WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
New Delhi/Ahmedabad :
Coronavirus Pandemic LIVE Updates: The government today issued new guidelines for phase 2 of the coronavirus lockdown, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended it till May 3. Activities like agriculture, industries in rural areas will be allowed after April 20 to "mitigate hardships to public", the Centre said.
The Covid-19 cases in India breached the 11,000-mark today while the death toll rose to 377, the Union Health Ministry said. The country registered 11,439 cases of which 9,756 are active. The numbers come amid news of Meghalaya’s lone Covid-19 patient, a 69-year-old doctor, succumbing to the pandemic early today morning.
Ahead of the Curve: South Korea's Evolving Strategy to Battle Covid-19 Resurgence
South Korea, among the first countries to bring a major coronavirus outbreak under control, is now taking steps to control the disease well into the future, relying heavily on technology and its hyper-connected society.
Debt Moratorium 'Essential' to Help Africa Fight Coronavirus: Macron | French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called for a moratorium on the debt of African countries as "an essential step" to help the continent get through the coronavirus crisis. Speaking in an interview with Radio France Internationale, Macron urged G20 finance ministers meeting Wednesday to take action on a moratorium as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to overwhelm the fragile health systems of the poorest countries.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
Separate Covid-19 Wards for Hindus & Muslims at Gujarat Hospital?
The wards for coronavirus patient and suspected cases at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital have been separated on the basis of religion. The division is said to be in line with a state government decision.
Tamil Nadu Collects Rs 134 Crore From Donations to Combat Covid-19 | Tamil Nadu has received Rs 134 crore from various individuals and firms so far as a contribution towards the state's fight against the spread of coronavirus, the government said. The contributions include over 40,000 PCR kits from Tata Group valued at Rs 8 crore.
Four Test Positive for Covid-19 in Bihar, Tally Reaches 70 | Four persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar today, taking the total number of people afflicted with the disease to 70, an official said. Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar said three persons from Nalanda district a 60-year-old man and two women aged 25 and 35 years, all of whom came in contact with a coronavirus-infected patient with travel history to Dubai, have tested positive.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
Two Die After Consuming Methanol in Cuddalore Amid Lockdown | Two people died and three were admitted to the hospital after consuming methanol in Cuddalore today. With liquor shops closed due to the ongoing lockdown, such deaths have emerged as a cause of concern in Tamil Nadu. The state has recorded three deaths due to consumption of after-shave lotion, another three deaths due to ingesting varnish followed by one death caused after a man consumed sanitizer.
China Says 'Seriously Concerned' by US Freeze of WHO Funds | "This US decision will weaken WHO's capacities and undermine the international cooperation against the epidemic," Chinese official Zhao Lijian told a regular press briefing, a day after US President Donald Trump accused the Geneva-based body of putting political correctness above life-saving measures
Thailand Extends International Flight Ban | Thailand has extended a ban on international passenger flights landing in the country till April 30 as part of its effort to control the spread of coronavirus. The ban was initially ordered April 4 after chaos broke out at Bangkok's international airport when more than 100 returning Thai citizens reportedly refused to abide by regulations requiring them to go directly to state-run quarantine centers. The original three-day ban has already been extended once. (Image: Reuters)
Virus Sends Germany Into Recession, to Last Until Mid-year | Europe's economic powerhouse Germany has been in recession since March, with the slump sparked by the coronavirus pandemic likely to last until the middle of the year, the economy ministry said. "Falling global demand, interruption of supply chains, changes in consumers' behaviour and uncertainty among investors" had all made themselves felt in export giant Germany, the ministry said.
Covid-19 Cases Cross 500-Mark in Andhra Pradesh | Coronavirus cases in the state reached 502 today after 19 new cases and two more deaths were reported. The death toll climbed to 11. Of the new cases, eight were recorded in West Godavari district, six in Kurnool, four in Guntur and one in Krishna since Tuesday 5 pm, the latest bulletin from the government said.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
Mumbai's Bhatia Hospital Confirms 10 More Cases | Bhatia Hospital confirmed 10 more doctors and nurses tested positive for coronavirus today taking the total count of medics infected by the disease in the hospital to 35. The hospital has been sealed and treatment of all the staffers is being done inside the facility.
Kerala's Thrissur Pooram Cancelled for First Time Due to Virus | Thrissur's Pooram festival that was scheduled for may 3 was cancelled this year in view of the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown in the country. The decision was taken in a meeting attended by state ministers and president of the Devaswom board. It is reported that more than five people will perform the required rituals.
