Corona Virus Update by Taj pharma limited

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Taj Pharmaceuticals started working on mRNA vaccine against coronavirus

Taj Pharmaceuticals Biotechnological Division has announced the research in order to create an mRNA vaccine against SARS-COV-2 (coronavirus). Development will be based on previous pipelines for mRNA-oncovaccines creation: an area where the company has a great expertise. The first animal studies are scheduled for the end of April.

• March 20, 2020 ? Taj Pharmaceuticals Biotechnological Division has announced the research in order to create an mRNA vaccine against SARS-COV-2 (coronavirus). Development will be based on previous pipelines for mRNA-oncovaccines creation: an area where the company has a great expertise. The first animal studies are scheduled for the end of April.
  
  According to Abhishek Kumar Singh, TAJ PHARMA CEO, today the whole world is working on the search for coronavirus treatment: ?By now, 66 companies around the world have announced the development of drugs against SARS-COV-19, 51 of them are working on vaccines, 15 ? on DNA, RNA or small molecules based drugs. In my opinion, the more intellectual forces are involved in solving the problem, the sooner the world can get over this challenge?.
  
  Three vaccine options are planned to be developed; and animal testing is scheduled for late April. The short development period is granted by its mRNA basis. In contrast to the traditional vaccines based on reorganized proteins, manufacturing of small molecules drugs takes less than five to six months.
  
  Since the end of January, researchers from the Dongfang Hospital at Shanghai Tongji University and the Chinese biotechnology company Stemirna have been working on the vaccine. They synthesized matrix ribonucleic acid (mRNA) with several sequences of different antigens. Recently, researchers from the University of Utrecht (Netherlands), in collaboration with the Erasmus University Medical Center and Harbor Biomed, reported the discovery of the first human monoclonal antibody that can block the attachment of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
  
  About the company
  Taj Pharmaceuticals is the global leader in generics and one of the India?s top ten pharmaceutical companies. Taj Pharma India play a leading role in therapeutic areas such as cancer, virology and transplantation. The combined strengths of Taj Pharma generics and pharmaceuticals businesses, coupled with expertise in the emerging genetic sciences, equip us to develop integrated healthcare solutions and therapeutic approaches tailored to individual patients? needs. Taj Pharmaceutical?s products and services address the entire healthcare spectrum, from screening for genetic risk factors, to preventing, diagnosing and treating disease, and monitoring the treatment response.
  
  Taj Pharma India delivers a unique contribution to better healthcare. Taj Pharma India aim to reduce suffering and improve health and quality of life of people all around the world. At Taj Pharmaceuticals, Taj Pharma India have pursued this mission with patience, dedication, imagination and skill, for over a century. Taj Pharma vision is to develop targeted medicines and diagnostic tools that combine to offer patients, physicians and payers better, safer, more cost-effective healthcare.
  
  Once again, welcome to Taj Pharmaceuticals, a great company that is translating a great vision into reality ? We Innovate Healthcare.

{Taj Pharma India} How the coronavirus (COVID-19) test works

{Taj Pharma India} How the coronavirus (COVID-19) test works

How does the PCR test look for the virus in swab samples? How long does it take? How many samples is India testing daily, and can it test more? If it can, why has it not scaled up yet?

What is the diagnostic test for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19?

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said designated labs will use the conventional real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which is conducted on swab collected from the back of the throat, a liquid sample from the lower respiratory tract, or a simple saliva sample. Such tests are commonly used in Influenza A, Influenza B and H1N1 virus detection.

What is the PCR test?

It uses a technique that creates copies of a segment of DNA. ?Polymerase? refers to the enzymes that make the copies of DNA. The ?chain reaction? is how the DNA fragments are copied, exponentially ? one is copied into two, the two are copied into four, and so on. Kary Mullis, the American biochemist who invented the PCR technique, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1993.

However, SARS-COV-2 is a virus made of RNA, which needs to be converted into DNA. For this, the technique includes a process called reverse transcription. A ?reverse transcriptase? enzyme converts the RNA into DNA. Copies of the DNA are then made and amplified. A fluorescent DNA binding dye called the ?probe? shows the presence of the virus. The test also distinguishes SARS-COV-2 from other viruses.

How long does the PCR process take?

Real-time PCRs have brought down the time taken to test samples to 4.5 hours from around 6 hours earlier, ICMR scientist Dr R R Gangakhedkar said. However, the overall turnaround time ? from the time the samples are collected to when the report is delivered ? is around 24 hours, and should be ?less?, he said.

How is the test being done in India?

India currently conducts a two-stage real-time PCR to test for SARS-COV-2, said NIMHANS Senior Professor and Head of Neurovirology, Dr V Ravi. The first stage is designed to detect genetic elements common to human coronaviruses that may exist in the sample. The second stage is designed to test for specific genes present only in the SARS-COV-2 virus.

Until the beginning of March, the initial screening test to check for any type of coronavirus was done by all labs, but the confirmatory PCR was only done by the National Institute of Virology in Pune. ?Then, NIV Pune transferred the technology (reagents required for the confirmation) to all labs so that there would be no need for a sample to go all the way to Pune. This has cut down on the time taken to test the samples,? Dr Ravi said.

Is India testing enough numbers?

India has the capacity to test 10,000 samples daily, and is currently testing around 600?700. By comparison, South Korea, which has a similar turnaround time, is reportedly testing up to 20,000 samples a day, especially using models like its drive-through testing facilities.

The government argues it is not necessary at this stage to test every person. The country is testing the cohort that it needs to test ?for now?, said Dr Gangakhedkar. ?If you go by localised transmission, we are testing enough. If you believe there is community-based transmission, then it?s a different issue. There is still no evidence where we do not know how the index case has acquired this infection,? he said.

?We don?t want to do any indiscriminate testing because now everybody is asking for a test. So, somewhere, we will have to rationalise it? but it is also important to keep an eye out so that we are not missing community transmission,? ICMR scientist Dr Nivedita Gupta said during a press briefing last week.

What will be the strategy if community transmission happens?

ICMR is conducting a surveillance for any evidence of community transmission, with each of India?s 52 testing labs testing 20 random samples of patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). The ?first cut? of these tests are expected to be out on Wednesday. ICMR has said that, in the event that a case of community transmission is unearthed from these surveillance tests, the government?s strategies will be ?completely different?.

Are there barriers to scaling up testing?

Cost is a potential barrier, feel some experts. ICMR officials had said in a conference that the cost of a primary test for COVID-19 is Rs 1,500. If a second test is to be done to confirm the results of the first test, the total cost is around Rs 5,000. One of the officials had also said that the probes used, which are imported from Germany, are a ?limiting? factor.

While the number of testing centres has been increased, the imports of probes have also shot up. Last week, India wanted to import around 200,000 probes, whereas on Monday, Dr Gangakhedkar said the government was planning to import around a million.

Could India be doing things differently?

What India had started to do is ?exactly? what was recommended for a country where the disease was ?imported?, according to Translational Health Science and Technology Institute India?s executive director, Dr Gagandeep Kang. However, testing and follow-ups of those coming into the country, and putting those they have come into contact with under surveillance, is a ?rational and appropriate? approach if the only risk was of importing the disease, and follow-up and testing was 100%, she said.

?But what can happen is that with this infection you can be shedding even before you develop symptoms, and in very few you might never have symptoms, so you could be transmitting it to other people without knowing you are infected,? she said. ?This kind of complexity? makes it necessary to think about having a backup strategy to see if you?ve actually missed anything,? she said. ?There is more that we could be doing.?

Will the ICMR surveillance help?

ICMR?s decision is a good step, but there are regions that such an exercise would then leave out, Dr Kang said. ?If you are testing samples each week from each influenza lab, then if you find even one positive, that is going to tell you that you?ve missed a lot,? she said. According to Dr Kang, it is possible to use mathematical

modelling to understand what would give the government a ?reasonable chance? of identifying whether there is already any community transmission. ?I think it would be great to have the kind of model that Singapore has, where any doctor anywhere who had a clinical suspicion, even if it didn?t fit the description, was allowed to send their patient for a test,? she added.

Indian express

About Taj Pharma

Taj Pharmaceutical?s products and services address the entire healthcare spectrum, from screening for genetic risk factors, to preventing, diagnosing and treating disease, and monitoring the treatment response.Taj Pharma India delivers a unique contribution to better healthcare.

Taj Pharma India aim to reduce suffering and improve health and quality of life of people all around the world.

Taj Pharmaceuticals contributes to the communities where we live. We are committed to our employees, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Taj Pharmaceuticals care deeply about making a difference. Taj Pharmaceuticals work fearlessly. We do not give up even when challenged, pursuing innovation in all that we do.

Working for a healthier world; that?s our prime agenda

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?Taj Pharma? Shortlisted by Siliconindia Magazine as ?10 Most Promising Pharmaceutical Products and Services Companies 2020?

The global pharmaceutical industry, which was worth $390 billion ten years ago, has now crossed the one trillion mark and is still marching forward majestically.

• (1888PressRelease) February 09, 2020 ? Even though the top 10 pharma companies (all from U.S. and Europe) control over one-third of this vast market and reap close to $10 billion in revenue each year, a large number of startups and SMBs across the world are competing with each other not just to get their share of pie, but also make a name for themselves in this fiercely competitive domain.
  
  Our editorial team has analyzed offerings, top management profiles and position of about 240+ Company who provides Pharmaceutical Product & Services in India. We also take input and feedback from Healthcare Industry experts. We are very pleased to inform you that, ?Taj Pharma? has been shortlisted by our editorial board which will be honored as ?10 Most Promising Pharmaceutical Products and Services Companies 2020?. We believe this is a great opportunity for your company to be featured in our Edition?. This recognition will definitely help you to increase your market value and to seek attention from your target audience.
  
  About Taj Pharma
  Taj Pharmaceuticals is the global leader in generics and one of the India?s top ten pharmaceutical companies. Taj Pharma India play a leading role in therapeutic areas such as cancer, virology and transplantation. The combined strengths of Taj Pharma generics and pharmaceuticals businesses, coupled with expertise in the emerging genetic sciences, equip us to develop integrated healthcare solutions and therapeutic approaches tailored to individual patients? needs. Taj Pharmaceutical?s products and services address the entire healthcare spectrum, from screening for genetic risk factors, to preventing, diagnosing and treating disease, and monitoring the treatment response.
  
  Taj Pharma India delivers a unique contribution to better healthcare. Taj Pharma India aim to reduce suffering and improve health and quality of life of people all around the world. At Taj Pharmaceuticals, Taj Pharma India have pursued this mission with patience, dedication, imagination and skill, for over a century. Taj Pharma vision is to develop targeted medicines and diagnostic tools that combine to offer patients, physicians and payers better, safer, more cost-effective healthcare.
  
  Once again, welcome to Taj Pharmaceuticals, a great company that is translating a great vision into reality ? We Innovate Healthcare.
  
  Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited is committed to earning the trust of doctors, patients and customers every day. Taj Pharma colleagues worldwide believe that trust is not easily granted, and that is the reason Taj Pharma India focus each day on becoming a champion for Taj Pharma stakeholders.
  
  During the past ten years, Taj Pharmaceuticals Group has been building a new kind of health care company. Throughout Taj Pharma Group (India), there?s a desire to build long-term relationships with Taj Pharma stakeholders based on mutual confidence. This is evident in many ways. Taj Pharma scientists are earning trust through the discovery and development of innovative, science-based medicines and services that improve the health and overall well-being of people around the world. Taj Pharma sales professionals, marketing teams, colleagues working at Taj Pharma plants and others throughout the organization at all levels of responsibility take each day as a fresh opportunity to earn trust.
  
  All of this takes hard work, sharp execution, integrity and transparency on the part of Taj Pharmaceuticals Group colleagues. Taj Pharma global team is working to sustain and expand innovative new treatments. Taj Pharma India?re determined to do Taj Pharma part to increase access to better health care for all people. And, Taj Pharma India is focused on becoming the best in three key strategic areas: people, products and processes.
  
  Taj Pharma India?re beginning to see the results of Taj Pharma efforts, but believe the best is yet to come. The test of being a true champion is to never give up and to passionately strive for even better outcomes. From Taj Pharma perspective as a health care company, that means helping people around the world live better and live longer.

WHO officially names new coronavirus disease Covid-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially named the disease caused by the new coronavirus, initially identified in Wuhan, China, as Covid-19.

