Covid-19 updates: Antibody test guidelines likely to be released Saturday

The stringent National Security Act (NSA) will be slapped on people who attack policeman enforcing the lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Friday.

The state government's move to invoke the NSA comes in view of reports of several incidents of attack on policemen enforcing the lockdown."The police is doing its duty by preventing people to come out during lockdown. There have been incidents in the state in which policemen were attacked by people. To deter such persons, it has been decided to invoke NSA against such persons," a senior Home Department official told PTI.

To ensure speedy detection of coronavirus cases, those residing in COVID-19 hotspots or areas which have reported large numbers of cases may have to undergo a rapid antibody blood test for the viral infection.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in its interim advisory has recommended the use of the rapid antibody test in the country's coronavirus hotspots. The decision for the recommendation was taken at an emergency meeting of the National Task Force, formed to deal with the health crisis, held on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to India's top athletes, including cricket stars such as current captain Virat Kohli, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, amid a national lockdown to combat the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 49 athletes, along with sports minister Kiren Rijiju, are participating in the video call.

"Of these, 12 have been given three minutes each to speak and present their view," a sports ministry source told PTI without revealing the names of the chosen athletes.

The Tamil Nadu government has notified as many as 21 State-run hospitals including the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here, one of the oldest institutions in the country as designated hospitals for treating coronavirus patients.

All the four government run medical college hospitals — the TN Government Multi Specialty hospital at Omandurar Estate, the RGGGH, Stanley Medical College hospital and the Kilpauk Medical College hospital will cater to Chennai, and adjoining districts of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengelpet.

The Puducherry district administration has ordered dismissal of 54 workers at a government medical college hospital here, designated as exclusive institution for COVID-19 patients, for "dereliction of duty and negligence" by abstaining from work on April 2.

In the order issued by District Collector T Arun on Thursday, it was stated that a report was submitted by the Dean of Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital referring to the absence of the workers, who were engaged on contract basis.

The anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and the antibiotic azithromycin, which are being considered by some for treating COVID-19, may increase the risk for dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, US cardiologists have warned.

The researchers from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Indiana University recommend that clinicians treating COVID-19 patients with the malaria-antibiotic drug combination should consider monitoring those patients for ventricular arrhythmia.

A team from the World Health Organisation will visit Rajasthan's Tonk district on Friday to conduct a survey in the wake of rising number of coronavirus cases in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said.

"There has been a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state in last 24 hours with an increase in the number of positive cases reported from Tonk. Given this critical situation, a team from WHO will visit and conduct a survey in Tonk today," Pilot tweeted.

The Shiv Sena on Friday said holding a religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area at the time of coronavirus pandemic was an "inhuman" act and came down heavily on the organisers of the last month's event.

"What religious and national service have these people done by such a congregation in the name of Islam. In fact, it is inhuman and great disservice," the Sena saidin an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Restrictions on the movement and assembly of people in Kashmir to contain the spread of coronavirus were tightened on Friday in view of congregational prayers, officials said.

The congregational prayers were not held at most mosques of the valley last Friday as various religious organisations appealed the people to offer prayers at home.

Coronavirus deaths mounted with alarming speed in Spain, Italy and New York, the most lethal hot spot in the United States, while the outbreak has thrown 10 million Americans out of work in just two weeks and by Friday had sickened more than a million people around the globe.

The public health crisis deepened in New York City, where one funeral home in a hard-hit neighborhood had 185 bodies stacked up — more than triple normal capacity. The city has seen at least 1,500 virus deaths.

TOEFL, GRE tests to be taken at home except in mainland China, Iran, says Educational Testing Service (ETS): PTI

In a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country, Japan has decided to ban people having recent travel history to any of the over 70 countries including US, UK and China.

The ban is applicable over those who have visited the listed nations or regions in the last 14 days.

The new rules kick in for arrivals as of Friday, even for those whose flight departs before April 3, in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in its major cities, according to media reports.

Delhi: A meeting of Group of Ministers (GoM) on Covid-19 to be held at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence at 11 am today. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other Ministers will also be present.

Total number of Covid-19 positive cases rises to 2301 in India, including 156 cured/discharged, 56 deaths and 1 migrated: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

China to observe April 4 as mourning day for coronavirus victims