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

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.

12:32 AM

Poland's environment minister tests positive for coronavirus

Poland's environment minister Michal Wos has tested positive for coronavirus, he said in a tweet on Monday. "I feel good ... and I express solidarity with all those who are sick," he wrote. Poland has 156 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3 deaths so far.

12:31 AM

In bid to slow coronavirus, Canada shuts borders to foreign nationals

Canada closed its borders to all foreign nationals except U.S. citizens and permanent residents on Monday, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging people to stay at home to help stem the spread of the new coronavirus. "We will be denying entry into Canada to people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents," Trudeau told reporters at a news conference outside his home, where he is under quarantine. "All Canadians should stay home." The death toll in Canada jumped to four on Monday, from one on Sunday. All three new deaths were reported by the Pacific province of British Columbia. Health officials say they have found about 350 cases of COVID-19 across all 10 provinces.

11:28 PM

More COVID-19 cases, deaths reported in the rest of world than in China: WHO

There have now been more COVID-19 cases and deaths in the rest of the world than in China, the World Health Organization said Monday.

"More cases and deaths have now been reported in the rest of the world than in China," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, without providing the latest numbers.

11:27 PM

Coronavirus: Sikkim bans entry of tourists, shuts down schools, gyms till Apr 15

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Monday banned the entry of foreign and domestic tourists into the state and shut down public places such as educational institutes till April 15 in view of novel coronavirus outbreak.

He also appealed to the people of Sikkim to avoid travelling outside the state unless it is an emergency.
 

There will be a complete ban on visits of even domestic tourists in Sikkim, the chief minister said, adding a notification in this regard will be issued on Tuesday.

11:27 PM

Fake sanitiser unit busted, raw material worth Rs 12 L seized: police

Amid a spurt in demand for sanitiser following the coronavirus outbreak, the Ghaziabad police has busted a fake germicide-producing unit and arrested four of its workers, police said on Monday.
 

A Kavi Nagar police team accompanied with Drug Department officials also seized various chemicals worth Rs 12 lakh to produce the spurious sanitiser, said Ghaziabad's Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani.

11:26 PM

Coronavirus: Advisory issued for MGNREGA workers in Rajasthan

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Monday said an advisory had been issued for rural job scheme workers in the state to raise awareness among them about the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Around 13-lakh workers are employed in the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

11:25 PM

US, French firms start drug trial in severe COVID-19 cases

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and American drugmaker Regeneron said Monday they have started clinical trials for a new drug in patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19 infections.
 

In a statement they said phase 2 and 3 trials were under way for Kevzara, an immunosuppressor.

Regeneron will trial in the United States, while Sanofi plans trials initially in Italy, particularly hard hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

11:25 PM

'Test every suspected case' of COVID-19: WHO

The World Health Organization called Monday for countries to test every suspected case of COVID-19, as the rest of the world registered more cases and deaths in the pandemic than China.

"You cannot fight a fire blindfolded," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, saying the WHO recommended that countries "Test, test, test. Test every suspected case."

11:24 PM

Wipro asks employees to work from home

IT company Wipro on Monday said it has advised employees to work from home, if feasible depending upon their job responsibilities, amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Wipro said safety, health and wellbeing of our employees are of paramount importance and over the past several weeks, it has taken a series of preventive measures to protect our employees from the coronavirus outbreak.

11:23 PM

Nearly 70,000 Afghans return home after fleeing virus hit Iran

Nearly 70,000 Afghans have returned from virus-hit Iran in the past 20 days, an official said Monday, overwhelming health workers at border crossings and raising fears of a major outbreak in the impoverished country.

They were allowed back in after Kabul reopened land crossings for Afghans wanting to return home -- despite having earlier suspended air and ground links over fears of the virus spreading from Iran, one of the world's worst-hit countries.

11:23 PM

Work on Notre-Dame in Paris halted by coronavirus

French authorities halted restoration work on the fire-ravaged Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday as the country braces for additional measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Workers at the historic landmark in the centre of the French capital had been dismantling the molten metal scaffolding around the church's spire, which collapsed in the catastrophic blaze last April.

11:22 PM

Bengal civic polls deferred over coronavirus

The elections to the West Bengal civic bodies, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), have been postponed for the time being amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, an official said on Monday.
 

The decision was taken at an all-party meeting called to decide the dates for the polls, State Election Commissioner Sourav Das said.

11:21 PM

No plan to lockdown any Maha city: CM on coronavirus outbreak

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the state government has no plans to enforce a lockdown of any city in view of the coronavirus situation, but asked people to avoid thronging temples, mosques, churches and other public spaces.

Maharashtra had 39 novel coronavirus (Covid-19) patients as on Monday evening.

11:21 PM

Don't be scared, don't stay at home if you have symptoms: First COVID-19 patient of Delhi

A businessman who was the first person to test positive for the novel coronavirus in Delhi and quarantined 14 days, said on Monday that people having symptoms of the deadly disease should not be scared and visit doctors immediately.

 

The 45-year-old man (name withheld), in an interaction with PTI over phone from his home in Mayur Vihar area of east Delhi, said, he had become "more religious" after his treatment, following which he was discharged last Saturday.

11:20 PM

Italy reports 349 new virus deaths, taking total to over 2,000

Italy on Monday reported 349 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, taking its total since last month to 2,158, the most after China.

 

The number of official COVID-19 fatalities has more than doubled since Thursday, when Italy's toll topped 1,000 for the first time. Italy now has 27,980 infections, compared to 15,113 four days ago.