Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates: Gujarat DGP Shivanand Jha said that from 12 am on Monday, the entire state will be under lockdown till 31 March. 'State borders have been sealed. Action will be taken against the people who will violate the lockdown,' he said.

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Markets regulator SEBI and stock exchanges on Sunday said all segments of the bourses will operate normally on Monday. Exchange and regulatory officials dismissed suggestions about curtailment of trading hours.

Meanwhile, the ongoing anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh saw lesser numbers. At the beginning of the outbreak, some protesters had remained adamant about not stopping the agitation.

A day after the Janta Curfew, a lockdown began in Delhi on Monday and will continue till 31 March as the coronavirus toll in India rose to seven.

Curfew will remain imposed in Pune, Maharashtra till 31 March. All establishments, excluding emergency services and essentials will remain closed during this period. Any offender shall be punished under section 188 of Indian Penal Code, Pune Police told ANI.

Additionally, persons who have been diagnosed as infected with COVID-19 shall mandatorily remain in an isolation facility of a hospital and shall leave the premises only after being discharged by the treating doctor:.

The Delhi government ordered that 35000 foreign-returned persons staying in the city since 1 March and their contacts shall comply with directions of 14-day home quarantine. Any person found disobeying directions shall be prosecuted and punished with imprisonment or fine or both.

He said Merkel had received a precautionary vaccine on Friday against pneumococcal infection.

The German chancellor was informed about the doctor’s test shortly after holding a news conference on Sunday announcing new measures to curb the fast-spreading virus, her spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

German chancellor Angela Merkel went to self-quarantine after being informed that a doctor who administered a vaccine to her has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said earlier the Olympics may have to be postponed if it can't run in "complete form," and the International Olympic Committee confirmed it's in talks with organizers on issues surrounding the impact of the virus on the Games, "including the scenario of postponement."

Canada is the first team to announce it won't go to the Games because of COVID-19 risks.

Canada will not send athletes to the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Canadian officials confirmed in a statement Sunday night. It's calling on organizers to postpone the Games for one year.

"The danger right now with the lockdowns, if we don't put in place the strong public health measures now, when those movement restrictions and lockdowns are lifted, the danger is the disease will jump back up," said Ryan.

"What we really need to focus on is finding those who are sick, those who have the virus, and isolate them, find their contacts and isolate them," Mike Ryan said in an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

Countries can't simply lock down their societies to defeat coronavirus, the World Health Organization's top emergency expert said on Sunday, adding that public health measures are needed to avoid a resurgence of the virus later on.

As Maharashtra continued to lead in the number of active cases, Health Minister Rajesh Tope again appealed to people to refrain from stepping out of their homes as 'isolation' is the key to battling the COVID-19 virus.

Another 15 coronavirus cases were reported in Maharashtra since Sunday evening, taking the state's tally to 89, according to new agency ANI.

The union territory administration in Sunday announced a lockdown across Jammu and Kashmir till 31 March as part of its efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus. People associated with 16 essential services, including healthcare, have been exempted from the restrictions.

People were requested to stay indoors and not venture out unnecessarily.

Police vehicles fitted with public address systems went around residential areas in the city and elsewhere in the Valley early in the morning to announce that restrictions under CrPC Section 144, barring assembly of people, had been imposed.

Authorities in Kashmir on Monday started enforcing a lockdown to help check the spread of the novel coronavirus in the Valley.

The exams were scheduled on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Laloo said, adding that spot evaluations have also been postponed.

The decision was taken in view of safety and security of students, the board's controller of examination TR Laloo said.

The state government has directed the Meghalaya Board of School Education to postpone remaining examinations until further notice, the official said.

The ongoing Class 12 state board examinations in Meghalaya have been postponed for an indefinite period as a preventive measure in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, an official said on Monday.

Ola is operating with few vehicles to support essential services in the city. An Ola spokesperson said the company "will enable a minimal network of vehicles to support essential services in cities, wherever applicable, as part of this national effort to reduce the contagion of COVID-19".

The Delhi government on Sunday said the city will be in lockdown from 23 to 31 March, under which no public transport, including private buses, taxis and autorickshaws will be allowed.

Services of Ola will not be available in Delhi till 31 March as the state government announced complete lockdown to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus infection.

His Washington office began operating remotely 10 days ago, the statement said, and “hence virtually no staff has had contact” with him. The statement did not detail how long Paul had been in quarantine.

Mr Paul "is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events," his office said on Twitter, and he has since self-quarantined.

Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced in a statement on Sunday. He is the first senator and the third member of Congress to test positive for the deadly virus.

All Sensex components were trading in the red, with Axis Bank tanking up to 20 per cent, followed by ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, Hero MotoCorp and M&M.

As an automatic mechanism to freefall in the market, when an exchange plunges 10 per cent before 1 pm, trading is halted on stock exchanges for 45 minutes.

After opening 2,718 points lower, the BSE barometer plunged 2,991.85 points or 10 percent to 26,924.11. Similarly, the NSE Nifty fell 842.45 points, or 9.63 per cent, to 7,903.

Equity benchmark Sensex sank nearly 3,000 points to hit its lower circuit limit in morning session on Monday, triggering a 45-minute trading freeze as coronavirus-led lockdowns across the world stoked fears of a massive global recession.

He died at the private hospital late Sunday night, it said.

The man had initially tested positive for coronavirus and was under treatment at the civic-run Kasturba Hospital. He was later shifted to a private hospital after his test report came out negative, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said in a statement.

This is the third death reported from Mumbai in connection with COVID-19.

A 68-year-old man from Philippines, who tested positive for coronavirus infection and later recovered, has died at a hospital in Mumbai, the city civic body said on Monday.

In an attempt to contain the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak in India, several states announced they will be imposing lockdown till 31 March. In some of these states the lockdown is state-wide while in others only the districts that have reported novel coronavirus cases have been put under lockdown. So far, 80 districts across the country have reported Covid-19 cases.

The Centre has issued an order on Monday asking state governments to strictly enforce lockdown in coronavirus-affected areas as it was announced on Sunday. The government has also warned of legal actiona gainst violators.

With this, Ahmedabad now has total 13 cases, Vadodara-six, Surat and Gandhinagar-four each, and Kutch and Rajkot-one each, the health department said. So far, one coronavirus patient has died in the state.

Among the new patients, five are males and six females. Of these, five cases are of localtransmission and six patients have history of recent visits to countries like Saudi Arabia, France, Sri Lankaand the UK, it said.

Eleven new coronavirus cases have been reported in Gujarat, taking the total number of those infected by the deadly virus in the state to 29, the state health department said on Monday.

We shdould all be focussed on how to minimise spread of the problem. Situation is changing rapidly not just in India, but even in our export markets, added Bajaj.

"There will no job losses and no salary cuts in the aftermath of production units being shut down to contain the novel coronavirus," Rajiv Bajaj told CNBC-TV18. The auto major will also take care of all its suppliers and vendor companies, he added.

Rajiv Bajaj, managing director and CEO of Bajaj Auto said the company is preparing for a eight-week halt in its production units at Akurdi, Chakan, Aurangabad, Pantnagar.

Delhi has reported 29 positive cases, including a foreigner, while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 28, also including a foreigner, it added.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in Maharashtra stands at 89, which includes three foreigners. Kerala also reported 67 cases, including seven foreign nationals, data issued by the ministry showed.

Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the nation as on 23 March is 415, including the foreign nationals, according to Union Health Ministry.

"Extremely proud of this team of @airindiain, which has shown utmost courage and risen to the call of humanity. Their outstanding efforts are admired by several people across India. #IndiaFightsCorona," the prime minister tweeted.

The airline in a press release on Sunday said it was alarming that in many localities Air India crew members were facing ostracisation because they travelled abroad to evacuate Indians.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the crew of Air India which has been evacuating stranded people from coronavirus-hit countries, a day after the airline complained that some "vigilante" resident welfare associations and neighbours were ostracising its crew members who went abroad as part of their duty.

The high court directed the authorities to hold an urgent meeting on Tuesday to explore alternate methods for the test.

The Delhi High Court on Monday ordered the concerned authorities to suspend the Breath Analyser Test (BAT) through tube process for air traffic controllers till 27 March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

They have also have been constantly updating the public with all relevant information during this pandemic. A list of helplines for all the states and union territories have been released that people can call and ask for any information regarding the virus.

In order to ensure that anyone who experiences symptoms of the disease can be tested, the government of India along with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Health and Family welfare have opened 52 testing sites around the country.

As of 23 March, India has reported a total of 415 confirmed cases. Seven people have died due to the virus, meanwhile, 24 have been reported to have recovered.

"Provide sanitisers for staff and passengers. Seat between two passengers must be kept empty," read the DGCA directive.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued social distancing Measures for Airlines and Airport Operators on Monday. Some of the measures include to ensure adequate spacing in check-in counters between passengers.

The Delhi government submitted that it will amend its prison rules to provide the options of special parole and furlough. It said a notification would be issued within a day to amend the prison rules to include the new provisions.

A Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad, taking note of the submission, directed the Delhi government to take the necessary steps during the day to implement the measures.

The Delhi government told the Delhi High Court on Monday that it has decided to decongest the prisons in the National Capital by providing convicts with the options of special parole and furlough to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus.

The HIgh Powered Committee will comprise - Chairman, who shall be chairman of the legal services commitee, Concerned Secretary of the State and DG prisons.

In the wake of the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic, the Supreme Court has asked each State to form a High Power Committee headed by chairman of state legal service authority to determine which class of prisoners can be released on parole or on interim bail. The decision was taken to avoid overcrowding in jails.

In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the Kerala High Court will remain shut till 8 April. Sittings will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays to consider emergency cases. Cases which affect individual freedom, Habeas corpus petitions and bail pleas will be considered only on these days.

Across India, 80 districts including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru were placed on complete lockdown on Sunday, which means only essential services will be allowed.

Any person disobeying any regulation or order made under this Act shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, which can lead to a jail term of six months, a fine of Rs 1000, or both.

Senior government officials said there are provisions under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to take action against people disobeying lockdown ruled under the Epidemics Diseases Act of 1897.

The Centre has asked state governments to strictly enforce lockdowns and take legal action against those who violated the restrictions after confirmed cases of coronavirus jumped to 415 on Monday.

Earlier, the Benaras Hindu University (BHU) on Sunday announced that the OPDs of Sir Sunderlal Hospital has been postponed from 23 March till further orders. "In view of COVID-19, all OPDs of Sir Sunderlal Hospital has been postponed from March 23 till further orders," said a BHU official.

