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:
Modified lockdown in Rajasthan
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has announced the enforcement of a "modified lockdown" in the State in a phased manner from April 21. Factories and industrial units in the rural areas and industrial areas will start functioning after April 20. This step will provide employment to the migrant labourers staying at different places in the State.
During the modified lockdown in Rajasthan, the government offices will also be opened in a phased manner. At present, only the departments involved in essential services are fully functional. The presence of Group-A and Group-B officers in the offices will be ensured as per the requirement, says Mr. Gehlot.
Works related to Public Works Department (PWD) and irrigation will be started in the rural areas of Rajasthan during the modified lockdown. The MGNREGA works will be intensified with the adherence to social distancing and other health-related protocols. This move will provide employment opportunities to labourers in the rural areas, says Mr. Gehlot.
Rajasthan whatsapp
The Rajasthan government on Wednesday also launched a WhatsApp chatbot to assist the citizens against the COVID-19 pandemic. This first comprehensive chatbot of the State will provide important and State-specific information about novel coronavirus to the people and health workers.
The number is: +911412225624
- Mohammed Iqbal
One more dead in Rajasthan
Death of a COVID-19 patient reported from Jaipur. The deceased was a 65-year-old woman - a resident of Walled City - who was an acute diabetic. She was admitted to SMS Government Hospital in Jaipur on April 9.
- Mohammed Iqbal
Total COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar rises to 72 after one positive case was detected in Patna and another in Vaishali district.
- Amarnath Tewary
COVID-19 cases rises to 1076 in Rajasthan
With 71 COVID-19 positive cases detected in Rajasthan today, the State's tally of patients goes up to 1076. A total of 147 have been cured and 74 discharged, according to the Medical & Health Department.
COVID-19 cases rises to 1578 in Delhi
Two deaths and 17 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi on Wednesday, taking the total number of deaths to 32 and cases to 1,578, according to a daily bulletin released by the Delhi government.
Third sample of lone Arunachal COVID-19 positive patient tests negative
The swab sample of the lone COVID-19 positive patient in Arunachal Pradesh tested negative in the third test which was conducted at RMRC at Dibrugarh in Assam, a senior district health officer said on Wednesday.
The man from Medo village in Lohit district, who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin in Delhi had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 1 and 7 test but his third test on Tuesday was negative, District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr. S. Chai Pul informed.
COVID-19 cases rises to 937 in Madhya Pradesh
The tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 937 in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. As many as 64 persons have overcome the illness, and 53 died of it in the State so far. In order to contain the spread of the disease, 290 containment areas have been drawn up in 24 districts, according to the State Health Bulletin.
Death toll rises to 33 in Gujarat
As many as 71 new cases detected in Gujarat while 3 persons have died on Wednesday. Total number of cases in the State now stand at 766 cases. Also, the State has recorded 33 deaths so far and 64 people have recovered and discharged.
COVID-19 cases rises to 2916 in Maharashtra
Maharashtra reported 232 fresh coronavirus cases and nine fatalities on Wednesday, taking the total number of COVID-19 patients to 2916 and the death toll in the state to 187.
Also, Mumbai has recorded only two deaths today. The city’s death toll has touched 114 and the number of cases is now 1896.
Misinformation on trains spread through 11 methods: Anil Deshmukh
Misinformation regarding commencement of trains from April 14, 2020 was spread using 11 different methods. The accounts have been tracked, FIRs are being filed & due legal consequences will follow, says Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
He asserted that the state government has zero tolerance for rumours.
Defying the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, more than 1,000 migrant workers had gathered outside the suburban Bandra railway station on Tuesday afternoon.
They were demanding that the state government make transport arrangements so that they can go back to their native towns and villages.
NHRC asks Centre, states to implement lockdown without undermining basic rights
National Human Rights Commission asks the Centre to issue an advisory to States and UTs to "implement lockdown guidelines without undermining people's right to life, liberty and dignity"
COVID-19 cases rises to 300 in Jammu and Kashmir
Twenty-two fresh cases of Coronavirus were detected today with 18 among of them being detected in Kashmir while four others were detected in Jammu region.. Total number of positive cases now stand at 300.
