Monitor your Amazon account health

To view your account health, follow these instructions:

1. Go to Seller Central homepage.
2. Under Performance, click Account Health.

The Account Health page provides an overview of your seller account’s adherence to the performance targets and policies required to sell on Amazon. To ensure we are delivering a great experience for our customers, Amazon might take action on these metrics if they do not comply with our targets.
We regularly review the performance of all sellers and notify them when they are off-target. The intent of this review is to give you the opportunity to improve your performance before the issue affects your ability to sell. Occasionally, seller accounts with very poor performance are immediately deactivated.

Note: If your seller account has been deactivated, you may be eligible for reinstatement. You can appeal by providing us with a plan of action for correcting the problems that contributed to the enforcement action.

Note: Learn how to Appeal the restriction or removal of selling privileges.

The Account Health page provides you with visibility into your seller account’s adherence to the targets for various product policies as well as the below performance metrics.

Order Defect Rate

The Order Defect Rate (ODR) is a key measure of your ability to provide a good customer experience. It includes all orders with one or more defects (defined below) represented as a percentage of total orders during a given 60-day time period.
An order has a defect if it results in negative feedback, an A-to-z Guarantee claim that is not denied, or a credit card chargeback.
Our policy is that sellers maintain an ODR under 1% in order to sell on Amazon. An ODR above 1% may result in account deactivation.

Cancelation Rate

The Cancellation Rate (CR) is all seller-cancelled orders represented as a percentage of total orders during a given 7-day time period. CR only applies to seller-fulfilled orders.
This metric includes all order cancellations initiated by the seller or when an order is cancelled automatically by Amazon because the seller has not shipped and ship-confirmed the order within 24 hours of the Estimated Ship Date, with the exception of those requested by the customer using the order-cancellation options in their Amazon account. Pending orders that are cancelled by the customer directly on Amazon are not included.
Our policy is that sellers maintain a CR under 2.5% in order to sell on Amazon. A CR above 2.5% may result in account deactivation.

Late Shipment Rate

The Late Shipment Rate (LSR) includes all orders with a ship confirmation that is completed after the expected ship date (ESD). LSR is represented as a percentage of total orders over both a 10-day or 30-day period. LSR only applies to seller-fulfilled orders.
It is important to confirm the shipment of orders by the expected ship date so that customers can see the status of their shipped orders online. Orders that are ship confirmed late might lead to increased claims, negative feedback and/or customer contacts and negatively impact customer experience. For orders shipped through Amazon Easy Ship, ship confirmation happens automatically when Amazon picks up the orders.
Our policy is that sellers maintain an LSR under 4% in order to sell on Amazon. An LSR above 4% can result in account deactivation.

Valid Tracking Rate

The Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) includes all shipments with a valid tracking number represented as a percentage of total shipments during a given 30-day time period. VTR only applies to seller-fulfilled orders.
Amazon customers depend on tracking numbers to find out where their orders are and when they can expect to receive them. The Valid Tracking Rate is a performance metric that reflects those expectations. Orders with tracking tend to receive fewer A-to-z Guarantee claims and better seller feedback ratings.
Our policy is that sellers maintain a VTR greater than 95% in order to sell on Amazon. A VTR below 95% may result in the removal of your ability to sell seller-fulfiled items.

On-Time Delivery Rate

The On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) includes all shipments delivered by their estimated delivery date represented as a percentage of total tracked shipments. OTDR only applies to seller-fulfilled orders.
We recommend that sellers maintain an OTDR greater than 97% in order to provide a good customer experience, however, there is no penalty for not meeting the performance target at this time.

Return Dissatisfaction Rate

The Return Dissatisfaction Rate (RDR) measures your customers’ satisfaction with their return experience. The return experience is negative when a return request has negative buyer feedback (Negative Return Feedback Rate), is not responded to within 48 hours (Late Response Rate), or is incorrectly denied (Invalid Rejection Rate). Your Return Dissatisfaction Rate is all negative return requests represented as a percentage of total return requests.
Our policy is that sellers maintain an RDR under 10%. At this time, there is no penalty for not meeting the performance target, though customers with unresolved problems are more likely to submit negative feedback and A-to-z Guarantee claims.

Frequently asked questions

If I have an A-to-z Guarantee claim and a negative feedback rating on an order, does it count twice?

No, an order can only be defective once. Having negative feedback and a claim on the same order will only count as a single defect.

What is the Negative Feedback Rate?

The Negative Feedback Rate is the number of orders that have received a negative feedback divided by the number of orders in the relevant period. This metric is order-correlated, meaning we look at the date of the order (not the date on which the feedback was received) when computing the rate. It is one of the three components of the ODR metric.

What is the filed A-to-z Guarantee claim rate?

The A-to-z Guarantee claim rate is the number of orders that have received an A-to-z Guarantee claim divided by the number of orders in the time period of interest. It's one of the three components of the ODR metric. When computing the A-to-z Guarantee claim rate, we consider all claims—in any status—filed by buyers.

Is buyer-removed negative feedback included?

No. If a buyer withdraws negative feedback, it's not counted as part of your defect rate calculation. You may see such feedback in your metrics up to 48 hours after a buyer has removed it.

Why are seller-cancelled orders bad?

It's important to ensure that items you have listed on Amazon are in stock and available to ship. When a seller cancels an order placed by a buyer prior to fulfilment, we have found this is mainly due to the item being out of stock. Some percentage of stock-outs may be unavoidable in normal business practice. However, we expect sellers to minimise such issues. High cancelled order rates are a problem that can impact your selling account. In the short term, it also negatively affects your bottom line because an unfulfilled order is lost revenue to your company.

What is the difference between a refunded and a cancelled order?

A decision not to fulfil an order prior to ship-confirmation is treated as a cancelled order. Once an order is ship-confirmed, a decision to accept a return or not ship an item is treated as a refund. Refunds are not always negative events but a high Refund Rate can often be a sign of an underlying issue worthy of review.

Why can't you provide data on recent orders?

Negative feedback, A-to-z Guarantee claims, and service credit card chargebacks are submitted, on average, at least several weeks from the date of an order. Until that average time has passed, a seller's defect rate will always be artificially low. Waiting an extended period (90 days) gives the most accurate view of actual performance. However, in the interest of providing earlier information on your performance, we may report information on orders as early as 30 days post-purchase.

What are the performance targets?

All Amazon sellers should be working toward achieving and maintaining a level of customer service that meets the following performance targets for every product they sell:

• Order defect rate: < 1%
• Pre-fulfilment cancel rate: < 2.5%
• Late shipment rate: < 4%

What happens if my account's performance does not meet the performance targets?

Failure to meet these targets may result in the removal or restriction of your selling privileges. Learn about how to Appeal the Removal of Selling Privileges.

How can I use this information to improve my business?

We hope you'll be able to utilize both recent and historical information to minimize your cancelled and defective orders while maximizing your on-time ship percentages. Taken together, these practices will increase positive customer experiences, which will be reflected in better feedback and happier customers. Both tend to drive increased sales.

What is the Account Status?

Your selling account can be in one of the following statuses:

• Active: Your selling account is able to sell on Amazon and funds (payments) may be disbursed as per the normal schedule.
• Under Review: Your selling account is able to sell on Amazon, but is currently under review by Amazon and funds are temporarily withheld until the review is completed.
• Suspended: Your selling account is not able to sell on Amazon and funds are temporarily withheld.

You can see your account status on the Performance Notifications page.

Why are my performance metrics displayed by fulfilment channel?

Sellers who ship their own orders and also use FBA should understand the quality of the fulfilment experience they provide to buyers in both cases. For example, a seller may have an overall Late Shipment Rate that meets Amazon's performance targets, but not meet the late shipment performance target for orders they ship themselves. Viewing performance metrics by fulfilment channel may help sellers identify a problem faster and work to correct it earlier.

How should I use the metrics based on product line?

From time to time sellers will provide better buyer experiences on some types of items than others. For example, a seller may have proven performance selling Office products but have problems when expanding into a new product line such as Consumer Electronics. Separating defective orders and cancellation rates by product type may help you identify a problem faster and work to correct it earlier.

Why don't the numbers in the report match details otherwise in my account?

Today there are multiple views of seller performance. The metrics reported in this page are order-correlated and focus primarily on the customer experience. Metrics reported elsewhere in the account are not order-correlated and are linked to financial data.

Why doesn't the Negative Feedback Rate match what is displayed to buyers on the website?

The Negative Feedback Rate published on the Performance Metrics page is order-correlated and is one of the three components of the ODR metric. In an order-correlated view, the Negative Feedback Rate is calculated as the percentage of orders with a negative feedback rating in a specific time period, regardless of when the feedback was received. This differs from the feedback ratings displayed to buyers in that buyer feedback ratings are calculated based on when the feedback was received instead of when the order was placed.

Why doesn't the Refund Rate match what is displayed elsewhere in my account?

