Coronavirus LIVE: Spain counts 1,500 new coronavirus cases in one day

Spain confirmed more than 1,500 new cases of coronavirus between Friday and Saturday raising its total to 5,753 cases, the second-highest number in Europe after Italy.

The country was expected to declare a state of alert on Saturday to try to mobilise resources to combat the virus, which has so far killed 136 people in Spain.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was due to speak at a cabinet meeting at 1300 GMT to announce the state of alert and new measures expected to limit the movement of people.

On Friday said the government would adopt a series of extraordinary measures in order "to mobilise all the resources of state to better protect the health of all of its citizens".

Air India special flight took off from Delhi at around 16:30 hours today for Milan (Italy), to evacuate around 220 passengers from there. The flight will return tomorrow morning

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope: Total positive Coronavirus cases in the state rise to 26.

Telangana reported second coronavirus positive case on Saturday while two more are suspected to be affected by the virus.

Within hours after the state's first COVID-19 patient was discharged from government-run Gandhi Hospital here, a man who recently returned from Italy was tested positive. He was kept in isolation at the same hospital.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao told the state Assembly that two more persons were suspected to be carrying coronavirus symptoms. Their samples were sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune for confirmation.

A 56-year-old Harayana native, who was admitted to the coronavirus isolation ward of the medical college hospital on Saturday, gave the slip to hospital authorities shortly after admission, but was later traced, police said.

The man, who arrived here from Germany, was admitted to the hospital around 12.40 PM on Saturday, police said.

After some time, he was found missing.

A hunt was launched to trace him and he was found at a hotel in the city, they said.

The Panjab University here on Saturday decided to suspend classes till March 31 in the wake of coronavirus scare.

All classes including personal contact programmes in the teaching departments, regional centres, institutes, constituent colleges, affiliated colleges in Punjab as well as Chandigarh shall remain suspended, an official release stated here.

The varsity's students and research scholars have been advised to vacate hostels and they may remain stationed in their respective hometowns avoiding any travel, it further stated.

Besides, all internal examinations including mid-semester tests, evaluations or assessments also stand postponed, the release said.

All functions including seminars, conferences, symposia, workshops, any group activities and gatherings of any kind shall also stand postponed, it further said.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government on Saturday ordered the closure of all technical institutions in the state till March 31.

In the wake of three positive cases of coronavirus being reported from the state capital, Kerala government on Saturday imposed restrictions on visitors entry at malls, gyms and beaches and warned people not to venture out of their homes unless necessary.

So far, 19 people have been found positive for the virus, including three from Thiruvananthapuram.

The government had earlier closed schools, colleges and cancelled all public functions in the state to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"People are advised not to visit malls and beaches.

Gyms and beauty parlours must also keep vigil. People must avoid being in a crowd," Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said in a Facebook post.

Himachal Pradesh government issues 'The Himachal Pradesh Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020' under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 which empowers certain officers to issue order for surveillance, prevention, control and treatment of Coronavirus

Maharashtra govt: All schools in urban areas of Maharashtra (all govt & pvt schools in jurisdiction of Nagar Panchayat, Nagar Palika, Mahanagar palika) to remain closed till 31st March. Only exams for class 10th, 12th, & University exams will be held as per schedule.

Suspended till April 15 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 13th edition of IPL can only be a truncated one provided the situation improves, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said on Saturday.

The Indian Cricket Board on Friday postponed the start of this year's IPL from March 29 to April 15 in wake of the pandemic, which has caused massive upheaval across the globe.

Asked if the cash-rich event could be a curtailed one, Ganguly said, "It will happen, because if it is April 15, then, in any case 15 days are gone, it has to be truncated. How truncated, how many games, I can't say at the moment." Ganguly, a decorated former India captain, was speaking to reporters after the end of the IPL Governing Council meeting here.

Noida Metro Rail Corporation is undertaking sanitization of metro stations as a precautionary measure to contain Coronavirus. Visuals from Noida Sector 50 station.

MD Singh, Collector Yavatmal: Two persons have been tested positive for Coronavirus in Yavatmal; both have travel history to Dubai.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) calls off its Gudi Padwa celebration rally for this year, amid Coronavirus spread.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly: We are monitoring the situation and it will be reassessed every week. As much as we want to host IPL, we are also concerned about safety of the people.

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu: Only one case of COVID-19 has been reported in the state. The person's health is stable now. No suspected case of COVID 19 is absconding or missing in Punjab.

