Day 15 of coronavirus lockdown: Ground report from Indian cities

TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Updated: Apr 8, 2020, 13:55 IST

A view of Sadar Bazaar market, New Delhi. (Credits: ANI)

NEW DELHI: As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in the country, several state governments have decided to ramp up their testing facilities and take other measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. As of Wednesday morning, there were 5,194 cases in the country with 149 deaths.

Here is a look at the latest updates from various cities on the outbreak of coronavirus —

DELHI

Panic gripped in a Delhi police residential colony in Kalkaji after an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) tested coronavirus positive. The society where the ASI lived has been sealed.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday confirmed a total of 576 positive COVID-19 cases in Delhi so far, out of which 35 patients are in ICUs and eight on ventilators. As per a health bulletin, 51 new coronavirus positive cases have been reported in Delhi on Wednesday, including 35 with a history of travel to a foreign country and four from Markaz. Two deaths were reported on Wednesday.

The state health minister also said that the government has put around 2600-2700 people, who had attended Tablighi Jamaat, in quarantine and 3,000 people have been rescued so far.

Faridabad district administration on Wednesday rolled declared 13 areas as 'containment zone'. These 13 areas are -- Sector 11, Sector 37, Sector 28, Village Badhkal, Green Field Colony, AC Nagar, Fatehpur Taga, Khori, Sector 16, Sector 3, Chandpur Arua, Mohna and Ranhera.

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal's appealed people to not venture out of their homes due to Shab-E-Barat on Wednesday.

MUMBAI

A 43-year-old meat vendor in Worli's Jijamata Nagar and a nurse from south Mumbai hospital who is a resident of Mahim tested positive for coronavirus. Further restrictions on shops, milk, veg, fruits etc in Mira-Bhayander from Thursday as positive case reaches 15.

Two fresh Covid-19 cases reported in Mumbai's Dharavi area - a 49-year-old man from Mukund Nagar slum who was found in contact of a positive patient from the same locality & another 35-year-old from Dharwadkar Chawl. Total count now stands at nine in the slum pocket which includes one dead.

State home minister Anil Deshmukh said that police personnel deployed at CM Uddhav Thackeray’s-Bandra (east) home will be tested for corona, day after a tea stall owner nearby tested positive.

HYDERABAD

Muslim body donates personal protective equipment (PPE) to doctors.

Vijayawada Municipal Corporation commissioner directed surveillance teams to intensify the door-to-door survey to identify Covid-19 cases.

Greater Nalgonda NRIs group is SupportING migrants, homeless and others in neeD by providing food, and PPE kits to first responders.

Andhra Pradesh governor Biswabhusan Harichandan decided to donate 30 per cent of his salary for one year to the PM CARES fund.

15 new coronavirus positive cases reported in the state from 6pm on Tuesday till 9am today - 6 each in Nellore and Krishna and 3 in Chittoor. The total number of positive cases in the state is 329 (including 6 discharged persons and 4 deaths).

CHANDIGARH

Computer instructors and counsellors teaching in government schools in Chandigarh are yet to receive their salary for the month of March. Instructors don’t know when their contract will be renewed which ended on March 31, during the lockdown.

City residents who have completed their home quarantine period can remove quarantine posters pasted on their residences. They do not need permission from the UT administration for this, said UT health secretary Arun Kumar Gupta.

Punjab's textile industry has stepped forward to develop Personal Protective Equipment, especially hazmat (hazardous materials) suits, which are not only of high quality, but will be less costly as compared to the imported ones.

Police detained 9,260 people for violating curfew in the past 15 days.

Chandigarh to get its first disinfectant tunnel at Sector 26 mandi, to sprinkle water mixed with hydrogen peroxide.

LUCKNOW

At least 200 people are working at eight community kitchens of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation for over 12 hours a day to ensure food to the needy during lockdown. In last 13 days, these kitchens have fed over 4.68 lakh people.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad has demanded that the Centre should ban Tablighi Jamaat and investigate into its source of funding.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday inaugurated 56 fire tenders in the phase one which will be used for sanitisation work amid coronavirus threat.

The chief mufti of Aligarh has asked Muslims not to visit graveyards and mosques on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat in view of the country-wide lockdown.

BENGALURU

Six new cases reported from 5 pm yesterday till 12 noon today. Total cases in the state are 181 including 5 deaths and 28 cured cases, as per the health department, Karnataka.

Devotees maintain social distancing while offering prayers to Lord Hanuman at a temple in Maratha Galli area of Hubballi on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.

Continue lockdown in hotspots in Karnataka till April 30, say doctors.

Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa had announced that Karaga will be held, but with only five people present, in keeping with the lockdown and distancing protocol.

AHMEDABAD

Of the 179 Covid-19 patients in Gujarat, 136 are in a stable condition while two are on ventilator support, confirmed state health authorities.

Gujarat has tested samples of 3,972 patients so far for Covid-19; of which 179 have been tested positive while 3,562 were Covid-19 negative. Reports of some 231 people is still pending.

Four new COVID-19 cases in Gujarat; one each from Surat,Vadodara and two from Bhavnagar. State tally of positive cases goes up to 179. Two more deaths reported.

CHENNAI

A disinfection tunnel has been set up at the entrance of the Koyambedu Market in Chennai on Wednesday.

Barbers set up temporary salon in fields in Krishnagiri district; Tamil Nadu govt has ordered the salons to function only during morning hours.

Chennai Corporation to initiate ‘mobile grocery store’ across the city to prevent people from venturing out of their houses. 7,000 units (5,000 tricycles and 2,000 load autos) to be commissioned to meet the grocery needs of the city.

DMK president MK Stalin visited Saidapet assembly constituency and spoke to grocery stores, milk vendors about the availability of milk and other essential commodities. He distributed masks and sanitizers to public and advised them to maintain social distancing.

KOLKATA

University of Kolkata is using its manpower and apparatus to produce hand sanitizers and masks in bulk which will be distributed in consultation with state government. University's psychology and applied psychology department will arrange psychological counselling for students in stress during the time of lockdown. The University has also contributed to the State Emergency Fund.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has urged people not to venture out during the Shab-e-Barat and said all burial grounds in the city will remain closed, except for burials, on the occasion.

Indian Army on Tuesday facilitated the safe return of 21-year-old Togley Singkaman of Arunachal Pradesh who crossed China on March 19. The Army had approached the Chinese Army and he was handed back yesterday. He has been quarantined for COVID-19 by the Army.