Coronavirus: India Reports 2nd Death as 68-Year-Old Delhi Woman Dies, Positive Cases Rise to 83

New Delhi, March 14, 2020:

India has reported its second death following the outbreak of the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) after a 68-year-old woman from Delhi passed away.

According to reports, the woman had contracted the virus from her son, who had recently returned from Italy and tested positive for Coronavirus. The first death was that of a 76-year old man from Karnataka.

The total number of positive COVID-19 cases have soared to 83 till the filing of this report. The State Governments have prohibited mass gatherings in order to combat further spread of the virus. Educational institutions have also been directed to remain closed till March 31. The Indian government has issued advisories for tourists with helpline numbers to reach out to in case of any emergency.

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It may be mentioned here that the pandemic has triggered panic across the globe. The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China in December, 2019 has claimed as many as 5,436 deaths worldwide, and 67,889 people are currently affected. 6,082 (or 9%) are said to be in serious/critical condition.

India Scenario

In India, eleven states - Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, are the worst-hit so far. The US Embassy and Consulates in the country have cancelled all visa appointments from March 16 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. A statement issued by the US Embassy here said, "US Mission India posts, in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic, are cancelling immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments from March 16, 2020, onward."

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has suspended its three-day annual meeting of its highest decision-making body scheduled to begin on Saturday. The annual meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), which was to be held in Bengaluru from March 15-17 to decide on the organisation's future course of action, was also cancelled.

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Shopping malls, theaters, night clubs, pubs, and swimming pools in Bengaluru have been closed till next week amid COVID-19 pandemic. Some Pharmacies in Delhi have reportedly stopped selling N95 masks due to increase in prices.

Special isolation wards have been set up in public places like railways to attend to cases. Maharashtra has also shut all its theatres, gyms, etc. due to COVID-19.

States like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh have sealed their international borders to keep coronavirus away. The region has not yet been affected by the virus. The State governments of the Northeast region are taking the necessary precautions to screen people for the virus.

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