Over 9 lakh persons are under active COVID-19 surveillance in India, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. Data from States put the death toll at 785.
The country registered another biggest single-day spike with over 1,752 positive COVID cases since Thursday. India currently has 18,272 active cases, while 4,813 people have recovered, which puts the recovery rate at 20.57%, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said.
The Hindu has brought out a multi-language e-book on essential COVID-19 information, in addition to covering the developments related to the coronavirus pandemic as it unfolded. Here is a collection of our daily cartoons on COVID-19 .
Here are answers from experts on your queries about the virus, a list of State Helpline numbers , a State-wise tracker for COVID-19 cases, deaths and testing, and a map of confirmed cases in India.
Here are the latest updates:
COVID-19 cases reach 100 in Odisha
Odisha’s COVID-19 positive case tally has touched 100 with detection of six new cases from Jajpur district on Saturday. All six men, who tested positive for coronavirus, had returned from Kolkata. Now, active cases stand at 65 while 34 have recovered. Only one death case has been reported so far.
Odisha reports five new cases
Five new COVID-19 positive cases were detected from Odisha’s Jajpur district taking the state’s tally to 99 on Saturday. With this, active cases now stand at 65 while 33 have recovered. As of now, the State has recorded only one death.
6 deaths, 43 new cases in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh reported 43 new COVID-19 positive cases and six deaths on Saturday. Bhopal alone recorded 31 cases today. The number of cases stands at 1,945 in the State. So far, 99 patients have died of the illness, while 281 recovered from it, according to the Directorate of Health Sevices
One death in Delhi, 111 new cases
Delhi reported one death today and 111 new positive cases, taking the total number to 2625 and the death toll to 54. A total of 869 people have recovered, taking the number of active cases in Delhi and NCT to 1702, according to the Delhi State Health Bulletin.
2 deaths and 49 new cases in Rajasthan
Rajasthan recorded 49 cases in 11 districts and two deaths today, taking the numbers to 2,083 positive cases and 34 deaths due to COVID-19. The deaths were reported from Jaipur and Kota. A total of 513 patients have recovered so far and 244 of them have been discharged from hospitals, according to Medical & Health Department.
10 new cases in Punjab, 12 in Haryana
Ten fresh cases of COVID-19 surfaced in Punjab on Saturday, taking the total tally to 308 in the State, according to government statement.
As many as 6 patients tested positive from Patiala, 3 from Jalandhar and 1 from Pathankot districts. So far 72 Covid-19 patients have been cured in Punjab, and the State has reported 17 deaths.
In Haryana, 12 fresh cases of COVID-19 surfaced on April 25, taking the total tally to 287 in the State, according to a government statement.
Till now, Haryana has reported 3 Covid-19 related deaths, while 191 patients have been cured.
- Vikas Vasudeva
Maharashtra death toll at 323, Mumbai has over 5000 positive cases
Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 811 new positive cases and 22 deaths. Total positive cases now stands at 7628 and death toll is 323.
Mumbai itself has breached the 5000 mark. The city recorded 602 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths taking the total to 5049 and death toll to 191.
Maharashtra approves bringing back students from Kota
The Maharashtra government has given the approval to bring back around 1,800 to 2000 students from the State stranded in Kota, Rajasthan.
Abhay Yawalkar, Director Disaster Management, Govt. of Maharashtra, writes to authorities in Rajasthan requesting them to inform institutes in Kota. Preparations are also being made by speaking with Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh governments as buses carrying students will be travelling through these two districts.
- Alok Deshpande
177 new cases in U.P
Uttar Pradesh has reported 177 new cases today, taking the COVID-19 positive cases to 1,793, and the death toll is 27. The new cases include 25 in Agra, 19 in Lucknow, 24 in Kanpur and 19 in Sant Kabir Nagar.
6 deaths in Gujarat
Gujarat recorded 256 positive cases and 6 deaths on Saturday, taking the numbers to 3071 positive cases and 133 deaths. As many as 17 patients were discharged after recovery, taking the number of discharged to 282.
