The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic has spread across 185 countries and territories. Today is the 25th day of India’s nationwide lockdown, which has been extended till May 3. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stand at 14,792. The death toll from the outbreak in India is at 488. Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu have reported the highest number of cases.
Globally, over 2 million cases of COVID-19 infections have been reported, with 154,291 people having lost their lives, according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) latest update. The United States has the highest number of confirmed cases, followed by Spain, Italy, France and Germany. The outbreak continues to have a major impact on the global economy. Catch the latest updates here:
Coronavirus in Pakistan LIVE updates |
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said today that his government took timely action, including an early lockdown, to contain the spread of coronavirus, even as the country reported 622 fresh cases taking the total number of COVID-19 patients to 7,638.
"The government enforced a lockdown in March when there were only a few cases. We also started screening people at airports and pilgrims returning through land borders," Khan said while addressing the media in Islamabad. He, however, warned that numbers could increase by the middle of next month to pose a challenge for the government. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates |
A coronavirus positive person who was discharged from government hospital yesterday has been booked by Nagpur police for flouting rules and roaming outside after being discharged. He has been placed under quarantine facility again: Tahsil Police Station, Nagpur City Police (ANI)
Coronavirus LIVE updates | Gujarat COVID-19 death toll rises to 53
Gujarat today recorded 12 more deaths due to COVID-19 disease, taking the state toll to 53, a Health department official said. Most of the deceased suffered from comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Gujarat LIVE updates |
Death toll rise to 53 in Gujarat after five more deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in the state today. Total number of active cases in the state stands at 1,376 including 93 cured/discharged, following 104 new cases were reported: Gujarat Health Department (ANI)
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LIVE updates | Man dies at COVID-19 ward in UP
A 26-year-old man with coronavirus symptoms has died at a government hospital's isolation ward in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district, officials said today. His swab sample for COVID-19 has been sent to Lucknow and the report is awaited, Cheif Medical Officer, Fatehpur, Umakant Pandey said, adding that he had tuberculosis. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates |
328 more people tested positive for coronavirus infection, taking the tally in Maharashtra to 3,648. (CNN News18)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma: One more COVID-19 patient -- Sajibur Rahman -- is discharged from Silchar Medical College and Hospital after three successive tests reported as negative. He is being sent for home quarantine. Total cured patients in thestate now 12.
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates |
Since March 24, 94,686 people have been detained for violating lockdown orders under section 65 of the Delhi Police Act. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates |
Over 270 cases were registered and 3,608 people detained in Delhi today for violating lockdown orders, police said.
According to the data shared by the police, 271 cases were registered under section 188 (for disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code till 5 pm.
A total of 3,608 people were detained under section 65 (persons bound to comply with reasonable directions of police officers) and 301 vehicles have been impounded under section 66 of the Delhi Police Act, the data showed. (PTI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviews COVID-19 situation in states and union territories and the operations of the 24X7 control room set up at the ministry to coordinate with states and various ministries of Central government. He took views of the officers and appreciated them for their work. (ANI)
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LIVE updates |
Three more people, one in Noida and two in Greater Noida, tested positive for coronavirus infection today, taking the tally in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district to 95, officials said.
Two other patients, who were undergoing treatment for the disease, were discharged after being cured, they said. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE updates | UK COVID-19 death toll rises by 888 to 15,464: Health ministry
The number of people in Britain who have died in hospital from coronavirus has risen by 888 to 15,464, according to daily health ministry figures today. "As of 5 pm on 17 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 15,464 have sadly died," the ministry said on its website, up from 14,576 yesterday. (AFP)
Coronavirus in Punjab LIVE updates |
The Punjab Congress today gave a call to party workers to raise slogans of 'Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal' and 'Har-Har Mahadev' on April 20 to express gratitude towards the frontline workers in the battle against COVID-19.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunil Jakhar asked workers to raise slogans while staying indoors at 6 pm on April 20. He further said the state unit has also announced to observe "Jaikara-Jai Ghosh Diwas" on April 20 to express solidarity with the state government's fight against coronavirus. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu LIVE updates |
We are procuring rapid antibody test kits from the same company which supplied kits to the Centre. We procured 24,000 kits and received 12,000 kits from the Central government. So in total, we have 36,000 kits in the State: Umanath, Chairman of Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Home Minister Amit Shah is chairing a meeting with top officials to take stock of the current situation regarding COVID-19. The ministry had set up a 24X7 control room to coordinate with states. (ANI)
Coronavirus LIVE updates | All Bihar govt depts to start work from April 20
All Bihar government departments will start functioning from April 20, a General Administration Department (GAD) order said. All government officers of Group A and B will be present in the office on all working days while 33% of Group C employees and those on contract will be present in the office of their total strength, the GAD order said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh LIVE updates |
COVID-19 cases rise to 39 in Himachal Pradesh out of which 12 people have been treated while one died. 2,240 tests have been conducted so far: State Health Department (ANI)
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates | Important announcement by CM Arvind Kejriwal:
