Top news: India enforces 21-day coronavirus lockdown from today

Coronavirus: Chef Floyd Cardoz, co-owner of Bombay Canteen, dies of Covid-19 in New York

Chef Floyd Cardoz, who tested positive for Covid-19, died of the infection in a hospital in New York City on Wednesday, his family confirmed. He was the co-owner of two popular restaurants in Mumbai – the Bombay Canteen and O Pedro. He had recently launched his third venture, the Bombay Sweet Shop.

In photos: Social distancing seen at Cabinet meeting chaired by Modi, at shops across country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a Cabinet meeting to discuss strategies of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic as people ushered in a 21-day countrywide lockdown that came into effect from midnight on Tuesday.

With social distancing – a term used to refer to a conscious effort to reduce close contact between people to prevent the spread of the virus – becoming the norm, senior ministers were seen seated at a distance from one another during the meeting.

Madhya Pradesh: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan cancels political appointments made by Congress government

Newly-appointed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday cancelled political appointments made by the Kamal Nath-led Congress government, which lost power last week, The Times of India reported.

Coronavirus: NPR, first phase of Census postponed amid nationwide lockdown

The first phase of the Census 2021 and updating of the National Population Register – scheduled to take place between April and September – have been postponed in view of the coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Wednesday. India began a nationwide lockdown from Tuesday midnight that will end on April 14.

Coronavirus: Enough stock of essential commodities in Maharashtra, assures CM Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday assured the public that the state has adequate inventory of essential commodities amid the coronavirus pandemic, and appealed to people to not step out of their homes during the lockdown, reported PTI. Covid-19 has infected 98 people, and caused two deaths in the state so far, according to the Union Ministry of Health.

Covid-19: China urges India not to use the term ‘Chinese virus’

China on Tuesday asked India not to use the country’s name while referring to the coronavirus, and said that it could stigmatise the country and harm international relations. Beijing has strongly objected to the terms “China virus” or “Wuhan Virus”, and had engaged in a diplomatic spat with the United States over the origin of COVID-19 earlier this month.

Kabul: India says attack on gurdwara that killed 11 shows ‘diabolical mindset’ of perpetrators

India on Wednesday condemned the terror attack on a gurdwara in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, saying that the “cowardly” incident, that has happened at the time when the world is struggling to combat the coronavirus pandemic, shows the “diabolical mindset” of perpetrators. At least 11 people were killed when unidentified suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the gurudwara.

Coronavirus: Indian High Commission in Dhaka tells stranded Kashmiri students to stay back

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka has advised a group of Kashmiri students stranded in Bangladesh to not undertake any travel and to not try and cross into India, reported The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. They were left stranded near the country’s border with India, as the Centre sealed the borders and suspended all international airlines to contain the spread of the communicable coronavirus disease.

Coronavirus: United Nations lauds India’s 21-day nationwide lockdown, WHO calls it ‘robust’

The United Nations on Tuesday expressed solidarity with India and said it supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision of imposing a 21-day countrywide lockdown in an attempt to stop coronavirus from spreading, PTI reported. India’s health ministry has confirmed 562 cases of Covid-19. Of these 512 cases are currently active, and nine people have died due to it.

India has 8,432 ventilators and 9,512 ICU beds, ‘rapid upgrade’ needed to fight Covid-19: Report

The Indian health ministry’s internal data showed that the country has a capacity of 37,618 isolation beds, 9,512 intensive care unit beds and 8,432 ventilators as of Tuesday as it continues to tackle the crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, reported The Hindu BusinessLine.

Covid-19 lockdown: Arvind Kejriwal assures essential supplies to Delhiites, asks people not to panic

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday assured the residents of the national Capital that there will be no shortage of essential items as India began the 21-day lockdown over coronavirus outbreak. The lockdown is being seen as the only way to break the chain of infection.

Covid-19: India bans export of malaria drug, sanitisers, ventilators and masks

The Indian government on March 25 banned export of anti-malarial drug hydroxycloroquine to ensure that enough stock is available in the domestic market. Hydroxycloroquine has been recommended for treating healthcare workers handling coronavirus cases and the asymptomatic household contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases.

J&K: Omar Abdullah calls Centre ‘callous, cruel’ for continuing to detain several politicians

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said he hoped the Centre will release other political leaders still in detention in Jammu and Kashmir soon. A day after his release from over seven months’ detention, the former chief minister rebuked the central government for continuing to detain several politicians, including Peoples Democratic Party leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Coronavirus lockdown: Telangana CM threatens to ‘shoot at sight’ if restrictions are violated

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday said “shoot-at-sight” order will be issued if people violate lockdown restrictions imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus. Telangana, along with the rest of India, has been put under a 21-day lockdown from Tuesday midnight. The state has reported 36 positive cases of Covid-19 so far.