In view of the increasing threat of the novel coronavirus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) OPD services will remain closed till further notice, ANI reported. "All OPD services in All India Institute of Medical Sciences and all centres to remain closed till further orders."

However, in order to contain the fast-spreading infection, the state government has decided to prohibit movement of all Inter-State passenger vehicles up to 31 March. All goods carrying vehicles, personal vehicles, vehicles on government duty and those used for emergency services are exempted.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on his official Twitter handle posted, "We have noticed that this WhatsApp message is being circulated, which is completely baseless. We will let everyone know if the government takes any such decisions. Request everyone not to panic in our fight against COVID-19."

Amid the coronavirus scare, several social media groups on WhatsApp are spreading fake news of a probable lock-down in the state of Assam, however CMO Assam's Twitter handle dismissed all allegations on Monday.

A case under section 509 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered.

Twitter user Akhu Chingangbam took to the social media platform to narrate the incident where a middle aged man allegedly spat on the woman "before fleeing from the spot on his white scooty".

The Delhi Police on Monday registered a case against a man who allegedly spat on Manipuri woman and called her ‘corona’. The incident allegedly took place in Vijay Nagar area of North Delhi on Sunday night.

"The functioning of this court as well as the courts subordinate thereto is hereby suspended till 4 April, 2020," the notification said.

The decision, taken by an eight-judge committee headed by Chief Justice DN Patel, was communicated in a notification issued by the high court's Registrar General.

The high court also said that the limitation period for any court proceeding would not be considered from 23 March till 4 April, 2020 subject to further orders. Period of limitation means the time period under which a suit, appeal or application has to be filed.

The Delhi High Court Monday suspended its functioning as well as of district courts till 4 April in view of coronavirus threat. The matters of extreme urgency will have to be mentioned before the registrar or joint registrar telephonically and hearing will take place through video conferencing.

District borders will be shut and only essential services will be available. With this, Tamil Nadu became the 15th state to go under lockdown as the number of confirmed cases climbed to 415.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday enforced Section 144 across the state, effective from 6 pm on 24 March (Tuesday) till 31 March, in an effort to curb the fast-spreading coronavirus.

The Arunachal Pradesh state government has invoked the Epidemic Act and has announced ‘complete safety restrictions’ of state from 5pm on 23 March till the midnight of 31 March. All essential services shall be exempted, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. According to reports, Banerjee asked the Centre to stop all flights coming to the state and said that flights are causing a breach in the shutdown and quarantine protocol.

"The statement said this decision was taken in view of the rapid spread of coronavirus (COVI-19) pandemic in the state. Acsording to the statement, around 10,000-15,000 people come to the Pune market at a single time. This increases the risk of spreading the infection. The state government has assured that the functioning of these markets will go unhampered as they come under essential commodities," The Indian Express reported.

Fruit and vegetable sellers in the Pune wholesale market have decided to shut their businesses till 31 March, reports said, adding that commission agents and traders associations issued a joint statement saying that they "will suspend their operations from Wednesday (25 March) till 31 March.

ANI reported that a 57-year-old patient admitted to the AMRI hospital has died of a cardiac arrest and was detected as having contracted the novel coronavirus on Monday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the patient had travel history with Italy.

Airlines have to plan operations so as to land at their destination before 11.59 pm hours on 24 March, the reports added.

The operations of domestic scheduled commercial airlines will cease with effect from midnight on 24 March to 31 March as part of the government's measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. Reports added that the restrictions will not apply to cargo flights.

No case of coronavirus has been reported in the state so far, while cases across India crossed 400 on Monday.

He also said that banks and ATMs will function but all religious activities will be stopped.

"In view of the fiscal year ending, only skeletal staff needed for financial transactions will be allowed in government offices and once those transactions are done the office will be immediately closed down," he said.

Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced that the state will be on a "complete lockdown mode" from 6 pm on Tuesday to the midnight of 31 March. Only grocery shops, chemists, petrol pumps will remain open, the chief minister said in a press briefing, adding that except for ambulances and goods vehicles, Assam borders will be sealed for all kinds of vehicles.

He added, "Yesterday we sealed the state borders and today we are sealing district borders. We will not allow it to spread to the districts which are unaffected as of now."

"All district borders sealed, no inter-district transportation allowed as Maharashtra government announces a statewide curfew. All essential services to function and their transportation also allowed but with restrictions," he said.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that he was "compelled" to announce a statewide curfew because "people were not listening" to quarantine guidelines.

"A casual approach will not be tolerated at all," he added.

"Eye patients in Gauhati Medical College have been shifted to Sankaradeva Nethralaya. The eye unit will become a COVID-19 hospital. Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital in Guwahati will be converted to a COVID-19 hospital if needed," the chief minister said.

The Assam government on Monday said that the leaves of medical professionals were cancelled in the state and that deputy commissioners have been asked to requisition hotels and guest houses to be accomodation for medical staff.

Hong Kong on Monday banned all the arrival of all non-residents over the spread of the novel coronavirus. Hong Kong will ban all non-residents from entering the city from midnight on Tuesday evening in a bid to halt the coronavirus, AFP reported, adding that Chief Executive Carrie Lam unveilled plans to stop restaurants and bars serving alcohol.