Govt of India: Padma Award ceremony, scheduled to be held on April 3 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, has been postponed. Next date and time to be announced in due course.

The Congress alleged on Saturday that the government was lacking in its preparedness to combat coronavirus, with senior leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation on containment measures taken so far.

Congress' senior spokesperson Ajay Maken claimed the government's preparations to tackle coronavirus were not visible.

Asked about BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya's reported remarks that there were several gods and goddesses in the country and therefore coronavirus can't cause harm here, Maken said he would not like to comment on it as everyone has their own faith and beliefs, but there were questions over the government's preparedness in dealing with the spread of the disease.

"Like Rahul (Gandhi) ji has repeatedly said the government's preparedness is not visible," Maken told reporters, adding if the government is ready, then the gods and goddesses will also help us, but if it is not, then no help will come.

"So it is a matter of sadness that the government's preparations are nowhere to be seen and god forbid, if this (virus) increases tomorrow, the government preparedness is not there," he alleged.

Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, in a tweet, demanded that the prime minister addresses the nation on the present status of COVID-19 and the containment measures taken so far.

According to Health Ministry, so far 84 coronavirus cases have been reported across the country, while two persons have died due to COVID-19 disease.

An Indian national in Rwanda has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the east African country, health officials said on Saturday.

The country's health ministry, in a statement, said that the Indian citizen arrived here from Mumbai on March 8.

"The patient had no symptoms upon arrival in Rwanda and reported himself to a health facility on March 13, where he was immediately tested," the ministry said on Twitter.

He is currently under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients, the statement said, adding that the tracing of all contacts has been conducted for further management.

An Indian national in Rwanda has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the east African country, health officials said on Saturday.

The country's health ministry, in a statement, said that the Indian citizen arrived here from Mumbai on March 8.

"The patient had no symptoms upon arrival in Rwanda and reported himself to a health facility on March 13, where he was immediately tested," the ministry said on Twitter.

He is currently under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients, the statement said, adding that the tracing of all contacts has been conducted for further management.

The number of coronavirus positive cases in the country has risen to 84, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

"The number of coronavirus positive cases in India has risen to 84. Seven persons, who tested positive, including five from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Rajasthan and Delhi have been discharged after treatment," a senior health ministry official said.

The officials maintained that more than 4000 people who had come in contact with the 84 positive cases are under surveillance.

"A Mahan Air flight bringing back Indian passengers from Iran will land in Mumbai on Saturday midnight. A special Air India flight is being sent to Milan in Italy on Saturday to bring back Indian students," the official added.

The central government on Saturday declared COVID-19 as a national 'disaster' and announced to provide ex-gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh to the families who died of the virus.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in a letter to states and union territories stated: "Keeping in view that spread of COVID-19 virus in India the declaration of it as pandemic by World Health Organisation, the Central government has decided to treat it as a notified disaster and announced to provide assistance under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)."

The Centre said that cost of hospitalization for managing COVID-19 patient would be at the rates fixed by the state governments. The state government can use SDRF found for providing temporary accommodation, food, clothing and medical care for people affected and sheltered in quarantine camps, other than home quarantine, or for cluster containment operations.

The state executive committee will decide the number of quarantine camps, their duration and the number of persons in such camps. "Period can be extended by the committee beyond the prescribed limit subject to condition that expenditure on this account should not exceed 25 percent of SDRF allocation for the year," the Ministry of Home Affairs notification stated.

The cost of consumables for sample collection would be taken from the funds which can be sued to support for checking, screening and contact tracing.

Further, funds can also be withdrawn for setting up additional testing laboratories within the government set up. The state has also to bear the cost of personal protection equipment for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities. Further SDRF money can also be used for procuring thermal scanners and ventilation and other necessary equipment.

Karnataka's partial lockdown in the wake of rising coronavirus infections has come into force on Saturday.

Following Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa's order on Friday, malls, theatres and pubs have been closed for a week, starting Saturday.

Karnataka will not allow summer camps, sporting events, seminars and other such activities.

Swimming pools, sports clubs and gyms will also be shut.

Similarly, all universities will also be shut for a week while government-run hostels have been suggested to take great care

The Chief Minister also cancelled official trips to the state on March 16 and 17. However, all the examinations will continue to be conducted as per schedule in the state.

Students emerging after an examination were seen in Whitefield on Saturday.

