The total number of positive cases of COVID-19 in India has soared to 13,835, which includes 11,616 active cases, 1,766 cured/discharged/migrated and 452 deaths.
As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 1,076 new cases and 32 deaths have been reported across the country in the past 24 hours.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that 28,542 samples were tested for COVID-19 infection today while the total number of samples tested so far is 3,32,583.
Globally, over 2 million cases of COVID-19 infections have been reported, with 135,163 people having lost their lives, according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) latest update.
Here are the key developments of the day:
>> US President Donald Trump unveiled a phase-wise strategy to reopen the country's economy, which has taken a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governors have been allowed to make a decision on when and how to lift the curbs in their respective states.
>> The number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state of Maharashtra continues to rise, with over 3,200 reported infections as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest update.
>> West Bengal government will ramp up testing for COVID-19, with the same expected to start in sensitive areas.
>> Now, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) - including housing finance companies (HFCs), microfinance institutions (NBFC-MFIs) and cooperative credit societies from the financial sector - will be allowed to function during the lockdown period with bare minimum staff, as per an order by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Read More | Coronavirus lockdown: NBFCs, HFCs, NBFC-MFIs now allowed to operate
>> Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro fired his health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta following a series of disagreements over the proper response to contain the spread of COVID-19 in South America's most populous country.
>> The Chinese city of Wuhan, known to be the epicentre of the outbreak of COVID-19, has revised its official death toll from the disease upward by almost 50 percent.
>> The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) slashed the reverse repo rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 percent. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das also announced another round of targeted long-term repo operation worth Rs 50,000 crore, a move aimed at freeing up more capital for banks to lend.
>> The Maharashtra government instructed landlords and house owners to defer collection of rent for the next three months in light of the economic hardships following the extension of the nationwide lockdown. The directions aim to prevent the eviction of tenants in the event that they are unable to pay their rent for the said period.
>> The ratio between recovered COVID-19 patients and deaths in India stands at 80:20, higher than that in several other countries, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Aggarwal said in a press briefing. He added that before the lockdown, the rate of doubling COVID-19 cases was about 3 days, but according to data in the past 7 days, the doubling rate of cases now stands at 6.2 days.
>> Fifteen new COVID-19 cases have been reported from Mumbai's Dharavi area, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on April 17. Meanwhile, for the first time in about a week, Mumbai has reported COVID-19 positive cases under the 100-mark (77 cases reported today as per the BMC).
>> Kerala reported only one new case today, along with 10 recoveries. Currently, the state has 138 active cases and 255 cured cases of COVID-19.
>> Central government servants have voluntarily decided to donate one day's salary to the PM CARES fund. Appeals were made by all Staff Associations to this effect.
Also Read | Coronavirus state-wise tally April 17
>> The Uttar Pradesh government on April 17 sent 250 buses to Kota in Rajasthan to bring back home around 7,500 students from the state during the ongoing countrywide lockdown.
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