Coronavirus India lockdown Day 22 updates | Gujarat CM isolates self after MLA he met tests positive

The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued revised guidelines to tackle COVID1-9 pandemic. It has also issued standard operation protocol on social distancing at workplaces.

The Hindu has brought out a multi-language e-book on essential COVID-19 information, in addition to covering the developments related to the coronavirus pandemic as it unfolded.

Here are answers from experts on your queries about the virus, a list of State Helpline numbers, a State-wise tracker for COVID-19 cases, deaths and testing, and a map of confirmed cases in India.

Here are the latest updates:

COVID-19 cases rise to 190 in Haryana

Coronavirus cases in Haryana rose to 190 on Wednesday, with six more persons testing positive for infection in various parts of the state.

Worst-hit district Nuh reported three fresh cases while Panipat, Panchkula and Sonipat each reporting one new case.

Four test positive for COVID-19 in Bihar

Four persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Wednesday, taking the total number of people afflicted with the disease to 70.

Gujarat CM isolates self

A Gujarat Congress legislator Imran Khedawala late on Tuesday tested positive for COVID-19. His report came barely a few hours after he met Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy CM Nitin Patel and others to review the pandemic situation in Ahmedabad.

The Chief Minister's Office has said Mr. Rupani will not meet any visitor for a week and will work from home. He was examined by medical experts and his all parameters are normal.

One death, 17 new cases

One more death and 17 new cases have been reported in Karnataka since Tuesday evening. With this total death toll has risen to 11 and number of positive cases to 277.

A 65 year old male patient, resident of Chikkaballapur, who was referred from a private hospital in Bengaluru to Emergency and Trauma Care centre in Victoria Hospitl premises succumbed to the disease early on Wednesday morning. - Afshan Yasmeen

AP tally surpasses 500

The number of COVID-19 positive cases in Andhra Pradesh has gone up from 483 to 502 including 475 active ones on Wednesday. Twelve persons have died so far.

More cases reported from Dharavi

Dharavi's Mukund Nagar reported five new cases on Wednesday, bringing total cases to 60. All five residents are in the 20-50 age group living in Mukund Nagar, an area that had seen Covid-19 cases in the past. The area now has 14 cases in total, almost one-fourth of Dharavi's total.

Dadar's Shivaji Park also saw two new cases on Wednesday, a 75 year-old woman and a 69 year-old man. Dadar now has 21 cases including eight staffers from Shushrusha Hospital. Mahim also reported another new case on Wednesday, a 55 year-old man from Prakash Nagar. Thus brings Mahim's total to seven. - Tanvi Deshpande

Kerala's Thrissur Pooram cancelled for the first time

A ministerial-level meeting held in Thrissur on Wednesday, attended by representatives of all participating temples, unanimously decided to cancel the Pooram in the wake of restrictions of COVID-19.

Lakhs of people from across the world would witness the Pooram replete with processions, elephants, percussion ensembles and fireworks.

Elders recall that the festival took place even during the India-China war with just one elephant. - Mini Muringatheri

Rajasthan COVID-19 cases surpasses 1000-mark

Rajasthan recorded 29 more cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the tally in the state to 1,034.

“As many as 29 new cases have come up today -- 15 in Jaipur and seven each in Jodhpur and Kota,” Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.

Among the coronavirus cases in Rajasthan are two Italian citizens and 54 people who were brought back from Iran and admitted to Army health centres in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. - PTI

45 cases in Bhubaneswar so far, senior officials made in charge of containment

With Bhubaneswar emerging as the lone hotspot in Odisha with 45 COVID-19 positive cases being recorded till Tuesday, the State government has assigned senior administration officials to be in overall charges of containment and prevention of the disease in the city.

56 new cases, two deaths

The Gujarat Health Department announced on Wednesday that there were 695 positive cases and 30 deaths. The two deaths occurred each in Vadodara and Surat.

So far, 59 persons have recovered and discharged.

(Mahesh Langa)

Tablighi Jamaat meet: 46 foreigners jailed for violation of visa norms

As many as 46 foreign nationals from Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Kazakhstan have been arrested from three districts of Bihar and sent to jail for violation of visa norms.

According to police officials 18 foreign nationals were arrested from Araria district, 17 from Patna, and 11 from Buxar district.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued on Wednesday the guidelines for the lockdown extension.

The order says that States will decide the additional public activities that will allowed from April 20. However, these additional activities will be operationalised based on strict compliance to the existing guidelines on lockdown measures.

Order says:

1. Travel by air, rail, metro, public buses, taxis, cab aggregators to remain suspended. 
2. Cinema halls, malls to remain shut.
3. All social /religious gathering prohibited till May 3.
4. All industrial and commercial units, unless exempted to remain shut.
5. Medical insurance to be made mandatory for workers in factories and office establishments.
6. National directives on COVID 19 suggests using of staircase, staggering work hours to ensure social distancing, entry of non-essential visitors to be banned.
7. Wearing of face covers and masks is compulsory in public places and work places.
8. Spitting is a punishable offence.
9. IT and IT-enabled Services allowed to operate with upto 50% strength.
10. E-commerce companies are also allowed to function. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions.
11. Govt also allows Industries/ Industrial Establishments (both Government and private)  operating in rural areas, i.e., outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities to function. These establishments shall make arrangements for stay of workers within their premises as far as possible and/ or adjacent buildings and for implementation of the Standard operating protocol.
12. Services provided by self-employed persons such as electrician, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, and carpenters are also allowed.

