Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday interacted with leaders of the political parties to discuss the situation arising out of the spread of coronavirus and the ongoing nationwide lockdown.

Modi held a video conference with floor leaders of various parties, including the opposition, in Parliament to discuss the COVID-19 crisis.

India has given a green signal to the order of the hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) drug of three countries -- the United States (US), Spain, and Australia. All of these countries had placed an order for the drug earlier.

The US administration terms 'hydroxychloroquine' as a game-changing drug to deal with the COVID-19 crisis although there is still no consensus in the medical community on its use. India is the largest producer of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).

The coronavirus pandemic is expected to erase 6.7 per cent of working hours globally during July-December, 2020 - equivalent to 195 million full-time workers, which far exceeds the effects of the 2008-09 financial crisis, the International Labour Organization (ILO) warned on Tuesday.

Large reductions are foreseen in the Arab states (8.1 per cent, equivalent to 5 million full-time workers), Europe (7.8 per cent, or 12 million full-time workers) and Asia and the Pacific (7.2 per cent, 125 million full-time workers).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting in the Parliament with leaders of various parties on Wednesday at 11 am through video conferencing, to decide the future course of action as far as coronavirus outbreak in India is concerned along with other key issues.

The meeting will be based on the key agenda - whether to end the shutdown or extend it, and what should the course of action be for the states as well as the Centre if lockdown is extended.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has estimated that one sick person could infect up to 406 others in 30 days if there was no lockdown, health ministry officials said on Tuesday as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases climbed to 4,789.

The ICMR study comes at a time when various state governments have requested the Centre to extend the 21-day lockdown beyond April 14.

With a rising number of doctors and nurses contracting the novel coronavirus in the United Kingdom as they treat the COVID-19 patients, there are several casualties in the community. A number of doctors, including a highly-respected Indian origin surgeon, have died in the UK after testing positive for the virus.

Dr Jitendra Kumar Rathod, Associate Specialist in cardio-thoracic surgery at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), died at a hospital in Cardiff in the UK after testing positive for COVID-19.

President of the United States Donald Trump on Tuesday accused the World Health Organisation (WHO) of being 'over-friendly' with China depite being largely funded by the US.

In a tweet, Trump said that the health agency gave a bad recommendation to it regarding opening its borders to China.

The world’s biggest lockdown has brought transportation of goods in the country close to a halt, even though the government has exempted the sector from restrictions to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Daily movement of trucks has collapsed to less than 10 per cent of normal levels, according to All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), an umbrella body of goods-vehicle operators representing about 10 million truckers.

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has reached 14.3 lakh with more than 82,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.

The tracker recorded 1,429,437 cases worldwide and 82,074 deaths till 8 am (IST) on Wednesday. Out of the total confirmed COVID-19 patients, 300,767 have recovered from the disease.

President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday approved the ordinance amending the Salary, Allowances & Pension of MP Act, 1954 reducing allowances and pension by 30% w.e.f. 1st April, 2020 for a year.

The Union Cabinet had on Monday approved an Ordinance cutting the salary, allowances and pension of Members of Parliament by 30% for a year and deposit the money to fight coronavirus outbreak.

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