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<p>Kerala's village Alappuzha has found a unique way with a very basic tool for social distancing in their fight against coronavirus. The villagers will be using an umbrella for social distancing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The panchayat authorities of the tourist destination will ensure that umbrellas are available to all. According to panchayat officials of Thanneermukkom, Kerala's Finance Minister Thomas Isaac came up with this unique idea to promote social distancing.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Why an umbrella?</strong></p>

<p>Umbrellas are basic and cheap tool found in almost every household in the state, a gap between two people holding an umbrella will ensure at least a one-metre gap to ensure enough distance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The minister took to Twitter to share the picture of people practising physical distancing in the village, he said: "To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold the umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure a minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at a subsidized rate."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at subsidized rate. <a href="https://t.co/6qir4KXPSL">pic.twitter.com/6qir4KXPSL</a></p>
— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) <a href="https://twitter.com/drthomasisaac/status/1254311060506415104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Kerala has 480 coronavirus cases including four deaths.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 29,974 with 1,594 new cases and 51 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, India's health ministry said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>The death toll due to the virus has now climbed to 937, the health ministry said. There are 22,010 active COVID-19 cases with 7,027 patients cured of the virus</p>


Kerala's village Alappuzha has found a unique way with a very basic tool for social distancing in their fight against coronavirus. The villagers will be using an umbrella for social distancing.

Kerala's village Alappuzha has found a unique way with a very basic tool for social distancing in their fight against coronavirus. The villagers will be using an umbrella for social distancing. The panchayat authorities of the tourist destination will ensure that umbrellas are available to all. According to panchayat officials of Thanneermukkom, Kerala's Finance Minister Thomas Isaac came up with this unique idea to promote social distancing. Why an umbrella? Umbrellas are basic and cheap tool found in almost every household in the state, a gap between two people holding an umbrella will ensure at least a one-metre gap to ensure enough distance. The minister took to Twitter to share the picture of people practising physical distancing in the village, he said: "To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold the umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure a minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at a subsidized rate." To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at subsidized rate. pic.twitter.com/6qir4KXPSL — Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) April 26, 2020 × Kerala has 480 coronavirus cases including four deaths. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 29,974 with 1,594 new cases and 51 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, India's health ministry said on Tuesday. The death toll due to the virus has now climbed to 937, the health ministry said. There are 22,010 active COVID-19 cases with 7,027 patients cured of the virus

One man one umbrella, Kerala's village finds a unique way to promote social distancing

<p>As social distancing has taken over the world, a lot of businesses have suffered losses. However,&nbsp;a young Taiwanese sommelier has decided to not let the lockdown get the better of him. To keep his business afloat,&nbsp;Peter Petrus is teaching the art of wine tasting to his online audience by live streaming from his studio in Taipei.</p>

<p>“So I started contemplating if there might be a way to work around this situation - at the end of the day the company has to keep going,” said Peter.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-warship-sails-through-sensitive-taiwan-strait-for-the-second-time-in-a-month-294403"><strong>Also read: US warship sails through sensitive Taiwan Strait for the second time in a month</strong></a></p>

<p>Peter sends different wine samples to his online students and then the students who receive the samples join him for an online class. He films the videos and livestreams via his smartphone. While he has been able to keep his students happy, sometime he feels that "The problem with wine is that it starts oxidation once you open the bottle."</p>

<p>His students, too, have been enjoying these online classes and find the idea of this class to be quite special.</p>

<p>“It feels just the same (as being there) with a bit of additional warmth and chill-out, because it’s so cozy at home,” says Candice Yang, a 32-year-old maths teacher.</p>

<p>Taiwan has managed to contain the spread of the virus. There are only 429 reported positive cases, 6 deaths and 275 recovered patients. However, the rules of social distancing still apply in Taiwan.</p>


As social distancing has taken over the world, a lot of businesses have suffered losses. However, a young Taiwanese sommelier has decided to not let the lockdown get the better of him.

As social distancing has taken over the world, a lot of businesses have suffered losses. However, a young Taiwanese sommelier has decided to not let the lockdown get the better of him. To keep his business afloat, Peter Petrus is teaching the art of wine tasting to his online audience by live streaming from his studio in Taipei. “So I started contemplating if there might be a way to work around this situation - at the end of the day the company has to keep going,” said Peter. Also read: US warship sails through sensitive Taiwan Strait for the second time in a month Peter sends different wine samples to his online students and then the students who receive the samples join him for an online class. He films the videos and livestreams via his smartphone. While he has been able to keep his students happy, sometime he feels that "The problem with wine is that it starts oxidation once you open the bottle." His students, too, have been enjoying these online classes and find the idea of this class to be quite special. “It feels just the same (as being there) with a bit of additional warmth and chill-out, because it’s so cozy at home,” says Candice Yang, a 32-year-old maths teacher. Taiwan has managed to contain the spread of the virus. There are only 429 reported positive cases, 6 deaths and 275 recovered patients. However, the rules of social distancing still apply in Taiwan.

Taiwan sommelier teaches  wine tasting through online classes to fight lockdown blues

<p>It took a virus to get The Rolling Stones to create a new song- after eight long years. The popular band on Thursday released a new track -'Living in a Ghost Town' - part of which was recorded during the coronavirus lockdown.<br />
<br />
The song, powered by a Keith Richards` riff and a chanted refrain, comes with a video showing deserted streets and subway stations in London, Los Angeles, Kyoto and other cities.<br />
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"So the Stones were in the studio recording some new material before the lockdown and there was one song we thought would resonate through the times that we`re living in right now," Mick Jagger said in a statement.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watch the official video for Living In A Ghost Town on YouTube now! <a href="https://t.co/IPqEkdfnIC">https://t.co/IPqEkdfnIC</a> <a href="https://t.co/4d8FMsKouY">pic.twitter.com/4d8FMsKouY</a></p>
— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) <a href="https://twitter.com/RollingStones/status/1253402748864864258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>"We`ve worked on it in isolation. And here it is ... I hope you like it."<br />
<br />
The band states that the lockdown seemed apt to release this song but they revealed that they started recording the track back in 2019 in Los Angeles. Then, as pandemic restrictions started rolling out across the world, they adjusted some of the lyrics and added other finishing touches to the mix.<br />
<br />
In the video, Jagger is seen singing one tweaked line in a plush, wood-panelled room. "Life was so beautiful then we all got locked down. Feel like a ghost, living in a ghost town,"&nbsp; goes the lyrics.<br />
<br />
Keith Richards said the track had been meant for a new album, "then shit hit the fan ... Mick and I decided this one really needed to go to work right now."<br />
<br />
Earlier this week, the band`s four members performed 'You Can`t Always Get What You Want' from their living rooms via a video conference call - part of the global 'One World: Together At Home' broadcast brought together by pop icon Lady Gaga.<br />
<br />
A string of stars have been heading online to keep their fans entertained during the lockdown including Bob Dylan who has released two tracks in the past month- his firt new original in eight years.</p>


It took a virus to get The Rolling Stones to create a new song- after eight long years. The popular band on Thursday released a new track -'Living in a Ghost Town' - part of which was recorded during the coronavirus lockdown.

It took a virus to get The Rolling Stones to create a new song- after eight long years. The popular band on Thursday released a new track -'Living in a Ghost Town' - part of which was recorded during the coronavirus lockdown. The song, powered by a Keith Richards` riff and a chanted refrain, comes with a video showing deserted streets and subway stations in London, Los Angeles, Kyoto and other cities. "So the Stones were in the studio recording some new material before the lockdown and there was one song we thought would resonate through the times that we`re living in right now," Mick Jagger said in a statement. Watch the official video for Living In A Ghost Town on YouTube now! https://t.co/IPqEkdfnIC pic.twitter.com/4d8FMsKouY — The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) April 23, 2020 × "We`ve worked on it in isolation. And here it is ... I hope you like it." The band states that the lockdown seemed apt to release this song but they revealed that they started recording the track back in 2019 in Los Angeles. Then, as pandemic restrictions started rolling out across the world, they adjusted some of the lyrics and added other finishing touches to the mix. In the video, Jagger is seen singing one tweaked line in a plush, wood-panelled room. "Life was so beautiful then we all got locked down. Feel like a ghost, living in a ghost town," goes the lyrics. Keith Richards said the track had been meant for a new album, "then shit hit the fan ... Mick and I decided this one really needed to go to work right now." Earlier this week, the band`s four members performed 'You Can`t Always Get What You Want' from their living rooms via a video conference call - part of the global 'One World: Together At Home' broadcast brought together by pop icon Lady Gaga. A string of stars have been heading online to keep their fans entertained during the lockdown including Bob Dylan who has released two tracks in the past month- his firt new original in eight years.