Chinese authorities first reported a case of pneumonia with an unknown cause in Wuhan to the WHO China office on 31 December.

As more cases emerged, the cause was identified as a novel coronavirus, temporarily named 2019-nCoV or Wuhan coronavirus, in some cases.

The name Covid-19 will avoid the use of other inaccurate names and any references to a geographic location, an animal, an individual or group of people, said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
?

A statement from WHO reads: ?Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatising. It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks.?

The virus has now spread to 25 more countries, leading to a total of 1,115 deaths and more than 45,100 cases, as of the end of 11 February. WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January.

On 11 February, WHO began its two-day forum to identify knowledge gaps and research priorities to control the spread of Covid-19 epidemic.

Every country needs to take boldest actions to stop COVID-19

Every country needs to take boldest actions to stop COVID-19

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are holding this press briefing in an empty UN City building, as staff are now working remotely as a social distancing measure due to the coronavirus.

The lives of millions of people in our region are undergoing radical change.  There is, quite simply, a new reality.  The role of public health services is understood.  The value of health workers is appreciated like never before.

As of today, 152 countries across the globe are affected by this new virus and over 7000 people have lost their lives to it. One third of globally reported cases are in the European Region.  
Europe is the epicenter of the first pandemic of coronavirus and every country, with no exceptions, need to take their boldest actions to stop or slow down the virus spread. Boldest action should include community action. Thinking that ?this does not concern me? is not an option.

The good news is that the Region is alert and on guard. Preparedness, readiness and response measures on multiple levels have been launched in all our Member States. We monitor those measures on an ongoing basis and hold regular consultations with counterparts in health ministries to gather and share helpful information.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by our Member States these days is, ?Are governments doing enough to stop the epidemic??. And the second question, ?Are governments doing too much. Is it justified?? To answer this, let me set out a few points about the scale of the response in Europe.

First, we are dealing with ?Four Cs? scenarios of the outbreak:

1. no case
2. first case
3. first cluster, and
4. first evidence of community transmission.

The outbreak is progressing at different speeds in different countries depending on demographics and other factors. Some of our Member States are in scenario 2 and 3, many are in 3 and 4. The basic actions in each scenario are the same, but the emphasis changes depending on which transmission scenario a country is in.

Every single country must assess their own situation and context including virus spread, measures in place and social acceptability and adopt the most appropriate interventions.

However, all should work to:

1. Prepare and be ready;
2. Detect, protect and treat;
3. Reduce transmission;
4. Innovate and learn, while protecting the vulnerable people.

It is not an ?either or? solution.  It is a package of comprehensive measures that can bring the best results.

At every step, the public should be informed and guided on how to protect themselves and others, support their communities and maintain a sense of normality in extraordinary circumstances. Health facilities have to have the necessary equipment to care for those seriously affected and to protect health workers from exposure.

We are fortunate that across Europe many countries now have national response plans with efficient multi-sectoral measures and strong laboratory testing capacity. The experience of China and others shows that testing and contact tracing, combined with social distancing measures and community mobilization, when put in place quickly and effectively can prevent infections and save lives.

At the WHO Regional Office for Europe we provide technical expertise and guidance, collate and share information and innovation with all 53 Member States, working with them around the clock.

• As of today, we have sent expert teams for hospital preparedness, coordination, health sector planning, laboratory services, preparedness & readiness and rapid response on some 40 missions in countries across the Region, on their request.
• We have also a strong team on the ground in Italy, both in Rome and at the WHO Venice Office.
• We are working with Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network partners and emergency medical teams to scale up capacity to respond to an increasing demand for support on the ground.
• WHO is monitoring the potential risk of a disruption to medicine supplies, focusing on essential medicines critical for primary health care and emergencies, including antibiotics, pain killers, and treatments for diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and tuberculosis.
• WHO delivers laboratory equipment, medical devices, and personal protective equipment to countries in need. We are aware of some critical shortages and are working hand-in-hand with partners like the European Commission, WHO globally and private industry to tackle this.
• We are working with manufacturers increasingly, on also increasing the laboratory testing capacity.

I want to stress that the demand and the need for our support is growing. Resources are critical to sustain our efforts so that no one is left behind, nor at the sidelines. Everyone in society has a role to play: not to be infected yourself, and if you are infected, to protect others, especially the elderly and the people with underlying medical conditions.

These are unprecedented times. It is important that countries work together, learn from each other and harmonize the efforts. The virus can be beaten back by solidarity within communities, within nations and within our region, together with individual psychological resilience. Thank you very much

Statement to the press by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe

Tags: Corona outbreaks, Global alert corona, Corona Virus, Corona Medicine Taj Pharma, COVID 19, Pandemic, Coronavirus India

About Taj Pharma:

Taj Pharma India delivers a unique contribution to better healthcare. Taj Pharma India aim to reduce suffering and improve health and quality of life of people all around the world. At Taj Pharmaceuticals, Taj Pharma India have pursued this mission with patience, dedication, imagination and skill, for over a century. Taj Pharma vision is to develop targeted medicines and diagnostic tools that combine to offer patients, physicians and payers better, safer, more cost-effective healthcare.

Taj Pharma India technology and engineering capabilities create novel ways to seamlessly transition products from development to manufacturing with the intent of bringing our high-quality medicines to market faster. 

Taj Pharmaceuticals: Our commitment to clients in the spread of COVID-19

We Taj Pharmaceuticals are in the midst of challenging times, brought upon us due to the unimaginable spread of COVID-19. As we grapple with this difficult and ever evolving situation, we wanted to reach out to make sure that you are doing okay and in case you needed any help. It is hard to think of a business that is not impacted by this pandemic, the effects of which we will all continue to feel for a long time.

Considering the current situation across the globe wherein everyone is trying their best to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic, we understand that we aren?t insulated from any uncertainties too.

We, as an organisation, are doing our bit to ensure the safety and security of our employees, partners, etc. while ensuring that the work isn?t hampered.

As a firm, we have always placed the highest emphasis on delivering quality generics to all our clients, consistently. I want to take this opportunity to assure you that our professional commitments continue to occupy an important place for all of us at Taj Pharmaceuticals even as we steer our way through the crisis. Our Values of Care and Working Together come to fore in difficult times like these ? we want to be responsible towards you, as well as our people and the larger society that we are a part of. As we strive to be cautious and safe, we request you all to consider conducting meetings online. Our teams will support you and will be there to make sure the work goes on. As we gear up to adapt to the changes and work with you,  your support would be highly appreciated.

We Taj Pharmaceuticals have put in place several measures that are helping us address this situation. Earlier this week, we announced that our people would work from home until further notice or unless there is a critical business need. We have also discontinued all international travel and physical meetings for the time being.

We Taj Pharma have been able to make this decision on the back of a robust infrastructure and processes that we have put in place over the past few years, which enable us to continue providing seamless service to our clients without the need to be physically present in office. Accordingly, we are also working with our clients to assess where our teams can be moved to a virtual working space.

I want to give you the confidence that we have tested our Business Continuity processes and at no time, do our clients need to be concerned about our ability to service them seamlessly.

In this difficult time, we have witnessed some heartening examples of enduring human spirit and this gives me the belief that together we will overcome this.

I thank you for your continued support and we at Taj Pharmaceuticals, assure our continued support to you and your teams as we together navigate these challenging times. Looking forward to work together and support each other to tackle this unfortunate situation and rebuild a safe, secure environment for all of us. Most importantly, we wish good health and safety for you and your family.

Take care and stay safe.

Warm regards,

Abhishek Kumar Singh
CEO| Taj Pharmaceuticals India

News and Update Related to Coronavirus pandemic COVID-19

India COVID-19 coronavirus by city and state

Visit our Covid-19 microsite for the latest coronavirus news, analysis and updates Coronavirus FAQs Coronavirus in India: how the 2019-nCoV could impact the world?s second?most populated country Coronavirus-affected countries: Italy Middle East South Korea Japan Singapore Malaysia China USA UK Thailand Philippines Latest on India coronavirus (Covid-19) situation, followed by details on states, union territories and cities. For latest coronavirus news updates, jump to NCR, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Kerala.

{Taj Pharma India} How the coronavirus (COVID-19) test works

How does the PCR test look for the virus in swab samples? How long does it take? How many samples is India testing daily, and can it test more? If it can, why has it not scaled up yet?

Coronavirus in India: how the COVID-19 could impact the fast-growing economy

India reported the first confirmed case of the coronavirus infection on 30 January 2020 in the state of Kerala. The affected had a travel history from Wuhan, China.

Every country needs to take boldest actions to stop COVID-19

Every country needs to take boldest actions to stop COVID-19. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are holding this press briefing in an empty UN City building, as staff are now working remotely as a social distancing measure due to the coronavirus. The lives of millions of people in our region are undergoing radical change.  There is, quite simply, a new reality.  The role of public health services is understood.  The value of health workers is appreciated like never before.

Coronavirus outbreak shows Asia needs to step up infection preparation [Taj Pharma]

Region is safer after epidemic lessons but new diseases always arising. In early January, the World Health Organization was notified by China that 41 people in Wuhan, the country?s seventh most populous city, had been hospitalized with what appeared to be a mystery strain of pneumonia. Many were reported to be workers in or visitors to a live animal market.

India COVID-19 coronavirus by city and state

India records second death and Delhi registers its first due to corona virus COVID-19, while coronavirus positive cases have jumped to 89, with two new cases reported in Maharashtra and one in Uttar Pradesh on 14 March, according to media reports.

? India becomes fifth country in the world after Japan, Thailand, US and China to  isolate the COVID-19 coronavirus virus strain. This is expected to help the country to expedite development of drugs, vaccines and  diagnostic kits, said Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general Balram Bhargava.

? Pakistan responds positively to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi?s video conferencing offer with SAARC countries to discuss ways to deal with corona virus pandemic.

? Tihar Jail sets up isolation ward.

? IIT-D students have been asked to leave hostel by Sunday midnight in the wake of rise in coronavirus cases.

? WHO says Europe is currently the ?epicentre? of COVID-19.

? With corona cases increasing rapidly in the world, Badminton World Federation cancels all tournaments including India Open until 12 April.

13 March

India records second death

? India records second death and Delhi registers its first due to corona virus COVID-19, while coronavirus positive cases have jumped to 86, with three fresh cases reported from Maharashtra, and one each from Manesar Army facility in Gurgaon and Jammu & Kmir, according to media reports (See details in Maharashtra; and Delhi, NCR; J&K). These cases were reported after a second official update of 81 cases including one death was issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 13 March evening. Out of the 81 cases, 64 are Indian nationals, 17 are foreign nationals.

-The second batch of 44 Indian pilgrims has returned to India, in Mumbai this afternoon, from coronavirus-hit Iran aboard an Iran Air plane. They will reach Jaisalmer soon. The first batch of 58 pilgrims reached in India on Tuesday.

? Four SAARC nations ? Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives ? supported Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi?s proposal to devise a joint strategy to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

? Even though India is preparing to facilitate the return of its nationals from coronavirus-hit Iran and Italy, it advised them to avoid non-essential overseas tours until the pandemic COVID-19 subsides as they could be quarantined for 14 days at least.

-Operators of private airport operators have asked the government to allow levying a fee on each flight ticket to cover expenses made by them to screen arriving passengers for coronavirus symptoms.

-In view of the coronavirus situation, JNU has suspended classes until April, IIT Delhi has cancelled all classes with immediate effect and IIM Ahmedabad has cancelled convocation slated for 21 March.

? BCCI postpones IPL 2020 from 29 March to 15 April.

? Jail inmates in Kerala to make masks in the wake of pandemic COVID-19.

? Air India flight to fly back Indians stranded in Milan. There are 200 Indian students in Milan.

12 March

India reports first coronavirus death

? India reports its first coronavirus Covid-19 death on 12 March. The virus has claimed the life of a 76 year-old man in Karnataka. (See details in Covid-19 Coronavirus in Bangalore, Karnataka). The India corona virus Covid-19 cases have touched 76 on 12 March, with fresh cases reported in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra in the evening, after an official update of 73 was released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Andhra Pradesh reports its first coronavirus case today. (See details under Covid-19 coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh).  Of this total count of those infected with the pandemic coronavirus, 17 are foreign nationals.

-So far, India has screened 10,57,506 people for the pandemic covid-19.