Karnataka Records 17 New Cases | Health official confirmed 17 new coronavirus cases of which 9 patients are employees of the pharmacy company in Mysore. The total number of positive cases reported is now at 277 including 11 deaths and 75 discharges
Lucknow's Medical College to Partner With NCC to Spread Awareness | The Lucknow-based King George Medical University (KGMU) will soon join hands with the National Cadet Corps to spread awareness about Covid-19. Under the partnership, NCC cadets will be trained in creating awareness and prevention of coronavirus. KGMU spokesperson Dr Sudhir Singh said, "NCC cadets, who are above 18 years, will be trained, and KGMU is being made a nodal centre in this regard. E-training module is being prepared by KGMU, and NCC cadets will be given training in prevention and assistance."
Women Domestic Workers Struggle for Basic Necessities During Covid-19 Lockdown
There are women workers who are still being compelled to work because they are being told by their employers that they will be fired if they don't show up.
Congress Asks govt to Probe 'Role' of Railway Ministry in Migrant Crisis | The Congress party asked the government to probe the "role" of the Railways Ministry for the migrant crisis in the country, with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the stranded workers reach their villages.
Covid-19 Patient's Wife Tests Positive in Assam | The wife of a COVID-19 patient tested positive for the disease in Assam, taking the tally in the state to 32, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The 32 cases include one who had died due to coronavirus.
Coronavirus Patient Dies by Suicide in Mumbai Hospital | A 29-year-old woman died by hanging herself in a bathroom of Mumbai's Nair Hospital. The woman, a resident of Jijamata Nagar in Worli and was admitted to the hospital after she tested positive for the coronavirus.
West Bengal Govt Adopts Containment Strategies for 'High-risk' Coronavirus Spots
The order also emphasised on the need for early detection of cases by tracing and tracking primary and secondary contacts of those that have contracted the disease.
Evidence of Stray Dogs as Possible Origin of Covid-19 | Scientists tracing signatures of the novel coronavirus across different species, have proposed that stray dogs -- specifically dog intestines -- may have contributed to the origin of the pandemic. "The ancestor of SARS-CoV-2 and its nearest relative, a bat coronavirus, infected the intestine of canids, most likely resulting in a rapid evolution of the virus in canids and its jump into humans," Xuhua Xia from the University of Ottawa in Canada said.
Covid-19 Cases in Indore Rise to 544 | The total number of coronavirus cases in Indore went up to 544 after 117 new cases were reported from the Madhya Pradesh city today an official said. Till late yesterday night, the state's industrial hub reported 427 COVID-19 cases.
Maharashtra Minister Says 'I'm Fit and Fine' After Covid-19 Reports | Maharashtra Minister Jitendra Awhad released a picture of his test report which states that he does not have the coronavirus after some media reports claimed that he tested positive for the disease.
Mumbai's Cooper Hospital Staff Stage Protests, Demand PPEs | The staff of Cooper Hospital is staging demonstration today after one of the nurses was thrashed by the kin of a coronavirus patient yesterday night. The hospital staff is also demanding the government to provide quality PPE to fight the corornavirus outbreak.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
Pakistan's Coronavirus Tally Nears 6,000-mark | The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan approached 6,000 after 272 new infections were reported, the health ministry said on Wednesday as Prime Minister Imran Khan extended the ongoing lockdown until the end of this month to fight the pandemic. The number of coronavirus patients in the country rose to 5,988, with 272 new cases and 11 deaths during the last 24 hours.
Six Indian-American Leaders Including Sundar Pichai to Help Revive US Economy | President Donald Trump has named six Indian-American corporate leaders, including Sunder Pichai from Google and Satya Nadella from Microsoft, to his Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups formed to revive the US economy from the damages caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Covid-19 Pushes China's GDP Into Decline For the First Time | The coronavirus health crisis likely knocked China's economy into its first decline since at least 1992 in the first quarter according to a Reuters poll, raising pressure on authorities to do more to restore growth as mounting job losses threaten social stability. Analysts expect China's gross domestic product to have shrunk 6.5% in January-March from a year earlier, according to a Reuters poll. That would reverse a 6% expansion in the fourth quarter of 2019 and mark the first decline since at least 28 years when official quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) records started.
