Covid-19 highlights: 5,00,000 people affected by coronavirus globally

2 more persons, according to PTI, have tested positive for coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir. The statewide affected numbers have now reached 13.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee took to the streets to explain social distancing to common people in Kolkata. In a 173 second video, CM Banerjee can be seen in a protective mask directing vendors and officials.

#WATCH West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seen directing officials and vendors to practice social distancing, in a market in Kolkata. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/dwkDbvcraR

— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2020

An Indeed.com survey says that 64 per cent of Indian businesses are ready or getting ready to ride through the ongoing crisis due to COVID-19. 3% of small and medium businesses also remain assured that this crisis can be overcome.

Germany has boosted its testing capabilities to 500,000 a week, according to a AFP report. Christian Drosten, head of Institute of Virology at Berlin's Charite University Hospital, said, "The reason why Germany has so few deaths compared to the number of infected people can be explained by the fact that we carry out an extremely large number of laboratory diagnostic tests."

Germany carried out 50,000 tests last week.

As cases continue to surge in Spain, Europe has become one of the epicenters of the Covid-19 disease. With 258,068, including 14,640 dead, Europe's healthcare faces a tough battle ahead. These numbers are compiled by WHO and national health ministries of Spain, Italy and other European nations.

The Spanish Moto Grand Prix is the latest sporting event which was to be held at the Jerez circuit was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The organisers said, "The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has obliged the event to be rescheduled."

ICMR's R Ganga Ketkar while speaking to the press said that the steps taken by the Centre are followed then there will no rise in cases in the country.

The steps taken by the government are so effective that if we follow them strictly, the #coronavirus cases will hardly increase in the country: R Ganga Ketkar, Indian Council of Medical Research pic.twitter.com/TBTIagTEqi

— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2020

The Health Ministry, according to PTI said that there is no evidence of of community transmission of covid-19 in the country.

Healthcare workers in Spain are in a race against time to save coronavirus patients as cases spiked in the European nation as overall number of coronavirus cases soared to 56,188 from 47,610.

PM Modi in his cabinet meeting on Wednesday asked Centre's ministries to scale up production of medical equipments.

China has asked its 'all-weather ally' Pakistan to reopen its borders so that the nation can send medical supplies to coronavirus-hit nation. The Chinese embassy in a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the governor of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China would like to donate a batch of medical materials to Gilgit-Baltistan, according to a news agency in Pakistan.

Cases in Maharashtra continue to spike as one person has tested positive for coronavirus in the state. Mahahrashtra has reported 125 cases so far.

The Singaporean economy which is headed for a recession after shrinking by 2.2 per cent signals that the world is heading for a deep, painful recession with more than three billion people now under lockdown, according to a report by AFP.

Kotak Mahindra, a financial services company, told its employees that family members and employees themselves will be reimbursed if they have been advised to take the Covid-19 confirmatory test. In a statement, Kotak Mahindra Bank, "All employees or immediate family members that are advised to go for COVID-19 testing will have the cost of the test done through private labs reimbursed to them."

Iran's death toll due to coronavirus has reached 2,234 according to AFP, as 157 new deaths due to Covid-19 were reported on Thursday.