COVID-19: ICMR Confirms 206 Positive Cases in India

New Delhi: The cases of Coronavirus are increasing rapidly across the world with the count crossing 245,749 globally and 206 in India. Global death toll rose to 10,048 on Friday, with India reporting five deaths due to Covid-19. On Friday, Maharashtra reported three new cases of Coronavirus, taking its total to 52, highest in the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the nation and requested citizens to stay at home. The PM urged India’s 1.3 billion citizens to put themselves under self-curfew on Sunday (March 22) to protect themselves from the Coronavirus, hours after the government announced it was barring all international flights from landing in the country for a week starting March 22.

The virus, which originated from China, has rapidly spread to about 160 countries, hurting economic activity, global markets and forcing countries to go for lockdowns. Stocks are suffering badly across the board as investors fear the magnitude of damage Coronavirus will cause from a global slowdown in travel, shopping and other consumer spending.