The health ministry, in its daily press briefing on Monday, said that a complete lockdown has been announced in 19 states and union territories. Some parts of six states and union territories have been kept under lockdown.

Indian authorities have permitted the Iranian airlines, Mahan Airways, to evacuate around 600 Indians from Iran on 24 and 28 March. All these Indian nationals have tested negative for coronavirus, ANI reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with Indian industry leaders through video conferencing, over the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"415 confirmed cases reported so far, 23 patients discharged, 7 deaths reported - some of them also had co-morbid conditions," Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry said.

"12 laboratory chains have been registered and they have started functioning. These 12 have 15,000 collection centres across the country," he added.

"I'd like to clarify that FDA/CE approval isn't mandatory. ICMR-NIV approved tests which will be done there on fast-track basis will also be acceptable for COVID-19 testing," he said.

ICMR director general Balram Bhargava on Monday said that the process of kit manufacturing has been fast-tracked at the National Institute of Virology in Pune and two kit manufacturers have been already approved.

The number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to 92 on Monday.

The Kerala government on Friday announced a complete lockdown in the state. All borders in the state to remain closed, operations of all public transport to cease. All places of worship to also remain closed reports said.

ICMR director-general Balram Bhargava said, "Hydroxychloroquine is recommended only for a healthcare worker who is treating a coronavirus-infected patient. Secondly, it's recommended only for persons staying and caring for a household positive patient. They can take that only for prophylaxis, only for prevention."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the Centre on Monday, claiming that the government had given approval to export protective gear like surgical masks till 19 March.

The MHA on Monday said, "There have been cases where people of the Northeast, including athletes, have been harassed by linking them to the novel coronavirus. This is racially discriminatory. It is requested that all law enforcing agencies in states and Union Territories may sensitise to take appropriate action in these cases."

The total number of positive cases in India on Monday rose to 433, including 23 discharged patients and 7 deaths, the health ministry said.

“We want the International Olympic Committee to make a definitive decision soon to bring clarity to all of those involved," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by CNN. "... (the players') health and safety, alongside that of sports fans and officials due to work at the Games, must be absolutely paramount.”

UK prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday said that the organisers of the 2020 Olympics "should look at cancelling" the event.

The Karnataka government on Monday said, "All public and private passenger transport services including Ola, Uber, taxi and autorickshaws shall be stopped from tomorrow in Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Kalaburagi, Chikkaballapur, Mysuru, Madikeri, Dharwad, Mangaluru and Belagavi where restrictions are in place."

Following the governor's initiative, the Raj Bhawan employees too decided to donate their one day's salary to the government, the report said.

The Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra has donated his one-month salary for the state government's efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, News18 reported. "The governor also sent an amount of Rs 20 lakh from the Governor's Relief Fund to COVID-19 Fund of Rajasthan CM Relief Fund," a Raj Bhawan statement was quoted as saying.

"Only bare essential sections/ offices to function on a daily basis. Work from home to be implemented.

"Additional districts/ extension of lockdown time frame by state governments will be adhered to as when promulgated.

"Home delivery of grocery/ essential items catering to the requirements of the cantonments.

The advisory was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, "All tasks related to response to COVID-19 should continue without hindrance.

The Indian Army on Monday asked more of its personnel to work from with the aim of taking precautions against the novel coronavirus spread in the country. In a fresh advisory, the defence force said that the measures are to be enforced in all military establishments/cantonments/formations/units in 82 districts under lockdown.

The nationwide lockdown in Nepal will be in place till 31 March, ANI reported.

The Nepal government on Friday announced a nationwide lockdown from 6 am (local time) on 24 March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. One more positive case was reported in the country on Monday, taking the total number of positive cases to 2.

"The total includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as all repatriated cases," the report said.

CNN on Monday reported that at least 34,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the US, while 414 people have died.

Later, the statement also said that media personnel don't need a curfew pass. "Media personnel do not require a curfew pass, they will need to carry their identity cards," Delhi Police said.

The Delhi Police has directed people who are on the move for essential services to get curfew passes from the district office to ensure the adherence to Section 144, reports said.

"Manoj Parida, IAS, Adviser, has stated the individuals engaged in Essential Services including Police, Medical etc. will only be allowed curfew passes. Employees of Punjab, Haryana and central government will request for passes through their Chief Secretaries only. The deputy commissioner, Chandigarh will decide about the curfew passes. Moreover, the relaxation in curfew hours will be given for purchase of essential items in due course. The detailed orders are being issued by the deputy commissioner, UT, Chandigarh," the report said.

The curfew mandates that all residents should stay indoors and the DGP has given "strict directions" to enforce the curfew without any relaxation, The Indian Express reported.

Administrator of Chandigarh, VP Singh Badnore, said that curfew will be imposed in the union territory from midnight on Monday till further orders, reports said.

Reportedly, the order is valid till 29 March, after which it will be reviewed.

The Meghalaya government on Monday announced relief measures for construction workers who have suffered a hit to their livelihood due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, The Indian Express reported. The state government said that such people registered with the labour commissioner are entitled to Rs 1,000 per person, per week.

"In addition to this two more major changes are railway station and bus stands are removed form the exempted category for internal transport and eateries located in them. Now railways and bus transport is completely blocked in the entire state," the advisory said.