With the extension of the lockdown period, the following activities will continue to remain prohibited across the country until May 3, 2020

1. All domestic and international air travel of passengers, except for medical reasons and for security purposes.
2. All passenger movement by trains, except for security purposes.
3. Buses for public transport.
4. Metro rail services.
5. Inter-district and inter-State movement of individuals except for medical reasons or for activities permitted under these guidelines.
6. All educational, training, coaching institutions etc. shall remain closed.
7. All industrial and commercial activities other than those specifically permitted under these guidelines.
8. Hospitality services other than those specifically permitted under these guidelines.
9. Taxis (including auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws) and services of cab aggregators.
10. All cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
11. All social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic cultural/ religious functions/ other gatherings.
12. All religious places/ places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
13. In case of funerals, congregation of more than twenty persons will not be permitted.

What will remain functional?

1. All health services (including AYUSH)
2. Authorised private establishments, which support the provisioning of essential services, or efforts for containment of COVID-19.
3. All agricultural and horticultural activities to remain fully functional. This includes Farming operations, Agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations, 'Mandis' operated by APMCs those notified by the States.
4. Operations of the fishing (marine and inland)/ aquaculture industry
5. Operations of tea, coffee and rubber plantations, with maximum of 50% workers
6. Processing, packaging, sale and marketing of tea, coffee, rubber and cashew, with maximum of 50% workers.
7. Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk products by milk processing plants, including transport and supply chain.
8. Operation of animal husbandry farms including poultry farms & hatcheries and livestock farming activity.
9. Animal feed manufacturing and feed plants, including supply of raw material
10. Operation of animal shelter homes, including Gaushalas.
11. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and RBI regulated financial markets and entities
12. Bank branches and ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations
13. Bank branches be allowed to work as per normal working hours till disbursal of DBT cash transfers is complete.
14. SEBI
15. IRDAI and Insurance companies.
16. Operation of homes for children/ disabled/ mentally challenged/ senior citizens/ destitutes/ women/ widows.
17. Observation homes, after care homes and places of safety for juveniles
18. Disbursement of social security pensions, pension and provident fund services provided by EPFO
19. Anganwadis for the distribution of food items and nutrition once in 15 days at the doorsteps of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries will not attend the Anganwadis.
20. Online teaching/ distance learning to be encouraged
21. MNREGA works are allowed with strict implementation of social distancing and face mask. Priority to be given under MNREGA to irrigation and water conservation works.
22. Other Central and State sector schemes in irrigation and water conservation sectors may also be allowed to be implemented
23. Operations of Oil and Gas sector.
24. Generation, transmission and distribution of power at Central and State/ UT levels.
25. Postal services, including post offices. Operations of utilities in water, sanitation and waste management sectors, at municipal/ local body levels in States and UTS.
26. Operation of utilities providing telecommunications and internet services.

Supply of essential goods is allowed, as under:

All facilities in the supply chain of essential goods, whether involved in manufacturing, wholesale or retail of such goods through local stores, large brick and mortar stores or e-Commerce companies should be allowed to operate, ensuring strict social distancing without any restriction on their timing of opening and closure.

Shops (including Kirana and single shops selling essential goods) and carts, including ration shops (under PDS), dealing with food and groceries (for daily use), hygiene items, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, poultry, meat and fish, animal feed and fodder etc, should be allowed to operate, ensuring strict social distancing without any restriction on their timing of opening and closure.

District authorities may encourage and facilitate home delivery to minimize the movement of individuals outside their homes.

Commercial and private establishments, as listed below, will be allowed to operate:

i. Print and electronic media including broadcasting, DTH and cable services.

ii. IT and IT enabled Services, with upto 50% strength.

iii. Data and call centres for Government activities only.

iv. Government approved Common Service Centres (CSCS) at Gram Panchayat level.

v. E-commerce companies. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions.

vi. Courier services.

vii. Cold storage and warehousing services, including at ports, airports, railway stations, container Depots, individual units and other links in the logistics chain.

viii. Private security services and facilities management services for maintenance and upkeep of office and residential complexes.

ix. Hotels, homestays, lodges and motels, which are accommodating tourists and persons stranded due to lockdown, medical and emergency staff, air and sea crew.

X. Establishments used/ earmarked for quarantine facilities.

xi. Services provided by self-employed persons, e.g., electrician, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, and carpenters.

xii. Private vehicles for emergency services, including medical and veterinary care, and for procuring essential commodities. In such cases, one passenger besides the private vehicle driver can be permitted in the backseat, in case of four-wheelers; however, in case of two-wheelers, only the driver of the vehicle is to be permitted.

