Coronavirus in India live updates: Fourth positive case of COVID-19 reported from Gurugram

Airlines cancelled 61 departures and 57 arrivals at Chennai airport on Thursday because of poor patronage caused by Covid-19 scare. This was the biggest number of cancellation in a day in the wake of novel coronavirus scare. In domestic, 33 departures 28 arrivals were cancelled. In international, 28 departures and 29 arrivals were cancelled.

A change in a building for suspect coronavirus cases led to protest in Bhayander in Mumbai amid rumours that patients with the virus had been moved into the quarantine facility. The Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had set aside a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) building for quarantining suspect COVID-19 patients. Residents around the building in Shrushti complex in Mira Road had protested the move forcing the civic administration to select another vacant building in New Golden Nest, Bhayander (east).

In a significant order, the Bombay high court on Thursday suggested to the Mumbai civic body and all other municipalities in the state to consider issuing general directives not to demolish, evict or hold auctions of attached properties for a specifed period in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the advisory and curtailed court hours. A bench of Justices SJ Kathawalla and Riyaz Chagla passed the order while hearing a plea by A1-Fateh cooperative housing society claiming urgency in view of impending demolition action. The HC, granting the society some relief, said, “Without going into the merits of the matter, the demolition of the structure is stayed up to March 31, 2020.”

No entry will be allowed to devotees at the landmark Haji Ali Dargah (shrine) as well as the popular Mahim Dargah in Mumbai in view of the coronavirus epidemic, it was announced on Thursday. The decision to stop entry at the two shrines till further notice was taken following the Maharashtra government's advice to avoid crowding in public places, said Suhail Khandwani, Managing Trustee of Mahim Dargah and a Trustee of the Haji Ali Dargah. Both these shrines attract lakhs of devotees, Muslim as well as non-Muslim, every year.

After finding reports being spread regarding shutting down of markets in Shimla, the district administration has decided to act tough against the rumour mongers. Deputy commissioner Amit Kashyap said on Thursday that some people are spreading rumours about an impending closure of market places and lockdown in Shimla. These reports are false and no such action is being taken. The situation is entirely under control. Kashyap said that people spreading rumours are being traced and due action shall be taken against them as per law.

The Assam man who jumped quarantine in Kerala and was travelling home by train was traced at New Bongaigaon railway station in the state early Thursday morning and shifted to isolation ward of railway hospital there. Along with him two other suspected coronavirus infected men, who was quarantined by Kerala health authorities at a hotel in Kozikhod, have fled from the quarantine facility on March 16. They are from Odisha and West Bengal. NF Railway chief PRO Subhanan Chanda said, “Railway Protection Force of NFR successfully traced out the person from train number 13175 Kanchanjungha Express. He had fled from the quarantine centre at Kerala. RPF on getting information from additional SP of Marigaon district that a person belonging to that district jumped quarantine at Kerala, swung into action immediately.”

Two coronavirus suspects fled from the hospitals in Mathura and Aligarh on Wednesday. Both were tracked and later admitted to the district hospital. According to health authorities in Mathura, a man who had returned from Mumbai on March 6 was admitted to KD Medical College’s isolation ward on Wednesday after he developed symptoms akin to coronavirus but he fled with the help of his relatives from the hospital in the evening.

In a significant move to prevent spread of Covid-19, the state government on Thursday allowed its employees with symptoms like respiratory problems and high fever or if they feel unwell to avail 14 days leave to remain in home quarantine. Sanjeev Chopra, principal secretary of the state general administration department on Thursday issued advisory to all the departments, heads of department, revenue divisional commissioners and district collectors in this regard. The advisory is applicable to around 4 lakh government employees (both contractual and regular), who have been working from the state secretariat to panchayat level offices.