- Mahesh Langa
7 new cases in Telangana
Telangana reported 7 positive cases today and no deaths. The number of active cases now stands at 658, with 307 discharged and 25 dead.
Mumbai cop succumbs to coronavirus
The first death of a policeman in Mumbai due to COVID-19 was recorded on Saturday, with the demise of a 57-year-old constable with the Mumbai police. The constable was posted with a police station in western Mumbai and was staying with his family in Worli, officials said.
- Gautam Mengele
Lockdown rules will not change in Maharashtra till May 3: Health minister
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday said the lockdown rules will remain unchanged in the State till May 3.
Talking to PTI, Mr. Tope said there was no clarity in the Centre's latest order regarding reopening of shops.
"We will get more clarity after a video conference with the Prime Minister on Monday," he said.
"We haven't taken any decision on the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs as yet. But there will be no further relaxation in lockdown rules till May 3," the minister added.
The issue of sending migrant labourers back to their native places will also be taken up during the meeting with the prime minister, Mr. Tope said.
Stating that economic activities need to start, he said the Maharashtra government was of the opinion that businesses can resume in green zones with borders of these areas sealed and industrial activity allowed inside.
Whether or not to extend lockdown in red zones (which have large number of coronavirus cases) such as Mumbai and Pune regions will be taken later, he said.
"It has to be seen if only containment areas in red zones should be sealed or the entire zone should be under lockdown. Decision will be taken after thorough deliberations," the minister added.
- PTI
Bihar reported three more COVID-19 positive cases, taking the total number to 242. They included one male,17, from Kaimur district, one woman, 45, from Vaishali and one girl, 15, from Buxar districts.
Sri Lanka curfew extended till May 4
Sri Lanka on Saturday extended the nationwide curfew in four high-risk districts, including Colombo, till May 4 to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office announced, a day after the Island nation recorded the highest number of 49 infections in a single day.
The four out of the 25 administration districts that come under high risk category are Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Puttalam.
For the remaining 21 districts, the curfew will be partially lifted from April 27 till May 1. The partial relaxation for the period will be from 5 am to 8 pm, it said.
- PTI
Delhi govt. to implement MHA order on opening of shops
The Delhi government on Saturday decided to implement the Centre's latest guidelines on opening of shops, officials said.
A Delhi government official said that non-essential shops will be allowed to open, but not in coronavirus containment zones.
"No activity will be allowed in containment zones," the official said.
Standalone shops and and shops in residential areas will be open with social-distancing strictly followed, the official also said. There are 92 containment zones in the national capital.
- PTI
One death reported in T.N.
Tamil Nadu on Saturday reported one death and 66 persons tested positive for COVID-19, raising the total positive cases to 1821. A total of 94 were discharged today.
A complete lockdown would be imposed in Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore Municipal Corporations to curb the spread of COVID-19, from 6 a.m. on April 26 to 9 p.m. on April 29; and in Salem and Tiruppur Municipal Corporations from 6 a.m. on April 26 to 9 p.m. on April 28.
7 new cases in Kerala today
Seven new cases of coronavirus were reported from Kerala on Saturday, taking the total number of infected persons in the State to 457 and seven people were cured, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
"Three new cases each were reported from Kottayam and Kollam districts and one from Kannur district. As of now, the State has reported 457 patients," Mr. Vijayan told reporters after the COVID-19 review meeting.
Two cases each from Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod and one patient from Wayanad were cured in the state on Saturday, he said.
At least 116 patients are currently under treatment for COVID-19.
"A total of 338 cases have been cured in the State till now. We have 21,044 persons under observation now and 464 in isolation wards," Vijayan said.
At least 22,360 samples have been sent from the State for testing, he added.
