As the number of coronavirus cases crossed 4,000 , millions of Indians across the country on April 5 switched off lights at their homes and lit candles and diyas or turned on mobile phone torches on Sunday night, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to show the nation’s “collective resolve and solidarity” in its fight against coronavirus with this symbolic gesture.
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 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 .
Numbers to note:
24/7 national helpline can be reached at 1075 , 1930, 1944 (dedicated to Northeast), 1800-112-545 and 011-23978046 .
WhatsApp helpdesk number: 9013151515 .
Email: ncov2019-at-gmail.com.
Here are the latest updates:
Madhya Pradesh recorded 256 cases of COVID-19 and 18 deaths until April 6. The count in Indore soared to 151 and the toll reached 13. Whereas, Bhopal registered 22 new cases on Monday, taking the city tally to 62. Of these, 32 are officials of the Health Department alone, according to the State Health Bulletin and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore.
-Sidharth Yadav
A total of two doctors and 16 nursing staff of the Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) have been tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Delhi government spokesperson. On Wednesday, officials said the DSCI has been shut and was being sanitized after a doctor working at the institute tested positive for COVID-19.
-Nikhil M. Babu
A 32-year-old man of Kendrapada district, who had returned from Dubai on March 24, tested positive for the coronavirus. With this, the total number of positive cases in Odisha has increased to 40.
-Prafulla Das
First COVID-19 positive case detected in Tripura. Patient is a 35-year-old woman from South Tripura and has now been admitted in Agartala Government Medical College & Hospital. She had returned from Guwahati on March 18. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb appealed people not to panic and stay indoors.
This was the first case detected within Tirupura. Earlier, natives of the State had tested positive for the virus in other States.
-Syed Sajjad Ali
Gujarat government announces 30% cut in the salaries of MLAs, including ministers till 31st March, 2021. The savings will be used for the State's fight against coronavirus. Additionally, ₹1.50 crore from the MLA grant will also be used for fighting coronavirus till 31st March, 2021, the State government announced.
-Mahesh Langa
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra to get PPE’s donated by China
Supply lines from abroad opened up on Monday with the receipt of 1.70 lakh Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) coveralls donated from China, the Union Health Ministry said.
“Along with domestic supplies of 20,000 coveralls, a total of 1.90 lakh coveralls will now be distributed to hospitals and will add to the 3,87,473 PPEs already available in the country as of now. A total of 2.94 lakh PPE coveralls have been arranged and supplied so far,” the Ministry said.
Affected districts increased from 62 to 257 in a span of 15 days
he total number of districts that reported COVID-19 positive cases across the country jumped from 62 to 257 in a span of 15 days, a presentation made by the Ministry of Health to the Cabinet Secretary said. In all, there are 718 districts in the country spread over 28 States and eight Union Territories.
The presentation made by Kuldeep Singh of the Health Ministry before Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Sunday showed that as on March 20, there was only one district in Maharashtra where more than 10 cases were reported. By April 4, the number of such districts spiked to 70. The cases also soared from 195 to 2,769 in the same period. From 62 districts on March 20, the number of affected districts almost doubled to 117 on March 25. The country was put under a 21-day lockdown on March 25 after a day-long ‘Janata Curfew’ of March 22. The rate of testing also increased during this period.
Pep Guardiola’s mother dies with coronavirus
The mother of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has died after contracting the coronavirus. The Premier League club says Dolors Sala Carriऩed near Barcelona in the city of Manresa. She was 82. City says “everyone associated with the club sends their most heartfelt sympathy at this most distressing time to Pep, his family and all their friends.” Guardiola has coached City since 2016. He previously coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Maharashtra death toll rises to 52
The number of Covid-19 cases continued to skyrocket relentlessly in Maharashtra with the State registering its highest single-day surge of 120 new cases on Monday, taking the overall tally to a staggering 868 positive cases while seven deaths were reported as well, taking the death toll to 52.
Four of the seven deaths were reported from Mumbai city, while the others were from the Metropolitan Region, Thane and Vasai-Virar.
