Coronavirus Live Updates: Indian National In Iran Dies, Says MEA; India Confirms 173 Positive Cases

Italy on Wednesday reported 475 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, the highest one-day official toll of any nation since the first case was detected in China late last year.

Total deaths in Italy have reached 2,978, more than half of all the cases recorded outside China, while the number of infections stood at 35,713.

Also Read | Coronavirus Explainer: How Grave Is The Threat And How To Prevent

In the US, Two lawmakers were confirmed positive of the coronavirus as the number of deaths due to the deadly virus crossed 150 in America, while about 10,000 people have been infected.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation today on the ongoing coronavirus outbreak across the world and the efforts to combat it.

Also Read | Helpline Numbers For Coronavirus In All States, Union Territories Of India

The number of novel coronavirus cases in India has risen to 173 after 14 more were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry.

The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Delhi has so far reported ten positive cases which include one foreigner, while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, also including one foreigner.

Catch all the live coronavirus updates here. 

8:43 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a fervent appeal to all Indians to stay indoors as much as possible to avoid getting infected by coronavirus, saying the world has never seen a danger as grave as this.

7:49 PM: Two positive cases of coronavirus found in Gujarat, Health department officials said. While one infected patient is from Rajkot, the other belongs to Surat.

7:19 PM: One more person tests positive for coronavirus in Kerala, taking the number of cases in the state to 25, says Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

7:14 PM: One Indian who tested positive for coronavirus has died in Iran, says Ministry of External Affairs official.

7:05 PM: Shopping malls across Uttarakhand were closed on Thursday till March 31 in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

6:57 PM: The Chief Brexit Negotiator for the European Union (EU), Michel Barnier, on Thursday confirmed on social media that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

6:35 PM: The death toll from coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has crossed 9,000 mark worldwide, with a total of 2,25,254  cases and 85,831 recoveries, as recorded till 11a.m. GMT on Thursday, according to worldometers.info.

6:24 PM: "No need to panic, need awareness in community," says Union Health Ministry on people stocking up on ration, food items amid coronavirus scare.

6:11 PM: The Delhi government on Thursday shut restaurants in the national capital amid the coronavirus outbreak but said that takeaway and home delivery services will continue.

6:05 PM: At least 16 shop owners in Maharashtra's Pimpri Chinchwad city faced police action on
Thursday for defying the collector's orders to keep their establishments closed in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.

6:01 PM: "A total of 10 positive cases have been reported in Delhi so far. Out of the total number, one died, three people have recovered and rest six are in good condition," says Delhi CM.

6:00 PM: Air India flight to leave for Rome on Saturday and return next day with students, Indians stranded in Italy, say officials.

5:58 PM: "Those asked to undergo quarantine should follow rules, else we will take strict action," says Kejriwal.

5:56 PM: "We have succeeded in keeping coronavirus at containment level; it is not at the community level," says Kejriwal.

5:51 PM: There is no community transmission in the country so far, says the Union Health Ministry.

5:49 PM: "Social, cultural, political gatherings with more than 20 people not allowed," says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

5:45 PM: All children below 10 years are advised to remain at home, says Union Health Ministry.

5:43 PM: "We have 768 beds for quarantine purposes, of which 57 are occupied," says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

5:37 PM: Number of positive cases of Coronavirus rises to four in Jammu and Kashmir; 2337 people have been put under home quarantine and 34 people in hospital quarantine, say officials.

5:35 PM: India bans entry of all international commercial passenger flights from March 22 to March 29, say officials.

5:30 PM: India reported the death of a COVID-19 patient from Punjab on Thursday taking the toll in the country to four, the Union health ministry said.

5:14 PM: Delhi Police will not to conduct drunken driving test unless someone is visibly drunk and driving recklessly, say officials.

5:13 PM: Iran on Thursday announced 149 new deaths due to the novel coronavirus, raising the toll to 1,284, according to the health ministry.

