Новости за 21.03.2020

Coronavirus has infected more than 2,70,000 people and killed more than 11,000 across the world. Meanwhile, India has reported four deaths and 283 cases so far. In his address to the nation, PM Modi called for Janata Curfew on March 22 and urged people to avoid panic-buying. Stay with TOI for all the latest updates:

The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday announced financial assistance through direct bank transfers to daily wage workers in the state, who stand to lose employment during the current coronavirus-linked slowdown. This makes UP the first state to implement a policy for lakhs of people in the unorganised sector in this time of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The government has decided that private laboratories with Covid-19 testing kits approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) can start testing suspected cases, significantly adding to the scope and numbers of persons who are being tested. The cost of such tests will also be specified.

Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar and West Bengal have sealed their borders for buses from March 22 to March 31. Mizoram suspended issuing inner line permits with immediate effect to stop people from outside from entering the state. In Maharashtra, restrictions on entry and exit of MSRTC buses, those owned by other state transport undertakings and private tourist buses were imposed.

Calls from sporting organisations for this year's Tokyo Olympics to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic gathered pace on Saturday with USA Track and Field (USATF) and Brazil's Olympic Committee the latest to join the throng. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 organisers still insist the July 24-August 9 showpiece will go ahead.

Kerala (12), Maharashtra (11) and Punjab (10) reported new cases in double digits even as the national count in the past two days alone stood at 133, accounting for 40% of all cases since the first one was confirmed on January 30.

Amid the novel coronavirus scare around the world, a French researcher has reported successful trial of a new treatment line for Covid-19, with early tests suggesting it can stop the virus from becoming contagious in just six days. According to connexionfrance.com, Professor Didier Raoult from hospital l'Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU Mediterranee), put up a video to explain the trials held earlier this week.

A 57-year-old man with no foreign-travel history and a 23-year-old woman who returned from Scotland tested positive to Covid-19 within 24 hours in Bengal, taking the total number of confirmed cases here to four. While three of the patients returned to the city from UK, what has set alarm bells ringing within the medical fraternity and the administration is the case of the fourth patient who has no travel history and did not come in contact with anyone with known foreign-travel history.

In support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for self-isolation, Indian sports personalities have come forward with messages to urge all Indians to observe Sunday's "janata curfew" and be a part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nation is expected to observe Janta Curfew tomorrow (March 22) from 7 am and 9 pm. Many celebrities have come forward to spread this news. Prime Minister Modi rallied the nation for the fight against coronavirus.

Over 100 teams, comprising around 1,000 members of the local administration and the UP health department, have been tasked to track down all possible contacts of singer Kanika Kapoor during her stay in the city since March 11. She tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

HS Prannoy along with six others had made a brave decision to pull out from the All England Badminton tournament which was held at Birmingham from March 11 to 15 amid COVID-19 fears.

Around 60 Indian students -- most them from Telangana -- created a ruckus at the High Commission of India (HCI) in London on Friday night, demanding that they be sent back to India in the wake of escalation in novel coronavirus fear. On Saturday, some of them had left. However, 28 students stayed put at the HCI building.

All malls, government and private offices, transport facilities and other services barring essential services related to saving the life of the people, will remain closed across the state as chief minister Ashok Gehlot issued orders of the complete lockdown of the state to contain the spread of Covid-19. The complete lockdown will remain in effect till Match 31.

With most of the sports events being cancelled or postponed, India opener Shikhar Dhawan is also spending his time with family. But the stylish left-hander has found a way to make his home stay a fun one.

Calls from sporting organisations for this year's Tokyo Olympics to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic gathered pace on Saturday with USA Track and Field (USATF) and Brazil's Olympic Committee the latest to join the throng. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 organisers still insist the July 24-August 9 showpiece will go ahead.

USA Track and Field, athletics' US governing body, on Saturday called for a postponement of the Tokyo Olympics.

Italy accounts for a third of global coronavirus deaths. But why Italy? Given that Italy's median age is lower than Japan. Experts say after China it could have been any country. The only thing that makes Italy different is that the first couple of (locally-transmitted) cases arrived in Italy about 10 days before they arrived in Germany, the US or Canada.

Ireland's seven-match series against Bangladesh became on Saturday the latest casualty to be inflicted on the cricket calendar by the coronavirus pandemic. The three one-day internationals in Belfast and four Twenty20 matches in England, scheduled to take place in May, have been postponed in line with British and Irish government advice against the staging of sporting events with mass gatherings and travel restrictions.

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag on Saturday appealed to the countrymen to stay at home as COVID-19 continues to rage.

The ministry of human resource and development (MHRD) has instructed the chairman of various institutions, coming under it, for permitting the teaching and non-teaching staff of their respective organisations to work from home till March 31. The letter addresses institutes like UGC, AICTE, NCTE, CBSE, NTA, NIOS and all other autonomous organisations under HRD.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit India's dope testing programme big time with the national watchdog, facing various logistical problems, reducing the sample collection of athletes to just 25 percent of earlier numbers.

State-run fuel retailers have decided to dump the monthly revision of jet fuel prices and opt for fortnightly revision, a move that will bring relief to airlines by quickly passing on the benefit of falling crude and jet fuel prices at a time when the carriers are grappling with the economic impact of coronavirus pandemic.