-Shoumojit Banerjee
Police arrest 22 in Belagavi for trying to attack persons in mosques
Belagavi District Police have arrested 22 persons on charges of trying to attack persons in mosques, complaining that they did not turn off lights on Sunday night as requested by the Prime Minister .
A group entered a mosque in Yamakamaradi and heckled the mosque muezzin who calls for prayers. He was cleaning the mosque by keeping the lights on between 9 p.m. and 9.09 pm, they alleged. The also tried to close the door of the building by throwing him out. A case has been filed and nine persons have been arrested.
Iran says virus infections show ‘gradual’ decline
The trajectory of coronavirus infections in Iran appears to have started a “gradual” downward trend, the government said on Monday, but it warned the disease is far from being under control.
The COVID-19 outbreak claimed 136 lives in the past 24 hours, bringing Iran’s overall death toll to 3,739, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a televised news conference. Iran registered 2,274 new cases of infection over the same period, he said, putting the total number at 60,500 across the country.
The figure shows a drop in officially reported new cases of the novel coronavirus for the sixth consecutive day after a peak of 3,111 reached on March 31.
-AFP
With 120 new cases, Maharashtra case count now 868
With 120 fresh cases, the COVID-19 tally in Maharashtra on Monday mounted to 868, a Health official said.
“Out of the 120 people, 68 have tested positive from Mumbai city alone and 41 from Pune,” he said.
“The remaining cases includes two each from Vasai-Virar area, Satara and Ahmednagar, three from Aurangabad and one each from Jalna and Nashik,” he added.
-PTI
Doctors in Pimpri hospital placed in quarantine after patient tests positive
More than 90 persons including 40 doctors and 50 staff members of a medical college and hospital in Pimpri have been quarantined after an autorickshaw driver, who was undergoing treatment at that hospital for accident injuries, tested positive for Covid-19, said authorities on Monday.
According to authorities, the autorickshaw driver who lives in Pune’s Khadki area had met with an accident a few days ago and was taken to the Pimpri hospital for treatment where he was kept under observation following surgery.
On April 4, he tested positive for Covid-19.
-Shoumojit Banerjee
40,000 isolation beds ready: Railways
The Railways on Monday said it has converted 2,500 of its coaches — part of its initial target of at least 5,000 — into isolation wards.
“In times of lockdown when manpower resources are limited and have to be rationalised and rotated, the zones have almost done an impossible task of so many conversions in such a small span of time,” the Railways said in a statement.
The Goa government has announced that 7,000 surveyors will visit homes in the State between April 11 and 13 with a survey form seeking details of family history, travel history etc. People are expected to cooperate and fill questionnaire besides providing details of any flu-like signs. Landlords to provide details of their tenants. A separate exercise will be conducted for migrant industrial workers and labourers.
-Aditya Anand
Over 96,000 samples tested till today: ICMR
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has tested 96,264 samples for COVID-19 till 3.45 p.m. on Monday with a total of 136 government laboratories and 56 private laboratories currently functioning as test facilities. Speaking a press conference on Monday, R. Gangakhedkar, head, Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases-II, ICMR, said these laboratories have a testing capacity of 18,000 tests per day and in addition to this, two high throughput machine Cobass-6800 which can test 1400 samples at a time are being operated.
"ICMR has prepared a data portal for streamlining the data collection from all the laboratories on a real-time basis," he said. He added that if labs start working in two shifts, the testing capacity would go up to 25,000.
ICMR added that it is now procuring 10 lakh Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) kits used for diagnosis and 7 depots have been established for uninterrupted supply of reagents across the nation for efficient distribution to government testing laboratories.
-Bindu Shajan Perappadan
Authorities mull NSA, attempt to murder charge against Tablighi participants who don’t show up for screening tests
As coronavirus cases in the country spike, authorities have warned invoking attempt to murder charge and the stringent National Security Act(NSA) against those participants of the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi who fail to report for screening tests.
According to the latest updates from the Union Health Ministry on Monday, at least 1,445 of the total 4,067 COVID-19 positive cases are related to last month’s Tablighi congregation in west Nizamuddin which has emerged as the epicentre of the virus outbreak.
