INDIA SETS UP 1,200 COVID-19 CONTAINMENT ZONES

As India intensifies its fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19),

the focus has shifted to about 1,200 containment zones, mostly in states

which have reported more than 100 Covid-19 cases. These zones are now under

a more strict form of lockdown, with a complete prohibition in the movement

of residents, with states adopting specific measures to implement

restrictions.

The zones - varied in size and scale, ranging from apartment blocks to

entire neighbourhoods, even parts of an entire district - are the frontlines

of the battle against the pandemic now, where no one, other than except

authorised government officials and health workers, are allowed to enter or

exit.

Maharashtra alone has 401 containment zones, with Mumbai having 381 and Pune

20. Uttar Pradesh has 105 containment zones, Rajasthan 38, Madhya Pradesh

180, Tamil Nadu 220, Delhi 23, Telangana 125, including 36 in Hyderabad, and

121 in Andhra Pradesh.

Containment zones are more localised (up to a kilometer in radium) than the

hotspots (spreading to several kilometers) and are aimed to prevent spread

of Covid-19 from a locality or a village to nearby areas. "In simple terms,

it is a barrier erected around the focus of infection," said a health

ministry document on containment zones.

In these zones, the police, including special response team of armed

commandoes, maintain a round-the-clock watch, assisted with CCTV cameras and

drones. Essentials are being delivered by Covid volunteers.

Teams of sanitary workers spray disinfectants at regular intervals; health

care and local officials do door-to-door surveys; no outlet is allowed to

remain open; and people are not being allowed even in the common areas of

their localities. Aggressive contact tracing of Covid-19 patients is being

done and movement of people, including non-Covid positive persons, is being

monitored through mobile apps.

NO NEED TO PANIC OVER AVAILABILITY OF PPE: HEALTH MINISTRY

The Union health ministry on Thursday said there is no need to panic over

the availability of COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE), but

stressed these should be used rationally.

Joint Secretary at the health ministry Lav Agarwal said at the daily

briefing that 20 companies are manufacturing PPE in India and orders for 1.7

crore PPE have already been placed with them.

"No need to believe any rumour or have any fear regarding PPE. Our

guidelines state that not only PPE should be made available, but they should

be used rationally," Agarwal said.

"It (PPE) should be used as per requirement, and as I have told you, I can

use four N95 masks within a day, or I can use just one within a day. While

the central government is augmenting supplies to the states, we are also

requesting them to use them rationally," he said.

Orders for 49,000 ventilators have been placed and their supply is underway,

Agarwal said and informed that 10 teams of COVID-19 specialists have been

sent to nine states.

The official also said the Indian Railways has produced about 6 lakh

reusable face masks and over 4,000 litre of hand sanitiser. It has also

converted 3,250 coaches into COVID-19 isolation units with beds. Total 5,000

coaches are to be converted, Agarwal said.

CENTRE SANCTIONS RS 15,000 CRORE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE PACKAGE

The central government on Thursday sanctioned Rs 15,000 crore for the India

COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package aimed at

fighting the global pandemic.

The move came a fortnight after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address

to the country announced the decision.

The funds sanctioned will be utilised for immediate COVID-19 emergency

response (amount of Rs 7,774 crore) and the remaining for medium-term

support over one to four years to be provided under the mission mode

approach, said a release from the Union government.

The project will be implemented in three phases from January 2020 to March

2024 and its primary objectives include mounting emergency response to slow

and limit the spread of the virus in India through the development of

diagnostics and COVID-19 dedicated treatment facilities, centralised

procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs required for treatment

of infected patients. It also aims to strengthen and build resilient

national and state health systems to support prevention and preparedness for

future outbreaks as well as establish laboratories and bolster surveillance

activities, bio-security preparedness and pandemic research.

INDIA SLAMS CHINA OVER COMMENTS ON J-K

India on Thursday asked China to refrain from commenting on its internal

affairs and recognise the fact that the most pressing issue in the lives of

the people of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is the "scourge of cross-border

terrorism".

The Indian reaction was in response to the spokesperson of China's Permanent

Mission to the UN stating that the issue of Kashmir remains high on the

UNSC's agenda and that China is very closely monitoring the current

situation in occupied Kashmir.

The Chinese spokesperson had begun by rejecting Indian media reports that

Beijing had turned down Pakistan's call for urgent consideration of the

situation in Kashmir during its presidency of UNSC in the month of March.