The Refund Rate published in the Performance Metrics pages is order-correlated. In an order-correlated view, the Refund Rate is calculated as the percentage of orders in a specific time period with a refund, regardless of when the refund was issued. This differs from Refund Rates that are calculated based on when the refund was issued instead of when the order was placed.

What is an order-correlated metric?

When a measure is order-correlated, we are reviewing the results for a specific order time period. This differs, for example, from positive feedback ratings currently displayed to buyers. Buyer feedback is calculated based on when the information is received instead of when the order was placed. An order-correlated view would present the number of positive feedback ratings received on orders placed in a specific time period regardless of when the feedback was received.

Amazon Appeal an account deactivation or listing removal

How to appeal a listing removal

1.     In Seller Central, go to Performance and click Account Health.
2.     Select the issue within the Product Policy Compliance column.
3.     Follow the instructions within the page to submit your appeal or modify the details on your listing to comply with our selling policies.

After submitting your request, monitor your email for a decision from Amazon.

Amazon Seller Performance measurement for India

Amazon places high importance on maintaining the trust of our millions of satisfied buyers. We have established performance targets for sellers so that buyers can shop with a sense of safety and security about their third-party Marketplace transactions.

Seller performance targets

All Amazon.in sellers should be working toward achieving and maintaining a level of customer service that meets the following seller performance targets:

•     Order defect rate: < 1%
•     Pre-fulfilment cancellation rate: < 2.5%
•     Late dispatch rate: < 4%

Failure to meet these targets may result in the removal of your selling privileges.

Measuring Seller Performance

These Customer Metrics are used to measure seller performance:

Order defect rate (ODR): This is the percentage of your orders that have received a negative feedback, an A-to-Z Guarantee claim, or a service credit card chargeback. It allows us to measure overall performance with a single metric.

• A seller who maintains a low percentage of negative feedback reflects our customer-centric philosophy. One- and two-star ratings are considered negative.
• A seller who works proactively with customers to resolve order problems will avoid most A-to-Z Guarantee claims. We measure your claims rate using the percentage of all orders, of any status, that involved a claim.
• When a buyer disputes a purchase charged to their credit card with their bank, it's referred to as a service chargeback request.

Pre-fulfilment cancellation rate: This is the number of orders cancelled by a seller prior to dispatch-confirmation divided by the number of orders in the time period of interest. When computing this metric, we consider all order cancellations initiated by the seller for any reason.

Late dispatch rate: This is the number of orders with a dispatch confirmation that is overdue divided by the number of orders in the time period of interest. Orders that are dispatch confirmed late may lead to increased customer contacts and negatively impact customer experience.

Refund rate: This is the number of orders refunded by a seller divided by the number of orders in the time period of interest. When computing this metric, we consider all refunds initiated by the seller for any reason.
Performance review and notification process

We regularly review the performance of all sellers and notify them when they are off-target. This review process is designed to give you time to improve your performance.

In most cases, we contact sellers with poor performance to ask for measurable improvement within 60 days of the first warning. Occasionally, sellers with very poor performance are immediately suspended or blocked.

If your seller account has been suspended, you may be eligible for reinstatement. You can appeal our decision by providing our Seller Performance team with a plan of action for correcting the problems that have contributed to this action. Learn how to Appeal the restriction or removal of selling privileges.

Horrors of holocaust revisited: Nazi photo album made of human skin discovered in Polish market

The collector spotted it at an antique market in Poland

In yet another token to remember the horrors of the holocaust, a collector found a photo album made from the skin of a Nazi extermination camp prisoner in Poland.

The collector spotted it at an antique market in Poland, and noticed that the album cover had a "tattoo, human hair and a bad smell." He then bought it from the antique market and handed it over to the staff at Auschwitz Memorial Museum.

The museum authorities reported that the album cover made of human skin was "without doubt proof of a crime against humanity," the Metro newspaper stated in a report.


'The album contained over 100 photos and postcards, consisting mainly of views and panoramas,' a report by Daily mail stated.

Analysts are claiming that the album was made using the skin of a murdered inmate at Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany. The camp gained notoriety for its gruesome executions and ghastly human experiments.

What makes this camp stand out from every other extermination camp that originated during the Third Reich, was a lady named Karl-Otto Koch, more commonly known as ‘The Bitch of Buchenwald’ by many holocaust survivors. Wife of camp commandant Karl-Otto Koch, she used to order the slaughtering of Jewish men prisoners with tattoos before using them as accessories like albums, table covers, lampshades. In fact, she made so many of these mementoes, she was known as "Lady of lampshade."


It is alleged that the abovementioned-experiments were done to help out a prison doctor in his dissertation on tattooing and criminality.

Ilse Koch was convicted for crimes against humanity at Nuremberg trials and sentenced to life in prison. However,  her sentence to four years for 'lack of evidence'. She later committed suicide in at Aichach women's prison on  September 1, 1967, at age 60. She was serving time there, after being tried by a West German court following her re-arrest in 1949 for the crimes she committed in the death camp.

'The research suggests that it is very likely that both covers, owing to their technology and composition, came from the same bookbinding workshop,' Head of the Auschwitz Museum Collections, Elzbieta Cajzer said.

'The use of human skin as a production material is directly associated with the figure of Ilse Koch, who, along with her husband, inscribed her name in history as the murderer from the camp in Buchenwald.' she added.

Yes Bank depositors can withdraw up to Rs 5 lakh for emergency, says RBI-appointed administrator

In a message to Yes Bank customers, RBI-appointed administrator Prashant Kumar said a solution is being worked upon to revive the bank well before the moratorium period of 30 days ends.

Yes Bank's RBI-appointed administrator Prashant Kumar on Friday said customers who need funds in excess of Rs 50,000 can withdraw up to Rs 5 lakh for medical treatment, marriage, higher education, or any other unavoidable emergency.

This came a day after RBI imposed a moratorium on the troubled private lender on March 5, 2020 which will be effective up to April 3, 2020. The withdrawal limit has been capped at Rs 50,000 owing to the financial position of the bank.

In a message to Yes Bank customers, Kumar said a solution is being worked upon to revive the bank well before the moratorium period of 30 days ends.


"I would like to apprise you that this is a temporary moratorium made by the Government to protect the interest of the Bank's customers. I wish to reassure you that your deposits are safe with the Bank," he said.

"While the withdrawal limit for each depositor has been capped at Rs. 50,000 in aggregate from all accounts, I and the entire team of YES BANK are committed to ensure seamless transactions for customers during the period of moratorium," the former CFO of State Bank of India said.

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As Yes Bank crisis hits PhonePe, an invite from Paytm
"If you require funds in excess of Rs. 50,000 for medical treatment, marriage, higher education, or any other unavoidable emergency, a provision has been made for consideration up to Rs. 5 Lakh with the approval of the Reserve Bank of India," the message to customers said.


A solution is being worked upon to revive the Bank well before the moratorium period of 30 days ends, he added.


Kumar assured that the interest of the customers is the top priority of the bank.

Meanwhile, the RBI has put out a draft scheme of reconstruction of Yes Bank with SBI likely to pick up 49% stake.

According to RBI, SBI has expressed its willingness to invest in Yes Bank and participate in its reconstruction scheme. SBI will have to pick up 49% stake in Yes Bank and stay invested for at least three years, as per the RBI's draft scheme of reconstruction.

The authorised capital of Yes Bank will stand altered to Rs 5,000 crore only and number of equity shares will stand altered to 2,400 crore of Rs 2 each from the appointed date, the central bank said in its revical scheme. 

As Yes Bank crisis hits PhonePe, an invite from Paytm

Sameer Nigam, the founder-CEO of PhonePe, confirmed in a tweet that the outage was a result of the Yes Bank crisis.

Walmart India's payment services provider PhonePe suffered an outage after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday put Yes Bank under moratorium.

The RBI on Thursday placed Yes Bank under a moratorium for 30 days and capped the withdrawals at Rs 50,000. It also superseded the board of directors of the private lender for 30 days and appointed former SBI CFO Prashant Kumar as the bank`s administrator.

PhonePe tweeted on Thursday that its services were temporarily unavailable as it was going through an unscheduled maintenance activity.


"We are temporarily unavailable. We are going through an unscheduled maintenance activity. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We’ll be back soon." it said in a tweet.

Sameer Nigam, the founder-CEO of the company, confirmed in a tweet that the outage was a result of the Yes Bank crisis.

"Dear @PhonePe_ customers. We sincerely regret the long outage. Our partner bank (Yes Bank) was placed under moratorium by RBI. Entire team's been working all night to get services back up asap. We hope to be live in a few hours. Thanks for your patience. Stay tuned for updates," he said in a tweet.


Later, the company asked users to use "Debit & Credit cards and PhonePe Wallet to make payments now."

The crisis also triggered a tongue-in-cheek remark from Paytm Payments Bank.