More than 25,500 Tablighi members and their contacts have been quarantined in the country till now after the Centre and the State governments conducted a “mega operation” to identify them, Punya Salila Srivastava, a senior Union Home Ministry official, told reporters in Delhi.
-PTI
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister non-committal on extension of lockdown
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday did not commit to the likelihood of the prohibitory orders and ongoing lockdown due to COVID-19 being extended beyond April 14.
When a journalist asked him if the lockdown would be extended after April 14, when it was due to expire, he did not provide a specific reply. Instead he said the pandemic was contagious and more cases were being reported. Underlining the seriousness of the issue, he appealed for public support to remain in-doors so that the spread of COVID-19 could be curbed.
-Dennis S. Jesudasan
50 more people test positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said in an announcement. With this, the total number of cases in the State has reached 621.
-Serena Josephine M.
India to implement the "Large outbreaks amenable to containment" strategy
With just over a week till the end of the Central government prescribed COVID-19 containment lockdown period, India has now stepped out of the local transmission phase and moved into the "large outbreaks amenable to containment phase" as per the protocol being followed by the Union Health Ministry, under its recently released document on "Containment plan for large outbreaks.’"
With a current case doubling rate of 96 hours and infection having spread to nearly 300 of the 736 district across the country India's presently followed protocol now includes "re-defining the area of operation, active surveillance for cases and contacts in the identified geographic zone, expanding laboratory capacity for testing all suspect cases, high risk contacts and SARI cases, operationalize surge capacities created for isolation (COVID-19 hospitals/COVID-19 dedicated blocks) to hospitalize and manage all suspect / confirmed cases."
The other measures under the protocol include implementation of social distancing measures with strict perimeter control, providing chemoprophylaxis with hydroxy-chloroquine to asymptomatic healthcare workers and asymptomatic household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases and the further intensification of risk communication through audio, social and visual media.
-Bindu Shajan Perappadan
Cash aids to be extended to more unorganised sectors in Tamil Nadu: govt.
Members of many welfare boards for unorganised sector workers will be eligible to receive the special cash assistance of ₹1,000 announced by the State government in view of the economic hardships posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
Earlier, the government announced cash aid for members of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers' Welfare Board and Unorganised Drivers' Welfare Board.
Addressing journalists on Monday, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said, the assistance would also be given to members of the Hair Dressers' Welfare Board, Washermen Welfare Board, Palm Tree Workers' Welfare Board, Handicraft Workers' Welfare Board, Handloom and Handloom Silk Weaving Workers' Welfare Board, Footwear and Leather Goods Manufacture and Tannery Workers' Welfare Board, Artists' Welfare Board, Goldsmiths' Welfare Board, Pottery Workers' Welfare Board, Domestic Workers' Welfare Board, Power Loom Weaving Workers' Welfare Board, and Tamil Nadu Cooking Food Workers' Welfare Board.
-Dennis S. Jesudasan
Sample of a 54-year-old man from Indore, who had died on April 3, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. He had no travel or contact history, but had co-morbidity of bronchial asthma and hypertension. Toll owing to the illness touches 10 in Indore, according to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore. The infection has caused 14 deaths in Madhya Pradesh so far.
-Sidharth Yadav
The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi is now 523. The number has increased by 20 cases in the last 24 hours, one more death has also occurred, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in an announcement today.
"Of this number, 330 cases are related to the Nizamuddin centre." he added.
-Jatin Anand
Prime Minister hints at calibrated exit from lockdown
As the nation entered the 13th day of a 21-day lockdown on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked his Council of Ministers on just how to do a calibrated exit from the confinement, especially since the cases related to the Tablighi Jamaat Centre and the country’s own tally of COVID-19 positive cases are ballooning.
Also read: Coronavirus | Number of cases doubled in 4.1 days due to Tablighi Jamaat event, says Health Ministry
At a meeting of the Council of Ministers, just before a first-ever Cabinet meeting over videoconferencing, Mr. Modi asked for suggestions, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that any rollback of the lockdown on April 14 will only be partial and with many caveats.