"Let us all remember our duty to our fellow humans. Maintaining basic hygiene and avoiding spreading infection can help us all. Let us educate ourselves and be better. Precaution>panic," tweeted Yediyurappa.

Government notifies COVID 19 as a notified disaster for the purpose of providing assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund; to pay one time ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for all deaths: Home Ministry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took to Twitter to share the health ministry's guidelines on home quarantine.

"Some important information here. Do read," he said while sharing the guidelines.

The health ministry said home quarantine is meant "to protect you and your loved ones." According to the guidelines, those quarantined at home should stay in a well-ventilated single-room, preferably with an attached or separate toilet.

If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it's advisable to maintain a distance of at least a metre between the two.

Quarantined individuals must stay away from the elderly, pregnant women, children and persons with comorbidities within the household as their immunity may be low.

Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor on Saturday announced that the team of his upcoming film "Jersey" has decided to suspend the shoot of the film to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The 39-year-old actor took to Twitter to share the news with his fans and followers.

"At a time like this it is our social responsibility to do everything in our capacity to curb the spread of this virus. Team #Jersey is suspending shoot so as to enable all unit members to be with their families and in the safety of their homes. Be responsible. Stay safe," Shahid posted on Twitter.

The actor, who had a great 2019 courtesy the blockbuster success of "Kabir Singh", had been shooting for "Jersey" in Chandigarh.

Apple is closing all of its stores outside China until March 27 in a bid to slow the spread of the new coronavirus outbreak, CEO Tim Cook said.

Cook said the firm had learned from steps taken in China, where the tech giant has just reopened its retail stores.

"One of those lessons is that the most effective way to minimize risk of the virus's transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance," he said in a statement Friday.

"As rates of new infections continue to grow in other places, we're taking additional steps to protect our team members and customers."

All educational institutions and cinema halls have been closed in Himachal Pradesh till March 31 as a precautionary measure to check community transmission of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said in the state assembly on Saturday.

In a statement in the House during the Budget session, the chief minister said all cinema halls and educational institutions including schools, colleges, universities, anganwadi centres and creches will remain closed till March 31.

However, examinations will continue as per schedule, he added.

No confirmed case of COVID-19 has been found so far in Himachal Pradesh.

An American couple, which allegedly gave the slip to police after being admitted to the coronavirus isolation ward of the medical college hospital here following complaints of fever and cough, was traced to Kochi airport and placed under observation.

The two were traced late Friday night and admitted to the Kalamassery medical college hospital isolation ward, police sources said.

Another case of coronavirus was confirmed in Telangana on Saturday taking the total number of those infected to two, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said here.

The patient with travel history to Italy has been admitted to the state-run Gandhi hospital in the city for quarantine purpose, Rao told the assembly.

The samples of two others with suspected symptoms of the virus have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, he said.

Asserting that his government was taking all necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus in the state, the Chief Minister said a meeting of senior officials has been convened to discuss the COVID-19 situation.

Wall Street roared back from its worst day in 30 years Friday with a broad rally that sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average nearly 2,000 points higher — its biggest point gain ever — after President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency.

The Dow's gains doubled in the last half-hour of trading as Trump made his remarks, giving the index its largest percentage gain since 2008 and capping a rally that recouped many of the losses from a day earlier.

That's when the index saw its worst slide since the Black Monday crash of 1987 and European indexes had one of the worst drops on record. The major indexes each closed with gains of more than 9 per cent.

NASCAR and IndyCar reversed course and pulled the plug on racing this weekend, with IndyCar also suspending its season through the end of April due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

NASCAR called off Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and next weekend's events at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Both events were already scheduled to be run without spectators.

IndyCar was scheduled to open its season Sunday on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg without fans. Formula One also canceled its season opening race in Australia, leaving the first full weekend of global motorsports without a major event.

Mark Miles, president and CEO of IndyCar parent company Penske Enterprises, said the about-face came as both IndyCar and NASCAR saw more and more events and attractions closing. He cited the cancellation mid-tournament of The Players Championship and the closure of theme parks as indicators public gatherings should not proceed.

"There's a public health risk any time people are getting together," Miles said.

All government, private colleges and schools, Anganwadi centers and play-way schools in the Himachal Pradersh to be closed till March 31

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it would suspend international flights for two weeks in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

"The Kingdom's government decided to suspend international flights for two weeks (Starting from Sunday March 15th) as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of #CoronaVirus," the foreign ministry tweeted.

