World leaders organise virtual summits to combat coronavirus

107 confirmed cases in India

States/UTs Confirmed cases (Indians) Confirmed cases (Foreign nationals) Deaths Delhi 7 (2 discharged) 0 1 Haryana 0 14 0 Rajasthan 2 2 0 UP 11 (3 discharged) 1 0 Kerala 22 (3 discharged) 0 0 Telangana 3 ( 1 discharged) 0 0 J&K 2 0 0 Ladakh 3 0 0 Tamil Nadu 1 0 0 Maharashtra 31 0 0 Karnataka 6 0 1 Punjab 1 0 0 Andhra Pradesh 1 0 0

Spain reports 2,000 new virus cases and more than 100 deaths

India

collaborates with Saarc nations

to set up coronavirus fund

Iran: Over 1,000 new cases and 100 deaths in 24 hours

Dubai-bound UK national tests positive; 20 stopped at Kochi airport

China steps up to help Italy

218 Indians from Italy land in Delhi

Civic polls put off in Andhra Pradesh

More than 25,000 crew, passengers on over 700 ships not allowed to disembark at Indian ports

Maharashtra has most cases 31

On PM's nudge, Saarc leaders to plan today ways to fight virus

234 Indian evacuees from Iran quarantined at Army facility in Jaisalmer

More on Covid-19





Special cell, 24x7 ops room: MEA pulls out all stops as threat looms

Delhi’s first coronavirus patient recovers fully

Number of coronavirus cases worldwide passes 150,000

US President Donald Trump tests negative for coronavirus

Pakistan's coronavirus tally rises to 34

China reports 20 new virus cases, jump in 'imported' infections

Spain announces a lockdown, France shuts down the nightlife

Spanish PM's wife tests positive for coronavirus

First-of-its-kind global fund launched to combat Covid-19

(With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus: 218 Indians evacuated from Italy, land in Delhi, will be quarantined for 14 days

