Coronavirus: Lockdown In 75 Districts Across India, Trains Cancelled As COVID-19 Positive Cases Rises To 396 | 10 Points

In a bid to contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, the Government of India has announced a complete shutdown in 75 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported so far. The decision of lockdown was taken after a high-level meeting attended by chief secretaries of all states and the cabinet secretary and the principal secretary to the prime minister. Not only this, Indian Railways has suspended all passenger services until March 31 and said only goods trains will run during the period. The suspension includes all suburban train services. According to officials, all metro rail services were also suspended till March 31.

Here’s the top 10 development:

1. The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 396 while the death toll climbed to seven on Sunday.

2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that his government was placing the national capital under a lock down from 6 am on March 23 till midnight March 31.

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3. 75 districts where coronavirus cases were reported have been put under locked down as authorities undertook extraordinary measures to check the spread of the disease.

4. Restrictions on the movement of non-essential passenger transport, including interstate transport buses have been extended till March 31.

5. The railways announced suspension of all its 13,523 passenger services from March 22 midnight to March 31 midnight and said only goods trains will run during the said.

6. Several states, including Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, announced partial or complete lockdown for varying periods. Nagaland said it was imposing an indefinite lockdown from midnight Sunday.

7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the 14-hour ''Janta Curfew'' is the beginning of a long battle against coronavirus outbreak and the countrymen have proved that together they can defeat any challenge. "Today''s Janta Curfew may end at 9.00 pm, but this does not mean we start celebrating," he tweeted.

8. Air India stated on Sunday that vigilante resident welfare associations (RWAs) and neighbours were ostracising and calling police on its crew members, who went abroad as a part of their duty. "It is alarming to note that in many localities, vigilante Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and neighbours have started ostracising the crew, obstructing them from performing their duty or even calling in the police, simply because the crew travelled abroad in the course of their duty," the airline said in a press release.

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9. In an unprecedented move to stop the novel coronavirus, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government on Sunday ordered to impose section 144 across the state. It is to be noted that section 144 in Maharashtra will be imposed starting March 22 midnight (from 12 AM tonight).

10. A girl student has tested positive for novel coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal on Sunday, the news agency PTI quoted an official as saying. It is to be noted that this is the first positive case of novel coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh.