Coronavirus: 69-yr-old woman dies in Delhi, becomes India's 2nd casualty

Nagpur, March 13

A 69-year-old woman who tested positive for coronavirus infection died in Delhi, Health Ministry and state government officials said on Friday—India's second fatality to the deadly virus that has swept the globe. 

The death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), it said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19. The woman was admitted in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, officials said. 

The Health Ministry and Delhi government officials said the woman, a resident of west Delhi, came in contact with her son, who is the fifth case of coronavirus in Delhi with a history travel history to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22.

"She had history of contact with a positive case. The son had returned to India on February 23. He initially was asymptomatic, but developed fever and cough after one day and reported to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on March 7," a Health Ministry statement said.

"As per protocol, the family was screened and since he and his mother had fever and cough, both were admitted," it said.

The woman also suffered from diabetes and hypertension. Her sample was collected on Sunday and her condition worsened a day later, the statement said.

"She was shifted to the intensive care unit. Her sample also tested positive for COVID19," the Health Ministry said.

Highlights

10:40 pm: Coronavirus claims second life in India; 69-year-old woman dies in Delhi, health officials say

9:40 pm: Face masks (2- and 3-ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and sanitisers have been declared essential commodities temporarily by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Public distribution.

8:00 pm: Madhya Pradesh government also announced that it was closing down cinema halls and schools until March 31.

7:30 pm: All government and private colleges and universities in Punjab will remain closed till March 31

6:15 pm: Punjab Government, Chandigarh administration announces closure of schools until March 31

5:55 pm: Seven more coronavirus patients cured and will be discharged soon; 71 are "clinically stable", reports PTI

5:45 pm: SC restricts entry into courtrooms, says only urgent matters to be heard

5:40 pm: Maharashtra government invokes Epidemic Diseases Act in wake of coronavirus scare,  orders closure of cinema halls, gyms and swimming pools in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur cities.

5:30 pm: Coronavirus is not a health emergency: Officials

5:25 pm: Air India to send a flight to Milan on Saturday to bring back stranded Indians. It will land on Sunday morning at Delhi airport: officials.

5:22 pm: Over 42,000 people across India are under community surveillance: Health Ministry official.

5:20 pm: Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India rise to 81, including 16 Italians: central government officials.

4:45 pm: Indian Army cancels all recruitment rallies

4:49 pm: Schools, colleges, coaching institutes, zoos and parks in Bihar to be shut till March 31 over coronavirus threat: Official.

4:40 pm: One more person was confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Pune on Friday, taking the number of Covid-19 cases in the city to 10 and that in Maharashtra to 17.

4:14 pm: Punjab Education Department has suspended morning prayers in all the government schools in Punjab until further notice. All school heads have been directed to send students, who have symptoms of cough and cold, on compulsory leave immediately.

4:00 pm: AI cancels flights to France, Germany, Italy and three other countries till April 30.

2:00 pm: UP government orders closure of schools and colleges where exams are not ongoing until March 22

1:45 pm: Haryana closes schools in 5 districts, all colleges and universities till March 31

More cases

Several states across India went into battle mode to contain the spread of COVID-19, shutting down schools, theatres and colleges, and many public events, including the IPL, were postponed as the Union Health Ministry on Friday put the number of cases at 81.

The tally of 81, seven more since Thursday night, includes a 76-year-old man from Karnataka who became the country’s first coronavirus fatality and 17 foreign nationals, Health Ministry officials said.

Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 11 states and territories, including Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, where three patients were discharged last month after they recovered.  

In view of the pandemic, face masks (2- and 3-ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and sanitisers have been declared essential commodities temporarily by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Public distribution.

Addressing reporters, officials said coronavirus—a pandemic that has infected 1,31,500 people in 116 countries and territories and killed more than 4,900—is not a health emergency and there is no need to panic.

They said India has evacuated 1,031 people, including from the Maldives, US, Madagascar and China.

The Centre has also decided to allow international traffic only through 19 border checkposts out of 37 and continue the suspension of Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses till April 15, or earlier, if so decided.

Officials disclosed that 42,000 people across the country are under community surveillance.

Joint Secretary Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said: “Some 124 evacuees from Japan and 112 evacuees from China are being discharged today (Friday) onwards after having tested negative for coronavirus in the second round of test”.

Ministry of Civil Aviation Joint Secretary Rubina Ali, who also addressed the briefing, said that central government would dispatch an Air India flight to Milan, Italy—the most affected country outside of China—to bring back stranded Indians. 

