Coronavirus Highlights: Gurgaon Paytm employee tests positive

There are 93,042 confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 3,201 deaths reported globally in 67 countries

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11:49 PM

US lawmakers agree to $8.3 bn emergency bill to fight Coronavirus

Lawmakers reached bipartisan agreement on an $8.3 billion emergency bill to help fund efforts to contain the virus in the United States

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11:05 PM

Italy coronavirus death toll passes 100: official

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All landports have fully equipped medical teams present to screen all incoming passengers from neighbouring countries: MHA

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Netanyahu encourages Israelis to adopt 'Namaste' to greet amid Coronavirus scare

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday encouraged his countrymen to adopt 'Namaste' - the Indian way of greeting - instead of the normal handshakeas one of the measures to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

 

At a press conference following a review meeting to contain the Coronavirus here, Netanyahu said that several measures will be announced to prevent the spread of Coronavirus but some simple measures like avoiding the normal handshake while greeting people may possibly be replaced with other forms of greetings like the Indian 'Namaste'.

8:58 PM

Regulator Irdai asks insurance companies to come out with policies that cover coronavirus treatment costs

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Paytm employee in Gurgaon tests positive for coronavirus: Company statement

A Paytm employee in Gurgaon has tested positive for novel coronavirus, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. It said the employee had recently returned from a vacation in Italy, one of the worst-hit countries from coronavirus.

 

Paytm has advised all its employees to work from home for the next couple of days while the Gurgaon unit gets sanitised, according to the statement.

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Global growth to 'dip below' last year's rate: IMF chief

The new coronavirus epidemic poses a "serious threat" to people and the world economy, and will slow growth below the 2.9 per cent posted last year, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Wednesday.

 

The COVID-19 outbreak "is no longer regional issue, it is a global problem (that) calls for global response," Georgieva said.

The epidemic's impact on confidence and steps to contain it are impacting economic activity, with the result that "global growth in 2020 will dip below last year's levels," she said.

 

The IMF in January forecast growth this year of 3.3 per cent, which means at least a half point will be lost to the virus.

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IMF's Georgieva says China production restored to 60%, hopes to move to 90% in coming weeks

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9 Italian tourists, Indian guide quarantined in MP Chhatarpur

Nine Italian tourists and their Indian guide were sent to a quarantine facility here on Wednesday for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus, an official said.

 

The Italian tourists and their Indian guide reached here in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday evening by road after travelling by a train to Jhansi from Agra, he said.

 

They were taken to a quarantine facility at Naugaon near here, district collector Sheelendra Singh told PTI.

 

"Two of them are suffering form cough and cold. They have been quarantined as a precaution," he said.

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Coronavirus cases in UK jump by 34 in a day, taking total to 85: Reuters quoting BBC

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IMF's Georgieva says adequate financial liquidity is necessary to deal with outbreak crisis

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IMF chief says epidemic 'calls for global response'

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IMF briefs media on Coronavirus

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Sarojini Nagar Market to procure masks, distribute to customers amid coronavirus scare

Amid coronavirus scare, the traders' association of Sarojini Nagar Market is planning to procure masks and distribute them to customers when they come to shop.

 

Ashok Randhawa, president of the Sarojini Nagar mini market traders' association, said they will also put up banners in the market informing people about various precautions to be taken in the wake of the current situation.

 

"We will be distributing masks to customers who visit the market. We are planning to procure 1,000 to 2,000 masks in the next few days and will be distributing them to customers.

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IMF members pledge 'all available' resources against Coronavirus epidemic

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Japan confirms three more coronavirus cases at Osaka Music Venue, total rises to 14 - Kyodo

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Animal health experts say there no evidence that pets can be a source of Coronavirus: Reuters

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Lufthansa to ground 150 aircraft due to coronavirus

Lufthansa will ground 150 aircraft due to the coronavirus, the German airline said on Wednesday, confirming what company sources had told Reuters earlier.

 

"We are dynamically adjusting our plans to reflect extraordinary circumstances," a Lufthansa spokesman said.

 

European airline bosses warned on Tuesday that the worst is still to come for the airline industry in terms of economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak, but they predicted that travel demand could stabilise in the coming weeks.

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Japan reports fresh Coronavirus case in Kumamoto Prefecture - Kyodo

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PM, other top BJP leaders to stay away from Holi gatherings due to Coronavirus concerns

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda, on Wednesday said that they would not attend any Holi Milan function in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

Holi is on March 10. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath too said that he will not take part in 'Holi milan' later this month in "public interest" and appealed to all the people of the state to refrain from attending social functions.

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Rashtrapati Bhavan will not hold traditional Holi gatherings: President's office

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Italy to close all schools, universities over virus: news agencies

Italy is closing all schools and universities from Thursday until mid-March to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Ansa and other Italian news agencies cited government sources as saying.

 

The measure was one of several being considered by the government at a meeting on Wednesday to combat COVID-19, which has killed 79 people in Italy and infected more than 2,500, the most in Europe. 

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West bengal schools asked to make students aware of steps to check spread of coronavirus

The West Bengal government has asked all state-run schools to sensitise students about steps needed to reduce the risk of novel coronavirus infection.

 

In a circular, the school education department directed district inspectors of schools to instruct heads of institutes to distribute pamphlets to students, advising them to follow basic hygiene habits like frequently washing hands, using handkerchief/tissue paper while sneezing to reduce the risk of infection.

 

The department will send the pamphlets to schools for distribution among students.

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Coronavirus: Some Delhi-NCR schools announce holidays, advance spring break

Three schools in the national capital and adjoining areas have announced holiday for students and staff as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of coronavirus, while two schools advanced their spring break and others sent out advisories to parents.

 

On Tuesday, a day after the Union Health Ministry reported two fresh cases of coronavirus in the country with one of them in Delhi, two Noida schools sent messages to parents announcing their closure. Read More...

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Coronavirus: Hyd IT park techie tests positive, firms send workers on leave

There was panic at an information technology park in Hyderabad on Wednesday after a techie reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

 

Some companies at Raheja Mindspace IT Park in the IT hub of Hitech City sent their employees home as a precautionary measure. Read More...

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DMRC issues advisory, to step up cleaning on Metro premises

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Wednesday said it would increase the frequency of cleaning on its premises in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

DMRC has also issued Do's and Dont's in both English and Hindi regarding the virus.

 

It will also be run on digital screens at major stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Central Secretariat, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi.