Coronavirus LIVE: New helpline number launched as cases rise to 114

The coronavirus death toll across the globe rose to 6,684 on Monday, with over 174,000 confirmed cases. Stay tuned for LIVE updates on COVID-19

The number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 114 with one new case each reported in Ladakh, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, the officials said on Monday. Globally, the number of cases has hit 170,417, with over 7,000 reported deaths across 157 countries. 

As India sees a surge in novel coronavirus cases, the Union Health Ministry on Monday activated a toll-free 24x7 national helpline number, 1075, to address queries related to the infection.The government also prohibited entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31.

Meanwhile, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday said monetary policy committee will decide if a rate cut is needed to help the economy facing the coronavirus outbreak.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus in numbers: Latest Covid-19 cases and deaths in India and world
 

Coronavirus in India: State-wise total number of confirmed cases
 

Maharashtra: 38

Kerala: 22

Haryana: 14 (all foreigners)

Uttar Pradesh: 12 (including one foreigners)

Delhi: 7

Karnataka: 7

Rajasthan: 4 (including two foreigners)

Ladakh: 3

Telangana: 3

Jammu and Kashmir: 2

Andhra Pradesh: 1

Punjab: 1

Tamil Nadu: 1

3:08 AM

Wall Street deepens historic slump amid virus spread; Dow, S&P fall 12%

Wall Street suffered its biggest drop since 1987 on Monday, with the S&P 500 closing at its lowest level since December 2018, as investors fear the coronavirus pandemic is proving a tougher opponent than central banks, lawmakers or the White House are currently capable of battling. The S&P 500 tumbled 12%, its biggest drop since "Black Monday" three decades ago, despite the Federal Reserve's surprise move late Sunday to cut interest rates to near zero, its second emergency interest rate cut in less than two weeks and ahead of its scheduled policy meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. READ MORE HERE

A trader reacts as he works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City. Reuters

3:00 AM

Coronavirus outbreak disrupts PSB merger as banks put programmes on hold

With public sector banks scurrying to meet the April 1 deadline for merger, the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has caused widespread disruptions in their preparations. The banks slated for merger were supposed to hold employee training sessions starting this week. According to the banks, they have either put the sessions on hold or are opting for e-learning instead of classroom sessions. Moreover, programmes involving gatherings, like customer interface programmes, have also been put on hold.Read More Here

2:59 AM

MPs across party lines demand end to Parliament session over Covid-19

There is growing demand from members cutting across party lines that the ongoing Parliament session be prorogued earlier than the scheduled April 3. AIADMK MP S R Balasubramaniam, for instance, said in the Rajya Sabha that the ongoing Budget session of Parliament could be curtailed. However, Finance Bill needs to be passed, even as appropriation bill was cleared on Monday. Read More Here

2:58 AM

Coronavirus outbreak to take heavy toll on readymade garment exports

Readymade garment exports dropped by around 4.51 per cent to $1.437 billion in February 2019 compared to last year. Exporters said the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will impact exports for the next few months. This is because nearly 80 per cent of retail shops in western countries have shut due to the virus. According to official data, while from December 2018 exports have been growing till May 2019 on a month-on-month basis, they have been falling since December 2019. Read More Here

2:57 AM

Closer to lockdown: Gatherings of over 50 banned in Delhi amid virus spread

With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, a Group of Ministers (GoM) on Monday proposed various measures, including the closure of all educational institutions, gymnasiums, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools, and theatres across the country. The government also banned the entry of passengers from countries in the European Union, Turkey, and the UK from March 18 till March 31. The latest steps in the fight cased the coronavirus pandemic came as the number of positive cases in India reached at least 114 (there were reports of several active cases at the time of going to press). Fresh cases were witnessed in Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Kerala, and Telangana. From Delhi to Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, state governments moved another step towards imposing a lockdown. Read More Here

Railway workers disinfect the coaches of Delhi –Jammu Rajdhani Express. PTI

2:55 AM

Govt mulls campaign to halt panic buying amid coronavirus outbreak

Such is the scare of the new coronavirus that protective gear such as masks and sanitisers are briskly going out of stock from retail outlets. The Centre is contemplating launching a consumer awareness campaign, telling people not to panic while buying these items. Manufacturers, especially micro, small and medium enterprises are seeing a short-term opportunity in this and are lining up to make these products. Sample this: The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration has approved 100 product licences for hand sanitisers in the last one week alone. Speaking to Business Standard, HG Koshia, commissioner of Gujarat FDCA, said the government has approved product licences on a fast-track basis to ensure that there was no shortage of these items in the market. “We gave 100 licences to around 40 manufacturers to make hand sanitisers in the last one week alone,” he said. Read More Here

People wear protective masks in view of coronavirus pandemic at Gateway of India in Mumbai | PTI photo