-The Indian government has decided to quarantine itself from the rest of the world until 15 April in the wake of growing coronavirus cases in the country. It has suspended all visas with the exception of those for diplomatic, UN or international bodies, official and employment purposes.

? The WHO declared the Covid-19 outbreak as ?pandemic?.

?The cabinet secretary has announced that all states and union territories must invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 as per which all advisories issued by the Union health ministry and state governments are enforceable.

-Ministry of External Affairs advised against conducting the IPL matches, which is  slated to begin on 29 March, to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

? Kerala assembly passes a unanimous resolution against Centre?s circular stopping the entry of Indians from Covid-19-impacted countries. The circular was termed as ?inhuman? and ?cruel?.

Update on Indians in Iran

? 300 swabs of Indians in Iran are found to be positive with covid-19 coronavirus. There are more than 6,000 Indians stranded in various parts of Iran. Of this, 1,100 are pilgrims from the union territories of  Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and the state of Maharashtra; 1,000 are fishermen from Kerala, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu; and 300 are students from Jammu and Kashmir; and the remaining are pursuing their livelihood.

-India plans to send three airplanes over the next three days to bring back stranded Indians from Iran.

? Delhi HC asks the Government of India to contact Indians stranded in Tehran.

11 March

? India coronavirus Covid-19 cases have touched 66 on 11 March 2020, after two fresh cases in Mumbai, three in Pune and one in Nagpur were reported by media reports. The fresh cases were reported after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare?s corona virus update earlier today that released the figure as 60, with two new cases of coronavirus in Delhi and Rajasthan. Ten cases of coronavirus were reported since yesterday?s update, the ministry further added. Among these cases are eight from Kerala, and one each in Rajasthan and Delhi. India reports no corona virus death so far.

? India suspends all visas and e-visas granted to nationals of France, Germany and Spain on or before 11 March.

? Besides visa restrictions that are already in place, people who have travelled from or have visited Italy or Republic of Korea recently and plan to enter India will now require a certificate indicating that they are negative for coronavirus from laboratories authorised by these countries.

? Through a letter, Kerala Chief Minister?s office has urged the Centre to immediately withdraw the advisory on restrictions imposed on people travelling from Italy to India. This would help Indians, who have booked tickets but stranded in airports of Italy, to reach India.

? Hundreds of Indian students are stranded in Italy, which imposed a lockdown.

? Due to fears over the spread of coronavirus, Air India?s flight from Milan, Italy was taken to an isolation bay at the IGI Airport in New Delhi. The flight had 70 passengers and crew. They are being screened for covid-19 according to the protocol.

? The condition of an 89-year-old coronavirus patient in Kerala is stated to critical. (See details under Covid-19 Coronavirus in Kerala)

? In a Karanataka coronavirus update, a 76-year-old man who is suspected to be infected with covid 19 dies in Karnataka, reported PTI. His throat swab has been sent for further testing to Bangalore.

? An Indian origin man, in his eighties, died of coronavirus in the UK.

? Two anti-HIV drugs were administered together on a patient with breathing problems, for the first time in India.

? International cruise ships can dock at ports only after having thermal screening facilities for passengers, crew, says Indian government.

? 83 persons, who arrived in Air India flight today from Italy, are being quarantined at Army facility at Manesar, Haryana.

-Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that the country has evacuated 948 people from coronavirus-hit countries. Out of this total count, 900 are Indian nationals, while 48 are from countries such as Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, China, US, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa, Madagascar, and Peru. 654 persons have been tested negative for corona virus and discharged, while 294 are being quarantined and not showing flu-like symptoms.

? Indian Railways announced that it has taken comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

-Ministry of Shipping has released Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for international cruise ships at major ports of India to handle coronavirus.

10 March

-The total count of India coronavirus cases have touched 50, according to the press release issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Of the new corona virus cases, four positive cases are reported from Bengaluru and two cases from Pune. Of the 50 cases, 34 cases are Indian nationals and 16 are Italians.

? Manipur has closed its border with Myanmar in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

? The IAF C-17 Globemaster with 58 Indians evacuated from Tehran has landed in Ghaziabad.

? The Indian government has ordered the Central Armed Police Forces to prepare quarantine facilities to admit more than 5,400 people.

9 March

? Fresh cases of coronavirus in Punjab, Karnataka,  Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have been reported on 9 March 2020, taking the total cases of corona virus in India so far to 44.

? A man, who had come back from Saudi Arabia and was in isolation ward at a Kolkata hospital, has died late yesterday evening. A diabetic, he belonged to Murshidabad district. His samples are sent for Covid-19 coronavirus testing.

-Out of the 3,003 samples tested for coronavirus Covid-19, 43 have tested positive while 2,694 samples have returned negative results. The results of the remaining samples are awaited.

? External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that efforts are on for the return of Indian pilgrims in Qom, Iran. Screening has commenced and follow up arrangements are being discussed by the Indian Embassy with the authorities in Iran.

? Qatar puts India on travel ban list. With Qatar and Kuwait implementing travel ban on India, airlines in India will see a big dent in their business as these nations are key markets.

? The government stated that a total of 8,74,708 international passengers from 8,255 flights have been screened at airports until now, of which 1,921 passengers have been identified as symptomatic. 177 of them have been hospitalised. Currently, 33,599 passengers are under observation and 21,867 passengers have completed their observation period.

? 17 Indian passengers, all belonging to the state Tamil Nadu, are stranded in a cruise ship docked in the Nile of Egypt since 5 March after 12 crew members and 33 passengers were found positive for Covid 19 coronavirus.

? IAF aircraft will be sent to Tehran to evacuate stranded Indian nationals.

8 March

-India coronavirus Covid-19 cases reached 39 on 8 March 2020, with five new cases of coronavirus in Kerala (See details in Covid-19 Coronavirus in Kerala).

? 420 people with recent travel history to corona virus-affected countries of China, Malaysia and Thailand have been asked to self-quarantine at their homes in Gurugram for 28 days. (See details in Covid-19 Coronavirus in Delhi, NCR)

? Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting late yesterday with officials and ordered them to identify locations for enough quarantine centres for Covid-19 coronavirus cases.

-Arunachal Pradesh bans entry of foreign nationals.

? ACT Fibernet is upgrading speeds of its broadband to upto 300Mbps and provide an unlimited fair usage policy (FUP) for subscribers until 31 March to support work from home amid corona virus in India.

7 March

? India Covid-19 cases increased to 34 on 07 March with three new cases announced by the health ministry. The new cases include two from Ladakh with travel history to Iran and one from Tamil Nadu with travel history to Oman.

? 300 swabs of Indians from Iran have reached Delhi. The swabs will be tested and cleared by Indian laboratories, following which the stranded Indian citizens in Tehran will be allowed to board flights to India.

? India eases ban on flights to Iran to allow stranded Indians in Iran to fly back home.  The flights to Iran were halted on 26 February due to growing coranavirus numbers in Iran.

? A Bangalore techie and a colleague of Hyderabad?s Covid19 coronavirus patient is found to be symptomatic and admitted at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) in Karnataka. (See details in Covid-19 Coronavirus in Bengaluru, Karnataka)

? Two coronavirus-suspected Kashmir patients undergoing treatment at a Jammu hospital are suspected to be carrying high viral load.

? As per the latest Covid-19 news reports, India has now shared two whole genome sequence data of the corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data.

Kuwait suspends flights to India due to corona virus scare.

? As corona cases in India touch 31, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people to not believe rumours and urged them to consult doctors in case they have flu-like symptoms and get their doubts clarified.

? The Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued an order requiring aviation personnel to be tested for flu-like symptoms before they are subject to breath analyser tests. This order is effective until 13 March.

? Agra Mayor has urged the Union government to close down historical monuments including Taj Mahal in the wake of increasing India coronavirus cases.

? Cold is conducive for coronavirus in Delhi, while the southern part of India stands low at risk.

6 March

? Confirmed India Covid-19 cases increase to 31, with a Delhi man, with recent travel history to Thailand and Malaysia, testing positive.

? 23 coronavirus India cases have been positive in the preliminary tests. Health authorities are awaiting the final results of the samples.

? India?s neighbouring country Bhutan, which confirmed its first corona virus case today, has admitted eight Indian tourists with symptoms in a local hospital. The confirmed coronavirus case, a US citizen, had a travel history to Guwahati in the Indian state of Assam, which announced that it has no cases of Covid 19 coronavirus. Bhutan introduced a travel ban on tourists for two weeks.

? The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that so far Indians have not been infected with corona virus in Iran. Approximately 2,000 Indians, including fishermen, are stranded in Iran. The Indian Embassy is working with the Iranian government to bring them to India through normal aviation channels.

? Iran is sending a special flight today to Delhi to fly back its citizens tomorrow. Mahan Air will bring blood samples of 300 Indian citizens stranded in Iran. After the swabs are tested and cleared by Indian laboratories, the stranded citizens will be allowed to board flights to India.

? A British national is quarantined in Goa for suspected corona virus infection.

? Indians are no more required to carry a health certificate indicating being free of coronavirus to enter Kuwait.

? For Covid 19 India cases, the government has assigned 35 laboratories to conduct the required tests. In the coming days, the laboratories will be increased to 100 to ascertain the coronavirus status. The 35 labs are approved in Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Srinagar, Patna, Agartala, Dibrugarh, Jabalpur, Bhopal, Jamnagar, Varanasi, Pondicherry, Amritsar, Dibrugarh, and Agartala.

? 29,607 people have been kept under observation of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme  network for possible exposure to coronavirus in India, as on 5 March.

? Indian Army will set up quarantine facilities for 1,500 personnel (total) at various locations. For now, the tentative locations identified are Suratgarh, Jaisalmer, Secundrabad, Kolkata, and Chennai.

? Manufacturers of hand sanitisers are witnessing ten-fold increase in demand amid rise in corona virus India cases. The Himalaya Drug Company CEO Philipe Haydon told PTI: ?We are ramping up our production line to cater to the demand of sanitisers and handwashes nationwide that can help people take precautionary measures.?

? The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India stated that those food items imported from the coronavirus-impacted countries are ?safe? for consumption. However, it cautioned people against eating raw or undercooked meat products.

? Coronavirus (Covid-19) impact on India will be limited as the economy is not too integrated with global value chain, said RBI governor Shaktikanta Das.

? The world, including India, may slightly heave a sigh of relief as researchers, including those from Deutsches Primatenzentrum in Germany, have identified a cellular protein important for the entry of the coronavirus into lung cells and a potential drug to stop this process.

? The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is spending Rs300,000 a day to accommodate people in its quarantine facility in Delhi. Currently, 112 people, who were evacuated from Wuhan in China on 27 February, are housed at the facility. Another 124 people including five foreign nationals evacuated from Japan are on a 14-day quarantine at the ITBP camp in Delhi.

? The 654 people brought from Wuhan, China, on 1 and 2 February and kept in quarantine at Haryana?s Manesar army camp and Indo-Tibetan Border Police camp in Delhi for 14 days, have turned out to be negative and discharged.

? In a coronavirus update in India, the Union Health Ministry has issued advisory to avoid mass gatherings.

? Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab will be held without any public attendance until 13 March due to growing coronavirus numbers.

? Sports Authority of India (SAI) to suspend biometric attendance at its facilities.

? LinkedIn takes virtual job interviews over coronavirus Covid-19 scare.

? International Indian Film Academy Awards has decided to postpone its event, which was scheduled at the end of this month in Madhya Pradesh, to a later date in the wake of coronavirus in India.

5 March

? Coronavirus India cases have touched 30, a sharp rise from the five cases until 2 March, with the Ghaziabad man in the state of Uttar Pradesh testing positive.

? The Union Health Ministry has estimated around 25,000 people to have had possible contact history with coronavirus Covid-19 patients.

? The 14 Italians, who tested positive for coronavirus, have been shifted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon from ITBP facility in Delhi.

? Two samples in Telangana test negative (See details under in Hyderabad, Telangana).

? India postpones summit with the European Union later this month due to the coronavirus epidemic.

? Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says that the government is monitoring the situation of around 2,000 Indians stranded in Iran.

? Four scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research reached Tehran, the capital of Iran, with kits to facilitate testing before passengers board a plane to India.

? Ministry of External Affairs reports that the government has not received any information on 495 tourists in India from the Iranian Embassy.

? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recommends the Indian way of ?Namaste?  instead of handshakes.

? Four of five (80%) people who have tested positive for Covid-19 coronavirus in India will improve on their own, said Christian Medical College professor Gagandeep Kang to PTI. In 2019, Kang became the first Indian woman to be elected fellow of the Royal Society in London.

? IPL T20 is expected to be held as per its schedule, starting from 29 March in Mumbai, despite coronavirus fears.

? The Archery Association of India (AAI) has pulled out its team from the Asia Cup world ranking tournament to be held from 8 to 15 March in Bangkok.

? The coronavirus Covid-19 impact on India?s trade is estimated to be about $348m, according to a UN report.

4 March

? The government announced that going forward all flights and passengers will be part of the screening and will not be limited to only 12 countries earlier listed. All international passengers arriving in India will be required to submit self-declaration forms the moment they arrive.

? As on 4 March, 28,529 persons were brought under community surveillance for monitoring.

3 March

? As part of the measures to contain the spread of the virus, India travel ban has been issued on four countries ? China, South Korea, Italy and Iran.

? The government screened around 15,000 people at seaports; more than one million people at the Nepal border and 0.5 million across airports to limit India coronavirus cases.

Covid-19 Coronavirus in Delhi, NCR

13 March

? Delhi records its first coronavirus-linked death of 69-year-old woman. He was undergoing treatment at Delhi?s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where she succumbed to her illness. A resident of Janakpuri in West Delhi, the deceased woman contracted the disease from her 46-year-old son who had recently traveled to Geneva, Japan and Italy, according to media reports citing Delhi government officials.

? A man who came back from Italy has tested positive for Covid-19 at Indian Army?s quarantine facility in Manesar, Gurgaon.

? An employee of a leather strap manufacturing factory in Noida tested coronavirus positive, according to media reports. The employee, a director in the factory and a resident of Delhi, had a recent travel history to France and China. The factory has been shut down for sanitisation, while its other employees have been put under observation. The factory has 707 employees.

? The Delhi government bans sports events such as IPL matches.

12 March

? Cinema theatres in Delhi will be closed until 31 March.

11 March

Delhi coronavirus has touched five with a new case reported today. More details are awaited about this patient.

9 March

? A fresh case of corona in Delhi has been reported. The coronavirus Delhi patient has a recent travel history to Italy.

8 March

? 420 people in Gurugram with recent travel history to coronavirus-impacted countries of  China, Malaysia and Thailand have been asked to self quarantine for 28 days. They showed flu-like symptoms. Their blood samples have been sent to  PGI Rohtak for Covid-19 coronavirus testing.

-The government plans to disinfect buses, metro on regular basis to contain the spread of novel corona virus in Delhi.

7 March

? Six family members of the 24-year old Delhi coronavirus patient have been quarantined at home.

6 March

-A 24-year-old resident of Uttam Nagar tested positive with coronavirus, taking the confirmed coronavirus cases in Delhi to three.

? For corona virus Delhi patients, government directs all state and private hospitals to reserve 10% beds.

? Eleven separate rooms and isolation wards are allocated at the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan Hospital to treat patients with coronavirus in Delhi.

5 March

? Five people who came in contact with the Paytm employee are being tested and quarantined until their results come in. These five are among the 133 people who recently travelled to China.

? Paytm has closed its Gurugram office for up to 15 days.

? All schools upto class 5 will be closed until 31 March amid coronavirus scare.

4 March

?  A Paytm employee in Gurugram (earlier Gurgaon) contracted Covid-19 novel coronavirus after returning from Italy.

? 15 of the 21 tourists group quarantined at ITBP facility in New Delhi tested positive. Out of the 15 patients tested positive, 14 are Italians, and one is an Indian national.

? The government is, however, yet to make a decision whether they should be sent back to Italy or treated here. The infected will likely be moved to Safdarjung Hospital, reported Business Today.

? Six Noida people who were in contact with a 45-year-old patient of corona virus in Delhi test negative.

? In a corona virus Delhi update, the government has reserved 230 beds in isolation wards at 25 hospitals and also issued advisories to schools urging them to take precautionary measures.

3 March

? A 45-year-old man was diagnosed with the coronavirus in Delhi.

? Five students from the Noida school where the infected man?s son attended classes are now being screened.

? More than 40 people in NCR, who came in contact with the Delhi coronavirus case, are also kept under observation.

Coronavirus Covid-19 in Punjab

13 March

Punjab government has ordered all schools to remain closed until 31 March in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

9 March

A resident of Hoshiarpur, who came back from Italy last week, is found to be positive for coronavirus, thereby marking the first case of corona virus in Punjab. The corona virus Punjab patient, along with his two family members, arrived at Amritsar International Airport via Delhi on 4 March.

7 March

? Two new positive cases of coronavirus in Punjab have been reported today after preliminary tests. The two coronavirus Punjab patients came from Italy last week. The corona virus cases in Punjab are quarantined at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar.

? Hours after calling Covid-19 coronavirus in Punjab as an epidemic disease, the state government now clarifies that there was no epidemic of the corona in Punjab. The health department?s press release had inadvertently called Covid-19 coronavirus as an epidemic disease.

6 March

? The state government calls Covid-19 as an ?epidemic disease?.

? 13 Iranian citizens are kept in isolation at a hotel in Amritsar as a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19. The nationals are stated to be healthy.

? The state government screened 70,106 passengers at various locations including airports and international borders to detect corona virus cases in Punjab.

Coronavirus  in Tamil Nadu

7 March

? A 45-year-old man was found to be positive for corona virus in Tamil Nadu, making him the first person in the status to be reported of having the SARS-CoV-2. He is a resident of Kancheepuram and had recently returned from Oman. Currently,  he is being treated for Covid-19 in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. His eight family members too have been placed under observation.

6 March

? The state Health Minister said that there are no positive cases of Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu and 54 samples turned out to be negative, while 1,243 people are being monitored.

Coronavirus in Ladakh

9 March

? A village in Leh has been sealed after a pilgrim, who had recently visited Iran, died of suspected infection of corona virus in Ladakh.

-Schools up to the higher secondary level in Leh town have been closed until 31 March.

7 March

? Two Ladakh coronavirus cases have been reported with recent travel history to Iran. The two novel coronavirus infected patients have been admitted to Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital (SNM) hospital in Leh.

Covid-19  Coronavirus in Haryana

13 March

9 March

? The Government of Haryana has exempted employees from marking biometric attendance until the end of this month.

6 March

? A total 943 individuals who came from China are under surveillance.  15 persons out of this total are hospitalised and found to be negative.

5 March

? Five people who were kept under observation for suspected symptoms have tested negative. They are among the 133 people who had recently travelled to China.

4 March

?  Haryana Health Department stated that 956 people are under observation in the state, out of which 938 people with travel history to affected countries are asymptomatic.

? Eighteen passengers with travel history from impacted countries in various districts were admitted, out of which 14 have been discharged with their result showing negative for coronavirus. However, they are still under surveillance at home as per protocol.

? So far, 32 samples have been sent, out of which 29 have been found negative for Covid-19 and the result of three samples is awaited.

Coronavirus in Hyderabad, Telangana

6 March

As directed by the state government, employees of Cognizant and several firms housed at Building 20 in Raheja Mindspace in Hyderabad, have started reporting to office. However, several employees are also opting for work from home. Firms are  discouraging people from going on non-essential travels.

5 March

? Results of a housekeeping staffer of a private hospital, who had come in contact with the Covid-19 coronavirus-confirmed 24-year-old techie in Hyderabad, and a DSM employee in Hyderabad, are found to be negative during the final testing round in Pune.

? IT services provider Cognizant India has temporarily closed its Hyderabad office at Raheja Mindspace for disinfection and sanitisation, and asked its employees to work from home following reports of the DSM techie, working in Raheja Mindspace, turning positive during preliminary tests.

? Principal Secretary for IT and Industries Jayesh Ranjan dismissed rumours that the city?s IT industry is closing down amid India Covid-19 scare and urged people not to believe such rumours.

4 March

? The state government announced Rs1bn for infrastructure and other measures to halt the spread of corona virus.

? More than 3,000 beds would be kept ready for isolation of patients showing symptoms of the disease. Around 250 to 300 beds would be arranged to treat positive cases.

? Hyderabad metro station and various contact spaces, such as the escalators and elevators have been sanitised.

? In an email sent to staff, science-based company DSM, located in Raheja Mindspace, in the heart of Hyderabad?s tech and industrial corridor, has stated that one of its employees has been tested positive as per preliminary tests. An official announcement from Telangana government or India?s Heath Ministry is still due.

? An Accenture employee working in a Hyderabad office is also suspected to have contracted coronavirus, according to sources close to PT, although official confirmation is awaited.

3 March

Around 36 of the 88 people who came in contact with the techie are showing symptoms of the virus, according to the government officials. The suspected people are being kept in isolation for 14 days.

The Karnataka and Telangana authorities could only identify the 85 people who came into contact with the techie.

Coronavirus in Rajasthan

11 March

? An 85-year-old man, who recently came back to Rajasthan from Dubai, has been found to be positive  and kept in isolation at the SMS Hospital in Jaipur.

6 March

? Four suspected Rajasthan coronavirus patients, including one tourist from Sri Lanka tourist, quarantined in Kota turned out to be negative.

? Test reports of 68 people, who had come in contact with the coronavirus Covid-19-infected Italian couple, have turned out to be negative. Results of eight more people are awaited.

5 March

? A hotel staffer where the group of Italian tourists stayed in Jaisalmer is suspected to be showing symptoms of the coronavirus. The man, who belongs to Jharkhand, is undergoing treatment at Shri Jawahir District Hospital in Rajasthan.

4 March

? Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma said that at least 215 people came in contact with the Covid-19 affected group of Italian tourists.

? Swab samples of 93 people were collected of which 51 turned negative while reports of the remaining are pending.

? 76 people in Jaipur, 53  in Jhunjhunu, 44 in Bikaner, 14 each in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, six in Udaipur came in contact with the Italian visitors group.

? The Government of Rajasthan has allocated a quarantine ward at the newly-inaugurated hospital at Rajasthan University of Health Sciences in Jaipur.

3 March

? The wife of the Italian tourist also tested positive for the virus.

? The Government of Rajasthan ordered sanitisation of hotels where the 23-member group including the Italian couple stayed.

2 March

? The Government of Rajasthan has alerted its medical staff after an Italian tourist who travelled from Delhi was tested positive for coronavirus Covid-19 on 2 March.

Covid-19 Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh

14 March

? Infected techie?s wife fled Bengaluru by air, took Delhi-Agra train and tests positive in Agra. She is kept in isolation in  SN Medical College.

13 March

A factory worker who was among the 150 people in contact with the coronavirus-infected businessman from Agra has also been tested positive. This takes the confirmed cases of Covid-19 coronavirus in UP to six.

6 March

? Seven Italian tourists in the state have tested negative for coronavirus.

? Amid seven coronavirus cases in the state, 820 isolation beds are prepared at several hospitals and seven medical colleges are put on alert.

-The state screened almost one million people since the India corona virus scare began.

5 March

? Amid the Ghaziabad man turning positive,  the UP government has set up an 18-member panel led by the state health minister to monitor the situation.

? Allaying the rising fears of coronavirus, the state government stated that only seven cases have so far been reported in  UP. Out of the 175 samples sent for testing, 157 were negative.

4 March

? According to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, all six patients in Agra who were family members of the Delhi patient have been tested positive for coronavirus today.

? Isolation wards have been set up at the Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital in the city of Varanasi.

Covid-19 Coronavirus  in Bangalore, Karnataka

13 March

A 26-year-old software engineer at Google office in Bangalore has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The firm has notified all its other employees in that office to work from home. The Google employee came back to India from Greece in the first week of March.

12 March

? India?s first coronavirus death is linked to a 76-year-old man who had returned from Saudi Arabia on 29 February. He died in Karnataka?s Kalaburgi district. He did not show any symptoms of the disease when he arrived in India. The deceased was later admitted to a hospital in Gulbarga and then shifted to Care Hospital in Hyderabad. He died while coming back.

? A 26-year-old man, who came from a trip to Greece, is confirmed to be positive for coronavirus, according to the state health department. This takes the corona virus count in Karnataka to five.