Gujarat Police Recruits Cyber Volunteers to Fight Fake News | Gujarat Police have started recruiting cyber volunteers in Ahmedabad and Surat to help in curb the spread of hate content and rumours over coronavirus and lockdown on social media.
Japanese Media Says Country to Face 400,000 Deaths Without Containment Measures
Japan's death toll from the novel coronavirus could reach 400,000 without measures to stem the contagion, according to a health ministry projection reported by local media. A ministry team studying clusters of the disease estimated that serious cases needing ventilator intervention could reach 850,000, Kyodo and the Asahi newspaper reported. (Reuters)
Online Predators Put Millions of Kids at Risk During Lockdown: UN |
Millions of children around the world are at increased risk of online sexual exploitation, violence and cyberbullying as they spend more time on virtual platforms due to the closing of schools amid COVID-19 lockdown, the UN has said."Spending more time on virtual platforms can leave children vulnerable to online sexual exploitation and grooming, as predators look to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic. A lack of face-to-face contact with friends and partners may lead to heightened risk-taking such as sending sexualised images, while increased and unstructured time online may expose children to potentially harmful and violent content as well as greater risk of cyberbullying," the UNICEF said.
People with Disabilities Are Struggling to Find Hydroxychloroquine
Despite the government and Ministry of Health assuring citizens that HCQ was in enough supply, many have been unable to directly procure the drug from pharmacies.
First Covid-19 Patient in Meghalaya Dies of Coronavirus | The first Covid-19 positive case in Meghalaya, Dr John Sailo Rintathiang passed away early this morning, reported News18. The doctor, who was also the owner of Bethany Hospital, had tested positive for the virus on Monday. The state also recorded 6 more virus cases today, taking the total number of infections in Meghalaya to 7.
Coronavirus Pandemic LIVE Updates: 10 More Nurses Test Positive at Mumbai Hospital; Cases Rise in Karnataka, Andhra PradeshA doctor readies to take a swab to test for coronavirus. (Reuters)
The novel coronavirus has infected over 1.9 million people while the global death toll is over 1,20,000.
US President Donald Trump has cut off funding to the World Health Organization, accusing the UN body of mishandling the coronavirus crisis as governments grapple with how and when to get their struggling economies back to work. The deadly pandemic has already killed more than 125,000 people and infected nearly two million worldwide since it first emerged in China late last year.
The novel coronavirus has also upended the lives of billions of people as nations imposed lockdown measures to curb its spread, undoubtedly reducing the death toll, but also sending the global economy into a tailspin.
As the tally of deaths and new infections appears to begin levelling off, world leaders and citizens are fiercely debating when to lift stay-at-home orders.
Trump said he could see "rays of light" on the horizon for the world's largest economy, but launched a virulent attack on the WHO for "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus."
He accused the Geneva-based agency of propagating "false information" and charged that its reliance on Chinese data had "likely caused a 20-fold increase in cases worldwide."
The US contributed $400 million to the WHO last year.
Trump had made no secret of his contempt for what he calls a "China-centric" institution, but his caustic barbs raised hackles -- especially when the crisis is far from over.
It was "not the time to reduce the resources" of WHO, said UN chief Antonio Guterres in response to Trump's remarks, adding the organization was "absolutely critical to the world's efforts to win the war" against the virus.
Some shops in Austria and Italy reopened Tuesday, one day after Spain allowed construction and factory workers to return to their jobs.
But France extended its nationwide lockdown for another month, and India extended confinement orders for its 1.3 billion people until at least May 3.
And dire economic forecasts poured in throughout the day.
'The Great Lockdown'
The International Monetary Fund predicted the "Great Lockdown" would spark the worst global downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The Washington-based IMF said the global economy is expected to shrink by three percent this year -- and the US economy is expected to contract by 5.9 percent.
"Much worse growth outcomes are possible and maybe even likely," it said.
IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath said in 2020 and 2021, global GDP could slip by three percent or about $9 trillion -- "greater than the economies of Japan and Germany combined."
But if the virus is contained and economies can begin operating again, 2021 should see a rebound of 5.8 percent, the Fund added.
Individual governments also issued gut-wrenching outlooks -- France said its economy would shrink by a worse-than-expected eight percent in 2020, and Britain predicted a 13 percent drop in GDP.
In a bit of good news, the US Treasury announced a deal with the country's major airlines aimed at keeping workers paid and avoiding bankruptcies in an industry that employs 750,000 people. Details were not immediately disclosed.
'Hope it's not too early'
Around the globe, some countries showed signs of setting off on the long road back to normalcy.
