
The Indian government on Saturday declared theCOVID-19 outbreak a "notified disaster"
In an official statement, the Centre said that the spread of coronavirus in India and the declaration of COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the government has decided to "treat it as a notified disaster for the purpose of providing assistance underState Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)".
In pics:Notable people diagnosed with coronavirus
It added that under the SDRF, kin of the deceased will be given Rs 4 lakh as compensation. The infected patients would also be given the cost of hospitalisation as decided by the state government.
The health ministry confirmed the number of infected cases jump to 84, out of which 10 people have been recovered and discharged.
Most of the states in the country ordered the closure of schools, colleges, cinema halls and other places of public gatherings.
On Friday, a 69-year-old woman from Delhi became the second coronavirus fatality from India. The woman got infected by COVID-19 from his son, who went to coronavirus-hit Italy.
The Indian government has taken a series of measures to control the spread, including suspending visas to foreign nationals till April 15.