The Rolling Stones releases new song first time in eight years, called 'Living in a Ghost Town'

Messages exchanged from balconies and windows during global lockdown

In Paris, teddy bears are practising social distancing to bring smiles to people's faces as France approaches its sixth week in confinement.

Teddy bears remind Paris of social distancing at newspaper store

<p>At a time when journalists in few Indian states are testing positive for the Coronavirus, an event involving Tamil Nadu Minister for revenue and Disaster Management &nbsp;RB Udhayakumar and the Madurai district administration appeared to follow or encourage hardly any social distancing measures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Journalists from print and electronic media, who were invited the government departments were seen jostling for space to capture the news. The journalists also say that there were hardly any precautions that were being exercised and encouraged by the authorities. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The event was held this morning in Madurai district’s South Masi street, where the Minister was to declare open 300 shops selling essential items. The large marketplace at South Masi street is said to have over 2000 shops, but they were all shut due to the lockdown and the restrictions that ensued. It was after an inspection by the Minister and the district authorities that 300 shops were opened today.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A media professional who spoke to WION said that there was no social distancing between the officials themselves and that no arrangements had been made to ensure that the on-site press meet involving over 50 journalists could take place with social distancing measures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“While it important for the authorities to lead by example and act responsibly at times like these, it is also the clear responsibility of the media fraternity to collectively decide the ways and means to ensure safe coverage at such events. The way in which we were standing to cover the minister’s press only worsened our fears about the rapid spread of the pandemic. We must remind ourselves that Madurai alone has 48 COVID cases” the journalist added.</p>

<p>So far, according to sources in a Chennai-based private Tamil news channel, 27 employees have been tested positive for COVID-19. However, the government bulletin has not mentioned this figure specifically or gone into the details.</p>

<p>According to the channel staff, after 1 employee was tested positive, 94 of the channel’s staff were tested and 26 turned positive and it includes those in news and non-news functions. The channel has suspended news operations and has only a handful of staff to ensure that recorded programming is aired.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the latest government bulletin, Tamil Nadu currently has 1596 recorded coronavirus cases, of which 940 are active cases, as 635 patients have been discharged and there have been 18 casualties. Capital city Chennai alone has 358 cases, which is the highest in any district in Tamil Nadu.</p>


At a time when journalists in few Indian states are testing positive for the Coronavirus, an event involving Tamil Nadu Minister for revenue and Disaster Management RB Udhayakumar and the Madurai district administration appeared to follow or encourage hardly any social distancing measures.

At a time when journalists in few Indian states are testing positive for the Coronavirus, an event involving Tamil Nadu Minister for revenue and Disaster Management RB Udhayakumar and the Madurai district administration appeared to follow or encourage hardly any social distancing measures. Journalists from print and electronic media, who were invited the government departments were seen jostling for space to capture the news. The journalists also say that there were hardly any precautions that were being exercised and encouraged by the authorities. The event was held this morning in Madurai district’s South Masi street, where the Minister was to declare open 300 shops selling essential items. The large marketplace at South Masi street is said to have over 2000 shops, but they were all shut due to the lockdown and the restrictions that ensued. It was after an inspection by the Minister and the district authorities that 300 shops were opened today. A media professional who spoke to WION said that there was no social distancing between the officials themselves and that no arrangements had been made to ensure that the on-site press meet involving over 50 journalists could take place with social distancing measures. “While it important for the authorities to lead by example and act responsibly at times like these, it is also the clear responsibility of the media fraternity to collectively decide the ways and means to ensure safe coverage at such events. The way in which we were standing to cover the minister’s press only worsened our fears about the rapid spread of the pandemic. We must remind ourselves that Madurai alone has 48 COVID cases” the journalist added. So far, according to sources in a Chennai-based private Tamil news channel, 27 employees have been tested positive for COVID-19. However, the government bulletin has not mentioned this figure specifically or gone into the details. According to the channel staff, after 1 employee was tested positive, 94 of the channel’s staff were tested and 26 turned positive and it includes those in news and non-news functions. The channel has suspended news operations and has only a handful of staff to ensure that recorded programming is aired. As per the latest government bulletin, Tamil Nadu currently has 1596 recorded coronavirus cases, of which 940 are active cases, as 635 patients have been discharged and there have been 18 casualties. Capital city Chennai alone has 358 cases, which is the highest in any district in Tamil Nadu.

No social distancing encouraged at Tamil Nadu Minister’s event in Madurai

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced lockdown exemptions from April 20.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The move was aimed at providing relief to farmers and daily wage labourers. But in many places across India, this has been interpreted as a complete repeal of all restrictions, resulting in utter disregard for social distancing.</p>

<p>The market was allowed to remain open to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential goods but the government failed to anticipate what unfolded as massive crowds thronged the mandi, &nbsp;disregarding social distancing norms.</p>

<p>Government authorities are finding it difficult to manage the large number of people who are turning up by the hour. Not just markets, traffic jams were reported in multiple areas in Mumbai as chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced his decision to partially reopen businesses.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced lockdown exemptions from April 20. The move was aimed at providing relief to farmers and daily wage labourers. But in many places across India, this has been interpreted as a complete repeal of all restrictions, resulting in utter disregard for social distancing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced lockdown exemptions from April 20. The move was aimed at providing relief to farmers and daily wage labourers. But in many places across India, this has been interpreted as a complete repeal of all restrictions, resulting in utter disregard for social distancing. The market was allowed to remain open to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential goods but the government failed to anticipate what unfolded as massive crowds thronged the mandi, disregarding social distancing norms. Government authorities are finding it difficult to manage the large number of people who are turning up by the hour. Not just markets, traffic jams were reported in multiple areas in Mumbai as chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced his decision to partially reopen businesses.

Lockdown exemptions misconstrued, social distancing norms flouted in several places

Self-isolating species that have mastered social distancing

<p>A one-time lockdown won't halt the novel coronavirus and repeated periods of social distancing may be required into 2022 to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, Harvard scientists who modeled the pandemic's trajectory said Tuesday.</p>

<p>Their study comes as the US enters the peak of its COVID-19 caseload and states eye an eventual easing of tough lockdown measures.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-funding-halt-to-world-health-organisation-292533" hreflang="en">Trump announces funding halt to World Health Organisation</a></strong></p>

<p>The Harvard team's computer simulation, which was published in a paper in the journal Science, assumed that COVID-19 will become seasonal, like closely related coronaviruses that cause the common cold, with higher transmission rates in colder months.</p>

<p>But much remains unknown, including the level of immunity acquired by previous infection and how long it lasts, the authors said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-the-time-to-reduce-the-resources-of-who-un-chief-292537" hreflang="en">'Not the time to reduce the resources' of WHO: UN chief</a></strong></p>

<p>"We found that one-time social distancing measures are likely to be insufficient to maintain the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 within&nbsp; the limits of critical care capacity in the United States," lead author Stephen Kissler said in a call with reporters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"What seems to be necessary in the absence of other sorts of treatments are intermittent social distancing periods," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasury-airlines-reach-deal-on-aid-to-avoid-bankruptcy-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-292536" hreflang="en">US Treasury, airlines reach deal on aid to avoid bankruptcy amid coronavirus pandemic</a></strong></p>

<p>Widespread viral testing would be required in order to determine when the thresholds to re-trigger distancing are crossed, said the authors.</p>

<p>The duration and intensity of lockdowns can be relaxed as treatments and vaccines become available. But in their absence, on and then off distancing would give hospitals time to increase critical care capacity to cater for the surge in cases that would occur when the measures are eased.</p>

<p>"By permitting periods of transmission that reach higher prevalence than otherwise would be possible, they allow an accelerated acquisition of herd immunity," said co-author Marc Lipsitch.</p>

<p>Conversely, too much social distancing without respite can be a bad thing. Under one modeled scenario "the social distancing was so effective that virtually no population immunity is built," the paper said, hence the need for an intermittent approach.</p>

<p>The authors acknowledged a major drawback in their model is how little we currently know about how strong a previously infected person's immunity is and how long it lasts.</p>

<p>At present the best guesses based on closely-related coronaviruses are that it will confer some immunity, for up to about a year. There might also be some cross-protective immunity against COVID-19 if a person is infected by a common cold-causing betacoronavirus.</p>

<p>One thing however is almost certain: the virus is here to stay. The team said it was highly unlikely that immunity will be strong enough and last long enough that COVID-19 will die out after an initial wave, as was the case with the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003.</p>


A one-time lockdown won't halt the novel coronavirus and repeated periods of social distancing may be required into 2022 to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, Harvard scientists who modeled the pandemic's trajectory said Tuesday.