“Prime Minister Modi asked all of us for suggestions, including after speaking to district-level officials and stakeholders on how the rollback of the lockdown could be effected without a huge impact on positive cases. Actually, the calculations for our peak cases and its timing are now awry as they have to factor in the Tablighi Jamaat cases, which are still being followed up,” said a Minister who was at the meeting.
-Nistula Hebbar
Tamil Nadu has sought approval for 21 additional testing labs: Chief Minister
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday said the State government has sought the Centre’s approval for establishing 21 more testing laboratories to test patients for COVID-19. The State now has 11 government and six private testing labs to test for the pandemic, he told journalists at the Secretariat.
Noting that the government has placed orders for procuring one lakh Rapid Test Kits to speed up the rate of testing samples for COVID-19, he said they are expected to arrive on April 9. The Rapid Test Kits could complete tests in about 30 minutes, he said.
Soon after the Rapid Test Kits arrive in the State from China, they would be sent to the respective districts to commence testing from April 10. The Chief Minister pointed out that even persons, who did not develop any symptoms, had tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 1,848 persons, who were suspected to have COVID-19, have been admitted in various hospitals.
-Dennis S. Jesudasan
Ernakulam District makes sample collection kiosk
Walk-in Sample Collection (WISC) kiosk, an innovative solution that would not require to wear a personal protective equipment to collect the sample of a person suspected of COVID-19, was launched in Ernakulam on Monday.
The kiosk involves the healthcare worker to utilise the protective shield of the kiosk while taking throat swabs. They were made indigenously on the advise of the team led by the doctors at the Government Medical College (MCH), Ernakulam, and the district medical officers.
23-year-old Manipuri student tests negative
A 23-year-old Manipuri girl student in London has tested negative for COVID-19. This was disclosed by T. Bhimo, director of the J.N. Institute of Medical sciences, Imphal. The director further said that the authority will discharge her after fulfilling the conditions of the guideline.
She has been shifted from the isolation ward to the general ward.
She became the first person to have contracted the virus in the North Eastern region. Her family members and co-passengers were tested. However all of them were found to be covid-19 negative.
--Iboyaima Laithangbam
Study involving 30 patients being conducted to check efficacy of Hydroxycholoroquine: ICMR
"Council of Ministers had a meeting on the plan of action. The Health Ministry yesterday issued a guideline to States on quarantine facilities to be set up and steps to be taken for early segregation," said Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agrawal.
16.94 tonne food grain has been distributed, he said. 1445 cases were linked to the Tablighi Jamaat cluster.
Giving a gender-wise breakup, Mr. Agrawal said 76% males and 24% females have tested positive; 73% males and 27% females died, while 86% were comorbidity-related deaths.
63% of deaths were in those above 60 years of age, 30% in those of 40 to 60 years of age and 7% in those below 40 years of age.
The Home Ministry spokesperson said that States have been told to ensure smooth supply of medical oxygen.
"25,500 local workers and their primary contacts have been traced and quarantined. Five villages in Haryana, where several foreigners linked to the Jamaat had stayed, have been sealed.
2083 foreigners linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation have been identified, and 1750 of them have been blacklisted so far," the spokesperson added.
The ICMR spokesperson said that an order has been placed for five lakh testing kits; by Apri 8-9, 2.5 lakh of them are to be delivered.
Food Corporation of India has stock of 55.47 million metric tonne foodgrain, 1.3 lakh metric tonne wheat and 1.32 metric tonne rice has been transported to several States.
Mr. Agrawal said the government is taking measures to ensure that the spread of the disease does not reach the third stage.
Both Health Ministry and ICMR said that hydroxychloroquine is being given to health workers working closely with Covid-19 patients, albeit based on limited evidence. This should not lead to wrong perception about its usage, it should be taken on proper medical precription. A study is being conducted involving 30 patients to check its efficacy.
ICMR said that its current capacity for testing is at 25,000 per day.
--Devesh Pandey
First patient from Dakshina Kannada discharged
The first person, a youth, who had tested positive for COVID-19 in Dakshina Kannada was discharged from the Government Wenlock Hospital.