- PTI
Prison inmates across Jammu & Kashmir manufacture face masks
Hundreds of inmates in prisons across Jammu and Kashmir have volunteered and joined efforts to fight the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) pandemic with mass production of face masks on jail premises, officials said on Saturday.
They said the prisoners started manufacturing the high quality polypropylene masks last month after the Prisons Department’s proposal got the nod of the Lt. Governor G.C. Murmu administration which has called for universal usage of face covers to contain the spread of the contagious disease in the Union Territory.
Coronavirus lockdown | BRO opens Rohtang Pass 3 weeks in advance
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Saturday opened the Rohtang Pass, three weeks in advance, for transporting essential supplies and relief materials to Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh amid the lockdown, the Army said. The pass is at 13,058 feet on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas.
“Dr. Ram Lal Markanda, Agriculture Minister of Himachal Pradesh, led the first convoy of vehicles, carrying essential supplies and approximately 150 farmers, to the Lahual Valley..., thus officially opening the Rohtang Pass this year,” the Army said in a statement.
In pictures | Markets in Tamil Nadu see huge crowds ahead of complete lockdown
The announcement of a complete lockdown in select cities and towns in Tamil Nadu starting from Sunday triggered panic buying on Saturday, April 25, as people thronged market areas and grocery shops. Here are some pictures of the frenzy.
(Click the right arrow key on pic to view the rest of the gallery)
In a letter to PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi seeks economic package for MSME revival
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a financial package for the revival of the MSME sector, saying if ignored, the problem can have a devastating and expansive ripple effect on the country's economy.
Ms. Gandhi also made some suggestions for the revival of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), which is reeling under the adverse impact of the coronavirus lockdown.
She urged the Prime Minister to announce a Rs. 1 lakh crore "MSME Wage Protection" package as also a credit guarantee fund of an equivalent amount, besides a 24X7 helpline for helping them out of this crisis.
Bihar reported one more COVID-19 positive case, of a male, 24-years-old from Patna, taking the total number of positive cases in the State to 239.
- Amarnath Tewary
No public gatherings in U.P. till June 30: Adityanath
The Uttar Pradesh government will not allow any public gathering till June 30, well beyond the end of the current nationwide lockdown, officials said on Saturday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has told officials that the situation will be reviewed after June 30.
Chief Minister @myogiadityanth ji has directed officials not to allow any public gathering till June 30. After that a decision will be taken considering the circumstances, the CM’s office tweeted in Hindi.
(PTI)
Nearly 4,000 Sri Lankan Navy personnel quarantined after 60 tested positive for COVID-19: report
Nearly 4,000 Sri Lankan Navy personnel and their families have been quarantined at a major naval facility after 60 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in two days, a media report said on Saturday.
The move came as 30 Navy personnel tested positive for the COVID-19 virus each on Friday and Saturday at the country’s Welisara Naval camp, the State-run Daily News reported.
Kerala government hospital deploys robot to serve COVID-19 patients
A government hospital in Ernakulam in Kochi has deployed a robot to serve food and medicines to coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) patients with an aim to reduce risk of infections for doctors and health workers.
Malayalam actor Mohanlal’s Viswasanthi Foundation donated the autonomous robot to the COVID-19 ward of the Ernakulam government medical college hospital.
26 new cases in Karnataka
26 new COVID 19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka. With this, the total number of cases in Karnataka stands at 500.
So far, 158 have been discharged and 18 have died in the State. The number of active cases stands at 324.
(Tanu Kulkarni)
10 more COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar have taken the State tally to 238. Five of them are from Kaimur district, four from Buxar and one from Patna.
(Amarnath Tewary)
India records lowest daily growth rate in COVID-19 cases
The average doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in the country is 9.1 days as of now and from Friday 8 am to Saturday 8 am, India recorded a six-per cent growth in new cases, which is the lowest daily growth rate recorded since the country crossed 100 cases, the government said on Saturday.
157 fresh cases reported in Uttar Pradesh; total now 1,778
As many as 157 new cases of COVID-19 infection were reported in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, taking the total in the state to 1,778, a senior government official said here.