National Directives for COVID-19 Management

1. Wearing of face cover is compulsory in all public places, work places.

2. All persons in charge of public places, work places and transport shall ensure social distancing as per the guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

3. No organization /manager of public place shall allow gathering of 5 or more persons.

4. Gatherings such as marriages and funerals shall remain regulated by the District Magistrate.

5. Spitting in public spaces shall be punishable with fine.

6. There should be strict ban on sale of liquor, gutka, tobacco etc. and spitting should be strictly prohibited.

7. All work places shall have adequate arrangements for temperature screening and provide sanitizers at convenient places.

8. Work places shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and will stagger the lunch breaks of staff, to ensure social distancing.

9. Persons above 65 years of age and persons with co-morbidities and parents of children below the age of 5 may be encouraged to work from home.

10. Use of Arogya setu will be encouraged for all employees both private and public.

11. All organizations shall sanitize their work places between shifts.

12. Large meetings to be prohibited

13. Frequent cleaning of common surfaces and mandatory hand washing shall be mandated in manufacturing units.

14. No overlap of shifts and staggered lunch with social distancing in canteens shall be ensured.

15. Intensive communication and training on good hygiene practices shall be taken up.

Standard Operating Procedure for Social Distancing for Offices, Workplace, Factories and Establishments

The following measures shall be implemented by all offices, factories and other establishments:

1. All areas in the premises including the following shall be disinfected completely using user friendly disinfectant mediums.
2. Entrance Gate of building/office, cafeteria and canteens, meeting room, conference halls/ open areas, available verandah/ entrance gate of site, bunkers, cabins, building, equipment and lifts, washroom, toilet, sink; water points, walls/ all other surfaces should be disinfected.
3. For workers coming from outside, special transportation facility will be arranged without any dependency on the public transport system. These vehicles should be allowed to work only with 30-40% passenger capacity.
4. All vehicles and machinery entering the premise should be disinfected by spray mandatorily.
5. Mandatory thermal scanning of everyone entering and exiting the work place to be done.
6. Medical insurance for the workers to be made mandatory.
7. Provision for hand wash and sanitizer preferably with touch free mechanism will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas.
8. Sufficient quantities of all the items should be available.
9. Work places shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and will stagger the lunch breaks of staff, to ensure social distancing.
10. Large gatherings or meetings of 10 or more people to be discouraged.
11. Seating at least 6 feet away from others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings and training sessions
12. Not more than 2 or 4 persons (depending on size) will be allowed to travel in lifts or hoists.
13. Use of staircase for climbing should be encouraged.
14. There should be strict ban of gutka, tobacco etc. and spitting should be strictly prohibited.
15. There should be total ban on non-essential visitors at sites.
16. Hospitals/clinics in the nearby areas, which are authorized to treat COVID-19 patients, should be identified and list should be available at work place all the times.

China reports fewer coronavirus cases but infections from Russia a worry

China reported on Wednesday a decline in new confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the mainland, although an increasing number of local transmissions in its far northeast bordering Russia remained a concern for authorities.

U.S. registers record one-day death toll of 2,129

The coronavirus death toll in the United States crossed 25,000 on Tuesday with the country witnessing the highest single-day tally of 2,129.

As of Tuesday, more than 6,05,000 Americans had tested positive for the novel coronavirus — more than the other top three countries taken together — according to Johns Hopkins University.

69-year-old Doctor of Bethany Hospital in Meghalaya's Shillong passed away around 2:30 am. This is the second COVID-19 positive patient to die in the northeast.

The first was a 65-year-old man in southern Assam's Hailakandi district who had travelled from Saudi Arabia. Details are awaited.

(Rahul Karmakar)

38 wards declared hotspots in Bengaluru

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Tuesday has declared 38 wards under six zones in the city as COVID-19hotspots based on positive cases reported.

As on April 14, South zone has the highest number of hotspot wards with 12, followed by East zone with 9 wards, and West zone with 7 wards. Meanwhile, Mahadevapura zone has 6 hotspots and Bommanahalli and Yelahanka wards have two each.

Trump halts WHO funding over handling of coronavirus

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he has instructed his administration to halt funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic while his administration reviews its response to the global crisis.

France becomes fourth country to register over 15,000 deaths

France said its total death toll from COVID-19 infections rose above 15,000 on Tuesday, becoming the fourth country to exceed that threshold after Italy, Spain and the United States, while the rate of increase in cases and fatalities is re-accelerating.

Five new COVID-19 cases in Odisha, total mounts to 60

Five new COVID-19 cases were detected in Odisha on Tuesday taking the State’s total number of positive cases to 60. The number of active cases stood at 41, while 18 patients have recovered and one has died.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, however, expressed satisfaction over the containment of the COVID-19 outbreak in the State saying the number of new infections was on the decline.

Goa may see ease in restrictions if no cases in three days: Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said if no new COVID-19 cases were reported in the next three days, then by April 17 the State could become a green zone and restrictions could be eased with caution and social distancing.