The youth (aged 22) had arrived at Mangaluru International Airport from Dubai on March 19. After he showed symptoms during the screening at the airport he had directly been shifted from the airport to the hospital on the same day. He tested positive on March 22.
He will be kept separately at his home for some more days, doctors said.
Cabinet approves ordinance to reduce salaries PM, Ministers, MPs by 30% for a year
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on April 6 that the Cabinet has approved an Ordinance to reduce salaries of all MPs, including Prime Minister and Cabinet, by 30% for one year.
President, Vice-President and all Governors have voluntarily decided to reduce salaries by 30% for one year, he said.
CAPFs asked to suspend non-essential movement of troops till April 15
Thal Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have suspended all non-essential movement of its troops and staffers as they have extended their leaves by another 10 days, till April 15, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Monday.
The earlier orders were in the mid March asking jawans and officers of CAPFs to “be where they are” till April 5.
--PTI
RSS cancels programmes between April and June
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has cancelled training modules and programmes scheduled between April and June in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, its joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya said.
These include over 90 ‘Sangh Shiksha Varg’ training camps, he added.
--PTI
Japan to declare state of emergency for about a month: Shinzo Abe
Japan is to declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday in a bid to stop the coronavirus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, with the government preparing a stimulus package to soften the economic blow.
More than 3,500 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Japan and 85 have died. Tokyo has more than 1,000 cases, including 83 new ones on Monday.
Mr. Abe made the announcement on the state of emergency in remarks to media televised live.
An emergency, which Mr. Abe said would last about a month, will give governors authority to call on people to stay at home and businesses to close, but not to order the kind of lockdowns seen in other countries. In most cases, there are no penalties for ignoring requests, and enforcement will rely more on peer pressure and respect for authority.
--Reuters
Bacardi to produce 70,000 litres of hand sanitisers
Liquor maker Bacardi on Monday said it would produce 70,000 litres of hand sanitizers, which will be distributed primarily to district government hospitals, to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus pandemic .
14-month-old boy with no travel history contracts COVID-19
A 14-month-old boy with no travel history has tested positive for COVID-19 in Gujarat’s Jamnagar district, sending health officials into an overdrive to find out from where the child contracted the deadly disease.
The child, whose test came out positive on Sunday, is on ventilator support and the locality where his labourer parents reside in Dared village has been put under complete lockdown to check the spread of the virus, officials said.
This is also the first case of coronavirus infection in Jamnagar district.
--PTI
PM chairs meeting of council of ministers via video-conferencing
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the council of ministers on Monday via video-conferencing amidst a nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
It will be followed by a meeting of the Cabinet, also to be held via video-conferencing.
--PTI
UN chief urges governments to protect women against domestic violence
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged governments to include the protection of women in their response to the deadly novel coronavirus pandemic .
Reports of domestic violence have surged globally in the wake of massive lockdowns imposed to contain the spread of the disease.
12 new cases in Karnataka
Twelve new positive cases have been reported from 5:00 p.m. yesterday to noon on Monday.
With this the total number of cases in the State has touched 163. This includes four deaths and 18 discharged persons, according to the midday bulletin.
Of the new cases, seven are from Mysuru and two from Bagalkot.
Five patients had a travel history to Delhi.
The wife and the brother of the 75-year-old person who succumbed to the infection in Bagalkot have also tested positive.
--Afshan Yasmeen
USAID announces $2.9 million to India to fight coronavirus
The U.S. government, through its aid agency USAID, has announced a grant of $2.9 million to India to help it fight the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster said the assistance will further support India’s response to COVID-19.
The U.S. government, through USAID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other relevant agencies, is working closely with India to support the country’s response to the pandemic, he said.
--PTI
16 new cases reported in U.P., total nears 300-mark
Sixteen people tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, taking the total number of cases in the State to 294, officials said.
Six samples from Lucknow, eight from Sitapur and two samples sent from Agra have tested positive for the infection, an official KGMU statement said here.