With this, the number of active cases climbs to 1,504, Principal Secretary, Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad added.
“Till now, 248 COVID-19 patients have been discharged in the state, while 26 deaths have taken place,” he said.
Mr. Prasad added that 57 of the State’s 75 districts have so far reported coronavirus cases.
(PTI)
J&K witnesses highest single-day rise with 40 new cases
Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed the highest single day rise, with 40 cases of novel Coronavirus, taking the total tally to 494.
“Finally J&K breaks the 1000 test barrier- 1071 samples tested in the last 24 hours. But that also means more positives- so 40 new cases today- all from Kashmir. An unfortunate death too; total deaths now 6,” said J&K Government spokesman Rohit Kansal.
(Peerzada Ashiq)
Doubling of COVID-19 cases slowed in 6 days ending April 23 in Gujarat
The number of coronavirus positive patients in Gujarat doubled from 617 after April 14 to 1,272 on April 17, but this rate slowed down in the subsequent six days up to April 23 during which 1352 more cases were detected, as per the analysis by Health department.
Ola partners Delhi govt. to offer free emergency mobility to citizens
Ride-hailing major Ola on Saturday said it has partnered with Delhi state government’s health department to offer free medical transportation to people.
Citizens in need of mobility support for any non-COVID medical care can dial 102 and the health ministry team will allocate a cab for the patient to be transported to a hospital free of cost, a statement said.
“Ola is providing convenient, reliable and safe transport services for all non-COVID medical trips such as scheduled check-ups, dialysis, chemotherapy and for immediate medical needs such as injuries, amongst others,” it added.
(PTI)
Not entire Delhi a hotspot: Delhi health minister on lockdown relaxations
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday said there are 92 coronavirus hotspots in the national capital but the entire city is not a hotspot.
Mr. Jain was replying to a query on whether the Delhi government was considering easing the curbs enforced to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier this week said the lockdown will continue as usual in the national capital and no relaxation of prohibitions will be allowed before a review meeting of experts on April 27.
Five more cases in Bihar
Five more COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar have taken the State tally to 228.
Among the five, two males are from Rohtas District, one from Arwal while, one female is from Ara (Bhojpur) and one from Saran district.
(Amarnath Tewary)
Over 1,000 nurses recruited in Tamil Nadu, part of efforts to tackle COVID-19
As many as 1,323 nurses have been chosen by the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB), according to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
The chosen candidates are being issued appointment orders. On receipt of the orders, they have been advised to join duty immediately. This is part of the government’s efforts to tackle the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Central team suggests stricter implementation of lockdown in north Bengal
A central team visiting north Bengal to assess the COVID-19 situation wrote to the West Bengal government on Saturday, suggesting stricter implementation of lockdown there.
Two central teams are visiting the state -- one in Kolkata and the other at Siliguri in north Bengal.
In a letter to Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, the central team in north Bengal, led by senior bureaucrat Vineet Joshi, said more field officers are required to monitor and provide feedback about the effectiveness of various measures undertaken by the government.
(PTI)
Mysuru develops mobile fever clinic for screening
After converting some old buses into “mobile sanitizers” to fumigate the field workers combating COVID-19, the Karnataka State Transport Corporation in Mysuru has modified an old bus into a “mobile fever clinic”.
This is the State’s first mobile fever clinic rolled out in view of the pandemic. The bus had been modified in a short span of time to give it the shape of a clinic with facilities for screening patients suffering from fever, cold and cough.
Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar, who flagged off the mobile fever clinic, said the bus had been inspected by the COVID-19 medical team and has been certified for screening the patients on the move. “This is the first-ever mobile fever clinic rolled out in the State,” he said.
The bus will primarily commute in villages of Mysuru, a COVID-19 hotspot declared as “red zone”, for the benefit of rural public.
