March 2020

Covid-19: Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Modi, pledges support to govt; lists 8 suggestions Congress president Sonia Gandhi has written a letter to Prime Minister, suggesting steps to the government to tackle the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19. She also welcomed the 21-day lockdown announced by PM Modi. “The 21-day nation-wide lockdown announced by you as a measure to fight the coronavirus is a welcome step. As president of the Indian National Congress, I would like to state that we will support and collaborate fully with every step taken by the Union government to ensure the containment of the pandemic,” Gandhi...

‘First step in right direction’: Rahul Gandhi on govt’s Covid-19 aid package Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who has been critical of the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic so far, said that the financial assistance package announced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday “is the first step in the right direction”. “The Govt announcement today of a financial assistance package, is the first step in the right direction. India owes a debt to its farmers, daily wage earners, labourers, women & the elderly who are bearing the brunt of the ongoing lockdown,” Gandhi tweeted. Sitharaman announced a comprehensive...

Shashi Tharoor shares how to maintain physical distance the ‘Kerala way’ Social distancing is the norm of the day that’ll help flatten the curve. It’s advised to maintain considerable physical distance in case someone is going out in emergency circumstances – like buying essential items or visiting a medical felicity. Turns out, a shopkeeper in Kerala came up with an innovative way to do that while dealing with customers. This ingenious ‘Kerala way’ of physical distancing has impressed many, including MP Shashi Tharoor. “How to maintain physical distance between shopkeeper & customer while buying essential supplies — the Kerala way!”...

WHO ‘very much’ sided with China on coronavirus: Donald Trump US President Donald Trump has said that the World Health Organization has “very much” sided with China on coronavirus crisis, asserting that many people are unhappy with the global health agency and feel that “it’s been very unfair”. President Trump was responding to a question on allegations by Republican Senator Marco Rubio that the World Health Organization (WHO) showed “favouritism” to China. Congressman Michael McCaul, ranking member on the House Foreign Relations Committee, has questioned the integrity of the WHO’s director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, saying “that there were several red...

Countries should stop wasting time and fight coronavirus: WHO Governments should stop wasting precious time needed to fight the coronavirus after squandering an opportunity to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization’s head said. “We squandered the first window of opportunity,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The time to act was actually more than a month ago or two months ago.” The WHO chief gave a rare, blunt admonishment Wednesday on the world’s progress against the disease, which has killed almost 20,000 people and is present in almost every country. The agency generally avoids public criticism of its member...

‘Act like you have coronavirus’: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern ahead of lockdown WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told New Zealanders on Wednesday to behave as if they had the coronavirus and cut all physical contact outside their household when the country heads into a one-month lockdown at midnight. Ardern declared a national state of emergency as the number of cases of COVID-19, the disease associated with the coronavirus, surged by a record 50 cases to take the national tally to 205. The government has imposed self-isolation for everyone , with all non-essential services, schools and offices to be shut for a...

Coronavirus: Chef Floyd Cardoz, co-owner of Bombay Canteen, dies of Covid-19 in New Jersey Chef Floyd Cardoz, who tested positive for Covid-19, died of the infection in a hospital in New Jersey on Wednesday, his family confirmed. He was the co-owner of two popular restaurants in Mumbai – the Bombay Canteen and O Pedro. He had recently launched his third venture, the Bombay Sweet Shop. The Mumbai-raised chef had been in Mumbai until March 8. In an Instagram post on March 18, he said that had admitted himself to hospital in New Jersey, where he lived, since he was feeling...

Mahabharata battle won in 18 days, war against coronavirus will take 21 days: PM Modi NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Mahabharata battle was won in 18 days while the war against coronavirus will take 21 days. He was interacting with the citizens of Varanasi via video conferencing on Wednesday. “Mahabharata war was won in 18 days. The was that the whole country is now fighting against corona will take 21 days. Our aim is to win this war in 21 days,” said PM Modi. In his first public engagement after the announcement of the lockdown, the Prime...

Prince Charles tests positive for coronavirus Prince Charles has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The Duke of Cornwall is displaying mild symptoms, according to a Clarence House spokesperson. “He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson further revealed that the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, was also tested but she has not contracted the virus. “The Duchess of Cornwall has also been tested but does not have the virus. In accordance with Government and medical advice,...

Will increase COVID-19 testing in Karnataka by ten-fold: K Sudhakar Medical education minister of Karnataka, K Sudhakar, on Wednesday said that the state would increase number of individuals being tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) by nearly ten-fold, with the combined efforts of private and government laboratories. Sudhakar said that the department is seeking more permissions to involve private labs as well as scale up the number of individuals being tested for the deadly virus in Karnataka. “In the next eight to ten days, my target is around 50,000 tests,” Sudhakar told Mint. Source: Livemint