"Lockdown extended to full districts of Puri, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur. Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda districts from tomorrow morning. So now the total number of districts under lockdown is 14.

The Odisha government on Monday extended the statewide lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown was also extended to 21 districts and the railways and busstands areas.

“In absolute terms, New York has by far the greatest need in the nation,” he said. He added that at least 157 people have died due to COVID-19 in the state as of Monday.

Over 20,000 people in the state of New York have been infected by the novel coronavirus, the state governor Andrew Cuomo said in a press conference on Monday.

The health ministry on Monday said that deaths due to the novel coronavirus all over the country have risen to nine. This is after a statement by the ministry said that the total number of positive cases in India were 467.

According to the latest update, there are 97 coronavirus in Maharashtra, Mumbai Mirror reported . The report also gave a break down of the rise in cases in the last 24 hours, saying that out of 23 new cases, 17 were reported in the Mumbai-MMR region, one in Pune and Satara, and four in Sangli district.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development authority on Friday directed insurers to extend grace period premium renewal by additional 30 days, CNBC-TV18 reported.

In wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the entire state of Karnataka will be locked down from midnight on 23 March to 1 April, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said on Monday. "People are requested to strictly follow it," he added.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan chief minister said that all private vehicles will be banned from Tuesday. "To save lives from coronavirus, we have taken the decision to ban all private vehicles on roads from tomorrow. Only vehicles related to essential services and those in exempted services would be allowed. State highway tolls will also be closed from midnight," he said.

Gujarat DGP Shivanand Jha said that from 12 am on Monday, the entire state will be under lockdown till 31 March. "State borders have been sealed. Action will be taken against the people who will violate the lockdown," he said.

The Telangana Police registered a case against a Deputy Superintendent of Police and his son who had returned from UK, for not following quarantine protocol. The DSP's son has been tested positive for COVID-19 now, ANI reported.

A statement by the WHO's South-East Asia regional office said, “Airborne spread has not been reported for COVID-19. Based on the information received so far and on our experience with other coronaviruses, COVID-19 appears to spread mostly through respiratory droplets (for instance produced when a sick person coughs) and close contact. This is why WHO recommends maintaining hand and respiratory hygiene. "The Chinese authorities reported that there could be a possibility of aerosol transmission in a relatively closed environment with prolonged exposure to high concentrations of aerosols, like in ICUs and CCUs in hospitals, but more investigations and analysis of epidemiological data is needed to understand this mode of transmission of the virus."

Meanwhile, seven COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Andhra Pradesh, the state public health department said.

Puducherry chief minister V Narayanaswamy said that curfew has been imposed in the union territory with immediate effect till 31 March to contain the spread of coronavirus. "All shops and offices except for those involved in essential services will remain closed during this period," he said.

The Tihar Jail will release around 3,000 inmates in the next 3-4 days, ANI reported. Of these, 1500 convicts will be released on parole and other 1500 undertrial prisoners to be released on interim bail, the Tihar Jail administration said.

"That’s why WHO has launched the SOLIDARITY trial, to generate robust, high-quality evidence as fast as possible. The more countries sign up to the trial and other large studies, the faster we will get results on which drugs work and the more lives we will be able to save," he added.

"Small, observational and non-randomized studies will not give us the answers we need. Using untested drugs without the right evidence could raise false hope and even do more harm than good and cause a shortage of essential drugs that are needed to treat other diseases," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press conference.

CNN quoted the World Health Organisation as issuing a warning against using "untested drugs" to treat patients of the novel coronavirus on Monday.

Uber Pool and Uber Intercity services have been suspended across the country, until further notice.

On Friday, Uber said that in compliance with government directives to limit movement for reducing the spread of COVID-19, Uber services across India have been affected. While the company will continue to offer services for essential and urgent travel needs of commuters, some or all of Uber’s rides services will not be available till further notice in the following cities:

"In São Paulo, the city with the largest number of confirmed deaths and cases, the mayor’s office announced that 2,000 hospital beds would be added to the Pacaembu stadium and the Anhembi convention center in the next few weeks," the report said.

Brazil will convert some stadiums, arenas, and convention centres into field hospitals to treat patients of coronavirus, CNN reported.

Italy is currently facing 63,927 cases of the novel coronavirus.

Italy has confirmed 601 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, CNN reported. This brings the total number of casualties to 6,077. The European country has crossed the number of casualties reported in China.

Yamuna Expressway has been closed and police barricading has been done on the route. Those passing through the barricading will be allowed only if they have a valid reason for their movement. It'll also remain open for emergency services, said DCP (Greater Noida) Rajesh Kr Singh.

“We are strongly urging UK travellers overseas to return home now where and while there are still commercial routes to do so. Around the world, more airlines are suspending flights and more airports are closing, some without any notice. Where commercial routes don’t exist, our staff are working round the clock to give advice and support to UK nationals. If you are on holiday abroad the time to come home is now while you still can," he said.

UK's foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Monday said that all citizens abroad should return, CNN reported. In a statement, Raab "warned international travel is becoming highly limited with the further closure of air routes, land borders and domestic restrictions introduced daily," the report said.