"The flight would take off tomorrow afternoon and would be landing on Sunday morning at Delhi Airport,” she said.

Meanwhile, two more persons tested positive for coronavirus in Nagpur, one more in Pune and another one at an Army quarantine facility in Manesar on Friday.

Two days after a 45-year-old man was found to be infected with coronavirus in Nagpur, his wife and friend also tested positive on Friday, Divisional Commissioner Sanjiv Kumar said.

Also read: Haryana closes schools in 5 districts, all colleges and universities till March 31

“The man had returned from the US last week along with his wife and the friend,” he added.

After he tested positive for coronavirus, 15 persons who were in close contact with him, including his wife and the friend, were put under observation and their samples were sent to lab testing, they said.

His wife and friend, who have now tested positive, are being treated at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here, they added.

One person from Pune who recently travelled to the US tested positive. This takes the number of cases in Maharashtra to 17—10 in Pune, three Mumbai and Nagpur and one in Thane.

Also read: BCCI postpones this year’s IPL, will now start from April 15

In Manesar, a man who returned from Italy this week and was lodged at the Army’s quarantine facility also tested positive for coronavirus, Army sources said on Friday.

According to the medical protocol, he has been shifted to an isolation facility at the Safdarjung Hospital here for further medical examination and recovery.

Also read: 2 Punjab officer couples who returned from abroad quarantined at home

“One individual (male) who had returned from Italy on March 11 has been tested positive. The individual was employed in one of the restaurants in Italy since last 14 years,” sources said.

The man was among the 83 people who returned from Italy on Wednesday. The group was moved to the Army’s quarantine facility at Manesar.

Also read: Canada PM Justin Trudeau’s wife tests positive for coronavirus

Taking stock of the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a video conference of SAARC leaders to chalk out a joint strategy and set an example for the world.

“Our planet is battling the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. At various levels, governments and people are trying their best to combat it,” Modi said on Twitter.

South Asia, which is home to a significant number of the global population, should leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people are healthy, he said.

Amid speculation over the ongoing Budget Session being shortened, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told PTI: “There is no question of curtailing the session”.

While states such as Karnataka, Odisha, Delhi and Bihar went into virtual shutdown mode, the under-pressure BCCI suspended the start of this year’s IPL cricket tournament from March 29 to April 15.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to suspend IPL 2020 till 15th April 2020, as a precautionary measure against the ongoing Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) situation,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

The statement made it clear that it’s a “suspension” and “not postponement”, which means there is no clarity on whether the event will start on April 15.

Even if it starts on April 15, it is expected to happen behind closed doors without the fans.

The decision came hours after the Delhi government, which on Thursday announced that schools, colleges and cinema halls would be closed till March 31, sad it was also stopping all sports gatherings, including IPL 2020.

Sisodia said district magistrates have been asked to ensure that all directives pertaining to coronavirus are implemented.

AI cancels flights to Italy, France, Germany, 3 other countries till April 30 

National carrier Air India cancelled flights to Italy, France, Germany, Spain, South Korea and Sri Lanka till April 30, an airline official aid on Friday.

The decision has been taken in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Aviation watchdog DGCA has asked international airlines to consider waiving ticket cancellation and reschedule charges or look at providing any other incentives.

Malls, cinema halls shut in Odisha, Karnataka, Jammu, Maharashtra

In a drastic step to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Maharashtra government ordered closure of cinema halls, gyms and swimming pools in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur cities from Friday midnight.

Making the announcement in the state Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the government was invoking the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 from midnight.

A day after the country’s first coronavirus death was reported from Kalaburagi in the state, the Karnataka government announced a   lock-down of malls, cinema theatres, pubs and night clubs for a week.

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa also issued instructions to stop all kinds of exhibitions, summer camps, conferences, marriage events and birthday parties.

“We will close all universities for a week in the entire state,” he told reporters.

Goa also invoked its Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987. Goa Health Department on Friday invoked the law banning public gatherings in the coastal state with immediate effect to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Tech giant Google confirmed that an employee of its Bengaluru office, who had returned from Greece, was diagnosed with COVID-19.

In Kalaburagi town, 46 people who were in direct contact with the 76-year old man who died on Tuesday night were placed under quarantine, district officials said, adding that 31 were categorised as “high risk” and 13 as “low risk”.

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday ordered closure of all malls, gyms, swimming pools, recreational clubs in the district till March 31 as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, an official said.