In a tweet on Friday, as the Flipkart-owned payment service was struggling to get back on its feet, Paytm tweeted, "Dear @PhonePe_, Inviting you to @PaytmBank #UPI platform. It already has huge adoption and can seamlessly scale manifold to handle your business. Let’s get you back up, fast!"

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The offer was politely shot down by PhonePe, which said in reply, "Dear @PaytmBank, Inviting you to consider that if your #UPI platform was so 'seamlessly scalable', we'd have called you ourselves. No point getting back up faster, if we have to desert our long term partners when they're down. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

RBI announces 'reconstruction scheme' of Yes Bank, SBI likely to pick up 49% stake

According to the draft scheme, the authorised capital of Yes Bank will stand altered to Rs 5,000 crore only and number of equity shares will stand altered to 2,400 crore of Rs 2 each from the appointed date.

RBI announces 'reconstruction scheme' of Yes Bank, SBI likely to own 49% stake as

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday put out a draft scheme of reconstruction of Yes Bank with State Bank of India likely to pick up 49% stake.



This comes a day after the RBI imposed a moratorium on the troubled private lender on March 5, 2020 which will be effective up to April 3, 2020. The withdrawal limit has been capped at Rs 50,000 owing to the financial position of the bank.


Releasing a draft scheme of reconstruction, the RBI has invited suggestions and comments from members of public, including the banks' shareholders, depositors and creditors on the draft scheme. The draft scheme has also been sent to Yes Bank and SBI for their comments.

According to RBI, SBI has expressed its willingness to invest in Yes Bank and participate in its reconstruction scheme. SBI will have to pick up 49% stake in Yes Bank and stay invested for at least three years, as per the RBI's draft scheme of reconstruction.


According to the draft scheme, the authorised capital of Yes Bank will stand altered to Rs 5,000 crore only and number of equity shares will stand altered to 2,400 crore of Rs 2 each from the appointed date.


The investor bank, SBI, will agree to invest in the equity of the reconstructed bank to the extent that post infusion it holds 49% shareholding in the private lender at a price not less than Rs 10 (Face value of Rs 2) and premium of Rs 8.

The investor bank will not reduce its holding below 26% before completion of three years from the date of infusion of the capital, said the draft on which comments from stakeholders have been invited till March 9. The investor bank will also have two nominee directors appointed on the Board of the reconstructed bank.

All the employees of the reconstructed lender will continue in its service with the same remuneration and on the same terms and conditions of service (T&C), including terms of determination of service and retirement, as were applicable to such employees immediately before the Appointed date, at least for a period of one year, the scheme said.


Board of Directors of the reconstructed bank will, however, have the freedom to discontinue the services of the Key Managerial Personnel (KMPs) at any point of time after following the due procedure, it said.

The offices and branches of the Reconstructed bank will also continue to function in the same manner and at the same places they were functioning prior to the effective date, without in any way being affected by this scheme.

It will be open to the Reconstructed bank to open new offices and branches or close down existing offices or branches, in accordance with the extant policy of the Reserve Bank and complying with the necessary terms and conditions.

As Delhi confirms first Coronavirus infection, here's what you should do to stay safe

To remain committed to the cause of medicine, it is also important to tackle misinformation being spread in the wake of a panic.

As the national capital, Delhi, confirms its first case of Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) infection on March 2, 2020 (Monday), the panic around the epidemic has reached its zenith worldwide. The death toll stands at more than 3,000, including 2,912 in China, and at least 89,000 global cases have been confirmed. With cases of infection exceeding 4,000 in South Korea, this is already being called the largest outbreak outside of China, from where the virus is believed to have spread - more specifically, from a seafood market in central Wuhan city.

The virus has proved itself to be extremely resilient, even managing to travel overseas to 65 countries, and as far as the United States. In the wake of this, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the risk of the global spread of the virus is ‘very high’.


World Health Organization Western Pacific
✔
@WHOWPRO
The total number of #COVID19 cases reported from mainland China 🇨🇳 to date is 80,026

The figure includes 7,110 severe cases and 2,912 people who have died.
 #coronavirus

The concerns are aggravated especially considering the fact that scores of people across the world have died and several tens of thousands infected, exacerbating the risk to many more degrees as the virus can now potentially travel anywhere in the world, being transmitted by people from all walks of life across various regions.


Amid these concerns, the medical community of the entire world remains on high alert, monitoring subjects and consulting their medicinal know-how to come up with a cure as soon as possible.

To remain committed to the cause of medicine, it is also important to tackle misinformation being spread in the wake of a panic. To help get you everything you need, we are modifying an earlier copy from when the disease was in its infancy. Here is everything you need to know about this virus.

What is coronavirus?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronaviruses are a family of viruses that affect mammals and birds, causing a variety of diseases that range from diarrhea in cows and pigs, upper respiratory diseases in chickens, to a host of respiratory infections in humans.


These infections, in turn, can range from mild - such as the common cold - to more severe and potentially lethal, such as those caused earlier by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). What this Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) will cause remains to be seen, but the symptoms are listed later in the article.

The name "coronavirus" is derived from the Latin corona and the Greek κορώνη (korṓnē, "garland, wreath"), meaning crown or halo. This is because, under an electron microscope, the virus appears as if a royal crown or a solar corona.

How deadly/lethal is it?
To answer this would prove tricky. Some experts had earlier said that the Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) might not prove as deadly as some previous manifestations of the coronavirus, such as the SARS-CoV or the MERS-CoV, but with the death toll nearing 3,000, the Novel Coronavirus is proving itself to be quite deadly.


For context, the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) had killed nearly 800 people worldwide during a 2002-03 outbreak, also originating from China. The MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) did not spread as much (keeping itself largely limited to the Middle-East) but proved far more deadly, killing one-third of those infected.

Now, the Novel Coronavirus could have ranged anywhere between mildly infectious to as deadly as its predecessors, now evolving into a full-fledged epidemic.

Can it be transmitted?
Yes, the coronavirus can be transmitted. Human-to-human transmission of the n-CoV has been confirmed. Besides, its two earlier manifestations - the SARS and the MERS - were believed to have been transmitted by animals. SARS, for instance, was believed to have been transmitted from civet cats to humans while MERS travelled to humans from a type of camel.

What are the symptoms?
People with the Novel Coronavirus infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of -- fever, cough, shortness of breath.

In more severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms may appear in as few as two days or even as long as 14 days after exposure.

Where have the cases been reported?
As of March 2, the coronavirus has infected nearly 89,000 people globally and caused more than 3,000 deaths, including 2,912 in China. It is being said that the virus first spread from a seafood market in the city of Wuhan, in China's Hubei province.

Apart from China, the virus has spread to more than 70 countries.

All the cases involve people who had either come from countries that had been infected or been there recently.

How to protect yourself?
Very little is known about the n-CoV as of now, but here is a general guideline that you can follow to keep yourself safe:

* Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds* Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands* Avoid close contact with people who are sick

Is there any treatment?
Though there are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by the coronavirus, most people will recover on their own. However, those infected can take certain steps to relieve your symptoms --take pain and fever medications, use a room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough, drink plenty of liquids, stay home and rest. 

Coronavirus Outbreak: Can masks actually help protect you from infection?

The following guidelines have been issued by the WHO for mask use:

As India keeps confirming an ever-increasing tally of positive cases for the Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) infection, the panic around the epidemic has reached its zenith worldwide. The global death toll has crossed 3,300, including 3,042 in China, and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s estimates, at least 98,000 global cases have been affected.

In the wake of this outbreak, which is being called the largest such case outside of China, people have resorted to adopting several precautionary measures. Several of them, however, are being counter-productive, taken in a feat of panic, and might end up actually hurting the actual affected, instead of helping.

Considering the need of the hour, we have decided to bust a few myths regarding the steps people are taking to counter the coronavirus.

Ayodhya case: Popular Front of India files curative petition at Supreme Court

The petition also pleads that it should be heard in an open court while also arguing that the apex court should put a stay on its verdict in the Ayodhya case.

The Islamic organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) on Friday lodged a curative petition at the Supreme Court against the top court's controversial verdict in the much-disputed Ayodhya Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid title dispute case.

In its petition, the organisation claimed that even though it was not a party to the title dispute, yet the Supreme Court verdict, on November 9 last year, has ended up adversely affecting its rights.

The petition also pleads that it should be heard in an open court while also arguing that the apex court should put a stay on its verdict in the Ayodhya case.

PFI is the second organisation to file a curative petition in the case. The first petition was filed by the Uttar Pradesh-based Peace Party.

In a 5-0 unanimous decision, the Supreme Court on November 9, 2019, had ruled that the disputed 2.77 acre land in Ayodhya will go to Hindus while Muslims will be given a 5-acre plot at an alternate location in the city for construction of the mosque.

