Till last month, Coronavirus was some distant phenomenon for Indians, with US President Donald Trump and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella visiting the country amid roaring applause. After just a week, the threat has hit two prestigious Noida schools and top Delhi hotels.
The panic began seeping in the moment news broke of an Italy-return man testing positive for novel coronavirus in the national capital. Below mentioned are some recent cases of Coronavirus in India.
Coronavirus Suspects In Uttar Pradesh
On Tuesday afternoon, the Uttar Pradesh government informed that six coronavirus suspects were detected by officials with high viral load detected in Agra and one in Lucknow. The suspects in Agra are the ones who have come in contact with the COVID-19 patient from New Delhi which was reported on Monday.
The suspect in Lucknow has shown symptoms of the deadly virus and has recently returned from Dubai. All the suspects have been kept in isolation. Their blood samples are being sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for tests.
Meanwhile, panic spread in Agra on Monday evening after one of the members of an Italian group of 20 tourists, who arrived here from Jaipur on Sunday night, tested positive for coronavirus in Jaipur and was detained there.
Indian Navy Postpones Biggest Maritime Exercise
With the outbreak of coronavirus outside China and increase in the numbers of cases in India, the Indian Navy has postponed its biggest multilateral naval exercise -- Milan 2020 -- in the Indian Ocean which was scheduled two weeks later. The multi-nation naval exercise was to be staged off the Vizag coast from March 19 to March 28.
Forty-two countries, including the US and Russia, were supposed to attend Milan 2020 which had the theme 'Synergy Across the Seas'.
Telangana & Bengaluru Steps Up Precautionary Measures
Telangana and Karnataka governments on Tuesday reviewed their Coronavirus (COVID-19) preparedness after a Bengaluru-based man who travelled to Secunderabad tested positive for the infection, making him the fourth confirmed case from south India.
The 25-year-old man, who returned to Kerala from Malaysia on Monday, is under observation at the isolation ward of a government medical college hospital in Ernakulam district.
Two Noida Schools Shut After Coronavirus Scare
Two private schools here cancelled classes on Tuesday for the next few days as a precautionary measure over the father of a student testing positive for Coronavirus. The parent had thrown a birthday party last week for the child, triggering fears that the students who attended it might be at risk.
Samples of six people from Noida have been taken to Delhi for tests, an official said. Three of them are children-- two aged 12 and the third five-year-old.
PM Modi's Message To Nation On Coronavirus Outbreak
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people not to panic and "work together" on a day six new suspected Coronavirus cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh's Agra. "There is no need to panic. We need to work together, take small yet important measures to ensure self-protection," Modi tweeted.
He also tweeted a poster highlighting basic hygiene like washing hands frequently and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth to prevent the spread of the virus.
Tips To Avoid Coronavirus Disease
- Wash your hands for full 20 seconds with hot water, especially when you return home from being in public.
- If you feel sick, stay home. About 80 per cent of people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, which is why it continues to spread so easily.
- It is critical for people with fever, coughing or shortness of breath to quarantine themselves and prevent further spread of the virus.
- Remain quarantined until you have been feverless for at least 24 hours without medications.
- Offer "elbow bumps" instead of handshakes, or do 'Namaste.'