-A man, who came to Bangalore from Dubai showing with coronavirus symptoms, is now reported to be showing no signs of the Covid-19 pandemic after tests.

11 March

? A 76-year-old man, who had come back from Saudi Arabia to Karnataka about ten days ago, has died at Kalburgi district. Health officials have not given confirmation if he had contracted the coronavirus infection.  His throat swab has been sent for further testing in Bangalore.

? In a covid 19 Karnataka update, of the three new cases of coronavirus in Bangalore, one is an employee from Dell and the other is from Mindtree.  The employee of Mindtree came back to Bangalore from an overseas trip. He was tested positive on 10 March. According to media reports, the Dell employee came back from Texas via New York and Dubai on 1 March. He began showing flu-like symptoms four days later. He is from fourth floor of Dell 4 building, Annexe Wing, Inner Ring Road Domlur. Dell has asked some of its employees to work from home.

? With the 13-year-old daughter of the techie, who came back from the US testing positive, testing positive, 1,700 students and 360 staff of her school are being screened now.  This Karnataka coronavirus case had attended school until 7 March.

-With these cases, the corona virus status in Karanataka has touched four.

10 March

? With three new cases of coronavirus in Bangalore, the count of covid in Karnataka has increased to four. The government has to reveal more details of the three patients. Meanwhile, the condition of the software engineer, who was tested positive, is reported to be stable.

9 March

? In a coronavirus update in Karnataka, a software engineer, who travelled from Texas on 28 February via New York and  Dubai, before arriving at Bangalore on 1 March, is found to be positive for coronavirus. His wife and daughter along with one of his colleagues are admitted to a hospital. The colleague showed flu-like symptoms.

? Education authorities order the closure of kindergarten classes in Bengaluru over coronavirus scare until further notice.

7 March

? One of the 25 colleagues of the Hyderabad techie who was found positive with coronavirus Covid-19, is now found to be symptomatic and is admitted at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) in Karnataka. The sample of the Bengaluru techie  has been sent for further testing for confirmation. On confirmation of the Hyderabad case, the Telangana and Karanataka governments traced the contacts of persons who had come in touch with the Hyderabad coronavirus Covid-19 patient.

6 March

-In Karnataka coronavirus update, the government has ordered officials to set up isolation wards in all hospitals and monitor places of gatherings such as airports, railway stations, malls, etc.

5 March

? To tackle the corona virus Bangalore (officially known Bengaluru) issue, the government urged firms to allow their employees to work from home if they show flu-like symptoms.

4 March

? Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar that around 24 people working with the 24-year-old techie, who was infected with Coronavirus in Hyderabad, have been asked to work from home.

? Intel has stated that one of its employees in Bengaluru has ?potentially been exposed? to coronavirus and is under quarantine.

? Samples of five people suspected of being infected with coronavirus and admitted to the isolation wards of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bengaluru have tested negative.

Coronavirus Covid-19 News  in Bihar

6 March

? Screening facilities were inspected at the Gaya or Bodhgaya international airport. Gaya attracts thousands of Buddhist tourists.

5 March

? 89 persons, which includes 14 who have come back from Iran, are kept under observation. Blood samples of 48 persons have been tested, out of which 44 turned to be negative. The results of the remaining are yet to be received.

Coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir

13 March

? According to health officials, one person who was in contact with a Covid-19 infected person in Jammu & Kashmir has been tested positive today. This 76-year old woman had returned on 12 March from Saudi Arabia. She is undergoing treatment for the pandemic at the hospital.

? Malls, gyms, swimming pools, clubs have been ordered to close down with immediate effect due to coronavirus pandemic.

9 March

A 63-year-old woman, who came back from Iran recently, has been tested positive. She is admitted to  She is one of the two patients who was reported to have high viral load on 7 March. The patient is isolated and undergoing treatment.

7 March

? With two patients suspected to be carrying high viral load of coronavirus, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has announced closure of all primary schools in Jammu and Samba districts until 31 March. The two suspected Covid-19 J&K patients have a travel history to Italy and South Korea respectively.

? The administration has suspended biometric attendance in the Union territory with immediate effect amid corona virus scare.

6 March

? Jammu and Kashmir nodal office Shafqat Khan told IANS that 230 samples were collected from across the union territory. Out of these samples, 27 were sent for examination to Delhi. All the 230 samples turned to be negative. ?Jammu and Kashmir is coronavirus free, there is nothing to panic, however people are advised to remain cautious,? Khan told the news agency.

5 March

? The state health authorities have kept five persons in the isolation ward of the SKIMS hospital. These patients recently travelled to countries impacted by corona virus and have showed symptoms of the Covid-19.

Covid-19 Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh

12 March

A man who came back to Nellore from Italy last week is found to be positive for coronavirus. This is the first coronavirus confirmed case in Andhra Pradesh, according to the Medical and Health Department. Tests on his swab at Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences in Tirupati confirmed positive for the Covid-19 pandemic. His condition is stated to be stable and will be discharged after 14-days on retesting the sample. Meanwhile, five people with whom he had been in contact are kept under quarantine in the hospital.

7 March

Five people with suspected exposure to novel coronavirus have been admitted to isolation wards.

6 March

The state has reported no positive cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Out of the 24 samples sent for testing, 20 came out negative and the results of the remaining four are awaiting.

? The five people kept under observation are tested negative with coronavirus.

5 March

Five people who have returned from coronavirus-affected countries of Malaysia, Bahrain and Singapore are kept under observation, said the state health department.

Covid-19  Coronavirus in Maharashtra

14 March

? Two fresh cases have been reported in Maharashtra. One case has been tested positive in  Ahmednagar city. The health officials did not disclose the location of another positive case, according to media reports. With these new cases, Maharashtra?s total count touches 19.

13 March

? A man in Pune, with a travel history to US, has tested positive for coronavirus. He is undergoing treatment. This takes Pune?s corona count to ten.

? Two days after the Nagpur?s 45-year-old man was tested positive, his wife and friend also tested positive for Covid-19. The man has returned from the US with his wife and friend. The wife and friend are being treated at Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur.

? Maharashtra is in a lockdown mode with malls, theaters, gyms, swimming pools in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchawad to be closed beginning midnight today until 30 March.

12 March

? A new coronavirus Covid-19 case has been confirmed in Pune. The patient, who had returned from the US on 1 March, is undergoing treatment and the condition is stated to be stable. With this new case, Maharashtra has recorded 12 coronavirus cases.

-Nagpur city reported its first case of coronavirus in a 45-year-old man, who had returned from the US on 6 March, announced officials late in the night on 11 March. He was admitted to the hospital after undergoing tests, which confirmed the Covid-19 infection.

-With this fresh case, Maharashtra has 11 coronavirus cases ? eight in Pune and two in Mumbai and one in Nagpur.

The budget session of the Maharashtra Legislature currently underway has been curtailed by a week and will end on 14 March instead of 20 March. The session started on 24 February.

11 March

? Two patients have tested positive for corona virus in Mumbai and three in Pune on 11 March, taking the total count of corona virus cases in Maharashtra to ten.

-The state cabinet has decided to allow the IPL matches in Mumbai without the audience in the wake of coronavirus scare.  The government is likely to issue a statement in this regard in the legislature.

10 March

-Three cases of coronavirus in Pune were reported in the evening today. Their condition is stated to be stable and undergoing treatment at Naidu Hospital. All the three coronavirus Covid-19 in Pune cases had come in contact with a man and a woman who were confirmed to be positive late night on 9 March. These two patients  have a recent travel history to Dubai and currently being quarantined. This takes the total count of coronavirus in Maharashtra to five.

9 March

? Samples of 258 people with suspected coronavirus symptoms have been found negative. Currently, 15 people continue to be under observation in Mumbai and Pune.

 6 March

-The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered chemists to sell coronavirus Covid-19 kits only on doctors? prescription. The government received complaints that chemists are selling the kits and masks at higher prices than the MRP.

Novel Corona Virus in Odisha

9 March

Odisha gets coronavirus testing facility in the Regional Medical Research Centre of Bhubaneswar. So far the state has not reported any positive case.

6 March

-The central government  has assured the state to establish Covid 19 testing facility at Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar.

-An Irish national, who was suspected to be infected with Covid 19, has gone missing from SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. The affected person was kept in the isolation ward.

Covid-19  Coronavrius in Himachal Pradesh

6 March

? Three locals who underwent tests for suspected coronavirus Covid-19 infection have been tested negative.

Novel Corona Virus  in Mizoram

6 March

? 41 people, who recently returned from overseas, are in home isolation, while 14,868 have been screened for corona virus.

Covid-19 Coronavirus  in Kerala

13 March

? Kerala Assembly?s ongoing session, which is scheduled to run until the end of this month, has been cut short due to COVID-19.

? Around 900 people continue to be kept under observation in Pathanamthitta district.

12 March

Theatres under lockdown until 31 March to contain the spread of coronavirus in Kerala.

11 March

-The condition of an 89-year-old woman infected with corona virus in Kerala is stated to be critical. She is undergoing treatment at the Kottayam Medical College. She is the mother of another patient, who recently came back from Italy.

-Kerala has the highest number of coronavirus cases in India, at 17.

10 March

? Out of the six Kerala coronavirus cases reported today, four are from Kottayam district and two from Pathnamthitta district.

? As per the latest in Kerala coronavirus news, 1,116 persons are kept under observation. Out of this figure, 976 are placed under home quarantine and 149 persons in hospitals to curb Kerala covid 19 spread.

? As a measure to contain the spread of Covid-19 in Kerala, schools and colleges have been closed until 31 March.

-To curb corona Kerala government has cancelled all public functions.

-In the latest covid Kerala development, the government also urged people to stay away from functions, religious gatherings.

-The government has requested theatre owners to keep cinema screens shut until 31 March in the wake of covid in Kerala.

-Kerala to set up isolation cells in jails for inmates suspected to be infected with corona virus.

With today?s six Kerala virus cases, the total count in the state has touched 15, which includes the initial three cases.

9 March

As per the latest corona virus Kerala update, a three-year-old child who arrived in Cochin International Airport on 7 March from Italy has been tested positive for the coronavirus. Now, the child?s parents are also being tested.

? To curb the spread of corona virus Kerala government has announced closure of all educational institutions in the Pathnamthitta district for three days.

8 March

Five new cases of corona virus in Kerala have been reported today, in the district of Pathnamthitta. Three Covid-19 coronavirus patients had come from Italy on 29 February, the other two are their relatives. They are kept in isolation in Pathnamathitta general hospital. The five cases of corona in Kerala had evaded screening at airport despite showing flu-like symptoms.

? In the latest coronavirus Kerala update, the state government has issued a high alert and the police has warned that those who come from coronavirus-affected countries need to report to health authorities or else will be prosecuted.

6 March

? States look Kerala way to tackle epidemic like situation, reported The Economic Times.

28 February

? The state government informed that all the three coronavirus Kerala students, who were tested positive, were cured.

3 February

? The third covid-19 Kerala case has been confirmed.

2 February

? In a Kerala coronavirus update, another case was confirmed in a student who returned from Wuhan.

30 January

? The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India confirmed the country?s first Covid-19 case on 30 January in a student who arrived in Kerala state from Wuhan.

Coronavirus in India: how the COVID-19 could impact the fast-growing economy

India reported the first confirmed case of the coronavirus infection on 30 January 2020 in the state of Kerala. The affected had a travel history from Wuhan, China.

Since the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in China, the highest number of suspected cases in India, the second most populated country in the world,  has been reported in the state of Kerala. Suspected coronavirus cases have also been reported in multiple cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Patna.

Religious tourism and weddings: potential coronavirus clusters in India

Places of religious gathering such as temples, mosques and churches can be clusters for coronavirus transmission in India, where religious tourism is high and community gatherings for celebrating festivals are huge.

ISKCON, one of the popular Hindu religious organisations running temples that attract foreign devotees, is reported to have advised foreigners from the coronavirus-affected countries not to visit for two months, as a precautionary measure.

Agra, another popular hotspot for tourists including foreigners, is a potential cluster.

One more potential coronavirus cluster in India is weddings where the average guest counts run from few hundreds to more than a thousand.

Coronavirus cases in India: Confirmed, suspected and recovered

Thousands of suspected cases have been tested resulting in 83 confirmed coronavirus cases in India. Coronavirus quarantine measures have been announced in Maharashtra, including in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, and Pimpri-Chinchawad up to 30 March. The measures include closure of malls, gyms, movie theatres and swimming pools.