# Rs 1 crore compensation if any official dies while serving coronavirus patients;
# Ration delivered to 71 lakh people;
# Ration delivered to 3.5 lakh non-ration cardholders.
Coronavirus LIVE updates | In India, mortality has been around 3.3% so far. Distribution of deaths by age group is as follows:
# 0-45 age group - 14.4%
# 45-60 age group- 10.3%
# 60-75 age group - 33.1%
# Above 75 years of age- 42.2%
(Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates |
With four more people testing positive for coronavirus infection in Maharashtra's Nashik district, the number of the infected people has gone up to 74, a district official said today. All the fresh cases are close relatives of a 63-year-old woman who tested positive for the infection on April 16, he said. (PTI)
Read more: India's sovereign rating restricting upgrade on HDFC Bank's ratings: S&P global ratings
Despite expecting challenges to the Indian banking system because of the COVID-19 pandemic, global ratings agency Standard and Poor's feels HDFC Bank will be resilient and said that the country's sovereign rating restricts it from upgrading the country's largest private sector lender.
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Nearly three lakh rapid antibody test kits have just been airlifted by Air India from Guangzhou in China. Supplies are headed to Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu: Vikram Misri, India Ambassador to China (ANI)
Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu LIVE updates |
49 positive cases reported in the state today. The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 1,372. A total of 82 people were discharged today: C Vijayabaskar, Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare (ANI)
Coronavirus LIVE updates | One more tests positive for COVID-19 in Jharkhand
A 35-year-old man in Jharkhand tested positive for the novel coronavirus today, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 33, an official said.
The man from Hindpiri locality, a 'COVID-19 hotspot' in Ranchi city, was quarantined and is now undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ranchi, the official said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | West Bengal reports 2 more COVID-19 deaths
Two more persons died of coronavirus in West Bengal in the last 24 hours, taking the toll in the state to 12, a top government official said today.
During the same period, 23 fresh coronavirus infections were reported from different parts of the state, taking the number of cases to 233, Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates | Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal:
If any doctor, nurse, sanitation worker at hospital, lab technician contracts the infection and dies due to it, while attending to the patients of COVID-19, then Delhi government will give a compensation of Rs one crore to their family (ANI)
List of 22 districts in 12 States which have not registered any new COVID-19 cases in last 14 days:
# Lakhisarai, Gopalganj and Bhagalpur (Bihar)
# Udaipur and Dholpur (Rajasthan)
# Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir)
# Thoubal (Manipur)
# Chitradurga (Karnataka)
# Hoshiarpur (Punjab)
# Rohtak and Charkhi Dadri (Haryana)
# Lohit (Arunachal Pradesh)
# Bhadrak and Puri (Odisha)
# Karimganj, Golaghat, Kamrup Rural, Nalbari and South Salmara (Assam)
# Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong (West Bengal)
# Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)
(Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
Coronavirus LIVE updates | JUST IN:
Increase of 957 COVID-19 cases and 36 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total number of COVID-19 positive cases rise to 14,792 in India (including 12,289 active cases, 2,015 cured/discharged/migrated people and 488 deaths): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | Of 14,378 COVID-19 infections, 4,291 cases linked to Markaz event in Delhi: Health ministry
Of the 14,378 coronavirus infections reported in the country so far, 4,291 cases in 23 states and Union Territories are linked to the Markaz event held in Delhi's Nizamuddin area in March, the Union health ministry said today.
Addressing a daily media briefing to give updates on the COVID-19 situation in the country, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said most of the Markaz event-related cases have been found in states with high burden of the disease, such as Tamil Nadu (84%), Telengana (79%), Delhi (63%), Uttar Pradesh (59%) and Andhra Pradesh (61%).
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates |
16 new cases have been reported in Mumbai's slum cluster Dharavi today. The count goes to 117. The number of dead continues to be 10. (CNN News18)
Read here
If a person can contract COVID-19 and survive it, he or she might be entitled to what is referred to as an immunity certificate, also known as the 'immunity passport'. It is a certificate that proves the person is at less risk of contracting COVID-19 as they have immunity that will protect them from getting the infection again for some time.
So, what is an immunity certificate?
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Air India today announced it has opened bookings on select domestic and international routes from May 4 and June 1, respectively.