4:54 PM: The Union Cabinet will be convened on March 20 as planned but the meeting of the Council of Ministers scheduled for March 21 has been postponed.

4:43 PM: Planning to evacuate Indians from Italy over weekend, says MEA.

4:36 PM: "This SAARC platform was to address this pandemic. It was a humanitarian platform that Pakistan misused," said Raveesh Kumar, MEA.

4:30 PM: Emergency SAARC fund proposed by PM to combat coronavirus operationalized, have received requests from member countries for assistance, says MEA.

4:01PM: Concessional tickets except for patients, students, Divyangjan category suspended from March 20 midnight in view of COVID-19, says Railways.

3:30 PM: SpiceJet says it's forced to temporarily suspend majority of international flights from March 21-April 30. 

3:02PM: Central government asks 50% of its staff to work from home and remaining to attend office. 

2:13PM: IndiGo Announces Pay Cut For Employees: IndiGo CEO says senior vice presidents and above are taking 20% pay cut while vice presidents and cockpit crew are taking 15% pay cut. With precipitous drop in revenues, the very survival of airline industry now at stake, says IndiGo CEO while announcing pay cut.

1:56PM: Mumbai's famed tiffin suppliers, the dabbawalas, have said they are suspending their services till March 31 in view of the coronavirus situation.

1:44PM: Sebi gives one month extension to companies for filing quarterly corporate governance report amid coronavirus outbreak. 

1:39PM: Two more COVID-19 Cases In Lucknow: Two more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 from Lucknow, taking the tally of confirmed cases in the city to five.

1:27PM: The railways has cancelled 84 trains, which will not operate between March 20 and March 31, taking the number of trains cancelled in view of low occupancy and coronavirus pandemic to 155.

1:19PM: The Delhi government has ordered closure of all government and private schools in the national capital for teaching and non-teaching staff till March 31 in view of coronavirus. So far, the schools were closed for students and exams were going on.

1:13PM: Six Singapore-returned passengers with 'home quarantine' stamp on their hands were de-boarded from the Gujarat-bound Saurashtra Express at Borivali station in Mumbai. 

11:10AM: 23-year-old woman who returned from London is Chandigarh's first confirmed novel coronavirus case. 

10:46AM: ICSE board class 10, 12 exams have been postponed till March 31. CBSE had also postponed the class 10 and 12 board exams last night. 

10:27AM: P Chidambaram calls for a temporary lockdown of the country. 

10:22AM: EU Shuts Borders As Virus Deaths Exceed Asia Toll: The European Union sealed off its borders to try to put the brakes on the ferocious spread of the coronavirus pandemic, as the number of deaths on the continent soared past the toll in Asia.

10:11AM: Two women test positive for coronavirus in Mumbai, taking the total cases in Maharashtra to 47. 

9:51AM: The novel coronavirus cases in India have risen to 169 after 18 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry.

9:15AM: A couple and their two-year-old daughter who had recently returned from Italy were tested for coronavirus, prompting the Rajasthan government to impose gathering restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in the entire state.

8:43AM: The Indian Embassy in Washington has urged the US government to mitigate the difficulties the Indian students in America are facing in the wake of the closure of universities and educational institutions due to the fast-spreading of the deadly coronavirus.

8:34AM: Pakistan has reported its first two deaths from the novel coronavirus in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

8:05AM: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed ongoing class 10, 12 examinations till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak. The JEE MAIN engineering entrance exam has also been postponed till next month.   

8:03AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation today at 8pm on the ongoing coronavirus outbreak across the world and the efforts to combat it.

8:01AM: China has reported no new domestic cases of the coronavirus for the first time since it started recording them in January, but recorded a spike in infections imported from abroad.

7:59AM: Two US Congressmen Test Positive: Two lawmakers were confirmed positive of the coronavirus in the US as the number of deaths due to the deadly virus crossed 150 in America

7:57AM: Italy recorded 475 deaths due to the coronavirus yesterday, the highest one-day official toll of any nation since the first case was detected in China late last year.