A one-time lockdown won't halt the novel coronavirus and repeated periods of social distancing may be required into 2022 to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, Harvard scientists who modeled the pandemic's trajectory said Tuesday. Their study comes as the US enters the peak of its COVID-19 caseload and states eye an eventual easing of tough lockdown measures. Also read: Trump announces funding halt to World Health Organisation The Harvard team's computer simulation, which was published in a paper in the journal Science, assumed that COVID-19 will become seasonal, like closely related coronaviruses that cause the common cold, with higher transmission rates in colder months. But much remains unknown, including the level of immunity acquired by previous infection and how long it lasts, the authors said. Also read: 'Not the time to reduce the resources' of WHO: UN chief "We found that one-time social distancing measures are likely to be insufficient to maintain the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 within the limits of critical care capacity in the United States," lead author Stephen Kissler said in a call with reporters. "What seems to be necessary in the absence of other sorts of treatments are intermittent social distancing periods," he added. Also read: US Treasury, airlines reach deal on aid to avoid bankruptcy amid coronavirus pandemic Widespread viral testing would be required in order to determine when the thresholds to re-trigger distancing are crossed, said the authors. The duration and intensity of lockdowns can be relaxed as treatments and vaccines become available. But in their absence, on and then off distancing would give hospitals time to increase critical care capacity to cater for the surge in cases that would occur when the measures are eased. "By permitting periods of transmission that reach higher prevalence than otherwise would be possible, they allow an accelerated acquisition of herd immunity," said co-author Marc Lipsitch. Conversely, too much social distancing without respite can be a bad thing. Under one modeled scenario "the social distancing was so effective that virtually no population immunity is built," the paper said, hence the need for an intermittent approach. The authors acknowledged a major drawback in their model is how little we currently know about how strong a previously infected person's immunity is and how long it lasts. At present the best guesses based on closely-related coronaviruses are that it will confer some immunity, for up to about a year. There might also be some cross-protective immunity against COVID-19 if a person is infected by a common cold-causing betacoronavirus. One thing however is almost certain: the virus is here to stay. The team said it was highly unlikely that immunity will be strong enough and last long enough that COVID-19 will die out after an initial wave, as was the case with the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003.

On-off social distancing may be needed until 2022: Harvard study

<p>The government has decided to extend the restriction on domestic transport services—railways, flights and interstate buses—across the country till May 3.</p>

<p>This move came in after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the nation-wide lockdown period until May 3 in his address to the nation.</p>

<p>"All domestic and international scheduled airlines operations shall remain suspended till11:59pm of 03 May 2020," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement.</p>

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<p>The statement said this restriction will not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"All passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall continue to remain cancel till the 2400hrs of 3rd May 2020," Ministry of Railways tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall continue to remain cancel till the 2400hrs of 3rd May 2020. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCorona</a></p>
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/RailMinIndia/status/1249942460911910913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>India has been under a nationwide lockdown since March 25. The number of positive COVID-19 cases in India breached the 10,000-mark on Tuesday, while the global count inched closer to two million.</p>

<p>A total number of 10,363 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. So far, 339 people have succumbed to the infection in the country, while 1,035 patients have been cured. There are 8,988 active cases in the country. Total 1211 new cases and 31 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;</p>


The government has decided to extend the restriction on domestic transport services—railways, flights and interstate buses—across the country till May 3. This move came in after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the nation-wide lockdown period until May 3 in his address to the nation.

The government has decided to extend the restriction on domestic transport services—railways, flights and interstate buses—across the country till May 3. This move came in after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the nation-wide lockdown period until May 3 in his address to the nation. "All domestic and international scheduled airlines operations shall remain suspended till11:59pm of 03 May 2020," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement. pic.twitter.com/YAqYgvRCLo — DGCA (@DGCAIndia) April 14, 2020 × The statement said this restriction will not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA. "All passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall continue to remain cancel till the 2400hrs of 3rd May 2020," Ministry of Railways tweeted. All passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall continue to remain cancel till the 2400hrs of 3rd May 2020. #IndiaFightsCorona — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 14, 2020 × India has been under a nationwide lockdown since March 25. The number of positive COVID-19 cases in India breached the 10,000-mark on Tuesday, while the global count inched closer to two million. A total number of 10,363 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. So far, 339 people have succumbed to the infection in the country, while 1,035 patients have been cured. There are 8,988 active cases in the country. Total 1211 new cases and 31 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.

Lockdown extension in India: Flights, Railways to remain suspended till May 3

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the lockdown has been extended till 3 May, and that coronavirus should be curbed at every level.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Narendra Modi assures that there is enough ration and stock of essential commodities in the country.</p>

<p>He said that detailed guidelines on how to extend the lockdown would be issued by the Centre on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Narendra Modi issued seven guidelines asking citizens to 'stay where you are, stay safe' and to follow all guidelines till 3 May.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-88P0eH-MH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">The lockdown in India has now been extended upto May 3. Take a look at Prime Minister @narendramodi's seven pleas to people as the country intensifies its fight against COVID-19! #CoroanvirusIndia #CoronavirusLockdown #Lockdown2 #LockdownExtended #7Pleas #instawithwion #stayhome #staysafe #COVID19 #CoronavirusPandemic</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wionews/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> WION</a> (@wionews) on <time datetime="2020-04-14T07:03:34+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Apr 14, 2020 at 12:03am PDT</time></p>
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<p>He termed these seven steps as a new set of Saptapadi (seven steps around the fire in the sacrament of the Hindu wedding ceremony) to ease the effects of lockdown.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Look after the elderly in your family, take extra care especially the ones who have existing ailments .</li>
	<li>Lockdown and social distancing must be adhered to. Mask or face cover must be used.</li>
	<li>Provide help to the needy and vulnerable.</li>
	<li>Be empathetic towards your workers and employees. Do not end their employment.</li>
	<li>Corona warriors like doctors, nurses, sanitation workers should be respected.</li>
	<li>Follow the tips given by the AYUSH ministry to boost your immunity and health.</li>
	<li>Download the Arogya Setu application on your mobile phones.</li>
</ul>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the lockdown has been extended till 3 May, and that coronavirus should be curbed at every level. Narendra Modi assures that there is enough ration and stock of essential commodities in the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the lockdown has been extended till 3 May, and that coronavirus should be curbed at every level. Narendra Modi assures that there is enough ration and stock of essential commodities in the country. He said that detailed guidelines on how to extend the lockdown would be issued by the Centre on Wednesday. PM Narendra Modi issued seven guidelines asking citizens to 'stay where you are, stay safe' and to follow all guidelines till 3 May. View this post on Instagram The lockdown in India has now been extended upto May 3. Take a look at Prime Minister @narendramodi's seven pleas to people as the country intensifies its fight against COVID-19! #CoroanvirusIndia #CoronavirusLockdown #Lockdown2 #LockdownExtended #7Pleas #instawithwion #stayhome #staysafe #COVID19 #CoronavirusPandemic A post shared by WION (@wionews) on Apr 14, 2020 at 12:03am PDT × He termed these seven steps as a new set of Saptapadi (seven steps around the fire in the sacrament of the Hindu wedding ceremony) to ease the effects of lockdown. Look after the elderly in your family, take extra care especially the ones who have existing ailments . Lockdown and social distancing must be adhered to. Mask or face cover must be used. Provide help to the needy and vulnerable. Be empathetic towards your workers and employees. Do not end their employment. Corona warriors like doctors, nurses, sanitation workers should be respected. Follow the tips given by the AYUSH ministry to boost your immunity and health. Download the Arogya Setu application on your mobile phones.

