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Bangladesh: COVID-19 panic grips crowded Rohingya camps

New Delhi (NVI): About one million Rohingya refugees living in the crowded and cramped camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar are vulnerable to coronavirus infection, experts and activists warned.

The area where most of the Rohingya Muslims arrived in 2017 are wretched and have low lying conditions, which makes the area a fertile ground for the disease.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has also suspended all public transport services as the country has reported five deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic with almost 27 positive cases, according to United News of Bangladesh.

The government has also declared a 10-day shutdown from to battle the spread of the coronavirus.

Both the private and public sectors, except emergency services, have come to a temporary halt.

Bhutan confirms 3rd coronavirus case

New Delhi (NVI): Bhutan has confirmed its third COVID-19 case after a student was found positive yesterday.

As per media reports, the third positive case of coronavirus in the country is an imported one. The student had a travel history from the United Kingdom (UK) and is already in quarantine in Thimphu.

Among the 25 tests conducted in Bhutan yesterday, one tested positive late last evening.

Twenty-two people were tested in Thimphu’s Royal Centre for Disease Control and three of them in Chukha’s Phuentsholing Hospital.

The Ministry of Health has already initiated contact tracing but most of the student’s contacts are already under quarantine.

Two American tourists had earlier been tested positive for coronavirus in Bhutan.

The first patient who had been tested positive for coronavirus was a 76-year-old tourist from the USA, who visited India, including Assam.

He had reached Assam on February 22 and took a week-long luxury cruise ride on the Brahmaputra to Guwahati.

The second person who was infected with coronavirus was a 59-year-old lady who is the partner of the tourist who had been first tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhutan.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Bhutan government banned the import of fruit, vegetables, and meat in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

J&K: Two minor siblings test positive for COVID-19

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Two minor Srinagar siblings have been tested positive for Coronavirus in Kashmir, taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 13.

J&K Government spokesperson, Rohit Kansal confirmed that two more positive cases have been reported in Srinagar.

“Siblings (7 years old and 8 months old)- grandchildren of a confirmed case from Srinagar with travel history to Saudi Arabia who had tested positive on March 24,” he said.

They are admitted at Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial (JLNM) hospital and hail from Natipora area of Srinagar.

According to the hospital authorities, the test reports of their mother lies awaited.

There are a total of 32 high-risk suspects for COVID-19 quarantined at JLMN at present.

Earlier in the day, a 65-year-old man infected with the coronavirus died at Chest Disease (CD) Hospital Dalgate, Srinagar, marking Kashmir’s first recorded death due to the disease.

Over 500 Germans stranded in India flown back

New Delhi (NVI): Over 500 German citizens, who were stranded in India due to the nationwide lockdown, were flown back to their country today.

They were repatriated via a Lufthansa airline flight which airlifted them from Delhi airport and landed in Frankfurt.

“First repatriation flight from Delhi to Frankfurt succesful ! In an immense team effort we could bring home 506 people
! Excellent cooperation with @Lufthansa_DE and @Lufthansa_India ! @AA_SicherReisen @GERonAsia @germanydiplo,” the German Embassy in India tweeted today.

As part of the COVID-19 restrictions, the Central Government has banned all international commercial passenger flights to India from March 22 to 29.

The country is currently under a 21-day lockdown to combat the deadly pandemic that has claimed over 18,000 lives globally so far and infected more than 4,00,000.

Nepal prepares to evacuate over 10,000 tourists

New Delhi (NVI): Efforts are underway to evacuate over 10,000 tourists stranded in Nepal as countries including the US and Australia are sending flights to Kathmandu to fly their nationals out.

The decision to evacuate foreign nationals was taken during a meeting of the COVID-19 control committee headed by Nepal Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel yesterday, reports Nepali Times.

The German Embassy in Nepal has organised two Qatar Airways ferry flights from Doha to take its nationals out on Friday and Saturday. The French, British and Australian Embassies are also said to be planning flights out for their nationals, the newspaper reported.

In another development, the government of Nepal yesterday decided to allow its citizens stranded at southern border points to enter the country ‘one last time’ and also urged Nepalis living anywhere in the world not to panic and stay put where they are, according to a Himalayan Times report.

The Nepal government has also decided to make necessary diplomatic efforts and request other countries to ensure the security of Nepalis living there.

All Nepali missions abroad have also been asked to keep in touch with Nepalis and continue the flow of necessary information on decisions taken by the Nepal government.

Meanwhile, Nepal reported its third positive case for COVID-19 yesterday. A 32-year-old Nepali from Dhading district has been confirmed as the third coronavirus patient.

The man, who returned from the United Arab Emirates on March 19, was staying at a hotel in Kathmandu since his arrival in Nepal.

He visited the hospital on March 23 after developing COVID-19 symptoms and is undergoing treatment at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku, Nepalese media reported.

The Nepali government has also started tracking down people who shared the flight with Nepal’s third coronavirus patient and came into his contact. But it has not disclosed the name of the airlines and the number of the flight he took.

Earlier, Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel took the decision for lockdown on Monday, hours after a second coronavirus case was confirmed in Kathmandu.

Nepal reported its first case of COVID-19 January 23, a 32-year-old man, who had returned from Wuhan.

Meanwhile, over 18,000 people have died of COVID-19 globally and more than 4,00,000 have been infected.

Lockdown not enough to control coronavirus: WHO chief

COVAX
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

New Delhi (NVI): Lockdowns, being implemented by several countries to combat COVID-19, will not be enough to eradicate the virus from the world, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.