"In the light of the ongoing global health concerns, we have currently stopped accepting bookings on all domestic flights for travel till May 3, 2020, and on all international flights for travel till May 31, 2020," a notification on Air India's website said today.
Coronavirus in Kerala LIVE updates |
We have a well-knit structure of public health maintenance and a strong network of health centers that ensure the wellbeing of the people at large even at the grassroots level: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on the sharp drop in COVID-19 cases in the state (ANI)
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE updates | Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal:
Coronavirus patients have decreased in the last 3 days but we still have to be cautious. 2,274 samples were tested yesterday out of which 67 tested positive.
Coronavirus LIVE updates |
Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) today reported a 12.1% decline in retail sales at 5,08,659 units for the financial year 2019-20, with the coronavirus pandemic significantly impacting offtakes in the fourth quarter.
The company's total retail sales in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year stood at 1,09,869 vehicles, down 30.9% as compared with the January-March period of the financial year 2018-19, Tata Motors said in a regulatory filing. (PTI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates
# 1992 people have recovered/cured so far (overall cure percentage is around 13.85%)
# 14,378 confirmed positive cases so far
# 480 deaths so far
# In last 24 hours 43 new deaths and 991 new positive cases have been reported
(Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi:
The COVID-19 pandemic is a huge challenge but it is also an opportunity. We need to mobilise our huge pool of scientists, engineers & data experts to work on innovative solutions needed during the crisis.
Coronavirus in Haryana LIVE updates |
The Haryana Police seized 1,200 bottles of illicit liquor in Kaithal district today when the consignment was being smuggled in a truck during the ongoing lockdown to combat the coronavirus outbreak. Police also arrested the driver and the helper of the truck and seized the bottles which were packed in 100 cartons. (PTI)
Coronavirus in West Bengal LIVE updates |
Total active cases in the state is 178 and the death toll is 12. Seven people have been discharged: West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha (ANI)
Coronavirus LIVE updates | Maharashtra govt decides to pay Rs 2,000 each to over 12 lakh construction workers
The Maharashtra government today decided to pay Rs 2,000 each to over 12 lakh registered construction workers in the state who have lost their livelihoods due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown. The curbs, which were imposed on March 24, were later extended till May 3. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Punjab LIVE updates | Police officer dies of COVID-19 in Ludhiana
The 52-year-old Ludhiana assistant commissioner of police, who was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at a private hospital, died today. He breathed his last at the SPS hospital, Ludhiana, civil surgeon Rajesh Bagga said. Yesterday, the Punjab government had given its go-ahead to the hospital to conduct plasma therapy on the police officer. The officer had tested positive for coronavirus on April 12. His wife, security guard and a station house officer tested positive yesterday. (PTI)
Read here: Coronavirus effect: A look at the joys and creativity of being isolated
Isolation is the new life mood and solitude the new social expression. While ‘social’ people are learning to embrace isolation and distancing, let’s look at the joys - and creativity - of being isolated and at writers/artists who chose solitude.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates |
Maharashtra government issues addendum in yesterday's order and also exempts print media from lockdown from April 20 onwards. Door to door delivery of newspapers and magazines to remain prohibited during the lockdown in the light of coronavirus pandemic. Commissioners and Directors of all commissionerates and directorates to attend office with 10% staff. (ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
The coronavirus lockdown has massively disrupted India's supply chain, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant today said.
Speaking at a virtual session on 'COVID-19 & The Future of Work', Kant further said the pandemic has created a unique challenge, which is complex and unpredictable.
"We are passing through a very turbulent time. Our supply chain will get massively disrupted," he said. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Spain LIVE updates | Spain reports more than 20,000 COVID-19 deaths
The death toll from the coronavirus in Spain, one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic, moved past 20,000 today, the health ministry said.
A total of 20,043 people have now succumbed to the disease, which killed 565 people in Spain in the past 24 hours, slightly down on the 585 reported on Friday. (AFP)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Our field-level action is yielding positive results. Along with Mahe, Kodagu in Karnataka too has not registered any new case in the last 28 days. Besides this, 45 other districts in 23 states have not registered any new case in the last 14 days: Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
1,992 people across the country have cured. The overall cure percentage is something around 13.85%. Since yesterday 991 additional positive cases have been reported which takes confirmed cases to 14,378. 43 new deaths reported in last 24 hours, taking death toll to 480: Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry (ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Mortality rate in India is around 3.3%. An age-wise analysis shows that 14.4% of deaths have been reported in the age group of 0-45 yrs. Between 45-60 yrs it is 10.3%, between 60-75 yrs it is 33.1% and for 75 yrs and above it is 42.2%: Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry (ANI)