Twenty one passengers, who were stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy, were brought here on Saturday following which they were shifted to Aluva hospital for investigation, airport sources said.

Several Indian passengers have been stuck in the European nation, despite having confirmed tickets.

This was after Italian authorities and Emirates airlines refused to take them following a ciruclar issued by the DGCA stipulating that people travelling from Italy or South Korea and desirous of entering India should obtain certificates of having tested negative for COVID-19 from those countries.

Some pharmacies have stopped selling N95 masks due to increase in prices amid COVID-19 pandemic.A pharmacist in Connaught Place says,"We've stopped selling N95 masks as wholesellers are selling it to us at high prices&if we ask customers for more money they fight with us".

Necessity is the mother of invention goes the old saying and hence Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) on Saturday decided to give specific IT training in an online mode for over 81,000 primary teachers in the state, through a focussed intervention in 11,274 schools

335 passengers with history of travel to COVID 19 affected countries are untraceable. A total 6011 passengers have been traced as of yesterday (13th March), says Health & Family Welfare Department, Punjab

Global software major Infosys vacated one of the buildings in the city's southern suburb after a team member was suspected for coronavirus (COVID-19), an official said on Friday.

"To ensure preparedness, we are evacuating only the IIPM building as a precautionary measure on receiving information that a team member from the building may have been in proximity to COVID-19 suspect," said IT major's Bengaluru development centre head Gururaj Deshpande in an e-mail to all Infoscions.

The IT behemoth has a sprawling campus in the Electronic City with over a dozen buildings housing its development centres and corporate house since the 1990s.

"Please note that this is only to ensure the safety of our employees and we will sanitise the place for our safety," said Deshpande in the e-mail, accessed by IANS.

The two remaining games of the Chappell-Hadlee ODI series between Australia and New Zealand were on Saturday cancelled as the visiting will have to hurry back home to avoid a new set of travel restrictions owing to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

According to a report in 'ESPNCricinfo', a three-match T20 International series that was scheduled in New Zealand after the ODI series in Australia also stands cancelled at the moment.

"On Saturday afternoon, the New Zealand government tightened border restrictions saying those entering the country from Australia would be subjected to a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period," the website reported.

This new restrictions, which come into from Sunday midnight, would have led to the New Zealand team being quarantined if it stayed back to complete the assignment.

Venezuela confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus Friday, deepening anxiety in a crisis-stricken nation where many hospitals lack basics such as water and soap and struggle to treat even basic ailments.

The announcement prompted President Iván Duque of neighboring Colombia to order his nation's border with Venezuela closed as a coronavirus containment measure.

“God help us,” hospital patient Carlos Chacón said after hearing the news that the pandemic had arrived in his native Venezuela.

“My mom is old and sick. So is my father,” said Chacón, a 48-year-old electrician who was first hospitalized four months ago with two broken legs from a motorcycle accident. “Here I am in this condition, stuck in this hospital bed.” Earlier Friday, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez delivered the news that Venezuelans feared was coming: A 52-year-old man who had recently traveled from Spain and a 41-year-old woman who had returned from a trip through the U.S., Italy and Spain had been diagnosed with the virus.

India captain Virat Kohli has urged his countrymen to take all ncessary precautions in the wake of novel coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed lives of over 4000 people across the globe.

In India, there has been two deaths along with 80 plus positive COVID 19 cases which has prompted suspension of all sporting activities including an ODI series against South Africa and the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

"Let's stay strong and fight the #COVID19 outbreak by taking all precautionary measures. Stay safe, be vigilant and most importantly remember, prevention is better than cure. Please take care everyone," KOhli tweeted.

On Friday, the Indian captain was seen coming out of the Lucknow airport wearing black face mask.

The Indian team were supposed to have a training session on Saturday but in the evening, the BCCI and South Africa mutually agreed to call off the series after visiting team players made it clear that they wanted to return home at the earliest.

In view of the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, the Swaminarayan sect has announced to close all its temples globally and suspend routine activities until further notice as part of its efforts to protect the health of volunteers, visitors and local communities.

COVID-19, which has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, has claimed over 5,000 lives, including 41 in the US, and infected more than 134,000 people globally.

The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam (BAPS) Swaminarayan Sanstha, which runs about 100 temples in the US, over the weekend in particular is visited by thousands of devotees every month.

The BAPS is a volunteer-driven organisation that aims to improve society through individual growth by fostering Hindu ideals of faith, unity, and selfless service.