--PTI
All life insurance companies to process COVID-19 death claims: Industry body
All life insurance companies will process claims due to death by COVID-19, an industry body assured on Monday.
The industry’s umbrella body Life Insurance Council said the ‘force majeure’ clause will not apply in case of COVID-19 death claims and both private and state-run players will follow this.
PM Modi likens fight against pandemic to war, says India's efforts lauded worldwide
Addressing party workers on the 40th anniversary of the BJP’s foundation day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi likened the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic to a war and said that India’s efforts had been lauded around the world.
He lauded the people of the country for the “maturity and discipline” they had shown in maintaining the lockdown in such a vast and diverse population, terming it unprecedented. “We got to see our collective strength on Sunday evening,” he said referring to the countrywide exercise to switch off lights and illuminate diyas for nine minutes.
--Nistula Hebbar
UGC directs universities to set up mental health helplines for students
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all universities and colleges to set up mental health helplines to address psychosocial concerns of students during the lockdown imposed to combat coronavirus.
“During the period of national lockdown, it is equally important to address any kind of mental health and psychosocial concerns of student community during and after COVID-19 situation issue,” UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said in a letter to vice chancellors.
--PTI
Zoos asked to remain on high alert; collect samples for COVID-19 testing
The Central Zoo Authority asked all zoos across the country to remain on high alert and collect samples fortnightly in suspected cases after a tiger in a US zoo tested positive for coronavirus. In a letter to all States and Union territories, CZA Member Secretary SP Yadav said, “The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed COVID-19 in a tiger in the Bronx Zoo, New York.
“Zoos in the country are, therefore, advised to remain on highest alertness, watch animals on 24X7 basis using CCTVs for any abnormal behaviour or symptoms,” it said.
The authority said mammals, especially cats, ferret and primates, need to be carefully monitored and fortnightly samples of suspected cases be sent to designated animal health institutes for COVID-19 testing.
--PTI
25-member medical team sent to worst-affected Kasaragod
A 25-member team from Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College hospital is currently at Kasaragod to help the district health administration prepare the new Kasaragod Government Medical College as the dedicated COVID-19 care hospital for the district.
All students of classes I to VIII in Haryana to be promoted without final exams: Khattar
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on April 5 said students from classes 1 to 8 will be promoted to the next academic year without taking up annual examinations as the schools are closed due to the nationwide lockdown.
Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor recovers from COVID-19, discharged from hospital
Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor who was suffering from COVID-19, was discharged from the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences here after her two test reports came negative, officials said.
She would, however, have to remain in isolation at her home for some days.
“Kanika Kapoor has been discharged on Monday after her two reports came negative. One of her reports came negative two days ago. On Sunday evening also her report was negative after which she was discharged,” SGPGI Director R K Dhiman told PTI .
Maharashtra tally climbs to 781
The number of Covid-19 cases continued to surge in Maharashtra, with 33 new cases being reported in the State over a 12-hour span, taking the tally of positive cases to 781.
Pune witnessed a surge of 19 fresh cases while 11 more have been reported from Mumbai, and a fresh case each from Satara, Ahmednagar and Vasai. Till date, the State has reported 45 deaths, with 30 of these from Mumbai alone.
--Shoumojit Banerjee
4 persons, including 2 health officials, test positive in Bhopal
Four persons, including two health officials, tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhopal, taking the tally to 50 in the city, said an official of the district administration.
So far, 21 health officials have contracted the disease in the city.
--Sidharth Yadav
14 new cases reported in A.P.
Fourteen new positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in the State overnight, taking the total count to 266.
Visakhapatnam has reported five positive cases while Anantapur and Kurnool reported three each, Guntur reported two and West Godavari reported one new case. With 56 positive cases, Kurnool district has the highest number of cases among all the districts in the State.
So far, three people have succumbed to the virus in State.
--Tharun Boda
176 FIRs in Delhi for violating home quarantine guidelines
Delhi Police have registered 176 FIRs against people violating home quarantine guidelines and were not present at home during a physical verification, an officer said on Monday.
