Count of coronavirus patients in India rises to 114, Odisha reports its first case

COVID-19 extended its footprint in India on Monday with eastern state of Odisha reporting its first coronavirus patient and one new case each in Lakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, taking total count to 114, Health Ministry officials said.

Maharashtra government also reported four more patients of infection, as concerns over pandemic steered decisions across all sectors and states, including in politically volatile Mhya Presh, ministry did t immediately d Maharashtra cases to its national count,

tally of 114 includes two fatalities and 17 foreigners as well as 13 people who were discharged after y recovered from infection, which according to WHO has infected 1,53,517 people in 135 countries and claimed more than 5,700 lives.

As many states virtually shut down to stem spre of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed contribution of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in fighting virus. He said re was a coordinated response to outbreak, showing strong spirit of nation in such situations.

In a series of tweets with hashtag 'India Fights Corona', Modi said encourment from people highlighting steps being taken to combat virus is boosting morale of all "remarkable people" at forefront of fight. A Maharashtra government official said four patients were detected for vel coronavirus infection, taking state tally to 37.

Giving details of Odisha case, an official in Bhubaneswar said a researcher who recently returned from Italy tested positive for coronavirus. 33-year-old patient who reached Delhi from Italy on March 6 and travelled to Bhubaneswar by train on March 12 is being treated at Capital Hospital in Odisha capital.

"His condition is stable and he is t showing any or complications," state government's chief spokesperson on coronavirus cases Subroto Bagchi told reporters. man consulted a doctor on March 13, complaining of fever and heache, and was mitted to hospital's isolation ward next day.

As he travelled by train from Delhi to Bhubaneswar, state government has launched a "contact tracing exercise", Bagchi said. His family members have been quarantined and kept under observation. In Mhya Presh, where future of Congress-led Kamal Nath government hangs in balance, re was floor test as was being speculated and assembly was journed in view of state government's concerns over coronavirus.

BJP MLAs demanded a floor test as directed by Goverr Lalji Tandon after 22 Congress MLAs of Congress resigned from party. However, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Govind Singh raised issue of coronavirus threat and also mentioned Central government's visory on matter, prompting Speaker N P Prajapati to accept his plea and journ proceedings till March 26.

While political confabulations continued in central Indian state, many thousands of students across country were restricted to ir homes and employees worked from home as ministrations all over put into effect plans to contain spre of contagious disease with flu-like symptoms.

Gyms, cinema halls, swimming pools and or places were closed in many states. ding to its restrictions, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said religious, social, cultural and political garing of over 50 people would be allowed in Delhi till March 31. Supreme Court, where lawyers, litigants and ors were rmal screened, took suo motu cognisance of overcrowding and infrastructure of prisons across country

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and L N Rao issued a tice to Director General, Prison, and chief secretary of all states and union territories seeking ir response by March 20 on steps taken for prevention of COVID-19. Efforts were also on to bring back Indians stranded abro. An Air India flight with 53 Indians evacuated from coronavirus-hit Iran landed in New Delhi and passengers were flown to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan where y have been quarantined at Army Wellness Centre.

"Fourth batch of 53 Indians - 52 students and a teacher - has arrived from Tehran and Shiraz, Iran. With this, a total of 389 Indians have returned to India from Iran. Thank efforts of team @India_in_Iran and Iranian authorities," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted. Iran is one of worst-affected countries by coronavirus outbreak with over 14,000 cases detected and over 700 people de.

Signalling its serious intent to contain infection, police in Kochi registered a case against 79 people for organising a mass reception for a popular reality show contestant on his arrival at Cochin International Airport despite restrictions on such garings in view of coronavirus threat.

Two people, including a UK national tested positive for COVID-19 in Kerala on Sunday, taking total number of affected to 21 in state as government launched a "break chain" initiative to prevent spre of virus.

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