Year : 05 Issue : 04 New Delhi Thursday, March 19, 2020 Rs. 1/- Pages - 8 E-mail - [email protected] / [email protected] Facebook - www.facebook.com/opensearch.co.in Website - www.opensearch.co.in BCCI now allows only chief... P6 FIRST COLUMN Coronavirus: 255 Indians Amid coronavirus lockdown, Coronavirus: Govt confirms 276 Indians infected in Iran, 276 across the Indian students in Philippines infected abroad, cases near 150 in country world, Govt tells Lok Sabha stranded in transit New Delhi, Agency. New Delhi, Agency. A total of 276 Indians have been infected The government further informed that 12 people with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) abroad, including 255 in Iran, the and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Sri Lanka and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) haveAfrican been country infected Rwanda. with the A dayvirus after in UAE, the fiveMinistry in Italy, of informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. External Affairs stated that media reports claiming a large number of Indians in Iran had tested positive for day after reports emerged that a large Thenumber government’s of Indian pilgrimsclarification in Irancame had a told Lok Sabha Wednesday that 255 Indians had been tested positive for the infection. Out of coronavirus could not be confirmed, the government New Delhi, Agency. By means of lockdowns and shutdowns, countries all and one each from Hong Kong, Kuwait, Sri over are exercising measures to curb the 276,Lanka 12 and are Rwanda.also from Within UAE, five the from country, Italy spread of COVID-19. These restrictions may help limit the pandemic but in the climbed to 147, including 14 who have process, it has taken a huge toll on those therecovered total number and three of confirmeddeaths, the cases Ministry has living abroad, especially students. The of Health and Family Welfare said in its Philippines is a favoured destination latest bulletin. Maharashtra has reported for many Indian medical aspirants, with the maximum number of cases, followed hundreds of students pursuing MBBS by Kerala, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. in universities there. As the coronavirus cases rose in the island nation (187 cases case, BJP MP Suresh Prabhu isolated home quarantine, as mentioned in the that mass gatherings in Gurgaon district and 14 deaths till the time of writing), Whilehimself the at Indianhis residence Army reported for the nextits first 14 stamp on their hands. After being de- would be limited to 50 people. This will President Rodrigo Duterte declared a days following his return from Saudi boarded, they were taken to a government extend to all gatherings, whether they be state of calamity, placing Luzon (country’s hospital in Palghar. Karnataka will be social, religious, academic, or personal most populous island and home to under lockdown till March 31. All public weddings or functions.” Gatherings of places including malls, cinema theatre, more than 200 people had been prohibited capital Manila) under effective lockdown. Arabia.Inthe license a significant for conducting development, coronavirus Swiss infected with COVID-19 in the Islamic Republic.The schools and colleges, and other places will across Haryana following orders from Moreover, the Filipino government has firmtests Rocheafter approvalDiagnostics from India drug has regulator received government further informed that 12 people have been announced an overseas travel ban after remain shut. Karnataka Chief Minister BS the government to this effect on Sunday. Yediyurappa has formed four task-force Gyms, swimming pools, schools, colleges, March 19. This has put Indian students get such permission after the government Hong Kong, Kuwait, Sri Lanka and Rwanda. Till Monday, there in a quandary. “On March 16, we DCGI,decided making to allow it the accredited first private private firm labs to teams to contain the spread of COVID-19 clubs, night clubs, theatres, and cinema and released Rs 200 crore for preventing halls had also been directed to remain infected with the virus in UAE, five in Italy and one each in were informed that we have 72 hours to to test for COVID-19, news agency PTI including 205 pilgrims. On Tuesday, Ministry of External the epidemic. According to Karnataka closed until March 31. The Gurgaon leave the Philippines, post that we will be 389Affairs Indians Additional had returned Secretary from Dammu Iran Raviby special said it flights, could at our own risk,” said Leelasai Kotireddy, Controller General of India (DCGI) is now health minister, the state has reported two District Magistrate, meanwhile, directed more new cases, taking the total number operations of all shopping malls (except reported.assessing Asgiving per licensea senior to official, another the private Drug that a country which has such a large spread of the virus of positive cases in the