March and gathering of more than 50 people at the same time&place is prohibited from now on.

17:40 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Department of Personnel & Training (Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions)

In continuation of this Department OM of even no. dated 17th March 2020 (Copy Enclosed), the following further instructions are issued:

(i) Heads of Department (HoDs) may ensure that 50 per cent of Group B and C employees are required to attend office every day, and the remaining 50 per cent staff should be instructed to work from home. All HoDs are advised to draft a weekly roster of duty for Group B and C staff and ask them to attend office on alternate weeks. While deciding the roster for the first week, HoDs are advised to include officials who are residing in close proximity to their office or use their own transport to travel to the offices.

(ii) Further, the working hours for all employees who attend office on a particular day should be staggered. It is suggested that three groups of employees may be formed and asked to attend office as per the following timings: -
(a) 9 AM to 5.30 PM (b) 9.30 AM to 6 PM (c) 10 AM to 6.30 PM 

(iii) The officials who are working from home on a particular day as per the roster drawn up should be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times. They should attend office, if called for any exigency of work.

(iv) Similar instructions may be issued to Attached/Subordinate Offices, Autonomous/Statutory Bodies.

(v) The Department of Financial Services (DFS) and Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) may issue similar instructions regarding Financial Institutions and Public Sector Undertakings.

(vi) These instructions shall not apply to the offices and employees engaged in essential/emergency services and those directly engaged in taking measures to control spread of COVID-19.

(vii) These orders shall be applicable with immediate effect and will remain in force till 4th April, 2020.

17:39 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired a high-level meeting to review the ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19. He emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organizations in chalking out mechanisms to fight the COVID-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next.

Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to all those at the forefront of combating COVID-19 including the various State Governments, medical fraternity, paramedical staff, armed and paramilitary forces, those associated with the aviation sector, municipal staff and others.

17:36 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

State Governments shall issue appropriate directions so that all citizens above 65 (other than for medical assistance) except for public representatives/govt. servants/medical professionals are advised to remain at horne.

Similarly, all children below 10 should be advised to stay at home and not to venture out.

Railways and civil aviation shall suspend all concessional travel except for students, patients and divyang category.

States are being requested to enforce work for home for pvt. sector employees except those working in emergency/essential services. To reduce crowding all Group B and C Central govt. employees will be asked to A attend offices on alternate week and staggered timings for all employees.

17:33 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Maharashtra: In view of coronavirus, Bombay High Court and Nagpur, Aurangabad and Goa benches of the Court to be functional only on March 23, 26th to take up only urgent matters

7:26 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Government of India: No scheduled international commercial passenger flights shall be allowed to land in India from March 22 for one week. 

17:05 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Balram Bhargava:We did random sampling study of community transmission of about 820 samples from 50 sites.They have come negative.We will scale it up.According to this study community spread has not happened. #coronavirus

We are in process to identify clusters to scale up samples for  detecting the community transmission of #COVID19: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

17:03 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Travel Ban for Indian Army Personnel: Due to prevailing situation on coronaVirus outbreak, a complete ban is imposed on foreign travels, including those for private visits till further orders.

17:01 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan chairs a high-level meeting of the Group of Ministers #GoM to discuss on Novel Coronavirus COVID2019 – India’s Public Health Response, in New Delhi

16:59 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

A 21-year-old student from Dublin, Ireland tested positive for cCovid19. On his arrival on March 17 at Chennai, he was screened and home quarantined. Yesterday, he reported to RGGH with symptoms. Samples sent for testing yesterday, confirmed positive today. Patient is stable in isolation at RGGH: Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar

16:53 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Total no. of cases in India reaches 169, death toll 4 as a person from Punjab dies 

District Administration Kodagu, Karnataka releases advisory asking those who were on IndiGo flight 6E96 on 15th March, KSRTC Bus No. KA19F3170 from Bengaluru to Madikeri, should report to the nearest Govt hospital, as a positive case of COVID19 had used these facilities.

16:48 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Jammu And Kashmir: Business units except for essential supplies like fruits, vegetables, chemists, grocery and dairy to remain closed. Further, retail grocery units have been directed by to immediately start home delivery of orders, says Dr. Piyush Singla, Dy Commissioner Udhampur

16:47 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Claim: A Press Release regarding movement restriction is widely getting circulated on #WhatsApp claiming to be of Government of India. No such Press Release has been issued by PMO: PIB

 

16:46 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Official sources: Maharashtra Police to take action under the Epidemic Diseases Act against those who are fleeing the quarantine facilities. 

