More African countries confirm first virus cases as Jack Ma pledges aid

Thirty African countries – more than half the continent – are now treating nearly 400 patients with coronavirus, after Tanzania, Liberia, Benin and Somalia said they registered their first cases

More African nations confirmed their first cases of the coronavirus and shut borders amid fears of the disease’s impact on fragile health systems, as Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma pledged to donate over 1 million testing kits to the continent. Thirty African countries – more than half the continent – are now treating nearly 400 patients with coronavirus, after Tanzania, Liberia, Benin and Somalia said they registered their first cases.

Africa had until recently been spared the rapid spread of COVID-19, which has infected at least 180,000 people worldwide and caused over 7,000 deaths. But health experts are concerned the continent’s often dilapidated health infrastructure will struggle to cope as cases mount. “We cannot ignore the potential risk to Africa and assume this continent of 1.3 billion people will blissfully escape the crisis. The world cannot afford the unthinkable consequences of a COV-19 pandemic in Africa,” Ma’s foundation said in a statement.

The foundation will send 1.1 million testing kits, 6 million masks and 60,000 protective suits and face shields to Ethiopia for distribution to Africa’s 54 nations, it said. Earlier on Monday, the World Bank said it had committed $60 million to Kenya to help the East African nation battle the outbreak. Some countries on the continent, such as conflict-hit Somalia, depend on donors to support basic public health facilities. Somalian Health Minister Fawziya Abikar Nur said the ministry had quarantined and tested four Somalis who came from China last week, and one had tested positive for the respiratory disease. International flights to Somalia were suspended for two weeks, the aviation minister said.

Closer to lockdown: Gatherings of over 50 banned in Delhi amid virus spread

The Uttar Pradesh government, too, shut down multiplexes, cinema halls, and clubs in 11 districts, including Lucknow and those along the Nepal border, till March 31

With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, a Group of Ministers (GoM) on Monday proposed various measures, including the closure of all educational institutions, gymnasiums, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools, and theatres across the country. The government also banned the entry of passengers from countries in the European Union, Turkey, and the UK from March 18 till March 31.

The latest steps in the fight cased the coronavirus pandemic came as the number of positive cases in India reached at least 114 (there were reports of several active cases at the time of going to press). Fresh cases were witnessed in Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Kerala, and Telangana. From Delhi to Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, state governments moved another step towards imposing a lockdown.

In Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said religious, social, cultural and political gatherings, as well as protests comprising more than 50 people, will not be allowed in the national capital until March 31. The city has been witnessing sit-in protests at Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Millia Islamia against the new citizenship law for over 90 days. He also announced the closure of gyms, nightclubs, and spas for this month.

The Uttar Pradesh government, too, shut down multiplexes, cinema halls, and clubs in 11 districts, including Lucknow and those along the Nepal border, till March 31. The state government had recently ordered the closure of schools and colleges until March 22. Tamil Nadu also joined scores of states in closing down educational institutions, public events, and large gatherings. Access to theatres, malls, amusement parks, swimming pools, gymnasiums, and zoos, too, have been barred…

Coronavirus outbreak: India bans air travel from UK, Europe till March 31

The order applies to both Indian and European airlines and also those from West Asia which carry traffic via Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha

Coronavirus: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Monday ordered suspension of all passenger traffic from Europe from Wednesday till March 31 to stop the spread of COVID-19. “Travel from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey, and the United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from March 18. The airline shall enforce this at the point of initial departure. Both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently,” Deputy Director General Sunil Kumar said in a circular.

The order applies to both Indian and European airlines and also those from West Asia, which carry traffic via Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Doha. The government’s latest directions comes as deaths spike in European countries — Italy said 349 were dead on Monday, a day after reporting 368 deaths. The US government, too, suspended all passenger movement to and from the European Union.

At present, Air India is the only Indian carrier operating to Europe while IndiGo flies to Turkey. Currently, Alitalia, Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic are operating their flights to India, while Finnair and LOT Polish Airlines have suspended their schedules. Last week, India suspended most categories of existing visas and advised citizens against travelling abroad while various countries too have restricted travel and closed borders. The Mumbai police, too, has ordered tour operators from organising group tours.

US Prez Donald Trump to sign new travel ban order today: What to expect

Revised order expected to remove Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens face a travel ban

 

#COMPANIES | President Donald Trump is preparing to sign a revised executive order temporarily barring the entry of people from certain Muslim-majority countries and halting the nation's refugee programme.

A White House official says plans to roll out the order are on track for today. The official insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the order ahead of the official announcement.

The new order has been in the works since shortly after a federal court blocked Trump's initial effort, but the administration has repeatedly pushed back the signing as it has worked to better coordinate with the agencies that it will need to implement the ban.

Trump administration officials have said the new order aims to overcome the legal challenges to the first. Its goal will be the same: keep would-be terrorists out of the United States while the government reviews the vetting system for refugees and visa applicants from certain parts of the world.

Trump original orders temporarily blocked citizens of Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya from coming to the United States and put on hold the US refugee programme.

The revised order is expected to remove Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens face a temporary US travel ban for 90 days. That follows pressure from the Pentagon and State Department, which had urged the White House to reconsider, given Iraq's key role in fighting the Islamic State group.

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