Kolkata police arrest 98 for bursting crackers during ‘9 pm-9 minutes’
The Kolkata police have arrested 98 people from different parts of the city for bursting crackers on the night of April 5, during the ‘9 pm-9 minutes’ call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The arrests were made to enforce the lockdown, an official said.
Another death in Gujarat
A 62-year-old COVID-19 infected female patient has died in Vadodara. She had a travel history to Sri Lanka and returned from there on March 14. A total of 12 persons have died in Gujarat while positive cases are at 144.
--Mahesh Langa
16 new cases in Gujarat
16 new cases of COVID-19 found in Gujarat, taking the total number of cases to 144 in the State, according to the Health Department.
So far 21 have recovered and been discharged from their respective hospitals. - Mahesh Langa
Ahmedabad, which has reported over 50 COVID-19 cases and 5 deaths, has been identified as one of the hotspots of the pandemic. It is fighting the virus through innovative means: use of technology, home quarantine and delivery of essential services at the doorstep in certain clusters.
Man succumbs to COVID-19 in Kota
A 60-year-old COVID-19 positive man has died in Kota, Rajasthan. He was admitted to M.B.S. Hospital in Kota on Sunday with the complaint of pneumonia, fever and cough. No contact and travel history was given by the deceased.
Meanwhile, seven more COVID-19 positive cases were detected in Rajasthan today, taking the State's overall tally to 274. Thirty-six patients have recovered and 25 of them have been discharged, according to Medical & Health Department.
As many as 33 people are under treatment at Indian Army's facilities in the State. - Mohammad Iqbal
Jharkhand reports fourth case
Jharkhand on Monday reported its fourth COVID-19 case from Hindpidhi area of Ranchi, the State capital.
A man has tested positive and has been admitted to the special COVID-19 ward at the government-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) hospital.
COVID-19 patient dies in Bhopal; MP toll reaches 14
A 52-year-old man died of coronavirus in Bhopal , taking the toll in Madhya Pradesh to 14, an official said on Monday. This is the first death of a COVID-19 patient in the state capital, he said.
The man recently tested positive for coronavirus and died at a private hospital where he was undergoing treatment on Sunday night, Bhopal Collector Tarun Pithode said.
He worked as a watchman at a wholesale vegetable market and was suffering from asthma since long, Dr Rajesh Sharma from the private hospital said.
So far, 14 people have succumbed to the viral disease in the state, including nine in Indore, two in Ujjain and one each in Bhopal, Khargone and Chhindwara, an official said.
This is going to be our 9/11 moment, says doctor
The United States on Sunday entered one of the most critical weeks so far in the coronavirus crisis , with government officials warning that the death toll in places such as New York, Michigan and Louisiana was a sign of trouble to come in other states.
Trump extends best wishes to Boris Johnson
U.S. President Donald Trump has extended his well wishes to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was admitted to a hospital for further coronavirus tests after testing positive last month.
Mr. Johnson was admitted to a hospital on Sunday as a precautionary step and for some tests as he continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus.
Tiger at Bronx Zoo tests positive
A tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus , in the first known case of a human infecting an animal and making it sick, the zoo's chief veterinarian said on Sunday.
Pune sees fifth death
Three COVID-19 deaths were reported from Pune district on Sunday, taking the total number of deaths in the district to five. The number of positive cases in the district crossed 100.
Maharashtra may not end lockdown on April 14
Maharashtra is unlikely to call off the lockdown on April 14, the 21st day of the countrywide measure announced by the Central government in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Sources in the State Health Department on Sunday told The Hindu that the increasing number of positive patients in Mumbai, especially in areas of dense population like Worli, remained a worrying factor.
Data | What is the effect of India's coronavirus lockdown on people's mobility
Due to restrictions, including the imposition of a lockdown in many countries, public mobility has declined sharply, a Google report finds. In India, retail and recreational places saw the steepest fall in the presence of people between February 16 and March 29 compared to the traffic between January 3 and February 6. Phone traffic from residences saw a considerable increase, indicating that more people were staying at home.
The charts use anonymised location data from phones to show how visits and length of stay at different places change compared to a baseline.
Published - April 06, 2020 09:22 am IST