The apex court, however, handed over the land to the government to take measures for maintaining peace and harmony and law and order. The government will create a Board of Trust and formulate a scheme within three months.

The court said the decision was taken as per law and not on the basis of faith and belief. 

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi had finished the hearing in the long-standing dispute on October 16. Other judges of the bench are Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and SW Abdul Nazeer.

The five-judge bench was hearing appeals challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict, which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre of disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Ram Lalla.

Coronavirus Outbreak: As number of positive cases reaches 31, India issues alert for six states

The government has also released a 24/7 helpline number and an email id through which people can get more information in this regard

A fresh case of coronavirus was reported in Delhi on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 31 in India. The patient is a resident of Delhi who had a travel history of Thailand and Malaysia. As per information, the patient is stable and is kept under observation. In the wake of the coronavirus scare in India, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an alert for six states - West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand - and listed an advisory with do's and dont's regarding the epidemic.

Sanjeeva Kumar, Special Secretary (Health), Union Health Ministry, gave the information saying, ''One more COVID19 case in Delhi has been confirmed, taking the total number of positive cases in the country to 31. The patient has travel history from Thailand & Malaysia.''

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has also assured that the central government is taking adequate steps to tackle the epidemic, while Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said that eleven separate isolation rooms have been set up at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital in Delhi for coronavirus patients. All officials, at the national and state level, have assured that complete care is being taken to monitor and tend to the patients.


Regular reviews are being conducted with all related ministries of Health, Defence, External Affairs, Civil Aviation, Home, Textiles, Pharma, Commerce, and other officials including the State Chief Secretaries.

The government has also released a 24/7 helpline number +91-11-2397 8046 and an email id ncov2019@gmail.com through which people can get more information in this regard and can seek help in case of any coronavirus emergency.


As of March 5, more than 3,300 people all around the world have lost their lives in the Novel Coronavirus epidemic, of which around 3,042 were in China. About 98,000 people have been affected globally, stated the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Investigative agencies, SEBI noticed malpractices by top executives of Yes Bank: Nirmala Sitharaman

Nirmala Sitharaman's statement came a day after the RBI imposed a moratorium on troubled private lender Yes Bank and capped the withdrawal limit at Rs 50,000.

The Reserve Bank of India RBI had been aware of the "governance issues and weak compliance" in Yes Bank as the apex bank had been continuously monitoring and scrutinising the lender since 2017, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.

Sitharaman said investigative agencies and SEBI noticed malpractices by top executives of Yes Bank in March 2019.


"YesBank lent money to some of the very stressed corporations like Anil Ambani Group, Essel, Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL), Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) and Vodafone," she said.


Her statement came a day after the Reserve Bank of India imposed a moratorium on troubled private lender Yes Bank and capped the withdrawal limit at Rs 50,000 owing to the financial position of the bank.

"Since 2017, RBI has been continuously monitoring and scrutinising Yes Bank. It noticed that there were governance issues and weak compliance in the bank. There was a wrong asset classification together with risky credit decisions," Sitharaman said at a press conference where she addressed the crisis.

Sitharaman said she has asked the RBI to assess what has caused these difficulties for the private lender and clearly identify the roles played by various individuals in creating the problem and not addressing it.


I have asked RBI to act so that the due process of law takes its course with a sense of urgency, she added.

She assured depositors that the government is committed to ensure that depositors' interests are safeguarded.

"I want RBI to ensure that due process of law is set to roll with a sense of urgency so that we should find out as to who led to the problem of this size and magnitude," she said.


Meanwhile, the RBI has announced a draft scheme of reconstruction of the Yes Bank and has invited suggestions and comments from members of public, including the banks' shareholders, depositors and creditors for the same.

The Finance Minister said that the RBI has assured that the reconstruction plan will come into play within the moratorium period. The SBI has expressed willingness to invest in Yes Bank, she said.

She assured that deposits and liabilities will not be affected.

Employment and salaries have also been assured for at least one year.

Too many ads on eco-products can put off users

London : Companies looking to promote their environmentally friendly products should downplay their green credentials to get more customers, according to a study which says by over-advertising green attributes, firms risk generating associations with weak product performance.

The researchers, including those from the University of East Anglia in the UK, said this is because of the performance ability sometimes associated with green products which make consumers perceive them as being less effective.

According to their study, published in the Journal of Advertising, by downplaying a product’s greenness, firms may be more likely to persuade consumers to buy them, if promoted on more traditional, rather than performance, aspects. It said green products usually include environmentally friendly features that are less harmful to the planet and population, such as biodegradable and non-toxic ingredients, that enhance energy efficiency, and include recycled components.

However, while it has been suggested that consumers are willing to buy such products, these attitudes rarely result in purchases, and they often buy conventional alternatives, the scientists said.

Based on earlier studies, they said consumers tend to choose products with superior functional performance over products with better sustainability characteristics, indicating that this choice is often related to assumptions about the performance ability of green products.

The current study showed that the product category can influence the effect of a green product advertising strategy. Subtle, or ‘implicit’ messaging is more effective in conditions under which consumers have more concerns about the product’s performance, or have lower expectations about its greenness, the researchers added. When the product-related attributes are prominent in advertising, if consumers perceive them as being at odds with the benefits associated with the product category, the resulting incompatibility may further reduce how the customers evaluate their performance.

‘Bring in efficient, adaptive tech to further smoothen working of PFMS’

New Delhi : Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday asked civil accounts officers to focus on bringing in more efficient and adaptive technologies to further smoothen the working of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

Speaking at a function to mark the 44th Civil Accounts Day, she said there is so much more to be accomplished and officers need to be responsive to the changes.

The minister further said the officers are not only competent accounts persons, but also competent technology professionals.

“Even as we are talking of technology, that itself is a challenge. Everyday it changes, newer versions come in, rapid changes are happening and therefore to keep on top of it is a big exercise. You have to constantly keep changing the milepost, bring in more and more efficiency and adaptive technology,” Sitharaman said.

She also said that they have “revolutionised” technology-driven PFMS and it has empowered India to be accountable, responsive and transparent.

“Today all over the world DBT (direct benefit transfer) and GST are being talked about as one of the silent revolution that democracy can show off to the world,” the minister added.

She said the officers have shown that public finance is not opaque, but efficient and responsive to the public.

Axis Bank looks to raise its stake in Max Life Insurance

Mumbai : Axis Bank Ltd is looking to raise its stake in Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd by buying an additional 17.9% stake, two people aware of the matter said, requesting anonymity.

The potential deal will be made in two parts with the private lender taking a 7.9% stake while the rest would be held through its non-banking unit Axis Finance Ltd, the people said, requesting anonymity.

“Axis Bank will value Max Life at par with its current embedded value (EV),” said one of the two people cited above. Embedded value or the sum of net asset value and present value of future profits is a commonly used valuation metric for life insurers.

“Based on that valuation, the deal size will be close to ₹1,800 crore for 17.9% stake in Max Life. The valuation is at 1x the insurer’s EV, considering more than half of its premium comes through Axis Bank,” the person said.

The development comes amid lack of regulatory clarity on how much banks can hold in domestic insurers.

In December, Mint reported that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had asked lenders to pare stakes in insurers to 30%, as the banking regulator looked to shield banks from risks arising out of their non-banking businesses.

“As part of the deal, Axis Bank is also exploring an arrangement to hold further 10% stake in the form of convertible instruments, including warrants. But the conversion will depend on the final RBI guidelines on permissible holding limits for banks in insurance companies,” said the second person cited above.

“If the RBI does allow Axis Bank to hold up to 30% in Max Life, those instruments can be converted into equity but until then the lender would restrict its ownership to 19.9% in the life insurer. The deal contours, however, are still being negotiated and nothing has been finalized yet,” the person said.

Max Financial Services holds 72.5% stake in Max Life, while Japan’s Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and Axis Bank hold 25.5% and 2%, respectively.

Axis Bank and Max Life did not respond to emailed queries.

Max group told exchanges on 20 February that Axis Bank, Max Financial Services Ltd and its unit Max Life are in exclusive talks to explore the possibility of the lender entering into a long-term strategic partnership with Max Life. The companies, however, did not disclose any financial details of the proposed transaction.

Max Life depends on the bancassurance channel for nearly 70% of its premium income, of which Axis Bank contributes 60%, while Yes Bank contributes the rest. The bancassurance arrangement between Axis Bank and Max Life is due for renewal in 2021.

Bank credit growth dips to 8.5% in January: RBI data

Mumbai : Bank credit growth declined to 8.5% in January from 13.5% in the year-ago period led by a sharp slowdown in loans to the services sector, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data.

Growth in advances to the services sector decelerated to 8.9% from 23.9% in January 2019.

Bank loan growth to non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) slowed to 32.2% in the reporting month from a growth of 48.3% a year-ago.

During the month, personal loans segment grew by 16.9%.

