Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 March 2020

1. Indelible ink will be used to identify quarantine people

• Recently, the Election Commission has given permission to use non-erasable/indelible ink to identify people quarantining at home in view of the spread of Covid-19.
• The Election Commission has also instructed that the authorities concerned should not use ink on a person’s left-hand finger.
• Election Commission:
  • The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for conducting election procedures in India.
  • It is mentioned in Article 324 of the Indian Constitution.
  • It was established on 25 January 1950.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

2. Diagnostic kits will be developed soon for Covid-19

• The World Health Organization said that a diagnostic kit for Covid-19 would be developed soon.
• The Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is experimenting extensively to develop this kit.
• Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB):
  • It is an Indian Biotechnology Research Establishment.
  • It is located in Hyderabad.
  • It operates under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
  • It is designated as “Center of Excellence” by the Global Molecular and Cell Biology Network, UNESCO.

3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the countrymen on the occasion of New Year Vikram Samvat 2077

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated everyone on the occasion of Vikram Samvat 2077, the new year commencing on 25 March 2020.
• This new year based on the lunar lagna is known by different names by people in different regions.
• Some names are as follows -
  • Ugadi - Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka
  • Gudi Parva - Maharashtra
  • Sajibu Cheraoba - Manipur and some states of Northeast India
  • Navreh - Kashmir
  • Navratri - North India
  • Cheti Chand - Sindhi Community

4. Government prohibits export of hydroxychloroquine

• The government has banned the export of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine.
• This decision has been taken for uninterrupted supply of this drug to the local market, which helps in preventing the spread of Covid-19.
• But on humanitarian basis, the drug can be exported on the recommendation of the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommended health workers to give hydroxychloroquine to patients suspected of corona virus and those found positive.

5. Saudi Arabia proposes to call a summit of leaders of G-20 countries

• Saudi Arabia has proposed an extraordinary summit of leaders of G-20 countries to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The meeting will be chaired by Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.
• Currently, Saudi Arabia is the President of the G20 group.
• The leaders of Spain, Jordan, Singapore and Switzerland have been invited to this meeting as well as various leading organizations of the world.
• The G20 is the primary forum for international cooperation on economic issues.
• Saudi Arabia:
  • Saudi Arabia is a country in Western Asia.
  • Its capital is Riyadh and the currency is Saudi Riyal.
  • It borders the Red Sea to the west, the Persian Gulf to the east, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Yemen.

6. Former Indian footballer Abdul Latif died in Guwahati

• Recently former footballer of India Abdul Latif has died in Guwahati.
• Abdul Latif was a key member of the bronze medal winning team at the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games.
• Abdul Latif represented Mohammedan Sporting from 1963–1967 and later held the post of coach.
• He represented India in Myanmar in the Asia Cup qualifiers in 1968 and in the Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur in 1969.

7. Hantavirus infection cases increased in China

• The risk of Hantavirus has also increased after the Coronavirus in China.
• Recently a person has died of Hantavirus in the Yunan province of China.
• Hantavirus:
  • It is an RNA virus.
  • It causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) which is a severe respiratory disease.
  • It is particularly spread by rodents such as rats and squirrels.
  • Currently, there is no vaccine for the hantavirus disease.

Multiple Choice Questions(MCQs)

1. In which year was the Election Commission of India established?

A. 1976

B. 1950

C. 1960

D. 1947

2. Where is the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology located?

A. Hyderabad

B. New Delhi

C. Kolkata

D. Nagpur

3. In which state is the New Year addressed as Ugadi?

A. Andhra Pradesh

B. Madhya Pradesh

C. Uttar Pradesh

D. Arunachal Pradesh

4. Recently the government has banned the export of hydroxychloroquine. hydroxychloroquine is a medicine used to treat which disease?

A. Malaria

B. Measles

C. Tuberculosis

D. Diabetes

5. Which of the following countries share their borders with Saudi Arabia?

A. Yemen

B. Kuwait

C. Qatar

D. All of the above

6. Abdul Latif, recently in news, is related to which sport?

A. Football

B. Cricket

C. Hockey

D. Wrestling

7. What is true about the Hantavirus?

A. It is an RNA virus.

B. It is spread by Rodents.

C. Recently one person has died of this virus in China.

D. All of the above

Solution:

1. B

2. A

3. A

4. A

5. D

6. A

7. D