state to 13. With Pharmacies & Medical Establishments, University of Perpetual Help, Las Piñas, onlycould confirm have some “some positive positive cases cases”. among “It indianis quite nationals. possible aover first-year the phone. AB Psychology Things happened student in also sought approval to conduct tests for the number of coronavirus cases rising in Grocery stores and Super Markets) in India, mass gatherings in Gurgaon have the district be “suspended” as well, “with suddenly. Markets were closing. Even diagnosticcoronavirus. firm, Four BioMerieux, Germany-returned which has circulated on social media is correct,” he said. Last week, been ordered to be limited to a maximum immediate effect”, until March 31. The our canteen was shut down. We were passengers were deboarded from coach Ravi had said that the government would bring back only of 50 people. A decision to this effect has Indian Army on Wednesday reported its But I cannot confirm to you if the list which is being unsure if we will get any food. So we number G4 & G5 of Garib Rath at Palghar those Indians from other countries who test negative been made during a meeting between the station, around 100 kms from Mumbai, for coronavirus. “If Indians test positive elsewhere, we district administration and Additional a 34-year-old soldier in Leh was tested the next day,” he added. But on March when travel ticket examiners and co- would expect the country they are in to take care of them Chief Secretary, Health and Family positive. The jawan was on leave and he right17, India away suddenly booked bannedour flight the to entry India offor passengers raised an alarm seeing a stamp first case of the COVID-19 disease after like we are doing with the foreign nationals (here),” he Welfare, Rajiv Arora, Wednesday morning. came in contact with his father, who had passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines on their hands. They were headed to Surat. said on March 12. Several of the pilgrims who are stuck Speaking to the media after the meeting, returned from a pilgrimage to Iran on and Malaysia. “We cleared the immigration The four passengers were screened at in Iran told The Indian Express over the phone that over Arora said, “Following suggestions from a February 27. His father, however, was only but the airline unexpectedly apprised us the Mumbai international airport, where 800 Indians were currently stranded in the city of Qom. lot of people and recommendations of the quarantined on February 29 at the Ladakh of the Indian government’s direction. One they were found negative for coronavirus. A 44-year-old pilgrim from Leh said he and 18 others in Deputy Commissioner, it has been decided Heart Foundation. student was even deboarded from the However, they were advised 14 days of a 53-member group had tested positive but no effort had been made to segregate them. students have to transit in Kuala Lumpur. flight,”“As the Leelasaitravelling said. was To only come banned to India, to the opensearch Kuala Lumpur at least. But they refused,” Delhi HC reserves order on plea by India,he added. we asked Malaysia the hasairline also to escalated fly us to its Inform by next week if you’re releasing travel restrictions. Over 200 students, who managed to leave Manila before December 16 gangrape convict India’s travel ban, are as of now stranded New Delhi, Agency. Omar Abdullah: SC to Centre, J&K admin at Kuala Lumpur airport. New Delhi, Agency. The convict’s lawyer M L Sharma had argued for a stay in the execution The apex court told the counsel appearing for the Coronavirus: Odisha to of the death warrant by submitting Centre that Abdullah’s sister Sara Abdullah Pilot’s that Mukesh was lifted from Karoli, plea against his detention will be heard on merit distribute three months of Rajasthan, in 2012 and it was if he is not released soon. The Supreme Court impossible to commit the crime in Wednesday asked the Centre and Jammu and ration to beneficiaries Kashmir administration to inform by next week if High Court on Wednesday reserved it is releasing former chief minister Omar Abdullah, Delhiits order and on flee a plea to byKaroli. one ofThe the Delhi four who has been under detention since the abrogation death-row convicts in the December of Article 370 in August last year. Abdullah’s sister 16 gangrape-murder case, Mukesh Sara Abdullah Pilot’s plea against his detention will Singh, seeking quashing of death be heard on merit if he is not released soon, a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah told the counsel penalty claiming that he wasn’t in administration’s contention that public order in the Delhi at the time of the incident. withheld the documents, Mukesh appearing for the Centre. “If you are releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on region should be examined “contextually” keeping Mukesh moved the High Court on would have been held innocent.