PM Modi urges citizens to follow 'Saptapadi' (seven steps)  till 3 May

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus will be extended till May 3, suggesting limited relaxation in select areas after April 20 keeping in mind interests of daily wage earners.</p>

<p>After a few minutes of his address to the nation, PM Modi changed the profile picture of his Twitter page. The new picture shows PM with his face covered. This is aimed at increasing awareness on covering faces with homemade solutions to be safe in this time of COVID-19.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Narendra Modi " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d991de1e-16d2-41f0-9a93-896974f48c3e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Modi_0.JPG" /></p>

<p>Meanwhile, a total number of 10,363 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. So far, 339 people have succumbed to the infection in the country, while 1,035 patients have been cured. There are 8,988 active cases in the country, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ministry also said that 1211 new cases and 31 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his address by asking people to be very vigilant in following the coronavirus lockdown, which has now extended till 3 May. He wished everyone good health against this coronavirus menace.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus will be extended till May 3, suggesting limited relaxation in select areas after April 20 keeping in mind interests of daily wage earners.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus will be extended till May 3, suggesting limited relaxation in select areas after April 20 keeping in mind interests of daily wage earners. After a few minutes of his address to the nation, PM Modi changed the profile picture of his Twitter page. The new picture shows PM with his face covered. This is aimed at increasing awareness on covering faces with homemade solutions to be safe in this time of COVID-19. Meanwhile, a total number of 10,363 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. So far, 339 people have succumbed to the infection in the country, while 1,035 patients have been cured. There are 8,988 active cases in the country, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The ministry also said that 1211 new cases and 31 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his address by asking people to be very vigilant in following the coronavirus lockdown, which has now extended till 3 May. He wished everyone good health against this coronavirus menace.

PM changes Twitter profile picture, new image shows Modi with his face covered

The global death toll due to the lethal coronavirus has surpassed 64,000. Over 708 new COVID-19 deaths have been reported in UK in 24 hours. Despite several warnings from authorities to stay at home, people are not following guidelines.

UK residents hit beaches, parks amid lockdown | Coronavirus Pandemic

Life in isolation is bringing out the creative side of people. WION's Palki Sharma tells you what the world is doing to stay sane under lockdown.

Gravitas: Lockdown stories that will uplift your spirits

The number of victims of domestic violence is rising amid a global lockdown. WION's Palki Sharma tells you why the world must reach out to those susceptible to physical abuse.

Gravitas: Global rise in violence against women during lockdown

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfares held a press conference on COVID-19 cases in India. Health Ministry, Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said that all our efforts will go waste if we don't practice and follow social distancing. Watch the video to know more:

India's Health Ministry briefs media: Efforts will waste if social distancing not followed

Here is a guide to key coronavirus terms

<p>The popularity of video conferencing app&nbsp;Houseparty&nbsp;has skyrocketed in United Kingdom due to the lockdown imposed in the country.</p>

<p itemprop="headline">From the British royals to the&nbsp;ministers or even Boy George, the app&nbsp;has&nbsp;become the nation's most popular isolation choice.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-hacking-rumour-houseparty-app-offers-1-million-reward-as-evidence-for-sabotage-289720">After hacking rumour, Houseparty app offers $1 million reward as evidence for sabotage</a></strong></p>

<p>As a result the service, which allows up to eight people to share the same chat and hop uninvited between mutual friends’ conversations, has been transformed in the space of a few weeks into a venue where the public stand a chance of inadvertently bumping into notable figures.</p>

<p>At least four serving British cabinet ministers are on the app, including health secretary Matt Hancock, currently self-isolating with coronavirus.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quarantine-together-new-dating-app-links-you-to-new-people-but-only-if-you-wash-hands-289419" hreflang="en">Quarantine Together: New dating app links you to new people, but only if you wash hands!</a></strong></p>

<p>Keir Starmer, the frontrunner to become the next Labour leader this weekend, has also been spotted on the service, along with many Labour frontbenchers.</p>

<p>Users also found Culture Club frontman Boy George using the app to combat virus blues.</p>

<p>Downloads of the application rose from an average of 130,000 in&nbsp;mid-February to 2 million a week in the middle of March, according to Apptopia.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/social-distancing-appears-to-have-slowed-coronavirus-spread-says-study-289684" hreflang="en">Social distancing appears to have slowed coronavirus spread, says study</a></strong></p>

<p>The app has been around for about four years but was picked up last year by Epic Games, the company behind the popular video game Fortnite.</p>

<p>Online rumours had emerged on Monday that the Spotify, Netflix and even bank accounts accounts of customers got hacked after downloading the application.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the app's owner announced&nbsp;a reward of $1 million&nbsp;for providing a proof regarding its involvement in&nbsp;a commercial smear campaign.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We are investigating indications that the recent hacking rumors were spread by a paid commercial smear campaign to harm Houseparty. We are offering a $1,000,000 bounty for the first individual to provide proof of such a campaign to bounty@houseparty.com.</p>
— Houseparty (@houseparty) <a href="https://twitter.com/houseparty/status/1244827034406121472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote cite="https://twitter.com/houseparty/status/1244827034406121472" data-scribe="section:subject" data-tweet-id="1244827034406121472">&nbsp;</blockquote>


The popularity of video conferencing app Houseparty has skyrocketed in United Kingdom due to the lockdown imposed in the country. From the British royals to the ministers or even Boy George, the app has become the nation's most popular isolation choice.

The popularity of video conferencing app Houseparty has skyrocketed in United Kingdom due to the lockdown imposed in the country. From the British royals to the ministers or even Boy George, the app has become the nation's most popular isolation choice. Also read: After hacking rumour, Houseparty app offers $1 million reward as evidence for sabotage As a result the service, which allows up to eight people to share the same chat and hop uninvited between mutual friends’ conversations, has been transformed in the space of a few weeks into a venue where the public stand a chance of inadvertently bumping into notable figures. At least four serving British cabinet ministers are on the app, including health secretary Matt Hancock, currently self-isolating with coronavirus. Also read: Quarantine Together: New dating app links you to new people, but only if you wash hands! Keir Starmer, the frontrunner to become the next Labour leader this weekend, has also been spotted on the service, along with many Labour frontbenchers. Users also found Culture Club frontman Boy George using the app to combat virus blues. Downloads of the application rose from an average of 130,000 in mid-February to 2 million a week in the middle of March, according to Apptopia. Also read: Social distancing appears to have slowed coronavirus spread, says study The app has been around for about four years but was picked up last year by Epic Games, the company behind the popular video game Fortnite. Online rumours had emerged on Monday that the Spotify, Netflix and even bank accounts accounts of customers got hacked after downloading the application. However, the app's owner announced a reward of $1 million for providing a proof regarding its involvement in a commercial smear campaign. We are investigating indications that the recent hacking rumors were spread by a paid commercial smear campaign to harm Houseparty. We are offering a $1,000,000 bounty for the first individual to provide proof of such a campaign to bounty@houseparty.com. — Houseparty (@houseparty) March 31, 2020 ×

How the Houseparty app has become UK's platform to socialise?

Take a look at how global brands are endorsing social distancing to battle COVID-19

Several countries are under a lockdown, more than three billion people across the world have now confined to their home. In these time of social distancing, these astronauts tell how they deal with self-isolation while in space.

Astronauts on how to cope with self-isolation | Coronavirus Outbreak

Donald Trump: The man who refuses to socially distance during a pandemic

<p>India is currently reeling under a 21-day lockdown. In these times of social distancing, many have been left wondering what to do to in this free time</p>

<p>Earlier we spoke to former Indian Army Chief General JJ Singh for some tips on how to deal with isolation amid these trying times.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-records-over-150-new-covid-19-cases-over-the-last-24-hours-289058"> India records over 150 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours</a></strong></p>

<p>During the conversation, former Army chief stressed on practising&nbsp;a fixed routine on daily basis.</p>

<p>"First and foremost is we follow a disciplined life. A daily routine has been worked out&nbsp;in various situations and&nbsp;positions when we are guarding the borders," Singh said, adding, "In Siachen, there is a different routine;&nbsp;for other mountainous areas there is a separate routine. Forest&nbsp;areas like Arunachal Pradesh we have a different routine."&nbsp;</p>

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<p>"The routine is followed from the moment we wake up till the time we sleep," Singh also said.</p>

<p>Over 800 people have been confirmed of coronavirus in India, while 19 others have lost their lives.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Maharashtra is worst affected-state with 180 cases followed by Kerala with 176 reports of infections.</p>

<p>Under the preventive measures, the government has put the nation under 21-days lockdown during which except essentials services everything has been shut including transport services and malls.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


India is currently reeling under a 21-day lockdown. In these times of social distancing, many have been left wondering what to do to in this free time Earlier we spoke to former Indian Army Chief General JJ Singh for some tips on how to deal with isolation amid these trying times.