(Shankar Bennur)
Chennai Corporation rejects request for reburial of Dr. Simon Hercules
The Chennai Corporation has rejected the request for reburial of the mortal remains of Dr. Simon Hercules had COVID-19 and who was buried in Velangadu, following protests by residents against the burial of the body in their neighbourhood.
In a press release on Saturday, the Chennai Corporation said a committee of public health experts has advised it not to permit reburial of the body to minimise risk to public health.
Central teams assess COVID-19 situation in Ahmedabad, Surat
Separate central teams visited Ahmedabad and Surat cities in Gujarat on Saturday to take stock of the COVID-19 situation in these two districts, officials said.
The teams held talks with senior officials, including collectors, civic chiefs, police commissioners in Ahmedabad and Surat, they said.
Both the inter-ministerial central teams (IMCT) are headed by Additional Secretary-level officers.
The visit comes a day after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the coronavirus situation in Ahmedabad, Surat, Thane (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana) and Chennai (Tamil Nadu) is “especially serious“.
--PTI
Priyanka calls for transparency over coronavirus tests being conducted in U.P.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday called for transparency over coronavirus tests being conducted in Uttar Pradesh as hiding data can prove fatal.
Sharing some suggestions for the Yogi Adityanath government in U.P. to prevent the spread of COVID-19, she said it is known the world over that testing is the key to fighting the disease and it should be scaled up.
“Many people are expressing concerns over testing in UP. Transparency is a big thing in the fight against coronavirus. The entire society and the government can together defeat this epidemic. In this context, I am sharing some suggestions here,” she said in a tweet in Hindi.
“UP has stopped testing for the past two days and should start testing on a large scale, while adopting transparency in this regard. Hiding data and the truth can prove fatal,” Ms. Gandhi said.
(PTI)
Rahul Gandhi urges govt. to help Andhra fishermen stranded in Gujarat
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged the government to help fishermen from Andhra Pradesh who are stranded in Gujarat due to the lockdown, and sought their transfer to relief camps.
He said around 6,000 fishermen from the southern State were stranded in Gujarat and living in unhygienic conditions without food and water.
(PTI)
U.P. MP offers reward for info on people who concealed Tablighi Jamaat link, foreign trip
A BJP Lok Sabha MP in Uttar Pradesh has announced a reward of ₹11,000 for people in his constituency for providing accurate details of persons linked to the Tablighi Jamaat or those who have returned from abroad but concealed information from the administration.
Central team begins three-day visit to Chennai
A four-member team of Central government officers on Saturday began its three-day-long visit to Chennai to take stock of the situation in the light of COVID-19 pandemic.
Led by Additional Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) V. Thiruppugazh, the team had a preliminary meeting with Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam at the Secretariat, after which it went to the Ripon Buildings, the headquarters of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
China approves third COVID-19 vaccine for clinical trials
China has approved its third coronavirus vaccine for the second phase of clinical trials as it reported 12 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of infections in the country to 82,816.
China has approved three coronavirus vaccines, including the one developed by Chinese military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for clinical trials.
Shops to be open till 3 p.m. today in Chennai and six other districts, Chief Minister says
Ahead of the four-day complete lockdown , shops will remain open till 3 p.m. on Saturday in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem and Tiruppur, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced on Saturday. A similar extension in timings will be placed in Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts too, he added.
Thousands of people thronged markets, grocery shops and supermarkets and crowded vegetable vendors on the streets to do last-minute shopping on Saturday, many flouting physical distancing norms.
15 new cases in Karnataka
A total of 15 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Karnataka on Saturday. With this the total number of cases in the State now stands at 489.
Of these, six new cases have been reported in Bengaluru and five of these included those which were reported from the labour colony at Vidyajyothi Nagar, Hongasandra ward, in Bengaluru. All of them were contacts of patient-419 who is a 54-year-old migrant labourer from the same colony who tested positive earlier that week.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had now sealed the area, which has over 500 houses, apart from the temporary sheds on vacant land where the construction workers stayed.