Death toll rises to 14 in Tamil Nadu
"Two more people died of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, taking the death toll in the State to 14. As many as 38 more people tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 1242. A total of 118 persons has been discharged so far," says Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar.
Mamata’s officials failing to enforce lockdown be shown the door: Governor
Unhappy over the way the lockdown is being enforced in West Bengal, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Wednesday the police and administrative officials not following the protocol be shown the door and deployment of central paramilitary forces be considered.
'MEA to facilitate return of foreign nationals'
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is facilitating return of foreign nationals including citizens of Pakistan. We understand from the High Commission of Pakistan that 180 of their nationals presently in India want to go back. We are coordinating with concerned authorities to facilitate their departure, according to sources.
All 5 who died of COVID-19 in Bhopal were gas tragedy victims
All five persons who died due to coronavirus in Bhopal were victims of the 1984 gas tragedy in the Madhya Pradesh capital, an official said on Wednesday.
On March 21, some organisations working for the survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy wrote to the authorities concerned, saying such people were more vulnerable to the coronavirus infection than normal individuals.
“All the five persons who died after contracting COVID-19 here were victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy,” the official said.
WHO focused on saving lives, says chief after U.S. funding freeze
The World Health Organization is purely focused on saving lives and halting the coronavirus pandemic, its chief said Wednesday after US President Donald Trump announced he was freezing funding for the WHO.
“There is no time to waste. WHO’s singular focus is on working to serve all people to save lives and stop the COVID-19 pandemic,” director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter following Trump’s de
Dharavi reports eighth death
Dharavi reported its eighth COVID-19 related fatality, with the death of a 55 year-old man from a building opposite Dr Baliga Nagar. The man, who had returned from Nizamuddin Markaz, had earlier tested positive and was admitted to Sion Hospital. He became the eighth casualty in Dharavi.
COVID-19 cases rises to 727 in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh reported 67 fresh coronavirus cases and three fatalities on Wednesday, taking the total number of COVID-19 patients to 727 and the death toll in the state to 11, an official said. Among the latest deaths, one each was reported from Lucknow, Agra and Kanpur, he said.
Death toll rises to 12 in Karnataka
Karnataka reported its second COVID-19 related fatality on Wednesday, with the death of an 80-year-old woman in Belagavi, taking the toll in the state to 12.
The elderly woman, a resident of Hirebagewadi in Belagavi expired at a designated hospital in the district.
She was the contact of a patient who had already tested positive, the health department said in its bulletin.
Six Indian companies working on COVID-19 vaccine
Six Indian companies are working on a vaccine for COVID-19, joining the global race against time to find a preventive for the deadly infection spreading rapidly across the world, says a top Indian scientist.
Nearly 70 ‘vaccine candidates’ are being tested and at least three have moved to the human clinical trial stage, but a vaccine for the novel coronavirus is unlikely to be ready for mass use before 2021.
While Zydus Cadila is working on two vaccines, Serum Institute, Biological E, Bharat Biotech, Indian Immunologicals, and Mynvax are developing one vaccine each, said Gagandeep Kang, executive director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad.
COVID-19 patients spread virus two to three days before symptoms appear: Study
Patients with COVID-19 shed, or excrete, infectious coronavirus two to three days before showing first symptoms, according to a modelling study which says control measures taken after symptoms appear may have a reduced effect in curbing the pandemic.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, noted that several factors can affect the efficacy of control measures designed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
These include the time between successive cases in a chain of transmission, and the incubation period between exposure to an infection and the appearance of symptoms, according to researchers.
U.K. Minister hails India-U.K. ties in COVID-19 fight as paracetamol hits shelves
The British government has hailed India-U.K. trade ties as the first consignment of 2,800,000 packets of paracetamol from India is set to be distributed across the country’s supermarkets and retailers to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The shipment followed India’s decision to lift export restrictions on essential drugs, but further discussions were required for the U.K.’s urgent need for paracetamol.
"This will mean nearly 3 million more packets of paracetamol on British supermarket shelves,” U.K. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement on Tuesday.
Last week, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister, Lord Tariq Ahmad, had also highlighted the export consignment of paracetamol as a sign of the close cooperation between India and the U.K..