Within personal loans, credit to housing segment grew by 17.5% from 18.4%, while education loan showed a negative growth of 3.1% as against a negative growth of 2.3% in January 2019, RBI data showed.

Advances growth to agriculture and allied activities contracted to 6.5% from 7.6% rise last year.

Credit growth to industry decelerated to 2.5% from 5.2%.

Within industry, loan growth to paper and paper products, rubber plastic and their products and construction accelerated.

“However, credit growth to textile, food processing, chemical and chemical products, basic metal and metal products, all engineering and infrastructure decelerated,” the central bank said.

According to the latest quarterly statistics on deposits and credit of banks, bank loan growth decelerated to 7.4% in the October-December, 2019 from 12.9% the year-ago quarter.

During the quarter, loans by public sector banks grew by 3.7% while credit from private sector banks saw a growth of 13.1%.

In the fortnight ended February 14, 2020, bank credit grew by 6.3% to ₹100.41 lakh crore, from ₹94.403 lakh crore in the year-ago fortnight.

Deposits grew by 9.2% to ₹132.35 lakh crore in the fortnight compared to ₹121.19 lakh crore, RBI data showed.

In February, the Reserve Bank governor Shaktikanta Das had said that slowing credit growth is the biggest challenge the banking industry is facing.

“The most critical challenge today for banks, not just in India but also elsewhere, is slowing credit off-take. It affects the profitability of banks,” Das said a media event.

Rating agency Crisil, in a recent note, said credit growth is likely to be around 6% in this fiscal but is expected to accelerate to 8-9% in FY21.

“Prolonged slowdown in bank lending may be bottoming out this fiscal, with gross credit off-take set to rise 8-9% on-year in FY21, a good 200-300 basis points (bps) over the likely growth of near 6% this fiscal,” Crisil said.

This uptick in loan growth would be driven by a gradual pick-up in economic activity, continuing demand for retail loans, and strong growth in lending by private sector banks, it said.

The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew at 4.7% in the December quarter, its slowest rate in more than six years.

RBI readies rescue plan if Yes Bank fails to raise funds

Mumbai : The government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are considering all options, including an interim bailout of Yes Bank Ltd, in case a proposed $2 billion capital infusion into the private lender gets further delayed, two people aware of the development said.

The possible intervention could include a sale of pooled assets to public sector banks or, as a last resort, sale of a small stake to a state-run bank to pave the way for further capital raising, the people said on condition of anonymity.

A backup rescue plan for Yes Bank, which is teetering under the weight of bad loans, has become necessary for RBI and the government to consider as the collapse of a bank can have a domino effect on interlinked financial institutions and impair economic growth.

While Yes Bank is hopeful it will be able to tie up the funds by as early as March 14, there remains a possibility that a large public sector bank may be asked to step in temporarily if negotiations with investors overshoot the deadline, the people said.

Even if that happens, it will likely be for the purchase of pooled assets from Yes Bank, one of the two people said. The person added that a bailout at this stage has become important for Yes Bank as the discussions with investors for raising capital are still on and no final offer has been made.

At least three investors, JC Flowers, Cerberus Capital Management and Hinduja Group, are inspecting the books of Yes Bank for a possible investment. However, given the time constraints and the large size of the fund infusion, investors may request for more time.

“The deadline of March 14 seems overly optimistic at the moment even though the potential investors remain engaged,” said the person cited earlier.

“However, it is possible that Yes Bank could close a smaller round by March 14 while continuing its conversations with investors,” the person said. The bank had earlier said it was delaying its December quarter financial results to on or before March 14 as it was “deeply engaged” in the capital-raising process. This is the bank’s second attempt at raising money since its qualified institutional placement in August. “The bank cannot afford any further delay as a lot is at stake. Since it has delayed its financial results citing capital raising as the reason, investors will be keenly watching for adherence to the deadline,” the person said.

Bloomberg reported on February 5 that Yes Bank has hired Cantor Fitzgerald LP, IDFC Securities Ltd and Ambit Pvt. Ltd to help raise as much as $2 billion.

A top public sector banker said on condition of anonymity that such a transaction has to be routed either through the government or RBI with prior approval. “Public sector banks are in the midst of cleaning their own books and would like to stay away from such purchases,” the banker said.

A spokesperson for Yes Bank said that Mint’s query on the possible delay in raising capital and the possible intervention of a state-owned bank was “speculative and factually incorrect”. Emails sent to JC Flowers, RBI and the finance ministry remained unanswered till the time of going to press.

On February 12 , Yes Bank told stock exchanges that it had received non-binding expressions of interest from at least four investors and the capital-raising effort would lead to a delay in publishing its December quarter results to on or before 14 March. The lender named JC Flowers, Tilden Park Capital Management LP, OHA (UK) LLP (part of Oak Hill Advisors) and Silver Point Capital as potential investors.

Yes Bank’s non-performing assets have swelled in the past few quarters. The bank not only needs capital for setting aside money to cover bad loans, but also to stay compliant with RBI norms in the quarters ahead.

At the end of September, Yes Bank’s tier I capital adequacy ratio stood at 11.5% against the regulatory requirement of 8.875%. Its common equity tier 1 capital ratio stood at 8.7%, marginally above the regulatory requirement of 7.375%.

Pandemic fears, shortage woes threaten Indian firms

HIGHER RISK: Coronavirus outbreak is set to disrupt alternative supply sources




New Delhi/Mumbai/Bengaluru : Several China-dependent industries in India are facing critical shortages of raw materials as factories there remain crippled by the deadly coronavirus outbreak for more than a month. To make matters worse, the spread of the disease to other countries is now threatening to disrupt alternative sources of supply.

The World Health Organization’s latest global risk assessment has placed the epidemic at the “highest”, sparking a new problem —a fear psychosis that has rattled financial markets and is likely to squeeze liquidity for companies.

“We have to appreciate that the Indian economy is heavily dependent on China, which, in turn, accounts for 20% of global GDP,” said Arindam Som, an analyst at India Ratings.

“If global growth slows, it will be difficult for India’s economic growth to rise,” he said. “The outbreak has created tremendous uncertainty, with the virus having spread beyond China to countries such as Italy.”

So far, manufacturers of products such as electronics, which are heavily reliant on China, were hoping that factories there would have largely resumed operations. But now all such bets are off.

“I would say that about 90% of factories outside Wuhan (the disease epicentre) have reopened, but they are operating at about 30%-40% of capacities because they don’t have enough workers,” said Vinod Sharma, managing director of Deki Electronics and chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) electronics committee.

“Until now we were missing out on supply of one or two items, but now we are getting into a critical period,” Sharma added.

Electronic items such as mobile phones and even sourcing of motors and compressors for washing machines are facing disruption. Drugmakers and fertilizer companies will face imminent shortages if the situation is not resolved soon, industry executives said. There are also deepening concerns on supply of auto parts from countries such as China. “The situation is changing every day”, which means “we have to pretty much play it by the ear”, said Vikram Kirloskar, CII president and vice chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motors. The automaker has been able to manage the situation, but the impact would vary for other companies in the sector, he said.

The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI) said in a statement that China comprises 27% of India’s auto component imports.

S. Muralishankar, president of AIFI, said in an interview that forged and machined metal parts are heavy and can be viably imported only by sea.

“Sea shipments are suspended until further notice and airfreight for heavy parts is expensive. Vehicle manufacturers are finding it difficult to plan production beyond the inventory available to them,” he said, estimating that India’s vehicle production in March could be hit by up to 20%.

A Raymond Fasteners India Pvt. Ltd, the local unit of the French supplier of small parts such as connectors and fasteners, is airlifting parts from its plant in China’s Zhenjiang.

“Disruption in parts procurement from China is also an opportunity for Indian suppliers as all major global vehicle manufacturers are now doing risk assessment with supply chain that came down crashing due to the epidemic,” a senior executive at an engine component supplier said on condition of anonymity.

To alleviate the pain of the local industry, the government has introduced measures such as round-the-clock port clearances of goods. Still, imports of vital inputs such as bulk drugs remain a worry.

A senior government official said on condition of anonymity that the aviation ministry is working on a proposal to procure six tonnes of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for Cipla from China.

“Most API manufacturers in China are not working at full capacity, but are working partially, and shipments are coming in,” Cipla’s global chief financial officer, Kedar Upadhye, said in a phone interview.

“We have some stock that we always maintain, which came in handy during this emergency. Whatever vendors have already manufactured, we have requested them to ship,” he said. “As of now there is no problem in terms of API inventory, but in a month or a month and a half, if the plants in China don’t operate fully, then there might be an issue.”

Biocon chairperson and managing director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said if China remains closed for an extended period of time, it will cause a huge collateral damage to local drug makers.

With the spread of the disease to countries such as Iran, Italy and South Korea, alternative export and import destinations will be harder to find.