Vienna's popular Favoriten shopping district drew mask-clad shoppers after the government allowed some small stores as well as hardware and gardening shops to reopen across Austria, which has been spared the worst of the virus.
"I just hope by God that it's not too early" to ease the lockdown, 75-year-old pensioner Anita Kakac told AFP.
In Italy, children's clothing shops and bookstores opened their doors Tuesday, but some fearful owners kept their boutiques shuttered.
Italy's death toll is now above 20,000 -- the second worst after the US, though far higher per capita -- but deaths and infections have eased off.
Denmark planned to open some of its schools Wednesday after a month-long shutdown, and the Czech government said it would begin easing lockdown measures on April 20.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that control measures "must be lifted slowly," noting that the coronavirus was 10 times deadlier than the 2009-10 swine flu outbreak.
'We are changing the curve'
In the United States, the death toll hit a record 2,228 fatalities in 24 hours up to Tuesday evening, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.
But new hospital admissions and infections in hard-hit New York state were down, and Governor Andrew Cuomo offered a glimmer of hope.
"We are changing the curve, every day. We've shown that we control the virus -- the virus doesn't control us," Cuomo said.
Trump sparked controversy on Monday by implying he could force state governors and city mayors to send people back to work at his command.
On Tuesday, he insisted the federal government and state leaders were working together to come up with a workable solution, and that he and the governors were "all getting along."
But the Republican president, who is running for re-election in November, also warned: "The governors are responsible. They have to take charge. They have to do a great job."
Local leaders on both US coasts have banded together and said they will make their own decisions -- and proceed with caution.
"I don't want to make a political decision that puts people's lives at risk and puts the economy at even more risk," California Governor Gavin Newsom said.
 |
| WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277 |
New Delhi/Ahmedabad :
Coronavirus Pandemic LIVE Updates: The government today issued new guidelines for phase 2 of the coronavirus lockdown, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended it till May 3. Activities like agriculture, industries in rural areas will be allowed after April 20 to "mitigate hardships to public", the Centre said.
The Covid-19 cases in India breached the 11,000-mark today while the death toll rose to 377, the Union Health Ministry said. The country registered 11,439 cases of which 9,756 are active. The numbers come amid news of Meghalaya’s lone Covid-19 patient, a 69-year-old doctor, succumbing to the pandemic early today morning.
Ahead of the Curve: South Korea's Evolving Strategy to Battle Covid-19 Resurgence
South Korea, among the first countries to bring a major coronavirus outbreak under control, is now taking steps to control the disease well into the future, relying heavily on technology and its hyper-connected society.
Debt Moratorium 'Essential' to Help Africa Fight Coronavirus: Macron | French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called for a moratorium on the debt of African countries as "an essential step" to help the continent get through the coronavirus crisis. Speaking in an interview with Radio France Internationale, Macron urged G20 finance ministers meeting Wednesday to take action on a moratorium as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to overwhelm the fragile health systems of the poorest countries.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
 |
| WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277 |
Separate Covid-19 Wards for Hindus & Muslims at Gujarat Hospital?
The wards for coronavirus patient and suspected cases at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital have been separated on the basis of religion. The division is said to be in line with a state government decision.
Tamil Nadu Collects Rs 134 Crore From Donations to Combat Covid-19 | Tamil Nadu has received Rs 134 crore from various individuals and firms so far as a contribution towards the state's fight against the spread of coronavirus, the government said. The contributions include over 40,000 PCR kits from Tata Group valued at Rs 8 crore.
Four Test Positive for Covid-19 in Bihar, Tally Reaches 70 | Four persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar today, taking the total number of people afflicted with the disease to 70, an official said. Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar said three persons from Nalanda district a 60-year-old man and two women aged 25 and 35 years, all of whom came in contact with a coronavirus-infected patient with travel history to Dubai, have tested positive.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
|
| WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277 |
Two Die After Consuming Methanol in Cuddalore Amid Lockdown | Two people died and three were admitted to the hospital after consuming methanol in Cuddalore today. With liquor shops closed due to the ongoing lockdown, such deaths have emerged as a cause of concern in Tamil Nadu. The state has recorded three deaths due to consumption of after-shave lotion, another three deaths due to ingesting varnish followed by one death caused after a man consumed sanitizer.