170 districts designated as hotspots
We have categorised districts as hotspot/red zones, non-hotpots and those with no cases. 170 districts designated as hotspots, 207 potential hotspots/non-hotspots, says Health Ministry spokesperson
There is no community transmission in the country so far, what we are witnessing is local cluster outbreaks, for which containment measures are being implemented. The biggest challenge is implementation of containment strategy, he says.
Bats to humans?
Research in China has indicated that the coronavirus in bats mutated and infected humans, or else it got transferred to a mammal and then to humans, says ICMR spokesperson.
Lockdown guidelines
Home Ministry has issued direction pertaining to the areas which are outside the hotspot or containment zones, extending a series of relief, albiet with the conditions of social distancing and other related restrictions
National Covid Directions, such as wearing masks, social distancing, bar on gathering of more than five persons, must be adhered to. Any violation will attract action. At work places, a standard operating protocol on social distancing needs to be implemented, says Home Ministry spokesperson.
Encouragment being given to rural economy. Those who want to associate with the MNGRA work, they can, but with conditions of social distancing. Those engaged in the field of agriculture can resume work. Procurement and marketing of agri products have to decentralised by the States as far as possible. Animal husbandary and fishery supply chains are also exempted, he explains.
Apart from unhindered supply of essential goods, neighbourhood shops and groceries can remain open, he adds.
In containment zones, special teams will conduct contact tracing by house-to-house visits. Local heath, revenue and municipal staff, staff, volunteers of Red Cross, NSS and Nehru Yuva Kendra will also be roped in. Cases of fever, cough and breathlessness will be identified as action initiated as per intervention protocol, adds Home Ministry spokesperson
Instructions have also been issued for setting up dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and healthcare centes. AIIMS helpline centres should be used for clinical management, the Health Ministry spokesperson says.
Online courses for frontline workers, including doctors, have been made available at iGOT platform, he informs the media.
To ensure that non-affected districts remain so, local administration has been directed to monitor those with influenza like symptoms of severe respiratory illness, he adds.
Testing in buffer zones too
Detailed direction issued to State governments, asking them to properly use the extended lockdown period to capitalise on the achievements so far, says Health Ministry Spokesperson.
There was a detailed video conference meeting by Cabinet Secretary with the State Chief Secretaries, DGPs, Municipal Commissioners and other officials to discuss the strategy for containment.
In buffer zones, outside the containment zones, testing will also be done for those with influanza like symptoms and breathlessness. Daily evening, data-based intervention spots would be identified at the district level, he adds.
COVID-19 deaths in UP climb to 11. Positive cases are now 727, said Amit Mohan Prasad, principal secretary UP health department. - Omar Rashid
Delhi Police books Tablighi Jamaat leader for culpable homicide after attendees die of COVID-19
Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi has been booked for culpable homicide after some of the attendees of the religious congregation died due to coronavirus.
Kandhalvi had organised the religious gathering at Nizamuddin Markaz last month against the social distancing protocol imposed by the Centre to curb the spread of the deadly disease.
An FIR was registered against the cleric on March 31 at Crime Branch police station on a complaint of the Station House Officer of Nizamuddin.
He was earlier booked for holding the event, police said. - PTI
Maharashtra reports 117 more cases as tally rises to 2801
COVID-19’s alarming spread in Maharashtra continued relentlessly as 117 new cases were reported over a 12-hour span from the State, as the cumulative tally surged to 2801 cases on Wednesday.
Mumbai city’s tally alone stands at a staggering 1822, which accounts for more than 60% of Maharashtra’s cumulative tally and 15% of India’s total novel coronavirus cases. - Shoumojit Banerjee
UPSC chairman, members to forego 30 per cent of basic pay for 1 year
The chairman and members of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), that conducts civil services examination to select country’s bureaucrats and diplomats among others, have decided to forego 30 per cent of their basic pay for one year to aid the government’s fight against coronavirus, according to an official communique.
Health department officials attacked in Moradabad
Around a dozen persons were arrested in Moradabad on Wednesday after a crowd attacked health department officials who went to take samples for COVID 19 in the Nawabpura area of Nagpahani town of the district, police said.
The area was declared a hotspot after one person from the area passed away on April 13 because of coronavirus.