Covid-19: Adityanath attends Ayodhya ritual hours after PM Modi urges everyone to stay indoors

Within 12 hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ardent appeal to the nation to stay indoors, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath was seen attending an early morning ritual in Ayodhya on Wednesday. Modi on Tuesday night had announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days and cautioned: “If we are not able to manage the upcoming 21 days [of lockdown] we will be pushed back by 21 years.”

Coronavirus lockdown: Supply of essential items hit as confusion about exemptions prevail

Confusion about exemptions and the supply of essential items has left scores of people in the lurch as India went into a 21-day lockdown from Tuesday midnight to combat the spread of Covid-19. Supply of essential items has hit a hurdle as trucks carrying groceries, vegetables and fruits are stuck on highways.

Covid-19: Take strict action against landlords asking doctors to vacate homes, says Delhi government

The Delhi government on Wednesday asked officials to take “strict penal action” against landlords who have been forcing doctors and paramedics to vacate from residential colonies over fears of contracting the novel coronavirus, PTI reported.

In a notification, the government gave power to zonal deputy commissioners to take action and said such behaviour “not only strikes at the root of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic but also tantamount to obstruction of duty of essential services”.

Coronavirus lockdown: Sonia Gandhi urges PM Modi to announce wage support for construction workers

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to roll out emergency welfare measures for construction workers and those in the unorganised sector because of the ongoing lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus: Total cases in India now at 562, Tamil Nadu reports first death

One person died of the novel coronavirus infection in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, taking India’s toll from Covid-19 cases to 10. Though the toll had risen to 10 on Tuesday evening itself, the Centre on Wednesday morning reversed the positive status of one person who had died in Delhi. It has also not yet confirmed the death in Madurai.

The health ministry has so far confirmed 562 coronavirus cases and said that 512 of these are active cases.

Covid-19 lockdown: Congress says it’s time for NYAY, asks PM Modi what he did to stop the crisis

The Congress on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not announcing measures to assist healthcare workers and daily workers during the 21-day shutdown in the country in the wake of the novel coronavirus.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the country will follow the prime minister’s request for a lockdown. “But what did you do to stop the epidemic?” he asked Modi. “How will health workers be protected? What did you do about the crisis of jobs and subsistence? How will the poor spend the 21 days?”

Covid-19: Grocery shops, milk booths, pharmacies to operate during 21-day lockdown, says Centre

Essential services such as grocery and ration shops, milk stores and chemist shops will remain open during the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a set of guidelines to ministries, government departments at the Centre and in states for containment of Covid-19. The ministry also issued a list of essential services that shall remain open during the period of the lockdown.

Covid-19: Health minister says he is ‘deeply anguished’ by reports of doctors facing eviction threat

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday condemned the ostracism of doctors and paramedics from residential colonies in various cities over fears of contracting the novel coronavirus. Vardhan said he was “deeply anguished” by the news.

The health minister in a tweet said that he had come across several news reports of doctors facing eviction threats from their residential colonies in Delhi, Noida, Warangal and Chennai. “Landlords are threatening to evict them fearing Covid-19 infection,” he said. “Please don’t panic.”

Today’s coronavirus updates: Toll rises to 10, Modi announces countrywide lockdown for 21 days

India reported one Covid-19 death on Tuesday, taking the toll to 10. The number of cases of coronavirus rose to 519, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Of these, 469 are active cases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a speech to the country at 8 pm, said that a nationwide lockdown would come into effect for three weeks starting midnight on Tuesday. “If we are not able to manage the upcoming 21 days [of lockdown] we will be pushed back by 21 years,” Modi said.

Covid-19: More than 1 lakh people across the world have recovered, data shows

More than one lakh people across the world have now recovered from Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in December, data from the Johns Hopkins University – which is tracking cases reported by the World Health Organization and additional sources – shows.

Covid-19: India to go under three-week full lockdown from midnight, PM warns against leaving homes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that a countrywide lockdown would come into effect from midnight on Tuesday in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdown would last for 21 days, Modi said. “If we are not able to manage the upcoming 21 days [of lockdown] we will be pushed back by 21 years,” Modi said.

Essential services such as grocery shops, dairies and milk booths, hospitals, nursing homes, police, fire stations and ATMs will continue to work, the Ministry of Home Affairs said after Modi’s address.