China Says 'Seriously Concerned' by US Freeze of WHO Funds | "This US decision will weaken WHO's capacities and undermine the international cooperation against the epidemic," Chinese official Zhao Lijian told a regular press briefing, a day after US President Donald Trump accused the Geneva-based body of putting political correctness above life-saving measures
Thailand Extends International Flight Ban | Thailand has extended a ban on international passenger flights landing in the country till April 30 as part of its effort to control the spread of coronavirus. The ban was initially ordered April 4 after chaos broke out at Bangkok's international airport when more than 100 returning Thai citizens reportedly refused to abide by regulations requiring them to go directly to state-run quarantine centers. The original three-day ban has already been extended once. (Image: Reuters)
Virus Sends Germany Into Recession, to Last Until Mid-year | Europe's economic powerhouse Germany has been in recession since March, with the slump sparked by the coronavirus pandemic likely to last until the middle of the year, the economy ministry said. "Falling global demand, interruption of supply chains, changes in consumers' behaviour and uncertainty among investors" had all made themselves felt in export giant Germany, the ministry said.
Covid-19 Cases Cross 500-Mark in Andhra Pradesh | Coronavirus cases in the state reached 502 today after 19 new cases and two more deaths were reported. The death toll climbed to 11. Of the new cases, eight were recorded in West Godavari district, six in Kurnool, four in Guntur and one in Krishna since Tuesday 5 pm, the latest bulletin from the government said.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
 |
| WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277 |
Mumbai's Bhatia Hospital Confirms 10 More Cases | Bhatia Hospital confirmed 10 more doctors and nurses tested positive for coronavirus today taking the total count of medics infected by the disease in the hospital to 35. The hospital has been sealed and treatment of all the staffers is being done inside the facility.
Kerala's Thrissur Pooram Cancelled for First Time Due to Virus | Thrissur's Pooram festival that was scheduled for may 3 was cancelled this year in view of the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown in the country. The decision was taken in a meeting attended by state ministers and president of the Devaswom board. It is reported that more than five people will perform the required rituals.
Karnataka Records 17 New Cases | Health official confirmed 17 new coronavirus cases of which 9 patients are employees of the pharmacy company in Mysore. The total number of positive cases reported is now at 277 including 11 deaths and 75 discharges
Lucknow's Medical College to Partner With NCC to Spread Awareness | The Lucknow-based King George Medical University (KGMU) will soon join hands with the National Cadet Corps to spread awareness about Covid-19. Under the partnership, NCC cadets will be trained in creating awareness and prevention of coronavirus. KGMU spokesperson Dr Sudhir Singh said, "NCC cadets, who are above 18 years, will be trained, and KGMU is being made a nodal centre in this regard. E-training module is being prepared by KGMU, and NCC cadets will be given training in prevention and assistance."
Women Domestic Workers Struggle for Basic Necessities During Covid-19 Lockdown
There are women workers who are still being compelled to work because they are being told by their employers that they will be fired if they don't show up.
Congress Asks govt to Probe 'Role' of Railway Ministry in Migrant Crisis | The Congress party asked the government to probe the "role" of the Railways Ministry for the migrant crisis in the country, with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the stranded workers reach their villages.
Covid-19 Patient's Wife Tests Positive in Assam | The wife of a COVID-19 patient tested positive for the disease in Assam, taking the tally in the state to 32, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The 32 cases include one who had died due to coronavirus.
Himanta Biswa Sarma✔@himantabiswaAlert ~ A woman from Dhubri has tested #COVID positive. She is wife of a #COVID19 positive person who is connected both with #NizamuddinMarkaz, and Athgaon Kabristan congregation in Guwahati.
The number of patients is now 32.
Update at 10.25 pm / April 14#AssamCovidCount
2,53510:27 PM - Apr 14, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy742 people are talking about this
Coronavirus Patient Dies by Suicide in Mumbai Hospital | A 29-year-old woman died by hanging herself in a bathroom of Mumbai's Nair Hospital. The woman, a resident of Jijamata Nagar in Worli and was admitted to the hospital after she tested positive for the coronavirus.
West Bengal Govt Adopts Containment Strategies for 'High-risk' Coronavirus Spots
The order also emphasised on the need for early detection of cases by tracing and tracking primary and secondary contacts of those that have contracted the disease.
Evidence of Stray Dogs as Possible Origin of Covid-19 | Scientists tracing signatures of the novel coronavirus across different species, have proposed that stray dogs -- specifically dog intestines -- may have contributed to the origin of the pandemic. "The ancestor of SARS-CoV-2 and its nearest relative, a bat coronavirus, infected the intestine of canids, most likely resulting in a rapid evolution of the virus in canids and its jump into humans," Xuhua Xia from the University of Ottawa in Canada said.