On Wednesday, a team led by a doctor went to take the samples of family members and the brother of the COVID-19 victim to quarantine facility. Suddenly a crowd stopped the ambulance and pelted it with stones. The PPE suits of the medical staff were torn off. The miscreants illegally confined doctor H.C. Mishra, an health official said.
A police team led by Superintendent of Police Amit Anand had to rush with a local cleric to restore normalcy. - Anuj Kumar
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:
- Travel by air, rail, metro, public buses, taxis, cab aggregators to remain suspended.
- Cinema halls, malls to remain shut.
- All social /religious gathering prohibited till May 3.
- All industrial and commercial units, unless exempted to remain shut.
- Medical insurance to be made mandatory for workers in factories and office establishments.
- National directives on COVID 19 suggests using of staircase, staggering work hours to ensure social distancing, entry of non-essential visitors to be banned.
- Wearing of face covers and masks is compulsory in public places and work places.
- Spitting is a punishable offence.
- IT and IT-enabled Services allowed to operate with upto 50% strength.
- E-commerce companies are also allowed to function. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions.
- 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.
- 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
- All domestic and international air travel of passengers, except for medical reasons and for security purposes.
- All passenger movement by trains, except for security purposes.
- Buses for public transport.
- Metro rail services.
- Inter-district and inter-State movement of individuals except for medical reasons or for activities permitted under these guidelines.
- All educational, training, coaching institutions etc. shall remain closed.
- All industrial and commercial activities other than those specifically permitted under these guidelines.
- Hospitality services other than those specifically permitted under these guidelines.
- Taxis (including auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws) and services of cab aggregators.
- All cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
- All social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic cultural/ religious functions/ other gatherings.
- All religious places/ places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
- In case of funerals, congregation of more than twenty persons will not be permitted.
What will remain functional?
- All health services (including AYUSH)
- Authorised private establishments, which support the provisioning of essential services, or efforts for containment of COVID-19.
- 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.
- Operations of the fishing (marine and inland)/ aquaculture industry
- Operations of tea, coffee and rubber plantations, with maximum of 50% workers
- Processing, packaging, sale and marketing of tea, coffee, rubber and cashew, with maximum of 50% workers.
- Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk products by milk processing plants, including transport and supply chain.
- Operation of animal husbandry farms including poultry farms & hatcheries and livestock farming activity.
- Animal feed manufacturing and feed plants, including supply of raw material
- Operation of animal shelter homes, including Gaushalas.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and RBI regulated financial markets and entities
- Bank branches and ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations
- Bank branches be allowed to work as per normal working hours till disbursal of DBT cash transfers is complete.
- SEBI
- IRDAI and Insurance companies.
- Operation of homes for children/ disabled/ mentally challenged/ senior citizens/ destitutes/ women/ widows.
- Observation homes, after care homes and places of safety for juveniles
- Disbursement of social security pensions, pension and provident fund services provided by EPFO
- Anganwadis for the distribution of food items and nutrition once in 15 days at the doorsteps of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries will not attend the Anganwadis.
- Online teaching/ distance learning to be encouraged
- 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.
- Other Central and State sector schemes in irrigation and water conservation sectors may also be allowed to be implemented
- Operations of Oil and Gas sector.
- Generation, transmission and distribution of power at Central and State/ UT levels.
- Postal services, including post offices. Operations of utilities in water, sanitation and waste management sectors, at municipal/ local body levels in States and UTS.
- 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:
- All areas in the premises including the following shall be disinfected completely using user friendly disinfectant mediums.
- 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.
- 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.
- All vehicles and machinery entering the premise should be disinfected by spray mandatorily.
- Mandatory thermal scanning of everyone entering and exiting the work place to be done.
- Medical insurance for the workers to be made mandatory.
- Provision for hand wash and sanitizer preferably with touch free mechanism will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas.
- Sufficient quantities of all the items should be available.
- Work places shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and will stagger the lunch breaks of staff, to ensure social distancing.
- Large gatherings or meetings of 10 or more people to be discouraged.
- Seating at least 6 feet away from others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings and training sessions
- Not more than 2 or 4 persons (depending on size) will be allowed to travel in lifts or hoists.
- Use of staircase for climbing should be encouraged.
- There should be strict ban of gutka, tobacco etc. and spitting should be strictly prohibited.
- There should be total ban on non-essential visitors at sites.
- 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.
