Health

Coronavirus update: More than 100 infected in India

US President Donald Trump said $50 billion of federal funds would be made available to combat the virus 

 
By DTE Staff
Published: Saturday 14 March 2020
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With nine cases on March 14, 2020 the total number of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases in Maharashtra jumped to 26. Of the nine patients, four were from Pune who travelled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates; four from Mumbai, with travel histories to Dubai, France and the United States and one from Nagpur who recently arrived from the Philippines, according to the state health department.

Maharashtra was next only to Kerala, where 19 cases have been confirmed. One case was confirmed positive in Jaipur, with a travel history to Spain, taking India's tally to 106, including 10 recovered and two dead. The Maharashtra and Rajasthan numbers did not reflect in the in central tally.

The Maharashtra government announced schools, colleges and other educational institutions as well as shopping malls would be shut until March 31. 

Govt U-turn 

The Union home ministry on March 14 modified its order issued a day earlier which said patients dying due to COVID-19 would receive Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia from state disaster response fund as the outbreak was declared a disaster.

The modified order also did not have the component regarding coverage of hospitalisation cost of COVID-19 patient from the fund. The modified order said that cost incurred only on measures for quarantine, sample collection and screening and procurement of equipment for responding to the disease would be spent from the SDRF Fund.

US emergency

US President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency on March 13, 2020 to combat the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

Trump also said $50 billion of federal funds would be made available for several measures — including increasing the country’s capacity to test for the virus (SARS-CoV-2).

“The next eight weeks are critical. We can learn and we will turn a corner on this virus,” Trump said at a press conference outside the White House lawn.

China sends medical supplies to Italy

China sent Italy supplies on March 12 — including a team of nine medical staff — to deal with the outbreak that has fuelled a crisis in the country. Italy is now the worst affected country after China. Italy had over 17,000 infected and 1,266 dead.

Bolsonaro says he tested negative

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he tested negative for the virus. Bolsonaro had tested for the virus on March 13.

Bolsonaro’s press secretary Fabio Wajngarten tested positive for the virus on March 13, just two days after he met Trump.

Infosys vacates building at Bengaluru office

Information technology conglomerate Infosys vacated one of its buildings in Bengaluru on March 13 after an employee was suspected to have come in contact with the virus, according to a media report.

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