Opposing any unilateral action by India in J&K, he said China wanted a

peaceful resolution of issue according to UN charter and resolutions.

The spokesperson also reiterated that China's stance on the Kashmir remains

unchanged, calling it a dispute left from history.

In response, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said China is well aware of

India's "consistent position" on this issue. "The UT of J&K has been, is and

shall continue to be an integral part of India. Issues related to J&K are

internal matter to India," he added.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD - (Nos. IN INDIA / Nos. WORLDWIDE)

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 6,725 (+809) / 16,03,719 (+85,000)

Total Deaths 227 (+47) / 95,722 (+7,220)

Total Recovered 635 (+70) / 3,56,656 (+26,067)

Active Cases 5,863 (+681) / 11,51,341 (+51,713)

Serious / Critical Cases (Not Available) / 49,127 (+1,048)

Top 5 impacted nations so far: (Country / Total No of cases / Deaths)

USA 4,68,566 / 16,691

Spain 1,53,222 / 15,447

Italy 1,43,626 / 18,279

Germany 1,18,235 / 2,607

France 1,17,749 / 12,210

Top 15 impacted Indian States so far: (Total No. of Confirmed case / No. Of

Deaths)

MAHARASHTRA 1364 / 198

TAMIL NADU 834 / 8

DELHI 720 / 12

TELANGANA 471 / 12

RAJASTHAN 463 / 3

MADHYA PRADESH 411 / 33

UTTAR PRADESH 410 / 4

ANDHRA PRADESH 363 / 5

KERALA 357 / 2

GUJARAT 262 / 18

KARNATAKA 197 / 6

JAMMU AND KASHMIR 184 / 4

HARYANA 170 / 2

PUNJAB 130 / 10

WEST BENGAL 103 / 5

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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COVID-19: ARE WE TESTING ENOUGH? HERE'S HOW INDIA FARES VERSUS OTHERS

The global tally of Covid-19-positive cases now stands at over 1.5 million,

and the number of fatalities is nearly 83,000. With countries upping their

testing capabilities to stem a surge in coronavirus infections, more than 11

million tests have been conducted across the globe so far.

India has conducted around 160,000 tests (as on April 8), according to ICMR

data. And the country's tally of positive cases stands at 6,237 (at 6 pm on

April 9) - implying 3.8 per cent of the tests yielded positive results for

coronavirus.

The US, by comparison, has conducted 2.2 million tests - the most among all

countries - and seen a fifth of all those tests throwing up positive

results.

Among other countries that have been hit badly by the pandemic, the ratio of

infections to tests conducted is the highest in Iran. Its tally of positive

cases currently stands at over 64,000, which is 31 per cent of the 200,000

Covid-19 tests it has conducted.

Iran is followed by Belgium and France. In Belgium, around 26 per cent of

all who were tested turned out to be infected. France had conducted over

200,000 tests as on April 2 (the latest available data), and it had 59,000

confirmed cases - a ratio of 26.4 per cent.

Germany, which is among the countries with very high numbers for Covid-19

tests conducted, had seen only 5.6 per cent of the samples yielding positive

results as on April 1 (the latest available data on tests conducted by that

country).

For Spain, the ratio stands at 7.2 per cent, with 300,000 tests and around

25,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases as on March 21. Spain's current tally of

cases is 150,000.

The number of tests conducted by India is lower than other countries on a

per-capita-ratio basis. With a population of around 1.38 billion, India's

Covid-19 tests per 10,000 population has been merely 0.04.

Spain has the highest number of tests per capita among top-10 countries by

tests conducted - 18.3 per 10,000 population. It is followed by Italy, with

15.8 tests per 10,000 population. The per-capita test ratios for both

Germany and the UK stand at around eight per 10,000 population.

The US tops the charts with most number of tests carried out, but it stands

much lower in per-capita testing ratio - 1.2 tests per 10,000 people. South

Korea and Russia both fare even worse than the US, each with a ratio of 0.6

tests per 10,000 population. The case tally for both countries currently

stands at over 10,000, even as they have flattened their growth rates for

new cases.

WORLD SHOULD BRACE FOR WORST ECONOMIC FALLOUT SINCE GREAT DEPRESSION, SAYS

IMF CHIEF

The global coronavirus pandemic has inflicted an economic crisis unlike any

in the past century and will require a massive response to ensure recovery,

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Thursday.