NEW DELHI: Coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 156,000 people and killed more than 6,000. The disease for most people causes only mild or moderate symptoms but for some, especially the elderly or people with underlying health conditions, it can cause more severe illness. Nearly 74,000 people have recovered from it so far, mostly in China. India has declared the outbreak a 'notified disaster'.While India led a Saarc video conference on Sunday carving out a joint-strategy with member states to contain Covid-19, other regional groupings have similar virtual summits scheduled. After suggesting Saarc members to hold a video conference, he has also proposed G20 nations to come together to contain the virus. French President Emmanuel Macron has also announced a video conference of G7 nations on Monday to come together and strategize. These efforts are largely focussed on sharing resources and ensuring that the virus is contained at a time when some of the worst-affected nations face severe isolation due to border shutdowns.As per health ministry data, India's tally of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus stood at 107 as of Sunday. The total number of confirmed cases includes 17 foreigners -- 16 Italian tourists and a Canadian, the officials said.Spain on Sunday reported some 2,000 new coronavirus cases and more than a hundred deaths over the last 24 hours, the latest spike in Europe's second-most affected country after Italy. The new figures raise Spain's number of COVID-19 infections to 7,753 -- and its death toll to 288 -- after the government imposed a near-total nationwide lockdown, banning people from leaving home except to go to work, get medical care or buy food.India proposed setting up an emergency fund to fight the coronavirus outbreak in South Asia on Sunday, with New Delhi offering $10 million to get it going, as the number of confirmed infections in the country rose past 100. Prime Minister Narendra Modi told regional leaders via video conference that India would also offer rapid response teams and other expertise to deal with the crisis.On Sunday, Iran reported 1,209 new cases of novel coronavirus and 113 deaths over the past 24 hours. The death toll in Iran now stands at 724. Earlier on Sunday, a senior official leading the country's response to the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East had acknowledged that the pandemic could overwhelm health facilities in Iran, which is under severe U.S. sanctions. Iran is battling one of the worst outbreaks outside China, with nearly 13,000 confirmed cases. The real number of infections could be even higher, as questions have been raised about the government's transparency.The passenger belonged to a group of 19 holidaying in the hill resort town of Munnar in Kerala and was under surveillance, a Cochin International Airport Limited spokesman said. He joined the group to reach the Kochi airport without informing authorities in Munnar, he said. When the test result came, the authorities came to know that he was at the Kochi airport and travelling by an Emirates flight. The whole tourist group of 20 people has been isolated at a hospital.Italy is worst-affected region outside China with total number of confirmed cases on Sunday at 24,747 from 21,157 on Saturday and national death toll at 1,809 on Sunday from 1,441 on Saturday. Italy's foreign minister said that China is sending 150 pulmonary respirators now and more later to help treat seriously ill COVID-19 patients in Italy, the center of Europe's coronavirus pandemic. Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio also said Sunday that China will be shipping 5 million masks for medical staff. China, which appears to have turned the corner on its own COVID-19 outbreak, will also be sending medical crews to aid the Italians, Di Maio said.A total of 218 Indians, mostly students, brought to Delhi from Milan on Sunday have been taken to an ITBP quarantine facility in south-west Delhi's Chhawla area, officials said. The Air India flight from Milan landed around 9.45 am at IGI airport. Out of the total Indian nationals in this group, 211 are students. The ITBP centre, like in the past, will have a dedicated team of doctors, para-medics and other staff apart from providing food, medical testing and indoor entertainment facility to the inmates. The facility has earlier catered to two such batches totalling 518 people.Elections to rural and urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh were on Sunday put off for six weeks by the State Election Commission in view of spread of coronavirus. Elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) are originally scheduled for March 21. Elections to municipalities, Nagar panchayats and municipal corporations were slated for March 23.To contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, the government has so far prevented more than 25,000 crew and passengers on board over 700 ships from disembarking on Indian shores, a Shipping Ministry official said. Apart from restricting cargo handling, the government had last week prohibited entry of any international cruise ship, crew or passengers with a travel history to coronavirus-hit countries post February 1, 2020 to its major ports till March 31.The upward spike in the total number of cases in the country was primarily the result of Maharashtra turning into the new hot zone, the leap in its infection count from 19 to 31 in a day making it the state with the most cases. Kerala is at 22. Besides Maharashtra, there was one new positive case each in Rajasthan, Telangana and Kerala. The number of those confirmed infected includes 10 people who were cured and two who died.Responding to PM Modi’s suggestion, leaders of Saarc nations will participate in a video conference on Sunday to chalk out a common strategy for fighting Covid-19 in the region. While Pakistan PM Imran Khan will not take part, he will be represented by an official. All other heads of government will participate in the conference, which will take place at 4.30pm.Two hundred and thirty-four Indian evacuees from coronavirus-hit Iran, worst affected country in the Middle East, who arrived in the national capital on early Sunday morning, have been quarantined at an Indian Army Wellness Centre in Jaisalmer. The stranded Indians, including 131 students and 103 pilgrims, were airlifted by Iran's Mahan Air flight. Among the 234 people, 131 of them are students and the rest are pilgrims.Faced with the looming threat of Covid-19, and more specifically the task of ensuring the safety of Indian nationals abroad, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has set up a special cell to coordinate all responses to the developing situation both internally and externally. The cell, which is headed by additional secretary Dammu Ravi, will work with Indian missions abroad to bring back Indian nationals stranded in countries which have been severely affected by the novel coronavirus.The capital’s first Covid-19 patient, a 45-year-old man from Mayur Vihar Phase II, has recovered fully from the viral infection. He was discharged from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Saturday, said a source. The 45-year-old had returned from Italy on February 22. He interacted with several people and even held a birthday party for his son at Hyatt hotel before he was diagnosed with Covid-19 and isolated at a hospital on March 2.The number of novel coronavirus cases globally stood at 151,760 with 5,764 deaths, across 137 countries and territories at 1700 GMT Saturday, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official sources. Between Friday's 1700 GMT tally and Saturday's latest figures there were 417 more deaths reported and 11,037 new cases.Donald Trump tested negative for the coronavirus, his doctor said on Saturday, as the US president extended a travel ban to Britain and Ireland to try to slow the spread of a pandemic that has shut down much of the daily routine of American life. The U.S. president met with a Brazilian delegation last week, at least one member of which has since tested positive.The new victim is the husband of a woman who recently travelled to Pakistan from the United States and tested positive on Saturday, the Express Tribune newspaper reported. The lady is currently in critical condition, receiving treatment at the isolation ward in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the paper said, adding that there are now four COVID-19 patients at the isolation ward in PIMS. Pakistan reported five coronavirus cases on Saturday - two in Balochistan, two in Sindh and one in Islamabad.China on Sunday reported 16 new imported cases of the coronavirus, the highest in over a week, as domestic cases dwindle in the country. The National Health Commission said infections involving people arriving from overseas were reported in five provinces and cities including Beijing and Shanghai. Only four new domestic cases were detected, all in Hubei province's capital Wuhan, where the virus first emerged in December.Spain locked down its 46 million citizens and France ordered the closing of just about everything the rest of the world loves about it — the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the cafes and restaurants — as governments took increasingly desperate measures to put more space between people and contain the coronavirus.Begona Gomez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, was tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, Sputnik reported citing Spanish news agency Europa Press. The condition of both the Prime Minister and his wife are assessed as "good". Both are now in their residence, following the health authorities' advice.The World Health Organisation, United Nations Foundation and partners have launched a first-of-its-kind Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund to help countries respond to the global pandemic. The fund also enables private individuals, corporations and institutions anywhere in the world to come together to directly contribute to global response efforts.