India: Highest jump in Covid-19 climb to 194
NEW DELHI :The total number of reported novel coronavirus cases in India climbed to 194 after 25 new cases emerged from different parts of the country on Thursday.
India on Friday recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases so far in a single day, taking its total to 918. The death toll has climbed to 19. Kerala today reported first death in the state. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that no research on developing vaccine for Covid-19 has so far reached human trial stage anywhere.
The International Monetary Fund chief has said the global economy has entered recession and it will be much worse than the financial crisis of 2009.
Total cases in India include 32 foreign nationals — 17 from Italy, seven from Indonesia, three from Philippines, two from UK, one each belonging to Canada, Indonesia and Singapore. India’s tally of Covid-19 cases also includes three deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Eleven new coronavirus cases emerged from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on Thursday.
The total is now 918, which includes 19 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry. A vaccine is still at least 12 to 18 months away, the World Health Organization has said, urging the countries to “unite to fight the pandemic together”.
The global economy has plunged into a downturn that will require massive funding to help developing nations, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. “It is clear that we have entered a recession that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis,” she told reporters during an online press briefing.
Thousands of migrant labourers are walking long distances back to their native towns, villages after all transport was stopped, except for essential services. This afternoon, Union Home Ministry wrote to the state governments, telling them to ensure “temporary accommodation, food, clothing, medical care for homeless people and migrant labourers, stranded due to the curbs.
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has arranged 1,000 buses for migrant workers. “The state government has arranged 1,000 buses for those trying to leave the state amid lockdown so that they can reach their destinations without facing any difficulty,” a tweet by Chief Minister’s office read.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted an appeal, urging people to obey the lockdown. “UP and Delhi – both governments have arranged buses. But I appeal to all of you to stay where you are. In our Delhi, arrangements have been made for food and accommodation. Please stay at your home. Don’t go back to your (native village). Or else, the purpose of lockdown will be defeated,” he wrote.
The ban on domestic flight operations across India has been extended till April 14 from March 31 as the country steps up efforts to fight COVID-19, the aviation regulator DGCA said on Friday. International flights in and out of India were already stopped till April 15.
With domestic flights grounded, SpiceJet has offered services of its aircraft and crew members to the government for any humanitarian mission during the 21-day lockdown and the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, its CMD Ajay Singh said on Friday
Worldwide, over half a million have contracted infection according to WHO; more than 20,000 deaths have been reported. Among those infected are UK royal Prince Charles – heir to Queen Elizabeth – and British PM Boris Johnson.
The United States – which is now the epicentre- has more than 100,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University. The biggest cluster by far is in New York, home to almost half the cases, overwhelming the hospital system.
Technically called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 or SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus causes the COVID-19 disease, which originated in China’s Wuhan city.
~CHECK~A novel virus is one that has not been previously identified in humans. Italy, Spain, Iran and the United States have been worst hit by the pandemic apart from China. Italy on Friday recorded 1,000 deaths, highest in a day.
But millions more are still stuck as all railway movement across the country has been halted. The government announced an $22 billion relief package on Thursday, but the terror is palpable as families sit huddled under flyover and near bus stops unsure of what happens next. Local media has reported thousands of people are simply walking hundreds of kilometers toward their villages, clutching their children and meager belongings.
(With Agency Inputs ).
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