16:45 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Dammu Ravi, MEA: We are planning to evacuate the next batch of Indians from Italy this weekend, further details are being worked out with the civil aviation ministry

Dammu Ravi, MEA: We have evacuated 590 people from Iran where the situation is very severe. Indians infected with coronavirus in Iran have been segregated and taken care of very well. We believe they will recover& we will bring them back. 

16:26 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Raveesh Kumar, MEA: We're moving fast on proposals announced during PM's video conferencing with SAARC leaders. The emergency fund is up and running. We've received many requests from other SAARC countries in form of masks, gloves etc. Quantum of assistance requested so far as crossed $1M.

Dammu Ravi, AS & Coordinator [COVID-19], MEA: The Ministry is strengthening the Covid Control room. Right now 25-30 people are working in the control room. They work in shifts. We are getting about 400 e-mails and 1000 calls in a day.

16:25 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Haryana: All farmers//vegetable markets shall remain closed till March 31 to avoid large gatherings in view of coronavirus, says Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board in an order

16:25 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

IndiGo: Our flight IndiGo 6E 55 (Chandigarh to Dubai) stands cancelled till March 30 and flight IndiGo 6E 56 (Chandigarh to Dubai) stands cancelled till March 29 due to coronavirus outbreak.

16:24 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Tamil Nadu: Chennai Police files case against 4 office bearers of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) and 2500 unknown persons who held a protest against CAA-NRC yesterday without permission and gathered against coronavirus alert by the state government.

16:24 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

SpiceJet: Our Kolkata-Dhaka flight will continue to operate as per schedule. Our Chennai-Colombo flight will restart from the March 25 while our Delhi-Dubai and Mumbai-Dubai flights will resume from April 16.

SpiceJet: We are forced to temporarily suspend majority of our international operations from March 21 till April 30. We will resume the suspended flights as soon as the situation normalises. 

16:23 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Pune: An FIR has been registered against 16 shop owners for defying Collector's order to keep shops closed as the Epidemic Act 1867 and Disaster Management Act 2005 has been invoked in Maharashtra

16:22 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel: Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in Raipur and all other municipal corporation areas in the state to prohibit large gatherings in order to contain spread of coronavirus

16:21 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Deputy Commissioner Jammu Sushma Chauhan: Despite advisories to avoid gatherings, a large number of people are still found in the market areas, thus, in order to implement social distancing, all shops except grocery, chemist and medical shops shall be closed with immediate effect.

16:21 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Sports Department, Chandigarh Administration: All sports coaching centres and sports academies (govt & private) to remain closed till 31st  March, in view of coronavirus.

16:21 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh urges the Government of India to allow private hospitals and labs to conduct tests

16:20 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

B Sriramulu, Karnataka Health Minister: One person has been tested positive for #COVID19 in Kodagu today; he has travel history to Saudi Arabia. He is being treated in an isolated hospital. Total number of positive cases reaches 15 in the state.

Section 144 (3) of CrPC Act has been imposed in Kodagu district of Karnataka in the interest of public safety till March 31. All hotels, lodges, resorts, and home-stays in the district will remain closed: Kodagu Deputy Commissioner

16:14 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Central Railway and Western Railway have decided to suspend the services of AC local trains in Mumbai from Friday in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

16:13 IST Thursday, 19 March 2020

Southern Railway: Tiruchirappalli-Thiruvananthapuram express train (to and from) will be cancelled from March 20 till March 31 in view of poor patronage of trains due to coronavirus outbreak.

1:29 PM | 19 March 2020

The toll in Maharashtra reaches 49, state health minister Rajesh Tope asks people not to step out of their homes unnecessarily.

1:20 PM | 19 March 2020

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray at a press conference in Mumbai said: "We are fighting a war against coronavirus. The virus is spreading and the government officials, doctors, nurses and ward boys are working round the clock. The situation is not critical but it is worrisome. We all have to take precautionary measures, avoid unnecessary travelling."