A statement by the WHO's South-East Asia regional office said, “Airborne spread has not been reported for COVID-19. Based on the information received so far and on our experience with other coronaviruses, COVID-19 appears to spread mostly through respiratory droplets (for instance produced when a sick person coughs) and close contact. This is why WHO recommends maintaining hand and respiratory hygiene. "The Chinese authorities reported that there could be a possibility of aerosol transmission in a relatively closed environment with prolonged exposure to high concentrations of aerosols, like in ICUs and CCUs in hospitals, but more investigations and analysis of epidemiological data is needed to understand this mode of transmission of the virus."

Meanwhile, seven COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Andhra Pradesh, the state public health department said.

Puducherry chief minister V Narayanaswamy said that curfew has been imposed in the union territory with immediate effect till 31 March to contain the spread of coronavirus. "All shops and offices except for those involved in essential services will remain closed during this period," he said.

The Tihar Jail will release around 3,000 inmates in the next 3-4 days, ANI reported. Of these, 1500 convicts will be released on parole and other 1500 undertrial prisoners to be released on interim bail, the Tihar Jail administration said.

"That’s why WHO has launched the SOLIDARITY trial, to generate robust, high-quality evidence as fast as possible. The more countries sign up to the trial and other large studies, the faster we will get results on which drugs work and the more lives we will be able to save," he added.

"Small, observational and non-randomized studies will not give us the answers we need. Using untested drugs without the right evidence could raise false hope and even do more harm than good and cause a shortage of essential drugs that are needed to treat other diseases," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press conference.

CNN quoted the World Health Organisation as issuing a warning against using "untested drugs" to treat patients of the novel coronavirus on Monday.

Uber Pool and Uber Intercity services have been suspended across the country, until further notice.

On Friday, Uber said that in compliance with government directives to limit movement for reducing the spread of COVID-19, Uber services across India have been affected. While the company will continue to offer services for essential and urgent travel needs of commuters, some or all of Uber’s rides services will not be available till further notice in the following cities:

Four new cases of coronavirus have been reported from Rajasthan's Pratapgarh and Jodhpur, taking the total number of COVID19 cases to 32 in the state, the state health department said.

"In São Paulo, the city with the largest number of confirmed deaths and cases, the mayor’s office announced that 2,000 hospital beds would be added to the Pacaembu stadium and the Anhembi convention center in the next few weeks," the report said.

Brazil will convert some stadiums, arenas, and convention centres into field hospitals to treat patients of coronavirus, CNN reported.

Italy is currently facing 63,927 cases of the novel coronavirus.

Italy has confirmed 601 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, CNN reported. This brings the total number of casualties to 6,077. The European country has crossed the number of casualties reported in China.

Yamuna Expressway has been closed and police barricading has been done on the route. Those passing through the barricading will be allowed only if they have a valid reason for their movement. It'll also remain open for emergency services, said DCP (Greater Noida) Rajesh Kr Singh.

“We are strongly urging UK travellers overseas to return home now where and while there are still commercial routes to do so. Around the world, more airlines are suspending flights and more airports are closing, some without any notice. Where commercial routes don’t exist, our staff are working round the clock to give advice and support to UK nationals. If you are on holiday abroad the time to come home is now while you still can," he said.

UK's foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Monday said that all citizens abroad should return, CNN reported. In a statement, Raab "warned international travel is becoming highly limited with the further closure of air routes, land borders and domestic restrictions introduced daily," the report said.

Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: Gujarat DGP Shivanand Jha said that from 12 am on Monday, the entire state will be under lockdown till 31 March. "State borders have been sealed. Action will be taken against the people who will violate the lockdown," he said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan chief minister said that all private vehicles will be banned from Tuesday. "To save lives from coronavirus, we have taken the decision to ban all private vehicles on roads from tomorrow. Only vehicles related to essential services and those in exempted services would be allowed. State highway tolls will also be closed from midnight," he said.

According to the latest update, there are 97 coronavirus in Maharashtra, Mumbai Mirror reported. The report also gave a break down of the rise in cases in the last 24 hours, saying that out of 23 new cases, 17 were reported in the Mumbai-MMR region, one in Pune and Satara, and four in Sangli district.

The Delhi Police has directed people who are on the move for essential services to get curfew passes from the district office to ensure the adherence to Section 144, reports said.

The Indian Army on Monday asked more of its personnel to work from with the aim of taking precautions against the novel coronavirus spread in the country. In a fresh advisory, the defence force said that the measures are to be enforced in all military establishments/cantonments/formations/units in 82 districts under lockdown.

The advisory was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, "All tasks related to response to COVID-19 should continue without hindrance.

"Restricted movements in Cantonments and military stations.

"Personnel engaged in essential services permitted to function (Medical establishments, fire, electricity/ water supply, communication, post offices and sanitation services).

"Home delivery of grocery/ essential items catering to the requirements of the cantonments.

"Social distancing while performing all tasks.

"Additional districts/ extension of lockdown time frame by state governments will be adhered to as when promulgated.

"All station CSDs to be closed forthwith.

"Measures at IHQ of MoD(Army)/ (Army HQ)

"Only bare essential sections/ offices to function on a daily basis. Work from home to be implemented.

"Conferences and seminars postponed. Routine meetings and movements to be restricted.

"Personnel attending office will adhere to staggered timings."

The Nepal government on Friday announced a nationwide lockdown from 6 am (local time) on 24 March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. One more positive case was reported in the country on Monday, taking the total number of positive cases to 2.