Two cases were reported in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 13 March. An employee of Google in Bangalore tested positive on 13 March, while a COVID-19 positive case was confirmed in Noida on the same day.

First death due to coronavirus in India was reported in Karnataka on 12 March.

Coronavirus: Kerala situation update

The regions in Kerala where cases have been reported include Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam.

The first three Indians tested positive for coronavirus are from Kerala and have been discharged, but home-quarantined. Kerala reported five more coronavirus cases on 08 March and continues to report fresh cases .

Coronavirus: Punjab situation update

Two out of three Italians who arrived in Hoshiarpur in Punjab tested positive in a preliminary test conducted at All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, according to the Hindustan Times. Samples were sent to Pune for confirmation and one of them tested positive for the virus.

Coronavirus: Pune situation update

Eight COVID-19 cases have been reported in Pune, Maharashtra. The first infected were a couple who returned from Dubai. They were admitted to the Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital for treatment.

Coronavirus: Hyderabad (Telangana) and Andhra situation update

One coronavirus-infected was identified in Hyderabad on 02 March. The infected person returned from Dubai to Hyderabad after completing a business trip. One person in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, tested positive for coronavirus on 12 March, after returning from a trip to Italy.

On 04 March, an employee working at a company based in Raheja Mindspace, in Cyberabad, an IT cluster in Hyderabad, was found to be coronavirus-infected in initial tests. The samples were sent to the nodal lab testing for coronavirus in Pune, for second round of testing, which showed a negative result. Raheja announced that Building No. 20 at Mindspace, Madhapur, was sanitised and disinfected.

Other companies located in the same building, such as Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) too asked employees to work from home temporarily. IT companies including TCS, HCL, Wipro, Mahindra and initiated precautionary measures and limiting offshore travel of employees where possible.

Hyderabad Metro trains are also being disinfected as a precautionary measure. Similar measures followed suit in other metros such as Delhi Metro and Jaipur Metro.

Health officials identified a total of 88 people including family members who came in contact with the confirmed case in Hyderabad and taken their samples for testing. Among the 88 people, 45 were admitted to the state-run Gandhi Hospital.

Coronavirus: Jaipur, Rajasthan, situation update

Coronavirus was confirmed on 03 March in a 69-year-old male Italian who arrived in Rajasthan. The first test on the Italian tourist yielded a negative result but a second test turned out to be positive. His wife was also diagnosed to be positive later, on the same day.

A total of 16 Italian tourists and one Indian driver were found to have contracted coronavirus.

Coronavirus: Delhi and Gurugram COVID-19 situation

A Delhite with travel history to Thailand and Malaysia was tested COVID-19 positive on 06 March.

An employee of payments company Paytm in Gurugram tested positive for coronavirus after returning from Italy, announced Paytm on 04 March.

On 02 March, two confirmed cases were reported including one in New Delhi. The COVID-19 infected in New Delhi was a person who returned from Italy.

The crew of the Air India flight that carried the infected in New Delhi has been asked to self-isolate at their homes for 14 days.

The Indian Ministry of Health announced on 03 March that samples taken from six people who came in contact with the confirmed case in New Delhi showed high viral loads. The samples have tested positive at the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

The government has set up a task force to monitor and control the Delhi coronavirus situation.

Coronavirus: Bangalore, Karnataka COVID-19 cases and update

The south Indian city of Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka state, witnessed a techie working in Intel having been suspected to be exposed to coronavirus. The suspected person has been quarantined.

One new case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Bangalore (officially Bengaluru), which is popularly called the Silicon Valley of India for being a major IT services exporter.

Three new cases of coronavirus infection were reported in Karnataka on 10 March.

Educational institutions such as IIIT started asking students to stay at home and take digital classes.

Indians on quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess

The latest coronavirus cases in India are reported from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Yokohama in Japan. A total of 16 people from India have tested positive for the virus on the ship as of 26 February. The infected persons are reported to be a stable condition. A total of 132 passengers and six crew members from India are reportedly on board the ship.

A total of 124 Indian nationals including five foreign nationals who have tested negative for the virus were evacuated in a special flight on 27 February.

Coronavirus disease in India: Approved treatments

The Drug Controller General of India has granted approval to the Indian Council of Medical Research to use a combination of lopinavir and ritonavir in the event of the coronavirus disease in India turns into a public health emergency, reported the Economic Times.

Lopinavir and ritonavir have already been approved for the treatment of HIV.

COVID-19: Measures India has taken to control the Wuhan coronavirus spread

The Indian government has announced a number of preventive measures to minimise the entry and spread of coronavirus, as detailed below. India?s prime minister Narendra Modi is reviewing the country?s preparedness in combating COVID-19 coronavirus in India, if it spreads further in India, and has appealed to Indians to avoid mass gatherings.

A control room operational 24?7 to address queries has been launched.

Evacuation measures

The Indian government arranged for the evacuation of 324 Indian citizens from Wuhan in a special Air India flight on 31 January 2020. The passengers were placed under quarantine for a period of 14 days.

The second batch of 330 passengers, including seven Maldivan citizens evacuated by the government, arrived from Wuhan on 01 February 2020. The repatriated passengers are currently being monitored. India evacuated 654 people including 647 Indians citizens by 11 February.

The health condition of all of them was monitored on a daily basis. They were tested twice for COVID-19 infection and found to be negative. All the evacuvees were discharged on 18 February.

A total of 76 Indian nationals and 36 foreign nationals were evacuated in a special flight from Wuhan on 26 February. They are placed under quarantine in Manesar and have tested negative in the first test.

India has commenced evacuation of hundreds of Indians stranded in Iran. The first flight carrying 58 Indian nationals landed in Ghaziabad on 10 March.

Coronavirus: Visas cancelled for foreign nationals travelling from affected countries

India announced the cancellation of existing e-visas issued to all foreign nationals of China, on 05 February and advised Indians to avoid travelling to China.

Further, India announced that people travelling to China will be quarantined upon return. India temporarily suspended visa on arrival for Japanese and South Korean nationals on 27 February.

On 03 March, India announced the suspension of all visas issued to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan who have not yet entered the country. Visas issued to foreign nationals who travelled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan who have not yet entered the country have also been cancelled.

The cancellation is not applicable to diplomats, officials of the international bodies, OCI cardholders and aircrew although medical screening is mandatory for all. Medical screening and submission of self-declaration form including travel history for all passengers arriving from the restricted countries are also mandatory.

Ensuring availability of coronavirus drugs in India

The Department of Pharmaceuticals is assessing the availability of drugs in the country due to the increase in cases of coronavirus infection. A report submitted by a committee formed by the department revealed that the existing stock of APIs will be sufficient to manufacture drugs for two to three months.

Various government organisations including the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and Drugs Controller General of India have been instructed to ensure an adequate supply of APIs and check black-marketing or illegal hoarding. The organisations have also been asked to monitor the availability of APIs and drugs.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DFGT) has been instructed to restrict the export of 13 APIs and formulations, the majority of which are made in Hubei, China. According to the latest reports, many Chinese pharmaceutical companies have partially resumed production and expected to resume full production by the end of March. Logistics, however, have not resumed fully, which may delay the availability of APIs.

Coronavirus screening, testing and quarantining at Indian airports

Starting from 04 March, India mandated universal screening at all airports in the country given the rise in coronavirus imports.

Thermal screening has been installed at 21 airports including those in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Cochin to check for coronavirus in India. Universal screening has been mandated for flights from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand at the aero-bridges ear-marked for the purpose.

Screening measures have also been implemented at 12 major seaports and 65 minor seaports and land borders.

The Ministry of Health announced on 06 February that all 645 evacuees from Wuhan tested negative.

Two quarantine centres have been set-up to isolate any passengers showing symptoms of the infection. One centre is located at Manesar, Haryana, and is managed by Armed Forces Medical Services, while the second is located at Chawla Camp in New Delhi and is managed by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

A total of 406 evacuees who were quarantined at the ITBP facility were discharged and allowed to return home on 19 February.

By 14 March, India screened approximately 1.2 million visitors.

Labs testing for coronavirus in India

The NIV and 52 other laboratories under the Indian Council of Medical Research?s (ICMR) Viral Research and Diagnostics Laboratories network are equipped to test samples.

The National Institute of Virology lab in Pune is serving as the nodal lab for coronavirus testing in India. The Pune lab has facilities for COVID-19 molecular diagnosis and next-generation sequencing.

The labs are equipped with reagents to test up to 25,000 samples. The Indian government is in the process of adding more coronavirus testing laboratories in the country.

India COVID-19: Visa cancellations and travel restrictions

The Indian government has mandated that non-resident Indians (NRIs) arriving to the country should carry a coronavirus-negative certificate from designated hospitals in the countries they are travelling from.

The Indian government has advised all Indians to avoid non-essential travel abroad. Self-quarantine is mandated to passengers arriving in India from China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany.

Visas have been suspended to French, German and Spanish nationals as well as foreigners with a travel history to these countries. Visas of foreigners already in India, however, remain valid.

The Indian government had earlier issued a travel advisory on 17 January 2020 to the general public to refrain from travelling to China and avoid contact with anyone with travel history to China since 15 January 2020.

The government had also temporarily suspended e-Visa facility for Chinese passport holders and noted that already issued e-Visas are temporarily invalid. Online application for a physical visa from China was also disabled.

The Indian government is expected to extend visa cancellations to more countries with the fresh cases reported in Maharashtra, Delhi and Bangalore.

Coronavirus impact on India

Coronavirus is expected to present both opportunities and challenges to Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers, while trade with China is expected to be hit.

Initial estimates of the COVID-19 impact on India?s trade were $348m, but likely to increase given the global spread.

Impact on India?s trade with China

With China under lockdown, India is expected to witness a major impact on imports and exports in various industries including pharmaceuticals, electronics, mobiles, and auto parts.

China is the biggest exporter to India, followed by the US and UAE. In 2018, China exported goods worth $90.4bn to India and accounted for 14.63% of the exports.

In 2017, telecom instruments, electronics components, computer hardware and peripherals, industrial machinery for dairy, and organic chemicals were the top five items imported by India accounting for 46% of the imports from China.

How the COVID-19 outbreak impacts the Indian pharmaceutical industry

Bulk drugs and drug intermediates accounted for $1.5bn or 3% of India?s imports from China.

According to the Trade Promotion Council of India, approximately 85% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) imported by Indian companies are from China.

India?s overdependence on China for APIs exposes it to raw material supply disruption and price volatility. Another major hindrance to the Indian pharmaceutical industry is its low capacity utilisation, according to a report from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI). India has a capacity utilisation between 30% and 40% as against 75% of China.

Mankind Pharma and Granules India are airlifting APIs and other input materials for their manufacturing due to limited land movements and shipping delays from China as inventories are drying up, reported Economic Times.

Opportunities for Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers

Although the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak could have a significant impact on the Indian pharmaceutical industry unless it is brought under control over the next few months, it also provides an opportunity to India?s pharmaceutical manufacturers to grab share from their Chinese competitors.

Indian pharmaceutical companies currently have two months? stock of APIs and intermediates, quoted the Economic Times. In the absence of a major disruption due to the outbreak, the existing stocks may address the issue of shortage, it added.

The report from MCI, however, noted that improving the overall capacity utilisation of existing manufacturing plants in India as a short-term solution to such supply disruptions. The report noted the need for assured purchase agreements from the government for the existing manufacturing plants.

It also noted that the government should absorb the price differential to improve capacity utilisation.

Export ban on protection equipment

The DGFT issued a ban on the export of personal protection equipment such as respiratory masks and protective overalls, on 31 January. The exact reason for the ban has not been notified, though.

{Coronavirus}: Mumbai Offices Shut Till March 31, Essential Services To Operate {Latest Breaking News} [Taj Pharma Mumbai]

{Coronavirus}: Mumbai Offices Shut Till March 31, Essential Services To Operate {Latest Breaking News} [Taj Pharma Mumbai]

All offices in Mumbai and a few other cities in Maharashtra will be closed till March 31 to fight coronavirus, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced on Friday. All shops have also been shut, excluding those selling essential items, his son and minister Aditya Thackeray tweeted.

All offices will be closed, only essential services will operate in Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur, the Chief Minister said as the number of cases in Maharashtra climbed to 52.

