Coronavirus Highlights: Gurgaon Paytm employee tests positive

There are 93,042 confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 3,201 deaths reported globally in 67 countries

11:12 PM

Suspected Coronavirus patient admitted in Himachal hospital

A suspected coronavirus patient has been admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, a health official said on Tuesday.

 

The 32-year-old man from Bilaspur is currently suffering from sore throat, IGMC senior medical superintendent Janak Raj said.

He arrived here from South Korea on February 29, he added.

 

"He only has a sore throat and is stable. No symptoms suggestive of coronavirus have been found yet. We have received the patient in IGMC for diagnostic and prevention only," Raj said.

 

However, as a precautionary measure, his samples will be sent for testing, he said further.

10:57 PM

Only one per cent of China coronavirus cases without symptoms: WHO

The World Health Organisation on Tuesday said only one per cent of new coronavirus cases registered in China were without symptoms, which appears to bely fears the virus spreads via people who appear healthy.

 

"Evidence from China is that only one percent of reported cases do not have symptoms, and most of those cases develop symptoms within two days," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.

9:28 PM

Iran-returned Army officer quarantined in Madhya Pradesh

An Army officer was admitted to the isolation ward of a military hospital at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday for suspected exposure to the coronavirus after returning from Iran, a health official said here.

 

The 32-year-old officer returned on February 25 from Tehran, Iran's capital, and was admitted to hospital after he complained of sore throat, said Dr Santosh Sisodia, district in-charge of Integrated Disease Surveillance Program.

9:26 PM

Screen all coming to India for coronavirus irrespective of flight's country of origin: IATO

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) on Tuesday asked the government to screen all travellers coming to India, irrespective of which country they are coming from amid rising number of coronavirus cases.

 

IATO has learnt from its members and travellers that there is weak or no screening being done at Indian airports upon arrival at international airports other than the nationals from the affected countries, the association said in a statement.

8:49 PM

Report: 23 cases of new virus among Iranian MPs

An Iranian lawmaker reportedly has told colleagues to stop their contact with public as there are 23 cases of the new coronavirus among parliament members.

 

That's according to lawmaker Abdolreza Mesri, who was quoted by Iranian state television's Young Journalists Club program.

The comment comes as Iran's supreme leader put the country on war footing against the virus outbreak, which is the deadliest outside of China.

 

Iran's supreme leader put the Islamic Republic on war footing Tuesday against the new coronavirus by ordering its armed forces to assist health officials in combating the outbreak - the deadliest outside of China - that authorities say has killed 77 people.

8:43 PM

No COVID-19 case in AP, state alert to tackle situation:Dy CM

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister A K K Srinivas said here on Tuesday there was no impact of the deadly novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state but the health machinery was on full alert to handle the situation.

 

Rapid response teams, comprising a microbiologist, physicians, epidemiologist and paramedical staff, have been kept ready in each district and all precautionary measures put in place.

8:42 PM

Spanish health workers isolated after 5 infected

About 100 health workers are under isolation in northern Spain and at least 120 others are being closely watched by authorities after at least five doctors and nurses were infected with the new virus in hospitals.

 

The Basque region health minister, Nekane Murga, says authorities in the northern region are also speeding up procedures to hire new doctors to make it up for possible shortages of health professionals in coming months.

 

A virus cluster in the city of Vitoria is one of two local infection sources being closely watched by authorities. The other is in a town near Madrid where cases have been linked to the activities of a religious group.

 

Authorities on Tuesday said Spain has 149 virus cases, 35 more than the previous day.

8:17 PM

Telangana, Karnataka step up precautionary measures after Hyderabad man tests positive

The Telangana and Karnataka governments on Tuesday reviewed their Coronavirus (COVID-19) preparedness after a Bengaluru-based man who travelled to Secunderabad tested positive for the infection, making him the fourth confirmed case from south India.

 

Earlier, three positive cases were reported from Kerala but all of them were discharged later from hospitals on recovery.

 

Meanwhile, a 25-year-old man, who returned to Kerala from Malaysia on Monday, is under observation at the isolation ward of a government medical college hospital in Ernakulam district.

 

Both Karnataka and Telangana declared that the health condition of the 24-year-old Bengaluru-based software professional had improved and he was stable, even as they stepped up efforts to track and bring people associated with him, including air passengers, under observation. 

7:57 PM

Schools close in French, German virus cluster zones

Tens of thousands of students in virus cluster zones are home from school in France on Tuesday, with a smaller number in Germany and Poland facing quarantines or days without class.

 

France's education minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, said around 120 schools have been ordered to close, most in Brittany and the Oise region north of Paris, which have been hit hard by COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

 

Italy closed schools in the hard-hit regions of Lombardy and Veneto last week and the closure of schools in Emilia Romagna was announced last weekend.

 

All student outings have been cancelled nationwide, including off-site after-school activities.

7:55 PM

Northern Railway Central Hospital sets up dedicated ward

Northern Railway Central Hospital has set up a dedicated ward for clinically suspected cases of the novel coronavirus in New Delhi, the Indian Railways said on Tuesday.

 

It said the facility will help in countering the emerging threat of the virus, that has spread to over 60 countries and claimed over 3,100 lives since its outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

 

On Monday, two fresh cases of the virus were reported in India, including one in Delhi.

 

By Tuesday, the number of coronavirus cases in India went up to six, including three from Kerala who have recovered. Blood samples of more suspected cases are being tested for a confirmation.

 

7:54 PM

Govt asks TV, FM channels to publicise travel advisory, awareness messages

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Tuesday urged all private radio and TV channels to give "adequate publicity" to the travel advisory issued by the Health Ministry in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in China and its spread in some other countries.

7:51 PM

7:35 PM

21 Italian tourists, 3 Indians sent to ITBP quarantine centre in Delhi

Twenty-one Italian tourists and three Indian tour operators have been sent to an ITBP quarantine facility in Delhi on Tuesday for suspected coronavirus exposure, official sources said.

 

Health Ministry sources said these foreigners, 13 women and eight men, were in the same group of which an Italian and his wife have tested positive in Rajasthan capital Jaipur.

 

"His (Italian in Jaipur) condition is stable," a source said.

 

Three Indians, who were accompanying this Italian group as tour operators, have also been sent to the ITBP facility in Chhawla area of south-west Delhi, they said.

7:32 PM

Ensure protective gears for crew, passengers at all airports for international flights: DGCA

DGCA in a statement to airlines said that ground handling staff entering international flights should have disposable protective gears like surgical masks, gloves. The agency also advised that crew on all flights have protective gears like surgical masks and gloves.

DGCA further said, adequate hand sanitising facilities should be there at multiple locations in airports for staff and passengers. Ensure that adequate protective gears like surgical masks, gloves are available in flights for passengers, said DGCA.

7:14 PM

High alert in New Mangalore port, airport

With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) virus spreading to more countries and two more confirmed cases reported in India, the seaport and airport here have been put under high alert, officials said on Tuesday.

 

Dakshina Kannada district is particularly under surveillance as three confirmed cases of coronavirus were reported from neighbouring Kerala earlier.

 

All the three were discharged from hospitals last month following recovery.

 

Besides DK, alert has been sounded in Udupi, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.

 

As part of the nationwide alert sounded in 21 airports and 77 ports in the country, authorities here also have taken maximum precautionary measures and passengers to the city are undergoing scrutiny both at the airport and the New Mangalore port.