Covid-19 Cases in Indore Rise to 544 | The total number of coronavirus cases in Indore went up to 544 after 117 new cases were reported from the Madhya Pradesh city today an official said. Till late yesterday night, the state's industrial hub reported 427 COVID-19 cases.
Maharashtra Minister Says 'I'm Fit and Fine' After Covid-19 Reports | Maharashtra Minister Jitendra Awhad released a picture of his test report which states that he does not have the coronavirus after some media reports claimed that he tested positive for the disease.
Dr.Jitendra Awhad✔@AwhadspeaksI m fit and fine Working on streets But some channels using me for #TRPInteresting to know that they think people watch this also @ANI @PTI_News Plz c the report Undoubtebly i was over exposed for over a month God is kind who are kind to others
View image on Twitter99811:21 AM - Apr 15, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy270 people are talking about this
Mumbai's Cooper Hospital Staff Stage Protests, Demand PPEs | The staff of Cooper Hospital is staging demonstration today after one of the nurses was thrashed by the kin of a coronavirus patient yesterday night. The hospital staff is also demanding the government to provide quality PPE to fight the corornavirus outbreak.
WORLD COVID-19 live updates April 15 : One more death in Karnataka, death toll rises to 11, total 277
Pakistan's Coronavirus Tally Nears 6,000-mark | The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan approached 6,000 after 272 new infections were reported, the health ministry said on Wednesday as Prime Minister Imran Khan extended the ongoing lockdown until the end of this month to fight the pandemic. The number of coronavirus patients in the country rose to 5,988, with 272 new cases and 11 deaths during the last 24 hours.
Six Indian-American Leaders Including Sundar Pichai to Help Revive US Economy | President Donald Trump has named six Indian-American corporate leaders, including Sunder Pichai from Google and Satya Nadella from Microsoft, to his Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups formed to revive the US economy from the damages caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Covid-19 Pushes China's GDP Into Decline For the First Time | The coronavirus health crisis likely knocked China's economy into its first decline since at least 1992 in the first quarter according to a Reuters poll, raising pressure on authorities to do more to restore growth as mounting job losses threaten social stability. Analysts expect China's gross domestic product to have shrunk 6.5% in January-March from a year earlier, according to a Reuters poll. That would reverse a 6% expansion in the fourth quarter of 2019 and mark the first decline since at least 28 years when official quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) records started.
Gujarat Police Recruits Cyber Volunteers to Fight Fake News | Gujarat Police have started recruiting cyber volunteers in Ahmedabad and Surat to help in curb the spread of hate content and rumours over coronavirus and lockdown on social media.
Japanese Media Says Country to Face 400,000 Deaths Without Containment Measures
Japan's death toll from the novel coronavirus could reach 400,000 without measures to stem the contagion, according to a health ministry projection reported by local media. A ministry team studying clusters of the disease estimated that serious cases needing ventilator intervention could reach 850,000, Kyodo and the Asahi newspaper reported. (Reuters)
Online Predators Put Millions of Kids at Risk During Lockdown: UN |
Millions of children around the world are at increased risk of online sexual exploitation, violence and cyberbullying as they spend more time on virtual platforms due to the closing of schools amid COVID-19 lockdown, the UN has said."Spending more time on virtual platforms can leave children vulnerable to online sexual exploitation and grooming, as predators look to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic. A lack of face-to-face contact with friends and partners may lead to heightened risk-taking such as sending sexualised images, while increased and unstructured time online may expose children to potentially harmful and violent content as well as greater risk of cyberbullying," the UNICEF said.
People with Disabilities Are Struggling to Find Hydroxychloroquine
Despite the government and Ministry of Health assuring citizens that HCQ was in enough supply, many have been unable to directly procure the drug from pharmacies.
First Covid-19 Patient in Meghalaya Dies of Coronavirus | The first Covid-19 positive case in Meghalaya, Dr John Sailo Rintathiang passed away early this morning, reported News18. The doctor, who was also the owner of Bethany Hospital, had tested positive for the virus on Monday. The state also recorded 6 more virus cases today, taking the total number of infections in Meghalaya to 7.
