Coronavirus Pandemic: PM Modi Dials Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Other Leaders To Discuss COVID-19 Situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to several leaders, including his predecessor Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former president Pranab Mukherjee, on the situation arising out of the novel coronavirus pandemic. According to the sources, Prime minister Narendra Modi reached out to several top leaders to discuss country’s response to the unprecedented crisis over coronavirus outbreak said officials privy to the developments.

Sources said PM Modi also called up various leaders, including Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, DMK's M K Stalin and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal. Modi spoke to former president Pratibha Patil and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda to discuss issues related to the deadly COVID-19 (coronavirus disease).

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The prime minister will also interact with floor leaders of various political parties via video conference on Wednesday.

Australia's coronavirus death toll stands at 34, total cases cross 5,500-mark

Australia's coronavirus death toll stood at 34 on Sunday with 5,687 virus positive cases, officials said. Health officials from New South Wales confirmed that there were 2,580 total infections now in the state and four people, including three passengers from Ruby Princess Cruise Ship, died on Saturday night. During a virus update, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said, "This is a very dangerous virus and it is still marching through our community. It has killed, at this stage in NSW, 16 people."

The four men who died include a 91-year-old from Port Macquarie, an 80-year-old and a 76-year-old who were both being treated at Westmead Hospital and a 61-year-old being treated at Hornsby Hospital. A total of 10 passengers of the Ruby Princess Ship that arrived last month at NSW have died due to COVID-19 and it has been linked to 600 infected cases.

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The Ruby Princess Ship is still docked in the waters off Sydney and 250 crew members are awaiting test results.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said a criminal or coronial investigation will be necessary to determine whether the operators of the Ruby Princess were "transparent" about ill passengers on board.

He said the 10 deaths linked to the cruise ship so far were a "significant" number for one incident.

"From my perspective, there are many unanswered questions, and I certainly can’t answer those for you today," Fuller said.

(with agency inputs)