India is currently reeling under a 21-day lockdown. In these times of social distancing, many have been left wondering what to do to in this free time Earlier we spoke to former Indian Army Chief General JJ Singh for some tips on how to deal with isolation amid these trying times. Also read: India records over 150 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours During the conversation, former Army chief stressed on practising a fixed routine on daily basis. "First and foremost is we follow a disciplined life. A daily routine has been worked out in various situations and positions when we are guarding the borders," Singh said, adding, "In Siachen, there is a different routine; for other mountainous areas there is a separate routine. Forest areas like Arunachal Pradesh we have a different routine." × "The routine is followed from the moment we wake up till the time we sleep," Singh also said. Over 800 people have been confirmed of coronavirus in India, while 19 others have lost their lives. Maharashtra is worst affected-state with 180 cases followed by Kerala with 176 reports of infections. Under the preventive measures, the government has put the nation under 21-days lockdown during which except essentials services everything has been shut including transport services and malls.

Coronavirus lockdown: 'Daily routine' is the key, says Former Army chief on how to cope with isolation

Those who have coronavirus symptoms, must maintain distance from their family members and ensure that the infection is not transmitted to other people, says Dr Sameer Kulkarni, Faculty Director, Paras Hospital, Gurugram

Experts on WION: Don't panic - Dr Sameer Kulkarni lists dos and don'ts in case you have symptoms

Dr. Pankaj Gupta, President, IIHMR University, Jaipur on Corona Virus and its impact on society.

Experts on WION: Dr Pankaj Gupta on coronavirus and its impact on society

Doctor Maissa turns singer to spread the message on the importance of social distancing. Video source: Maissa Rosie

English doctor pens song to stress the importance of social distancing

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" />Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the Union Cabinet meeting where the PM and the ministers were seen practising social distancing, which is a precaution against COVID-19.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Cabinet ministers were seen seated maintaining a certain distance from each other in the meeting which is underway at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in the national capital.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday had announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.</p>

<p>In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi had said that it is vital to break the chain of the disease and experts have said that at least 21 days are needed for it.&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the Union Cabinet meeting where the PM and the ministers were seen practising social distancing, which is a precaution against COVID-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the Union Cabinet meeting where the PM and the ministers were seen practising social distancing, which is a precaution against COVID-19. The Cabinet ministers were seen seated maintaining a certain distance from each other in the meeting which is underway at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in the national capital. Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday had announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly. In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi had said that it is vital to break the chain of the disease and experts have said that at least 21 days are needed for it.

PM Modi, Union ministers follow social distancing protocol during cabinet meeting 

<p>Indiscriminate in targeting its victims, the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) casts a very different light on the need to enforce international law governing wars as well as human and minority rights. It exposes the needs of tens of millions of refugees and displaced persons in destitute camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Bangladesh and shantytowns across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.</p>

<p>It also puts issues of basic rights, poverty, homelessness, and equitable income distribution from a different perspective. Refugees, displaced persons, and embattled minorities that have been for the longest time viewed as humanitarian or political problems that needed to be contained and kept beyond one’s borders. now constitute a global public health hazard.</p>

<p>The public health hazard is enhanced by punitive, crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation, making often weak health systems even more feeble.</p>

<p>In Iran, one of the world’s hardest-hit countries, and the Gaza Strip, that reported its first infections in recent days, the hazard is enhanced not only by corruption and mismanagement but also punitive and crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation and making often weak health systems even more feeble.</p>

<p>It’s a hazard that raises the threat level not only in the current pandemic that has already wreaked havoc on lives, economies, and social life, but also in future ones.</p>

<p>“The storm will pass, humankind will survive, most of us will still be alive — but we will inhabit a different world,” predicted historian Yuval Noah Harari.</p>

<p>“Pandemics are a part of biologic history. They reshape economics, they reshape sociology,” added Mike Leavitt, a former Republican US Secretary of Health and Human Services and Governor of Utah.</p>

<p>Writer and activist Susan Sontag noted some four decades ago that “illness as a metaphor for political disorder is one of the oldest notions of political philosophy.”</p>

<p>By implication, Harari and Leavitt and Sontag suggest that pandemics create opportunities to rethink political, economic, and social relations. That may be what is needed but the odds are against it.</p>

<p>More likely is that a different world will mostly be shaped by elements of reactive measures taken by governments across the globe who failed to initially take the coronavirus seriously on day one—Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan being notable exceptions.</p>

<p>Leaving aside the fundamental issues of striking a balance between privacy and surveillance, those reactive actions and procedures are likely to amount to band-aids rather than lessons learned. They will not lead to a fundamental rethinking of issues that pose a major threat to millions of lives far beyond the boundaries of refugee camps and shantytowns. And they are unlikely to result in the social cohesion needed to confront the inevitable next crisis.</p>

<p>The coronavirus also spotlights the inherent threat posed by the lack of transparency and the politicization of a global health crisis by civilizationalist and illiberal, authoritarian or autocratic leaders. Such leaders, including US President Donald J. Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Egyptian General-turned-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who prioritize domestic political and geopolitical gain and economic preservation rather than timely public health policy and simple decency and humanity.</p>

<p>Even though senior government officials across the globe have been infected, it’s the hundreds of thousands of victims of the coronavirus and the hundreds of millions whose social and economic lives have been disrupted that pay the price of delayed and inadequate responses.</p>

<p>“Sanctions are the number one cause of Iran’s limited access to medicine and other basic resources. These pressures are severely compounded during this global health crisis and are felt acutely in the day-to-day lives of Iranian citizens . . . Just as outbound travel has been suspended, the import of aid coming into Iran is limited, if at all, furthering the sense that even when dealing with a concern that affects the whole world, Iranians are largely on their own,” reflected comparative literature PhD candidate Donna Honarpisheh from self-isolation during a family visit to Shiraz.</p>

<p>The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global concern.</p>

<p>The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country potentially threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global rather than a national concern.</p>

<p>Prioritising politics rather than common sense self-preservation that fails to strike a balance between humanity, global public health, and national security is likely to harden positions rather than create opportunities for conflict resolution.</p>

<p>As a result, Iran’s isolation and Gaza’s blockade by Israel and Egypt for the past 13 years are likely to be reflected in longer-term Iranian and Palestinian political wrath and other hostile attitudes towards the outside world.</p>

<p>The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar – the only countries to have come to Iran’s aid – were among the few in the international community to recognize that how the world handles the crisis has consequences that go far beyond healthcare.</p>

<p>That is true even if the UAE and Kuwait acted to ensure that they would not be targets in any future US-Iranian confrontation. Whereas Qatar honoured its relations with Iran since Tehran provides crucial logistical support, enabling Doha to withstand the almost three-year-old UAE-Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state.</p>

<p>Adding to the woes of Iran, like other countries with governments that are untransparent or at best economical with the truth, is the fact that the regime’s trust deficit complicates getting public compliance with extraordinary measures and raises the specter of protests at a time of quarantines and social distancing.</p>

<p>Egyptian authorities arrested four prominent women in recent days for protesting in demand of the release of prisoners as a healthcare measure. Hundreds of Egyptians reportedly attempted to storm public laboratories to obtain a coronavirus test.</p>

<p>The locked-down Philippines capital of Manila is awash with rumours of food shortages and fears of rioting and looting.</p>

<p>It’s at best a matter of time before the human carnage hits camps for refugees and displaced persons across the Middle East and in Asia and Africa as well as countries like Venezuela that have failing health systems as a result of mismanagement and corruption. All failures are compounded by sanctions.</p>

<p>“Millions of conflict-affected people are living in cramped refugee and displacement sites with desperately poor hygiene and sanitation facilities. There will be carnage when the virus reaches parts of Syria, Yemen, and Venezuela where hospitals have been demolished and health systems have collapsed,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council.</p>

<p>Yemen already knows the consequences. It suffered in 2017 a dramatic surge of cholera, a disease that had been virtually eradicated from the planet.</p>

<p>The question is not only what happens when disease and death on a large scale or food shortages and/or famine hit the world’s most vulnerable holed up in inhuman conditions with nothing more to lose.</p>

<p>It is also whether governments and elites have the foresight and political will to build a new world order that is not only equitable but also creates the political, economic, and social conditions for the management of future pandemics at a potentially lower social and economic cost for all.</p>

<p>That may be a tall order in a world dominated by civilizational and nationalist leaders whose primary concern are not ensuring robust structures capable of fighting indiscriminate global threats but short-term political gain, self-aggrandizement, the settling of political scores, and narrow visions of ethnic or religious supremacy.</p>

<p>It’s an approach that adds to already mounting threats of increased political instability and violence as well as migration in magnitudes that could dwarf the world’s current problem of coping with large-scale dislocation.<br />
<br />
<em>(The article was first published on<a href="https://insidearabia.com/refugees-and-shantytowns-in-mena-and-beyond-imperil-global-public-health/"> Inside Arabia</a>)</em></p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Indiscriminate in targeting its victims, the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) casts a very different light on the need to enforce international law governing wars as well as human and minority rights.

Indiscriminate in targeting its victims, the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) casts a very different light on the need to enforce international law governing wars as well as human and minority rights. It exposes the needs of tens of millions of refugees and displaced persons in destitute camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Bangladesh and shantytowns across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It also puts issues of basic rights, poverty, homelessness, and equitable income distribution from a different perspective. Refugees, displaced persons, and embattled minorities that have been for the longest time viewed as humanitarian or political problems that needed to be contained and kept beyond one’s borders. now constitute a global public health hazard. The public health hazard is enhanced by punitive, crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation, making often weak health systems even more feeble. In Iran, one of the world’s hardest-hit countries, and the Gaza Strip, that reported its first infections in recent days, the hazard is enhanced not only by corruption and mismanagement but also punitive and crippling sanctions and blockades designed to impose the will of one country on another with little measurable effect beyond economic degradation and making often weak health systems even more feeble. It’s a hazard that raises the threat level not only in the current pandemic that has already wreaked havoc on lives, economies, and social life, but also in future ones. “The storm will pass, humankind will survive, most of us will still be alive — but we will inhabit a different world,” predicted historian Yuval Noah Harari. “Pandemics are a part of biologic history. They reshape economics, they reshape sociology,” added Mike Leavitt, a former Republican US Secretary of Health and Human Services and Governor of Utah. Writer and activist Susan Sontag noted some four decades ago that “illness as a metaphor for political disorder is one of the oldest notions of political philosophy.” By implication, Harari and Leavitt and Sontag suggest that pandemics create opportunities to rethink political, economic, and social relations. That may be what is needed but the odds are against it. More likely is that a different world will mostly be shaped by elements of reactive measures taken by governments across the globe who failed to initially take the coronavirus seriously on day one—Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan being notable exceptions. Leaving aside the fundamental issues of striking a balance between privacy and surveillance, those reactive actions and procedures are likely to amount to band-aids rather than lessons learned. They will not lead to a fundamental rethinking of issues that pose a major threat to millions of lives far beyond the boundaries of refugee camps and shantytowns. And they are unlikely to result in the social cohesion needed to confront the inevitable next crisis. The coronavirus also spotlights the inherent threat posed by the lack of transparency and the politicization of a global health crisis by civilizationalist and illiberal, authoritarian or autocratic leaders. Such leaders, including US President Donald J. Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Egyptian General-turned-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who prioritize domestic political and geopolitical gain and economic preservation rather than timely public health policy and simple decency and humanity. Even though senior government officials across the globe have been infected, it’s the hundreds of thousands of victims of the coronavirus and the hundreds of millions whose social and economic lives have been disrupted that pay the price of delayed and inadequate responses. “Sanctions are the number one cause of Iran’s limited access to medicine and other basic resources. These pressures are severely compounded during this global health crisis and are felt acutely in the day-to-day lives of Iranian citizens . . . Just as outbound travel has been suspended, the import of aid coming into Iran is limited, if at all, furthering the sense that even when dealing with a concern that affects the whole world, Iranians are largely on their own,” reflected comparative literature PhD candidate Donna Honarpisheh from self-isolation during a family visit to Shiraz. The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global concern. The fact that a contagious health hazard in one country potentially threatens public health worldwide, makes ensuring the universal existence of robust national healthcare systems a global rather than a national concern. Prioritising politics rather than common sense self-preservation that fails to strike a balance between humanity, global public health, and national security is likely to harden positions rather than create opportunities for conflict resolution. As a result, Iran’s isolation and Gaza’s blockade by Israel and Egypt for the past 13 years are likely to be reflected in longer-term Iranian and Palestinian political wrath and other hostile attitudes towards the outside world. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar – the only countries to have come to Iran’s aid – were among the few in the international community to recognize that how the world handles the crisis has consequences that go far beyond healthcare. That is true even if the UAE and Kuwait acted to ensure that they would not be targets in any future US-Iranian confrontation. Whereas Qatar honoured its relations with Iran since Tehran provides crucial logistical support, enabling Doha to withstand the almost three-year-old UAE-Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state. Adding to the woes of Iran, like other countries with governments that are untransparent or at best economical with the truth, is the fact that the regime’s trust deficit complicates getting public compliance with extraordinary measures and raises the specter of protests at a time of quarantines and social distancing. Egyptian authorities arrested four prominent women in recent days for protesting in demand of the release of prisoners as a healthcare measure. Hundreds of Egyptians reportedly attempted to storm public laboratories to obtain a coronavirus test. The locked-down Philippines capital of Manila is awash with rumours of food shortages and fears of rioting and looting. It’s at best a matter of time before the human carnage hits camps for refugees and displaced persons across the Middle East and in Asia and Africa as well as countries like Venezuela that have failing health systems as a result of mismanagement and corruption. All failures are compounded by sanctions. “Millions of conflict-affected people are living in cramped refugee and displacement sites with desperately poor hygiene and sanitation facilities. There will be carnage when the virus reaches parts of Syria, Yemen, and Venezuela where hospitals have been demolished and health systems have collapsed,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council. Yemen already knows the consequences. It suffered in 2017 a dramatic surge of cholera, a disease that had been virtually eradicated from the planet. The question is not only what happens when disease and death on a large scale or food shortages and/or famine hit the world’s most vulnerable holed up in inhuman conditions with nothing more to lose. It is also whether governments and elites have the foresight and political will to build a new world order that is not only equitable but also creates the political, economic, and social conditions for the management of future pandemics at a potentially lower social and economic cost for all. That may be a tall order in a world dominated by civilizational and nationalist leaders whose primary concern are not ensuring robust structures capable of fighting indiscriminate global threats but short-term political gain, self-aggrandizement, the settling of political scores, and narrow visions of ethnic or religious supremacy. It’s an approach that adds to already mounting threats of increased political instability and violence as well as migration in magnitudes that could dwarf the world’s current problem of coping with large-scale dislocation. (The article was first published on Inside Arabia) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Refugees could become the worst victims of coronavirus pandemic

<p><strong>By Neil Pype</strong></p>

<p>As much of the world gets used to social distancing, school closures and restrictions in movement in response to the coronavirus pandemic, obvious questions are being asked about how governments and companies can prepare themselves for these sorts of extreme events.</p>

<p>One technique that has gained prominence in helping business people and officials deal with events that have a low probability but high impact is called scenario analysis or scenario planning. There are a number of different methods that can be used to model scenarios, but in essence these all involve developing stories about a number of possible ways that the future could unfold.</p>

<p>Probably the best known and most widely used approach, which was developed within Shell during the 1970s, involves groups of stakeholders discussing what happens when two unrelated but highly uncertain drivers of change interact in extreme ways. The eminent scenario analyst Kees van der Heijden, a former head of scenario planning at Shell, has described how one of the company’s early scenario-planning exercises examined the government approach to the energy sector and the potential discovery of significant natural gas reserves.</p>