The Chief Minister said government offices would operate at 25% attendance in Mumbai.

?Essential services shall operate, any other services important to operate, the collectors shall specify from time to time. Groceries, milk and other day to day items shall be available. Citizens are required to reduce unnecessary movement,? Aditya Thackeray tweeted.

NDTV

About Taj Pharma:

Taj Pharma respect the contributions of health care providers caring for people living with neurological diseases.

Taj Pharmahonor the important role of caregivers, families and friends who care about them.

Taj Parma is committed to working with advocacy and patient organizations as they serve the communities they represent.

Recognizing the challenges facing health care systems today, we collaborate with regulatory authorities and customers such as health care providers and payers, so that those in need can access our medicines.

Professional, ethical, and compliant, we hold ourselves accountable to deliver value to our shareholders.

Taj Pharmacontributes to the communities where we live. We are committed to our employees, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

Taj Pharma care deeply about making a difference.

Taj Pharma team work fearlessly. We do not give up even when challenged, pursuing innovation in all that we do.

Our company is humbled by the opportunity to change lives.

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Coronavirus: {Taj Pharmaceuticals Latest Corona alert} Travel restrictions, border shutdowns by country- BREAKING NEWS

Coronavirus: {Taj Pharmaceuticals Latest Corona alert} Travel restrictions, border shutdowns by country- BREAKING NEWS

About Taj Pharma:

Taj Pharmaceuticals is the global leader in generics and one of the India?s top ten pharmaceutical companies. Taj Pharma India play a leading role in therapeutic areas such as cancer, virology and transplantation. The combined strengths of Taj Pharma generics and pharmaceuticals businesses, coupled with expertise in the emerging genetic sciences, equip us to develop integrated healthcare solutions and therapeutic approaches tailored to individual patients? needs. Taj Pharmaceutical?s products and services address the entire healthcare spectrum, from screening for genetic risk factors, to preventing, diagnosing and treating disease, and monitoring the treatment response.

Taj Pharma Indiadelivers a unique contribution to better healthcare. Taj Pharma India aim to reduce suffering and improve health and quality of life of people all around the world. At Taj Pharmaceuticals, Taj Pharma India have pursued this mission with patience, dedication, imagination and skill, for over a century. Taj Pharma vision is to develop targeted medicines and diagnostic tools that combine to offer patients, physicians and payers better, safer, more cost-effective healthcare.

Once again, welcome to Taj Pharmaceuticals, a great company that is translating a great vision into reality ? We Innovate Healthcare.

Countries around the world are increasingly adopting sweeping measures to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, including shutting down airports, imposing travel restrictions and completely sealing their borders in a bid to curb the spread of the highly infectious virus.

Globally, there are at least 184,976 recorded cases of the virus, labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Below is a list of countries that have taken such measures in recent days.

Travellers should visit government websites for updated information and more details.

Algeria

The government said it would suspend air and sea travel with Europe from March 19. Authorities had previously halted flights with Morocco, Spain, France and China.

Antigua and Barbuda

According to a March 12 travel advisory published on Antigua Barbuda Tourism Authority , foreign nationals who have travelled to China, Italy, Iran, Japan, South Korea and Singapore in the previous 28 days will not be allowed to enter the country.

Diplomats were exempted. Any cruise ship with suspected cases may also be blocked from docking.

Argentina

With more than 55 confirmed cases, Argentina announced on March 15 that it would close its borders to all non-residents for at least two weeks, and all flights from the United States and Europe would be cancelled starting March 16.

Australia

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared a ?human biosecurity emergency? on March 18 and said the country?s citizens should abandon all overseas travel .

?We are upgrading the travel ban on Australians to level four for the entire world. That is the first time that has ever happened in Australia?s history,? he said, adding it is ?an indefinite ban?.

On March 15, Morrison had said international travellers arriving in the country would need to isolate themselves for 14 days and foreign cruise ships would be banned for 30 days.

Austria?s government said on March 13 it would introduce border checks with Switzerland and Liechtenstein and ban flight connections with France, Spain and Switzerland.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh suspended flights to all European destinations except the United Kingdom. The flight ban came into effect on March 16, and will remain in place until March 31.

Belize

Bolivia

The measures will remain in place until March 31, the government said.

Brazil

Brazil announced enhanced screening and quarantine measures on the borders. It said it would partially close its border with Venezuela on March 18, but trucks with merchandise could continue crossing. Hundreds of Venezuelan migrants and refugees cross the Venezuela-Brazil border daily.

Bulgaria

On March 15, Bulgaria?s Ministry of Transportsaid it would ban incoming flights from Italy and Spain as of midnight (22:00 GMT) on March 17. Rosen Zheliazkov also said Bulgarians who wanted to return home from these countries would have March 16 and 17 to do so and would face 14-day quarantine.

How can you deal with stress and anxiety amid #coronavirus?

We asked a doctor about the steps to combat uncertainty and anxiety https://t.co/Cgsil0szd5 | #AJDoctorsNote

Note: Always seek the advice of your physician ? this is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. pic.twitter.com/MQE5XbRJrm

? Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 18, 2020

On March 17, the government said it shut down land, air and sea borders indefinitely, starting from March 18. International flights were grounded, with the exception of cargo planes.

Canada

Canada on March 16 it was closing its border and banning entry of anyone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, except for immediate family members of Canadian citizens, aeroplane crew members and diplomats, as well as US citizens.

Most international flights will be directed through four Canadian airports starting on March 18. Domestic flights and those arriving from the Caribbean, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mexico and the US will be exempted.

Chile

World races to contain coronavirus ? in pictures https://t.co/QzJ4nJVyRApic.twitter.com/EfINr8N1vd

? Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020

Colombia

Colombia announced that starting on March 16 it would ban the entry of all foreigners who had been to Europe or Asia in the past 14 days, with the exception of foreign residents and diplomats. All land, air and sea borders will remain shut until May 30. This includes its border with Venezuela where thousands of migrants and refugees cross daily.

Costa Rica

After declaring a state of emergency, Costa Rica Border announced it would close all borders to foreigners starting on March 18.

Croatia

On March 12, the Croatian government announced a series of restrictions on international border crossings. Foreign arrivals from hard-hit countries, such as Italy and China, are required to spend 14 days in quarantine facilities.

Authorities also implemented health monitoring for passengers from many countries affected by the virus, including Spain, the US and Sweden. Travellers from these countries should self-isolate for two weeks. Find out more here.

Nicos Anastasiades, president of the Republic of Cyprus, said on March 13 the country will shut its borders for 15 days to all, except Cypriots, Europeans working on the island and people with special permits.

The measure would come into effect from March 15, he said in a state address.

Czech Republic

Czech prime minister said on March 12 the country would close its borders to travellers from Germany and Austria and ban the entry of foreigners from other high-risk countries.

Czechs were prohibited from travelling to those countries, and to and from and other countries deemed risky, effective from Saturday (23:00 GMT on Friday).

The full list includes other European Union members Italy, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Denmark, as well as the UK, Switzerland, Norway, China, South Korea and Iran. International public transport vehicles with more than nine seats will also be banned from crossing borders.

More social restrictions are being implemented worldwide in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/9uwJiMsygV

? Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020

Denmark said on March 13 it would temporarily close its borders for non-citizens.

?All tourists, all travel, all vacations, and all foreigners who cannot prove a creditable purpose of entering Denmark, will be denied entrance at the Danish border,? Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said. The closure would not apply to the transport of goods, including foods, medicine and industrial supplies.

Dominican Republic

The government said on March 14 that on March 16 it would suspend all flights from Europe and the arrival of all cruise ships for a month.

Djibouti said on March 15 it was suspending all international flights.

Ecuador

Starting March 16, borders were completely closed , including to citizens and residents, for 21 days.

Egypt

Egypt will suspend all air traffic at its airports from March 19 until March 31, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on March 16.

?It is unacceptable that Mahmoud has been held by the Egyptian authorities for nearly 1,200 days for merely being a journalist? ? Mostefa Souag, acting director-general #FreeMahmoudHussein#JournalismIsNotACrimehttps://t.co/Jb4jkxsSov

? Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 18, 2020

El Salvador

El Salvador shut down its airport on March 16 to all commercial flights. On March 11, it had entry to all foreigners, excluding accredited diplomats and legal residents of the country. Those allowed to enter were subject to a possible 30-day quarantine.

Finland

Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said on March 17 Finland will start heavily restricting traffic over its borders on March 19.

Georgia

Georgia?s government said on March 15 it will temporarily shut its border with Russia for travellers from March 16.

?This decision would not apply accordingly to the citizens of the Russian Federation and Georgia who wish to return to their home country,? the Georgian government said on its website. Restrictions will not apply to freight traffic.

Germany

Germany said on March 15 it would temporarily introduce border controls on its frontiers with Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Denmark from March 16.

Ghana

Starting on March 17, Ghana banned entry to anyone who has been to a country with more than 200 coronavirus cases in the previous 14 days, unless they were official residents or Ghanaian nationals.

Greece on March 14 banned all flights that were still operating to and from Italy until March 29.

On March 15, it had said it would ban road and sea routes, as well as flights to Albania and North Macedonia, and ban flights to and from Spain to stem the spread of coronavirus. Only cargo and citizens who live in Greece will be allowed to travel to and from Albania and North Macedonia, authorities said.

Athens also extended travel restrictions to Italy, saying it was banning passenger ship routes to and from the neighbouring country, while no cruise ships will be allowed to dock at Greek ports. Greece said it would put anyone arriving from abroad in quarantine for two weeks.

Grenada

Guatemala

Guatemala banned all non-resident arrivals and suspended all flights from March 16 to 30 except for cargo. It also banned cruise ships from docking. On March 17, the country also announced it was suspending all deportation flights from the US.

Guyana

Haiti

Haiti has suspended all international flights, except for those coming from the US, and it closed its border with the Dominican Republic.

Honduras

Honduras has ordered all borders closed except for cargo.

Hungary will close its borders for international passengers, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Parliament on March 16.

India said on March 18 it would suspend the vast majority of visas to the country. Millions of foreign nationals of Indian origin, who are traditionally granted visa-free access, will now also need to apply.

The advisory said anyone with a ?compelling reason? to travel to the country could contact their nearest Indian mission. It also urged Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

On March 17, India had suspended issuing visas to citizens of France, Spain and Germany until further notice. Such restrictions were already in place for citizens of China, Italy, Iran, Japan and South Korea ? the five countries worst hit by the outbreak of the virus.

National airline Air India said on Wednesday it was suspending flights to Italy and South Korea until March 28 and March 25, respectively. India has also closed a border with neighbouring Myanmar.

Iraq

Iraq suspended flights at its domestic airports from March 17 to 24. On March 15, Iraq suspended all flights to and from Baghdad international airport over the same period.

Italy

In Italy, government officials placed the country of 60 million people on lockdown on March 10 in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

The restrictions will run until April 3.

People flying into Italy are subject to temperature screening at Italy?s major airports, and the country has suspended flights from China and Taiwan.

You?ve heard about #socialdistancing to ?flatten the curve? ? but what does that mean?

Flattening the curve aims to give health systems more time to care for patients who need help by slowing the spread of the #coronavirus: https://t.co/QpiuwiXlTWpic.twitter.com/INAirHWV6c

? Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020

Jamaica

Jamaica has imposed travel restrictions on travellers from Iran, China, South Korea, Italy, Singapore, Germany, Spain, France and the UK, local media reported . The government also said anyone arriving from countries where there is community spread will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Jordan

Jordan on March 17 closed border crossings with Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank and its seaports to shipping from Egypt. It also barred overland passenger traffic from Iraq.

The government banned travel to Lebanon and Syria and also barred entry to travellers from France, Germany and Spain. The measures included reducing airline service by half to Egypt.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on March 15 declared a state of emergency, barring entry to the country for everyone except returning citizens, diplomats and those invited by the government. Kazakhs are also barred from leaving the country.

Kenya

Kenya suspended travel from any country with reported COVID-19 cases.

?Only Kenyan citizens, and any foreigners with valid residence permits will be allowed to come in, provided they proceed on self-quarantine,? President Uhuru Kenyatta said.

Kuwait

Authorities banned all commercial passenger flights to and from Kuwait.

Kyrgyzstan on March 17 said it would ban entry to all foreigners.

