Coronavirus Live Updates: Bengal Shuts Eateries, 12 More Test Positive In Kerala

 The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc worldwide as the fatalities from the pandemic swept past 10,000 globally, with the number of infected people topping 250,000, according to an AFP tally.

COVID-19 cases rose to 271 in India after fresh cases were reported across the country, as per the ICMR on Saturday while the Union health ministry figure stood at 258, as the governments in the national capital and Maharashtra announced shutdown of public places to contain the spread of coronavirus

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan also asked people to self-quarantine for at least another 45 days as the country reported its third coronavirus death and the total number of confirmed cases rose to 481.

Italy reported a dramatic surge in coronavirus deaths on Friday as the pandemic spread further across the planet, but Wuhan in China reported no new cases, sparking a glimmer of hope.

Italy, already the worst-affected country in the world, added another 627 fatalities, taking its reported total past 4,000 despite government efforts to stem the pandemic's spread.

Governments and central banks continued to throw unprecedented sums of money into the economic battle, hoping against hope that a deep global recession could somehow be dodged.

California, among the worst-hit states in the United States, told its 40 million residents to stay at home, the most drastic move yet in the US.

The California measures will, however, not be enforced by police unlike in France, Italy, Spain and other European countries where people face fines if they break the rules.

Britain, meanwhile, ditched its more relaxed attitude on Friday, telling cafes, pubs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, theatres and leisure centres to close, in line with its neighbours in the EU.

Get all the latest updates here:

8:30 PM: Jamia Millia Islamia students temporarily suspend protest against CAA. 

7:11 PM:  Railways orders closure of all rail museums, heritage galleries and heritage parks till April 15.

6:48 PM: Twelve more people test positive for corornavirus in Kerala on Saturday, taking the total number to 49: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

6:30 PM: The total number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 283, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.

As per an update by the Ministry of Health, "The total number of cases including foreign nationals is 283 and out of which 22 people have recovered."

5:00 PM: Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry: 1600 Indians and people from other countries were kept in quarantine centres in India. Today 262 people from Rome, mostly students will come & they will be kept in quarantine centres.

4:45 PM: Govt working to ramp up production of masks, sanitisers; states asked to allow deodorant manufacturers to produce sanitisers: Official.

4:25 PM: 'Near-total' lockdown in 5 districts, 8 towns of Odisha for a week starting tomorrow over coronavirus pandemic, announces CM Naveen Patnaik.

4:20PM: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced that food will be provided for homeless people in Delhi's night shelters. He also said that pension for elderly, widows, specially-abled people is being doubled in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

4:10PM: West Bengal government orders shutting down of all restaurants, bars, pubs, nightclubs, amusement parks, museums and zoos till March 31 in wake of coronavirus pandemic.

4:08PM: National Conference, J&K, said that as per directions from party president Dr Farooq Abdullah, Anantnag MP Hasnain Masoodi has released Rs 1 crore to combat the threat of coronavirus in his constituency. The amount will be equally distributed to Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts.

4:00PM: A total of 215 evacuess who were brought to the ITBP Chhawla Quarantine Facility from Italy on March 15, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus, an official said on Saturday.

3:50PM: The Goa government has shut down its borders for mass passenger and tourist vehicles traffic, in a bid to crackdown on inter-state movement as a precautionary measure.

3:32PM: Iran reports 123 new coronavirus deaths, raising total to 1,556. On Friday, the country had reported 149 deaths.

3:22PM: Autos, taxis to remain off roads in Delhi during Sunday's 'Janata Curfew' as several unions have extended support.

3:15PM: Appealing for support to the PM Modi's call for observing 'Janata Curfew' on Sunday, Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa has asked people not to come on roads immediately after the end of curfew time as it can nullify the measure.

Noting that people have extended both moral and societal support to this unique curfew, he said, "Now, my appeal to people on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modiji is, don't come on roads and out of your dwellings immediately after nine in the night when curfew time ends. Remain settled in your houses and bungalows avoiding all public appearances on roads and other public places."

3:05PM: As many as 255 more people have returned to Jammu district from Bangladesh and other countries up to 2 pm since morning. They have been isolated to undergo quarantine as a preventive measure. Fifty well-equipped quarantine facilities have been set up in the district, according to Srinagar Administration.

2:45PM:  8 Train Passengers Test Positive | As many as eight passengers who had travelled on Andhra Pradesh Sampark Kranti Express from Delhi to Ramagundam on 13th March tested positive on Friday, Railway Ministry said.

Two passengers marked with mandatory quarantine were also found to be travelling on Rajdhani Train between Bengaluru and Delhi today. They were immediately deboarded and the entire coach was sanitised. 

2:40PM: West Bengal State government has postponed the Higher Secondary Examination, in wake of coronavirus. All exams are suspended till 27th April. Dates of rescheduling will be fixed after 15th April.