<p>This approach does not aim to predict the future, and in fact, recognises that this is a fundamentally impossible and futile thing to do. Instead, it encourages what van der Heijden has called “strategic conversations”, which allow those involved to have their world views challenged. The hope is that this makes business people and officials more aware of when things are not going according to plan – and so better able to respond.</p>

<p><strong>Not a black swan event</strong></p>

<p>There is little doubt that this sort of agile thinking has helped some officials and companies respond earlier and more decisively to the changing events of recent weeks. In some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example of a black swan event – a term coined by the writer Nassim Nicholas Taleb to describe very high impact events that are unimaginable before they happen.</p>

<p>But the COVID-19 pandemic should not really be a black swan event. Epidemiologists have been warning for decades that a pandemic of a novel flu strain was inevitable. There have been a number of scares over the past two decades, such as the SARS outbreak in 2002-04, which was concentrated in southern China and Hong Kong, the swine flu pandemic that originated in Mexico in 2009, and H5N1 avian flu in the 2000s.</p>

<p>While all of these epidemics were serious, they weren’t on the same scale as COVID-19. This may well have led to business and political leaders focusing their attention on what they perceived to be more pressing priorities in recent years. In the US, for example, the Trump administration cut funding to disease security programmes as recently as 2018.</p>

<p>The behavioural economists Amos Tvertky and Daniel Kahneman have developed the idea of the availability heuristic, which suggests that people overestimate the probability of things that are high profile and memorable, such as terrorist attacks.</p>

<p>However, the reverse is also the case, and the sustained absence of a pandemic such as COVID-19 – a high-impact, once-in-a-generation event – has led people to underestimate its likelihood and impact. A number of think tanks and consultancies provide early warning services about low-profile, high-impact events, such as conflict in the South China Sea. However, if they feature events that are considered far fetched, they risk losing credibility among their clients and readers.</p>

<p><strong>Out ahead</strong></p>

<p>It’s probably no accident that a number of the countries that have responded effectively to the COVID-19 outbreak are in East Asia, where the SARS outbreak and H5N1 scares are relatively recent memories. For example, Taiwan has been praised for taking early action to contain the potential spread of the virus, and Singapore has been able to keep down infection rates through widespread testing for the virus, enabling effective quarantining and treatment of cases.</p>

<p>One key lesson that can be taken from the response to the pandemic so far is that companies and countries that are able to respond quickly, and change strategies in response to rapidly changing events, will do well. For example, videoconferencing software producer Zoom has made premium versions of its system available for free to educational institutions that are forced to teach online. This will expose large numbers of students to the company’s platform and brand, as well as generating significant positive publicity, which is likely to prove beneficial once normal life resumes.</p>

<p>Scenario analysis and some of its related underlying principles can offer some tools to prepare for and deal with highly disruptive events. However, they cannot predict where and when such events will take place, nor can they completely overcome the psychological traps that cause us to underestimate them, and as a result be underprepared. Perhaps our best hope is that by being more aware of these issues, and the fact that uncertainty dominates so much of our lives, we might be a little bit better able to respond to unexpected events, big and small.</p>

<p><em>(Neil Pyper is Associate Professor, School of Strategy and Leadership, Coventry University)</em></p>

<p><em>(Amjed Rasheed is Research Fellow, School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University)</em></p>

<p><em>(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-could-the-world-have-prepared-better-for-a-pandemic-134262">the original article</a>)</em></p>


By Neil Pype As much of the world gets used to social distancing, school closures and restrictions in movement in response to the coronavirus pandemic, obvious questions are being asked about how governments and companies can prepare themselves for these sorts of extreme events.

By Neil Pype As much of the world gets used to social distancing, school closures and restrictions in movement in response to the coronavirus pandemic, obvious questions are being asked about how governments and companies can prepare themselves for these sorts of extreme events. One technique that has gained prominence in helping business people and officials deal with events that have a low probability but high impact is called scenario analysis or scenario planning. There are a number of different methods that can be used to model scenarios, but in essence these all involve developing stories about a number of possible ways that the future could unfold. Probably the best known and most widely used approach, which was developed within Shell during the 1970s, involves groups of stakeholders discussing what happens when two unrelated but highly uncertain drivers of change interact in extreme ways. The eminent scenario analyst Kees van der Heijden, a former head of scenario planning at Shell, has described how one of the company’s early scenario-planning exercises examined the government approach to the energy sector and the potential discovery of significant natural gas reserves. This approach does not aim to predict the future, and in fact, recognises that this is a fundamentally impossible and futile thing to do. Instead, it encourages what van der Heijden has called “strategic conversations”, which allow those involved to have their world views challenged. The hope is that this makes business people and officials more aware of when things are not going according to plan – and so better able to respond. Not a black swan event There is little doubt that this sort of agile thinking has helped some officials and companies respond earlier and more decisively to the changing events of recent weeks. In some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example of a black swan event – a term coined by the writer Nassim Nicholas Taleb to describe very high impact events that are unimaginable before they happen. But the COVID-19 pandemic should not really be a black swan event. Epidemiologists have been warning for decades that a pandemic of a novel flu strain was inevitable. There have been a number of scares over the past two decades, such as the SARS outbreak in 2002-04, which was concentrated in southern China and Hong Kong, the swine flu pandemic that originated in Mexico in 2009, and H5N1 avian flu in the 2000s. While all of these epidemics were serious, they weren’t on the same scale as COVID-19. This may well have led to business and political leaders focusing their attention on what they perceived to be more pressing priorities in recent years. In the US, for example, the Trump administration cut funding to disease security programmes as recently as 2018. The behavioural economists Amos Tvertky and Daniel Kahneman have developed the idea of the availability heuristic, which suggests that people overestimate the probability of things that are high profile and memorable, such as terrorist attacks. However, the reverse is also the case, and the sustained absence of a pandemic such as COVID-19 – a high-impact, once-in-a-generation event – has led people to underestimate its likelihood and impact. A number of think tanks and consultancies provide early warning services about low-profile, high-impact events, such as conflict in the South China Sea. However, if they feature events that are considered far fetched, they risk losing credibility among their clients and readers. Out ahead It’s probably no accident that a number of the countries that have responded effectively to the COVID-19 outbreak are in East Asia, where the SARS outbreak and H5N1 scares are relatively recent memories. For example, Taiwan has been praised for taking early action to contain the potential spread of the virus, and Singapore has been able to keep down infection rates through widespread testing for the virus, enabling effective quarantining and treatment of cases. One key lesson that can be taken from the response to the pandemic so far is that companies and countries that are able to respond quickly, and change strategies in response to rapidly changing events, will do well. For example, videoconferencing software producer Zoom has made premium versions of its system available for free to educational institutions that are forced to teach online. This will expose large numbers of students to the company’s platform and brand, as well as generating significant positive publicity, which is likely to prove beneficial once normal life resumes. Scenario analysis and some of its related underlying principles can offer some tools to prepare for and deal with highly disruptive events. However, they cannot predict where and when such events will take place, nor can they completely overcome the psychological traps that cause us to underestimate them, and as a result be underprepared. Perhaps our best hope is that by being more aware of these issues, and the fact that uncertainty dominates so much of our lives, we might be a little bit better able to respond to unexpected events, big and small. (Neil Pyper is Associate Professor, School of Strategy and Leadership, Coventry University) (Amjed Rasheed is Research Fellow, School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Coronavirus: Could the world have prepared better for a pandemic?