The nationwide lockdown in Nepal will be in place till 31 March, ANI reported.

The Kerala government on Friday announced a complete lockdown in the state. All borders in the state to remain closed, operations of all public transport to cease. All places of worship to also remain closed reports said.

The number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to 92 on Monday.

ICMR director general Balram Bhargava on Monday said that the process of kit manufacturing has been fast-tracked at the National Institute of Virology in Pune and two kit manufacturers have been already approved.

"I'd like to clarify that FDA/CE approval isn't mandatory. ICMR-NIV approved tests which will be done there on fast-track basis will also be acceptable for COVID-19 testing," he said.

"12 laboratory chains have been registered and they have started functioning. These 12 have 15,000 collection centres across the country," he added.

"415 confirmed cases reported so far, 23 patients discharged, 7 deaths reported - some of them also had co-morbid conditions," Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry said.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced that the state will be on a "complete lockdown mode" from 6 pm on Tuesday to the midnight of 31 March. Only grocery shops, chemists, petrol pumps will remain open, the chief minister said in a press briefing, adding that except for ambulances and goods vehicles, Assam borders will be sealed for all kinds of vehicles.

"In view of the fiscal year ending, only skeletal staff needed for financial transactions will be allowed in government offices and once those transactions are done the office will be immediately closed down," he said.

He also said that banks and ATMs will function but all religious activities will be stopped.

No case of coronavirus has been reported in the state so far, while cases across India crossed 400 on Monday.

The operations of domestic scheduled commercial airlines will cease with effect from midnight on 24 March as part of the government's measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. Reports added that the restrictions will not apply to cargo flights.

ANI reported that a 57-year-old patient admitted to the AMRI hospital has died of a cardiac arrest and was detected as having contracted the novel coronavirus on Monday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the patient had travel history with Italy.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday enforced Section 144 across the state, effective from 6 pm on 24 March (Tuesday) till 31 March, in an effort to curb the fast-spreading coronavirus.

District borders will be shut and only essential services will be available. With this, Tamil Nadu became the 15th state to go under lockdown as the number of confirmed cases climbed to 415.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday that companies' expenditure to fight the coronavirus pandemic will be considered valid under corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. The coronavirus outbreak will be treated as a disaster, the Finance Minister said on Twitter.

"Keeping in view of the spread of novel coronavirus, its declaration as pandemic by the World Health Organisaton (WHO), and decision of the government to treat this as a notified disaster. It is hereby clarified that spending of CSR funds for COVID-19 is eligible CSR activity," Ministry of Corporate Affairs said in an official notification.

In view of the increasing threat of the novel coronavirus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) OPD services will remain closed till further notice, ANI reported. "All OPD services in All India Institute of Medical Sciences and all centres to remain closed till further orders."

Supreme Court on Monday said that the lawyers chambers inside the court premises will remain shut from Tuesday 5 pm onward. The top court also said there will be no more in-person hearings till further orders. The Court will conduct videoconferencing to hear urgent matters.

"Urgent matters will be taken up by court via video conferencing; lawyers may appear from their own offices. Lawyers chambers in the SC to be sealed at 5 pm on Tuesday.

The Centre has issued an order on Monday asking state governments to strictly enforce lockdown in coronavirus-affected areas as it was announced on Sunday. The government has also warned of legal action against violators.

In an attempt to contain the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak in India, several states announced they will be imposing lockdown till 31 March. In some of these states the lockdown is state-wide while in others only the districts that have reported novel coronavirus cases have been put under lockdown. So far, 80 districts across the country have reported Covid-19 cases.

Complying with the Central and the Delhi government directives, Uber is likely to suspend its services in the National Capital till 31 March to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Speaking about its pool services, an Uber Spokesperson said, "We are determined to help reduce the spread of coronavirus in the cities we serve. With that in mind, we are suspending the Uber Pool service across India. In line with the Government advisory, we urge people to stay safe and discourage non-essential travel."

However, there have been no official statement from Uber about shutting services in Delhi. but off the record, it said, "as of now services suspended in Delhi."

Another 15 coronavirus cases were reported in Maharashtra since Sunday evening, taking the state's tally to 89, according to new agency ANI.

As Maharashtra continued to lead in the number of active cases, Health Minister Rajesh Tope again appealed to people to refrain from stepping out of their homes as 'isolation' is the key to battling the COVID-19 virus.

Curfew will remain imposed in Pune, Maharashtra till 31 March. All establishments, excluding emergency services and essentials will remain closed during this period. Any offender shall be punished under section 188 of Indian Penal Code, Pune Police told ANI.

India reported three new deaths due to the coronavirus on Sunday, including the first casualties coming in from Bihar and Gujarat, taking the toll to seven. While the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 341 in the country, the citizens, as asked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, observed a 'janata curfew' from 7 am to 9 pm, with most people staying at home as a precaution against the virus.

The Centre has also decided to shutdown 75 districts across 22 states and Union Territories, which have reported cases of the COVID-19 and asked the respective governments to enforce a strict lockdown, allowing only essential services. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary in the Union health ministry, clarified that essential services would include "ration, groceries, milk, medical services, transport of essential needs, among others."