12:40 PM | 19 March 2020

Second COVID-19 positive case is registered in Andhra Pradesh at Ongole. The victim returned from London on 12th March and reached Andhra Pradesh on 15th March. After he suffered from cold and fever, he was admitted to the Ongole government hospital in an isolated ward and his samples were sent to the Virology lab at Tirupathi which confirmed the coronavirus infection. Officials have kept his identity as confidential.

As of now, the state government has tested 105 suspects and among them 96 cases proved negative. Two have tested positive while reports of the remaining seven is awaited.

12:30 PM | 19 March 2020

An employee of HCL in Noida has tested positive for coronavirus.

12:15 PM | 19 March 2020

Two more tested positive for coronavirus in Lucknow. One arrived from Turkey while the other arrived from the UK. A total of five cases have been reported from the city so far.

12:10 PM | 19 March 2020

Amidst coronavirus scare, the dabbawalas in Mumbai have suspended their services in the city from tomorrow till March 31. The 5 thousand dabbawalas serve at least 2 lakh people across the city.

12:00 PM | 19 March 2020

Karnataka health minister announces 15th positive case of Covid 19 on Tweeter official realise yet to come .. he writes in Kannad. "Today the first COVID19 infection in Kodagu has been confirmed, and this person has just returned from a tour of Saudi Arabia.  He is being treated at an isolated hospital.  This is the 15th COVID19 case in Karnataka."

11:50 AM | 19 March 2020

The ICSE Board on Thursday (March 19, 2020) postponed Class 10 and 12 examinations due to the novel coronavirus threat. This came after the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on Wednesday directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and all educational institutions in the country to postpone all exams including JEE Mains till March 31 in view of coronavirus outbreak.

11:20 AM | 19 March 2020

ICMR: All 826 samples collected randomly from several locations are negative. No sign of community outbreak till now.

11:10 AM | 19 March 2020

Indian Railways cancel 84 more trains taking the total number to 155. Trains to remain cancelled from March 20-31 in view of coronavirus

11:00 AM | 19 March 2020

Two immigration officers of Kolkata's NSCBI Airport have been sent to 12 days of home quarantine. Both of them were present at the counter during the clearance of the 18-year-old boy who had tested positive for COVID-19. The teenager has returned from UK on March 15.

10:30 AM | 19 March 2020
Two private hospitals in Noida will now be used as isolation wards:

1. Asian Institute of Medical Sciences (Goodwill, Ojas) Sector- 40

2. Mitra Hospital in Sector 35

09:30 AM | 19 March 2020
Total number of COVID-19 positive cases across India: 166

Total number of active COVID-19 cases across India: 151

Total number of discharged/Cured COVID-19 cases across India: 14

Total number of migrated COVID-19 Patients: 1

Total number of deaths due to COVID-19 across India: 3

09:30 AM | 19 March 2020
The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has issued an advisory to its members to strictly adhere to and follow instructions issued by authorities on containing COVID-19. The association has advised its members to maintain stringent checks and hygiene standards.

09:24 AM | 19 March 2020
Australia's biggest airline Qantas has said that it will halt all international flights later this month, after the nation's other main carrier Virgin shut its overseas services due to the pandemic.

09:17 AM | 19 March 2020
No new local infections due to coronavirus had been reported in China on Wednesday.

09:15 AM | 19 March 2020
BMC Assistant Commissioners and Mumbai Police in each ward are identifying roads on which shops will stay open only on alternate days. In a tweet, BMC has claimed that this will help reduce crowd and provide relief to people at the shops.

09:10 AM | 19 March 2020
The situation confronting Germany from the coronavirus pandemic is the most serious since World War II: Chancellor Angela Merkel in her first such televised address to the nation in 14 years.

09:00 AM | 19 March 2020
The global death toll due to coronavirus has surpassed 8,900 as of now. Nearly 1,000 deaths had been reported in less than 12 hours.
 
08:45 AM | 19 March 2020
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation today about the ongoing efforts to combat the pandemic.

08:30 AM | 19 March 2020
She has travel history to the United Kingdom. The woman has been admitted to GMCH Hospital in Sector 32 of Chandigarh. 

08:30 AM | 19 March 2020
A 23-year-old woman has tested positive for coronavirus in Chandigarh, This is the first case reported in the UT.