Oyo's Ritesh Agarwal is the world's second youngest self-made billionaire

Ritesh Agarwal-founded Oyo saw consolidated revenue jump to $951 million in FY19

Oyo Hotels founder Ritesh Agarwal's wealth has been estimated at ₹7,800 crore
Ritesh Agarwal is also the richest self-made Indian aged under 40

NEW DELHI : Oyo Hotels founder Ritesh Agarwal has been crowned as the world's second youngest billionaire. At the age of 24, his wealth was estimated at $1.1 billion ( ₹7,800 crore) in the Hurun Global Rich List 2020. Agarwal comes second only after cosmetics queen Kylie Jenner who has also amassed $1.1 billion at the age of 22.

Started in 2013, SoftBank-backed Oyo Hotels has already become the largest hotel chain in India and its valuation has soared to $10 billion. As the startup expands to the US and Europe after becoming the second largest chain in China, Oyo has chalked out ambitious plans of becoming the world's largest hotel chain in 2023.

Ritesh Agarwal, a college dropout, is also the richest self-made Indian aged under 40. Zerodha founders Nithin Kamath and Nikhil Kamath, both in their 30s, are also among India's richest young self-made billionaires. They are followed by Flipkart co-founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal ($1 billion each) and Byjus' Raveendran family ($1.4 billion).


The young and rich list has 90 billionaires aged 40 or under, up 5 from last year. Out of them, 54 billionaires are self-made while 36 inherited wealth. The list is dominated by China and USA who have 25 young billionaires each.

India has a total of 137 billionaires in 2020, up by 33 from last year. With a wealth of $67 billion, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in India and the ninth richest in the world.

Mumbai has the largest number of billionaires (50) in India while Bengaluru has 17, Ahmedabad 12 and Hyderabad 7.

Facebook, Twitter, Google threaten to suspend services in Pakistan

• The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) called for revision of new sets of rules and regulations for social media
• Failure to comply with the authorities in Pakistan will result in heavy fines and possible termination of services

A coalition comprising digital media giants Facebook, Google and Twitter (among others) have spoken out against the new regulations approved by the Pakistani government for social media, threatening to suspend services in the country if the rules were not revised, it was reported.

In a letter to Prime Minster Imran Khan earlier this month, the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) called on his government to revise the new sets of rules and regulations for social media, The News International reported on Friday.

"The rules as currently written would make it extremely difficult for AIC Members to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses," reads the letter, referring to the Citizens Protection Rules (Against Online Harm).

The new set of regulations makes it compulsory for social media companies to open offices in Islamabad, build data servers to store information and take down content upon identification by authorities.

Failure to comply with the authorities in Pakistan will result in heavy fines and possible termination of services.

It said that the regulations were causing "international companies to re-evaluate their view of the regulatory environment in Pakistan, and their willingness to operate in the country".

Referring to the rules as "vague and arbitrary in nature", the AIC said that it was forcing them to go against established norms of user privacy and freedom of expression.

"We are not against regulation of social media, and we acknowledge that Pakistan already has an extensive legislative framework governing online content. However, these Rules fail to address crucial issues such as internationally recognized rights to individual expression and privacy," The News International quoted the letter as saying.

According to the law, authorities will be able to take action against Pakistanis found guilty of targeting state institutions at home and abroad on social media.

The law will also help the law enforcement authorities obtain access to data of accounts found involved in suspicious activities.

It would be the said authority's prerogative to identify objectionable content to the social media platforms to be taken down.

In case of failure to comply within 15 days, it would have the power to suspend their services or impose a fine worth up to 500 million Pakistani rupees ($3 million).

How India has largely remained immune to coronavirus

• Monitoring and restricting the mobility of passengers travelling from highly affected areas has also helped
• According to WHO, the coronavirus outbreak has reached a 'decisive point' and has "pandemic potential" as the toll in China increased to 2,788

Large-scale screening of passengers at airports, a robust quarantine system and messages intended to increase awareness about the novel coronavirus reaching the people are among the factors that have helped India steer clear of the deadly virus so far, doctors said.

Coronavirus cases have spread to nearly 50 countries and territories with the virus now rapidly affecting more and more people outside China. Globally, over 80,000 cases have been reported. However, in India, apart from the three cases in Kerala, there has been no reports of fresh conronavirus cases.

The three people who got infected by the virus were discharged from the hospital after they recovered, bringing the current coronavirus cases in India to zero.

"India has adopted stringent screening measures at all ports and put in place a robust quarantine system to deal with suspected coronavirus cases," Harshal R. Salve, Associate Professor, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, told IANS.


However, given the rapid spread of coronavirus to newer territories, India cannot let its guard down.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has already warned that it would be a fatal mistake for any country to assume that it will not get hit by novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

"Even though India shares its borders with China and Pakistan, there have only been three confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country (Kerala). Even the three who were infected are now completely fine and have been discharged. There are many reasons for this," said Vivek Nangia, pulmonologist at Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj.

"The first is that once alerted, India immediately began large scale screening at all it's international airports. Patients were tested for coronavirus using thermal scanners and those who were suspected of symptoms were immediately isolated and quarantined," Nangia said.


Monitoring and restricting the mobility of passengers travelling from highly affected areas has also helped.

Apart from that, several notifications were issued on how one could be affected by coronavirus, what the symptoms were and which preventive measures could be adopted.

"Due to the repeated messaging and awareness being spread by the Indian healthcare sector, people realised that handwashing and adoption of proper coughing etiquette were paramount in tackling the epidemic," Nangia said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had on Thursday hailed the coordination between various wings of the government for the evacuation of Indians and foreign nationals from coronavirus-hit zones.

Health Ministry officials of the rank of Joint Secretary and above are visiting the states to assess their preparedness to tackle COVID-19.


"High efficiency laboratories in Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi enabled the government to conduct the large scale screening process. Awareness, alertness and access are the reasons why India didn't suffer as badly as its neighbours," Nangia said.

"India remains immune to coronavirus owing to the strict surveillance on tourists flying from abroad. The authorities have taken utmost care by restricting the movement of people suspected of having coronavirus by admitting them to isolation wards.

"The suspected patients were discharged only after making sure that they didn't exhibit any signs or symptoms of the aforesaid condition," said Nikhil Modi from the Department of Respiratory, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.

Coronavirus cases are escalating fast in countries such as South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan and there are fears that the outbreak could be declared a pandemic.


According to WHO, the coronavirus outbreak has reached a "decisive point" and has "pandemic potential" as the toll in China increased to 2,788 on Friday.

Coronavirus outbreak: Pets in Hong Kong face quarantine after dog tests positive

• All pets of people in Hong Kong infected with the coronavirus will be quarantined, with one dog already in isolation
• The move is the first reported case anywhere in the world of a government quarantining pets over the outbreak and was prompted by a positive test in the pet of an infected patient

All pets of people in Hong Kong infected with the coronavirus will be quarantined, with one dog already in isolation, the city's authorities said Friday.

The move is the first reported case anywhere in the world of a government quarantining pets over the outbreak and was prompted by a positive test in the pet of an infected patient.

The canine has been placed in quarantine for 14 days as a precaution but has no "relevant symptoms", Hong Kong officials said Friday.

"Nasal and oral cavity samples tested weak positive for COVID-19," a government spokesman said without explaining why they tested the animal in the first place.

He said it was unclear whether the dog had actually contracted the virus or tested positive for low levels due to environmental contamination of the dog's mouth and nose.

The animal was collected from the owner's home on Wednesday after the 60-year-old woman was diagnosed with the contagion and placed in a hospital isolation ward.

It would be closely monitored, undergo further tests and held in quarantine until it returned a negative result, authorities said.

There is no evidence domestic animals such as dogs and cats can catch the virus or transmit it to humans but the department said all pets of infected people should be quarantined and tested for the virus for 14 days.

The financial hub has confirmed 94 cases of the new coronavirus in humans, with two deaths earlier this month.

The epidemic, which emerged in central China in December, has infected more than 83,000 people globally.

Countries urging India to be more open are themselves sensitive to remove trade barriers: Jaishankar

• Whatever the choices India makes in terms of compatibility and balance, there are some issues which India cannot duck, S. Jaishankar said
• The foreign affairs minister said competing against those with structural advantages cannot be a casual decision justified by political correctness

Making a veiled reference to disproportionate demands put by the US during negotiations for a limited trade deal with India, India’s foreign affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday said those who urge India to be more open are themselves sensitive to remove trade barriers.

Speaking at a conference in Pune on “Asia and the Emerging International Trading System," Jaishankar said reaching international understandings on issues of trade is more challenging now as economic thinking has narrowed in many societies and trade interests are more sharply defined.

“Many trade-related decisions have direct livelihood and social stability consequences. This is obviously not unique to India but it is paradoxical that those who urge us to be more open are even more sensitive themselves on this score," he added.


President Donald Trump during his two day visit to India last week sought a fair and reciprocal trade deal, asking India to reduce its high tariffs on US goods. Both sides have indicated the phase one trade deal may be signed by December.

