On Wednesday, India suspended all visas, except for a few categories as diplomatic and employment, until 15th April to prevent the further spread of coronavirus infection. 10 new cases are reported making the total count of patients to 73.

State governments and Union territories has taken a number of preventive measures to prevent the disease spread. The government has also strongly warned Indians to avoid all non-essential travel to abroad.

Visa-free travel facility approved to Overseas Citizenship of India card holders is also kept in suspension till 15th April.

All incoming travelers, that also includes Indian citizens, who are arrived from or has visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, Spain, France and Germany after 15th February would be quarantined for a atleast 14 days.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered closing of primary schools, aganwadi centres and has shut down cinema halls also throughout the region till 31st March. The Karnataka government has issued temporary regulation asking all government and private hospitals to arrange flu corners for screening of coronavirus suspected cases.

As per the regulation, no person or organization shall use any print or electronic media to spread misleading information on coronavirus without the permission of the Department of Health & Family Welfare. If any person or association is found in any such activity, they will be strictly punished. The Karnataka government started a campaign called Namaste over Handshake encouraging people to greet in the traditional Indian style, to manage the spread.

The Ministry of Shipping has allowed only international cruise ships that had intimated their call to ports by January 1, 2020. The government has said that international cruise ships will be allowed only at ports after having thermal screening facilities for crew members and passengers.

8 cases are from Kerala and one each from Delhi and Rajasthan since Tuesday among the fresh cases. The Union health ministry gave state-wise breakup that included five cases in Delhi, nine cases in Uttar Pradesh, four cases in Karnataka and two cases in Ladakh.

The Union ministry said that there are two confirmed cases of the infection in Maharashtra. Rajasthan, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Punjab have reported one case each.

According to company statements, two employees working with IT companies Dell and Mindtree are tested positive for coronavirus. The Dell employee had returned from the USA, with a visit to Texas whereas the Mindtree employee too had a travel history abroad.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that a medical team will go to Italy tomorrow for screening Indians over there. Noticing that the disease has spread to around 90 countries, Jaishankar said that if the government starts to bring back Indians worldwide, then it will add to more panic.

Also, an Air India flight that was carrying 83 people, including 9 foreigners of Indian origin has arrived in Delhi on Wednesday from Italy and are quarantined at the Army facility in Manesar. The evacuees would be monitored for 2 weeks by a qualified team of doctors and medical staff members.

On Tuesday, the first batch of 58 evacuees from Iran had arrived with 25 men, 31 women and 2 children and all evacuees are asymptomatic.

A 2-day conference organized by the Delhi-based Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), has been postponed due to the coronavirus risk.

On Tuesday, Harsh Vardhan, spoke to a few coronavirus patients admitted at Medanta and Safdarjung hospitals through video calls. All those infected were now stable and are recovering.

A total number of 10,57,506 passengers have been screened till now at the airport.

Source: The Economic Times