The warnings about the damage inflicted by the virus already were stark, but

Georgieva said the world should brace for "the worst economic fallout since

the Great Depression."

Much of the global economy has been shut down to contain the spread of the

virus.

The IMF expects "global growth will turn sharply negative in 2020," with 170

of the fund's 180 members experiencing a decline in per capita income,

Georgieva said.

Just a few months ago, the fund was expecting 160 countries to see rising

per capita income, she said in a speech previewing next week's spring

meetings of the IMF and World Bank, which will be held virtually due to the

restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19.

Even in the best-case scenario, the IMF expects only a "partial recovery"

next year, assuming the virus fades later in 2020, allowing normal business

to resume as the lockdowns imposed to contain its spread are lifted.

But she added this ominous caution: "It could get worse." There is

"tremendous uncertainty around the outlook" and the duration of the

pandemic, Georgieva said.

BORIS JOHNSON LEAVES ICU, REMAINS UNDER OBSERVATION

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson left intensive care on Thursday evening

as he continues to recover from COVID-19, but he remains under close

observation in hospital, his office said on Thursday.

However, the government statement did not give any details on when Mr.

Johnson may be able to resume leadership, and Mr. Raab - speaking before the

latest announcement - had stressed the importance of allowing the prime

minister to focus on recovery.

THE REST

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COVID-19 TEST NOW MUST FOR ALL WITH COUGH, FEVER, RUNNY NOSE IN HOTSPOTS

Anyone suffering from fever, cough, sore throat or runny nose in COVID-19

hotspots will now have to be tested for the disease within seven days of the

onset of illness.

Indian Council of Medical Research on Thursday revised the testing strategy

for COVID-19 disease clusters where it had earlier recommended antibody

(blood-based) tests for anyone reporting influenza like illness symptoms.

Revising the old guidance yesterday, ICMR mandated nose/throat swab based

current Covid test for all symptomatic people in hotspots or migrant

centres.

"All symptomatic ILI (fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose) will be tested

with RT-PCR (swab test) within seven days of illness. After seven days of

illness, these same people will be administered the antibody test. If the

test is negative, it must be confirmed by RT-PCR," ICMR said.

The Centre has asked all states and Union Territories to ramp up the number

of samples collected across the country for testing to at least 2.5 lakh by

April 14 - when the 21-day national lockdown period ends.

TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR DECORATED SPECIAL FORCES COLONEL WHO SUCCUMBED TO

CANCER

A plethora of tributes have been pouring in for a Special Forces officer of

the Army, Colonel Navjot Singh Bal, Shaurya Chakra, who passed away

yesterday in Bengaluru after battling a rare cancer.

The 39-year-old officer was commanding 2 Para (Special Forces) when he was

diagnosed with cancer and he remained in command despite losing his right

arm to amputation.

Regimental officers took to social media to vent their grief at the passing

away of Colonel Bal with many of them narrating specific instances of the

superb physical fitness and zest for life in face of cancer. More than one

former associate of his described the manner in which Bal continued to

command his battalion despite fighting against cancer.

Bal's father, Lt Col Karnail Singh Bal, is a retired officer of Garhwal

Rifles and is settled in Amritsar in Punjab after retirement. The Army has

made special arrangements to fly his parents to Bangalore for his funeral.

WHO WILL COVER COST? ASK PRIVATE LABS

A day after they were ordered by the Supreme Court to provide COVID-19

testing free of cost, private labs have called upon the government to "come

up with modalities" so that their service "remains sustainable".

Some of the leading groups, such as Dr Dangs Lab and Dr Lal PathLabs, say

that while they "endorse" and "will abide by the Supreme Court order",

testing involves "fixed costs", such as reagents and consumables. And in the

case of COVID-19, they say, the labs have to incur the cost of providing

personal protective equipment to their staff, too.

At least one approved lab, Mumbai-headquartered Thyrocare, has decided to

put on hold its COVID-19 testing until it receives further clarity on the

situation. The firm said it had so far collected 2,000 samples.

KERALA GETS ICMR NOD TO USE PLASMA THERAPY FOR COVID-19

Even as scientists across the globe are in a race to find a vaccine against

the novel coronavirus, various other advances are being brought in with the

hope that they may be effective against COVID-19. According to reports, the

Kerala government has received permission from the Indian Council for

Medical Research (ICMR) to begin using plasma therapy against COVID-19, and

it is expected that Karnataka will soon follow suit.

Plasma therapy refers to using treated blood plasma of individuals who have

recovered from the disease, for the antibodies they have developed against

the novel coronavirus. The idea behind this is that individuals who have

recovered from the disease will have the antibodies to the virus in their

blood. Scientists hope that by harnessing the recovery mechanism of the

antibodies and introducing them into sick individuals, it will enable sick

people to fight off the infection.

The therapy has shown promise in treating Covid-19 patients, the American

journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reported on

Tuesday.

AFTER 'VIRTUAL COURTROOM EXPERIMENT', BOMBAY HC TO LIVE STREAM CASES TILL

APRIL 14

In a first at the Bombay High Court, at least 500 participants, along with

lawyers, court staff, law students and journalists, joined a live-streaming

virtual courtroom on an experimental basis.

Justice Gautum S Patel heard nine listed cases and one urgent matter during

the open-for-public video-conferencing held through the Zoom app between 12

noon and 2 pm. Besides Bombay HC, Kerala High Court has started

live-streaming of court hearings through Zoom.

The virtual court began at 12 noon and the judge heard 10 civil and criminal

cases, including urgent anticipatory bail and bail pleas by prisoners in

view of the COVID-19 outbreak, relief sought by student debarred from

college for smoking cannabis in campus, commercial arbitration cases and

public interest pleas seeking facilities to ashram shalas meant for tribal

children among others. After conclusion of the hearing, he sought feedback

and suggestions from lawyers.

INVESTORS UNFAZED BY MARCH MAYHEM, EQUITY MF INFLOW AT 12-MONTH HIGH

Even though stock markets went into a tailspin in March and benchmark

indices crashed in line with the global trend, mutual fund investors don't

seem to have pressed the panic button.

Data for March released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI)

shows that net inflows into equity-oriented schemes amounted to Rs 11,722

crore, a 12-month high, and gross fund mobilisation for equity schemes -

total money invested - stood at Rs 30,109 crore, a 24-month high.

There was also an addition of 7.1 lakh new equity accounts during the month

- the highest monthly addition in at least 12 months.

This is in sharp contrast to what has been seen in the past. During the

global financial crisis in 2008-09, when the Sensex fell sharply 24 per cent

in October 2008, equity mutual funds had seen a net outflow of Rs 706 crore.

This reversal of trend underlines how domestic investors have emerged as a

strong counterbalance against foreign portfolio investors - a sign that the

markets have deepened. Even in March, as FPIs sold their their holdings

worth a net of Rs 118,203 crore, DIIs (domestic institutional investors)

pumped in a net of Rs 55,595 crore into the capital markets.

INDICATORS

Sensex 31,160 (+1266), Nifty 9,112 (+363), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

51,543

Nasdaq 8,154 (+63) Dow 23,719 (+286), S&P 2,790 (+40)

US$-Rs. 75.64 GBP-Rs. 93.99, Euro-Rs. 82.40, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.58, Can$-Rs.

53.99, Aus$- Rs. 47.43

GBP 0.80 /US$, Euro 0.91 /US$, Jap.Yen 108.70 /US$, Aus$ 1.59 /US$, Sing

1.42 /US$, Bang Taka 83.28 /US$, Can$ 1.40 /US$, Mal Ring 4.33 /US$,

Pak Re 166.94 /US$, Phil Peso 50.52 /US$, Russian Rouble 74.34 /US$, NZ$

1.65 /US$, Thai Baht 32.69 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.02 /US$, Norway NOK

10.22 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 7,310

Dollar Index 99.53 Brent Crude 31.48 BDI 607

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,683 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,299 /

4,199, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 40,960

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"Winners talk about the solutions. Losers talk about the problems." -

Jeffrey Fry

OFF TRACK

Joe was not a very romantic person but he wanted to impress his wife, so he

took her out for an anniversary dinner and watched the couples around them,

following their leads.

He observed the couple next to him. The man lifted a sugar shaker towards

his wife's cup and said, "Sugar, sugar?"

Joe thought this was great and continued to listen around the dining room.

Another table over Joe observed the following. A man spooned out some honey

out of a bowl for his wife and asked, "Honey, honey?"

Again Joe thought this was good stuff.

Finally, he cut off a piece of his meat, stared longingly into his young

wife's eyes and said, "Ham, pig?"