Govt declares coronavirus a notified disaster, Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia for kin of victims

New Delhi, Mar 14: The government on Saturday declared the new coronavirus disease, Covid-19, as a notified disaster for the providing purpose of assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

It listed assistance norms in a release published today, and said Rs 4 lakh would be paid to the families of victims, "including those involved in relief operations or associated in response activities, subject to certification regarding the cause of death from the appropriate authority."

The total number of people infected with the coronavirus has spiked to 83 in India, while seven more people have been cured of the disease.

A 68-year-old woman in Delhi became the country's second victim of coronavirus on Friday as several states went into battle mode to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 11 states and territories, including Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, where three patients were discharged last month after they recovered.

Coronavirus, a pandemic that has infected 1,31,500 people in 116 countries and territories and killed more than 5,000 is not a health emergency and there is no need to panic.

The Centre has also decided to allow international traffic only through 19 border checkposts out of 37 and continue the suspension of Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses till April 15, or earlier, if so decided.