Centre declares coronavirus as 'notified disaster' after 84 positive cases and 2 deaths

As the number of coronavirus cases rose to 84 on Saturday (March 14, 2020) the Ministry of Home Affairs declared it as a 'notified disaster'. According to the ministry, there are at least 67 Indian nationals and 17 foreigners who are confirmed COVID-19 cases and a total of two persons have died so far with one death in the national capital and one in Karnataka. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs in a letter to states and union territories stated: "Keeping in view the spread of COVID-19 virus in India the declaration of it as a pandemic by World Health Organisation, the Central government has decided to treat it as a notified disaster and announced to provide assistance under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)."

Releasing a statement the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the cost of hospitalization for managing COVID-19 patients would be at the rates fixed by the state governments. The state government can use SDRF fund for providing temporary accommodation, food, clothing and medical care for people affected and sheltered in quarantine camps, other than home quarantine, or for cluster containment operations.

The government also released its measures of quarantine, sample collection and screening and said that the state executive committee will decide the number of quarantine camps, their duration and the number of persons in such camps. The statement read, ''As per actual expenditure and as per the assessment of need by State Executive Committee (SEC), to ensure the effective containment of outbreak for a period up to 30 days. The SEC will decide the number of quarantine camps, their duration and the number of persons in such camps. This period can be extended by the SEC beyond the prescribed limit subject to the condition that expenditure on this account should not exceed 25% of SDRF allocation for the year. Medical care may also be provided from National Health Mission (NHM).''

The government further informed that the cost of equipment like setting up additional testing laboratories within the Government and the cost of consumables for sample collection can be taken from the SDRF fund and not from NDRF. Further SDRF money can also be used for procuring thermal scanners and ventilation and other necessary

The government has given the State Executive Committee (SEC) the responsibility to ensure overall oversight mechanism so that no duplication takes place with reference to other Government schemes.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday said that the total coronavirus positive cases reported in the state is 12 -  7 cases from Agra, 2 cases from Ghaziabad and 2 cases from Lucknow and 1 case from Noida. As a preventive measure the UP government on Friday had announced the closure of all schools and colleges till March 22 declaring COVID-19 a 'contagious epidemic'. 

The UP govt further informed that the total samples found negative till date are 598 and results of 107 samples are awaited. The state has set up 1155 quarantine beds to deal with the virus emergency. 

The national capital of India has seven cases, all are Indians, of which one person has been discharged. On March 13, a 68-year-old Coronavirus positive woman died due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension). The woman was admitted in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. 

In Haryana, there are 14 confirmed cases and all the patients are foreign nationals. On March 13, Health Minister Anil Vij ordered a ban on public rallies, big religious gatherings and sporting events that attract crowds to contain the spread of the infection. 

Kerala has reported most cases at 19, including 3 who have recovered. On March 14, the Kerala government ordered the poultry culling in Parappanangadi in the backdrop of bird flu. 

There are six cases in Karnataka, including first death reported in India due to COVID-19. A 76-year-old man, with travel history from Saudi Arabia, died while being treated of the deadly virus in Karnataka's Kalbauragi on March 10 night. 

Maharashtra on Saturday confirmed four more persons testing positive for coronavirus in the state taking the total number of cases to 26. The state government ordered shutting down all schools, colleges, anganwadis and shopping malls in all urban centres to prevent the spread of virus.

Tamil Nadu had reported its first coronavirus case on March 7 when a 45-year-old engineer who had a travel history from Oman was tested positive. The Tamil Nadu government on March 13 announced that pre-kindergarten, LKG and UKG classes in public and private institutions would remain shut upto March 31 in view of the coronavirus scare. 

Rajasthan has reported three cases, of which one patient is an Indian national and two are foreigners. Out of the three persons, one has been discharged. The Rajasthan government on March 14 ordered educational institutions, coaching centres, gyms and cinema halls to remain closed till 30th March, as a precautionary measure.

Jammu and Kashmir also reported two confirmed case while Union Territory of Ladakh confirmed three cases. In the meantime, the Jammu and Kashmir government on March 13 ordered closure of all malls, gyms, swimming pools, recreational clubs in the district till March 31 as a precautionary measure.

The Supreme Court has issued another new order on the corona, under which all canteens will remain closed in the Supreme Court premises from Monday. People with high body temperature will not be allowed to enter the court. 

Coronavirus, which originated in China`s Wuhan city, has so far spread to more than 117 countries and the death toll has gone up to 5,609 globally. The number of positive cases has gone up to 149293 and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic.