'Padma Awards postponed until further notice': MHA informs amid coronavirus scare

In a crucial step to avoid mass gatherings in order to contain the Coronavirus spread, the government has now postponed the Padma Awards which were scheduled to be held on April 3 until further notice. This comes amid the Coronavirus pandemic which has so far claimed 5,547 lives worldwide. In a notice issued on Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed that the next date and time of the investiture ceremony will be intimated in due course. 

'Notified disaster'

Amid the rising Coronavirus scare, the Central Government on Saturday declared the virus spread as a 'notified disaster' in order to provide assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The COVID-19 virus was earlier declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The deadly virus has so far claimed 2 lives in India with 83 positive cases reported. 

READ | Coronavirus Cases Rise To 83 In India: Officials

PM Modi shares guidelines on home quarantine

In view of the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took to Twitter and emphasised the importance of home quarantine for Coronavirus suspected or confirmed cases. Elaborating on the spread of the virus, the Prime Minister shared important instructions and steps for environmental sanitation. 

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi had proposed that the SAARC countries could discuss the ways, via video conferencing, to keep citizens healthy. In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister urged South Asian nations to leave “no stone unturned” in the fight against the deadly virus ensuring the wellness of citizens. 

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Amid rising coronavirus cases in India, the government has asked people not to panic, saying no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there have only been a few cases of local transmission so far and that is "not a health emergency" in India at present.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, a Health Ministry official said over 4,000 people who had come in contact with the 83 positive cases have been identified through contract tracing and were being tracked while 42,000 people across the country are under community surveillance.

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