West Bengal Reporting First COVID-19 Case Takes Total Tally To 142

After 142 coronavirus cases and 3 deaths, the government has stopped people coming from infected nations including European Union, Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan. Also, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has started exploring possibility of testing people with no travel history. ICMR is also considering including private laboratories for mass testing.

Highlights of the story

• West Bengal got its first COVID-19 case when a man arrived from England was tested positive in Kolkata airport. He was immediately admitted to infectious diseases hospital.

• Maharashtra with 39 COVID-19 cases is still the worst hit state in India.

• The man who died in Mumbai recently came from Dubai on March 5. He was admitted to a private hospital for respiratory problems but test positive for coronavirus. His wife is also infected with virus but she is stable.

• In Noida, two more people are tested positive for coronavirus. In Ladakh, three more coronavirus patients took the toll to 6.

• Presently people with a travel history to infected countries are tested for COVID-19 due to limited testing facility. But there is a loud cry to test everyone with coronavirus symptoms. South Korea showed by aggressive testing can help control COVID-19.

• ICMR director told that they weren’t averse to private labs testing COVID-19 and that they were making safety rules to allow private labs in mass testing.

• Congress leader Rahul Gandhi warned of economic devastation in the next six months due to coronavirus.

• Kerala government launched a mass hand washing campaign named “break the chain”.

• The World Health Organization appreciated India’s response and commitment to control COVID-19.

Source: https://bit.ly/3d7i6e9