Jaishankar said the two striking developments of current times — the rise of China and the nationalism of the United States — are both inextricably tied to their performance in trade. “The first captures the challenges of accommodating state capitalism in the current framework of international trade. The second reflects the debate about fair market access, terms of trade and the merits of protectionism," he added.

The foreign affairs minister said for a nation like India, this raises a number of issues that constitute an ongoing debate. “Much of that centres around how well prepared we are to engage the global economy more openly. The past record shows that lack of adequate homework and absence of effective standards ended up hollowing out many sectors. Competing against those with structural advantages cannot be a casual decision justified by political correctness," he added.


Whatever the choices India makes in terms of compatibility and balance, there are some issues which India cannot duck, Jaishankar said. “One is to undertake the changes that enable India to be a more effective player in global supply chains. The other is the unfolding of the knowledge economy and its implications in terms of mobility and migration. These challenges, amongst others, will shape our thinking in the coming years," he added.

As conversations about trade between nations get more animated, there is less pretence about the parallel exercise of political influence, Jaishankar said. “It is, therefore, important that any debate about Asia and the emerging international trading system factor in this reality. Trade has never been politically neutral; it is even less so now," he added.


Jaishankar said India’s prospects are heavily focused on the improvement of infrastructure. “At the end of the day, this may be one of the defining element of comparative advantage. Getting politics, economics and governance all right at the same time is therefore particularly important at this moment," he added.

America's uninsured and brutal work culture come under coronavirus scanner

• A routine doctor's visit can run into hundreds of dollars for those without coverage
• The US is alone among advanced countries in not offering any federally mandated paid sick leave

Like many Americans, bartender Danjale Williams is worried about the growing threat of the novel coronavirus.

What makes the 22-year-old in Washington even more frightened: The thought of medical bills she just can't afford, as one of almost 27.5 million people in the United States who don't have health insurance.

"I definitely would second guess before going to the doctor, because the doctor's bill is crazy," she said. "If it did come down to that, I don't have enough savings to keep me healthy." As the virus begins spreading in the west of the country, where the first death was reported Saturday, public health experts warned the US has several characteristics unique among wealthy nations that make it vulnerable.

These include a large and growing population without medical insurance, the 11 million or so undocumented migrants afraid to come into contact with authorities, and a culture of "powering through" when sick for fear of losing one's job.

"These are all things that can perpetuate the spread of a virus," said Brandon Brown, an epidemiologist at UC Riverside.

The number of Americans without health insurance began falling from a high of 46.7 million in 2010 following the passage of Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act), but has risen again over the past two years.

The current figure is about 8.5 percent of the population.

Public health experts often worry about the destructive potential of a pandemic in poorer parts of the world like sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia.

These poverty-plagued regions have hospitals that are ill-equipped to stop the spread of infectious diseases, or to adequately care for patients needing breathing assistance, which the most severe cases of COVID-19 require.

By contrast, the US has some of the world's best hospitals and medical staff, but those not lucky enough to have good insurance through their employer, and not poor enough to qualify for state insurance, often opt out of the system entirely.

A routine doctor's visit can run into hundreds of dollars for those without coverage.

"I think that it's possible if this has the sustained spread, that might highlight some of those health care disparities that we already know about and are trying to work on, but haven't figured out a way to solve," said Brian Garibaldi, the medical director of Johns Hopkins Hospital's biocontainment unit.

That's not to say uninsured people have no recourse if they fall seriously ill. US law requires that people who are truly sick get the care they need, regardless of ability to pay.

Abigail Hansmeyer, a Minnesota resident who along with her husband is uninsured, said that if she did fall ill, "we may seek out the emergency room for treatment."

But being treated doesn't mean the visit was free and the uninsured can be lumped with huge bills after.

"So we have to very carefully consider costs in every situation," the 29-year-old said.

One of the key messages the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put out about the coronavirus is to stay home if you have mild respiratory symptoms, except to go to the doctor once you have called in and if they think you need to.

"But a lot of people, depending on their jobs, their position and their privilege, are not able to do that," said Brown.

The US is alone among advanced countries in not offering any federally mandated paid sick leave.

Though private companies offer an average of eight days per year, only 30 percent of the lowest paid workers are able to earn sick days, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

For many of these people, missing even a day's work can make a painful financial dent.

An October 2019 nationwide survey of 2,800 workers by the accounting firm Robert Half found that 57 percent sometimes go to work while sick and 33 percent always go when sick.

As the global death toll from the virus approaches 3,000 and the US braces for a wider outbreak, the race is on to develop vaccines and treatments.

Current timeline estimates for the leading vaccine candidate are 12-18 months, but will it be affordable for all? That question was put to Health Secretary Alex Azar in Congress last week.

His response: "We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can't control that price because we need the private sector to invest."

Ed Silverman, a columnist for industry news site Pharmalot, panned the comment as "outrageous." "No one said profits are verboten," he wrote. "But should we let some Americans who may contract the coronavirus die because the price is out of reach?"

Google employee down with coronavirus, Amazon curbs travel

• The Google employee was in its Zurich office
• The company said it has not shut down its Zurich office but has restricted employees to travel to Iran

A Google employee in Switzerland was tested positive for the new coronavirus (COVID-19) on Saturday, as tech giants like Amazon announced travel restrictions for employees amid growing fears of a pandemic.

According to a report in the NPR, the Google employee was in its Zurich office "for a limited time" before showing COVID-19 symptoms.

"We can confirm that one employee from our Zurich office has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. They were in the Zurich office for a limited time, before they had any symptoms," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

"We have taken - and will continue to take - all necessary precautionary measures, following the advice of public health officials, as we prioritize everyone's health and safety," the spokesperson added.


The company said it has not shut down its Zurich office but has restricted employees to travel to Iran, Italy and China and is set to expand the travel curb to Japan and South Korea next month.

Google has also cancelled its 'Global News Initiative' summit in northern California in April while Facebook has also called off its flagship F8 developer conference in May.

"We regret that we have to cancel our global Google News Initiative summit but the health and wellbeing of our guests is our number one priority," said the company in a statement given to CNN.

On Friday, the World Health Organization said that the risk of global impact from the virus was "very high" as the coronavirus reached 57 countries.


An Amazon spokesperson said that the company has put a restriction for all non-essential travel.

The death toll due to the outbreak in China has risen to 2,835, health authorities said on Saturday, while the number of confirmed cases increased to 79,251.

Heavy security, Section 144 in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh after northeast violence

Clashes broke out last Sunday in northeast Delhi, claiming 45 lives and injuring more than 300
Over 10 companies, or 1,000 personnel, of troops have been deployed in Shaheen Bagh

Delhi police on Sunday deployed heavy security in the city's Shaheen Bagh area, which has been the epicentre of protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, for nearly 100 days now.

The police today also imposed Section 144, which does not allow assembly of four or more people, in the area, in the aftermath of communal violence in the national capital's northeast region.

Though lawyers appointed by the Supreme Court last week had met anti-CAA protestors to resolve the impasse, a fringe group Hindu Sena on Saturday called for a protest march to end the ongoing sit-in. After the police urged, Hindu Sena on the same day called off its protest march.

More than 10 companies, or 1,000 personnel, of troops have been deployed in Shaheen Bagh. Today, the police issued a directive stating, "People are informed that Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed here and it is requested that permission for any gathering is not allowed. Violation of this may invite legal proceedings."

In addition, paramilitary troops have also been deployed in the area to prevent any violent clashes.

Clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups broke out last Sunday in northeast Delhi, claiming 45 lives and injuring more than 300.

EPF money may continue to fetch attractive interest rate

• Central Board of Trustees, the apex decision making body of EPFO, is likely to consider the rate of interest on EPF deposits in its meeting scheduled on 5 March 2020
• The EPFO had provided 8.65% rate of interest to its subscribers for 2016-17 and 8.55% in 2017-18

The labour ministry is keen to retain an interest rate of 8.65% paid on provident fund deposits to around six crore subscribers of retirement fund body EPFO for the current financial year, a source said.

The apex decision making body of Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) -- Central Board of Trustees -- is likely to consider the rate of interest on EPF (Employees' Provident Fund) deposits in its meeting scheduled on 5 March 2020.

"The proposal to provide interest rate on EPF deposits for 2019-20 may come up for consideration and approval in the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) meeting on March 5," a source said.

The source further said that the ministry is keen to retain the interest rate at 8.65%, as was provided in financial year 2018-19.

Speculations are rife that the interest rate on EPF may be lowered to 8.5% for the current fiscal, a tad lower than 8.65% provided for 2018-19.

According to the source, the agenda for the CBT meeting has not yet been finalised and it is difficult to predict EPFO's income projections for the current fiscal, which will be the basis for fixing the interest rate.