2:54 AM

Coronavirus outbreak could make airlines bankrupt by May-end: CAPA

The coronavirus pandemic will bankrupt most airlines worldwide by the end of May unless governments and the industry take coordinated steps to avoid such a situation, an aviation consultant warned. Many airlines have probably been driven into technical bankruptcy or substantially breached debt covenants already, Sydney-based consultancy CAPA Centre for Aviation warned in a statement Monday. Carriers are depleting cash reserves quickly because their planes are grounded and those that aren’t are flying more than half empty, it said. Read More Here

2:12 AM

Oil slumps below $30 as coronavirus spreads, OPEC rancor remains elevated

Oil prices fell below $30 a barrel on Monday as the worldwide coronavirus outbreak worsened over the weekend, exacerbating fears that government lockdowns to contain the spread of the disease would spark a global recession. Top global oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia, having failed to agree on a plan to curb supply as the fall in global economic activity destroys oil demand, and have turned on each other to start a price war. Saudi Aramco reiterated on Monday its plans to boost output to record levels to take a bigger share of the global market. Brent crude settled down $3.80, or 11.2%, to $30.05 a barrel.  READ MORE HERE

2:03 AM

Amazon to hire 100,000 workers as online orders surge on virus worries

Amazon.com Inc said on Monday it would hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the United States to tackle a surge in online orders, as consumers shop heavily fearing the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Amazon said https://blog.aboutamazon.com/operations/amazon-opening-100000-new-roles it would invest over $350 million to raise the pays for these employees in the US and Canada by $2 an hour, 2 pounds in the UK and about 2 euros in the European Union. It currently pays $15 an hour for workers in its US fulfillment centers.

2:02 AM

Wall Street plummets as Fed rate cut amps up investors' virus fears

U.S. stocks suffered their biggest one-day drop since 1987 on Monday as the Federal Reserve's surprise move to cut interest rates to near zero fueled anxiety over a potential deep recession because of the coronavirus pandemic. According to initial closing data, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2,997.1 points, or 12.93%, to 20,188.52, the S&P 500 lost 324.89 points, or 11.98%, to 2,386.13 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 970.28 points, or 12.32%, to 6,904.59.

2:01 AM

Auckland Airport scraps dividend, CEO to take pay cut as virus upends travel

Auckland International Airport said on Tuesday it would scrap its interim dividend on top of cost-cut measures that include a hiring freeze and a halt to discretionary spending due to the coronavirus outbreak. "We realise some of our shareholders may be disappointed, but we ask for their understanding amid these extremely challenging circumstances," Chief Executive Officer Adrian Littlewood said in a statement. Littlewood will also take a 20% cut to his salary, while directors will see their fees reduced by 20% for the rest of the financial year, Auckland International Airport said.

2:00 AM

Brazil takes emergency steps to boost liquidity, lending hit by Coronavirus

Brazil on Monday approved a raft of measures to combat the economic and financial damage from the coronavirus, boosting liquidity in the financial system, maintaining the flow of credit in the economy and expanding banks' lending capacity. The National Monetary Council CMN, Brazil's highest economic policy body comprising the economy minister and central bank president, approved the measures after an emergency meeting. The new steps will allow banks to offer those firms and households in good financial shape increased loans and better terms over the next six months. This could apply to up to 3.2 trillion reais ($640 billion) of loans, the central bank said.

12:41 AM

'Test, test, test': WHO chief's coronavirus message to world

The World Health Organization called on all countries on Monday to ramp up their testing programmes as the best way to slow the advance of the coronavirus pandemic, and also urged companies to boost production of vital equipment to overcome acute shortages. "We have a simple message to all countries - test, test, test," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva. "All countries should be able to test all suspected cases, they cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded."

12:33 AM

COVID-19: Another tests positive in J&K; total cases 3 Jammu

Another person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, taking the number of such patients to three, officials said. "One more case confirmed positive. Travel history to Saudi Arabia. Had reported high viral load earlier. Total 3 positive cases now," official spokesperson Rohit Kansal tweeted. Earlier, Kansal said the patient had been kept in isolation. Officials in the health department said this was the third positive case of the novel coronavirus detected in the Union territory. Earlier in the day, the administration said 176 people had completed their quarantine period and only two persons tested positive for the infection.

12:32 AM

Coronavirus cases in Pakistan surges to 183 By Sajjad Hussain

Pakistan's coronavirus cases surged to 183 on Monday after dozens of new infection were reported in Sindh province. Official said that Sindh had 150 positive cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 15, Balochistan 10, Gilgit-Baltistan 5, Islamabad 2 and Punjab 1. Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that 119 patients were among the passengers who arrived in Sukkur from Taftan. The “exponential increase is largely due to the recent inflow of people brought in from Taftan after a purported quarantine," said Wahab said.