Here is a look at the latest updates on

and around the world —

Coronavirus deaths top 20,000 worldwide, mostly in Europe

277 people evacuated from Iran reach Army facility in Jodhpur

To decongest jails, prisoners to be released on bail: Haryana govt

More than 3 billion told to stay home worldwide

MHA issues fresh guidelines on lockdown exemption

Saudi king to chair G20 video summit on coronavirus on March 26

Govt sets up emergency control room to monitor production, supply of medical textiles

Pakistan suspends domestic flights

Number of COVID-19 cases soars to 606

Set up control room, helpline number to ensure availability of essential goods: Centre to states

Mahabharata war lasted 18 days, this war against coronavirus will take 21 days: PM

Shops selling essentials, medicines will remain open throughout 21-day lockdown: Govt

Iran

toll tops 2,000

Class 1-9 students will be promoted in Tamil Nadu: CM

Armed forces to work beyond mandate to support nation in battling COVID-19: Gen Bipin Rawat

People scramble for supplies on first day of lockdown in India

There will be no shortage of essential services: Kejriwal

Cloud of uncertainity over annual Haj ritual

ICMR: Isolation may cut peak coronavirus numbers by 89%

Ensure unhindered movement of essential goods/services: Centre to states

Take action against landlords forcing doctors/paramedics to vacate: Govt of Delhi