The finance ministry has been nudging the labour ministry for aligning the EPF interest rate with other small saving schemes run by the government like the public provident fund and post office saving schemes.

The labour ministry requires the finance ministry's concurrence to provide a rate of interest on EPF deposits in a fiscal year. Since the Government of India is the guarantor, finance ministry has to vet the proposal for EPF interest rate to avoid any liability on account of shortfall in the EPFO income for a fiscal.

The EPFO had provided 8.65% rate of interest to its subscribers for 2016-17 and 8.55% in 2017-18. The rate of interest was slightly higher at 8.8% in 2015-16.

It had provided 8.75% rate of interest in 2013-14 as well as 2014-15, higher than 8.5% for 2012-13.

HAL finalises plan to produce military helicopter on par with Boeing's Apache Guardian

• The Mi-17 helicopters make up the backbone of the IAF's helicopter fleet and they are planned to be phased out by 2032
• A military expert described the project as the biggest by the HAL after the development of the Tejas military aircraft

 In an ambitious project with strategic significance, aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has started groundwork to produce a 10 to 12-tonne attack helicopter by 2027 which will be comparable with some of the best medium-lift military choppers globally like the Apache of the Boeing.

Chairman and Managing Director of HAL R Madhavan said the aim of the mega project is to stop the import of more than ₹4 lakh crore worth of military helicopters for the three services in the coming years.

In an interview to PTI, Madhavan said the HAL has completed the preliminary design of the helicopter and that initial plan is to produce at least 500 units with the first prototype set to be ready by 2023 if the government gives the go-ahead to the project this year.

"One major project we are focusing on is to produce a helicopter in 10 to 12 tonnes category to replace the Mi-17 fleet. It will be an indigenous platform with the potential to manufacture around 500 helicopters. It will stop the import of more than ₹4 lakh crore worth of platforms from foreign countries," he said.

Madhavan said an amount of ₹9,600 crore will be required for design as well as to produce the prototype of the helicopter.

"If we get the approval in 2020, we will be able to manufacture the first chopper by 2027. We are looking at producing at least 500 helicopters of the variant. It will be a major project we are working on," he said.

A military expert described the project as the biggest by the HAL after development of the Tejas military aircraft.

"We have done the preliminary design. We have also been in discussion with the Air Force and the Navy. The 10-12 tonnes category will have two basic structures on similar platforms. The naval version will have different dimension compared to the one for the Army and the Air Force," Madhavan said on the proposed mega project.

"Like the LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) we developed from the Dhruv platform, a similar variant of 10-12 tonnes category can be produced to make it an Apache equivalent," said Madhavan.

The helicopter will be powered by twin engines and will feature blade folding option for ship deck operations. The planned roles for the helicopter will be to support air assault, air transport, combat logistics and combat search and rescue. The chopper will also have a very superior weapons package.

Madhavan said the helicopter will have a huge potential for export.

The Mi-17 helicopters make up the backbone of the IAF's helicopter fleet and they are planned to be phased out by 2032.

The HAL's product range includes a number of helicopter like the LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) and multi-role ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter) and Chetak choppers.

India is one of the largest importers of arms and military platforms globally. The government has been focusing significantly on promoting defence indigenisation by taking a slew of reform initiatives including liberalising FDI in defence sector.

The Indian Air Force is procuring a total of 22 Apache Guardian attack helicopters from aerospace major Boeing under a multi-billion dollar deal. Additionally, the Army is procuring six Apache helicopters along with weapons systems, a deal for which was sealed during US President Donald Trump's visit to India last week.

Petrol, diesel prices today cut sharply, down at 6-month to 8-month lows

Diesel rates have also been cut sharply. The price of the fuel is now down at 8-month low
Global oil prices have fallen sharply amid coronarvirus scare

Domestic petrol and diesel prices were cut sharply today, following a recent slump in global oil prices. Petrol rates were cut between 15 paise to 18 paise per litre today in metros today in second successive day of sharp reduction of fuel prices. Diesel rates saw a sharper cut, down about 20 paise to 26 paise in top metros. In Delhi, petrol retailed at ₹71.71 per litre, which is the lowest price in about six months. In Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, petrol today cost ₹74.38, ₹77.4 and ₹74.51 a litre.

After the sharp cut, diesel today retailed at ₹64.3 a litre, the lowest price in about eights months. In Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, diesel today retailed at ₹66.63, ₹67.34 and ₹67.86 a litre.

Petrol and diesel prices in India depend on the international crude prices, the rupee-US dollar exchange rate, local taxes (excise duty and VAT) and other factors like freight charges, dealer commission and margins of oil marketing companies. India imports about three-fourth of its crude requirements.

For example, petrol today costs ₹71.71 per litre in Delhi. On the base price of petrol of ₹32.61 per litre, excise duty of ₹15.25 per litre is levied while VAT of ₹15.25 per litre is charged.

Oil marketing companies revise petrol and diesel prices on a daily basis and they come into effect from 6 am.

With the coronavirus outbreak spreading to more countries, the price of oil has dropped precipitously amid fears of further weakening of global demand.

The global benchmark Brent crude dropped 14% for this week to its lowest levels since July 2017, closing at $50.52 a barrel on Friday.

Analysts expect travel restrictions and factory shutdowns caused by coronavirus to shave 400,000 barrels a day from global consumption growth, which would take the industry to its lowest level of consumption in a decade. 

US imposes travel restrictions after confirming 1st coronavirus death

• President Trump announced restrictions on travel from Iran and advised fellow citizens not to travel to certain areas of South Korea and Italy
• Trump said he was also considering closing the southern border to prevent the spread of the coronavirus

US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced restrictions on travel from Iran and advised fellow citizens not to travel to certain areas of South Korea and Italy.

The announcement came as the first death from coronavirus was reported in the US from the Washington state.

"Unfortunately, one person passed away overnight. She was a wonderful woman, a medically high-risk patient in her late 50s," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"Additional cases in the United States are likely, but healthy individuals should be able to fully recover. If you are healthy, you will probably go through a process and you will be fine," he said and urged people not to panic.

As many as 15 people have recovered from the virus so far in the US.

"There is no reason to panic at all. Our country is prepared for any circumstance," the president said at his second press conference in the White House briefing room on his return from India on Wednesday.

Joining the press conference, vice president Mike Pence said Trump had authorised a ban on entry of foreign nationals who travelled to Iran in the last 14 days.

The United States also advised its citizens not to travel to parts of South Korea and Italy, from where reports of coronavirus have appeared. The vice president has been tasked by Trump to lead the administration's efforts in the fight against the coronavirus.

According to Center for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield, 22 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the US so far.

Trump said various wings of the US government were working on the coronavirus round the clock.

"It is a tough one, but a lot of progress has been made," the president said, adding that his administration had taken the most aggressive action in modern history to confront the disease.

In a statement, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced the death of an individual from the coronavirus.

"It is a sad day in our state as we learn that a Washingtonian has died from COVID-19. Our hearts go out to their family and friends. We will continue to work toward a day where no one dies from this virus," he said.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said there was an outbreak of a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that was first detected in the Wuhan city of China's Hubei province and has now been detected in 50 locations internationally, including cases in the United States.

It said the potential public health threat posed by the coronavirus was high, both globally and to the US, adding that to effectively respond to the coronavirus outbreak, rapid detection of cases and contacts, appropriate clinical management and infection control, and implementation of community mitigation efforts were critical.

This could best be achieved with wide availability of testing capabilities in healthcare settings, reference and commercial laboratories, and at the point of care, the FDA said.

It added that it would allow some 300 to 400 academic-hospital laboratories to begin testing for the virus, allowing for checks of thousands of people rather than the few hundred already tested.

"We believe this policy strikes the right balance during this public health emergency.

"We will continue to help to ensure sound science prior to clinical testing and follow-up with the critical independent review from the FDA, while quickly expanding testing capabilities in the US. We are not changing our standards for issuing Emergency Use Authorisations. This action today reflects our commitment to addressing critical public health needs and rapidly responding and adapting to this dynamic and evolving situation," FDA Commissioner Stephen M Hahn said.

The FDA guidance provides recommendations for test developers, including information regarding test validation, FDA notifications and interim confirmatory clinical testing.

Responding to a question, Trump said he was considering closing the southern border to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"We are looking also at (the) southern border. We have received a lot of power on the southern border over the last couple years from the courts, but we are looking at that very strongly," he said.

In a letter on Friday, several senators, including Ted Cruz, Martha McSally and John Cornyn, called for closing the coronavirus.

"As southern border Senators, we are concerned about the possible spread of the coronavirus across our borders," they said in the letter to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan.

"We are similarly concerned about recent reports that the virus is spreading in Europe. Border shortcomings by the European Union have resulted in the spread of the virus across a number of nations, and it is essential that the United States not repeat these mistakes. We write to ask how your agency is prepared to address the threat presented by the coronavirus at US borders," the senators said.