Coronavirus Pandemic LIVE Updates: 10 More Nurses Test Positive at Mumbai Hospital; Cases Rise in Karnataka, Andhra PradeshA doctor readies to take a swab to test for coronavirus. (Reuters)
The novel coronavirus has infected over 1.9 million people while the global death toll is over 1,20,000.
US President Donald Trump has cut off funding to the World Health Organization, accusing the UN body of mishandling the coronavirus crisis as governments grapple with how and when to get their struggling economies back to work. The deadly pandemic has already killed more than 125,000 people and infected nearly two million worldwide since it first emerged in China late last year.
The novel coronavirus has also upended the lives of billions of people as nations imposed lockdown measures to curb its spread, undoubtedly reducing the death toll, but also sending the global economy into a tailspin.
As the tally of deaths and new infections appears to begin levelling off, world leaders and citizens are fiercely debating when to lift stay-at-home orders.
Trump said he could see "rays of light" on the horizon for the world's largest economy, but launched a virulent attack on the WHO for "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus."
He accused the Geneva-based agency of propagating "false information" and charged that its reliance on Chinese data had "likely caused a 20-fold increase in cases worldwide."
The US contributed $400 million to the WHO last year.
Trump had made no secret of his contempt for what he calls a "China-centric" institution, but his caustic barbs raised hackles -- especially when the crisis is far from over.
It was "not the time to reduce the resources" of WHO, said UN chief Antonio Guterres in response to Trump's remarks, adding the organization was "absolutely critical to the world's efforts to win the war" against the virus.
Some shops in Austria and Italy reopened Tuesday, one day after Spain allowed construction and factory workers to return to their jobs.
But France extended its nationwide lockdown for another month, and India extended confinement orders for its 1.3 billion people until at least May 3.
And dire economic forecasts poured in throughout the day.
'The Great Lockdown'
The International Monetary Fund predicted the "Great Lockdown" would spark the worst global downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The Washington-based IMF said the global economy is expected to shrink by three percent this year -- and the US economy is expected to contract by 5.9 percent.
"Much worse growth outcomes are possible and maybe even likely," it said.
IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath said in 2020 and 2021, global GDP could slip by three percent or about $9 trillion -- "greater than the economies of Japan and Germany combined."
But if the virus is contained and economies can begin operating again, 2021 should see a rebound of 5.8 percent, the Fund added.
Individual governments also issued gut-wrenching outlooks -- France said its economy would shrink by a worse-than-expected eight percent in 2020, and Britain predicted a 13 percent drop in GDP.
In a bit of good news, the US Treasury announced a deal with the country's major airlines aimed at keeping workers paid and avoiding bankruptcies in an industry that employs 750,000 people. Details were not immediately disclosed.
'Hope it's not too early'
Around the globe, some countries showed signs of setting off on the long road back to normalcy.
Vienna's popular Favoriten shopping district drew mask-clad shoppers after the government allowed some small stores as well as hardware and gardening shops to reopen across Austria, which has been spared the worst of the virus.
"I just hope by God that it's not too early" to ease the lockdown, 75-year-old pensioner Anita Kakac told AFP.
In Italy, children's clothing shops and bookstores opened their doors Tuesday, but some fearful owners kept their boutiques shuttered.
Italy's death toll is now above 20,000 -- the second worst after the US, though far higher per capita -- but deaths and infections have eased off.
Denmark planned to open some of its schools Wednesday after a month-long shutdown, and the Czech government said it would begin easing lockdown measures on April 20.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that control measures "must be lifted slowly," noting that the coronavirus was 10 times deadlier than the 2009-10 swine flu outbreak.
'We are changing the curve'
In the United States, the death toll hit a record 2,228 fatalities in 24 hours up to Tuesday evening, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.
But new hospital admissions and infections in hard-hit New York state were down, and Governor Andrew Cuomo offered a glimmer of hope.
"We are changing the curve, every day. We've shown that we control the virus -- the virus doesn't control us," Cuomo said.
Trump sparked controversy on Monday by implying he could force state governors and city mayors to send people back to work at his command.
On Tuesday, he insisted the federal government and state leaders were working together to come up with a workable solution, and that he and the governors were "all getting along."
But the Republican president, who is running for re-election in November, also warned: "The governors are responsible. They have to take charge. They have to do a great job."
Local leaders on both US coasts have banded together and said they will make their own decisions -- and proceed with caution.
"I don't want to make a political decision that puts people's lives at risk and puts the economy at even more risk," California Governor Gavin Newsom said.
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