With two more persons testing positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, the number of infected individuals in the state has gone up to 19, a health department official said on Saturday.

One of the two new patients is from Ahmednagar city, the official said. However, he did not specify the location of the other patient.

"Till Friday evening, the number of persons who tested positive for coronavirus was 17. The test reports of two more persons came late at night. As they were found positive, the count of infected persons in the state now stands at 19," the official told PTI.

"One of them is from Ahmednagar city. He had recently returned from Dubai and shown symptoms similar to coronavirus infection," he said.

"His blood sample was sent for testing, which confirmed the infection late last night," he added.

Ten of the coronavirus positive cases in the state are in Pune, three each in Mumbai and Nagpur, and one in Thane.

In the wake of coronavirus scare, the state government had on Friday ordered closure of cinema theatres, gymnasiums, swimming pools and public parks in cities of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 30.

The government also invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to tackle the virus outbreak.

As per the government decision, the schools and colleges in Pune and neighbouring twin industrial towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad will remain closed till further orders.

The India Open badminton tournament was on Friday suspended at least till April 12 after the sport's world governing body decided to halt all events from March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) said in a statement that the escalation of the COVID-19 outbreak globally has forced it to cancel or postpone all tournaments from March 16 to April 12.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested Narendra Modi to approve and allow the export of masks and pharmaceutical raw materials to Israel during his telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart this week, according to a media report.

Israel's Channel 13 on Friday reported that Netanyahu made the request after India decided to stop the export of these items to meet its own domestic requirements in view of the rapid spread of coronavirus.

The leading news channel also put out a promotional tweet ahead of its broadcast during its main evening bullettin.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the Israeli Prime Minister had mentioned about reaching out to Modi, among other leaders, hinting at Israeli efforts to maintain and stabilise "supply lines" of essential materials in view of the massive disruption caused by COVID-19.

The Rajasthan government has decided to shut all schools, colleges, coaching centres, gymnasiums, movie theatres across the state till March 30 in an effort to stop the spreading of the novel coronavirus.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after chairing a high-level meeting at his residence late Friday night with senior officials of the state.

"My advice to people is not to panic due to this virus but at the same time, I appeal to them to avoid going to crowded places and use public transport only when necessary," Gehlot said after the meeting, adding that the decisions come in the wake of the WHO and UN declaring the outbreak as a pandemic.

The Pakistan government has taken a number of steps to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, including closing the western borders with Iran and Afghanistan and banning all large public gatherings, as the number of confirmed cases has increased to 28 in the country.

The US Embassy and Consulates in India have cancelled all visa appointments from March 16 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

US President Donald Trump on Friday officially declared a national emergency that he said would give states and territories access to up to USD 50 billion in federal funds to combat coronavirus.

A statement issued by the US Embassy here said, "US Mission India posts, in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic, are cancelling immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments from March 16, 2020, onward."  "Your visa appointment stands as cancelled. Once Mission India resumes regular consular operations, appointments will be made available and you will be able to reschedule," it said.

The deadly virus, which has killed over 5,000 people globally, has spread to 46 of the 50 US states, with nearly 2,000 cases being reported from across the country.

Soon after President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency to combat the novel coronavirus, the Indian Embassy in the US asked the large Indian students' community to avoid all non-essential domestic and international travel.

There are over 200,000 Indian students studying in various educational institutions and universities in the US.

"Please avoid all non-essential domestic or international travel," the embassy here said in an advisory to Indian students.

For official advisories on domestic and international travel, the students have been asked to check the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 100 colleges and universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Harvard University, have also suspended in-person teaching and announced to shift to online classes in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 41 lives in the US.

The institutions have also asked students not to return after the spring break and to move out of their houses and first-year dorms. This has created a major challenge for students from India as a large number of them do not have any friends and relatives in the US.

For international travel, the Indian Embassy asked students to contact their Designated School Official (DSO) for information on any possible impact in the future on their F-1 or J-1 status.

F-1 or J-1 are two different categories of visas for international students.

These have certain restrictions on stay of an international student after their academic institute closes down or they conclude their courses.

Indian students also face the problem of visa validity in the development of universities moving to online courses. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) does not consider online courses as a reason for foreign students to stay in the US.

The embassy advised Indian students to read official campus advisories or contact their DSO for information on how short-term or long-term shifts to online courses will impact their F-1 or J-1 status.