“Asking people to stay at home and shutting down population movement is buying time and reducing the pressure on health systems. But on their own, these measures will not extinguish epidemics,” he said.

“We squandered the first window of opportunity,” Tedros said while addressing a press conference, adding “The time to act was actually more than a month ago or two months ago.”

Tedros noted, “The pandemic continues to take a massive toll.”

He further said, “We call on all countries who have introduced so-called lockdown measures, to use this time to attack the virus. You have created a second window of opportunity, the question is how will you use it?”

The WHO Director-General said that the world has overcome many pandemics and crises before. “We will overcome this one, too. The question is how large a price we will pay,” he said.

The number of people infected with the novel coronavirus globally has exceeded 4,14,179 over 18,440 have died, according to the WHO report.

Terrorists target Kabul crematorium day after attacking Sikh shrine

The terror attack on a Sikh shrine in Kabul left 25 dead and 8 injured. (Photo Credit: Twitter @TOLOnews)

(Updating earlier copy)

New Delhi (NVI): Terrorists today detonated a bomb near a Sikh crematorium in Kabul, a day after killing 25 people in an attack on a shrine of the minority community, according to local media reports.

A child was injured in today’s blast close to the crematorium, Pajhwok news agency of Afghanistan reported, quoting an unnamed official.

Earlier, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted that blasts were reported in Afghanistan near the cremation site of those killed during yesterday’s terror attack on a Sikh shrine in Kabul.

“Deeply concerned at the blasts reported near the cremation site of those killed during the attack on Gurudwara Sahib in #Kabul,” he tweeted.

25 people were killed and eight injured after a group of terrorists stormed a Sikh Dharamshala in Kabul yesterday. After a six-hour gun battle with Afghan special forces, all four suicide bombers were killed, Afghan media said.

India has strongly condemned the terror attack, saying such cowardly attacks on the places of religious worship of the minority community, especially at this time of COVID 19 pandemic, is “reflective of the diabolical mindset of the perpetrators and their backers”.

In a statement yesterday, the MEA also said that India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the affected families of the Hindu and Sikh community of Afghanistan.

COVID-19 has disrupted immunisation, health services: UNICEF

New Delhi (NVI): UNICEF has expressed concern over the disruption of immunisation and basic health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic while observing that children from the poorest families in countries affected by conflicts and natural disasters are at the greatest risk.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore in a statement today said that the pandemic is overstretching health services as health workers are diverted to support the response around the world.

She said that physical distancing is leading parents to make the difficult decision to defer routine immunization.

“Medical goods are in short supply and supply chains are under historic strain due to transport disruptions. Flight cancellations and trade restrictions by countries have severely constrained access to essential medicines, including vaccines,” she said.

As the pandemic progresses, critical life-saving services, including immunization, will likely be disrupted, especially in Africa, Asia and the Middle East where they are sorely needed, the UNICEF Executive Director further stated.

“At the greatest risk are children from the poorest families in countries affected by conflicts and natural disasters,” she said.

The UNICEF is particularly concerned about countries that are battling measles, cholera or polio outbreaks while responding to COVID-19 cases, such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, the Philippines, Syria and South Sudan.

“Not only would such outbreaks tax already stretched health services, they could also lead to additional loss of lives and suffering. At a time like this, these countries can ill-afford to face additional outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases,” Henrietta said.

At a time, when social distancing has become a mandatory response, UNICEF has strongly recommended that all governments begin rigorous planning as soon as possible to intensify immunization activities once the COVID -19 pandemic is under control.

Lockdown: Air pollution levels drop in several cities, including Delhi

New Delhi (NVI): The air pollution levels have dropped significantly across several cities in the country including National Capital Delhi as the 21-day lockdown for combating COVID-19 has led to reduced vehicles on roads and ban on construction activities.

The positive effect of a limited human interference with the environment was felt on Sunday when the country observed ‘Janta Curfew’.

The national capital witnessed a significant drop in pollution levels on that day as Delhiites remained indoors and almost no vehicles were seen on the roads due to the one-day lockdown.

So we can say that the corona scare has left us with cleaner air as pollutions levels have dropped in some major cities in India including Pune, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.

According to the pollution data shared by SAFAR, there was a considerable reduction in nitrogen oxide levels in these cities in March 2020.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) has also come up with an air quality analysis comparing the 2018 and 2019 data with that of March this year.

Taking the air data with effect from March 5, the analysis says that there was a considerable reduction in Nitrogen Oxide by 45 percent in Pune, 50 percent in Ahmedabad and by 45 percent in Mumbai, as compared to 2018 and 2019.

The SAFAR report further states that in Delhi, no significant change was seen in Nitrogen Oxide (Nox) levels after last week dip but PM 2.5 shows a declining tendency. “However, individual locations in all cities are showing significant changes,” it said.

Spain records second highest COVID-19 death toll

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Spain has recorded more than 700 deaths over the past 24 hours and has surpassed China in the global death toll, making the country having the second-highest death toll in the world after Italy.

Meanwhile, Italy has witnessed 683 more fatalities taking the total deaths to more than 7,500 in the country, according to the media reports.

Globally, the total number of deaths in the world have now surpassed 18,500 according to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, with the positive cases crossing 4,00,000 mark.

A total of 196 countries have been affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic around the globe.

In addition to this, the United States of America now has the third-highest number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the world at 51,914 cases with the total deaths nearing 1,000.

The United Kingdom’s death toll has also reached 465 with almost 1,500 new cases being identified.

In another development, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, has tested positive for coronavirus, Clarence House announced.

France also recorded 231 new deaths taking the total death toll in the country to over 1,300.

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