COVID-19: Total 236 coronavirus cases in India, says ICMR

COVID-19 cases rose to 236 in India after 63 fresh cases were reported in a day, as per ICMR on Friday while Union health ministry figure stood at 223, as governments in national capital and Maharashtra anunced shutdown of public places to contain spre of coronavirus that has claimed more than 10,000 lives globally.

"A total of 15,404 samples from 14,514 individuals have been tested for SARS-CoV2 as on 20th March 2020 6 PM. A total of 236 individuals have been confirmed positive among suspected cases and contacts of kwn positive cases," Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) said.

A day after he dressed nation on coronavirus during which he asked people to remain indoors and only come out if it was extremely necessary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video call with chief ministers and discussed ways to check and prevent spre of virus.

A spike in numbers prompted states and UTs to reinforce its efforts to contain spre. While Maharashtra Chief Minister said all workplaces in major cities, including in country’s commercial hub Mumbai and Pune, will remain closed till March 31, Delhi Chief Minister anunced shutting down of all malls in national capital, but exempted grocery stores and pharmacies in m.

Despite appeals by leers t to panic and t to hoard items, long lines were seen at grocery stores, pharmacies and outlets selling or essential stuff, throwing caution of ‘social distancing’ to wind.

Many in public dealing, including trers, responded to Modi’s call for a ‘janata curfew’ on Sunday, saying y will shut ir establishments while a number of people opted for self-isolation as a precaution.

According to sources, passenger trains will ply from 00:00 hours till 10 pm on Sunday while all suburban train services to be reduced to a bare minimum during 'janata curfew'.

As per Union health ministry, 223 in 32 foreign nationals, including 17 from Italy, three from Philippines, two from UK, one each belonging to Cana, Indonesia and Singapore. figure also included four deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra so far.

" total number of active COVID 2019 cases across India stands at 196 so far," Union health ministry said, ding that 23 ors have been cured/discharged/migrated while four have died.

Meanwhile, a 69-year-old Italian tourist who h "recovered" from vel coronavirus died at a private hospital in Jaipur after suffering a massive cardiac arrest late on Thursday night, SMS Medical College principal Sudhir Bhandari said.

As per ministry data, Delhi has, so far, reported 17 positive cases which included one foreigner, while Uttar Presh has recorded 23 cases, including one foreigner.

Maharashtra has 52 cases, including three foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 28 cases which included two foreign nationals.

Karnataka has 15 coronavirus patients. number of cases in Lakh rose to 10 and Jammu and Kashmir four. Telangana has reported 17 cases which included nine foreigners. Gujarat has reported five cases so far.

Rajasthan has also reported 17 cases including two foreigners. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were also imposed in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district from Friday after a doctor at a private hospital was tested positive for COVID-19.

While Tamil Nu, Uttarakhand and Andhara Presh have reported three cases each, re are 17 cases, including 14 foreigners in Haryana.

Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab have reported two cases each while Puducherry, Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh have reported one case each.

During video call, issues such as capacity building of states and extending training to local health officials were also discussed in call which was among ors attended by chief ministers of Punjab Amrinder Singh, Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray, Uttar Presh Yogi ityanath, sources said.

prime minister has been pitching for involvement of people and local authorities to check spre of virus.

Meanwhile, former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje anunced that she and her son BJP MP Dushyant Singh have gone into self-quarantine after attending a party where singer Kanika Kapoor was also present. Kapoor has become first Bollywood celebrity to test positive for COVID-19.

Several members of Parliament including TMC's Derek O'Brien and Apna Dal MP Anupriya Patel also went into self-quarantine after y got to kw about Singh.

"This government is putting all of us at risk. prime minister says self isolate yourself but Parliament is on. I was sitting next to Dushyant or day for 2.5 hours. re are two more MPs who are in self isolation. session should be deferred," TMC MP said.

Many MPs also attended a breakfast meeting hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind on March 18, which was attended by Singh, who also participated a Parliamentary panel meeting on Wednesday on transport tourism and culture where 20 MPs were also present.

Uttarakhand government banned entry of domestic and foreign tourists into state till furr orders to contain spre of coronavirus. Uttarakhand is second state to do so after Sikkim.

With a Punjab woman, who h tested positive for coronavirus, fleeing from hospital and subsequently booked for doing so, Union minister G Kishan Reddy urged family members to t resist government move to test and quarantine people returning from countries battling coronavirus.

Sporting and Bollywood fraternity also tried bid in creating awareness with India's cricket captain Virat Kohli and his actor wife Anushka Sharma issue a joint appeal for self-isolation to combat COVID-19 pandemic.