Besides Bengaluru, six cases have been reported in Belagavi, one each in Mandya, Chikkaballapur and Dakshina Kannada.
(Tanu Kulkarni)
Two deaths and 61 new positive cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in Andhra Pradesh. The total number of positive cases stands at 1016 and the death toll is at 31.
(Appaji Reddem)
Sixth death in J&K
A 72-year-old patient from north Kashmir's Baramulla has become the sixth person from J&K to die due to novel Coronavirus, officials of the SKIMS Medical College and Hospital Bemina, Srinagar, said.
(Peerzada Ashiq)
Two more COVID-19 positive cases were reported in Bihar taking the total number to 225.
Two men of 35 and 67 years from Buxar district were reported positive on Saturday.
Thailand reports 53 new cases, one death
Thailand reported 53 new coronavirus cases and the death of a 48-year-old Thai man who was infected with the virus along with four other family members.
Of the new cases, three were linked to previous cases, one had no known links, and 42 are migrant workers who have been under quarantine at an immigration detention centre in the southern province of Songkhla.
Indore recorded 56 new COVID-19 cases on Friday night, taking the city count to 1,085. The death toll owing to illness stands at 56 in the city. Cases in Madhya Pradesh have surged to 1,902, said Pravin Jadia, Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer.
(Sidharth Yadav)
7 more test positive
Seven more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, taking the total number of cases in the Union Territory to 29, an official said on Saturday.
All of them are residents of the Bambooflat area in the south Andaman district, he said.
Brazil becoming coronavirus hot spot as testing falters
Cases of the new coronavirus are overwhelming hospitals, morgues and cemeteries across Brazil as Latin America’s largest nation veers closer to becoming one of the world’s pandemic hot spots.
Medical officials in Rio de Janeiro and at least four other major cities have warned that their hospital systems are on the verge of collapse, or already too overwhelmed to take any more patients.
China reports 12 new cases, no new deaths
China reported 12 new coronavirus cases on April 24 compared with six new cases on the previous day, National Health Commission data showed on Saturday.
Of the new cases, 11 were imported, compared with two cases reported previously.
72 therapeutics trial underway, 211 in planning stages: FDA
A top Trump administration health official has said that as many as 72 COVID-19 therapeutics trial are underway and 211 in planning stages in a bid to find the cure for coronavirus.
“We are leaving no stone unturned to find the treatment for COVID-19... We don’t have any approved therapeutics for COVID-19 but we are actively involved with the academic, commercial and private sector to find it,” FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn told reporters at a White House news conference.
Also read: FDA approves first at-home COVID-19 test kit
Govt allows opening of neighbourhood & standalone shops, but not markets
In a reprieve to public at large, the government on April 24 night allowed opening of neighbourhood and standalone shops, including those located in residential complexes within municipal areas, but at a 50% strength and after taking necessary precautions.
At least $9.7 billion in state bailouts for Air France, KLM
The French and Dutch governments announced at least 9 billion euros ($9.7 billion) in bailout money to rescue Air France and KLM, which are fighting for survival as most of their planes are grounded by virus lockdowns around the world.
U.K. to start trials on whether plasma could help COVID-19 patients
Britain is to start trials to see whether plasma collected from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 could be an effective treatment for patients who are severely unwell with the disease.
Up to 5,000 severely ill patients with COVID-19 could soon be treated each week with plasma as part of a new approach to treating the virus, the health department said on Saturday.
Mylab joins hands with Syngene to cater to rising demand for COVID-19 testing kits
Pune-based molecular diagnostics company Mylab Discovery Solutions on April 24 said it has joined hands with global contract research organisation Syngene to cater to the country’s demand for RT-PCR COVID-19 testing kits amid the pandemic.
This is an important step to make India self-reliant in COVID-19 testing, Mylab said in a statement.
Published - April 25, 2020 09:18 am IST