NEW DELHI: The number of confirmed cases around the world crossed amillion mark on Thursday. In India, more than 2,000 people were infected from the virus till which has so far claimed over 50 lives till Thursday evening.
Here is a look at all the latest updates on the outbreak of coronavirus in India and around the world —
PM Modi asks citizens to light diyas, candles to fight the ‘darkness of coronavirus’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in a video message urged the people of the country to stand united in the fight against coronavirus epidemic. The Prime Minister called upon the people of the country to light candles, diyas, torchlights from the balconies and doorways of their houses on April 5 for nine minutes as a symbolic gesture to fight against the darkness spread by coronavirus. The Prime Minister also instructed the people to remain inside and not venture out on the streets during the task.
World Bank approves $1 billion emergency funds for India to tackle coronavirus outbreak
The World Bank’s first set of aid projects, amounting to $1.9 billion, will assist 25 countries, and new operations are moving forward in over 40 nations using the fast-track process, the bank said. The largest chunk of the emergency financial assistance has gone to India – $1 billion.
Nearly 65% of 544 new all-India cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat’s event in city
The explosion of Covid-19 cases caused by the Tablighi Jamaat event continued to unfold for the third consecutive day, when at least 295 delegates from across the country who had attended the religious congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin last month tested positive for the virus, accounting for more than 60% of the 485 confirmed cases across India till around 11.45 pm on Thursday.
Common, staggered lockdown exit plan needed, says PM Modi
Indicating that there is need for a coordinated approach to the lifting of restrictions after the national lockdown ends on April 14 to ensure that the gains of social distancing and isolation in the fight against Covid-19 are not lost, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked chief ministers to consider a common exit strategy once the lockdown ends.
Post lockdown, international passenger flights to India to be okayed on country-by-country basis
Resumption of schedule passengers flights after April 14-15 midnight, unless the lockdown is extended to contain the spread of coronavirus, will be a gradual affair. Allowing passengers — mostly Indians stranded abroad — to fly to India will be decided on a country to country (from where they have to return) basis depending on the call taken by the heath and home ministries.
MHA asks states to make people aware of penal provisions
The home secretary on Thursday requested states to widely circulate information on penal provisions in the Disaster Management Act as well as the Indian Penal Code for violation of lockdown guidelines and asked law enforcement agencies to take suitable action under these provisions. The latest communication came a day after states/UTs were asked to implement the lockdown measures issued by the MHA in the exercise of powers under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, “in letter and spirit, without allowing any exception”.
US toll crosses 5000, 1000-a-day for first time
More than 1000 Americans died of coronavirus infection and related issues in the past 24 hours – the first time the toll has crossed the four-figure mark on a single day – as the US death count from the pandemic crossed the 5000 mark on Thursday. The day also brought the grim news that nearly 10 million (one crore) Americans have filed unemployment claims in the past two weeks (6.6 million in the last week in addition to 3.3 million previous week), confirming that besides the death toll, the pandemic is killing the US economy.
Confirmed coronavirus cases top one million globally
Confirmed coronavirus cases topped one million around the world on Thursday as Europe reeled from the pandemic and the United States reported record numbers of people out of work. The virus has killed over 51,000 globally with the largest number of deaths in Italy, followed by Spain and the United States. The first 1,00,000 cases were reported in around 55 days and the first 5,00,000 in 76 days. Cases doubled to 1 million within the past eight days.