Latvia

Latvia stopped nearly all foreigners entering the country while all international travel, by air, rail, sea and road, was cancelled. Latvians and foreigners with residency rights in Latvia are able to enter the country.

Lebanon

The Lebanese government on March 11 announced the suspension of flights from Italy, Iran, China, and South Korea.

On March 12, the Lebanese government made the decision to close indefinitely all land border crossings into Syria.

Libya?s UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli suspended all flights at the Misrata Airport for three weeks. Border closures have also been closed.

Lithuania

Lithuania on March 16 shut its borders to nearly all foreigners. Lithuanian citizens were also banned from leaving the country, except for business trips. The ban, which has exceptions for truck drivers, diplomats and people passing through the country on their way home, will be in force until March 30.

Madagascar

Starting from March 20, there will be no commercial passenger flights to and from Europe for 30 days. Travellers arriving from affected countries must self-quarantine for 14 days.

Malaysia

Malaysia shut its borders to travellers and restricted internal movement from March 16 until March 31.

The government banned entry to travellers from China, Italy, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia and the UK, as well as to those coming from specific regions in Germany, France and South Korea. All direct flights to China, South Korea and Italy have also been suspended.

Mali will indefinitely suspend flights from countries affected by the virus starting on March 19, with the exception of cargo flights.

Moldova

Moldova temporarily shut its borders and suspended all international flights from March 17.

Morocco

Morocco said on March 14 it would halt flights to and from 25 countries, extending an earlier ban that covered China, Spain, Italy, France and Algeria.

The countries affected are Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Senegal, Switzerland, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey and the UAE.

From fast-moving myths to an avalanche of news ? #coronavirus has dominated the conversation online and off.

We?ve put a handy guide and answered your most-asked questions: https://t.co/lH6F8IduFo#COVID19 ? A thread ? pic.twitter.com/pe5FEDN0LC

? Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 16, 2020

Nepal

As of March 14, all foreign nationals who enter Nepal must remain in self-quarantine for 14 days,according to the country?s Department of Immigration.

Nepali nationals and residents must stay in home quarantine for 14 days from their arrival date. All these measures are in place until April 30.

The country has stopped issuing on-arrival visas to foreigners from March 14 through April 30.

Netherlands

On March 13, theDutch government announced the suspension of flights from ?risk countries? ? including mainland China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy and South Korea.

The ban is in place until at least March 27.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on March 15 everyone arriving in New Zealand will require to self-isolate for 14 days, excluding people from the Pacific Islands.

Nigeria

The government announced on March 18 it was restricting entry into the country for travellers from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, the US, Norway, the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Those coming from high-risk countries are asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

Norway

Norway said on March 14 it would shut its ports and airports from March 16, although exemptions will be made for Norwegians returning from abroad as well as for goods.

The country also said it will implement extensive controls of its land entry points, but will not shut its 1,630km (1,000 miles) border with neighbouring Sweden.

Oman suspended tourist visas from all countries and banned cruise ships from docking.

Pakistan

Pakistan on March 13 shut all its land borders and decided to limit international flights.

?It has been decided that all borders will remain closed for 15 days,? Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the local ARY and Dunya TV networks. ?International flights will operate only out of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports.?

Pakistan had already stopped flight services to and from Iran.

?The environment here is so filthy that if a person stays here for a while? they will get coronavirus.?

A rare look inside a camp that has become the epicentre of Pakistan?s #coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/KQ52YjMaSk

? Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020

Panama

On March 16, the government announced that only Panamanians and foreign residents would be allowed to enter the country.

Paraguay

Peru

After declaring a state of emergency on March 15, Peru announced it would shut down its border for at least 15 days starting on March 16. The measure includes the cancellation of all commercial international flights into the country.

Philippines

A month-long lockdown on Luzon ? the largest Philippine island home to nearly 60 million people ? is in place, while domestic and international flights have been cancelled until April 14.

Poland

On March 13, Poland said it would ban foreigners from entering the country from March 15 and impose a 14-day quarantine on its citizens returning home. Those with a residence permit in Poland would also be allowed to enter, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.

No international inbound flights or trains would be allowed from March 15, except for some charter flights bringing Poles back from holidays.

Qatar

Qatar said on March 15 it would ban inbound flights, with the exception of cargo and transit flights, starting from March 18. The entry ban does not apply to Qatari citizens.

The Russian government said on March 14 it was closing the country?s land border with Poland and Norway to foreigners.

It said the closure would apply to all foreigners passing through those border points for tourism, study, work or private visits. Citizens of neighbouring Belarus and official delegations were exempt.

Saint Kitts and Nevi

The Caribbean country asked anyone who has travelled to China, Italy, Iran, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, the UK, France, Germany and Spain to not visit, the Miami Herald reported. If an individual does arrive from one of these countries, he or she must go through a 14-day quarantine.

Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia restrictions on travellers arriving from France, Germany, Spain, the UK, China, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Singapore, according to local media.

Saudi Arabia

On March 15, Saudi Arabia suspended all international flights for two weeks.

Serbia barred entry to people arriving from Italy, certain provinces in China, South Korea, Iran and Switzerland.

Singapore

As of March 15, ?all new visitors with recent travel history to France, Germany, Italy and Spain within the last 14 days will not be allowed entry into or transit through Singapore?, according to.

Singapore residents and pass-holders who have been to those countries in the past 14 days will be issued a ?Stay-Home Notice?, which will require them to quarantine for two weeks.

Slovenia

Slovenia on March 11 said it was closing some border crossings with Italy and began making health checks at those remaining open. Passenger train transport between the two countries was also cancelled.

South Africa

South Africa barred entry to foreign travellers arriving from or transiting through high-risk countries, including Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, the US, the UK and China.

South Africans were also advised to cancel or postpone all non-essential foreign travel.

South Korea said on March 17 it would tighten border checks for all overseas arrivals. The government had already imposed strict border checks on visitors from China, Italy and Iran, requiring them to sign up by a smartphone application to track whether they have any symptoms, such as fever.

Spain

On March 16, the Spanish government announced the closing of its land borders, allowing only citizens, residents and others with special circumstances to enter the country.

Direct flights from Italy to Spain have been banned until March 25.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka said on March 17 it would ban all incoming flights for two weeks.

Sudan

On March 16, Sudan closed all airports, ports and land crossings. Only humanitarian, commercial and technical support shipments were excluded from the restrictions.

Suriname

Suriname closed all its land and sea borders on March 14.

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Tunisia said on March 16 it would halt international flights and close its land borders.

Turkey

The government is suspending flights to and from several countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, China, South Korea, Iran and Iraq.

Ukraine

Ukraine said on March 13 that foreign nationals would be barred from entering the country.

United Arab Emirates

The government indefinitely suspended flights to and from Lebanon, Turkey, Syria and Iraq from March 17.

United Kingdom

The government on March 17 advised citizens ?against all non-essential travel worldwide?, initially for a period of 30 days.

United States

Any US citizen or permanent residents who have v isited a high-risk area must fly into one of the 13 international airports with enhanced entry screening capabilities.

Uruguay

Uzbekistan has barred entry for all foreigners and departures by locals.

Venezuela

On March 12, Venezuela announced it would cancel all flights from Europe, Colombia, Panama and the Dominican Republic for at least 30 days. The country has also announced a nationwide quarantine.

Yemen

The internationally-recognised government of war-torn Yemen said on March 14 it would suspend all flights to and from airports under its control for two weeks starting on March 18.

A statement from the office of Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed said the move exempted flights for humanitarian purposes. The key airports his government controls are in Aden, Sayoun and Mukalla.

Coronavirus outbreak shows Asia needs to step up infection preparation [Taj Pharma]

Coronavirus outbreak shows Asia needs to step up infection preparation [Taj Pharma]

Region is safer after epidemic lessons but new diseases always arising

In early January, the World Health Organization was notified by China that 41 people in Wuhan, the country?s seventh most populous city, had been hospitalized with what appeared to be a mystery strain of pneumonia. Many were reported to be workers in or visitors to a live animal market.

Chinese authorities have now made a preliminary determination of a new, previously undetected coronavirus as the cause of the respiratory illness, and over the weekend shared the virus?s genetic sequencing to enable other countries to quickly diagnose potential new cases.

Any outbreak of an undetermined disease prompts concern across Asia and beyond, and memories remain strong of the 2003 outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and bird flu, which infected thousands, killed hundreds and sparked massive disruption to global travel and trade.

In the past two decades, China has rapidly strengthened its capacity to prepare for and respond to public health threats and, in the face of the latest challenge, moved swiftly to investigate the cause, isolate patients and trace their close contacts. Authorities also closed the implicated market and are conducting environmental assessments.

WHO immediately activated all three of its levels ? China country office, regional office and headquarters ? and stands ready to launch a broader response, if needed.

This New Year?s wake-up call reminds us to be vigilant against SARS, bird flu and the causes of more recent outbreaks in the region, including dengue, measles, polio, influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome, Zika and a range of other emerging diseases. In fact, two of the last four influenza pandemics began in the Western Pacific Region ? home to 1.9 billion people and a hot spot for outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases and natural disasters. These were threats that put people?s health and safety and economic development at risk.

At a time like this, it is fair to ask: are we safer from health security threats than we were a decade ago, following the H1N1 influenza pandemic? Or than we were when SARS emerged 17 years ago?

In many respects, we are safer, having learned important lessons from dozens of other outbreaks and emergencies.

The 37 countries and areas that make up the Western Pacific Region, from Mongolia to New Zealand, have made considerable progress in strengthening systems for preparedness and response, guided by WHO. Most now have emergency operations centers and rapid response teams, and have introduced field epidemiology training programs and event-based surveillance systems for early identification and monitoring. China?s rapid identification of a new coronavirus last week, and its quick action to share the virus sequence with other countries, is testament to the strength of this approach.

As a result, many countries can respond quickly to disease outbreaks, and some have the capacity to support their neighbors. All of this has made the region ? and the world ? safer.

But we are not completely safe.

Our surveillance teams identify, on average, two disease outbreak events every week, and the context in which these events occur is far more complex than before, due to rapid urbanization and dramatic increases in the movement of people and goods. In addition, climate change has increased the frequency and impact of natural disasters and expanded the geographic reach of epidemic-prone diseases. As a result, the region is being impacted by diseases, such as MERS and yellow fever, that seemed unlikely just a few years ago.

And social media are spreading rumors faster than viruses spread disease ? often passing along incorrect information that can make situations worse.

But there is good news: we have the power to strengthen systems for handling health security threats for decades to come. Specifically, we urge our member states and partners to focus on five key points to reinforce health security.

First, we need to extend and modernize disease surveillance systems at the local level, so that health services detect and report emerging infectious diseases quickly and at the source.

Second, we need to strengthen decision-making systems to ensure rapid responses. The earlier we detect an event, the more complex and challenging the decision-making becomes, because it often takes place in the context of more uncertainty. Responding in this environment requires conducting systematic assessments that draw upon multiple sources of information and intelligence.

Third, we have to communicate more effectively so that we engage all relevant sectors and communities, to be better prepared for responding to health emergencies and outbreaks.

Fourth, in a region that is a recognized hot spot for diseases from animals, we must continue to strengthen collaboration between the animal and human health sectors, including to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, or drug-resistant infections.

Finally, we need to continue to strengthen collaboration and coordination between countries for so-called global public health goods ? those things that universally benefit all of us, such as clean air and water and protection from infectious diseases.

No one can undertake this journey alone ? not a single country, nor a single organization. We must work together, reaching across sectors, to prepare for the next pandemic. We must test and update response plans time and again. We must continue to strengthen the systems required to implement responses. And we must keep up momentum to continue improving health security.

These simple steps ? by WHO, member states and our partners ? can further strengthen the initiatives and programs we already have in place to ensure health systems are ready for and capable of responding to disease outbreaks, keeping people safe.

Tags: Wuhan, Corona Virus, Epidemic, Infectious diseases, South Asia

About Taj Pharma

Taj Pharma India delivers a unique contribution to better healthcare. Taj Pharma India aim to reduce suffering and improve health and quality of life of people all around the world. At Taj Pharmaceuticals, Taj Pharma India have pursued this mission with patience, dedication, imagination and skill, for over a century. Taj Pharma vision is to develop targeted medicines and diagnostic tools that combine to offer patients, physicians and payers better, safer, more cost-effective healthcare.

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