Coronavirus: Latest updates on Covid-19 crisis from around the world

New Delhi, April 1

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Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Wednesday.

2:55 p.m.Coronavirus death toll rises to six in Bangladesh with the number of positive cases surging to 54.

2:44 p.m. Deploy fire brigade to disinfect COVID-19 hotspots, and quarantine centres, Delhi LG Anil Bijal tells authorities.

2:41 p.m. 250 Indians stranded in Iran tested positive for COVID-19, Centre tells SC.

2:27 p.m. RBI provides more time to exporters to collect payment of goods and software sold to overseas buyers and repatriate that to India as the central bank announces more measures to deal with the economic fallout of Covid-19 pandemic.

2:21 p.m. Women students stranded in different cities away from their homes due to the lockdown can contact the NCW for help, chairperson Rekha Sharma says.

2:18 p.m. Reduction in interest rates on small savings amid the lockdown, heartless and must be rolled back, Congress says.

2:17 p.m. The SC seeks response from the Centre on a plea seeking directions for providing WHO graded protective gear to doctors, nurses and medical staff who are treating coronavirus patients across the country.

2:09 p.m. The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan surpassed 2,000, indicating an upward trend despite efforts by the government to contain the pandemic.

1:54 p.m. As governments across the world are financially helping citizens to ward off economic distress, India is among the countries better placed as it has the building blocks for successful rollout of digital transfer of payments, report says.

1:52 p.m. Only 5 per cent of around 90 lakh trucks across India are plying on the roads at the moment due to shortage of drivers and labourers at loading and unloading points following nationwide lockdown, AIMTC says.

1:39 p.m. Sri Lanka records highest single-day jump in coronavirus cases.

1:32 p.m. The association of ambulance employees in UP calls off strike following negotiations with administration over demands for timely wages and protective gear to guard against coronavirus.

1:27 p.m. Coronavirus can travel up to 8 metres from exhalation, linger in air for hours, MIT scientist says.

1:24 p.m. Delhi goernment hospital is shut after doctor tests positive for COVID-19.

1:23 p.m. China reveals 1,541 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases amid concerns of second wave of infections.

1:23 p.m Continued lack of medical funds and healthcare infrastructure despite additional funding poses challenges in mounting an effective response against the coronavirus outbreak

1:05 p.m. UK extends work visas for Indian and foreign doctors amid coronavirus outbreak.

1:02 p.m. Five trains and thousands of passengers are under scanner over travelling with Tablighi Jamaat participants, many of whom have tested positive for coronavirus.

12:31 p.m. UP reports its first coronavirus-related death after test reports of a 25-year-old man, who died two days ago, came COVID-19 positive.

11:56 a.m. COVID-19 death toll crosses 1,000 in New York City, official data says.

11:47 a.m. The coronavirus deaths crossed 4,000 in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre.

11:39 a.m. UPPCL extends time to pay power bills till April 30 due to lockdown.

11:24 a.m. Tabligh’s Nizamuddin centre cleared, evacuating 2361 people in 36 hours, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia says.

11:23 a.m. IIT researchers are developing robots to deliver food, medicines to patients in isolation wards.

11:08 a.m. Eight new coronavirus cases are found in Gujarat, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 82.

11:04 a.m. About 100 people gathered for a religious congregation at a dargah in Sarwar town of Rajasthan’s Ajmer district, following which police used force to disperse them.

10:41 a.m. COVID19 pandemic is the most challenging crisis since World War II, UN chief says.

10:25 a.m. Security personnel guarding Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu are put in isolation after a family member of an employee in his office tested positive for coronavirus, officials say.

10:20 a.m. England cricketer Jos Buttler auctions his World Cup-winning shirt to raise funds for hospitals battling pandemic.

10:15 a.m. Restrictions remain in force on the movement of people in Kashmir amid lockdown, official says.

9:31 a.m. Twenty more people test positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 86.

9:29 a.m. Two persons, who had attended a religious congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area, tested positive for coronavirus in Puducherry.

8:52 a.m. Two more COVID-19 patients died in Maharashtra, taking the state toll to 12, officials say.

8:51 a.m. Tests conducted on 14 coronavirus suspects in Goa have come out negative, state health minister Vishwajit Rane says.

8:44 a.m. Eighteen more people test positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 320, official says.

8:28 a.m. Prominent Indian-origin virologist in South Africa dies from coronavirus. PTI

Single largest number of new cases in a day reported from Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: The single largest number of new cases in a day were reported from Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday as the state reported 43 coronavirus cases. The total number of cases have shot up from 40 last evening to 87.

Most of these cases relate to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation.

2 more die in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Two more COVID-19 patients died in Maharashtra, taking the state toll to 12, health officials said on Wednesday.

One was a 75-year-old man from Mumbai, while the other, a 50-year-old man, died in adjoining Palghar district, the officials said.

“The 75-year-old male patient died here on Tuesday. We are finding details of his travel history and also checking if someone close to him had a travel history, an official said.

The Palghar man had no travel history, he said.

This is the first death reported from Palghar, a predominantly tribal district.

Maharashtra now has 320 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths.

Thirty-nine coronavirus positive patients have been discharged after recovery.

20 new COVID-19 cases in MP; tally jumps to 86

Indore: Twenty more people tested positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 86, a health official said.

Among the new cases, 19 were reported from Indore and one from the neighbouring Khargone district, he said.

Of the 19 new patients in Indore, nine are from one family, including three children, aged 3, 5 and 8, residing in Tanzeem Nagar area of the city, the official said.

A police official from Indore is also among the new coronavirus patients.  He is admitted to a private hospital, Additional Superintendent of Police Guru Prasad Parashar said.

As a precautionary measure, the police official’s wife and two daughters are also kept in a separate ward of the hospital.

The police station where the official was posted as in-charge has been sanitised and steps are taken to protect the other staff from the infection, Parashar said.

Indore has been the worst hit in the state as 63 coronavirus cases have been reported from the industrial city so far. Three of these patients earlier died.

Besides, Jabalpur has so far reported eight cases, Ujjain six, Bhopal four, Shivpuri and Gwalior two each and Khargone one.

Of the total 86 patients, five died, including three of Indore and two from Ujjain, the official added. PTI