<p>The Election Commission of India has postponed the Rajya Sabha elections due to the threat of coronavirus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 18 Rajya Sabha seats of seven states were to be polled on March 26. It is accepted that now the new date of polls will be discharged simply in the wake of getting alleviation from COVID-19.</p>

<p>A total of 55 Rajya Sabha seats of 17 states were being vacated in April. On March 26, the Commission issued notification for elections to these seats. Most of the seats in several states including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh have been elected unopposed. Only 18 Rajya Sabha seats were to be elected through voting.</p>

<p>Nearly 500 coronavirus cases have been reported in India so far, according to Health Ministry data on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, as many as 30 states/UTs have been placed under complete lockdown even as the number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases have reached 471 across India by Monday evening. The death toll from the highly contagious infection stood at nine.</p>

<p>The Centre has also decided to restrict all domestic transport services—railways, flights and interstate buses—across the country on a massive scale that has never been witnessed by the country.</p>

<p>All domestic flights from midnight on March 24 have been cancelled. However, these restrictions will not apply to cargo flights.</p>

<p>"Airlines have to plan operations so as to land at their destination before 2359 hours on 24/3/2020," the Ministry said in a statement.</p>

<p>The deadly coronavirus has claimed 16,524 lives and infected 379,080 people globally. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Election Commission of India has postponed the Rajya Sabha elections due to the threat of coronavirus. The 18 Rajya Sabha seats of seven states were to be polled on March 26.

The Election Commission of India has postponed the Rajya Sabha elections due to the threat of coronavirus. The 18 Rajya Sabha seats of seven states were to be polled on March 26. It is accepted that now the new date of polls will be discharged simply in the wake of getting alleviation from COVID-19. A total of 55 Rajya Sabha seats of 17 states were being vacated in April. On March 26, the Commission issued notification for elections to these seats. Most of the seats in several states including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh have been elected unopposed. Only 18 Rajya Sabha seats were to be elected through voting. Nearly 500 coronavirus cases have been reported in India so far, according to Health Ministry data on Tuesday. Meanwhile, as many as 30 states/UTs have been placed under complete lockdown even as the number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases have reached 471 across India by Monday evening. The death toll from the highly contagious infection stood at nine. The Centre has also decided to restrict all domestic transport services—railways, flights and interstate buses—across the country on a massive scale that has never been witnessed by the country. All domestic flights from midnight on March 24 have been cancelled. However, these restrictions will not apply to cargo flights. "Airlines have to plan operations so as to land at their destination before 2359 hours on 24/3/2020," the Ministry said in a statement. The deadly coronavirus has claimed 16,524 lives and infected 379,080 people globally. (With inputs from agencies)

Rajya Sabha election scheduled for March 26 postponed amid Covid-19 lockdown

<p>What seemed unthinkable a month back, is rapidly becoming the new normal. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-imported-virus-cases-spike-as-fears-grow-of-second-wave-288149">coronavirus</a> has plunged the entire world into a state of war.</p>

<p>From Singapore to the United States, there are now 167 countries locked in a deadly battle against this virus. But some nations, with their furious efforts, are demonstrating that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/wion-edit-how-social-distancing-affects-our-mental-health-288123">virus can be defeated</a>.</p>

<p>They were either better equipped or better prepared to contain the crisis. Some others have taken steps to keep the virus from going into an exponential growth cycle.</p>

<p><strong>These four countries are setting an example for the world in the fight against the Wuhan coronavirus:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Honk Kong:</strong></p>

<p>Hong Kong had been rocked by an entire year of political protests, it worked swiftly to contain the spread of this virus. The city is located at the frontline of the outbreak, just 919 kilometres away from Wuhan.</p>

<p>But in the last two months, Hong Kong has recorded only 357 cases and 4 deaths. Because the 7.5 million residents in this city, even the anti-government protesters, listened to medical experts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the 2003 SARS outbreak still fresh in people's minds. Hong-Kongers built upon public directives and set a clear baseline for social distancing.</p>

<p>Schools, universities and offices were shut in late January. So were airports and most border crossings with mainland China.</p>

<p>Today, arrivals from mainland China have fallen to a daily average of 750 and these people are strictly made to self-quarantine for 14 days.<br />
<br />
<strong>WATCH:</strong></p>

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<p><strong>South Korea</strong></p>

<p>South Korea has reported 9,000 cases and 111 deaths, but the outbreak is in relative decline. The country is testing anyone who has had close contact with a patient, regardless of symptoms.</p>

<p>20,000 people are being tested every day at 633 centres across the country. This mass and indiscriminate testing is being followed by rigorous contact-tracing and quarantine of all suspects.</p>

<p>In 2015, the MERS outbreak claimed 38 lives in South Korea. In the 5 years that followed, successive governments overhauled their response to respiratory infections and fast-tracked production of test kits.</p>

<p>Today, nearly every hospital in South Korea is equipped with infection control units and pressure rooms.</p>

<p><strong>Taiwan</strong><br />
<br />
Taiwan has been shut out of the World Health Organisation (WHO) discussions, but its coronavirus response is a success story.</p>

<p>It is located just 200 kilometres away from China's coast, but has reported only 195 cases because in December, the country began inspecting everything and everybody coming in from China.</p>

<p>In January, it stopped all exports of surgical masks as a precaution. The same month, travel history of all its residents were integrated with health insurance cards.</p>

<p>And right now, everyone undergoing self-quarantine has their cell-phones tracked. Taiwan has reported only two deaths in the last 3 months.</p>

<p><strong>Singapore</strong></p>

<p>Singapore too is doing everything right. After the horrors of the SARS outbreak, Singapore had developed a robust infrastructure for dealing with pandemics.</p>

<p>In January, it became one of the first countries to report cases. But Singapore was prepared for the coronavirus juggernaut. The country has designated contact tracers outlining each patient's case history.</p>

<p>Testing is free, 2,000 people are being tested every day. Schools and restaurants remain open, but people constantly have their temperatures checked. The result, the number of cases has been restricted to 455 and there have been only 2 deaths.</p>

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What seemed unthinkable a month back, is rapidly becoming the new normal. The coronavirus has plunged the entire world into a state of war. From Singapore to the United States, there are now 167 countries locked in a deadly battle against this virus.

What seemed unthinkable a month back, is rapidly becoming the new normal. The coronavirus has plunged the entire world into a state of war. From Singapore to the United States, there are now 167 countries locked in a deadly battle against this virus. But some nations, with their furious efforts, are demonstrating that the virus can be defeated. They were either better equipped or better prepared to contain the crisis. Some others have taken steps to keep the virus from going into an exponential growth cycle. These four countries are setting an example for the world in the fight against the Wuhan coronavirus: Honk Kong: Hong Kong had been rocked by an entire year of political protests, it worked swiftly to contain the spread of this virus. The city is located at the frontline of the outbreak, just 919 kilometres away from Wuhan. But in the last two months, Hong Kong has recorded only 357 cases and 4 deaths. Because the 7.5 million residents in this city, even the anti-government protesters, listened to medical experts. With the 2003 SARS outbreak still fresh in people's minds. Hong-Kongers built upon public directives and set a clear baseline for social distancing. Schools, universities and offices were shut in late January. So were airports and most border crossings with mainland China. Today, arrivals from mainland China have fallen to a daily average of 750 and these people are strictly made to self-quarantine for 14 days. WATCH: × South Korea South Korea has reported 9,000 cases and 111 deaths, but the outbreak is in relative decline. The country is testing anyone who has had close contact with a patient, regardless of symptoms. 20,000 people are being tested every day at 633 centres across the country. This mass and indiscriminate testing is being followed by rigorous contact-tracing and quarantine of all suspects. In 2015, the MERS outbreak claimed 38 lives in South Korea. In the 5 years that followed, successive governments overhauled their response to respiratory infections and fast-tracked production of test kits. Today, nearly every hospital in South Korea is equipped with infection control units and pressure rooms. Taiwan Taiwan has been shut out of the World Health Organisation (WHO) discussions, but its coronavirus response is a success story. It is located just 200 kilometres away from China's coast, but has reported only 195 cases because in December, the country began inspecting everything and everybody coming in from China. In January, it stopped all exports of surgical masks as a precaution. The same month, travel history of all its residents were integrated with health insurance cards. And right now, everyone undergoing self-quarantine has their cell-phones tracked. Taiwan has reported only two deaths in the last 3 months. Singapore Singapore too is doing everything right. After the horrors of the SARS outbreak, Singapore had developed a robust infrastructure for dealing with pandemics. In January, it became one of the first countries to report cases. But Singapore was prepared for the coronavirus juggernaut. The country has designated contact tracers outlining each patient's case history. Testing is free, 2,000 people are being tested every day. Schools and restaurants remain open, but people constantly have their temperatures checked. The result, the number of cases has been restricted to 455 and there have been only 2 deaths.

Explained: Countries that are setting example for world in fight against coronavirus

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