The Indian Council of Medical Research's Director-General Balram Bhargava, during a joint press conference with the Union health ministry, emphasised that "isolation, isolation, isolation" is the only way to halt the infection's march. He said that the country has the capacity to perform 50,000 to 70,000 tests for the coronavirus a week, and that 16 to 17 thousand tests have been conducted till now.

Bhargava added that as many as 60 private laboratories have been registered to conduct the COVID-19 tests.

Addressing the media, Bhargava said, "It is essential to understand the ailment. Eighty percent of the people will experience cold-like fever and they will recover. Some may need to be admitted to the hospital."

On the restrictions imposed in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, Agarwal said, "All train services including suburban and metro services, interstate passenger transports are suspended till 31 March. These are efforts to break the chain of transmission."

The joint secretary also said that the Centre has provided additional N95 masks and personal protection equipment to states as per their requirements. However, he noted that states were asked to procure equipment through a letter on 17 January.

Janata curfew observed nationwide

Meanwhile, citizens across cities and states observed "janta curfew" in "letter and spirit" as urged by the prime minister, while some misconstrued the point of it all and took it a step further. Modi had urged the citizens to come out in their balconies and "clap" to show appreciation for the health workers and doctors who are working to fight the pandemic which has sent the whole world into a tizzy. Italy and France had demonstrated how, earlier this month. Modi's foremost message, during his address to the nation earlier this week, was "social distancing" and "self isolation".

Visuals shared widely on social media and by news outlets, however, showed that while some stayed in their homes and clapped and beat utensils, several others took it to mean a community activity. Several people from across the country disregarded prime minister's appeal to stay at home, and participated in large processions in the evening.

A Twitter user posted several videos of 'celebrations' in several cities. In Jaipur and Mysuru, crowds of people were seen on streets beating utensils and clapping. Crowds of people chanting slogans and dancing in Punjab. At Indore, people were seen taking part in large processions carrying the national flag.

Some senior journalists strongly condemned such processions, and said that assembling in public during such an outbreak amounted to "obscurantism" and quackery."

A little before 5 pm, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted:

Do remember, 5 PM this evening for 5 minutes... Be on your terraces, balconies or windows to express gratitude to all those who are working 24/7 so that our nation becomes free from COVID-19. #JantaCurfew pic.twitter.com/Cwds0v4cJ8 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2020

In the national capital, roads were deserted with barely some private vehicles and buses plying. Vendors were off the roads in the morning hours with people confining themselves to their homes.

The busy streets of #Delhi bear a deserted look as people in the national capital observe #JantaCurfew#JantaCurfewMarch22 #IndiaFightsCoronavirus pic.twitter.com/pZ83wDGitK — PIB India (@PIB_India) March 22, 2020

In Kolkata, the usually bustling Esplanade, and Dalhousie areas, besides airport and railway stations wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors to support the prime minister's call.

Commercial capital Mumbai observed the restrictions on Sunday with the usually bustling western and eastern express highways and other arterial roads wearing an empty look and people staying indoors to support the curfew.

However, at 5 pm, people rang bells and blew conchs, acknowledging the services of the thousands of doctors, nurse and other medical staff leading India's response to the deadly virus and making sure essential services remain unhindered.

Prime Minister Modi thanked the people for expressing their gratitude and solidarity.

Follow LIVE updates on the CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK here

Cutting across party lines, chief ministers and others leaders urged the people to follow the self-imposed curfew, noting that "social distancing" was key to breaking the chain of transmission, as the number of coronavirus cases rose to 324 on Sunday.

States like Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Bihar have announced either complete or partial lockdown till the month end.

No passenger train from any railway station in the country has originated beginning Saturday night and the restriction will continue till 10 pm on Sunday while all suburban train services will be reduced to a bare minimum as well. Metro services, including in Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai, has been suspended for the day.

Air carriers like GoAir, IndiGo and Vistara have curtailed domestic operations on Sunday.

Traders' body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) had announced that they will keep their establishments shut across the country for the 'Janata curfew'.

Italy reports biggest day-to-day increase

Italy announced its biggest day-to-day increase of infections, which rose by 6,600 with nearly 800 new fatalities from the virus that causes COVID-19. The country's total death toll of more than 4,825 has surpassed the number of deaths in China, where the first cases emerged late last year.

Emirates Airlines, in a statement on Sunday, said, "Today we made the decision to temporarily suspend most passenger flights by 25 March 2020. SkyCargo operations will continue. This painful but pragmatic move will help Emirates Group preserve business viability and secure jobs worldwide, avoiding cuts. Having received requests from governments & customers to support repatriation of travellers, Emirates will continue to operate passenger and cargo flights to few countries until further notice, as long as borders remain open, and there is demand."

In the US, where multiple states have ordered residents to stay indoors, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the government is literally scouring the globe looking for medical supplies.

Health care workers from Oklahoma City to Minneapolis sought donations of protective equipment. Staff at a Detroit hospital began creating homemade face masks for workers. Even rural hospitals were strained as people increasingly felt the pandemic closing in.

Behind China and Italy, Spain now has the third-highest number of infections worldwide, followed by the US.

Spanish health authorities have acknowledged that some intensive care units in the hardest-hit areas are close to their limit. The army was building a field hospital with 5,500 beds in a convention center in Madrid, where hotels are also being turned into wards for virus patients without serious breathing problems.

With inputs from agencies