Also read: Iran builds mass graves amid coronavirus outbreak; satellite images surface

Four family members of the man have displayed flu symptoms and their swab samples have been sent for testing.

In Odisha, the Naveen Patnaik government announced that educational institutions would be closed till March 31 but provided an exception for holding exams.

He said the government has earmarked Rs 200 crore to combat the coronavirus threat and declared COVID-19 a “disaster”.

Non-essential official gatherings such as seminars, workshops and conferences are to be cancelled, Patnaik said. Social gatherings and assemblies like religious functions, marriage receptions and parties will be regulated by local authorities.

Cinema halls, swimming pools and gyms in the state will be closed as well.

As concern mounted, people scrambled to change their travel plans. At an Air India office in Delhi, for instance, there were crowds of people waiting to change their tickets.

States that had not reported any case were also on alert.

Schools, colleges, coaching institutes, zoos and parks in Bihar will be shut till March 31 over the coronavirus threat, an official said.

Vishwajit Rane, health minister in the tourism hub of Goa, said the government will issue a circular asking hotels and industries to take preventive measures in the wake of the coronavirus scare.

In all this, there was some good news.

All 112 people admitted to an ITBP quarantine facility in Delhi for over a fortnight tested negative for the coronavirus. All of them were evacuated last month from Wuhan in China.

Schools closed

Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana governments announced they were closing schools to prevent the spread. 

Punjab and Haryana government and Chandigarh administration said schools would remain closed till March 31. Punjab also closed down universities.

Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia suspended classes in Delhi. Other universities such as Jindal University in Sonepat in Haryana announced the university would be open but there would be no classes till March 29.

Uttar Pradesh's government under Chief Minister Adityanath ordered closing of all schools and colleges in the state where exams were not ongoing till March 22.

With the state reporting 11 confirmed coronavirus cases, Chief Minister Adityanath’s government asserted that all precautions were being taken to check the spread of the disease.

"All schools and colleges associated with the basic, secondary and higher education, and vocational colleges, where examination process is not on, have been closed till March 22," Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told reporters here.

Exams would go on according to schedule, he said, adding the people concerned have been instructed to take all precautionary measures and maintain hygiene.

The decision would be reviewed on March 20 on the basis of which the future course of action would be decided,   the chief minister said.

"Though we have not declared this disease an epidemic in the state, we have delegated some powers under the Epidemic Act to facilitate treatment and if required shifting people to isolation ward to check its spread. The health department will bring a notification in this regard soon," Adityanath said.

READ

• Punjab schools, colleges, universities shut till March 31 to prevent coronavirus spread
• Coronavirus: Chandigarh schools to remain closed till March 31
• Haryana closes schools in 5 districts, all colleges and universities till March 31

Sporting events affected

As the number of cases mounts, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced it was postponing the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League. The event, which was originally set to start from March 29, will now be held from April 15.

Top shuttlers from across the world have hit out at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for taking the novel coronavirus outbreak “too lightly” and putting them at “risk” by going ahead with its international tournaments.

International stars, including London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal, former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth and ex-top 10 players Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, Paruapalli Kashyap and Jan O Jorgensen expressed their concerns and asked the BWF to suspend all its upcoming tournaments.

India briefs over 100 envoys

India briefed the representatives of more than 130 countries and international organisations, including over 100 envoys, on Friday about the proactive steps taken by it to combat coronavirus.

At the briefing by senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the envoys and representatives of international organisations were also provided clarifications related to government advisories.

“Together in this fight! Representatives of 130+ countries and international organisations, including 100 Heads of Mission, attended a briefing by senior officials from MEA, MOHFW and MHA on proactive steps taken by Government of India to combat COVID-19 pandemic and provide clarifications related to government advisory,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

India reported on Thursday its first death due to coronavirus as the number of positive cases soared to 75, with authorities taking emergency measures to contain its spread like shutting down schools, colleges and cinema halls in the national capital and some other places.

The Centre and the states have ramped up their efforts to tackle novel coronavirus, which has claimed at least 4,600 lives globally and affected over 1,25,000 people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the citizens not to panic and asserted that the government was fully vigilant.

Apart from directing the Union ministers not to travel abroad in the coming days, Modi also urged people to avoid non-essential travel, saying: “We can break the chain of spread and ensure the safety of all by avoiding large gatherings”.

The government has also suspended all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15.

An official of the Border Security Force said it was barring foreigners from entering India through the Attari-Wagah border. He also said that the movement of pilgrims from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur through the Kartarpur Corridor to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan would continue unaffected.  — Agencies