2:35PM: The Maharashtra government on Saturday announced that the last paper of the SSC (Class X) exam, which was scheduled to be held on Monday, has been postponed in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad made this announcement.

2:20PM: Mumbai Metro One To Stop On Sunday | Mumbai's Metro One will suspend operation on March 22 to encourage people to stay home and take part in the 'janata curfew'.

1:58PM: 3 New Cases In Karnataka | Three new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Karnataka taking the total positive cases to 18. As many as 48 government hospitals and 35 private hospitals have been identified as first-respondent hospitals for the case management of COVID-19 cases.

1:50PM: Dr. DK Sharma, Medical, Superintendent, AIIMS Delhi: "It has been decided to temporarily close down routine walk-in OPD's patients' registrations including Specialty Clinics at AIIMS Hospital & all Centres from 23rd March."

1:42PM: In order to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the Chandigarh Administration has started labelling the houses of those who have been home quarantined to alert the visitors. Also, the list of such persons will be uploaded on the Administration's website, chd.gov.in.

"There is apprehension that some people in home quarantine will not adhere to the guidelines. Any breach of this order will invite action under Section 188 of the IPC," Chandigarh Adviser Manoj Parida said.

1:40PM: Dr Jasjeet Kaur, Civil Surgeon, Panchkula, said: "A woman who came in contact with the Chandigarh coronavirus patient has tested positive for virus today. She had given beauty services to the Chandigarh patient. She has been admitted to an isolation ward."

1:35PM: UP Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh, who was at a party with singer Kanika Kapoor, tests negative for coronavirus, PTI reported.

1:20PM: More Cases In Leh, Kargil | Three more people have been tested positive in Leh (two persons) and Kargil (one person), taking the total number of cases to 13  in the Union Territory. The condition of all the infected people is stable.

12:45PM: Bangladesh has suspended all international fights except on four routes -- UK, China, Hong Kong and Thailand -- starting Saturday till March 31.

12:40PM: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched a toll-free helpline on coronavirus safeguards for students, officials said on Saturday.

The facility is available on helpline number 1800 11 8004 from 8 am to 8 pm, initially up to March 31, they said.

12:30PM: India Tally Goes Up To 271 | A total of 271 individuals have been confirmed positive among suspected cases and contacts of known positive cases in India, according to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

12:25PM: The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhu has barred all International flights for one week from March 22 onwards amid the coronavirus pandemic.

12:02PM: The State Election Commission of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to temporarily put on hold the municipal and panchayat elections in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The commission had announced that the elections would be held in April-May this year but the dates were not finalised.

12:00PM: 1st Death In Singapore | Two persons, including a woman, became the first fatalities of the coronavirus pandemic in Singapore, health ministry said on Saturday as the country announced a slew of measures to prevent the spread of the deadly disease that has infected 385 people in the island nation.

11:50AM: New Case In Bengal | Nilimesh Das, Chairman, Howrah Municipal Corporation, said: "A woman who recently returned from Scotland has tested positive for coronavirus. She came here from Scotland via Mumbai. After developing cold and cough, she took a test. She has been admitted to an isolation ward." 

11:20AM: Evacuation From Rome | India's national carrier Air India will send a 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Rome on Saturday afternoon to evacuate Indians stranded there amid the coronavirus crisis. An Air India official said the flight to Rome would take off from the Delhi airport around 2:30 pm.

11:00AM: Another Positive Case In Noida |  One more person tests positive for new coronavirus in Noida; total 5 such cases have been reported so far.

10:25 AM: In its first COVID-19 advisory for Indian nationals in the US, the embassy urged them to stay safe and isolate themselves within their residential premises and follow the advisories updated on the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“Please follow social distancing norms and avoid any non-essential local travel. Approach the local health department officials in case you or your family member(s) experience any of the symptoms mentioned in the CDC website,” the embassy said.

10:10 AM: Maha Tally Climbs To 63 | Coronavirus positive cases in Maharashtra rise to 63; eleven more cases found since Friday evening.

10:00 AM: The total number of positive cases of coronavirus in India now stands at 258 (including 39 foreigners), 4 deaths (1 each) in Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra, says Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

9:25 AM: A resident of Mohali, Punjab with travel history to the UK, has tested positive for Coronavirus; Total number of positive cases in the state rises to 4.

9:20AM: The Kerala High Court rejected the petition seeking the online sale of liquor to reduce crowd at the liquor outlets in the wake of COVID-19 threat.

9:15 AM: China has registered 41 imported (from outside the nation) cases of COVID-19 and no cases of internal transmission in the last past 24 hours. 

9:10 AM:  

9:00 AM: Twelve more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday.

Of the new cases, six persons are from Kasaragod, five from Ernakulam and one from Palakkad. Total 40 persons have tested positive for COVID-19, out of them three have been discharged, the Chief Minister said.