'Act like you have Covid-19': PM Ardern says as New Zealand heads into lockdown

Suspension of railway services to be extended till April 14

Govt bans export of sanitisers, all types of ventilators

coronavirus

22 private lab chains registered with ICMR for coronavirus tests

Centre asks states to identify, earmark hospitals to deal with COVID-19 cases

India has tremendous capacity in eradicating coronavirus pandemic: WHO

69 drugs identified to test against coronavirus

Ban imposed on flying of domestic commercial flights

Covid-19 crisis: All essential services will be provided, assures PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Nearly 90 more coronavirus positive cases were reported in India taking the total number of cases to 606 on Wednesday while the number of deaths was 10, according to health ministry data. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 553 while 43 people have been cured, discharged or migrated.The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 20,000 people worldwide, most of them in Europe, according to an AFP tally at 1700 GMT (2230 IST) Wednesday using official figures.A total of 20,334 deaths were reported, of which 13,581 were in Europe.With 7,503 deaths, Italy is the most affected country ahead of Spain with 3,434 and China with 3,281, the country where the initial outbreak occurred.A batch of 277 people evacuated from coronavirus-hit Iran arrived at the Jodhpur airport in Rajasthan on Wednesday early morning, a defence spokesperson said.He said preliminary screening of the evacuees, mostly pilgrims, was conducted at the airport upon arrival and thereafter, they were taken to the Army Wellness Facility set up at the Jodhpur Military Station.The Haryana government has decided to release convicted prisoners with up to seven years of sentences and undertrials ones liable to get as long jail terms on conviction, on parole or bail, in order to decongest prisons, state jail minister Ranjit Singh Chautala said on Wednesday.For the convicted prisoners to be released on parole, they have to have a track record of good behaviour in jail and should not be facing trial in other cases, said Chautala, adding the undertrial prisoners too should have displayed good behaviour, the minister added.More than three billion people have been asked to stay home in almost 70 countries and territories as governments battle the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe, according to an AFP tally.Most of the countries concerned, including India, Argentina, Britain, France and Italy as well as many US states, have imposed mandatory lockdown measures. Others have introduced curfews, quarantines and other social distancing recommendations.The home ministry has issued fresh guidelines covering additional people and services who will be exempted from the 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.In the new guidelines, the ministry said Reserve Bank of India and RBI-regulated financial markets, pay and accounts officers and field officers of the CAG, petroleum products and supply chain and forest staff are exempted from the purview of the lockdown.Those people handling cargo operations in airports and railway stations, coal mining activities, officers and staff of resident commissioners based in Delhi and customs clearance at ports, airports and land borders are also exempted.Saudi Arabia's King Salman will chair an emergency virtual summit of G20 leaders, including PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, on Thursday to advance the coordinated response to the novel coronavirus pandemic that has claimed nearly 19,000 lives and upended life and businesses across the globe.Saudi Arabia, which currently holds the G20 presidency, last week called for the "virtual summit" following criticism that the powerful group of major economies had been slow to address the global crisis.Leaders from G20 nations will be joined by representatives from the coronavirus-affected countries like Italy, Spain, Jordan, Singapore, and Switzerland.The textiles ministry has set up an emergency control room to monitor the production and supply of medical textiles including N-95 masks, body coveralls and meltblown fabric.The move comes amid the coronavirus outbreak which has led to a sharp spike in the demand for these products.The emergency control office will work under the supervision of P K Kataria, special secretary. Three field level officers have also been appointed to take stock of the situation from the ground level.Pakistan has suspended all domestic flight operations until April 2 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus after the country reported over 1,000 cases and seven deaths from the COVID-19 infection, authorities said on Wednesday.The nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients touched 1,037.According to the latest Union health ministry data released in the evening, the total number of COVID-19 cases so far in the country has crossed 600, which includes 10 deaths. The total number of active cases is 553. The ministry said 43 have been cured/discharged/migrated cases.Union health minister Harsh Vardhan also chaired a GoM meeting to assess the situation in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.The Centre has asked state governments to set up a round the clock control room with a helpline number at its headquarters and in each of its districts to ensure seamless availability of essential commodities during the 21-day lockdown enforced to combat the coronavirus outbreak.The Union home ministry's letter to chief secretaries of all states came in the wake of reports that those involved in distribution and delivery of essential commodities and services were facing difficulties due to the restriction of movement of people and police vigilance.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he was very pained by the misbehaviour of some people against doctors, airlines crew and staff of essential services who are at the forefront of combating coronavirus.He also asserted that the deadly virus does not differentiate between the rich and the poor. He asked people to be at home and practice social distancing.Addressing people of his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi via video, he said the Mahabharata war was won in 18 days but this war against coronavirus will take 21 days.Union minister Prakash Javadekar has said there was no need for people to panic as shops selling essentials and medicines will remain open throughout the 21-day lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak.He also said there were sufficient legal provisions available to deal with black marketeers and hoarders.He was referring to the lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to prevent the spread of coronavirus.Iran announced 143 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the official death toll to 2,077 in one of the world's worst-hit countries.Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said "our colleagues have registered 2,206 new cases of COVID-19 infection" in the past 24 hours, bringing total infections to 27,017.All students from first to ninth standard in Tamil Nadu will be promoted considering the closure of schools to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, chief minister K Palaniswami said on Wednesday.Considering the welfare of students, who could not sit for their annual examinations due to closure of schools, Palaniswami said he ordered the School Education Department to announce promotion of all students from first to ninth standard.For plus-two students who could not sit for write exam on March 24, exams will be separately held and a date notified later, he said.Coordinating efforts of the military in controlling COVID-19 spread, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat has said that at this juncture, the uniformed force needs to extend all type of assistance ranging from creating quarantine infrastructure to providing specialist care to help the nation combat Coronavirus."Uniformed forces are expected to support the government and provide every type of assistance from developing infrastructure for isolation and quarantine to preparing speciality medical care centres for those who need immediate care," the CDS said.The country's crowded grocery stores and chemists on Wednesday in a struggle for essential items after PM Modi ordered a total lockdown for three weeks to fight a coronavirus pandemic, one of the toughest such measures worldwide. As states shut their borders, long queues of trucks carrying milk, fruits and vegetables snaked down highways.There is no need to panic. After PM Modi's speech yesterday people started lining up at shops for essential services. I again appeal to people to not do panic buying, I assure everyone that there will be no shortage of essential services. We will issues passes for those providing essential services, E-passes will be provided to those who need to open their shops and factories for these services: Delhi CM Arvind KejriwalClouds of uncertainty hovering over Haj 2020. Saudis tell other countries not to make new commitments like booking hotels and airlines as it is not certain if Haj will be conducted this year. India has a quota of 2 lakh Haj pilgrims. Saudi Arabia is also fighting Coronavirus and has suspended Umrah or the smaller pilgrimage.Strictly implemented social distancing measures such as home quarantine can reduce the overall expected number of cases by 62% and peak number of cases by 89%, thus “flattening” the curve and providing more opportunities for interventions, a mathematical modelling done by the Indian Council of Medical Research shows.Home ministry asked the states to set up helplines for those engaged in essential services and to ensure unhindered movement of essential goods/services."While it is imperative to successfully implement the notified lockdown/restrictions. It is also necessary to ensure the unhindered operation of manufacturing, processing, transportation, distribution, storage, trade/ecommerce and logistics related to all service/establishments and commodities requires for the delivery of essential services," a government statement read.The government of Delhi has ordered the state administration to ensure strict action is taken against landlords who are forcing doctors/paramedical staff/ healthcare personnel to vacate their rented accomodation due to the unfounded fear of spread of coronavirus.PM Jacinda Ardern told New Zealanders on Wednesday to behave as if they had the coronavirus and cut all physical contact outside their household when the country heads into a one-month lockdown at midnight. Ardern declared a national state of emergency as the number of cases surged by a record 50 cases to take the national tally to 205.The Indian Railways has said that its suspension of all passenger services will continue till April 14. However, freight movement will continue to carry essential commodities across the country. The railways on Sunday had announced suspension of all its passenger services from March 22 midnight to March 31The government on Tuesday banned export of all sanitisers and ventilators with immediate effect in wake of theoutbreak. It also banned exports of all types of ventilators, including any artificial respiratory apparatus or oxygen therapy apparatus or any other breathing appliance or device.At least 22 private laboratory chains having around 15,500 collection centres spread all over the country have been registered with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) till Tuesday for conducting COVID-19 tests. Besides, 118 government laboratories have been included in the ICMR network of COVID-19 testing. The network has a capacity to test 12,000 samples daily.The Centre has asked state governments to immediately identify and earmark hospitals to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. The Union government also said it is absolutely essential that surveillance and contact tracing of all positive cases is taken up and no suspected or high risk person is left out.India, which led the world in eradicating two silent killers - smallpox and polio - has a tremendous capacity in eradicating the deadly coronoavirus pandemic that has now claimed nearly 15,000 lives and infected over three lakh others globally, according to a top WHO official."India led the world in eradicating two silent killers and eliminating them from the country," he said during a press conference in Geneva on Monday on the COVIVD-19 pandemic.As many as 69 drugs and experimental compounds may be effective in treating the coronavirus. Some of the medications are already used to treat other diseases, and repurposing them to treat Covid-19 may be faster than trying to invent a new antiviral from scratch.Domestic commercial flights will stop flying from 11.59 pm on Tuesday till the same time on March 31. The Centre took this decision amid an increasing number of states announcing lockdowns and curfews that make commuting between cities and airports difficult for everyone — passengers, airline crew and all other stakeholders required to make air travel possible.Scheduled international flights had been suspended on Sunday (March 22) for a week. When flights resume depends largely on how the pandemic unfolds.